easter at the pub and week emma

Hi all, easter at the pub was amazing, a really good atmosphere and again a chance to show that like christmas easter is an event we believe to be true and based in history. there was great fun and some really good banter. Only down/ challenge is that it was only families from the pub and no-one come from parenting courses, next yr we need to consider who to ensure the easter message is heard by both.

For a number of reasons emma has not ben able to jions at team meetings since she started so we're have emma week which is going to be morning prayer meetings as a team and evening times of chill/ chatting / getting to know each other. please pray for these times.

Love and Prayers

R.

that was not a good one

Ok so we've had a terrible week on a number of levels, we have such great lives and we have been given so much by God, but i'll be honest a bad week is not easy to take at all.

I've been think about lent some more and how Jesus was tempted by the devil when he was at the end of himself. Even though he was at the end he didn't stumble. I can say that my reaction to the stressful has been that good or Godly.

Thank you Jesus for setting us an example, help us to live it and thank you for friends who pray when lifes not easy.

R.

Chat with the Head

I went to see the head teacher today in my role as parent governor. A few parents had spoken to me about a few small issues and I felt it was part of my role to pass it on. The head was very open to hearing parents views and pleased that it was happening, they have tried to encourage it before but it hasn't really happened. It was great to feel that I was able to hopefully start something new and help develop the relationships between school and parents. A real privilege.

lent- for giving stuff up or for doing things?

We are having an amazing time doing Lent with some of the members of our little community. However people keep pointing out that there is a new craze of people doing things for lent instead of giving them up!!! Whilst i think that doing things is good, to call it lent is to miss the point. Lent is about 40 days in the desert. Lent is about the stripping back of that which is hindering us from being all God would have us be.

Speaking honestly it's not that I need to do more!! it that i need to put down a loads of habits and attitudes which are making my doing less effective.

Those who know me know i'm usually up for new things and new ways of doing life/church/God. However when it comes to lent I think it should be about the fast not the doing. Typical of the modern world to want to do more and not spend more time reflecting about where we are at in live and with God.

Happy lent time to you!!

R

"i feel clean"

Pancake night was great and people committed to trying to fast for 40 days.

Take a look on face book at events "church 123 40 days of lent" event. but so far it's going well.

Today has been a day of excitement and disappointment.

Firstly there was a role in the local community that i had been hoping to do and dropped a few hints that i'd like to do it, but sadly it's not come about and someone else has it. ( gutted)

Secondly Alison at her thursday morning group has been having more and more chats about God.

Some of those who come have catholic backgrounds and one of them said. " when i attend you events i feel so calm, (which has surprised us as our event are often so crazy!!) the mum when on to say, not only do i feel calm, but i also feel clean.

One of her friends is having us around for dinner tonight and they are coming too and now they want us to share communion together!!!

R

Clearing through the clutter

This weekend we have Emma's commissioning at her home church, which is going to be really exciting.

We also have a pancake night next tuesday:

We hope to have a discussion with those adults who attend at the value of give stuff up to help us see what is important.

Planning this has made me wish the evangelicals (&Baptists) made more of lent, i wish i made more of lent. It such a great opportunity to remind ourselves of what is crowding our true relationship with people and most importantly God.

So much can crowd out that hearing the still small voice of God and what he says about us and wants for us. Most give up chocolate. which is good for the waste line, but what about Facebook, texting all day long, watch tv all night, drinking alcohol. None of which are wrong, but all can stop us hearing what God thinks/ wants of us.

We're not going to challenge people to give one think up for the while of lent as this might be a big first jump we're going to challenge people to give up one thing each day for the 40 days.

please pray for this, maybe you'd like to join us?

r.

Eastern Baptist assembily

It was better than it sounds, promise!!

Glen marshall was one of the speakers and was talking about our need to open to be converted by God away from traditions that we have held dear. He used peter and his encounter with cornelius ( in acts) to illustrate this.

This i found most comforting. Over the last year and a half not only has i had most of my ideas about church shaken and turned upside down, but I've also had lots of my ideas about God shaken and turned up side down. Those times when from behind the comfort of the pulpit ( not that i ever use it!) i've given easy, often over repeated statements about God, which when you're face to face with your own sinfulness or the mess of those around you just don't seem to be enough. I've realised that i'm not sure what i know/ think about God in so many areas of my life.

Now don't panic i've not lost my faith, i think if anything i'm finding it!

Thank you God for continually converting me.