LADIES PAMPER NIGHT

Our ladies pamper night was fantastic! We had over 60 women attend.  Many non-Christians and some first time visitors to the church!

To assist us in organising the event the Body Shop hosted the night, with a donation from the evening being donated in support of Breast Cancer UK a charity close to the hearts of all of us at this time.

Marion Bland began the evening by telling her personal story of her own journey through breast cancer and how the Lord protected her and still today continues to guide her. We had so many positive comments from this testimony and feel sure the Holy Spirit allowed this word to touch the lives of many people who attended on the night.

Marion’s message is an encouragement to us all to ‘‘keep trusting God through times when we don’t understand what He is up to!’’

The evening continued with much laughter as we all sampled the various beauty products, played games and experienced some mini hand treatments alongside some refreshments

The total raised to date from this evening was in excess of £250.00 and a further donation is expected shortly.

God certainly blessed this evening for His glory. Please pray that God would reach out to the women who attended and that through such events they would learn that God does love them and care about them.  Pray for meaningful and lasting relationships to be formed between the ladies. Healing for those facing breast cancer at this time and opportunities to reach out to the women in our neighbourhoods in the future.

Michelle and Mandy

TIME TO THANK GOD FOR ALL HIS BOUNTY

Spring slippy, drippy, nippy
Summer showers, flowery, bowery
Autumn hoppy, croppy, poppy
Winter wheezy, sneezy, breezy

The above is a brief description of the year’s seasons.  We have experienced some strange weather in the past weeks, for example bright sunshine one minute yet a few miles down the road torrential rain and flash floods.  Our climate is definitely changing.

With the harvesting of the crops taking place, most villages will be thinking of harvest festivals and harvest suppers. Michaelmas daisies, dahlias and chrysanthemums are in full bloom and arrangements of flowers and vegetables can be seen around Churches everywhere.

Harvest festival services are usually well attended.  People like to sing songs such as “All is safely gathered in, ‘ere the winter storm begin” and “We plough the fields and scatter”. Even people who do not usually attend Church like to turn out for harvest services, may be because they like to thank God for all the food etc He has provided over the last year.

The Church is still the most central building in many villages and whenever there is tragedy, have you noticed that people go to the Church for comfort.  There is something to be said for our wonderful Church buildings, and for the ones that are able to be left unlocked, as many enter their doors for the peace and to say a quiet prayer.

If you know someone, a neighbour or a friend who doesn’t usually attend Church, may be you could invite them to a harvest service and give them the chance to thank God for all He provides for us.


ON THE WINGS OF PRAYER

Just close your eyes and open your heart
And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above
And let Him hold you secure in His love.
For life on earth grows more involved
With endless problems which can’t be solved.
But God only asks us to do our best
Then He will take over and do the rest.

So when you are tired, discouraged and blue
There’s always one door that is open to you.
And that is the door to the house of prayer
Where you will find God waiting to meet you there.
And the house of prayer is no further away
Than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.

For the heart is a temple when God is there
As we place ourselves in His loving care.
And He hears every prayer and He answers each one
When we pray in His name, Thy will be done.
And the burdens that seemed too heavy to bear
Are lifted away on the wings of prayer.

A long time ago I could do things that I no longer can do. I have to go early for the bus, in case its on time; can’t run.  The top shelves have got higher, the shopping is heavier, the road is definitely longer. I often wish that I had done the things I could do whilst I could do them. No good wishing that though. There are still a lot of things that I can do, and with help from God I will do them.  Then in years to come, when I can’t even get up the bus step, or not even reach the lowest shelf, I won’t be wishing that I can still do them in quite the same way, because I will have done them.

Prayer: Dear God may what I do now and in the future make someone happier because I did what I could, with your help God.
– Amen