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" And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again."

2 Corinthians 5v15

Lighthouse Magazine

Deadline for submissions for the next copy of the Lighthouse Magazine is Sunday 5th February 2012

When I was asked if I could write my testimony, I thought yes of course I will, but as I stopped to think about it I thought how long is the page?!!!

For as long as I can remember my mum and dad had always taken me to church, firstly to a little Gospel Hall in Tonbridge, Kent. I have great memories of that Sunday School and even now remember how the people radiated Christ’s love. When I was about 7 years old, we moved to Chislehurst, Kent where my mum and dad found a Chapel in Sidcup for us to go, in fact the one they had met in! My dad had quite a major role in the church, preaching and being involved with the covenantors group. One day he just left, moved out and said he was “challenged” about his faith. What a blow, my very stable life all of a sudden took on a new meaning, one without my dad.

At about the same time (when I was about 10) we were introduced to South East London Christian Camps. My sisters and I looked forward to going each summer where we met amazing people who really reflected the love of God and gradually got to know us. I didn’t really talk to anyone, was really shy and shut myself off in my own little world! Even wondering if God was really real. But one evening at camp when I was 12 God’s spirit touched me in such a way through the message that I knew I was a sinner, saved by grace and needed Jesus. I gave my life. I had an inner peace that only God could give me, that whatever happened in my life I would never be alone. Praise the Lord how amazing is our God?

In January 1980 when I was 14 I got baptised and remember my friend announcing to the class I had been swimming with the vicar! I didn’t mind, I was floating! Then in January 1981 we moved to Essex, I was 15, my mum and dad had divorced, I had to leave my school, my church, everything I knew. I tried churches locally but not really hard enough as I was angry and bitter, but God never let go of me, but I drifted away from Him.

I did my nurse training where Richard’s sister introduced me to him - well that was it! I worshipped the ground he walked on, not a very good thing for a Christian to do, but I did; he was my everything and God took second place. We got married, had Katherine, Beccy and Vicky. God kept reminding me that church would be good. In the end I did take notice, I returned God to his rightful place and Richard and I started to go to Maldon Road Chapel. We had often talked about church and he had gone to his local Church of England church as a youngster. I had not felt so close to God in a long time and felt such an inner peace about where we were as a family. The girls were part of the Sunday School at Maldon Road and they were being taught what I had learnt as a child. We then had Jessica and felt very happy in the fellowship.

We moved to Stanway Evangelical when the Sunday School here was mainly our girls, after being led by God that this is where He wanted us. When the road is rough and steep, fix your eyes upon Jesus; He alone has power to keep, fix your eyes upon Him. God never left me, He brought me back to Him but above all showed me that being born into a Christian family didn’t make me a Christian. I had to have a personal relationship with Him, for myself. My mum and dad are both attending churches now, praise the Lord!

We have redemption through His blood - Ephesians 1 v7

To all who

Pay tax

Think Gift Aid

It is easy to give as you please with no fixed amount and the Church receives extra money.

See Keith Groom

My Testimony

By Helen Scott

Click to download a full PDF copy of the

Lighthouse

The Power of Prayer

The Mixing Bowl

I am aware that quite a few members of Stanway Evangelical Church are diabetic so thought it would be nice to have a different recipe besides the usual no sugar fruit cake. Marilyn and Graham kindly gave me a selection of diabetic recipes to choose from. I made this one for the July coffee morning and it got a favourable response from both diabetics and non diabetics.

Monica

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

4 oz Soft Marge

6oz Caster Sugar

7 oz Self Raising Flour

4 Tablespoons Milk

2 Large Eggs

Grated rind of 1 – 2 lemons

Topping

3 Tablespoons of Lemon Juice mixed with 3 Tablespoons of Caster Sugar

Line 2lb loaf tin. Cream marge, sugar and lemon rind. Add beaten eggs gradually. Fold in the flour. Add milk. Put in tin and smooth the top. Cook 350F, 180C or Gas 4 for 40 – 45 mins. Prick top of cake whilst hot in tin and spoon lemon juice and caster sugar mixture over the top. Leave to cool in the tin.

Thought you might enjoy this interesting prayer given in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate.

It seems prayer still upsets some people. When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbour’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefather and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively.

The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa and Korea...

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.

With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and whole heartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'one nation Under God.'

A Reflection from Beacon House

As I opened the door at Beacon House last week my eyes glanced down to the top step where someone had taken to graffiting across our wall.

My heart sunk, my anger rose and judgment on those I suspected was first on my mind.

I knelt to read the obscenity that I was certain I would find and what it actually said brought shame and a tear to my eye. It was a heart-felt prayer to God in desperation asking for hope!

I was reminded Jeremiah 5:1 says, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it."

A true judge is one who seeks the truth. If you must judge, be sure and get all the facts. A Japanese proverb says to "search seven times before you judge."

The lesson I learnt that day in Christ was do not judge another when you do not have all the relevant facts.

General news from Beacon House

On day to day matters at Beacon House in 2011, it has again, certainly not been without its challenges this year. With issues related to funding, staffing and legal requirements from the various statutory bodies we work with. Yet once again as the year closes we reflect on the faithfulness of our Lord.

In times when most charities have received a third less in funding we have been sustained. Where most charities are being prevented from expanding their work we have been asked to commence 3 new nursing outreaches including working in Tendring.

Our clients are now engaging in our Christian ‘café’ afternoon where the gospel is actively preached and we are regularly seeing clients asking for prayer. (Those who live on the street quickly realise they are not ultimately in control of their lives, and we pray that God uses that earthly distress to soften their hearts and help them realise their spiritual needs.)

In closing as the homeless population in our community is increasing comes with it an increase for a great opportunity for ministry and evangelism, at Beacon House in 2012.

We are truly blessed by the support Stanway Evangelical demonstrates in prayer, time and resources to this ministry.

Michelle Wilkinson

Forrest Gump Goes to Heaven

The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper.

St. Peter said, “well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven.”

Forrest responds, “it sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test ain’t too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was.”

St. Peter continued, “yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions:

First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?

Second: How many seconds are there in a year?

Third: What is God’s first name?”

Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, “now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers.” Forrest replied, “well, the first one - which two days in the week begins with the letter T?

Well, that one is easy. That will be Today and Tomorrow.”

The Saint’s eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, “Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?” asked St. Peter.

“How many seconds in a year?”

“Now that one is harder,” replied Forrest, “but I thunk and thunk about that and I guess the only answer can be Twelve.”

Astounded St. Peter said, “Twelve?

Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven’s name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?”

Forrest replied, “well, there’s got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd....”

“Hold it,” interrupts St. Peter.

“I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind... but I will have to give you credit for that one too. Let us go on with the third and final question.

Can you tell me God’s first name?”

“Sure,” Forrest replied, “it’s Andy.”

“Andy?” exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. “OK, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?”

“Well, that was the easiest one of all,” Forrest replied. “I learnt it from the song,

“ANDY WALKS WITH ME,

ANDY TALKS WITH ME,

ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN”

St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said: “Run, Forrest, run.”

God loves everyone

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door.

The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger,

standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!"

He slams the door and returns to bed.

"Who was that?" asked his wife.