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Lighthouse

Sizewell 2009

by Helen Scott

On Friday 23rd January, Angela, Barbara R, Mandy, Marion, Monica, Ruth L, Sonya and I set off for Sizewell, excited and anticipating what the weekend was going to bring!! On arrival we were welcomed and given our programme for the weekend and our room number. Who would we be sharing with and would we have a laugh?

After unpacking and eating a much appreciated dinner, we made our way to a large, beautifully situated room with views overlooking the sea, where we would be having our teaching and worship sessions. Angela Mills and Penny Frank were the two ladies who had that pleasure this year. They introduced themselves and gave a testimony of how they came to where they were now, how God had met them and had put on their hearts what they were going to teach us.

Angela taught us from Deuteronomy 32 v1-4 that Jesus is the rock on who we stand and in the society we live in, where nothing is secure, He is! Also she taught from Matthew 5 v1-16, the Beattitudes, showing us what our character should be like, how to swim against the tide when all is against us! Penny taught us about two truths being held together, e g Mary and Martha - how we cannot be like Martha or Mary all the time, but we need to be like both of them some of the time. She also based her talks on Romans 8 v1-1,7 who am I in Christ?

Two laws –         World law  - Spirit law

Two mindsets –  Sin, death -  Spirit, life

Two controls –    Looking at Jesus, accepting the cross                                        –    Looking at Jesus, rejecting the cross

Two choices –    Life - death

We also had the chance to meet for prayer with people from all kinds of backgrounds, with different ages, views and levels of maturity as Christians.  We had Saturday afternoon as free time where we could walk along the beach, join others to paint a banner, sit and reflect on what we were learning or catch up on sleep!

We were so fortunate to have this opportunity where we could revert back to childhood, laugh all night, see the funny side of everything, join the queue for the toilet at 2am and still get up when the alarm went off! Above all we were so fortunate to join with people who are like-minded in Spirit and learn more of our God and what He does for us each day. So ladies, don’t miss out on enjoying this fun! Make a decision to come next year and learn what God has to say to you in such a special way and in such a special place. Please read Matthew 5 v13-16 and let us all try to be salt and light in such a sick and dark nation.

Helen Scott

Over 60’s Outing

Wed 19th August

10:15 Thought of the day

10:30 Travel to Dunwich

12:00 Lunch at Dunwich

13:30 Travel to Southwold

15:30 Travel home

Coach and lunch £18

To book your place

Speak to Eric Spurgeon

Lessons from Noah’s life

1. Don’t miss the boat.

2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.

3. Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.

4. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

5. Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

6. Build your future on high ground.

7. For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.

8. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

9. When you’re stressed, float a while.

10. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

Thank you - Matthew Sims Update

by Valerie & Geoff

Geoff, Matthew and I would like to thank you all for your prayers, enquiries and messages during the last 9 months, since Matthew was admitted to hospital suddenly, and had spinal surgery.  The future at first looked quite bleak, but we have been encouraged by the amount of prayer support that we have had.As most of you know Matthew came home from Stoke Mandeville on 19th December, after being told that if he does not walk within the next two years then he is unlikely to. But, praise the Lord, he is now able to take about a dozen steps with the aid of a walking frame, something we never thought we would see him do.

He  is now in a bungalow in Witham, but is waiting for it to be adapted for his needs, so he can be more independent.  The future regarding his employment is unknown, so I would ask you to continue to pray in particular about that. He is optimistic, but of course the present unemployment situation will not help.I am writing this after the morning service which has been taken by Kevin, in which I was very blessed. Kevin quoted Proverbs 3 v 5-6, something that I have found at times hard to do "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"

LYING

The preacher told his congregation, ‘Next Sunday my sermon will be on the sin of lying. To prepare yourselves please read the seventeenth chapter of Mark.’

The following Sunday arrived and he asked, ‘How many of you read the seventeenth chapter of Mark?’

Most of the congregation raised their hands.‘Good’, he replied. ‘There are only 16 chapters in Mark. Now for the sermon on the sin of lying.’        

Loganberry Lodge - Word & Music

by Jean & Martin Hill

By the time you read this, some of you will already be aware that Loganberry Lodge, a residential home for the elderly in New Farm Road, Stanway has welcomed people from the church on a regular basis.

We were invited originally to sing carols before Christmas, and were delighted to have a good attendance at that service. This was then followed by an enquiry from the Activities Organiser at the Lodge as to whether the church could provide some form of “entertainment/activity” lasting approximately 30 minutes at a time.

Since the invitation was a very open ended affair, with no firm commitment on content or frequency, it seemed an ideal opportunity to take our church into the community, share the Gospel and also provide “light” entertainment, but without the stress as the Activities Organiser put it. The event is advertised in the Lodge as “Words and Music” as this allows readings from scripture, hymns, prayers as well as stories, poetry, songs etc all of which are appreciated. It was initially agreed that Monday afternoons, commencing at 3.00 pm was most suitable and so an arrangement has been made on this basis up to and including Monday 6th April.

The reason for this note is threefold:

Firstly, it would be much appreciated if those with even a modicum of talent (such as reading a story) or perhaps a talent hidden from the world until now, would step forward (if at all possible) and put that talent on show for the benefit of the residents and as a representative of Stanway Evangelical Church.

Secondly, there must be tucked away in draws and cupboards in your home lots of suitable entertainment material that could be given the light of day to the delight of the residents. Any offerings would be most welcome, but best of course if you were to present them in person.

Thirdly, we are sure it would be beneficial to the residents if the activity programme could be maintained after Easter and through the summer, keeping that Christian presence at the Lodge going.

However it would require someone to take the lead and do the necessary organising, but not necessarily on the same day or frequency as before. If you are tempted or challenged by this opportunity, and we do hope many of you are, then do please speak to us - we are willing to twist your arms for a submission!

Our “Gentle Giant”

by Marion Bland

It was just over ten years ago that our son, James, asked me if we could have “Oscar”, a beautiful, large, golden retriever dog, whom he had known since he was a pup of eight weeks old.  The people who owned him knew that James had fallen in love with him whilst working at their property in Wormingford when he arrived.  However, they had recently moved and Oscar had not settled and had in fact run away on more than one occasion.

Incidentally, this had all coincided with the time that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and on the second weekend in December 1998 I was going into hospital for a mastectomy operation.  John and I had spent the Saturday morning rushing round the town buying Christmas presents etc., and upon our arrival home met up with this huge animal.  (He was very nervous and cringed if you walked past him with shopping bags or a newspaper in your hand.)  John thought that he was just spending the Christmas with us!!Because it was rather a traumatic time for us all as a family not too much was said about Oscar joining us.

When I came out of hospital on Christmas Eve I found that he was becoming fairly well established at Crown Cottage!  It was not too long before he no longer showed signs of fear either.

You may be thinking, yes, well he was only a dog, but in hindsight I can see why God allowed that “gentle giant” to become part of our lives.  As the days went by I found Oscar to be a great companion and we literally walked miles together.

He became very therapeutic for me in those post-operative days.  John used to be concerned that, being such a large, strong dog, he would pull me over, but he was very gentle and obedient and seemed to sense that he had to be careful.

We had the pleasure of his company for just over ten years and, although he was officially James’ dog, he stayed at Crown Cottage with John and I after James got married and left Ardleigh.

We were devastated when we had to have him put to sleep, because he lost the use of his back legs, just a few days before Christmas.  We have both grieved very much at losing him, but realise that his time and season was now over, he had by this time reached the grand age of 13 years and 3 months, a good life-span for a large dog.

John speaks of him as “his good friend”, which he certainly was to me too.  I particularly remember the times when Oscar and I would walk through the fields, into a nearby orchard by a reservoir.  I was able to spend much of that time communing with God, thanking Him for all the good things I could see around me; observing the different seasons as they came and went; for the Spring-time watching the corn grow ready for harvesting; praying over situations that may have been on my mind.  Yes, our “gentle giant” was very special and will remain in our memories for a long time to come.  That verse in Psalm 116 came to me whilst I was thinking about this article “How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the Name of the Lord”.

Just as a footnote:  Our cat “Smudge” really missed Oscar too.  She would cuddle up to him and keep warm.  She pined so much and we had to have her put to sleep five days into the New Year – she also had lived a good, long life. She would have been 20 years old on 1st May.  Neither of them had ever been treated at the veterinary surgery – must have had a “good living” at Crown Cottage!!