" Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."

Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV)

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Lighthouse

Church Away Day

Mulberry House, 19th April 2008

Pictures of Away Day at end of article.

The Away Day arrived, damp and grey but this was not the attitude of those arriving at Mulberry House, High Ongar. It did not take long to settle down in the very pleasant surroundings of the Mulberry Room, with the children happily occupied in the Cedar Room next door with Naomi (Eric and Judy’s daughter), to a time of worship and praise. This was once again ably accompanied on the piano by our brother Kevin Smee from the Westcliff-on-Sea Church.

After the obligatory coffee break we were privileged to listen to our brother the Reverend Steve Wyncoll from Waldringfield Baptist Church. He had based his message on “Fellowship”, having read from 1 John vs 1-10 pointing out that “fellowship” is a mutual sharing in Christ leading to both vertical and horizontal fellowship. That there needs to be togetherness with one another; essential to stay close to Christ and to each other, encouraging each other to walk in the light and near to our Saviour.

Then there was the manifestation of fellowship, pointing out that there are the “earthly”, “neutral” and “live” Christians in every Fellowship or Body of Christ’s people. He encouraged us “to be filled with the Spirit” pointing out that people will soon recognise if we are. God has not made us “uniform”, but He wants us to be “united”.

Certainly a challenging and thought provoking message which stimulated much discussion in our Group Time which took place in the afternoon.

It was interesting to hear people’s comments on the “Away Day” and it would appear that it was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

Certainly the children enjoyed their day together and they came and joined the adults for a “fun time” at the end of the afternoon, sharing with us some cakes that they had made earlier!

Marion Bland

Pictures from Away Day

In Memory of a Great-Granddaughter

by Roger Bradshaw

On the 24th March this year I was blessed by the arrival, albeit prematurely, of a lovely great-granddaughter. Tegan, as she was to be called, weighed just 690 grams and was very fragile. Her feet and hands were about the size of my little finger nail. Shortly after her birth Tegan was transferred to the neonatal unit at the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital. She was placed in a special incubator and put on a life support machine.

Kristina, my granddaughter and the mother of Tegan was at the hospital with her. My family and I went to see her regularly. Tegan seemed to be fighting quite well and when my wife and I went to see her on Thursday 10th April Tegan had been taken off the ventilator and was breathing on her own!

However on Sunday 13th we received an urgent call to get back to Norwich as Tegan had started to deteriorate. On our arrival we were told Tegan had developed septicaemia and was very poorly.

During the afternoon Tegan was removed from her incubator and Kristina held her whilst the ventilator was switched off. She died at 3.15 pm.

The funeral took place on Friday 25th at Colchester Crematorium. All family members were asked to wear something pink! Many tears were shed that day.

Tegan is Welsh and means beautiful. I am sure she would have grown up into a beautiful person - although she was beautiful during her short time with us and I would like to think of her being a beautiful Angel with our Father in Heaven.

Although Tegan was only with us for a very short time, I miss her a great deal and think about her daily.

My family and I would like to thank everyone for their kind words, prayers and cards during our difficult time I would like to dedicate the following verses to Tegan (A Child Loaned).

SAMARITAN’S PURSE 2007 - UPDATE

The 2007 UK total for shoeboxes was 1.3 million and our region brought in approximately 160,000. The amount for our region has nearly doubled in four years and it is encouraging to know that twice the number of children now receive shoeboxes from this region.

We would like to thank all Churches, schools and organisations who contributed so much and organised the collections of the shoeboxes and to all the Companies that so kindly helped us, without whose aid the Campaign would not have been possible.

This year we had the problem of the postal strike, which delayed the arrival of leaflets and set the programme back a week or two. However towards the end of November the shoeboxes began to come in, much to the delight of all.

Boxes were sent for the first time to Monte Negro and exactly 10,000 were loaded on to our first lorry. The Distribution Team told us that all the boxes from Chelmsford were first class and we were commended on the quality - well done!

The well-known story that Jesus told of the Good Samaritan still stirs the hearts and minds of people today and is a very great encouragement for all of us to help those children in desperate need. The power of a simple gift always puts a smile on the face of a hurting child.

Many thanks for all you do.

Sheila Heaton

& Colin Ridgewell

Regional Managers

Total shoeboxes dispatched from Chelmsford Warehouse 2007:

Monte Negro - 10,000 Serbia - 12,798

Kosovo - 2,043 Belarus - 628

Romania - 2,462

Suffolk warehouse for onward shipment - 1,150

A Child Loaned

I’ll lend you for a little time a child of mine, he said,

For you to love the while she lives, and mourn for when she’s dead.

She may be six or seven years, or even two or three

But will you, ’till I call her back, take care of her for me?

She’ll bring her charm to gladden you and, should her stay be brief

You’ll have her lovely memories as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay, since all from earth return

But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn

I’ve looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true

And from the throng that crowd life’s lanes, I have selected you.

Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labour’s vain

Nor hate me when I come to call and take her back again?

I fancied that I heard them say, “Dear Lord, thy will be done”

For all the joys thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we’ll run

We’ll shelter her with tenderness, we’ll love her while we may

And for the happiness we’ve known for every grateful stay

But, should the angels call for her much sooner than we’d planned

We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand

KEEP SUNDAY SPECIAL - KEEP SUNDAY AS A HOLY DAY FOR GOD

Respect Sunday - by keeping it special

A day set apart for God - for worship and for joy

You can do all your secular work in six days, but Sunday is a day to delight in God and all His blessings

Sunday is a day for release from all the secular things that occupy our hearts and minds from Monday to Saturday

Sunday is a day of rest - to lie on your bed and meditate!

Even God had to take a rest from all the activity of creation

He set us an example - so don’t be ashamed of stopping once in a week

Letting go - and letting God become the centre of your life

Sunday is a day of rejoicing - Oh happy day - Oh happy day when Jesus washed my sins away

Remember the three virtues - Love - Joy - Peace

These are the three characteristics of a biblical Sunday

Sunday is also a day for reflection - a day to look back and thank God for all His blessings

A day to look around - and praise God for all his bounty

Joy - the person I am - born again and filled with God’s spirit

Joy - the people I’m with - the redeemed - the children of God

Joy - the place I’m in - the House of God - a place of prayer

A day to look forward - joy - the place I’m going to!

Heaven to be forever with the Lord!

God put His special blessing on Sunday - he specifically made it very, very different from the other six

A day of release - from the world and all its pressures

A day of rest - from work and worry and Woolworths !

A day of rejoicing - 24 stress free hours to praise the Lord

A day of reflection - on the peace of God

The perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit

What an amazing deity - what an amazing day!

John Knight

Heaven Forbid

Most of us have now learned to live with voicemail as a necessary part of our lives. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God decided to install voicemail when receiving our prayers? It might sound something like this:

Thank you for calling Heaven

For English press 1

For Spanish press 2

For all other languages press 3

Please select one of the following :

Press 1 for request

Press 2 for thanksgiving

Press 3 for complaints

For anything else press 4

I am sorry, all our Angels and Saints are busy right now. However, your prayer is important to us and we will answer it as soon as possible.

We Just wanted to say thank you for the cards, gifts and many ‘Congratulations’ that you have given to us for our engagement.

We are so thankful for the love, kindness and support that you have all shown us throughout our relationship. We would ask that you might continue to pray for us as a couple, that God will continue to strengthen us and guide us in His ways.

All our love Adam and Vicky