CHURCH @ HOME

Rob brought us the message this week from 2 Corinthians chapter 4 entitle “Treasures in clay pots” but before that James led the service and the music team of Sarah, Bel and Marcia. The bible reading was done by Callum and Harry led us around the communion table. Psalm 25:8-10 The Lord is good and does what is right; He shows the proper path to those who go astray.  He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his commands.

The music team this week was Geoff, Michelle and Shona with Joel conducting and Geoff also led the service. Mark was recognised as a deacon, launched Operation Christmas child shoes boxes for 2023 and led us for communion before Harry brought us a sermon from James about having faith that works. Ephesians 2:8-10 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do

Marcia led the service on Father’s Day which turned out to a small service but one that blessed all in attendance. Ben and Sarah, along with Marcia, made up the music team and led the morning’s worship. Branna read the Bible reading from Romans to us - her first time - before Ian took us to the Communion table with words of scripture. Harry then brought the message continuing his series from Revelation on Heaven. 1 John 3:1 NLT - See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him.

It was our annual Vision Sunday this week where the Elders, who are also our 2 Pastors, reflect on the year past and share a vision for the coming year. This year they focused on us as church being ready to face the world that is become more and more pagan and for us to be ready to stand in the face of what is coming. Harry started the message by looking at t a passage in Daniel and then James built on Harry’s biblical message with how we are going to implement the vision in practical terms and ended with a challenge for us and concluded by leading us all around the communion table. Matthew 16:24-27 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

To conclude Missions month we had our own Pastor, Harry, and his family give us their life in missions story with Marcia sharing in song and Harry and Shona sharing a presentation about 50+ years serving God. But before they shared James led the service with the music team of Belle and Marcia. Jaden continued our reading through Romans and Michael led us to the Communion table sharing a Matt Redman song. Joshua 24:15b - Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

As part of our Missions Month we were blessed to have Jon and Bek Dunn come and share about their recent short-term missions trip to Africa. Before that Harry ked the service with the music team of James, Goeff, Michelle and Hannah who coped well with the keyboard collapsing during one of the songs! Steven read the scriptures continuing our reading of the book of Romans and Harlan led Communion before we heard from Jon and Bek. Romans 10:14-15And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Ben Price acclaimed impressionist and comic shared with us his comedy and his thoughts on evangelism in the public eye.

James brought us a sermon this week that covered the entire book of Titus entitled “Owning a life of good works - Paul’s vision of Church life”. But before James brought that encouraging message to us we had a service led by Garry with a music team of Sarah, Shona, belle and James leading the singing. Mark brought us the bible reading from Romans and Rob led us in Communion. Titus 3:5-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

James led the service again this week and, due to some of the planned team be unwell, it was just himself and Michelle leading the music with Joel conducting. Garry continued our bible reading from Romans and Harlan led us around the communion table before Rob brought is a sermon entitled: Slaying our giants using the story of David from 1 Samuel 17 1 John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.