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Prayer LetterJanuary / February 2006 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Happy New Year! Thank you for all your prayer for us as a church over the Christmas period.
It has been a busy time across the parish with countless assemblies and
services, lunches and parties. This was the first experience of Christmas that I
have had in Hartford and it was tremendous. There are so many opportunities to
share the gospel with people that I don’t think I over dramatise things when I
say that thousands have come under the challenge of the gospel in this parish
alone in the last month of 2005. At Christ Church I was thrilled to be involved
with the Tot’s & Co. Christmas party (sharing the Christmas story with pre-school
children is surely just about as demanding as ministry gets!) Then there was our
Carol Service where the children presented a beautiful musical nativity to a
crowded building, not to mention all the other special events laid on by
OnTrack, The Junction, the Thursday Café Christmas dinner, and the Carol
singing around the parish. Everyone has been working overtime at what is a
busy time of year for people anyway. Thank you to everyone who has helped out
and prayed out! Please give thanks to God for a wonderful Christmas and pray
that the effect of all our services and activities will have been to build
stronger bridges with those in the community around us. Now
2006 is upon us it is a time for looking ahead and putting into effect some of
the changes we have been planning during the autumn.
This month will also see the launch of our Growth
Groups – our new small group programme for adults. The aim for the groups
is not simply to develop our understanding of the bible, but to encourage
members in discovering and using their gifts and talents, and in their personal
evangelism. We propose to begin one group at the end of the month, and establish
a second soon after. I am really excited about this new venture. Please ask our
Father to bless us through the groups with growing holiness and love for him,
deepened fellowship with one another, and fresh vitality and vigour in ministry
and outreach. David Christ Church Café
Light
lunches are served after the Thursday service. Give thanks …
·
For all those who help on a Thursday.
Please pray that
everyone stays fit & healthy. Please pray …
·
That we
make more impact in the local community and with people coming to the station,
for coffee during the morning and snacks & lunches from 12.30pm. Christianity
Explored (Follow-on)
A few evenings for the group to reconsider the claims of Christ & explore the Bible. Give thanks …
·
That those who
attended the course last term wish to continue to meet to study God’s word. Please pray …
·
That people
will return for this course. ·
That people
will seriously consider how they want to respond to Jesus' claims. ·
That some will
choose to trust in Jesus for eternal life and follow Him. Tots & Co.
Every
Friday morning. Give thanks …
·
A very well
attended term (27 adults and 32 children at Christmas party!), and safety. ·
Sufficient
helpers and strength to cover all the jobs. ·
Wisdom in
dealing with a potentially divisive situation between two mums. ·
Several
families that attended the Advent lunch and Christ Church Carol service. Please pray …
·
For
enough helpers this term & good health for them. ·
For extra
helpers to sit and chat (gossip the gospel) to the adults. ·
For God's truth
to be evident in the Bible story times and for fruit from this. ·
For
wisdom in using a limited space to best advantage. Friday Socials
A get-together for 11-14yr olds from the church. Please pray …
·
For fun, safety and friendship-building
during the three socials before Easter. ·
That God will bring forward a male leader
to enable Bible studies to commence after Easter. OnTrack
Every Friday, 6-7pm during term time for ages 7-11. Give thanks …
·
For the many children
who come to OnTrack. ·
For contact amongst families during the
Saturday Specials. ·
For those who’ve
offered to help on a Friday. Please pray …
·
That God will guide us on how to use the
new teaching material for this term. ·
For how to handle three older OnTrack
girls who are now too old to attend. ·
For another enjoyable term serving Him. Sunday School &
God’s House
Give thanks …
·
For the many children and families God has
brought to our church fellowship. Please pray …
·
For “Up on
The Platform” as we move to a new room and start to use new material. ·
For the
teenagers as they face increased pressure at school; that they will be able to
hold tight to God’s way of living. ·
For God’s
House as we start to use new teaching material. ·
For the Sunday
School groups that they will settle into the new term with some new teachers and
new material. The Junction
Fortnightly Friday meeting for all those of High School age. Give thanks …
·
For Roger's
lead and challenges last term. Please pray …
·
For the smooth
transition from weekly to fortnightly Junction events. ·
That we
develop a format to engage and challenge the views of the Junction kids
with the Bible where they are at, not where we think they are at. ·
For time to
reflect, be encouraged, be patient and to trust in Him in
everything. 24/7
Meeting for women from all walks of life. Please pray …
·
For guidance concerning women’s ministry
at Christ Church. Home….
As the word suggests..! Ruth Port
(North West Team Leader, UCCF)
Give thanks …
·
For God leading me to this role after a
long time of searching. ·
For the encouragement received from those
locally and further afield. Please pray …
·
That I’ll raise the
necessary funds by the end of March in order for me to take up this position. ·
That I will be a
faithful witness to my colleagues during my last three months at Vertex. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lydia Papworth (Member of Christ Church)
Please pray …
·
For further
improvement of my back, in particular for relief from pain and fatigue at night. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ….And Away
Those from our fellowship in other places. Adam & Penny Burt (Singapore)
Please pray …
·
For good health
for Penny as she nears full term in her pregnancy. ·
That they will
both be able to cope with the heat and humidity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Helen Greaves (Reading University)
Please pray …
·
For a
renewed trust in God, that he will help me through this term. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morag Sutton & Ruth Port (trekking
in Nepal, Everest Base Camp)
Please pray …
·
For safe travel
and safety whilst trekking, particularly at altitude. ·
For Morag’s
back, that it will be strong and not cause any problems. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please contact Ruth Port or Morag Sutton if you’d like to contribute to the bi-monthly prayer letter. Deadline for
next contributions – 10th March 2006. |
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Last updated: October 20, 2006. We aim to update this site weekly.
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