Our Next Steps
Real Growth In God's Church:
Our last three years of teaching and developing as a Church took us to our last series in the fall. In this series we focused upon Real Unity in God’s Church. This concluded with our Café Church service and Commitment Sunday. So where do we go next?
The simple answer is onwards, towards and with, Growth in the Lord (as a Church and in our individual faith).
There are plans and developing plans to help us in this Church growth with regards to Mission, Small Groups, Pastoral Care and practical day to day matters; but what of our Growth in Christ?
Undoubtedly if any Growth is to be sustained, substantial and authentic the Growth must be in Jesus Christ. As individuals we must surely become ‘imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children,” (Eph. 5: 1 as we looked at in our recent series).
To help us in this Spiritual Growth there is a planned timetable of teaching from now until early summer. The focus will be upon Christ. It will look like this:
The simple answer is onwards, towards and with, Growth in the Lord (as a Church and in our individual faith).
There are plans and developing plans to help us in this Church growth with regards to Mission, Small Groups, Pastoral Care and practical day to day matters; but what of our Growth in Christ?
Undoubtedly if any Growth is to be sustained, substantial and authentic the Growth must be in Jesus Christ. As individuals we must surely become ‘imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children,” (Eph. 5: 1 as we looked at in our recent series).
To help us in this Spiritual Growth there is a planned timetable of teaching from now until early summer. The focus will be upon Christ. It will look like this:
Your feedback from Café Church and your commitment in our recent Sunday service has helped shape this direction.
The other aspect that has helped develop this route, and that is challenging us all, is the matter of truth; God’s truth. The aim of this direction in teaching is to take us deeper into God’s truth through Christ Himself. Jesus is “the way the truth and the life,” (John 14: 6) and He is “the author and perfector of our faith,” (Hebrews 12: 2); so may we submit to Him, be blessed and grow.
Please pray for this focus and our Growth in the Lord; please prepare in a way that honours God and edifies the Church.
May the Lord bless us in our endeavours subject to His will.
Pastor Dave Labdon
The other aspect that has helped develop this route, and that is challenging us all, is the matter of truth; God’s truth. The aim of this direction in teaching is to take us deeper into God’s truth through Christ Himself. Jesus is “the way the truth and the life,” (John 14: 6) and He is “the author and perfector of our faith,” (Hebrews 12: 2); so may we submit to Him, be blessed and grow.
Please pray for this focus and our Growth in the Lord; please prepare in a way that honours God and edifies the Church.
May the Lord bless us in our endeavours subject to His will.
Pastor Dave Labdon
Pastor Dave's Christmas Message
The Servant King
Windows and Doors! Really helpful if we want to look at something or get somewhere. We all want to look at life with understanding and to get somewhere; but boy is that hard at times. Life is a mystery for which Christmas presents a window of explanation; if we only but look through. It helps us to see God Himself and tells us of our purpose to live as His children. We meet God in His Son, Jesus Christ, His exact representation. Yet this King of All came out of love and obedience ‘….not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many,’ (Mark 10: 45); now that is a Christmas wonder. If that is a window into understanding life what of the door to pass through? “The door of life is a door of mystery. It becomes slightly shorter than the one who wishes to enter it. And thus only he who bows in humility can cross its threshold.”* This doorway to life is through Jesus Christ, our Servant King. For a window on life and to find its doorway come and join us this Christmas.
*Father James
*Father James
Real Obedience
Our next sermon series, entitled "Real Obedience" will run from February 14 and end with a Cafe Church on March 13. An overview and some suggested preparations will help you get the most out of what we will be discussing.
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