WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Wedding of Jan Chittenden to Gary Chittenden will take place at our church centre on Saturday 10th March 2007 at 2pm. The ceremony and service will be conducted by Captain Ian Woodgate.

THE JOURNEY HAS STARTED

Eighteen People gathered for the start of a four week Journey last evening. This has happened as a bit of an accident really. We were due to do alpha, but for the second time it has not happened. We felt we needed to do something, based on an introductory course to Christianity, and helping Christians as well to grasp this amazng journey that is theirs. Our Senior Leaders decided to sit and write something, having felt God promot them to do something on Journey. A four session course came together which last night explore a Journey with God, with some introductions etc. The group is a mixture of all ages, which is great, and meets in the home of our senior leaders - just!!!! Amazing where people can sit. Next week we look at Jesus! Would value your comments on this, and also if you are interested in attending the next time we do this, or would like to use the material where you are, you are invited to contact the senior leadership of this church.

CELEBRATIONS!

We have a lot to celebrate as a church, and a lot of that is the people who form the church family. We have all sorts of people - of every generation, which is very exciting. One of the ways we get to know people is through our various activities in the week, which we see as forming our mission outreach and ministry. On a Monday we have a community group that meets. This is open to people of all ages and is called GLOW. Its a drop in, you come when you want and go when you want - but most stay from 10am til 1.30pm. We share a meal together at 12noon, and then we have an after dinner activity for about thirty minutes, and that varies each week. We get about twenty or more, clustering together to enjoy time together. The visionary in this group is our church envoy, Val, who this week celebrates her birthday. Caroline is her assistant and has been asked to look into developing this group more over the next year as part of her role. We know she can do that well. Val is pictured here cutting her cake, alongside Caroline, who does not have a red horn coming out her head, but is wearing a hat - honest!!!!

JOURNEY IS STARTING

We are quite excited about tomorrow evening. For some uncertain reason, there has been two times when ALPHA have been diaried, and it has not happened. We are not sure why. Alpha should have started two weeks ago. Convicted that we needed to do something about this, our senior leaders got down to work on something which was aimed at those 'linked to the church' but exploring more of FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. The JOURNEY is held over four sessions, and is a journey through accepting faith, exploring faith and so forth. Its not a perfect JOURNEY, but there is a lot of consideration to be made personally, but also collectively. We are really praying this will be effective and impact peoples lives. This starts tomorrow night, and we are not sure how many will be coming, but we think at least 15, which is pretty good! If you are wanting to come, please come along (buts its being held at the army house not the church centre!)

DAILY REFLECTIONS

a reminder that we produce weekly copies of DAILY REFLECTIONS, which is a five day guide to reflecting on The Word, reflecting on prayer etc - and helping people to digest some of THE WORD throughout the week. This came out of the response of pastoral visits by our senior leadership, and the search our worship support team had to resource our people with good material. A reminder to church members that this material is prepared to help you grow in The Light, minister, share and reflect The Light through The Word. However this is also open to everyone, and this can be emailed to all those who would like it. We would value the comments of any members as to how it has helped, or been used, to help us to continue to assess our ministry and resources as a church community

THE HOPE OF GLORY

Lent is coming! The material we will be using this year is THE HOPE OF GLORY, which we will be encouraging people to use personally, but also to come together once a week to explore. The whole thing will explore a passionate relationship with Jesus. Please pray for our senior leaders as they prepare this material and that they get this right for the people of this church community

STIR UP THE GIFTS WITHIN YOU!

Sunday 28th January.

Last Sunday we welcomed a new leader onto the team of the ashford salvation army christian centre, and this Sunday we have done the same. Sara Hayward who has been part of this church community for some years, has been working alongside the leadership for some months now, and we formally commissioned Sara Hayward into leadership, which as last week, including the anointing of oil, as a sign of being set apart by God. Believing that all are gifted in so many ways by His Spirit, we believe in celebrating all this, and together as a church community really did celebrate it. Our focus this morning started by remembering Pauls Words in Ephesians to BE STRONG IN THE LORD and the Kingdom Kids were asked to spend sometime considering what it is we want to lift Jesus High in. Various songs helped us to lift Jesus high and recognise we are called to storms the forts of darkness - and that happens through lifting Jesus High. Our senior leader, Ian, shared some words from Psalm 23, reminding us of Gods commitment to us, and His love for us in being everything to us in everyway. We were reminded that our hope is to keep looking at Jesus and trusting Him, letting Him guide and lead, and surrendering everything to Him, our great shepherd. We celebrated in this Sara Haywards commissioning, with included being charged with the responsibilities of looking after the 20plus age group and how so often after youth ministry age people get forgotten. We are anxious to have a pastor and friend for that age group and God has called Sara to do this. Along with Sara we also celebrated Lyn Farthing and Sara being charged with the responsibility of district pastor for willesborough. Together they will work to support, pastor and care for the 80 plus units of people we have linked to this church community in the willesborough area alone. We have split the town into three where people live, and each are served by a district pastor. This is very traditional for the army, who used to have ward systems, and thus we are encouraging the building of relationships and the taking of the Light of Jesus beyond our already exisiting buildings - taking the church to where people live!

Finally for today, being our monthly community church Sunday our members and friends were encouraged to cluster together where they lived. South Ashford met for prayer for South Ashford and Teaching at the home of Envoy Val. In Willesborough members and friends went and shared some precious moments with residents of Athena House in Willesborough. Finally Kennington/Town met to enjoy fellowship and prayer together - and the most ever met in that ever.

We thank God for today and the opportunieis. Above all our thanksgiving is offered to God for Lyn and Sara in listening to God and allowing those gifts to be used in and through them.

SELF DENIAL MISSIONARY APPEAL

We have launched the Self Denial Missonary Appeal for 2007 and it is our vision to raise over £1000 to bless the lives of others in other lands. Members and Friends are being encouraged to give up something for a month, and place that money towards this appeal, and their financial gift for the appeal together. For further information about the appeal if you are a member check your mail tray, and if you are not, then do not hesitate to contact us.

MARILYN BAKER

MARILYN BAKER - International Worship Leader and song writer is visiting the ashford salvation army christian centre, this spring, and we hope to see as many of you with us as possible. On Saturday 31st March Marilyn will be leading an evening of praise and worship at 6pm at the east stour school, and on the Sunday 1st April, Marilyn will be speaking, at 10.30am and will be sharing her tesimony at THE EVENT at 3pm. Watch this space for further information

LOOKING TO HEAVEN IN 2007

Last week our assistant senior leader for mission shared his wise words for our Hope for the year to come - Looking to Heaven in 2007. Those words have caught on a little, and we are all sharing them, and indeed doing it! Among us on Sunday 21st January we had opportunity to get more glimspes of Heaven, and to have more hope for the future of God's Church among us. Our morning celebration meeting was amazing when it came to attentors - about 100 people gathered - so many more chairs were put out - and there were not really any new faces this week - just the whole family together - with several not able to be with us. Our Senior Leader Ian, supported by senior leadership, commissioned Trevor James as a leader in this church and to the office of youth ministries officer. In turn, Trevor commissioned his youth team to their responsibilities. Russell Rook - director of ALOVE UK was our guest speaker today and spoke on Hope this morning - and the life that dead bones can really have - our future - eternity! To celebrate the day as a whole our assistant senior leader carl, cooked a meal for the youth team, youth group and other visitors - it was great as always!

Twenty plus Salvation Army 'People' travelled to the annual songs of praise for the week of prayer for Christian unity, held at St Marys Parish Church. Rachel Whitewood represented us well, and chose her song - King of kings, Majesty.

At night we concluded with 30 people gathering together for Disciple College - an evening of prayer, worship, love feast and more together. It was a great time and God really blessed us.

PRAYER MINISTRY COURSE

An evening on teaching and equipping is being held this tuesday for all those who wish to be involved in prayer ministry within the church, or those who wish to explore ministry in the Power of The Holy Spirit. This is s course we have run several times and excited that again this year there are more who wish to do this. For further information see our prayer ministries officer, Elsie Willis or the senior leaders

WITHOUT VISION.......

Today we have shared together in VISION SUNDAY. Once a year we set time aside to consider again the vision God has called us to have, and to consider how in the year ahead we might fulfil this more. We also have time as members and friends to consider the year past and the year ahead, and how we can help fulfil what God has called us too. It also, hopefully, also a time to encourage, challenge and refocus. This morning our senior leader, Ian, spoke on Vision and how we are all called to see. We started by singing At The Cross, where I first saw The Light and the burden of my heart rolled away - it was there by faith I received my sight.....and reminded that we must not allow satan to blind us as God has brought us into the Light, but how many of us choose not to see Jesus. We considered the vision of Ezekiel and the life given to dead bones. We considred the Vision of Isaiah and our Cry also to See the Lord. We considered How Vision Guides Us, Vision Empowers us, Vision Unites us, Vision Gives us Hope, Vision Gives us a Future. After sharing a buffet together - which was great to be together - we shared our membership meeting, where our senior leader reminded us again about Vision - and how we must believe in it, belong to it (ie commit to it) and beactive in it for it to be fulfilled. Various leaders shared their vision and where God has directed them and is directing them, and in all it was a helpful time of presentations and excitement for the future - a very important year for this church. Copies of the summary of the meeting will be available later this week. Thank you to all those who shared this time, to the children who enjoyed time together as well, and to everyone who shared presentations etc. We do not taken any of you for granted - and as Trev says - God loves you and so do I (we)

VISION

The Ashford Salvation Army Christian Centre is at a very exciting point in its history! It has had an amazing history, with lots of ups and downs and so much else - like many churches made up of human beings. It was well versed - if you find the perfect church, do not join it! We are here, made up of very honest and open human beings, and that can sometimes make the fellowship and interesting place to be part of. We have known much of His healing and Empowernment in the last few years and months. This year will be an important time in the development of the future of the church. We know it will also be full of ups and downs and many challenges. God has a lot more to teach us. We are ready! This Sunday we will be having an important 'day' together. We will be exploring what Vision is all about, and then after a shared meal together, sitting down to discuss 'the church' in our annual membership meeting. If you are a member of the church please come and be part of it. If you are not a member of the church - you are welcome to become one - we ask you to pray for us ..... please. Watch this space for further comment.

ESSENTIALS

Our Daily Reflections for the past week have looked at Essentials for Serious Believers. For those of you who don't know, our church publishes daily reflections for five days in a week, encouraging us all to spend some time Reflecting on The Word; Reflecting The Word and Reflecting through Prayer. These notes are available to anyone who would like them, and emailing us at ashford.corps@salvationarmy.org.uk would mean you will get on the mailing list. This week we have encouraged everyone to realise that there is no thing as a serious believer - for all believers cannot be other wise, and that we all have to take seriously this life that we have been given to live. In this we have recognised the essentials are about one thing, with lots of other things that can come out of that. Day Five Concludes: Its to ensure that we know that we have a purpose on this earth and its to live and serve God, who has placed us here. God loves you so much He has created you and breathed His breath into you.

JOURNEY

You may recall that we were due to hold Alpha starting next week, but the decision has been made not to do this. Instead we will be using new material called Journey, which explores the Journey of Life - and how it is we can get the most of our it. One of the major subjects that are explored are relationships - which many people battle with and do not understand. Journey is held over four sessions. If you are interested in being involved in this please contact our senior leaders at: ashford.corps@salvationarmy.org.uk

NEW YEAR DINNER

Thank You is a word we do not use likely here at the Ashford Salvation Army Christian Centre. Today we held our New Year Dinner - a free meal - for all those who support our various Family Ministry Events and Community Ministry Events. 40 People sat down to enjoy a three course, and more, meal, to thank them for their support and commitment to our mission programme. We also had time to thank the team members and the many who help lead these groups too. So thank you everyone, and we look forward to working with you in the year to come:

THROUGH THE STORMS - WITH GODS STRENGTH

Today we have been blessed as a church community, to be part of the spiritual journey of two of His precious children. Joel Whitewood and Clare Hayward approached our senior leaders sometime ago about preaching - not because they really wanted to, but because God told them too. Who could argue with that! Some church's would not theologically agree with our senior leaders on this one (and indeed some salvation army churches too) but our leaders believe that God anoints people of all ages, to speak for Him, and we are all gifted in many ways - whether we have been to Bible or Theological College or not! College does not give you an anointed - just training and equipping. This Morning Joel Whitewood (one of our junior members, and also a choriester at canterbury cathedral - so on missionary service from the salvation army) spoke of God's Strength and how we need it! As if they had planned it together, Clare Hayward spoke on God, the cloud lifter! How God helps us through the storms, the importance of focus, the importance of commitment and more. Both spoke with spirtual authority and power! After both talks several people made prayers at the cross. We thank God for His work through them, and their obedience to Him. When we are all obedient to Him, the blessings not only come to us, but also to others!

WHAT AN INFLUENCE !

Some months ago we shared how our youth ministries officer needed to go deeper with God, and felt it was time to preach. The influence of that obedience has continued! Following that meeting our senior leaders received a text from one of our 'junior soldiers'. He too, for sometime has been writing sermons, and wanted to preach! This was no easy feet - this was no desire - this was God's Idea, and after all, The Word says that The Spirit of God comes on people of all ages - men and women, boys and girls - we all have an anointing, and all gifts to bring to The Body - if its because God wants - then who are we to stand in the way. Some weeks later our senior leaders received another text from someone exploring full time ministry as a Salvation Army Officer in the not too distant future. She needed to also be challenged, as Trevor did, and again influenced by many, including trevor, asked if she might be permitted to preach one Sunday.

THIS SUNDAY in our morning worship meeting, Joel Whitewood (also a chorister at canterbury cathedral) will be bringing The Ministry of The Word. THIS SUNDAY in our evening meeting (disciple college) our acting childrens ministry officer (as of this month), Clare Hayward, will be bringing The Ministry of The Word.

As we launch out on our focus for this year - Living in Hope - both the words that God has laid on their hearts lay great foundations for the years ahead!!!!

Thank You Trevor for your influence!

LIVING IN HOPE

Living in Hope is our focus for 2007, and as God has spoken about the amazing things He believes we will see this year, already many of our people are finding themselves under attack, not having the time they need for things, under pressue, work loads and so much more. Its in the reality of such days that the following song has been penned:-

In the Midst of Confusion - In the Midst of Pain

In the Midst of Aniexty - in the Lowness of the Day

In seek to find the answers, I need to know The Truth,

Lord, Jesus, help me look only to You!

You're my Hope, You're My Strength,

You're My Light, My Friend - my all in all

Jesus Christ, I Worship You!

Jesus Christ, I Worship You!

Before Your Cross, I bow My Knee

I Crown You King of all, You want me to be

Lord, My God, my only Hope!

Jesus Christ - the Hope of all the world.

(c) 2007, ASACC

FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE (2)

More reflections for believers everywhere (it might be easier if you get the book!)

• We have lots of markings that look like Christianity these days, but we have drastically revisted the parameters. People have lowered the standards in vain attempts to make churche look more successful than they really are. The sermons have to be uniformly positive, and the services cannot go longer than 60 minutes. Even then, church is inconvient for some, especially during football season. Shwoign up at church is such a burden that soon people will be faxing in their worship!
• Seriously, what will our children and grandchildren grow up experiencing in church? Extended times of waiting on the Lord will be totally foreign to their experience. There will be no memory bank of seeing people reach out to God. All the will recall are professionally, polished, closely timed productions
• The message of the cross will always be foolishness to some, a stumbling block to others. But if our attention is on the market reaction, we move away from the power of the Gospel. This fearfulness to talk about the Blood of Christ is an overreaction. Worse than that, it borders on heresy, distorting and deflating the power of the Good News
• We don't need need technicians and church programmes, we need God.He is not looking for smart people, because He's the smart one. All He wants are people simple enough to trust Him
• According to 1 Corinthians 13, if meetings are governed by the Holy Spirit, the result for the visitor will be that 'the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, God is really among you' (v25) This should be our goal. When a visitor comes in, there should be a mixture of God's truth and God's presence that the person's heart is x rayed, the futility of his life is exposed and he crumbles in repentance
• In revival the congregation does the preachin (Alexander Whyte) What hemeant was that beyond the presence of preachers, musicians and other ministries, what speaks to the heart is that God is dwelling in close communion with His people
• The absent element is what is expressed in the final sentence of the prayer recorded in Acts 4: Stretch out........ (v30) What gains unbelievers attention and stirs the heart is seeing the Gospel expressed in Power!
• In too many churches today, people don't see manifestation of God's Power in answer to fervant praying. Instead they hear arguements about theological issues that few people care about. On Christian radio and television we are often merely talking to ourselves.
• What we are dealing with today is an Old Testament 'vow religion' comprised of endless repetitions and commands to do all the right things.......There is little dependance on God's power to make an ongoing difference. There is little callijng upon God to revolutionize us in a supernatural way.
• In too many places where the Bible is being thumped and doctrine is being argused until three in the morning the Spirit of that doctrine is missing. William Law, and English devotional writer of the early 1700's wrote 'Read whatever chapter of Scripture you will, and be ever so delighted with it - yet it will leave you as poor, as empty and as unchanged as it found you unless it has turned you wholly and solely to the Spirit of God, and brought you into full union with and dependance upon Him.
• Yet Christians often hesitate to reach out to those who are dfferent. They want God to clean the fish before they catch them. If someone's gold ring is attached to an unusual body part, if the person does not smell the best, or if the skin colour is not the same, Christians tend to hesitate. But think for a moment about God reaching out to us
• Anytime people get hungrey to truly know the Lord, the Holy Spirit quickly puts a shovel and broom in their hands. Husbands and wives begin to deal with long buried issued hurting their marriages. Adults take a closer look at their choice of TV programmes and movies. Church members begin to see the damage wreaked by their gossup, their racial attitudes, their criticism
• When it comes to spiriual matters, you and I will never know our potential under God until we step out and take risks on the front line of battle. We will never s what power and anointing are possible until we bond with our KIng and go out in His Name to establish His Kingdom. Sitting safely in Bible discussions among ourselces, or complaining to one another abou the state of todays society will do nothing to unleash His Power
• Consider how many Gospel preaching churches there are in the 50 states of Amercia - 200,000 if not more. If each of these churches, on average, brought only two converts to Christ a week - not robbing peopel from First Baptist orFirst Nazarene down the road, but winning new people for the Kingdom of God, that would mean 100 new baptsied believers in each church in a years time, or 20,000,000 nationwide.

That will do for now!!!!

FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE

As we start this new year, already some of our members are talking about how they believe God is going to do some amazing things this year - but we are also very aware of satans desire to damage much and destroy what has already been done among us. Our focus for teaching this year is Living in Hope, and we know thats about keeping focussed on Him and not allowing anything to get in the way.

Fresh wind, Fresh Fire is a book thats been around for some years, written by Pastor Jim Cymbala. The sub title of the book is: what happenes when God's Spirit invades the hearts of His people. Some of his writing is a very timely reminder to our church community, and also to the wider Christian Church. Here are some reflections:-

• I could just preach God's Word as best I knew and then call the congregation to prayer and worship. The Lord would take over from there
• Those experiences showed me that I didn't need to play the preacher. Jesus called fishermen, not graduates of rabbinical schools. The main requirement was to be natural and sincere. His disciples had to depend totllay upon the Lord and His Power. In the same way, I had to stop trying to act ministerial - whatever that was. God could only use Jim Cymbala the way he is
• I began mulling over the many ideas and strategies I had heard or read on church growth. One Christian leader had told me 'Forget about the institutional church building; home meetings are where its at these days. You might as well sell your building: God is doing a new thing
• If we don't call upon the Lord, He has promised nothing - nothing at all. Its as simple as that. No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend upon our times of prayer
• The condition o the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. So is the prayer meeting a grace-ometer, and from it we may judge of the amount of divine working among a people. If God be near a church, it must pray. And if He be not there, one of the first tokens of His absence will be a slothfulness in prayer (Spurgeon)
• God likes to see His people shut up to do this, that there is no hope but in prayer. Herein lies the Church's power against the world (Andrew Bonar 1853)
• Satan's main stratgy with God's people has always been to whisper, 'Don't call, don't ask, don't depend on God to do great things. You'll get along fine if you just rely on your own cleverness and energy'. The truth of the matter is that the devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God
• Only when we are full of the Spirit do we feel the need for God everywhere we turn
• Our forebears back in the camp meeting days used to say that if people left a meeting talking about what a wonderful sermon the preacher gave or how beautifully the singers sang, the meetin had failed. But if people went home saying things like 'Isn't God good? He met me tonight in such a wonderful way' - it was a good meeting. There was to be sharing the stage with the Lord
• The feature that is supposed to distinguish Christian churches, Christian people, and Christian gatherings is the aroma of prayer. It doesn't matter what your tradition or my tradition is. The house is not ours anyway, it is the Father's
• If a meeting does not end with people touching God, what kind of meeting is it? We haven't really encountered God. We haven't met with the only One powerful and loving enough to change our lives.