TEA PLEASE!!!!

Members of our Senior Leadership Team attended the Mayors Garden Party in Chilham today, and enjoyed the wonderful weather conditions and all that came with this annual event. Envoy Val, Captain Sue and Carl W represented the church.

FAMILY OUTING

Our next family outing is to Broadstairs and this will be held on Wednesday 8th August. We will be travelling by coach, and can enjoy the whole day in this beautiful part of the world. If you are interested in coming, please let us know very soon, as places are filling up very quickly.

SUNDAY 1ST JULY

This Sunday will be a very special time, when we celebrate the near conclusion of another school year and our family ministries throughout this year. Not only will the toddlers, children and youth be receiving end of year prizes, but so will our toddler, children and youth ministry teams, and they deserve it too!!! Please come and support us at 10.30am, and then stay on and enjoy a good family meal together. Following this everyone is encouraged to spend some good family time together - whether that be with your family and your church family together...... all is encouraged

FAMILY OUTING TO RARE BREEDS

Everyone who comes to the ASACC are rare breeds - we are all individuals, which we Praise God for! So, it was nice to go and visit some other rare breeds, even though they were of the animal type. We decided to leave our end of term outing to somewhere local, and have a half day out, and it was lovely. Forty people of all ages enjoyed the day out, and it concluded with a cream tea. Thank you to all who made it so special

AND FINALLY ON FRIENDSHIP

To view the amazing writing to District Pastor Elsie, visit:
prayermatters.blogspot.com

FRIENDSHIP

Captain Ian spent hours writing the following as a guide for us all to follow:

F riends are special, they mean so much
R arely do I need to look elsewhere
I know I am blessed in the friends that I have
E xcelling in their special love and care
N ow all I can do is offer a prayer
D ear Lod, be so close to my friend. I thank you that I know you are my special friend too
S orry for the time that I fail you My Lord, help me to keep close to You

FRIENDSHIP

By Carol, Sylvia and Winnie

F riends make your life happier
R arely do they let us down
I love the friends I have
E veryday they help us
N obody knows the value of a friend like I do,
D uring our life we have found friendships value
S orrow can be helpful by friendship

FRIENDSHIP

By Frances

F riends are forever, they never let us down
R emembering the good things and not the bad
I n everything they are truthful and loving
E specially when things go wrong
N ot judgemental but always loving
D earest friend of mine
S ays I Love You

FRIENDSHIP

By Diana

F riends are great
R eal friends are true
I n their intentions
E nlightened for you
N eeds for friends
D emands are catered for
S omeone there for ypu
W herever one meets

FRIENDSHIP

by Rita

F riends are forever
R emaining for ever
I n sickness and in health
E ven without wealth
N o one can sever
D evoted my treasure
S eeking your pleasure

FRIENDSHIP

By Sue Wall

F riends are what we need every day
R ely on them to be by our side
I know very well that friends are the best
E xcellent to be with
N ice to be with all the time
D earest people to be with forever
S incere and true

FRIENDSHIP

By Nancy, Jan and Gary

F riends are a blessing from God they
R eally mean a lot
I enjoy the company of friends
E xcellent friends add happiness to my life
N othing else would please me without friends
D ear Lord, thank You for giving me friends
S pecial friends are not always found

FRIENDSHIP

By Pam

F ear, is something that needs sharing
R ealivity, not shallow
I - 2 of these are needed
E veryone needs a friend
N ice to each other
D aring to go the extra mile
S incerty not just for a while

FRIENDSHIP

by Fay, Viv and Len

F riendship is something that is rarely true
R eally and truly I am looking for you
I n depths I will find you, I know that is true
E verlasting friendship is something true
N ever will I leave you
D estiny leads me your way
S o follow your heart I truly will stay

FRIENDSHIP

By Envoy Val, Lyn, Sue and Sara Jane

F ather we know you are our friend
R edeemer, Saviour, withour end
I know I can trust You
E very day of my life there's
N obody like You
D eliverer through strife
S aviour I'll serve You the rest of my life

FRIENDSHIP

Now for a blog of class!!!! Last Wednesday Captain Ian led our Home and Family Meeting, and we explored Friendship. It was a really good afternoon together, and one of the challenges set for the afternoon was to take the word FRIENDS, and with each letter start a new line of poetry!!! The following are a contributions from some of the members of the groups

SUNDAY 24TH JUNE 2007

The Why, What? questions were explored this morning by our senior leader, Ian. Again the whole meeting fitted briantially, from the call to worship, to the all age presentation and the thoughts shared from the Word of God. Ian asked why are we here on this earth, and what is our purpose. We looked at what God said through His word, recognising that so many people - theolgians, scholars and more have made it all too complicated. Sadly because of the weather the Summer Fiesta had to be called off.

THEATRE TRIP

Wow what a power story! The Cross and the Switchblade was protrayed by the Saltmine Theatre Company and about fifteen people from this church travelled to Canterbury to see and enjoy.

THIS WEEKEND

Saturday a good sized group from the church are visiting a theatre in Canterbury to see CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE which is tourning the UK with the Saltmine Trust.

Sunday we celebrate family and community together at the East Stour at 10.30am, and then travel down to Newtown Green to set up for the SUMMER FIESTA which starts at 3pm and everyone is very warmly welcome to come and join with us.

We really look forward to sharing with all those who can make it.

NEW BOOK PUBLISHED

Pam Quinn has for sometime been working on her latest book, which has been published by The Ashford Salvation Army Salvation Army. 24 Stories for Jesus, is a collection of stories that can be used to tell children, read to children, stories to reflect on, stories to share and much more - there are many purposes for which this book could be used.

This is not the first of Pams creative writings, having published her last book over four years ago.

Copies of this book are available from our church resources centre, or by email to: ashford.corps@salvationarmy.org.uk. The cost is £5 and Pam is donating profits towards her churchs ministry and mission.

OVERWHELMED

Overwhelmed is the focus of this years week of Worship and The Word. Last year we shared in 'Lost in wonder, in love, in praise', and the week as a whole was very special. The purpose of the week is to create space in the busy summer holidays to pull aside and rest a while - while many travel off to other Bible camps, many cannot, so we seek to create one locally here. Preparations are still in early days, but this premlinary announcement is to prepare you for what we believe could be a very significant event for you and this church.

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL

Commissioners Janet and Robert Street led Sunday Worship Meetings today. This morning they explored 'the blob' and how ugly it looked, but encouraged us to make something beautiful out of it. We were reminded about Zaceueus who could have been seen as something not quite nice, but amazing after God had done something in him. The reality for us all, is that God wants to make something beautiful out of us, but we have to be willing daily for that to happen. Salvation can come to this house today! At night about twenty people met together for DISCIPLE COLLEGE, where Commissioner Bob spoke from his book Holiness Unwrapped. Encouraging us to explore the reality that Holiness need not be too complicated, but actually is just seeking to reflect Jesus. We thank God of today

BLOGS

We have a growing number of members (and friends) who are using the realms of blogging to minister to others. Wow, what gifts are being stirred in them to reach into the worlds of others. We thank God for each one. Can we suggest you spend sometime visiting their sites, and encouraging them too - you might even find there is a word for you too.....

Gary - garychittenden.blogspot.com

Jan - soldierjan.blogspot.com

Clare - isaiah43-amazinglove.blogspot.com

Sara - the gardener.blogspot.com

Ellie - my-life-his-lufe.blogspot.com

And also, visit our South Ashford Community Church blog - southashford.blogspot.com

And our Childrens Ministries Site - thekingdomkids.blogspot.com

And our Prayer Site: prayermatters.blogspot.com

And, let us know your sites, so we can visit and share your ministry too!

EXAMINATIONS

Our thoughts and prayers over recent weeks have very much been for the youth of this town and area, taking examinations. Especially among our family we have been uplifting Gemma, Ellie, Nathan and Rachel. We are very proud of our youth, and the fact that they have approached these exams in the way they have. Today and tomorrow they conclude their examination period - and whilst we know they will be deeply saddened about this - we are sure the rest that follows will do them so much good. The wait for results can seem an age..... Just to encourage you guys!!!!! Please continue to remember Gemma, Ellie, Nathan and Rachel in your prayers, and as they spend these next few weeks resting, that their time will be a great time of refreshing and reviving for them.

THE GLORY DAYS

The following article was recently printed in 'Salvationist' and written by our Senior Leader Ian.

MY wife and I have been blessed in our officership and have enjoyed the opportunity of ministering in many different corps throughout the UK. Each visit has brought us great excitement, as we see the Spirit of God fulfilling his will and purposes.It is wonderful to hear the testimonies of the saints and to see their hunger for holiness. It excites us to hear about people being won for Jesus through corps ministry. We value listening to the people we meet and learning from their experiences.Very often people chat to us about what their corps is doing today. But most of the time they talk about how it used to be. How the hall used to be full. How people once knelt at the mercy seat seeking salvation and holiness. They speak in the past tense. Few seem to believe it can happen today.In our last two appointments we have faced challenging situations where the corps has needed to be reshaped in order to have a growing future. The challenges have been massive and demanding, and - to a certain extent - costly. Yet we testify to seeing, again and again, God's will and purposes being fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is still at work. Of course, it has not been easy, but we thank God for many amazing opportunities. We are privileged people and we should never forget that. However, I cannot get out of my mind the sadness of people continually looking back to the ‘glory days' and missing the opportunities of today. I will never forget our first appointment when, a few months after arriving, we celebrated a new convert. I was horrified to discover this was the first convert in the corps for at least 20 years. Yet that also excited me. God was doing something. I was privileged to be part of seeing someone seek Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. As time went on I was also privileged to witness her children become Christians and, 18 months later, her husband too. Yet, recalling that event fills me with sadness. I expected great joy and excitement among every corps member - just as the Bible tells us there is in Heaven! But when we shared the salvation of our sister there was an empty response. Almost as if some were saying: that does not happen any more! I love history. I get excited reading about what happened in the early days of the Church - including our own denomination. But I am all too aware of the danger of continually living in the ‘glory days'. We can forget what God wants us to be today! God wants these to be glory days. I believe that God does not call us to be defeated people in a declining church. Although I know we will struggle and be seriously tested, I also believe that building the Kingdom of God today can be a vibrant, living, active, joyful experience.However, when I have preached this - on many occasions and in many places - the response, all too often, has been that this was limited to biblical days or it is not what The Salvation Army is all about. I cannot help but preach a living Jesus - a Jesus who is a miracle worker, who saves people, who heals and restores. I have experienced and seen it for myself. I believe in what the word of God teaches me - the ‘glory days' can be the very days we are living in now. We hear too many people running down the Church. Sometimes the criticism is fair because some of us have confined Christianity to the past. Some no longer believe we can see even greater things. So, faced with these challenges, we need to ask: ‘What are we going to do?' There may be empty chairs in our halls, but are these not an opportunity rather than a failure? People may not have been saved for some time, but doesn't that mean we should seek God's will and become the people he wants us to be - helping lead others to the place where they can find Jesus Christ as Saviour? While I would never presume to know God's plan and purposes for The Salvation Army, I cannot believe he wants his Church to continually decline! I believe that sometimes God brings us down to nothing to build us up again. We see that written in Scripture. But, when he does that, he will start something new through a new wave of the Holy Spirit. God's very nature is all about refreshing and reviving - he is also about fulfilling his will and purposes. We have to be willing to allow that to happen - willingly submitting our thinking, agenda and plans and letting God build his Church. I long to see an army of people believing that empty chairs will be filled, souls will seek Christ at the mercy seat and people will be filled with the Holy Spirit. I long to see an army of people witnessing miracles, planting new congregations and struggling because their current buildings are too small. I am excited about today's glory days - but that is not enough. We all need to believe in our minds and hearts that this is the day of salvation, now is the year of the Lord's favour

DIVISIONAL FAMILY DAY

A reminder that the DIVISIONAL FAMILY DAY is being held in Redhill in July and we are hoping to take as many of the church family as possible to share in this. To book your tickets please speak with the senior leaders as soon as possible.

THIS SUNDAY

Commissioner Robert (left) and Commissioner Janet (right) Street are our special leaders this Sunday. The commissioners have just returned to the United Kingdom having served in Australia for a few years, prior to that were Training Principals at the William Booth College, and before that Divisional Leaders in Anglia Division. Commissioner Bob is the International Secretary to the Chief of the Staff, and Commissioner Janet the World Secretary for Women's Ministries. They will be leading our 10.30am meeting, and then speaking at Disciple College at 6.00pm. Please do pray about this day, and join us as well!

WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY

Meet some of the family from the Ashford Salvation Army Christian Centre. There are at least seventy people in this picture, and there was about twenty not in it!!! This was taken on Sunday. There was also several not able to be with us on Sunday. So, you can see our Sunday worshipping community continues to grow and grow, and we cannot stop but thank God for this. And, among the picture too, we see people of all generations, an all age church community. God has blessed us so much. Among us are people who are far from what we should be, we have a lot more to learn, we have a lot more to share, but God, in HIS TIME, is building us into a body of His People who not only enjoy worshipping in song etc, but know we need to worship Him through service to His Body.

PRAYER GENTLY LIFTS ME

God was very near this evening. Our disciple college was led by assistant senior leader Carl, and Gods anointing was upon him. Carl led some moving moments in worship/song, and challenged us with his words. We again considered together the type of church God wanted us to be, and in this, celebrated all God had been doing among us. It was an important meeting to come together to seek God for the future, and we needed this time together in this way.

As we concluded, Carl knew we could not just end there. As the Spirit led we came before God and cried out to him for Annie Wheeler who was taken in to St Thomas hospital last evening. Tears of pain and sadness came upon us, and God's Spirit decended powerfully. His touch was seen as well as felt. Then, the phone rang, and there was Annie on the phone, where each member gathered spoke to her words of blessing to her. And from there, we prayed again. The Spirit led us to intercede for Ellie Durston and her family, following the death of her grandparents, and then for Jennifer Lowe who had been far from well. We were blessed. The meeting was longer than normal, but no one cared. God was there and that was where we wanted to be.

Thank you God for your outpouring of love and healing among us today.

LET LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.....

Proverbs Chapter Three and the opening verses encourage us to let Love and Faithfulness be tied round our necks. In this the writer is encouraging us to be committed and to stick with those promises, covenants and more that we make, especially to God. This morning in a full hall we shared in celebrating the 30 years marriage of Carol and Bryan Monk - and we shared in the renwal of their marriage vows and blessing over them by God. This was a special time, and they shared with us their testimony about why they felt this was important. Envoy Val opened the meeting by preparing us for worship, and Carl spoke some words of blessing and encouragement. Following this we enjoyed a buffet together, and lots of people stayed. Some then returned to our church centre and enjoyed sometime together before the evening meeting

A FRUITY CHURCH

The full leadership team met together this afternoon. They meet formally quarterly with the senior leadership (who also meet in the mean time). This is not meetings for the sake of meetings, but we are committed to team work, ministry and accountability, and in order to be going where God wants us to go, we need to be going together. We had a really exciting meeting, and God spoke to us many words of encouragement. Part of this meeting was giving to preparation for this time next year when we would be welcoming new leaders, and seekig to share an understanding of where the church is now, and where the church should be heading.

FAMILY PAIN

There is a real sense of family among our church community, which is of course how it should be! In recent weeks several of our family have experienced some very difficult and challenging days, and the family have and are feeling the pain. But we too, in this know the Great Healer, and whilst we weap, we also rejoice in the strength of our Lord.

Our Youth are currently taking examinations and our thoughts and prayers have been, and will continue to be so much with them

Some of our community are experiencing a real spiritual battle, and we are praying strength and aid in these times

Others experiencing health battles, and we are praying for God, the Mighty Healer to touch them again

Others bereavements. We especially continue to remember Elsie Willis, following the recent death of her brother, Bramwell, and news today that Ellie Durstons Grandparents have bene involved in a road crash, and her grandad has passed away, Nan critial. Ellie tells us that she is travelling up to Bristol to see her grandma tomorrow - the first thing she packed was her Bible. She's a real example to us all

To all our family..... we love you so much

FIRST SUNDAY - JULY

Advance notice is given of our First Sunday Event for July. This will be our annual Celebration and Prizegiving, 1st July, and held at the East Stour School. This will include prizes for the bright sparks, kingdom kids and flame youth cell. Starting at 10.30am, the event will then flow into a celebration meal. We hope you will keep this day free, and look forward to sharing it with you.

HEALING AND DELIVERANCE

An evening of teaching and equipping was held last evening at our church centre, to explore Healing and Deliverance ministry. We recognised as part of this that this ministry was of course at the heart of all Jesus was and did - the proclaimation and demonstration of the KIngdom among His People. We recognised that this was the true mission of the Christian Church, and that God has entrusted to us this ministry, to reach into the lives of broken people, and seek to help them to find peace with God. For further information on this, or to receive a copy of the teaching booklet, then please contact us.

THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday will be a special day, starting at 10.30am, and this will include the blessing of the marriage of Carol and Bryan Monk, on their 30th anniversary. Following this there will be a celebration buffet. This is being held at East Stour School as usual. Our Leadership Team meet at 3.30pm for a meeting chaired by assistant senior leader Carl, and this will flow into discipe college, which this month will focus on vision and direction, and include much time for prayer.

CELEBRATION 100

Today, we shared a great Celebration of 100 years of Women's ministries within The Salvation Army. Our Home and Family Meeting changed its format from its annual rally to be an in house, invite people in the community, celebration. The meeting featured the queen presenting medals to various members of the home and family team, and our senior leader gave a short presentation on the history of women's ministries. A celebration buffet finished the time off, and completed a real special time. Thank you to everyone for making this possible today

FORTHCOMING ANNOUNCEMENT

The South Willesborough and Newtown

Summer Fiesta is being held on Sunday 24th June from 3pm.

A whole host of activities and fun will be taking place.

This will be in the place of our usual community church activities, bringing all three groups together

DISCOVERY PURPOSE

Sixteen People met together on Monday evening for the first of our four week journey in DISCOVERY. Discovery is a four week journey which explores different aspects of active and effective discipleship, mission and ministry. Leaders and Members met to share in this, this week exploring Purpose, and what purpose the Bible teaches we have been placed on this earth. A further group will meet Tuesday mornings, but this will not commence until next week.

MRS COMMISSIONER WINIFRED READ

During Holiday 2007 we were blessed by an evenings visit from Commissioner Harry and Mrs Commissioner Winifred Read. They both shared their passion for serving and loving Jesus and the life that has brought them great fulfilment and satisfaction. It was a great evening, and we thank God for this. An email received by our senior leaders this morning, inform us from Commissioner Harry, that Mrs Read was taken ill last evening and went to be with her Lord at 3.30am. We thank God for the life of this saint, and uplift before God the commissioner and his family at this time. Servant of God - well done!

SUNDAY 3RD JUNE

Morning Worship was led by our senior leaders and focussed on THE HOLY SPIRIT AND FIRE. Our hall was full with so many people, which again was encouraging, and with a number away because of sickness and holidays. However God was among us and challenged us through His Word. Being the First Sunday in the month we shared our Family Meal, and then THE EVENT, which this month was subjected: If you want it....its yours, and looked at how God seeks to reach out to us with His gifts, and gives us that power to be better people. However we also explored how God's heart must ache when we choose not to accept what He has for us.

HOLIDAY 2007

Twenty Six People have just returned from Bournemouth, having enjoyed Holiday 2007. As well as time for holiday there was also time for retreat and reflection, and our focus for this was I will pour out My Spirit (see earlier blog for this). A guide/manual was prepared for this. We were blessed so much by having with us John Patey an adherent member at Wokingham Corps, who drove the bus, and brought his wife Patricia, and also support from friends at Boscombe Corps as well. Preparation is now underway for next years holiday to Torquay - open to anyone who would like to attend. The picture here is the group picture taken at the end of the week. Further pictures might well follow throughout the week!

prayer warrior

how and where do we begin to say thanks to God when goodness and blessings flow abundantly?
This last week has been a steady flow of love, sharing, and caring, awareness of the needs of others, in a way non existant in our family inherited by birth. Luke 12v52 speaks of division not peace in families, how father will be against son, mother against daughter, inlaws against inlaws, this is the picture so often lived in the world today, so how did twenty six people differing ages, differing backrounds, differing needs, differing ideals live together in complete harmony,expressing such deep love for each other have such consideration such contentment in each other live together for 7 days when very often families cannot be in each others company for more than an hour without some kind of conflict. It can only be because we as a family of God have found deep contentment through Jesus Christ. When we have reached that level of contentment within ourselves we display it to all around us I Timothy 6 v6 Godliness with contentment is great gain, and thats how Gods love in us was expressed throughout the whole week. I thank God for being part of this family heaven i am certain is dancing with joy and the joy of the lord is our strength not by might not by power but by his Holy spirit what a wonderful family we have, thank you God