.....and a Happy New Year

In a worldly sense today marks the end of a new year - but in a spiritual sense there is no thing. To God there is no sense of time in that way - a year might well be like a second to God! There is a danger that many of us will wait for tomorrow for a new start - magically everything becomes okay on the 1st January of any new year - but what about the next day and the days that follow. Many are so disappointed with themselves when they make mistakes and fail, that they have this sense that the year will be a real disaster for them!

The amazing God that we have says that we can have a new start every moment of everyday. The Scriptures are clear - the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end - they are new every morning - GREAT is His Faithfulness!!!!

Know that as we go into a new year, and know the Hope that you have in God. If you are a believer you have so many riches! Hold onto them - especially into this new year when you might fail, or you might want to walk away and give up. He that is in you, says The Word, is greater than he who is in the world.

The Love and Prayers of us all.

PLEASE AND THANK YOU

The last Sunday in the year has traditionally become an informal time of fellowship and the sharing of breakfast. Around sixty people shared with us this morning, which included breakfast and a time of Praise. Captain Ian shared some thoughts on the importance of Please and Thank You. Asking how many were brought up to use please and thank you reflected many! Why then do we not, asked the Captain? And especially when it comes to God. Gratitude to God for all He has done is vital, as is finding ourselves on our knees before God pleaded with Him, and asking HIm time and time again to forgive, cleanse, heal, renew and revive us. Following from this we shared in some time of thanks as we looked at a powerpoint presentation on the last year. There was so much to thank God for…… but also to ask Him to give us for the weeks and years to come. After the presentation a time of prayer followed - people were asked to reflect on what they wanted to thank God for and write it down alongside things they asked God for in the Please section. Many came forward and gave these to God - in His throne room - recognising who we were before Him and who He is to us. Many spent sometime praying before the throne seeking God. God’s Spirit came and blessed many. In concluding moments, several spoke thanks to God for this past year, and we concluded in singing ‘Crown Him with many Crowns.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS

THANK YOU to so many who have supported this years Caring for Christmas Appeal. This has included individuals, couples, families. Highfield Community Church, Woodchurch School, Knowell Division Guides, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, Wilkinsons, Iceland, Tenterden Butchers, Davis Bakery, Bethersden Public House, Ashford International Hotel, Brakes, Ardos Foods, East Stour School, St Teresa Roman Catholic Church, and many many more - including our own church leaders and members, and of course the Kentish Express. The picture shows assistant senior leader receiving donations from Green and Blacks, where the assistant senior leader (Carl) works. They contributed toys and money towards the appeal. We are also thrilled to say that financially we have been gifted and collected £9000. This will go to benefit the South Ashford SA Community Church Outreach, Kingdom Kids, Community Funds, and the Embrace International Project for needy children, plus supporting the ongoing work and mission of this church. Some of course went to expenses for Christmas.

CARING FOR CHRISTMAS AT ASHFORD

Its easy to tell people the Good News at Christmas..... Jesus Christ is here.....but how do we show it. Many of us do that in many ways, but the Christian Church has an amazing, dare we say, God Given opportunity, to do it year after year. Do we make the most of it? Many do, and its exciting to hear how more and more we are trying as Christians not to waste an opportunities that are ours. At Ashford SACC, we too take this very seriously, and want to not only tell people that Jesus Christ is here but show it. The Caring for Christmas Campaign has been run in partnership with the Kentish Express for three years now, and again this year has been run throughout the borough of Ashford. This has enabled us to appeal for food, toys and volunteer help with our Christmas Day activities. Many schools, organisations and some churches, as well as individuals, have taken on board this opportunity and we have again been inundated with toys and food that has enabled us to provide over 300 parcels - but that means that well more than 300 people have benefited! Envoy Val Barkley oversights this side of the appeal, and has worked hard with her small team of people who have been out and about delivering parcels to many. Some have come as referrels, while others are people we have discovered need to hear and see that Jesus Christ is here. The Gift of His Love continues to impact other peoples lives.

Part of the Caring for Christmas Campaign is our provisions on Christmas Day to be ONE BIG FAMILY for people throughout the Borough. This year again we were blessed to use the local school which we use for worship, and it enabled us to welcome about 200 people through our doors on Christmas Day - some volunteers, some attending the Carol Service held in the morning, and others our guests for the whole day. The morning Carol Service enabled us to ask the question What makes a Happy Christmas? and we used carols and Scripture to help show us that above all its allowing Christ to be born in us, for us to then experience more of His gifts of Forgiveness, Healing, Peace and more.... It was a great opportunity. We then enjoyed refreshments, Christmas Dinner, Entertainment, Food, Tea, Parcels and Presents and much more. We are grateful to so many people who worked so hard to make this possible, and those who worked before hand organising lists of people, sending out confirmation to our guests, organising the volunteer team, organising the drivers, packing parcels, and of course seeing through the day itself. We were also so thrilled that the Mayor of Ashford requested to come and she shared some of the day with her husband, John, with us. The day flowed through very quickly, and the majority seemed to really enjoy their time with us. Some have already contacted us to tell us the day was really an experience of a Happy Christmas, and someone said the warmth and love really made them experience what Christmas is really all about!

It has been a great experience not just to tell the people of Ashford that JESUS CHRIST IS HERE, but to show it. Faith without deeds is dead - and we are seeking to live that out more and more throughout this coming year as we look at Living by Faith. We thank sincerely our leaders - Carl, Val, Elsie, Lyn, Frances, Sara, Clare, Rhianydd, Kevin, Caroline - for all they have given to this year and their commitment to the ongoing mission and ministry of this church. We pray again that throughout this year we will be able to share our faith and show the impact our faith has had on us as we share it with the people of this town.

ITS BEEN A LONG TIME!!!!

So much has happened since we last 'blogged' - and there has been a number of requests that we keep both the blog and the web site updated. Therefore, we suggest that to catch up with the time that we have missed..... check the web site at www.ashfordsalvationarmy.org.uk, and from now both sites will be updated.