MASTERMIND

We didn't want to let Gary down, so here is a report on todays Mastermind! Every Monday our Glow Community Group meets, and has been for nearly three years now. The group is a drop in, in that people can come drop in, and drop out when they want to. Although most come at 10am, and do not go home until 1.30pm. People sit and chat, read papers - or a whole host of other things - its not as dull as it sounds. We sit and enjoy a meal together at 12noon, and this is followed by an after dinner speaker or activity. This week our Envoy Val arranged Mastermind - and it was great fun. Our guests were Sue Wall, Gary Chittenden, Diana Anderson and Carol Monk. They all choose subjects to answer questions on and then had to answer general knowledge. The winner was Carol Monk (shes very brainy) and the person that did not win first, second or third place was Gary Chittenden. We will continue to pray for him.

MISSIONARY WEEKEND

Next weekend is our Missionary Weekend and we are privileged to have our guests Commissioners Margaret and Paul Du Plessis. The commissioners will be leading most of the weekend, starting on Saturday at 5.30pm at East Stour School when we enjoy INTERNATIONAL NIGHT. This will feature all sorts of things, and will be an evening not to miss. On Sunday we worship together at 10.30am, and then anyone and everyone is invited to stay for a family celebration meal, concluding with The Event, and then some tea. The commissioners have served in national and international leadership roles, and now are retired (whatever that means!)

SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2007

Today a full hall shared together in worship and praise led by our assistant senior leader carl whitewood. Carl also spoke this morning, and spoke on doing as well as being, looking at James as his reference to this. The rest of the day was spent in community church activities, and our youth met together for youth nite this evening.

DAYS OF RETREAT

Officers from throughout the London South East Division of The Salvation Army will be retreating from the world next week for three days at Ashburnham Place. The event starts on Tuesday and concludes on Thursday, and will feature our Territorial Leaders as speakers. Please remember our senior leaders in your prayers at they spend this time coming apart, and spending time with God to be reenergised for the days ahead.

WOMENS WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Two services are being held in Ashford next Friday to share in the opportunity of being together for the Womens World Day of Prayer. The day is written by women, but open to people of all genders! The first service is at St Marys Parish Church, Church Yard, Ashford, at 10am, and will feature our divisional family officer, Maureen Hood, as the speaker. The evening service at 7.30pm will be at Cade Road Church, and the speaker will be the Reverend David Clark.

LENT STARTS WELL

This week we have started two lent groups to explore material entitled 'Life Essentials'. The six week journey looks at what is essential in our lives to know a true passionate relationship with Jesus - to know the hope of Glory! The first group met on Tuesday at 10am at our church centre and was attended by about 10 people. The second group met on Thursday at 7.30pm at the home of our senior leaders and was attended by sixteen people. Numbers have been very encouraging - and the desire for people to explore this, shows gret potential! We pray everyone will know what a passionate relationship with Jesus is all about, and go deeper in their relationship with Him, more than ever before. For further information on this material please do not hesitate to contact our church centre.

THE JOURNEY IN DISCIPLESHIP

Two of our church family will be travelling to Maidstone tomorrow evening for further discussions with the team at headquarters about their vocation and journey towards leadership as officers in The Salvation Army. Please pray for Luke Johnson and Clare Hayward in this.

Sunday 18th February 2007

Being the end of half term, our congregation size was a little lower today - about seventy people gathering together. This morning our senior leader Ian, led worship, and our youth officer, Trevor spoke. We thank God for what He has sought to say to us. Yesterday we looked at John 15 during our time out day, and today Trevor opened the word from John 15 (he did not know). This evening at Disciple College we also looked at John 15, and shared personally what God is saying to us individually and collectively through this. We recognied: God has chosen us - and therefore we need to live close to Him; we need to stick with Him; we need to grow in Him; we need to keep growing (and not going); we need to obey - and above all in this refect who our Father is, that of course, being God. We thank God for what He has and is teaching us. This morning was also very special because we welcomed formally into membership Nancy and Charles. They have been sharing with us now for six months, and was great to share with them as their commitment to our church fellowship - and indeed of course, we are committed to them. Love binds us.

TIME OUT

About twenty people gathered together for our first Time Out Day. Sadly our planned leaders could not be with us, but our senior leaders filled the gap. Capt Sue and Childrens Ministries Officer Clare helped the children through the day exploring Family and God's place within this. The 'older people' shared the day with Capt Ian who explored the same, but looked more at God's Relationship with His People, and His desire to reach out to us, as The Word states from the beginning till the end! It was a helpful day for many people (comments welcome below), as well as helpful to come apart for a while and spend sometime reflecting and focussing on God without the rush and pace of the day. We would like to see more people sharing in such days, especially as we get so little precious time like this. We recognised the importance of it - just doing it is important as well. Our next event like this will be held in June when Commissioners Bob and Janet Street share the weekend with us.

GODS ARMY

We are currently updating our teaching and resourcing programme and are pleased to announce that God's Army has now been updated and available. This is a one or two session study on what the Bible teaches an soldier of Jesus Christ is all about, and how that marries together with what a Soldier of The Salvation Army really is all about. Copies of the material are also available in booklet form. If you would like to see this material, or would like to attend a forth coming group discussion on the material, then please contact us.