Archive for the ‘General News’ Category

10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Blast Off!
Another ‘Space Academy’ Holiday Club. This time the venue will be Duncan Road Church. Southampton. Hants. UK.

The Holiday club will run each day (Tuesday 29th March to Friday 1st April), it starts at 10.00am and finishes at 12noon.
Each day the children from school year R to year 5 will enjoy two hours of fun and excitement. A mixture of quizzes, crafts, DVD’s, Bible stories, activities, games, competitions and a lot more!

“If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

In the tomb so cold they laid Him,
death its victim claimed;
powers of hell they could not hold Him-
back to life He came!

Christ is risen, (Christ is risen),
death has been conquered, (death has been conquered),
Christ is risen, (Christ is risen),
He shall reign for ever!

Hell had spent its fury on Him,
left Him crucified;
yet by blood He boldly conquered,
sin and death defied.

Christ is risen,,,,

Now the fear of death is broken,
Love has won the crown.
Prisoners of the darkness – listen,
walls are tumbling down!

Christ is risen….

Raised from death, to heaven ascending,
Love’s exalted King:
let His song of joy unending
through the nations ring!

Christ is risen….

Good Friday:

The paradox of the cross:

It is a picture of violence, yet it is the key to peace.
It is a picture of suffering, yet it is the key to healing.
It is a picture of death, et it is the key to life.
It is a picture of utter weakness, yet it is the key to power.
It is a picture of capitol punishment, yet it is the key to forgiveness.
It is a picture of hatred, yet it is the key to love.
It is a picture of shame and yet the Christian’s supreme boast!

This time of year always provides many openings to share the true meaning of Easter. A mixed bag of opportunities, from school assemblies, coffee mornings, ladies meetings, children’s & youth groups & senior citizens teas! The ages of those spoken to may be varied, as is the format & presentations, but the message is always the same: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” ( The Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

Thank you for your prayers for Penny at the Welsh Women’s Bible Study Conference – Hebron Christian Centre. Dinas Powys. Vale of Glamorgan.
Penny spoke at 3 main sessions and also gave 2 short talks on the topic ‘A Few Taboos’ – Dealing with Doubt, Depression and Destiny!

Feedback from those who attended has been very encouraging, it is good to know that the Bible teaching and conversations had over the weekend was a help and a blessing.

Please pray for Penny this weekend as she is speaking at Welsh Women’s Bible Study Conference – Hebron Christian Centre. Dinas Powys. Vale of Glamorgan.
She has 3 main talks and 2 short talks to give on the topic ‘A Few Taboos’ – Dealing with Doubt, Depression and Destiny!

Always a privilege to go into local schools and share the true meaning of Easter!
Yesterday at Meoncross Junior School, Stubbington was the last Easter school opportunity for this term.

While waiting in the school office, one girl who was leaving early that day due to a dental appointment saw me and commented to her mum and office staff how disappointed she was to be missing my ‘cool’ assembly!

The Net Curry Night – great evening, except Jonathan Brain ate my lamb jalfrezi and left me with his chicken balti!
Good food and good company!

Thanks Jonathan for your enthusiastic and challenging talk ‘Why I believe in Jesus!’
Please pray that God will use Jonathan’s words to bring folks to faith in Jesus Christ.

Counties Day!
A chance to be inspired and encouraged in our faith this day as guest speaker Dr Peter J Williams from Cambridge University explores the historical evidence for the Easter accounts.
Small group seminars included: Charles Addoco – Inspiring Young People to Serve God; Matt Rich – How to Bring the Good News Online; Rob Watson – Ministering to the Margins; Clive Cornish – What’s God Doing in Prison?; Bob Telford – Preaching Easter For All its Worth; Paul Willmott – Presenting easter Truth to Children; John Wilkes – How Counties Can Help Your Church Introduce New people and New Projects and Ben Telford – presenting the new Key to Life? resource

A selection of shots from photographer Simon Hadley at the weekend’s day conference in Solihull. Copyright Simon Hadley.

Our new FirstServers have officially started! Emily and Kirsty, both from England, have begun their adventure at Tilsley College this week! Please pray for them both as they begin this new chapter and settle into life at the college.

April, Ella, Lottie & Sam are now over half-way through their placements! Please pray for their remaining weeks in their various countries and for God to really use this time to work in their lives. Jayne is into her second month in Spain and has settled in well – pray that these next few months will make a real impact on her relationship with Jesus and with those she meets.
Emily & Kirsty are now into their second week at Tilsley and are currently learning about mission, continue to pray for them as they settle into college life and prepare for their next placements.

FirstServe is a unique discipleship and missions programme, primarily for 18-25 year-olds on a gap year, or those with a shorter time available.

Gordon is part of the FistServe Steering Group.