IN TOUCH J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 6
AYLSHAM COMMUNITY CHURCH R E A C H | R E S TO R E | R E L E A S E
HUDDLE UP “Most American Football players are temperamental. That’s 90% temper and 10% mental!” Despite comments like this the sport of American Football is much more than a bunch of large, angry men in funny uniforms running around hitting each other. As an avid fan of over 25 years I can tell you that it is game involving a high degree of skill and strategy (as well as brute-force!) The ‘Huddle’, where team-mates gather round each other in the pause between set plays, is an iconic part of the sporting theatre. It is here that the players discuss what has just happened in the game, listen to the next play that the coach has called, and encourage each other before getting back into the action. As we head into a new season at Aylsham Community Church, where we are exploring ways of doing life together in ‘Life Groups’, I would like to encourage everyone to “Huddle Up!”
WHAT? A ‘Huddle’ is the name we are going to be giving to the idea of meeting up in small groups of 2-4 people regularly to encourage one another and pray.
WHY? I believe Huddles will become a vital tool for helping us keep momentum and stay encouraged about being Fruitful on our Frontlines. They will give us a brilliant way of praying for one another in our encouragements and challenges, hearing from God for each other, “spurring one another on in love and good deeds” and investing in prayer for God to move in lives and situations that are on our hearts.
DOING LIFE TOGETHER LIFE GROUP SUNDAY HOW? How will this fit in with ‘Life Groups’? Praying in Huddles could be a regular part of a Life Group’s weekly time together, or if your group meets fortnightly it could be something that happens on the weeks when the group doesn’t meet. Alternatively some people might want to be part of a Huddle as an ‘extra’ alongside their Life Group. You could ‘huddle’ with some friends for 30/45 minutes before going to work, whilst the kids are at school, in a lunchbreak, around a meal, or any other time that suits you!
SUNDAY 17TH JULY 10.30AM An opportunity to hear from Life Group Leaders about the new groups starting in September. For more information please speak to Simon Gallagher.
WHEN? We will be talking more about Huddles along with Life Groups over the coming Sundays in July, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t look to ‘huddle up’ with some friends over the summer. Alternatively you can wait until September for the Life Group programme to begin to see how being in a Huddle might work for you.
Simon Gallagher Lead Elder | Aylsham Community Church
DESTINATION AYLSHAM CHURCHES TOGETHER OPEN AIR SERVICE AYLSHAM RECREATON GROUND SUNDAY 10TH JULY | 11.00 AM
Join us as we worship together in Aylsham. No Service at Aylsham Community Church on 10th July.
EPIC Weekend was, yes, you guessed it…EPIC! Children from school years 4, 5 and 6 from different churches in East Anglia and beyond came together to learn more about God and have some EPIC fun with loads of others, meeting friends and making new friends. From the story of Moses and the Israelites we learnt about God’s Presence, Peace, Provision and POWER. We worshipped God together, prayed for each other and saw God heal – it was amazing. We stayed up late, ate cake and played games in the dark and a whole lot more. The ACC Epic Gang this year was Chloe, Isabelle, Eli, Jasper, Damien, Leo, Oli, Esther, Jess, Tim and Ann! And here’s what some of us have to say about it:
‘It was really fun and taught me a lot of things about God and Jesus.’ Eli Fletcher ‘A real privilege to serve our kids and see them worshipping God wholeheartedly.’ Tim Green ‘The Zorbing was amazing and I liked watching people getting gunged! I also got a key to God.’ Isabelle Prince ‘Like they say in the title…it was Epic. The Zorbing was amazing.’ Leo Tovell ‘I really like the glow stick game in the dark – it was really fun. And the Zorbing and we prayed for healing by sticking plasters on a person.’ Chloe Prince ‘It was fun and I got to spend time with my friends. I also had fun in the main meetings and activities learning about God.’ Esther Fletcher ‘It’s in the name: EPIC was EPIC!’ Jess Gallagher ‘Such a joy to take our amazing ACC Kids away and watch them encounter God. Special time – precious kids. I won’t mention the gunge….’ Ann Gallagher The ACC Epic Gang, minus Oli who sadly had to go home a little early because he was poorly.
RELATIONAL MISSION A WAY OF LIFE BOOK REVIEW Relational Mission: A Way of Life by Mike Betts Aylsham Community Church is part of a family of churches called Relational Mission and this has grown out of the family of Newfrontiers. This book, in part, tells the story of Relational Mission but is also described as ‘a manifesto’ and sets out Mike Betts’ heart and passion for the church, as he serves in apostolic leadership.
Relational Mission A Way Of Life £5.00 from church office (while stocks last) £8.99 paperback from Amazon.co.uk £5.69 kindle edition from Amazon.co.uk
Mike uses simple, short chapters and real-life stories, from his life and the lives of others, to explain and add detail to the vision that God has given him for church life. The chapters look at what it means to be family, fathering and discipleship, being a witness, prayer, as well as what it means to be sent, to church plant and to reach out to our communities, in particular in serving the poor and disadvantaged.
The book was launched at the Relational Mission leadership conference in June. I would say I ‘read’ it but the honest truth is that I devoured it completely, in one evening. I agreed whole-heartedly with it, I loved reading Mike’s story and reading the stories of others who have contributed to the book. It really is his manifesto and knowing Mike a little bit myself, this isn’t just a ‘good idea’ but he authentically ‘walks and talks’ everything in the book. If you watch the coffee break videos, listen to Mike speak at the leadership conference (you can listen to the talks on the RM website) or other events, or simply sit down and have a chat with him you will quickly realise that this is his way of life. It is this way of life that Mike hopes will be replicated across our family of churches. I love the mix of the prophetic and the apostolic, especially the picture of having a compass but no map: this journey is exciting and new but with the focus firmly on God. In one sense the book is very easy to read, but I am ready to read it again and this time I intend to savour it and let God challenge and provoke me with all it contains. Penny Taylor
Women’s Conference 2016 | King’s Community Church | Norwich I woke up on the morning of the conference feeling quite excited at the thought of spending a day with friends and the wider church family at King’s Annual Women’s Conference – ‘Faith-filled and Fearless’. We arrived to be greeted with cups of coffee and a goody bag complete with essentials including tissues and more importantly chocolate! There was such a buzz as we gathered together, about 250 of us. Women in all different seasons of life from those studying for A Levels to those who are retired and a great, great granny! It was such a joy to worship all together, thank you Penny for leading us so well. Livy Gibbs
Livy Gibbs, Emmanuel Church, Greenwich spoke to us from Proverbs 31:25 ‘She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.’ Livy is an outstanding communicator and as she shared God’s heart for us we laughed, we cried, we were challenged, encouraged and inspired. What an amazing truth it is to know that we can laugh without fear of the future. I don’t mean that manic kind of laughter that I find myself doing when I have lost my keys, purse, phone and glasses for the 3rd time in one week. The kind of laughter that comes from a complete confidence and joy in our Father knowing that He holds the future in His hand and that He is in control. Such incredible truth for us not only to live in the good of but a truth I want my world to know. A challenge again to go out in His Name, full of the Holy Spirit and tell others about Jesus who gives us life to the full. Then there was lunch! And it was good! In the afternoon we had the opportunity to go to various seminars on topics such as Being In the Workplace, Facing Adversity, Under 20s and The Father’s Heart. It was a great day and as soon as the date for next year’s is out – it’s going in my diary! Ann Gallagher Children and Families Worker
MakeLunch @ Jubilee Family Centre is part of a national initiative responding to parents struggling on tight budgets and aims to fill the holiday hunger gap. We are open to families with children aged 0-11 years and their siblings from Aylsham and the surrounding villages who would like a free healthy hot meal, activities and a place to relax during the school holidays. All children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Booking is helpful but not essential. We do ask that those with specific dietary requirements let us know in advance. Dates:
Wednesday 27th July Wednesday 3rd August Wednesday 10th August Wednesday 17th August Wednesday 24th August
Time:
11.30am—1.15pm
Place:
Jubilee Family Centre, Norwich Road, Aylsham, NR11 6JG
Please pray for MakeLunch as we look to serve the local community. If you would like to know more about MakeLunch please speak to Ann Gallagher. Ann Gallagher Children and Families Worker
DIARY JULY Sunday 3rd | 7.00pm Encounter Prayer Monday 4th | 7.30pm Trustees Meeting
Wednesday 27th | 11.30am MakeLunch @ Jubilee Wednesday 27th | 7.30pm Place to Belong Membership Course
AUGUST
Wednesday 6th | 5.00pm Rock Solid 6
1st—6th Newday Festival
Wednesday 6th | 7.30pm The Attic
Wednesday 3rd | 11.30am MakeLunch @ Jubilee
Sunday 10th | 11am Destination Aylsham Aylsham Recreation Ground (no service at Jubilee)
Wednesday 3rd | 7.30pm Place to Belong Membership Course
Wednesday 13th | 7.30pm GLU Grill-a-Christian Saturday 16th Wedding of Rachel Broom & Matthew Schaitel Sunday 17th | 10.30am Life Group Sunday Wednesday 20th | 5.00pm Rock Solid 6 BBQ Wednesday 20th | 7.30pm The Attic @ the beach 01263 733332 info@aylshamcommunitychurch.org aylshamcommunitychurch.org twitter.com/aylshamcc facebook.com/aylshamcc
Tuesday 9th | 11am Service at St Michaels Care Home Wednesday 10th | 11.30am MakeLunch @ Jubilee Wednesday 17th | 11.30am MakeLunch @ Jubilee Wednesday 24th | 11.30am MakeLunch @ Jubilee
SEPTEMBER 4th—9th Week of Prayer Saturday 17th Men’s BBQ Jubilee Family Centre Norwich Road Aylsham Norfolk NR11 6JG
Aylsham Community Church, a Relational Mission church, part of Newfrontiers