APRIL / MAY 2015
COMING SOON THIS MONTH Maundy Thursday Service Thursday 2nd April 8.00pm
Easter Sunday Celebration Sunday 5th April 10.30am
MISSION PRAYER MEETING
CHURCH MEETING—AGM
Tuesday 7th April 7.30pm
Thursday 23rd April 8pm
BAPTIST UNION ASSEMBLY Peterborough Saturday 16th May
HOLIDAY CLUB 27th—31st May 10.00am-12noon
DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES…. More information on how to do this on the back page.
WELCOME BACK Hello and welcome to our April/ May edition of One. I have taken over from Steve Cleary while he is studying for his exams. The theme for this month’s edition is ‘God in my every day.’ Get an insight into the life of an engineer with Nick, a consultant planner with Jim, a deacon with Lyn, a student with Jennifer, as a missionary abroad with Ruth and as a volunteer with Joanne. Find out what Tom Garner has to say about Friday Night Project’s ice hockey trip and how to get involved with HOPE 2105 or Come Dine with Me. Spend time during Lent reflecting on God’s love for us through Margaret’s article as well as being updated through our regular fellowship news and church meeting articles. Thanks to everyone who submitted an article to make this a bumper edition of One magazine. Jennifer Harrison
CONTENTS God in my Every Day—Jim
4
It’s OK, Keep Trying
6
HOPE 2015—important dates!
7
Aspects of Love—a lent reflection 8 by Margaret Henke God in my Every Day—Nick
10
One Fellowship News
12
God in my Every Day—Lyn
14
One Ministry
16
God in my Every Day—Jennifer
18
Prayer Diary
19
God in my Every Day—Ruth
20
Church Meeting Feedback
22
God in my Every Day—Joanne
24
Come Dine With Me
25
GOD IN MY EVERY DAY - JIM How I See God Work in My Everyday Life I could refer to the lunchtime client meeting this week. On that occasion I was taken by surprise when I was quizzed about my faith and asked what I meant when I said I was a Christian. This really happened but it’s not everyday life, at least for me. My ‘everyday’ is about helping to run a small business. It’s about helping to win and then pursue projects for a variety of clients. These are usually other people’s development projects where a range of planning and design skills are needed. God works in various ways. There are three that come to mind.
He gives me opportunities to serve I am privileged to be involved with a wide range of places, people and situations. When I left university I thought I might never be able to significantly influence place design or people organisations. Through God’s leading I can now say that I have been able to influence the circumstances of many people and have had a role to play in the design and development of many hundreds of projects over a wide area. This has usually been through opportunities to serve to the best of my ability. I’m not happy with all the outcomes but most projects I have been involved with have been successful. He helps me deal with issues It’s good to work with other people and not alone. Inevitably there are issues and disagreements in everyday situations. Increasingly I’m led to ask whether trying to address issues
(especially those involving matters of opinion) is worth it. I often feel God saying: “Keep quiet, hold back. Forget the issue; the relationship matters more”. “Don’t major on the minors” is the way Ian Coffey puts it. However, frequently there are times where issues must be dealt with and thankfully the ability to be fair and frank is a gift from God on those occasions. He works during my time out I often find that God helps me to re-adjust my mood or my values when I take time out during the day. I have learnt that a non-stop day with no break is not good. I take a walk in the woods, around Hillier’s or just in the streets wherever I happen to be. I breathe the air. I watch the birds and the trees. I escape the intensity of the last few hours and at these times God helps me to achieve attitude adjustment and perspective correction.
The lunchtime meeting this week ended quickly when the client’s chauffeur arrived. However, he did offer to pay for the next lunch and said he would like to talk more. I was in such a state of surprise as I was paying the bill that I forgot my credit card pin. Fortunately the young lady who served me was prepared to wait while I called home for a code reminder! Jim Cleary
Laszlo Szirtesi / Shutterstock.com
IT’S OK, KEEP TRYING Recently the youth group went to Planet Ice Basingstoke to watch an ice hockey match. The match was greater than I had expected and showed off every area which makes me love this sport! After the game we joined the queue to get our skates on and went out on to the ice. However for a few of the young people, watching the game had given them the impression that ice-skating was relatively easy and anyone could do it. Those few quickly found out that it is actually very hard to ice skate and began to drop like flies onto the ice. At this point it was time for the leaders who could skate to help the young ones get back up on their feet, to hold them up whilst they learnt how to skate and to keep encouraging them to by saying things like: “Its ok, keep trying” “You can do it” “I have hold of you and won’t let you go” and “I believe in you” It was at this moment I realised that
this was like our relationship with God and our church family. How often as Christians do we fall or miss the mark daily? And over and over again there is our incredible God saying: “It’s ok, keep trying” “You can do it” “I have hold of you and won’t let you go” And even “I believe in you”. Like the leaders in giving their physical and emotional support on the ice, we must remember that God is our constant support in our every day lives regardless of our failures and falls. Think about the first time you became a Christian. I bet you thought it looked easy right? Only to realise that others had made it look easy and you were finding yourself falling all over the place like the young people on the ice. As a church of experienced Christians we need to be looking out for the newbies on the ice who are struggling to stand up and keep their balance, hold them up and tell them: “It’s ok, keep trying” “I have hold of you” “Look at how far you’ve come” and “I believe in you”. Tom Garner
HOPE 2015—DIARY DATES 1Peter 3:16 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,.." EASTER Good Friday: Joint service 10.30am at All Saints Church, Desborough Road, Eastleigh Prayer Walk aound the Town centre 11.30am starting from Wells Place Centre Blessing shoppers - with gift vouchers, for refreshments, during the prayer walk. Hunger Lunch - in support of Christian Aid, 12.30pm Holy Cross church hall, Leigh Road, Eastleigh. Easter Sunday Sunrise service - 6.30am Lakeside Country Park, near the
minature railway station. HOPE 2015 - LAUNCH SERVICE Sunday 17th May at 6pm at All Saints Church Desborough Road , Eastleigh HOPE 2015 - TRAINING EVENTS During June - watch this space for details HOPE 2015 - PRAYER Regular events as advertised 24/7 prayer across the region Friday / Saturday 19th/20th June WEEK OF HOPE EVENTS 5th to 12th July - on the bandstand recreation ground and Energy Youth Centre WEEK OF HOPE FOLLOW UP EVENTS
Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th July at 7.30 at various venues - Big Story Please be in prayer about who you can bring to these events! Christopher Harvey
ASPECTS OF LOVE Those Lenten days leading up to Easter are often considered an opportunity for quiet reflection. Inevitably, our thoughts will turn to love, God’s love for us as shown in Jesus. We may begin to think about our love for Him and this may lead to thinking about the many different types of love there are.
It isn’t surprising that diamonds are the most popular stone for an engagement ring. Each diamond is cut into many little “faces” or facets. As the ring is moved about each facet catches the light in turn causing the ring to sparkle. Love also is a many faceted thing. There are so many different faces of love such as sacrificial love, tender love, constant love, mother love and
many more. There are plenty of examples on the negative side as well, unrequited love, possessive love, jealous love are but a few. All are facets or aspects of love.
There are so many references to God’s love in the Bible making a rich harvest for contemplation. Naturally, coming up to Easter, our thoughts will turn to God’s great love and the sacrificial love of Jesus but it is good to discover the other types of love mentioned.
As our minds turn to our own personal experiences of the love of God we will be reminded of the wonderful completeness of God’s love. There is nothing lacking or anything more we
could desire.
And what of our poor flickering flame? The more I contemplate all the love and care God has shown me over the past few months, the more I want to respond in the words of the hymn writer and become “lost in wonder, love and praise.” Some truly amazing things have happened. People have been challenged by Don’s quiet witness and questions, and are asking questions. There are more opportunities to witness than ever before. And through all of this I feel the care and support of all my family and friends. Some good things are emerging from sad events.
God’s love is so vast and so complete that we are left declaring with the hymn writer that we are “lost in wonder, love and praise.”
Margaret Henke
“Be reminded of the wonderful completeness of God’s love”
GOD IN MY EVERY DAY - NICK Name - Nick Wisby married to Joyce with two sons – Matt & Rich. Occupation - Chartered Builder - Civil Engineer. Hobbies – Scouting, Cycle racing, Guitar, Ballroom & Latin Dancing. Recently at the Church weekend, Ian Coffey asked the question ' Where can you find Eastleigh Baptist Church on a Monday morning?' Well for me, I am employed as an Engineer by a major construction company and for the last 3 ½ years I have been based on the Southampton University Boldrewood Campus on the Avenue, where we have carried out a £65m redevelopment. The Environment & People Working on a construction site presents its own set of daily challenges; the conditions can be cold, wet, muddy, hot or dusty. Then there are the people you have to work with, they too can be
cold, wet, hot headed and quite confrontational. As the Supervising Engineer on the project I have to deal with the whole range of people, from the labourer sweeping up to the architect & client whose building it will be at completion. Others you meet will put on a brave face, there is a certain amount of bravado when working in a group of Rufty Tufty construction workers. It is only when you have chance to talk one to one with people that you find they have a softer side to them. Like the brickie foreman whose passion was ballet and another machine operator who had seen The Sound of Music film 30 odd times and each time he was brought to tears! One site I was working on, the workers were not the most helpful, but when they heard I was going to do some work at the orphanage in Brazil, their attitude changed and they wanted to help and contribute.
Dealing with such a diverse type of people involves taking a different approach with each, which is not always easy. Sometimes I find myself biting my tongue and counting to 10 before I say something I might later regret! But I am reminded that God loves them, so I should as well - that is a challenge. Witnessing opportunities As I said earlier, construction sites are tough places to work and the language on site is very 'Anglo Saxon'. For me I choose not to use bad language, being reminded in James 3 that you can't praise God & curse men from the same mouth. - The guys on site notice and ask why, which gives me a chance to explain about my faith. Attitude to work One of my responsibilities is to check the foundations and the structure as work progresses. It’s my responsibility if the building doesn’t stand up, so I have to be methodical and thorough and not put up with the 'that will do' attitude to the work. The Bible reminds us that in everything we do, we should do it as if we were doing it for
Jesus – that is a challenge. I have heard numerous sermons over the years that say the real test of your faith is on the Monday morning — that is the challenge. Nick Wisby
TIME SPENT AS A DEACON When Emma asked me to write something in the ‘One Magazine’ about a day, week or month in my life as a deacon, I really did not think that I had a lot to say. Apart from attending at least two regular meetings a month; where I try and get my head around all the decisions around the maintenance and pastoral work that needs doing at the moment, and what can come out of what budget and why we can not pay for it out of another budget! I was thinking that was probably it. But thinking back over the last month or so, I remembered that I attended an away ½ day with most of the other deacons about where we are as a church and where we feel God is telling he wants us to go. I believe God has got exciting things for us in the next few years. My official role is that of Safe Guarding Deacon. Under this
umbrella, Linda Mandley does keep me appraised with how things are going with the DBS checks. I have to go on ‘Facebook’, and regularly check on the Youth Facebook page, as a safe guarding procedure for Chris and the Youth. (Thanks guys for allowing me this privilege).
I am involved in confidential safe guarding matters that I am unable to share with you but there have been a couple of emergency matters recently and I do work along side Toby with the odd person in the community, on an emergency basis. I was involved a little with Lynda Wisbey in the Safe to Belong policy. I attended a programming meeting about the new comer’s tea. I also had a meeting with someone who wished to become a church member.
The other responsibility, which I shared with Catherine Spencer and some other kind people who gave up their time to help arrange, was the Church Weekend Away. I believe this was, on the whole, a very successful weekend which on reflection I probably mostly enjoyed doing. I hope those who came did! What I enjoyed most about helping to arrange this weekend, was being able to put names to faces that I had not matched before and got to know you a little better. I pray that the atmosphere we had on that weekend will continue to grow within the church, and do pray that you will ‘Play your Part’ in making that happen. I think becoming a deacon has increased my confidence a bit, and has definitely made me look at my quiet times better. I am retired, so mostly what I do as a deacon does not impact too much on my life. A lot of the other deacons do have full time jobs and families as well as the responsibilities that they have taken on as a deacon. They all are busy people and the deacons and their families give sacrificially of their time to take on these responsibilities. Please pray for them all and prayerfully think of others who you feel God may be calling to EBC as a deacon in April. To aid you in this, Joth has information of requirements for anyone taking up this role. Please ask him if you would like a copy. Lyn Hart
“‘Planet
earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do.’ Then he floated off into space. Poor old Major Tom” our tour guide, ‘Siggy Stardust’, lamented comically as we drove through the darkness across Iceland’s lava fields hoping to see the Northern Lights! After 45 minutes we arrived at a restaurant, quite literally in the middle of nowhere. As we got out we saw a faint green light in the sky and we prepared to see the lights truly come alive. In preparation for this moment I had
borrowed a fancy DSLR camera from Mr Wilton who had given me a crash course. As the lights bloomed above me I spent most of my time clicking away and getting nothing. While the lights practically exploded across the sky I kept looking down to try and see how I could get the camera to work. By the time I was done I’d completely missed the most spectacular moment. I knew I’d messed up. I felt a crushing sense of disappointment that I had wasted a once in a lifetime opportunity to
enjoy something right in front of me because I wasn’t paying attention. Reflecting on this on the way back it made me wonder: how often do I miss what God is doing right in front of me? How often is He parading huge
lights right across the sky above me yet I’m too focused on the small insignificant thing in my hands? Is God doing something in our lives right now but we’re too distracted by other things to see the full beauty of it? As the journey continued I was led to think of Mary and Martha. Mary who saw the beauty, majesty and importance of Jesus sat right in front of her and Martha who saw a part of this but became too focused on her tasks to sit and appreciate His
presence. As Steve said recently in his sermon: “Mary chose what is best, we have that same chance to choose.” So don’t make the same mistake as Martha and me! Put down what’s distracting you and choose to see the presence of God in your everyday life…. Now this story could end here - I had learnt a valuable lesson. However on our way back from the middle of nowhere, God wasn’t done with His light display! So as I sat lamenting, Siggy came over the tannoy: “If
you’ll look to the left you’ll see the lights are doing something quite rare. They’re low and to the south, the radiation has changed and now you can see the pinks and purples and……yes they’re beginning to dance.” I drank in every moment of it in a way I don’t think I could have before, and the camera stayed firmly in my bag!!! Now I know the truth of the psalmist’s words: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Praise God! Chris Walker
I found it quite ironic that I was asked to write about God in my every day life as this is a thing I struggle with on a regular basis but I thought I could give it a go. There are a lot of things that so easily keep us busy in day to day life that distract us and cause us to barely ever take a moment to talk to and praise God. I always think “How can I fit Him in?” “How can I find God in my every day life?” Then I realised I was looking at it all wrong, God cannot be contained - I can’t confine him to a time when it suits me. God should be at the centre of everything I do. Once I started putting God at the centre, I realised how easy it was to find him in my every day
life! He is existent in everything we do — no matter what, God is there. Once you start to look at the world around you, you will see the amazing wonders of God’s power — even something as simple as water is an amazing thing. God is not just our Lord, He’s our friend. Sometimes we feel that we have to have something serious or important to say to talk to God but if that’s all we talk to Him about, we can’t hope to get close to Him. My challenge to you is to have a completely random conversation with God about anything — any thought that comes into your head. Remember God’s glory is all around us and I pray that you can start to put God in the centre of your lives. Jennifer Symington
“I can’t confine Him to a time when it suits me……”
PRAYER DIARY Please pray for...
“Like a rose trampled on the ground, you took the fall and thought of me above all.” The words from this song make us reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus willingly gave to us by dying on the cross. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our prayer for April and the time of Easter, is to follow the words of Jesus and forgive others, let us not hold onto grudges and resentments which only cause bitterness and destruction but pray that we might be like Jesus in his forgiveness. Luke 23 V34 “Forgive them Father! They don’t know what they are doing.”
Julie Kendrick
Father God. Please help us to see the good in others and when words and deeds wound us, help us to remember the suffering that Jesus endured and how he forgave even when he was mocked and crucified. You are the one that gives us hope. Because of your sacrifice and your willingness to go to the cross, we are saved. Amen.
GOD IN MY EVERY DAY - RUTH What a challenging title! I have been a Christian for many years and one of the lessons I am constantly learning is just how much I need God in absolutely every situation of my every day life. Over the last few years I have seen God in a new way, and I am now more able with His help to see the bigger picture and have a greater understanding of what is important. Why? Well when you see how other people live and what so many of the world’s population have to live like it brings you up short with what is really important. Photo is of a group of blind musicians who use their voices to sing
to get food and rent money. Twenty of them live in three tiny rooms. No beds, no furniture just a tiled floor. For me God in my everyday has to start with meeting with HIM every morning. It is the first thing I do whether I am at home or away. Photo of a man who helps the blind musicians. He is smiling but look at his arms? He has no hands but he is their eyes.
So let’s look at a few days at home in Eastleigh. I would be meeting friends for coffee, visiting my 95 yr. old Dad who has dementia in a nursing home Nr Worthing, meeting up with my prayer partner to pray, getting petrol,
going to Church, house group, cooking a meal for friends who might be coming over in the evening. Shopping, speaking to friends and family on the phone. Going to Mission Direct for briefings and debriefs, being a street pastor, and serving in some way at Church. God I believe is in every aspect of my daily life but I have to invite Him there. And now a few days here in Cambodia as we prepare for the team that arrives tomorrow. Doing a detailed plan of every day, making a programme, booking our meals at local NGO restaurants, travelling around in extremely hectic and chaotic traffic, preparing welcome cards and gifts for the volunteers, walking past families who are living under tarpaulin in the streets. Worshipping in a Khmer church where most of the people are in their 20’s and are new Christians. Adjusting to the increasing heat of 36 degrees and more. Praying for the team as they arrive.
Eating lots of rice, seeing children who want to go to school but are not able to go because of poverty. Going to the market and being asked by at least four disabled people for money and feeling powerless. While I am here or at home many times in the day I check in with God and send some arrow prayers! I could go on but God is in my every day life here too!
And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God Micah 6:6-8 Ruth Sichel
The March Church Meeting followed a ‘stay for lunch’ time of fellowship. Following the previous special meeting, Joth confirmed that, after reviewing finance relating to the proposed appointment of Toby, the church can afford to employ him full time. We discussed the Church Weekend Away, breaking into groups to share experiences. It was generally felt that catering for young families was excellent but not so comfortable for older people due to
bunk beds and cold. As the theme was Playing Your Part, much of the impact of teaching was around issues of pastoral care and relationships. We moved on to Easter. In addition to the activities of EBC on the flyer, there will also be the Churches together prayer walk, following a service at All Saints, then Hunger Lunch and the Sunrise Service. Joth encouraged us all to get involved with distributing flyers for Easter events. Moving onto membership matters,
Romanzi, Sakhu and Vu were all approved to be welcomed into membership. Christine has sent a second round of letters asking if people wish to remain members, having moved away. Lynda also drew our attention to current pastoral issues and the ePrayer letter. Corrina Bishop brought a proposal to run a Care for the Family parenting course. Corrina, Anne Kinnaird and Sara Henry would lead the course, initially for the church, on a Monday evening for 2
hours. This suggestion was met with enthusiasm and will be discussed with leadership for approval. We discussed the church’s involvement and support of a Debt Support Service. We have already been involved with CAP which has a national presence, but Chris Harvey added details of a local service called Frontline. Russell has undergone some CAP training and the proposal is to create a Debt Support Service team supported by the church.
We already agreed to support Hope 2015 and Joth proposed we increase the budget from £2k last year to £2.5k. Joth reminded about the Questions course, inviting anyone to come and ‘share your story’. Finally we were asked to prayerfully consider the upcoming Deacon’s elections. Deadline for nominations will be Easter Sunday.
Fi Luland
GOD IN MY EVERY DAY – JOANNE 2 Corinthians 12 v 10 says ‘For when I am weak, then I am strong.’ I find that the times that I see God working most in my life are when I am feeling weak, lonely or inadequate. The times when I am struggling, in pain or being asked to do something that I feel is beyond my abilities. Of course, I can see and worship God every day in the beauty I see around me. I can thank Him even in difficult times. Yes it can be hard but when I try there is always something to thank God for even if it is a bit obscure! The times when I have felt God working the most are the times when I have had to let go of things and to rely on Him. When there seems to be nothing I can do to change a
situation, He never ceases to amaze me in the way he answers my prayers. When I am struggling with a sermon or a difficult piece of music or agonising over a decision that I need to make, I just have to pray and let go and it can feel like a weight lifted from my shoulders. There is the sewing analogy that we see only the back of the work with all its knots, tangles and loose ends, while God sees the beautiful picture on the other side. Some friends who work with OM visited us recently and gave us a picture which says ‘If God leads you to it, He will see you through it. Believe.’ What wise words. Joanne Borton
COME DINE WITH ME Come dine with me is simply a chance to spend some time over a meal getting to know members of the church family a little better. You may have seen the very popular TV series of the same name but we are not asking you to mark your host’s entertaining skills and definitely don’t go snooping around their wardrobes! Basically we’re asking people to sign up to host a meal for however many people they would like. Then we’ll assign guests so we all get to share in some food and get to know each other a little bit better. If you would like to be a host fill out the form with your details and how many guests you would like and we will send you names of people to invite. If you would like to be a guest then
you don’t need to do anything except wait for an invite. We are working our way through the church membership to ensure that as many people as possible can be a guest so if it’s not you this time, it will be next time! This is the third time we’ve done Come Dine with Me and each time it’s brought us closer together, so get yourself ready for another weekend filled with fun, fellowship and food!
Sally James
Articles for the next edition of One should be emailed to Linda Mandley no later than the 11th May 2015. Please note that, due to space restrictions, articles may be edited by the team. If you have any photographs or other images you would like us to include, please email these as well and we will do our best to include them. We hope that One will be used to share your thoughts, prayers and experiences with the rest of the fellowship and we look forward to receiving your articles.
www.eastleighbaptist.org.uk 023 8061 3210