DECEMBER 14/JANUARY 15
COMING SOON THIS MONTH Christmas Wrap Holiday Club Day Children’s Christmas Service Family Carol Praise Crib Service Community Candlelit Carol Service
CHRISTMAS WRAP
HOLIDAY CLUB DAY
Saturdays 13th & 20th December
Saturday 20th December
In the Swan Centre
10.00am—12noon.
CHRISTMAS SERVICES Sunday 21st Children’s Christmas Service 10.30am Family Carol Praise 6.00pm
Christmas Eve Crib Service 3.00pm Candlelit Carol Service 7.00pm
JANUARY 2015 Sunday 11th: David Bevis MAF Sunday 18th: CTiE Launch of HOPE 15 Speaker: Dennis Pethers Prayer evening - 15 January 8pm
DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES… More information on how to do this on the back page.
WELCOME BACK CONTENTS 4
Hello and welcome to our December edition of One Magazine. A big thank you to those who have written articles for this edition.
Christmas is Coming– An article about the Christmas events. Travelling the world–
The overarching theme for this edition is Christmas (it’s creeping closer and closer!). Our feature article is about Christmas events coming up that we can all be a part of.
Brazil Mission Trip– describing the action that took place in Brazil.
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Prayer Diary
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Ruth’s article about her travels with Mission Direct.
This issue of the magazine has a subfocus on the wider world and recent mission trips. Included are articles about the Brazil mission trip, Ruth’s travels of the world and the latest news on the Kenyan children (Douglas and Gladys) sponsored by the junior church.
The Brazil Photos
We hope you enjoy this edition of One and from everyone in the One Magazine team, Merry Christmas!
Fellowship News
Steve Cleary
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Coffee Shop– a day in the life of a 11 Coffee Shop worker. News from Kenya– an update on 12 the Kenyan children sponsored by junior church.
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One Ministry– An message from 16 Toby about Christian social action. Church Meeting Feedback
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CHRISTMAS IS COMING What’s the best Christmas film of all time? It’s a wonderful life? Miracle on 34th Street? Die hard? For me the answer is easy: The Muppets Christmas Carol. It has everything! The great story of a Christmas Carol and Muppets! However, the best part of the story is the end, where Scrooge learns the generosity of Christmas and he throws himself wholeheartedly into spreading Christmas cheer. It’s a great moment and I love the idea that we do the same and our message is even better!
news of Christmas over the next few weeks so please be a Scrooge!! Big Welcome On the 22nd November Eastleigh has its Christmas Festival throughout the town centre. As part of this we will be hosting a Big Welcome at EBC where we will be having a craft fair, games, a ‘Nativity Experience’ and various children’s activities. If you can help please contact Chris Walker or Amanda Fielder. Light Parade
This year, building on the year of HOPE outreach that we have been involved in and The Gift theme from last year, our Christmas theme is going to be “The Gift of Hope”. As a church we will be giving gifts to the community particularly those in need. We have so many opportunities to share the wonderful
Eastleigh as a community will be doing an evening Light Parade through the town on 22nd November. As this parade is a celebration of Christmas it’s so important that we are there and in great numbers! This is Christ-mas after all.
Christmas Wrap Once again we have been asked by the Swan Centre to do our Christmas Wrap event. On the 13th and 20th December we will wrap people’s presents for free, take the opportunity to tell them about our Christmas services and simply bless them at this Christmas time. If you’re good at wrapping or talking then please contact Jeremy Borton. Carols in the Coffee Shop Come along on Monday 15th December at 11am for Carols in the Coffee Shop with refreshments before and after. Everyone welcome! Christmas Holiday Club Day This year we’re going to run a single day Holiday Club for 5-11 year olds on 20th Dec from 10am – 12pm. It’ll have all the usual fun and games but with a Christmassy theme! If you can spare three hours on 20th Dec you could make a real difference. If you can help please contact Chris Walker. Candlelit Carol Service
On Christmas Eve, an opportunity to invite friends to our annual Candlelit Carol Service followed by refreshments. Crib Service The Crib Service on Christmas Eve seems to grow in size every year so we need lots of stewards to direct buggies and hand out props. If you can help please contact Emma Leggett. If you know someone with a child under 6, please invite them along! Let’s make sure all events are covered in our prayers. Pictures are of work in progress for these events……... Chris Walker
TWO UNEXPECTED YEARS...
TRAVELLING THE WORLD
“Mission Direct” encourages people to use their two weeks holiday to get their hands dirty and to experience mission and to see first-hand how millions of people in the world are living. My work as a Staff volunteer with M.D. is very full & varied. There are usually 3 or 4 of us in a country for the entire campaign. We plan every aspect of the programme, organise the accommodation, meals, devotional times, pastoral care, spiritual and practical aspect of the two week period. We meet the volunteers at the airport and are with them until we wave them goodbye at the end. Everyone works very hard but we all have a lot of fun as well!
One of the things I love is watching people change before my eyes as they see with their own eyes how other people live. God is always at work in our lives changing and challenging us. It is also a joy to know that when each team goes they leave behind something tangible that will change people’s lives for ever, i.e. a classroom or a home. Each morning we work on the building sites alongside the local builders and have the fun of them teaching us how to mix cement, lay bricks, or draw water from a well. In the afternoons we visit other partners so that each volunteer gets a rounded view of the country. We end the time away with a couple of days or so visiting a tourist spot.
I want to encourage everyone reading this to expect new and good things from God. Some people make New Year Resolutions but I firmly believe that God can change the direction of our lives at any time and in an instant. Listen to the still small voice of God – 1 Kings 19:12 Follow your dreams, Mission is on our doorstep and is our next door neighbour. God has chosen to use us in our frailty to show His unconditional love to an impoverished and unbelieving world. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:3
As I look back over the last two years I am amazed at where I have been. It was a complete surprise to me that this was the way this season of my life was going to be. It is the most wonderful privilege to be doing what I’m doing. These are proving to be the most challenging years of my life so
“Follow your dreams, Mission is on our doorstep and is our next door neighbour.”
Alô from the 2014 Brazil Team. We have had an amazing time working with the orphanage in Brazil.
Our work with the children was based around 5 different parables. Each day began with some games co-ordinated by the ‘Two Tims’ and then into the Church for stories, drama, a testimony, crafts and games. Around 60-80 children attended each day. It was great seeing the same faces return along with new faces each day. A lot of the children came from the nearby Favela. On the Thursday evening we attended the Church’s evening service. It was great to see so many children and their families there. The service was followed by a firework display to mark the Orphanage’s 50th Birthday, which everyone loved. Nick and Tony did a fantastic job on
the maintenance front. It was lovely seeing the children using the newly replaced swings and helping the guys out. I also discovered that cake is on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was truly humbling seeing how happy the children were; how their love shone through. One of my highlights was seeing the children singing and dancing along to ‘I’m Gonna Jump up and Down’, which was one of the songs we taught them. God did some truly amazing work. Although we may not see the fruits of God’s work, the seeds were definitely sown, and this is the start of the children’s journey in building their relationship with God. Thank you for all your prayers.
Sara Henry
‘The seeds were sown and this is the start of the children’s journey in building their relationship with God’
PRAYER DIARY Please pray for.. ACTIVITIES November 22nd Carols in the High Street. This is the only time some people hear the Christmas message - in a Carol. Town Lights Switch on and Festivities throughout the day. Christmas Eve Crib Service Carol Service
WHERE THE TEARS MAY FALL
WHERE THE LIGHT MAY BE DIMMED
LET THE ANGELS SING ACROSS THIS WORLD- 'I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY, THAT WILL
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Pray for those who find Christmas a very difficult time. For those who are Lonely Those who have lost a Loved one. Those in War Zones. Those suffering and Living with the Ebola Virus.
Pray for those who suffer abuse - often children where excess alcohol fuels anger. Those who are Hungry and Homeless. Prisoners and Hostages. Pray that this Christmas time we will bring Jesus Christ into their lives by the gift of Hope.
BE FOR ALL PEOPLE...' HOSANNAH – The world needs to hear this message afresh'A SAVIOUR IS BORN TO YOU CHRIST THE LORD'
Dear Heavenly Father, May the angels’ message ring out again across this world - with all the power and glory of Heaven. May the Christmas message dwell afresh in our hearts and ring out to others by way of our joy and love to all - everywhere. Amen. Iris Wright
BRAZIL MISSION TRIP PHOTOS By the Brazil Team 50 years of the Brazilian Orphanage
Parachute games on the playground
Look at the style of that jump!
Arts and crafts with the children
A game of football. Tim looks a bit outnumbered by Brazilian players!
The Brazil Team
COFFEE SHOP Here is a little snapshot of a typical day in the Wells Place Coffee Shop.
making up trays of sandwiches for a conference lunch.
The person on the early shift gets the coffee shop set up for the 9 o’clock opening and hopefully gets o u r t e m p e r a m e n ta l c o f f e e machine to wake up and make the coffee! We may have early customers who are arriving for a conference and are in need of a coffee or a bacon sandwich. We have one elderly gent who comes from Winchester every day to have breakfast with us.
Many of our customers become friends, they come their set days. One group of come in from Hamble every on the community bus.
Whoever is on conferencing will be filling up the hot water flasks to go on to the conference trolleys. In the kitchen, we will be baking baguettes, making up sandwich fillings and preparing the jacket potatoes for the oven. We may be
have in on ladies week
We have sat and listened to news of illnesses, operations, family problems as well as good news. We hope that our customers will always find a friendly smile and a listening ear. We could not function without our team of wonderful volunteers who come in on a regular basis. It is a lovely place to work. We may go home with aching feet, but it is good to serve God at the Wells Place Centre. Sally James
NEWS FROM KENYA If the children of our Church have ever wondered whether their gifts in the collection each Sunday make a difference, the answer, Sheena Griffin of Pamoja assured them, is a resounding YES. Sheena joined Junior Church on Sunday 26 October to bring us up to date news of the two Kenyan children, Douglas and Gladys, whom we sponsor through Pamoja. Douglas, now 14, is sitting his end of primary school exams in November. Without the gifts given by our children and their parents since he was not much more than a toddler, Douglas would not have been able to attend school. He wrote to us saying: “After my Kenya Certificate of primary education I would like to join secondary school and I shall work hard in order to qualify for the
university. ….. I request you to pray for me as I prepare for my exam.” Our sponsorship of Gladys (13), an orphan, enables her to be cared for in the Kware Care Centre. Gladys has been very unwell this year and her schoolwork has suffered but praise God, she is now much better. In August her housemother wrote: “Gladys is another walking miracle. ….Her faith in God (and indeed our faith) is stronger, not so much because she is alive today (this in itself is a big blessing), but because her soul is secure in Christ Jesus.” We saw lovely pictures of a smiling Gladys with the girls she shares a room with. It was touching to see a Christmas picture drawn by one of our children adorning the trunk that Gladys has to hold her small number of possessions.
Each year Junior Church gives money for a Christmas gift for the family of the sponsor children. The gift this year will be a hamper of food items, not Christmas pudding and luxury preserves, but rice, cornmeal, sugar etc. The rains have failed and many families have been hungry so the gift should be very welcome. We used to send a small gift with a Christmas card to our children but last year Pamoja introduced a new idea where sponsors donate £2 per child and the child is given 250 shillings of their own to spend. Apparently this went down very well with the children who do not usually have the opportunity to spend money. Some of the items chosen at the shop were biscuits, pens, paper pads and beauty creams. We presented Sheena with a cheque for £324 to pay for Douglas’ school costs, Gladys’ living costs at the orphanage and Christmas gifts for the children and their families. Thank you to all who support Douglas and Gladys through money and prayer. It is much appreciated and really does make a difference. Tina Cleary
One of the essays that I am writing in my final year at Moorlands Theology College questions the relationship between the gospel and Christians’ involvement in social action. In researching the topic I have been fascinated and slightly disturbed to discover wildly different points of view on the issue.
of a Christian’s valuable resource – time. After all, how can we possibly compare the value of someone’s eternal destiny with their current, temporary physical or emotional needs? Folk with this perspective would take you straight to the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and point to its clear, simple, call.
On the one hand (or extreme) are those for whom the proclaiming of the gospel is everything; for them social action is a distraction, social involvement a poor use
On the other hand are those who believe that the only valid Christian expression is not words or proclamation, but action. Anyone can speak words, but “actions speak louder than words”. Such folk
would take you to the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 where our place in heaven is determined by our serving response to those in need.
Who is right? Which of these scriptures is preeminent? Where are you on this spectrum? Are you a Proclaimer or an Activist? I hope that you will be encouraged to know that the vast majority of Christians and Christian theologians and writers do not believe that it is all about one or the other extremes. Most seek to combine the primacy or centrality of preaching the word with the undeniably socially involved lifestyle of Jesus in what is termed “integrated mission”. In integrated mission the Christian
gospel is not just spoken out but lived out too. But although integrated mission helps to blend these two extremes together it also presents us with a big challenge, doesn’t it? Because it demands that in all things our words are matched by our deeds. Ouch! It demands that our whole lives reflect Jesus not just a few hours at church or small group each week. Eek! And it demands that as a church we are not a castle with the drawbridge pulled up but an open, welcoming, engaging community of believers in close contact with
our world – close enough to touch and smell and feel. Aargh! As we enter into the Christmas period we are once again gifted the opportunity to be involved with the community of Eastleigh like at no other time of the year. We are gifted the opportunity to share the true message and to evidence it with our personal and collective life – in word and deed. I pray that we can do so with authenticity and joy. Toby Dodson
CHURCH MEETING FEEDBACK The October Church meeting took place on a ‘Stay for Lunch’ Sunday; a great success and chance to catch up on real fellowship. Following lunch, we sat in groups to facilitate discussion. The children were catered for, with help from Lauren and Chris. We began by reflecting on Harvest Outreach, culminating in the celebrations the previous week. The ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ stall at the Big Welcome was
especially well-received, creating many opportunities for witness. Crafts in the church were excellent with increased uptake by children, probably due to Chris’s preparation in local schools. Overall, people said there was ‘a lovely, happy atmosphere’ and more chance for talking to visitors. Sunday Harvest celebration had an excellent turnout, including the Girls Brigade. So all in all, Harvest was a great success!
Moving on to plans proposed by the leadership for Christmas 2014, Joth spoke about the changing Church; moving from an era of fixed boundaries and expectations of ‘Believe, Behave and Belong’ to a more fluid arrangement; from o u t s k i r t s o f ‘Community’, into the local ‘Crowd’, who are loosely ‘Connected’ to us, and who hopefully w i l l b e c o m e ‘Converted’ and then move into the ‘Core of
Believers in Christ’. We need to be involved with the community in order to engage with people who don’t yet know the Lord.
Tom– New Youth Intern
The Christmas 2014 theme is to be A Gift of Hope; following on from the success of ‘The Gift’ last year, we will give away gifts to those who are felt to be ‘in need’, to be elected by individual members Gifts may take the form of material or practical offerings. In groups we discussed the many proposed activities over
the Christmas period. The overall message we took away was that if we are to show Christ to the people of Eastleigh, we ALL need to willingly support and participate in the various activities planned! During the meeting we also voted to have Tom Garner work amongst us as part of his university placement. He will mainly be helping with the ‘Pulse Lite’ age group. Fi Luland
Articles for the next edition of One should be emailed to Linda Mandley no later than the 9th January 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