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NOVEMBER 2014

COMING SOON THIS MONTH Saturday 8th: Prayer Morning Thursday 20th: Church Meeting Saturday 22nd: Christmas Big Welcome

CHRISTMAS BIG WELCOME

Saturday 8th November

Saturday 22nd November

9.30—11.00am

10.00am—2.00pm

PRAYER MORNING

CHURCH MEETING

YOUTH WEEKEND

Thursday 20th November 8.00pm

Fairthorne Manor 14th –16th November

DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLES…. More information on how to do this on the back page.

WELCOME BACK! Thank-you everyone for all the feedback on the 1st edition of One and to all those brave enough to have contributed articles so far! However, a really big thank-you to Steve Cleary who has volunteered to edit One for a year or so which is great news. We also have a number of people who have volunteered to be in a pool of reporters and photographers who we can call upon to write various articles or “cover” church meetings or events. If you would like to join this group we would love to hear from you - young or not so young! We hope to have an overarching theme to each edition of One which will hopefully shine through from our feature article, One Ministry article and on some occasions our Focus Person article. This month we are looking at “changes” particularly

those that occur at the start of a new academic year. Catherine has looked at this from a teacher’s perspective, Chris from a Youth Minister’s perspective and Beth from a young person’s perspective.... Next month we will be focusing on Christmas so if you have a Christmas reflection or if you are organising a Christmas event, please tell everyone about it via One. All voluntary contributions on any topic also welcome! We hope you enjoy the 2nd edition of One. Now over to Steve and this month’s reporters..... Emma Leggett

CHANGES The autumn term is now in full swing in schools and colleges. This time of year is always exciting for those in education because, whether teacher or student, September is the time for our ‘new year’ resolutions. “I’m not going to spend all my weekends marking.” “I’m going to get into school half an hour earlier to get my hands on the photocopier” “I’m going to finish my homework before the deadline!’ “I’m going to get my planner signed every week.” Parents alike may share in this turning over of new leaves. “I’m not going to pack his bag for him anymore - he’s old enough to take care of it himself.”

“I’ll make her leave the house ten minutes earlier.” “I’m going to take up an evening class myself this year!” For many, the start of the school year involves big changes - a change from primary to secondary school or starting school for the first time. There are mixed feelings. There is the enjoyment of new friendships, greater independence and the excitement of new subjects. However, there is also the fear of not fitting in, finding things too difficult or getting lost. This applies to teachers as well as pupils. I always wonder if I am able to make the gear change from summer holidays to fullon teaching timetable. This year, teaching Latin for the first time, having never learned it myself at school, I am out of my comfort zone. However, for

teachers it is also a chance to begin afresh and put the mistakes and problems of the previous year behind us if we can.

So where does God fit in? Well, just where he does at the start of any new year or new day, for that matter. He waits to be invited in, to share in our hopes and shoulder our worries. He wants to use us in whatever situation we find ourselves, whether a new, exciting one or one with which we are familiar and perhaps find difficult. He says,“ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” It is good to remember this, at the start of the year when we are feeling fresh. When we begin to falter later in the term, He will still be with us, ready to make every day a new beginning if we ask Him to. Catherine Dodson

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will

give you rest.”

THEBIGWELCOME PHOTOS by Jenny Harrison

Our puppets make a special Harvest appearance.

The flower team have been hard at work!

Wow—what a lot of shoes!

Arts and crafts with the children in the church between puppet shows and games.

The Eastleigh Baptist Church table were visitors can have a chat and pick up more information about us.

Almost 500 pieces of fruit with a “fruit of the spirit” sticker on it given away! Good conversations had…..

What is says on the t-shirt…...

Well done Sara for organising all the stallholders again…...

The calm after the event…...

We support a charity at each Big Welcome—this time it was Eastleigh Basics Bank.

A very popular stall…..!

Mmmmm…. Which one’s the scarecrow??

CHURCH WEEKEND AWAY “Playing My Part” WHERE: PGL Liddlington, Nr Swindon, (about 1 hours’ drive) WHEN: 6th - 8th February 2015 WHO: Anyone in the church family HOW 1: Through your own transport, shared transport or mini bus. If you need transport (let us know) we will find a way …... WHY: Good Teaching (lead by Ian and Ruth Coffey); Good fellowship (time to enjoy each other’s company and get to those we do not know so well better); Good food and clean comfortable accommodation; Planned activities run alongside adult activities for the children/youth. HOW 2: Pick up a letter and form. Fill in the form and return in an envelope with £10 deposit per

person to either of us as soon as possible. Remainder to be paid by the end of November or in the New Year if that is better for you. (We have tried to make this as affordable as possible, and we would like as many as possible to come, so if cost is a problem, please do not hesitate to speak to either of us or a member of the L eadershi p team i n confidence about this). We are also available if you want to know more or discuss anything further. We look forward to sharing this time together with you. Lyn Hart & Catherine Spencer

CHURCHES TOGETHER EVENTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND ATTEND Saturday 22nd November - Carol Singing in the High Street 11am to 4pm - town centre, Lights Switch on and parade at 5.15 pm followed by fireworks at 6pm. Help required with carol singing during the day in the High Street.

Saturday 6th December - Ageas Bowl West End - Borough Wide Community and Carol. 2 pm to 4.15 pm - family fun day/stage based presentation by schools and choirs/exhibition of community initiatives in the Borough. 4.15 pm to 5 pm Carol Singing concert - centre piece on 1914 anniversary and Christmas eve truce and football match. 5 pm finish Silent Night as final carol

Thursday 18th December - Possible town centre HOPE Eastleigh carol singing event at 6.30 pm in Wells Place, outside the Swan Centre, during late night shopping. Christopher Harvey

I love change. Don’t get me wrong; change is something I definitely find scary! But if there’s not something new and exciting on the horizon I feel like there’s something wrong! I think it’s possibly something to do with youth ministry. The lives of young people are just steeped in change. Whether it is changing schools, new classes, a different college, growing into an adult, moving to university, the list goes on! They live with change as an almost daily occurrence.

I guess it’s no wonder that young people are so often looking for the new things and different ways of doing stuff, when their lives are so full of change. So maybe it shouldn’t be much of surprise that some of that need for change rubs off on those that spend a lot of time with them. But this is why I think young people are so vital to us as a church. Their desire for the new t h i n g s , n e w approaches, new styles is meant to rub off on us just as the wisdom and

experience of us older people is meant to rub off on them! It’s not about change for change’s sake but about being willing to try new things and transform what we do for the sake of the lost.

Taken at the September Pulse Service

That can be so scary though! But that is why God has gifted us with each other, young and not so young. Together, we form the Church. Together we are meant to be a community that, in wisdom, changes and causes change because God is all about transformation. God is a transformative God. His very nature, which we see in the Bible, is to transform. He transforms nothingness into a universe teeming with life. He changes a nomadic man into a

father of a nation, an enslaved people into a Kingdom that should bless the world, an occupied nation into the birthplace of the Saviour, a bunch of young fishermen into a missionary force and sinners into His own children. He is the God of change and He always has been! As a church we need to and already are changing because that’s what the world needs of us, to be an accessible route to the

Saviour. One of the things I love about this church is the willingness to try new things. But if you’re like me and get a bit scared of change sometimes there’s one awesome paradox that we can cling to: our transformative God is good and that never changes. “God has gifted us with each other” Chris Walker

At the beginning of September, I moved from Compton Primary School, with 17 children in my year group to Kings’ School in Winchester with 330 in my year group. I was nervous about moving to such a vast school with loads of pupils and getting the bus every day. There were loads of things that I was worried about as well e.g. being bullied, getting lost and having lots of homework. Although some things seemed scary, there were loads of exciting things to look forward to as well such as doing more technology and art and making new friends. I knew I was not the only one, as my friends from Compton were in the same position as me. As well as

changing schools my flute teacher has also changed and I have moved from being in EPIC every Sunday to Pulse Lite every Sunday. Five weeks on and I am less nervous and worried. I have learnt my way around Kings’, I am getting used to having masses of homework and have made some new friends. Chris has organised a trip for everyone in Pulse Lite in November so hopefully that will be a chance to make some new friends there as well. Through all these changes it has helped me to know that God is my friend and He has been with me every day so I haven’t really been on my own at all. Beth

‘God is my friend and He has been with me every day’

PRAYER DIARY Please pray for.. Town of Eastleigh The local plan for housing until 2029. The proposed Waterside Centre at Lakeside. Fleming Park's redevelopment. The building of Marks and Spencer. The launch of Eastleigh as a dementia friendly town. World situations All affected by terrorism, particularly ISIS. Countries at war. Those working for peace, politicians and armed forces. The Ebola virus, victims and families. The missing Nigerian girls.

People of Eastleigh C hi l d re n /y o u ng people settling into new schools/ colleges/ universities. Those starting/changing jobs. Anyone moving house. Newly weds. New parents/grandparents. Those who have just retired. The recently bereaved/ divorced. Church activities The welcoming and engaging of new members. For all who are starting to prepare for Christmas. Preparations for the weekend away in February. For Jesus to be glorified.

HOPE 2014 Penny Symington

CHURCH MEETING FEEDBACK We are family! No, not the 1979 song, but the recurring theme of the September church meeting. It’s a time when our EBC “family” comes together to make decisions, under God’s guidance. September’s meeting included many aspects of family life. During the Wells Place AGM we heard from two ladies that members of the EBC family had welcomed and helped them through their times of trouble.

Not everyone we help will become church members: but love shown to others is known to God and strengthens us also. Caring in good and bad times In the main church meeting, Lynda Wisbey described the ways in which different parts of the church family had met at her house to have fun together. She also reminded us that it is important to visit our “family” members in hospital. More

volunteers are needed for this vital mission. Keeping in touch Emma reminded us that members with Internet access can keep abreast of all that is happening in the EBC family on the website. A few hard copy “One” magazines will also be available where needed. House Maintenance Like most families we have to keep our “house” in good condition. Accordingly,

we voted to update the heating and plumbing system: a large and complicated operation, which will soon be underway. This will be partly funded by a Gift Day collection on th October 19 . EBC family travelling Joth reminded us all to pray for the team going out to Brazil. Over the years EBC has made links with the orphanage there: we have made the children part of our extended family.

Next get-together The church family has its next meeting on Sunday October 19th. Lunch will be provided: a chance to chat and catch up. We will be discussing Christmas plans: please come and join us. Janet Giles

Articles for the next edition of One should be emailed to Linda Mandley no later than the 7th November 2014. 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.