Dear Friends,
One of my favourite television shows at the moment is the American drama series ‘Lost’ which is on Channel 4. If you have not yet seen it, it is about a group of survivors from a plane that crashed on an isolated island in the South Pacific. It soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems on the island, as there are other people already there and a polar bear even makes an appearance! Through a series of flashbacks you learn about who each of the main characters are and how they ended up on that plane flight and ultimately stranded ‘lost’ on the island.
For one of the characters, Locke, it would seem that being on the island is the best thing that could have happened to him. We learn that he was someone who was given a hard time at work and was in a wheelchair but the crash somehow enables him to be able to walk again and he soon becomes the main hunter for food and a prominent member of the group. For Locke, the island really does represent a fresh start and it could be said that he is not lost but has found himself in his element.
As we enter the Advent Season later this month, we are reminded that in Jesus we can have a completely fresh start. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are a new person – the Bible calls it “a new creation”. (2 Corinthians 5:17) For with God, the slate is wiped clean, all our past is forgotten and our life’s primary purpose is to love the Lord and be faithful and obedient to Him.
That is the reason Jesus came to this earth to be born in a manger. That is the reason that Jesus died on the Cross paying the price for our sins that we might be forgiven. That is the reason Jesus rose alive from the grave. If we accept Him as Lord, we are no longer lost but have found our new and eternal life in Christ.
May God bless you.
Paul Wood
Captain
Congratulations:
To Adrian, Shiralee, Josh & Anya Gristwood on the birth of Ajay Darcy, born on 15th October.
Prayer Requests: Please pray for:
Peter & Diana Stanyer as Peter recovers from his recent heart attack
Minibus Transport To Sunday Morning Worship
Please note that there is no Minibus Transport available on Sunday 20th November. If anyone can help provide transport for those who need it on that Sunday morning, please speak to Captains.
Annual Appeal 2005
The final total that has been raised locally for The Salvation Army’s Annual Appeal for its social work is £1,474.97! Thank you to everyone who helped out to raise such a fantastic amount.
Harvest Altar Service
Thanks to everyone who gave so generously in our Harvest Altar Service which raised £507.15. 25% of this will go to The Salvation Army’s work in the UK. The remaining 75% of £380.36 that would normally go to the Salvation Army’s work in Histon will be given to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort.
Salvation Army Congress 2005
The Salvation Army is holding a Congress at Wembley Conference Centre on Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th November 2005. Special guests include General Larsson, International Leader of the Salvation Army and Commissioner Shaw Clifton, leader in the UK.
Leaflets are available from Captains for further information. We will be travelling down by minibus.
We have booked seventeen tickets for the Sunday meetings and only have two spare so if you would like one please ask Captains.
There were two guys working for the city. One would dig a hole, he would dig, dig, dig, the other would come behind him and fill the hole, fill, fill, fill. These two men worked furiously. One digging a hole, the other filling it up again.
A man was watching from the sidewalk and couldn't believe how hard these men were working, but couldn't understand what they were doing. Finally he had to ask them. He said to the hole digger, "I appreciate how hard you work, but what are you doing? You dig a hole and your partner comes behind you and fills it up again!"
The hole digger replied, "Oh yeah, must look funny, but the guy who plants the trees is sick today."
We are delighted to welcome two new groups who will now be using our church hall to meet for their activities!
Dance Class
This Class is for 7 to 11 year old children and will be meeting on a Tuesday from 4:45pm to 5:45pm. If anyone would like further information, please contact Helen Jones on 01954 204511.
Drama Group
This is aimed at years 2 to 6 and will be meeting on a Thursday from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. There is a leaflet and brochure available at the hall giving further details or please speak to Maggie Stannard on 01223 236259 if you would like further information.
We hope both groups will have an enjoyable time as they meet together.
Saturday 6th November
Worship at 10am led by Captains Paul & Louise Wood
Saturday 12th November
Winter Fayre from 10am to 12pm
Sunday 13th November – Remembrance Sunday
Service at the War Memorial at 9:30am
Civic Service at 10:30am at the Salvation Army
Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th November
Salvation Army Congress at Wembley
Sunday 20th November
Worship at 10am led by Lieut-Colonels Peter & Maureen Wood
Sunday 27th November
Worship at 10am led by Captains Paul & Louise Wood
United Advent Service at 5pm at the Salvation Army
Sunday 4th December
Worship at 10am led by Captains Paul & Louise Wood
WINTER FAYRE
The Winter Fayre will be on Saturday 12th November from 10am to 12pm. Please do come along to get those bargains!
It ought to be possible to live a Christian life without being a Christian," laments Roy Hattersley, a columnist for the U.K. Guardian. An outspoken atheist, Hattersley came to this conclusion after watching the Salvation Army lead several other faith-based organizations in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina.
"Notable by their absence," he says, were "teams from rationalist societies, free thinkers' clubs, and atheists' associations—the sort of people who scoff at religion's intellectual absurdity." According to Hattersley, it is an unavoidable conclusion that Christians "are the people most likely to take the risks and make the sacrifices involved in helping others."
Hattersley also notes that this pattern of behavior goes beyond disaster relief: Civilized people do not believe that drug addiction and male prostitution offend against divine ordinance. But those who do are the men and women most willing to change the fetid bandages, replace the sodden sleeping bags, and—probably most difficult of all—argue, without a trace of impatience, that the time has come for some serious medical treatment.
"The only possible conclusion," says Hattersley, "is that faith comes with a packet of moral imperatives that, while they do not condition the attitude of all believers, influence enough of them to make [Christians] morally superior to atheists like me."
Citation: Roy Hattersley, "Faith Does Breed Charity," Guardian.co.uk (9-12-05)
submitted by Sam O'Neal, St. Charles, Illinois to Preaching Today.
Sunday 27th November
United Advent Service with all the churches at 5pm at the Salvation Army
Sunday 11th December
Carols by Candlelight at 5pm
followed by Coffee & Mince Pies
Wednesday 14th December
Christmas Fayre on the Village Green from 6:30pm
Carols on the Green from 7:30pm
Sunday 18th December
Carol Service at 3pm
followed by Coffee & Mince Pies
Christmas Day
The Methodist Church will be joining with us at 10am to celebrate Christmas
The Band will also be playing Carols outside the Grafton Centre on Saturdays 3rd, 10th & 17th December from 10am to 12pm. If you’re passing by, why not ask for them to play your favourite carol.
SUNDAY
Morning Worship at 10am
JAM Club (Sunday School) at 11:30am
Housegroup at 4pm at Captains (4th Sunday of the month)
MONDAY
2:15pm to 3:30pm – Sunshine Club (Over Sixties Club)
8pm to 9:30pm – CAMEO Club for Ladies
TUESDAY
2:15pm to 3:30pm – Home League (Ladies Fellowship)
3:45pm to 4:30pm – Home League Singers Practice (fortnightly)
3:45pm to 4:30pm – Home League Bible Study (monthly)
7pm to 8pm – Band Practice
THURSDAY
6:30pm to 7:30pm – Singing Company
The Ladybird Play & Toddler Group meet in our church on Monday to Friday mornings. Please contact Linda Woodward (tel: 233503) for further information.
The 1st Impington Rainbow Guides meet on a Monday from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Please contact Lucy Garner (tel: 237117) for further information.
The 1st Histon Brownies meet on a Wednesday from 6pm to 7:15pm. Please contact Frances New (tel: 233126) for further information.