Richard and Darren at High Leigh

Richard and I spent the first three days of this week at High Leigh Conference Centre in Hoddesdon for the annual LBA Pastors’ Consultation.  This is where ministers and church leaders from across London meet together to network, to share ideas, gain news about what is happening in churches around the LBA and to seek God as we listen to the challenges and opportunities that are present in our city.

We had a fascinating presentation by futurologist, David Smith, who gave us an insight into predicted trends and forecasts and how this would affect the future nature of the church and ministry.  One aspect of this was the fact that people are now living longer which presents a challenge to meet the needs of older people in our community and within our church.  With our increased knowledge of health and advances in medicine, it is predicted that by 2075 there will be 1.2 million people in the UK living to be 100 years old (that is those who are currently in their mid 30s).  Also the UK is becoming increasingly diverse and this is set to continue so we need to think creatively about how best to engage with a variety of cultures and backgrounds.

We also considered the theology of cities as Steve Latham helped us to explore what the Bible had to say about the city.  One exciting point that came out of this was the idea that cities are points where things flow through - where lots of flows cross, you get a city.  Later we were told about “Crossing Places”,  a new initiative by the BU Mission Department together with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC).  This is a challenge to get out of the walls of the church and engage with the community around us.

There were lots of challenges at the consultation and a lot to think about but one message remained clear, whatever shape things take in the future, we need to ensure that the centre of our focus is always Christ.

Vision

Rooting Deeply Now – Branching Widely Now

A circular vision. Why circular? As we are Rooting Deeply in God we can do nothing else but be Branching Widely.   Also as we are Branching Widely we need to keep Rooting Deeply.  Both actions, both states of being, feeding each other.

Have you thought recently about how you are rooting deeply? Reading your Bible and talking with God in prayer.  Joining with other in a housegroup and on Sundays.

What about Branching Widely? Why not begin by praying for a few of your neighbours. If you do not know them, then pray that you will just to be able to ‘bump’ into them and say hello – it can be a start.

Read the February 2010 ministry team letter

 

Sue, Richard & Darren

Click here to read the ministry team letter for February 2010.

An Invitation

February 6th – a Saturday

A chance to invite your friends to an event at ADBC

‘Taste Around the World’

Bring your friend to experience different flavours of food and also to hear how God has helped in those challenging places.

It is an event well worth coming to and a chance to be

Branching Widely Now

To be just inviting someone along to an event at church – to meet other Christians and to hear what God can do in a person’s life. But the event will only be a success if we invite other along to it. Go on, take a chance – you might be pleasantly surprised.

Living With 1 Peter – New evening sermon series

Peter’s first letter is about living, about life. We shall be looking at this during Sunday evenings with titles such as ‘Living Stones’, ‘Holy Living’, ‘Living Under Authority’, ‘Living Together’, ‘Living With Persecution’. We began the series with ‘Living Hope’ – find the sermon on the ADBC website. We have a Living Hope because we have a merciful, gracious God who is sovereign and therefore we can have a Living Hope in Him through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Peter wrote his letter it is thought whilst he was in prison awaiting the death sentence so the letter is his last words, so Peter thought, to the community to which he is writing. This adds to his words giving them vibrancy and a cutting edge. What would you write in this situation? What would you want to say? Come and hear what Peter wrote in that situation.

The service in the evening begins at 6.30pm.

NOW – it is URGENT

During January we are launching our theme for the new year, for 2010. It would have begun last week with Vision Sunday but due to the adverse weather conditions it was decided to put off Vision Sunday until 24 January. The theme for 2010 is

Rooting Deeply Now – Branching Widely Now

Before we look at the Vision per se on Vision Sunday we look at the word NOW. NOW has an urgency about it – it means at this present time. We need to be rooting deeply in God, not in the future, not sometime but NOW – it is urgent – it is vital. This is part  of our Developing at ADBC. What does this  mean? To come on Sundays to worship and hear the Word of God preached. It also means attending a small group during the week to study the Bible with others. It means going to the Prayer Meeting to pray with others. It is getting to know God better.

We also need to be Branching Widely NOW, at this moment, talking to people about Jesus, bringing them to church events where they will meet other Christians and hear about what Christ can do for them. At various times during the year whole church outreach events will be held, but they will only be successful if we all invite someone along, a friend or family member. One is being planned for early next month , so keep your eyes and ears open for that.

But surely I do not need to bother, someone else will do it!

There is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Surely we do not want to be like this with the important job God has given us. We are to be those who are Branching Widely NOW. We need to do it NOW and it is URGENT.

January 2010 ministry team letter

Find out about our new theme for 2010…

Click here to read the January 2010 ministry team letter

Christmas at ADBC

We have lots happening over Christmas and we welcome anyone who wants to pop in. During  Advent we have a theme called: ‘A Song Was Heard at Christmas’ – it marks the old and new Christian carols which we sing and takes a look at some of the words  linking to where they are in the Bible. We have many of the Church involved in our Sunday services, which will give you an opportunity to get to know more of us.

On 20th December we have our Carols by Candlelight service which is entitled: “Camels, Caravans and a Cortina: The Bethlehem Challenge”.  What’s that about? Come and see…probably easier than explaining what it’s about in detail, but we will be having carols from around the world so be in good voice and you can join in. Our prime objective though is to worship God and express our gratitude to him because we have hindsight of knowing the whole story. He came as a baby but gave access for each one of us to have a relationship with him…that’s why we call Jesus ‘Emmanuel’: The God who is with us.

All-Age Learning Style Service

Creative Expression

I posted a blog about our All-Age Learning Styles service. Here’s an update on how it went. It was a very positive time. We had eight workshops, 4 creative arts,  plus expressive worship - drama, dance, music , writing and a conventional style of Bible study and discussion. It was lovely to see the theme of  ‘The Body of Christ’ being taught in so many ways and people engaging in the way they preferred.

On the whole the feedback was good, whilst a few were gracious enough to say  that it wasn’t their preferred style, but they appreciated that people learnt differently and that was the reason for trying something new.

Many thanks to everyone who led  a workshop – some of the results of which we will be seeing in the weeks to come.

Ashurst On The Air

The 31st October is a day many associate with witches, ghosts and things that go bump in the night.  It’s generally a day of bad news.  But thanks to Viz-a-viz and Premier Radio, Ashurst Drive was given the opportunity to spread some good news about what God is doing here at ADBC.  In a new program called “Wind of Change”, Fay Chambers spoke to Rich Powney about the way in which God met her in her time of need and how her life has been transformed, while I spoke to Dennis Pethers about how God changed my life and how we are seeing others’ lives changed through faith in Him.

If you missed the program you can still listen to it online via Premier Radio’s website.  Click here to listen now.

You can find out more about the program from the More to Life website (http://www.mtlresources.org/windofchange.htm) or on the Wind of Change pages on the Premier Radio website (http://www.premierradio.org.uk/ministry/winds%20of%20change.aspx)