Community Help
April / May Sermons on: 1 Thessalonians
LIVING FOR CHRIST: FAITH HOPE & LOVE
(1) Sunday 19th April Fred Coote on “Model Believers” [1 Thess 1:1-10]
(2) Sunday 26th April Josh Hooker on “Paul’s Pastoral Ministry” [1 Thess 2:1-16]
(3) Sunday 3rd May “Paul’s Heart for the Thessalonians” [1 Thess 2:17 – 3:13]
(4) Sunday 17th May “Living to Please God” [1 These 4:1-12]
(5) Sunday 24th May “Future Hope” [1 Thess 4:13 – 5:11]
(6) Sunday 31st May [PENTECOST] “Final Words” [1 Thess 5:12-28]
Preaching Programme leading up to Easter
APPROACHING THE CROSS
(1) Sunday 29th March Fred Coote on “Jesus Anointed” [John 12.1-11]
(2) Sunday 5th April Martyn Colley on “The King Rides in” [John 12:12-19]
(3) Friday 10th April Martyn Colley on “Characters around the Cross – John & Mary” [John 19:25-27]
(4) Sunday 12th April Martyn Colley on “Risen Indeed” [John 20:1-18]
On-line Worship Together
Good morning and welcome to our on-line services. We encourage you to get ready at 10.15am with a bible, a pen to take a few notes and a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate!
[Sometime you get an advert with YouTube clips; you can often click Skip Ad after a few seconds]. The Good Friday service start time is 9.00am
Good Friday 10th April Service – Stephen leads the service and communion, Martyn Preaches on Characters Around the Cross “Mary & John” John 19:25-27. We encourage you to have some bread on a plate, and fruit juice, squash or wine to share in taking communion together. It would be best to have separate cups if more than one of you are participating, especially if you are self-isolating
5th April Service – Tim leads the service, Nina leads the worship and Martyn preaches on the second in our series Approaching the Cross: “The King Rides in” John 12:12-19
29th March Service – Martyn leads the service. Fred Coote preaches on John 12:1-11 Jesus anointed. (The first in a new series “Approaching the Cross” as we lead up to Easter).
22nd March Service, Stephen leads the service. Martyn Colley preaches on the final sermon in our series The Creed: I Believe “The Church & Salvation”
FUEL FOR PRAYER
‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…’ (Psalm 46:1-2)
For those who are sick and frightened, and those who care for them.
Those who are fearful and anxious. May they be given peace.
For those who are vulnerable and isolated, may God be close to them and draw them to Himself.
For those in quarantine, that their spirits might be sustained,
and for those separated from people they love by the circumstances of this illness.
For those who mourn.
For all those who are serving so heroically in our Health services, may the Lord protect them and give them strength. May the Lord give them energy, and protection. May he provide for all their needs.
For those who provide food, or vital services at this time. Strengthen and help them Lord we pray.
For the government as it seeks to make wise decisions for the common good. May God cause them to look to Him, and may He give them wisdom and strength.
For Boris Johnson, our Prime Minister.
For the Queen, may she be empowered to give a lead to her people
For those who are selfishly panic-buying to be restrained.
For those whose employment is threatened.
For companies and employers struggling with this crisis.
For scientists working to understand the virus and to find treatment and prevention. May they be given great insight and skill in their work.
For us as a nation, that we might pull together in this crisis, and above all that we may look to Almighty God in repentance and faith. May the Lord have mercy on our nation, and on our world.
Please pray for national Church leaders, that they may step forward and proclaim the gospel, so that people may find comfort through salvation in Jesus Christ.
Please be praying for Church members who are vulnerable and self-isolating.
Please pray for those who particularly struggle with social isolation.
Please pray for those we know through our various ministries, that they will look to the Lord.
Please pray for church leaders at this time, that they will have wisdom and strength to respond to the challenges we face.
Please pray for the efforts of churches to reach out to those who need help in the community.
Please pray that the current straitened circumstances might cause God’s people to turn to Him, bringing revival in our churches, and then our communities.
Please pray for those who do not know the Lord, that they will hear the gospel and respond with faith.
Please pray for those in countries which are worse affected than our own, and who may not have adequate health systems, for their leaders, and all who are trying to help.
Please pray for those who are suffering from famine or persecution, whose needs are being overlooked at this time because of our focus on the current crisis.
Please pray for missionaries working overseas.
May the Lord Graciously hear our prayers
Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter
T
his year the Shelter ran for almost 13 weeks (closing slightly early due to Coron-19. For the seventh year, two of our members have helped – Margriet & Geoff Hallam. Their slot covered welcoming and cooking and clearing away the meal from 6.30 to 9.30 on Friday evenings at the Friends Church.
his year the Shelter ran for almost 13 weeks (closing slightly early due to Coron-19. For the seventh year, two of our members have helped – Margriet & Geoff Hallam. Their slot covered welcoming and cooking and clearing away the meal from 6.30 to 9.30 on Friday evenings at the Friends Church.The shelter had 57 guests register this year, 51 men and 6 females. 48 have stayed. 25 have been put into temporary accommodation by the local council, 15 are in other accommodation.
The shelter allocated 612 beds, 511 have been slept in and provided an extra 336 meals to guests in temporary accommodation.
There has been a lot of positive feedback from the guests who have stayed, and from those coming in for dinner, and they all send their thanks for the support people have given and for supporters giving up their time to be with them.
Their guests have enjoyed good food and great company. They really value the support and friendship they experience in the Shelter, as more than one has said, it makes them feel ‘normal’ and gives them some self worth.