Weekly Contact 20 Oct. 08

Good morning from the USA!

 

Jack was watching you! The internet is a great thing. I got to watch Chelsea live as they thrashed Middlesbrough 5 - 0 and Liverpool live as they came back against Wigan and beat them 3 - 2. I also got to watch New Life live on Sunday morning (although it was 6 am here!). I enjoyed listening to the praise and worship and to Pastor John teaching on "Freedom". I missed the Sunday evening service as I was travelling at the time to Pastor Gerry Shannon's church in Surry, Virginia.

 

US Visits: Pastor Gerry and Sylvia and a number of their young people (with a few years added on since their visit to New Life) send their love. Some of you will remember Sarah, Josh, Jason and others who did the 'Stick Man'. Sarah and Josh are married now and are expecting their first child in 4 months. Jason is also married, although I can't remember his wife's name. She was also in Belfast. The four of them own a coffee shop in partnership. It's called The Center http://www.thecentersurry.com You can contact them through their site.

 

We had a great time last night. They don't normally have a Sunday night service, but they put this on because I was in town (although a 3 hour drive away!). They had 3 other pastors with some of their people joining with them for the evening. They also had 3 sisters do Irish Dancing and play Irish music! It was cool. They really found it hard to let me go!!! We sat around chatting afterwards and drinking coffee before hitting the road, getting back to John and Tracey's by 1 am.

 

The Sunday morning was also a great time at The Upper Room Fellowship where I was once again well received and had a great response to the Word of God and to praying for people.

 

Anyway, I hope to able to tune into New Life next Sunday again, but I do want to encourage you to support the church in my absence; after all - it is your church! We said recently "What does it matter what church you belong to, as it doesn't matter what church you stay home from!"

 

BREAKOUT: Come on break out and let God break through this coming Thursday night. This is another opportunity to break out of the norm and join with others who desire more of God and are wanting to move forward in prayer, worship and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The theme this week is 'Breaking Free'. 

 

Don't Forget: Clocks go kcab this Saturday night by 1 hour. So no excuses now - you've just been told!

 

This week's Question: Who, besides Adam and Eve, had no earthly parents?

 

This week's Bible Verse: God says, "whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm" Prov. 1:33.

 

Stay focused; stay strong; and keep being a God-influence.

 

Pastor Jack    

Weekly Contact 14 October 08

Hey guys & goils! Sorry I'm a day behind with this week's Weekly Contact. If you had anywhere near the kind of two days I've had, you might begin to understand, or perhaps even sympathise! Anyway, pushing aside all of the disingenuous words of 'consolement', what about last Sunday?

 

Sunday morning: Michelle Little made it to the church on time, along with her husband Thomas and baby Alex Michelle Little to be dedicated. It was another good turn out by our New Lifer's and a good show of strength by the Little family. What a name for a family of giants! Did you see the size of those guys? I felt like running for my sling and 5 stones!

 

Well, twas another great service as we worshipped together and looked at "How Do I Know I'm a Christian". Positive comments were flying afterwards from both visitors and regulars alike.

 

Sunday night: I finished a short series on "Experiencing the Glory of God". I shared how that God reveals his glory not only "in church", but in the desert place as with Moses at the Burning Bush, or Joshua when facing his greatest challenge; or Isaiah in his time of grief due to the loss of someone he loved; or David who fled from Saul, and moved from cave to cave. God can show up wherever you're at and whatever you're going through.

 

FIST: Don't forget men, FIST is back on Thursday night at 7.45 pm. Please plan to attend as a lot of thought and effort is put into this event by the team. If you want stew beforehand, then get along early. Stew etc will be served from 7 pm. Next week it's BREAKOUT at 7.45 pm.

 

Don't forget the order: The 1st Thursday night is VIRTUOUS WOMEN; 2nd Thursday is ADVANCE; 3rd Thursday is FIST; 4th Thursday is BREAKOUT. When there's a 5th Thursday (as there is with this month), that's a FREE NIGHT!!!

 

Question of the week: The answer to last week's question was Methuselah who died when he was 969. Several people got it right. However, one person wrote and said, "I know the answer, but I don't know how to spell it!" This week's question is, "Who was that person?" Go on, have a go. I'll let you know the answer and embarrass him or her next week.

 

This week's Bible Verse (another new item) is, Proverbs 1:5 "let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance".

 

Stay focused; stay strong; be a God-influence this week and get along to church on Sunday.

 

Pastor Jack  

ADVANCE

Eagles or Chickens! That was the theme for tonight's (last night's) ADVANCE. We did say last Sunday that chickens should beware! I think we scared the chickens off! In fact if all the Eagles of New Life turned up last, we have more chickens in New Life than I thought! Yet I know that's not the case, but I was disappointed at the low turn out for this. However, those who did come along obviously and evidently gained much from the evening. 

 

Child Protection: Tommy Latimer spoke for 10 minutes about Child Protection issues. Everyone in the church needs to be aware of these. We have so many children coming to New Life and we need to ensure them and their parents that they are safe with us. Everyone working with children and young people need to complete the vetting forms. Tommy Latimer has them. Team Leaders, please make sure that everyone on your teams fill these in.

 

The Amazing Dance: This was an audio visual of a Chinese man who lost a leg and a Chinese women who lost an arm, dance together. They were amazing and are eagles in my book any day.

 

TD JAKES: We then watched a DVD presentation of TD Jakes as he talked about God being, 1) Structured; Systematic; Synchronistic... He was absolutely amazing. He said things like: The worst that can happen is not that money can get away from you or that people can get away from you, but that time can get away from you. He told us that eagles use the storms to help life them to the next level. He told us that eagles need to hang with other eagles. He told us that some people are content at being a number ten in a lower level in church or in life than to be a number one in the next level. He also told us about the eagle that died because it would not let go of what was eating away at it - it had caught a weasel that bit into him as he was soaring high above the earth. 

 

It was truly amazing.

 

West Belfast: After ADVANCE, Kathleen and I went across to west Belfast to speak to people at a specially arranged home group. I am thrilled to announce that two people committed their lives to Christ. We look forward to seeing them at church.

 

We also look forward to seeing you in church.

 

God bless.

 

Pastor Jack

Weekly Contact 6/10/08

Our very own missionaries from India: Many thanks to Johnny & Heather Prentice for giving us a great report, so they did, and a word of encouragement, so they did, from 2 Chron. 20:17, so they did. So there; they did, so they did! 

 

They gave an excellent presentation of their work in India where they've been for three years. We are so proud to have them represent New Life City Church in Allahabad and are delighted to be able to support them each month. We blessed them with an offering of £250 at the end of the service, and afterwards someone handed me another £100 to add to it. I had invited them out for Chinese on Wednesday, but guess who's now paying the bill! Thank you for your generosity.

 

Sunday night: Another great night. Right from the opening song there was sense of expectation as we entered into worship and opened our hearts to receive from God. I spoke again on "Experiencing the Glory of God". John said, "We have seen his glory" (John 1:14) and later said, "If you believe you will see the glory of God" (John 11:40). Afterwards we just opened up to God and invited the glory of God, which is the revelation of his presence.

 

Thanks to everyone who puts in so much effort to ensure that New Life City Church is a positive experience for all of us.

 

ADVANCE: This coming Thursday 9 October. The theme will be "Eagles or Chickens?" This promises to be a challenging night. Chickens beware! We will start at 7.30 sharp.

 

Congratulations to Sam McAllister for getting to the dizzy heights of being at the top of the New Life Fantasy League. He's about to find out it's tough at the top!

 

New Feature: Question of the week: According to the Bible: What was the name of the oldest person who ever lived and what age was he?

 

Final Thought: Some live in a world that is changing, others change the world they are living in (Jack McKee © 2008)

 

Pastor Jack

 

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