In Christ - New Self

This is the final week in our series in Ephesians - In Christ. This week we are going to draw everything together as we learn what it means for us to be found in Jesus. Just as someone might take of their night clothes when the dark night is over and put on their day clothes, so Jesus’ people are to put off their old way of life and be clothed with the new life for the new day.

Together we are going to be exploring what this looks like in practical everyday ways. Challenging, certainly. Encouraging, absolutely. So come and join us as we conclude our series - and why not pray that together we would be “made new”.

Children’s and young people’s groups continue and refreshments will be served before and after the service. Livestream goes live from 10.20am.

School of Prayer

This week Enable groups meet again after the half term break. You may well remember that ENABLE is all about exploring the wonderful ‘means’ that God has given us to serve Him with the whole of our lives.

Last term, we were exploring the great enabler that is ‘one another’ - God has placed us in the church that we might support and encourage one another in living for Him. Over this first part of this course, we looked at the book of Revelation and explored what it looks like to be the church that God would have us be.

Now, for the second half of this term, we come to the second of our enablers - the wonderful gift of prayer. For the next four sessions we are going to be thinking about prayer together.

31st October celebrations

Alongside our All Hallows Eve Light Party this afternoon, another celebration that takes place around the world today is Reformation Day.

The Reformation had been building for a while and had many voices before that famous moment in Wittenberg on 31 October 1517. However, this day is remembered as one of the cornerstones of world history. Since then, Christians in every denomination have benefitted from the spiritual re-awakening that occurred during the Reformation, and Western Society as a whole is largely built on that thinking.

Whether or not the small-town monk Martin Luther actually marched up to the castle church and nailed his 95 Theses to the door on this day is debated by historians, but the ideas within the "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences" were the beginning of a return to Scripture and to an emphasis on God’s grace. Martin Luther described his wrestling with the book of Romans like this: “Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which, through grace and sheer mercy, God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”

Today and tomorrow, as the church traditionally remembers the Christians who have gone before us, we can thank God for all those who have passed on the gospel of grace and pray that we don’t take it for granted or obscure it ourselves.

A recently released song, ‘Here we Stand,’ was inspired by Martin Luther’s refusal to deny the gospel before an imperial assembly three years later in 1521.

Tearfund Rubbish Campaign

Tearfund is holding a Week of Prayer for their Rubbish Campaign from 30 October to 5 November. In connection with this, Wendy Vincent has organised a day of prayer at Kea from 8am to 5pm on Saturday 4 November.

Our world has an urgent rubbish problem with 2 billion people having no safe way to dispose of rubbish, making people sick and causing up to a million deaths each year.

In order to add our voice in prayer there will be eight interactive prayer stations set up to help us, whatever age you are, to draw near to God and cry out for an end to plastic pollution and its impacts on people living in poverty.

We will also be setting up a prayer station to pray for all those affected by the terrible events in Gaza and Israel and for peace in the region.

The church building will be open all day so please do come and spend some time in prayer during the day either on your own for quiet contemplation or together as a family. Please contact Wendy Vincent for more informattion or to get involved. 

Refreshments will be served throughout the day.

Churchyard Gardening

Also on the 4th November please do come along and help look after our beautiful Churchyard with a morning of gardening from 9am to 12 noon.

Please bring pruning equipment and gardening gloves if you have them, and sturdy shoes are recommended.

On the morning Ben Goddard is also getting a team together to help re-lay the network cable between the hall and the church, which means digging a narrow trench. There will also be a number of other practical jobs which will need doing around the church e.g. cleaning the War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday, taking things to the tip, etc. If you are able to assist in any way please get in contact with Ben.

Next Week - Remembrance Sunday

Next Sunday is Remembrance Sunday when we stop and reflect on all those who have given so much in the service of our country. This service is suitable for all ages with activities, prayers and an interactive talk, so do invite others who might like to join us as we commemorate together.

Women’s Breakfast

The last Trinity Women’s Breakfast of this calendar year will be on Saturday 18th November, 8.30-10am, where we will be continuing to think about the women who met Jesus, and how their perspectives help us see Him afresh. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy time chatting with other women, meet others from across our congregations and be encouraged together from God’s Word. All women very welcome, and all dietary requirements can be catered for, so please do join us for a delicious breakfast at St Kea Church.

Christmas Shoebox Appeal

Don’t forget that you can bring items to church for the next two weeks for this year’s shoebox appeal. There is a festively-wrapped box at the back of church for donations.

The Trinity youth group will be packing boxes using these items ready to send during the National Collection week (13-20 November). To find out what can and can’t be included click here: Operation Christmas Child

Alternatively, if you want to make up a shoebox yourself you can drop these off at Kea Church during National Collection Week. Please do encourage family members, friends and colleagues to make up boxes as well.

Watch here to find out more about Operation Christmas Child.

Wreath-making

To kickstart our Christmas celebrations this year, St Kea is hosting a Trinity Church wreath-making evening. Designed to bring guests to, this relaxed and enjoyable event will include a wreath-making demonstration, time to create your own beautiful wreath, and a short interview with a Christian about what Christmas means to them. Mulled wine and nibbles will be served, and materials to make the wreaths will be provided. Tickets are £15 and can be bought on the church website or by clicking the button below. Numbers are limited, so do book early to secure places for you and your guests!

Key Dates

Tearfund prayer - 4th November - 8am-5pm

Churchyard gardening - 4th November - 9am-12pm

Trinity Women’s Breakfast - 18th November - 8.30-10am

Wreath-Making - 25th November

Weekly Prayer Points

Each week there will be a few things for our church life and church family that we can join together in praying for:

1. Father God we give thanks for the opportunity this season brings to invite friends and family into the church with the different events that will be happening. We pray for those who will be visiting our church for the first time. May they feel Your presence and see Your love in us. Help up to hospitable and welcoming to all those who come through our doors.

2. This week we also pray for our mission partners Richard and Riekje Wallace as they continue their ministry building of the body of Christ at home and abroad. We also pray as for Richard’s induction service at Datchet Baptist Church on the 25th November where he will be starting his role as part-time pastor.

3. Gracious God, we also pray for the congregation at St Allen Church, that you will direct their path at the present time.