Starting next week, Sunday 3 February, the evening services will be at 4.45pm and 7.00pm.
Details can be found in the weekly bulletin, on the website and over at Simon's blog...
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Monday, 21 January 2008
Church Family Meeting
While it's fresh in my mind, I thought I'd share a bit of what happened at the church meeting for those who couldn't make it on Sunday. Simon's already posted his thoughts here
It was really well attended with around 120 people staying to lunch and the meeting. Thanks to Gill, Caroline and the team for a fab lunch.
It was an AGM so Nick gave a membership report and there are now five new members which is great. In Bob's absence, Dave gave a summary of the annual finance report which was accepted. You can email Bob if you'd like a copy. There is also a new finance team in place headed by Iozeph who will be taking over from Bob - a huge thank you to him for all his amazing hard work.
The covenant was agreed by a majority and when I get the chance I'll post it here and on the website. If you can't wait then I know there are a few copies in the church office. This covenant will be signed annually at Pentecost but this year it will be at Easter. Please chat to any of the ministry team or leaders if you want to know more. Throughout February and March the process will be explained to those not at the meeting and it was made clear that no-one will be taken off the membership list if they are already members.
Also nine new leaders were co-opted all with specific areas of responsibilities.
Oh and while we're without a church administrator, I'll be taking on some of that role so please contact me if you need to and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. It is hoped there will be an admin team along the same lines as the finance team so please if you're interested let me or one of the leaders know. Can't tell you how welcome you'd be made to feel...
And if that wasn't enough from February there'll be a new evening programme - watch this space for details.
Thanks very much to Glenis and her team for looking after the children who had a great time.
Minutes will be available in the church office in due course.
It was really well attended with around 120 people staying to lunch and the meeting. Thanks to Gill, Caroline and the team for a fab lunch.
It was an AGM so Nick gave a membership report and there are now five new members which is great. In Bob's absence, Dave gave a summary of the annual finance report which was accepted. You can email Bob if you'd like a copy. There is also a new finance team in place headed by Iozeph who will be taking over from Bob - a huge thank you to him for all his amazing hard work.
The covenant was agreed by a majority and when I get the chance I'll post it here and on the website. If you can't wait then I know there are a few copies in the church office. This covenant will be signed annually at Pentecost but this year it will be at Easter. Please chat to any of the ministry team or leaders if you want to know more. Throughout February and March the process will be explained to those not at the meeting and it was made clear that no-one will be taken off the membership list if they are already members.
Also nine new leaders were co-opted all with specific areas of responsibilities.
Oh and while we're without a church administrator, I'll be taking on some of that role so please contact me if you need to and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. It is hoped there will be an admin team along the same lines as the finance team so please if you're interested let me or one of the leaders know. Can't tell you how welcome you'd be made to feel...
And if that wasn't enough from February there'll be a new evening programme - watch this space for details.
Thanks very much to Glenis and her team for looking after the children who had a great time.
Minutes will be available in the church office in due course.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Pray for Bromley
The first meeting of the New Year will be on Friday Jan 18th at Bromley Baptist. This is the start date of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The meeting is organised primarily for Central Bromley churches - but obviously open to anyone to attend.
Church Family Meeting
Just a reminder that there is to be a Church Family Meeting on Sunday 20 January after the morning service and following lunch.
Please sign up this Sunday on sheets in the Welcome Area if you are coming and need feeding...
Please sign up this Sunday on sheets in the Welcome Area if you are coming and need feeding...
Quiz and Pudding Night
Quiz and Pudding Night
Saturday 19th January in Bromley Baptist Church Hall
7.30 pm
Come as a team or make up one when you arrive
Saturday 19th January in Bromley Baptist Church Hall
7.30 pm
Come as a team or make up one when you arrive
Donations in aid of getting Ben R-S to New Zealand
for his YWAM Discipleship Training School!
RSVP to Nick
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Dick van Zweden
We were saddened to learn recently of the death of Dick van Zweden, aged 54.
Dick and Carla, from Holland, worshipped with us in the late 70s/early 80s while serving with Operation Mobilisation and were part of the Over 21s group. Dick was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy over 20 years ago and has gradually deteriorated. As well as Carla, he leaves four children, all in their teens and twenties.
We have been in touch with Carla to express our sympathy and also on behalf of Bromley Baptist Church. Please remember Carla and the family in your prayers.
Dick and Carla, from Holland, worshipped with us in the late 70s/early 80s while serving with Operation Mobilisation and were part of the Over 21s group. Dick was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy over 20 years ago and has gradually deteriorated. As well as Carla, he leaves four children, all in their teens and twenties.
We have been in touch with Carla to express our sympathy and also on behalf of Bromley Baptist Church. Please remember Carla and the family in your prayers.
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
New year, new responsibilities
It is with a mixture of emotions that Robin and I face the new year as we take over responsibility for welcome care – we feel excited but we still have a lot to learn. Alan and Anne have done an excellent job for many years and are a hard act to follow.
We know that we are not doing it alone. It goes without saying that we do it with God’s help, but also with the support of the existing welcome care team.
However, welcoming isn’t restricted to the welcome care team. We would like everyone to see that they have a role to play in welcoming newcomers. It’s been said before that the hardest steps for a newcomer to make are from the forecourt gates to the church doors – that’s why we stand on the forecourt and greet visitors and have deacons and stewards on duty at the doors. But it doesn’t stop there. The welcome needs to continue inside and everyone can play a role here.
If you see someone sitting on their own, why not go and sit with them? If you don’t know the person sitting next to you, introduce yourself, find out about them, invite them to go through to the welcome area for coffee after the morning service, encourage them to fill in their details on the purple sheet, etc.
Many of us are members of Bromley Baptist because someone extended a welcome to us and visitors often say that they have been made to feel very welcome. Your saying hello to the stranger next to you could be the one thing that encourages them to come back. Conversely, some people have not returned because no one has spoken to them once they’ve entered the church building.
We hope that we can count on all of your support and would be pleased to hear if you have any ideas about how we can improve the way we do things.
We know that we are not doing it alone. It goes without saying that we do it with God’s help, but also with the support of the existing welcome care team.
However, welcoming isn’t restricted to the welcome care team. We would like everyone to see that they have a role to play in welcoming newcomers. It’s been said before that the hardest steps for a newcomer to make are from the forecourt gates to the church doors – that’s why we stand on the forecourt and greet visitors and have deacons and stewards on duty at the doors. But it doesn’t stop there. The welcome needs to continue inside and everyone can play a role here.
If you see someone sitting on their own, why not go and sit with them? If you don’t know the person sitting next to you, introduce yourself, find out about them, invite them to go through to the welcome area for coffee after the morning service, encourage them to fill in their details on the purple sheet, etc.
Many of us are members of Bromley Baptist because someone extended a welcome to us and visitors often say that they have been made to feel very welcome. Your saying hello to the stranger next to you could be the one thing that encourages them to come back. Conversely, some people have not returned because no one has spoken to them once they’ve entered the church building.
We hope that we can count on all of your support and would be pleased to hear if you have any ideas about how we can improve the way we do things.
Sunday, 30 December 2007
...and a happy New Year
Please join us for a WatchNight service from 11.30pm to 12.15am if you can.
A prayer for you to reflect on what the New Year holds for you as an individual and us as a church:
Lord of the ages,
you are our beginning and our end:
we place our days within your care.
We praise you
for your faithfulness in the past
and trust you for your constant care.
We put ourselves in your safe keeping,
trusting you to guard and guide us
this day and every day;
and we offer our lives
for your service
in this church, our workplaces and community,
through Jesus Christ
your eternal Son, our Saviour.
Amen.
A prayer for you to reflect on what the New Year holds for you as an individual and us as a church:
Lord of the ages,
you are our beginning and our end:
we place our days within your care.
We praise you
for your faithfulness in the past
and trust you for your constant care.
We put ourselves in your safe keeping,
trusting you to guard and guide us
this day and every day;
and we offer our lives
for your service
in this church, our workplaces and community,
through Jesus Christ
your eternal Son, our Saviour.
Amen.
Sunday, 23 December 2007
Christmas Greetings to you all
Here's wishing you all a very peaceful Christmas and don't forget if you want to send greetings there's still plenty of time to write on the big card in the Welcome Area and donate to Project Malawi.
How do we treat people? Part Five
Here's the last one - thanks to Roy for sending them over.
Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.
I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
How do we treat people? Part Four
Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
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