The first weekend in March is our International Weekend – an opportunity to celebrate all that God is doing around the world.  Gianni and Angela will be visiting us from Austria, speaking on Sunday morning and Sunday evening – at our ‘infamous’ International Food Court – please pop this in your diary.  It will be a great weekend!

There’s plenty of opportunity for you to get involved – even though some of our trips this year are now fully booked, there is still space on the Eastern European trip in September – we are also encouraging applications for trips to Eastern Europe and the Philippines for 2013. If you are interested in joining us on one of our international missions, please contact the Hub or Information Desk on a Sunday and we will send you more details and application form.

We have big shoes to fill, picking up the reigns from Jo and Ady who have led Connect with courage, passion and excellence. As our church reaches out further, faster and higher beyond our four walls we’re passionate about caring for each person. You matter as an individual and as a church we value you for who you are, not just what you can do. We want you to find God’s purpose for you in a fun, safe, challenging and relevant environment where you feel you truly belong. Connect matters!

This year we are alternating between ‘Connect in homes‘ every 2 weeks with ‘Connect Freestyle‘ for the week in between. We want to give groups greater freedom and flexibility to express ‘doing life’ together. The ‘freestyle’ weeks will enable other ways of connecting- whether in smaller groups, or larger, for focused bible study, for meals out, for prayer, mentoring, for community activities, for outdoor pursuits, reaching out to friends and neighbours – the options are endless. All Connect leaders have been briefed and will be leading this shift of emphasis. Please let us know how it goes!

If you’re reading this and not sure how to get involved in Connect please ask at the information desk or let either one of us know (someone will point us out to you!)

Paul & Mandy

One in four British couples speak to each other for less than ten minutes a day, while the same proportion cannot remember the last time they sat down to dinner together. Two thirds of respondents said they would rather be online than eating with their partner. 4% said they ignore their partner completely. Times

I’m no marriage expert, but if that is true, then our marriages are seriously headed towards disaster. In fact I predict another metaphoric cruise liner about to hit the rocks!

Your marriage will not work unless you intentionally work at it. Steer a course that God has marked out for you in Gods word and stick at it. Even in the storms – stick at it. Even when you are bored – stick at it. Even when the other half has given up – stick at it. Relationships become more sticky when you stick at it!

Here’s some top tips to improve your relationship. And they wont cost you a penny!
Pick one and implement today.

1. Start each day with a kiss
2. Listen carefully
3. Encourage each other
4. Do it their way
5. Telephone during the day
6. Forgive quickly
7. Touch
8. Ask, “what can I do to make you happier?”
9. Say, “I love you” frequently
10. Pray for each other daily.

You can check out menus and maps at www.balti-king.co.uk

A great chance to invite your friends, family, neighbours and workmates to enjoy an evening of good food and good company. Cost will be no more than £20 including drinks. Why not “sow a seed” and pay for someone else?

Please book online below no later than Sunday 5 February to reserve your place.

Leading on Empty

by Wayne Cordeiro

Wayne Cordeiro is the Senior Pastor and founder of New Hope Christian Fellowship – a huge church in Honolulu, Hawaii (tough job but someone has to do it ) that has seen incredible growth since it started in 1983.

But this book isn’t five easy steps to build a megachurch. Neither is it a collection of blog posts from a successful pastor. It’s a book domcumenting a man’s journey who saw success in his ministry but at great cost to his health. A few years ago, with the church at its peak, Wayne hit burn out and hit it hard. The book tells the story of how he got to that point, and offers practical, scientific and spiritual reasons how it can happen to any leader. Most importantly, he maps out some simple steps that might just save us from the same mistakes.

One analogy that has stuck in my mind is to consider all the areas of your life as juggling balls – some are bouncy and some are made of glass. The trick is learning it’s ok to drop the bouncy ones sometimes if it means keeping the glass ones alive.

Leading on Empty is an easy read, and although written from the experience of a senior pastor it’s full of pracitcal advice for anyone in a leadership postition both in ministry or workplace.

4 stars from me…

Jon Jarvis

You can purchase ‘Leading On Empty’ from Amazon by clicking here.

This was the chalk marking on the engine of an old fashioned steam train. It was thirty minutes before this beautiful piece of engineering was about to be called back into action. It gleamed in the sunlight because it had been lovingly restored for over six months. Rusty parts had been replaced and a complete paint job.

But the real work however, was hidden and dirty. Restoring the engines was vital. Otherwise it was just a museum piece. With the engine overhauled and cleaned, the team had stoked the engine with coal and wood and now we were ready for action. It only required one last act.

The fire. Ready. For. Match.

The early church gathered, at Jesus’ request, in an upper room. Ready. Expectant. And they were not disappointed. The fire fell.

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. [2] Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. [3] They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. [4] All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

They were changed forever. No going back. Transformation.

Can you chalk R.F.M. on your heart today?

When buying a second hand car, what you are hoping to discover is how well the car has performed in the past – not just how it sounds and handles today! Again, that folder of service receipts show the track record.

When peering into the future of your own life and choosing to step boldly into the unknown it’s good to remind yourself of Gods track record of your own experience.

The Psalmist would regular remind himself of the wonderful things God had done in the history of Gods people to reinforce his detirmination to drive forwards. Sometimes under incredible stress.

Come and see what our God has done,
what awesome miracles he performs for people! He made a dry path through the Red Sea,
and his people went across on foot.
There we rejoiced in him. For by his great power he rules forever.
He watches every movement of the nations;
let no rebel rise in defiance.
(Psalm 66:5-7 NLT)

Stop for a minute.
Remind yourself of Gods faithfulness and whisper a sentence of gratitude.
Then boldly stride forwards, anticipating another breakthrough moment!

I love how Jesus introduces a new way of describing the Holy Spirit here as the ‘Advocate’. He is described elsewhere as the Helper or Counsellor, but helper is a new one.

An advocate is someone who would plead on your behalf in a court of law. someone who would vouch for you, dependable and most likely your first phone a friend choice on ‘Millionaire’.

So this teacher, comforter, counsellor and Advocate is sent by Father God to our side. You are not alone and He fights some battles for you.

Sometimes you just have to dig in deep and draw on reserves that have held you strong in your faith over the years. Here’s one of them…

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
[28] Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. [29] He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. [30] Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; [31] but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

My hope is in you, Lord!

That’s my declaration this morning! I capture those negative thoughts like a highly trained ninja and speak out this matured confession. It maybe old but it’s never lost its power!

We often read this in the NT where people wanted to see miraculous signs as proof of an existence of God, or to test whether Jesus was the Messiah. At the same time there’s stacks of people questioning Jesus’ teachings, theology and personality.

What they all missed was that in the cross, Jesus performed the ultimate miracle of forgiveness of sins for all humanity. And for those seeking wisdom; what could be simpler yet as profound as one blameless man’s punishment to pay the cost of another’s sin.

One cross fits all.