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kids fishingInstant answers for an instant society 

Sunday 19th May 2024 (Week 69)
 
Colossians 2: 13-15.
 
As a child of the fifties and sixties, I can look back joyfully to the days when I enjoyed long bicycle rides into the countryside, fished lazily on the side of a canal, and strolled home whenever the light began to fade. It was all very relaxed, unhurried and time seemed wholly unimportant.
 
By contrast, we now live in a world where people seem unable to find the time to do all the things they want to and often appear to be running from one task to another. Instant dizziness can be instilled just by listening to some people`s schedules including mine! The result, of course, is the continuous creation of new methods of coping with all this busyness, things that allegedly make our lives easier and provide instant gratification. Television, email, the Internet, home shopping, mobile phones, and TV dinners, arguably all time-saving tools, have served to create expectations of immediacy for a society that’s not prepared to hang around.
 
With answers to life’s problems being sought at such speed, there seems little time for reflection or God in these busy lives. How, they ask, can God provide such instant answers to life’s problems? A relationship, with God? No time for that!
 
Life’s greatest problem of course is sin. We see its work in the moral breakdown of society, the collapse of the family, and the rise of the “me” culture where the “If it feels good do it” motto is exercised with increasing regularity. Unfortunately, many don’t even recognise sin for what it is. Even as Christians we do things that can cause us to question our relationship with God. We can get ourselves into situations where we might wonder whether God has really forgiven us because we don’t “feel” forgiven.
 
The simple fact is that when we seek God’s forgiveness wholeheartedly it is granted immediately. God doesn’t sit in heaven thinking “Should I or shouldn’t I?”, weighing things up on heavenly scales or judging us as the English Law does, on the balance of probabilities. He simply says Yes! God demonstrated his forgiveness 2000 years ago on the cross. When Jesus said, “it is finished!” it was, once and for all – that’s you, me, and everyone who calls on His name.
 
The next time you need to ask God’s forgiveness try to remember that it’s by the death of Jesus that we are set free, our sins forgiven. He died 2000 years ago and all you have to do is ask. It’s already done. Even modern technology isn’t that quick……and as for TV dinners……..
 
Prayer: Father, thank you that you have already demonstrated your forgiveness on the cross. Help me to remember that it is already done, once and for all.

Neil Bromage, 19/05/2024
Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and when

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our service

The main service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our worship team. We typically have two songs followed by a children's slot. The Limitless Kids and Limitless Youth will then normally go off to their respective groups. If you have children you will be able to spot and speak to one of the leaders - they will be wearing a bright yellow t-shirt! There will usually be a time of prayer and communion. We normally have another time of sung worship followed by a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service. 

When our team is available we serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 12pm, after the service. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

New to church

 

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids/teens:

  • Creche - from approx. 6 months to 5 years (decided on a child by child basis)
  • Limitless Kids (4/5 - 11/12 years)
  • Limitless Youth (school years 7-11)

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for two worship songs and the “Kids slot” and then go to creche or Limitless Kids.  The Limitless Youth group may go out at the same time as the children but sometimes stay in the service to take communion before going to their class.  Children can be picked up by parents after the service ends (but not before 12pm).

The Limitless Kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting connected

 

Small groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a couple of groups that meet every week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader.

Serving and volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can register your interest to Join a team.

Other ministries

We also run the following community ministries and regularly support various missionaries who are part of the Elim Missions work:

Toddlers & Co 

Food bag provision

Open Doors Team

Church in the Café

Youth Community Outreach

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at the church. You can connect with us using the form below.

Best Wishes
The Gatehouse Leadership Team

 

WATCH OUR CHURCH INTRODUCTION VIDEO

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