30th Dec 18

ASHFORD COMMUNITY CHURCH

NEWSLETTER: 30^th December 2018

       FROM THE PASTOR’S PEN

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

It is said that the driver who spends all their time looking in the rear-view mirror at the car behind them is going to run smack into the car in front!

Life can be a little like that. So much has happened to so many of us in 2018 – some of it for the good, but some of it has been very hard to bear.

As we go into 2019 let us learn from the words that Paul spoke to the Philippian church in chapter 2 and verses 13-14:

“forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, 14 I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is not suggesting that we have no more memory of what happened to us in 2018. Rather, he is saying that we must not allow it to dominate and take-over our future in 2019. The danger is that this year has been so good for us that we will be disappointed in what next year brings; or that the year has been so bad that we cannot lift ourselves out of the hurt that it has caused us.

Today we are going to celebrate all the wonderful progress that ACC has made. We are also going to acknowledge the losses that we have suffered. But, we will NOT get “stuck”in the past. We will learn from it and move forward into a New Year – God has SUCH plans for us all in 2019!

So, let us worry less about what is in the “rear-view mirror” and eagerly look forward at the road ahead.

God bless you all
Peter

TODAY:  A LOOK BACK ON 2018

Celebrating the Goodness of God

NEXT SUNDAY: OUR VISION FOR 2019

Be a part of it!

NEW YEARS DAY WALK: If you would like to join the church family for a New Years Day walk in High Halden followed by lunch and conversation around the fire back at the farm, please remember to let Steve and Dorothy know you intend to come TODAY. It is always a lovely time of fellowship together and great food too!

CHURCH WEBSITE, APP & CALENDAR: Please remember to check the website and use the app to ensure you stay up to date with everything going on in the church. Also, don’t forget you can put prayer requests on the app which, after approval, will then be sent out to everyone with email addresses and who have submitted their GDPR forms.

AUDIO SERMONS: We now have a number of audio messages on the website from both the Spiritual Disciplines and the Fruits of the Spirit series. Please take the opportunity to listen to any that you missed. From now on these will be added weekly where appropriate. Peter’s sermon notes are also available under the “Sermons” tab on the website. These sermons are also available now on the Church App.

FOODBANK: Please remember the Food Bank when you go shopping.                 Items particularly needed now are teabags, coffee (200g jars), tinned         meat (eg spam, corned beef, chicken curry etc.), sugar (small size bags), tinned fruit, jam & marmalade.

 MEDICAL MISSIONARY NEWS: Please remember to save your used postage stamps, thousands of pounds are raised each year from used stamps and the Christmas ones are particularly helpful.

     “New Years Day is a good time to fix one’s eyes on the only One who knows what the year is to hold.”  Elisabeth Elliot

WHATS ON THIS WEEK

Weds 2^nd       09:30 – 10:30   Weight Watchers

Thurs 3^rd       19:30 – 21:00   East Kent Choir in main hall

Fri 4^th           09:30 – 10:30   Prayer

Sat 5^th           09:00 – 10:00   Park run in Victoria Park

14:00 – 16:00   East Kent Choir

Sun 6^th           10:30 – 12:00   Celebration Service

(Tea & Coffee served from 10:00)