Hello everyone,
It was great to connect online again yesterday and so good to see the creativity and giftedness in the people of God. It strikes me that we have two great opportunities in these strange times. One is to go back to our fist love and simply be with Jesus. We have been given a pause season with much of the entertainment of the world switched off. Let us enjoy Jesus in this quiet season. Secondly, we have the opportunity to share Jesus with a world that is also on pause and is looking for hope more keenly than I have ever seen in my lifetime. Let me commission you to intimacy and outreach in this season, that you may experience the goodness of Jesus and then freely give that which you have received.
Prime Minister’s update
As the government begin to lay out an exit strategy to carefully bring us out of lock-down, let us continue to pray for our Prime Minister and our government. Pray also for the nation and the world that we see an end to the pandemic, pray for healing and treatment for those who are suffering and for comfort for those that have lost loved ones.
As Elders we continue to pray for our Government our nation and the world. We have also been discussing and praying into the next steps for church as lockdown conditions gradually change. Rest assured we will continue to pray and listen to Father God as well as listening to the advice of the government. We look forward to the days when we can gather again and will continue to look at creative ways of gathering as lock-down eases. In the meantime, we continue to meet virtually at online church and send out cd’s, updates, and sermon notes to those not online.
I believe God is doing a new thing readying His church for revival, we are moving out into the world in new ways. Let us continue to pursue Him, live in His peace and tell the world of His goodness.
ELS – Online
This Tuesday and Wednesday see’s Elim Leaders Summit moved online. A two day programme of worship, word and inspiration open to all. For more details watch the video below:
Church in the Square presents United:
As the churches in St Helens join together in Unity leading up to Pentecost why not join us for a free week long programme of online content to engage, inspire, and transform! 25-31 May 2020. Then on Sunday May 31st our online service will be a joint town wide service in unity across the town.
This Sunday:
Tim Alford our National leader from Limitless Elim’s youth ministry will be bringing our word, we will celebrate our youth and have them involved in our online service.
Gill also has two new opportunities for our youth and for each of us. Fearless Youth will be hosting Friday night zoom meetings for our young people from 8pm-9pm
Also on Friday evenings 7pm -7.30pm Gill will be hosting zoom Prayer meetings for us to pray for our young people. please email fearlessyth@sthelensclc.com for access details from Gill.
Generosity & Hardship:
If you are being impacted financially by the current situation and you would like to have some assistance from our hardship fund please contact one of the pastors or email office@sthelensclc.com
We continue to be able to bless people at this time thanks to your generosity. We are so thankful for a church family that is both generous to those in need and also so committed to the biblical principle of tithing. I give thanks for each of you and your hearts for God and for one another.
To transfer your giving online or to continue to give into our hardship fund. Here are the bank details:
Name: St Helens CLC Sort Code: 60-05-16 Account Number: 18536778
Stay in touch:
To help you stay connected with your church family please ensure you have signed up to our WhatsApp, text service, or email.
Witnesses:
We are both recipients of the good news and good news sharers. Please continue to share you stories of God’s goodness and your family greetings with us. We love seeing our family during our services
Please help us share the good news to those that are yet to know Christ following, liking, and sharing our online activity. Why not also consider sharing your faith story online? Let us together tell the world that Jesus lives.
Closeness:
Let me close by recommending a song to you. I believe Jesus is drawing us close, bringing us back to our first love and leading us on to greater love, deeper intimacy and a closeness to Him that we haven’t experienced yet. Please take 15 minutes to worship Jesus and connect to Him with this song this week.
My prayer for you is that God meets you in these moments as you share communion with Him. Your friend Jesus is trustworthy, powerful, joyful, peaceful and life-giving. May He fill you with His fullness as you pause with him.
Much love and blessings to you all and your families.
Craig
#Separated but not Isolated