An incredibly gracious God

Dear church family


Something I was reminded of yesterday is that God is often speaking to us or prompting us, but we are sometimes (or at least I am) not very good at clocking in. The other day someone referenced one of my favourite stories in the gospels and it was a beautiful but challenging reminder that I needed to hear, and I wonder if it's something we need to hear as a church family too.

At the start of John 8 there is a story that in many bibles is in italics. We are told that this story is in italics because it isn't in some of the original manuscripts but at least my take on it is that this story is so reflective of the heart of God it needed to be included even if it wasn't in some of the original manuscripts.
 
The story goes that Jesus is at the temple courts with a crowd gathered around him whom he is teaching. The teachers of the law and Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus who has been caught in adultery. They make her stand in front of the whole group and say to Jesus, 'Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?' We are then told that they were using this question to trap Jesus, to have a basis to accuse him.

What a conundrum to be in! However, Jesus bends down and starts writing in the ground with his finger. When they kept questioning him Jesus says, 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'
 
The story continues: 'At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.' When it is just Jesus and this woman he asks her where everyone has gone and if anyone condemned her and when the answer is of course no one, Jesus tells her that neither does he condemn her and that she should leave her life of sin.

I believe the heart of this message is that none of us have a right to judge anyone. The only perfect judge is Jesus and here is a woman who has really messed up and Jesus' perfect judgement is not to condemn her nor to allow others to condemn her. God is an incredibly gracious God – I know He has shown me immeasurable grace where I have got a lot wrong. He has also shown you immeasurable grace so let us show one another grace and not judge but leave that up to God as He is the only one who has the whole picture and I'm confident He knows WAY better than us anyway. So let us leave judgement up to him and as a family continue to fix our eyes on Jesus, the mission and calling He has given our church and crack on with it!

Much love,
 
Katie


SUNDAY SERVICES | 10:30AM
Join us in person this Sunday in Ashford, Brabourne or Finberry!
You can also join us online from New Wells Ashford for Pentecost Sunday: https://youtu.be/_PIdCnqztZY




HOLIDAY CLUB - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
27th | 28th | 29th May | Finberry/Brabourne/Ashford
Holiday Club is next week and we are in need of Volunteers to help with this amazing ministry!      
Please sign up here to volunteer:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctzyvOIjQS4wYZkSSOLjxOg7rKmCHMEW_z30xSg-GfU-eMEg/viewform?usp=header




INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY ♥️?
Sunday 14th June | 10:30am | All sites, then food after at New Wells Ashford
In just short of a month's time we are going to be celebrating International Sunday ? This is where we celebrate and pray for the many nations that make up our church family.

It has been a while since we have checked in about what nations make up our wonderful church family so we'd love you to fill in the form below and let us know what nation you represent and how we can be praying for your nation together.

We will also be sharing lunch after church at our Ashford site so if you are able to bring some food could you please let us know what you are able to bring (and allergens as well).
https://newwells.churchsuite.com/-/forms/x2w0n5sx




PENTECOST SUNDAY - THIS SUNDAY
Sunday 24th May | 6pm | Bright City
Join together with other church families across Ashford for this evening service




THE REAL MEAL ? COMING UP...
Thursday 4th June | 7 for 7:30pm | The Walnut Tree Aldington
The Real Meal is still going from strength to strength encouraging men to join in prayer together and support one another in their faith journey. The meal will now be held on the first Thursday of every month. Please sign up via Churchsuite: https://newwells.churchsuite.com/events/uo7dzcmd or speak to Ben Oliver or Mark Giles if you have any questions




SATURATE ?? COMING UP...
Thursday 4th June | 7pm | New Wells Brabourne
Meeting together as a whole church family from across all our sites



 

Pentecost Sunday | Sun 24th May | 6pm | Bright City
Holiday Club | 27th | 28th | 29th May | Finberry/Brabourne/Ashford
Immerse | Sun 31st May | 7pm | New Wells Ashford
Saturate | Joint prayer meeting | Thu 4th June | 7pm | New Wells Brabourne
The Real Meal | Thu 4th June | 7 for 7:30pm | The Walnut Tree Aldington
International Sunday | Sun 14th Jun | New Wells Ashford


Droplets / Ripples / Waves | Sunday mornings | Age 0-1, 1-4, 5-10 | New Wells Ashford & New Wells Finberry
Blaze | Sunday mornings upstairs in The Well | Years 6-8
The Base | Wednesdays | 7-9pm | New Wells Brabourne | Years 7-13
Ignite | Friday | 7-9pm | Main worship space | Years 7-13
Furnace | Mondays | 7-9pm | Moyles' manse | Years 9-13
The Well | Open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays | 9am-12pm
Signing Well | Every second Thu | 10:30am-12noon | The Well
Tots at New Wells | Mondays 9:30-11am | New Wells Ashford
Tots at Oasis | Wednesdays 10-11:30am | New Wells Brabourne
Crafty Cuppa | Thursdays every other week | 2-4pm | The Well
Power Hour | Whole church prayer & worship meeting | Thursdays every other week | 8pm
The Real Meal | Mens meal | First Thursday of the month | 7 for 7:30pm | The Walnut Tree Aldington
Brabourne Craft Group | Fourth Thursday of the month | 10am-1pm | New Wells Brabourne
Renew Wellbeing | Tuesdays in The Well | 2-4pm
Reverb | Midweek service every fourth Tuesday in the month | New Wells Brabourne | 1:30pm
Prayer | Before our Sunday service | front of church | 9:45am - all welcome!
Facebook prayers | Mon-Fri 8am | www.facebook.com/newwellschurch
Early Morning Prayers | Wednesday mornings | 6:30am | Join here on Zoom: www.newwells.church/prayer