Abundance of Life
Dear church family
In Psalm 66 it says this,
'Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.'
This psalm speaks of times of great difficulty and trials that ultimately lead to good. When silver is refined it is placed under intense fire and heat to bring out the impurities. This psalmist recognises that sometimes God tests and refines us. Sometimes God's best for us is allowing us to go through really tough seasons to burn out of us impurities and refine our character. The phrase I go back to a lot is that you can't control what happens to you but you can control how you react to it. We have choice in how we react to the times in our lives that feel like the deepest, darkest valley or like everything around us is on fire. Will we run away from God or run into His arms? Will we learn the lessons we need to learn or sweep our issues under the rug just for them to rear their ugly heads again later?
In tough seasons we learn a lot about ourselves. We learn the parts of ourselves that are unhealthy and need work and God invites us to address those issues with Him and allow Him to heal us so that we can better reflect our Saviour.
This passage starts in praise. The psalmist knows full well the difficulties and trials of being tested and refined, having burdens laid on their backs and having people ride over their heads and yet they call us to praise God. Why? Because no matter what we go through and what we face God is SO GOOD! He is a God who doesn't want us to stay broken and unhealthy, He desires so see us flourish.
The passage ends with, '...but you brought us to a place of abundance.' God's desire is not to break us but to bring us to a place of abundance - abundance of life, abundance of love and grace and mercy (and so on and so forth)!
Lots of love,
Katie
SUNDAY GATHERING 10:30AM Join us in person this Sunday as we continue our series on the life of Elisha or join us online: https://youtu.be/1k-6qX9_r14
FASTING & PRAYER FOR KELLY | Thursday 6th November & Power Hour 8pm
We are having a day of prayer and fasting for Kelly Carolan as we weigh her call to become a RLM (Recognised Local Minister). We'd love you to make time in the day to pray, maybe when you would normally have breakfast and lunch, and ask God for any Scriptures or words for Kelly and for the church. We will gather at Power Hour to worship and pray together and share what we sense God has been saying. We will be voting on Kelly's call to become an RLM at the AGM on the 20th November.
EXPLORING MEMBERSHIP | Sunday 9th or Wednesday 12th November 7:30pm on zoom
For all who are considering membership or would just like to know more about what being a member of New Wells entails, there will be two opportunities to hear more about it and ask questions. These will be zoom sessions and you only need to attend one of them. Please sign up and then the zoom details will be emailed to you. Sign up by visiting our events page, scroll to the date you would like to attend and click on it to enter your details: http://www.newwells.church/events
AGM | Thursday 20th November at 7pm
Join us on Thursday 20th November for our Annual Gratitude Meeting where we celebrate the past year and make some key decisions.
❗Please make sure you return to the office your prayerfully considered nominations for the trustee role that is up for election as soon as you can❗
NEW WELLS T-SHIRTS If you have been wondering how to get your hands on a New Wells t-shirt, this is your chance! We need to know which design and how many you would like, so that we can place the next order. To register your interest, please visit www.newwells.church/merch
Thursday 6th November Prayer & Fasting for Kelly (all day) + Power Hour | 8-9pm New Wells Ashford
Sunday 9th or Wednesday 12th November Exploring Membership | 7:30pm on zoom
Friday 14th November Youth Bowling Trip | 7-9pm sign up
Thursday 20th November Annual Gratitude Meeting (AGM) | 7pm New Wells Ashford
Sunday 30th November Immerse | 6:30pm for 7pm start New Wells Ashford
Sparks / Flames / Firestarters | Sunday mornings | Side Hall & The Well | Age 0-3, 3-6, 7-10
Blaze | Sunday mornings upstairs in The Well | Years 6-8
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
Tots @ The Well | Mondays 9-10am & 10:30am
Crafty Cuppa | Thursdays every other week | In The Well | 2-4pm
Power Hour | Whole church prayer and worship meeting | Thursdays every other week | 8pm
Brabourne Craft Group | Fourth Thursday of the month | 10am - 1pm | Brabourne Church
Renew Wellbeing | Tuesdays in The Well | 2-4pm
Reverb | midweek service every fourth Tuesday in the month | Brabourne | 1:30pm
Prayer | Before our Sunday service | front of church | 9:45am - all welcome!
Facebook prayers | Mon - Fri 8am | facebook.com/wbc.ashford
Early Morning Prayers | Wednesday mornings | 6:30am | Join here: www.willesboroughbaptist.church/prayer
In Psalm 66 it says this,
'Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.'
This psalm speaks of times of great difficulty and trials that ultimately lead to good. When silver is refined it is placed under intense fire and heat to bring out the impurities. This psalmist recognises that sometimes God tests and refines us. Sometimes God's best for us is allowing us to go through really tough seasons to burn out of us impurities and refine our character. The phrase I go back to a lot is that you can't control what happens to you but you can control how you react to it. We have choice in how we react to the times in our lives that feel like the deepest, darkest valley or like everything around us is on fire. Will we run away from God or run into His arms? Will we learn the lessons we need to learn or sweep our issues under the rug just for them to rear their ugly heads again later?
In tough seasons we learn a lot about ourselves. We learn the parts of ourselves that are unhealthy and need work and God invites us to address those issues with Him and allow Him to heal us so that we can better reflect our Saviour.
This passage starts in praise. The psalmist knows full well the difficulties and trials of being tested and refined, having burdens laid on their backs and having people ride over their heads and yet they call us to praise God. Why? Because no matter what we go through and what we face God is SO GOOD! He is a God who doesn't want us to stay broken and unhealthy, He desires so see us flourish.
The passage ends with, '...but you brought us to a place of abundance.' God's desire is not to break us but to bring us to a place of abundance - abundance of life, abundance of love and grace and mercy (and so on and so forth)!
Lots of love,
Katie
SUNDAY GATHERING 10:30AM Join us in person this Sunday as we continue our series on the life of Elisha or join us online: https://youtu.be/1k-6qX9_r14
FASTING & PRAYER FOR KELLY | Thursday 6th November & Power Hour 8pm
We are having a day of prayer and fasting for Kelly Carolan as we weigh her call to become a RLM (Recognised Local Minister). We'd love you to make time in the day to pray, maybe when you would normally have breakfast and lunch, and ask God for any Scriptures or words for Kelly and for the church. We will gather at Power Hour to worship and pray together and share what we sense God has been saying. We will be voting on Kelly's call to become an RLM at the AGM on the 20th November.
EXPLORING MEMBERSHIP | Sunday 9th or Wednesday 12th November 7:30pm on zoom
For all who are considering membership or would just like to know more about what being a member of New Wells entails, there will be two opportunities to hear more about it and ask questions. These will be zoom sessions and you only need to attend one of them. Please sign up and then the zoom details will be emailed to you. Sign up by visiting our events page, scroll to the date you would like to attend and click on it to enter your details: http://www.newwells.church/events
AGM | Thursday 20th November at 7pm
Join us on Thursday 20th November for our Annual Gratitude Meeting where we celebrate the past year and make some key decisions.
❗Please make sure you return to the office your prayerfully considered nominations for the trustee role that is up for election as soon as you can❗
NEW WELLS T-SHIRTS If you have been wondering how to get your hands on a New Wells t-shirt, this is your chance! We need to know which design and how many you would like, so that we can place the next order. To register your interest, please visit www.newwells.church/merch
Thursday 6th November Prayer & Fasting for Kelly (all day) + Power Hour | 8-9pm New Wells Ashford
Sunday 9th or Wednesday 12th November Exploring Membership | 7:30pm on zoom
Friday 14th November Youth Bowling Trip | 7-9pm sign up
Thursday 20th November Annual Gratitude Meeting (AGM) | 7pm New Wells Ashford
Sunday 30th November Immerse | 6:30pm for 7pm start New Wells Ashford
Sparks / Flames / Firestarters | Sunday mornings | Side Hall & The Well | Age 0-3, 3-6, 7-10
Blaze | Sunday mornings upstairs in The Well | Years 6-8
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
Tots @ The Well | Mondays 9-10am & 10:30am
Crafty Cuppa | Thursdays every other week | In The Well | 2-4pm
Power Hour | Whole church prayer and worship meeting | Thursdays every other week | 8pm
Brabourne Craft Group | Fourth Thursday of the month | 10am - 1pm | Brabourne Church
Renew Wellbeing | Tuesdays in The Well | 2-4pm
Reverb | midweek service every fourth Tuesday in the month | Brabourne | 1:30pm
Prayer | Before our Sunday service | front of church | 9:45am - all welcome!
Facebook prayers | Mon - Fri 8am | facebook.com/wbc.ashford
Early Morning Prayers | Wednesday mornings | 6:30am | Join here: www.willesboroughbaptist.church/prayer
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