Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for morning tea.

As a church we have been blessed over the past few weeks to have teaching from Nic from the book of Hebrews. During this time Tony has been released by the Leadership Team to visit other churches in Christchurch, as led by the Lord, and to take a word of encouragement to each of their pastors in order to spur them on, just as he did last year during his sabbatical.

Just last week we read in Hebrews 10: 24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 

Encouragement is so important. As believers we are urged by the writer of Hebrews to encourage one another, especially in these last days. We can encourage one another in many ways - with our speech, with words from the Lord, with practical help, by spending time with others, by praying for others and in many further ways. Let this be at the forefront of our minds as we go about our days and as we gather together during the week. As Tony has encountered with pastors as he meets with them, a word of encouragement can bring life at just the right time.  

Blessings,

Sandra

Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for morning tea.

As the great prophet Elijah stood on the mountain before the Lord he expected to hear the Lord's voice speaking in the great wind that passed by. Then he expected to hear it in the earthquake that followed and then the fire. But the Lord chose not to speak to him in any of these large events or noises. Instead he spoke to Elijah in a 'still small voice'. 

Elijah knew the voice belonged to God and he realised that God doesn't reveal Himself only in powerful, miraculous ways. To look for God only in the 'big' events may be to miss Him altogether. Often He is found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart. So this begs the question "are we listening for God"? In order to hear Him we may need to step back from the noise and activity of our busy life and listen humbly and quietly for His guidance. It may come when we least expect it. 

Blessings,

Sandra

Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for morning tea.

As societies change, they often throw out norms and values no longer considered necessary or acceptable. Morals, boundaries and rules established years ago in order to help society function in the best way possible have been replaced with a culture of 'my life, my choice and I'll do what suits me best.' The rise of the five 'P's' - individuals seeking power, pleasure, passion, praise and popularity can be seen all around us with the result being a massive societal breakdown leading to broken marriages, families, increased mental & physical health struggles...and the list goes on. 

Just five years after Solomon died, the temple and palace were ransacked by foreign invaders. How quickly the glory, power and money disappeared. When the people became spiritually corrupt and immoral it was just a short time until they lost everything. Wealth, idol worship and immorality had become more important to them than God. As believers we must be on guard not to follow society's example if it discards or goes against God's Word. We must stand firm, holding God's Word as truth and not letting the merest thing turn us away from it. Let us be encouraged as we read the Word of God everyday, stand on God's promises and apply it to our lives so our hearts are in tune with Him.

Blessings,

Sandra

Welcome to our service today. It is great to have you here and we would love to invite you to stay after the service and join us for morning tea.

After King Solomon had built the temple he praised the Lord and prayed for the people. His prayer which we read in 1 Kings 8 can be a pattern for our prayers. He had five basic requests. The first was for God's presence to be with them. The second was for the desire to do God's will in everything. Next was for help with each day's need. The fourth was for the desire and ability to obey God's decrees and commands and the last was for the spread of God's kingdom to the entire world. 

These prayer requests are just as important today as they were back then. As we pray for our families, friends, and in our own lives we too can ask God for these things. This is just one of the ways we might find helpful to come before the Lord in prayer. There are of course others like the (ACTS) adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication model too. No matter how we choose to pray, the most important thing is that we do pray! 

Blessings,

Sandra