Where have you most seen God at work?
This was a question posed to the congregation at St Patricks church by Sam last month: “when is the time in your life, where you have most seen God at work?” He went on to share his first profound encounter with God in his family and goes on to remind us that just by our dependence on God, allows Him to use us to change the lives of others. The spirit works through us to reach those He wants to connect with, to help bring about change and show love. No matter… Read More
“Your habits will determine your future”
Believe that quote? What about this: This a crunch term for us as a church family discerning together our future. We’re facing big challenges and huge opportunities. To navigate that we need to remind ourselves who we are and why we’re here – what do we want most? We want to see communities thriving with Jesus at the heart. We do that by creating space for Jesus in our daily lives, together, and for other people. That’s because we genuinely believe that Jesus brings life wherever he goes at an individual level and at a… Read More
Shaping our future….together
If you see yourself as part of Church at Barking Riverside, or you simply care about this church community – then this is for you. 2024 is a key year for us. One that is going to shape our future post-2025. And this term is a key one for how we are going to discern and decide together what shape that future may take. Want to know more? Listen up to the message sharing why 2024 is key, how we’ll approach it together, and our heart and belief as we do. My prayer is that this can… Read More
Happy New Year!
2024 is looking like a year of change. But more important than our plans is our posture – are we ready to take the hand of God and walk gladly into the unknown?
Encouragements
I feel like Easter is always the best event in a church sense. I find this time of year so encouraging; the sun starts to come out (or this year it’s at least teased us), egg hunts bring the community together and as disciples, we are reminded of the promise His death and resurrection means to us. It is a time to know we are loved, forgiven and supported. So I find it such a time of encouragement. Egg Hunts Firstly, we had a weekend of Easter Egg hunts which was truly… Read More
Our First Baptism Of 2023!
Jesus said, ‘…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’ John 10.10 Last weekend we had the pleasure of having a Sunday Celebration focused around baptism. We had two members of our church family get baptised, Joe & Hayley. We also had a family who had expressed wanting to baptise their son a few years ago, but for whatever reason, didn’t go ahead with it at the time. Then last week when they heard we were having a Baptism Celebration, not only did they want their son to be… Read More
A Huge Thank You…
Finally, the last week of January is here and we made it! Payday is in sight! But as a true digital native, I want to take this opportunity to have a little #throwbackthursday moment and reflect on our Christmas period. I don’t know if anyone else felt it, but because it was our first Christmas season out of lockdown, I had forgotten how hectic it gets with meet ups and parties. But in the midst of all the fun and frivolity, we had some really beautiful moments that built on Christmases past…. Read More
Making Room For The Marginalised
It’s the last week of Advent and Christmas is just 4 sleeps away! This week’s devotional scripture is: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the… Read More
Making Room For Community
We’re in the 3rd week of Advent and as we continue with our devotional we are looking at another verse from Luke: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she… Read More
Making Room For a Promise
This week we are looking at the first devotional of Making Room In Advent. It talks about the parallels between ‘Zechariah waiting to have a child. Israel waiting for the Messiah. A barren couple and a barren nation.’ How often do we have to wait for what we think has been promised to us? How long will we have to wait for His second coming? But perhaps those are the wrong questions. Perhaps the right question to ask is, what does God need me to learn and/or who does God need me… Read More
