Blog Posts from New Community Church

Minute to Win it Highlights

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 02:42:03 GMT

The Lounge (15-18s) returned on Friday night for the first time in 2012. It was a real laugh! As promised, the highlights below...enjoy!

Next week: Root Groups, Friday 19:30-21:30 at The Centre. See you then!

Alpha Sunday

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:58:57 GMT

Last sunday and part of our current mini series 'Laying Foundations for the Future' we decided to do things a little differently! Spending the morning focusing on the Alpha course which we have been running here at New Community Church since 1994. We drank coffee, ate muffins, listened to testimonies from a number of people who met with Jesus powerfully when they did Alpha and experienced a short talk straight from the course.

Missed it? Check out the video's below.

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New Term

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:17:37 GMT

The new term is here – Root61 is back! The new term kicks off this Friday with The Project for 11-14s and Eat the Word for 15-18s.

Friday 13 January – The Project (11-14s): Carnival & (15-18s) Eat the Word part one

Friday 20 January – Root Groups (11-18s): Freedom in Christ part seven

Friday 27 January – The Project (11-14s): Guys & Girls night & The Lounge (15-18s): Minute To Win It

Friday 03 February – Root Groups (11-18s): Freedom in Christ part eight

Friday 10 February – The Project (11-14s): Who Said That? & (15-18s) Eat the Word part two

Friday 17 February – Half Term Holiday

Friday 24 February – Root Groups (11-18s): Freedom in Christ part nine

Friday 02 March – The Project (11-14s): Bowling (tbc) & The Lounge (15-18s): Bowling (tbc)

Friday 09 March – Root Groups (11-18s): Freedom in Christ part ten

Friday 16 March – The Project (11-14s): Balloon Frenzy & (15-18s) Eat the Word part three

Friday 23 March – Root Groups (11-18s): Freedom in Christ part eleven

Friday 30 March – The Project (11-14s): Project’s Got Talent & The Lounge (15-18s): Angry Birds

Easter Holidays – back on Friday 20 April

See you on Friday!

James and the team

Sundays in January

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:29:38 GMT

Last September David Holden shared the vision for New Community for the next 5-10 years. This January we are revisiting that vision and looking at a number of foundational issues that we need to put in place in order for that vision to become a reality. So over the next few weeks we will be looking at topics such as unity at our Commitment Sunday (8th), Alpha at Alpha Sunday (15th including baptisms), becoming evangelistically active at Invest & Invite Sunday (22nd), and connecting with our community at Community Outreach (29th) Sunday.

So don’t miss out, join us at either 09.30 or 11.30 each week. If you miss any of the Sundays then you can watch/listen again via the resources section of the website, just click the Foundations for the Future tab.

Hope to see you on a Sunday soon.

Parents Update Jan 2012

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:54:10 GMT

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

Details regarding Root61 this term...

Friday Nights

We will be starting back on Friday 13th January, 7.30-9.30pm at the centre. We will be starting with The Project for 11-14s and Eat the Word (see below) for 15-18s. Full programme details will be released very soon, watch this space.

Root Groups

Root Groups this term will start on Friday 20th January and we will be continuing with Freedom in Christ for young people. It was excellent last term and we are really excited about the next stage of the course.

Eat the Word (15-18s)

Eat the Word is a brand new introduction to the Friday night programme. Just for 15-18s, it is an opportunity to eat some food together (always fun) and then get our teeth stuck into the word of God (yep the Bible) in a deep and meaningful way. We will be exploring how we can develop the habit of really living out the text and not just reading the Bible like you might read a text book or even a great novel. We're really excited about Eat the Word, we think it will really help deepen our walk with God and make our devotional times fresh and exciting as we "eat" the word and really let it change us. Exciting!

On a practical note, bring a Bible and £3 to help contribute to food costs (we can get better food that way!) Any questions or probs, give me a shout.

Tea, Toast & Totally Something Else (11-14s) - Important notice!

We will be taking a short break from Tea & Toast for the month of January (Sunday's in January are a bit different this year) and so we will start with T&T in February at the 11.30am meeting.

Loco-parentis forms

This term some of the activities are away from the centre. On Friday 13th we will be sending youth home with a loco-parentis (permission) form. Please fill in and return to the next event.

As usual, any questions then please get in touch.

It's good to be back!

James

Week of Prayer

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:17:46 GMT

Happy New Year folks!

We are starting the New Year with a week of prayer; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8-9.30pm. On Wednesday we have the privilige of having Terry Virgo with us.

Our weeks of prayer are always outstanding times so don't miss out.

See you tonight!

Office over Christmas

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:58:50 GMT

The office is now closed for Christmas and New Year. It will open again on Tuesday 03 January at 10am.

We will be meeting on Christmas Eve at 6pm, New Years Day at 4pm and then on 8 January 2012, two meetings will resume at 9.30am and 11am.

Have a great Christmas!

“It’s not Rugby!” Life in the 2nd division

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:32:13 GMT

As 2011 draws to an end & we sit back & begin to enjoy the Christmas break I can look back on a roller-coaster of a return to Division 2! The harder the challenge the more resolve is needed & Division 2 is proving to be a CHALLENGE! We have had a mixed start to life in division 2 (cakes at Full-time are always a welcome relief no matter what the score!) after winning promotion last year. Commitment & regular squads are the key to good performances & pleasurable results. I think it is fair to say that as a Church team we need the commitment as much as possible from the footballing membership to sustain the good times & overcome difficult. This weekend was the Carol services & it was so good to see a number of the unbelieving players with their partners & families attend. To this end it is encouraging to be able to report that this season’s numbers are greater than ever (only bettered in the season we had 2 teams 11 years ago), we have again even more new non Christian faces & some old faces (both Christian & non) from previous years having had a season or 2 fallow footballing times. Training is now well established at Hurstmere School floodlit Astro on Thursday evenings 7.50 till 9pm & numbers are always very good often with people bringing friends sometimes as a one off & sometimes becoming regulars.

Things on the face of it would appear to be healthy but stability is the key & I think more than ever we now need prayer to help guide us through the remainder of the season creating a springboard for coming years allowing us to focus on fellowship.

Thank you everyone for your support & prayers.

Gary Panton - Manager

Christmas & New Year

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:31:01 GMT

Merry Christmas!

Just to keep you informed of what is happening meeting wise this festive period...

Christmas Eve - one meeting at 6pm

Christmas Day - no meetings

New Years Day - one meeting at 4pm

January 8th - two meetings 9.30am & 11.30am

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Month of Action Daily Update 14/12/11

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:00:23 GMT

If you signed up to sing carols at a local residential home tonight, we will be meeting at 6.45pm at the Centre.

Month of Action Daily Update 13/12/11

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:54:00 GMT

Carol Singing tonight! We will be meeting at 7.30pm at the Centre and there's still room if you want to join in!

Festive Food and Film

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:42:22 GMT

Hey there Root61'ers...

It's Christmas!!

And we would love you to come and join us for an evening of "FESTIVE FOOD AND FILM" this Friday, 16 December 2012 at The Centre, 7.30-10pm. Please note the slightly later finishing time (we don't want to send you home before the movie finishes!).

There will be lots of food and a choice of three films (you choose), so see you on Friday. If we don't have a fantastic Christmas and New Year and we will see you in January. Check back here at the beginning of January for details of next term.

See you Friday,

The Root61 Team

Month of Action Daily Update 9/12/11

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:37:53 GMT

We will be distributing flyers again today, this time meeting at 2pm at the Centre. Do come along if you can spare an hour or so!

Month of Action Daily Update 8/12/11

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:27:13 GMT

Today we will be distributing flyers around Sidcup. We will be meeting at 10am at the the Centre, so do come along if you would like to join in!

December

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:55:02 GMT

December is action month here at New Community, and there is lots going on. From Besom social action projects (every Saturday) to Christmas hamper packing (and delivering) to singing carols on the streets. In fact quite a lot of the stuff going on is on the streets, talking to people about Jesus and the real meaning of Christmas, and inviting people to our Christmas event on 18th December. A lot of these conversations end up being discussions about God, religion and questions relating to science etc etc. Often, in this context, it is difficult to give succint answers without getting in to big theological debate (not really what you want to be doing on the street). Fortunately, help is at hand...

Andrew Wilson (over on the what you think matters website) has produced a list of tweet-length, short and pithy answers to some of the usual questions, "tweets for the streets" as he describes it. Check it out here it is excellent!

So, get involved this December!

For more details of how to get involved in the month of action, contact the office.

Oasis Update: 30/11/2011

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:03:43 GMT

As you may be aware. teachers will be striking this Wednesday and as a result, many schools will be closed. We will still be running Oasis as normal, but we cannot allow school-aged children in due to health and safety reasons, and issues of space.

We look forward to seeing you then!

Table Talk 20 November

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:35:06 GMT

Tea, Toast & Totally Something Else - Table -Talk

Holy Spirit – 20th November 2011

This week we talked about the Holy Spirit.

Discussion Points:

What does it mean to be baptised in the Holy Spirit?

Have you been baptised in the Holy Spirit? What happenedat the time and what lasting effects did this have on your life?

How does the Holy Spirit help us to live for God? What’s your personal experience of this?

How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? Spend some time praying together as a family that God would fill you each with his spirit and empower you to live for him.

Parents Update 15 November

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:11:02 GMT

Hi everyone,

The latest from the world of Root61…

Root Groups/Freedom in Christ

Last week we had over 30 young people at Root Groups doing Freedom in Christ which we are so thrilled about. The course has been absolutely brilliant so far and we are receiving some really positive feedback about it. We have two more sessions this term, on Friday 25 November and Friday 9 December where we will be looking at ‘Big Choices’ and ‘Strongholds’ – make the dates a priority!

Some of you have been asking me about the “steps” (the bit that comes after the course – usually done one-to-one) and whether we are going to be doing them or not. Our plan, at the moment, is to continue doing Freedom in Christ in Root Groups next term (so fortnightly) and then in the summer term offering the steps part for those wanting to go through them. At this point we will talk to each person individually and to parents and work out what is the best plan for each young person. So basically to answer the question, yes but we will talk more nearer the time.

The Project (11-14s)

This week The Project does “I want to be like…” 7.30-9.30pm at The Centre. All the usual fun and games thrown in, see you there!

The Lounge (15-18s)

This week we are having the grandly titled “Par-tay: Fair Trade Style”, 7.30-9.30pm at The Centre. We are going to be exploring the whole Fair Trade issue – what it is, how we can be involved etc – but as usual with Root61 events, the evening will have a slight twist! It will be a lot of fun and there is a genuine (promise!) prize up for grabs so don’t miss out.

Christmas Special – Friday 16 December – details coming soon but put it in your diary!

Future news – Newday 2012, 2013 and 2014!

This is organisation and communication at it’s very best (!) but here are the dates for Newday 2012 and beyond. Due to the Olympics, Newday is taking place a little later next year – Monday 13 August – Sunday 19 August. Put the dates in your diary now and don’t be booking any holidays during that week! For details of 2013 and 2014 check out the Newday website here

Have a great week, see you Friday!

James

Tea and Toast - Table Talk

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:17:24 GMT

Tea, Toast & Totally Something Else - Table -Talk

How Does God Guide Us? – 13th November 2011

This week we discussed how God guides us.

Discussion Points:

How does God guide us? Any examples from your own life of how God’s guided you?

Do you involve God in your decision-making?

Does following Jesus mean avoiding risk or being passive?

How can you involve God in the everyday, as well as the big decisions?

Raising Children part 4

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:05:59 GMT

If society is falling apart and family life is being eroded, then there’s a challenge for every Christian couple: do we raise our children according to the philosophy of this world, or according to the Word of God?

This world’s philosophy is built on something called secular humanism, which states that we can manage on our own and therefore have no need of God. This opposes the teaching in the Word, which states that God is the source of everything. He is the creator who made men and women and instituted marriage and family life. If something’s going wrong, we must get back to God and to His blueprint in the Word.

Many Christian couples don’t raise their children according to God’s Word. “The world’s got some good ideas” they say. “We’re going to investigate them further.” Certainly unbelievers can teach us some valuable lessons on child rearing, but our basic foundation must be the Word of God. No one can force you to raise your children by the Bible. You must make that choice yourself.

It is important to make a clear decision about this, because if you chose to go down this line you’ll be in the minority. Your beliefs about raising children will offend people and they may laugh at you, or even refuse to speak to you. There’s a cost involved, but it’s worth counting because God’s way is the only way that works. Other parents will look at the results and will wonder how you did it. And you’ll tell them that this is what happens when you build your family life on the Word of God.

Our children don’t decide whether they’re going to be raised according to secular humanism or the Word of God. That’s up to their parents. We must take full responsibility for the way we bring up our children. We’re the key to what they become.

I often think that the issue is more raising parents than raising children.You see a child who is really causing hassle in the church or in the street and you’re tempted to think “wretched child, he’s got so many problems”. But behind that young person there’s a parent. If you see a child misbehaving, don’t just blame him, ask where the parents are. And remind yourself that if you want to raise your children well, you’ve first got to be a good parent.

The next session of our parenting course takes place on Thursday 17 November at the centre, 8-9.30pm. We would love to see you there.

Dave