Mission Action Group

As I’m sure that you’re aware our mission statement is 'growing disciples of Christ in London for the world'. As part of our disciple growing ministry let me tell you about our plans for the February Mission. We have a mission planned for the week beginning 10th February. It’s on the fridge posters, but you knew that already didn't you?! It’s a great opportunity to make the good news of Jesus Christ known in Balham.

Wonderfully, we’ll be joined by a group of eager enthusiastic volunteers from the Cornhill Training Course who will form part of a mission team. Cornhill students are typically young adults who spend one or two years learning how to teach the Bible in different contexts. They're coming to us to help out and to learn how a local church does mission.

In previous years the mission has been quite ‘top down’ in terms of ideas. In consultation with the apprentices and staff we’ve thought of ideas that might work and then tried to sell them to the congregation. There’s been a mixed response to this approach! Lots of the events have worked really well but that's not always been the case. Therefore I think we ought to take the risk of seeking a more ‘bottom up’ approach.

Integral to this approach is the convening of a ‘Mission Action Group’. It's not a committee. Committees never get anything done. This is an action group! They're different! The purpose of teh group is threefold

1. to confer and consult with the ‘troops on the ground’,
2. to generate ideas for mission events that will receive widespread support and then
3. to promote those ideas and events in the congregations.

The advantage of this approach is that this ought to engender and encourage ownership and participation of the mission. After advice from the management consultants amongst us we've sought to bring together a blend of the ‘ideas’ people who think out of the box, the ‘completer finishers’ who make things happen and the 'black hat wearers' who bring a touch of realism to our discussion. You can work out who fits which role within the group! We’ve got people from both all age church and evening church. We’ve also got people who already have key specific responsibilities within the congregation. Whilst some of us will be those who make things happen it’s not anticipated that we’ll be the only ones doing the work!

The group will be chaired by me and consist of
Gordon Reid
Phil Craig
Lucy Dalby
Lynda Davies
David Mayland
Liz Barnard
John Lumgair [audio visual]
Anna Hartridge [administator]
Polly MacLachlan [children's work]
Peter Judkins [music]

I’m still awaiting answers from one or two others who've been asked onto the group.

You can participate in three ways

Please pray for us as a group. We’re meeting for the first time on Monday 26th December and we'll meet a handful of times next term. Pray for the group dynamics and a real passion for mission.

Please provide us with ideas. We need suggestions. You know what your friends might come to better than we do and so let us know. You could e-mail any of the people above.

Please prepare for the mission. This will be an unusual time for us during which the spiritual needs of our friends, colleagues and neighbours will be uppermost in our hearts and minds. Though every Sunday is a terrific time to invite someone to church these events out to be especially useful in helping us reach out to Balham with the gospel.

Dear Friends - December

Dear Friends

The Christmas period presents us with unparalleled opportunities for the gospel. That could be our church run events like our Carol Events on the 16th December, our Christ Church Kids party on 12th or the Christmas Quiz night on the 6th. It could also be the informal conversations with colleagues or friends over lunch or at the school gate. This is a time of year when spiritual realities are allowed on the agenda. Whilst it can sometimes feel that the secular media is largely antagonistic towards the Christian faith it’s not always the same with our secular friends. Many of our non-Christian family, neighbours and colleagues, though they don’t share our religious convictions, are nevertheless willing to engage on a personal level with some of the deeper spiritual issues. That’s perhaps especially true at Christmas. The big questions are not always permitted to be front and centre but people seem to soften under the influence of ‘twinkly’ lights, presents and mulled wine! We’re committed to helping people to hear and understand the message of Christmas.

Of course, we’re all pulled in one direction or another. It can feel as though everyone wants a piece of us. There are work, family and church commitments that compete for our attention and loyalty. But I’m eager that we don’t look back on these years and regret the opportunities we wasted. We need to be doing all we can, accepting our limitations, for God and His glorious gospel. The writer of the book of Hebrews encourages church members to ‘consider how to stir up one another to love and good works’ [Hebrews 10:25]. With that encouragement to think about how to incite, provoke and agitate one another ringing in our ears can I ask you to do three things this year?

1. Would you pray?
God will not share His glory with another. When we pray we recognise that we are dependent on the Lord to give us the success for which we hope. If we don’t pray we’re exercising independence from Him and we have no reason to expect His blessing. We need people who will pray that God will bring people to hear and understand the salvation that He provides in His Son.

2. Would you invite?
Every year I sit in the Carol events and regret that friends aren’t there. The reason they’re not there is sometimes because they’ve said ‘no’. But often it’s because I failed to ask them. That’s just foolish. And it’s my fault. We need people who will invite their friends.

3. Would you attend?
Events sometimes fail because they lack a critical mass of people. Social dynamics mean that we’re put at ease when there’s a bit of a crowd around us. Is it overstating it to say that no one should miss these events? Whatever you’ve got in your diaries, cancel it! We need everyone there.

With grateful thanks for your partnership in the gospel. To God be the glory this Christmas.

perks

Welcoming our new Administrator

Dear Everyone

Let me take a moment to introduce our new administrator, Anna Hartridge. Anna has joined us from her home town of Southend having heard of our need through a friend on the Cornhill Training Course. She’s a real answer to prayer. And we’re very grateful to God for the way He provides what we need to resource the ministry at CCB.
Anna comes to us following time as a UCCF Relay Worker and more recently as a Research Technician at Queen Mary College. She’s working part time initially and hoping to supplement her CCB ministry with finances from teaching foreign language students.
It’s my intention to allow a period for Anna to ease her way into the job and into the church. She’s new to our church and our established ways of doing things. She needs our help to settle in and grow familiar with my idiosyncratic ways of doing things! To do this can I ask therefore that you direct e-mails and requests through me and I’ll better be able to monitor what needs to be done, by whom and by when!
I’ll let you know when I’ve lifted the administration embargo!
Thanks
Richard

Operation Christmas Child useful information!

The following is an update from Polly

This is a little video showing what Operation Christmas is all about
http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ/_video_2007.asp

You'll also find the following link useful http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ/filling-a-box.asp

What to Pack- Gift ideas
All items should be new. Please include items from each category. Remember to make your box both FUN and EDUCATIONAL!

TOYS - something to love

Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, fi nger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument, (for boys – trucks and cars, for girls – doll, clip-on earrings, make-up or hair accessories) etc.

EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES – something to do

Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, rubber, colouring book,notepad, picture/puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers etc.

HYGIENE ITEMS – something to use

Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of wrapped soap, flannel etc.

OTHER ITEMS – something to eat or wear

Sweets (sell-by date to be at least March of following year), gloves, scarf. sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces etc.

DO NOT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• FOOD Chocolate, crisps, biscuits, tinned food or cakes (or any other food)
• MEDICINE Medicines or vitamins of any kind
• WAR RELATED ITEMS toy guns, soldiers or knives
• CLOTHING (other than listed above)
• FRAGILE ITEMS Glass containers; mirrors
• LIQUIDS of any kind including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols
• DANGEROUS ITEMS Marbles or sharp objects – scissors or razors
• NOVELS ANYTHING OF A POLITICAL OR RACIAL NATURE

Packing Parties

Lee Taylor is involved with a project based in Kibera, Nairobi. It's reputably the largest slum in the world and was the location where John Le Carre's novel and the film 'The Constant Gardener' was based. The local banks in Nairobi provide the project with shredded waste paper and women from the slums, often with their children in tow, create their own paper and then make greetings cards to sell in the UK. The project is Christian based and the women are encouraged to get involved in bible study. Lee writes,

'The cards are sent to us in large batches and we then tart them up a bit for the UK market (nice envelopes/wrapped in cellophane) and sell them to various trade and retail customers. This is a very busy time of year for us as we sell a range of Christmas cards and we have several thousand cards that still need packaged'.

The plan is to host an evening or two known as 'Packing Parties' where people are welcome would meet up of an evening, sip some wine and nibble some pizza whilst packing up the cards.

If you're keen to help Lee contact her on taylor@post.harvard.edu

Operation Christmas Child

A message from Polly, our Children's Work Apprentice

'Operation Christmas Child is the world's largest children's Christmas project, run by the a Christian relief and development charity Samaritan's Purse International. Every year they send Christmas presents and goodies in a shoe box, to desperately needy children all over the world. Last year 1.247 million children in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and Africa received shoe boxes and for many, it was the only Christmas present they received.

This year, the Co-mission is taking part and it would be brilliant if we at CCB pulled out all the stops to bless as many little ones as possible. Simply take an empty shoe box, wrap it in gift paper (lid and box separately) and fill it with toys, educational supplies, hats and scarves and other items that will bring joy to a child's life. Stick on a label indicating whether it's suitable for a boy or a girl, and then bring it to church on Nov 18th along with £2 to cover transport etc.

If you have any questions, then do contact Pollyanna on pollyannmac@yahoo.co.uk or 07779 60318, and do feel free to fill more than 1 shoe box!'

Education Forum

Education Forum – the first of our new Faithworks forums, for those working in the education sector, will take place on Thurs 29th November from 8.00pm-10.00pm at Dundonald School, Dundonald Road SW19 3QH. Alistair Harper, a former teacher and Kingston Schools Trust worker will speak on how to maintain Christian integrity in a multi-faith education environment. A great opportunity to meet other Christians involved in education, with plenty of time for discussion, feedback and prayer. Contact Paul Dawson (020 8432 4036) paul.dawson@dundonald.org to book your place. Forums for those in healthcare and business coming soon!