The Bedford Carols

Sunday evening's 'Bedford Carols' was a great success. We had lots of guests who enjoyed singing and listening to an explanation of the first Christmas events. The music was especially fantastic. Thank you to all who played and sang for us. Tom Clarke's new arrangements worked brilliantly. I'm sure he'd want to single out Simeon Lumgair and Colin Hall for their help. Well done to everyone involved in transforming the room and creating a festive atmosphere. Our thanks to Claudia Demuth and her team. Thanks also to Phil Craig and his group of 'techies' who lifted and shifted loads of kit and set it all up to make sure that we could be heard. It was a terrific event and we're very grateful to God for everyone who volunteered, invited, attended and prayed.

Christ Church Kids' Christmas Party

The Christ Church Kids' Christmas party was a great success. We had over 30 children who came along after school and nursery for some games, singing, craft activities and tea. Polly did a terrific job in teaching the kids that the most important thing about Christmas is Jesus Christ. To do so she recruited the help of the church administrator, one of the elders and the vicar! The sight of three of these three dressed as Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, a Christmas Tree and a Christmas pudding will long in the memory. Some of the adults seemed visibly traumatised by the experience! Thank you to all who helped and to all who invited friends. We're especially indebted to members of the evening congregation who left work early and 'tweaked' their schedules to help set up and clear up after the event. These events continue to be a terrific success and a wonderful way of being involved in the local community.

Bedford Carols

Our annual Christmas carol event is back at the Bedford this year http://www.thebedford.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=InfoPages. It's this Sunday, the 16th December. It starts at 8 pm and we're downstairs in the Shakespearean Globe, home of the Banana Cabaret. We can't promise that the gags will be as good but if you're at a loose end and fancy adding a 'spiritual' dimension to your Christmas celebrations you'd be very welcome. We'll sing many of the old favourites, hear a few familiar reading, listen to a short Christmas talk and all in the familiar setting of one of South London's best public houses. Come and join the regulars and a large number of visitors.
For more information about Christ Church Balham see our website http://www.christchurchbalham.org.uk/.

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

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!'