The Launch Event

Saltergate Methodist Church, Saturday 3.00pm

The week began with worship,
led by team members from Cliff College,
and offering the week, our time
and our very selves to God.

During the sermon we were reminded that we are living in a spiritual age - and that is good news for us! Just as in the calling of Simon Peter (in John's Gospel), Jesus takes the initiative. He is already there before we go!

 

We do not need to feel daunted by the apparent size of the task - we are joining a team, God's team. All we are called on to do is what we can manage.

 

People today know that it is our relationships which make a difference. The task for us is to do what Andrew did - introduce someone to Jesus, and then let Jesus do the rest!

 

If you are reading this, please pray that achieve this during this week and in the weeks to come.

 

 

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On Sunday Morning members of the Cliff College Teams were out in the churches leading morning worship.

Here is Steve Wild at Holymoorside, moving among the congregation with a tray of intercessory candles.

On the fron pew are team members Roz and Jules.

His sermon was about the challenging, often offensive nature of the gospel in that it challenges us to leave our comfort zones and go where Jesus went - to loose his life among the rejected and on the rubbish tip.

At St Andrew's, Rachel (right) spoke about our need to be lifted up like a kite by the wind (spirit) of God, and that it is our choice whether we let God do that for us.

Below is Team leader Helen (right), reading the Bible passage with Wendy (at the mic.) of St Andrew's

 

 

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In Holymoorside the Team is helping the churches get alongside the young people of the village, as part of an ongoing 'Parish Audit' process. Churches Together in Holymoorside are evaluating the results of a village wide survey sent to every house. Although 22% of the survey forms were returned, they had very little feedback from young people.

 

Here are members of the cliff team helping members from the three village churches to create a place and time to do just that!

On the first picture, team leader Beth doing some serious 'connecting'.

Below, everyone gets together to brainstorm and come up with some brilliant idea for the young people in the village. These will be fed back with the rest of the results to the churches, parish council and village organisations.

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During the week were a whole range of activities all around chesterfield, both in churches and out in the wide world: Here are some photo's from St Thomas': (more at their website)

Litter Picking at Walton Dam 8.3.08
With members of Cliff College,
3rd Brampton Scouts and St Thomas'

'Fun, Food and a Window on the World'
-St Thomas' Church 12.3.08
With members of Cliff College and St Thomas'

 

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The week came to a climax in the Sports Hall at St Marys School a huge venue in which we packed around 500 people

 

The service was led by the New Life Worship Group
and was packed with prayer, praise,
video clips, music,
songs and hymns old and new.

The service was constructed around the verse
from Psalm 19:

 

Dave Bunting, Pastor of the New Life Church
took us on a journey out into space,
into the Milky Way
out to the Plaedies
and beyond to places like the Sombrero Galaxy
all of which are there to proclaim the Glory of God!

At the same time we were taken on a parallel journey,
to respond to God,
who while being bigger than the whole of the Universe,
came to earth,
to meet each one of us
in Jesus of Nazareth.