This coming Sunday 19th May

On Sunday, we celebrate an event in the life of the early church known as Pentecost.

It’s the moment when the first followers of Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit and they literally spilled out onto the streets to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ. You can read about it here.

Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks. Acts 2 verse 2

In the church today, it is a time of expectation, it’s a time of waiting, it’s a time of anticipation because we believe that God’s Holy Spirit still moves in power today. Join us this coming Sunday at 3.30pm in Lawley Primary School as we hear the story of Pentecost told again. As we gather to worship, we join with millions of Christians around the world who pray for God to send his Holy Spirit upon us today.

Consuming fire, fan into flame a passion for your name.
Spirit of God, fall in this place.
Lord have your way, Lord have your way in us. 

Further details of the partnership joint churches party in the park can be found by clicking on the flier below.

 

SHOCK AND PRAYER!

Well, I don’t know about you but I am just about getting over the shock of learning about Steve and Maggie’s departure in July to St. Giles Northampton and the realisation that River Church is now moving into a new season. I am excited for Steve and Maggie and I am also excited for us at River Community Church about our new adventure together!  Our adventure will not be without its challenges, but I am so encouraged by all the feedback with offers of help. I know that we will pull together in unity and as we focus on Jesus and pray, we will be strengthened.

According to Jesus, prayer is the very key to our lives.  It’s the way we communicate with God; it’s the way to life in all its fullness. Faith comes by focusing on Jesus, not focusing on the mountain.  When we change our focus by looking at Jesus rather than the situation we are facing that’s a pretty good start. Prayer is the key to revival.

Outrageous Faith

There is no service this afternoon at Lawley Primary School. Our next Sunday afternoon cafe church service will be Sunday 5th May at 3.30pm. We will be continuing to look at the theme of God’s fire. Tonight  we will be joining with other churches in Telford Town centre at Prayer Central. This starts at 7pm in Meeting Point House and is an opportunity to join together for praise, worship and prayer in the heart of Telford..

If you’ve not caught up with recent news, please check out this post on the church website: a new adventure for Steve and Maggie.

In the meantime, we’d like to recommend that you listen in to this great talk from Pete Greig called Outrageous Faith. Drawing on the teaching from Hebrews chapter 12, Pete encourages us to…

Look up – fixing our eyes on Jesus

Look back – with grateful thanks for what has gone before

Look forward – with faith and confidence in God’s provision

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:2

With those who have run the race before us, let’s keep our focus on Jesus and run the race togethr and with outrageous faith. 

River Church Core Team Meeting – 2nd May

Click here for the River Church Core Team Meeting Agenda.

 

If you would like anything discussing, please contact the relevant person.

A new adventure for Steve and Maggie and River Community Church

A personal message from Steve for the whole church family Sunday 21st April.

At the beginning of 2013, we looked at the story of Joshua and Caleb crossing over the river Jordan and entering the land of Canaan. God’s word of encouragement came to Joshua and it’s recorded for us in Joshua 1 verse 9.

‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’

I got us thinking about what God might want us to commit ourselves to in 2013 and shared the A-B-C. 

Maggie and I have known for a little while that God was preparing us for a new adventure. He sometimes does that! Without knowing where and when it might happen and without pursuing things, we’ve just been waiting on God.

He has indeed called us to a new adventure and it will need boldness and courage. Today, it is being announced in Northampton that I will be the next vicar of St Giles Church. God has called us there, the church has invited us to come and we’ve accepted.

The kids here will know the mixed feelings you have when you go to a new school. The excitement of a new beginning…but also the sadness of leaving friends behind. That’s just what we’re feeling right now.

We will be moving in July. Sunday 14th July will be our last service at River Community Church and Sunday 21st July (at 5pm) will be Steve’s institution at St Giles Church. You’re all invited!

This verse from Joshua is really important for us. But it is also really important for River Community Church. It will be a new adventure as the church seeks a new leader. There will be support for the church from the deanery. Our CORE TEAM will have support; they will need your support; and they are here to support you through the time of vacancy. The CORE TEAM have known about the move for about a week. We’re sorry it couldn’t be shared more widely before today. We’ve been following the CofE’s protocols.

So to the CORE TEAM, we want to say… BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!

To all of us here, we want to say… BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!

But it’s not just us saying it. In Joshua chapter 1, these are God’s words we have recorded. GOD HIMSELF IS SPEAKING!

And He says to all of us here today, “I will be with you… wherever you go.”

If you’d value speaking about Steve’s message above, please do get in touch either with Steve and Maggie or one of the CORE TEAM.

You can read the full text of the formal announcement below.

ANNOUNCEMENT Northampton St Giles

Telford homeless ACTION WEEK

STAY, one of our mission partners (see our mission) is organising an action week to raise awareness of homelessness and to raise funds to support their work. Please visit their website to find out how to support the week and get involved.

To donate, visit the Virgin money giving site here.

Andy Crozier is also doing a sponsored walk for STAY. You can find out more and support him by visiting his fund raising page here.

STAY provides housing and support services for young people and families between the ages of 16 and 32 in Telford and Wrekin. When a young person comes to Stay, the aim is to support them through any issues relevant in their lives at the time, enable them to gain independence, and inspire them to achieve their aspirations. We’re pleased as a church to have a number of people activiely involved in supporting the work of this local charity. You can download a copy of the STAY 2011/12 annual report here.  Please visit their website to find out more. 

 

 

Alpha is coming to Lightmoor Village

Taster evening 18th April – come and see if it’s something you might be interested in!

 

Course starts May

 

Click on the ALPHA tab above for more details

Easter holiday round-up

As we have celebrated the resurrection of Christ Jesus and some of us now plunge in to the Easter holidays, there are a few things diary dates for the coming weeks…

Sunday’s talk – Maggie spoke on Sunday on the resurrection and also her own act of faithfulness. If you didn’t manage to get to the service  on Sunday, please do click through to listen to her talk here

Easter holiday club at St Leonards – A morning of Easter activities for 5-11 year olds will be happening at St Leonard’s on Wednesday 3rd April. For more information please contact Mrs Jolanda Crowe, 01952 501655

River Church bowling evening – We are hoping to have a bowling evening for all on Saturday 13th April. Please get in touch with Janine by Friday 5th April on  07523 709570 so we can gauge interest and organise the evening.

Evangelism for Cowards – A reminder to get in touch with Sioned (sioned878@btinternet.com) if you would like to come to her talk on Thursday 25th April. It will be an inspiring evening!

HAPPY EASTER!

Arms wide open

When someone holds their arms wide open like this, it’s an invitation… when a child comes running with their arms open they’re coming to be embraced, loved, held, accepted. It’s a universal gesture of warmth and love which we all recognise.

If you’ve hurt someone, if you’ve said something you regret, if you’ve wounded them in some way and they hold our their arms like this… they’re offering forgiveness, they’re saying you can still come and be loved.

During this Holy Week, we’ve been encouraged in various ways to draw close to Jesus on the cross. As we hear the Easter story again, we’re reminded that Jesus died upon a cross. As he hangs there, his arms are wide open! The cross is a place of suffering and shame and yet because Jesus opens his arms towards us, he is offering to us God’s forgiveness, God’s love, God’s embrace! This is the enduring message of Calvary.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” John 3 verse 16a.

On Easter Sunday, we’re celebrating! Right around the world, literally billions of people are celebrating that the story didn’t end there. If you go along to a church this Sunday, the theme will be resurrection, Jesus rising from the dead and overcoming death. He was God’s Son… and God raised him again!

On behalf of everyone at River Community Church, we’d like to wish everyone a happy and joyous Easter time. If you live in Lawley or Lightmoor, we’d like to invite you to come and join us as we celebrate this Easter Sunday.

> > From 2.30 to 3.30pm we’ll be having an hour of fun Easter activities in Lawley Community Centre.

> > From 3.30 to 4.30pm we’ll go next door into the school hall for our Easter celebration.

You can find a poster with all the details of the event here. We’d love to see you

You’ll find a warm welcome, loving fellowship and arms wide open with God’s love.

Good Friday Prayers with Harry and Linda

You are invited to Harry and Linda’s on Good Friday Evening at 8 Corndean Meadow, Newdale, Telford, TF3 5ET  starting at 7pm.

We will be sharing bread and wine , an informal holy communion, to remember Jesus dying for us on the cross.

We’ll have time for worship, prayer and silence, being together in a quiet and contemplative evening.

We’ll also be remembering loved ones we’ve lost by lighting a candle.

We’ll tune in to the 24-7 podcast for Good Friday.

It’s a real chance to stop and set aside time with Jesus, remembering especially his hours on the cross.

Hope you can join us there. Please call Harry and Linda on 01952 502897 for more information.