Transforming Prayer Poetry - Week 3

This week in our Transforming Prayer meet-ups we are talking about how we pray with confidence! This comes from a greater understanding of our Father in heaven and our relationship with him. In this week’s poem, Steve Page thinks about how our posture during prayer reflects our confidence that our prayers will be heard and answered by a CARING, CONSISTENT, CLOSE, COMPETENT Father.

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Strong knees and open eyes

Straight back and open ears

Strong voice and open hands

Straight through to the throne of grace

Transforming Prayer Poetry - Week 2

This week is our first week of Transforming Prayer! As we look together at the purpose of prayer, Steve’s poem this week reminds us that prayer is always about relationship…

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Prayer

How many times a day do you pray?

As many as needed.
Some days only once.
But it might take all day.

Better Together

London can be a lonely place at times. I’ve been on full tubes, in busy squares, in vibrant stadiums and at packed out gigs and known that feeling of not really connecting with anyone despite being around everyone.

 We’ve got a saying at Redeemer that “life is a team sport - best done together” and I’ve genuinely found at church that meeting new people, making friends and sharing life Monday to Saturday has added that all-important connection and depth to London.

 We call the stuff we do Monday-Saturday ‘Meetups’ at Redeemer. This term we’ve created spaces, times and options to hang out and grow together on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. They’re in evenings, early morning, in the middle of the day, over brunch and geographically spread out all over the borough, and everyone’s welcome.

Would you like to find a meetup of ten or so people for the next ten weeks? We’re aiming to grow in our prayer life in particular this Spring term, using some great resources to prioritise prayer, encourage each other in prayer, and pray for each other. Ten people could be praying for you, supporting you and making life more of a team sport for you over the next few weeks – sounds worthwhile doesn’t it?

For everyone who’s joined a meetup this term, have a superb time. One top tip - don’t hold back. We’ve found that the more real you are, the more likely it is you’ll grow yourself and bond with those there beyond just the ten weeks. Enjoy!

#RedeemerRecommends - 24/7 Prayer

As we continue to look forward to Transforming Prayer, which kicks off this Sunday, this week’s #RedeemerRecommends focuses on the blog of a prayer organisation which is seeing transformation in prayer lives and transformed communities as a result of prayer all across the world.

The 24-7 prayer movement began in 1999 with a single prayer room on the south coast of England, and their prayer room model has since expanded across the globe. 24-7 International now reaches over half the countries on earth. Their story is told in the books Red Moon Rising & Dirty Glory.

To discover more about the movement you can also visit the website by following the link below, where you will also find helpful blogs on prayer, along with inspiring testimonies of the transformational power of prayer!

Let’s be inspired by what God is doing in the global church and believe that he can do incredible things in and through US as we enter into this season of Transforming Prayer! I hope to see you on Sunday as we begin this new, exciting, life changing journey of prayer as a church. Everyone is welcome to join us!

Transforming Prayer Poetry - Week 1

As part of our Transforming Prayer series here at Redeemer we will be posting weekly poems based around the topic of prayer.

The incredibly gifted Steve Page has written a series of poems for us to use, you can check out more of his work by seeking out his posts on this blog or by following this link at the bottom of this page.

We hope you enjoy the posts, and are prepared for the start of our Transforming Prayer meetups and preaching series this Sunday!

Over to Steve…

Prayer #1

You walk
You sit
You kneel

You ask
You wait
You weep

I listen
I speak
I weep

I hear
I stand
I act

Stand

It's a New Year and I'm listening to news reports of the on going stand-off between Donald Trump and Congress and again between Teresa May and fellow MPs. Right or wrong, whatever their motivations, people are making a stand. Sometimes we stand up to be counted and we make change happen. Sometimes we stand strong, but find ourselves forcibly moved aside or just ignored.

When we're thinking of making a stand we need to make a judgement call whether we are willing to make the effort, are we ready to accept the possible consequences of our stance? Are you ready to lose your (job, friendship, advantage, stake - insert here) for the sake of speaking out for what's right? To stand for what's true? To support the excluded? To act for something beyond your self-interest? Is this important enough for you?
It's easy to understand why some (most?) take the path of least resistance and least conflict. Least risk. Least pain. Least soul-searching.

But some things are not negotiable. Some things are worth fighting for.

Friends.

Family.

Justice.

Community.

Faith.

For example, Acts 4 sets out the account of Peter and John having to decide whether to obey the authorities and to stop speaking about Jesus or to continue to speak openly about what they knew to be true. It was a no-brainer:

"Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

This was no easy thing - there were significant consequences for taking their stance.

So ask yourself: what's important enough for you to take a stand in 2019? How will you respond when it's put to the test?

Standing strong is easier with like-minded people to support you. Find out more at Redeemer on any given Sunday morning at Ealing Town Hall.

We'll stand with you. We'll pray with you and seek God's will in your situation.

We worship a God of change.

Carols, Community and Celebration!

This Sunday we had the privilege of hosting our annual Carols by Candlelight event at Ealing Town Hall! Always a time of celebration, this year was no different, with people coming together to sing carols, enjoy a free glass of mulled wine and a mince pie, and get into the Christmas spirit!

What a fantastic event it was this year! Over 300 people gathered in the Town Hall, we sang more carols together than we ever have before, yet there was still time to listen to outstanding performance songs and poetry and learn from Pete Cornford about what it really means to be home at Christmas time. He reminded us that home is not always about a physical place but that we truly find what it means to feel at home in our relationships with those that we love. We as Christians believe that we are welcomed home when we seek relationship with God, that he waits for us with open arms. Jesus talked about this as part of his teaching, and you can read about it in Luke 15:11-32.

If you were one of those that joined with us this Sunday we hope you felt welcomed and at home amongst us, and if you haven’t already, see if you can spot yourself in the family photo we took at the end of the evening!

If you want to find out what it looks like to be a member of the Redeemer family, you are so welcome to join us at our family service this Sunday (the 23rd of December) at 10am in the Town Hall for festive songs, a nativity and even a few games!

Finally, there is also still an opportunity to contribute to the collection which was taken on Sunday evening to support the work of St Mungo’s, an organisation which aims to help those without a physical home to go to this Christmas.

Peace broke out....

Peace broke out
with a rash of shepherds
Peace broke in
while most were asleep
Peace broke out
with a choir of angels
Peace broke in 
with the bleat of sheep

Peace broke out
in a backyard stable
Peace broke in
and beggared belief
Peace broke out
in the stink of a manger
Peace broke in
with a cry of release

Peace broke out
to a child breast feeding
Peace broke in
to a mothers relief
Peace broke out
in the hearts of believers 
Peace broke in 
to the middle east

Peace breaks out
to those who believe him
Peace breaks in 
to the hearts of the meek
Peace breaks out
here in Ealing
Jesus breaks in
as the Prince of true Peace

Pause to ask "why?"

A one word question can have a big impact. 

Recently at work I've been learning the importance of pausing to ask the simple question "why?". 

Having people around who prompt you to consider a fresh perspective can be a real gift. When we’re blinkered and focusing on the “when” or “how of a project, "why" can sometimes bleed into the background. 

Christmas and New Years busyness requires some moments of pausing to asking “why”. With most of my daily and weekly routine missing, the absence of standard times and places can leave me struggling to find space to pause, including moments to pray and listen to God. Space to just focus and reflect on God has the power to thread Jesus and his good news throughout the season rather than push it entirely to the periphery. 

So, one way to “keep the main thing the main thing” over the next few weeks is fighting to keep time for prayer and waiting on God. Taking opportunities to pray helps with the “why” of the season and feeds to soul. 

There’s still time to sign up for 24 hours of prayer (Friday 6pm - Saturday 6pm) and start as you mean to go on. 

#RedeemerRecommends Upside Down Advent!

Turn Advent UPSIDE DOWN. 

In the run up to Christmas I was struck by an idea floating on the Web.  

A REVERSE ADVENT CALENDAR.

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/family/547633/reverse-advent-calendar 

Instead (or as well as) opening an advent calendar door each morning for a piece of chocolate to munch with your cereal flakes of choice, create a collection for someone struggling to make ends meet this Christmas.  

Each day in the run up to Christmas, put aside a staple food item or something a little more festive.  And before Christmas hand it to a local food bank or a charity supporting the homeless to be passed on to someone who may not be anticipating a happy Christmas time. 

Go to https://www.trusselltrust.org/what-we-do/ for more ideas of the best items to include and to find your local foodbank.  

If you're in Ealing go to https://ealing.foodbank.org.uk

You can even hand it in at your local supermarket - Tesco's in Ealing is collecting. 

Reverse Advent

"This year, although I know that you're keen to set up that nativity scene, I'm advocating an alternative means, a change in priorities for your generosities.

"I'm annointing a reversal, suggesting you parcel a hamper of staples and so turn the tables on advent doors that ignore the poor.  

"I'm asking that you choose to proclaim the good news beyond the pews, to pursue a change of people's views of what they thought they knew this season meant. Yes, let's reverse this Advent and make something more heaven-sent."

Have a great Advent and make it greater for someone else too.

Carols by Candlelight

Christmas is a time to gather together to drink mulled wine, eat mince pies and sing carols. These traditions have been going on for hundreds of years. 

Today when life is such a rush it is so vital to take time to pause and connect to others.  With so many carols to choose from: the children singing ‘Away in a manger’, enjoying a performance of ‘O Holy Night’ (the nations favourite carol), tapping your feet and enjoying the fun ‘See Him lying on a bed of straw’ or the more classic ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ - there is something for everyone.

I know that many places raise money for good causes by charging for tickets -  but I am delighted to say that on Sunday 16th December at 6pm you can come to Ealing Town Hall and enjoy the singing, nibble a mince pie or two and enjoy a drink for free. I hope to see you there.

#RedeemerRecommends @ Christmas

As we well and truly get into the Christmas spirit here at Redeemer, I have been thinking about how modern culture seems to be encouraging us to begin celebrating Christmas earlier and earlier each year.

For this next instalment of #RedeemerRecommends I would love to point you in the direction of an interesting blog by Courtney Ellis. It is a post encouraging us to avoid maligning those that would put Christmas music on in mid-October and embrace the fact that the birth of Jesus is something to be celebrated all year round!

Check out the blog here: 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2018/november/christmas-advent-case-for-early-holiday.html

Week of Prayer

They say the most widely spoken prayer in modern life is simply “help me God”. All sorts of people say it, whether they believe in God or not. It’s a prayer which is prayed at different times, in different situations!

Personally, I find more time to pray early in the morning or later in the evening. It seems more natural to pray when I have time to reflect.

We know that God hears all our prayers and at Redeemer for a week every term we put a particular emphasis on meeting and praying together as a church community. Next week is that week!

Whether you are free in the evenings, or the mornings, or you want to get involved in our 24 hour prayer room, there is something available for you next week. Ealing is a very busy place, but I can assure you taking an hour out to pray with others will impact your week in a hugely positive way!

You will be welcome no matter what your situation, life experience or whether you believe in prayer or not. A prayer life can simply start with “help me God”.

To sign up for a slot in the 24 hours of prayer follow this link:

For information on all of the prayer meetings next week check out the calendar section of the website:

Advent-ure

Stay focused now.  He's no longer a babe in a manger, He's now a resurrected King.

ADVENTURE

It's advent:
Angels invite you to
Adventures in worship in your 
Annual observation in
Anticipation of the divine,
Awaiting, acclaiming the King.

The red coats are coming, 
The red coats are coming
(but don't let them distract you).

[Christmas is more than blokes in red suits.]

Wait!

When did waiting become a bad thing?
Having to wait.
Putting plans on hold.
Being made to wait my turn.

None of these immediately fill me with a sense of joy.

In contrast, the activity of watching still holds some positivity for me.

We watch with pleasure as the sun rises rather than waiting with frustration for it to emerge.
We watch excitedly for signs of spring, instead of waiting impatiently.
We watch with fascination as our children's sunflowers grow rather than feel cheated by the waiting.

And now it's advent. A time of waiting. AN EXCITING TIME OF ANTICIPATION. A time to reconsider the miracle of God made man.

So, rather than throw yourself into the mania of the modern Christmas, take the time to enjoy the season of expectation. Relish your participation in the promise.

Watch and wait. Ready yourself. THE KING IS COMING!

Learning a little guitar...

As a Hanwell resident over the years I have loved watching the local Ukulele group perform at the Hanwell Carnival and The Hanwell Hootie as well as on other fun occasions. The players all seemed to be having such a good time and the audience would dance and sing along.

Despite never having picked up the small instrument before, a year ago, I decided to go along on a Tuesday night and join the band. I am so glad that I took a step into the unknown! There have been several benefits to joining the group…

• The friendly and welcoming nature of the group has meant I’ve made friends.

• Tuesday nights have become a great way to connect with my local community outside of a church context.

• I always enjoy my evening singing and playing at the W7 on the Green, and representing Redeemer at these events. It has been wonderful to perform locally.

• It has been incredible to go along and support great local causes, encouraging and building up others that are benefitting our community.

I am stirred to challenge you with a couple of questions.

1) When did you last try something for the first time?

2) In what ways are you integrating into the local community?

Who knows how your life, or the lives or others might be changed when you step out and trying something new.

Pete.

Here is a link to the webpage is you want to come and join us:

www.hanwellukulele.co.uk

Get thinking. #RedeemerRecommends

In the first of our #RedeemerRecommends blog posts, Rich Smith introduces to a blog he has been inspired by recently. Look out for more recommendations over the coming months as others from Redeemer let you in on what they’ve been reading. Over to Rich…

Get thinking.

At the end of November we have close friend of the church Matt Hosier returning to speak at our Sunday meeting. Matt and his wife Grace first visited Redeemer a year ago to preach about eldership, and to stand with and pray for our church as we started a new chapter of our story. 

Matt is a gifted preacher. Just as he served us so well last November, we’re anticipating he’ll bring a combination of theological clarity and heartfelt encouragement this November! 

Those who were at the Advance conference earlier in October will know he’s a wise, measured and phenomenally well read theological thinker, and it’s with that in mind that I wanted to point you in the direction of an excellent website to which he often contributes, Think Theology.

“Think” describes itself as a “collaboration of thinkers and writers who are passionate about the Church, and who enjoy spending time wrestling with deep theological questions and helping others to engage with them.” Matt, Jennie Pollock (another speaker from the recent Advance conference in fact), and Andrew Wilson produce the majority of the content for the site and you’ll find roughly a post per day on a broad range of topics.

Looking back at posts over the last two weeks you’ll see posts covering social media, wisdom in engaging politically, sexual identity, reading well, TV show theology, book reviews and Psalms. 

Whether you’re starting to explore theology for the first time or looking to expand your regular reading, posts from Matt and others at Think are worth your time. I find they’re perfect for the commute, and regularly engage the mind, the emotions and stir the spirit. Enjoy.

https://thinktheology.co.uk/

Bring peace and hope to your finances with the CAP Money Course

You may have recently been inspired by the BBC documentary ‘The Debt Saviours’, a programme which highlighted the inspiring story of Christians Against Poverty, a charity on a mission ‘to release thousands of families from poverty through award winning debt counselling and community groups’.

Redeemer Church is about to start hosting a CAP Money Course at Ealing Town Hall on Sunday afternoons which consists of three sessions, it is aimed at absolutely anyone, whatever your financial situation. They are designed to help you take control of your finances and learn skills which have a lasting impact on your budget.

In case you’re not yet convinced, here’s 3 reasons you should give CAP a try.

1) It’s free!

The CAP money course is free to attend and comes with free access to online budgeting tools which can be used for as long as you like after the course is over. Those running the course will also be able to get you in touch with other free services that CAP provides if necessary, services such as debt help, job clubs and life skills classes.

2) It helps you build a budget!

Many of us would love to be better at budgeting but we simply don’t know where to start in terms of establishing a system or a budget. The CAP course will provide you with a template around which to build a budget personal to you, which allows you to focus on your day to day financial needs while also preparing for future costs and saving towards long term financial goals.

3) It works!

There are countless stories of how the CAP course has transformed people’s lives, from simply changing the way the looked at money, to setting people free from seemingly insurmountable debt. You can hear just one of the many stories by following the link below.

https://youtu.be/DJkhcmBJ1xU

So what are you waiting for? The CAP Money Course run by Redeemer Church, London starts THIS SUNDAY on the 28th of October, and you can sign up by visiting the CAP website (capmoney.org) or contacting James & Alicia who are running the course on 02080 995692.

So, how do you serve?

On Sunday Pete was talking about how we serve.

Japanese football supporters do it by clearing rubbish at the end of each match and see this as a way of honouring their hosts and being good guests.
My mum did it by being the trusted arbitrator in our street, bringing harmony to her neighbours and offering pots of tea as balm to hurt feelings.
My sisters and I do it by caring for my mum as she struggles with dementia, patiently reminding her who she is and taking the blows and harsh words with good grace.
My team mate at work does it at a local school, helping kids to improve their maths and reading skills, giving up her lunch hour to give something back. 

It's part of our God-given human nature to reach out into our community and offer a helping hand, to give time to those who ache for an empathetic ear, to offer respite to those travelling through troubled times.

Jesus led by example and stated his position clearly - he said that he came to serve.  And to hammer the point home he knelt down and washed each of his disciples' dirty feet despite their protests. Even the feet of Judas.

When Jesus taught he distinguished between those who follow him by how they serve, because by serving the weak and disadvantaged they are serving and loving him.

So, ask yourself: how do I serve?

WHEN YOU SERVE

"When you serve,
start with the feet.

And when you serve,
get down low
with a towel and a water bowl.

And when you serve,
find your honour not over,
but under.
Not higher,
but lower.
Not first,
but last.

So when you serve,
don't wait your turn,
but push your way
right to the back.
And there you'll find
nothing to prove,
nothing to hide
and nothing to loose
but your pride.

Yes, you heard,
when you serve
observe his example:
Undo a sandal
and start with the feet.
And there you will be blessed."