Don’t forget the New Year’s Day party on Wednesday, starting at 4 p.m. This is always a great time of food, fun and fellowship (and silly party games) and all are welcome. It’s a great opportunity to bring along friends and family who don’t normally come to church as there are lots of people here in a very informal atmosphere. Mark is renowned for coming up with silly games which involve everyone, so come along and start the New Year in style!
On Saturday (4th January), the coffee morning will be on from 10 a.m. until 12 noon as usual. After that, the church will be open for prayer until 4 p.m. as we seek God for direction, guidance and blessing in this new year. After that, we will be setting up for the special celebration service which starts at 6 p.m. Come along to say thank you to Mark and Diane for their faithful and anointed leadership over the past eight and a half years and to officially welcome and recognise Garry and Julie in their new roles of leadership. Refreshments will be served after the meeting.
Sunday meetings will be at the usual times of 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. throughout January, with the family service being held on 5th January in the evening.
Midweek meetings resume the following week, with youth meetings on Monday evenings and Mums ‘n’ Toddlers on Friday mornings. The prayer meeting/ Bible study will be on Thursday evenings, starting at 7:30 p.m. (starting 9th January.)
I don’t know the author of this prayer for the New Year, but thought it would be good to start 2014 with such a prayer:
What shall I ask for the coming year?
What shall my watchword be?
What shouldst thou do for me, dear Lord?
What can I do for thee?
Lord, I would ask for a holy year
Spent in thy perfect will.
Help me to walk in thy very steps,
Help me to please thee still.
Lord, I would ask for a trustful year;
Give me thy faith divine,
Taking my full inheritance
Making thy fulness mine!
Lord, I would ask for a year of love;
O let me love thee best
Give me the love that faileth not
Beneath the hardest test.
Lord, I would ask for a year of prayer;
Teach me to walk with thee.
Breathe in my heart the Spirit’s prayer
Pray thou thy prayer in me!
Lord, I would ask for the dying world;
Stretch forth thy mighty hand,
Thy truth proclaim, thy power display
This year in every land.
Lord, I would ask for a year of joy
Thy peace, thy joy divine,
Springing undimmed through all the days
Be thy days of shade or shine.
Lord, I ask for a year of hope
Looking for thee to come
And hastening on that year of years
That brings us home to you.