A party’s not a party without party games. So as usual, Mark kept us on our toes with a variety of party games.

Musical chairs is something we always play, but for the adults, it’s not just a question of finding a chair to sit on when the music stops. Instead, we have to find someone to sit on us as we sit on a chair!

This one had two people sitting on them!

Children’s version:

The men’s version:

We also played charades in teams:

Then we played a game where, if the music stopped and you were on a mat, you were out:

For those that were less agile, a game of Catchphrase/ Pictionary was played.
Being told the catchphrase:

Drawing the catchphrase:

Drawing phrases like ‘under the microscope’, ‘not to be sniffed at’ and ‘a storm in a teacup’ is not always easy!

We also got to celebrate a birthday:

All in all, then, a great start to 2013 and hopefully the first of many such celebrations.

As always, we had a great turnout for the New Year’s Day party:

It was particularly good to see one member who is due to give birth within days:

There was lots of food to eat:

…though some of this seemed to be available only to certain people!

We had lots of people taking photographs:

Before the entertainment started, some people practised their skills on other games:

Many of you will have followed the adventures of Igor the iguana last year (you can read about him here and here if you are new to the blog – in which case, welcome!) Here he is on the tank of Garry’s new motorbike, welcoming you all to 2013!

I am sure we will be seeing more of Igor this year and hopefully he will have more spiritual lessons to teach us. He has heard of a restaurant in Meadowhall called ‘Las Iguanas’ and is hoping to venture there very soon…! In the meantime, remember what he taught us last year:

1) we live in the world, but we are not of the world (he’s not from round here!)
2) we need to avoid blending in with the world around us. Camouflage is not part of the Christian’s clothing! We are to be distinctive and visible!
3) life is an adventure with God

Welcome to 2013! Don’t forget the New Year’s Day party this afternoon at church, starting at 4 p.m. This is always a great time of fun and fellowship and is a great opportunity to bring along your friends and family.

Midweek meetings resume this week. We will be starting the month of prayer and fasting with a prayer meeting on Thursday 3rd January which will start at 7.30 p.m. Do come along to this and remember to sign up to the dates you can pray at home as well for all the items the leaders have identified as being crucial to our spiritual growth and development this year.

Pray that we will see:
1. the community regeneration scheme put back on schedule (this involves schools, housing, refurbishment, street regeneration etc.)
2. the people of Goldthorpe of all ages coming to know God, their lives being impacted by the Holy Spirit
3. God’s blessing, guidance and protection as we prayer walk the streets
4. the empty chairs in church filled (with families, with old people, and with young people alike) so that there is an increase in the congregation
5. God’s direction on the spiritual and practical outreach that He wants us to do (so that we have wisdom to do the right thing & put on the right events)
6. the development and training of people into their calling and ministry
7. Pray for wisdom, vision, strength, protection and health for your church leaders and their families
8. signs and wonders in God’s house; the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be present and active in us!
9. people who have backslidden return to God and to church
10. continued blessing on our outreaches (Mother & Toddler, Youth, badminton & food scheme)

The Prayer Walks mentioned in (3) above will start this Saturday (5th January) at 12 noon, after the coffee morning. We will be walking the streets of Goldthorpe and praying every Saturday at 12 noon throughout January. Do come along to this and join us in praying for every street in Goldthorpe. Remember God’s promise to Joshua: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Josh 1:3)

Other midweek meetings involving the youth outreach and Mums & Toddlers will start again next week (on Monday evening and Friday morning respectively).

Don’t forget also our Sunday services: the Communion service at 10.30 a.m. and the Family Service this Sunday (6th January) at 6 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

Mark spoke about prayer and fasting tonight, in preparation for the month of prayer and fasting starting in January.

Prayer is the spiritual battlefield which determines whether what we do in the physical realm is successful or not. Prayer involves pouring out our hearts before God, praising Him, asking Him for things we need and (often forgotten!) listening to God.

When we fast, we show God our willingness to be aligned with His will. Fasting is not about forcing God to do something or twisting His arm, but is an indication of our submission to Him and reflects our need to be involved in what God is doing. Isaiah 58 gives us details about the motivation behind fasting. Matthew 6:16-18 also reflects how we should fast: not putting on any outward show, carrying on as normal, not needing man’s approval because this is between us and God (“don’t brag or nag about it.”)

Proverbs 3:5-6 shows us that God wants us to be whole-hearted in our devotion and obedience. As we pray for direction, understanding and spiritual wisdom, we need to :

1) Trust in the Lord with all our heart
The first step is to trust God unreservedly – with our hopes, dreams, ambitions, plans… with our whole life. We have to ‘let go’ and allow God to be in control. That involves not relying on our own understanding, but being willing to lay aside all the reasons we can come up with for doing things differently and actually obey God. We have to accept that our limited view is obscured, whereas God sees everything and knows best.

2) Acknowledge God in all our ways
This means knowing God intimately and being prepared for that direct contact with God to influence our daily paths (the steps we take every day). God promises to direct (or make straight) our paths. The bumps and bends that may lie ahead will be straightened out by God, the God who promises that before we call, He will answer (Is 65:24).

Prayer and fasting become ‘the blessing bringers’. We concluded the service by praying, thanking God for all He has done this year, including the provision of finance to support community work and many improvements to the building and the work done jointly with other local churches, and praying for His direction and leading in the year to come.

We also had a birthday to celebrate:

Stephen spoke this morning on God’s hand in our life. Using a picture of a seedling being held in someone’s hand, he spoke about understanding that God is active in our lives and is there to guide us and direct us.

Christianity is not like a Scouts’ badge, where we can earn God’s favour by our activities. It is a whole way of life where we follow God’s plans and purposes, where our lives become part of a larger picture (rather like how a slip road merges with the motorway and becomes part of the larger road.)

Christmas proves to us God’s active role in human history. Just as Jesus was taken to Egypt to escape Herod’s evil plot to kill Him, so we are called out of enemy captivity. God’s hand is on us, leading and guiding us. We need God’s nourishment, just as the seedling needs nutrients from the soil to grow. We can move forward in God’s plan and be secure in His guidance and provision.