NEWSLETTERS

(Please scroll down for August's Newsletter)

Whitham’s World - Revival?

In last month's Whitham’s world we looked at one of the ingredients of revival which was a recognition of the sinful and ineffective nature of the church, resulting in deep repentance. This is followed by those outside of the church becoming deeply aware of their own sinfulness and their need for God, which in turn leads them to faith in Jesus Christ. However, are there any other ingredients that we need to look out for? In a word yes! In a book called Revival the writer Rev Mark Stibbes points out that you will generally find 5 ingredients in a real work of God. The first one we have already looked at. The second ingredient is that there is always a desperate seeking after God in Prayer which is often characterised by prevailing intercessions for revival.

I recently read a story about a group of women who had been praying for a revival in Wales during the early part of the twentieth century. They had been doing this for many years until one day they felt God was on the move and that very week people began to flock into the churches for no other apparent reason than they just felt compelled to go to church. Many years ago when I was working at St Peter’s Church in Yateley I remember a small revival happening among our young people and that also started with a small group of young people praying. In fact it was the prayer meeting they used to hold in the local school that sparked the revival off! Young people just started turning up interested in what was going on (most had never been to church let alone a prayer meeting) and many of them joined in. After about a week this prayer meeting went from a small number of young people to over 40. So prayer is at the heart of any revival. In fact more often than not prayer has been going on for many years before God moves in some very powerful way.

Another ingredient is (as Mark Stibbes points out) that there is always a visitation of God’s Holy Spirit that turns churches from irrelevant institutions into places of magnetic attraction for the lost and wounded people.

It is interesting to note that during all the revivals I have read about there has always been a real sense of the power of the Holy Spirit at the revival meetings and in the area where it is happening, which is always followed by signs, wonders and miracles. Sadly it is often these signs and wonders that has drawn people’s attention rather than the message. Also those in the churches who oppose a revival will often draw people’s attention to the strange events that always surround revivals and not see the positive things that are happening. But there is no getting away from it. Whether you are comfortable with that kind of thing or not you cannot put God in a Box. Yes we need to test all things in the light of scripture and with a prayerful attitude not just getting carried away with the moment. But to reject something just because it's “just not British” or that it is not your style of churchmanship or because you don’t feel comfortable with it is not the way to go about discerning whether it is a work of God. Because if it is rejecting it means you could be working against God which is never a good thing to do because you always lose. When people react like that I think it may be because God is challenging them about something and they are just putting up a smoke screen to hide behind. But that is what happens when God moves powerfully in our lives. He challenges us and more often than not he takes us out of our comfort zones.

Well I am in the holiday frame of mind at the moment so I think I will rap it up for this addition of Whitham’s World and go and start to help Lianne get ready for our holiday in France, only a few more days before we go! So, until the next exciting and enthralling edition of Whitham’s world in which I will finish looking at Revival, it is au revoir from me,

God bless, Ian.

SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER

READINGS

A Prayer for September

Father we thank you that within the family of the church we find friendship. We are grateful for the support and kindness of Christian friends around us. This is part of the joy of belonging to the Church family. The comfort, peace and love of Christian friendship gives us strength. As we find these joys in our own lives may we also give them. Help us to love and serve each other so that our thankfulness is expressed as deed as well as word. 

In Jesus name, Amen

Prayer Meetings

Please note that there will be no more Tuesday morning prayer meetings. There are however Tuesday evening prayer meetings held on a fortnightly basis. If you would like more information please see Ruth Sharman or Jocelyn Fuller.

Diary Dates

 Operation Christmas Child

It's that time of year again when our thoughts turn to Christmas. Once again I am planning to organise a collection of shoe boxes from All Saints and will take them to Esher during the first week of November. If you do not have a spare shoebox do not worry. Some beautifully wrapped shoe boxes will appear at the back of the Church that you can use to put your gifts in.

There are some leaflets at the back of the church with more information about the appeal and also a list of things that can and can't go in the shoe boxes.

Thank you, Karen Clark-Jones 

PAD – Prayer at Danetree

Once a month a group of mums from various churches who have children at Danetree School meet at the Evangelical Church to pray for the school, teachers and pupils. If you have a child at Danetree and are available from  8.50am to 9.30am on Wednesday mornings then you are welcome to join them. The dates for this term are:

10th September

22nd October

19th November

If you are unable to go along but would like to be kept informed of what is being prayed for so that you can join in during your private prayers then please let Karen Clark-Jones know and she will arrange for your email address to be added to the distribution list.

A PASSIONATE APPEAL

The time has come to round up everyone who is willing to be involved in the Passion Play next Easter. We will need most people in the church to help in one way or another, so please decide whether you would like to be on the stage, part of a support team or selling ice creams! It’s going to be such fun, and a great opportunity to spread the message of Easter for miles around West Ewell.

On Sundays September 14th and 21st at 4.30pm in the main hall there will be meetings for anyone interested in performing. If you can’t make either meeting, please phone Fiona Senneck before the 21st. Parts include Jesus, sixteen male disciples, seven women, Pilate and a crowd-stirrer. There are also some very small parts and some walk-ons, so if at all possible come and volunteer! There are no parts for children – they get their chance at Christmas – but Pathfinders and younger teens can audition as Roman soldiers or servant girls, and older teens can audition for main parts. We really need everybody. There will be music (it wouldn’t be an All Saints production without a live band), but only about half the people have to sing (and most of those in chorus), and musical director Sarah Coulam will be teaching you the songs.

On Sunday September 28th at 4.30pm in the main hall (or Webber hall if Quench is in preparation) there will be a meeting for all those who can do woodwork, costumes, make-up, sound, lights, furniture-moving, painting, set-building, props, advertising, ticket-selling and anything else I haven’t thought of. Particularly with the technical stuff it’s important that you come and meet each other. We want to see both some of the “old hands” and some of the new people who have joined since the last panto. If you can’t make the meeting but can do something, please phone Fiona Senneck as soon as you can. There are some very talented people out there and if I’m not told I’m likely to overlook someone by mistake. 

If you really can’t do any of the above, please sit at home and pray for this project. Your contribution will be just as vital.

My phone number is on the church list or you can email me at fiona.senneck@ntlworld.com.

SUNDAY EVENINGS IN WEST EWELL

All Saints – Generation – West Ewell Evangelical

Join us on a Sunday evening this autumn for worship, prayer and bible discussion

Every month starting September

Week 1:  Praise and Prayer at All Saints at 6.30pm

(starting 7th September)

Week 2:  Hungry (informal worship & prayer) led by Generation at WEEC at 8pm

(starting 14th September)

Week 3:  Holy Communion plus the Word at All Saints at 6.30pm (For September only it will be Evening Praise)

(starting 21st September)

Week 4:  Prayer and a cuppa at WEEC at 6.30pm (starting 28th September)

Christmas Market

Summer holidays have come and gone and hopefully everyone is feeling invigorated, enthusiastic and looking forward to the All Saints Christmas Market on Saturday 29th November!  The Mayor of Epsom and Ewell will be opening the market and Father Christmas will be in attendance all day.

So, what can you do – either as an individual or a group? 

And everyone can:-

¨       Provide items for the stalls

¨       Put up posters.

¨       Deliver leaflets.

¨       Come on the day and bring their family, friends and neighbours.

¨       Pray for a successful event that brings together people at All Saints and  from our community.

After the market there will be a Fellowship Fish and Chip Supper in the Webber Hall for anyone who wishes to attend.

Please look at the notice board for more information and for you to indicate what you can do to ensure a successful event.

Gill, Pat, Carol-Anne and Crystele

Loitering within tent? – I should be so lucky!  

My gazebo, last used at Music on the Meadow, is missing 4 poles which means that at present it can only be of use to my grandchildren!

Can you please check that my poles have not been packed away amongst the other gazebos that were used on the day or that other uses have been found for them!

With thanks. Clive S

The Bike Ride - September 13th

Once again it is time for the annual 'Bike Ride' to raise money for church restoration and repair. The idea is that cyclists (and walkers) are given a list of participating churches in their area. They map out their own route to visit churches by bike or on foot, and then get friends to sponsor them for a fixed amount per church visited.

The money that is collected is divided into two. Half the money goes to our church and the other half is retained by the Surrey Churches Preservation Trust for distribution to churches in need (that apply for a grant). In the ten years that the Bike Ride has been running in Surrey they have raised over £200,000.

The Bike Ride is a fun way to spend time on a pleasant afternoon in September while at the same time supporting a worthy cause. If you are interested in joining the bike ride this year please see Dave Don.

If you would prefer not to take bike or hike then please consider sponsoring the ones who are. The sponsorship form is on the notice board.

CTE

On Wednesday 24th September at 8pm there will be a CTE Celebration event at Stoneleigh Methodist – celebrating unity, prayer and action as a united Church in this area and, most of all, celebrating Jesus!

This will be a worship event with a multi-church worship band led by Pat Ryan. It will also be the annual general meeting of Churches Together in Ewell and we will therefore be having presentations on events in the past year, especially Hope 08. We will also be looking ahead and praying for bigger and better things in 2009!

Stoneleigh Methodist church is in Stoneleigh Crescent.  Website: www.stoneleighmethodist.org.uk.

Hope to see you there,

Paul Simpson on behalf of the CTE prayer and worship group

Mothers Union

We are back after the summer break on Wednesday 10th September at 8pm in the Webber Hall.  Hillary Cotton will be the speaker and if you want to know ‘Why the church needs Women Bishops’ come along to find out.

Toiletry bags for hospital emergency admissions.

We are looking for spare airline toothbrushes and paste, new small combs, small deodorant, hand gel or individual packets of tissues for the above project.  We collect throughout the year and there will be a box under the table at the back of the church for your contributions. Thank you.          Joan Martin.

Office

The office telephone number is 020 8393 7273.

From September Ian's day off will be Tuesday.

The October newsletter will be available on the 28th September. Items for inclusion need to be with me by Sunday 21st September at the latest please.

By email on administrator@allsaintswestewell.org.uk

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August 2008

Revival?

Over the years I have read many stories about revivals. In fact I love those stories about George Whitefield and John Wesley way back in the mid eighteen hundreds. This was a time within English history when there was a great revival in our country. One of the story’s I like is the one about how John and George used to preach to the miners in the open fields at Kingswood, Bristol, as the men came out of the mines at the end of the day. They would stand there in their thousands with white streaks down their faces as they cried in repentance and gave their lives to Jesus as John or George continued to preach to them. Another story that is told is the one about when John Wesley got mugged whilst he was travelling on his horse on his way to preach at some church. The attacker pulled John off his horse, took all his money and stole the horse. As the man rode off into the distance John called out to him something like Jesus loves you or words to that effect. Well, after John had dusted himself off he began to walk down the road. After a short while he came to a bend in the road and as he went around it he found his horse standing at the side of the road tied to a tree with all his money next to his horse, but no sign of his attacker. So John continued on his journey with no more problems that day. Many years later a Minister came up to him and asked “do you remember me?” John looked at him and said “no he didn’t”. “Well I remember you” the Minister continued. “I was that man who mugged you” and he recounted the story to John. The man then went on to ask “did you ever wonder why I left your horse and money at the side of the road?” John answered “yes as a matter of fact I have often puzzled over that one.” “Well it was those words you shouted at me as I made my escape. By the time I got to the bend in the road I was so convicted of my sinfulness I could no longer continue on with your money or your horse so I just left them there, went home and repented of my sins, became a Christian and years later became a Minister myself”.

What great stories don’t you think. And there are so many more like them from that period in church history. Just recently I started to read a book called Great Revivals by Colin Whittaker. In his book Colin gives a short historical overview of some of the greatest revivals throughout the world in the past few hundred years and I have to say it’s a great read. It's full of stories just like the two I started with.

In my last Whitham’s World you may recall I asked a question, which was how can we know what is a true revival and what is not? Well the answer is not a simple one but I have noted over the years, and especially as I have been reading Colin Whittaker’s book, that in any real revival you find common traits that stand out. The first one is that within the churches who experience a revival there is always a great sense of remorse and sorrow among their members for their past apathy and lack of commitment, which then leads to those churches repenting and turning back to God big time. Another common thing about revival is there is real awareness among those who are not Christians, those outside of the church, of their sinfulness and unworthiness before God. This is then followed by great numbers of people coming to church, repenting in tears and giving their hearts to Jesus, just like in those two stories I started with. It seems that in a revival Christians first, then non-believers, become very aware of their sinful hearts and how this hurts and offends God. It seems that in a real revival Gods presence is very acute, but instead of people being really happy they feel very unworthy. Which in turn leads to true repentance and a real desire to serve God with all their hearts. What is more the preachers and ministers make it very clear that if you are to get right with God you have to repent of your sins first. Well in the next addition of Whitham’s World we will continue to look at this interesting and exciting subject of revival.

I would also like to thank you all for all your help and hard work over the first half of the year. In fact the last few months have been very busy for many of you so thank you. Finally, have a great summer break and I pray that the weather will be good to you all, especially those of you who may be camping,

God bless, Ian

READINGS

August 3rd Trinity 11	Gen 32 v 22-32 Matthew 14 v 13-21
August 10th Trinity 12	1 Kings 19 v 9-18 Matthew 14 v 22-33
August 17th Trinity 13	Genesis 45 v 1-15 Matthew 15 v 21-28
August 24th Trinity 14	Exodus 1v8 - 2v10 Matthew 16 v 13-20
August 31st Trinity 15	Exodus 3 v 1-15 Matthew 3 v 21-end
Sept 7th Trinity 16	Worship for All with The Covenant Players

A Prayer for August

Father,

We pray for ourselves and for our families during this holiday month.

For those who are going on holiday, help them to feel refreshed and renewed after time spent relaxing.

For those travelling, please keep them safe as they journey around your world.

For those awaiting exam results, please help them to keep calm and not worry.

For those who will be starting new schools in September, help them to look forward to this new period in their lives and be excited not anxious.

And we pray that we will all have time to stop and listen to you. Amen.

TEARCRAFT

We recently received an appeal for help for the victims of the Burma (Myanmar) Cyclone from Tearfund.  So after looking at our account and deciding how much we need to retain to buy new stock we were able to send a donation of £100 on behalf of All Saints Church.

In Tearfund’s letter of thanks we are assured that our money will reach the people for whom it is intended.  There are 4000 churches linked to Myanmar’s Tearfund Christian Partners and members of these churches are distributing food, water, shelters and so on to about 15,000 people.  There are also plans for long-term recovery work.

It is good to know that by buying and selling Tearcraft goods in West Ewell we are able to help, in at least a small way, these people who have suffered so much.

It’s an interesting chain when you think about it.  An impoverished craftsman somewhere starts to earn a decent wage by selling his goods to Tearcraft.  We buy those goods and sell them to someone in the West Ewell area.  Our small surplus on the sale helps build up our capital so we can send a donation back to Tearfund to help cyclone victims in Myanmar.

I don’t suppose the Peruvian silversmith who made the necklace I so like wearing knows he has helped a cyclone victim on the other side of the world but in a way he did.

Seems like a good scheme doesn’t it?

Heather and Margaret.

PS The new catalogues will be available in the Autumn!

Gardening

Don't forget to come and help with the gardening on  Saturday 6th September from 9.30am until 12ish.