Holiday Club Day 2

The second day of our Holiday Club was even better than the first!

We had a few more children and a few extra leaders.

Today we looked at the story of Joseph as he lands up in the House of Potiphar where he progresses and does well because God has been his HELPER.

The children also memorised Rom 3:23 as part of the "Roman Road" and learned about Prayers of Confession as part of our "ACTS" prayer acronym.
Adoration
Confession
Thanks
Someone else and Self.

The Drama was very exciting as we had the unexpected appearance of a Mummy and a Marie the Baker. Dr Potty and Denise (Da Niece) thought they had found the next clue in the search for the "Onion Shaped Relic," but alas, they are not...

The groups participated in an enjoyable treasure hunt and then did a craft where they created Joseph Coat Stained Glass windows. Then they dressed one of the children in their group as a Mummy - huge fun.

All too soon the day was over and folk had to head home...
 The pictures tell it all and you can see them by clicking HERE.
 

 

 

Holiday Club - Day 1

The pyramid rock holiday club started today with great expectations!

Brenda and the Leaders have worked hard to prepare. Decor has been painted, crafts have been prepared, dramas have been practiced, music selected and leaders have met and been trained.

Our helpers have been brilliant. People helping with registration, people helping with tea and with all the organisation.

After all the preparations, the children started arriving and the cold was pretty quickly driven back with lots of activities warming their limbs and hearts.

The theme of the holiday club is "Pyramid Rock" - it is all about the Story of Joseph and about how God provides. Today the children learned about Joseph's family and how, even though they made all sorts of mistakes, God had a plan.

The day was made up of soccer, sixteen square (hand tennis), caravan dances, drama, fun-praise and worship, relay races, a group time of devotions and learning how to make patterns with loops of string.



All too soon the day was over and we're looking forward to seeing everyone again tomorrow....


There are  more photos on our facebook page:
Click here

 

 

 

 

A call to prayer

"Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear.
"All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

Dear Emmanuel and Grace Friends
In all sorts of ways there has been a growing sense that God is drawing us towards prayer.
And so it is out a sense of urgently wanting to include all of you in this "pull toward prayer" that I am writing to you.

Prayer is a paradox - it's simple and mysterious at the same time.
It's easy and difficult, comes naturally at times and by conscious determined choice at others.
But it is the oxygen of our spiritual lives and we gain serenity, hope and perspective when we pray.

I'll be talking about prayer in the Emmanuel service on Sunday, but there are also exciting opportunities for you to be involved in prayers in the life of the congregation. Please have a look at the list below and consider being part of these prayer activities. Please don't switch off at this point and say that this is not for you, stop and consider, maybe God can use your willingness to pray for others to "prime your pump" and help you in your personal prayer life. So take the challenge and sign up...

1. We have two Prayer Meetings where people take time to pray for the services, the congregation, the neighbourhood and our country.
- On Thursday mornings at 8h45 (just before the Bible Study) for 15 minutes
- On Sunday mornings in the loft (our classroom above the foyer) from 7h45-8h15.

We are having our first Sunday morning prayer meeting this week and are very excited about it.
You can learn all about praying in groups from the document that can be downloaded from:
http://upcsa-cdp.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PrayingInGroupsGuideline.pdf

2. We also have a Prayer Letter which circulates roughly every two weeks and provides those who receive it with a group of specific requests to pray for on a daily basis until the next letter circulates and the requests are updated and rotated. This list is on our website and is password protected for privacy. If you'd like to be part of this, please email me.

3. Do you think you can pray "Arrow Prayers?" We have an SMS Crisis Prayer List. When there are crisis situations  we send out an SMS through our bulk sms system to folk on this list who are good at stopping from time to time through the day to pray (send up an "arrow prayer") for a specific need in those intense moments when prayers are needed. Please email me with your preferred cell# if you'd like to be on this list.

I hope you will take some time to think about prayer - it is our way to draw closer to Christ and What a Friend we have in Him!

With much love,
Your sometimes-prayerless-but-still-learning-to-pray-pastor,
Theo.

MUG watches Mark Gungor

Our Mug Teens watched Mark Gungor's "Dating and Relating Series" on Friday evening. We had nearly 20 teens there and they enjoyed Mark's humour and his hard-hitting straight truths.

Here's a summary of Mark's talk.

Mark Gungor's Tips for Dating:
 
1 Date a Christian. (Missionary dating doesn't work)
2 Watch how do they REact - it is a good indicator of what they are like.
3 Look at their past and their family - it's all fair game
4 Use a veto system - Trust the opinion of parents and mentors
5 Don't be fooled by them giving their hearts to Jesus - change is slow.
6 If you hit a showstopper, move on.
7 Don't let your feelings run the show
8 Don't get physical: We get stupid when we get too physical
9 Girls, learn the power of "No" - Value yourself

Marriage was not designed to make you happy.
If you are an empty soul don't get married!
Smilers example... Those with the broadest smiles in their yearbook photos had the best marriages. Don't be needy!

Marriage is not about you. But God wants to get rid of your selfishness. Marriages squeezes the selfishness out of us. Marriages fail because of selfishness.

Big problem is extended adolescence that society has created. Bizarrely there 18 year olds serving in Iraq making the biggest sacrifices out.

Interesting Stats:
Women who have had only 1 sex partner before marriage have 20 percent divorce rates.
Women who have had 2 sex partners before marriage have 50 percent divorce rates.
Women who have had 3 sex partners before marriage have 70 percent divorce rates.

We have three more sessions to go, but this has been a very rewarding journey so far!

Theo's Easter Letter

Dear Emmanuel Family
 

During my long leave reflections I came across this rather riveting, if somewhat in-your-face quote by Matt Chandler:
"We must emphasise the blood-splattered, screaming agony, wrath-absorbing cross of Christ!"
Easter really is the most important time of the year.
It speaks of God's amazing love, new beginnings and hope in the midst of pain.


We have a number of wonderful opportunities for you to reflect on and celebrate the incredible message of Easter.
As usual, I offer you a CHALLENGE:
Come to as many of the services as you can! Use the services as a way of soaking your heart in the incredible reality of God's amazing love for us!
People who have done this in the past have testified that it has been life-changing for them.

THURSDAY

• 19:00-20:00. TENEBRAE SERVICE.
  This is our very beautiful Foot-washing, Dramatised Reading and Communion service

GOOD FRIDAY

• 08h30 GOOD FRIDAY WORSHIP
  Combined Emmanuel & Grace Service. We have an incredible multi-media presentation that I believe will touch our hearts
  
  
• 17h30 STATIONS OF THE CROSS:
  We have 12 stations around the church that reflect on Jesus' sacrifice for us. You need 30-45 minutes to move slowly through the stations and reflect on what God has done for us.
  
  
• MUSICAL APPRECIATION OF EASTER:
  19h15 for 19h30 - A collection of modern gospel music with an Easter Theme. We'll start with tea/coffee, marshmallows & rusks. Bring a comfy chair or a pillow.
  

RESURRECTION SUNDAY

• 06h00 SONRISE SERVICE
  In the Emmanuel Gardens. Dress warmly and bring your hot-cross buns. We'll supply the tea and coffee.
  
  
• 08h30 and 10h30 EMMANUEL AND GRACE COMMUNION SERVICES
  We'll be singing some of the great Resurrection hymns!
  
  
• 18h30 EVENING SERVICE
  This will conclude our Easter Services and there will be an opportunity to reflect on what Easter has meant to you.

I hope with all of my heart that you will join us over this Easter.
For those who are away, travel safely and rest well!

With much love,
Theo

Ash Wednesday

This has become a special service in the life of the congregation.
We had a wonderful turnout, and 

We sang some of our favourite and appropriate hymns and songs:

1. As sure as gold (Revival)
2. Hallelujah sing to the Lord songs of Praise
3. Draw me close to You
4. Dear Lord and Father
5. When I survey

 The message came from Psalm 51 and Romans 8 as Theo looked at the "Ash and Oil" of Ash Wednesday in these texts.

Thereafter folk came forward to be marked with the sign of the cross as a reminder of our ongoing need and the incredible love of God.

It was a powerful moment.

 

Shrove Tuesday

In spite of very bad weather and power-cuts, we had an excellent turnout for Shrove Tuesday. We had to start off with gas-lamps and candles, and a number of people expressed sadness that we would not be able to watch the video that Theo had advertised...

We decided to push ahead anyway and so, after Theo welcomed everyone and as we sang Grace, the power came on! We shared lovely finger food together and everyone agreed that it was a great feast.

Then Theo explained the background to the song and video he was going to play for our devotions. The song, by Matt Maher, doubles up as a reflection on Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness and the idea that a "Lenten Fast" can be a life changing thing.

Here are the lyrics of the song:

FORTY DAYS - (Matt Maher)

Forty days to wander
Forty days to die to self
Forty days to grow stronger
As faith breaks open the gates of hell
The jubilee is over
But grace is far from gone
In the hearts of the faithful
Broken on the wheels of love

'Cause in the desert of temptation
Lies the storm of true conversion
Where springs of living water drown and refresh you
And as the Jordan pours out change
Your true self is all that remains
Where springs of living water bind and break you
Bind and break you

Forty days to remember
The Paschal Sacrifice
Forty days to discover
His passion calls us to new life
The jubilee is over
But mercy's far from gone
In the arms of the Father
As the wayward child comes home

'Cause in the desert of temptation
Lies the storm of true conversion
Where springs of living water drown and refresh you
And as the Jordan pours out change
Your true self is all that remains
Where springs of living water bind and break you
Bind and break you

Bind and break you
Bind and break you

After letting everyone read the Lyrics of the song, Theo showed the video that can be found here.   People found the video striking and inspiring...

 It was a good way to prepare for the start of Lent.

Pretoria West Outreach

Each year we collect stationery and financial donations for needy school children in Danville, Akasia, Atteridgeville and Lotus Gardens. We do this through Rex and Cora le Roux who have been working in these neighbourhoods for decades. (Rex used to be a Member of Parliament for this area)



There was a great response for stationery and Rex was able to deliver assistance to three of the schools in the area. He thanked the congregation for their generosity and reminded the congregation of the tough circumstances experienced in these schools and asked for our ongoing prayers for the work being done by dedicated staff members in these schools.

New Year's Dedication

In what we hope will become a new Emmanuel and Grace tradition we had a communion service on the evening of the first day of the New Year (which this year happened to be on a Sunday.) Craig, Susan and Theo put together a very special service of music, visuals and tangible reminders of the all important truths we should be holding on to in the new year.

As members walked into the service they were handed a smiley stress-ball while a slideshow running in the background reminded us that although times could be tough, God is a Rock and Refuge in our trouble. Then the service began and we sang great hymns of faith and hope.

The Scripture reading from Matthew 6:24-34 was done by Susan and Craig preached. He reminded us that we worry about the things that we are devoted to and Scripture calls us not to worry, but to seek God first. He reminded us that when we put our balls of worry into a worry box, they just multiply, and that we should rather Seek God First. Then he challenged us to light candles of hope and asked everyone to look under their seats where they found a box of matches reminding us that we are worth more than the birds and that God cares for us.

Then the congregation were invited to come forward and light candles of hope in the form of a cross while we listened to an amazing song by Kathy Troccoli "Go light your world." Then we came to the communion table to be reminded of just how much God cares for us.

All too soon the service came to an end and we were commissioned to go out into the world to light candles of hope wherever we went.

A huge big thanks to Craig, Susan and Theo and everyone else who made the service possible.

All the glory to God in 2012!