Carols by Candlelight 2013

St George’s Choir led Carols by Candlelight with arrangements of traditional carols.

Contemporary Carols 2013

Songs from the charts help us to explore some of life’s big questions…

The song ‘Feeling Good’ revealed some of the ‘beauty’ of the world we live in.

Jon Swales inspired us through a series of short talks.

‘Pompeii’ spoke of the ‘brokenness’ in this world.

‘Roar’ showed us that we can overcome what the world throws at us and that there is hope.

Rounding up with ‘I won’t give up’ that reminded us of the ‘choice’ we make to find hope.

“The King and His Kingdom”

Happy Christmas

As I write this the Christmas tree is being put up in church and the band are practicing for Contemporary carols. Every year we want to make the most of celebrating the birth of Jesus, the chance for us to reflect again on the wonder of God’s gift to us, and a chance to invite many to come and hear the Good News.

Jesus came to make it possible for us to have a relationship with God. Through this we seek to grow in our ability to form good relationships with those around us too. Every one of us faces the challenge of forming, maintaining and deepening relationships as well as coping with the challenges and difficulties that these often bring.

On two Saturday mornings in the New Year, alongside the Academy of Life and Faith Track, we are going to be spending time looking at how we grow in our relationships; whether these are with work colleagues, a spouse, family, or within a small group. How do we get better at listening, at forgiving, at encouraging and challenging?

Christmas can be the toughest time for some as relationships are put under strain or we mourn those we are no longer with us.

Our prayer is that many will discover the comfort and challenge that knowing Jesus brings, the purpose and meaning he brings to life, and the courage to share more of that life with others.

Happy Christmas.

Joanna

Dec/13: Thank you

Answers to prayer:

Being Part of God’s Family
The joy of sharing in life’s celebrations as well as sadness has been very real in the last 2 months.

Thanksgiving Service and Living with Loss
Both of these events were well supported and appreciated.

The Alpha Course
It has been an outstanding course, with a great sense of community.

Contemporary Carols
For all those who helped make it a success, musicians, technicians, welcomers and hosts; and give thanks to God for drawing in over 1200 people to hear the message of Christmas.

 

Dec/13: Pray for

Point to pray for this month…

Christmas Services, that everyone who comes to Church in December will receive a warm welcome and meet with Jesus. For all those who find Christmas to be a lonely time, pray for lots of generous hospitality.

Those who recently completed Alpha, that they will find the right ongoing support in a Small Group or Network.

Those detoxing and coming out of a lifestyle of addiction, especially those being supported by StG’s to go to Betel.

Light House Network; Pray for wisdom and God’s leading as we seek to set up a Network for people coming out of addiction, prison, those in the Crypt family, people experiencing homelessness, etc. Pray that God will show us how to create the right patterns of support, and to do ‘church’ in a way that draws people in, and is sustainable. Pray for Jon Swales and Hannah Robb as they lead on this.

Dec/13: Mission Partners

Charles and Jocelyne Montagu
Arab World Ministries

Charles’ work around use of internet and mobile phone  technologies to communicate with, encourage and teach Arab seekers and new Christians. Currently, as well as the ongoing work of answering questions through email, he is developing an online Bible study. Please pray for all those who are engaging with the Bible study material, and that Charles will  make good progress with it’s development which has been slower than planned.

Charles reminds us to pray for Christians in Egypt who he says, “have set a wonderful example by not retaliating to the destruction of churches and Christian property following the army’s removal of  President Morsi”.

We thank God that he has enabled them to exercise restraint. Charles also asks us to pray for Slimane in Egypt and Mehdi (from Morocco) in Brazil. Please pray that they will not waver in their faith and that they become part of Christian communities who can encourage them. We sometimes forget the sacrifice made by our mission partners and the effect it can have on their families.

So we give thanks with Charles that Edward, Emily and Robert are doing well at their studies (Edward and Emily in university, Robert in year 11 at school) and in their churches. Please pray that God will continue to bless them and for Jocelyne who works in AWM reception.

Overseas Mission Committee

We are a small team in St George’s and this is the time of year when we make decisions on what grants to give to our long term mission partners. Please pray for us that we use the money entrusted to us wisely, and for all our mission partners that God will provide the financial resources needed for the coming year.

This is an exciting time for us; we are in the process of adopting two new families as mission partners. We will share full details in the New Year, in the meantime please pray that we, the new families and their mission agencies will all work together well as we draw up agreements and the details of how we can best support them.

Find out more about Mission Partners at St George’s here.

“He has brought us together to make things happen!”

Small Group Leaders, Ian (middle) and Caroline (right)

Sarah Johnson (left), Network Leader, shares the journey of the Network since starting in September.

Tell us about God in the City… As a city centre church, the vision I had for God in the City, whose small groups meet in the city centre, was to reach out to the area around us and to develop relationships so that we feel like a family.

We started with one small group, then got a request from another to join us! The two small groups are very different  but it’s good to have a focus beyond our own to help us break out of our comfort zone and welcome new people in.

Since September we have had our Network Launch, where we worshipped God together, I shared the Network vision, and people shared ideas of how we could achieve it. We’ve also had a film night, fireworks trip, an outreach event and are now looking forward to our Christmas Party!

How do you share life and love Leeds? We share life by developing relationships with God and each other. In our small groups we develop our knowledge of the bible and support one another through prayer. We spend time on Network Sundays listening to God to find out how He would like to use us in the City.

We Love Leeds in practical ways such as inviting friends to events to experience a loving Christian community and find out more about God. Recently we went out and gave mince pies and invitations to the Christmas services to people we met outside of Leeds City Museum. We have lots more planned; supporting bridge café, helping with food banks and supporting charities through prayer and fundraising.

“God has placed really gifted people in our Network and he has brought us together to make things happen!”

How has God worked through people in the Network this term? God has placed really gifted people in our Network and he has brought us together to make things happen!

On Network Sunday one member led worship for the first time with two singers, one with little experience of leading worship. Also, some people who are gifted with abilities to lead Bible studies have agreed to help lead sessions in a different small group from their own to bless the other group. I am looking forward to seeing more people use their gifts in our Network and find their place to serve within Church and develop community.

Where has God answered prayers? In the very creation of the network! When our previous network disbanded, God stepped in, gave a vision and sent the right people to get behind it.

What do you hope for the new year for God in the City? I hope that in 2014 we have a growth of new members, so many that we need another small group! For us to be such a welcoming community that people can’t help but want to join and be a part of what we are doing. For all of our existing members to catch the vision of what’s going on and to find their place within the network. Please pray for us!

Find out more about Networks at St George’s and how to join one here.

 

Home and Away: God is at work!

Home & Away began in September who reach out to students at the weekly English Classes, and to asylum seekers. Network Leaders, Chris and Rachel share part of the journey with us.

How do you share life and love Leeds? We share life by eating food together before every class, cooked by an Iranian family. We share life by building community, teaching people English and learning about different cultures; meeting up once a term to play sports, go for walks, have tea. We pastorally support students who are struggling in college or finding work, signposting where we can to agencies and others who can help. We share life through evangelism; most students and some teachers aren’t Christian. Last year we hosted a table at the Alpha course with a good turnout from students. We will be having a Christmas party with a talk from Joanna that explains what Christmas means to Christians.

What has been challenging? It’s been exciting to see more and more students each week; now around 40.  But this is also a challenge.

How has God worked through people in the Network? Two students attended the recent Alpha course, one student joined a small group – this is God at work. There’s also a good sense of community between new and returning
students and teachers. God has answered prayers for student numbers to
increase and for new volunteers, especially for teaching the upper levels.

What do you hope for the new year? We hope for a good response to Joanna’s talk at the Christmas party and for people to become more interested in Christianity. Please pray for new volunteers in the New Year, for teaching and for washing up!

Find out more about Networks at St George’s and how to join one here.

Meet the Interns: Ben

Ben Lees: Worship and Youth Intern

Tell us a bit about yourself… I’m 22 years old and I was born and raised in Nottingham. I’ve spent the past year living in London and working for a church called Holy Trinity Church, Clapham whilst also training with Worship Central to be a worship pastor.

How do you know Jesus? I grew up going to church every week with my family and gained foundations for my faith there, but as a 12 year old in a church with no other children my own age, I found it quite boring. I stopped attending church for two years until a friend invited me along to his church’s Friday night youth group and I loved it. After 2 years of going to this youth group, we were in Blackpool running the youth work for the Easter People conference, a guest speaker had come in to minister to us. After he had spoken, he put some music on and told us to just read the words on the screen and not to sing. During this time God revealed himself to me in ways I couldn’t explain and I
just knew that this was the truth. Ever since then I’ve been walking with Jesus,
trying to keep him centered in everything I do and allowing myself to be lead wherever the spirit leads.

What is your role at StG’s? My role at St George’s is the Worship and Youth intern. This involves leading worship at various services, doing admin work for the worship team, running a cell group in the Roots youth group on Sunday mornings and also overseeing the Roots youth worship band.

Where have you seen God working? Since starting here in September, it’s been great getting to know the youth worship band members, trying to grow them and bringing out their different gifts and skills. God’s really been working through them and its been a privilege to be a part of. I think it makes a big difference to the other members of the youth group as well, having their friends and people they know leading the worship. It seems to enable them to engage more with God during those times as they feel more comfortable and grows a worship culture within them.

“It’s hard work sometimes when you can’t see the next few steps in front of you, but I just hold on to the fact that he goes before me and prepares the way.”

God’s been doing some amazing things in my life recently. I’ve just been learning all about stepping out with him and learning to trust in him. It’s hard work sometimes when you can’t see the next few steps in front of you, but I just hold on to the fact that he goes before me and prepares the way. I love seeing the least likely person to be doing a certain task flourishing in that and overcoming the challenge. I’ve been seeing a lot of it recently in some close friends and it’s been amazing to see God at work in their lives. They’re doing things that they never thought they could do, like leading bible studies and preaching.

What are your hopes for this year? During my time as an intern, I’d love to be able to grow my pastoral skills, to listen and know when to be quiet and when to speak. I also want to grow in confidence in the calling that God has placed on my life. I’d like to come out of the internship strong, walking tall with God in the authority that he has given me, constantly looking to him and trusting fully wherever He takes me.

How can StG’s pray for you? It would be great if you could pray for the Roots youth worship band and my involvement in that. I’d love for God to reveal to me some talents and abilities in members of the youth group that I can find and start to grow and encourage them in.

Find out more about the Internship at St George’s on our website.

Sharing the unchanging Gospel!

Chris Sayburn: Worship Pastor

“Contemporary Carols is about sharing the unchanging Gospel of Jesus in a fresh and creative way.”

“The Gospel was shared with over 1293 people, and the name of Jesus was honoured and worshipped. It was the church family that owned the event, brought friends and served at it. What a great start to the exciting and diverse Christmas services we have still to come!”

“Part of my role was to help project manage the event, but I couldn’t have done this without my team, Dan and Ben, as they headed up the band practices and band arrangements.”

“I am thankful for the amazing gifts and resources God has given us as a church. What a privilege that we get to serve like this! Thank you to: the planning team, Jon Swales who communicated the message through his series of inspiring talks, the band and tech team who have put so much time and effort into making the event so special, and a big thank you to the welcome and refreshments teams who did a brilliant job! We couldn’t have put this event on without the help and support of everyone at St George’s; thank you to everyone who came with friends, family and colleagues. I pray that many thought provoking conservations will happen as a result.”

“We have seen people come to faith through these events we have seen people’s confidence grow in Jesus and the Church. We see the church packed out with family and guests and the services act as a springboard for other events like Alpha and Big Questions. We long to see fruit from Contemporary Carols; and we do each year! a big thank you to the welcome and refreshments teams who did a brilliant job. We couldn’t have put this event on without the help and support of everyone at St George’s; thank you to everyone who came with friends, family and colleagues. I pray that many thought provoking conservations will happen as a result.”

See more of Contemporary Carols here.
Find out about more Christmas Events at StG’s this December here.