Sunday 5th May

I was due at a Governors’ Meeting on Monday evening but due to pressure of work I had to give my apologies to the Meeting and to the Bible Study at Church, however, I was able to get on with the work so I felt that my time had been well spent.  I was at the local primary school on Tuesday afternoon to lead and assembly, the song chosen by the teacher to start fitted perfectly with the story that I had taken.  At the Junior Youth Club in the evening several of the children commented on how much they had enjoyed the assembly giving me the opportunity to talk more to them about the message of the story.

I was back at the primary school on Wednesday afternoon for a Governors’ Meeting where it was good to hear the Head Teacher refer to the assemblies and the partnership working between the school and the church. It was then home for a quick tea before I went down to church for the joint prayer meeting.  It was a blessing to share in prayer with the members of the other churches was we remembered the local council elections which were to take place the next day.

Thursday lunch time I conducted a funeral at Sunderland Crematorium, seeking to offer the family of the lady comfort as I tried to pay full tribute to her.  Once again it was a privilege to have the opportunity to share with a family at such an important point in their lives.  In the evening I was at our Community Choir where we were particularly thin on the ground but still managed to have a good sing and began to learn a new piece.

At work on Friday afternoon I had an appointment with a potential new client, as we talked he mentioned that he had been to a baptismal service  that I had taken at our home church and had commented to his wife that although he wasn’t a churchgoer he could imagine going to a church like that.  I told him he’d be welcome to come along any time that he wanted but he then began quizzing me about what he should wear, whether he had to sing loud etc., etc.

In the evening my wife, Anita, and I went to the Bible Comes Alive Planning and Prayer Meeting where final preparations were made for the first series of presentations to the schools.  It was a blessing to share in the prayer time, there is such encouragement as we pray together.

On Saturday Anita and I managed to get out for a few hours on our own, Anita needed a handbag for a special occasion so we spent four hours looking in every shop in the Metro Centre that sold handbags until we came back to the first shop we had visited and there got one.

Holidays, illness and other attractions kept many people away from our home church on Sunday morning so that we only had a small congregation but we still had a time of blessing together and I was encouraged to see the prospective client from Friday turn up.  He said that he had enjoyed the service and that he would be coming back.  In the afternoon Anita and I went to visit one of our Church Members who is currently in a hospice, she was pleased to see us and we enjoyed spending time together.

If you would like to get in touch for whatever reason you can contact me by e-mail at president@imcgb.org.uk or by writing to me at my home address. 

Diary Dates for the Coming Fortnight

Monday 6th May
7.00pm Bible Study at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Tuesday 7th May
6.00-7.00pm Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.
7.00-8.30pm Senior Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Wednesday 8th May
6.30pm Prayer meeting at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.
7.30pm Seaham Churches Together at Christ Church, Seaham.

Thursday 9th May
5.45pm Seaham Community Choir at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Friday 10th May
Attend the Congregational Federation Annual Assembly in Tunbridge Wells.

Saturday 11th May
Attend the Congregational Federation Annual Assembly in Tunbridge Wells.

Sunday 12th May
Attend the Congregational Federation Annual Assembly in Tunbridge Wells.

Monday 13th May
11.30am Free Churches Group Directors’ meeting at 27 Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, London.

Tuesday 14th May
6.00-7.00pm Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.
7.00-8.30pm Senior Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Wednesday 15th May
7.00pm Pentecost Praise at Seaham Salvation Army.

Thursday 16th May
5.45pm Seaham Community Choir at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Saturday 18th May
11.00am Connexional Committee Meeting Bible Comes Alive at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.

Sunday 19th May
10.30am Preach at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, North East Circuit.