Dear friends,
I hope you have had a good week.
Having been rather unwell last weekend I’m pleased to say I have now fully recovered so thank you all so much for your prayers and messages, much appreciated.
This week I spent some time with folks who are training to be vicars at Ripon College, Cuddesdon (many of whom are EVEN younger than me!). It was inspiring to hear some of their stories of how God has moved in their lives, how he has met with them, healed them, transformed them and equipped them to take the step forward to give their lives in service to him. The people training had come from such wide variety of backgrounds; teachers, sales, military, engineering, NHS and so on, yet they shared a love and devotion to the Lord which surpassed their differences and backgrounds and enabled them to become a community together.
It was a lovely reminder of what happens at church week in and week out; We all come together, from different backgrounds, jobs, family makeup, history and celebrate our shared faith in Jesus however we are feeling or whatever we’re facing and we’re called brothers and sisters together. When God’s people gather together, ‘God inhabits the praises of his people’ (Psalm 22:3). God has certainly been with us in our recent services, moving people amongst us to be baptised, or healed or helping them to overcome something. If you’re seeking a loving and friendly supportive community of faith then let me invite you to explore our churches here in Basildon, Aldworth and Ashampstead. Come and see what God is doing right here.
Hope to see you very soon.
Love and blessings,
Grant
The Benefice Weekly Newsletter
Coming up!
Services this Sunday
Future Dates & Events
Next week’s services
Prayer Points
Please do continue to pray for Ukraine.
We are expecting to welcome a Ukrainian family to Basildon Primary School this coming week. The church is working with the school to see how we can help resource materials needed to aid smooth transition for the children. Please do pray for the two children to settle and for the right support to be put in place.
Please pray for the NHS continuing to serve the nation with tiredness and fatigue featuring heavily.
Please pray for HRH Queen Elizabeth II and the Jubilee celebrations this year.
Please continue to pray for those we know and love who are at this time unwell or recovering from illnesses.
Please pray for those within our parishes who have lost loved ones recently.
