Philip Pye: Ilkeston – Prayer Works 2 – 15th January 2012

Phil Pye: Ilkeston – Culture Carriers- Generosity – 27th November 2011

Weekly News By Kristian Thorpe

Hi Gang I hope you are enjoying a great week.
Ephesians 2 v 12 says at one time “we were without hope and without God in the world”;  this is a frightening verse. To be without HOPE and without God this is how we all once were until we met Jesus. To live Godless and Hopeless, yet there are hundreds of people in our worlds who this verse is true for. Our opportunity is to introduce them to the father Of GOD and the giver Of HOPE: Jesus. Lets grasp the privilege, challenge and opportunity. Lets be inviters and bringers. Lets share our faith, shine Jesus and if the opportunity presents itself be bold and bring them to church or Alpha.

Regarding Alpha if you are able to serve in any capacity hosting, cooking, serving, set up, pack down then please contact Adam Brown or pass your name to the Resource Hub – help is needed!We are starting our new teaching series entilted: VISION at both campuses. We are really excited about looking at the power of a unified vision. We will also be sharing practically about what we are seeing in the coming days. So please come and join with us.

DON’T FORGET ILKESTON STARTS AT 10:30 am. Please come early and lets believe God for great things! I would ask that we keep praying over the church, town, area, nation and nations! God’s power is mighty to bless, defend, heal and deliver. I am seeing in my heart a harvest across the world (including the UK), prayer changes things. Keep praying locally for FOODBANK as we serve the needy / Universal Youth / Shake Kids / Parent and Toddler group / The Meeting pLace 18-30′s / Mansfield campus for continued growth / Alpha starting 28 Sept.

Below are a few areas that Coleen has identified through Tearfund and the Persecuted Church Info. that need our prayer in the wider world:

One of Tearfunds Central Asian partners works with ex-prisoners who leave jail with few prospects and are treated as outcasts by society. Tearfund have partner’s who have a rehabilitation centre for these ex-prisoners. Please pray for good relationships with the centre’s neighbours and thank God for the centre and the people who work there. Tensions run high because many centre-users are becoming Christians, being healed and set free from addictions. When the USSR collapsed, family breakdown increased, leading to large numbers of orphans and vulnerable children. Please pray for Tearfund’s partner working with these children and their families, which is currently trying to prevent the authorities taking over ownership of its child development centres.

Please pray for Gospel for Asia’s supported pastor Kavi Das, who serves in a volatile region in South Asia.  Kavi endured a harsh beating while sharing the love of Christ with his neighbours. The unprovoked attack came without warning from a man Kavi was speaking to. Kavi is doing well and is on the mend, and even with all the persecution, Kavi remains joyful as he thinks about the way the Lord will continue to grow his ministry in the coming days.

Plus dont forget to pray for our own Missions partners across the world in Slovakia / Romania / Albania. In particular Ad as he works in the King David Medical Centre Ghana over the next 2 months. Why not send him an e mail to encourage him: ad.asuman@yahoo.com. Please keep praying for those needs closer to home, there are many.

A matter of praise and prayer, I met with Eric and Carol today and Eric was in really good heart, believing for a miracle! The consultants are happy with him and he is eating much better, Great News! They want to thank you for praying but ask that you keep praying.  Last week I concluded my Sunday ministry in Ilkeston entitled Whats in a name? by declaring: ”It’s all about Jesus, Jesus is the centre of My Life, the Head of this Church, the one I love,  long for and Hope in.” ANYBODY WITH ME? Love you guys see you Sunday.

Kind regards,
Kristian

Lead Pastor

Church Update

Hi there Church!

I trust that you are enjoying the blessing and favour of God!

As we enter the new Autumnal season, there are a few practical things we want to keep you updated with regarding our Sunday Experience.  We are very excited to have some new team leaders who are working alongside the existing team leaders on our hospitality teams to lift the level of our Sunday Experience, to bless and help our congregation and people who are new to Arena Church.

Please be aware of the following:

• The Resource Hub is now positioned downstairs in the coffee shop.  This will enable people to get information as they arrive and are waiting to go up to the service and also after the service whilst enjoying a drink.
• Freddy and a Kids Church team member will be welcoming in the coffee shop to give new families information about Kids Church and Crèche (to reassure them that it’s Ok to have a fox come and take their children away during the service!)
• We will now have 2 volunteers on car park to help people as they arrive.  The car park team will now be looking after security whilst we are in the service upstairs.

It has been brought to our attention that some people are parking in front of the AHBS building at the side of the church.
AHBS have kindly given permission for 4 of our staff cars to park at the side of their building but have asked us to keep the rest of their front clear as they do have staff who sometimes work on a Sundaywho will need to park.  Please do not park there as we want to continue the good relationship we have with them.

The chair stewards will be helping you to find available seats which is necessary now we have more people in one service.  Please be kind to them!…they are their to help you whilst having to be mindful of some health and safety rules we have to abide by.

It is our heart to empower everyone to serve in the house, as God has called them.  If you would like to join a serving team in any of our departments, please talk to me and I will put you in touch with the relevant team leader…we do need help particularly on car park/security and chair stewarding on a Sunday but we do have numerous serving teams across the life of the church and will be able to help you find the team that is right for you.

We are very excited about what God is doing and where He is leading us, let’s all join together to reach the people in our communities, country and world!

Have a great week!

Love and blessings,
Christine

Weekly News By Kristian Thorpe

It is so good to see so many people return from holidays refreshed and recharged. I am aware there are still those in church who are holidaying this month so have a great time!!

Schools are now back in, most businesses are back to normal and church is in full swing. It has been great to be able to welcome so many great speakers over the Summer into our “Sizzling Sundays” theme. We wanted to maintain a sense of purpose and direction over the Summer and am thrilled this was achieved. All the messages for both locations are available on podcast. Over the next 2/3 weeks I have requested that we do a live demo of how to download the ministry on line as I am aware there are many who are unsure how to do this – so watch this space!

The 1 YEAR BIRTHDAY of Arena Church Mansfield was fantastic – Pastor Geoff Pickup Senior Leader of New Life Derby, Pastor John Partington National Leader of AOG UK and Pastor David Shearman Senior Pastor of Christian Centre Nottingham all sent video greetings. This combined with food and drink and worship and the word proved to be a great night as we looked back whilst at the same time looked forward.

I was praying with someone today and they said it’s great to see Vision and Passion together they make great bed fellows! I thought to myself this is so true. God has a special vision and purpose for each person and every church. Once we see what God wants to do in us this should fill us with such excitement and passion. It’s impossible to have a God Vision and be miserable about it – God’s plans are to prosper us ( Fill us with Peace) and not to harm us to give us a hope and a future Jeremiah 29 v 11. This verse and its language is rich with blessing, direction and faith regarding the future vision.

Talking about Vision we are as from 18 September going to begin a “4 week series entitled VISION” at both locations. It’s important that we look again at what we, at Arena Church are called to be and stand together in this purpose and vision. God is wanting us to go to a whole new level in every area. Make sure if possible you are around to hear this series.

Please keep praying for one another. Sandie sent out yesterday a list of people to pray for lets keep mentioning them before God- This is so important!

PLEASE DON’T FORGET THIS SUNDAY AND IN THE FUTURE WE WILL BE MEETING ON SUNDAYS
ILKESTON at 10:30am and in MANSFIELD at 6pm – DONT FORGET!

As I close in this next season over the coming months we must grasp as we heard on Sunday it is all our responsibility to meet, talk, help and share with those people who are not Christians. It was a timely word we received from Pastor Gary Rucci this Sunday just gone. Let’s believe that as we “open our mouths” together the community will say “these people and their message are turning the world upside down”.

Warmest Regards

Kristian
Lead Pastor