We are hosting a Chinese Buffet and Charity Auction for help for heroes on Fri 14th May at Springwood School, Queenway, Kings Lynn at 7.30pm. Tickets are £7.50 for adults, £3.75 for under 12s. Bring a bottle! We’ll have a great fun evening – so please bring friends, family and neighbours. If you have something that can be auctioned or know someone who may be able to donate something, please get in touch asap!
There’s loads of great things for auction – cinema tickets, a children’s party, a gas boiler service, cakes, 3 course meal… and many more! There’s no pressure to buy anything and starting prices will be low.

Please buy tickets in advance here, on Sunday or give us a ring on 07905 913291.

We love a good fry up with the lads. Especially when we get to hear about “men behaving godly”!

Our first men’s breakfast with Maurice Nightingale is on Sat 8th May, 8.30am at The Globe Hotel on the Tuesday Market Place.

Spaces are limited, so get in quick – £7.50 book online or with Andy one Sunday soon!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with singing” Zeph 3:17

What a great God! He sends His presence, He changes lives, He loves His people and rejoices over them. His love is breathtakingly amazing and He sings over us.

Bring it on!

I have thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday gathering these last few weeks. We have had some amazing times of worship together – lost in awe and wonder of our great God and lots of contributions. We are beginning to live in the good of 1 Cor 14.

“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.( NIV v26)”

I have had a few questions about whether one can say “We will sing that song again and then I am going to bring a tongue, ask God for the interpretation” – surely a tongue is more a bubbling up? Well yes it often is, but 1 Cor 14 also goes on to say

“The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets” (NIV v32)

– that means you can hold onto a prophecy or tongue and choose to bring it at a more appropriate time or even next week, if it doesn’t fit right now. It also means that you can choose to bring it now!

When David warned that he was about to bring a tongue and stirred us to seek God for the interpretation, it meant that some of you got that very gift for the first time. Often people need encouraging the first few times and as confidence grows they can get on with it. The same happens with bringing a Scripture – last Sunday there were a few with open Bibles at passages that the Lord was stirring in hearts – a little encouragement meant we were all edified.

Bring it on!

“Pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophecy. (ESV v1)”

Let’s press into worshipping our great God and building one another up with spiritual gifts! Please be there on Sunday and be prepared to “bring a…”!

“What’s your problem *%#@$?” – a profound question. I’ve thought about it frequently. On this particular occasion, I had been trying to parallel park. The driver behind pulled up, wound his window down and asked me that question, before driving off very fast.

In many ways, he handled conflict well , getting 6 out of 7 steps right – He acknowledged it with clarity and passion. He took initiative quickly. He didn’t talk behind my back to other motorists. He spoke to no one but me. His summary was direct – there was no confusion of what he thought or felt. But he missed the last important step.

Jesus said “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and show them their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”

Firstly “If…”. To be alive means occasional conflict which needs dealing with rather than running away from. Secondly Jesus says “you”. Whether the problem is your fault or the other person, as soon as you become aware of it, Jesus expects YOU to take responsibility for resolving it.

Thirdly “go” – approach, don’t avoid them. Avoiding conflict destroys friendships, marriages and families. Go straight away – although if you are getting madder and madder, don’t be like Jim Carrey –and get dumb and dumber. Cool off and then go! Ask yourself “Why am I angry?” and “what do I want?”

Fourthly no third parties, no phone a friend, no gossip. Go directly to the person involved and fifthly use sensitivity. Jesus said “between the two of you” – don’t embarrass them in public. Listen and talk to them the way you would like them to talk to you. Six is “show them” – be direct. Tell them what is wrong, how it made you feel and what you would like to see changed for the better of both of you.

Unfortunately, the driver that confronted me missed this last step – aim at reconciliation. “If he listens to you, you have won him over”. Aim to restore the relationship – rarely simple and never quick, but always worth it.

I wrote that article for our local newspaper’s thought for the week. It is basically a condense of a chapter from John Ortberg’s excellent “Everybody’s normal until you get to know them“