For the next Newsletter , March 2022, please send contributions to Rosemary B on rosemarybuncehook@gmail.com by **Thurs 3rd March** .
Thank you
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HOOK CHURCH NEWSLETTER
Jan 2022
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Contents:
Oh to be a Boaz - Paul
Operation Christmas Child 2021 - shoebox team
A visit from TGS to HEC - Anna
Many thanks from the Persecuted Church - Barbara
Christmas Journey Nov 2021 - Jonathan and Ruth
A prayer for trusting God with things we can’t control
Children and Youth news @ Hook - Tim
Christmas 2021
Thank you from the editor
OH TO BE A BOAZ!
I really enjoyed our short December series on Ruth, and also the Daily Devotional, “Finding Hope Under Bethlehem Skies.” I always knew that Boaz was one of the good guys, the kind of man you would want with you in tough times. I have been aware of his integrity, of his godliness, of his love for a Moabite woman.
But I had not really clocked the words of Ruth about Boaz in 2v13: ‘May I continue to find favour in your eyes, my lord,’ she said. ‘You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant – though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.’
She said, ‘You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant’. I love this. Sometimes people say things to us that put us on our guard, or on our backfoot, or on the attack, or make us want to run and hide and cry. But not Boaz. He spoke kindly to Ruth and put her at ease. Ruth was no doubt nervous, unsure, uncertain, ill at ease in a field of Jewish women. But good old Boaz speaks in such a kind way as to put her at ease.
May God make me like Boaz (who was a type of Jesus) and help me speak kind words that put nervous, unsure, timid people at ease.
Love from Paul.
2. OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2021
Dec
2021
232 shoeboxes
After yet another unusual year which has brought its challenges, 232 shoeboxes were sent off on the first part of their journey to the child each one is destined for.
A big thank you for all of your support and encouragement. Not only were 232 boxes made up and sent, but an extra £200 was given towards the cost of providing training for the volunteers in the various countries who give out the boxes and run courses on The Greatest Journey. There were also many items made which were sent off to distribution centres to help make up emptier boxes.
The Shoebox Group who meet and make throughout the year, we were able to make up 140 of the boxes. If you would like to be involved with this ministry, we would love to welcome new members.
Please continue to pray for the safe delivery of the shoeboxes. So much is uncertain as the different countries cope with the virus. Also continue to pray for the safety of those transporting and distributing the boxes.
Finally pray that through these shoebox gifts the love of God will shine through, leading people to Christ.
Once again thank you for your support and encouragement.
The Shoebox Team
3. A VISIT FROM TGS TO HEC
On the 18th of November, year 10 from Tolworth Girls School came to visit Hook Church. Tim, Darrell (insight) and I led 4 sessions that ran throughout the course of the morning. Personally, for me it was lovely to see some of my old teachers and be able to discuss life as a Christian as someone who is recently out of school. I believe around 240 pupils were there throughout the morning and around 16 teachers.
All girls left with a leaflet about youthwork which they were going to stick in their RS books, but who knows how God will use this to invite them back into church. Looking forward to next years already!
Anna
4. Many Thanks from the Persecuted Church …
…and their supporters at Hook Church, for the donations when we held a book table for Release International at the church. We were able send a cheque for £100.00 to Release and many books and Bibles were given to Christian Books Worldwide. Over the time of the pandemic, we have distributed the World Watch list to many people in our church who have been praying for their chosen country. It's good to know that 50 countries are being prayed for.
You may be thinking why am I saying this. But the persecution of our brothers and sisters is still happening and with the pandemic occurring life is so much harder for our Christian family in many countries, places where prayer is needed so much. In countries like North Korea, Yemen and Afghanistan where families who are Christian can face famine, imprisonment, torture and even death.
There are many things that we can do to help our brothers and sisters facing this suffering, for example.
1) We can send cards and letters of encouragement. We can show prisoners they and their families are not forgotten and it shows the people harassing them that people around the world know what is happening. As the letters and cards arrive at the prisons it usually leads to an improvement in their conditions.
2) Financial donations, by donating money we can help support families in crisis who have had to leave homes and belonging to flee to safety in a displaced persons camp or to other countries. Donations to Release International have been used by their partners in Iraq to rebuild homes for people who want to return to their villages and towns.
3) Prayer, I have put prayer at the end, as it is the most important thing, we can do for families suffering for their faith. When asked by people helping them, they almost always ask for prayer, for God to increase their faith and hold them close to Him. They also ask prayer for those brothers and sisters in the west that our plenty does not turn us away from our faith.
So I would like to encourage anyone reading this to think seriously about coming to a prayer meeting we hold for the Persecuted church. At the moment it is held on ZOOM on the 2nd Monday of the month at 8.00pm. We are hoping to restart meeting in person in the near future. If you would like further details or information on anything I have written please feel free to ask, if you have never been to one of our prayer meetings before we would encourage you to come.
If you have any queries, please contact Barbara
5. Christmas Journey Nov 2021
Christmas Journey is a great way to get the gospel across to children of primary school age, not only the story of Christmas but how it all fits in with our need for a Rescuer, going back to Adam and Eve and God’s perfect creation.
So, for three days in November various scenes were set up in the King’s Centre for the children to enjoy. Alan Rigby and I dressed up as the Wise Men/Magi, and ran it as a bit of a comedy duo (Where’s the star? It’s behind you!!) but with the underlying aim of demonstrating how each of the gifts we were bringing highlighted the uniqueness of this ‘special baby’: gold for a king, frankincense to help us praise Him, and myrrh to anoint His dead body (which had to be explained as ‘a special baby growing into a special man who died a special death’). There was plenty of interaction along the way, asking the children who they thought we were and what made us wise – and oh yes, had they seen our lost camel?
It really was great fun and at the same time very rewarding. The children were fully engaged and loved the visual aspect of the presentations. And, of course it was a brilliant way of getting across the true meaning and wonder of Christmas, that God came in the flesh to rescue all mankind.
Our prayer is that many seeds will have been sown into young hearts that God would use to bear true fruit in the times ahead.
Jonathan
I had a more behind-the-scenes role in Christmas Journey, checking on timings and arrangements. It was so encouraging to hear such comments as - ‘this is our class’s first outing in 2 years, and they loved it’; to think that this first outing was to a Church to hear about the story of Christmas! One teacher said that this was her 4th year visiting Christmas Journey, and she loved coming every time.
There were a number of potential obstacles to the Christmas Journey, with people who had been unwell, and others with poorly children, yet God provided everything we needed, and some people doubled up in their roles: everyone, all 400 children and about 100 adults alike, had a great time, and heard this wonderfully interactive re-telling of the Christmas story, and also how it led on to the message of Easter.
Others involved from Hook were Ade and Coralie, who shared the role of Mary, Becca who was behind a donkey puppet in the stable, and Sandie who was an assistant shepherd.
Ruth
A thank you to everyone who played a part.
6. A Prayer for Trusting God with Things We Can’t Control
That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? (Matt. 6:25–27 NLT)
Dear Lord Jesus,
Whenever we’re tempted to wonder about our value to the Father, all we have to do is consider the astonishing sacrifice you made for us. By your life, death, and resurrection, we are clothed with the very righteousness of God and have been given a steady, free diet of bread from heaven and living water. We praise, bless, and adore you. The birds of the air have nothing on us!
Nevertheless, our weakness persists, our anxieties flare up, and our worries often get the best of us. So we run to you, confident of your welcome, compassion, and grace. Please help us with the things we’d love to control but can’t. It’s not so much that we’re anxious to add a single hour to our lives; it’s more that we don’t want our loved ones to suffer unnecessarily.
Jesus, please reveal more of your beauty and love to our children. If we could give our kids and grandkids anything, it would be to know and love you and to find safe and welcome haven in your heart. Keep them restless until they rest in you.
For our friends and family members facing vocational crises, health issues, and relationship challenges, Jesus, lift the weight of our worries as you give us the assurance of your engagement. Show us how to love well, without meddling and manipulating. It’s hard not to want to be dispensers of anesthetics on demand, relieving pain at will. But our biggest need isn’t for relief but for more of you.
Jesus, we will trust you—not horses, chariots, or our devices. Grant us grace, fuel our hope, and give us peace. We pray in your loving and strong name.
Amen.
From - Every Season Prayers - Gospel Centered Prayers for the whole of life by Scotty Smith (Baker Books)
submitted by Tim Neale
7. Children and Youth News @HookChurch
We are thankful for the children and young people we have at Hook.
Sundays
It is so encouraging to see the Barnabas Room full of babies each Sunday morning. The parents of these little ones are thankful for the TV link that ensures that they can be a part of the service through the TV on the wall. Please pray for the parents as they seek to start well in their parenting journey and for the babies as they move from babies in arms to crawlers, cruisers and walkers.
Since returning to the Church building the Mini Church and Junior Church have joined together for their group on a Sunday morning. Although this is not an ideal arrangement for the short term it seems to be working well. Please pray that more leaders would come forward to make it possible for us to have two distinct groups again.
In SoS they have continued looking at the Mustard Seeds material which in the course of their three years in the group will give the children the main stories and overview of the Bible. In the last few weeks it has been encouraging to see Alan joining the team again.
At idoS (the teenagers) we have continued to sit in the Sanctuary every other week and then the following week we have discussed the sermon of the previous week. A new addition to this group is ‘an issue’ that I (Tim) will look at with them every few months.
This last month we looked at ‘feelings v truth’, e.g. I might not feel the love of God but I know the love of God because we can believe and trust the Word of God.
Fridays
Each Friday we seek to reach the unreached in and around Hook’s Patch.
Little Rascals recently had a Christmas outreach with a fun and faith-filled Christmas presentation from Ade alongside some Christmas Carols for both parents and children.
Kidzone has continued to be as creative as ever as they seek to share the gospel through play. Recently one of the dads of this group gave his life to the Lord. Please continue to pray for ’M’ who seeks to follow the Lord.
8. Christmas 2021
The first ‘in church’ Christmas celebrations since last year’s cancelled Christmas.
So just how did we do?
Little Rascals Christmas outreach with parents
Spectrum and i.d. recently had fun Christmas celebrations.
Spectrum had lots of activities that linked into the Christmas Story.
i.d. were treated to a banquet which was a delicious Christmas meal cooked by Coralie and her helpers.
SSoR presented the Christmas Sleepover Concert online, raising money for the Joel Project
Invites to our Christmas celebrations posted through letter boxes in the local streets
Christmas outreach in Kingston
Timeless held their first Christmas dinner in the church
Carol singing outside the local shops with an invitation from the local hairdressers
Interactive Nativity performed in the church
Carol Service in the church
Christmas Day Service in the church
Boxing Day Sunday Service in the church
9. Thank you
Thanks once again to all those who were happy to provide items for the church newsletter.
The time leading up to Christmas is busy and very rushed, so I very much appreciate the time you gave.
The next issue will be in March and the last date for any items will be 23rd February. Please email to: rosemarybuncehook@gmail.com