Kingfisher Family newsletter, March 2021 by Kingfisher Church

ISSUE 29

MARCH 2021

K I N G F I S H E R FA M I LY Moving forward Incredibly it is almost a year since the start of the rst lockdown in the UK, as shops, cafes, schools and churches were shut. We are now in our third lockdown and have grown used to online services and group meetings via Zoom. Many of us have not seen each other physically for many months. However, the good news is that, in the wake of the successful development and roll-out of a number of vaccines, the Government has just published its plan for cautiously and gradually returning the nation to something approaching ‘normality’. Although Boris has said that it is about ‘data not dates’, the plan to get us out of lockdown does come with some tentative, provisional dates.

If all goes to plan and all of the tests and conditions are met, a lifting of lockdown restrictions should be complete by June 21st. We believe that this would be the appropriate time to return to having physical services at King sher. This will mean that we will be able to do what makes for real church worshipping out loud, having fellowship with one another before and after the services, inviting others to church and welcoming people each Sunday without them having to book in advance.

This is great news - there is an end in sight! Of course, many would want us to go faster than this and come back together again at an earlier date, but it is worth not rushing this, so that when we start back together it can be with real joy and celebration.

want us to reset and restart with fresh focus, fresh clarity, fresh vision? Over the coming three months this will be a great focus of prayer and discussion. What is He saying to you individually on this? What does He want to ‘reset’ in you in terms of how you can become freshly involved in the life of the church? What What will the ‘new normal’ look new adventures might He have like for you? This is such a creative This pandemic has shaped us and time - one where we need to be really open, honest and willing we need to learn from our before Him, to hear His still, experiences of it. As the Bible small, voice. says “You have experienced many things. It has not been an easy year, but Were all those experiences wasted? now we have the opportunity for a fresh, new start and we need I hope not!” (Galatians 3:4, ICB) to pray

What does God want to ‘reset’ in you in terms of how you can become freshly involved in the life of the church? This is a great opportunity to not just go back to ‘business as normal’, but rather, in the words of a pastor from Spain who wrote to me recently, to see this as a time of ‘Biblical reset’. We have the opportunity of really hearing from God regarding His priorities, free from all the things that we normally do to keep the church running. How does He

“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.” (Psalm 51:10., MSG) I am so excited for the possibilities of the second half of this year. So excited that I am going to be extra mindful of Proverbs 17:2 “An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.” (Good News Bible). We have the opportunity for a fresh, new start - we are set to end this year in the light of Ephesians 3:20 “"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish in nitely more than we might ask or think."

Wake up my soul “I’m ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe, Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune: “Wake up, soul!” Psalm 57:7-8 MSG After the long Covid year we have endured, and with the end of winter and lockdown in sight, it nally feels like things are about to change for the better! I wonder what hopes and dreams are forming in your mind as you look ahead, and are you ready to take action? Our Senior Pastor, James Burn has been reminding us recently that our God is a superabundant God, able to do more than we could ask or imagine, challenging us to believe for the greater things this year, which isn’t easy when so much has been restricted, cut back and stripped away, and yet so important if we are going to emerge stronger and live from a heavenly perspective, and on God’s agenda.

The danger, after being told to stay at home for the last few months, is that we have become comfortable with church on the sofa, we have got used to meetings online without the inconvenience of having to leave the house, we have realised the joy of ending Zoom and being home immediately without the additional travel * usually involved. But let’s not forget that nothing beats actually being together, and the strength, encouragement and motivation that we get from physically connecting with each other is worth the effort. Some of us have had the comfort of being at home with loved ones during lockdown, but others haven’t, and there are so many, even within our own church family, who have become more isolated and alone over this last year as a result. The Bible warns us not to get out of the habit of meeting together, we need each other, and we are healthier and function better when, like a body,

News from King sher Church Tredworth

all the different parts work together in harmony, rather than as separated limbs and organs - but that takes real effort. There is a cost to building relationships and growing healing community, to being church, because it means laying aside my personal preferences for the good of others. But it is so worth it, becoming that hope and that help, as we join in and link up! I’m sure that coming out of lockdown is going to be a struggle for each of us in different ways, even those of us who can’t wait to be back in our church building together. For a year we have learned to be fearful of crowded places, and to stay away from larger gatherings. We have developed new habits to protect ourselves and other people which have involved covering up and avoiding touch. Con dence will need to be rebuilt for barriers to come down and that is going to take some effort, but where better than church to see that happen? I am so looking forward to that time when we can gather as a local church in person, with no restrictions, standing under the banner, ‘Welcome Home,’ in close proximity with each other, mask free, unafraid to hug and make that human contact, a full band leading us in raucous praise and worship, singing out at the top of our lungs in celebration of the God who saves! Who would have thought that what we once took for granted, what was a ‘normal’ Sunday service, would become something we can only dream about right now? But there is light

at the end of the tunnel and I want us to be ready and excited for when that day arrives!! ‘Wake up my soul!’ It was the cry of the Psalmist and it has become my mantra in the early part of 2021! It’s time to come out of our enforced hibernation and to start raising our expectations. We already have so much in place to encourage connection with God and with other people, so now is the time to plug in like never before. Our Connect groups have been a lifeline during lockdown, a place of support and fellowship when so much has closed down. I know many people have become Zoom weary but the pros far outweigh the cons and I want to encourage everyone to keep logging on, keep maintaining those relationships, keep going! If you are not in a Connect group then now is the time to join one. Just talk to our Community Leaders, Gill Parkinson or David Burn and they will connect you into one. It is worth the effort! Our prayer meetings have continued every month over this last year and our next is on March 13th - 10am (Zoom ID link: 6290544431, Passcode: 508212). This is an opportunity to join with others in praying for our church, for our leaders, for each other, to bring your thanks and your concerns, and to listen to God and share what He has been saying to you. Prayer is always the precursor to seeing great things happen as we submit to God’s will, so if you’ve never joined us or haven’t for a while, now is a great time to join in as we start planning for the months ahead. Choose to be included, it is worth the effort! Continued on page 4

News from King sher Church On the road to Emmau Thoughts from my journey with Jesus - by Sandra Ashenford Sandra Ashenford is a member of the King sher Church family at Tredworth. She was introduced to Jesus at primary school but has spent most of her adult life in the company of sceptics and non-believers. This is a series of light-hearted blogs in which she re ects on the challenges of growing in faith and sharing the Good News amidst the pressures of a modern life

One of the favourite parts of my creative education and childcare business is running history workshops in primary schools I go armed with an old suitcase full of authentic objects from the period being studied, and the objects are used as props as I tell the story of the Egyptians, or the Romans or the Victorians or whoever Particularly popular are World War Two sessions; children of primary school age are not expected to learn the politics and battles of the con ict but rather to understand what life was like for the people on the Home Front So my suitcase contains, amongst other objects, a gas mask, knitted clothing, home-made toys and a simple wedding dress made from parachute silk as children learn about bombing raids, food rationing, make-do-and-mend and the evacuation of children from the cities to the countryside The children love the sessions and the objects help to bring the period to life for them but what is almost impossible to convey is how every single person who lived through the con ict was changed by it

initial euphoria at the cessation of hostilities came the realisation that life could not be the same as it was before the war Some families had to move forward without loved ones, others had to renegotiate relationships as absent members returned. Food rationing continued for another ten years, and newlook towns and cities emerged from the rubble of destruction The people who had lived through the war and survived had to nd a new way of living in the future, and I can’t help but draw a parallel as today we slowly move towards the end of restrictions imposed because of the corona virus We have all been changed by our experiences during the past year, and we cannot just pick up from where we were last March. One of my friends was widowed by the virus, and now she and her children must face a future without a much-loved husband and father

The end of the war did not reverse those changes; after the

Other friends have decided not to return to jobs which they didn’t particularly enjoy, while others are determined to carry on with new hobbies or tness regimes which they have started over the last few months I haven’t spoken to a single person who believes that their life will be exactly the same as it was before the pandemic So it was for the followers of Jesus as they endured the horrors of Good Friday and the jubilation of the resurrection. Jesus had triumphed over death, but life for his followers could not be the same as it was before They had to negotiate a new way forward and although it was far from plain sailing they were extremely successful; 2,000 years Jesus is a guiding light for millions of people across the world As we follow the Government’s roadmap out of restrictions, we can also follow that guiding light out of the darkness.

News from the King sher family Continued from page Worship music is a great way to keep our minds and hearts focused on who God is and what He has done when we are distracted by our current troubles. Our music team have recorded many homegrown songs that can be found on YouTube or on Spotify (King sher Church). Go listen to the albums, ‘Proclamations,’ ‘Begin Again,’ and ‘Not Finished Yet’. There are also playlists that you can download from Spotify, put together for you under the titles, ‘Mapping the Route,’ ‘I will sing,’ and the most recent, ‘Wake up my soul!’ Get these songs on loud in your car, on your phone or in the house and see what a difference it makes to your mindset. It is worth the effort James is encouraging us to take another look, or a rst look, at two King sher resources, His book, ‘My confession,’ and, ‘Spiritual pathways,’ where you can develop your own growth plan. Both can be downloaded free from the church website (king sherchurch.org.uk resources). Read them, use them, it is worth the effort! Every Sunday is an opportunity to meet as a church family, even if

that is still virtually at the moment (king sherchurch.online.church). Our best route ahead is always going to come from listening to God’s Word, so take every opportunity to be there. If you have stopped attending for whatever reason get back into the habit of joining us for some great teaching at 6pm, say hello on the online chat, think of ways to encourage others who are also online and to make your presence felt. We have a pre-service Zoom at 9.30am every Sunday so join in, make that connection, bring your news and prayer requests.You might have just the right word for someone else who is there. It’s the difference from being just a church attender and being a family member so accept the invitation and extend it to others too. It is worth the effort! There are also other opportunities to link in: Stuart Gray continues to host a group called ‘Respond’ that meets every other Tuesday evening online for those wanting to discuss questions around the Christian faith and the Bible. We are reaching spiritual seekers with our online Enquirers group every Wednesday in the run up to Easter, and we are offering some age speci c get togethers online for children and for younger teens. We have just launched our rst online

An international snapshot…

Work on the new Church Centre in Pantay, Rio Chico in the Philippines is nearing completion. The electrics have been installed and are just waiting to be hooked up to the mains, the grills have been put on the windows and the main door, and the outside rendering is soon to be done. There are already several families praying in the area, ready to launch the church when the building is completed.

Interactive service for those with additional needs, and moving ahead we will soon be offering a group for parents of young children. If you want to get involved or if you have other ideas, tell us. It is worth the effort! Finally, we would like to ensure our building is ready and t for purpose by the time we can gather again in person so if you are able and available please consider whether you can offer some time for decoration, tip runs and general maintenance.You can email me at olliebennett@king sher.org.uk about this or any other thoughts you have regarding our church. Let’s keep communication owing and connection happening. It is worth the effort! ‘Wake up my soul,’ is a rallying cry for us to engage our minds, our wills and our emotions in being the church that this world needs, God’s representatives, His ambassadors to a lost and confused generation who need to know the Good news of Jesus. So let’s ensure we are ready, ready to sing, ready to move, ready to go be that church, not at some point in the future when everything nally unlocks, but ready now. Wake up my soul! Pastor Ollie In Mozambique, the Chicken Project that was launched as a King sher Harvest Project two years ago continues to grow. Pastor Joseph Maravanyika reports that ‘We managed to source funds to buy a hatchery and incubator combo, and partly solar system. The hatchery hatches 2268 eggs. These machines will help us to make this program an ongoing support to communities in their journey to self-reliance and be in a position to reach many for glory of God.’ He and his wife, Aggie are reaching out to and helping an increasing number of desperate people with their growing number of chickens.

News from King sher Treasure Seekers The Cavern is now serving takeaway food! Due to restrictions around Covid, we are currently running solely as a takeaway food and drinks service. Our new opening times are 12pm-7pm Monday to Friday.You can call up on 01452 307201 to pre order, pop in and see us (but keep in mind that entry is restricted to the doorway area) or order through the Just Eat App for home delivery. By purchasing from us you are supporting a small social enterprise and all pro ts from sales go right back into the business which enables us to help the vulnerable people of Gloucester and beyond

We are also signed up to join Gloucester Eats! This brand new local takeaway service supports all the best small business restaurants in the area. Be sure to download the GloucesterEats App to nd your favourite places, including The

Cavern. Also follow Gloucester Eats on Facebook, they have competitions running all the time where you could win free cash to use on food Our new range of freshly made cold sandwiches and meal deals are available daily. The latest update to the menu includes some of the following sandwiches - chicken, bacon and mayo; roasted pepper, brie and pesto; bacon, lettuce and tomato; tuna mayo; falafel and mint yogurt. Served on locally sourced fresh crusty bread, brioche subs or either white or granary bread rolls.

News from King sher Treasure Seekers Online shopping at the Hub and Gift Shop Both Treasure Seekers Hub and Gift Shop have a great selection of items to buy from their online shops while we are in lockdown. There are several new Take and Make kits available at the Hub with new stock arriving all the time. Why not let your creativity loose and bene t your mental health by making something special for someone? The Gift Shop has some lovely fair trade products to choose from to either treat yourself or spoil someone else! Take your time browsing online www.takenmake.co.uk and tsgifts.co.uk

Support at The Cavern continues during lockdown

It’s been a busy few weeks on the phone lines in Support and we have continued to have new sign ups. Some have been referred from elsewhere and some are people who have called after seeing a social media post. It is a really brave thing to do to reach out and call somebody you have never met before to say that you think you might need some support. Each call is a reminder of why we do what we do! Not everyone wants to sign up to the service but may just want to of oad about the current situation that they are in, and that,

with an assurance that we will be here should they need us again, is enough at this time for them We have some staff changes ahead too. Our Acting Support Lead has stepped down from the role but continues to work within the service. The post was advertised and some exciting candidates came forward and we are pleased to say that we have found someone who we feel is perfect for the role and who brings a wealth of experience too

Support at the Cavern has continued throughout each lockdown as a telephone and web chat service. The operating hours remain from 6pm-11pm, 365 evenings of the year and can be accessed by calling 01452 307201 and selecting Support at The Cavern. Web chat can be accessed by clicking on the blue 'chat' icon at the bottom of the screen when you visit www.kftseekers.org.uk. Again, this is manned between the hours of 6-11pm. As and when restrictions allow, the service will adapt accordingly.

News from the King sher Family King sher Resources Available for free download in PDF format from our website: king sher.org.uk/shop

My confessions What we x our thoughts on, what we think about, has a profound impact on what we hold to be true. But more than that, our lives are impacted by what we speak out - what we make our confession. Speaking out the truth of who we are, how God sees us and what God promises us, releases us from defeated, destructive lives and leads us into life in all its fulness as we embrace the truth of who we are and what God has promised us we are ‘In Christ’

Spiritual pathways enable different personalities to be nourished by Him

Focussing on seven of these pathways, this resource enables us to identify the most helpful way of drawing close to and being nourished by Him. This resource identi es the following pathways: intellectual, relational, serving, worship and activist, describes them and helps you to understand how best to use them to draw close to God and nd spiritual nourishment.

God has made each one of us unique. As the Psalmist says, we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Ps. 139:14). Psychologists tell us that there are over 18,000 different personality traits and each person is a unique combination of those personality traits. It is, therefore, not surprising that we do not all express our relationship with God in the same way. Although we should all pray, worship Him and read the Bible, different pathways will particularly

Confessing – coming into agreement with what God says about us and our situation – is not an attempt to manipulate God into giving us what we want. It is coming to see things from God’s perspective, allowing his truth to form our beliefs, shape our words, change our lives. My Confession focusses on 30 truths from the pages of the Bible, leading us to make thirty powerful confessions that radically impact our thoughts, our circumstances our very lives.

GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEWSLETTER In order for this newsletter to grow and develop, we need your help! If you go to any King sher event and have taken a great photo, then please post it on our Facebook page or email it to Kirsty at kirstydalley@king sher.org.uk. The copy deadline for the next issue (due out in June 2021) is 20th May If you would like to get involved in the production of the next newsletter then email us with your particular area of interest. Hope you enjoy hearing all that is happening across the King sher Family!

King sher Churc Moor Stree Tredwort Glouceste GL1 4N www.king sher.org.uk info@king sher.org.uk +441452 30433