Issue10 by COGIC UK Luton Assembly Newsletter

E SU 0 IS o: 1 N

CO G I C - U K

LUTON N E W S L E T T E R website: www.cogic.co.uk

A S S E M B L Y

email: lnews@cogic.co.uk

Mar – Apr 2015

WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO IN LUTON

SUNDAY SCHOOL The nursery of the Church

Inside:

Knowing You with Brother Barry Morrison Plus more

The COGIC U

K Website

Cover Story Sunday School

Access To

Greetings from Missionary Eluria Morgan

Our Free Newsletter

Psalm 27:4 – One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

LNEWS Issue No: 10 A bi-monthly newsletter Copyright © 2015 All material within this publication may not be used in part or whole without permission. Enquiries should be directed to COGIC UK HQ Address 127 Dunstable Road Luton LU1 1BW Telephone +44 1582 877 070 Website www.cogic.co.uk Email lnews@cogic.co.uk For Newsletter Enquiries, Feedback , Your Articles and Prayer Requests. General Enquiries office@cogic.co.uk Charity Registration Number: 1061869

IN THE NEXT ISSUE Cover Story

Youth Fellowship

In Knowing You

Brother Myles Maddix

“Remember to Pray For”

Send us your prayer requests and we will place them in this section

“Anything to Celebrate” Tell us and we will publish it

CONTENTS

WELCOME G

lory Be To God, Spring has Sprung, Well Almost! Once again its an honour to be able to share this our bi-monthly Church Newsletter, and we are Thanking God for this 10th issue. We are into March of 2015, and in our last issue we had a fascinating discussion on Women’s Role in Ministry. In January we had a surprise honour for one of our leading ladies. Find out more on Page 7. We have an exciting edition featuring Sunday School as our Cover Story. We all remember attending Sunday School, whether coerced or willingly attended, we can all safely agree, that no matter where we are in life, The foundation of God’s Word stands forever. The Sunday School Department will express the joy of sharing that even in this modern era in which we live, the Word of God sustains, preserves and is life-changing. Sunday School is not just for children, there is also an Adult Class engaging in Bible Study. Be greatly encouraged to send your children and even better, attend with them too. We are still eagerly anticipating the new recording from The Luton Male Voice Choir… Watch this space!! We have an insightful interview with one of the Church’s great musicians, we know you will be blessed by his testimony and profile. The Word of the Lord encourages us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Psalm 150 will strengthen any musical ministry with the wonderful endorsement of Praise through music, particularly Praising God on the stringed instrument, the ministry of Praise is timeless. Teenage and Young Adult Bible Study also features in this issue, see the Advert for the Alpha Course. Enjoy the Spring Months, Be Refreshed, Rejuvenated and as well as our physical homes, our lives always benefit from a Spring Clean! May God Bless each contributor, reader and browser. There is always a blessing for each one. May God’s presence embrace us.

GREETING YOU

MISSIONARY ELURIA MORGAN

LUTON’S ASSEMBLY MEETING

NEWS IN BRIEF

COVER STORY

5 6 7 7

DETAILS OF OUR ANNUAL MEETING

SUNDAY SCHOOL

PHOTOS, POEMS & WRITINGS

OF AND ABOUT OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL

KNOWING YOU

BROTHER BARRY MORRISON

YOUTH ALPHA COURSE IN PICTURE

MOTHER BLAKE IS HONOURED AT THE NATIONAL 2015 WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

SERVICE INFORMATION

CHURCH NOTICES

In “Knowing You”

Brother Barry Morrison

The Editorial Team

St John 1 verse 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. LNEWS

GREETING YOU MISSIONARY ELURIA MORGAN

Sunday School Saved My LIFE…

can still remember the yellow Vauxhall van coming to pick me up for Sunday School at the age of 11. I can still remember going to school and seeing those young people who were proud to be Christians acting with dignity and not being ashamed. They were different from everyone else at school and I wanted what they had even though at the time I did not realise it. As an only child I kept myself to myself. Attending Sunday school and the youth group gave me confidence to believe I could do anything. I also joined the choir which was called the Glory Echoes. I became secretary for the youth department. My great mentor at the time was Elder Spalding who was the Sunday School Superintendent and taught the adult Sunday school. He made the Bible come alive and

Luton’s

interesting, fascinating, amazing and challenging. When friends were going to parties and losing their way the church was more attractive to me. I later joined the 100 strong COGIC choir, worked as an assistant/counsellor in the youth department, and worked in the kitchen. This led me to become a Sunday school teacher from the age of 17 and today I am the Sunday School Superintendent. It could only be God. I challenge every parent, grandparent, auntie, uncle send your children to Sunday school give them the opportunity and see God move and change them into the Men and Women of purpose.

God Bless you Missionary Eluria Morgan

Youth For Christ - Gospel Concert Friday 27th MarchMEETING 2015 ASSEMBLY MEETING DETAILS OF OUR ANNUAL Assembly LUTON’S Meeting Start time: – 7:30pm

Topic:

“ARE YOU ANXIOUS ABOUT THE MORROW” Matthew 6:34

Official Night Saturday 28th March 2015 Start time: – 6:00pm Family Day & Baptismal Service Sunday 29th March 2015 11:00 - 2.00pm & 5.00pm - 7.00pm NEWS IN BRIEF

• Mother Blake is honoured at the 2015 National Women’s Conference - See photos on page 7. • The online edition of Issue 9 had 525 readers in over 10 countries. We are getting out there. • The Youth Alpha Course has started. It’s not too late to join - See page 7 for details. • Remember Good Friday service is on the 3rd April 2015 and Easter Sunday is on the 5th April 2015. LNEWS

COVER STORY SUNDAY SCHOOL

SUNDAY SCHOOL RUNS FROM 10:00 - 10:50AM

Sunday School Superintendent, Missionary Eluria Morgan, working the Junior High Class

The Sunday School Pledge We pledge our unselfish devotion and loyalty to the principals and doctrine of our Church of God in Christ Faith. To be a representative of holiness in our everyday lives and to let our lives be a mirror that reflects the image of Christ. The Sunday School Pledge is an integral part of our Sunday School. It is our aim that every young person that passes through our classes knows and understands the pledge. We want our young people to exhibit Christ-like behaviour in their schools, colleges and workplaces. Even the youngest child can understand the Christlike behaviour of being

kind and fair to others, sharing and telling the truth. The message in the pledge is not just for our children, but for every member of the church. That is why during Youth Sundays we encourage the congregation to join with the children and make this declaration in song.

Adult Sunday School by Sister Maureen Stephens

iving honor to the Holy Trinity, I would like to thank all the Sunday School teachers who make each week a success by devoting their time and effort. The Adult Sunday School starts at 10.00am every Sunday morning and is dismissed just before the main service starts at 11.00am. I started attending the Adult Sunday School in 2009 and enjoyed attending. It has never been a smooth and easy path as it takes great sacrifice to be there, followed by the morning service and then I finish the day with an eight hour shift at work. “I can do

all things through Christ, who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13. As I began writing this article my childhood days going to Sunday school came to thought and it’s so different being an adult attending Sunday school and I can humbly say, “when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man I put away childish things” 1 Corinthians 13:11 Coming together with the adults each Sunday, I don’t see the group as an older set of people but as God’s lighthouse. It’s about com-

ing together in friendship, fellowship, worshipping and being obedient to the word of God “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, but rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2 v 15. The Adult Sunday School is a blessing. It is about God and His truth not fiction. The spoken words of Jesus and life. A place of peace not war Amen.

Driving the Sunday School and Church Van I find that as I write this I cannot remember when I started driving the church van but I think it would be fair to say that I have been driving the church van for some twenty years. I take enormous pride in getting brethren to and from church safely and I am particularly happy when it comes 4

to our elder brethren. The Sunday School children are always boisterous and mostly well behaved. It’s always sad when one of the young ones stop coming to Sunday School, it is one less pick up for me but I hope and pray that they don’t go too far from God. The church drive is filled with many characters, some ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

sadly no longer with us but it has always been a pleasure to drive them even when they give me the one minute sign when I blow the van’s horn outside their door and the one minute turns out to be five! But I love driving and give God thanks. By Brother Michael Jarvis LNEWS

SOME PHOTOS TAKEN BY KADEEM MADDIX

Adult Class led by Elder H. Butler

PHOTOS, POEMS & WRITINGS OF AND ABOUT OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL Sunday School is About…

S haring the living Word U nderstanding the Word of God N ew experiences in Jesus D elighting in the name of the Lord A cknowledging that Jesus died for our sins Y oung people discussing their faith

In Sunday School we learn about Jesus And how His precious blood can free us On every single Sunday we pray We even do plays on Christmas Day In Sunday School we have different classes We also discuss different things If there was no Sunday School We wouldn’t have knowledge About Jesus and His great power

Infant Class

S earch for answers to your questions C hanging our lives for the better H elping people to get to know God O bserving God’s people in action O vercoming L earning how to live life with love

Crystal Cunningham - Aged 11

Amoy Smith - Aged 14 Sunday School is a place Where we can give our Lord praises Young and old anyone can come It’s a place for everyone.

Adult Class

Sunday School is fun We are here to get the work done Once a week on Holy Day we go to church and learn on Sunday

We have our morning class Just make sure you’re not the last We learn about stories from the Bible Which are always very true. The children read scriptures and sing Some come down to our church and gives us a ring Sunday School is the place to be So you can be happy and free.

Adult Class

In Sunday School we learn about stories in the Bible and we sing loads of songs such as the Sunday School Pledge, Father Abraham and loads more. My favourite thing to do in the Sunday School is going in classes and learning different things about the Bible and discussing it in the class. I come to Sunday School to learn about God and to be able to read the Bible. Grace Muyumb - Aged 12

Shantae Boothe - Aged 12

Once a week 52 times a year 104 if we go twice And 206 if we go three times It all adds up every week Every time we go to church to seek Aaliyah Latchman - Aged 11

Junior Class showing off their work on Noah

Greetings to everyone in Jesus name. My name is Rhondeda Byam and I love the Lord. I enjoy coming to church. I have been going to church all my life and I enjoy every moment of it. I have attended Sunday school up to the age of 16 and now I have the opportunity to work with the teachers who taught me. I have many Roles in the church, I am on the Usher’s Board and in the church choir but my favourite role of all is being the assistant secretary of the Sunday School department. I really enjoy this role because working with children is what I do as my career also I am able to help in Sunday school. I thank God for this opportunity to work for him, it’s a big commitment and a commitment I am always willing to take. I have been doing this for some time LNEWS

now, counting offering, keeping registers up-to-date, helping teachers out with their work for their classes, photocopying, printing, attending meetings and so much more is what I do and I enjoy being a part of all this. In everything I do I give God thanks because if it wasn’t for The Lord on my side where would I be , he has blessed me in many ways and I just ask that he will continue to bless me and the Sunday School department and also give me the strength to continue to work for him.

In Sunday School, we learn about the Bible and how we can apply these lessons to our lives. We sing our Sunday School Pledge and other Sunday School songs, like, ‘Father Abraham’ and Jesus’ Love is a Bubbling Over’. Gloria Muyumb - Aged 14

KNOWING YOU BROTHER BARRY MORRISON

LNEWS: How were you converted? Give us a brief description BBM: I had been attending Church with my dear wife every Sunday morning for a period of time. My wife always attended Church in the morning and evening. At the time I never really attended in the evening. The Holy Spirit convicted my heart and posed the question “If The Lord were to return today where would you go?” This was happening for about six months. I remembered crying. The message one Sunday was “Heaven or Hell” and it really convicted my heart and that was when I fully committed myself to The Lord. LNEWS: How long have you been a Christian? BBM: I have been a Christian for 29 Years. LNEWS: Are You Married with children? BBM: I have a wonderful wife and three lovely sons. LNEWS: Are your family involved with Church life? BBM: My eldest son is the Musical Director for COGIC at the Watford Assembly. My middle son is in the Praise and Worship team in London and my youngest son is a work in progress. LNEWS: We know you are one of COGIC’s legendary musicians where and how did you start? BBM: When I first got saved I did not play any music for about two months, just wanting to know The Lord’s direction for my life. Through recommendation I was asked to play for the Church choir in the Tottenham Assembly and from there I played nationally. LNEWS: How long have you been a musician? BBM: I have been a musician for 38 years. LNEWS: How does music impact on worshipping The Lord? BBM: Worship through music impacts me greatly, I truly enjoy worship through my music simply because I am grateful to God for what he has done for me and my family. I honour God totally for the gift he has given to me. LNEWS: What does serving God through the ministry of music mean to you? BBM: It means a great deal to me, because simply without God where would I be. Serving God through music as an individual, as a husband, as a father is an important part of me. LNEWS: What advice would you give young ministers of music? BBM: My top advice is BE YOURSELF. When young musicians are learning their craft they often idolise other musicians. The key is be who God has called you to be. You are unique.

LNEWS: What is one of your most memorable musical encounters? BBM: There are many, including playing for the outstanding Dorinda Clark Cole. A great encounter for me was ministering with Mark Beswick, which has always been a great dream of mine. During a praise session my hand went numb whilst sharing Mark’s ministry and I prayed to God to heal my hand and I did receive the release and also was blessed to play a solo section. LNEWS: Share an amusing moment in ministry.. (Brief) BBM: (a) I was sharing ministry with a Praise and Worship leader and her wig fell off and the band and I were staring at each other with much amusement. (b) A Deacon I know in London had just finished preaching a wonderful message to the Church and at the very end of his message, he said “Praise The Lord, I have tomatoes from my garden at the back for 90p a pound” LNEWS: What is your life’s profession? BBM: I am an Engineer, a machine setter/operator and also a Team Leader. LNEWS: Describe yourself in three words. BBM: Passionate, Enthusiastic and Quiet. LNEWS: Having played in many venues, which is a memorable one for you? BBM: There has been so many, including Wembley Arena, and The O2. I would probably say The O2. LNEWS: Please extend a line of encouragement to the Readership. BBM: When things are not going so well, remember what God has done for you in the past, He wants to do for you now. LNEWS: On a scale of 1-10 how did you enjoy this interview? LNEWS: On a scale of 1-10 how did you enjoy this interview? Here are the 10 ratings: 1. Once and once only 7. I am shy and overwhelmed 2. Phew! Made it… 8. I am incredibly shy but don’t mind 3. I am glad its over, I don’t like questions 9. I love it, wouldn’t do it again though (not for a long time) 4. Wouldn’t do this in person 10. I love it, would do it again 5. Very interesting look at my life BBM: 10 6. I did as best as I could

Thank you for your time, An insightful and humble interview 6

LNEWS

YOUTH ALPHA COURSE

CONTACT ELDER PAUL QUINTON, YOUTH PRESIDENT FOR FURTHER DETAILS

Remember to Pray For Prayer changes things so please remember to pray for those on the list below. The LNEWS team always need your prayers. Sis. Gardener Bro. Trotman Elder Everton Blake Deacon Hunter Sis. Buchanan Sis. Jenny Wilson Derek Spalding Bro. Joseph Toro Jacobson Bro. Shakeal Ellis The Jones Family

Provide us with your prayer requests and we will publish it for you. You don’t have to give the full details just a name will do.

Anything to Celebrate

IN PICTURE

Birthdays

MOTHER BLAKE IS HONOURED AT THE NATIONAL 2015 WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

Sis. Valeeta Smith Kneo Charles Sis. Sandra Montrose Sis. Katrice Russell Sis. Veleta Chambers Elder H. Bulter

Marc h 1st 9th 19th 29th 31st 31st April

Sis. Shahnee Parkin Sis. Pauline Jarvis

14th 16th

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Engagements, Baby Births, Graduations, Promotions, etc. We attended the 2015 women’s conference in order to honour and appreciate Mother Blake. It was definitely a surprise to her. Mother Blake, we thank God for you.

We want to celebrate with you and thank God for you. Let us know and we will publish it.

Just a thought

We are serving a changeless God in a changing World. LNEWS

CHURCH NOTICES Local Meetings: Friday 13th March 2015 Friday 13th March 2015 27th - 29th March 2015

Men’s Fellowship Women’s Fellowship Luton District Annual Meeting - Host Pastor: Bishop Alvin Blake

Friday 3rd April 2015 Sunday 6th April 2015 Friday 10th April 2015 Friday 10th April 2015 Friday 24th April 2015

Good Friday Service Easter Sunday Service Men’s Fellowship Women’s Fellowship Men’s Fellowship

National Meetings: Saturday 7th March 2015 Saturday 14th - Sunday 15th March 2015

National Sunday School Conference - Missionary Fenty Annual Mission Conference - Missionary St. Louis

Friday 27th - Sunday 29th March 2015

Luton’s District Annual Meeting

Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th April 2015 Friday 10th - Sunday 12th April 2015 Saturday 25th April 2015

Shires District Convention - Superintendent Patrick COGIC UK National Women’s Retreat Chadwell Heath’s assembly meeting

Start Time 8:00pm 8:00pm

11:00am 11:00am 8:00pm 8:00pm 8:00pm

SERVICE INFORMATION

Service Times Sundays

Prayer Meeting (Every 1st & 3rd Sunday of the Month) Sunday School Morning Service New Believers & Discipleship Classes Evening Service

Start 7:00am 10:00am 11:00am 5:00pm 6:00pm

Finish 8:00am 10:50am 1:00pm 6:00pm 8:00pm

Wednesdays

Prayer Meeting & Bible Studies

8:00pm

9:30pm

Thursdays

Prayer & Fasting

11:00am

1:00pm

Fridays

Youth Meeting Men’s Fellowship (Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the Month)

8:00pm 8:00pm

9:30pm 9:30pm

Women’s Fellowship (Every 2nd Friday of the Month)

8:00pm

9:30am

Which Sunday is Which First Sunday

Communion Sunday

Second Sunday

Sisters’ Sunday

Third Sunday Fourth Sunday Fifth Sunday

Pastor’s and Elders’ Sunday Deacons’ Sunday Youth Sunday

All the above services/meetings are subject to change - See church secretary for further details