Grapevine Magazine

rapevine G Ealing Christian Centre

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magazine

Issue 103 APR/MAY 2020

www.ecc.org.uk

An Elim Church

xxx xxx One family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples

A WORD FROM THE SENIOR MINISTER

CONTENTS

The local church and its outreach W

hen Jesus commissioned His first disciples after His death and resurrection, He told them to wait until they had been empowered by the Holy Spirit and then He gave the blueprint for outreach, evangelism and mission. That was, “… and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Clearly led by the Holy Spirit, the Early Church successfully followed those instructions.

Jesus thereby showed the importance of all those three areas: Jerusalem, or the local church setting, is the first place, then the areas around our locality, and finally beyond to the whole world.

In today’s world of easy travel and rapid communication, the whole world is much more readily accessible than it has ever been. And, as a church, we reach out in all three areas. But the heart of the worldwide church of Jesus Christ is always the local church. This is where believers are to be based, in order to grow together in their spiritual life and understanding of the things of God. It is the place where, as individuals, we can serve the Lord, active in our witness in our families, jobs, professions and businesses, as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The local church is where the main activity takes place, through which Jesus builds His Church.

People in the local church are familiar with those who live in the vicinity and mix and interact with them on a daily basis. They are there to help and assist them with practical and spiritual help as they live out their lives for Jesus in everyday experiences. Even in our overseas missions, the planting of local churches is the primary goal. So, in Nepal, our missionary, Bhab Ghale, has as his organisation’s mission: ‘To plant a church and a trained leader in every village in Nepal’. Since most of the Nepalese people live in villages, which can have a population of up to several thousand, this strategy is designed to effectively reach the bulk of the nation.

The Early Church in Jerusalem met as a large congregation in the public areas of the Temple but, crucially, also met

The local church is where the main activity takes place, through which Jesus builds His Church.

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

BAPTISMAL SPECIAL WELCOMING

regularly in small groups in each other’s houses, during the week, where they discussed the apostles’ messages, shared fellowship and communion. It was in these small groups that they looked after and helped grow spiritually, those who were being added daily to the church. This is a good biblical pattern to follow for strong relationships with the Lord and with one another. Some people say they can be followers of Jesus without belonging to or regularly attending a local church, but Jesus calls His Church to be outward- not inwardlooking, to engage with other believers and non-believers not to withdraw from them.

In the Philippines, from the initial church plant, many other churches have been planted out from it to surrounding areas and islands. The new Training Centre for church planters begins shortly, with 20-30 waiting to start the church-planting course. And in Japan, the strategy is to plant more local groups, from the initial church plant, in and around the city of Tokyo, overseen by online technology.

Whilst reaching out to other nations, our local church and its outreach remain of vital importance. In this issue, we are featuring a number of the ways ECC engages with our local community, which is done through regular practical action; through our many street teams that witness and evangelise on the streets, and through our 24/7 Prayer Centre that receives calls around the clock from the local and wider community for the ministry of prayer.

Since the turn of the millennium in 2000, when all likeminded churches in our area had a major community outreach called ‘Soul in Ealing’, ECC has been working together with local churches on community outreaches.

These are ways we can fulfil the biblical principle of unity among the churches, where we can serve and reach out to the local community.

In this issue, you can read the work that has been going on with the following: • The soup kitchen. Unlike most churches, St John’s, an Anglican church at the other end of Northfield Avenue, has a purpose-built soup kitchen with additional facilities such as showers underneath. As local churches, we take turns on a rota basis to be the providers each week of meals for the homeless, who benefit from these resources. ECC has always sent a large team on this rota basis, who provide, cook and distribute the hot food. And there are people in the church who will happily get involved in practical ministries rather than other ministries.

• In addition, the churches have organised the Winter Night Shelter, which runs from October to March each year, giving

the local homeless a place to sleep each night.

This is organised with the churches on a rota basis, and ECC takes its turn in the programme, making our foyer available for the people to eat and sleep.

• And now, as a new development, in ECC we have a ‘champion’ who is working with the local agency for adoption and fostering, where vulnerable and parentless children can find a loving and caring home.

• In addition, during the ‘Soul in Ealing’ outreach 20 years ago, there was initiated in our area a local branch of Christians Against Poverty (CAP). This is an organisation that helps people to get out of debt, and has a good record of success. But, in the process of coming alongside them and helping in this way, they are witnessed to and encouraged to join a local church. ECC has been a significant contributor to this community work since its outset. I get regular reports on the progress of each of these areas, from the worker we jointly finance, and we put these reports in our Prayer Centre for continued prayer.

So, as a church, ECC takes the Great Commission seriously: to go into all the world and reach all people with the power of the Gospel and with the love of Christ. This translates into both spiritual and practical ministry. And it always begins in the local church.

Make sure you are playing your part in some way.

NEW MEMBERS WINTER NIGHT SHELTER

by Sharon Grant POWER OF GOD’S LOVE

by Daniel Stanley PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

compiled by Pastor Tom PRAYER DIARY

WEEKLY MEETINGS WHAT WE BELIEVE FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATS compiled by Sharon Grant GOD’S GREAT DESIGN

by Victoria Vinet “GOD, LET’S TALK”

by Pastor Alex

Richard Buxton

Senior Minister

FINDING TRUE SELFWORTH& CONFIDENCE

by Vanessa Karera WATOTO CONCERT

Editor-in-Chief: Senior Minister Richard Buxton Editor: Jackie Raymond of Berean Services UK, bereanservicesuk@gmail.com Photography: Roy McEwen plus various contributors from ECC Stock Images: unsplash.com, pixabay.com, lightstock.com, freepik.com, publicdomainpictures.net, Google images Printed by: Hak Services Ltd, HA0 1SU, Tel: 07477 844599. info@hakservices.co.uk Ealing Christian Centre, 268 Northfield Avenue, Ealing, London W5 4UB Tel: 020 8840 7508 Email: info@ecc.org.uk Website: www.ecc.org.uk Grapevine is published by Ealing Christian Centre. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Grapevine and the ECC logo are trademarks of Ealing Christian Centre in the United Kingdom where Grapevine circulates.

Copyright © Ealing Christian Centre 2020. All rights reserved.

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compiled by

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EALING FOODBANK

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HOME FOR GOOD SPECIAL

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8pp PRAYER DIARY

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EVANGELISM

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SUNDAY SERVICES

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LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

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Pastor Rajinder

Pastor Alex

by Sharon Grant

by Olivia Baiden

PULL-OUT

& PRAYER CALENDAR

WHAT’S ON

by Suzanne Warner & Linda Lewis PRACTICAL TRUTHS

by Roy McEwen WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

by Sylvie Zokou & Sandra Kwayisi-Dokyi MOTHER CHURCH & MOTHERING SUNDAY

by Sheri de Mel

If you would like an item to be considered for the next edition of the Grapevine magazine, please email your article to info@ecc.org.uk, marked 'For Grapevine'.

Articles for half a page should be no more than 250 words, and for a full page should be no more than 600 words. The Editor reserves the right to edit articles where necessary.

The deadline for the JUNE/JULY edition is no later than FRIDAY 1st May.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

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BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

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t was an evening filled with such joy and expectation, as family and friends came to watch their loved ones getting baptised in water. The supporters included unchurched family and friends, and what a great opportunity it was to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who has the power to love, forgive and transform lives. The message was on the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and showed us the worth and value God places upon each individual life. He reaches out to the one lost individual who is of great value to Him. In the sight of God, there are no worthless people; Jesus died to draw every person to Himself.

Great testimonies were shared, and each candidate was baptised in water. This is a symbolic, outward demonstration of what has already happened inside a person’s heart. When someone is baptised, they are ‘buried’ in the water, which symbolises how Christ was buried for our sins in the grave. When someone comes up out of the water, this symbolises they are raised to a new resurrection life, even as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day to save us from our sins.

If you would like to be baptised in water, please collect the information form from the Information desk; fill in the registration form, place it in my pigeonhole, and we will contact you.

Pastor Rajinder Buxton

Nirmita AMIN My life was so empty, and I searched for something to fill my life. Jesus saved me from my sins, freeing me from anxiety and loneliness, fear and everything that once held me down. He now lives in me, and guides my life.

Tia BAIDEN My mum told me that my life was a real miracle, as I was only a month old when I nearly lost my life. I got to know Jesus when I was still young. He died for all my sins, and I have received eternal life.

Loic NGABO I have been given a fresh start by Jesus Christ.

Somaye KABIRI Jesus showed me His power by healing my foot that was in real pain. After receiving my healing, I decided to give my life to Jesus, as He is alive and real.

Nia KASSARA I searched for something that was missing from my life, and found out it was Jesus. A friend took me to church, and I gave my life to Jesus who is now my comfort and a friend to me.

He has brought me hope.

Ramona QUINONEZ (pictured left) Jesus Christ has given me unconditional love, and I feel worthy and secure in Him. He died for me, and His blood has cleansed me from sin. He paid the ultimate price so I can be freed.

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

Angela BURINI Jesus Christ has given me purpose and peace. I thank Him for my salvation.

Daniel STANLEY I am a born-again believer now, once having been into drugs and crime. Jesus saved me from death on numerous occasions. He has restored my life and filled my emptiness with His love. He died for me to save me from my sins.

Gladys BURINI I thank God for eternal life and for saving me.

Jesse OGUNFUYE I want to get baptised, because I have given my life Jesus, and I want to identify with Him in accordance with His commandment.

Kiara HAJEZY I have found purpose in life.

Jesus Christ forgave me, so I can have a relationship with Him - not just for now, but for eternity.

Sharon OKORONKWO I was unhappy with myself until Jesus found me. He healed my body of cancer, and taught me patience and wisdom. I worship Jesus every day, as He died for me, and took away my sins. He loves and guides my life.

Victoria VINET For many years I tried to figure out my identity. God showed me my true identity in Him and He cleared my debts of sin. Jesus has transformed my life. He defeated death on the Cross for me, so that I can live eternally with Him.

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ECC FAMILY

“One family of many nations, proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples”

ECC FAMILY

Welcoming New Members

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he statement above are the words which we use to describe our church. We believe that God has called us to be a church of prayer. A church where the Word of God is preached with boldness and is missionally relevant. A church where true worship is central to all we do. A church that is relational with God and with one another. A church where every member is spirit-filled, and lives a supernaturally Christlike life. Here at ECC, we believe that we are one unique family.

Our family is diverse in age, culture and backgrounds.

As a church, we believe God has brought together people from all over the world to come and worship together here at ECC. We also believe that everyone has a part to play in this. 1 Corinthians 12 tells us ‘Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.’ Each part of the body is extremely important, and as a church we cannot function properly without all of these different parts.

We believe everyone should be rooted and planted in a local church. This is why we champion church membership at ECC. We believe that, as people make this commitment to become a member here at ECC, they will also continue to grow in their faith and love for God. It also formally brings them under the covering of ECC. If you haven’t done so already, we would love for you to begin the journey to become a member here at ECC. It is always exciting to welcome new people into membership, and to help you decide, we asked our newest members why they chose to join ECC. Pastor Alex Morgan

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

Nirmita AMIN I am the only Christian in my family. I want to be part of a community and family where we can pray together and share our testimonies.

I want to grow in the Lord with other people, and in turn help my family as well.

Nchimunya NG’ANDU I have been attending ECC for about 10 years, and have grown so much in my spiritual life thanks to the church. After joining a few ministries, it began to feel more like a home than just a place of worship. It has become a place I look forward to coming to serve the Lord, a place I look forward to coming to see friendly and familiar faces, a place that imparts ways in which I am trying to live my life. Therefore, I felt it was only right to become a member and join the ECC family.

Janine CUMMINGS I have been attending ECC for almost 10 years. I left twice, and each time I left, I felt as if something was missing. I missed my spiritual home. ECC is an important part of my life, and I want to grow further here as a woman in Christ.

I want to contribute.

Oluwatope JAGUN I want to become a member because ECC loves God and His people.

Missionaries are trained, the leadership are for Christ and for the Kingdom.

The traditions are passed on from generation to generation.

Sheila GILCHRIST After a lot of searching, the Lord has eventually led me to ECC, where I feel welcomed, loved and accepted in Christ Jesus.

The worship is awesome, and able to break through into the presence of God. The word is true and abiding in the truth of the Bible. It is good to see obedience to the word and go forth making disciples of all nations.

And a great emphasis on prayer. I acknowledge the leaders as part of God’s government authority and I acknowledge the leaders and would like to come under their authority in these troubling times.

Mickey WHITAKER I want to become a member because I want to have a good foundation to build upon, which being a member of ECC will do.

Leonardo QUINONEZ To become a member and have a deeper relationship with God. To serve, to integrate with other sisters and brothers, and to fulfil God’s commission.

Ramona QUINONEZ To become part of a family who carry forward God’s message. To have relationship with others and spread God’s Word.

Klaudia ZABLZYNSKA I can see and feel God every time I come to ECC. ECC is alive to evangelism, the people are full of prayer. I am far away from Poland, but I feel at home here.

I think ECC is very well organised, and is following God with all its heart. The leaders are always open to speak about any issue in my life, and always ready to pray.

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HOME MISSIONS WINTER NIGHT SHELTER

EALING CHURCHES WINTER NIGHT SHELTER at ECC “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35 NIV)

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he aim of the Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter (ECWNS) is to provide a safe and warm environment for those who are sleeping on the streets, potential rough sleepers and the hidden homeless in our borough.

Ealing Christian Centre (ECC) first opened its doors three years ago to become one of a group of churches who have welcomed guests into our spiritual home, one day a week for six weeks. The recent winter session for ECWNS ran from 25th November to 31st March in churches around Ealing. In January 2020 ECC was privileged to invite 27 guests, who were looked after by over 40 volunteers from ECC, whose ages ranged from 11 to over 70 years old.

The set-up team practically arranged and made around 14 beds in the foyer area, which accommodate 11 men and 3 women. We also made up two additional beds for the overnight team.

The evening team welcomed our guests with a drink, a delicious hot meal with pudding, conversation and companionship. The foyer was transformed into a warm, comfortable, safe place, where guests could have fun, play board and cards or just relax for the evening.

The overnight team watched over guests for 8 hours between 10pm and 6am as our guests slept. Some took the opportunity to have a short nap in one of the additional beds set up for team members as others kept watch.

The morning shift – from 6am to 9am - was responsible for waking guests, providing a full English breakfast with porridge, and a small packed lunch if requested. After breakfast, the refreshment area and foyer area were cleared of camp beds, bedlinen and dividers.

After our morning guests leave ECC, we arrange for towels and bedlinen to be laundered ready for our next session.

Beds and other bedding are then transferred to the next venue by one of our team, ready for the guests’ next night in another shelter.

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

HOME MISSIONS EALING FOODBANK

HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE IN CRISIS

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aling Foodbank started in October 2013, and they work with agencies, such as care professionals, doctors, health visitors, social workers and the police, who are on the frontline in our community. Since then, they have helped many people to obtain food and other essential items during a period of emergency or crisis – sufficient to ‘tide them over’ for a minimum of three days.

Over the last 10 months, our congregation has generously donated 400kg of food, which has fed around 40 people.

The Foodbank contacts us at the beginning of each month with a list of items they need. We list those items on the information board outside of the main auditorium, on Church News (Sunday Notices), and people can also contact the church office to find out what donations are needed.

As a result, during the period of April 2019 to January 2020, Ealing Foodbank have fed a total of 11,857 people, which is approx a 28% increase over the previous period total of 9199.

We have a collection point in the church, where people can leave donations after both morning services only the 2nd and 3rd Sunday of each month. The donations are then picked up by Martin Moran, and taken to the distribution centre at St Mellitus Church in Hanwell. For further information about Ealing Foodbank, please visit ealing. foodbank.org.uk.

Our volunteers have been greatly impacted by serving on team.

Here are some of their comments: “Volunteering for the night shelter was a humbling experience for me.”

“The night shift was great for me. I felt led to do this shift by the Lord, as some may say it’s difficult, but what a privilege it was to serve others. God is no respecter of persons - we are all equal to Him - and I will definitely do it again next year.” (Kiren) “Volunteering to support the Winter Night Shelter was so rewarding in many different ways. As well as giving my time and being there to try and encourage and support the guests ECC were hosting, I got a lot out of it too. The experience was an eye opener in many ways, and it also gave me the chance to meet and work alongside some wonderful people.” (Sharlene) “It’s been a blessing and a privilege to volunteer for EWNS at ECC. In previous years I had wanted to take part but, due to other commitments, I was unable to. 2020 was the year! I mainly did the set-up shift in the afternoon, and this involved getting the beds and the foyer ready for the guests. It was a great feeling, knowing that men and women would be able to receive a good meal and be in a comfortable environment for the night. Through volunteering, I have met some wonderful people at ECC, and we all worked together to make this a success.”

(Rhieme) We would like to thank everyone who has donated, time, money, gifts and prayer. Many of the guests in the shelter have received help to move forward in their lives. Whether it is assistance with finding accommodation or legal advice. We have seen the difference in our volunteers, as well as the guests, and we were able to a care gift, which included a Bible for each guest that attended our last session. They were really happy to receive it.

Jesus said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40).

PICTURE: Distribution Centre SOURCE: Ealing Foodbank

How Foodbank works Those who require Foodbank services would approach one of these agencies - of which ECC is one - to discuss what assistance they need. The individuals would be referred to one of the client centres (see table above), where they would exchange their referral voucher for a minimum of three days’ emergency food. The Client Centre/Cafés are really welcoming; they often have volunteers who are able to offer a listening ear and a cuppa, as the people wait to receive their food parcels.

ECC’s involvement

As a church, Ealing Christian Centre has played a supportive role in contributing through donations of food, toiletries and essentials over the years. The Foodbank then calculates the weight of food and other items collected. Donations are weighed using scales, and this helps the Foodbank to keep a record of items received.

People are looking to the church to provide help and hope in the days ahead, and we want to able to do more for our community.

In the great scheme of things, our donations may seem like a drop in the ocean, but every packet of pasta, tin of beans, canned meat or fish can be used to help feed an individual (pictured below). We would love to see an increase this year in our contribution towards this worthy cause.

PICTURE: Individual food allowance

On behalf of ECC and Ealing Foodbank, we would like to thank you for your generosity over the years. People are looking to the church to provide help and hope in the days ahead, and we want to able to do more for our community.

We are also considering how can we help those within our church community in times of need. The challenge is to decide which part you can play to make a difference to see ‘Faith Works with Action’.

If you would like additional information, or you have a heart and passion to get involved with this ministry, please contact me in the church office

Sharon Grant Pastoral Care

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

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SPECIAL FEATURE TRUE LIFE STORY

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fter fifteen years of drug addiction, and numerous violent occasions, I should have died by now… but God saved me. He used people to help me get clean and, as the weight of my addiction brought me to my knees, I said the Lord’s Prayer. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit come upon me and remove this demon from me, and I haven’t touched a drink or used a drug since.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Because every fifteen minutes in the UK, a child will come into care

That was over 11 years ago.

Throughout my path of recovery, I was unknowingly led into the occult, and ended up in places that claimed to be of God but I now know had been misled by the enemy. By following these religions and different paths, I became very disheartened and disillusioned with God, as they didn’t sit right with me, and the presence of the Holy Spirit was not there.

Unbeknown to me, I had been carrying a sickness in my body for many years. I assumed this was because I had been abusing and neglecting myself with drugs.

As I started to get clean, I noticed this sickness wasn’t going; in fact, it started to get progressively worse. I think this was because I had been in some places, which I now believe were of the enemy. The Bible says the devil presents himself as an angel of light. I saw many doctors,, spent thousands of pounds, and tried various things - herbalists, yoga, meditation, veganism, taking supplements… all sorts of things, but nothing worked.

The Powerful Love of God by Daniel Stanley

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A Christian pastor friend of mine told me my sickness was spiritual and that I needed Jesus. My previous seeking had left me feeling disillusioned, but I was so desperate that I walked into a church and the pastor said: “You have been waiting for this appointment for a long time. You have seen many doctors, and you have now come to see the Great Physician!” Pastors started to pray over me, and I started vomiting violently. The sickness had loosened but it hadn’t left.

When I came into ECC, Pastor Rajinder and one of the elders prayed for me, and the Holy Spirit came upon me powerfully; I couldn’t move or speak, I was frozen to the spot. I came to the Revival & Healing meeting whenever it was on, and every time, I was again touched by the Holy Spirit. My faith started to grow. I started to study the Bible with someone from ECC, who also prayed for me. Each time, I was moved by the Holy Spirit, and my strength started to improve. I was being released from this spirit of sickness that had been holding me prisoner for many years.

One night, I was praying - as I had been taught to do – and engaged in spiritual warfare against demons. I just started being sick, and some very unpleasant things happened, but since then, the sickness has gone. I have been healed by the blood of Jesus. After my decision to make Jesus my Lord and Saviour, I was baptised in water.

I was spiritually blind but God’s love to save me was there all along, even when I was living in the worst manner of sin.

Fostering and Adoption Champion

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My name is Olivia Baiden, and I am grateful to God that He chose me and showed me grace, love and compassion when I was still an atheist. My identity is in Christ; nevertheless, prior to being adopted into the family of God, I was an orphan.

I was left in an orphanage soon after I was born, and was adopted at three months old. Being a mother myself of two daughters, I just cannot imagine the pain my own mother must have endured: carrying me for nine months; feeling the kicks and movements while she was pregnant with me…

Every time my girls kicked, I was so excited.

from the Ealing Fostering and Adoption Team in November 2019 to celebrate Adoption/Fostering Sunday.

I was born in Cali in Colombia - a beautiful country, but is sadly known for the drugs wars between gangs. My birth mother found the strength to let me go, so I could have a better life.

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I have always wanted to adopt, but adoption is not a decision to be taken lightly... Children need reassurance; they need to feel that both parents really want to adopt them. If both parents are on the same page, though, and want to adopt, that is great.

Don’t allow your fears to get in the way. It’s normal for adopted children to look for their birth parents. I looked for my birth mother, and still love my adoptive mum.

Not every child is meant to be raised by their birth family, and there is nothing wrong with that. Home for Good is a Charity that is dear to my heart - not only because of adoption, but also because they are standing on the promises of God, and that is why I decided I would like to become a Fostering/ Adoption Champion for Ealing Christian Centre (ECC).

Jesus’ love has made me cry, as I have never known a love and power like this before. I look back and can see the enemy’s various traps and curses he tried to place upon me and lure me into, and I see that Jesus has intervened and stopped the enemy’s plans from prospering. As my God tells me: no weapon formed against me shall prosper!

This simply means that I provide a link between Home for Good and information to ECC, so that people have the information they need to consider fostering and adoption.

I know I need to put on the full armour of God to win the battle. The Christ who is in me is greater than the Devil, who is under my feet. As for me and my church, we stamp on scorpions and serpents, in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

Sharon Grant (Assistant for Pastoral Care at ECC) and I were introduced to Rachel Maclure (who heads up Home for Good in London) and Sarah Geake (a foster carer). We also invited Michelle

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

PICTURE: Olivia (on the right) with Rachel Maclure, and (below left) the new book

by Home For Good founder and director, Dr Krish Kandiah

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livia Baiden, our new Fostering and Adoption Champion, has shared her story, passion, motivation and desire to support those who are considering, or families who have already opened their homes and lives to children and young people.

As a church, we fully support Olivia as our new Fostering/ Adoption Champion, and we pray that God will continue to bless her as she begins her new role.

ECC will be hosting the Home for Good Foundation Course, which is for anyone who wants to further explore fostering and adoption. This is a free course but you will need to register, as we can only accept a limited number of people.

The course will be run on the following dates: Thursday 30th April from 7.15pm to 9.15pm Thursday 7th, 14th and 21st May from 7.15pm to 9.15pm, and Saturday 13th June from 9.30am to 2pm If you would like to know more about Home for Good, please visit https://homeforgood.org.uk/. To book your place on the course, or to speak to Olivia or Sharon, please contact the ECC church office on 020 8840 7508 or email sg@ecc.org.uk.

Pure and undefiled religion before God, the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

James 1:27

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Testimonies from the

A sister shared the Gospel with a workman who was at her house to replace some fibre optics. He accepted Jesus into his life as Saviour and Lord, even though he was from a Roman Catholic background. She went to buy him a Bible and called the Prayer Centre to pray that he would be led to a Spirit-filled church in Barnet where he lives.

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A grandfather was speaking to his daughter on the phone when his one-year-old grandson pulled an open chest of drawers upon himself. The grandfather called the Prayer Centre and some friends for prayer. The child was taken to hospital and thankfully all was well; there were no broken bones or injuries.

This was attributed to the power of prayer.

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A caller rang from Portugal to request prayers for a young man who had a severe eye injury. After prayers, she called back to say that his eye was fine, and there was no permanent damage.

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A daughter called the Prayer Centre because her mother was in hospital with pneumonia. The doctors said they could do nothing more, except prescribe antibiotics. The daughter called the Prayer Centre for boldness to pray with her colleague. They prayed, and her mother was taken off the antibiotics; the electrolyte is now stabilised and the mother can now recognise her family. The daughter is understandably delighted, and declared: “Prayer works!”

Here are just a selection of the testimonies received at the Prayer Centre. Please contact Toyin Ezekiel or Rudy Brann on 020 8799 2199, if you would like to be involved in this important ministry.

Aanu mugs and bookmarks are available to buy from the ECC Office.

ALL proceeds go to the Aanu Foundation.

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GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

May 2020 TRANSPARENT BEFORE GOD Psalms 139, 112 and 15 The Book of Psalms, although being prayers, consists of a collection of five Jewish hymnbooks, with psalms being set to music and intended to be sung. They contain some of the most personal expressions of heartfelt cries to God, through a wide spectrum of feelings - from the desperate plea of one in deepest distress, on the one hand, to the high praises, on the other, of one rejoicing in everything prospering exceedingly well in their lives.

Approximately half the 150 psalms were written by David, with the others being written by a variety of other men, who tended to be, like David, choir and worship leaders who had a prophetic gifting, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

One of the noticeable aspects to the contents of the psalms is the transparency with which the psalmists operate before God to express their feelings. God knows everything about us before we even begin to pray, so it is a sensible policy to be completely open and honest before Him. David, three of whose psalms we are praying through this month, was just like that.

Sometimes he feels as though he has been praying forever, and God doesn’t seem to be answering. These are times for drawing deeply on the spiritual roots within him, and which result, when the answer to prayer is finally seen, in a process of character-building that has been taking place during those long hard times of waiting on God. Other times, he is seeing victory after victory and enjoying God’s blessing during a season in his life of overcoming enemies.

Of the three psalms of David this month, the first is Psalm 139, which expresses the qualities only God has. Verses 1-6 demonstrate God’s omniscience – He knows all things, every detail, especially about you and me. Verses 7-12 reveal His omnipresence – He is always everywhere at the same time – so we are never alone, even if we feel it is so. Verses 13-16 show God’s omnipotence – there is nothing He cannot do, so we need have no fear. With this knowledge of his Creator, David seeks to be totally transparent in his dealings with God. Psalms 112 and 15 each speak of those who walk honourably before God knowing His blessing and security, and developing a faith that cannot be shaken by outward traumas. As we pray through the prayer points this month, we are seeking to develop such a character that enables us to be the people and ministers of God He wants us to be, to achieve His plans and purposes.

1st Psalm 139:1 Search me, O Lord 1. Lord, since You know every detail of our lives, reveal to us, Holy Spirit, anything within us that is not pleasing to You, so we may change.

2. If our ambitions are not in line with Your will, O Lord, show us so that we can realign our lives with Your will.

3. You know our hearts, O God, if we are harbouring anything there that hinders our walk with You, show us so that we may deal with it.

4. For all the things that we are doing right, strengthen and expand those areas of our lives for Your glory, we pray.

5. Help us to remain transparent before You at all times, O Lord, realising that although You know all things, You want us to hide nothing from You. 2nd Psalm 139:2 Godly thoughts 1. Since our mind is the enemy’s target, help us to bring all our thoughts into captivity,

so that he may have no hold over us.

2. Let the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You, O Lord.

3. If we are harbouring any thoughts of unforgiveness in our hearts, O God, help us now resolve to release them.

4. May our thoughts be continually turning towards You, O Lord, in everything we are doing during the course of the day.

5. As we seek Your face, reveal Your thoughts to us today, Holy Spirit.

3rd Psalm 139:3 Godly actions 1. Lord, You know our weaknesses, give us Your boldness and courage to step out in faith, even when we feel inadequate.

2. Give us divine appointments to witness to those You know are ready to be saved - on the streets, in our places of work or wherever we happen to be.

3. Help us, where appropriate, to use the gifts of the Spirit: tongues, interpretation, prophecy, words of knowledge, wisdom and discernment, faith, healings and miracles.

4. Give us the boldness to step out in faith whenever we are praying for specific needs, whether for healing or for any prayer request that needs a specific answer.

5. Anoint us afresh with Your Holy Spirit right now, we pray, and let Your streams of living water flow out from our innermost being, we pray.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

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4th Psalm 139:4 Godly words 1. Teach us to be a people who think before we speak, so that we do not regret by speaking in haste.

2. Help us to see beyond a person’s failings to the potential that is within them, and speak words that will help them fulfil that potential.

3. Give us words that cause us to strengthen, encourage and comfort others.

4. Help us not to speak negative words over ourselves, or think negative thoughts that will hinder us rather than causing us to act in faith.

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May 2020 5. Holy Spirit, help us to speak words of faith that will see significant answers to prayer.

6th Psalm 139:7-8 Knowing the Holy Spirit 1. Help us each day to know You more, Holy Spirit, we pray.

2. Holy Spirit, enable us to learn how to know when You are speaking to us, so that we can obey all You desire us to do.

3. Cause us to desire to be continually filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, never allowing our light to diminish.

4. As we read the Bible, enlighten our minds to understand the depths of the things You would have us know and learn.

5. O Lord, help us to use the gifts of the Spirit in a way that brings glory to Jesus and fulfils Your purposes.

7th Psalm 139:9-10 Guided by the Holy Spirit 1. Holy Spirit, teach us to be responsive to Your guidance and Your leading in our lives.

2. Knowing that everything we do is important to You, guide us in all that we have to do today, Holy Spirit.

3. Guide us in all the decisions we have to make regarding our jobs and careers, we pray.

4. Guide us in all the decisions we have to make regarding our domestic and family affairs, so that we always make the right choices.

5. Guide us, Holy Spirit, in all areas of the ministries You have called each of us to be involved in.

8th Psalm 139:11-12 Intimacy with God at all times 1. Since You have created us, brought us

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9th Psalm 139:13 Accountable to our Creator 1. Lord, since You have created each of us, teach us to understand that we are accountable to You in all we do.

2. Teach us the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

3. Forgive us our trespasses this day, as we also forgive those who have trespassed against us.

4. If we are not currently living our lives in perfect accordance with Your will, show us where we have stepped outside Your will, and help us align ourselves with it.

5. In all that we say, think and do, help us give You all the praise, glory and honour that is due to You as the One who created us.

10th Psalm 139:14 The wonderful works of God 1. Teach us to express our thankfulness to You for giving us the gift of life, O Lord.

2. Cause us to express our gratefulness to You for enabling us to be reborn in Christ and so to experience eternal life, O Lord.

3. Enable us to know and outwork Your will for our individual lives, O Lord, so that we can rejoice in the knowledge that we are fulfilling Your plan.

4. Help us to understand the magnitude of Your awesome power as Creator of all, so that our faith may be continually growing.

5. Make us continually thankful for every answer to prayer we experience that demonstrates Your wonderful works in our lives and situations, O God. 11th Psalm 139:15 Acknowledging our dependence on God 1. Lord, help us to appreciate that we depend upon You for every breath that we take, so that we do not become forgetful

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of all You mean to us.

2. We acknowledge that You are the One who helps us create wealth, so help us in our jobs and businesses, we pray.

3. May we be a people who give generously to You and Your work, O God, as one way of acknowledging our dependence on You. 4. Heavenly Father, give us this day our daily bread, we pray.

5. Since we live because Jesus lived and died for us, rising again from the dead, may our lives be lived as ambassadors for You, O Lord, as an acknowledgement of our utter dependence and devotion to You. 12th Psalm 139:16 Discovering God’s destiny for our lives 1. Since You had a plan for our lives before we were even born, help each of us to wait on You to discover what that plan is, so that we do not miss our destinies.

2. Help us to make the right choices, so that we walk the pathway in life You have laid down for us, O Lord, not turning aside through disobedience or neglect.

3. Teach us the joy of walking in Your perfect ways, even when You allow things to happen that do not make us feel comfortable.

4. As You have called each of us to different callings and ministries, give us the patience and determination to wait on You to discover what they are.

5. Even if we realise You have called us to walk a difficult path, give us the courage to always pursue the destiny we feel You leading us into, we pray.

13th Psalm 139:17-18 Prioritising God’s Word in our lives 1. Since Your Word reveals Your thoughts, O God, teach us to be systematic readers of the Bible, so that we may learn Your thoughts.

2. Help us to plan our daily lives, so that reading Your Word is always included.

3. Enable us, Holy Spirit, to understand the words that we read each time we read the Bible.

4. Cause us to understand, believe and stand on all the promises You make to us in Your Word, O Lord.

5. Bring to our remembrance, Holy Spirit, throughout the course of each day, the things we have read in the Bible, so that we can put them into practice in all we do.

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LIVING THE LIFE OF FAITH Hebrews Chapter 11

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

5th Psalm 139:5-6 God’s presence 1. Lord, as we draw close to You each day, may we be more and more conscious of Your presence around us.

2. Lord Jesus, in times of trouble may we always remember that You have said You will never leave us nor forsake us.

3. May You be the first thought we have in the morning, and the last thought we have at night, O Lord.

4. Knowing You are always with us, teach us to speak to You at any time and about anything, as we fulfil our daily tasks and duties, O Lord.

5. Help us to be carriers of Your presence, O Lord, so that our lives affect others even without us speaking.

into being and sustain our lives, teach us that nothing is more important than to know You intimately, O Lord.

2. If we are feeling dry for any reason in our times of devotions, prayer and Bible reading, help us to draw closer to You in deeper intimacy, we pray.

3. If You are being crowded out of our lives through our being too busy, teach us to prioritise our lives correctly, O God. 4. Cause us to understand the height, depth and breadth of the love You have for each of us, O Lord, so that we may appreciate Your desire to be intimate with us.

5. Help us to love You with every fibre of our being, and to experience the love, joy and peace that follows intimacy with You.

April 2020 he letter to the Hebrews was written to Christians who needed to be encouraged in their new-found Christian faith. It had not yet come to the serious position where they had had to lay down their lives for following Christ, but they had experienced persecution to the point of having their goods and possessions confiscated. Some were thinking about turning back to Judaism with its rules and regulations as an easier option.

All through the letter, the writer is urging them on to maturity, demonstrating the superiority of the life in Christ who is our great and eternal High Priest and Eternal Sacrifice. His message contains a series of warnings: do not drift away (Hebrews 2:1-4); do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:7-12); do not remain as spiritual babies (Hebrews 5:11-14), having once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit; do not fall away, as there is no other means of salvation (Hebrews 6:4-6); do not keep on deliberately sinning, having now known the truth (Hebrews 10:26-31); do not lose heart just because God allows you to experience the character-moulding experience of discipline in your life, through hardships that God may permit for this purpose.

Instead, look at the examples of the great men of God in the past, whose lives have been recorded in Scripture for our benefit and encouragement. Chapter 11 of Hebrews is the ‘Heroes Gallery’ - a chronological list of men from the beginning of time who have demonstrated a faith that pleases God. That faith has been demonstrated in a variety of different ways, since the expression of faith is many-faceted and there are times when we have to experience it in many different forms.

By faith, some offered great sacrifices to God; others demonstrated faith in their day-to-day lives walking with God; others gave their all to God in faith; others still had to work persistently by faith, because they were not seeing any results for a long time.

Some had faith to be led by God, stepping out obediently into the unknown; others were prepared to suffer by faith, not being prepared to compromise their walk with God at any cost. Some saw great miracles happen by faith, whereas others saw nothing of that nature happen at all during their lifetimes. Instead, they were prepared, by faith, to endure the suffering and deprivation of everything in this lifetime, for the joy of their eternal reward. Some, by faith, were delivered from death, whereas others were prepared to experience, by faith, torture and horrible deaths from which they were not delivered.

As we pray through Hebrews Chapter 11 this month, we are asking God to enable us to express our faith in the many different ways that He may require us to do.

1st Hebrews 11:1-2 Certain of what we do not see 1. Lord, enable us to exercise a faith that always takes You at Your Word.

2. Give us the ability to go beyond human reasoning, and to see in the Spirit what You see, O God. 3. Help us distinguish between human presumption, which will fail, and a faith that is certain.

4. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You are saying to us, Holy Spirit.

5. Give us the perseverance to endure until we see the fulfilment of the promises You have made to us, O Lord.

2nd Hebrews 11:3 The all-powerful God 1. Help us to understand the enormous implications of the knowledge that You, O God, created the universe and all that is in it.

2. Be magnified in our eyes and our understanding, O Lord, so that we truly understand that with our God all things are possible.

3. Teach us how to trust in You wholeheartedly, O God, not depending solely on our own wisdom.

4. Remove all doubts that enter our minds, either from our own unbelief or from the enemy that would cause us not to act in total trust in You, O Lord.

5. Lord, enable us to live, so that we live in the strength of Christ and the Holy Spirit within us, and not in our own strength.

3rd Hebrews 11:4 A better sacrifice 1. May all we give to You, O Lord, be only the very best we have to give.

2. May our spiritual sacrifices of prayer, praise, worship and thanksgiving spring from a heart that desires only to give You the best.

3. May our service and ministry for You be our priority, and not merely an afterthought or a token, but the best we are able to offer.

4. May our financial giving to You be a spiritual sacrifice and not a token gift.

5. Help us to offer our bodies and our whole lives as living sacrifices to You, O God, which is our reasonable service.

4th Hebrews 11:5 The daily walk of faith 1. Like Enoch, help us to walk close to You daily, O Lord, in all we do.

2. Help us to bring the fruit of our relationship with You into everything we do, bringing a godly influence to all those we meet each day in school, college and work.

3. Help us to bring godly influence into every area of our family lives, because we walk close to You, O Lord.

4. Give us the desire to be continually drawing ever closer to You, and so becoming more Christlike each day.

5. May we be people, O God, about whom it can be said: “They please God.” 5th Hebrews 11:6 A faith that pleases God 1. Give us a faith that can believe the impossible, O God.

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April 2020 6th Hebrews 11:7 Working in faith 1. Like Noah building the ark, give us a faith, O Lord, that continues day after day, without doubting and despite opposition.

2. When it is going to take a long time to see our vision come to reality, give us the faith to keep working tirelessly towards reaching that goal.

3. Give us persistence in faith when we will not achieve our goals quickly.

4. Teach us the value of waiting on You and for You, O Lord, having a faith that can wait in expectancy.

5. Give us a vision of the work You have called us to, and the faith to carry it out to completion, we pray.

7th Hebrews 11:8-10 The faith of Abraham 1. Give us a faith that is prepared to step out in obedience to Your call, O God. 2. Just as Abraham was willing to leave all behind, help us not to so love what we have that it becomes an obstacle to stepping out in faith.

3. Lord, help us to make an effective difference as we live in this world effectively, without it influencing our walk with You. 4. Guide our footsteps through life, we pray, and may we know when You are telling us to stay put and when You are telling us to move forward.

5. Keep our eyes fixed on the finishing line of life, O God, so that we do not become entangled with the temporary things that would seek to distract us.

8th Hebrews 11:11-12 Believing the impossible 1. As we pray for those we know, who are as yet unsaved, may we pray believing that God can save those who have even the most hardened hearts.

2. As we pray for the sick, cause us to have a faith that can believe for healing in every

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situation.

3. As we pray over financial situations, give us a faith that can see miraculous releases of finance that bring glory to You, O God. 4. As we pray for seemingly impossible situations in our lives or the lives of others, help us pray with a belief that sees the breakthrough.

5. Cause us to pray with the earnest belief that our nation can turn wholeheartedly back to God. 9th Hebrews 11:13 Persevering in faith 1. Although we live in an ‘instant’ generation, help us to learn the spiritual principle that answer to prayer is often not instant.

2. May the trial of our faith result in it being shown to be genuine, bringing praise to You, O Lord.

3. When You require us to go through seasons of testing, O God, give us the grace and perseverance to endure, so that we may come out at the end the far stronger.

4. Cause us to remember, O Lord, that the wilderness is usually Your preparation ground for greater and more effective ministry.

5. Give us patience to endure, O Lord, knowing that when You act, You are never too early nor too late.

10th Hebrews 11:14-16 A faith that looks beyond the present 1. As we reflect on Your sacrifice, Lord Jesus, make us a people of vision, who are not bogged down by present circumstances, but who have faith to see better things ahead.

2. Like You, Jesus, help us to be a people who can see what is not as though it is, and to be able to pray the vision into reality.

3. As we experience smaller answers to prayer, may that build our faith to believe for ever greater answers, we pray.

4. Put a yearning in our hearts, O God, for more of You, so that we can believe for, and pray towards, seeing and experiencing greater things from You. 5. Lord, may we never be ashamed of You, so that You may never be ashamed of us.

11th Hebrews 11:17-18 Giving our all to God in faith 1. Lord, as Abraham, like You, was prepared to give up his most treasured possession at Your request, may we hold back nothing from You, no matter how dear it is

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to us.

2. Lord, as we lay all our ambitions at Your feet, may only that which is in line with Your will for our lives endure, and take away that which is not.

3. Lord, we recognise we are only stewards of what we possess, and we surrender all we own before You, so teach us to use or to give only according to Your will.

4. As we bring our jobs and businesses to You, O Lord, use them and use us totally in accordance with Your perfect plan and will, we pray.

5. Take our lives and let them be consecrated wholly to You, O God. 12th Hebrews 11:19 Total trust in God 1. On this resurrection day, as Abraham believed that if Isaac died he would have to be raised from the dead, in order for God’s promises to be fulfilled through him, give us such a faith also.

2. Teach us to be able to pray: “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.”

3. Teach us to trust You when we really do not understand what is happening, O Lord, knowing that in all things You work for the good of those who love You. 4. Lord, we believe, but help and strengthen our faith when we slip into times of unbelief.

5. Cause Your Word to find fruitful ground in our spirits, Lord Jesus: “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

13th Hebrews 11:20-21 Blessing others 1. Lord, we pray that You will bless, guide and give wisdom to those who rule over us.

2. We pray for the Queen and the Royal family that You would bless and help them, causing them to desire to walk in Your ways.

3. Cause our government and all members of parliament to have proper discernment between right and wrong, good and evil, so that they may pass just laws, O God. 4. Bless all our local councillors with a wisdom that enables them to run our local authorities well with their responsibilities, O Lord.

5. We pray that You would bless all the churches in our borough, enabling them to fulfil the purpose You have called each one to, O Lord.

14th Hebrews 11:22 A faith that believes for the future 1. Keep our eyes focused on eternity, O Lord, so that we are never overwhelmed by the affairs of today.

2. As we understand the great future that awaits us for all eternity, may it help us to live in the present with great energy, perseverance and faithfulness towards You, O Lord.

3. For every promise or prophetic word You have given us, help us to hold on to them with a faith that sees them outworked in our lives.

4. Help us to realise, O God, that as we remain close to You, our future can only ever get better and better and so, in everything, to know Your peace and contentment.

5. O Lord, help us to be better people today than we were yesterday, and better still tomorrow, as inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

15th Hebrews 11:23 Faith that defies fear 1. Make us strong as we continue to grow in the grace of Jesus Christ, we pray.

2. Since Your Word says that perfect love casts out all fear, enable us to draw closer to You, O Lord, and to understand the depths of Your love towards us.

3. May we understand clearly the omnipotence of Your power, O God, and the limited power of Satan and the powers of darkness, so that we may not fear.

4. When our circumstances seem overwhelming, O Lord, give us a faith that always defies all fear.

5. Give us the grace for every situation, O God, as we realise that courage requires being strong in the face of fear, so that we can be overcomers.

16th Hebrews 11:24-26 Choosing Christ, not sin 1. Teach us to understand what are the true riches we have in Christ, as opposed to the world’s riches, which are fleeting.

2. Like Moses, may we be prepared to suffer disgrace for the sake of Christ, rather than enjoy the temporary treasures of this world.

3. Help us to remember, O Lord, that we have the highest of all callings, to be ambassadors in this world for the King of kings.

4. Help us always to make the right choices before You, O God, even if the world seeks to pressurise us to act differently.

5. Teach us to lay up our treasures in heaven, O Lord, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

hinder and oppose the work of God in and through our church.

5. Lord, we pray with the psalmist: “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered!”

17th Hebrews 11:27 A faith that sees the invisible 1. Give us a vision and understanding of You, O God, in all Your power and glory, so that we can always put the things of this life in true and proper perspective.

2. Give each of us a vision of what You would have each of us do with our lives, O Lord, so that we may fulfil the destiny You have called each of us to.

3. Help us to see the vision You have called us to as a church, O God, so that each of us may fulfil our part in all that You want to do, both now and in the future.

4. Give us a faith that can envisage You moving in revival power amongst us and in our nation, O Lord, and a passion in prayer that will see it come to pass.

5. Like Isaiah, may we see You high and lifted up, O Lord, in a way that causes us to respond and say: “Here I am, send me.”

20th Hebrews 11:30 Faith that hears God’s directions 1. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, we pray.

2. May we come before You each day, Holy Spirit, asking You to lead us in all we will be doing that day.

3. Help us to listen to and recognise Your voice, Holy Spirit, so that You are able to speak to us at any time about anything You want us to do, we pray.

4. May we trust in You, O Lord, with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledge You, so that You may make our paths straight.

5. Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening!

18th Hebrews 11:28 Obedience in faith 1. Teach us an obedience, O Lord, that causes us to do Your will, no matter what the consequences.

2. In our schools, colleges, places of work and businesses, may we never be tempted to cut corners, but always to do things in a way that is honourable because we follow Christ.

3. May we obey Your simple command to love You with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, O God. 4. May we obey Your simple command to love our neighbour as ourselves, O God. 5. When things get difficult around us, may we always put obedience to You as a priority, O Lord, rather than sacrificing our faith on the altar of expediency.

19th Hebrews 11:29 Faith that overcomes all obstacles 1. Help us not to look at the obstacles in our lives, O Lord, but to the God who can overcome all obstacles.

2. Even though our faith feels like the size of a mustard seed, may we use it to move mountains, O Lord.

3. We take authority in the Name of Jesus over all powers of darkness that would seek to hinder and oppose the work of God in our individual lives.

4. We take authority in the Name of Jesus over all powers of darkness that seek to

21st Hebrews 11:31 Bringing the Gospel to sinners 1. Help us always to realise, O Lord, as we look at others, that there, but by the grace of God, go we.

2. Give us a compassion that, whilst not accepting the sin, nevertheless loves the sinner, no matter how far they have fallen.

3. Help us see many people coming in true repentance of sin, and giving their lives to Christ, we pray.

4. We pray for all our Discipleship groups, that each one may be able to effectively evangelise and bring others to Christ.

5. We pray for all our Street Evangelism teams, that those who are spoken to may always have open hearts to listen to and respond to the Gospel, O Lord.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

2. Give us a faith that can enable us to use the spoken gifts of the Holy Spirit: tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy.

3. Give us a faith that can enable us to use the power gifts of the Holy Spirit: healings, faith and miracles.

4. Give us a faith that can enable us to use the inspirational gifts of the Holy Spirit: words of knowledge, words of wisdom and the discerning of spirits.

5. Help us always to stop doubting, and believe.

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22nd Hebrews 11:32 Imitating men of faith 1. Lord Jesus, as we remember Your example of selfless sacrifice on the Cross for the salvation of others, give us the grace to be growing more like You day by day.

2. Help us to take up our cross and follow You, Lord Jesus.

3. As Samson was physically strong when the Holy Spirit came upon him, make us spiritually strong as we allow You, Holy Spirit, to work through us.

4. We pray You would give us a heart like David, who despite his faults, wholeheartedly desired to walk in all Your ways.

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April 2020 23rd Hebrews 11:33 Overcoming faith 1. In the Name of Jesus, help us to conquer and overcome the kingdom of darkness all around us, O Lord.

2. Through Christ, help us to build Your Kingdom, O Lord, seeing it extending in every direction.

3. Help us always to act justly, we pray.

4. Enable us to have such a faith in You, O Lord, that we can see the mouths of our enemies silenced without our having to do or say anything.

5. May we always rise above our circumstances, O Lord, never letting our circumstances overwhelm us.

24th Hebrews 11:34 Finding strength through faith 1. Thank You, Lord Jesus, that what Your enemies thought was Your weakness proved to be the strength of God, in the resurrection from the dead.

2. Thank You that, through the Cross, You disarmed the powers and authorities, making a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the Cross.

3. Teach us daily how to rely not on our own strength, O Lord, but on Yours.

4. May Your strength be demonstrated through our weakness, O Lord.

5. Cause us to be overcomers and to triumph in every spiritual temptation and battle, we pray.

25th Hebrews 11:35 Suffering in faith 1. As a church, O Lord, help us to move to that place where we can believe to see the dead raised, for Your glory.

2. Help us to realise, O Lord, that You do not always take us out of difficulties and, when You do not, help us to bring You glory through them.

3. Give us the grace to endure those trials You would have us undergo, O God. 4. Give us the wisdom and the discernment to understand when we are suffering because of our own misjudgements or actions, and the humility to seek Your forgiveness.

5. Give us the wisdom and understanding to be able to know when the enemy is attacking us, or when it is You who are allowing us to go through trials, so that we know how to respond.

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26th Hebrews 11:36-7 Faith to face ridicule, persecution and death 1. Lord, as we pray for all those believers in other countries today, who are facing persecution and death simply for following Jesus, give them Your grace.

2. As we pray for all our brothers and sisters in jail around the world today, because they have refused to compromise their faith in Christ, help and sustain them and their families.

3. As we pray for all believers who live in Muslim, communist or totalitarian states, where their faith in Christ is suppressed, give them the grace to live for You in hostile conditions.

4. As we pray for all Muslim converts to Christ, who face death as a consequence, enable them to endure and overcome to the end, O Lord.

5. In all those areas of the world, where believers are constantly under the threat of violent persecution, help them, and may their example be a great witness to their enemies.

27th Hebrews 11:38 In this world, but not of it 1. Teach us how to live effectively in this world, bringing godly change without being compromised, we pray.

2. So that we do not become discouraged, cause us to remember that in the Kingdom to come, there will be those who are last now, but who will then be first and the first shall be last.

3. Help us to remember that we are citizens of the Kingdom of heaven, which is where our true value lies.

4. Cause us to be people of influence, O God, bringing Your Kingdom to others.

5. Enable us to move in all the power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, bringing the Kingdom of God to this fallen world.

28th Hebrews 11:39 Commended for faith 1. May we value our walk with You far above anything else we have in this life, O God. 2. In all we do, may we do it as unto You, Lord, to please You and not simply to please others.

3. Help us to work out our salvation with a wholesome fear of the Lord, that trembles at the thought of committing sin, we pray.

4. Teach us the importance, necessity and value of servanthood, O Lord.

5. May we so live, O Lord, that one day we will hear You say to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

29th Hebrews 11:40 God’s plans for our lives 1. Help us to realise, O Lord, You have a perfect plan for each of our lives that requires us to make the right freewill choices to see it implemented.

2. Give us the wisdom and the discernment we need to be able to make those right choices throughout our lives in each and every situation, O God. 3. If we are currently not in Your perfect will for our lives, forgive our mistakes, and guide us onto the right pathway now, we pray.

4. Help us to keep walking on the straight and narrow path, even when we cannot see the end of our situations.

5. May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives today.

30th Hebrews 11:40 Striving for perfection 1. Thank You, Lord, that in Christ, we shall one day be made perfect.

2. Whilst we still live with our sinful nature, as well as our new spiritual nature, give us the desire to change to become closer to the nature and character of Christ.

3. Through things that we do and say, change us today, O Lord, to become a little more like Christ.

4. Help us so that, forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, we can press on towards the prize for which You, O God, have called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.

5. Lord Jesus, help us to see You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, day by day.

14th Psalm 139:19-20 Shunning evil 1. Keep our hands from evil, O Lord.

2. Keep our eyes and our minds from evil, O Lord, helping us to say No when necessary.

3. Give us discernment when watching television, O Lord, guarding our minds from evil.

4. Help us to make wise decisions not to go to places that would compromise our godly standards.

5. May we learn that it is better to suffer loss than to participate in activities that may bring gain but are ungodly, O Lord.

15th Psalm 139:21-22 Hating sin, loving the sinner 1. Give us minds that can discern sin, even when it is subtle or seems reasonable.

2. Cause us to learn how to love the ungodly whilst hating sin.

3. As we live in a fallen world, help us to be godly influencers of others, without being influenced ourselves by the evil around us.

4. Have mercy on the unsaved people we live and work with each day; may they come to a knowledge of salvation through Christ.

5. Because we live in a fallen world and are surrounded by the ways of the world, help us to continually live according to the values of the Kingdom of God. 16th Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O Lord 1. Search us, O God, and know our hearts, and reveal to us everything You want us to change.

2. When You test us to help us mature in Christ, help us to pass the test and to grow spiritually in the process, we pray.

3. If we have any anxious thoughts, O God, help us to learn to cast all our cares on You, knowing that You care for us.

4. Father, if You see any offensive ways within us, give us the grace to recognise them and act accordingly, even when it requires a trusted friend to point them out.

5. Day by day, lead us in the life-changing process of becoming more like Christ, as we move towards eternity with You, O Lord.

17th Psalm 112:1 A reverence for God that brings obedience 1. May the godliness, integrity and sincerity of our lives - wherever we are and

whatever we do - bring praise to You, even from the people of this world, O Lord.

2. Teach us how to have a reverent fear for You, O Lord, that enables us to possess a great authority before men and before powers of darkness.

3. Make us a people who are not reluctant to walk in the integrity of godliness, but who delight in it.

4. As we walk in obedience to You, O God, may the power of the Holy Spirit enable us to be used in all manner of ways, circumstances and miraculous happenings that bring glory to You. 5. Cause us to be a righteous people who can pray powerful and effective prayers that see the miraculous, just as Elijah did, who was human just like us.

18th Psalm 112:2 Praying for our children 1. Help us to raise our children in the fear and respect for You, Lord.

2. Guard our children against every force of evil that would seek to corrupt their minds from an early age, O God. 3. Help our children to come to know You at an early age, O Lord, so that they can grow up to be men and women, full of the wisdom of God. 4. Raise up our children to become mighty in our land, O Lord, ones who can bring about radical change for good.

5. Bless and anoint in a special way all those who teach our children the Word of God. 19th Psalm 112:3 Wisdom with our material possessions 1. Give us the ability to create wealth, O Lord, together with the wisdom of how to spend it.

2. Enable each of us, from the material possessions You give us, whether much or little, to learn the blessings of tithing and giving.

3. Give us all the wealth we need to carry out the plans and purposes You have for us as a church, we pray.

4. Cause us to be good stewards of all material possessions that come our way, recognising that such things are not given for our self-indulgence.

5. Enable us to be people who hold on lightly to what we own, recognising that spiritual wealth alone is enduring.

20th Psalm 112:4 God works all things together for good 1. Cause us to remember that no darkness can hide anything from Your eyes, so

when we feel overcome by the pressures of life, lift us up, we pray.

2. Teach us the truth that You work all things together for the good of those who love You, so that we never despair when things outwardly are not going well for us.

3. Help us to learn that at times You will allow difficult times to come our way, as part of the process of our developing an overcoming faith.

4. For those we know, who are feeling desperate because of undesired things going on in their lives, strengthen them in the knowledge that You can turn what is meant for evil, into good.

5. Develop within us a total trust in You, O Lord, that is able to look at any adverse circumstances and see the victory You can bring over them.

21st Psalm 112:5 Generous hearts 1. Make us a generous and not a selfish people, O Lord.

2. Teach us the truth of Your words, Lord Jesus, that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

3. Develop within us the joy that comes when we sacrificially give to benefit another person and the work of God. 4. Cause us to experience the spiritual truth that we will reap according to how we sow, in all areas of life, including financially.

5. Cause us to be a people who are generous with our praise for others, so that they can be built up to do greater things for God.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

5. Give us the boldness of Your prophets of old, O Lord, who fearlessly spoke out for You, no matter what the consequences were.

May 2020

22nd Psalm 112:6 Not shaken 1. Cause no news to shake us that may come to our ears, because we have total confidence in You, O God. 2. Make us a people who can always see beyond bad news, to a God who is able to do all things and change every situation, we pray.

3. Help us to so develop our relationship with You, O Lord, that the peace You give us will overcome any attempt to shake our faith.

4. Build Your Church among us, O Lord, and may we witness the fact that the gates of hell cannot overcome it.

5. When You shake the world around us, O Lord, to cause the people turn to You, let them see Your people as ones who are unshaken by events, so that they seek our help to know Christ.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

19

PRAYER & EVANGELISM XXX XXX

PRAYER DIARY

24-hour

May 2020 23rd Psalm 112:7 Standing in times of trouble 1. Let the experience we have of Your perfect love for us cast out all fear, O Lord.

2. When trouble is all around us, let the world see how we stand firm in You, our God, and cause them to want to know more about the God who sustains us.

3. In times of financial trouble, recession and economic shaking, watch over and protect Your people, O Lord, causing them instead to prosper more.

4. In times when we experience sickness, O Lord, help us to trust You to restore our health, learning whatever lessons You want to teach us in the process.

5. Teach us to see all things, not merely in present-day circumstances, but in terms of eternity, so we can maintain a true perspective of our light and momentary troubles.

24th Psalm 112:8 Overcoming 1. In all areas of ministry, help us to overcome all obstacles, hindrances and any feelings of inadequacy, and to stand in the strength of the Lord.

2. We pray You, Holy Spirit, will be so present in all our Discipleship groups, that every person who attends will deepen their commitment and walk with the Lord.

3. Cause us to believe together, in order to overcome every attack of the enemy upon our lives, our families, our jobs, our homes and our church.

4. Give us breakthroughs to see those we have been praying for come to faith in Christ, and be added to the church and Discipleship groups.

5. We take authority over every spirit of unbelief that blinds the eyes of those we are praying for; help us, O Lord, to use the authority as believers You have given us.

25th Psalm 112:9 People of influence 1. Make us a people of influence on all those we come into contact with each day.

2. Make us strong in character, in determination to do right, and in the ability to bring godly change in all areas of life.

3. As we sow our finances into evangelism and missions, cause there to be a great harvest of souls saved, communities changed and righteousness growing.

4. In all our areas of school, college, businesses and workplaces, make us a people who can push back the darkness

20

of ungodliness, we pray.

5. May the words we speak take on an anointing from You, Holy Spirit, that brings a godly influence of change to the lives of others that we could never bring about by our own abilities.

26th Psalm 112:10 Frustrating the plans of evil 1. Make us strong to the point where we can always frustrate the plans of the powers of darkness.

2. When the devil appears as an angel of light, give us discernment so that we can see, and so not be caught up in his plans.

3. When the devil comes as a roaring lion, cause us to humble ourselves before God, resist the devil, and see him flee from us.

4. Anoint our intercessory prayers, so that we can effectively oppose and frustrate every plan of the enemy.

5. As we pray, make us strong to the pulling down of every spiritual stronghold that seeks to oppose the work of God in our lives and in the church.

27th Psalm 15:1 Getting closer to the Lord 1. Increase the desire in our hearts to draw closer to You, O Lord.

2. Knowing that Your ways and Your thoughts are so much better and higher than ours, be the Lord of our lives in everything we do.

3. Help us to shake off any slothful or lazy ways when it comes to seeking Your face, O God, but instead to seek You in spirit and in truth.

4. Help us not to waste our time in a way that makes us too tired to pray, but rather to order our time daily in a way that always enables us to spend time with You. 5. Heavenly Father, teach us to learn how to love everything about You more and more.

28th Psalm 15:2 Honesty and integrity 1. Cause us to be people who always speak the truth, so that You are not dishonoured by our lack of faithfulness.

2. May we speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, not succumbing to telling half-truths that would cause confusion.

3. Let us be true disciples of Jesus, keeping our word so that we let our ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and our ‘No’ be ‘No’.

4. When we need to speak hard truths, help us to be able always to speak the truth in love, so that the other person is helped

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

PRAYER CENTRE

and not hindered.

5. May we be known amongst the unsaved, as individuals who can always be trusted to be honest and sincere.

29th Psalm 15:3 Profitable words 1. Keep our lips from slander and gossip, and may we not delight in hearing such words.

2. Keep us from angry words that are spoken in haste and regretted later and, rather, help us to exercise the fruit of the Spirit, which is selfcontrol.

3. Help us get into the habit of only ever speaking words designed to help others, not pull them down, O God. 4. Teach us to understand the power of our words, so that we learn to use them to speak words of faith that can change people and situations for the good.

5. Teach us how to speak prayerful words of blessing over those who offend, hurt and mistreat us, knowing that this is what You have commanded us to do.

30th Psalm 15:4 Utterly dependable 1. Enable us, O Lord, to shun all forms of evil that we encounter as we live our daily lives.

2. Teach us to honour and respect all who fear the Your Name, O Lord, and have given their lives to Christ, since together we form the family of God. 3. Teach us to honour and respect those who have spiritual authority over us, realising this is Your will, O Lord.

4. Give us the wisdom not to make promises or enter into agreements that we cannot keep.

5. Because You are a God who never breaks His promises to us, make us a people who keep our promises even when it hurts.

31st Psalm 15: Unshakeable 1. Give us unshakeable faith in Your Word, O God, so that we can be the people of great faith that You want us to be.

2. Help us to understand the authority You have delegated to us, Lord Jesus, so that we can overcome every evil spirit and power of darkness that opposes us.

3. As we come before You in prayer, O God, cause the power of our prayers to defeat and extinguish every fiery dart or arrow sent against us by the powers of darkness.

4. As we put on the full armour of God, when the day of evil comes, help us to stand our ground and stand firm in the might of the Lord.

5. Give us an unshakeable faith to be able to pray into existence a revival that will shake us, our church, our borough, our city and our nation.

Call our confidential prayer line for ANY need 24 hours a day 7 days a week

020 8799 2199

DAILY

REVIVAL PRAYER MEETINGS During coronavirus restrictions, please view online on YouTube

Monday to Friday 10.00am to 12.00pm - Annexe Room 2* 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Foyer (*accessible from Northfields Avenue)

WEEKLY

TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING

During coronavirus restrictions, please view online on YouTube

MONTHLY

REVIVAL & HEALING MEETINGS Second Sunday evening of every month at 6.30pm During coronavirus restrictions please view online on YouTube Sunday 10th May TBC

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS

For ECC attenders: Before coming for deliverance for the first time, please make an appointment to speak to Pastor Rajinder No meeting in APRIL due to coronavirus restrictions Saturday 16th May TBC For non-ECC attenders: Please contact ELLEL MINISTRIES on 01252 794060

ALL-NIGHT PRAYER MEETINGS Last Friday of every month 10.00pm to 5.00am Come when you can!

No meeting in APRIL due to coronavirus restrictions Friday 29th May TBC

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

EVANGELISM

Every month, the Evangelism teams go to various towns across the borough of Ealing (and surrounding boroughs).

Please see below for locations.

ALL ARE WELCOME

If government restrictions continue because of the coronavirus outbreak, there will be NO Local Lighthouse Evangelism Saturday 11th Apr

Saturday 9th May

TO BE CONFIRMED

TO BE CONFIRMED

Acton Brentford Chiswick Greenford Hammersmith Hanwell Harrow Hounslow Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Twickenham Wembley West Drayton West Ealing

Acton Brentford Chiswick Ealing Broadway Greenford Hammersmith Hanwell Harrow Hayes Hounslow Isleworth Northfields Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Uxbridge Wembley

11am - 1pm

11am - 1pm

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

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BELIEFS & MEETINGS

W

by Pastor Richard

e are the ones who set the measure of giving and receiving from God. In several areas, Jesus tells us that God lets us set the measure, and then He deals with us according to the measure we set. For example, the Scripture says: • ‘Do not judge or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ (Matthew 7:1-2) • ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.’ (Matthew 5:7) Furthermore, God will deal with us in accordance to how we deal with others: • ‘Consider carefully what you hear.

With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ (Mark 4:24) With regards to forgiveness, the Bible says: • ‘Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’

(Luke 6:37) This is also true in the area of our giving to God: • ‘Give, and it will be given to you.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’ (Luke 6:38) The question you may want to ask is ‘Why must I tithe’?

We all have a choice or freewill, so there is no compulsion in tithing, but there are consequences that flow from our choices. If you want to experience the blessing of God that makes you rich and adds no sorrow, the Scripture below is for you to ponder upon.

• ‘Bring all the tithes…so that the Lord may bless you in all the work of your hands’ (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) Sandra Dawodu Please note that you can give to ECC through the website at www.ecc.org.uk or via mobile apps: Acct No 18844979 Sort Code 60 05 16

22

WEEKLY MEETINGS

Sunday services Celebration service

9.00am to 10.45am with classes for Children & Youth Celebration service 11.15am to 1.00pm with classes for Children & Youth Japanese service 2.30pm to 4.30pm in Auditorium Polish service 2.30pm to 4.30pm in Foyer Evening service 6.30pm to 8.00pm See page 23 for details Mondays Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Tuesdays Prayer meetings 10.00am & 7.30pm Wednesdays Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Little Stars’ Parents & Tots Term-time only 10.00am to 12.00pm Wednesday Afternoon Fellowship

2.00pm to 3.30pm Thursdays Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Life skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm Registration required Fridays Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Ministry skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm Registration required All-night Prayer 10.00pm to 5.00am Last Friday of the month Saturdays Local Lighthouse Evangelism (2nd Sat) 11.00am to 1.00pm

FINANCE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR FAITHFUL GIVING TO GOD’S WORK

J AN 2020 FEB 2020 Tithes & Offerings £39,835.20 £31,388.22 Building Fund £3,679.02 £2,166.60 Standing Orders £36,584.69 £24,368.04 You can continue to give online or via mobile apps

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

WHAT WE BELIEVE

ECC streams its morning and some evening services live on YouTube. If you do not wish to be shown, please ask the ushers to seat you away from the cameras. Thank you.

1. THE BIBLE: We believe the Bible, as originally

given, to be without error, the fully inspired and infallible Word of God and the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

2. THE TRINITY: We believe that the Godhead exists co-equally and co-eternally in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that these Three are one God, sovereign in creation, providence and redemption.

3. THE SAVIOUR: We believe in the true and proper deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His real and complete humanity, in His sinless life, in His authoritative teaching, in His substitutionary and atoning sacrifice through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His heavenly intercession and His second advent to receive His Church.

4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit Who proceeds from the Father and the Son and the necessity of His work in conviction of sin, repentance, regeneration and sanctification, and that the believer is also promised an enduement of power as the gift of Christ through the baptism in the Holy Spirit with signs following. Through this enduement the believer is empowered for fuller participation in the ministry of the Church, its worship, evangelism and service.

5. MANKIND: We believe in the universal sinfulness of all mankind since the Fall, rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation.

6. SALVATION: We believe in the necessity for salvation of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by which the sinner is pardoned and accepted as righteous in God's sight. This justification is imputed by the grace of God because of the atoning work of Christ, is received by faith alone and is evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit and a holy life.

7. THE CHURCH: We believe in the spiritual unity and the priesthood of all believers in Christ and that these comprise the universal Church, the Body of Christ.

8. THE MINISTRY: We believe in the ministries that Christ has set in His Church, namely, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and in the present operation of the manifold Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the New Testament.

9. THE ORDINANCES: We believe in the baptism of believers in water in obedience to the command of Christ and the commemoration of Christ's death by the observance of the Lord's Supper until His return.

10.THE COMMISSION: We believe that the Gospel embraces the needs of the whole man and that the Church is therefore commissioned to preach the Gospel to the world and to fulfil a ministry of healing and deliverance to the spiritual and physical needs of mankind.

11.THE COMING KING: We believe in the personal, physical and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign in power and glory.

12.THE FUTURE STATE: We believe in the resurrection of the dead and in the final judgment of the world, the eternal conscious bliss of the righteous and the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

APRIL 2020

Spiritual Principles of Giving

Please note that during the Government’s social distancing guidelines, due to the coronavirus outbreak, there will be NO MEETINGS at ECC. Please check the website for updates, and watch services online.

9.00am live stream

6.30pm

PRAISE & COMMUNION Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

An hour of online interactive worship and prayer

12th

EASTER CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxon

An hour of online interactive worship and prayer

19th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

An hour of online interactive worship and prayer

26th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

An hour of online interactive worship and prayer

5th

Please note: Scheduled services for May will be changed and replaced with online services if the coronavirus still prevents public gatherings.

Details will appear on our website. Guest speakers may also change.

MAY 2020

Note from the Treasurer

SUNDAY SERVICES

PRAISE & COMMUNION Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

AN HOUR OF WORSHIP & PRAYER Speaker: Pastor Mark King

10th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxon

REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

17th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Guest Speaker: David Silver Out of Zion Ministries, Israel

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

24th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

AFRICAN EVENING Gospel celebration - African style!

31st

CELEBRATION SERVICE Guest Speaker: Russ Kline, USA

A PROPHETIC EVENING WITH Guest Speaker: Russ Kline, USA

3rd

STAY IN CONTACT

Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the FOYER

If government restrictions regarding the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing are still in place, you can stay in contact with us on the following social media platforms

ECCJ JAPANESE FELLOWSHIP

Sunday service Sunday service Children’s service Youth service Tuesday prayer Daily prayer

Elim Springs POLISH FELLOWSHIP Please check beforehand

Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the MAIN AUDITORIUM For details, please contact AOGU & CHISATO TATEYAMA info@eccj.org.uk

9.00am 6.30pm 11.00am 11.00am 7.30pm 6.00pm

YouTube YouTube Facebook Live Zoom YouTube YouTube

Subscribe to our ECC YouTube Channel which can be found at https://www. youtube.com/channel/ UCVWtX6g6KyUhf4iVuj7G4fQ

Please check beforehand

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

23

ECC FAMILY NEWS

LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

Please email your Wedding, New Baby and other good news to SHARON GRANT at sg@ecc.org.uk

HERE FOR

W

APRIL

YOU

A Very Rewarding Experience

D

2

EDNESDAY Afternoon Fellowship

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO MEETINGS DURING GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS

pm

espite the threat of Storm Ciara, God was so good, and gave us fine weather on the day we went to West Ealing for Lighthouse Evangelism. We were encouraged that four members of my Discipleship group - Jenny, Rafaela, Ramona and Nazma - joined the team to hand out tracts, CDs and ECC’s Grapevine magazine. We spoke and prayed for people.

CONGRATULATIONS to Sister Colleen who recently celebrated her

Jenny met a friend whom she had not seen for some time. She shared the Gospel, prayed with her and invited her to ECC. Jenny asked if she would like to do the ‘First Steps’ course, designed to know more about Jesus and she agreed. Nazma and Jenny met a mother and daughter from the Philippines. Nazma prayed for healing from arthritis, and invited them to ECC. They were pleased to be invited. Ramona and I spoke to a lady, whose cousin in Germany has cancer, and we prayed for him. She was so pleased.

80th birthday

1st Lola Vassell & Prayer/Praise 8th Pastor Bob & Colleen Barry-Austin 15th Lola Vassell & Pastor Bob 22nd Pastor Bob 29th Lola Vassell & Dale Adebakin

Ania met a Polish man, with a relationship problem in his marriage, and prayed for restoration of his marriage. Andrez witnessed to a Muslim, who actually tried to convert Andrez! May God cause the man to receive dreams and revelations of Jesus, so he accepts Jesus as his Saviour and Lord. As we were handing out tracts, we were inviting people to ECC and to attend the Healing and Revival meeting on the Sunday evening.

MAY

6th Lola Vassell & Rudy Brann 13th Pastor Bob 20th Lola Vassell & Prayer/Praise 27th Pastor Bob

S

Please contact Sharon for details of forthcoming events. Thank you.

Next ECC sessions take place on the following Saturdays: 9th May, 20th June, 1st August Please contact Sherine or Sharon via ECC church office for further information on how to get involved

24

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

outh Ealing is so receptive to the Gospel at present, but it wasn’t always like this. People would give us cold looks, as if to say: “We don’t want your tracts.” Constant prayer has brought about the change, and sometimes people come to take tracts from me “for their friends”, and they will talk to me so I can share Gospel with them.

Linda Lewis Team Leader Always great to have everyone on team (ECC Soup Kitchen Team, above) and thank you to Jermaine (right) who provided some yummy home made cakes!

WEST EALING

I pray other Discipleship groups will also take the great opportunity to fulfil the Great Commission, and bless our community with witnessing.

Giving an hour or more of their time on a Saturday morning once a month is a very rewarding experience. It gives us the opportunity share God’s love with passers-by, listen to their worries with a sympathetic ear, as well as praying for those who are in pain or unwell.

EVERGREENS 2pm - 6pm

Suzanne Walker Team Leader

SOUTH EALING

One evangelism day, none of the team members were able to make it, but I decided that whether it be sunshine or rain, I would go and witness for Jesus. I prayed for God to give me great opportunities to share the love and the Gospel with others. And it happened. One man confessed to me that he was a drug addict and needed prayer. As I prayed for him, he said he felt something and I said it was the Holy Spirit of God. I encouraged him to come to church to receive more healing and prayers, and that freedom will come to him, in Jesus’ Name. Another man desperately needed to renew his two-year work permit, as it had run out and he needed a job. I prayed for him and invited him to come to church.

A sister from ECC walked past me, and I gave her a few tracts to hand out to others as she walked home. My day ended with so much joy, as I was so happy that I had been able to witness for Jesus and serve Him.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

25

TESTIMONIES REVIVAL & HEALING

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

HOW GOD REVEALS TO RESTORE AND ROAR

M

y life, as short a time as just one year ago, was visionless. It was like chasing after the wind. I sought after an identity of my own making, and was left unfulfilled time and again. My heart yearned for security and for a place in this world. I was living according to my own fickle will.

Since the age of nine, I have struggled with homosexuality.

At first, it was a secret I carried around. It plagued my young mind with impurity and self-worth issues, and my identity was under attack. When I was 18, I went to college, and I met a girl who was openly homosexual. It was then that I began living out that lifestyle. No one challenged the lifestyle I led; as far as I was concerned, it was perfectly right. I convinced myself and others that we were the creators and orchestrators of our own lives, and so long as I wasn’t hurting anyone, I was good.

When I reached 21, my sister invited me to a church. There I had my first encounter with God. His presence washed over me; He came upon me powerfully, and assured me that I was safe. In that moment, I felt compelled to respond, and invited Jesus into my life.

God’s great design for my life

For years after that encounter, I continued living a homosexual lifestyle for the next few years. The shift was a process. God began to show me His great design. He offered me wisdom to understand the value of sex, sexuality and marriage - and what it means to be a woman or a man. He led me to a place where I was compelled to ask myself: ‘Why am I the way that I am?’ and ‘Why do I have the desires that I have?’ You can be certain there are roots to our behaviours and desires. There are beginnings to our lifestyles. I had to take a painful step into obedience, to wholly submit myself to God and trust Him with my sexuality; only then could He free me from that bondage.

No one questioned my way of life before, but God did, because He loves me. I know who I am in Jesus, and He has given me a fresh start in life. One in which I am prepared to live fully for Him. I had been coming to Ealing Christian Centre since November 2019, as my sister was also attending. By now, I was so hungry to know God more, and I went to receive ministry to break off any further bondages and demonic strongholds on my life. God has brought me through. I am free from slavery to sin, and from the bondages of the devil. I want to live my life for Jesus, He bore the Cross, so that I could return to God, sanctified and made righteous by my Saviour.

Recently, I was baptised in water. It was a true joy, and I love Jesus!

by Victoria Vinet 26

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od reveals David’s sin to him through Nathan, the prophet (2 Samuel 12) with the message: “The Lord has taken away your sin.” An angel of the Lord finds Gideon hiding grain from the Midianites, and calls him “a mighty hero” (Judges 6).

Whatever situation God finds you in, the outcome is the same: to restore you and enable you to roar. Be encouraged.

David and Gideon took the same action – ‘hiding’ - to cover up the issues in their lives: David was active in covering up the murder of Uriah, and Gideon was hiding grain from marauders.

The common theme, when things are not going well for us, is to hide and cover up. In every walk of life, people keep secrets, and take comfort in the belief that those outside their controlled circle know nothing.

Apart from David and his controlled circle - of possibly Bathsheba and Joab - no one was supposed to know the travesty that had occurred in Israel. But God knew. And God sent His prophet to reveal.

Today, there’s an everlasting record of that event for our edification. God is revealing to us that hiding is not a good strategy. He wants to intervene and reveal, so we can be restored and enabled to roar.

Gideon and all in Israel were hiding, instead of taking the fight to the enemy, in the power of their living and awesome God. Consider the dynamics. At no point does Israel voluntarily return to the Lord; it’s the Lord who intervenes to change the narrative!!!

Does this sound familiar? Things are not great, but instead of calling on the Lord to enable us to take back what has been stolen, is being stolen, we adjust and live in the discomfort...

If you want to receive personal prayer for any kind of need, please come to the Revival and Healing meeting, which takes place the second Sunday evening of the month at 6.30pm.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

We are all guilty of this. We appear happy and content, but deep down we can be hiding. I’ve done it many times in my past. Hiding, when I should be visible.

In spite of our hiding, we have an awesome God who sees us, but has no intention of leaving us in hiding. He reveals to us the truth of our situation by calling us into the path we are supposed to be walking.

brings certain victory.

The strength of God’s revelation to us is that our testimony is available for all generations, to understand how reliance on God

The enemy will use guilt to encourage you to hide again resist the temptation to hide. Stand in the light. Forgiven.

Restored. Roaring.

It doesn’t matter what you’ve done; it could be the worst thing in the eyes of men. It could be something you regret to your core.

Your response must be the same: embrace the revelation of what you’ve been hiding. Whether it was a mistake or deliberate action, embrace God’s revelation over your life, because the next stage is going to be awesome.

Embrace the restoration. Can you imagine the sheer relief David enjoyed, hearing those unimaginable words: “You’re forgiven”? Nothing can replace that phenomenal, unexplainable knowledge that the sin you, I, we have been hiding is cancelled.

Now, because we’ve been forgiven, it doesn’t mean the consequences of our actions are also cancelled. We still have to face those, but now we can face them in the power of our awesome God. Embrace the opportunity to roar. God with us means nothing can stand against us (Romans 8:31). Like God with David and Gideon, they won victories establishing the Kingdom of heaven here on earth.

It’s our turn today. Be encouraged.

Roy McEwen Praying.Works GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

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MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

“God, let’s talk” 1

Peter 5:6-11 says: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever.

Amen.”

In our last edition of Grapevine (issue 102), we began looking at these words of Peter (written above). We explored what it meant for us as men to humble ourselves before others and before God. If you haven’t read it yet, grab a copy (or access online via the website) and give it a read. This issue, we are going to explore the phrase: ‘Cast all your anxiety on Him’.

“God, let’s talk …” These are the words I use whenever it feels like the world is caving in around me. When I haven’t slept for a while; when I am losing weight because I can’t eat; the moment when I can no longer carry the burden of anxiety on my own… I come to Him and begin to unload.

As the famous BT quote goes: “It’s good to talk.”

It is easy for us as men to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We can often feel the pressure of life weighing us down. We can sometimes find ourselves awake at night, worrying. Worrying about money, health, relationships, family, jobs, employers, employees… The ‘worry list’ can go on and on. As we tend to discover in life, when it rains it pours. It seems like everything goes wrong at the same time. Those days, where before you have left the house you are asking: “Can I go back to bed and start the day again?”

People will often try and escape from anxiety through various different methods: watching TV, reading a book, eating, sleeping, sports, working harder. Some turn to drink in order to soothe the worry.

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For me, I used to be someone who would go into hibernation. If I was worried about anything, I would go to sleep. The only issue is when you wake up the problem is still there. Anxiety is a huge issue for men. The single biggest killer of men under 45 is suicide. There are a number of different reasons for

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

Developing through Discipleship

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first became a Discipleship Group leader in Acton eight years ago, where I led a group of two, sometimes three women. I learnt considerably through leading that small group, and my experience there prepared me today to become a Discipleship Group Supervisor.

We need to become men Scripture teaches us that we are supposed to cast all who begin our anxiety onto Jesus. to talk about Matthew 6:25-34 says: “Therefore I tell you, do not our anxiety worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about with God your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? and with one Look at the birds of the air; another. they do not sow or reap or this, but anxiety adds to these issues.

We later moved our group into the ECC building and by God’s grace and favour it increased numerically. Out of our group, two new Discipleship leaders were trained - Sandra and Eunice, who now each lead a group. Each group has an average of six or seven members, totalling about 19 participants if they all came. They are from diverse cultures and spoken languages: Italian, Portuguese, French, Polish, Romanian, Taiwanese and English.

I was offered the opportunity to become a Discipleship Group Supervisor, overseeing both groups, which I enjoy, and I provide regular feedback to Stephanie Antoine, my Primary Group Coordinator. With all my responsibilities, God has always been faithful and helped me. ‘“Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty’ (Zechariah 4:6).

I help the leaders under my care to grow in their role and manage their groups to the best of their abilities and skills, and also provide support wherever needed. I always put the emphasis on gaining Bible knowledge, advising and praying for them. Together with the leaders, I want to see spiritual growth of the members, releasing them as leaders when they are ready.

store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

So why not begin today with: ‘God, let’s talk…’?

Pastor ALEX MORGAN

Men’s Ministry

Discipleship Group Supervisor

Loving each other and being together is important for our group. We have fun by going out for picnics, bowling and eating out. Jesus is at the centre of our groups, and this year we want to see the power of God released on our Discipleship members to accomplish great things in Jesus’ Name.

I

became a Discipleship Group leader in September 2019, so in January, I attended my first Annual Leaders’ Vision 2020 Meeting. It was great to hear how others, like myself, are learning so much from the brothers and sisters we meet with weekly in our groups.

I love how Jesus asks: “Can worrying add a single hour to your day?” We are supposed to take our anxiety to God. We need to become men who begin to talk about our anxiety with God and with one another. We need to know that together we can face the issues that are worrying us, and that Jesus promises us His burden is easy and His yoke is light.

If what you are carrying isn’t light, it isn’t yours to carry; it is His. We also need to bring all that we are to Him, and that, as men, we need to learn ‘It’s good to talk’.

Sylvie Zokou

Sandra Kwayisi -Dokyi

Discipleship Group Leader

The most encouraging factor for me was hearing the common thread through each speaker’s rendition: that the position of leader is an opportunity for increased development and maturing in our understanding of God, Jesus and the Bible. As we mature as Christians, we come to understand that God has put us on earth for purposes that stretch beyond the initial concern of our families. We discussed how we can cultivate independent, direct relationships with God, so that others can in turn share the message and compassion of Christ to those beyond their circles and communities (be it through overseas missions or local evangelism).

I have learnt two key lessons in these early months: firstly, the importance of bringing heart and patience to communication, and secondly, that maintaining the integrity of and context in which the Bible is presented to us, needs to be the lens through which we share advice and guidance. To me, these two lessons are a summary of who God is – equally loving and just.

We come together (beyond the pull of tea and cake!) because we have genuine and often tough personal questions we want to reconcile with a biblical understanding of who God is. Listening and learning from each other’s insights has been very rewarding; it is interesting to watch how God uses the strengths of others to bring wisdom and empathy to the challenges shared.

I have learnt to walk more consistently and compassionately from the examples of my sisters in the group, and hope that I am also helping and encouraging them in their Christian walk.

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YOUTH MINISTRY

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FINDING TRUE SELF-WORTH AND CONFIDENCE

his summer will mark 10 years since I made the declaration to follow Jesus. Ten years of some really amazing hightop moments and some deep valley moments. Moments where I didn’t know what I was meant to do careerwise, or how to explain to my parents I no longer wanted to study criminal law but instead pursue full-time ministry.

As I look back over those 10 years, the thing that sticks out the most is that you cannot go wrong when Jesus is your focus.

As social media grows more and more, the consistent conversation I have with my young people is how to remain confident when social media tells them they haven’t quite measured up. This isn’t just a problem for teenagers though. When you walk into any bookstore, there are rows and rows of self-help books that promise to have the answer to confidence and selfworth.

I’ve noticed recently how the search for self-worth and confidence has seeped into Christian culture, with Bible studies, sermons and conferences aimed at tackling this issue, each providing a promise that, although well intentioned, is futile. The search for our self-worth is simpler than what we’ve recently made it: we’ve searched for the right Scriptures and placed them as our mantra, or tirelessly listened to sermons hoping that maybe this time, we’ll hear what the key is when, in reality, the key is Jesus.

Just Him.

by Vanessa Karera Youth Ministries

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The key in being grounded in who we are, isn’t in looking at ourselves more and more, until our confidence grows, nor is it in any book or sermon. Instead, it’s on fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Cornerstone. As we look to Him,

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

everything else pales in comparison, including whatever insecurities we may have. In essence, the answers to our inadequacies lie in the awe of who He is.

When our focus is wholly on Jesus and we delight in spending time in His presence - not for any gain but simply to know Him - a change begins to happen. We grow into people who are bolder and braver, not because of our abilities or ourselves, but because we begin to trust in the One who sent us. That trust fosters and nurtures the belief that if God is for us, who can be against us, and thus our confidence grows. So, you see, it was never intended to be about us and our giftings, because if it were, we wouldn’t get very far.

Instead, our whole being is dependent on our knowledge of the goodness and sovereignty of Christ. For when we really grab a hold of that fact, the mountain-top and valleys moments do not define us, nor do they affect our self-worth, for we become anchored by the truth that Jesus is Lord and Saviour, and because of that, we have a quiet confidence that all things will always work out for the good of those who love Him. So, this month, be both encouraged and challenged by the sovereignty and goodness of God, and how they not only changed the world but also change us daily - should we be brave enough to allow them to.

How can you step out in faith this month, trusting that God is able to provide all we need for the great mission He has given us?

MOTHER CHURCH

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CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

& Mothering Sunday

have always been really curious abo ut the origins of the UK celebration of ‘Mothering Sunday’, which takes place in March. I’ve ofte n wondered, ‘Why does the rest of the world celebrate Mother’s Day in May? What makes our Motheri ng Sunday so different?’ So I decided to research it, and the historical origins of this celebration surprised me.

The celebration first came about in the 16th Century, and was the annual day appointed for people to journey back to their ‘Mother Church’ - wherever that might be. For some, it would’ve been the local church in town and, for others, it wou ld mean travelling many long miles from their place of work.

What is harrowing to me is that man y of these ‘working people’ were actually children. In those day s, it was commonplace for children to leave home by the tend er age of 10 years old to earn a living, and historians feel that it was perhaps because of the childworkforce in this country that children were given a day off work to visit their mothers and families.

So, Mothering Sunday was the day

set aside for everyone to gather in church and spend time with their families. Like us, they PICTURE: Children who built Victorian would give small gifts, usually hand- Britain, Documentary Warehouse picked flowers from the English countryside, and bring cake; the gen eral choice of cake was simnel cake, which is similar to Christmas cake.

In the early 20th Century, the event of Mothering Sunday declined in British culture but, thanks to the unw avering efforts of the daughter of a vicar, named Constance Penswick-S mith, who was greatly saddened by the loss of Mothering Sunday, the celebration was revived and the focu s altered to be much more on honouring one’s own mother.

Technically speaking, the American Mother’s Day in May is actually an unre lated event to the UK. It was invented by a woman called Anna Jarvis, as it was her desire to celebrate her own mother.

Anna sought to create a day to hon our mothers in America, but was liter ally laughed out of the room!

However, her persistence and fervour paid off and, in 1914, US President Woodrow Wilson officially signed the first Mother’s Day into exis tence, and this became the day on which the rest of the world has chosen to honour their own mot hers. “…Many women do noble things, but

you surpass them all.” Proverbs 31:3 0

Nowadays, our Mothering Sunday con tinues to be celebrated on a grand scale, and has become synonymous with the secular event of Mother’s Day. Despite all the com mercial pressure, as people who know the Lord, it is a time to reflect and give thanks for our mot hers, our carers, our grandmothers, and all the special ladi es in our lives who give out so muc h of themselves throughout the year. Unfortunately, we were una ble to meet for this year’s Mothering Sunday service (due to the coronavirus outbreak and governm ent restrictions), which was due to include a special tribute by our children.

Please make a date in your diaries for Mother’s Day 2021 (or join us for Father’s Day coming up in June), as it is also a great opportunity to invite family and friends to reflect on the significance of our ‘Mother Church’, and to mark the day with our wider family here at ECC. God bless you.

by Sheri de Mel Children’s Ministries GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 103 • April/May 2020

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Watoto Choir