Grapvine Magaine by FIONA ECC

rapevine G Ealing Christian Centre

magazine

Issue XX XXX/XXX 2018

www.ecc.org.uk

An Elim Church

Hearing the Voice of GOD One family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples

Hearing the Voice D

oes God really speak to us today? How can I hear the voice of God? These are questions that are often asked.

IS THAT YOU, LORD?

God is speaking all the time. But, in the same way that noise all around us can limit our ability to hear clearly with our natural ears, so similarly, to hear the voice of God we need to be in a place where we do not allow distractions to drown out what He is saying to us. We need to allow ourselves to be in a quiet place where we can hear as God speaks to us. And He will do so in many different ways. Just as we are all different, we too may hear God in different ways. Here are some of the means God uses to speak to us.

God is speaking continually to every person in the world through His creation, both by day and by night. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:1-4). In Romans 1:18-21, Paul makes clear that, because of the evidence of God’s handiwork all around us in the natural world and in the night skies, no one can make the excuse they didn’t know there was a God. Personally, I find it immensely faith-building each time I learn of new scientific discoveries – they simply show the greatness of our God.

Conscience Every person has a God-given conscience, which is that voice within us telling us what is right and what is wrong. In John 16:8, Jesus tells us it is the Holy Spirit who convicts us. Of course, we have freewill and many people choose to use it to override their conscience. But in their hearts they are all too aware they are doing so.

The Bible This is the main way God speaks to those who have ears to hear. The Bible is God’s instructions for living a righteous and blessed life, and covers every area of human life. Avoiding the consequences of sinful life choices and embracing the pattern of life will lead to a close, personal relationship with Him, and will help us fulfil our God-given destinies. This is the ‘logos’ word of God to us, that is, His general, written instructions to all of us. Knowing and implementing the Word of God in our lives may not make us clever, but it will make us wise. As we read the Bible, however, God can also give us what is often referred to as a ‘rhema’ word. This is where we realise God is speaking to us personally through the pages of Scripture for a ‘now’ moment in our lives. “For the Word of God is living and active…” (Hebrews 4:12).

Preaching The Bible tells us: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). As we open our ears, hearts and minds, and listen to the preaching

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

PICTURE: Elena Koycheva

Creation

based on the Bible, God is able to speak thoughts and ideas into our minds. I have been surprised whenever people have said, after hearing the preaching: “God said such and such to me,” when it was not in my mind when I was preaching. God can take His living Word and speak through others in this way.

Spiritual gifts The Holy Spirit distributes nine of His spiritual gifts amongst the body of Christ, to be used as a blessing to others. So words of prophecy, after being carefully weighed, are designed by God “to strengthen, encourage and comfort…” (1 Corinthians 14:3). A prophetic word can speak directly into our current situation, bringing a revelation from God either about the present or about the future. How helpful a prophetic word from the Lord can be, especially when we are struggling for one reason or another.

Direct thoughts into our mind and spirit When we allow ourselves to be quiet in the presence of God, and to pray in a quiet or meditative way, God can speak His words and thoughts directly into our minds or spirits. Over the years, together with consistently reading the Bible, I have personally found this to be the most frequent way I can hear the voice of God. The Psalmist often encourages us to ‘Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him’ (Psalm 37:7). And Jesus ends each of His letters to the churches in Revelation chapters two and three with the words: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says…”

of GOD ...to hear the voice of God we need to be in a place where we do not allow distractions to drown out what He is saying to us Dreams and visions God specifically says that in the last days, “I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28). However, we need to learn when a dream is actually from God and how correctly to interpret it.

Wise counsel Through the wisdom of spiritually mature believers, God can speak to us and provide insight and guidance with our lives and decisions we need to make. How important it is to surround ourselves and be accountable to such mature believers.

STILL DOING A NEW THING 10 YEARS ON

Contents 4

by Pastor Aogu Tateyama RAISED FROM THE SICK BED by Nirmal Mall WORKING TOGETHER by Adam Wiecki LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

NEW LIFE WITH A FUTURE AND A HOPE by Monique Ibrahim

MY MIRACLE BABY

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

by Tracey Barbosa

by Roy McEwen

10 11

compiled by

12 13

8pp PRAYER DIARY

20 21

EVANGELISM & PRAYER

22 23

SUNDAY SERVICES

24 25

THE REAL MAN

26 27

compiled by Sharon Grant

28 29

KIDS’ CLUB FEEDBACK

30 31

UPDATE FROM CEBU

Pastor Rajinder Buxton

PULL-OUT

compiled by Tom Ibrahim

WEEKLY MEETINGS WHAT WE BELIEVE

CALENDAR

WHAT’S ON

Circumstances If we are discerning enough to observe correctly, God will guide us through circumstances, both good and bad. When Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers, and ended up in Egypt - initially as a slave and then a prisoner he did not understand. But later in life, after his promotion to Prime Minister, he was able to read the circumstances and say: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Be discerning when God closes a door and when He opens another. Jesus said: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me.”

REFLECTIONS by Stephanie Antoine FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATULATIONS LIMITLESS 2018 by Kofo Boboye PROFILE ON JEN PEŇAS

Richard Buxton Senior Minister

by Pastor Mark King CARIBBEAN EVENING

Editor-in-Chief: Senior Pastor Richard Buxton Editor : Berean Services UK Email: bereanservicesuk@gmail.com Photography: Roy McEwen plus various contributors from ECC Cover image: Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash Stock Images: lightstock.com, freepik.com, publicdomainpictures.net, Google images, unsplash.com, pixabay.com Printed by: Deluxe Printers Ltd, London NW10 7NR, Tel: 020 8965 1771 Ealing Christian Centre, 268 Northfield Avenue, Ealing, London W5 4UB Tel: 020 8840 7508 Fax: 020 8840 1461 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 2018. All rights reserved.

IN PICTURES

by Pastor Alex Morgan

compiled by Ann Vorkel

by Georgina King

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 DEC/JAN edition is no later than FRIDAY 2nd NOVEMBER 2018.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

ECCJ CELEBRATING 10 YEARS PICTURE: Pastor Aogu and Chisato

Still Doing a New Thing - 10 Years On

hen I was preparing for the first ever meeting of our new Japanese church ten years ago, I had no idea what to expect over the next year, never mind the next 10 years! I had no idea how many people would attend our first service, nor what would happen the following week or the following month… but what I did know was that God had led us to that time and place, and we could have expectations for what He would do. We have been faithful to the vision God had placed on our hearts, and followed His ways and gone through the doors He opened for us, Now our testimony is that we are still here, 10 years later, and that God always makes a way. Hallelujah! It was quite possible that no one would attend our first Japanese service except our own family – me, Chisato and our daughter Aoi, but in fact we were delighted that 13 other people joined us that day. This

was the start of a new beginning for ministry to the Japanese in London, and I want to commend again the faithfulness of the people of ECC, who helped make this happen. Over the years since the day ECCJ started, many of our fellowship have returned to Japan or moved elsewhere, but during that time, as a church, we have taken God’s love and the Gospel to literally thousands of Japanese people in the Ealing and London community, through our various means of outreach, including toddler groups and English classes.

attenders of our fellowship during these ten years, reaching out to their friends, neighbours and colleagues and, although most of them have moved back to Japan, we were delighted to have video messages of encouragement from many previous attendees, including people back in Japan, who For our tenth anniversary service became Christians with us in celebration, it was therefore London and are now following not a question of wondering the Lord in Japan. Praise the whether anyone would attend. Lord for His will and how He As you can see from the photo, always makes a way. we had a large gathering, adopting a ‘wedding’ dress code Thank you to everyone reading to celebrate being the Bride of this article for the times you Christ. have prayed for our Japanese Church. Prayer is a vital aspect We enjoyed a party atmosphere, of the way God uses us to make with speeches and presentations a way for His will to be done, so following a short worship please don’t lose heart in your service. Many hundreds of prayers, everyone. people have been regular

ECCJ FAMILY & FRIENDS

We are now looking forward to the next 10 years with a wonderful expectation of what God is going to do next, and we hope you can continue to join us on our journey, through your prayers and support. One thing I have learned for sure from this experience of leading the ECCJ Japanese Church over the past 10 years is that God will make a way. Whatever God’s will is, He will make a way. We do not need to expect God to do it the same way as He did it before – the verse I shared at our anniversary service was Isaiah 43:19, where God says: “See, I am doing a new thing.” Think about it this way: He will always continue to do a new thing. Throughout our lives, we need to be open to God doing ‘a new thing’, and to trust for real that He will continue to make a way for His will. Let us all be part of this work, because sharing the love of God and the Gospel is the greatest thing we can give our lives for in this world. Let us give ourselves again to God for Him to use us in any way He chooses.

Pastor Aogu Tateyama 4

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

TRUE LIFE STORIES

NEW LIFE

with a future and a hope “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the LORD, “thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11)

t the tender age of 8 years old, I moved to the UK from Guyana in South America, with my 10-year-old brother, to join my mother, who had returned to her country of birth (UK) to build a better life for our family, which comprised of my parents and four children. My dad stayed in Guyana with my two younger siblings, and five years later we were all reunited in the UK. I enjoyed a level of freedom during my teenage years that was detrimental to my life and my future. After sixth form, I started attending London College of Fashion to pursue a career in the fashion industry, but this was soon cut short when a very close friend committed suicide. This affected me emotionally, and took me far away from God, as I went through a period of pain and uncertainty about my own future. Shortly after this, I decided to drop out of college, an it was at this point when I began to ask God what life is all about. With the support of my parents, I started to get my life sorted out, and began working part-time at a hair salon as a junior stylist. My

growing relationship with the owner created opportunities for us to talk about God and His plans for my life. She is a devoted Christian, who often found time to sit with me and ask questions about my interests and my knowledge of the Bible. My interest in teaching and early childhood education grew and, with her connections, I managed to get a job in the childcare industry. Within a few months, she asked if I wanted to give my life to Christ. I said “Yes” to the Lord and said the sinner’s prayer of repentance in total surrender. I felt a burden lift from my shoulders. The following Sunday, I attended her church, Ealing Christian Centre (ECC), and that Sunday, Pastor Richard Buxton preached on where we are in our relationship with Christ. I remember him asking whether we were ankle deep, knee deep, waste deep, shoulder deep, or whether we wanted to be swimming in the things of Christ. At this point, I started crying out to God, totally surrendering and repenting for my way of living and for not placing Him first in my life. I later started a new believer’s class at ECC, which helped me to gain a more in-depth appreciation of the Bible. I was then baptised and began to live out the Christian faith by becoming an active member through my involvement in a Discipleship Cell group. I started praying for a godly husband, who would lead me on in my relationship with God, and He answered my prayer. I married a man after God’s own heart, and we are now blessed with two beautiful children. My husband has greatly impacted my life in terms of defining my purpose in life, not just as a happy housewife, but how to affect my generation with the gifts and grace of God upon my life. With his encouragement and support, I went back to university and completed my first and second degrees in Early Childhood Studies. I was also recently given the approval by Ofsted, the governing body for education, to open my own nursery school, which has been my dream for many years. Allowing Jesus into my life has made all the difference, and now my life has new meaning again.

Monique McCurdy Ibrahim

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

TESTIMONY REVIVAL & HEALING

RAISED FROM THE SICK BED

very month, powerful testimonies are coming forth as people hunger and yearn for God, approaching Him with such persistence and faith. Even as Jesus encourages us to always pray and not give up, below are testimonies which will encourage our own faith. Proverbs 13:12 says: ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.’ We give Jesus the glory for every healing and answer to prayer. Isaiah 59:1 says, ‘Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear you call.’ Let’s be encouraged, and continue to trust the Lord even when, at times, we don’t know what He is doing. You are welcome to join us at the Revival and Healing meeting on the second Sunday of each month for personal prayers.

Pastor Rajinder Buxton 6

“I

t all started when I fell ill with back pain and then sciatica in September 2017. I was prayed for but the pain was still there. Around Christmas 2017, I became very serious and couldn’t even walk because of the pain.

When I was lying on the bed and could barely move, I prayed to God to heal me. While I was sick, I saw lots of snakes in my dream and I wasn’t able to kill them. God showed me that this was an attack from the enemy. I prayed to God to deliver me from this attack, and kept declaring: “By Jesus’ stripes, I am healed, and by His dunamis power.” On Boxing Day, I was able to get out of bed and walk about, and even able to sit without having pain. All glory to God.

Once I’d recovered from the surgery, I started looking for a new job. In the natural, it looked very difficult for me to succeed at this, but then I started seeking God more. During this time, I grew spiritually, and God brought me to a new level in my faith. I learned to trust God completely, and also to pray according to His Word, because I realise that the Holy Spirit gets to work whenever we pray according to the Word of God. God spoke to me through His Word and I declared these Scriptures over my life. 1 Peter 5: 6-7 taught me that I need to first humble myself under the mighty hand of God and then cast all my cares upon Him as He cares for me. God also reminded me through His Word in Psalm 23 and Matthew 6:26 that He cares for me.

Following a couple of months’ sick leave, I returned to work in January on a parttime basis. My employer then informed me they had made changes to the Finance department and therefore my position had been terminated and I was made redundant the following month. This news came as a shock to me, but I submitted everything into God’s hands.

I started declaring the Word of God over my life and agreeing with God, whose Word says that ‘He always leads us in triumph in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 2:14), and ‘…Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing you will receive’ (Matthew 21:22). God answered my prayers, and I got an offer in July 2018 for a permanent job. I also would like to thank everyone who have been praying for me.

The next month, February, I had major surgery and was very anxious before this operation. I called the pastors and requested prayers. Thanks be to God, my operation went well without any complications.

I’d like to close with Psalm 73:28, ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.’

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

Nirmal Mall

TESTIMONY REVIVAL & HEALING

My Miracle Baby “I am so blessed and thankful for this miracle gift...”

“I

n January, I decided to start making some changes in my life. I really wanted to have a baby, as I had been on medication for about eight months to try and get my monthly cycle started, as I have polycystic ovaries. I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to have another child, and though I was happy with the one I already had, inside I really wanted to have another one to give my son a sibling to grow up with. Women with polycystic ovaries (PCOS) produce higher-than-normal amounts of male hormones, and this imbalance causes them to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant. The chances of me falling pregnant were very slim, as not having a monthly cycle was preventing me from ovulating. I continued to take the medication although nothing was happening at this point - even after eight months.

On Easter Sunday morning, I was visiting my parents, and came forward at ECC and gave my life to Jesus. I prayed and believed Jesus had a plan for my life. I had a truly powerful feeling within me, and wouldn’t want to go back, as now I had a new beginning in life. A Ministry Team member prayed for me and said by the end of April I would find out I’m pregnant. At the end of April, I found I was indeed 15 weeks pregnant and I hadn’t even had my monthly cycle! The dating scan showed I was already 15 weeks pregnant by the size of the baby. I had conceived in February, even before I gave my life to Jesus or began praying with my prayer cloth. I am so blessed.

hospital appointments would make me feel scared and negative, but that has all changed, since I now know that everything will be fine. I feel more at peace with myself, as I feel God’s angels all around me and my family, protecting us from any evil. I felt God guiding me in January to start praying, getting healthy, and believing to follow His pathway. I am currently six months pregnant and still going strong, praying every day and am so blessed and thankful for this miracle gift. I would say to people to keep the faith and never stop believing.

Tracey Barbosa

Since giving my life to Jesus, I have more of a positive outlook on life. Before, any

In the meantime, I started to get healthy and my mother, who attends ECC, encouraged me to give my life to Jesus, as I wasn’t a believer at this point. She spoke to me a lot about the power of prayer, and it really piqued my interest to find out more. I’ve always believed in God, but never really had any major interest in finding and knowing Him. I simply lived from day to day - nothing special. As I live in Norwich, Norfolk, and was visiting ECC in January, my mum spoke to the Pastor and asked for prayer and a prayer cloth for me (Acts 19:12). I placed the prayer cloth, which had been anointed with oil and prayed over in Jesus’ Name, on my body every day, whilst I prayed to become pregnant. I started to believe more and more in Jesus.

PICTURE: Tracey and family

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

SPECIAL FEATURE

WORKING TOGETHER in God’s community A s part of our mission and objectives to reach out and impact our local community, ECC are always seeking ways to work alongside people and organisations with a heart and passion to do the same.

Whether working with the local Ealing Soup Kitchen, hosting the Ealing Churches’ Winter Night Shelter or Victory Outreach recovery home, it is important for us to identify and influence any God-given opportunities we are presented with, so that our community experiences the love of God through us. It has been a great privilege to have been working with the West London Performing Arts Academy (WLPA) for the last year and a half. By opening up their hearts to young people, who have perhaps been marginalised by their peers and society, they are truly partners with ECC in affecting our community. In May 2017, WLPA started their performing arts programme for children aged 3 to 14, which operates on Saturdays at ECC. As a consequence, they later introduced a choreography class, taught by a professional dancer, and a special educational needs division, providing performing arts classes for students. Shortly after experiencing the success of the performing arts division, Shanti, Michelle and June (who are the founders of WLPA, pictured left) embarked upon an ambitious journey to open up an education centre to help children who are underachieving and struggling in mainstream school. Once again, it was a privilege to partner with WLPA to open our building to enable this vision to be realised.

It is important for us to identify and influence any God-given opportunities we are presented with, so that our community experiences the love of God through us. They have had amazing success in turning around the lives of many children, who perhaps thought they would never make it educationally, emotionally and socially. Their GCSE results have been incredibly successful this year, and have not only changed the lives of their students, but also their families. WLPA have not only blessed their students, but have now become part of our daily lives at ECC. It is a delight to see them serving their students and building relationship with the ECC staff. In particular, it was amazing to experience Shanti, Michelle and June willing to give up their entire summer holiday to prepare for the new school term. But, in doing so, they not only painted and refurbished the classrooms that they hire, but also decorated our library and provided brand

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

new tables and furniture - at no cost to ECC. What an amazing blessing! The Facilities Department would like to send a very big Thank You to the directors of the West London Performing Arts – June, Shanti and Michelle - for their great help in renovating three of our annexe rooms, and for their support in keeping our church building looking great! WLPA is open to accepting more students, so if you would like to know more, please contact them at info@ westlondonperformingartsacademy.com or call 020 3637 8826.

Adam Wiecki Facilities Manager

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

How to Remove Cultural Stereotypes from our Worship All and any use of images depicting Jesus in any ethnicity is idolatry... so let’s stop.

oogle ‘Jesus’ and, in addition to Bible verses, you will see countless images depicting our Lord and Saviour as a Caucasian male. You will see a few images of Him with Mediterranean features, even fewer of Him as an African, and none of Him as Asian or Mongolian. That said, all and any use of images depicting Jesus in any ethnicity is idolatry. Whatever the reason, we have been commanded to not do it, so let’s stop. Be encouraged. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” (Deuteronomy 5:8). Whenever you read the Ten Commandments, you can’t miss this one; it’s right near the top of the list. So why, then, do we persist in using pictures (images) of Caucasian males to depict Jesus? One of Jesus’ disciples refused to believe He had risen unless he could put his finger in the holes left by the nails. Jesus allowed him the practical experience of placing his finger in the holes left by the nails, but said this: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29). Jesus knew there were going to be many generations that would not see Him in a physical body.

There is power in the Name (not image) of Jesus to break every chain! There’s an army rising up; so let’s shake off the yoke of idolatry and fear, and take our place in the rising. Now don’t think I’m upset - I’m not - I’m just shocked that the Church could be so blinded by the prince of this world, to reinforce a stereotype that serves zero spiritual purpose. On a guided tour of Rome, the guide explained that before Christianity arrived in Europe, the people worshipped idols. However, when Christianity arrived, one idol was maintained to help people understand their new God. Is the guide’s story true? I don’t know. But what is true: the depiction of Jesus follows the practice to depict other gods... Think about that. I have defended the Church when some friends have pointed out the obvious - “It’s idolatry, Roy” - partly because I really didn’t want to entertain the thought that the Church could be maintaining idolatry over Spirit and TRUTH.

However, the more I see images being used - even in our own church - the more I am burdened with the question: are these images Spirit and TRUTH, or culture and idolatry? Clearly they are not Spirit and Truth. So what is the purpose of their use? I really cannot find a positive purpose. Clues informing us that the use of images is completely wrong exists in the gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all lived, walked and talked with Jesus. In their gospels, why did they not provide a detailed description of how He looked? They were more than capable; their detailed descriptions of the miracles Jesus performed have inspired movies. They could easily describe the features of Jesus’ face, His hair... because they lived with Him. They saw Him in His resurrection body – everything made new – what more reason did they need to describe Jesus’ appearance in detail?

Could it be they had an intimate understanding of the commandment: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below”? It’s no coincidence the writers omitted that information. Our belief in Jesus is based on the power in His Name and in Him being the Son of the living God, who gave His life for our sins and rose from the dead to be the first of the resurrection to eternal life with God. We must rid ourselves of all cultural stereotypes and idol representations of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, which are neither Spirit nor Truth. It’s the power in His Name that’s impressive. It’s the spiritual power to heal, to bring salvation that’s truly impressive and eternal. Be encouraged.

ROY McEWEN

www.Praying.Works

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

local lighthouse A

evangelism

s the teams go out on the streets, their prayer is for God to give them opportunities, and they encounter many divine opportunities. Being authentic, and maintaining a humble attitude with love, helps draw people to Jesus (Philippians 1:8).

Other than handing out tracts, many also engage in a conversation, keeping the focus on the message of the Gospel, taking time to ask the person to respond to Christ’s invitation (Acts 2:37-38). Through prayer, the seeds sown will bear fruit and many will come to know Jesus. Please have a read of some of the short testimonies of those who witnessed on the streets. We encourage you to join one of your Local Lighthouse Evangelism teams, who go out on the streets to witness for Jesus. Check the Grapevine magazine for the dates and locations.

Pastor Rajinder Buxton

“

The amazing thing was that we didn’t even have to try too hard. The Holy Spirit was in control...

man was drinking beer and smoking while he spoke about all the other gods and different teachings of Buddha. I kept sharing about Jesus Christ being the Son of God who died for him to set him free. He asked me to pray for him. I asked if he wanted to invite Jesus into his life, to which he said ‘Yes.’ He prayed the sinner’s prayer, looking very happy asking about ECC, and said he would come.

Jenny

was speaking with two Jehovah’s Witnesses, who started asking questions, and I spoke to them about Jesus. I encouraged someone to use our 24/7 Prayer Centre line. A man, who I witnessed to on the streets, also came to ECC, and promised to come to ECC again.

Daniella 10

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

prayed for a Muslim lady with psoriasis, and she went away with the ‘Who is Jesus the Messiah?’ tract. I spoke to a Muslim man and a Polish man, who both showed an interest in coming to church. Some of the stallholders were also very interested, and I shared my testimony with an Iranian man.

Virginia

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

eople were very receptive to taking the tracts, and stopped to talk as I spoke to two stallholders who were in Acton. Speaking to a lady from Iran, she said she went to church but felt something was missing in her life. She looked very depressed as she spoke. I asked what she did in the church, but she didn’t do much as she felt her English wasn’t good enough. I encouraged her to talk to someone in her church, about what she could do. She seemed happy about that advice.

Florence

“

he team strongly felt God’s presence amongst us. A lot of people were receptive to the brief discussions we held with them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and happily received the tracts we handed out to them. An elderly, backslidden man from Trinidad was encouraged to return to church to become an active member of God’s family, taking a tract with him before he left. A grandmother asked for prayer for both her children who were nonbelievers and alcoholic. I encouraged her to return to church and to bring the children with her, so they can be ministered to by the Lord.

Sylvester

fter we prayed, we went ahead to distribute our tracts as usual. The amazing thing was that we didn’t even have to try too hard. The Holy Spirit was in control; people kept coming over to us to ask for tracts. One elderly Indian lady sent her daughter to collect some tracts from us; we didn’t realise she was, in fact, a Christian on holiday in the area, who wanted to know about our church. We had such a blessed time that we ran out of tracts before 1pm.

Margaret

Suzanne spoke with a lady who believed in science and comets coming from space to take her. Suzanne spoke about God’s love and mercy to save us through His Son, Jesus.

See page 21 for details on where the Local Lighthouse teams will be in October and November.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

PRAYER # centre

A woman had been waiting for 10 months for a job. She began calling the Prayer Centre, asking for God’s intervention, and is now glorifying Him for providing her with a new job.

020 8799 2199

A family member called the Prayer Centre for financial provision for the family to be able to attend a Christian conference. God provided amazingly, as an unknown person put £150 in an envelope through the letter box. Praise God.

A woman called the Prayer Centre, as she was going for a scan on her abdomen, pelvis and kidney. She feared she had kidney damage due to pain she had been going through. She rang back, praising God, because the scan showed no damage to her kidney nor to any of her organs.

A woman rang the Prayer Centre because she really wanted to thank God for His provision. She had been out of job for a while due to health challenges, but God was so faithful, meeting her every need, and providing so she always had enough to pay her bills. During this ‘dry season’, God taught her how to trust Him. He provided £1000 deposit for going to Bible College and she received such an impartation in the baptism of the Holy Spirit that she can now speak in tongues, 32 years after giving her life to Christ!

A woman called the Prayer Centre because she was worried about the builder working on her home. He had collected a large sum of money from her, but had stopped working. During her conversation, the intercessor led her to the Lord. Praise God, she called about one situation, and is thanking God for the salvation of her soul, as she accepted Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Saviour.

Being overwhelmed for various reasons and needing prayers for direction caused this woman to call the Prayer for direction on how to overcome them all. She called back to give thanks to God for answered prayer. She now has support from a friend, who is helping with her garden (which seriously needed work) and she has started using a prayer journal, as recommended by the intercessor she spoke with.

A mother wants to thank God for His intervention when her son lost his wallet. She called the Prayer Centre and, just an hour later, he found his wallet - with everything still intact. Praise be to God.

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Following a pressure cooker exploding in her face, a woman called the Prayer Centre because she was understandably in serious pain and agony, and had sustained burns on her face. After prayers, God immediately took all the pain away, the blisters began to burst and the healing started. She sincerely thanks God for intervening.

A family gathering was due to take place, and a mother called the Prayer Centre, to ask for God’s protection and that her daughter with disabilities would be able to socialise with the rest of the family. To the glory of God, the gathering went well; the whole family showed them love, and everyone enjoyed a great time together as a family.

A man called the Prayer Centre to rededicate his life to Jesus. He had originally given his life to Christ, but admitted it had been out of fear of going to hell. After watching Christian TV channels, he finally understood the message of salvation, and realised he needed to repent and rededicate his life to the Lord.

Please contact Tom Ibrahim or Rudy Brann on 020 8799 2199, if you would like to volunteer for this important ministry.

PRAYER DIARY

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he book of Isaiah is often regarded as the Bible in miniature. Just as the Bible has 66 books, so Isaiah has 66 chapters. The first 39 chapters reflect the teaching of the 39 books of the Old Testament and the last 27 chapters, from chapter 40 onwards, reflect the teaching of the 27 books of the New Testament. Starting in chapter 40:1 with the words, “Comfort, comfort my people” Isaiah goes on in several subsequent chapters to describe the “Servant of the Lord.” He would be “despised and rejected by men”; “pierced for our transgressions…crushed for our iniquities”, and “the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him and by His wounds we are healed.” In the last chapters of his book, Isaiah has a prophetic vision right through the future, that went beyond the first coming of Christ with His sacrificial, substitutionary death and resurrection, to the rebirth of the nation of Israel prior to the second coming of Jesus. The reality of the modern-day nation of Israel in our own generation is a stark indicator of the shortness of time before the return of Christ. Isaiah further foresaw the final great Judgment of all people. Thereafter, Isaiah prophesied the final eternal state, where believers will spend eternity in the presence of God, and those who chose to rebel against God’s plan of salvation through Christ will be forever shut out in eternal suffering. Since Isaiah himself lived in a generation, like our own, that had once known and practised the ways of God, but had chosen to forsake them to pursue instead a lifestyle of ungodliness, he knew what it was to preach to a generation indifferent to the call and ways of God. Isaiah knew the reality of heaven and hell, and spent the whole of his very long ministry being moved by God to seek to persuade the nation to forsake the self-indulgence of a sinful lifestyle and, instead, to turn to the God who would save them. There is a day of salvation, which is now. But it will not last forever. A time will come when God’s patience will run out, and the Day of the Lord will occur, as Jesus returns to this earth, this time not as Saviour but as Judge. Jesus often quoted from Isaiah, including the final words of chapter 66, which refer to the final destiny of the ungodly. As we are aware of the reality of God’s salvation through Christ and final judgment by Christ, like Isaiah, in the time that remains, our work is to seek the salvation of all who are willing to respond. And so we pray to that end this month.

1 Isaiah 64:1-2

Come, O God 1. Lord, we pray that You would manifest Yourself in power amongst Your people as we desperately need You. 2. We pray for Your church, O God, that each of Your people would understand how important it is to put You at the centre of everything we do. 3. Help us to seek You with all our hearts, souls, strength and minds, O Lord, so that You can accomplish through each one of us everything You desire to do. 4. Come to our families and be the centre of each family, allowing the children to learn to grow up in the training and instruction of the Lord. 5. Start Your work in each us now, O Lord. Isaiah 64:3-4 God’s awesome deeds 1. As we thank You, O God, for every answer to prayer that You have provided for us, even when we were not expecting it, do more, we ask.

2. Lord, we believe, but help us in our times of unbelief, so that we can always overcome every doubt or fear that would otherwise rob us of seeing Your awesome deeds. 3. Give us the courage and the boldness to take You at Your Word, so that we may see many more of Your awesome deeds in our midst. 4. We pray for signs, wonders and miracles to follow the preaching of Your Word, to confirm its truth and so to turn many to You, O Lord. 5. Let our church be known as a place that regularly sees God at work in miraculous power and deeds. Isaiah 64:5 God’s help 1. Help us daily to remember Your ways, O God, so that nothing will hinder You from working fruitfully in our lives. 2. Hear and bring the answer soon to all those we know, who have deep needs which they have been bringing to You in prayer, O Lord. 3. Lord, Your Word says, ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick’ so for those we know who have

reached that point, step in and help them now. 4. As we pray for all our needs for this day, Holy Spirit, guide and lead us to accomplish all You desire us to do today. 5. Help us in our work lives, in our family lives, and in our personal lives as we seek to live according to Your will, O Lord. Isaiah 64:6-7 Sin in our society 1. Impress on the church in our nation a heartfelt understanding of the need to turn back to You wholeheartedly, and to seriously preach the uncompromising Word of God. 2. Our nation has been happy to uphold and promote the ways of unrighteousness, but bring a deep conviction and understanding of the destruction to our society such ways cause. 3. Lord, send into our society a deep feeling of emptiness with materialism that will cause people to sense their spiritual need and turn to Jesus to fill it.

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Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

Salvation and Judgment Isaiah Chapters 64 to 66

PRAYER DIARY

4. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done once more in the nation of Britain, we pray. 5. Lord, bring revival to our land and start the work in each of us. Isaiah 64:8-9 The Potter and the clay 1. As the Potter, Lord, take us and mould us in the way You choose, not how we choose. 2. Lord, we surrender to You all those areas of our lives that require You to change, remake and remould. 3. Help us in how to respond to circumstances in life, whether good or bad, realising You use those circumstances to help mould us. 4. Change us, day by day, so that we are increasingly being conformed to the image of Christ. 5. Holy Spirit, help us not to resist Your workings in our lives as You seek to change us, no matter how painful, as we know it is for our good. Isaiah 64:10-11 A spiritual desert 1. Since many of the churches in our nation are like spiritual deserts, bring the rain of Your Holy Spirit to revive them. 2. The nation of Britain has become a spiritual desert land, but send the refreshing waters of a fresh move of the Holy Spirit once again. 3. The places of government, power and authority in our nation have become spiritual wastelands, but move mightily in these places to bring a total spiritual change. 4. As the centuries-old Christian heritage of our nation is being dismantled by those who reject God, stop this wickedness, O Lord, and turn the tide of ungodliness. 5. Cause our judges, local government councillors, head teachers and teachers - and all others in places of influence - to have a change of attitude and a desire to return to biblical values. Isaiah 64:12 Send revival, O Lord 1. Holy Spirit, send revival in our churches. 2. Send a major revival across our nation, we pray. 3. Send revival in our national government, local government, schools, colleges, universities, and turn them upside down, we pray. 4. Send revival in our church, O God, that ensures we will never be the

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same again, but only ever on fire for You. 5. Send revival in our individual lives, O Lord, that changes us and moves us on with You. Isaiah 65:1 God reveals Himself 1. Reveal Yourself to each of us afresh, and let us have a deep encounter with You, the living God, that will ensure we are never the same again. 2. For all the non-Christians we are praying for, reveal Yourself to them in saving power 3. Reveal Yourself to those who are seeking after God, but are looking in the wrong places, and help us to lead them to the true and living God. 4. For all those we know who are seeking to worship God, but are worshipping the wrong god, open their spiritual eyes and save them. 5. For all those we know, who once walked with God but have backslidden and no longer do so, let them have a fresh encounter with the true and living God. Isaiah 65:2-3 An obstinate people 1. Lord, these verses describe our nation today, but have mercy and intervene in our society. 2. Have mercy on our nation for ignoring Your Ten Commandments and replacing them with ‘modern’ values, and bring our nation back to its senses. 3. As we have replaced the day of worshipping God with a day of worshipping Mammon, bring change, we pray. 4. Lord, we have ignored Your command not to murder and, instead, have made it a ‘human right’ to destroy the unborn; have mercy and bring change. 5. As we have ignored Your commandment to uphold the value of the family by not committing adultery, but have replaced the family with ‘alternative lifestyles’, bring change, we pray. Isaiah 65:4-5 God’s hatred of idolatrous worship 1. Many other gods are worshipped in our land, but have mercy and show Yourself among us to be the only true God, we pray. 2. We have broken Your commandment not to make idols or worship them, yet many idols are worshipped in

our land; have mercy and turn this nation back to You. 3. As Your Word forbids the practice of witchcraft, yet it is practised openly and freely in our land, have mercy and bring change in our nation. 4. Lord, open the eyes of Your people to the spiritual reality of what is happening in our nation, and shake up all complacency before it is too late. 5. Have mercy on and save all those we know, who are involved in any form of occult practice or visiting mediums, fortune tellers, tarot card readers or anything similar. Isaiah 65:6-7 God’s judgment 1. Lord, our nation deserves Your judgment for turning away from You, but have mercy and turn the nation back to You before it is too late. 2. As we confess our own sins and ask You to forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, change us and work through us in power as Your servants. 3. We confess the sins of our fathers in this nation, and pray for Your mercy and forgiveness, O Lord. 4. As we confess the sins of Your church, O Lord, forgive the apathy, the compromise with the ways of the world, and the lack of obedience to Your Word, and revive Your church. 5. Send revival to our nation, O Lord, and bring a spiritual hunger for You that leads to a total change in our society for good. Isaiah 65:8-9 Raising up people of God 1. Lord, take whatever good You see in each of us and multiply it greatly for Your service. 2. Help us to crucify every aspect of our old nature that is still prominent, and allow Your Holy Spirit to develop the character of Christ within us. 3. Bring to maturity the gifts that are already latent within us but have not yet grown, so that we may use them for You. 4. Lord, take the talents that we already have but are not using effectively for You, and help us deepen our spiritual desire to give our best. 5. Take our lives and let them be consecrated, Lord, to You. Isaiah 65:10 Rest in God 1. We pray You would save all those who attend church but as yet do not have a personal relationship with You through faith in Jesus, and help them to know You personally. 2. For all those we are witnessing to, who

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PRAYER DIARY

God makes it clear that He does not want anyone to perish, that is, to be eternally separated from Him. This is one reason why the second coming of Christ has not yet happened, Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:9. God wants to give to as many people as possible the opportunity to hear the Gospel and to respond. And through the finished work of Jesus by His death on the cross and resurrection, “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). But they need to hear the Gospel message. “And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard?” Paul asks in Romans 10:14. Jesus encourages us to couple together the power of prayer and the power of the Word. We should “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest field” (Luke 10:12). Each time we share the Gospel, it is like handing an important invitation to a grand wedding and, although there will be those who will offer all kinds of excuses not to respond, at the same time, there are many people from all walks of life who will do so, and respond by giving their lives to Christ. Often it may be those who are less obvious, and who are found on the “highways and byways.” Some are lost because they have none to guide them. Others have wandered away from God and need to be brought back. Still others, like the prodigal son, have become lost because of foolish choices. Every follower of Jesus is here to act as salt and light in this fallen world, and it is important we retain our “saltiness” by not just starting well but finishing well also. So Jesus provides, by instruction, parables and, by example, how as His followers we can share the Good News of the Gospel and the sort of reactions we can expect. Following Him is not easy, but requires each one to take their cross and follow Jesus - even when things become difficult. But the stakes are high, since there are only two paths an individual can take, which lead to one of two destinations: eternity in the presence of God, or eternal destruction, cut off from His presence, as the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows in Luke 16:19-31. This month, we are praying to be effective in being the salt and light that Jesus wants us to be.

13:22-27 1 Luke Entering the narrow door

1. Lord, keep us close to You at all times, we pray. 2. Keep us from temptation and from everything that would cause us to start backsliding. 3. Save all in Your church who may go through the motions of following You but, in their hearts, do not really know You, and have not been born again. 4. Help us not to become complacent with our spiritual lives, nor to become so familiar with the Gospel that we lose the fear of the Lord. 5. Keep our walk with You as the first focus of our lives at all times, we pray. Luke 13:28-30 Prayer for the lost 1. Lord, as we know that hell is a real place and is the destiny of all who reject You, cause that knowledge to help us redouble our efforts to reach the lost. 2. Thank You, God, for the privilege of having a personal relationship with You through faith in Jesus; help us to treasure it, not neglecting our time with You. 3. Lord Jesus, since most of Your

teaching on hell was to help Your disciples understand the plight of the lost, burden our hearts to pray for revival of our nation. 4. Teach us the value of servanthood and to understand that those who are last shall be first. 5. Save all those we know who are not yet saved, we urgently pray, O God. Luke 14:15-17 Taking out the message 1. Lord, help us to understand the importance and urgency of taking out the invitation into Your Kingdom, by spreading the Gospel of Jesus. 2. Holy Spirit, guide and lead us to the persons You know, who have hearts ready to receive the message of salvation today. 3. Give us the right words to speak on each occasion, Holy Spirit, and the wisdom how to present the Gospel to each individual. 4. Make all our street teams fruitful in evangelism, as they give out tracts; witness to people, and pray for the sick, we pray. 5. Help us understand that the time is short, and that we need to redeem the time for the days are evil.

14: 18 4 Luke Excuses

1. Forgive us, O Lord, when we put other interests as a higher priority than responding to Your call to put You first. 2. Lord, help us to love You with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, and to have no other ‘gods’ besides You. 3. Help us to seek first the Kingdom of God and all Your righteousness, O Lord, so that You may add to us all the things we need. 4. Help us to prioritise our wealth and our spending, O Lord, so that we may be good stewards of all that You enable us to have and to own. 5. May our worldly possessions take second place to our spiritual treasures. Luke 14:19 More excuses 1. Lord, may our work never become an excuse for failing to give the best of our service to You, since by so doing, we only impoverish ourselves. 2. May we see our workplace as an opportunity to be serving You, rather than just a place to earn our income and help us to be effective witnesses for You there.

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Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

The Teaching of Jesus on Evangelism from Luke’s Gospel

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3. Help us to be ambassadors for Jesus in our places of work, being able to present a godly witness through our Christ-like conduct, even if we do not speak. 4. As we pray for all our work colleagues, O Lord, save them by Your Spirit. 5. Forgive us, O God, for any occasion we have put our work before You and have thereby neglected to give You our first love. Luke 14:20 Still more excuses 1. Lord, help us to always have the right godly balance between our love for You and our love for our family members. 2. Forgive us for any times when we have loved a family member more than You, and help us to realise that we can only truly love them as we allow Christ’s love to flow through us to them. 3. Help each of the men in our church to love You first, O Lord, and then to allow that godly love to overflow to their wives and children. 4. Help each of the women in our church to love You first, O Lord, and to then allow that godly love to flow out to their husbands and children. 5. Help us to teach our children to love You first, O God, so that they can then love their parents with that agapé love. Luke 14:23 Going into the highways and byways 1. Cause us to understand that everywhere where people are, that is where You want us to be witnesses. 2. For those who go on the streets to witness, increase their compassion for the lost and help them present the Gospel to people from every walk of life. 3. Help us to take the Gospel to those who may not hear it from anyone else. 4. Give us a compassion for those whom society generally writes off, and enable us to give them the hope that comes with a life-changing faith in Jesus Christ. 5. Lord, help us to go the extra mile when it comes to reaching the lost and give us hearts of forgiveness that desire even those who dislike us to be saved. Luke 14:24 Praying for the hard of heart 1. As we pray for all our family members whose hearts are hardened to the Gospel, soften their hearts.

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2. Holy Spirit, help us to pray effectively for those whose hearts are hardened, since You are the One who convicts people of sin and points them to Christ. 3. Help us to pray strategic prayers that will bring down strongholds in the lives of the unbelievers we pray for, so that, though now spiritually blind, they may see. 4. Lord, may the knowledge that You will exclude unbelievers from Your presence spur us to redouble our energies to pray for their salvation. 5. Break the power of the ‘god of this age’, who blinds the eyes of those unbelievers we are praying for, O Lord. Luke 14:25-27 First love 1. Lord, help us to put the need for holiness before our desire for happiness. 2. Teach us to order our lives aright, so that we put all our activities in their correct priority. 3. When the way is difficult and costly because we are following You and Your ways, O Lord, help us to carry our cross. 4. May we love You first and foremost, so that as we seek first the Kingdom of God and Your righteousness, all other things will be added unto us. 5. Help us to be able to pray at all times the words: ‘Your will, not our will be done’ and to bear any cross that comes from being obedient to Your will, Luke 14:28-33 Counting the cost 1. Lord, teach us the need not merely to be converts but to be true disciples of Jesus Christ and of living our lives for You accordingly, 2. May we not be merely “fair weather” Christians, O Lord, only wanting to follow You when everything is well, but instead to live for You no matter what the cost. 3. May we say with King David, that we will not sacrifice anything to the Lord that costs us nothing. 4. Release us from the fear of giving to You, O Lord, whether it is our time, our commitment, our finances or any other necessary thing, so we experience the truth that we can never outgive God. 5. Teach us to remember the Cross, O Lord, and to remind ourselves that nothing we do or give to You can ever come near to all You have given to and for each of us.

14:34-35 11Luke Keeping our saltiness

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1. Lord, You have said that You do not like luke-warmness, so cause us to be and to remain, hot and on fire for You at all times. 2. Enable us, like salt, to be effective out and about in those areas of our society where things are going bad, helping us make a difference for Jesus. 3. As salt makes things taste better, give us opportunities today to make someone’s life better who does not yet know the way of salvation. 4. May we not only retain our spiritual ‘saltiness’ but daily grow closer to Christ, becoming more and more influential with the Gospel to those we meet each day. 5. Place Your people in prominent positions of influence in every area of our society, O Lord, so that everywhere Your people are acting effectively as ‘salt’. Luke 15:1-2 Mixing with ‘sinners’ 1. Teach us to see all people as You see them, namely as those in desperate need because they do not know You, O God, and may we give them the life-changing Gospel. 2. Give us a love for the lost, O God, no matter who they are, what they have done, or how unlovely they currently are. 3. Give us an effective door of ministry into the lives of all those we come into contact with, who currently do not know You, O Lord. 4. We pray that all the ‘religious’ people we know, who have a form of outward religion but no inner life change, will have the scales taken from their eyes. 5. Give us the joy, our God, of seeing many ‘sinners’ choosing to change the direction of their lives by turning to Christ in repentance. Luke 15:3-6 Seeking the lost (1) 1. We pray for all those who once walked with You, O Lord, but have backslidden, to be restored back to Yourself and to the fellowship of believers. 2. Give us creative strategies and ideas to be able to reach, influence and bring to Christ those we know who are not yet believers, but for whom we are praying to be saved. 3. Give to all our Discipleship Cells and Cell leaders the desire, the divine

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the joy of being givers in every area of our lives. 4. Lord, You have said that no-one can serve two masters, God and Mammon, so teach us to serve God and to let money serve us but not master us. 5. We thank You for our worldly wealth and pray that You would teach us to use it wisely and in conformity with Your will, O Lord. Luke 15:13-14 The emptiness of materialism 1. Lord, put us in positions of influence to be able to reach those whose only hope in life is found in the pleasures of this world. 2. We pray that those we know who struggle to believe there is life beyond this material world to have their blind eyes be opened today. 3. We pray for that the leaders of our nation would have the wisdom to use the wealth of this land beneficially. 4. Cause the Church of Jesus Christ to rise up into places of influence throughout the world will enable the poor nations to progress out of poverty. 5. As we seek You, asking if there is anyone or any cause that You want us to give to out of our own personal resources, help us, O Lord, to act upon it. Luke 15:16 Praying for those with self-inflicted wounds 1. We pray for all those we know who are addicted to, or whose only source of pleasure is in drugs, to come to know pleasure found in knowing God. 2. As we pray for all those we know whose life is controlled by the need for alcohol, help them find the ‘new wine’ of the Holy Spirit. 3. As we pray for all those we know whose lives are in a mess because of bad choices they have made, help them find a new life in Christ. 4. Show all those we know who are suffering from depression because of the consequences of the choices they have made, the abundant life in Christ. 5. Help us bring the life-changing Gospel message to all those we know who may be thinking about suicide because of the circumstances they have got themselves into. Luke 15:17-19 True repentance 1. Let Your presence be felt more and more in our midst, as we gather together for worship, O Lord.

2. Cause us to search our hearts and our lives and remove anything that would hinder You moving powerfully in our midst. 3. O Lord, so move in our midst that we would regularly see people coming to You in deep repentance. 4. May we see in our Sunday and midweek meetings people coming under a real and genuine conviction of sin that causes heartfelt repentance. 5. Send a Holy Spirit-inspired revival in our midst, we pray. Luke 15:20-21 The Father’s compassion 1. Give us a heart like Yours, Heavenly Father. 2. Make us more like Jesus in every aspect of our lives, in the way we think, talk, act and conduct the affairs of our lives. 3. Help us to forgive all those who transgress against us just as You have fully forgiven us. 4. Cause us right now to release any feelings of bitterness towards anyone, and to be able to pray for God to bless them, whether we feel they deserve it or not. 5. Teach us to love just as You love and in so doing cause others to be attracted to Christ. Luke 15:22-24 The lost is found 1. Help us to see the best in each person, O Lord, even when they have done much that is unrighteous. 2. Help us to be like You, Heavenly Father, prepared to give a second chance to those who have let us down. 3. When a brother or sister asks us for forgiveness, enable us always to do so. 4. Cause our hearts to be big enough to be able to pray for the blessing of any and every person, particularly the blessing of finding Jesus as Saviour. 5. Let our church be known for the restitution of those prodigals who are genuinely repentant. Luke 15:25-31 Reconciliation within families 1. We pray You would bring reconciliation to all the families in our church, where there are rifts in relationships. 2. We pray for all the sons in the church to all enjoy a good and harmonious relationship with his mother and father. 3. We pray that all the daughters in our church will each be a blessing to her mother and father.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

leading and success in reaching those they are praying for to be saved. 4. Use all the evangelistic events in the church on Sunday evenings, to be an effective vehicle for bringing the lost to Christ, O Lord. 5. As You cause us always to remember that Your church is not a pleasure cruiser but a lifeboat to save the perishing, give us the desire and opportunity to rescue them. Luke 15:7 Causing the angels to rejoice 1. We pray You would save now all the non-Christian husbands of the women in our church, O God. 2. We pray You would save now all the non-Christian children of the parents in our church, O God. 3. Save all the non-Christian parents of those in our church, O Lord. 4. We pray for all our non-Christian brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles and aunties to be saved now, O Lord. 5. We pray for all our non-Christian friends to be saved now, and let there be cause for much rejoicing by the angels in heaven. Luke 15:8-10 Seeking the lost (2) 1. Lord, teach us the value to You of each person who is lost, and give us the desire to see them found by You. 2. Give us a burden to pray continually for those who do not know You and who we desire to be won for Christ. 3. Help us not to be content with the blessings we enjoy as a result of our relationship with Jesus, but instead to do all You have called each of us to do. 4. Make us fruitful, O Lord, so that we may have the joy of seeing people give their lives to You. 5. Encourage each who has been praying for a particular person who has not yet come to Christ, that the weeping that comes in the night will be turned to joy in the morning. Luke 15:11-12 Praying for the materialistic 1. We pray You will help all those we know whose first love is for the things of this life, to see the folly of trusting in that which is but temporary. 2. As we pray for our society that rates success primarily by the extent of fame or fortune, have mercy and send a hunger for the true wealth found only in Christ. 3. Teach us that it is more blessed to give than receive, and may we know

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4. Where there is strife between brothers and sisters in families we know, bring healing, O Lord. 5. Cause the families in the church to be an inspiration and example to non believers, who will desire to have the peace of God in their own lives and families. Luke 16:19-24 Urgent prayer for the lost 1. Move our hearts as we understand the dreadful destiny of those who die outside of Christ. 2. Lord, understanding Your teaching about hell, inspire us to reach the lost, helping us to sense the urgency of the situation and to act accordingly. 3. Give us a deep compassion for those heading towards a Christless eternity, O Lord. 4. Help us to understand the true depth of the wickedness of sin that makes hell necessary, so we may we be careful to walk in the ways of God. 5. Give us divine appointments arranged by You, O Lord, for us to witness to those who may not have another opportunity to hear the Gospel before they die. Luke 16:25-26 A great chasm 1. Since Your Word tells us that it is appointed once for a person to die and then comes the judgment, give us a sense of urgency for the task of evangelism. 2. May the knowledge that we have only one lifetime in which to serve You motivate us to seek and reach those who are, as yet, unsaved. 3. Move us even now as we pray, O Lord, to have mercy on the lost as we cry to You to help us reach them. 4. As we thank You, Jesus, for the Cross that saves each one who trusts in You from eternal separation from God, may we bring the Good News to someone today. 5. Help us remember, heavenly Father, that all things are possible to You, even the salvation of those whom we think are too hard to be saved. Luke 16:27-31 More prayer for the hard of heart 1. Do something in the lives of those whom we have prayed for a long time, but who remain hardened in their hearts, to cause them to seek and find You. 2. For every atheist we know, Holy Spirit, bring them to the place of belief. 3. For every person we know who is

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involved in witchcraft or the seeking out of evil spirits, save them before it is too late. 4. So shake the secular TV stations that are happy to undermine the truth of the Bible and the things of Christ that it causes them to desire the truth of the Gospel. 5. Sweep away completely the ungodly attitude in the institutions of this land that deliberately seek to exclude the truth of the Gospel on the grounds of ‘not wanting to offend people’. Luke 18:1-8 Persistent in prayer 1. Give us the tenacity to keep praying until we see a breakthrough in those situations that need persistent prayer. 2. Cause us never to give up in prayer and, when we feel discouraged, quicken our inner spirit. 3. Give us the faith that never doubts but always perseveres and trusts in the God of the impossible. 4. Cause us never to lose sight of the truth, O Lord, that Your desire to see the lost saved no matter who they are, is far greater than our own. 5. Lord, when You look at each of us, we pray that You will indeed find the faith in our hearts and lives that You are looking for. Luke 18:9-14 Praying for the self-righteous 1. Lord, help us not to be guilty of hypocrisy but to ensure we only ever trust in Your righteousness and not in our own self-righteousness. 2. May we never glory in our own good works, but may You have all the glory for any successes we achieve. 3. Holy Spirit, teach us how to rely on You totally and not on ourselves, so that Your power can be constantly at work in and through us. 4. We take authority over any religious spirit that is operating over our area that causes people to trust in religion and good works, rather than in the Cross of Christ. 5. Cause us to be like the church of Philadelphia, to whom You gave an open door of revival, and not be like the church of Laodicea who trusted in their own efforts. Luke 18:9-14 The humble will be exalted 1. Forgive us any pride, and help us daily to recognise it and to remove it from every part of our lives, we pray. 2. Let our attitude be the same as Christ Jesus who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be

grasped, but made Himself nothing. 3. Teach us to be like Jesus, who took on the very nature of a servant and humbled Himself, becoming obedient - even to death on a cross. 4. May we truly understand that the pathway to greatness and effective service for God is not by self-promotion, but by humbling ourselves before our God. 5. As we humble ourselves under Your mighty hand, heavenly Father, lift us up in due time. Luke 19:11-14 Entrusted with God’s gifts 1. Cause each of us to remember that You have given each of us talents and abilities that You require us to use for Your Kingdom, and give us willing hearts to do so. 2. O God, as we wait upon You, reveal to each of us any gift or talent that we are not currently using for You, and give us the opportunities to use them for Your glory. 3. Bless all those in the church who have practical gifts and ministries; may they use them for Your glory. 4. Bless those in the church who have charismatic gifts; may they use them for Your glory. 5. Teach us to remember, that it is not how great or how many, our gifts and talents are, but rather how faithfully we use those You have entrusted to us. Luke 19:15-26 Rewards for the faithful 1. Lord, keep us encouraged through every trial whilst here on earth, as we remember that our work for the Lord is not in vain. 2. Help us to remain faithful for all our time here on earth, and to finish the race well. 3. May we never bury any of the talents and gifts You have given us, but always to make full use of them no matter how great or small we may think they are. 4. Motivate us, as we remember there awaits for every believer a glorious eternity in the presence of the perfect King of all kings and His eternal joy. 5. Strengthen us by the remembrance that You have triumphed over every one of Your enemies and will rule in righteousness, joy and peace forever and ever. Luke 11:24-26 Combatting evil spirits 1. On this Hallowe’en night, guard the hearts and minds of children who have been allowed by their parents to participate in activities this evening. 2. We bind, in the Name of Jesus, the power of evil spirits operating in our streets this evening. 3. Cause many people to have an encounter with the risen Christ this evening, rather than with evil. 4. Watch over Your church this evening, protecting it from any curses uttered against it. 5. Rise up, O Lord, and pull down every stronghold of evil in our area.

PRAYER DIARY

November 2018

65:16 16Isaiah Past troubles forgotten

1. For all those we know who have been experiencing times of problems with their children, bring relief, a change in circumstances, and a joy that causes past troubles to be forgotten. 2. We pray You would give a breakthrough to all those we know who have been struggling with job situations or lack of employment. 3. Bring healing in mind and soul, to all we know who have been through painful family break-ups. 4. As we pray for all those we know who have been bereaved and still struggle with the loss, bring healing, O Lord. 5. Set free, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, all we know who are bound by addictions, bringing them into a life of peace and liberty in Christ. Isaiah 65:17-18 New creation 1. Lord, help us keep in mind the glorious future for the believer, so that we do not get discouraged in this present life. 2. May the knowledge we have of the future glory really motivate us to do all we can for You, O Lord. 3. Knowing the glory that lies ahead, O God, help us not to become so fixed on the things of this world, so that our focus is not on You as the most important aspect of our lives. 4. Lord, help us to remember that we brought nothing into this world and will take nothing when we leave it, and teach us to labour for that which is eternal. 5. Lord, teach us to invest in this world, more and more of the talents You have given us, so that the fruit we bear will last for eternity. Isaiah 65:19 No more crying 1. As we pray for the broken-hearted in our church, be their strength and may we, the family of God, help sustain them in their time of need. 2. Give us divine appointments to be able speak the right words at the right time to those who need Christ, so that we may see them experience the joy of salvation. 3. We pray for the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst that causes sinners to deeply repent in tears, and then to experience the everlasting joy of salvation in Christ.

4. We pray for all the unsaved family members and friends over whom tears are being shed in desperate prayer for their salvation; save them now, O Lord. 5. Bring repentance, changed lives and an end to tears for all parents in our midst, whose hearts are broken over their children, and husbands and wives whose hearts are broken because of problems in the marriage. Isaiah 65:20 Divine health in the kingdom of God 1. Lord, we bring ourselves before You and pray that You would give each of us divine physical health, and that we would use it to fully serve You. 2. We pray that You would also give us divine mental health no matter what the pressures, and the wisdom to be good stewards of our bodies and minds. 3. We bring before You all those in our midst who have long-term ailments and sicknesses, and pray for Your healing touch on their bodies. 4. We pray You would heal all those we know who are suffering from depression or other forms of mental problems. 5. Thank You for every testimony of healing in answer to prayer, and we pray for more and more of such healings in our midst. Isaiah 65:21-23 Children blessed 1. For all the children in our classes on Sundays who do not yet know Jesus as personal Saviour and Lord, bring them to the place of accepting Christ. 2. We pray for the spiritual growth of all those children who do know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, that they will grow from strength to strength in their relationship with Jesus. 3. As we pray for all these children in their all-round development at school and in the home, raise them up to become mighty men and women of God. 4. As we pray for all those who teach the children in church and thank You for their sacrifice and commitment, bless them and their families also, O Lord. 5. We pray for all the outreaches to children, and pray that many children will be saved. Isaiah 65:24-5 God’s answers 1. Draw us so close to You, O Lord, that we know how to pray with the mind of Christ, and so see powerful answers to prayer.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

believe as long as they do more good things than bad then they will be all right with God, break their pride and save them through faith. 3. For all in the church who are struggling with balancing time of home life, work life and spiritual life, give them wisdom in planning and the ability to rest in You, O God. 4. For all those we know, who are suffering from long-term sickness and are questioning God, help them to trust You completely and help them rest in You. 5. May the peace of God which passes all understanding be our daily experience, no matter what circumstances we may experience, we pray. Isaiah 65:11-12 God’s hatred of occult practices 1. For all those we know who regularly engage in occult practices, open their eyes to the reality of what they are doing, and save them. 2. For all those engaged in the occult who are praying to their evil spirits against the churches, we bind their power in Jesus’ Name. 3. As we bind, in Jesus’ Name, the power of every attempt by those engaged in the occult, who are seeking the break-up of Christian marriages, bring their attempts to nothing, O God. 4. As we bind, in Jesus’ Name, the power of every attempt by those practising the occult to bring harm to, division of and closure of churches, frustrate every attempt, O Lord. 5. For all Your children, O Lord, who are the object of witchcraft by those who would seek to harm them, watch over and protect them continually. Isaiah 65:13-15 God’s judgment on those who practise the occult 1. Lord, for all those who attend churches, but who still have connections with the occult or secret societies, open their eyes and cause them to repent and turn to Christ before it is too late. 2. For all in the church who are still consulting horoscopes or other ways to discover their “future”, have mercy and open their eyes, Holy Spirit, to just who they are consulting. 3. Lord, if we have any idols in our lives, speak to our hearts, and may we get rid of them now. 4. We pray that You would frustrate and bring to nothing every plan and strategy from the powers of darkness against any member of our church. 5. Frustrate every wicked plan and strategy against Your church from the powers of darkness and, instead, enable us to move in the power of the Holy Spirit to an ever greater degree.

PRAYER DIARY

2. Cause us to walk with You as Enoch did, and may we see You answering needs even before we have time to pray. 3. As we pray for the salvation of our unsaved family members, hear our prayers, O Lord, and lift the spiritual veil from their eyes. 4. Lord, since You love people to a far deeper extent than we can, save dramatically those who may not even realise at this time that they even need You. 5. Save our nation, O Lord, even though at this time it does not even realise the dire plight it has fallen to. Isaiah 66:1 God’s power 1. Creator God, You are powerful above all things visible and invisible, so help us to open our understanding to Your total omnipotence. 2. Help us not to limit You in our minds but rather let our faith stretch to seeing You do the impossible in all kinds of situations. 3. In Your power, turn back the tide of evil sweeping our land, O God. 4. Visit Your church with a new visitation of salvations, healings, signs and wonders, we pray. 5. By Your power, change us from the inside out, upside down, and on fire for You. Isaiah 66:2-4 Trembling at God’s Word 1. Holy Spirit, quicken the Word of God to us as we read it, and speak to us directly, so we may be quick to respond to what You say to us. 2. Forgive us when we have treated Your Word or commands lightly, and change our attitudes, we pray. 3. Help us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, as Your Word exhorts us to do, O Lord. 4. We pray for such a presence of You, Holy Spirit, whenever Your people meet together, that You would bring a conviction of sin that causes people to want to follow Christ unconditionally. 5. When we preach, teach or share the truth of Your Word, let the power of Your Word cause those listening to be convicted by You, Holy Spirit. Isaiah 66:5-6 Blessed are those persecuted for the Lord’s sake 1. We pray for all those we know who are persecuted by their family members because they follow Christ; encourage their hearts and strengthen them. 2. We pray that all those in the church who have come out of other religions and accepted Christ, but are being

November 2018

persecuted for that decision will have the grace to grow spiritually. 3. As we pray for those we live amongst who would want to know more about salvation in Christ but are afraid of their own communities, find a way for them to be saved, O Lord. 4. As we pray for Christian satellite TV programmes that are beamed in countries otherwise closed to the Gospel, cause many to find Christ in the privacy of their own homes. 5. As we pray for the persecuted church of today right around the world, and bring all those who face death for believing in Jesus to You, be their strength and shield in times of adversity. Isaiah 66:7-9 The rebirth of Israel 1. Lord, we marvel at how this prophecy was fulfilled on 14th May 1948, when the modern state of Israel was literally ‘born in a day’ and thank You for being an awesome God. 2. We pray You would have mercy on the populations of all those nations seeking the destruction of Israel, and open their eyes to the reality of what their leaders are doing in opposing You. 3. Lord, though You have fulfilled Your prophetic word in bringing to birth Israel once again, still the Israelis have not accepted You, so open their eyes to their true Messiah – Jesus. 4. Just as You have brought about the physical rebirth of Israel, we pray for the spiritual rebirth of Israel as the Your Word prophesies, O God. 5. As we pray for the government of Israel, open their eyes to the truth that Jesus is their true Messiah. Isaiah 66:10-11

Praying for the peace of Jerusalem (1)

1. Lord, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 2. For all the Messianic Jews living in Israel, who have accepted Jesus as Saviour, help them as they share the Gospel with fellow Jews, and bring a great harvest by their labours. 3. Prosper the outreach of all missionaries working in Israel, we pray. 4. As we pray for the nation of Iran, the biblical country of Persia, thank You for the many getting saved there, and bring a greater outpouring of Your Holy Spirit in salvation. 5. As we pray for the nation of Saudi Arabia, cause the spiritual and human barriers to the preaching of the Gospel there to be removed completely, so that the nation may be saved. Isaiah 66:12-14

27Praying for the peace of Jerusalem (2)

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

1. Lord, You love all peoples, and we pray You would show Your mercy

and Your salvation to all the descendants of Abraham, both Jews and Arabs. 2. Give a visitation of Yourself, O God, to all the Palestinian people, especially those who desire to see the destruction of Israel, so they may understand who Jesus is and turn to Him. 3. As we pray for the Syrian nation, bordering Israel, show Your mercy and bless their people with the move of Your Holy Spirit amongst their population. 4. As we pray for the nation of Egypt, bordering Israel and ask that the prophecies of blessing in the last days will be their experience, turn the nation to You, O God. 5. We pray You would visit in revival power the population of Jordan, bordering Israel, O Lord. Isaiah 66:15-16 God’s judgment coming 1. Have mercy on our capital city and turn the population to You before it is too late, O God. 2. Send a powerful visitation of the Holy Spirit upon our Parliament, and change their direction down the pathway of ungodly laws, before Your judgment must fall on our nation. 3. Lord, since You can easily shake the financial edifices in our nation, cause many to look away from the worship of Mammon, to the worship of the true and living God. 4. As many in our nation fall into depression requiring medication, let them turn to the living God for help, we pray. 5. As You allow natural disasters to hit nations all around the world, may those nations turn to You in their distress, O Lord. Isaiah 66:17-19 God’s glory proclaimed among the nations 1. Lord, in these last days, send a visitation of Your Spirit, and let Your glory be seen in all of Europe. 2. Visit the whole of the continent of Africa, including the Muslim north, in all the power of the Holy Spirit, to cause a great revival in these last days. 3. Sweep through every country in the continent of Asia in great revival power, O Lord, turning them to Yourself. 4. From Canada to the south of Argentina, move in mighty power to bring revival to all the countries of the Americas and its neighbouring island nations, O God. 5. For Australasia and every island nation around the world, sweep over them all in revival before it is too late, O Lord. Isaiah 66:20-24 The rebellious 1. Lord, since hell is a real place for those who reject Christ, may that knowledge help us to be wholehearted in our service for You. 2. Help us to fulfil every aspect of the Great Commission, so that those currently rebelling against God have the opportunity to know the truth. 3. Holy Spirit, cause the eyes of the spiritually blind to be opened as we witness to them of the saving power of Christ. 4. Help us not to be afraid to preach the whole truth of the Gospel, including everlasting punishment of the unrighteous, with wisdom and compassion, O God. 5. Help us, Lord, not to become complacent in our Christian lives, but to examine ourselves to ensure we are not walking outside Your will.

EVANGELISM & PRAYER @ ECC LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

EVANGELISM ALL WELCOME

SECOND Saturday of each month

11am to 1pm

Saturday 13th October

Saturday 10th November

Acton Brentford Chiswick Greenford Hanwell Hayes Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Uxbridge Wembley West Ealing

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

Read the testimonies on pages 10 and 11 ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE TEAM

24/7 PRAYER CENTRE

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

020 8799 2199 DAILY REVIVAL PRAYER MEETINGS Monday to Friday Morning meetings 10.00am to 12.00pm - Annexe Room 2* EVENing meetings 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Foyer (*accessible from Northfields Avenue)

WEEKLY TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING 7.30pm to 9.15pm - Foyer

MONTHLY REVIVAL & HEALING MEETINGS Bring your family, friends & neighbours Second Sunday evening of every month at 6.30pm Sunday 14th October Sunday 11th November

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS

POLISH FELLOWSHIP Elim Springs Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the FOYER

ECC Japanese Fellowship Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the MAIN AUDITORIUM For details, please contact AOGU & CHISATO TATEYAMA

info@eccj.org.uk

For ECC attenders: Before coming for deliverance for the first time, please make an appointment to speak to Pastor Rajinder Saturday 20th October Saturday 17th November 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 A night of intercession, celebration, thanksgiving and praise Friday 26th October Friday 30th November

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

Note from the Treasurer Plant a Seed and Watch It Grow

esus said: “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32) Jesus compares the workings of the Kingdom of God to planting seeds in the earth. “When the seed is sown,” He said, “it grows up.” Notice He didn’t say that it would occasionally grow up. Or it grows up if it’s God’s will. He said: “It grows up and becomes greater.” God’s economy isn’t like ours. It isn’t up one day and down the other. It’s always the same and it always works perfectly. If you have good earth, good seed and good water, you’re going to have growth. The opposite may apply if you have a bad earth and doubt the Word of God. So, if you’re facing a need, don’t panic, just plant a seed! That seed may take the form of money or time, or some other resources you have to give. But, no matter what form it takes, make sure you put life in it by giving it in faith in the Word of God, and surrounding it with praise and worship. God’s Word always come to pass in the end. Always remain faithful in your giving, for you shall reap a harvest if you faint not.

Sandra Dawodu

Please note that you can now pay your tithes and offerings through the ECC website at www.ecc.org.uk or via mobile payments to Ealing Christian Centre Account No: 18844979 Sort code: 60-05-16

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 Polish service Evening service

2.30pm to 4.30pm in Auditorium

2.30pm to 4.30pm in Foyer

6.30pm to 8.00pm

See ‘What’s On at ECC’ on page 23 for details

Mondays

Prayer meetings

Tuesdays

Prayer meetings

10.00am & 6.00pm 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 All-night Prayer

Registration required

10.00pm to 5.00am

Last Friday of the month

Saturdays

Local Lighthouse Evangelism 11.00am to 1.00pm Second Saturday of the month

FINANCE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR FAITHFUL GIVING TO GOD’S WORK July 2018 August 2018 Tithes & Offerings £49,313.90 £39,405.30 Building Fund £2,342.38 £2,044.21 Standing Orders £30,620.04 £20,407.85

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

WHAT WE BELIEVE Elim Pentecostal Churches 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.

WHAT’S ON AT ECC

Sunday Services at a glance 9.00am, 11.15am, 6.30pm

November

October am 4th pm

& COMMUNION SERVICE am PRAISE Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake 7th SERVICE pm DEDICATION Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan SERVICE am CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton 14th & HEALING SERVICE pm REVIVAL Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

am 11th pm

SERVICE am CELEBRATION Guest Speaker: Russ Kline, USA 21st SERVICE pm CELEBRATION Guest Speaker: Russ Kline, USA

am 18th pm

SERVICE am CELEBRATION Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton 28th SERVICE pm BAPTISMAL Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

am 25th pm

PRAISE & COMMUNION SERVICE Guest Speaker: Pastora Jen Peñas from ECC Church in the Philippines

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton REVIVAL & HEALING MEETING Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton CELEBRATION SERVICE Guest Speaker: Evangelist Sunday Oguche from Nigeria

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan CELEBRATION SERVICE Guest Speaker: David Hathaway, Eurovision KIDZ ALIVE IN CONCERT led by Rhoda Morson

Spotlight on Forthcoming Events EACH ONE BRING ONE

Invitations will soon be available to invite families, friends and neighbours to these FREE evangelistic events

DAVID HATHAWAY

is coming to ECC on Sunday 25th November at 9am and 11.15am Through an incredible 60 years of ministry, mostly in the former communist countries and in Israel, David Hathaway has experienced God move in miraculous ways, and is known as a living legend and hero of faith. Today, he is calling Britain to prayer. Come and hear this mighty man of God share the secret of answered prayer and power with God.

Guest Speaker

RUSS KLINE, USA

is making a welcome return to ECC, and will be ministering in the prophetic at all three services on Sunday 21st October.

Kidz Alive with Rhoda Morson

Come and see Kidz Alive in Concert - an evening of singing, dance and drama by a group of very talented children on Sunday 25th November at 6.30pm.

Guest Speaker

Pastora Jen Peñas will be sharing about her work in the Philippines at the morning services on Sunday 4th November.

Guest Speaker

SUNDAY OGUCHE is an evangelist from Nigeria, and will be with us at the morning services at 9am and 11.15am on Sunday 18th November.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

Reflections Reflections on the Women’s Encounter Weekend in August 2018 held at the High Leigh Conference Centre

od pours little by little into us each day, and sees it take shape. When we first gave our lives to God, He poured into us and the pouring doesn’t stop. You determine the level that you receive by your obedience and relationship with God. What shape are YOU in? As I gave that word, God demonstrated by pouring into us, and I also reminded the group of Psalm 23:5, challenging us to consider how full we are. Everyone had time to reflect on their own, as well as receive teaching and ministry from the Encounter Team each day. By the end of the weekend, we can see from some of the testimonies (below) what the Lord has done in the lives of the women, and that their cup was overflowing.

Stephanie Antoine Team Leader

“

The Holy Spirit was having His way among us, and He has touched the ladies’ lives in so many ways. There were breakthroughs and testimonies of what the Lord has done. The teaching and worship were just heaven-sent, coming down to touch lives. The love and unity among us was something else. I would encourage everyone to attend the Encounter because each one is different every year. Only the Holy Spirit knows how He will work and what He will do at the Encounter Weekend. As the Queen of Sheba said to King Solomon: “The half has never been told!” So each person has to go to the Encounter to experience it for themselves.

Minette Thomas

“

Although it was a wonderful experience, it was made even better by speaking to the women who told how they had experienced joy and freedom, and how they were going home changed after the weekend. One lady who had been rejected and abandoned by her dad, was for the first time able to forgive and release him. Experiencing the amazing freedom and relief she now feels after she had let go of unforgiveness, she was going back home a changed person. Filled with joy, she cried uncontrollably. The team worked together in love and unity, and it was truly a pleasure to be part of the team.

Jessica Smith

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

“

I found that the majority of delegates who attended were first-timers at the Encounter Weekend. They were open to receive what the Lord had for them, and they did. The Holy Spirit began to work from the very first session, and continued all the way through. Whilst ministering to one delegate, the Holy Spirit led me to share with her a prophetic word of knowledge which she then confirmed. I really thank God for allowing me to be part of this ministry.

Veronica Antoine

‘I received a message about being at a crossroads, which was specific to me…’ W. ‘I am ready for everything that God has ahead for me’ M.

‘I learned to place my trust in our Father’s love’ M. ‘The ministry was powerful and the leadership team were commendable and conveyed their wisdom’ T.

‘I am also overjoyed that the Lord’s presence continued ministering to me in my room…I thank God for the personal prayer and ministry received’ H. ‘Such a peace and joy of the Lord has come over me. Thank You, Jesus’ L.

‘I have been set free from unforgiveness, bitterness, malice and jealousy in Jesus’ Name’

MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

THE REAL MAN

Who is he? What is he? Where is he?

grew up in a house with four older sisters. One of my closest friends in the world is my youngest sister, Miriam. She is two years older than me, and we spent most of our teenage years glued to each other. The reason for this was because Miriam would be allowed to stay out longer if I was with her. However, growing up, my sister had a love for Tom Cruise - she loved watching all of his films. We watched Top Gun a million times, and I only realised as I re-watched it a couple of years ago that it wasn’t a chick flick. That I thought Top Gun was about a love story and how good looking Tom Cruise was (that is what my sister told me), I didn’t realise it was actually about friendship and fighter jets. Along with my view of Top Gun, my understanding of what a Real Man is has changed as I have grown older. I was always told that a Real Man has rough hands from a hard day’s work (mine are super smooth); they do DIY work and love cars (I couldn’t be any less interested in cars); the Real Man doesn’t show his emotions (I cried when Goose died), and doesn’t feel pain like the rest of the world. I was told a Real Man has

hairy legs and a hairy chest (check), and he is meant to provide and protect (I’m the last person you would want in a dangerous situation). However, as I started to become a man, I started to question what a Real Man was, because I didn’t live up to that stereotype. I began to question what it means to be a biblical man who lives in 21st century Britain. The stereotype I had grown up with was one that just didn’t fit anymore. As I continued in this quest of what the Real Man was, I began to watch other guys who were sojourning this road of manhood, and noticing that sometimes they were all over the place too. I would watch from the sidelines as we would interact with girls, with children, with money, with failure, with church and with God, wondering how, as Real Men, they were supposed to act in this ever-changing landscape we live in. However, I realised I couldn’t live my life watching from the sidelines, and that I had to get into the game. I had to begin to discover what a Real Man was, and what a Real Man needed. If I had been so wrong about Top Gun, then maybe I had

been wrong about manhood also. Maybe I needed to find a new perspective on what it means to be a Real Man. Maybe, as you read this, you have been asking the same question? Maybe you are reading this, and you are willing to join me and some other men from ECC, as together we continue the journey of what the Real Man needs. The men of ECC would love to invite you to join us on the 16th and 17th of November, as we host our very first ECC Men’s Conference, when we’ll be looking at the topic, What a Real Man Needs. This is a weekend you do not want to miss, as I can guarantee it will not only transform your walk with God, but also your journey of what it means to be a man living in 21st century London. Get in touch with me at am@ecc.org.uk for further details.

Pastor Alex Morgan Men’s Ministry

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

Fellowship

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

HERE FOR

YOU

CONGRATULATIONS

& CONGRATULATIONS

EVERGREENS

Stahn Lebrun & Diane Isabelle

DEROU on the birth of their SON Noah Gedion Stahn Born: 26th June 2018 Weight: 3.10kg Baby brother to Ashley Zoe Victoire

CONGRATULATIONS Elo-Oghene David OMUGBE and Bianca Louise HARTLEY-MITCHELL on their WEDDING which took place on 28th June 2018

CONGRATULATIONS Ashley KHELA and Jeenna ATWAL on their WEDDING which took place in Athens on 9th August 2018

Please contact Sharon in the church office for details

EDNESDAY

October

Afternoon Fellowship

3rd Pastor Bob

10th NO MEETING 17th Pastor Bob with Ann Morris 24th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 31st Pastor Bob with Colleen Barry-Austin

November

7th Lola Vassell wth Pastor Bob

14th Lola Vassell and Prayer & Praise 21st Lola Vassell and Prayer & Praise 28th Pastor Bob with Rudy Brann

CONGRATULATIONS Emmanuel ASHLEY and Debbie CHARLES-OBI on their WEDDING which took place on 1st September 2018

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

Aanu mugs (£5) and bookmarks (£1) are available from the ECC Office.

Happy 70th Birthday, Pastor Bob

LOCAL OUTREACH

FOODBANK COLLECTIONS WHEN Dates for Foodbank Collections are Sunday 7th and 14th October and Sunday 4th and 11th November at the 9am and 11.15am services

WHERE Please leave your donations at the Missions Stand at the rear of the Auditorium. Thank you.

WHAT

Pastor Bob Seare, pictured here with his family, recently celebrated his 70th birthday at a surprise party at ECC.

OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER ECC will be joining several other churches in the Ealing borough to host WINTER NIGHT SHELTER sessions for 2019. ECC hosting times are Wednesday evenings in January and February next year on the following dates: JANUARY 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th and FEBRUARY 6th. If you would like to get involved, or find out more about the Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter project, there will be a VOLUNTEERS MEETING in the ECC Foyer on Wednesday 14th November from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.

2pm - 6pm

Ealing Foodbank aims to give enough food to those in emergency need to last up to THREE DAYS. You can find out their current needs by visiting their website at www.ealing.foodbank. org.uk, but please see below for their guidelines:

YES, PLEASE!

All food must be: long life - at least 6 months’ shelf life small sizes are best - maximum 1kg or 1 litre

NO, THANKS!

We cannot accept: fresh, refrigerated, frozen foods out-of-date foods opened or part-used packets catering or family-size packs alcolhol vitamins, food supplements, energy drinks, over-the-counter medicines

‘Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.’ James 2:18b (The Message)

Next ECC sessions: Saturday 10th November & pre-Christmas Special on Saturday 22nd December

Please contact Sherine or Sharon via the ECC church office for further information on how to get involved GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

YOUTH MINISTRY

2018 whenever people talk about God: “If God is all-loving and all-powerful, then why does He allow suffering to exist?” Some people say suffering is a test from God; some say it’s a punishment for evil doing, and some say it’s a problem we bring upon ourselves.

oing to Limitless camp is a part of my summer I always look forward to - the chance to get closer to God and to be around people who are passionate about God.

But it also means a week away from home and a week of fun activities. At Limitless, there are three venues for young people to hear seminars: the Explorers, the Deeper venue and the Young Adult venue. This year, as I’d turned 16, I decided to go to the Young Adult venue for the morning and evening seminars, and I certainly don’t regret this decision. Amongst the people, the worship and the activities, these seminars were definitely my favourite aspect of this venue. At one seminar, which made this Limitless 2018 one I’ll never forget, the theme was a question that’s commonly debated

The first thing we need to remember when talking about suffering is that it was never part of God’s plan. 28

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

The first thing we need to remember when talking about suffering is that it was never part of God’s plan. He didn’t intend for this to happen. Genesis 1:31 says that “God saw all that He had made. And it was very good.” God created a perfect world for humans to live in - one without slavery or childtrafficking or rape. But we destroyed this perfection through human error, selfishness and disobedience. Romans 5:12 explains that because of our sin, death entered the world. OK, so we’ve ruined the perfection God created, and now death and suffering exist. Now what does God do? God is with us through suffering. 1 Peter 5:7 says we should “cast all our anxiety on Him, for He cares for you.” God doesn’t leave us in times of suffering; instead, He is with us through it, and brings good out of bad situations. As Tim Alford rightly said: “You can’t perceive the whole picture, when you’re still within a piece.” Most importantly, God will put an end to all permanent suffering. Thanks to the Cross - and to God’s loving sacrifice - human error and selfishness are no longer our own sin. God can then make an end to all suffering without ending us. That’s the beauty of the Cross.

by KOFO BOBOYE

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

KIDS’ CLUB FEEDBACK

compiled by

ANN VORKEL

e recently concluded our five-day Kids’ Club programme last August, and I believed that the time and energy put into this programme was well worth it! Every week, kids experienced new fun things that kept them engaged while learning about God! We also saw a number of newcomers attend our group, who surely had a great time. From their feedback, it seems evident that the children had a wonderful experience!

“At Kids’ Club, I learned a lot and had different experiences of meeting new people. Playing was really fun, and learning how to do crafts and listening to Bible lessons also. I have beautiful chips from the chip shop. We get so many tokens I can’t count them all. It was great!”- Joshua O

“Kids’ Club is amazing. It is no waste of time. During the last day, we made flowers and a vase, and it’s perfect for my newborn little sister. You play games, you do Bible questions, crafts, plus free food. Also, you get so many tokens, and if you are there every week you get so many more tokens. Plus Ann is so kind. Last week, I was helping Ann by holding a toy seesaw and instruments, and they slipped off my hand and all of it fell. But for some reason, Ann was not angry. The free food she gives us is always so yummy! Today is the last day, so now we are gonna eat ice lolly. Yum yum! Sign up to Kids’ Club!” – Keyla G

“It was fun and the food was lovely - especially the donuts. We get to run around. I had fun being with other children. I enjoyed craft - especially making the flowers.” – Adiya O “At Kids’ Club, we played fun games, such as volleyball. We also made crafts, like making flowers. We were also told stories from the Bible. My favourite thing was playing games.” – Jaasiel O

“ECC Kids’ Club was an amazing experience. I really enjoyed the games and the crafts - as well as all the fun stuff. Kids’ Club provides a massive amount of tokens! By the end of Kids’ Club, you could collect more than 60 tokens! There is also a story time, in which we learn more about Jesus Christ. Come to this unmissable event soon!” – Mattias G

NOW HIRING CHILDREN’S COORDINATOR

We are seeking to appoint a Children’s Worker to run our children’s programme for 0-11-year-olds.

“I enjoyed it, because it was fun and I enjoyed doing crafts.” – Abigail S “My favourite is when we played ‘Trying to get the flag’.” - Alec S

The role involves leading a large team of volunteers, and training and experience in children’s work is preferable. Key responsibilities include: - planning the Sunday school/midweek programme for children aged 0-11 - coordinating the Sunday school team of volunteers, including training and safeguarding For more details and full job description email am@ecc.org.uk.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

MISSIONS THE PHILIPPINES

Profile on

Jen Peñas

Our leader in Cebu

n March 2002, whilst on a short-term mission to the Philippines, the ECC mission team and I were ministering at an open-air gospel concert in Apas, Cebu City.

We had teamed up with City Gates Church, which had been planted by an English AOG pastor a couple of years earlier. In that team was a shy, almost retiring young Filipina lady, who was helping to collate the details of the new Christians who had just given their lives to Jesus. Little did I know that I would be working with her a year later, and little did she know that she would become the Elim Global Leader for the Visayas region of the Philippines. Jen Peñas, a qualified secondary school teacher, became a Christian in her home town of Iligan, which is situated in the southern Philippines. She attended a Christian campus fellowship, where she heard the Gospel for the first time and gave her life to the Lord. She immersed herself in local church ministry, working with street kids, Bible study, and working amongst the Bajau people - a nomadic maritime community, with their own diverse culture and language. Jen then felt that God was leading her to work in Cebu and, whilst working as a data analyst, she joined City Gates Church, where she was part of the leadership. I first started working with Jen in 2003, when she was part of the Living Epistle Christian Family Church (LECFC), who ECC supported at that time. LECFC, an Elim Global partner, had a new outreach based in Cebu, and Jen had joined them as a missionary and principal of their school. Later our two daughters, Corrina and Georgina, worked with Jen as support teachers. In 2004, my family and I were sent by ECC to Cebu as missionaries, primarily to work alongside the LEFC missionaries in a village called Lang-Lang, Danao. Most of my time was spent training the missionaries; this is where I spent a lot of time teaching and mentoring Jen. Jen joined us on many outreaches to surrounding villages, but it wasn’t until we started to plant our first church in Portland, Danao, that Jen felt the Lord calling her into full-time ministry. In February 2005, the church plant was established as ECC’s first overseas church plant. As well as being my interpreter, translator, and part of a small leadership, Jen helped to establish a youth and

I would be hard-pressed to find someone who is as dedicated as Jen. She is one of the most committed and hard-working people I have had the privilege of working with. 30

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

children’s ministry, and three children’s feeding programmes in the surrounding villages. There were many trials and much opposition in the early days of establishing the work in Danao, but by the grace of God and perseverance, today we have churches and outreaches established in 12 different areas in the two regions of Cebu and Leyte. In April 2015, Jen married Vicente, who in 2008, came to know Christ at the first church that was planted. Little did Jen know that God was providing a husband for her from the very people she was reaching out to. They now serve the Lord together in ministry! Jen has worked with me on many humanitarian projects over the last 14 years. One of the most testing times was reaching out to six villages in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, back in 2013. We also worked on aid trips after earthquakes, fires and floods. We have trekked hundreds of kilometres to reach people in the most inhospitable places; shared boats, cars and motorcycles to reach the lost… and Jen has had to endure 99% of my sermons and teaching as my interpreter. Our God is truly merciful! Jen is the co-founder of the Child Sponsorship Programme (CSP). This programme has been in operation since 2003 and has seen countless children and youth receive an education sponsored by ECC members. Being a teacher at heart, Jen has a passion to see those less fortunate than herself become successful in life. Over the years, we have both had the pleasure of attending the graduations of many young adults, who have passed through the CSP and have entered into work. Some of these graduates have even travelled overseas to work, so that they can support their families back in the Philippines. God is amazing. The Lord has also used Jen internationally, albeit in a small way. She joined my wife Cora and I on a mission trip to Nepal, where she helped to train leaders who would eventually be sent out onto the mission field. More recently, and in her capacity as an Elim Global leader, Jen was involved at the Elim Global Conference in Cambodia. Since 2003, I would estimate that Jen has helped to host over 25 shortterm teams from ECC, Elim and other churches visiting the Philippines. I know that she has impacted the lives of those missionaries, and has kept up a relationship with a number of them via social media. This October and November, Jen is scheduled to come to the UK, and will be ministering at ECC and some of our branch churches, so those

MISSIONS THE PHILIPPINES of you who have met Jen will have a chance to meet her again and encourage her.

PICTURE: Pastor Mark, Georgina, Pastora Jen and the GEMI team

I would be hardpressed to find someone who is as dedicated as Jen. She is one of the most committed

and hard-working people I have had the privilege of working with. She has an amazing sense of humour - she would have to, working with my family! - and loves Jesus with a passion. When my family and I returned to the UK in 2012, Jen took over the role as leader of the ministry now called G.E.M.I. (Global Ekklesia Ministries International is its organisational name). She oversees all the outreaches in the Cebu region with a staff of 13. I consider it an honour to have known and worked with Jen over these past 14 years, and look forward to continuing the relationship to see hundreds more come to Christ and experience the blessings He brings.

Mark King Pastor

Update from ECC’s newest missionary to the Philippines

Georgina King Hello ECC family! Greetings, in Jesus’ Name!

ow! What an exciting and very busy few months it has been! After arriving on 1st March, I spent some time observing the churches and outreaches, from the mountains to the city to the coast. It is very exciting to see what God has done out here, and the work continues to grow! I am so blessed to be part of the work out here full time.

Worship

Since April, I’ve been trying to master some of the songs, sung in Bisaya, and I have to say I’ve done pretty well! I’m also starting to learn some chords on the keyboard, which has been a bit of a mammoth task, but I’m getting there! I’ve been involved in leading worship, which is a little out of my comfort zone, as I prefer to do backing vocals, however through our Nights of Worship I have been able to build up my confidence in that area. ince the ECC team came to visit in April, we’ve continued the singing training/exercises that Cluny Wiecki taught us when she was here on placement. We’re all trying to challenge each other with timings of songs, but we’re having fun at the same time.

Children and Youth

The children and youth are continuing to grow at a rapid pace, and I truly believe God is stirring up something with the new generation. Please continue to pray for our children and youth, as they have all started

a new year at school. We will be expanding these ministries by having sub-ministries within them. We will also be starting our Performing Arts and Sports Clubs fairly soon, and would appreciate your prayers as we will be opening this up to the children and youth in the community as a form of evangelism. We had a very busy week in May, as it was PCC’s Summer Camp, which children from the three feeding programme outreaches and Sunday school attended. During one of the worship sessions, all the children experienced God’s presence - it was a very powerful time! The children and youth have been teaching me new words each week, and I seem to be getting the hang of it! I even teach crèche once a month with an assistant, just in case I get things a little muddled with the language.

Prayer points

• For the rapid growth in all ministries • Land for our north church, Daan Bantayan • That I get a deeper understanding of the language, so that I will be able to teach older generations and lead small groups • More creativity with youth and children’s ministry

Thank you all so much for your prayers thus far, and for your support. I do miss home but, at the same time, I feel at home here too.

God bless you all GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 94 • OCT / NOV 2018

22.07.2018 CARIBBEAN EVENING IN PICTURES

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