June 2014
17 Dalling Drive, Houghton Regis LU55EH Tel 01582 529788
Dear Friends, I felt challenged preaching from John 21 recently. It’s the account of the big catch of fish and Peters fresh start – please do pause and read it for yourself. I was provoked by the timing. As I prayed I was left wondering is God inviting us as a church to help plant at least one new Christian community to serve the new development. I was impressed by Jesus advice to cast their nets differently and the big catch as a sign that their call to be ‘fishers of men’ was being renewed. Bill Hybels speaks about God’s whispers as short directions that can have huge outcomes. This was one of those. The planning process is moving quickly. Permissions have been given for the A5 relief road and the diggers are starting work. There is a legal review of the decision to let the first phase of development go ahead, but this is not expected to delay things for long. Indeed the second part of the development...the bit which includes Thorn, where the church from which we are descended stood in 1750, may now be delivered first. In a couple of months we have moved from believing we had a few years to think about this, to recognising a new church community building might be open in that time. So I myself am thinking we need to start to prepare for this as soon as possible. So please could you make this decision a focus for your prayers now. On June 26th we have our Thorn Service. It’s quite likely you haven’t made it there yet – many have...but lots haven’t. This year it will be:
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a special opportunity to come together and pray to pray with others who may partner with us in church planting and close to where a new church community building is proposed.
Please can you come! Find someone to mind the children – alter your shift – but dare to come...to see, to share, to pray and discern. For myself, I believe we need to move forward to prepare for what church planting will mean with some urgency. The opportunities to be involved in helping to build the community are an exciting privilege. The journey is likely to be full of challenges – many unseen. Soon after, on July 3rd at 7.45pm we will be holding an open church meeting . This may well become a key moment in our church life. Once again I invite you to pray for this time and to come in numbers. Anyone from the congregation is welcome to come but it would be great to have all church members present. I believe we need to decide whether we are
ready to commit to this vision with all that it entails. We need to form this decision together and for church members to discern and agree if it is right. Decisions and actions in relation to this project are now coming thick and fast. As a church we are leading on this and other churches are steadily coming alongside to share the vision and help. Going forward this is likely to get more demanding. What will remain important is for our church to continue to steadily develop. We will need to build capacity across church life. I wonder whether you are ready to use this moment as a trigger point to deepen or broaden your involvement - to equip us to both respond to the opportunities we are being offered and to build up our church. Thank you if you came to the May church meeting exploring a potential mission relationship with Africa through BMS. We have now been invited to become a pilot church project and I’m keen to broaden the conversation about how we go forward. Tim Price will be convening a project group shortly, if you’d like to be involved please let him know. We are also wondering how to put our youth work on a new footing. We’re interested to know from your people and their parents what they feel about the idea of engaging an intern and of starting a social mid week group for 11-14s. Thanks to everyone who’s given us feedback. There are still forms at the back of the church you can use and give to one of the leaders or put in the offering. Thanks for all your help.
David Contact information: David Skinner
email: david.skinner4@ntlworld.com phone: 01582 529788
Or, for the Community Link project: Penny Geraghty: email:
penny.clp@outlook.com
for the latest on what’s happening at church: check the church blog: http://houghtonregisbaptistchurch.blogspot.co.uk/ or find us on facebook: Houghton Regis Baptist Church If you want anything included on either platform please contact Keith Wallis
Church Diary June - Aug June: 8th
Services 11.00am & 6.00pm: Pentecost
9th 10th 14th 15th
with Phil & Rosemary Mader-Grayson. 10.00am Fun Space 1.30pm Singing Café 9.30am Parents & Tots 8.00pm CLP meeting Service 11.00am only All age communion
pm: Joint service at St Hugh’s – Growing Leaders- everyone welcome 16 10.00am Fun Space 17th 1.30pm Singing Café 19th 9.30am Parents & Tots 8.00pm House groups nd 22 Service 11.00am 6.30pm ‘Cluster’ celebration event at Stopsley Baptist rd 23 10.00am Fun Space 24th 1.30pm Singing Café Pastoral team mtg 26th 9.30am Parents & Tots 2.30pm Garden Party th
8.00pm Thorn Service th
28 29th 30th
Church ‘Fabric’ day Service 11.00am 10.00am Fun Space
6.00pm Vision evening 8.00pm Leaders mtg
July: 1st 3rd 6th 7th 8th 10th th
12 13th 14th 15th 17th 20th 21st 22nd 24th 27th
1.30pm Singing Café 9.30am Parents & Tots Services 11.00am & 6.00pm 10.00am Fun Space 1.30pm Singing Café 9.30am Parents & Tots
8.00pm Housegroups
8.00pm Church meeting
Houghton Regis Carnival Service 11.00am 4.30pm Afternoon service 10.00am Fun Space 8.00pm Leaders mtg 1.30pm Singing Café 16th 9.30am Parents & Tots 8.00pm Housegroups Services 11.00am & 6.00pm 10.00am Fun Space 1.30pm Singing Café 8.00pm House groups Service 11.00am
August: No mid week meetings or evening services during August Service 11.00am only 3rd th 10 Service 11.00am only 17th Service 11.00am only 24th Service 11.00am only st 31 Service 11.00am only
Church ‘fabric day’. 28th June (subject to final confirmation nearer the date) Please add the date to your diary so that you can spare some time to help with some of the maintenance tasks, around the Church.
Thanks for your support, Paul
June Sunday Mornings at HRBC 11am Sunday June 8th Pentecost with Phil & Rosemary Mader-Grayson 11am Sunday June 15th ‘As the Father sent me… 11am Sunday June 22nd ‘The Kingdom of God is like’ th 11am Sunday June 29 ‘Set apart for Me’
June Sunday Evenings at HRBC 6pm Sunday June 8th Pentecost with Phil & Rosemary Mader-Grayson 6pm Sunday June 15th
no evening service at HRBC – growing leaders service at St Hugh’s
6pm Sunday June 22nd no evening service at HRBC ‘Cluster’ service at Stopsley Baptist. 6pm Sunday June 29th Vision evening ********************************************************************************************************************
July Sunday Mornings at HRBC 11am Sunday July 6th ‘Is Christ divided ?’ th
11am Sunday July 13 ‘Church planting in Thailand’ with Johann Oosthuizsen 11am Sunday July 20th ‘It’s about community’ 11am Sunday July 27th
July Sunday Evenings at HRBC 6pm Sunday July 6th 4:30pm Sunday July 13th ‘Summer’ 6pm Sunday July 20th Sunday July 27th No evening service
CLP News
This year we hope to have an advertising stall at the Houghton Carnival on Saturday July 12th. We want to use it to promote our church weekday activities. Please come along and say hello. Speak to Penny if you can offer an hour to help man the stall.
other special things coming up soon:
THORN This year has special significance regarding Thorn. The building at that site was demolished in 1802 but the graveyard and the outline of the building still remain. Every year, somewhere around the summer solstice, we hold a service at the site. This year is special in that we are beginning to visualise a church presence (of some description) within the new development area. The speed of delivery of the development is escalating and where we originally thought there was plenty of time to consider our options, suddenly we are needing to think with more ugency. Please join us and other interested Christians at the service.
This year’s ‘cluster’ event for local Baptist churches is:
The ‘cluster’ is the group of Baptist churches in Luton & Houghton and surrounding area. ***************************************************
Congratulations Congratulations to Duncan and Nedra, now Mr & Mrs Harding. Their wedding was a wonderful day with St Vincent’s and HRBC involved. We wish them both a long and happy marriage.