India Missions Evening

On Wednesday night Patrick Jonhstone spoke about his recent missionary trip to North-East India. Providing a fascinating world-wide overview of missionary work in the current global climate as well as predicting future problem areas and opportunities for growth, Patrick gave encouragement to the church to engage in mission on a wider scale. He also spoke about his trip as well as some of the people he encountered there and what his visit achieved.

There was time for us to sample some Indian food half way through the presentation. There was also opportunity to ask questions.

Thank you to all who came and to Patrick for an enjoyable and educational evening.

Our time at the IJM Conference

3 of our team who attended the conference (4th taking photo)

 

 We were excited to travel through to St Mark's Church in Battersea in London yesterday to attend the IJM (International Justice Mission) conference. The focus of the event was to encourage local churches to become a 'Justice Church', where an emphasis and focus is given to not just talking about justice, but actively doing justice - within our own communities as well as further afield. The verse from Micha 6:8

"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Q&A Pannel

By actively doing justice in society, we become more mature in Christ. We actually put into practise  those things that we have learnt. If we love God, we should love the things he loves and hate the things he hates - justice ministry and mercy ministry does just that! 



In the keynote address, President and CEO if International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen gave some moving stories of a couple of people who had been rescued from a life of slavery and suffering. He also suggested that God does not want to make His people safe, rather He wants to make His people brave! Getting involved in justice ministry requires bravery. It requires extravagant compassion, it requires sacrificial courage and it requires tenacious hope!



Gary Haugen - President and CEO of IJM

There was also opportunity for group discussion which helped churches to figure out how this might work for them in their specific context.

The team left the day inspired and eager to pursue looking into how we can do justice better within our church, community and world. I am sure this is not the last we will be hearing about how we as a church can get involved in justice and the work of IJM, so watch this space!

 

If you would like to know more about the work of IJM, please visit their website by clicking here.



 



 



















    

 

Wisbech: 24th Best town in Britain!

Wisbech Harbour & Boathouse

The Wisbech Standard this week featured a story that was run in The Times. Choices of towns for the list were based on their history, housing, ameneties and looks.

With Wisbech's marvelous Georgian architecture, Anglia in Bloom Awards, the re-vamped park as well as new buildings and areas of rejuvination such as The Boathouse buiseness centre, The Ferry Project's 'Octavia View' building and the investment being put into the Isle College campus and Thomas Clarkson Academy helped put Wisbech in the judges top list.

The historic Pecover House, Wisbech Castle and Wisbech Museum and the Octavia Birthplace Museum as well as historic links with the famous abolitionist Thomas Clarkson, Wisbech has a lot of history to offer visitors.

Housing prices also played their part, as some very good hoses are available in Wisbech for a fraction of the price as they would be elsewhere.

It is great that Wisbech is starting to be recognised as a valuable town once again. Hopefully this will draw people's attention to the town once again and will re-energise efforts to re-establish a rail link to the national railway network (sign the petition here) as well as attract investors into the town and reverse the current trend of businesses folding or moving out of the town centre.

As a church, with the discussions going on around The Queen Mary Centre, this building will continue to play an important role in the life and community of our town. You too can help the church to reach our community and help Wisbech to become the best it can be, to fulfil the potential God has placed within it, within us! Keep thinking of ways you can be involved in the community and in the building.

Here is the top 30 list from The Times newspaper:

30 Best towns in Britain
1   Alnwick, Northumberland
2   Arundel, West Sussex
3   Cranbrook, Kent
4   Keswick, Cumbria
5   Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
6   Bakewell, Derbyshire
7   Saffron Walden, Essex
8   Hay on Wye, Powys
9   Hitchin, Hertfordshire
10 Marlborough, Wiltshire
11 Clitheroe, Lancashire
12 Liskeard, Cornwall
13 Grantham, Lincolnshire
14 Tetbury, Gloucestershire
15 Melbourne, Derbyshire
16 Dorking, Surrey
17 Amersham, Buckinghamshire
18 Uppingham, Rutland
19 Beaconsfield, Bucks
20 Bungay, Suffolk
21 Lewes, East Sussex
22 Downham Market, Norfolk
23 Kingsbridge, Devon
24 Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
25 Bridport, Dorset
26 Henley-in-Arden, Warwicks
27 Bradford-on-Avon, Wlitshire
28 Altringham, Gt Manchester
29 Axbridge, Somerset
30 Thirsk, North Yorkshire