Author Archive

The variety of the job!
Playing ‘you know who’ at DRC Noah’s Ark Parent & Toddler Group.

A bit if trivia for you.

St. Nicholas is the world’s most popular non-Biblical saint. He has over 2,000 churches dedicated to him in France and Germany, and 400 in England.

Artists have portrayed St. Nicholas more times than any other saint except Mary.

St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of banking, pawnbroking, scholarship, pirating, butchery, sailing, thievery, haberdashery, orphans, royalty, and New York City.

German-born American illustrator Thomas Nast (1840-1902) helped create the modern version of Santa as jolly, chubby, and dressed mainly in red. Coca-Cola further solidified his image in the mainstream media in 1931 when they used him in their advertising.

St. Nicholas (who would later become Santa Claus) became famous when he gave three poor girls their dowries so they wouldn’t be sold into prostitution.

St. Nicholas Fact
The Santa Claus narrative is based on an actual bishop from modern-day Turkey, St. Nicholas
The figure of Santa Claus is based on St. Nicholas, a real person who lived during the fourth century in Patara, or what is now Turkey.

The dearest bill (£240.05) for fish & chips that I have had to cover! Thanks to all those who contributed funds towards it.
So good to see the room full of blokes enjoying some banter together.
Thanks to Dr Paul Adams for sharing the story of his life and faith, and thanks to Mike & Alison Peach for letting us invade their home, wwe hope the smell of F&C diasspaears soon!

NEXT EVENT:
Date: January 9th
What: ‘Skittles Night’
Venue: The King’s Head. The Square. Wickham. PO17 5JN
Guest Speaker: Josh Williamson
Subject: “New Year, New Life’

Always encouraging to read Sermon Centrals weekly report, a reminder that the text of a sermon can be a blessing to others:

795 Total Views
205 Sermons Viewed
57 Countries Reached

Sermon Central:
Equipping Pastors and Ministry leaders worldwide as they study, sermon prep, and share the Word. Website: Click Here

Preaching today…

AM:
Venue: Charminster Chapel. 514 Charminster Road, BH8 9SJ
Activity: Morning Service
Time: 10.30am
Subject: ‘The First Christmas Carol’
Bible Passage: Luke chapter 2 verses 14
Speaker: Gordon Curley

PM:
Venue: Bethany Christian Fellowship
Activity: Evening Service
Time: 6.30am
Subject: ‘5 things to pray for someone you love at Christmas’
Bible Passage: Luke chapter 1 verses 46-55.
Speaker: Gordon Curley

Last two assemblies at SJS this year. Theme: Advent

‘Under Pressure’ – Acts chapter 5 verses 17-42 – sermon by Gordon Curley

(PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request – email: gcurley@gcurley.info)

Download

One-to-One evangelism @ Speakers Corner. Hyde Park. London.

“Thirst was made for water; inquiry for truth.” ― C.S. Lewis

Speakers Corner in London’s Hyde Park is the oldest free speech platform in the world. People won the right to speak in mass protests in the 1860s and early 1870s. Some people believe the tradition is connected to the right of the condemned to a last speech before being hung at the Tyburn gallows, a practice that stopped at the end of the 18th century. Every Sunday people from all sorts of convictions come to Hyde Park in the afternoon to spead their message or to have fun.

Preaching this morning at West End Chapel.

Venue: St Annes Grove, Fareham PO14 1JX
Time: 10.00am
Bible Passage: Acts chapter 7 verses 7-42
Title: ‘Under Pressure’

IGNITE Counties Ignite Magazine Winter 2023.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Pages 6-7 Happy 125th anniversary, Counties. 2024 will see us celebrate all that God has done and continues to do.
Pages 8-9 Counties CEO Martin Erwin is visiting the regions to share how together,
we might see local churches grow through sharing the Gospel and making
disciples. He talks to Ignite.
Pages 1O-11 270 people from across the country attended Counties Connect Conference in
October. Kara Purdy, 21, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, shares her reflections.
Pages 12-13 Stevie Walker and Steve Cowles are Counties newest evangelists, having
completed the Evangelist Training Programme (ETP). But their backgrounds
couldn’t be more different.
Pages 14-15 Sue Ashmole is Counties Neighbourhood Chaplains Coordinator.
She took over the role at the start of 2023. Ignite caught up with her,
amidst her busy schedule, to find out how she’s been getting on.
Pages 16-19 Two Counties Evangelists share how God’s love is at work in men
on opposite sides of life who have been hardened by it.
Pages 2O-23 The Great Commission is at the heart of Counties own mission – making
disciples. But what of baptism? Senior Evangelist, Roger Chilvers, takes a look.
Pages 24-25 How a prophetic picture of scattering seeds turned Saffron Walden Community
Church into a packed, thriving congregation with a new café style hub.
Pages 26-29 Making Jesus Known Today and Tomorrow: Spreading the Gospel in
Twenty-First Century Britain. If you haven’t already read Counties new
book. CEO Martin Erwin gives a flavour of its unmissable contents.
Pages 3O-33 The transgender debate currently looms large in our society. As Christians,
how do we approach this issue? Steve McQuoid looks at a biblical approach.
Pages 34 Just a Minute with Gordon Curley.

Thank you for your support!