One Off Talks
These one off talks feature our pastors and a range of guest speakers talking about a wide range of topics, all designed to encourage us.
Does God really know us on a personal level?
Chris looks at how God positions Philip to meet with a man who has big questions and is searching for truth, and that as a result of this meeting the man's life is totally transformed by Jesus.
Don't Waste Your Life
Marcellus talks about the upcoming year and encourages us to give our best to Jesus.
Praying in the Holy Spirit
Prayer is one of the most important things that we do. Martin looks at the book of Jude, talking about prayer and how Jude teaches us about the power of the Holy Spirit helping us to pray.
Deacons
The serving office of deacon is an important role in church, but is not one that is often officially recognised. Martin looks at an instance in the early church of how deacons functioned, and also looks at how Jesus is the ultimate example of deacon service in the Bible, and what that means for every one of his followers.
Pursuing the presence of God
Luke looked at a story from the Old Testament where God's people took the presence of God for granted. It challenges us to think whether we can be like today with all the distractions in life and what we can do about it.
Pentecost Sunday
Terry Virgo spoke about the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives following Jesus.
Easter Celebrations
Following our Easter baptisms, Martin preached from Matthew 28. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are the most meaningful events in history. They are the big narratives that dominate the life of every Christian. Martin looked at how we respond to them.
Daniel: a life trusting God
Chris looked at the life of Daniel. Daniel was a man who lived most of his life in exile, in a place he did not want to be, with much of his freedom taken away; yet he chose to trust that God was in control over all things. He chose to believe that God had not forsaken him but was with him, and as a result, he demonstrated the power of God and prospered.
If you knew the gift of GOD.
At one point in his life, Jesus meets a woman who has had a hard life and who is disillusioned.
He shows her that she is looking in the wrong place for a truly satisfying and fulfilling life. Chris explores what Jesus says about finding lasting peace and happiness and the key to a fulfilling life.
Showing mercy
Clive talked about the amazing mercy that we have been shown from a graceful God. He then encouraged us how we can show mercy to others in our lives and through our gatherings.
The benefits of praying in the Spirit
Jesus longs for us to drink from him and have "rivers of living waters flowing from within".Richard explores what spending time praying in tongues and praying in the Spirit means and how it edifies and strengthens us.He encourages us to press on and take advantage of everything Jesus gives us to enable us to follow him really well.
Light in the darkness
Baptism Sunday, we heard life stories of how people had met with God and their life's had changed. Chris talked about how Jesus comes to meet with each individual to bring hope and life transformation.
Transforming lives for good
Livy Gibbs spoke about the work of TLG reminding us that Gods first mission was to bring light into the darkness.
How God provides in a crisis
Natalie spoke about as the cost of living crisis pushes many in our communities deeper into poverty, how does God respond? He is Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider, and there are three specific ways in which He provides for us…
Easter New life in Jesus
Luke looked at the heart of the Easter story and what it means to be baptised into Jesus' death and life through faith.
In the Bible it says “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25)
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday- the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Martin looks at what this event says to us today, and how life as a disciple of Jesus is an adventure of discovering more and more about how amazing He is.
Sowing seeds in faith
Richard explored the story of Caleb in the book of Joshua in the Bible and the encouragement that God will move in this season. We learn that we should sow seeds in faith and expect growth and fruit in our lives.
Love wins
Joel looked at the truth of these verses from the bible: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him… There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear… We love because he first loved us.”
The Middle East Way
Clive looked at when Abraham haggles with God in Genesis 18. What lessons can we learn in prayer from the Father of our faith?
Trusting, praying and proclaiming
Marce talked about his experience of walking through pain and looked forward to 2023.
Resourcing the inner self
Richard looked at John 7: 37-39 and spoke about God’s intention is to bless those who belong to Him.
Under the old covenant the blessing of God was often physical and material, but in the New covenant He loves to bless us in our inner self. We need to step into the blessing by drinking from the living water that flows from the Holy Spirit finding peace, joy, strength and grace in His presence.
Don't grieve as those who have no hope
Richard looks at Paul’s reminder to us that Christians who have died are in the presence of God and will return with Jesus when he comes again. The hope that Paul talks about is not a vain hope but a certain hope. In these difficult times focus on the truth and remember those who are no longer with us are enjoying "fullness of joy in the presence of God".
1 Thess 4 v 13-18
The promises of God in the pain of life
As we grieve together as a church family, is it possible to keep strong in faith? Or if we are strong in faith how can we grieve? Martin looks at the help Paul gives us in the book of 2 Timothy in the Bible.
Martyn Dunsford
Martyn Dunsford founded international aid charity CRY as well as SeedFUND, a Christian charity funding sustainable businesses to support the poor. Martyn shared stories of faith and encouragement from churches around the globe from his recent travels.
The good shepherd
Marcellus reflects on the life of the Queen, a woman who lived her life trusting in the good shepherd.
God is a good available father
Marcellus looks at the way Jesus tells his disciples to relate to God and discovers that rather than having an austere distant God, we have a father in heaven who loves us and invites us to be part of his family.
Going from the temple out
Clive reminded us and encouraged us that God commissions his people in the doorway of His temple, and then takes us out of the temple into the world around us.
Living in uncertain days
We are living in uncertain days. Martin looks at three ways that Psalm 46 helps us to live well in uncertain days.
Who is my neighbour?
Luke looks at the familiar story of the good Samaritan and asks the question how do we respond to Jesus’ instruction in our lives.
Cast Your Bread Upon the Waters
We are secure in the love of Christ, yet there are no guarantees in life. Ecclesiastes 11 reminds us to plant and sow, even in the midst of unpredictable circumstances.
Treasure hunt
Luke looked at the heart of the Easter story. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, because we are His treasure.
God’s grace to live again for him
God held nothing back, he gave his only son us. Jesus was despised, rejected, humiliated, crushed and crucified for us, the biggest demonstration of love we can ever know. Richard looks at Isaiah 43 and reminds us to live a life in God’s grace and in the promise that God walks through everything with us!
Arise and go
We are looking at the story of Jonah this morning and considering what obedience to God’s call looks like. Luke looks at how Jonah responded to God’s call in his life and how that shapes how we respond to God’s call and commission over our lives.
Easter
Don't let Easter just be chocolate eggs and rabbits. There is something and someone even better to discover and Martin unpacks one aspect of what it means for Jesus to have risen from the dead.
How To Get rid Of Anxiety
The Bible tells us not be anxious but to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. But how do we do this? And how can we have peace and joy at the moment, even in such challenging circumstances?
A Life Less Ordinary
Jesus says he will give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. How do we ask God to empower us? What does a life empowered by the Holy Spirit look like and what difference does it make?
Imprisoned
Peace is a valuable commodity. But what is real, lasting peace and how do we get it?