February Newsletter

From the (assistant) pastor’s pen: Stay resolute

January is over and I don't know if it is just me, but I felt as if last month lasted a bit more than its usual 31 days. Experts say we do get this feeling sometimes because, as opposed to December, January is much less “fun”. Christmas is over, the holidays are over and what lies ahead is just work, work and, more work. As a result, our minds perceive time to pass by at a slower pace. In a nutshell, January is a “boring” month and when things are boring, it is as if time slowed down.

January is also known to be the month in which new year resolutions are at their peak. People who made up their mind to change or to improve something in their lives, before the end of the previous year, start with great commitment to honour whatever it is that they promised themselves to do in order to bring an improvement to their lives.

February on the other hand is the month in which new year's resolutions “die” - statistics say 80% fail by the end of the month. As the days pass by, commitment tends to die down and before we know it, the resolutions are not that resolute anymore...

By the grace of God, we have just been through a whole week of fasting and prayer which culminated in the church consecrating itself to God as a body, but also, in each member making the same commitment individually.

Symbolically, we walked up to the cross then proceeded to eat at the Lord's tables, renewing our vow or promising God for the very first time, that we would set ourselves apart for Him. Nevertheless, although symbolic, it was not just a mere act. Pastor Simon rightfully reminded us of the cost of consecration and also of the fact that God would have held us accountable for the choice we were making so it was not to be taken lightly - he emphasized more than once how we were not to take any step without meaning it.

It is true, God calls us to consecration but the decision to respond to that call needs to be a conscious one, prompted by a heartfelt conviction since consecration is indeed a lifetime commitment and not a “new year's resolution” we can give up on after a couple of weeks. If we really intend to set ourselves apart for our Lord, then it needs to be once and for all.

“When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4).

The Bible urges us to keep our promises to the Lord and indeed each person who says “Yes” to the call of consecration, makes a solemn promise to Him. Let us not forget that and, just as He is always faithful to us, let us be faithful to Him who did not withhold anything from us, but rather gave us everything, all for the sake of His immeasurable love for us. Now He calls us into a fullness of relationship which can only be experienced when we decide to live for Him, setting ourselves apart from the world, and solely, for Him. God calls us into His bosom, into intimacy. If we have said “Yes” to Him, let us make sure our “Yes” remains a “Yes” and by the power of His Spirit we will be equipped to overcome whatever comes our way to lead us astray.

If you are reading these words and you have not made that decision just yet, then please reflect on these words spoken by Christ himself:

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”(Mark 12:30)

Jesus defines the above as the greatest commandment. So, my question to you is this: can we be obedient and love God with our all without first deciding to live a consecrated life for Him?

Ignite

As announced recently, from Monday 24th to Friday 28th of August we will be going to the Elim “Ignite” Family Camp at the Cefn Lea holiday resort in the heart of Mid Wales. Other than being a great opportunity to rest and get refreshed (both spiritually and physically), it is also a chance to enjoy great fellowship as one big family!

The camp, organised by the Elim Region, includes activities for all ages and a great line up of speakers for the morning and evening services. The program is very relaxed, with plenty of time for people to do whatever they fancy throughout the day.

As in previous years, chalets will be available – alongside options for camping and caravanning. There is also the possibility for entire families to have a room entirely for themselves provided that they book the room as soon as possible.

For more info on location, facilities, prices etc. please talk to Valentina. Places are limited, so make sure to book as quickly as possible!

Hollybush Youth-camp

From the 22nd to the 25th May, our young people will be returning to the “Undaunted” youth-camp at Hollybush (North Yorkshire). Hollybush is fun and there are plenty games and activities to be excited about, but the youth camp is much more than that! Hollybush is also a place for our young people to encounter God for themselves and fellowship with other Christian youth from different church realities. During last year's camp, we saw some of the young people coming to faith, accepting Christ for the very first time and a teenager even experienced healing in the middle one of the worship sessions. Do not let your children miss this year's camp. Do not let them miss out on a great experience with God.

For more info about the camp, please speak with our youth and children’s work coordinator Caroline.

Guest speaker – Paul Hallam

Paul and His wife Mags are the founders and lead pastors at the Lighthouse Christian Centre in Salford. They have dedicated almost three decades of their lives to nurture the church God has entrusted to them and over the years it has developed into a thriving community that has been able to impact lives in the UK and overseas.

Paul and Mags will be joining us at our Central Campus on Sunday 23rd February at 10.30am when Paul will also share the message.

Men's Fellowship

On Saturday 25th of January, a group of “Beacon Brothers” went to the “Just 1 Man” conference hosted by the Lighthouse Christian Centre in Salford. It was a wonderful day of fellowship amongst godly men. The guest speaker was Pastor Paul Lloyd (Senior pastor at Victory Outreach, Manchester), an anointed man of God who spoke a Spirit filled Word, inspiring all those who were present.

Download and sign-up to our Church app “ChurchSuite”. There you will have access to the Church’s calendar, event sign-ups, teaching recordings, newsletters, personal info, online and text giving! For info, please see Emmanuel or Valentina.