Continuing our series in the book of Acts, Chris this week speaks on Paul’s travels after the dramatic events in Ephesus. We have seen over the course of his missionary journeys that Paul has partnered with many others, here he prepares to (temporarily!) leave the mission field and return to Jerusalem with a group composed of fellow mission workers from many of the churches he has visited and helped to establish. We see that from the very beginnings of its history the church draws together those from many different backgrounds, social classes, ethnicities, and giftings, all to work as one for the common goal of making Jesus known.

Susan leads the rest of the service as we share Communion together and Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Our series in Acts continues. Last week we saw the Holy Spirit descend powerfully during Paul’s stay in Ephesus, this week we see the response of those in Ephesus unwilling to open up to Paul’s message and renounce their idols. Chris speaks on how as Christians we are called to reject that which society at large holds in high regard, whether that is money, power, position, or anything else that holds us back from embracing the good news of Christ whole-heartedly.

Karen leads the rest of the service as we continue to respond to the Spirit’s powerful presence amongst us. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Today we carried on in our study of the book of Acts, hearing about Paul’s second visit to Ephesus and the extraordinarily powerful way the Spirit fell on the believers in that city. Those that heard the good news were convicted by the Holy Spirit and abandoned the false teachings and practices of their earlier lives. Chris speaks on what a powerfully transforming influence being filled with – and continuing to be filled with – the Holy Spirit can be as we pray for one another in an unusual (but Biblically sound!) way.

Andy leads the rest of the service as we have our final YWAM update and Mike leads our sung worship.

We continue our study in the book of Acts by Chris looking at the second half of chapter 18. In this installment we see Paul partnering with Priscilla and Aquila, leaving Corinth to make a first visit to Ephesus on his way to report back to the churches in Jerusalem and Antioch. We also meet Apollos who was preaching Jesus’ teaching with great passion and eloquence but had yet to hear of the resurrection, Priscilla and Aquila taking him under their wing and preparing him for his own missionary journey to Achaia. How can all of those events speak to us as a church in the 21st century? Well, rather well as it turns out!

Ant leads the rest of the service whilst Pete leads our sung worship.

In the latest entry into our series in Acts we see Paul coming to the city of Corinth for the first time. In contrast to the culture and modernity of Athens Corinth was – to borrow Chris’ words – a cesspool full of immorality and sin. Paul initially journeys there alone and preaches the Gospel almost in his spare time between working with Aquila making tents before being joined again by Silas and Timothy after which he was able to totally devote himself to his teaching. Later he gets thrown out of the local synagogue and decides to plant a church right next door! God calls us to preach his word regardless of our circumstances and we are reminded that He is always with us in our endeavours.

Susan leads the rest of the service as we receive an update on our mission of the month for October, YWAM, and Pete leads our sung worship.

We re-commence our series looking at the book of Acts with another of Paul’s dramatic encounters with the rulers and authorities in the cities he is called to preach to. Last time we left Paul forcibly separated from Silas and Timothy, making his way to Athens alone. We pick up the story with Paul preaching the gospel in Athens before being brought before the Areopagus, the court of ancient Greece, to explain himself and these ‘new teachings’. As Paul explains, in Athens there were hundreds of idols worshipped. Chris challeges us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the one true God, and not let him get lost within the noise of our lives.

Mike leads our sung worship this week.

This week we conclude our series in Acts (for now) by looking at Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke’s experiences in Thessalonica and Berea. We see how the enemy ignites opposition to the gospel, so much so that even in the town of “more noble character”, Berea, Paul has to flee down the coast to Athens to escape persecution. Prior to this we read that many of the Jews in Berea were receptive to the gospel and confirmed Paul’s teaching by reading through the scriptures for themselves. This is something we can learn from: don’t take teaching at face value, go and confirm it for yourselves by reading the Bible.

Ant leads the rest of the service whilst Mike leads our sung worship.

Chris continues with our series in the book of Acts. This week we look at the circumstances surrounding Paul and Silas’ imprisonment in Phillipi and their miraculous route to freedom. We regularly discuss Holy Spirit but don’t always mention those spirits (small ‘s’) of evil. In Phillipi we see Paul and Silas dealing with such a spirit in posession of a slave girl. This is not like the films, they don’t make a fuss or use any form of incantations or chanting. How can we use their response as a model for our own?

James leads the rest of the service as we think about the women of the church on Mother’s Day. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

This week Chris carries on looking at our series in Acts. As Paul, Silas and Timothy continue their journey through modern-day Turkey we see that – after visiting the churches that were planted when Paul visited the first time – may of their options for onward travel are intentionally blocked by the Spirit, directing them towards the coastal city of Troas and across the sea into Macedonia. In this journey God directs them not by speaking directly to Paul or through any kind of prophecy but through gentle nudges and the closing of doors to them. How often has that been our experience?

Susan leads the rest of the service as we invite Tasha, director of the local YFC centre, to speak about their work with young people in schools and churches in the local area and how we can support them in prayer. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship this week.