Goldings News Updates

Bogdan's Baptism

2010-11-22T16:46:00.003Z

Praising God for the wonderful blessing we enjoyed when we witnessed the baptism of our dear friend and brother, Bogdan.

We praise God that Bogdan is the 21st person to be baptised at Goldings this year and also that a number of his friends from Romania were able to come to see him being baptised and hear his testimony. We give God great praise for all that he is doing among us and we continue to pray that the Lord will bless and strengthen Bogdan in the days and years to come.

WEDDING - Chris & Lynn

2010-10-05T12:48:00.002Z

Saturday 2nd October finally brought about a wonderful occasion! Long serving deacon at Goldings Church, Christopher Holt, married Lynn Gifford, a member of Goldings. A number of Goldings people travelled to central London for their wedding held at St. Paul's Cathedral. Chris and Lynn will also host a wedding blessing service at Goldings on 6th November after the return from their honeymoon. We do rejoice with Lynn and Chris and pray that God will greatly bless and use their marriage for His honour and glory. Congratulations Mr & Mrs Holt!

20 Baptisms in 2010

2010-09-19T18:10:00.003Z

What a great day for celebration! On 19th September Lex was baptised at Goldings - the 20th baptism we have had this year. What an amazing movement of God and what a wonderful testimony we heard as Lex shared with the church his journey to Christ. For pictures of the other baptisms this year please see the church website: www.goldingschurch.co.uk/baptisms.html

WEDDING - Roxanne & Luke

2010-09-04T12:35:00.000Z

The third Goldings Wedding this year! On 4th September, Roxanne and Luke were married at Goldings. This was a day to remember! Such a wonderful occasion. We also rejoice with Matt and Chrissie - Matt is an elder at Goldings (seen on the far right of the picture above) and Chrissie heads up our Sunday School work - Roxanne is their lovely daughter.

Roxanne entered the wedding to Amazing Grace - something she testifies has been poured into her life and they left to the upbeat and joyful UB40 track: I got you babe!

WEDDING - Mark & Roberta

2010-08-07T12:28:00.000Z

On 7th August Goldings enjoyed the wedding of Mark and Robin. Having lived together for more than 20 years Mark became a Christian and was baptised. Robin also gave her life to the Lord and was baptised. The couple wanted to put their relationship right before the Lord and asked to be married as soon as possible. What a fantastic day their wedding was. The Lord blessed them with good weather, good family and friends, and wonderful memories to treasure. We thank God for Mark and Robin and pray that the Lord will continually have his hand upon their marriage.

Home Call

2010-07-23T12:11:00.000Z

A thanksgiving service for our beloved brother, David Townsend was held here at Goldings on Friday 23rd July when we gave thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ for the life, witness and testimony of David Townsend.

Many attending the services wore something green in honour of David (it was his favourite colour) and although a sad occasion for David's family and friends, this was also a time of heartfelt praise as many of us were able to thank God for the way that David had touched our lives.

Our hearts go out to Janet at this time and our continued prayers go with her as she adjusts to life without her beloved husband. However, we do not mourn as those who have no hope....

Thessalonians 4:13-14

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

WEDDING - Grant and Becky

2010-06-26T12:22:00.000Z

Congratulations to Grant and Becky on their marriage. Their wedding took place at Goldings Church on 26th June 2010 and was an amazing day full of joy, love and laughter. We give God thanks for all that he has done in the lives of Becky and Grant - may they have many many happy years together and may they continue to love, support and strengthen each other all the days of their lives.

Benjamin Sandy wins Jack Petchey Award

2009-11-27T11:11:00.003Z

Congratulations to Benjamin Sandy (our church guitarist and worship leader) pictured above with his mother, Kim. Benjamin received a prestigious Jack Petchey Award given to young people who are 'outstanding achievers'. The award was presented at Ilford Town Hall by the Mayor on 26th November 2009. Benjamin also received a framed certificate and £200 for his school. Very well done, Ben!

Harvest 2009

2009-10-04T21:44:00.004Z

Harvest this year was a wonderful occasion, the church was full with only one or two seats available near the front. We give God praise for all He is doing among us, and for the love He so freely showers upon us.

Our gifts this year went to the Faulkner Trust chidlren's home in Zambia, Victory Christian Outreach in Leytonstone, and to Teen Challenge in Ilford.

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. Psalm 31:19 (NIV)

MAN2MAN SEPT O9

2009-09-23T13:38:00.002Z

The MAN2MAN conference on Saturday 19th September was indeed a powerful time as men of Goldings and elsewhere gathered together for worship and to hear God's Word. The theme this time around was 'THE POWER OF THEIR TESTIMONY' beginning with a testimony from Es Kaitell - who until very recently owned one of London's biggest Doormen firms.

Coming from a very unusual but very loving home, life on the doors of London's pubs and clubs came as quite a culture shock to Es, but he soon adapted and became just as notorious as some of the people he dealt with. After being left for dead one night and sustaining horrific injuries, Es finally came face to face with the God he didn't believe in.

After a man-sized Buffett lunch Pastor Jerry Sandy spoke on an incident in the apostle Paul's life, where he was one man who stood up for God and spoke for God, challenging us to, like Es, be that one man who speaks out for God.

We are hoping to upload Es' testimony onto our audio sermons page - watch this space :-)

Dolly's 90th Birthday

2009-09-23T13:22:00.002Z

Dolly Elliott had been looking forward to her 90th birthday for some now. Recent illnesses, including spending some time in hospital, made her wonder if she would make it but we give God thanks for blessing Dolly with this very special day. Dolly had invited friends and family to help her celebrate, which included former Goldings Pastor John Billett.

Our thanks to Kim for decorating the hall and to Sue James, Cathy Syer and Pauline Kempley for preparing and serving food for Dolly's guests. Huge thanks to everyone who came and made Dolly's day such an enjoyable occasion.

Thanks also to David Hawkins for the photos used above.

WOW night out!

2009-09-23T12:37:00.005Z

WOW, (Women of the Word) headed out on Tuesday 8th September for a great night out ten-pin bowling. The evening was such a wonderful time of friendship and fun that every single woman went home asking when we could repeat the evening.

Highlights of the evening was discovering that Pat Palmer is seriously good at bowling! Everyone wants to be on Pat's team next time. Roxanne, by strange co-incidence, happened to find a gold medal on the night which she awarded to our champ, Pat. Gillian Hawkins had an incredible score and an even more incredible bowling technique...whenever she bowled her ball veered away from the pins until she turned around to complain to her team...her ball would then suddenly swerve back on target and not only hit the pins but quite often get a strike! This even happened when Gill's right arm got tired and she decided to bowl with her left! A fact that caused much hilarity.

For those who are interested (and since this is on the net our Sunday School teachers, who incidentally had the two lowest scores, will not be able to manipulate the scores as they did by adding zeros to the score sheet in the church) here are the final scores:

TEN PIN BOWLING SCORES

1. Pat 240
2. Joanna 217
3. Janice 186
4. Melody 185
5. Gill 183
6. Donna 174
7. Janet 155
8. Kim & Cathy Both scoring 146
9. Esther 140
10. Destiny 135
11. Jayne 130
12. Sue 125
13. Roxanne 121
14. Emma 108
15. Chrissie 86

Wedding Day

2009-09-23T12:26:00.002Z

Congratulations Matthew & Cathy - a stunning bride. May God bless their marriage .

Genesis 2:18-24
The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Holiday Bible Club!

2009-09-23T11:01:00.003Z

We praise God for the joy that was THE HOLIDAY BIBLE CLUB! 25 children from Goldings attended this club, which we ran as a trial before opening it up to children from outside of the church. It was such a great success that the leaders hope next year to run the club for two weeks, the first week for the church kids and the second week to integrate kids from the community. Our thanks to Chrissie, Emma and all their helpers, and special thanks to Steve Ball who joined us from the Child Evangelism fellowship. The club was a fantastic blessing...can't wait for next year!

Shared Lunch

2009-09-23T10:35:00.003Z

A hot lunch was served at Goldings on 19th July and was well attended - we ran out of seats! Praise God for the wonderful family atmosphere at this meal - what a blessing!

United in purpose, they went to the temple every day, ate at each other's homes, and shared their food with glad and humble hearts. Acts 2 : 46

Women's Conference

2009-09-23T10:28:00.003Z

We were so blessed by being together and learning from God about the importance, not so much of the Bride, but of the Bridegroom and all that he does for His bride. It was a fantastic time of learning together that was made even more wonderful by women sharing their own experiences and stories as well as a heartfelt time of prayer together. We give God thanks and praise for his blessing upon us.

AWAY DAY

2009-06-06T11:25:00.005Z

30th May 2009

WE WERE SO BLESSED! It seemed we had the best day of the year so far, the sun shone down on us and we were able to enjoy not only Pilgrims Hall, the beautiful manor house, but its lovely grounds too.

The kids had a fantastic time - as the adults were discussing 'how to deal with conflicts' the children also had a theme which was to consider how they use their words - to build each other up and not wound each other. The kids were split into two teams (Larry Tomato and Bob Cucumber) and enjoyed quizzes, competitions, sports races and obstacle courses. What a great day!

The adults too also greatly enjoyed the topic - the humourous running question being asked all day was 'are we disagreeing?' We learnt how to disagree graciously - and to stand together as a fellowship - teaching that is both functional, beneficial and edifying.

There was also plenty of time for lazy picnics in the sun, long friendly chats, lots of laughter, sports and games and time to read God's Word and pray together. On Sunday morning Donna shared with the church what a great day it had been, and Emma also confirmed this when awarding medals to the children. We give God great thanks for his goodness to us.

Colchester Zoo!

2009-05-09T07:02:00.007Z

We had a great day at the zoo on Bank Holiday Monday. Pastor arrived 5 minutes (5 minutes!!!) late and was greeted to a mighty roar of 'at last!' from a huge crowd of Goldings people standing outside the entrance. There were 66 of us who descended on Colchester that day and we had a great time together! It would have been nice had it been a touch warmer, but apart from a few minutes of ver light drizzle we had a bright and breezy day to enjoy! It seems everyone had their favourite animal or hightlight from the day. Here are some pictures!

Newcomers Lunch

2009-04-18T17:26:00.002Z

With over 30 new people joining our church in recent months we felt it might be a good idea to hold a 'newcomers lunch' where we could outline the various ministries of the church, get to know each other a little better, and be able to ask questions. We were really blessed by the number of people who joined and asked questions - God has blessed us at Goldings and we thank God for each new person who has joined us recently. We do pray that God will use them and encourage them at Goldings.

Easter 2009

2009-04-14T11:30:00.004Z

Please keep an eye on our main website (Church News Page) to find out if any of our balloons are located.

Mother's Day at Goldings

2009-04-14T11:10:00.003Z

More than 30 Children filled the church as we celebrated Mother's day together on 22nd March!

3 More Baptisms!

2009-04-14T09:38:00.002Z

On Sunday 22nd March three people at Goldings were baptised. We give God thanks for their testimonies and the work that God has done in their lives.

MAN2MAN CONFERENCE

2009-04-14T09:32:00.002Z

Baptism 15th Feb

2009-02-13T13:21:00.003Z

We are looking forward to two baptisms on 15th February 2009. Please join us if you can!

We will also be dedicating Hazel's lovely little baby, Sophie, to the Lord.

There is a free hot lunch after the service - all are welcome!!

Film Night at Goldings

2009-02-13T13:12:00.002Z

We greatly enjoyed a large screen viewing of the excellent American film, 'Expelled', shown at Goldings on 12th February. There was certainly plenty of food for thought and this definitely sparked off many discussions. We strongly recommend that all churches have a look at this film which discusses evolution and intelligent design.

Women's Conference

2009-02-13T13:07:00.003Z

We held our first women's conference at Goldings on 31st January and had a great time! Kim Sandy was our speaker, and Gillian Hawkins our interepreter.

We had a good number of women turning up, and many women took part in sharing their experiences, reading God's word, or praying together. It was a real blessing and we are looking forward to more events like this in the future! Praise the Lord. Please see the 'women's ministry' tab on the church website for more information.

Samaritan's Purse

2008-11-30T14:47:00.005Z

Goldings Church have been supporting the work of Samaritan's Purse for several years now. Paul and Sharon Heather from the 5Alive and 7Up club were able to take Joseph Roberts to the Samaritans Purse warehouse to have a close-up look at the boxes being prepared for shipment.

We pray God's blessing upon the work of Samaritans Purse and upon all the children who will receive a 'shoebox' this year.

Thanks to Paul and Sharon for the pictures. The music playing with the slideshow is Matt Redman singing 'Let my words be few'.

Kuljit and Patrick

2008-07-12T21:56:00.005Z

On Friday 11th July 2008, Kuljit and Patrick were married at Chadwell Heath Baptist Church. The church was decorated beautifully, and full to bursting with friends and family who had come to support the couple on this very special day.

We are sure you will enjoy the photos taken during and after the wedding ceremony - Kuljit is a former member of Goldings Church. Her beautiful bridesmaid, Chanda, currently attends Goldings with her two young daughters.

The service began with a reading from Aoibhin, who read Proverbs Chapter 3 : 3 - 6, and then the congregation stood to sing, 'How Great Thou Art'. Valerie, a close friend of Kuljit, read Psalm 84 and both Kuljit and Patrick had asked that the service begin with worship to the Lord, as they were mindful that they wanted to honour Him first and foremostly on their special day. Worship songs, 'Great is the Lord and most Worthy of Praise,' and 'In Christ Alone' were sung beautifully, accompanied by keyboard player Graham Cowell.

Pastor of Chadwell Heath Baptist Church, Stephen Peake, spoke from 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, and conducted the actual marriage ceremony, which was followed by prayers for the couple by Goldings Church Pastor, Jeremy Sandy, Pastor Stephen Peake, and Valerie.

During the signing of the register Patrick's niece and nephew played Irish Tin Whistles, and played them very well!

It was with gusto that 'To God be glory' was sung by everyone who had gathered in the church that day. Our prayers are with Kuljit and Patrick, and also upon Raj and Jas. We do pray that the Lord will be glorified through them and will bless their marriage abundantly! To God be the glory!!

Balloon No. 6

2008-03-27T12:56:00.004Z

We received the following email today:

Balloon label found at:
Bowesden Lane, Shorne, Gravesham, Kent. 11am 27/3/08.
Name on label is: Mary J.

regards
Reb

Our thanks to Reb for taking the time to email!

Balloon No. 5

2008-03-27T12:53:00.002Z

We thank Marion P. for phoning to let us know that James' balloon was found in

Ashford in Kent!

Balloon No.4

2008-03-26T19:12:00.002Z

Our fourth balloon was found today, a telephone call told us that Debbie's balloon had been found in a field in Ashford, Kent. We do thank our caller for being kind enough to ring in.

Balloon No. 3

2008-03-25T22:59:00.003Z

Balloon No. 3 has been found - well done Joseph!

Here is the email we received today:

"Message for Joseph. Hello! We found your balloon on the beach at Camber Sands in Sussex whilstwe were walking on Easter Day, it had travelled a fair way!! Helen, Nick and Cherry."

We do thank Helen for emailing us.

Balloon No.2

2008-03-25T22:50:00.002Z

We received a very cheerful phonecall from Mrs. Watson saying that she found Rob's balloon in Chatham in Kent!

Our thanks to Mrs. Watson.

FIRST balloon found!

2008-03-24T12:22:00.004Z

FIRST BALLOON FOUND IN FRANCE!

We are so excited to hear that Barbara's balloon has been found in France.

Here is the email that arrived today:

Hello Barbara

I'm Patrice

I found your balloon at
MILLAM 59143 FRANCE

Small village between ST-OMER and DUNDERQUE

I was in my garden whith my grandchildren to found chocolate eggs.

Sorry for my English !

BY!

We thank Patrice for her kind email and wish her and her grandchildren God's blessings.

Easter Balloon Release 2008

2008-03-24T11:49:00.006Z

It was with great surprise that we opened our curtains on Easter Sunday morning to be met with SNOW! Thankfully the snow stopped by the time we were ready to release our balloons and it was with great joy we were able to shout, 'Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!' as we released our balloons into the air.

Colouring Competition Winners were

Nathan Gracey

Julia Dawney

Martina

Congratulations to the winners!

Each balloon has a name on it and there is a prize for the person whose balloon travels the furthest! We wait with eagerness to see where our balloons land. Last year's responses were amazing and many people communicated with us that they had found a balloon - most of them were found in Kent in 2007.

Our thanks to Paul and Sharon Heather for organising the event for us,

and to

Alan & Sue from CreativeBalloons in Romford

who have supplied the ballloons for this and all our previous balloon releases.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:10-12

Bride & Groom Thanks

2008-03-23T14:41:00.003Z

We just wanted to say thank you for everything everyone did to make our Wedding Day a special day, we enjoyed it and will remember the day for a long time to come! Thank you Kim for the photos and what you wrote here on the news updates. Thank you for eveyone who came to our wedding service and for all your gifts.It was lovely to see all the comments on the guestbook when we came home from our honeymoon.

Much LoveJoanna & John xx

John and Joanna's Wedding Day

2008-03-03T21:47:00.013Z

http://goldingsvideos.blogspot.com/

We had been waiting for 1st March 2008 for ages and then all of a sudden it was finally here! What an exciting day! John looked so smart (Paul, his best man, said in his wedding speech that they had to check that it was really him, as no one had ever seen him in a suit before!) and Joanna made a truly beautiful bride.

The wedding was a joyful celebration, not only of their love for each other, but also of their love for God who brought them together and has strengthened them in their relationship. Brian, gave the Bible reading from Ephesians Chapter 5 and Kim gave a voice-over for him. Benjamin and Joseph led the worship, with joyful songs such as 'Lord I lift your name on high', 'My Jesus, My Saviour (Shout to the Lord), and 'Jubilate Everybody'. Clara and Gabriella sang a beautiful song, which Clara wrote especially for the wedding 'We are One', to the tune of the lovely old hymn, 'It is well with my soul.' She was accompanied by Tom, a friend of hers, who also played the hymn Amazing Grace for the wedding. This hymn had been especially chosen by Joanna since she felt very much that the words echoed her own testimony, and never forgets that it was God's grace that reached down into her life and saved her. Joanna, as a deaf person, was attending church in Kent with her family, but without sign language interpretation she simply couldn't understand what it was all about. One day someone pointed her to Goldings Church where there is a large deaf congregation and she came along and first found her Saviour. John too, had been attending church in Colchester, and came to Goldings in 2000. He is now heavily involved in the work amongst deaf people, where he is a leader in the deaf church, and also works with the Men's Ministry Team...

The whole wedding day was amazing. A lovely meal was served in the church hall, where Joanna's brother-in-law, Darren said grace. Darren had been practicing this in preparation for the wedding and did the incredibly difficult job of signing and speaking at the same time. He did a wonderful job and everyone, not least of all John and Jo, appreciated his thoughfulness. The speeches were made and much laughter followed when John accidentally referred to Joanna as his 'future wife' but then suddenly remembered that she was now 'his wife!' Joanna's father gave a touching speech, explaining how Joanna has never let her deafness stand in the way of anything - those of us who know Joanna well heartily agree, for Jo certainly rises to every challenge very sucessfully. Joanna's father also spoke of their love for John, saying that when Joanna first brought him home she had warned them that he was tall!! (John is indeed 6 foot 5 inches!) Paul, John's best man, gave an excellent speech, telling us all that when they were growing up he and Bruce (one of the ushers) often spoke of what they would do in the future and whether or not they would marry, and John had always been sure that he would never marry. Paul said, 'I guess meeting Joanna made him change his mind pretty quickly!'

The evening was a lovely occasion when family and friends were able to enjoy a fun barn dance, with people of all ages joining in and enjoying themselves.

At the end of the evening, the men and women formed two lines and John and Jo went up and down the lines saying goodbye and thanking everyone. When this was done the barn-dance caller had us join hands to form arches, which John and Jo ran through finally leaving to raptuous applause and congratulations. An incredible and unforgettable day.

John and Jo are now on their honeymoon and we pray God's richest blessing upon their lives - what a blessing to know them and to have seen them joined in Holy matrimony. May they have a long and very happy marriage!!

Click the link below to sign our Church Guestbook

http://www.ultraguest.com/sign/1150542085

Shoe Boxes - Operation Christmas Child

2008-02-25T21:46:00.004Z

30 November was a cold wet evening, our car was packed to bursting point with 50 colourfully decorated shoe boxes and two excited 10 year olds. We were off to Operation Christmas Child. Charlie and Chandler had left 5 Alive in the summer and this was their long and eagerly awaited evening out.

We arrived at Woodford and were taken into the warehouse, there were so many boxes we were all speechless! After a brief tour, a health and safety talk and some form filling we were off….. We were assigned a table and as many shoe boxes as we could manage. The boxes that night were being packed for children in Kosova and we had to check them to make sure there were no chocolates inside or any knitted toys which are banned in shipments to Kosova, never fear though nothing is wasted and any knitted toys were removed
and set aside for other boxes, there was also a selection of suitable replacements to choose from so no child would end up without a cuddly toy.

We explained to Charlie and Chandler that these boxes were all that the children would be receiving for Christmas no Nintendo Wii, no IPOD, mobile phones, dolls houses or any of the other things they had mentioned they were hoping to receive on the way up in the car. Charlie and Chandler threw their heart and soul into making sure the boxes were as well stocked as could be and then turned their attention to sealing and packing boxes for the onward journey. Finally, one whole crate of boxes later (about 200 boxes), and all Goldings boxes sealed and packed up too, we wearily said our goodbyes and made our way to Pizza Express for a well earned supper.

It was hard to believe that within just a few days our boxes would be making their way across the continent into the welcoming arms of the children. But oh so exciting to imagine their faces.

Thank you to everyone at Goldings who made boxes or provided toys/toiletries/stationery to go into the boxes it is much appreciated. A new Goldings record of 57 boxes in one year.

Paul & Sharon Heather

Carols by Candlelight

2008-02-25T21:03:00.003Z

On 23rd December we held our annual ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service. This service has always been popular, particularly with visitors who are drawn in by the traditional aspect of singing carols and the beautiful atmosphere of the church twinkling with soft lighting and the chance to draw away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, Christmas planning, Christmas partying and Christmas TV! We see this service as a wonderful opportunity to present the REAL meaning of Christmas and cause people to consider God’s incredible plan of Salvation through Jesus Christ. This year our service was led by Benjamin (15) and Joseph (11) and began with a powerful Media presentation about the birth of Christ.

It was good to have Will Mason playing all the Carols so well, and this year we included songs digitally displayed on the screen, rather than having the difficulty of seeing the words in low lighting, and the confusion of different versions of carols in the books and carol sheets. It worked very well. Katherine was back from University and able to help out with the interpreting, which was a real bonus!

Carla and Julia, both read poems, and Barbara Harrison also read a poem, which was accompanied with background music on the classical guitar by Benjamin. Various people took part in reading relevant passages from the Bible, which was a real blessing. It was so good to have so many people involved!

We were surprisingly low on numbers of church children at the service, with children being unwell or away, but Carla, Julia and Rachel sang beautifully, led by Dorothy Batchelor, and the church joined in with Away in a Manger.

The hall was full of people afterwards as mince pies and hot drinks were served. Our sincere thanks to everyone who worked in the kitchen that evening, and to those who made the church look so beautiful for the service. Thank you also to those who took part in the service itself, but most of all our thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ who came from Heaven to earth for us!!!

Deaf People's Christmas Dinner

2008-02-25T20:23:00.006Z

Our deaf people travel into Loughton from many various places. Darren currently commutes from the Isle of Wight, and someone even travels to us from Birmingham! Others travel in from Ilford, Enfield, Kent, Brentwood...all over the place! Most of our deaf people would dearly love to attend the evening service and from time to time have done so, but often, by the time they get home it is time to turn around and come back again.

Over Christmas our deaf people were involved in the morning and evening services of 23rd December and decided to make a day of it. They stayed on in the church after the morning service and enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner together. You can tell from the pictures that a happy time was had by all!

The next big event on the deaf calendar is the wedding of Joanna Higgins and John Beaney, which we are greatly looking forward to. John and Joanna met at Goldings - and at the last deaf meeting the couple stood at the front of the church while members of the congregation offered them advice for a long and happy marriage. John spoke of how Joanna is the right woman for him and how he has grown closer to God through knowing her. John is now a leader of the deaf church and considers himself blessed to have been given a godly wife. Do please pray for them as they prepare for their marriage on March 1st!

Family Christmas Service

2008-02-25T20:22:00.000Z

We were blessed on the morning of our Family Christmas Service - although so many of our members were ill and lots of our children were battling with coughs and colds! Nevertheless, we were pleased to have many people join us to celebrate the birth of Christ.

The children took part in singing various songs with their sunday school teacher and Heavenly Hands Choir also worshipped the Lord with three songs:

Over 60's Christmas Dinner

2008-02-25T19:55:00.004Z

What a lovely time we enjoyed together on 10th December. Sadly Colin Bunting was very unwell, having had hospital treatment to his back, so we were not able to enjoy our usual Tommy Cooper treat! We did miss him. However, Dorothy was able to entertain everyone with a poem she had learnt as a young girl; how amazing that the things we learn by heart as children tend to stay with us for all of our adult lives. It certainly makes the case for learning scripture!! We also missed Stan and Sheila since Sheila had taken a very bad fall and broken her wrist. Our dear Tom Wade was unwell, and we also missed Bill and Pam who now attend a church in Witham where they live, so we were down on numbers, but we praised God that we could be together and rejoiced over God’s goodness to us.

There were eighteen of us who sat down to dinner, Matthew Clegg, Pastor and Kim worked in the kitchen and made a great team; enjoying serving God side by side. For me [Kim] this dinner really gets Christmas off to a happy start and is a day to be treasured. We thank God for the privilege of being able to serve him in this way and for the joy of serving some dear saints, many of whom are such an encouragement and inspiration to us.

Rachel (aged 5) who has been attending the dinner yearly prior to her starting school (and thoroughly enjoying being made a fuss of by everyone there), couldn’t quite understand why she wouldn’t be able to go to the dinner this year. “But I always go to the dinner!” she said with tears in her eyes. We had to explain to her that she was now a school girl and her teacher and all the other children would miss her. Rachel wasn’t too concerned about this and suggested the teacher would understand if she took the day off of school to attend such an important event. When she finally realised that she would not be able to do this and simply had to go to school her wail was, ‘You mean I’ve got to wait until I’m over 60 before I can have Christmas dinner?!’

Quiz Night Winners!

2008-02-25T19:49:00.004Z

Congratulations to Angela, Pat, Jane and Joan, "The Know it Alls" who won our church quiz night!

We'd like to say a very big thank you to Kim (and Jeremy) for a wonderful Quiz Evening, and for the hard work which Kim put into getting it ready and setting it all up on the computer. We don't know how you found the time to get it done with such a busy family life and also your work at the school. Congratulations to the "Know It Alls" who won, and also to "Young and Gifted" who did really well, especially as there were only two youngsters on the team. Thanks once again Kim, looking forward to the next one!!! Pat & Ron

Gabriella and Joseph with friends - "Young and Gifted"

Harvest 2007

2007-10-06T09:05:00.001Z

Harvest is a great opportunity to really think about all the blessings God has given us. This year we were reminded of the final Harvest and the sermon was of great encouragment to believers and a real challenge to unbelievers.

Our gifts this year were given to a church-run shelter for homeless people in Walthamstow, and to the Falkner Trust Children's home. The gifts have been received with much thanksgiving.

Our thanks to Brian Collins for the pictures.

Silver Wedding Anniversary

2007-09-19T09:24:00.000Z

Congratulations to David and Gillian on their 25th Wedding Anniversary on 28th September. They have just returned from celebrating with a special holiday abroad.

Before they left, Gill was very surprised when she arrived home from work to find balloons and banners in the hall and living room congratulating them on their Silver wedding anniversary, there was also a beautiful cake on the table. Gill’s daughter, Karen had her movie camera on so captured Gill’s reaction of delight! When David came home from work they did it all again and were later joined by more family members and enjoyed an evening together playing games and looking at what Gill calls their ‘old fashioned wedding pictures.’

We praise the Lord for their marriage and wish them

many more years to come.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, they are warm; but how can one be warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him.

Deacon Retires

2007-09-19T08:31:00.000Z

Maurice and Doris Heather moved to Theydon Bois in the late 70’s and joined Goldings Church under the ministry of John Billett. Back then their children Andrew, Paul and Jo were all very young and the family quickly settled into life at Goldings church.

Maurice served at Goldings as a Deacon, but his duties at Goldings went far beyond those of Deacon. Maurice could often be found on the roof inspecting the tiles; in the garden fixing a fence; consulting with builders - putting on a new lock or taking off an old one; he could be depended upon to lead a service, and he preached too, not only at Goldings but in other churches nearby. Nothing was to much trouble for Maurice.

Maurice showed great love and warmth to everyone and was genuinely interested in people and how they were. It was not surprising that after Pastor announced Maurice’s retirement from the diaconate - (due to sudden health limitations), the membership wanted to express their love to Maurice. Several comments were made thanking him for his years of faithful service.

A special thank you was made on behalf of our deaf congregation thanking him particularly for his constant efforts to warmly welcome and embrace the deaf brothers and sisters. Maurice can’t use sign language but he always manages to make himself understood and his jokes, teasing and good humour were greatly appreciated by them.

Maurice served as a Deacon for well over 20 years and has blessed the ministry in many ways, large and small and we thank God for his faithfulness, his witness and his love. We wish him a long, healthy and happy retirement and pray that the Lord will bless and strengthen him daily.

Ellen Fisher

2007-08-25T10:23:00.000Z

Our beloved sister, Ellen Fisher passed into the presence of the Lord on 14th August 2007 aged 93 years.

Ellen had been a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and a long time member of Goldings Church. Anyone who knew Ellen could not fail to like her or be drawn to her quiet gentleness and kind spirit. Ellen was also a woman of prayer; Pastor remembers that in the latter years, as Ellen's memory began to fade and she would often become confused and muddled in conversation, he would open the word of God with her and they would pray together. When Ellen prayed she prayed with absolute clarity, as one who knew the Lord.

After Ellen could not longer live independently she moved to Albion Park House where she was well cared for. Sadly her condition deterioated to such an extent that she no longer recognised members from the church and it also became very unsettling for Ellen to be brought to Church. We missed her. The armchair and cushion that had been brought into the church for Ellen to use was a constant reminder of our dear sister and her love for the Lord and the Lord's people.

Ellen's homecall, whilst sad for her family and friends, will be a blessed release for her as she may now spend an eternity gazing at the Saviour's face, RANSOMED, HEALED, RESTORED, FORGIVEN! What joy must have awaited her in Heaven.

Ellen was the beloved wife of the late Lewis, and the mother of 3 sons, Derek, Geoff and David. She had 6 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The thanksgiving and celebration service for her life was held at Goldings Church on Friday 24th August. Ellen's son David Fisher was the organist at that service which included reflections and readings by her sons Derek and Geoff Fisher. Fitzroy Morris, a staff member from Albion Park House sang 'How Great Thou Art' as a solo, a beautiful hymn, echoing the heartfelt praises which Ellen herself offered the Lord frequently during her life.

It was not surprising that the thanksgiving service included the singing of the Hymn, 'Dear Lord and Father of Mankind' which Ellen had frequently said was her favourite Hymn...

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow Thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892).

Our sympathies to the family of Ellen on the loss of their lovely Mother. May the Lord God Himself be their comfort and help at this time.

As a fellowship we thank God for the life and service of Ellen Fisher. Her smile is not one that will fade from our minds easily. A truly lovely lady full of grace and gentleness.

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints"
Psalm 116:15

Cheltenham Bible Festival 2007

2007-08-20T20:39:00.000Z

Thought you might enjoy some of our pictures from the Cheltenham Bible Festival, which was excellent! You'll hear more about the events of the festival in our church magazine, and we will update the blog soon.

Hainault Forest

2007-08-02T17:21:00.000Z

On 1st August, 40 of us, including children, headed off to Hainault forest where we enjoyed a lovely day together. Colin got out juggling balls and spinning plates, which amused adults and children alike. Benjamin managed to master the spinning plates and Emma G was the only one who had any success with juggling (well, what do you expect from a mum with 4 children!).

There was a forest walk including a some tree climbing! Badminton and football were the games of the day, but there just wasn't enough wind for kite flying. It was a glorious day, which included plenty of trips to the refreshments cafe.

There were farm animals to enjoy too and most of us had a little trip around the farm park where there were rabbits, calves, donkeys...and a rather fine specimin of an american bronze turkey. Most of all it was a lovely day of just being together and enjoying each others company.

We give God thanks.

Leigh Winsbury

2007-07-29T13:55:00.000Z

What a blessing to have Leigh Winsbury come and minister to us in song today!

Here are just some of the comments we received:

'You could tell just from looking at him sing that he really believed what he was singing and that he enjoyed serving God in that way.'

'You can tell when a song comes from someone's heart and when a song comes from someone's mouth and those songs really came from the heart!'

'Can we book him again?'

'What great songs - what emotion.'

'I found his songs very moving.'

'What a gifted singer - and what a lovely guy.'

'Weren't we blessed today!'

'Can I have the words to that song...'

'I've got the CD and it's got all the lyrics in it!'

'Good guitarist...excellent songs... I didn't expect him to be THAT good...amazing, very inspiring.

I liked how he introduced his songs too... Very good...very good indeed.'

Leigh and his lovely wife, Lynn are resident team members of Pilgrims Hall Christian Resource Centre http://www.pilgrimshall.org.uk/. They have two teenage sons.

Leigh probably wouldn't admit this, but he's actually a very talented guitarist too! He plays guitar and sings with unmistakable devotion and love, freely expressed in his worshipful songs. What a joy to hear him. He certainly lifted our hearts and minds to the Lord today!

Baby Dedication

2007-07-18T09:08:00.000Z

What joy filled our hearts as Fi, & Paul dedicated their daughter, Katie May, to the Lord. The church was packed full, as we not only had the family and friends of the Smith family with us, but also visitors from Epping Green Chapel who had joined us for the day.

Pastor spoke on the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel chapter 1 - the key point being ’I asked the Lord for this child.’ Katie May is certainly an answer to prayer! Lisa and Angela led worship, Clara sang a beautiful solo (accompanied by James on the piano). Ben also led us in two songs with his guitar.

After the service we enjoyed a celebratory buffet lunch in the hall; thanking God for his goodness and praying for his blessing to be upon Fi, Paul, Thomas, and Katie May. May she grow up to know and love the Lord to whom she was dedicated.

Day Out at Hastings

2007-07-16T18:13:00.000Z

Organised by Helen Muggeridge, mainly for the deaf people, our day out to Hastings was a huge success. Although the weather was windy, it didn't rain and we were all able to have a really lovely day beside the sea.

Half way toward our destination we stopped for refreshments and a break at a lovely vineyard where we recharged our batteries and enjoyed feeding the goats! The talking point of the day seemed to be the size of the portion of fish served at the fish and chip cafe beside the sea. A group of us went there to eat and the reports about the size of the fish got bigger and bigger. Jerry actually wants to go back to Hastings to 'investigate'!!! See Brian below looking at Joanna's dinner, 'she can't eat all that, surely!'

2007-07-08T13:51:00.001Z

A Love Supreme from John Coltrane (1964)
I will do all I can to be worthy of Thee O Lord.
It all has to do with it.
Thank you God.
Peace.
There is none other.
God is. It is so beautiful.
Thank you God. God is all.
Help us to resolve our fears and weaknesses.
Thank you God.
In You all things are possible.
We know. God made us so.
Keep your eye on God.
God is. He always was. He always will be.
No matter what…it is God.
He is gracious and merciful.
It is most important that I know Thee.
Words, sounds, speech, men, memory, thoughts, fears and emotions-time-all related…all made from one…all made in one.
Blessed be His name.
Thought waves-heat waves-all vibrations-all paths lead to God. Thank you God.
His way…it is so lovely…it is gracious.
It is merciful-thank you God.
One thought can produce millions of vibrations and they all go back to God…everything does.
Thank you God.
Have no fear…believe…thank you God.
The universe has many wonders. God is all.
His way…it is so wonderful.
Thoughts-deeds-vibrations, etc.
They all go back to God and He cleanses all.
He is gracious and merciful…thank you God.
Glory to God…God is so alive.
God is.
God loves.
May I be acceptable in Thy sight.
We are all one in His grace.
The fact that we do exist is acknowledgement of Thee O Lord.
Thank you God.
God will wash away all our tears…
He always has…
He always will.
Seek Him everyday. In all ways seek God everyday.
Let us sing all songs to God.
To whom all praise is due…praise God.
No road is an easy one, but they all go back to God.
With all we share God.
It is all with God.
It is all with Thee.
Obey the Lord.
Blessed is He.
We are from one thing…the will of God…thank you God.
I have see God-I have seen ungodly-none can be greater-none can compare to God.
Thank you God.
He will remake us… He always has and He always will.
It is true-blessed be His name-thank you God.
God breathes through us so completely…so gently we hardly feel it…yet, it is our everything.
Thank you God.
ELATION-ELEGANCE-EXALTATION-
All from God.
Thank you God. Amen.

Paul Speer

23 Balloons

2007-06-07T13:35:00.001Z

Well we are amazed that all these weeks after Easter news of another of our balloons has reached us!

We received the following message via email:

Christ is Risen, Hallelujah. To the children of Goldings Church (Loughton, Essex)
Just to let you know l found the remains of a balloon while orienteering at
Bewl WaterLamberhurstTunbridge WellsKent
on the 5th June 2007. Hope this information is useful.

We have emailed back our thanks!!

Two More Balloons found!

2007-05-24T18:12:00.000Z

Well, just when we thought it was all over, two more balloons are found, bringing our total to 22 balloons!!

P Smith wrote from Kent saying that he/she had found Chandler's balloon, and we also received the following message:

Hi
I just found the remains of one of your Easter balloons under a bush in my garden - it could have been there a long time!

The ticket has the name "CHARLIE S" on it. The address? - .... Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. So, about 30 miles (as the balloon flies).

Best wishes to all the children of Goldings Church!
Denzil

John Burrell with the Lord

2007-05-09T22:21:00.000Z

On Sunday 29th April our brother, John Burrell passed into the presence of the Lord. His funeral service was held at Goldings today, Wednesday 9th May and was well attended by the family and friends of John and Daphne Burrell. John was 78 years old. Daphne wanted the service to be a celebration of John's life and chose John's favourite hymns to sing at the service; Blessed be the tie that binds, God holds the key to all unknown, Great is thy faithfulness and I stand Amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. Pastor preached from Psalm 23.

Both of John's sons paid tribute to their father at the service, and Daphne herself, with such courage, gave a touching tribute to her beloved husband.

Our prayers are very much with Daphne at this time, and we trust that our Heavenly Father will surround her with his comforting Holy Spirit, so that she will know the peace and presence of the Lord at this time.

Our Beloved John Burrell
Born 23rd March 1929
Awoke in the presence of God
29th April 2007

As for me,
I will behold Thy face in righteousness:
I shall be satisfied, when I awake,
with thy likeness.
Psalm 17 : 15

20 BALLOONS FOUND!

2007-04-24T20:50:00.000Z

Well, isn't it incredible...we have just received an email about another balloon found!

Hi,
Just dropping you a note to say I found one of your easter baloons in my horses field in Hodsoll street in Meopham, Kent.

It has the name Paul written at the bottom.I hope this helps.
Mark keith

We have emailed Mark back to thank him for his kindness. There's a great map up on the wall in the church hall featuring yellow dots in all the spots where our balloons were found. 20 balloons found is a record for Goldings...I can't see it being easily beaten next year.

Balloon Number 19

2007-04-21T07:49:00.000Z

Congratulations to Sharon - a gentleman telephoned to tell us that he found the remains of Sharon's balloon just south of Tunbridge Wells and says, 'well done!'

Well...19 balloons - incredible!

Balloon Number 18

2007-04-21T07:42:00.000Z

Well....ANOTHER balloon has been found.

We received a telephone message from a lady telling us that her granddaughter found one of our balloons, with 'Victoria' on the tag. Well done, Victoria! The balloon was found in Laddingford, Kent.

Balloon Number 17!

2007-04-18T08:03:00.000Z

Can you believe another balloon has been found!

We received a telephone call from Angela Burges in Kent (Thanks Angela!) who said that she thought we might like to know that one of our balloons landed in her back garden. It had travelled all the way to London Golf Club in Kent and the name on the tag was 'Henry'. Well done Henry!

Balloon Number 16!

2007-04-16T08:17:00.000Z

Just when we thought it was all over, news of another balloon came in! Our 16th balloon found! This time, it was little Sabine Azam's balloon. The email reads:

Hello Sabine,

Last Saturday I found your balloon and card in my garden in Meopham, Kent !

Greetings,

Laban Kaptein

Balloon Number 15

2007-04-14T18:59:00.000Z

Hi,

Just to let you know we were walking across our field early this evening when we found the tag from Olivia’s balloon just below a big old oak tree. We were impressed that the balloon had travelled so far. Our address is ..........................................Capel Tonbridge Kent TN12 6SU I do hope you get this message before church tomorrow.

Kind regards,

Penny Battell
www.chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk

Balloon Number 14!

2007-04-14T16:10:00.000Z

We have just received this email telling us about another balloon found in Kent! Thank you, John and Wendy!!

Hi Olivia
Your balloon arrived in my back garden and impaled itself on a thorn bush.Quite appropriate I thought being an Easter balloon.

I live in a village called Hartley Nr Longfield Kent so your yellow balloon did well to cross the river Thames and keep going.
Well done.
God bless
John and wendy

Balloon Number 13

2007-04-14T09:13:00.000Z

Well, it's not over yet! Another email came through just now addressed to the children of Goldings Church, saying:

Hello I found this balloon in my garden the other day, and I thought you might like to know. It was in a village called Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells in Kent,and the name on the card was Yolands.? I wonder if any of your friends have had theirs found? Have a lovely Easter Holiday.

From a lady of St Peters Upper Church, Pembury Kent.

Balloon Number 12

2007-04-14T08:42:00.000Z

Well we have now had 12 balloons found. A lady rang yesterday to say that she had found a balloon on the River Medway at Tonbridge in Kent. The name on the tag is 'Olivia'.

Unfortunately we could not thank one or two of callers as they left messages on our answering machine, but we are so grateful to everyone who has phoned, emailed, left messages and even to the person who signed our website guestbook. Well the people of Kent are certainly very friendly and helpful!

Balloon Number 11

2007-04-14T08:36:00.000Z

We can't believe it! Another balloon has been found! We received a friendly telephone call from a gentleman called Don Longby who lives in Witherenden Hill, Burwash, East Sussex, who tells us he has found a balloon with the name 'Victoria' on it.

10 Balloons Found!

2007-04-12T10:15:00.000Z

We just received a lovely phone call from a lady named Mrs. Rogers, who said that she found one of our balloons in Lamberhurst, near Tunbridge Wells. The child's name on the tag was 'Chandler.' Chandler will be very pleased!

Well we found 10 balloons - this is a record number of finds...you don't think there will be anymore do you????

Balloon Number 9!

2007-04-11T22:04:00.000Z

Our 9th balloon has just been found! Will we make 10?

Just to let you know that the remains of a balloon with a card marked Sharon was found by us in our field which is located in East Sussex, near the border with Kent. Our postcode is TN3 9AG. It had quite a long journey from Essex.

Kind regards
John

Balloon Number 8

2007-04-11T07:16:00.000Z

Well...the balloons are landing all over Kent it seems! We received this lovely email this morning:

Dear Children of Goldings Church

One of your balloons landed in my garden on Easter Sunday in the afternoon. I am writing to you from the village of Trottiscliffe, a small village on the North Downs in Kent between Sevenoaks and Maidstone. The Pilgrims Way runs close to our village, and we do see a number of Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury at this time of year, but not many balloons!

Hope you had a happy and peaceful Easter,
Best Wishes

Mrs Collins

We wrote to Mrs. Collins to thank her for her reply and also to ask whether the balloon tag carried a child's name. Here is her reply:

Dear Mr Sandy

Thank you for your reply, unfortunately there is no name on the card, it's a picture of a little girl, the top she is wearing has been coloured in green, the skirt is orange, her shoes are red and the balloon is blue and her face, arms and legs are very pink! Hopefully someone will remember their handiwork!

Kind regards

Brid Collins

Balloon Number 7

2007-04-11T07:13:00.000Z

A message arrived in our website guestbook reading:

I have found one of the balloon cards attached to a balloon as part of your easter celebration..found April 10th wrotham kent 7:00pm. On the balloon it appears to be the number 7

We do thank this person for letting us know!

We have been discussing this mysterious Number 7, and the conclusion we have come to is that it must be Liam's balloon and the 7 must be an L for Liam. Well done Liam, nice that both he and his sister Bradie had their balloons found!

Balloon Number 6!

2007-04-11T07:10:00.000Z

Another balloon has been found in Hartley Near Dartford - unfortunately we do not know the name on the tag, but how amazing that 6 balloons have been found so far!

Fith Balloon Found!

2007-04-10T09:28:00.000Z

Our fith balloon has been found! We received an email today saying...

Charlie's Balloon found Easter Monday at Redlibbets Golf Course Ash Nr Longfield,Kent.

(Charlie on the left of the picture above)

Fourth Balloon Found

2007-04-09T18:03:00.000Z

A fourth Easter Balloon has been found! We received the following email today:

Hello Jo Setterfield,

Your balloon's label was found near Pembury in Kent. It's near Tunbridge Wells. A very good flight!

Best wishes,

Ian

We have contacted and thanked all of the people who kindly emailed to say that they have found a balloon...I wonder if there will be any more?

Second and Third Balloon Found

2007-04-09T17:59:00.000Z

Seems our balloons headed for Kent this year! We received this email this afternoon:

Hi
Found your balloons at Red Libbetts golf course near Hartley in Kent this morning. Think the name written on the tag is Pat L.

Pat's was found on the 14th hole and another was 5 yards away with Charlie written on it.

Good wishes and Happy Easter to you all.

First Balloon Found!

2007-04-08T22:02:00.000Z

We received an email from a gentleman who wrote:

Good afternoon, I have just found a balloon tag with your details on it. I found it by the side of the 6th fairway on Fawkham Valley Golf Club. This is in Kent not far from Brands Hatch. The tag has the name Bradie on it. Please wish Bradie a happy easter. Peter.

Hooray!!!!

Easter Balloon Release

2007-04-08T21:50:00.000Z

What a fantastic day Easter Sunday was! Not only did we have our very own Heavenly Hands Choir peforming for us, but we also enjoyed a wonderful celebratory balloon release after the service. As the church car-park became a sea of colourful balloons, the Pastor's voice boomed out, 'CHRIST IS RISEN!' and the hearty response, 'HALLELUJAH!' was heard as we released our balloons (mine's the red one on the bottom left of the picture above!!) there was such a deep sense of joy surrounding us. What grace has been shown to us! What a Saviour we have!

Each Balloon carried a bible text, the church website address and the request that the finder of any of our balloons kindly contact us to let us know where the balloon was found. The staff at 5 Alive and 7Up (whose group colourfully coloured in all the labels) have arranged a prize for the child whose balloon tag has travelled the furthest. We look forward to finding out if any of our balloons have been found!

Baptisms

2007-04-08T21:43:00.000Z

Matthew, Shahab and Lynn were baptised on Sunday 1st April. They gave three very different, but equally encouraging and inspiring testimonies on a day that was simply packed with praise and wonder at God's amazing saving power. How we rejoiced! Please pray for our brother's and sister.

3 more Baptisms THIS Sunday!

2007-03-31T08:30:00.000Z

It was fantastic when after Lee’s baptism Shahab went up to Pastor saying he wanted to be baptised as soon as possible - actually, next week would be fine! Pastor’s first reaction was to say, ‘hold on...let’s think about this first.’ but actually there is no doubt that Shahab is saved and that he loves the Lord Jesus Christ - and so why wait? It is hardly the biblical pattern! So Pastor agreed, and this proves to have been the right decision because a few days later Matthew informed Pastor that he wanted to be baptised as soon as possible too! Then, on Friday Pastor then received another call from Lynn saying, ‘I have absolute peace about this and I want to be baptised this Sunday.’ So, from first thinking we were going to have one surprise baptism, we then learnt we had two, and are now greatly rejoicing to have three!
Praise the Lord!

Join us if you can. Sunday 1st April at 11.00am!

Lee's Baptism

2007-03-26T12:06:00.000Z

Sunday 25th March was an excellent day. Lee gave a wonderful testimony, speaking about how Christ found him and changed his life. He gave testimony about his addiction to gambling which was powerfully broken when he gave his life to Jesus. He is very much part of our church family now and was overwhelmed by the love, gifts, cards and congratulations he received! Praise God for the work that He has done in Lee's life.

Preparing for Baptism

2007-03-23T13:25:00.000Z

Please pray for Lee as he prepares to be baptised this Sunday 25th March. We will be including Lee's testimony and baptism photos on the church website, so please check back next week!

Photo shows Lee (on the left) with Darren. Darren (Fisher of Men!) shared his faith with Lee and invited him to church.

Emma's 18th

2007-03-11T14:08:00.000Z

Saturday 10th March was a great evening when we were able to celebrate Emma's 18th birthday. Our thanks to John & Paul for arranging a great disco and lighting!

It was great to have Emma's Mum, Sister and Grandmother with us too! Emma has expressed her thanks to everyone who made the evening so special - but I am sure all of us would agree it was an absolute pleasure to mark Emma's birthday in this way.

Emma went home laden with cards, balloons and presents!

God bless you, Emma

We love you!

Congratulations - John & Joanna!

2007-02-17T11:03:00.000Z

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

What wonderful news to hear of the Engagement of John and Joanna!

We are all so happy for them both - they make a great couple!

The Lord is clearly using them for His glory and for His kingdom and it's great to see their love and commitment to the Lord and to each other.

May God greatly bless them!

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour:
If they fall down, they can help each other up.

Ecclesiastes 4 : 9 - 10

Deaf Outreach in Brighton

2007-02-12T19:28:00.000Z

On Sunday 11th February a group of our deaf members travelled up to Hove near Brighton to support a recently established deaf outreach work there. Brian Collins (a deacon at Goldings) preached a message from God's Word, and Joanna Higgins gave her testimony. It was an excellent and encouraging afternoon. We continue to pray for the work in Hove, particularly as there is a high proportion of deaf people living around the Brighton area.

It was also great to meet up once more with Russell and Michelle. Our Pastor married the couple in 2005 (see their wedding picture above), and both of them are now heavily involved in supporting the evangelistic work taking place in the Brighton area. Russell and Michelle had previously been travelling faithfully from Brighton to Loughton every month to worship with us and now they have a church and a deaf outreach work going on in their own area! Praise the Lord. It was also great to see their new baby, Sarah, born on 19th December last year, a gorgeous little sister for Beth. Here's a picture for you to all to enjoy!

Our thanks to Brian Collins for the pictures.

One Hope

2007-02-02T00:59:00.000Z

Carol is currently at Durham University and requests that we pray for the evangelism work taking place there this week from 2nd - 10th February. Carol sends us the following Christian Union Information:

"We keep on doing evangelism before and after the misssion - it's just that from 2nd-10th February we up the pace of it to a level that we just couldn't sustain physically, emotionally, or financially through the rest of the year."

The week includes small group events, a sports quiz, international events, lunchbars and evening events. Despite the wide variety of events, the unifying theme will be that the gospel will be preached at all of them. The main speaker is Graham Daniels, the General Director of Christians in Sport.

There will also be lots of other, older Christians around for the week, who will speak at smaller events and will attempt to start conversations about Jesus with the non-Christians they meet.A Christianity Explored course will be running after the mission has finished. So that those who have heard the gospel during One Hope week have a chance to find out more and to ask any questions. This course is as important, if not more so, than One Hope week itself.

Some points to be praying about -

for those who are coming to Durham especially for One Hope-
for those involved in organising events-
that events will run smoothly-
that the gospel will be proclaimed clearly-
that many non-Christians will be present-
for Christianity Explored

More information can be found at www.one-hope.co.uk

Clever Clogs at Goldings

2007-01-09T21:29:00.000Z

2007 has seen changes for our Parent and Toddler group.

The group has been re-named, 'Clever Clogs,' and our staff of Tom, Sue, Eddie, Kate and Jerry, also have new uniform shirts to wear as well.

The new changes were appreciated by the regulars at the group, and even the little ones seemed to approve!

Please pray for Clever Clogs and the work that they do in the community. Pray that God would greatly reward and bless them for their commitment and dedication.

Clever Clogs meet on Tuesdays from 10am until 12.00pm

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T13:36:00.000Z

We at Goldings Church give thanks to God for His provision, protection and loving care during 2006 and look forward to 2007, knowing that our God is Sovereign and that no plan of His can be thwarted.

May God bless you in 2007

With Love

from all at

Goldings Church

No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.

Philppians 3 : 13 - 14

Christmas Greetings

2006-12-24T16:09:00.000Z

To everyone who visits this website,

We at Goldings wish you God's blessing and Peace

at this special time of year.

May God strengthen you and make His face shine upon you in the Year to come

2007.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall

direct your paths.

Proverbs 3 : 5 - 6

Heavenly Hands

2006-12-24T15:54:00.000Z

We praise God for the blessing that Heavenly Hands brought to us in Sign Language when they signed a worship song, 'We all Bow Down'.

Many people spoke about how moving the whole performance was and said how much they enjoyed it. We thank God for the choir and for the way that they worked so hard to bring everything up to performance standard in such a short space of time.

We gladly welcome two new members to our choir - Ope and Hong.

God bless the Heavenly Hands Choir,

We thank God for you.

John's Baptism

2006-12-10T21:51:00.000Z

John's baptism on 3rd December was a truly wonderful day. Listening to the very humble testimony of this man who has suffered so much in life was a real inspiration and challenge to many of us. God has done an amazing work in John's life and we give Him thanks for this.

Please continue to pray for our brother, John in the coming weeks and months. God bless you, John.

Quiz Night Winners!

2006-11-28T16:20:00.000Z

On Saturday 25th November we enjoyed our annual Quiz Night, with the winners being 'Carry on Quizzers' pictured above consisting of John, Eddie, Katie and Angela. We had a great evening full of fun and laughter with all teams doing really well considering the variety of questions and topics covered.

The top three teams were

Carry On Quizzers - 1st

Saga + 1 - 2nd

Destroyers - 3rd

DV8 muffins (our teenage group) did really well too, coming fourth, and Silver Tops, Eagle Eyes, and Barney's (A team made up of Barnados Shop Volunteers) also did really well. What a great evening!

Dearest Jerry and Kim

God bless you abundantly for all you do - and you do it so well.

Love always

'The Victors!'

Katie, Eddie, John and Angela.

Hello everyone.I am certain we all really enjoyed the quiz night last Saturday.It is was greatest. I am glad that my team "Eagles eyes" managed to get some points - we had a laugh, and glad we didn't get nil, so we were H A P P Y. It was great to be among friends, all cheering each other on, and having fun together. I'm still smiling - can you tell? Well Congratultions to 'Carry on Quizzers' - the winning team - well done! Next year can I be on your team??!!!

Anyway we want to say thanks to Kim & Jerry - they clearly worked hard to give us such an enjoyable evening. It was a great night, and a good chance for fellowship. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory Rev 19:7. God bless you as always Brian & Janice

Haha well done Brian, but what was wrong with the destroyers? Yes it was a great time at the quiz nite, learnt alot of things too, like the teletubbies haha! Well look forward to the next oneGod bless Paul

Hello everyone let u know i arrive Dorset safely yersday. I will be back before next service which this Sunday lol!!! I am glad my team 'Eagles eyes' had a good evening too..looking forward to the next quiz night .. Also like to say to kim "wow what a great night of Quizzes lol. hahaha

Lots of Love

Zoe xxx

QUIZ NIGHT WAS FANTASTIC!!!
I really enjoyed it!
Melissa x

Love is in the Air!

2006-11-19T15:44:00.000Z

We are very pleased to announce some wonderful news -

Paul and Zoe are engaged!

We are all very happy to hear the news - they make a lovely couple.

We pray for the Lord's blessing upon them both and thank God for bringing them together.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Congratulations Zoe and Paul - everyone at Goldings wishes you God's richest blessings.

May you both grow closer together and even closer to the Lord.

God bless!

First Wedding Anniversary

2006-11-04T11:15:00.000Z

Congratulations to Paul and Sharon, celebrating their 1st Wedding Anniversary today.

May God continue to bless them both and keep them in His love and His will always.

Jacqui Thanking God!

2006-10-28T11:24:00.000Z

On Friday Jacqui was involved in a horrific car accident when a Lorry ploughed into her car on the M25, sending her car spinning all over the road. Jacqui saw herself heading towards a metal fence and cried out to God for help - her car did not hit the metal fence, but crashed through a wooden one instead. The next thing Jacqui knew her car mounted a hill and came to a halt in a field. She got out of the car, and looked down at the road shouting praises to God for she knew she should have been killed in that accident. As Jacqui stood in the field, looking a long way down at the motorway, the words of Psalm 23 flooded through her mind and her heart was filled with gratitude to God.

Witnesses who saw the crash couldn't believe she walked free from it, and the Police (who arrived 5 mins later) said she was lucky to be alive. Of course we know that it was not luck - it was the Lord! Jacqui was even able to witness about Jesus to the car-crash witnesses and to the policeman telling them that it was God and his angels who kept her safe.

We praise God that Jacqui is safe and thank Him for sparing her life. God is good!

Zoe - the latest Picture

2006-10-21T22:43:00.000Z

Stephen and Jacqui went to visit Zoe today and had a great day out with her in Dorset. Zoe sent us this picture today (doesn't she look great!) with the following message:

Hi everyone, thanks so much for your love and prayers.

It was great to see Stephen and Jacqui today; I didn't want them to go.

I'll be back at Goldings soon - I can't wait!

Love Zoe xxx

She's Coming Back!

2006-10-17T18:29:00.000Z

Great News! Zoe came out of hospital yesterday morning and she is planning to travel down to essex on 31st Oct and stay for two weeks. This means we are hoping to see Zoe at the Church Anniversary Service on 5th November!

Many of us haven't seen her since she was rushed into hospital in July so we are really looking forward to seeing her big smile again!

Please continue to pray for Zoe.

Prayers for Lydia

2006-10-13T09:56:00.000Z

On the 21st September we were very sorry to learn that Lydia, a deaf friend of ours and known to many of the deaf congregation at Goldings was run over by a motor bike. and had to have an emergency operation on her hip.

We were told that Lydia would most likely have to stay in hospital for at least another 6 weeks.

Lydia is a Christian lady who loves the Lord, although in recent years due to health issues she has found it difficult to get along to a regular fellowship - but her faith in God is strong and she very much wanted Brian and Janice to pray for her while they visited.

Lydia has now been transferred to a hospital in Tooting and recently had a 5 hour operation on her hip and pelvis. She still has to remain in bed, and of course this is very frustrating, as Lydia would love to be able to move about freely.We all continue to pray for Lydia (seen here on 12th October when Brian and Janice went to visit her). Brian was aware that some people at Goldings don't know Lydia, although we have all been praying for her. He asked Lydia for permission to share these pictures with you and she happily agreed and thanks you all for your loving support and prayers. Lydia is signing 'I love you' in the picure.

Darren (a sign language interpreter) is Lydia's son and he is co-ordinating visits so that his mother has a regular stream of visitors. If you know Lydia and would like to visit her in Hospital please contact the church office for Darren's mobile number so that you can arrange a visiting time with him.

UPDATED NEWS - 10th November 2006

Our friend Lydia would like to thank everyone at Goldings for their support and prayers. She has now been transferred from Tooting Hospital in London and is back at King George Hospital in Goodmayes. It's fantastic that after all she has been through she has now got a walking frame and is able to walk a short distance very slowly. Please keep praying for Lydia, so that she can continue to recover and get stronger with each day. We pray and hope she will be able to go home soon. God bless you

Brian & Janice

Hospital Again

2006-10-05T08:57:00.000Z

Zoe has been taken back into hospital for a short while as she has been having bad headaches and suffering from very dry skin. We are all hoping this is simply an adverse reaction to her tablets and that the situation can be sorted out quickly and simply. Please pray for Zoe - hospital is not the nicest place in the world to be, but when you have a hearing difficulty it can be very isolating.

Zoe sends us all her love and is hoping to be with us again in November.

Thursday Evening 5th October - Update:
Zoe sent a text saying she is a feeling better, but still has a bad headache. She has been given some cream for her dry skin and her skin has greatly improved. She is starting a new course of tablets tomorrow. Zoe will be in Christchurch Hospital from tomorrow lunchtime until next Monday or Tuesday so that they can monitor her new tablets and keep an eye on her incase she should have fits. Our prayers continue to lift Zoe before the Lord.

Successful Operation!

2006-10-03T09:37:00.000Z

Jas' operation went very well indeed.

He was very humbly rejoicing on Sunday, thanking God that he now has single vision and no longer sees double. Jas was mindful that some people can't see at all and thanked God for the ability to see whether it be double or single vision - but says seeing only one of everything is fantastic!

Kuljit, Jas and Raj thank everyone at Goldings for their prayerful support and concern for Jas.
Pic shows, Emma, Jas, Jerry and Raj on the beach at Eastbourne.

Harvest Praise!

2006-10-03T09:21:00.000Z

On 1st October 2006, we enjoyed our annual Harvest Celebrations. Giving thanks to God for all His goodness to us and praying for those in need today. Our gifts were distributed between the London City Mission soup kitchens; Falkner Trust Orphanage in Zambia; Millgrove Children's Home in Woodford and local families.

With Appreciation - Card from Jessie's Family

2006-09-27T11:04:00.000Z

Thank You

Please could you pass on for me a great big Thank you to the church for all that was done for Mum and for the funeral. It was very moving, the service, the tribute and everyone's love for her. I know she would have been very touched, and knowing her, very surprised.

Please could you thank the church for their donations. The Meningitis Society received £237, which was a help.

We are at the City of London tomorrow to put Mum's ashes with Dad's, as was her hearts desire.

Many thanks again and God's love and blessing on you all,

June

(Jessie's daughter).