"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked leads to destruction."

(Psalm 1:6)

Where are you heading in life? It's a big and really important question. As many of us are caught up wondering what the next few weeks or months will bring with all the uncertainty of the present crisis do we ever stop to wonder about the long term? Not just a future career or even retirement, but eternity?

As Jesus comes to the end of the Sermon on the Mount, he faces us with that ultimate question. Are you on the way that leads to destruction or the way that leads to life? Are you heading for heaven or hell?

The really good news is that Jesus has opened up the way to life. But we need to choose to go that way. We need to decide to follow Jesus through our lives to that greater life with its heavenly rewards, even as we seek to live for him now.

So, where are you heading in life?

It's a great question for all ages and this weeks mailing we will focus on ways we can help people of all ages to think through this big question in life. So whether you have young people in your household, are interested in exploring this question more for yourself or just want to encourage and pray for others, please read on!

This week's email includes:

• Join in this Sunday - videos to contribute.
  
• Last Sunday - What kind of person? (Matthew 7:7-12)
  
• Weekly Focus: Youth Ventures online.
  
• Prayer Requests
  
• Notices in Brief: Exploring the Christian faith, update on opening church for private prayer, giving for livestreaming services, ACTS schools work and the link for the Zoom meeting after the service.
  
• Links of the Week: 
  

Join in this Sunday: We already have an opener for this week, but thinking ahead to future weeks, especially next week, it would be good to have some personal reflections from people on life in lockdown.

These videos need to be about 1-2 minutes long and should answer questions like:

• How has Lockdown effected you?
  
• What are the challenges and the positives for you?
  
• How has God helped you during this time?
  

Such videos will really help to add some real-life personal testimony to our services and encourage people to look to Jesus. So do consider and pray whether this is something you could do.

You could video yourself talking about this or arrange a Zoom meeting with me, so that I can interview you and record you at the same time or ask for someone to come and interview you in your garden. Obviously, we cannot guarantee using everyone's video and it may be that we use a number over a period of weeks, but I'd rather have too many than none!

Please send videos by reply to this email, wetransfer.com or Whatsapp (07769 871520). 

Don't forget to join us on YouTube this Sunday (the video should be available from 6am on Sunday). 

Last Sunday: If you missed Last Sunday's talk 'What kind of person?' (Matthew 7:7-12), then you can watch or listen here.

As we all know many things have been cancelled over the summer because of Covid-19. Included in this are the CPAS ventures. These are great holidays for young people to go on. They offer a great mixture of fun activities and teaching on the Christian faith. Our four children have really benefitted from and enjoyed them.

Over the years we have tried to encourage more young people to attend these ventures, but not many have. This year, however, although the ventures are cancelled they are planning to run online versions. The advantage of these is that they are free and you don't have to travel anywhere. However, they should be a great way to engage young people with the Christian faith and may encourage people to attend ventures in the future!

Below is a very short taster video. We'll let you have more information when it becomes available. 

Please be praying for all our young people during this time, that somehow God may use it to grow their faith and set them on the way that leads to eternal life!

Be assured I will do my best to check that people are happy for the requests to be shared before including them. Please pray for:

• Gordon Warren as he goes into the hospice for a few days so that they can get his pain management under control. Pray that this will be effective and that he and June would gain much needed rest.
  
• Joy Smithers as she continues to settle in back at home.
  

• Joy Ovenden who is in a lot of pain with her hips.
  

•  Barbara Kail who has been feeling quite weak.
  
•  Gloria's daughter's friend, Barb, has just been diagnosed with having pancreatic cancer. Please pray for peace and healing at this time.
  
• Chantal Swallow and family after the death of her dad last Friday. Pray for comfort, support and strength at this time
  
•  Nathan - Keep praying for his treatment. Give thanks for positive progress.
  
•  Mitch Styles that he will be relieved from his severe anxiety.
  
• Shirley Crabb who is in a lot of pain, because of the delayed operation on her hip.
  
• Our young people that God would grow their faith and give them peace during these strange times.
  
•  The Virtual Ventures that they will be able to engage many young people with the good news.
•  The work of ACTS in connecting with local schools to share the good news with young people.
  

Prayer from Church of England for during Lockdown:

Lord Jesus Christ,
you taught us to love our neighbour,
and to care for those in need
as if we were caring for you.
In this time of anxiety,
give us strength to comfort the fearful,
to tend the sick, and to assure the isolated
of our love, and your love,
for your name’s sake.
Amen.

Going Deeper with God. A number of people who filled in the recent questionnaire said they would be interested in exploring the Christian faith in more depth over the coming months. To help plan to make this possible, I have developed a very short questionnaire with various options to see what people really want to look at and when they might be available. If you are interested please check out the questionnaire:

Opening of Churches for Private Prayer: Although we had an offer to help keep the church open, no-one expressed interest in having the church open for Private Prayer, so it will remain closed for now.

Giving to help set up live streaming of services. Many thanks to all those who have made donations to help with this. If you haven't yet made a donation and would like to do so, then please ensure you say that the donation is for 'Audio Visual equipment' or 'Livestreaming' when you make the donation. Otherwise any money donated through this button will go to the general funds of the church.

ACTS sponsored cycle ride. We will be hearing more from Maggie on the work of ACTS in our service this week. If you would like to sponsor her or follow her progress and join in praying for the schools then check out this flier or follow this link.

Zoom after the service: It's great to meet and catch up after the service on Sundays. Do join us if you can at 11:30am. Just click the button below:

Checking your Spiritual Health:

Here is a 10 minute video from Rico Tice the speaker on Christianity Explored. It challenges us to think about our spiritual health at this time of Covid-19.

Don't forget to join us on YouTube this Sunday (Video should be available from 6am on Sunday).

Yours in Christ,

Paul.