Midweek Service
The next midweek service will be held this Wednesday, 7th January, at 2pm. The reading is from Luke 9:18-27. Eric will be leading and preaching and there will be communion.
Ladies’ Bible Study
The first ladies’ bible study of the year will take place on Monday 19th January at 7.30pm. The study notes (pink sheets) are on the table at the back of church. The study is open to all women. Please speak to Anne or Kathy.
Leaders’ Retreat
Please pray for our leaders as they go away for the night on their annual retreat to Childswickham on the 9th January.
Stamp Collection
Just a reminder that there is a box on the table at the back to collect all your stamps. Paul sends these off to BMS. Please remember to keep yours!
Saturday morning prayer
Saturday morning prayer for gospel expansion in Corsham will start again on Saturday 17th January at 8.30am.
Questions and Cake!
Vicky will be organising some dates when housegroups will get together over “questions and cake” – the next one will be on Wednesday 14th January. 7.45pm start and 9.15pm finish. Please speak to Vicky for more details.
Life in the Lancs Lane
Steve and Ruth, our missionaries in Tanzania, are currently enjoying a short Christmas break in the UK. They have compiled another interesting and information-packed newsletter for December. There are paper copies on the table at the back or you can visit their blog at http://www.lancsintanz.blogspot.co.uk/
CBC Craft Group
Have you a craft or sewing skill you can share or something you would like to learn? Come and join CBC Craft Group on the first Saturday of the month between 10am–12.30pm in the coffee hall starting on February 7th. For more information contact Pam or Kathy Ewins or just pop in in February to see what we are doing!
Can you help?!
Ginny is requesting help! She needs to collect different sized, cleaned, jam jars for her wedding. Please bring them to church or leave in the office. Thank you.
Joan’s report on her visit to the Oasis Centre, Traiskirchen, December 2014
“Recently I had the privilege of revisiting the Oasis Centre near Vienna, and for a few precious days I was part of the team that reached out and touched the lives of refugees from many nations. We had a clothing room for ladies and it was such a joy to be able to give out baby bags to two Syrian ladies who were about to have their babies. These little ones would not have many of the things that we take for granted, but they did have blankets lovingly knitted and crocheted by our local ladies, and clothes to keep them warm – and the knowledge that the love of Jesus was being given to them too.
On the Wednesday evening, the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth was preached at Oasis by an American. It was translated into German, Farsi, French and Egyptian! Besides the speaker and translators, the team included other volunteers who talked with refugees, prepared the room, cleaned at the end of the night, marked in Bibles, and prepared coffee and tea and cake. For some of these workers, they paid their own train ticket from Vienna to come and serve.
This was not a special event, but something that happens every week – plus a coffee evening every Thursday, weekly German classes, a monthly ladies’ evening, German classes for refugees, and an Alpha course. So much is happening – the Oasis team is reduced in numbers, and the Lagar refugee centre just down the road is far too full, but on the positive side, there are now many volunteers coming to help and the Oasis building is well used.
The highlights of that packed week? The joyous entrance of six Iranians who had just been baptized who came to Oasis for a pizza party, and the ladies’ evening when “Silent Night” was sung (in a room lit only by glow sticks – great excitement!) and they were told the story of Christ’s birth, most hearing this for the first time. It was a privilege to share all of this with the Team and to encourage them with our support.”