Are you on the road to reality?

Or, in other words, signed up for the church weekend away (25th – 27th January 2013) yet?!

What’s it all about?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete and not lacking in anything.” James 1:2-4

James wants to close the gap between what we say about the Lord and how we live for Him. So in his letter he leads us down the road to spiritual reality. It is not a comfortable road to travel down. But it is the way of joy – “pure joy” – because it is the way that leads us to a closer walk with Him.

Simon Smallwood, minister of St George's Church, Dagenham, is a wonderfully honest and down to earth Bible teacher. He will show us how the Lord is at work to make us “mature and complete and not lacking in anything” and draw on his own experiences of growing a church in a tough corner of the world.

It will be great fuel for us all as we work together to plant more churches across the city.

What will it be like?

It will be an amazing opportunity for our small family of churches to go away together – from the newest baby to the oldest senior saint.

There will be Bible teaching, prayer, praise, small group times, crèche, mini-junior church, junior church, chances to share what’s going on at Ashley Down and Westbury, and to begin to pray and plan for future church plants too.

There will be good food and a lot of fun as we enjoy bouncy ents, caving, high-ropes, archery, walks, and just loads of time and space to relax together.

We’ll again be enjoying the excellent facilities of the Pioneer Centre, near Kidderminster (just under 2 hours drive away). We’ll be staying in Travel Lodge style accommodation – family, double and single rooms all with en-suite facilities. This year we have use of the whole site which should give us room for everyone – although it might be a bit of a squeeze. To ensure that you can join us please book in asap.

What will it cost?

It is going to cost us as a church family c.£90 for every adult that joins us, c.£70 for every 11-16 year old and c.£50 for every child between 4-11. But we don’t want to charge that because we know that will stop some from joining us. Instead we want to ask you to lovingly contribute all that you can to meet your own and any others’ costs with those figures in mind. We know that will mean some paying very little or nothing – because that’s all they can afford - and others paying much more - because they can.

Still need convincing?

Ask someone who came last time. In 2011 almost all the church family came and the new church in Ashley Down was one of the many positive results from that time away together.

What must you do now?

1) Make sure the dates are properly blocked out in your diary.

2) Click here to book your place.

3) Pray that it really will be a weekend away that sets us all on the road to reality.

Any other questions?

A letter with full details will be sent out in the New Year. In the meantime do address any questions/ concerns to Ed Shaw.