St Lawrence Church Bidborough

St Lawrence Church, Bidborough



Know God, Show His Love, Grow His Church

Southborough Team

Vision Statement

‘Know God, Show His Love, Grow His Church’

Our Vision for St Lawrence church.

The Christian life, both for the individual and for churches, is a dynamic one. The Bible speaks of a journey, a race, and the coming of a new Kingdom. The apostle Paul sums it up well when he says that in his own Christian life he is ‘pressing on towards the goal’ of a more complete relationship with God.

In order to experience this dynamic life, we need to know where we are going. A statement of vision can help by pointing the way forward, focusing our activity, and reminding us what we are about.

Where should this Vision Statement come from? It should come from Jesus Christ, because it is His ministry that we are involved in. Some of His clearest teaching is found in what we now call the ‘Greatest Commandment’ and the ‘Great Commission’. These verses should be the foundation of all Christian vision and mission -

The Greatest Commandment - Mark 12:30-31

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

The Great Commission - Matthew 28:19-20

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

There are three aspects to these imperatives of Jesus Christ. The first is to Know God through a personal relationship with Him. The second, which follows the first and is a response to knowing God, is to Show His Love to those around us - both within and outside the fellowship of faith. The third thing - the great commission - is outward-looking. The call to ‘make disciples’ involves both spreading the good news of the gospel so that people may come to know God for themselves, and also encouraging one another to deepen our own knowledge and love of God. It is a call to Grow His Church.

These themes, taken form Jesus' words form the Vision Statement that we are using as a way of focusing our ongoing ministry at St. Lawrence Church.

Know God...Show His Love...Grow His Church...

We hope that these words will help us to keep following Jesus, and to focus our energies and plans on his ministry, now and in the future.


Stephen Hills

News

Daily Prayers

BCP Morning Prayer
CW Morning Prayer
BCP Evening Prayer
CW Evening Prayer

Daily Prayer provided by the official Church of England web site, © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2009.

Church Open Day and Sponsored Bike Ride

11th September. If you would like to get involved contact Bill Snell.

Soul Survivor

Contact Anne Hinds if you would like to join the youngsters attending this year 11-15 August.

C.A.M.E.O. Teas

Cameo
Cameo teas have restarted. Come along to the Small Village Hall on Thursdays from 4pm to 4.45pm for tea, cakes and friendship.

C.A.M.E.O. Lunch

On the second Sunday of the month in term time in the school hall. If you are not with family or friends on those days, you are very welcome to join us from 12.30pm, eating around 1.00pm. Please give Helen Taylor a call on 544588 if you would like to come.

Women's Institute

The next meeting will be on 19th July at 7.45pm in the Village Hall. Subject for the evening will be 'An Inspector Called' by Don Buckland.

Crisis Recovery

The Day Centre would be happy to receive donations of second-hand clean clothes and shoes for their guests (particularly men’s clothing). If you can help please get in touch with Alan Richards on 528916.

Free Rice

Free Rice
Click on the rice bowl and you will be offered a word and four possible meanings. Click on the correct one and the advertisers on the site will pay for 20 grains of rice to go to the hungry of the world. Watch the grains of rice accumulate as you play – 5000 grains are a bowlful!

Traidcraft

There is a Traidcraft stall in Church on the first Sunday of every month. Please support this worthwhile project, which last year sold £7000 worth of goods in local churches.

Brownies

We welcome the 1st Bidborough Brownies for Church Parade during family services.
Brownie

St Lawrence Recipe Collection

Still available, at £5.00 per copy.
Contact Jenny Heyes or Deborah Snelling.

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