Please note, the church office will be closed on Wednesday 29 & Thursday 30 January as the staff will be at the Vineyard National Leadership Conference (NLC), Trent Vineyard, Nottingham. Please pray that our pastors Andrew and Emma and those going meet with God, are refreshed and renewed by His Spirit.
January 24, 2014 in event, news, news & events, news and events by andrew
We are pleased to announce that Marc James will be our Sunday Service special guest on Sunday 20 November, 10:30am at the Delphi Centre.
Marc is the youth and student pastor at Russell Park Baptist Church in Bedford and was previously the Worship Pastor at St Albans Vineyard. He has released a number of albums, which includes popular songs such as ‘Surrender’ and ‘He Reigns’. He has also regularly led worship at summer events such as Soul Survivor. Marc is married to Veronica, who hails from Argentina and has worked for many years in missions with Youth with a Mission. They have two children: Lemmy and Leilani.
In the meantime if you would like to listen to some of Marc’s music you can click on the link below;
Marc James – To The Broken and The Shattered
January 21, 2014 in news & events by andrew
Some quick thoughts by our senior pastor, Andrew Stewart-Darling (Reproduced from Community News magazine)
How do you start a New Year? I mean beyond the obvious alcohol detox and rash gym membership purchase, how are you looking to approach 2014?
The king’s advice to Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book is a good place to start as any: “Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end.”
I like that pragmatic approach. We all like a party on New Year’s Eve, but beyond the Hokey Cokey it is just a way of seeing the end as a beginning. Nothing changes at midnight, apart from the date. Yet, 2014 could be the year that everything changes.
You may be aware that part two of Peter Jackson’s film of The Hobbit is now out. Recently I watched the first one again to put me in the mood.
The world of the hobbit is a very safe and confortable place where nothing extraordinary ever happens, not least to Bilbo Baggins.
However, his life changes when a grey wizard by the name of Gandalf comes visiting: “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.’
The response by the hobbit is sniffy: “I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”
Yet Gandalf, and the company of dwarfs, cause him to assess his cosy, predictable life, leading to unexpected feelings being stirred up from within. We see him catch up with the departing dwarfs. Albeit unprepared and without a clean pocket handkerchief.
Change can be good or bad, but one thing is for sure, change is here to stay. Nothing stays the same, whether we are hobbit or human.
Gandalf disrupted Bilbo’s life to recruit him for a greater cause – to serve the needs of others and put himself last. This is not dissimilar to Jesus’ call upon a Christian’s life
For those of us who have decided to put our faith in Jesus we have committed ourselves to an adventure bigger than ourselves. And an exciting one it is too! It is why we have as our church’s slogan “For a life less ordinary.”
Part of that journey at Stour Valley Vineyard Church has seen the start of Storehouse Foodbank in Sudbury, which has now seen a number of other groups and churches join us.
We have taken up the invitation to put our faith in Jesus. That has meant, in short, leaving the safety of “The Shires”.
We have seen many lives wonderfully transformed, along with new beginnings. It is a spiritual journey that changes us forever.
Bilbo Baggins saw himself as nothing out of the ordinary. We may feel the same. But to God we are special and most definitely loved. Furthermore, we shouldn’t underestimate our own worth.
As Gandalf said, “I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love.”
ASD
January 20, 2014 in news & events by andrew
Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland will be hosting a wide variety of events during 2014. Listed below are the main events:
January 27th – 30th | National Leaders’ Conference | Nottingham
February 18th – 21st | Youth Worship School | Winchester
May 3rd | Great Big God 5 Recording | Winchester
May 23rd – 26th | Dreaming the Impossible | Lincolnshire
May 31st | National Live Album recording
October 17th – 19th | Worship Leaders’ Retreat | Derbyshire
November 7th – 9th | Children’s Leaders’ Retreat | Northampton
January 7, 2014 in news & events by andrew
We would like to wish you a Happy New Year and hope that 2014 will bring you joy and happiness. We have had a fantastic 2013 at Stour Valley Vineyard and we will be asking the Lord for more during 2014. We pray that He will continue to grow the church and allow us to continue our work through compassion ministry. Finally to get your new year under way a few words for thought:
Jeremiah 29:11
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
January 1, 2014 in news & events by andrew
We hope you have enjoyed your Christmas break. Our services will start again on the 5th January. It will be a First Sunday service so we will be meeting at 6:30pm at the Delphi Centre. We look forward seeing you there.
December 30, 2013 in event, news & events, this week by andrew
Join this Christmas Eve for our community carol service ‘Glow’. There will be drinks and mince pies served from 6pm to welcome you. The service starts at 6:30pm and we are really looking forward to welcoming the community to celebrate the birth of Jesus with carols by glowstick.
December 23, 2013 in Christmas, event, news & events by andrew
This Sunday (22.12.13) at the Delphi Centre we will be celebrating the reason for the season. The service starts at 10:30am and will include crafts and carols for all ages. There will be fresh coffee, soft drinks and snacks as you arrive.
December 18, 2013 in Christmas, event, news & events by andrew
