Some of you may have been wondering why there hasn’t been much activity on the website for a while. We’ve had plans to start the new website (life-cc.co.uk) for several months but things keep getting in the way. This site is going to be taken down when the new one’s ready so we haven’t put much effort into maintaining it in the past few months. Hopefully it won’t be too long but please bear with us until then.
Like most people our routines are a bit different over the Christmas period. Here’s the key changes you need to know about.
Friday 11th – Last Synergy Meeting until 8th January
Sunday 13th – Treasure Kids Christmas Party 4-5.15pm
Treasure kids then closed until 17th January
Tuesday 15th – Friendship plus Christmas dinner (£5, book by 13th)
Saturday 19th – Musical, Escape to Egypt, 7pm
Sunday 20th – Musical, Escape to Egypt, 5.30pm
Tuesday 22nd – No Friendship Plus
Wednesday 23rd – No Bright Hour or prayer meeting
Friday 25th – Christmas Morning Service, 10am
Sunday 27th – No evening service
Tuesday 29th – No Friendship Plus
Wednesday 30th – No Bright Hour or prayer meeting
Thursday 31st – New Year’s Eve Party, 7.30-11pm
Watchnight Service, 11-12pm
Sunday 3rd January – No evening service
Jesus said that He has come to give us life and that it’s life to the full. He told us that He is the resurrection and the life. We also know that He is the way, the truth and the life. The word ‘life’ is significant to everyone, but for us it has become even more important.
We’re announcing a momentous change in the history of our fellowship. From Sunday 18th October we have changed our name to Life Community Church. It was not a decision we took lightly, but God has speaking to us over a period of months and we knew it was the right thing to do. We are still the same Bible believing, Holy Spirit filled, Pentecostal, community minded people that we’ve always been; but now our name reflects that we are all about life.
The most obvious differences will be the signage around the building and a new website which is under construction. We also believe that God is preparing us for an amazing time of growth as we demonstrate to everyone that Life is all about God.
Welcome to life
Some people think that Halloween is just a bit of harmless fun. However, it only takes a couple of minutes thought to realise that we’re joking about some pretty serious stuff. Some Christians respond to this by moaning and complaining but we’re going to have some fun of our own.
The Hallelujah Party is on October 31st from 6-7.30pm. It’s going to be a fantastic evening of fun, games, music and prizes.
Our cosmically fantastic 3-day playscheme is back again! Activities include bouncy castle, crafts, computer games, songs and much much more. To get some idea of what it’s like, visit our YouTube channel for video of a previous year. At only £1 per child per day you will not find better value anywhere. To book, bring your completed forms and payment to the church. You do need to book in advance, places are filling up fast and it’s first-come, first-served. You can get a booking form by clicking here Flyer & booking form for Above & Beyond Activity Days 2009. This year children also need to bring their own packed lunch.
The 5th July was a really exciting day for Treasure Kids as the West Midlands Police came to tell us about their work and how we can stay safe. There were talks about traffic police including the demonstration of a stinger and a breathalyser test (don’t worry, Pastor John passed) . The children had the chance to have their finger prints taken and dress up with various pieces of equipment. We also learned the right way to cross roads and how to stay safe on the internet. One of the highlights was the visit of a police dog who showed his ability to hunt for property and stop offenders from running away. He was also happy to sit still while the children stroked him. Everyone had a great day and the time flashed by as we were having so much fun.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the West Midlands police for taking the time to visit us and make it such a special day. As well as the photos below you can also see more about what happened by watching the video on YouTube.
On Sunday the 28th June at 6.30pm we have another remarkable guest at the church. During the evening service Carl Finnan will be telling us about his story. Carl had decided that life was not worth living and had made plans to end it all. Then something happened that radically changed his mind. Why not come and find out what it was?
There is a free finger buffet following the meeting.
Fathers day was Sunday 21st of June and here at Hockley Pentecostal Church we had our usual celebration topped off with free gifts. Every man had his choice from a large selection of free tools. It wasn’t just those with children either, every male over the age of 18 was invited to take their pick (or screwdriver, or hammer…).
This year’s family funday was the best ever! Around seven hundred people came to enjoy the fun including songs, puppets, games, music, bouncy castle and face painting. There were bargains galore at our charity shop and a new attraction was the very popular glitter tattoo. Children and adults alike were delighted by TK the dog, who took part in everything and helped to teach the youngsters about the right people to listen to.
Our annual family funday continues to be a highlight for the local community and once again everything, including a packed lunch for everyone, was completely free.
Every now and then you come across a truly remarkable story. A story in which the love and power of God are revealed in all their awesome glory. Barry Woodward’s life tells one of those stories and he’ll be sharing it with us on Sunday 3rd May. To give you an idea of what it’s about, here’s an extract from the back cover of his book “Once an Addict”.
Barry Woodward was a drug dealer and heroin addict who once lived on the notorious Bull Rings in the centre of Manchester. This book describes Barry’s descent into the murky underworld of drug dealing, addiction, crime and imprisonment, and gives first hand insight into the city’s nightlife and music scene. Along the way we are introduced to some of the most extraordinary characters, and we see the extreme lengths to which some of them will go to get their next ‘fix’.
Illegal drug use claimed the lives of many such people, and it seemed inevitable that Barry would also succumb to the drastic consequences of his addiction. With devastating amphetamine-induced mental health issues, a fourteen-year heroin addiction, a string of broken relationships, and the threat of HIV looming, the outlook for Barry appeared very bleak. Then three extraordinary encounters changed his life forever….
Here is a pdf of the flyer about Barry’s visit. You can also get information from his website.
