Woodies Kids | Joy (Fruits of the Spirit week 2)

Welcome to the Woodies Kids blog.


This week we are thinking about…

Fruits of the Spirit:

Joy

Do you know what the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ are? You can read about them in Galatians 5:22-23.

These fruits aren’t actual fruit, they are ways of acting or being that is pleasing to God. When we spend time with God by praying and reading the bible the Holy Spirit helps grow these fruits within us.

TIME TO THINK

How can you be joyful? Did you know the bible says the joy of the Lord is our strength. The more joy we have the stronger and more courageous we will feel.

Do you know how to have more joy?

Join Ruth and Lydia this week for a fun-packed episode. We chat to Richard and Ellie about what Joy is.

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Dear God,

Help me to be joyful in every situation. Remind me that Your joy is my strength.

Amen

Fruitfulness: Planting | Dave Mitchell at 7pm | 26 July 2020

26 July 2020 - 7pm Service

Fruitfulness

We're continuing our FRUITFULNESS series during July. Dave Mitchell will be sharing a special message on planting from John 15.

STUDY NOTES

Attached are the resources for our 'take two.' This week, Megan Saunders from our student community shares some thoughts on planting in a short video along with some additional questions to take into your group.

During August, The Seven PM team will be taking a break from sending out out 'take two' notes. However, do keep an eye on our Woodies Instagram (@woodieschurch) and Facebook pages for some content that might keep you ticking on over summer. As always, we hope that you find these useful.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

You can also check out Dave's discussion questions below. First read John 15:14-15, 20-21, 26-27.

These verses speak of disciples carrying on the master's business, through the power of the Holy Spirit, spreading the gospel. It is an opportunity for us this Sunday to reflect on what it means for us to be a Church that is a Church planting Church, wanting to see fruitful reproduction of Church all over our City.

  • What does a fruitful Church community look like?

  • How important is 'connecting' for us a Church planting other Churches to maintain fruitfulness? How do we guard unity while releasing life?

  • Sometimes Church planting makes a 'mother church' feel pruned. How can we make that pruning something that is positive not a source of damage (bad pruning can hurt a plant)?

  • How can we be fruitful in transforming our City and region? How has our strategy been affected by Covid-19.

Fruitfulness: Planting | Tim Dobson & Jess Wilson at 11am | 26 July 2020

26 July 2020 - 11am Service

Fruitfulness

This Sunday we will be finishing off our FRUITFULNESS series, looking at John 15. Sammy and Jasper Savage are hosting and Tim Dobson and Jess Wilson will be preaching together on the topic of planting. We've got some great worship recorded live by April and our Woodlands worship team. Plus Rachel caught up with Ziju and Cornelia, who lead our prayers. We also say goodbye to two of our team, Zoe Germain and Joey Mitchell. Thanks for all your hard work guys!

Remember, our new 7pm service is being live-streamed from Woodies tonight! So do be sure to tune in later...Dave Mitchell will also be preaching on the topic of planting

STUDY NOTES

Read John 15:14-15, 20-21, 26-27. These verses speak of disciples carrying on the master's business, through the power of the Holy Spirit, spreading the gospel. It is an opportunity for us this Sunday to reflect on what it means for us to be a Church that is a Church planting Church, wanting to see fruitful reproduction of Church all over our City.

  • What does a fruitful Church community look like?

  • How important is 'connecting' for us a Church planting other Churches to maintain fruitfulness? How do we guard unity while releasing life?

  • Sometimes Church planting makes a 'mother church' feel pruned. How can we make that pruning something that is positive not a source of damage (bad pruning can hurt a plant)?

  • How can we be fruitful in transforming our City and region? How has our strategy been affected by Covid-19.

Woodies Kids | Splashdown Holiday Club

Welcome to the Woodies Kids blog.


This week is our Holiday Club

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SPLASHDOWN

Adventures with Jesus

This week we are looking at ways in which we can keep our eyes on Jesus knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us. Jesus wants to help us and will change our lives.

Find the following stories in your bible:

The miracle of the fish - Luke 5

Jesus walks on water - Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus turns water into wine - John 2:1-11

TIME TO THINK

Take time to listen to the song.

One of my favourite lines is “If You can hold the stars in place, You can hold my heart the same”. Isn’t it amazing that the God who made the stars cares about you and every single part of your life. Think of a part of your life you would like God to help you in this week.

Perhaps you would like more courage to talk to a friend who you’ve no spoken to in a long time, or more patience with your broth or sister. Or perhaps you just want to feel that God is with you when you feel anxious or afraid.

God can do all of these things and more!!!

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Dear God,

Thankyou that you care about me and want me to be confident in knowing you. Help me to include you in my daily life, I want to have more adventures with you.

Amen

Fruitfulness: Abiding | Matt Dobson at 7pm | 19 July 2020

19 July 2020 - 7pm Service

Fruitfulness

We're continuing our FRUITFULNESS series during July and Matt Dobson will be sharing a special message on abiding from John 15. April and the Woodlands worship team lead us in some great live worship and Nigel and Amy host the service.

STUDY NOTES

To go deeper with the topic of abiding, our 7pm team have come up with some resources for our 'take two’. This week, Tim Stephenson from the student community shares some thoughts on abiding in a short video along with some additional questions for you to take into your group. You can also look at Dave's study notes below…

Introduction 
Here are some questions you might want to reflect on about 'fruitfulness' - read John 15:4-12.

Spiritual connection is vital to spiritual health, just as relational connection is vital to relational health. Jesus had such a strong understand of abiding in the Father and 'only doing what I see the Father doing'. He calls and invites His followers to have that sort of relationship with Him.

  • How do I remain in Christ, or rather what might cause me to cease abiding in Christ, as a Church community or an individual? ( For the early Church their Christ Centred, Cross Centred 'abiding' focus was key to them not slipping back into fruitless legalism. But modern Churches can become centred on a cause rather than centred on Christ and like the Church in Ephesus in Revelation 2, lose their first love).

  • As an individual how do spiritual disciplines help me live out a moment by moment abiding, connecting with Christ?

  • How does the work of and presence of the Spirit keep me abiding in Christ?

  • Can good things be the enemy of the best, or can temptation and idolatry pull me away? The parable of the sower is a metaphor for abiding; the good soil 'retains' the seed.

  • Abiding sounds peaceful. How can meditation and Christian mindfulness play its part in an abiding life?

  • How can we abide when things are busy, crazy or scary?

New Wine | United Breaks Out (30 July - 3 Aug 2020)

New Wine will be gathering the family together online this summer!
And you’re invited and it’s completely free! 

New Wine - United Breaks Out
30 July – 3 August 2020

New Wine have been working closely with inclusion teams to ensure the event is as accessible as possible. 

Here's a taste of what you'll be able to enjoy, for free, from your sofa, a tent in your garden, your local park or even your bed!

In the mornings, Bible Teaching will be led by Pete Hughes and Bishop Jill Duff.

Pete leads KXC, which has been described as 'one of London's most innovative churches'. His recent book All Things New is about God's relentless passion to redeem lives, heal the nations, rewire the culture & bring renewal to all of creation.

Bishop of Lancaster Jill Duff will be speaking in Impact, the urban venue, on Friday, Saturday and Monday mornings. As bishop, she oversees mission, evangelism & church planting in the Diocese of Blackburn. Previously she was the founding director of St Mellitus College North West and served as an urban parish priest, school chaplain & pioneer minister.

Evening sessions will be led by a different guest speaker each night. Confirmed so far are Miriam Swanson of Fusion, Gary Haugen of IJM, leadership coach Jo Saxton (pictured), author, speaker & advocate Danielle Strickland, Chris Lane of St Mellitus North West and New Wine National Leader Paul Harcourt.

Each afternoon will be TED-style seminars led by experts in topics that are relevant and important at this time: grief, loss & lament; Holy Spirit ministry; leading in changing times; race; mental health & well-being; apologetics; creation care; parenting; and prayer. These will be followed by sofa sessions, Q&As & webinars for further discussion and questions.

Each morning at New Wine Kids: Space Agency, 0-11s & their families will encounter God through songs, challenges, stories, teaching & gunge! In the afternoons, join Stomping Ground live for fun, games, challenges & general craziness. New for 2020 is an Augmented Reality App packed with stories, games, crafts, activities, prayer & worship. 

Luminosity is an exciting programme for 11-18s including breakfast time devotions and chat; challenges; afternoon workshops on mental health & anxiety, evangelism, apologetics, calling, leadership, social media & the world we could create; Evening Celebrations with high energy worship & guest speakers; and After Parties. For more info go to weareluminosity.org

Members of the New Wine Leadership Network will be able to access a programme of 1-2-1 prayer slots, mission consultations & international gatherings via Zoom as well as discussions with special guests about 'What’s next for the local church?’, 'Leading & well-being' and 'Mission & planting'. 

Throughout the event you can browse our online Resource Venue where you’ll find St Andrew’s Bookshop and other shops including Christian Gift Co and Wee Sparrow, and opportunities to connect with Christian organisations including BRF, CAP, Open Doors and Hope for Justice. Using our interactive map you can also access charity experiences from Mercy Ships, MedAir, Compassion and MAF.

Over 300 people have volunteered to be United Breaks Out Community Makers, tasked with modelling the same fellowship and connection in homes and communities that is seen across the campsite each summer. 

Sign up to Event & Resource updates at new-wine.org/sign-up to find out more. 

Woodlands is having a New Wine Takeover on Sunday, 2 August at 11am!
Instead of having our normal morning service, we’re asking our Woodies church family to tune into United Breaks Out as they broadcast live at 11am. You don’t have to sign up, just tune in live to New Wine’s YouTube Channel:


Fruitfulness: Abiding | Stephen McEwen at 11am | 19 July 2020

19 July 2020 - 11am Service

Fruitfulness

Today we are looking at FRUITFULNESS and John 15. Dave and Jo are hosting and we are excited to welcome Pastor Stephen McEwen from E5 to share a message on abiding with us. We've got some worship recorded live Colse, April and our Woodlands worship team. Plus we're having communion, so do have some bread and wine/juice ready.

Remember, our new 7pm service is being live-streamed from Woodies tonight! So do be sure to tune in later...Matt Dobson will also be preaching on the topic of abiding.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
Here are some questions you might want to reflect on about 'fruitfulness' - read John 15:4-12.

Spiritual connection is vital to spiritual health, just as relational connection is vital to relational health. Jesus had such a strong understand of abiding in the Father and 'only doing what I see the Father doing'. He calls and invites His followers to have that sort of relationship with Him.

  • How do I remain in Christ, or rather what might cause me to cease abiding in Christ, as a Church community or an individual? ( For the early Church their Christ Centred, Cross Centred 'abiding' focus was key to them not slipping back into fruitless legalism. But modern Churches can become centred on a cause rather than centred on Christ and like the Church in Ephesus in Revelation 2, lose their first love).

  • As an individual how do spiritual disciplines help me live out a moment by moment abiding, connecting with Christ?

  • How does the work of and presence of the Spirit keep me abiding in Christ?

  • Can good things be the enemy of the best, or can temptation and idolatry pull me away? The parable of the sower is a metaphor for abiding; the good soil 'retains' the seed.

  • Abiding sounds peaceful. How can meditation and Christian mindfulness play its part in an abiding life?

  • How can we abide when things are busy, crazy or scary?

Woodies Kids | Love (Fruits of the Spirit week 1)

Welcome to the Woodies Kids blog


This week we are thinking about…

Fruits of the Spirit: LOVE

Do you know what the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ are? You can read about them in Galatians 5:22-23.

These fruits aren’t actual fruit, they are ways of acting or being that is pleasing to God. When we spend time with God by praying and reading the bible the Holy Spirit helps grow these fruits within us.

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TIME TO THINK

How can you show love to someone this week? Perhaps there’s someone you’ve not seen in a long time, could you write them a letter. Can you help your parents out with a job or be extra kind to your brother or sister.

There are many ways we can show love to people, did you know Jesus even said to love people who are unkind to us. That is pretty difficult sometimes. Maybe you could think about someone who you find tricky to love, could you ask God to show you ways you can be nice to them!?

Join Ruth and Lydia this week for a fun-packed episode. We chat to Claire about how we can grow our love


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Dear God,

Sometimes I find it hard to love people if they have been unkind to me. Help me to show them how much you love them by my actions

Amen

Fruitfulness: Pruning | Rachel Riddall at 7pm | 12 July 2020

12 July 2020 - 7pm Service

Fruitfulness

We're continuing our FRUITFULNESS series during July. Joe and Hannah will be hosting tonight and Colse and the Woodlands band are leading worship. Rachel Riddall, one of our pastors, will be sharing a special message this evening on pruning from John 15.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
Here are some questions you might want to reflect on about 'fruitfulness' - read John 15:2.

A gardener prunes a tree or a bush to enable it to be fruitful, not to waste nutrients and growth in producing leggy stems or branches. Fruitfulness, not size is the goal. Pruning looks like a painful process- equivalent perhaps to 'discipline' in Hebrews 12: 11, a discipline that feels unpleasant at the time but produces a 'harvest' (fruitfulness). What elements of pruning might we be experiencing individually and corporately?

  1. Pruning helps us prioritise; the vital over the urgent or extraneous. In your life where is the 'urgent' getting in the way of the 'vital'?

  2. Pruning simplifies where life gets over complex. What could you helpfully simplify in your life?

  3. Pruning humbles, where we have grown over-confident in size rather than fruitfulness. What has this season helpfully challenged for us as a Church as well as individually?

  4. Pruning leads to growth. (In church life it energises and gives capacity for people). What do you have renewed appetite for right now?

Fruitfulness: Pruning | Clare Thompson at 11am | 12 July 2020

12 July 2020 - 11am Service

Fruitfulness

Today we are looking at FRUITFULNESS and John 15 with a message about pruning from pastor Clare Thompson. Tim and Izzy are hosting and we've got some special worship from April, Colse, Jo and our Woodlands worship team. It's Global Partners Sunday and we'll be taking our monthly offering, so Tim caught up with Dennis & Charmian in Peru and Joy leads our prayers for the world.

Remember, our new 7pm service is being live-streamed from Woodies tonight! So do be sure to tune in later...Rachel Riddall will also be preaching on the topic of pruning.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
Here are some questions you might want to reflect on about 'fruitfulness' - read John 15:2.

A gardener prunes a tree or a bush to enable it to be fruitful, not to waste nutrients and growth in producing leggy stems or branches. Fruitfulness, not size is the goal. Pruning looks like a painful process- equivalent perhaps to 'discipline' in Hebrews 12: 11, a discipline that feels unpleasant at the time but produces a 'harvest' (fruitfulness). What elements of pruning might we be experiencing individually and corporately?

  1. Pruning helps us prioritise; the vital over the urgent or extraneous. In your life where is the 'urgent' getting in the way of the 'vital'?

  2. Pruning simplifies where life gets over complex. What could you helpfully simplify in your life?

  3. Pruning humbles, where we have grown over-confident in size rather than fruitfulness. What has this season helpfully challenged for us as a Church as well as individually?

  4. Pruning leads to growth. (In church life it energises and gives capacity for people). What do you have renewed appetite for right now?

Hands at Work Danceathon Raises £1k

Our Woodies Kids team recently organised a Zoom Danceathon for Hands at Work in Africa, one of the charities that we partner with as a congregation.

Hands at Work in Africa is providing frontline support in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and are seeing increased need in the communities they serve.

We are excited to announce that over £1,000 has been raised, but could we as a Church give more?

There's still time to make a donation to support this amazing charity:

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Woodies Kids | Hope

Welcome to the Woodies Kids blog.


This week we are thinking about…

Hope

Hope is a confident belief and expectation in the truths and promises of God.

Let's think about some of the promises of God:

  • God loves you no matter what you have done

  • God is always with us so we don't need to be afraid

  • God will give us strength

  • God will provide for us

  • God has gifts for us, these are also called the fruits of the spirit

  • God has planned our future

  • God listens to us

  • God is good

  • God sent His son Jesus to earth, He died on a cross so that someday we can be in heaven with God

  • God knew you before you were even born and thinks you are perfect!

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TIME TO THINK

Isn't it amazing that even though our minds cannot grasp all the things that God is he cares so much about us! The bible says he even knows how many hairs are on your head (Matthew 10:30) and he loved you before you were even born (Psalm 139).

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Sometimes in life things can seem hard, when we feel sad or something bad happens sometimes it feels like it will go on forever. Remember God has promised to be with you so whatever you are going through whether it is a happy time or a sad time God is right there.

Take a moment to pray and ask God to remind you that no matter what, he is always with you.

Dear God,

Sometimes I feel sad, afraid of nervous.

Please help me to feel that you are with me, help me to know your love.

Amen

Fruitfulness | Hannah Mitchell at 7pm | 5 July 2020

5 July 2020 - 7pm Service

Fruitfulness

This evening we re-launched THE SEVEN PM service, which will be live-streamed from Woodies each Sunday evening and feature heartfelt worship and complimentary messages to build on the preaching series. For July, we’re looking at FRUITFULNESS and John 15. April and Matt are hosting, worship is with Mark and our Woodlands team, Dave popped to introduce the series and Hannah shared a special message with us. You can go deeper with this topic using the study notes below.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
God created human beings to be fruitful. His first words to humans in Genesis are 'Be fruitful and multiply'. Jesus says to his disciples in John 15, 'I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit'.

A basic human need is to feel fruitful, useful and productive. Here are some questions to think about…

  1. How would you define fruitfulness? What specifically makes a Christian 'fruitful' in the eyes of God do you think?

  2. Dave Mitchell talks about fruitful 'both ands'. There is fruitfulness around activity and 'multiplication' There is fruitfulness in 'becoming', in personal growth, the fruit of the Spirit. There is fruitfulness as an individual, and fruitfulness as a community.

  3. How does your personal fruitfulness contribute to the fruitfulness of the whole Church community? In what ways has being part of a community in midweek group or wider Church helped you to be fruitful?

  4. Which of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5 have you seen growing in your spiritual journey? Which might need some spiritual 'gardening' to help their growth?

  5. What does it mean for us to 'reproduce the life of Jesus'?

  6. How has our personal and corporate fruitfulness been affected by Covid-19?

  7. How do different seasons of life enable us to be fruitful? What season are you in now and how has your capacity for fruitfulness changed?

Fruitfulness | David Mitchell at 11am | 5 July 2020

5 July 2020 - 11am Service

Fruitfulness

Today we begin our new preaching series for July, looking at FRUITFULNESS and John 15 with a message from Dave Mitchell, our senior pastor. Mel and Rachel are hosting and we've got LIVE worship recorded at church from April and our Woodlands worship team. Hannah got to catch up with Azeem, our caretaker and Ella leads our prayers.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
God created human beings to be fruitful. His first words to humans in Genesis are 'Be fruitful and multiply'. Jesus says to his disciples in John 15, 'I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit'.

A basic human need is to feel fruitful, useful and productive. Here are some questions to think about…

  1. How would you define fruitfulness? What specifically makes a Christian 'fruitful' in the eyes of God do you think?

  2. Dave Mitchell talks about fruitful 'both ands'. There is fruitfulness around activity and 'multiplication' There is fruitfulness in 'becoming', in personal growth, the fruit of the Spirit. There is fruitfulness as an individual, and fruitfulness as a community.

  3. How does your personal fruitfulness contribute to the fruitfulness of the whole Church community? In what ways has being part of a community in midweek group or wider Church helped you to be fruitful?

  4. Which of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5 have you seen growing in your spiritual journey? Which might need some spiritual 'gardening' to help their growth?

  5. What does it mean for us to 'reproduce the life of Jesus'?

  6. How has our personal and corporate fruitfulness been affected by Covid-19?

  7. How do different seasons of life enable us to be fruitful? What season are you in now and how has your capacity for fruitfulness changed?

Living Inside Out: Hope | Tim Dobson | 28 June 2020

28 June 2020 - 11am Service

Living Inside Out | Hope

Welcome to Woodlands Church Online - today is all about hope! Nigel is hosting this morning and this service will include worship led by Mark and April with our Woodlands worship team and some creative spoken word about hope. Tim will sharing a message with us as part of our series 'Living Inside Out' on being hopeful looking at Romans 8:23 and Allan Macleod shares about his role in the city office with Bristol being a City of Hope.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
Lock-down and Covid-19 has certainly made us think about cleanliness and hygiene. I've never washed my hands as much in my life! Jesus teaches in Mark 7 that holiness is an inner thing. What is our spiritual hygiene like in a time of Covid?

  1. The Old Testament had lots of laws about cleanliness and hygiene, food laws etc. The people of God were learning to be Holy, which means to be 'set apart'. What is the difference between 'ritual' holiness and 'moral' holiness?

  2. Do we get confused like the people of Jesus's day between outward appearances and behaviour, and inner purity? If so in what ways? How can we tell what's going on on the inside with people we may feel judgemental of?

  3. How do we keep clean hearts? The Psalmist prays 'Create in me a clean heart O Lord'? How does God clean us up?

  4. In physical hygiene terms we try to prevent dirt and 'foreign bodies' entering us through wounds or orifices by good hygiene. How can we stop spiritual pollution through anger, bitterness, lust, anxiety etc entering in?

  5. How much is the practice of 'keeping short accounts' forgiving and seeking forgiveness part of our discipleship? How does Holy Communion help us activate forgiveness? Do we need to be forgiven or to forgive?

  6. Has lock-down caused you to become angry or hurt by someone? Has isolation made you more vulnerable to allowing poor spiritual hygiene in your life?

Practice
In Matthew 6: 12-15 Jesus teaches us to forgive so we can be forgiven. Are you able to identify precisely where you might need forgiveness, or need to forgive someone? Could you this week make an inventory of such things and in secret practice asking forgiveness for anything God shows you and forgiving others.

Fruitfulness

In July, we’re starting a new preaching series on Fruitfulness - a major theme of scripture. In John 15:16, Jesus says to the disciples: ‘I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last.’

This series will look at helping us better understand our call to be fruitful, how our God ‘the gardener’ tends His vine to make it fruitful and how we can make sense of the season we are in.

Our sermons in this series will look at these topics at both the 11am service and the new 7pm online service…

  • Fruitfulness - 5 July

  • Pruning - 12 July

  • Abiding - 19 July

  • Planting - 26 July


TALKS ON FRUITFULNESS

Living Inside Out: Clean | David Mitchell | 21 June 2020

21 June 2020 - 11am Service

Living Inside Out | Clean

Rachel is hosting this service from the Foyer and it will include worship led by Nigel Savage with our Woodlands worship team, plus Dave will sharing a message with us as part of our series 'Living Inside Out' on being 'Clean' and leading us in communion (so do have bread and wine/juice ready). Tim catches up with Carmen Carrol, from the Keyboard Trust about unity in diversity. Plus it's Father's Day! So Clare got back in touch with Andy & Jo, who we heard from a few months back about becoming emergency foster carers, as they have just recently been able to welcome a young boy into their family.

STUDY NOTES

Introduction 
Lock-down and Covid-19 has certainly made us think about cleanliness and hygiene. I've never washed my hands as much in my life! Jesus teaches in Mark 7 that holiness is an inner thing. What is our spiritual hygiene like in a time of Covid?

  1. The Old Testament had lots of laws about cleanliness and hygiene, food laws etc. The people of God were learning to be Holy, which means to be 'set apart'. What is the difference between 'ritual' holiness and 'moral' holiness?

  2. Do we get confused like the people of Jesus's day between outward appearances and behaviour, and inner purity? If so in what ways? How can we tell what's going on on the inside with people we may feel judgemental of?

  3. How do we keep clean hearts? The Psalmist prays 'Create in me a clean heart O Lord'? How does God clean us up?

  4. In physical hygiene terms we try to prevent dirt and 'foreign bodies' entering us through wounds or orifices by good hygiene. How can we stop spiritual pollution through anger, bitterness, lust, anxiety etc entering in?

  5. How much is the practice of 'keeping short accounts' forgiving and seeking forgiveness part of our discipleship? How does Holy Communion help us activate forgiveness? Do we need to be forgiven or to forgive?

  6. Has lock-down caused you to become angry or hurt by someone? Has isolation made you more vulnerable to allowing poor spiritual hygiene in your life?

Practice
In Matthew 6: 12-15 Jesus teaches us to forgive so we can be forgiven. Are you able to identify precisely where you might need forgiveness, or need to forgive someone? Could you this week make an inventory of such things and in secret practice asking forgiveness for anything God shows you and forgiving others.

Anti-Racism: How can I pray and what can I do?

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Racism isn’t an exclusively American problem. Racism is alive in the UK and here in Bristol and in the Church. Racism is a sin, and as such all Christians everywhere are duty bound to stand, be counted and fight against it. Silence on the matter is complicity.

In response to the recent death of George Floyd, and in the light of the problems we have with racism here in Bristol, Tim Dobson, one of our pastors at Woodlands, wanted to share a few thoughts to help us pray and share some resources to help us learn to listen, learn and respond in a sensitive and meaningful way.

Watch our video with Tim from early June:

In addition, Hannah Mitchell also made a very helpful devotional on her feelings this week with the Black Lives Matter movement gaining momentum and how we might be able to take action. Watch Hannah’s video here:

Our young people at church have also been discussing racism this week. Check out what they’ve been up to by looking @devoyouth on Instagram. Thanks to our youth pastor Joe Cook for getting the conversation going and Abi Ndosi for being so willing and open to share her experiences. Watch the video interview.

Also at Woodlands Metro on 7 June, the team set aside time in the service to listen to black members of the Church as they shared their experiences of racism, their prayers, thoughts and reflections on how we can be a part of standing against this evil. Watch Metro vs Racism below:

Our Woodies Young Adults also had an Instagram Live session called Let’s talk about racism on 7 June, you can watch it online here:

For our 21 June service, pastor Tim Dobson got to catch up with Carmen Carrol, who works for The Keyboard Trust in Bristol, an organisation that aims to build unity between black and white led churches to help transform society. It was great to hear about what she's been doing in her role and what we can do to combat racism and to have her pray for unity.


ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES

There is a wealth of content online about anti-racism which can be useful to watch, read, study and listen to when thinking about how you can become more thoughtful, aware and educated. Here are just a few links to resources that you might find helpful. Let’s all seek to listen, learn, pray and act in ways that will change the world for good. Please share any links you think are helpful with us on social media.

CAMPAIGNS & MOVEMENTS:

ONLINE CONTENT:

BIBLE STUDY RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY FOR CHRISTIANS

ONLINE RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY FOR CHRISTIANS

BOOKS SPECIFICALLY FOR CHRISTIANS

  • Book: The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone 

  • Book:  Bonhoeffer's Black Jesus by Reggie L Williams

  • Book: The Christian Imagination, Theology and the Origin of Race by Willie James Jennings

  • Book: Is Our God Colourblind? by Anthony Reddie 

  • Book: The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper

  • Book: Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys: A Native American Expression of the Jesus Way by Richard Twiss

  • Book: We Need To Talk About Race: Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches by Ben Lindsay

  • Book: Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison

  • Book: The Colour of Compromise: The truth about the American Church's complicity in racism by Jemar Tisby

  • Book: Why I am no longer talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo Lodge

  • Workbook: Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY FOR WHITE PEOPLE

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES, KIDS & YOUTH:

Living Inside Out: Becoming | Philip Jinadu | 14 June 2020

14 June 2020 - 11am Service

Living Inside Out | Becoming

Dave and Amy are hosting this morning from the Foyer. The service will include worship led by April Ballard with our Woodlands worship team, plus Philip will sharing a message with us as part of our series 'Living Inside Out' on 'Becoming'. Joe from Devo and Abi, one of our young people, will be praying about on racial injustice. It's also Global Partners Sunday and Johnny Walker caught up with Josh Rutere in Kenya to find out what's happening there.

STUDY NOTES

Becoming | Galatians 5:16 and 2 Corinthians 3:18

'We are being transformed into his image with ever increasing glory'.


Introduction
Most of the things we place our value on are temporary (Marriage, job, location, health, etc). At best they are only for a lifetime. Our souls are made for eternity however, we are on a spiritual journey of soul care, spiritual growth which looks like transformation from the inside out. Who I'm becoming is more important than what I'm doing (though they affect one another).

Questions

  1. How does what I'm doing in life right now affect who I'm becoming (and vice versa)?

  2. Galatians talks about Spiritual fruit. What is the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit?

  3. It's easy to invest in our 'outer' humanity, to pursue education or physical fitness (or a romance!). How do we pursue and invest in spiritual growth?

  4. Imitating Jesus can be in his character (what he was like) and in conduct (the things he did. How are you pursuing imitating Christ?

  5. One way we can imitate Jesus in character and action at the same time is by being generous and giving to those in need. A book about Mother Theresa was called 'Something beautiful for God'. What have you seen in others spirituality that you could describe as beautiful?                                                            

  6. What place does 'dying to self' have in becoming more like Jesus? Do we have to 'die' to our selves or let our selves be full of Him? What's the difference?

Practice 
Matthew 6:2-4 talks about giving (almsgiving) to the poor in secret to be rewarded by your Father in secret. It's about doing the things the Father himself does. Review your giving. How much do you give to the poor? Do you know any poor people? What does it feel like to do a generous deed? What might you do with and for the Father this week that is secretly generous? Are you becoming more or less generous as you grow older?

Resources
Woodlands giving page: 
https://www.woodlandschurch.net/giving

Woodlands Global Partnerships Fund offering page:
https://www.woodlandschurch.net/offering