Photo kindly given by Dave Stephenson
Here is some of the latest news from King's Church Cockermouth over the last month, as well as book suggestions for you to read over the next month.
Being Part Of Our Community by Becca Dunlop (Core Team)
Where do you go on a day to day basis, where do you find yourself regularly, or end up talking to the people you see every day? What hobbies to you have? What skills do you have?
Read Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Each day I drop off and pick up our children at a local primary school. I see the same people doing the same and I have the opportunity speak to them. This is only going to last for a few years, and then I won’t be there each day anymore. I know that God has given me a passion to help people, and organisational skills, so I volunteered to help with the school Parent and Teacher Association (PTA).
I love this role and now chair the charity that it represents. I get to organise fun events to raise funds for things that school budgets just don’t cover, make uniform available to anyone who needs it, speak to new parents regularly and help them settle into the school community and get to know people, and so much more.
I didn’t have to go out of the way to find this. It was somewhere I was going everyday, things that I love doing, and I could step into it knowing that I am part of this school community, using gifts that God has given me.
Each of these interactions with the people we live near or work with, and each of the gifts and passions that we have inside us are God given. By just being the person that He has asked you to be and using the skills He has given you each day is walking in step with Him.
Is he asking you today to step into something new, join a club, talk to the person you see every day, volunteer for something you enjoy doing anyway!
Let’s make the most our passions, and the interactions we have on a day to day basis, and ask God to help us to recognise that we are His people, wherever we are, and whatever we are doing.
Job Advert (with new closing date for applications)
Prayer for Exams by Zoe Fielden
Please keep praying for our amazing young people in the run up their GCSEs and A-Levels!
Let’s pray that the peace of God rules in their hearts as they continue their hard work preparing, that they will be strengthened and sustained, and that there will many moments of rest and fun weaved into this season!
‘Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.’2 Thessalonians 3:16
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:6-7
Great Big Green Event
The Big Green Event will be on the 10th June from 10am-4pm will be at Christ Church Rooms, Cockermouth. The idea behind this event is to show that we as Christians care for creation because God considered it very good when he made it, cares for it and has redeemed it through Jesus. There will be a number of interesting talks throughout the day. It's a community event for people of all ages so please encourage people to invite friends and neighbours to see simple ideas on how we can better care for the planet, keep our homes warm and live less expensively. There will be stalls with lots of info and helpful ideas from or about the following:
- Cumbria Action for Sustainability
- Protect Nature
- Green Gardening Ideas
- Fairtrade Products
- Christian Aid Sustainability Projects
- Repair Hub and Swap Shop
- Useful Websites and Green Ideas and lots more!
We would love the Church to get involved in this so if you would like to find out more, please contact Will Sellar or email admin@kingscc.org
Mission Update by Georgia Bell
“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” Psalm 2:8 ESV
Dear Cockermouth Church Family,
Hello and thank you for being a part of this second school year with me! I am so grateful for your prayers, support and generosity towards me being at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) for another year training.
It’s been another year where I’ve experienced God’s faithfulness in shaping me as He has taught me more about who He is and who I am in the context of community, ministry classrooms, travel and new friendships. As with any training and schooling opportunities, of course, the real learning doesn’t end once you’ve ‘left’ the classroom! As life unravels, I know I’ll be so grateful for how these years have shaped my faith.
This school year in particular, God gave me a deeper passion for His desire for all nations to come to know Him and worship Him. I was privileged to co-lead a ministry trip to Tanzania in December and participate on an outreach trip to Nepal in March. Whether in the slums, or mountains, or street side kebab shops… we saw the demonstration of Jesus’ truth, love and power moving among Muslims, families, broken homes, saving and healing many. One moment which marked me in particular was seeing a young boy in an orphanage home be completed healed from deafness and hear for the first time! . Being in these moments deeply impacted me, and my prayer is to continue sewing these same seeds of faith wherever I am.
What’s next?
I accepted an offer to serve as an intern for the Missions Pastors at Bethel for my last school year. I’ll be on a small team, doing admin work, providing support for the Bethel long term missionaries and also leading overseas trips for the students. It’s a joy to say yes to this opportunity! I’m very grateful.
This summer I will be in the lakes, and spending time with family. After being engaged for a year, me and Kenji are now getting ready to return to school as newly weds. We value your support and prayers in this time! We are planning on returning to Redding in August.
I send huge hugs and look forward to being with you all.
Thank you for being a beacon of hope in your community, and for your love towards me.
Georgia xx
Revival Prayer by Ali Fielden
I thought it would be good to share a snapshot of what we do at Wednesday Night Revival Prayer.
We meet on Wednesday nights from 8 pm until 9 pm on WhatsApp. Everyone is very welcome.
Each week we pray with a different angle but always for revival. We have three sections with the chance to post messages and prayers in between each one.
Here is the outline of what we did last week:
This week we are going to use Rembrandt’s painting of The Return Of The Prodigal Son for our prayer points.
First let’s worship with How Deep The Fathers Love For Us (Stuart Townsend) then read Luke 15:11-32.
First section.
In the painting look, how the father welcomes the son who has dishonoured him.
Luke 15:20; “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him”
Let’s pray for people that we know who were part of a church family, and now are not for whatever reason.
Pray for people worldwide who have rejected their faith. Pray for the realisation that the Prodigal son had.
“When he came to his senses, he said…………I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have
sinned against heaven and against you” Verses 17/18
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Section two:
In the painting, Rembrandt painted one of the father’s hands male, and one female.
Isaiah 66:13; “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you”
Let’s pray for the role of women in evangelism, and in welcoming people into the church.
The role of women in leadership is sometimes controversial. Let’s pray for God’s will to be done in that and that it will not hinder anyone from coming into the kingdom.
Let’s pray for female evangelists to be released.
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Section 3
In the painting the other figures are thought to be the Pharisees and possibly the elder brother.
When revival comes, the church will be flooded with people of all backgrounds with all sorts of issues.
Let’s pray for the church and each of us individually to be equipped and ready to welcome people and lead them into the kingdom.
Mark 2:16; “When the teachers of the law, who were Pharisees, saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Let’s examine our own attitudes and pray that we would have Jesus’ love for all people.
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If anyone wants to join us on a Wednesday night please let me or Alix know or contact: admin@kingscc.org We would love you to join us.
School Uniform
At Fairfield Primary School in Cockermouth we have a very large store of school uniform and school shoes.
This is pre-loved and in good condition. It is available to anyone who needs it.
We now have more than we need to store and would love to pass out the excess to anyone who needs it. This includes trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, and shoes.
If you are a parent and need uniform please email with the details (which items, size, and quantity).
If you work in another school and would like to start a uniform store or need to add to an existing one?
Do you volunteer or work with an organisation who would like to have uniform to give out to people? Please email becca@kingscc.org
Word Online by Martin Charlesworth by Pauline Peill
This was mentioned in our April Life@Kings and I fully endorse it. I have found it life changing and very inspirational. However, it can take a while to find it in your search engine because Word Online also refers to Microsoft Word. The easiest ways to find it are by typing wordonline.org or Word Online Martin Charlesworth. Secondly, as well as watching it, there is a facility to just listen or indeed read the transcript which are a great bonus if you want to listen in the car or read and digest it quietly. There are a lot of episodes, but you can just dip in to a subject or passage and I guarantee you’ll find something you didn’t know, connections you hadn’t made or a life-style challenge.
Suggested Books The Triumph of Christianity by Rodney Stark
Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World's Largest Religion Celebrated religious and social historian Rodney Stark traces the extraordinary rise of Christianity through its most pivotal and controversial moments to offer fresh perspective on the history of the world's largest religion. In The Triumph of Christianity, the author of God's Battalions and The Rise of Christianity gathers and refines decades of powerful research and discovery into one concentrated, concise, and highly readable volume that explores Christianity's most crucial episodes. The unique format of Triumph of Christianity allows Stark to avoid dense chronologies and difficult back stories, bringing readers right to the heart of Christian history's most vital controversies and enduring lessons. Straight to the Heart of Daniel and Esther by Phil Moore
Straight to the Heart of Daniel and Esther: 60 Bite-Sized Insights (The Straight to the Heart Series) When the Jews were carried off into exile in Babylon, most people assumed that it was the end of the story. In reality, God was just getting started. As senior figures in the Babylonian and Persian Empires, Daniel and Esther would discover that there is no foreign ground for God. Their faithful obedience would, in fact, lead their oppressive captors to faith in the God of Israel. God inspired the Bible for a reason. He wants you read it and let it change your life. If you are willing to take this challenge seriously, then you will love Phil Moore's devotional commentaries. Their bite-sized chapters are punchy and relevant, yet crammed with fascinating scholarship. Welcome to a new way of reading the Bible. Welcome to the Straight to the Heart series. Suggested Blog Monday Mercy by at Jubilee+
Each Monday, Jubilee+ releases a weekly 5min video called 'Monday Mercy' which gives a thought for the week. Monday Mercy recently reached 100 episodes. All the Monday Mery videos can be found at: https://jubilee-plus.org/latest/types/monday-mercy/
They are well worth a watch, why not start by watching this week's video and if you enjoy it, there are lots more to catch up on.