We all look forward to summer, don’t we? We

always hope for many long warm sunny days with

opportunities for laying on the garden lounger

with a good book, BBQ’s with friends and family.

However, sometimes we can be disappointed.

Especially when we have soggy BBQ’s, and wet

holidays. When, as often is the case, summer

seems to have forgotten it’s summer and decides

to bring dull cloudy days and dare I say it,

rain. (I’ve been to Soul Survivor !!)

It makes me think of Heaven actually,

and how the opposite will be true. We can look

forward with longing to something so beautiful

and know that we will not be disappointed on that

glorious day, when we will see, as John put it in

the book of Revelation..(21:1-2) “Then I saw a

new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven

and the first earth had passed away, and there was

no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new

Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her

husband.”

My daughter and I were looking the other day

about the physical aspects of the new Jerusalem.

Do you know that the walls will be made of jasper,

and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass?

Also there are 12 precious stones that will make

up the foundations of the walls, and the 12 gates

will be made of pearls?.

It sounds incredible doesn’t it? Such beauty!

We haven’t even started on the Angels yet, the

music, the light and the ‘presence of God.’

“So if summer brings you some disappointments

remember, for the Christian, Heaven really is all it

is hoped to be, and more!”

"WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

(NASB) Romans 10:11

Article written by Marion Brenchley

Sittingbourne Baptist Church

Office Manager

I am delighted to inform everyone that the

recruitment process has been completed and

we will have a new office manager starting

with us in the first week of August. We had a

first class set of candidates to interview.

However one person stood out as the most

suitable for what we were looking for and that

person is Beverley Sills. Many of you will

know Bev from her current role as worship

leader and previously in many other roles at

our church. She has a wealth of experience

which she will bring to the church and together

with her knowledge and fantastic pastoral

capability we look forward to a long and happy

time together.

Marion and Robin Brenchley will be leaving us

in August after many years, for pastures new in

West Sussex and whilst we will thank Marion

our current office manager more fulsomely in a

further article, I wish to express my deep

gratitude to her and the team of office

volunteers for all she has done for us in the

past. Marion and Bev will be working closely

together over July and August to handover and

I would ask all those involved to support them

and SBC as we step out into the latter part of

2019.

Please join with me in congratulating Bev.

Shaun Hendry

Church Administrator

2

Youth Pastor

NATHAN GORDON ROBIN BRENCHLEY

Minister in Training

CHRIS HUGHES

Minister

DAVID CASSE PAUL BLAKE GRAHAME ATKINSON MILES ATTWELL

Deacons

FIONA COWAN

CHURCH LEADERSHIP TEAM

ADMINISTRATOR

SHAUN HENDRY

TREASURER

Church Office details

Office open 9am-2pm Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. and Wed evenings 6-9 pm Tel: No. 420990

Email: office@sbc-church.org.uk Web: www.sbc-church.org.uk

Office Manager: marion.brenchley@sbc-church.org.uk

IAN DERHAM ADRIAN CHEESMAN BRIAN DICKSON DORIS THOMSON KUDA OSOBA

Saturday 6th July

Chessington World of

Adventures

Saturday 27th July In Deep Special

in Ashford

Saturday 13th July Youth & Leaders BBQ

at Ian & Sue’s place.

Sunday 21st July The Encounter Youth

Led Service

Friday 19th July Underground Summer

Party

SOUL SURVIVOR (WEEK A )

3rd-7th AUGUST

Shoebox appeal 2019 There is a box in the church lounge for July Shoebox items

For July we will be collecting toys – dolls and teddies, (must have the makers/shop label on them), and sadly home knitted toys are no longer accepted. Also toy cars, little games and puzzles, yoyo, skipping ropes, small balls, finger puppets, toy animals, small Frisbees, marbles etc. In August we would like to have toiletries –List will be in the August magazine. If you would like to know any more information please speak to Jackie Kemp

3

FIRST CONTACT is a column by one of our

deacons, Kuda Osoba.

On a regular basis Kuda will be looking out for

people who are willing to be interviewed, and

asking for their views on their first contact with:

Sittingbourne Baptist Church.

For the Month of July,

Kuda has chosen..

Mark Wrighton.

What was your first contact with SBC? It was the Autumn of 1975, for a youth club

called Astronauts (which later became Covenanters), a friend said come along. It was the equivalent of the Underground that runs on Friday night – except that boys and girls had separate nights! It was good fun, and I stayed here, and they never got rid of me! What are the things that have meant the most to you being a member of this church? I think like a lot of people that we are a very supportive church, and the leadership version of scripture is very similar to mine. I agree with them largely on the theological basis on which the preaching is based. It is comfortable here, and they encourage more than they discourage, which is really good. I firmly believe that there is a role for everyone in the

church in some capacity or another - and I have found a role within the music group that entertains me, stretches me, encourages me and contributes to the whole.

7th 10:30am C.Hughes (Baptism) 6:30pm N.Gordon (Communion)

14th 10:30am R.Brenchley 6:30pm C.Hughes (T & E)

21st 10:30am C.Hughes (Communion) 6:30pm N. Gordon (Youth)

28th 10:30am N.Gordon 6:30pm Tom and Marieke Rode

Christofferen (Mission)

On our watch. We are seeing more and more individuals battle with losing their livelihoods because they share their

Christian concerns over the education of their children. See the Kristie Higgs update of her story... https://www.christianconcern.com A Christian school worker is to challenge a Gloucestershire school academy’s decision to dismiss her for gross misconduct. She was dismissed after she shared two Facebook posts that raised concerns about Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at another school in the same village - her own child’s Church of England Primary School. Kristie, mother of two who had been working at the Gloucestershire academy for six years as a pastoral assistant, was told following an investigation and a six hour hearing that she would be dismissed without notice. “What Kristie shared on Facebook simply reflects the genuine and justified concerns of a parent about the sexual ideology currently being imposed on her own children and thousands of children across the UK.

“Kristie has not only lost her job, but her whole career is now tarnished with the accusation that for holding these views she is now a danger to vulnerable children. This is despite an exemplary record at the school and in her work with youth in the wider community. If Kristie does not win this case, due to one complaint, she will never be able to work with children again. “Kristie is a kind, loving and courageous woman, and we will stand side by side with her as she fights for justice." Please pray for Kristie, her family and our legal team. We will keep you updated on developments.

https://www.christianconcern.com/

4

The Spotlight is a new Column putting the spotlight on the different ministries in

the church. This also will give you an opportunity to see if there is something you feel

called to and know who to get in touch with.

The sharing of our faith is something that all of us are called to do in some capacity. This can be alongside other people in a team or personally on a one to one basis, with work colleagues, family and friends. Sometimes it’s leading by example in the way we live and being a light in this dark world.

Below is a copy of the latest brochure that has been produced by the Street

Evangelism team. You may find some of the information in this helpful when sharing

your own faith with someone. The street team produce a

new one on a quarterly basis. Feel free to ask them

for a copy.

Sittingbourne Herald

‘He’s behind you!’

When historians want to

document the history of

‘modern’ Western thought, it’s

popular to begin with a Greek

thinker named Plato (427 – 347

BC). Among the most famous

things that Plato said was that

the human race is like people

who live in a cave and who sit

watching shadows cast on a

wall. Reality is behind them,

but they are content to look at

the shadows and accept that this

is reality.

Plato went on to say that one day

a man would come who would

try to persuade the people to

turn around and face reality,

but the cave dwellers would only

rise up and kill him.

The Bible writers pick up this

idea, saying that until the

coming of Jesus people were

content to look at and chase after

shadows and copies of the truth,

but now the real deal had come,

it was time to turn around. Solid

reality was literally among us,

Jesus was ‘the image of the

invisible God’.

And even all these centuries

after Plato, we don’t have any

difficulty relating to the image

of our being in a dark place and

chasing shadows, feeling ‘there

must be something more’ but

never able to get a grip on it.

The key is found in Plato’s ‘man

whom the people killed’, it’s

not difficult to see in this man a

perfect picture of Jesus. Unlike

‘other’ religious ‘lights’ he was

never a man searching for

answers who one day ‘found’

something to pass on to others.

He simply stepped on to the

world stage, full of authority,

with the answers. In fact he said

that He Himself was the

answer. He said, ’Come to me

all you who are weary (with life)

and burdened (with religion,

among other things), and I will

give you rest.

I am the way, the truth and the

life. I have come to look for and

save those who are lost’.

And God vindicated Him by

raising Him from the dead.

If there’s one thing we’re

missing in modern life it’s an

awareness of who Jesus is and

the wonderful things he did and

said.

Here is hope, here is a window,

the only window, through which

we can see God. But ironically,

we prefer to look at shadows and

virtual reality, not least on TV

and cinema screens. We don’t

rise up and murder Jesus all over

again today, we just ‘airbrush’

him out of our script; walking by

‘on the other side’, to our own

great loss.

Why not turn around and take

another look at Jesus? Those

who do, find ‘solid joys and

lasting treasure’. Real happiness

is not found in escaping from

reality, but in recognising and

embracing it.

This month Evangelism and the sharing of our faith

If you would like to be involved in the

Evangelism either turn up at one of the

events shown on the opposite page, or

contact Grahame Atkinson.

5

Street Evangelism Team Dates & Times,

Come and join us..

JULY Friday 5th July, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 6th July, The Hub…12.30pm Friday 12th July, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 13th July, ARTISAN MARKET…10am-12noon Friday 19th July, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 20th July, Covenant Love Chapel…10am-12noon Friday 26th July, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 27th July, The Hub…12.30pm

AUGUST Friday 2nd August, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 3rd August, The Hub…12.30pm Friday 9th August, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 10th August, ARTISAN MARKET…10am-12noon Friday 16th August, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 17th August, Covenant Love Chapel…10am-12noon Friday 23rd August, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 24th August, The Hub…12.30pm Friday 30th August, The Hub…1pm

Saturday 31st August, The Hub…12.30pm

If you wish to join us at anytime, especially at ARTISAN MARKET and COVENANT LOVE CHAPEL, we would love to see you, and of course,

we always value your prayers. Yours, in the love of Christ, Grahame Atkinson.

Deacon & Evangelism Co-ordinator.

If you don’t feel able to do street evangelism but would like to be able to share

your faith in a more personal way, but would like some help.

Then come along to the ‘Faith Sharing’ training day.

Thursday July 18th at 7.30 pm Phil Town & Chris Hughes will be hosting a ‘Faith Sharing’

training evening which offers a simple Gospel outline that can be shared one to one, or with a

small group of people. This flexible presentation is available in booklet and DVD form and the

evening is open to all who would like to discover a way of sharing the Gospel message more

effectively, which in reality should be all of us!

PLEASE SHOW YOUR INTEREST IN ATTENDING THIS EVENT BY PUTTING YOUR

DETAILS ON THE SIGN UP SHEET WHICH IS ON THE NOTICEBOARD IN THE

LOUNGE

6

Our Morning Services

in July

To take us through to the summer

break we are having a short sermon

series on Psalm 23 entitled–

“How the shepherd

cares for his sheep.”

Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. Last time I wrote I feel like I gave a lot of

stories about what God has been doing, so this time; some thanks, only one story and a few prayer

points.

Firstly, thank you so much for the money you gave towards buying a new laptop. I have done so, and

am the happy owner of a HP laptop which works substantially better than that which was previously

borrowed, so thank you so much! It may not look directly like sowing into the kingdom, but it enables

me to do my job well, which means more people are liberated to serve in the ministries here rather than

being bound in administration. So thank you very much!! It also means we now have a DVD player, so

our times off (as we are full time in missions) now can be augmented by a good film!

Secondly, a story; recently it has been Ramadan, a month in the Islamic calendar where they fast and

pray for closeness to Allah and to hear him speak. Needless to say, we then are interceding that they

might find Jesus, and that He would reveal himself to them as they unwittingly ask! But during this time

at the GEM community centre, we were showing what's known as "the Jesus film". Well in excess of

120 Afghan, Iranian and goodness knows how many other nationalities got to see the gospel of

Matthew in Farsi, the common tongue of their region in the Middle East. It was very hot, and some

flitted in and out, but at least half of that number stayed and watched attentively as line by line, straight

from scripture, the gospel was acted out on screen. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through

the word of Christ." Romans 10:17. We wait to see the fruit, though already more people are coming

wanting to know more about Jesus, and a steady stream are being baptised.

Please pray that what has been sowed will bear fruit, and find its place in good soil, for the removal of

thorns and stones in people's hearts. (Luke 8:4-8).

Please pray for the release of workers, especially males! We work in a Middle Eastern context where

genders are major barriers for conversation, we need more guys, and the guys we have we don't need to

lose!

Please pray for us as a base that we will hear God speak and move in obedience. And lastly, please pray

also for me, for more of God's provision financially and with direction for the future.

Bless you all, thank you again for all your support and prayers, and please let me know how you all are

and what's happening your end!

Phil Seabrook (If you want to send donations in support of Phil Seabrook and the work

he is doing please speak to Miles Attwell our Mission rep, and he will

give you Philip’s contact details).

7

By Brian Dickson (Worship Co-ordinator & Deacon) - July 2019

Coincidence or something else? From the beginning of 2019, the worship team have continued to introduce new songs to the

church through the pre-service song time, which is then filtered down into our time of praise and

worship during the service.

I have been aware that the main focus of the majority of these songs has been about Jesus and

what he did through his sacrifice on the cross. This has not been a conscious effort on my part,

but totally organic.

It may well be that the Lord is wanting to draw our attention to this specifically, either as a

church or perhaps he is speaking to certain people individually.

Please give prayerful consideration.

This month’s NEW SONG: Redeemed by Fanny Jane Crosby

We have quite a few songs in the church’s repertoire from Fanny Jane Crosby. This hymn has its

focus fixed firmly on the redeeming blood of the lamb….

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it

Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb

Redeemed through His infinite mercy

His child and forever I am

The song has a lovely joyful melody, and is sure to be another firm favourite. To hear the song,

visit our church website at: www.sbc-church/sbc-praise-and-worship.

Church Choir – Next Practice

Next Practice: Thursday 4th July at 8pm, in the Sanctuary.

Next Performance: Sunday Morning - 28th July.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 71:23

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed.

Worship Corner

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