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ORPINGTON BAPTIST CHURCH
SIGNPOST
March & April 2015
LOVE
HAS
WON
I asked
Jesus:
How much
do you
love me?
This much
He said.
Then
stretched
out his
arms
and died
contents
From our Minister
From David
From our Gift Aid Steward
Easter celebrations
Mens Prayer Breakfast
Sundays
Flower Ministry
Connected Church
Girls Brigade
Home Mission
Holiday At Home 2015
Inheritance
Jonathan Newman
Walk of Witness
Tearing Down Crosses!
Theology Cafe
Church Family Meeting
Change4Life (Parish Nurse)
Election Forum
Job Vacancy
Dedication
BMS Birthdays
Womens Friendship Group
The Man with a Cross
Boys Brigade
You Are Special Reunion
Kairos Training
Blind Club
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From our Minister
I love Easter! Coming as it does in the season of Spring, it seems
as if nature itself sings out the truth of Christ’s resurrection. I
hope that you’ll take the opportunity to both worship and
witness to the truth without which our Faith would be in vain.
You can see more details of what’s going on at OBC here in
Signpost.
As this magazine comes out I will have taken a survey on a Sunday
morning in church. If you couldn’t be with us but would like to take part
in the survey please tell me or the church office. It’s intended to be
anonymous so there’s no need for embarrassment but to help us all think
about our discipleship. As Discipleship Explored is our teaching series at
the moment and the Great Commission from Matthew 28:19 our Church
Text for the year it all seems to fit together well. “Where are you in your
relationship with God?” one of the questions asks: going forward / static
/ going backward. It’s my springtime dream that we can encourage one
another so that we can say ‘going forward’.
One thing that helps me grow is genuine Christian friendship. Sometimes,
particularly in a suburban culture, there is too little of real friendship.
People have lots of acquaintances but few ‘friends at midnight’. Here at
OBC it would be great to encourage friendship through hospitality and
openness to one another, even more than we have already. This Easter I
commit myself again to being your friend and pastor. We have something
to share that is universe-transforming!
LO V E
HAS
WON
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From David, our Children & Family Worker
Dates for your diary:
The children’s OK Bible Group for the next
Couple of months are:
4�� & 11�� March, 15�� April and 6�� May 2015.
We would love to see this group grow in number,
so any child at primary school is most welcome to come along.
We have a great time learning and sharing together.
Our current memory verse in Kidzone is “Do for other people the same things
you want them to do for you.” Matthew 7 v 12 NCV. We continue our financial
support towards Andrew and Janet’s baby; we are collecting five pence pieces,
sticking them onto an A3 picture of a pram and are about a quarter full now!
We are supporting Project Ruth each week and our beautifully coloured
totalizer is heading towards a hundred pounds since last September. We have
also come up with other ideas like a cake sale to boost the funds and help our
children understand other people’s needs around the world.
Thank you for your continued prayerful support as I visit
Blenheim and Tubbenden fortnightly to lead their
assemblies. Recently I had the pleasure of Year 5 coming to our church for a
visit from Holy Innocents. I hear that the children had a wonderful time learning
about our church even if their focus was on the biscuits!!.
Recently, I was asked to lead a Year 3
RE Lesson at Tubbenden together with
Mary Yates on “What a minister does
at Orpington Baptist Church”. As you
can see from the photos we had lots
of items for the children to look at and
they asked lots of interesting
questions. Next term is just as busy
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with Easter assemblies and a school
visit from Blenheim to our church.
Please continue to pray for these
children that they might see our
church in an appealing way and get
to know Jesus through what I say.
SAF
EG
G
DBS checks:
UARDIN
if you have recently received a letter from me and you haven’t got around
to completing DBS process, please can I encourage you to do so in the next
few weeks.
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From our Gift Aid Steward
On 5 January I pushed the ‘Send’ button on my computer:
four days later the church account received nearly
£13,000. The modern-day counterparts of Zacchaeus
the tax gatherer in the Gift Aid department of HM
Revenue and Customs can be very efficient! This process happens four
times a year, and the annual amount for OBC from gift aid came to £46,400.
That is a considerable part of our church budget, and includes giving to the
building fund, the BMS birthday scheme and Zambia. Every time I press
the button I am quietly amazed, and very thankful for the generous spirit
of giving from our fellowship that makes this possible.
At George Balmer’s induction service, nearly 35 years ago, I remember a
senior figure from the Baptist Union warning us, in a friendly way (as they
do), that building up a church would mean an increase of giving, and that
George had come from a church that had an annual budget of £60,000. I
could not imagine a church having that amount of money then, and I still
find it hard to grasp the sums appearing each week on the OBC bulletin –
current needs £3,750 a week! Looking ahead £,4000 a week! Where
does it all go? (Ivor asked me to do a piece for Signpost this time round
but I am not sure that he had this in mind!)
The older members of the fellowship will remind us that we always used
to pay the minister’s stipend, look after the manse, contribute to Home
Mission, pay for lighting and electricity, maintain the church buildings and
so on. These costs have gone up a bit, year by year, but the big difference
now is that we pay salaries to a much bigger team: there has been a change
in expectations and voluntary capacity in churches over the years. The
proof of the pudding is in the eating: we are an active, busy church with a
fellowship covering a wide age range, and we want to continue our progress
in being Outward Looking, Bible-based and Contemporary. We have to
think ahead to some expensive roof work that needs doing. The church is
not really about buildings as such, but it would be difficult without them.
As OBC we reach out to a number of different parts of the world with our
resources. Giving a water supply to needy people in Africa is something
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we did at Christmas. 35 years ago churches did not collaborate together as
happily as they do today in Orpington, and I do not suppose that we would
have envisaged the need for a local food bank back then either. Archbishop
Justin Welby invited the staff of a food bank to think of each needy client as
if they were Jesus Christ, echoing the words of Matthew 25:40 ‘whatever you
did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’. It can
be very helpful to think of ourselves as accounting to Jesus for the way we
spend his money, and we are most grateful to Ivor, Anita, Stuart for the way
they manage the OBC finances.
Alan Moss
Gift Aid Steward
Congratulations to Genevieve,
Karen and all the Sanctuary
Cafe volunteers on being given
the Community Award at the
recent Orpington 1�� Ceremony.
Congratulations also to our
members Tony & Eniko Benfield
on being given the Service Sector
Award for their Compassion
Homecare business at the
Orpington 1�� ceremony.
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LOVE
HAS
WON
Palm Sunday 29 March 10.30 & 6.30
Maundy Thursday 2 April 8.00pm
Jon Newman live in concert
Good Friday 3 April 10.30am
Walk of Witness along the High Street
Easter Sunday 5 April 10.30 & 6.30
“
I asked
Jesus:
How much
do you
love me?
This much
He said.
Then
stretched
out his
arms
and died
“
Prayer
This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his one and only
Son into the world so that we could have life through him.
1 JOHN 4 : 9
Men’s Prayer Breakfast Sat 21 March 9.00am Sanctuary Cafe
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MARCH 1
8
15
22
29
APRIL 5
12
19
26
3 May
2015
10.30
Discipleship Explored
6.30
Worship with Communion
10.30
All-age Service with Parade
LOGY
THEO
6.00
Theology Cafe: Bibletrack
10.30
Mothering Sunday Worship : with Communion
6.30
Prayer & Praise Service
10.30
Discipleship Explored
3.30
Golden Service with Tea
10.30
Palm Sunday Worship
6.30
Worship led by Inspire Gospel Group
10.30
Easter Sunday
6.30
10.30
Easter informal Communion:
Sharing Your Faith (with Lindsay Hamon)
Discipleship Explored
6.00
Theology Cafe: Bibletrack
10.30
Worship with Communion
6.00
General Election Forum: What Would Jesus Vote
10.30
6.30
Worship led by Rev Adrian Judd,(from Crofton
Baptist Church)
Worship led by Danny Brown
10.30
Discipleship Explored
6.30
Worship with Communion and Skype chat with
Andrew & Janet (and baby!) Sweet in Kenya
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Café
LOVE
HAS
WON
LOGY
THEO
Café
Date Donated by
MARCH Helen Mellor
1
8 Doris Case
Remembering
Arranged by
Her father Charles Pattisson and mother Pat
Meade
Her brother and sister in law
Wendy
Jean Ainsworth
Her husband Reg
15 John & Julie Iddiols
Family members
Viv Cox
Her mother
Dorothy Ofori
Thanks to God for health and family
22 Dave & Jenny Golding Their Wedding Anniversary
Marilyn Crisp
29
APRIL Jean Brayton
Her husband Philip’s birthday
5
Marg & Martyn Travers Marg’s dad
Pam Reynolds
19 May & Henry Knock,
Brian & Linda
Viv Cox
Mick Cater
26 Ade Sodipe &
Adetoun Biyibi
Karen
Marilyn
Her father’s birthday
Wedding of Helen & Nick
12 Melanie Warren
Fran
Her mum
Penny
Team
Dolly
Her mother in law Audrey
Her son John
Linda
Her father
Sheila
Their mother
Fran
If you would like to donate to the flower ministry for any special
occasion you wish to remember please contact Penny on
01689 871102 or 07738 514694
or email [email protected]
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Aasma’s Story from our Connected Church partner Sahaara
Aasma, now 35, remembers growing up in Daulatpur, near the India –
Bangladesh border. After her father died, her mother was unable to support
her and so at 16 she was given to be married. Her husband was abusive and
suffering with alcoholism. Unable to read or write, and with a husband who
did not provide for her, she would often go to bed hungry. Eventually Aasma
found a job as a maid in the hope she would be able to support her three
children. Unfortunately, the job did not pay enough to make ends meet but a
friend told her about jobs in Mumbai that paid good money.
28 and full of hope, Aasma came to Mumbai, leaving her children with her
mother. Imagining that she would continue working as a maid, she was
confused and disorientated when she was taken to the red light district in
Turbhe and sold to a pimp.
When Aasma refused to do the work the pimp was asking of her, she was
repeatedly beaten, and all her food was withdrawn. After a month of this
treatment, and thinking of the need to provide for her family, she submitted
to the pimp’s demands and started prostitution work.
Desperate for support, she responded to Sahaara workers and began to visit
Sahaara’s drop-in centre. She initially only came for the medical programme,
but once she had built a trusting relationships with the Sahaara team, began
attending cell meetings.
Aasma often talked of leaving Turbhe and going back to be with her family but
the hold her pimp had on her made her think this was not ever going to be
possible. When she became pregnant the Sahaara team managed to transfer
her to a home for vulnerable mothers in a town two hours’ drive away from
where she was working in Turbhe. As is sadly often the case in these broken
situations, Aasma’s pimp found where she was staying and convinced her to
come back and be with him.
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The Sahaara team continues to be in touch with Aasma. Although not yet the
ending we long for, Aasma is on a journey of restoration. There is a very real
hope that she will receive the encouragement and guidance provided by the
project team to leave prostitution work. We know that restoration is something
that can only truly come from God, and so we place Aasma into His hands each
day.
Please pray for the work of Sahaara and for Aasma and others like her.
Over the next few weeks at Brigade we will be practicing
hard for our Annual Display, which is to be held at the
Church on Saturday 21�� March at 6pm arrival ready for a
6.30pm start. Please come and enjoy an evening watching
some of the things we get up to on a Tuesday evening,
show your encouragement & support to the girls & staff, & celebrate the
fantastic outreach that Brigade offers children & young people in our area.
On the 1�� weekend in January, 3 of our Brigaders went on a Young Leader’s
training weekend. They met with others from the District to learn & improve
the skills needed for leadership, communication, team work, preparation,
planning & delivery, GB context & faith issues (I learnt quite a lot myself!) We
look forward to seeing them put these new found skills into practice in our
Company.
NOT FORGOTTEN - On the 14�� April it will be a year since over 250 girls that
were kidnapped from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria. 219 girls are still
missing, 6 of them are GB members. We have been making ‘Cards of Hope’ to
show that we have not forgotten them. The cards are going to be given to a
member of the UK Government by a group of GB members on the 1st year
anniversary, requesting that the Government does all it can to ensure these
girls/young women are returned to their families. For more info/prayer points
www.gbworldwide.org or www.opendoors.org.
How blessed we are to be part of a worldwide organisation that aims to show
girls God’s love for them and help them to become followers of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Please pray & give thanks for the work of Brigades at OBC.
Lt Sonia Mulley
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
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Home Mission is part of the work we support as a
Baptist Church. We have a special link with Penny
Marsh but there are many other projects operating
with Home Mission funding all over the country.
Here is a story of another local project:
H�� P�� B�� C�� by the pastor, Darren Street.
[Jesus] said to Simon,”Put out into deep
water, and let down the nets for a catch”.
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked
hard all night and haven’t caught
anything. But because you say so, I will let
down the nets”.
When they had done so, they caught such
a large number of fish that their nets
began to break. Luke 5:4-6 NIV
This passage of scripture has been
brought to us several times from various
people. A small group of fishermen are
disheartened by the lack of results from
a hard night’s work. Tired and exhausted
they had all but given up when Jesus
prompts them to go out and try again.
When I first started having conversations
with Hayesford Park Baptist Church about
becoming their minister, the church felt
very much like that group of fishermen.
They had been through some difficult
times and were ready to call it a day. But
like those first disciples, they heard a call
from the Lord to try again. And much like
those first disciples, even though it made
no sense to them, the church stepped out
in faith to try again.
In terms of the number of people
worshipping on a Sunday morning, we are
a small church of only around 30 people.
However, this has grown from around 20
this time last year so this is encouraging
growth. Of course we would say that
church growth is not measured by the
number of people attending a service but
by the number of people entering the
kingdom. Nevertheless, numbers are
important and many small churches feel
restricted because of their size. Many of
us try to emulate larger churches in the
hope that this will attract people. But one
of the key things for us has been to
embrace who we are and all that is good
about being a small church. So we have
embraced the informality and we study
the bible together using discussion over
coffee and croissants. This gives the
services a house group feel which visitors
have found more accessible. The informal
approach also provides opportunities to
pray for each other and we have seen
some significant answers to prayer,
especially in the area of healing. We have
had several examples of significant
physical healing. But more than this, God
has been healing the church. The church
is more united than it has been in the past.
I’m told that in recent years people have
left as soon as the service is over, now
they stay and we can’t get people to
leave. People share each other’s burdens
and pray with each other. The result of
all this is that we have new people
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attending and, as I write, we are in the
process of welcoming some of them into
membership.
Outside of the Sunday service we have
several midweek activities. One is our
weekly painting group. This was originally
started by Age Concern in 2000 to provide
a friendly meeting place for older people
to enjoy being creative and enjoy time
together. In 2002 Diana Knights, one of
our deacons took over as leader and the
group is now run as a regular church
activity It produces some stunning
paintings and, as well as sharing a love of
painting, it has provided opportunities to
share the love of Jesus. Over the years
about six of the group have been baptised
and become church members. At the
moment only a few actually attend
church but we do have opportunities to
invite them to our activities and we are
praying that some of these new members
will respond.
Messy Church continues to be one of our
most popular events attracting around 70
children each month with their parents.
We get to share something of the gospel
through crafts, video, songs and fun.
We also have a popular toddler group
which is growing.
To help build
relationships with parents and carers we
started organising meals out at a local
pub. This has led to deeper relationships
and people asking us to pray for them.
We are also having more meaningful
conversations about faith so we are
thinking of running an Alpha course or
similar this year.
We have much to praise God for, but
perhaps what I am most proud of is that
a church who have been through
hardship and brokenness, are now
helping others through difficulties and
hardships. We have walked with several
people through some very tough
situations. Through this, people who felt
like giving up have experienced the love
of their Father God. And we as a church
have experienced his love for us and have
heard his call to let the nets down once
again. We have already seen God do so
much that we would not have believed a
year ago, but we believe this is only a
taste of what is to come.
We give thanks to all those who give so
generously to Home Mission. Your
support has been invaluable and we are
truly seeing God moving in tremendous
ways among us. Please pray:
• For Diana Knights as she leads the
painting group
• For deepening relationships with the
children and parents who come to Messy
Church and the toddler group
• For plans to run an Alpha course this
year
• For the whole church as they seek to
follow God’s leading for the future.
www.hayesfordparkbaptistchurch.org.uk
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HOLIDAY AT HOME
You Are Special
We're delighted to announce that Holiday at Home
will take place on
Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August!
Put the date in your diary now, more info to follow soon.
Why not start thinking about friends or
neighbours you could invite?
We'd also love to hear from anyone
interested in helping - no experience necessary!
See Jo Lewis or Helen Evans for more information,
or contact the Church Office.
INHERITANCE A RIDING LIGHTS PASSION PLAY FOR 2015
On a dusty road leading to Jerusalem, a woman stumbles
towards her judgement. Just weeks later, Jesus will take the
same road, leading to the cross. In Capernaum, the town
they both call home, they are rejected. In the temple where
they worship, they are condemned. The synagogue leader
plots to destroy them both.
Inheritance weaves the strands of the biblical Passion into a
dramatic new narrative. It evokes the community where
Jesus lived, the people who knew him best, the powers that
brought him to execution. And, in the shadow of the cross,
it makes space for some of the women who Jesus stands
alongside, sharing in their suffering. Echoing through time, it FRIDAY 13 MARCH
7.30pm
renews our expectations of the kingdom of heaven and who
St John’s URC
might share its inheritance.
Lynwood Grove, Orpington
Written by Bridget Foreman, Inheritance is a communal
TICKETS £10
experience of theatre and worship. The performance
(£5 children/students)
provides an opportunity to reflect on Christ’s Passion and,
07734 396 360
space for the audience to make their own response at the
01689 638 792
foot of the Cross.
[email protected]
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TASTER (This is a New Day)
available:itunes, amazon deezer, spotify...
Refreshments available
With all profit to Project Ruth, Romania
10.00am Short act of Worship at the Methodist Church
10.30am Leaving Orpington Methodist Church
(in Sevenoaks Road) then walking along
Orpington High Street
LOVE
HAS
WON
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Tearing down crosses! Update on China, Nigeria, Syria & Iraq
Imagine the authorities arriving at OBC and smashing the cross above the main door
because they do not like this symbol of Christ to be illuminated so boldly to
commuters and passers by. This is what is happening in the coastal province of
Zhejiang in China. The main target of the authorities is Wenzhou, known as China’s
‘Jerusalem’ because 1 million of its 8 million inhabitants are Christian and the 2000
churches often display illuminated crosses that light up the skyline. How much good
fruit is being harvested in this country, not much more than 100 years after Hudson
Taylor and others were planting the seed corn! Persecution is rising, though, with
the new President Xi Jinping.
The persecuted church and the poor church (most Christians worldwide are poor)
show great zeal and courage and resilience but they cannot do it on their own. They
need the whole worldwide church to awaken fully to help in every way through
prayer, material and financial support, nudging our own government into action to
stand up for human rights especially in this election year.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the pain and violence of this world.
For the first time since World War 2 the number of refugees, asylum-seekers and
internally displaced people has exceeded 50 million, many of them Christians in
Nigeria, Kenya, Iraq and Syria.
They have no choice but to trek to places of sanctuary, arriving in very basic refugee
camps, deprived of all they and we take for granted in normal life, sometimes
traumatised by the violence of experiencing husbands and sons killed, children
abducted, wives and daughters mistreated.
Thank you for signing the petition (25,000 signatures in all nationally) presented to
the Nigerian High Commission calling upon the Nigerian government to be more
effective in protecting Christian communities from Boko Haram, jihadist violence.
Thank you for all who have prayed for the schoolgirls abducted in Chibok in north
eastern Nigeria last April and for their parents who are exhausted with anxiety. The
girls have been named; 185 from Christian families, 15 from muslim families. Thank
you for the messages of support (more can still be sent on the Open Doors website
at www.opendoorsuk.org/writetonigeria) delivered recently to them.
May they read and believe in the messages of hope, that they are bound in love and
concern with the worldwide body of Christ, they know that others unknown to them
have sleepless nights, that no one will rest until God in His mercy brings back their
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children. 4 of the around 200 schoolgirls abducted escaped recently from a jihadist
camp in Cameroon, assisted by a fellow prisoner, a teenage boy. They walked for 3
weeks to reach safety in a Nigerian village.
May God protect those pastors who stay and serve their remaining communities in
conflict torn parts of Nigeria and Syria/Iraq and those who support them with
emergency aid, training and trauma support. May they have the courage to hold
unswervingly to their faith in Christ.
Please pray
For thousands of families receiving provision in Syria and Iraq by and through
Christian churches, some with monies raised in the UK and Ireland.
For local Christians who have opened their homes to refugees.
For Christian refugees in Kenya who have fled in the face of violent attacks from
Al Shabaab and those who mourn loved ones.
For strength and wisdom to the scattered believers who meet in secret in places
like Morocco, rural Algeria and the Maldives.
For secret food distribution work in North Korea this winter.
Give thanks for the election of Joko Widodo as President of Indonesia, a country where
religious intolerance has long been an issue. A former entrepreneur and governor of
Jakarta, Joko and his deputy governor, Basuki Tjahaya Purnama, a Chinese Christian,
made reforms in economic growth, health, education and good governance such as
reforming the appointment of public officials so that it is by merit. Christians will now
have a chance to enter government. Pray that Joko’s election will be a step forward
towards religious freedom for Christians and all religious groups.
Heavenly Father
Thank you that you never change.
You are our rock, fortress and deliverer to all those who call upon your name (Ps 18.2)
We lift up to You our persecuted brothers and sisters.
Thank You that You are the God of all comfort, able to heal, strengthen and sustain.
May they and we not be defeated by pain but continue to put our trust in You and be
salt and light in our communities whatever the circumstances.
May they not be oppressed or bowed down but lift their heads high (Ps 3.3)
Be with them, may they find rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps 91.1)
(RI prayer shield Nov/Dec 2014 and Jan 2015)
Peter Johnson
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Sundays 8 March & 12 April
GY
O
L
O
THE
C af é
6.00pm
BIBLE TRACK
● All are welcome to our series
called ‘Bible Track’’, helping us
to get to grips with the Bible’s teaching in a deeper
way.
● Presented on DVD by tutors from the Theological
Centre at Holy Trinity, Brompton
● With opportunity for small group discussion
following the one hour presentation.
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”Psalm 119:105
uch with what’s
to
of
t
ou
e
r
’
u
yo
el
fe
es
Do you sometim
come to the next
en
Th
C?
B
O
at
g
in
n
pe
ap
h
OBC CHURCH FAMILY MEETING
Wednesday 18 March 2015
OPEN TO ALL (not just Church Members!)
7.45pm for 8.00 start
WORSHIP - DISCUSSION - INFORMATION - DECISIONS - SHARING
Not yet a Member?
Everyone who comes to OBC is an important part of our Church Family.
But if you’d like to take your commitment to God’s work at OBC a step
further and be involved in decision-making by becoming a Church Member
(which will give you a vote at our Church Family Meetings) please ask
Martyn for more details about hooking-up with OBC.
Don’t wait to be asked!
Belonging to OBC
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Smart stew
& dumplings
Tried and test
ed by
our Parish Nu
rse
& fiancé
Serves 4
Stew:
2 tsp vegetable oil
280g lean braising steak, cut into chunks
450ml reduced-salt beef or vegetable stock
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Dumplings:
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
100g self-raising flour
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
50g reduced fat spread
250g closed cup mushrooms, halved
freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish or saucepan. Add the beef
and cook for 2-3 minutes over a high heat until it's browned.
2. Pour the stock into the pan, adding the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, bay
leaf and mushrooms. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and
cook over a low heat for 1½ hours. Check often and add a little more water
if needed.
3. To make the dumplings, sift the flour into a bowl with the parsley and
some black pepper. Add the reduced-fat spread to the flour, then rub in
with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add just
enough cold water (about 2 tbsp) to make a soft dough. Knead the dough
lightly for a moment, then form into 12 small dumplings.
4. Add the dumplings to the stew, letting them sit on the surface. Cover and
cook for another 25-30 minutes, until the dumplings are light and fluffy.
5. Serve the stew with plenty of fresh or frozen vegetables to help towards
your 5 a day.
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JOB VACANCY
S��: M� 9:41
Q�� : M�� 6:8
We are looking for someone to be our
conscience on Fair trade. Someone who
will remind us regularly, and help us all to
act justly in our consumer practises.
In the past we have had a focus on
Fairtrade fortnight and run Fairtrade sales at harvest and Christmas. We have
had the occasional article in Signpost and occasional talks to small groups like
Womens Friendship and Brigades but you can make this job whatever you feel
is right for you.
No previous experience required.
All you need is a passion for God and for fair play.
If you think this is you, please speak to Alison Dennis or any other member of
the Mission Exec
Martyn Travers, Marg Travers, Danny Brown, Bernard Rouget, Peter Johnson.
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On Sunday February 15th we rejoiced with Zitha and Zwe Moyo
as they brought their baby son Nqobizwe Zach Tafi to a
service of Thanksgiving and Dedication.
As a church we promised to support them as a family and pray that
Nqobizwe will come to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ
as his personal Saviour.
THINKING ABOUT
If you'd like to explore the meaning of Baptism speak to Martyn or Danny
Share a smile…
Happy Birthday to those who celebrate in
MARCH
Sandie Allen
Jeff Thurgood
Steve Humphrey
John Iddiols
Karen Sumner
Sue Cooke
Tim Tang
Sheila Goldsmith
Viv Cox
Dorothy Ofori
Emily Sumner
Doug Collins
Joyce Wright
APRIL
Linda Moss
Marg Travers
Ray Dyal
Alison Chisnell
Henry Donald
Paul Cooke
www.bmsworldmission.org/birthday
MAKE YOUR BIRTHDAY COUNT!
If you would like to give the gift of life on your birthday, talk to Fran Morris.
Anyone can join, including children. On their birthday, members receive a
BMS birthday card with a gift envelope which they use to make a donation.
They then hand the gift envelope back to Fran (or Vera Brewer if Fran isn’t
available) who’ll see that it reaches the BMS.
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All ladies are invited to come to
We will be pleased to see you at Womens Friendship
2pm to 3pm each Monday afternoon - followed by tea.
More information from the Welcome Desk or Pauline
Hollands, Helen Stockman and Brenda Cross.
MARCH
2
9
16
23
30
TBC
Musical Introduction
Bible Study
Churches in Orpington
Jon Newman
David Jermyn
Phil Waller
APRIL
6
13
20
27
Smile International
Bible Study
Travelling with Norman
Ken Newell
David Jermyn
Norman Wilson
Lindsay Hamon
will be at OBC again on
Easter Sunday for the
evening Communion
service. Come and be
inspired again by his
work and teaching
Good works are the fruit, not the root, of salvation
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This session we have 14 boys on a Monday
night come along to The Junior Section.
The Company as a whole has the lowest
numbers for many years. Other Companies
in the Battalion such as the 4�� Hextable are
thriving with 30+ Junior Section members so
we are hoping that our numbers will pick up. Please encourage new
members to join, it is normally word of mouth in the school
playground that brings new recruits.
We are looking forward to our Figure Marching, Bible Quiz and Team
Games Competition on 14�� March at the 13�� HQ, St Mary Cray. The
boys will be tested on Acts Chapter 9 in the Bible Quiz. We will be putting
in a lot of practice during the next couple of weeks
towards this event.
After this we have our Annual Display at Kemnal
Manor Senior School on 16�� May. It is always hard
to think of an item, but each year we seem to be
blessed with a fresh performance to entertain our
supporters. Usually I spend the early part of the year
searching You Tube or Google for ideas using
keywords such as funny sketch, skit, gang show, best
talent act etc. Out of these searches in recent years
have come our synchronised swimming and midget
dancing items. Once the idea is found we adapt it to
suit our numbers and abilities. I cannot remember
having to repeat an item in 20 or so years even though
as each display passes we have no idea what the next
one will bring. We hope that you will put the date of
our annual display on your calendar and come along
to support this youth work which is part of your OBC
family.
On the 12�� June we are taking 8 boys to camp at
Carroty Wood, Tonbridge for the weekend. Camp is
a chance for our boys to build friendships with other
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boys from BB companies across the Battalion. They have the chance to take
part in new activities such as high ropes and abseiling as well as the usual
swimming, football, cricket and other sports we would play on a Monday
night. I am confident that the boys who come will have a great time, and I
know that the only reason that Graham, Andrew and myself take the boys
is to give them the fun and experiences we had on camps in our youth!. It is
also a chance for the boys to share in Christian fellowship and for the most
part boys of the Brigade are more likely to make a commitment to Christ on
camp than at any other meeting. We also are the 3 camp Chefs so keep them
well fed with Michelin Star food!
Highlights of the programme so far this year have included a science evening
where the boys were challenged to make balloon kebabs without popping
them along with learning about gravity and the earth’s atmosphere with our
resident scientist Captain Humphrey. We have been to Quazar and Drusilla’s
Zoo on outings, had a go on the band instruments and made some good
things to eat. We have also had many themed evenings including senses,
colours, USA, Romans, David and Goliath, sports, winter and food.
Finally I would like to advertise the vacancy of football coach from this
September. This is not a weekly commitment and would be best if two
people would be interested to practice and play matches once or twice a
month during the football season. Thanks to Mike Hagues for his many years
of service as our current football coach who is retiring at the end of the
current season.
Garrick Beal
Leader in Charge
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You Are Special
with
High Tea, Golden Service, Craft and Games
‘NEVER TOO OLD’ FORUM
Saturday 14 March 2015 9.30am - 1.00pm
Orpington Baptist Church
An opportunity for those involved in ministry to the elderly to come together
to be inspired and encouraged in their work, to learn from others and share
ideas together:
● Running a Community Lunch
● Running a Holiday at Home for the Elderly
● Befriending people and helping them to access community and non-church
support
Light refreshments provided : Free : All Welcome
Orpington Club for the Blind and partially sighted*, which has been in
existence for over 65 years, is currently looking for volunteers to assist with the
running of the Club. In particular Secretary, Treasurer and Transport arranger
with the voluntary drivers. The Club has up to 25 members and meets at
Orpington Baptist Church approximately every other Saturday afternoon,
between 3pm and 5pm. The meeting takes the form of a social event with
afternoon tea, followed by entertainment suitable for the members who have
sight impairment.
For further information, please contact Mrs Jenny Golding - Tel: 01689 857277
*"The Provision Of Facilities For Recreation In The Interests Of Social Welfare For All Blind
Persons In The Orpington Area In Order That Their Conditions Of Life Might Be Improved."
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Orpington Baptist Church
Station Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 0RZ
Orpington Baptist Church
@OrpingtonBC
Church Office: 01689 877265 (Mrs Jo Lewis & Mrs Pam Reynolds)
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.orpingtonbaptist.org.uk
Minister
Rev Martyn Travers
01689 873 092
[email protected]
Youth Pastor
Children & Families Worker
Rev Danny Brown
David Jones
07888 399 714
07946 345717
[email protected]
[email protected]
Worship Co-ordinator
Jon Newman
07838 177 649
[email protected]
Parish Nurse
(Wednesdays)
Helen Evans
07763 830 112
[email protected]
Church Treasurer: Mr Ivor Reveley
Tel: 01689 815344 Email: [email protected]
TEXT-A-PRAYER 07891 259 195 and someone will pray for you
SIGNPOST is the bi-monthly newsletter for people who
come to OBC. Its aim is to keep everyone informed about
our Church life and the needs of the world around us,
near and far.
SIGNPOST is also available as eSignpost
SAVES PAPER
SAVES ADMIN TIME
SAVES MONEY
AND e-Signpost is sent out before the paper copies are printed,
so you get it early!
If you’d like to receive e-Signpost via your computer (so you can
just print out relevant pages if required) please send your email address to Jo
and Pam at the office: [email protected]
May/Jun 2015 deadline: Wednesday 22 April 2015
I’d be grateful if all items are emailed to me on or before that date please*
(Paper copies available Sunday 3 May)
[email protected]
*To ensure your article is read by all with eager anticipation please
try to keep it to a maximum of 700 words. Thanks!
Marg Travers 01689 873092
If you don’t have a computer Ekua Stephen has kindly offered to type your article for
you. Please give it to Ekua (not the Church Office)at least two days before deadline.
Ÿ OBC meets together for worship on Sundays at 10.30am and 6.30pm.
During the morning service there are groups for babies through to
young people.
Ÿ We usually celebrate Holy Communion on the first Sunday evening
and 3rd Sunday morning of each month.
Ÿ For more information about our weekly programme please look at our
Sunday bulletin or the OBC website:
www.orpingtonbaptist.org.uk