Good news to share is that Pete and Becca, India and Eden are finally home. Lots of praise to God for that and welcome to Peckham to the twins!

Other good news is that next sunday we are at Pecan 4.00 for our stakeholders meeting. We’ll be doing an update on the process of working out our shape as a church so far and will look at functions of leadership team, steering group and stakeholders and their relationship together as well as post Easter service topics; pease come with any thoughts you have There will be cakes and even a cuppa if you’re lucky.

Hope you all have a great week and spare a thought for Roger who was locked in at Pecan today, on the loo, in the dark, with the alarm going off. it has been quite a day

Charlie

Just a reminder of the excitement that is coming up for Restore this month:

5th Feb (today): Knowing God Through Culture with a focus on Family – our very own Nita Rogers

12th Feb: Knowing God Through Culture with a drum n’ bass focus – bruva Adam ‘Webbolicious’ Webster

19th Feb: Knowing God Through Culture with a focus on musak – DJ George

All at Pecan. All 4.00. Hot bevarages and cold biscuits. Done by 6.00.

Look forward to seeing you there,

Charlie

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that you’re looking forward to journeying with God and each other in 2012.  Check out Ps 84, in particular v5-7, as a promise from God for the year ahead…

Sun 1^st Jan: we’re not meeting together today

Tues 3^rd Jan: 7.30pm @ 70 Amott Rd – do all come to Mawusi’s Prayer Party as we ‘launch’ her into a new season of living & working in Spain. BRING DESSERTS/DRINKS

Sun 8^th Jan: 4.30pm @ Pecan with Helen leading on the first in ‘Knowing God: Through Doubt’

Sat 14^th Jan: 3.00-6.00pm The Baldwin family’s leaving party & Jonah’s baby blessing @ Andy & Jen’s

Sun 15^th Jan: 10-1.00pm Steering Group (let Pete/Charlie know if you’d like to be involved); 4.30pm @ Pecan for the second in the series on ‘Knowing God: Through Doubt’

Sun 22^nd Jan: 1.30pm Stakeholders lunch & meeting

Don’t forget to keep praying for Kiera & baby (due 27^th Jan) and Becca & babies (being delivered mid-Feb) and of course for Trevor & Pete too…

Hopefully see you on Tuesday at Mawusi’s Prayer Party.

Love, Fran

Frightened of shadows
Frightened of my fear
Which love should have cast out
Frightened of the brightness of this day
Because of its contrast
With any succeeding darkness
And frightened of you
I come to you

Many feelings for you and the world around me
War with one another in me
And yet behind allthose feelings is a certainty
That my life is rooted in you
With all fear and joy
Restless and amazement
Stress and relaxation

And on this ground
I am learning to meet my fear
To meet myself

Poem by Ulrich Schaffer 

Offers please for our Xmas lunch this coming Sunday (18^th Dec) at 1.30pm @ 43 Montpelier Road…

Main course for 8 x 3

Vegetables/salad for 8 x 3

Rice/potatoes for 8 x 3

Desserts for 8 x 2

Soft drinks

Bread & butter

Also, please do pray for

·         The Steering Group meeting on Sun am re Restore’s future

·         Dawn & her mother: her mum has had to have further surgery this week

·         Adam finishing his job with the Post Office and starting in the New Year with the Metropolitan Police

·         Claire finishing her job with Mildmay and starting a new job in January

·         Pete finishing working with Oasis and starting with London Citizens in January

·         Becca and Kiera as their pregnancies progress

·         Mike & Laura on their travels – in India

·         Phil & Ellen & children preparing to move to Brighton – finding somewhere to live

·         Marilyn Checkley (known to several in Restore) – her father died recently and the funeral is on Saturday

I’ll look forward to seeing you on Sunday where we’ll be doing several Christmassy things, sharing communion, and signing cards to go with the Sure Start Christmas hampers.

Love, Fran

I want to talk to you directly
I want to see your lips move
To see your eyes look into mine
To see you use your hands
To see you smile
To see you cry

But you don’t come
And my longing remains
Now I will convert that longing into energy
And that energy into making you visible
In me

Poem by Ulrich Schaffer 

This coming weekend is a full one for RESTORE and very much an expression of our commitment to community – both the local community and to building community among us too…

·         Fri 9^th Dec: 7.15pm Restore’s Community Christmas Party @ St John’s Hall, Springall Street PLEASE COME – WE NEED YOU THERE EVEN IF YOU HAVEN’T AN OFFICIAL ROLE

·         Sat 10^th Dec: 7.30pm @ 70 Amott Rd – Girl’s Night In (pampering & cocktails evening) – bring £5 for takeaway, drinks, snacks & LET ANJULI KNOW if you’ve a film for us to watch

AND a Lad’s Night Out (meal @ fabulous Masaladar Restaurant – let Gerry know you’re coming for booking numbers)

·         Sun 11^th Dec: 4.30pm @ PECAN on Knowing God: Through Silence followed by X Factor final & takeaway @ No 43

Love,

Fran

We’re meeting @ PECAN at 4.30pm this coming Sunday (4^th Dec) for the first in this month’s series on ‘Knowing God: Through Solitude’ which will be led by Gerry. We’ll have bacon butties with suitable vegetarian alternatives at the end so we’ll need a couple of people to volunteer to do the cooking.

Don’t forget to bring Food Bank food with you….

·         Mondays: prayer & fasting re Restore’s future direction & leadership (do pass on any insights, words, Scriptures, pictures, etc to Charlie or Pete)

·         Fri 9^th Dec: 7.30pm Restore’s Community Christmas Party

·         Sat 10^th Dec: Girl’s Night In (pampering & cocktails evening @ Amott Rd)

AND a Lad’s Night Out (meal @ fabulous Masaladar Restaurant – let Gerry know you’re coming for booking numbers)

·         Sun 11^th Dec: 4.30pm @ PECAN, followed by X Factor final & takeaway @ No 43

·         Sun 18^th Dec: 1.30pm Restore Christmas lunch & celebration @ No 43

·         Weds 21^st Dec: Sure Start Christmas Hampers delivered

See you soon

Love, Fran

Don’t forget that as it’s the last Sun of the month we won’t be meeting on the 27^th Nov. Instead, watch out for Asha (Rogers not the Delhi project) on Songs of Praise (BBC1)… And do pray for The Mix as this will be their first Sunday of the three months without Mike & Laura leading the team (Claire, Adam, Pete, Mawusi, Alison Dowdall).

·         Mondays: prayer & fasting re Restore’s future direction & leadership (do pass on any insights, words, Scriptures, pictures, etc to Charlie or Pete)

·         Sun 4^th Dec: 4.30pm @ PECAN (bring Foodbank food)

·         Fri 9^th Dec: 7.30pm Restore’s Community Christmas Party

·         Sat 10^th Dec: Girl’s Night In (pampering & cocktails evening @ Amott Rd)

AND a Lad’s Night Out (meal @ fabulous Masaladar Restaurant – let Gerry know you’re coming for booking numbers)

·         Sun 11^th Dec: 4.30pm @ PECAN, followed by X Factor final & takeaway @ No 43

·         Sun 18^th Dec: 1.30pm Restore Christmas lunch & celebration @ No 43

·         Weds 21^st Dec: Sure Start Christmas Hampers delivered

·         Journey Groups: distribution of Christmas party invitations – check with your leader when this is (cards available from this w/e)

A PRAYER REQUEST: PECAN desperately need to sell their Camberwell building very soon as their financial position is quite perilous if they don’t. They have a buyer and everything is lined up but they need the cooperation of Southwark Planning Dept in order to proceed. Please pray the blockage there will be shifted and for a good inside contact who will advocate for them.

Many thanks

Grace and peace

Fran

I am a son of God
A child
Through the death of your son
I am blameless and pure
In the grace that you hold in readiness
For me

My head swims
At what you have done for me
I drink in the light
That spreads with your presence
And I am whole

Poem by Ulrich Schaffer