Blog

Three questions put to one person … On the spot: Sarah Bendell

1. Are there three things that you’re particularly enjoying about life at the moment?

Nathan and I have a gorgeous three-year old dog called Millie and I have been really enjoying taking her down the beach for walks. Not only is it so beautiful and peaceful, but Millie loves the sand! She gets very excited and loves running around chasing other dogs and her ball. Beach walks are definitely our favourite.

I am really close to my family and I enjoy spending time with them. Particularly recently, life has been hard. My lovely Nana passed away suddenly and so it has been a time of loss and sadness for us. We all miss her so much, but we also feel peace and joy in knowing that she is home with her Lord and Saviour. My Nana and Grandpa lived their lives fully for God and have been a big influence on my own walk with God. I know that right now they are completely full and overflowing in God’s presence with his love, joy, and peace, and that fills me with encouragement to run this race, live for him, and seek the heavenly prize Paul talks about: ‘Set your heart on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’ (Colossians 3 verse1)

I am also enjoying spending time with my three nephews: Joshua (4), Jacob (4), and Joel (2). Despite having no toys at my house, they love coming round and always want to play hide and seek as well as dance in the lounge to music.

2. Describe two significant events in your life.

Becoming a Christian. I remember very vividly when I was seven years old deciding with my twin sister to become a Christian. We pushed the ends of our twin beds together and sat in the gap between them and prayed together, asking Jesus to forgive us and come into our hearts. We then told our parents, who also prayed with us. Obviously I was still very young at that point and I do remember many times after that praying the same thing again, just to make sure it had worked! It was a few years later at Spring Harvest, when I realised that I didn’t need to keep saying the prayer and I believed that I had been saved.

Going on the mission trip to Uganda with the youth from St Saviour’s. Prior to going to Uganda, I was aware of mission, but didn’t have a passion for it myself or even see how it could be something that I could be involved in. I was excited to go but didn’t realise the impact it would have on me. Seeing people who live in great poverty but who are so rich in their love for the Lord was incredibly challenging and inspiring. It made me look at my own life and realise that I don’t live to glorify God every day. I get distracted and seek fulfilment in material things rather than God’s love. I used to love going shopping and would buy new clothes to make me feel good but now I realise how fortunate I am with what I have and although I enjoy the occasional shopping trip, I know my fulfilment comes from God. I am also working on spending time more time with God each day, although this is not always easy.

3. Is there a Bible passage you find particularly inspiring?

I have been reading the Old Testament and Deuteronomy 4 really struck me. ‘Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from the end of the heavens to the other. Has anyone as great as this ever been seen or heard before? … So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on the earth, and there is no other.’ (Deuteronomy 4 verses 32, 39 NLT)

Sarah Bendell

Some items in the church are in urgent need of repair or replacement as they are getting old and tired – much like me!! Currently we do not have the funds available to be able to do the work required, so it has been decided to hold some specific events to raise funds to help finance the very important work that really needs to take place as a matter of urgency – and hopefully to have some fun in the process!

Firstly, thank you to anyone who took part in the Santa’s door competition or who made a donation to the Christmas tree remembering a loved one event.

The Fabric Fund Committee are pleased to announce a number of events that are planned to take place this year, so do put the dates in your diary when you get home today!

Saturday 16 February • Kaleidoscope of Talents • 7pm • St Saviour’s Church

A great night of entertainment for all the family with participants from teenagers to nonagenarians. Music, sketches and comedy from members of the church family as you may never have seen them before! Admission is free, but if you are able to make a donation on the evening that would be great. There will also be a raffle and refreshments during the interval.

Sunday 24 March • Auction of Promises • 12 noon • Church hall

Always a popular event so please start thinking what you might like to donate that others might want to bid for. Cakes – cooking a meal – ironing – the possibilities are endless. Then come along to the event itself as there may well be items that you would like to bid for. Slips to put your promises on will be available shortly.

Sunday 12 May • The Great St Saviour’s Bake-Off

Please support this popular event with your baking skills and your appetite! The money raised will be shared with Christian Aid. Further details to follow.

Saturday 29 June • Table Top Sale (with a BBQ) • 11am – 1pm • St Saviour’s

Further details to follow.

One Sunday in July or August • Games afternoon

Based on the gappers’ Olympics – events that anyone could do!! Date and further details to follow.

Saturday 21 September • Quiz • 7pm • Church hall

A light-hearted quiz organised by Steve and Nathan Bendell. Further details to follow.

Steve Bendell, Fabric Fund Committee

If we practise a musical instrument for an hour once a week, we won’t catch up with virtuoso violinist Nigel Kennedy, perfect pianist Lang Lang, or guitar guru Nile Rogers anytime soon, will we?!
The same can be said of our walk with God. We are all at different places in our faith: some at St Saviour’s are here asking questions; others are confident in their relationship with God; still others are somewhere in the middle, perhaps coming on Sundays, but putting God and faith to the side in the busyness of their week.

The bad news is that if we put God to the side, we can never truly learn what God is about and benefit from the relationship he wants to have with us.

The really good news is that it is much easier than we might think to get stuck in! We have twelve home groups at St Saviour’s, which meet at a variety of times and places, each made up of a variety of people. These groups are not only a superb way to find friendship and support in our successes and life challenges, but are safe, comfortable places to learn about God and the Bible’s teaching, to become true disciples.

In the Gospel of John chapter 8 Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. […] So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.’ John 8: 31-32, 36

True disciples live in freedom from fear of death, guilt, the power of the enemy, and the trouble sin brings. This freedom brings joy. Joy is the wellspring that changes us for the better, refreshes and sustains us in our daily lives, and also brings God glory!

If you would like to chat about home groups or growing in God, please contact Laura Simpkins.

Laura Simpkins, discipleship coordinator

When Sue and I were asked to write this short piece about welcoming, we prayed about what you as a congregation would find helpful. We looked at what others have written about this fascinating subject and were moved by the number of Bible references that include welcoming in their text.

We were drawn to reflecting on how we can all include people in the way God includes us in his Kingdom. Some writers refer to the challenge that God is drawing the church to welcome people we would naturally exclude. This is a helpful perspective because it warns us that we are human, and all that entails, but that we share a bigger responsibility in opening up conversations. After all, many of us have spoken to someone and been amazed at where that conversation has led.

As we begin a New Year we look forward to welcoming new people to our church family. As a welcome team we try to seek out those who are new and make them feel welcome, give information, and introduce them to the rest of the family. At our busy 10.30am service this is not always possible, but it is evident that as a church community many people excel at chatting to new and old alike. The following passage helps to set the scene:

‘Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.’ Romans 15:7

If we all hold on to the belief that God created us all in his image (Genesis 1:27), we can then hope to understand that we have all been given a different part to play in our church, so no matter what our background, we can all show love to one another.

Another thing that writers draw attention to is to never underestimate the impact a “Hello” or “ How are you?” can have. After all, we hear a lot about loneliness in our society today and whilst we as a church offer many opportunities every week, a friendly face can be all it needs!

We are blessed with people who welcome at 9am and 10.30am, and with families who welcome at the family services. We are always happy for others to join us, so if you feel led to join this important ministry do let us know.

We thought we would end with the suggestion that maybe there’s one person this week whom God is challenging you to step out and welcome more than you ordinarily would.

Sue and Duncan Jones, welcome coordinators

‘Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’

Colossians 4 verse 6

How can we have conversations about our faith, encourage one another, build up the body of Christ, and be involved in sharing and caring for one another? How can we keep up-to-date with what’s going on at St Saviour’s Church? How can we make friends and family aware of things going on at St Saviour’s and help them to explore faith and experience what God is doing here?

These are all good questions about ways we can communicate with each other, both within the church, and in the wider sphere of our community and our relationships. We are really blessed at St Saviour’s with so many means of communication, so there’s lots of ways to keep ‘in the know’ and to pass on the information to others.

Website – a great way to find out about the life of the church, the people involved, and what’s going on. It’s also the place to listen to sermons and to read the latest blog (which is taken from the weekly newsletter updates). It’s useful for newcomers and longstanding members alike, so don’t forget to check it out.

Social media – there’s the St Saviour’s Facebook page, where you can find information about events and posts about events and encouragements; the St Saviour’s Facebook group – a closed group, where we can share and encourage one another more intimately; and then there’s Instagram and Twitter too (follow the links on the website). All are great means to interact as companions in and ambassadors for our Lord, so please like/follow/join as many as you can, and don’t forget to like our posts! We need encouragement too!

Printed material – our newsletter is produced most weeks (staff holidays excepted) with details of all the Sunday services, weekly goings on, and other news items; we have flyers and posters too; and, up to now, we’ve also had our bi-monthly magazine Ignite. However, following the summer survey, the PCC has taken the difficult decision to stop the magazine for the time being. Instead, we will be thinking about special editions of the newsletter to include some of the favourite items from Ignite, and to keep it ‘seasoned with salt’! Do let us know what you think.

Of course, all of these are the means not the subject of our communication. As far as the Gospel is concerned, there’s no substitute for relationship, face-to-face contact, and word of mouth. And it is Jesus we need to be following and talking about, not a list of events and church activities. But all these media can be useful starting points for conversation and can help provide a way in to sharing or inviting. Let’s be busy communicating our faith in gracious and salty ways, demonstrating God’s love, inviting people to events and services, pointing everyone toward Jesus, encouraging one another, and having an answer for everyone.Clare Shearing, Communications Officer

John 4 23-24: “… a time is coming and has now come when true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

As we know, worship is not restricted to the songs and hymns we sing together on a Sunday morning. Yes, that is one important way in which we may express our worship towards God. Ultimately, though, true worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness and which may be defined by the understanding we have on who God is and where He sits in our list of priorities. That is an ongoing challenge for us all.

Having led congregational, sung worship for over 20 years, I am resolute in my aim and purpose in this – to lead the church to the throne room of God and to leave them there for as long as possible. Each time we meet, I pray that people will leave different to when they came in, having met with the living and risen Lord. God loves us as we are, but He does not want to leave us that way. As we come into His presence and spend time worshipping,
understanding more of the truth of who He is and how much He loves us, we cannot help but be changed.

This, too, leads to another important principle for me – that the words we sing are truth. Being wonderfully and fearfully made as individuals, we will each take away something different from a time of meeting together. Some will be challenged by the preacher and will dwell on the thought or Word. Some will leave with a passion to pray further following a time of intercession. Some will leave singing a song, either in their heart or on their lips. For those doing the latter, whatever song or melody it is resonating with them, I want to ensure that the lyrics continue to deepen their understanding and relationship with Father God because they speak of truth about Him.

If you share this passion to lead the church into God’s presence, please come and speak with me and we can see how we may work together to bless the family of St Saviour’s.

Phil Smith, worship team leader