The Net Sunday July 15th 2007

Please join us for fun and fellowship for the final Net before the summer break.

The Net 20th May 2007

You are guaranteed a very warm welcome at the Net, it is a very informal and relaxed event, and if you have not been to church for a long time, or before, it is a great way of meeting with other Christrians in a very friendly and relaxed environment. The Net is designed so that the whole family, from the youngest to the oldest can be involved together in the different activities we run. If you want to know more please contact Simon on 01922 611909 or Martin on 01922 630900.

We look forward to seeing you on May 20th!

The Net: Sunday April 15th @ 4pm

A fun quiz for all the family to enjoy, come along, have fun, and make new friends.

Mothering Sunday 18th March

The next Net will take place on Mothering Sunday (18th March) at 4pm. Being Mothering Sunday there will be a very special treat for all mum's who attend The Net.

The Net is for ALL the family, and not just children. So why not come along, and see what The Net has to offer you.

What is heaven like?

In February we looked at the subject 'What is Heaven Like?' Jesus once said, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." With this in mind, one of the activities was to make animals or figures out of bread, which resulted in the wonderful smell of freshly baked bread filling the whole church.

We also tried our hand at origami (as illustrated by Liz & Diane). We finished The Net with a little drama, and by thinking about how although we come from different places, as Christians are true home is with God in heaven.

So what's heaven like?

The next Net will be held on Sunday 18th February, and we'll be thinking about the question, 'So what's heaven like?

This month’s Net is based on a few verses taken from Luke’s gospel,

Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches." Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

I think that Jesus is showing us that the kingdom of God is an active, living thing and when it comes into contact with the world, has an effect on it. There is an inevitable reaction when a seed is planted in a garden or when yeast is added to dough and I think that as we come closer to where God is, we react. It may be that we say no, but God does not sow just the one seed in our lives, He throws his seed at us in generous handfuls. If we allow God to plant his seed then His kingdom can grow in us.

The birds that come to rest in the branches of the mustard tree I think can represent all the people of different Christian faiths that make up the worldwide church. Despite our differences of expressing our faith, the faith is rooted in Jesus and all can find peace and safety in the branches of God’s kingdom.

The yeast reminds me of the fact that a little bit of the kingdom in the world has a big and wonderful affect. I know that sometimes people within the church do some bad things and these are readily brought to our attention through the media. However, there is so much more good done by the church that goes on without notice. I am not saying that the Christian church has the exclusive rights on good works, but as far as St. Martin’s is concerned, behind the good works is the desire to bring the kingdom of God to others.

May God bless you and all of your family,
Martin

Daniel

At the first Net of 2007, we looked at Daniel, who was born in Israel but taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Daniel went onto become a great leader, and despite great opposition, Daniel constantly trusted in God. Probably the most famous story of Daniel is when he was thrown into the Lions Den, by his enemies (because he refused to worship the Emperor), but God saved his life, and Daniel went on to become a very powerful and well respected man.