Certificates are ready, bags are packed and the Fundelaship team are on their way to South Africa to support our partner, Phila Ubomi, with training in community support for HIV and AIDS.
The team will be delivering Living Well with HIV courses in two locations Hluleka and Mamolweni.
City Gate are praying for you!
On Saturday 23rd June we had our first OASIS of the year! The sun shone, street diner gave a delicious array of food and people came together to enjoy face painting, drumming, movement, spiritual readings and community art!
Many people were impacted by Jesus and it was great to hear people asking what it was we were doing. One lady said she felt the peace of God when the chimes were playing and she’d never experienced anything quite like it before.
Our next OASIS is Saturday 8th September, 11am-4pm in Brighthelm Gardens.
We look forward to seeing you there!
On Saturday, we had a special and moving time of worship together at …Stepping Beyond with friends, Tim & Ann O’Hare as we continued to explore worshiping our God with creativity, music rhythm, colour, movement and art.
Thinking about the change of seasons with the sudden increase in temperature and warm sunshine this week, we had a time of focus on how God takes us through the journey of life in seasons.
No matter which season you are in right now, God is with you.
Our next …Stepping Beyond is Saturday 14th July, 7.00-9.30pm
We look forward to seeing you there!
by Cindy Wyatt
To everything in life there is a season
with every phase a purpose and reason
When one season ends a new one will begin
gaining wisdom from where we have been
A season to press forward to what lies ahead
leaving the past behind and by Jesus being led
A season to labor in the harvest field
and a time to rest while in comes the yield
A season to weep and a time to rejoice
a time to be silent and a time to lift up our voice
A season to meditate on God’s love and His word
a time to tell the gospel to others as you have heard
A season to be healthy, robust, and strong
a time of weariness and pain and for Heaven long
A season to abound and a time to suffer need
all the while ploughing to sow the gospel seed
A season to be active and a time to be still
all things according to God’s perfect time and will
A season to be born and a time to die
when we fly away and go to our home on high
Ecclesiastes 3:1
A big thank you to Patrick and helpers for organising another year of fun Easter activities re-enacting the Easter story. Here are a couple of highlights from Easter week!
Palm Sunday – Cycling from the Rose Garden at Preston Park to Brighthelm
Celebrating Passover
Maunday Thursday at Hollingbury Fort… focusing on Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and the arrest of Jesus.
Good Friday at Preston Park Manor Secret Garden (Peter denies Jesus; Jesus on trial and the crucifixion)
Easter Sunday at Brighthelm (He is risen!)
This Sunday 25th March is Palm Sunday. Cyclists to meet at the Rose Garden in Preston Park at 10.50am. We look forward to welcoming you with the waving of branches when you arrive at Brighthelm (please bring any foliage you have if you are not cycling)
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”
John 12:13
We will also be celebrating Passover together this Sunday.
“The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Exodus
“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” Matthew 26:2
Having rhythms and seasons can help us; this is why for some, engaging with Lent can be purposeful and provide a time of discipline, particularly in the area of fasting. Ultimately, it will only heighten our anticipation of Easter, and the death and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
City Gaters have been sharing ways to mark the season of Lent, and how we can get involved. Here are some ideas that we have been speaking about for 2018!
Would you like to find a way to reduce the amount of plastic in your life? Then join Ruth Valerio and a whole lot of other people in doing a Plastic-Less Lent this year.
The challenge begins TODAY! Go to – https://www.stewardship.org.uk/
| ACT 1: Target
We all want to live lives of radical, community-transforming generosity. Many of us think it’ll start when we hit some epiphany, have a life-changing event, or hear a thundering voice from heaven. But the good news is that generosity is something you can choose: it doesn’t have to wait. Ask God to show you his generosity, then find one person to target with it |
3. Eschew grumbling and embrace positivity!
One of our church members shared that “The Archers characters are being encouraged to eschew grumbling and embrace positivity for Lent!”
In response to this, you might like to look at Steve Backlund’s ‘Negativity Fast + Positivity Feast’
To find out more and sign up for daily encouragements, go to: http://ignitinghope.com/negativityfast/
Try adding other items from around the house to make up your 40!
If you have started any other activities for lent, please let us know about them by emailing office@nullcitygatechurch.org.uk
ASH WEDNESDAY
Here is a poem by Walter Brueggemann ‘Marked by Ashes’ that will lead you into today… Ash Wednesday.
Marked by Ashes
Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day…
This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
halfway back to committees and memos,
halfway back to calls and appointments,
halfway on to next Sunday,
halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
half turned toward you, half rather not.
This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
of failed hope and broken promises,
of forgotten children and frightened women,
we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.
We are able to ponder our ashness with
some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.
On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
you Easter parade of newness.
Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
mercy and justice and peace and generosity.
We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.
By Walter Brueggemann
On the first Sunday of every month we open our doors at Brighthelm Community Centre and welcome people to join us for hot nutritious food! Between 1.30-3.30pm, a team of volunteers serve in our very low cost cafe, which is overseen by City Gate Church.
This month, the team served 70 meals, which included a delicious sausage casserole, jacket potato, cheese and red cabbage! There was also a variety of home made cakes available.
Everyone is welcome… for £1 you can get unlimited hot drinks, a hot main meal and a dessert. Sandwiches are also sold separately for 30p.
Our next Drop-In cafe is on Sunday 4th March, 1.30-3.30pm.
We’re always looking for volunteers, so if you would like to help in future please get in touch with the City Gate Church office.
On Sunday we celebrated the coming of Christ with Christmas carols, poetry, story telling and thoughts on HOPE. It was lovely to see so many visitors and family members! Thank you all for coming and joining us this year, and for generously giving to the work of Tearfund.
City Gate Church would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!
Last Saturday we had a fabulous evening of worship at …Stepping Beyond! with friends Tim & Ann O’Hare, City Gaters, visitors and Movement in Worship Collective! Here are some photos from the evening…
Come and join us, ready to worship – everyone is welcome!
This Sunday 17th September, we celebrated Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) also known as Yom Terua (Feast of Blowing Trumpets).
We learnt about the history, traditions and prophetic significance of the Feast of Trumpets, around a feast table (of course). From the story of Abraham and Isaac, to Jesus as the sacrificail lamb we remembered, enacted, gave thanks, blew trumpets and feasted on apples and sweet honey!
Thank you Katrina Quinn for capturing ‘The Feast of Trumpets, Brighton Style!”.
It seems trumpets are only the icing on top
Of a day that runs deep and rich and sweet
Meanings layered like the apple slices on the table in the centre
Shana Tov! Happy (Jewish) New Year!
God said “set aside a day to remember that time I told you you were my own special treasure”
Five boys run to the front, volunteering to light four candles
The fourth is blown out to allow the smallest one a turn
This is a day to rest, reflect
Sing of the beauty of creation, the Creator
Becky tells a story with firewood and knife
of a sacrifice, atonement
A story – foreshadowing a world-changing tale
Look back, look forward
We remove shoes and walk silent through the waters, conscience cleansing
Ruben makes a dive for the gap in the blue sheets draped over tables
We don white paper robes in varying sizes, cut out by Jean
This is not a people who do things by halves
Love is our judge, we are covered
Hannah mutters that she’s way out of her comfort zone
Cackle and crackle as we take our seats again
Then, at last, a call to gather around the table
From which homemade treats have filled our nostrils and tempted our tongues all morning
Honey drizzled over warm cinnamon roll
Pomegranate sprinkled over golden cakes
Trumpet shaped biscuits – a “labour of love by Leanne and Carmella last night”
Taste and see that HE is good
The paper robes catch our crumbs
The kids’ handmade “trumpets” screech wild
Finn parades his trombone
Robbie pounds his familiar rhythm on the djembe next to me
Wake up and remember
Look back and look forward
We shout-sing hymns out of tune
Tears of laughter rolling down cheeks
At the madness and mayhem of our family
I’m aware of the people visiting for the first time
It’s not always like this…
We murmur prayers for the dear-ones we carry in aching chests
Tears of longing rolling down cheeks
Look back and look forward
The Feast of Trumpets
Waiting for final reconciliation call
Waiting for that day
When the waiting will end
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