Last Sunday almost 400 people came together to celebrate All Saints Day 2016. This annual event is a precious occasion in the life of our church.
At our combined ‘standing room only’ morning service, we stopped to give thanks to God for all He has achieved through us.
Tim and Chelsea’s kid’s spot reminded everyone of God’s readiness to forgive. And Roger spoke from Isaiah 35, a passage looking forward in hope to the extraordinary ministry of God’s Messiah – the One who would heal the sick, give sight to the blind and – most importantly of all – the One who would release those oppressed by the twin evils of sin and death.
It was also an opportunity for Roger to update the church on some new initiatives being rolled out in 2017. These include an increased focus on children’s ministry, a strengthening our links in the greater Epping community and more.
Following the morning service, our church family enjoyed lunch together…adults and kids alike.
Amongst the controlled chaos, it was remarkable to sit back and reflect on how many people God is drawing to Himself through the ministry at All Saints.
The evening Confirmation service is a highlight of the day. Each year, in front of family and friends, the confirmees declare their faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, promising to serve and follow Him as disciples. This year Lily Sietsma and Maddie Hall did exactly this, with Bishop Chris Edwards leading the service.
As a church family, we give thanks to God for His goodness towards us in the Lord, Jesus Christ. And, as God’s forgiven and dearly loved children, we look forward to playing our part in holding out the word of life both to this community and across the world.
To finish off, here are some wonderful photos of All Saints Day from Joy Lankshear (click an image to view larger version).
Finally, to read about and/or listen to Roger’s sermon please go here.
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