Meet Claire, our new Community Pastor!

It’s such an exciting time for our community projects across Sutton and beyond.

Lighthouse is helping more and more families from across the borough access the clothing and equipment they need. Warm Welcome is bringing those people seeking fellowship and friendship together in an inclusive, welcoming space every Monday. Wendy House is welcoming young families into a space where kids can develop and have fun and parents can meet and make friends. And our connection to Sutton Community Works and Food Bank has been growing and growing.

This amazing work has meant the need for a dedicated Community Pastor to lead our community vision and work closely with our incredible volunteers has become clear.

We are so excited to announce the appointment of our first Community Pastor Claire Dowdeswell!

To celebrate we spoke to Claire about what drew her to this new role and what she’s so excited about in our church and local community.

We are deeply grateful to those who have already contributed to the Community Pastor Fund, however we are still a bit short of our fundraising goal. Although we have some reserves to support this role, we aim for it to be sustainable and long-term, given the importance of our local community.

If you haven’t yet donated to the Community Pastor Fund and would like to, you can do so on our fund giving page here.

If you would like to contribute regularly to the church to support and expand our ministries and projects, or if you wish to increase your regular giving, you can do so on our giving page.

We are incredibly grateful for your generous support, both financially and through the time many of you dedicate to serving at Sutton Vineyard. Thank you for your continued commitment and generosity.

Meet Claire, our new Community Pastor

Can you introduce yourself to us?

Hi, my name is Claire and, with my family, I've been attending Sutton Vineyard since 2012. I'm married to Jon and have 3 children Amelie, Isla and Jesse. 

Tell us something fun that most people wouldn't know about you!

I love helping people move house! Bizarre I know, but I just LOVE it! 

What led you to applying to the role of Community Pastor?

I've felt God nudging me in this direction since last September, a sense that I needed to do less of my current job and more in the community but I wasn't sure what that would look like.

I've co-led Lighthouse for a number of years and I have been really excited in the lead up to us starting Grace Advocacy at Sutton Vineyard, so I was excited to maybe do more of these things.

Over the last few months I've had people sharing pictures and prophetic words for me who had no idea what I had felt God was saying - these were so affirming and helped me to trust that I had heard God right and I just needed to be patient. I had no idea that all this would culminate in this new job, but when it was advertised I knew I had to trust and just apply. I'm so excited that God has been speaking over these last few months and where it's led to!

Why are you passionate about the community?

I LOVE serving our community and I'm really passionate that the Church can have a huge impact. I love how just a smile or a kind word can change the course of someone's day, and we see this so regularly in our community ministries. So many people in our local area are struggling in so many different ways, and as a Church just by being kind, generous and showing God's love we can make such a difference.

I want to see people's lives changed by introducing them to a loving God. 

What are you most looking forward to about starting your new role?

I'm excited that as a Church we will have have so much more time dedicated to our community ministries and I'm excited to see where God leads us next. I believe by starting Grace Advocacy we are going to see people's circumstances significantly changed and I can't wait to see the impact that will have.

I'm excited to be able to spend my working hours having an impact for the Kingdom, what a privilege!

What can people be praying about for you?

I'd really appreciate prayers for peace as I adjust to a new this new role! It feels like a really big but exciting change. And prayers of protection for our family would be great, thank you!

---

Discover more from Sutton Vineyard

New talk series "Shadowed Paths & Radiant Roads: The Secrets of Joy from Philippians"

This month, we began our new series, 'Shadowed Paths & Radiant Roads: The Secretes of Joy in the Book of Philippians'.

We have a lot in common with the 1st century Philippi church, the people whom Paul writes to in Philippians.

In this series, we examine how to live out our faith and our lives with an eternal perspective. Through Philippians, we are encouraged to see the bigger picture, overcome challenges, believe the best in one another, and learn to walk in unity and joy with Christ and each other.

If ever there was a series to help you look at your eyes through Heaven's eyes, this is it. My prayer is that over the coming weeks, we will be challenged personally and as a church community to walk with a greater sense of purpose as we fix our eyes on the bigger picture.

May you live with the hope of eternity, the joy of knowing Jesus, and the excitement of rising above and overcoming the shadows that fall on your path of life.

I'd encourage you to use the Book of Philippians in your devotions and read along as we go through this series, half a chapter at a time. In doing so, may you be set on a radiant road of hope and joy.

Catch up with the series on YouTube:

---

Discover more from Sutton Vineyard

Reflection: Walking Together

A Psalm of David

1  The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23, a profoundly comforting scripture, assures us that we journey through life under God's loving guidance. 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

'I always wonder why the Lord doesn't remove us from 'the valley'. Instead, he provides comfort and guidance rather than removal from difficulty. I often find myself wishing he would lead us out of the valleys; however, it is more usual that he walks us through them.

The Psalm ends with 'surely goodness and love will follow me'. There is a promise of hope, having walked through dark valleys, a radiant road before us as we navigate the shadowed paths of life. And in that knowledge, we can have peace and confidence that the Lord has his hand in our lives.

As we step into June, the summer months call to us. With longer daylight hours, we often feel a surge of energy and time. This summer, let's seize the opportunity to walk alongside one another. Whether you're in a valley or on a spiritual and emotional peak, we all experience life's highs and lows in different seasons. Psalm 23 reminds us that we are not alone, and we can find tremendous encouragement in journeying together through these ups and downs.

So, as summer is upon us, are there some people you can walk alongside? This month is an excellent opportunity to fire up the BBQ and invite some people who may need some encouragement. Walk with a few people you've met on Sunday to try and connect more. Maybe look to drop a few messages of encouragement to the people in your Small Group. One of the greatest strengths of the Christian community is our opportunity to bond and do life together.

You don't need to be in difficulty reaching out and building some deeper friendships, but as we reach those valleys, you'll be glad you're inviting people of faith to walk alongside you.

So, as we walk into June, reach out more, connect with others, know you are under the covering of the Lord, and use that to encourage those around you.

I am praying the Lord's best over you this June.

Much love to you all,

Julian

---

Discover more from Sutton Vineyard

Engaging Kids in Worship

At Sutton Vineyard we aim to create a space for Kids of all ages to feel welcome, safe and to grow in their understanding of faith and their relationship with God. As adults we understand the importance of worship; it creates a personal relationship between us and God. It also helps us to create community as we worship together on Sundays and across our programme of church events.

We want our Kids to feel the power of worshipping God and enjoy developing in their faith alongside friends and leaders. Engaging Kids in church can sometimes be challenging, and worship can be one of the greatest hurdles for us to navigate as leaders and parents. Why is it that engaging kids in worship can be difficult? And what can we do to encourage participation? 

Why can Kids worship be difficult?

Picture a jigsaw puzzle.

To manifest the picture on the box you have to place puzzle piece after puzzle piece. 

What quality does that kind of activity need?

Patience.

And as Kids leaders and parents will tell you the world over, one thing a lot of children are still developing is patience.

Kids are full of amazing boundless energy, but that also makes them squirmy, wriggly and fidgety.

When we’re encouraging our Kids in worship but getting them to concentrate is difficult, it is also on our leaders to model the patience and engagement we so want to see in our young people. This need for continual patience can be tricky. One of the reasons we are so blessed as a church is the amazing character our leaders exhibit to our young people, but keeping that up can still feel like a challenge!

Our role as parents and leaders in Kids ministry is to train our young people in a lifestyle of knowing Jesus and worshipping God. On Sundays we do this through many kinds of activities that encourage personal faith development, one of which is worship. Finding methods to encourage our Kids to explore the power of worship is an important part of how we do church on Sundays and during the week.

How to engage kids in worship

Given we know encouraging our kids into worship can be a challenge, it’s important for us as leaders to think about ways we can help our young people navigate these activities.

Here are some of ideas we think about and use as a Kids ministry to welcome our young people into worship:

Knowing where our kids are in their journey

We’re all at different points of our faith journey with God, and for our young people they are certainly at the early stages!

We shouldn’t encourage anyone to run before they can walk in their faith development, and this also goes for our Kids. 

By having an understanding of where they are in their journey, we can more easily gauge what parts of worshipping they are engaging with and where they need some helping hands from leaders and parents. Allow and trust God to move through our young people as they are ready.

Create a safe space for Kids worship

If you’ve ever been in an unfamiliar situation surrounded by others and not known quite what to do, you know just how daunting it can be.

We want our Kids to feel safe in our space to explore the act of worship, find ways of worshipping that suit their individual personalities and feelings and to feel encouraged in listening and speaking to God.

We use our worship time in Kids ministry as an opportunity for stillness, to wait on God and listen to what He is telling us. By modelling this for our young people and encouraging individual participation we have seen some amazing moments of God working through our Kids. 

Make worship fun!

Although in this article we are discussing Kids worship as a discipline, that doesn’t mean we don’t have an awesome time praising God with our young people!

When choosing our Worship songs on Sundays we include a few different styles of song.

To create stillness to wait on God we choose softer, more reflective songs.

But it’s also so important to bring songs that get Kids up on their feet and having fun!

Get them doing actions, jumping, making noise; Kids have bundles of energy so use it!

Get the Kids involved in the music

At Sutton Vineyard we’re blessed to have so many passionate musicians who bring their energy and expertise to our Kids ministry.

Being an Orange church (read up on the Orange Philosophy here) we want to encourage our Kids to ‘do the stuff’, to play their part and to be an active member of our church community.

Encourage Kids who have any level of musical instrument knowledge to play! And even for the ones who aren’t quite there with an instrument, they can still join in with percussion!

We’re also encouraging our Kids to help lead our worship through singing and leading actions at the front. This helps to foster individual participation, community growth and bringing them into a fuller lifestyle of worshipping God.

Be expectant

This is one of the most crucial aspects of encouraging worship for our leaders.

Our kids are amazing, and surprise us week after week.

By underestimating our Kids in worship, we are doing them a disservice and starting our efforts off on the back foot.

Come into worship sessions full of optimism and be excited to see and feel God working through our leaders and kids.

While we should be expectant for God to move, we often need to put aside our own preconceived ideas of what it looks like to worship ‘well.’ If our hope is to have a room full of children with peaceful looks on their faces, eyes closed, arms in the air, visibly connecting with God in a ‘classic’ worship position, we’re likely to end up disappointed. Some children will be wiggly and bouncy, some will be shy and quiet and many will be somewhere in between. It is not our job to make a room full of children reach their hands to the sky in worship, it is our job to create an environment in which our kids can connect with the Lord in a way that is authentic and genuine to them. Much like with grown ups, this will look different for different people and if we expect the Holy Spirit to work in our children’s hearts, little by little, prayer by prayer, song by song, He will. 

Engaging kids in worship

We know and understand the importance and power of worshipping God, and we want our Kids to feel that too.

Encouraging them into worship can feel like a difficult task at times, but there are many methods and opportunities for us to help nurture their faith development including:

1. Know where Kids are on their faith journey

2. Create a safe space for Kids worship

3. Make Kids worship fun

4. Get Kids involved in worship

5. Be expectant

If you want to find out more about kids worship, engaging young people and serving our Kids ministry, please feel free to get in touch!

Drop us an email at kids@suttonvineyard.org, or come to speak to one of our Kids team on Sundays (they’re in the bright orange t-shirts, you can’t miss them!)

---

Discover more from Sutton Vineyard

What is Aslan Hope in Sport?

At Sutton Vineyard we believe we are being called to extend the table to the least, the lost, the near and the far-off because Jesus asked us to go into all the world and make disciples, teaching them to follow Him. 

Many of us do this in our local community, but we also celebrate and support the efforts of those people and organisations going out into other parts of the world who bring Jesus into the lives of others.

Aslan Hope in Sport is Sutton Vineyard’s main international mission relationship but what is Aslan Hope in Sport, and how does their work improve the lives of the least, the lost, the near and the far-off in South Africa? Some of you will be very familiar with the work of Aslan, others of you may be hearing about it for the very first time!

What is Aslan Hope in Sport?

Aslan Hope in Sport is a small mission which exists to bring hope, love and encouragement to all children and young people who live in communities in and around Cape Town and specifically the most vulnerable, poor and disadvantaged communities. 

Set up by Denzil Dolley, a former Hockey Olympian representing South Africa in the 2004 Athens Games and past member of Sutton Vineyard, before moving back to South Africa in October 2014 to start this ministry.   

Aslan Hope in Sport is a not-for-profit enterprise and ministry which works with young people, many of whom are at risk of being excluded from schools, vulnerable to crime or gangsterism and from communities that experience high levels of social deprivation.

The charity uses sport as a tool to engage with young people, enabling them to develop self-esteem, social responsibility, and life skills. These include the concepts of teamwork, leadership, self-control, making good choices, developing aspirations and respect. Young people are trained by coaches who are positive role models who will build mentoring relationships, self-esteem, and sense of purpose.

Aslan Hope in Sport run a number of sports ministry outreach projects in local disadvantaged communities and development opportunities including:

• Outreach programmes which include training, teaching, feeding and usually playing a match. As well as overt Christian teaching, outreach sessions will often include teaching one or more ‘Aslan Values’, such as self-control, kindness, goodness, integrity, love, humility etc.

• Employment opportunity and experience for young people engaging disadvantaged black communities and young people who Aslan mentor, train, certify and establish as ‘junior coaches’

• Feeding programmes providing poor communities dealing with malnutrition nutritious food and water, as well as provision for emergency food and supplies for those most in need

• Church academies are church based venues where sport sessions run each weekend or weekday evening, for local young people wanting to get involved in sport in a safe, positive and encouraging environment

• Mission Weeks an annual period of intensive outreach where Aslan leaders and junior coaches head out to engage more intensively with a number of disadvantaged communities. Mission Week 2023 saw over 1000 young people, teachers and community members receive lunch packs and over 790 Bibles were handed out

• Ons Plek is an associated body which operates three residential Child and Youth Care Centres in Cape Town that specialise in developmental and therapeutic intake services for girls who have lived, worked or begged on the streets of Cape Town

One of the communities Aslan works is Dunoon, an area under one square kilometre but home to over 30,000, living mainly in informal shacks. Dunoon is characterised by poverty, unemployment, high population density, and all sorts of other socio-economic issues.

This situation isn’t uncommon in South Africa. According to the World Bank, South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, with race playing a determining factor in a society where 10% of the population own 80% of the wealth. 

Without the work of charities such as Aslan Hope in Sport, young people in these areas grow up deprived of basic necessities, and are vulnerable to falling into crime and its consequences.

We support Alsan in a number of ways. As part of our giving as a church, we support Alsan and the Dolley family through regular financial gifts. Many of our congregation regularly pray for Aslan and the team. We have visited Aslan Hope in Sport in South Africa on two mission trips, in 2018 and 2019, and we hope to have news of future mission trips very soon!

Over the next few months we will be sharing more about the amazing work Aslan Hope in Sport is doing in South Africa to improve the quality of life for poor communities and discipline thousands of young people.

If you want to receive regular updates from Aslan Hope in Sport we have set up a new WhatsApp community. We will be sharing updates, stories and prayer requests from the team in South Africa. 

To be added to the new WhatsApp community, sign up with your details below:

What is prophecy and why does it matter?

At Sutton Vineyard, we believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to us to be used in our daily lives (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Prophecy is just one of those gifts that we all have the opportunity to experience. But what exactly is prophecy, and why is it exciting news for each of us? I want to take some time in this post to unpack it a little bit, share some stories, and let you know about an exciting opportunity to develop more in this area of our spirituality. 

We do not believe that prophecy is reserved for a chosen few. Instead, we believe that all believers can hear from God. These messages, taking the form of words of encouragement, correction, or even glimpses into the future, are God's way of actively speaking to His people today. Imagine prophecy not as booming pronouncements from a mountaintop but as a gentle nudge, a whispered message from the Holy Spirit directly to you. It can of course come in other forms, but we usually experience nudges, prompts, words or pictures. 

The prophetic should usually encourage and edify. It is a beautiful way that God uses each of us to spur each other in our own faith journeys, as individuals and as a church family. All of us can hear from God, and as well as receiving words for others, we should also weigh up words we are given against scripture. At the heart of all we do, including the prophetic, love for one another should be at the heart.  

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2

As we get to know God better, we learn to hear the voice of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Prophecy is a gift for all, a beautiful invitation to play a part in the vibrant symphony of the Holy Spirit's work within the church. So open your heart, listen closely, and get ready to hear God's voice in you and through you.

If you would like to explore the prophetic more, we have a Prophecy Training day on Saturday 6th July, our next Development Day! We would love for you to join us - find out more here

Below are a few encouraging stories about experiences of prophecy from some people at Sutton Vineyard: 

Julie

Our small prayer group, Walk the Walk, visits churches in Sutton to pray for them; it was put on our hearts to be visible, to lay hands on the buildings and to pray that the Holy Spirit will reign in power, grow His church, blesses its leaders and that love will seep from His house into the community.  

Three of us recently visited some churches, praying for protection and to be a blessing. At one church, which we felt we should visit at the last minute, the words "unfinished project" wouldn't leave me. We were delighted to find the church was unlocked and the vicar was present. We prayed for him, his wife, and the new curate. My team members offered beautiful prophetic words, but I felt compelled to share what God had put on my heart – to deliver a message about revisiting and completing a shelved project. It felt mundane compared to the words brought by my team members, but the vicar shared that he would not normally be there on a Friday and he had only come in to revisit a project that had been shelved and to look at the finances to see if they could commence some hefty, much needed  building work, so I hope we helped with that decision!  

This showed us the power of being a team, and the power of prayer. The vicar referred to our prophetic prayers in his sermon on the Sunday, recounting “a visit by three angels". It is amazing to see how our prayers aligned with God's plan for the church.

Heather

At a recent online prayer meeting, The Fireplace, I had an amazing experience. We were in breakout rooms of three, and during our prayer time, the other women shared incredible things about me, even though they didn't know me beforehand.

The first lady said I was like a "carpet layer," weaving vibrant prayers in all directions. She said I play a key role in God's plans, praying strategically and connecting heaven's power to situations.

The second lady called me a "special fracker," meaning my prayers break ground and pave the way. She even saw my prayers as a giant web catching all the bugs, flies and nasties before they could cause harm.

How gracious of God to encourage me in my praying and with the words I get. I don’t know what happens when I give out the words I get or to the prayers I pray. But given these encouraging words from ladies who don’t know me, don’t know anything about me, It had to be the Holy Spirit, it was awesome.

Tana

Giving a Word:

I recently participated in a student weekend as part of a prophecy team. While praying for a student, the word "Thumbelina" popped into my head. It felt strange, but I trusted the feeling and shared it. The student was incredibly touched! It turned out she'd been asking God for confirmation about becoming a nursery teacher – working with little ones, just like Thumbelina. My word felt like a direct answer from God to her.

Receiving a Word:

Just a week before retiring from my 40-year career, I participated in a virtual prayer group. During the session, someone shared a powerful image with me. They saw me in a tiny, dark room with locked gates. But when you pushed them open, there was a beautiful meadow bathed in sunshine, with meadows and birdsong! It felt like God was saying I'd been feeling boxed in, but a time of newness and transformation was coming, a big open space. Sharing that I was retiring soon from a 40-year career, it felt like a clear message about a new, exciting chapter filled with freedom and light.

Two months in, I can tell you – it's true! I am experiencing this beautiful new way of life described in the picture and looking forward to continuing to move forward into all that God has in store within this new freedom.

Susanne

At a prophetic meeting, called the Fireplace, I attended, I had one word that the Lord gave me which was "tapestry", which led to the word "weaving" for a lady I was praying for. I felt that the Lord wanted her to know that He saw her and that she was weaving Gods' love in all the lives she touched and everything she did. 

He gave me Colossians 2:2, a verse about being woven together in love. The lady then showed me a basket she had woven!

Another time, I was at the theatre with my sister and brother-in-law beside me; the woman in front kept blocking my view by hunching over and straightening up. It was infuriating! But during intermission, I felt convicted when I saw her struggling with crutches! I apologised to God for being grumpy and judgmental. He nudged me to pray for her, even though it felt awkward - a stranger, in the middle of the show! I agreed, only if the opportunity arose.

Luckily (I thought), the play started right after intermission, and I thought I’d avoided needing to pray! But then, leaving the theatre, there she was, waiting by the wall. My heart thumped. It felt like God was giving me that chance. "You did promise me Susanne if the opportunity arose, you would pray for her," a voice inside me whispered. Right, I had. My sister, bless her, disappeared into the toilet just then, leaving me alone. Taking a deep breath, I approached the woman. "Would you mind if I prayed for your back?"

She readily agreed. Right there, in the crowded hallway, I placed my hands on her and prayed for healing and peace. She shared that in 15 years of attending church, no one had ever prayed for her like that. When we step out in faith and bless others, we too are blessed. She even said she'd share the story with her church family.

Reflections on our First Year as Senior Pastors

Celebrating Jon!

On Sunday, we spent some time celebrating Jon’s 10 years of service! If you missed it and would like to see it, you can view it below:

We are grateful for Jon’s dedication and commitment to Sutton Vineyard for the past 10 years! Much of what Jon does is unseen but vital for us as a community to thrive and grow. He serves the staff, team, and church with diligence and love. Jon, we love and appreciate you so much!

If you would like us to pass any messages on to Jon or missed the opportunity to contribute to the gift we gave him, please let us know, and we will facilitate this for you. 

Our First Year

A year ago, we stood before you, filled with a nervous excitement as we became part of Sutton Vineyard to become your Senior Pastors. It feels both like yesterday and a lifetime ago. This past year has been a whirlwind of learning, growth, and deepening connection with this wonderful church family.

Taking on this new position wasn't simply a change in job or role. It was a step into a new chapter, not just for us, but for our entire congregation. Change can be daunting, but we are so incredibly grateful for your trust in us, and your openness and willingness to walk this path together, it has truly inspired us! We have told many people over this year that the success of transition has as much to do with how a church receives the new pastor(s) as it does the incoming leader(s). We have felt so much love and welcome from Sutton Vineyard, and are so grateful for all of you! 

As we have been reflecting, a few key themes emerge from this first year:

Jesus at the Centre

The consistent thread that we see throughout Sutton Vineyard is the heart of every person to keep Jesus at the centre of all that we do. Through prayer, worship, and listening to the Holy Spirit, we together, as a church family, encounter the beautiful intimacy with God that we can experience through our faith in Jesus.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

Building Relationships

The core of any thriving church is its community. This year, a priority for us has been building relationships between members, both old and new. We’ve invested in time together, encouraged small groups, met with wonderful people joining the church, and had opportunities for meeting together through our mens and womens ministries. We’ve had picnics, conferences, and BBQs. It's been a joy to see our relationships grow and flourish, from heartfelt conversations over coffee to shared laughter at various social gatherings.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:35

Extending the Table

Every church needs a shared vision of what it aspires to be. As the year has unfolded, we have seen the call of God to ‘extend the table to the least, the lost, the near and far off’. All that we do, to reach people and to grow as people of faith is centred around our purpose and our values. We are so excited to see where God leads us in this over the coming years!

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’

Matthew 28:19-20

Embracing Challenges

It will come as no surprise to many of you when I say that ministry isn't without its challenges. We've faced difficult discussions, moments of disagreement, and times of grief. However, we feel privileged and grateful to be entrusted by God to share these moments and lead through them with you. All challenges can be opportunities for growth and they can strengthen us. Sutton Vineyard is a caring and compassionate community.  

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

We all get to play!

We cannot lead the church successfully without you! This year, we've had the privilege of working alongside an incredible team of staff members, volunteers, trustees and leaders. Their dedication, expertise, and sheer passion for our mission are invaluable. Together, we shoulder the responsibilities, celebrate the successes, and tackle the challenges that come with leading a thriving church. We’re so grateful for all of you!

But you [all] will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8

This first year has been a beautiful and humbling experience. We've learned more than we ever imagined, not just about leadership but also about the strength and compassion of our congregation. Your unwavering support, your willingness to embrace us, and your active participation in shaping Sutton Vineyard continue to inspire us.

Looking ahead, we’re brimming with excitement for what's to come. Together, we will continue to build relationships, refine our vision, embrace challenges, and collaborate wholeheartedly. There will be bumps in the road, of course, but I have no doubt that with our unwavering faith and commitment to one another, we will continue to grow and thrive as a church family.

As we embark on this new year together, let us remember the words from Philippians 1:6: 

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this journey with you, we’re so excited for the future together!

Celebration Sunday!

We also wanted to let you know that on Sunday 21st July, we'll come together for a Celebration Sunday to celebrate all we've accomplished this past year as a church family. We'll acknowledge the incredible dedication of our Sunday and midweek volunteers, and express our deepest gratitude to those who give so generously.

The service itself will be filled with joy, thanksgiving and celebration, followed by a delicious Hog Roast feast! Get ready for an afternoon of fellowship, games, laughter, and fun. This is a celebration for everyone – a chance to connect, relax, and enjoy being part of this amazing community. We can't wait to see you there!

All our love,
Libby and Julian x

Our next baptism service on 23rd June

Baptism is the boundary of visible Christianity. It's a great privilege to baptise those in our church who have decided to follow Jesus. It's a great time to celebrate and mark the moment as a public declaration of faith. Going into the water represents the old self being buried, and coming up again symbolises new birth, just as Jesus rose up from the dead; we share in that as we rise up from the water.

If you've decided to follow Jesus and are ready to be baptised, we would love for you to be a part of our next baptism service on 23rd June!

To find out more email baptism@suttonvineyard.org or speak to our Senior Pastors Libby & Julian Arnold!

An Invitation to Vision, Prayer & Faith

We hope you had a wonderful time celebrating Easter. It was our joy to spend our first Easter with the Sutton Vineyard family, sharing in the most significant celebration of the year for those of us who follow Jesus.

One thing we have been finding helpful is how we live our lives in rhythms. There is a rhythm to the year's seasons, the cycles of the day and the ebbs and flows of life. There were rhythms in Jesus' day, too. In the New Testament, we see Jesus attending regular feasts, doing Passover and holding various customs.

Similarly, we have a rhythm in our church throughout the year. Alongside key celebrations like Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas, we plan our church calendar alongside academic terms. There are three terms to a year and we are about to head into the summer term after the Easter holidays.

At the start of each term, we will hold a Vision Sunday where we will reflect on what the Lord is saying to us as a church and share the direction of His leading. Our Vision Sunday this term will be on Sunday 14th April and we would love you to join us to hear what the Lord is saying to us. 

We then invite you to join us to gather in prayer at one of our Prayer Gatherings. In these gatherings, we will seek the Lord together, thank Him for all He has done and pray for all He has in store for us. These gatherings will take place on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th April, as well as our Family Prayer Trail on Friday 19th April. 

We will also gather at the start of each term for an evening of worship where we lay our hearts before the Lord. This will be on Saturday 27th April. 

Throughout the term, our women's and men's ministries put on various events for us to meet, be encouraged and go deeper spiritually. There are also a number of vibrant ministries that help you deepen your faith, such as our monthly Discovery prayer nights, Prophecy sessions, Powerful Conversations and SOZO.

Additionally we've introduced Development Days once a term where we look at different topics to help sharpen the gift and call of God in your life. This term's development day will be on Saturday 6th July where we have Mark Iles visiting to do some Prophetic Training. Watch out for more details coming soon! 

It's not always possible or practical to attend everything we do at Sutton Vineyard, so please don't feel the pressure to fit everything in your diary. Look at engaging in the things that will help you thrive in your faith, wherever you are on the journey with Jesus.

You can always find details on all our events on our 'Whats On' page on our website - www.suttonvineyard.org/whats-on 

We would love to encourage everyone to try and attend regularly in person on a Sunday morning and join one of our Small Groups. If you are unable to attend on a Sunday you can catch up online with all our services and talks on YouTube. 

Praying God's best for you in the next season,

Much love,

Julian and Libby.

"Alive" Preaching Series Starts Sunday 21st April

Is Jesus alive?

This is the question that we, alongside many other churches across the UK, want to ask over the coming weeks through our preaching series ‘Alive’, through our small groups and beyond!

Easter may be over, but the story doesn’t end with the Resurrection! From Sunday 21st April over 5 weeks we will be exploring the Resurrected Jesus, and unpacking more about what it means for us today that our Saviour is ALIVE! 

The Talking Jesus research suggests that 45% of people in the UK do think that Jesus is alive and that he came back to life after he died on the cross. Surprised?

We are joining with other churches across the nation to ask the question ‘Is Jesus ALIVE?’ Hope and their partners have produced a range of resources to take people on a journey as they explore the question for themselves.

On the ALIVE journey, we will meet some of the people who met the alive Jesus and whose lives were changed as a result; people like Mary who experienced love, the disciples on the road to Emmaus who had hope restored to them, Thomas who needed peace, Peter who found freedom and Paul who was given a new purpose. Many people today are looking for the same things; love, hope, peace, freedom and purpose. The ALIVE series and the resources we are using aim to build a bridge between felt-need now and what the ALIVE Jesus offers.

If you have been looking for a Sunday to invite your non-Christian friends, this would be a great time! This 5-week series and the midweek sessions in small groups will be great discussion starters for those of us who have been following Jesus for a long time, as well as those who do not yet know Him. 

There is also a book that you might be interested in purchasing alongside the series called Alive by Dave Smith. 

For families with children of primary school age, there are free downloadable Snack Sheets and I Spy Sheets that you might like to use. Why not invite friends for an after-school snack or walk and use the sheets with them? With videos to watch via, a QR code as well as things to think, chat about and do the sheets are easy and fun to share!

We hope that you will enjoy joining us on this next series, exploring the Resurrected Jesus, and the impact that has on us today!

Join us on Sundays from 10:00 for refreshments before our main service at 10:30-12:00

Senior Pastor Libby visits Pajule, Uganda with World Vision

In March I had the privilege of being invited by World Vision to see their work in Pajule, Uganda. Pajule is a rural area in Northern Uganda a collection of small villages. Excited to see the community transformation work done by World Vision in some of the most impoverished communities around the world, I took the opportunity to visit, and meet the beautiful communities, and the incredible World Vision staff on the ground. 

Preparing for my journey involved more than just packing bags. Before leaving the UK, I gained insights into the challenges faced by the community through training sessions provided by World Vision, particularly in the aftermath of a recent civil war. 

We travelled to Pajule for two days, including taking a small MAF flight from Kampala to Pajule. Stepping off the plane in Pajule, I was immediately struck by the stark contrast between the urban bustle of Kampala and the simplicity of village life in Pajule. As we travelled the dusty red roads, past the small communities of mud huts and animals, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Arriving in Pajule, I was welcomed with open arms and radiant smiles—a testament to the warmth and hospitality of the community.

We had three days with the community in Pajule. From my journal, here are my thoughts on the trip:

Sunday: Church

The church welcomed us joyfully, but we also saw much need in the community. Before the service, we met with the church leaders under a circle of mango trees, and we were received with such warmth. 
The church service was vibrant and full of energy. I was particularly moved by a story we heard. The church gave some notices during their service about someone in need; we witnessed the church rally around a lady whose house had burnt down, and her family was homeless as a result. Men volunteered to help rebuild the house that week (even though it was harvest season and everyone was busy), and families offered items out of the little they had to support the family in rebuilding their lives. The sense of community was humbling.

Monday: Household Cluster

We visited a beautiful household cluster that welcomed us with joy and dancing. We met an 8-year-old boy who was disabled. Through the support of World Vision, he was given a wheelchair and could now go to school and get an education.

We also met a family whose life had changed so much since World Vision started supporting their community. They saw the value of World Vision and gifted a portion of their land to their community for a children's learning centre and meeting space. They were so grateful that their children had hope through education.

World Vision has improved sanitisation, increased rates of child vaccinations, improved child protection in the community and reduced incidents of gender-based violence.

The community now collectively farms and sells the surplus to pay their children's school fees, ensuring all children can be educated. There are still many needs, and poverty is striking, but the community has hope.

Monday: Religious Leaders

We also met with a group of religious leaders whom World Vision is working with to combat gender-based violence, sexual assaults and promote child protection. It was wonderful to see different denominations and religions working together to improve their communities, and protect children.

Tuesday - Choosing Party

In each community, World Vision hosts choosing parties. Rather than the sponsor choosing a child, the child chooses who they would like to be sponsored by. At the choosing party, the children pick which person, couple, or family they want to be sponsored by from the photos displayed. 

I had the privilege of attending one! It is intentional and empowering for the community. Children are encouraged to use their voices and make decisions about their future.

The event also partnered with medical professionals to do welfare checks, offer deworming medication, check for malaria, etc. At the choosing party, over 12 children tested positive for malaria but could access the medication they needed to be safe.

The highlight of the trip for me was being present as our family was chosen by a beautiful 8-year-old girl named Hilder. She loves math, dreams of being a doctor, and loved watching videos of my little boy Judah! She has 2 older brothers, an inquisitive younger sister I met, and her wonderful mother, Grace, who was so grateful for World Vision. 

I am excited for Hilder and Judah to get to know each other as they grow up. He now has a friend in Uganda to whom he can write. In both Judah and Hilder, I can see the limitless potential of a generation empowered to dream beyond their circumstances.

Reflections

As I look back on my short time in Pajule, it is not the poverty or hardship that stands out most vividly in my memory, but rather the moments of profound connection and solidarity. Whether sharing laughter and dancing with newfound friends or seeing beautiful acts of kindness and compassion, I was reminded of the Kingdom of God and how we can see the glimmers of hope that God brings, even in the hardest of circumstances.
I love how community- and child-focused World Vision is. Ultimately, World Vision aims to empower the community to instigate change and to leave around 15 years later, with the community continuing its own transformation.

As a family, we will continue sponsoring Hilder until she finishes school or until World Vision leaves Pajule—it costs us £26 a month. If you've felt stirred to sponsor through World Vision, please email me at libby.arnold@suttonvineyard.org. If several people are interested, we could consider Sutton Vineyard partnering with a specific community in Pajule. I can send you more information directly if there are just a few people interested. It’s important to me, and the communities, that any decision to sponsor is a thought through commitment.

Not everyone has the opportunity or ability to directly go, serve and support in some of the hardest to reach communities, but this is an opportunity to support an organisation who is there, doing invaluable work. For more information about Chosen, please visit the World Vision website: https://www.worldvision.org.uk/sponsor-a-child/chosen/ 

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Reflections | Sabbatical & Looking Back

I remember the feeling well, as a newly qualified teacher each time a term came to a close. The exhaustion, the limited brain space and the longing for a break. I also remember the worry (just over seven years ago) of moving out of a familiar rhythm of primary school, secondary school, university and teaching where life was lived in 6 week chunks. I was worried about the lack of regular holidays and change in lifestyle moving into pastoral ministry. 

Now I, and many pastors too, face a different challenge. Working, worshipping, friendship, family and ministry all rolled into one beautifully adventurous, chaotic, exciting and sometimes taxing life working for our church. 

As I write this, I remember the new 23 year old pastor sitting in the office across the corridor trying to make sense of what a life working in ministry is about. What it should look like. How I should create healthy divides between work and home. 

In reality, the last 7 years have seen magnificent highs and some sorrowful lows. I have seen my own children born into a big welcoming family, arriving early and leaving late every Sunday. I have experienced journeying with families grieving, individuals celebrating and all the other bits in between. I have had 3 sets of different, but equally as special, Senior Pastors. It has been, and will continue to be, one of the biggest privileges I could imagine. 

However, in the midst of the rollercoaster ride, rest and recuperation are not only important, but vital, in pastoral ministry. In the privilege of walking with people in their highs and lows comes your own emotional journey too. No wonder we are told right at the beginning of scripture, in Genesis 2, how God set a precedent for rest…

‘God finished the work he was doing, so on the seventh day he rested from his work. God blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day. He made it special because on that day he rested from all the work he did while creating the world.’ 

(Genesis 2:2-3 ERV)

I am blessed and encouraged that Julian and Libby, along with our trustees, have encouraged me and enabled me to take a 3 month sabbatical starting in mid April. Rest will be on the agenda, as well as fun, a change in rhythm and an opportunity for new things to spring in my life, the life of my family and the life of our church. Stepping back in sabbatical gives others the chance to step into new spaces - it gently challenges the status quo. Sabbatical also allows for me to visit other churches, get a feel for their ministries and bring back to Sutton Vineyard ideas sculpted and shaped by the Lord. For me during this sabbatical, I feel the spiritual and emotional need for quiet. For God to do new things, headspace in nature, opportunities for spontaneity and a restful soul are necessary. We read in Psalm 62…

‘Truly my soul finds rest in God;

    my salvation comes from him.

    Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

    my hope comes from him. 

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.’

(Psalm 62:1, 5-6 NIV)

I pray that you, too, can find pockets of rest in your upcoming months. As winter turns to spring and summer, I pray for opportunities for the Lord to do new things in you, plant in you new dreams, resurrect buried ones and speak joy into your souls. I pray that you feel the fortress of the Lord surrounding you, protecting you and rooting you in Him. 

I will be around most Sundays during my sabbatical, enjoying worshipping with you all and still serving once a month on our Kids’ ministry. Several wonderful leaders will be stepping in to cover my responsibilities and Julian and Libby will be on hand for any questions in my absence. 

I leave with you the gift of a song that has spoken to me on my journey towards my sabbatical - may it refresh your soul as it has done mine. 

With love,

Hannah 

Welcome Sophie, our new Kids Co-Ordinator!

At Sutton Vineyard we love welcoming new members of our team, and in March we get to do just that!

Sophie has joined us as our new Kids Co-Ordinator. She will be supporting our Kids ministry, helping to develop our young people’s faith and development alongside Kids & Families Pastor Lily!

We sat down with Sophie to find out more about her, and what she’s most excited about in her new role:

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I’m Sophie, and i’ve joined the Sutton Vineyard team as Kids Co-Ordinator!

I’ve been a member of the Sutton Vineyard family for 7 years now, and was baptised here in 2023. I’ve been a volunteer on our Kids Sunday ministry for 3 years, which helped to spark my interest in this new role. I’m also a part of the Youth team, as well as Youth Friday Night once a month!

What will you be focusing on in your new role?

As Kids Co-Ordinator I will be supporting our Children’s and Families Pastor Lily in the running of the weekly curriculum delivered on a Sunday. This includes ongoing communication with the Kids team, prepping resources, administration tasks and planning and organising events within the church calendar. 

What inspired you about this role?

The enjoyment I gained through volunteering once a week and how refreshing it is to come in and do something completely different to my other job. I also like the idea of combining my work and my faith as I believe it will strengthen it.

What are you most excited about in your new role at Sutton Vineyard?

I can’t wait to work alongside Lily, bouncing ideas off each other and creating new and exciting ways to develop the Kids ministry. I am excited about extending the table and opening up opportunities for families to experience what church is about and encouraging them to come along to our services and events.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have been dancing for most of my life and I am specifically trained in Classical Ballet but take part in other dance styles also. 

I love a DIY craft kit and enjoy making things, including knitting, crochet, and painting. 

We can’t wait to see Sophie develop further as part of the Sutton Vineyard team. If you have any encouragements for Sophie feel free to drop us an email at kids@suttonvineyard.org!

What is Youth Small Group?

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

To commune with God in fellowship is practically commanded of us in the Scriptures. Time and time again we see the disciples gathering together to share stories and challenge each other’s faiths. It should be no different for us in our personal journey with God and one another, including our young people. 

In 2024 we kicked off our Youth Small Group to give our young people who have dedicated their lives to God to delve deeper into the Bible and their faith.

So what’s our Youth Small Group all about, and how does it help them in their faith and everyday lives? 

What is Youth Small Group?

Much like an adult small group, our Youth Small Group is a space twice a month for our youth to gather, play a game or two and then head into a topic exploring God, christian faith or practising ministry.

In 2023 we were blessed to have so many youth being baptised, which gave us the opportunity to evaluate how we support our young people in their personal faith journeys. 

Youth Small Group has been created as a space for youth to delve deeper into their faith in a meaningful way, crucial at their development stage. We want to equip our young people with a fuller understanding of doing the Christian journey together and help shape their experience of church which will prepare them for when they are adult believers and out in God’s kingdom.

Like the wider church, there is so much power in personal invitation. This new small group gives our Youth Pastor Hannah Raden a space to invite young people ready to dive deeper together, whilst having plenty of fun along the way!

Why is togetherness so important for young people?

Young people have to process all manner of life experiences; bullying, university choices, peer pressure, exams…

Add a constant stream of information from social media, and it doesn’t make for a promising environment for faith development. 

Youth Small Group helps young people take a step back and be with real people in a real space, helping them to solidify their identity as beloved believers and to go out to every corner of society for the gospel. 

Small group offers our young people the opportunity for perspectives to be challenged and personal journey’s to be encouraged.

It allows them to grow together.

One of the fundamental values of youth work is participation.

At the core of what we do is the youth voice.

Although we have kicked started the life of the Small Group with a programme looking at creative prayer, we are really looking forward to jumping into some of the topics and books of the Bible that interest our young people. 

By letting their voices be heard, it allows young people and adults alike to hear more of the ways God is moving in our lives.

More information on Youth Small Group

Our Youth Small Group is aimed at older Youth who have been baptised, committed their lives to God or are ready to delve deeper into scripture.

For more information on Youth Small Group email Hannah Raden at hannah.raden@suttonvineyard.org or speak to us on Sunday!

---

Want to help young people develop in their faith and relationship with God? Serve on the Sutton Vineyard Youth team! Email hannah.raden@suttonvineyard.org or speak to one of our team on Sunday about how you can get involved.

Matt's Sutton Vineyard Story: Lighthouse, Serving & Balance

Julian: Hi Matt! I’d love to learn more about your background. What work do you do and how long have you been here at Sutton Vineyard?

Matt: So I work for a housing association in communications and marketing. I'm married to Carys, and we have a little boy called Reuben, who's two and a half. I think we're coming up to about five years at Sutton Vineyard. That's gone very quickly which is incredible.

Julian: That's awesome. How do you find moments of spiritual growth in connection with God in the middle of working full time, being a spouse, raising a small child, and the way that you serve in church?

Matt: If I'm being completely honest, balance can be a hard thing to find when life is really busy with work commitments, with family commitments. But I think particularly over the last year, we’ve been a bit more intentional with letting God be part of our day to day life rather than just trying to book in specific God time at the end of the day or the start of the day, which can often not happen depending on naps or depending on other things.

It's about being present. In a practical sense I drive to work, so it's ensuring that for those 45 minutes I've got a talk or a podcast or some worship music or a playlist lined up. In terms of doing bedtime with Reuben, we factor in prayer time and Bible story. In terms of our time together as a family, it's also kind of incorporating reflection, prayer, maybe some worship. And that's been really quite a tangible way of staying connected. 

Julian: I really love that because so often you can feel the need to schedule God in a little bit like, okay, here's my faith, here's my family life, here’s my work life. We can be a little bit boxed-in by that. I love the way you let that sort of bleed across, is that a fair way of describing it? 

Matt: Yeah, and some of it is just because it has to be that way. I think over the last year in particular, it's just become a bit more of a staple in our lives. 

Julian: Last year we spent a fair bit of time talking about growing up in the faith. We talked about foundations and the things that build the body of Christ, but we believe that happens for a reason. We believe that we're built up for a purpose. What are some of the ways that you have found to serve God with your gifts and talents? 

Matt: So I serve on three teams. We run a small group that meets at our house on Thursdays, which has been a humongous blessing. We've really seen God move especially over the last year and actually just thinking about small group, that's been the biggest area we've seen. Being able to just wait on the Holy Spirit with a group of people and to pray into things and see God move and track how God has blessed us, has been wonderful.

From an AV team perspective, I really enjoy being able to use some of my skills to do things behind the scenes that make church happen. It feels like a real natural extension of who I am and some of my work life.

Then from a Welcome team perspective, I like a chat. Connecting to people, having conversations, being a friendly face is great and I love it. 

Julian: So here's the thing. You're working full time, but also you're able to do something unique in the moment. Recently you've been able to give a day from time to time to serve on the Lighthouse Team. How did that come about and how does it help you extend the table? 

Matt: Firstly, Lighthouse is amazing and the team that serve there are just wonderful.

I'm very fortunate that where I work I get volunteering days. I get three volunteering days a year to support various causes and I've used my time over the last year to volunteer at Lighthouse. In terms of what I've seen, I definitely went in with not zero expectations, but maybe not fully understanding how Lighthouse blesses the community, and I was blown away the first time.

I was just like, wow, this is just God moving in a very practical way, helping people, you know, being the hands and feet in the wider community. In terms of how it's extended, you know, it's just faith in action.

There's one particular story that stood out from the last time I was there. It was raining and we prayed in the storeroom and reflecting on our current stock. We were running low on buggies, in particular double buggies. About half an hour into Lighthouse a couple came and dropped off many things, including a double buggy. It was wet, so we took it into the back and dried it off. Maybe within 15, 20 minutes a family turned up and said, we really need a double buggy. I remember saying it’s not even dry, it's still got rain on it. Being able to bless the family with that was just, it’s just amazing.

I think that that articulates the power of Lighthouse and the power of God moving through that space. 

Julian: That's incredible. The other question is like serving on ministries is not just about mid-week activities. These are formal ways as a church that we're able to be outward looking and serve our community. But it also extends to how we share our faith in our everyday lives. How does this look for you? 

Matt: It's definitely evolved as I've got older and family life has changed. 

I think the kind of pivotal thing of all of it is, it's not secret. 

It's not a hush hush thing when I share with friends or colleagues about what I do on a Sunday. I'm very fortunate that I grew up in a Christian family. So that was always kind of a given. People knew where we were on a Sunday or a Friday evening or Tuesday evening or whatever. 

But I think as I've got older and it's become kind of my own more personal faith, it's been about kind of articulating the ‘so what’ factor. For example, we have a neat group of friends that we met when we were expecting Reuben and we shared quite openly about how we've been blessed through meal rotas through Sutton Vineyard, which is a fantastic way of showing love to people.

And we've then tried to pass that practice on. Some of the people who we’ve met in NCT group, I remember one of the couples being like “Why do you do this? Like, that's so nice. Like who, why, why would anybody do this?” It's just to me, it's just kind of showing some love. And then that leads on to conversations about church or about our faith or, you know, what we do on a Sunday or what we do on a Thursday or various other day throughout the week. That's been really important.

But then I think in a slightly more difficult way, it's sometimes for me harder to share really constructive or tangible things about your faith or intangible about your friends and family that know you a little bit more and maybe who don't have a faith. And that's the area over the last year, which has been a real area of growth.

So in terms of praying for family members or praying into their lives, more sharing talks or words or things like that. And that's the thing that I'm really interested to see God extend in terms of my faith. 

Julian: So now just thinking about the fact that you've been here for five years serving in different ways, but working full time, what would you say to somebody who's hearing some of these stories feels they can't give up a working day to serve in this way. What would you say is something that would spur them on in helping be the church and helping embody their faith?

Matt: It's interesting question because Carys and I were talking about that last night, because we are sometimes quite time poor as a family. And I would say firstly, just do it. 

I think in terms of your relationship with God, you will see blessings that you don't even know. And in some sense it's kind of the least that we can do if we are part of the kingdom, the least we could do is give back to the kingdom.

And it may be uncomfortable, maybe time consuming, but actually what you will experience as a result is unfathomable.

In a tangible sense for those who are kind of wondering about, oh, I wonder what team to serve on. No, I'm not sure where my skills fit or I don't feel like I'm very good or I don't fit into that box. I think try and lean into your natural gifts and it doesn't feel necessarily like it's so much of a thing.

Julian: That's wonderful Matt, thank you.

Reflections | Easter, Renewal & Hope

“Easter gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our values and beliefs”

Easter, for me, isn’t just about chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a chocolate Easter egg, but it is also a time that holds a deeper meaning—one of renewal, hope, and reflection. As I take a moment to think about what Easter really means to me, I realise it's also more than just a religious holiday; it’s a time to reconnect with myself and the world around me.

Growing up, Easter was always a fun time filled with family gatherings, days out together and Easter egg hunts. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the spiritual significance behind the holiday more and more. It’s a reminder that even in our darkest moments there’s always a glimmer of hope, a chance for a fresh start. The disciples, as they watched Jesus on the cross, would have felt that all was lost, that it was all over. Yet the reality of Easter is the truth that from that dark moment came the most powerful new beginning for us all! Hope invaded earth, in the middle of darkness. 

One of the things I love most about Easter is the idea of renewal. The timing of Easter coincides with Spring, which feels like nature’s way of hitting the reset button. As I’m sat writing this reflection I can see the daffodils in my garden blooming, and the plants that were sleeping over winter coming back to life! Just as the flowers start to bloom and the days get longer Easter reminds us that we too can shed our old habits and embrace new beginnings. It’s a time to let go of past mistakes and move forward with a renewed sense of purpose and direction. In many ways, Jesus hit the ultimate reset button for each of us, the old order of things passed away and the new has come – the resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate victory!

Easter is also a time of introspection. It’s a chance to take a step back and think about what truly matters in life. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of the things that are most important. But Easter gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our values and beliefs.

This Easter, take some time in the presence of Jesus, and allow Him to refresh you and be reminded of all that He has done in your life. 

But perhaps the most powerful aspect of Easter is the message of hope it brings.

In a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain, when we turn on the news and see darkness and fear across our world, Easter reminds us that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. It’s a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there’s still reason to believe that things will get better. It’s a message of resilience, strength and an unbreakable love that I find incredibly comforting, especially during challenging times.

As I sit here reflecting on Easter, I feel a sense of gratitude wash over me. Gratitude for the incredible reality of the victory Jesus accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection for us, for the beauty of nature, for the love and support of my family and friends, and for the opportunity to experience life in all its ups and downs. Easter is a time to count my blessings and to remember just how fortunate I am to be alive, and to know and love Jesus. 

Easter is a time of renewal, reflection, and hope. It’s a time to be reminded of the truth of Easter, embrace new beginnings, to reconnect with what truly matters, and to find comfort in the knowledge that brighter days lie ahead. So as I celebrate Easter this year, I’ll do so with a heart full of gratitude and a renewed sense of optimism for the future.

If you have a spare moment over Easter, why not take a moment to pray and reflect through these three questions:

1. How has your understanding and appreciation of Easter evolved over time, from childhood traditions to a deeper spiritual connection?

2. Reflecting on the themes of renewal and hope discussed in the piece, what specific aspects of your life do you feel inspired to renew or change as you move forward?

3. In what ways do you find yourself connecting with the message of hope in Easter, especially amidst the challenges and uncertainties of the world today?

What are Development Days?

As a church family we believe in people development to empower new leaders across our ministries and wider community.

2024 will see the introduction of Development Days. They are designed to drive conversation across key topics and to bring through new leaders through faith and encouragement.

Contents

1. What are Development Days?

2. Why do we run Development Days?

3. Who are Development Days for?

4. When is our next Development Day? 

What are Development Days?

Development Days run once a term (3 times a year) on Saturday mornings and afternoons. With a variety of guests and in-house speakers, these 1-day special events (with lunch) take place with a combination of teaching and discussion around topics that will help you develop your self- and external leadership skills.

These dynamic sessions will cover a variety of topics that will focus on helping you self-reflect, learn new skills and create a thinking space for how you can apply them to your life. Each session will be engaging and thought-provoking, followed by a discussion, allowing you and others to discuss the material.

There will be 4 sessions delivered over a morning and afternoon, with lunch at 12:30pm and some breaks between sessions. These sessions will generate ideas around a topic, invite people to share their experiences and be challenged in our thinking and approach to serving others and God effectively.

Why do we run Development Days?

The word 'leader' puts people off, but we believe that everyone is called to lead themselves well.

We want to use these days to help people grow in their calling and competency as they seek to serve God, whether in and through our local church community, workplace, university or beyond.

You don't have to be a team or ministry leader or carry a title to come along. Each of us is called to be an influence for the Kingdom of God, and this is just one of the ways that we can explore topics to help us be equipped for growing in our abilities and continue exploring God's purpose for us as we do so. 

Who are Development Days for?

Development Days are open to everyone. But if you are responsible for others in any capacity, then these days will be of real value to you.

If you are at the helm of a team, generously contribute your time as a volunteer, or play a vital role in ministering to others, these transformative days are crafted to help grow your individual potential and strengthen us as we extend the table.

When is our next Development Day? 

Our next Development Day is on Saturday 24th February and will focus on mental health self-care.

This term we welcome Pastor and licensed Psychotherapist Justine Caswell who will guide us through the realm of mental health self-care - focusing on burnout, boundaries, anxiety, depression, and resilience.

For more information and to sign up click here

Reflections | Finding our Strength Renewed

Isaiah 40:29-31

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.

It's unlikely I'll ever be famous for my running ability. Still, I have discovered more ways to run than just physically.

We can run from problems.

Run from responsibility.

Run from fear.

Run from vulnerability. 

We can run from the truth and run from each other. Sometimes, we run in subtle ways, like withholding from honest conversation or refusing to acknowledge our emotions. And, of course, there are many other ways to run from the things we ought to face up to.

As the year began, I sensed the Lord calling us to focus on health. Healthy things grow, but more than that, they have the potential to thrive. 'Even youths grow tired and weary... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength'.

Running, I'm told, contributes towards being healthy.

If we have to run, let's run towards the purpose that God has for us. Let's run towards the responsibility of thriving in our faith and lives. Let's run towards each other in building trust and strength in the family of God.

Let's bring the good news of knowing Jesus to every part of our life. As we run, we must wait on The Lord and renew our strength in Him ⎯that's where the 'health' part comes into play. 

We don't want to do this journey of faith in our strength... we will only tire and burn out, but we want to run having been revitalised in the presence of God.

We will be renewed as we put our hope in Jesus, wait on Him, and consistently realign our hearts and minds with Him.

Libby and I are continually encouraged by how our church walks alongside others. We come to pray, worship, and serve alongside each other; in doing so, we find our strength renewed. 

May you not grow weary, may you not grow tired, but as you seek to extend the table of God's kingdom, may you renew your strength in God's perfect peace.

Much love,

Julian

What is the Orange Philosophy?

If you wander down the Kids corridor at Sutton Vineyard Church on Sundays you will see a lot of orange.

That isn’t an accident!

Our Kids leaders wear orange because in our church we follow the Orange Philosophy. 

But what is the Orange Philosophy, what does it mean for our kids and how can it help support faith development at home?

What is the Orange Philosophy?

Take the Church and the home.

Think of the Church as yellow.

And think of the home as red.

The idea of orange philosophy is to bring together the church, represented by the colour yellow, and the home, represented by the colour red.

If you mix yellow and red, you get orange. If you combine the church and the home and if they work together, they can have a far greater impact than solely relying on one. If the purpose of both the family home and the church is to build God’s Kingdom in the hearts of our children and young people, neither one can do it without the other.

The red home

If the red home tries to raise children who know and love Jesus without the church, they miss out on a community of supportive fellow Christians, their children miss out on learning what it is to do life with other followers of Jesus and the weight and the responsibility of raising the next generation is just too much for a parent to handle.

Much of our society today tells us to keep ourselves to ourselves, to keep our problems private and to battle through parenthood alone because ‘your kids and your life aren’t my problem’.

But orange fiercely challenges that train of thought. 

Jesus fiercely challenges that train of thought. 

We were never designed to go it alone in any areas of our lives let alone parenting! If you are a friend of someone with kids, an auntie or uncle, a Kids or Youth leader, a teacher or if you work with Kids - whether or not you have your own kids, you are a vital part of those children’s lives. Without you demonstrating the love of Jesus and modelling Christianity to those children, the chance of them growing up to know and love God are slim. 

We need our village, we need our church around us.

The yellow church

On the opposite side of the red home you find the yellow church, trying to raise men and women of God without input from the home.

That doesn’t work either. 

Statistically, a child who is a regular church attender spends around 40 hours a year in church. That means our teams only have 40 hours with our kids to teach them

• what it means to be a Christian

• who Jesus is

• to guide them in knowing how to talk to God and listen to Him

• to worship with them

• to share God’s word with them

• to pray for and with them

• to introduce them to the Holy Spirit 

• to cultivate a strong relationship between them and their father in Heaven

Imagine trying to do all that with 40 hours a year. It just isn’t possible!

In contrast, the number of hours parents and carers have at home with which to influence their children is 3000. 3000 hours seems like a more reasonable time frame for those things! We fit as much as we possibly can into those 40 hours we get with kids at church but research has shown that the number 1 influence on a child’s life is their parents, carers and guardians.

As a parent, carer or guardian this may sound overwhelming, but don’t feel pressured! The church and the home are both comprised of broken, imperfect people through whom God has chosen to tell His story. We’re all going to get it wrong sometimes but if all of us at church commit to supporting families with youth and kids and if all of the families commit to taking the lead in their child’s walk with faith with our support, if we add a whole load of grace, love and divine power, we’ve got the best chance of seeing our children grow up to know and follow Jesus. 

That’s something worth putting the effort into. 

That’s what the Orange philosophy is. 

The home and the church coming together to raise the next generation of Christians. 

If you have any questions about the Orange Philosophy and how we encourage and support faith growth in our young people at Church and at home, email kids@suttonvineyard.org

Tom's Sutton Vineyard Story: Focus, Youth and Community

At Sutton Vineyard we have so many amazing stories of God moving in people’s lives to serve our community and develop as individuals.

One of those people is Tom, who serves as a leader in our Youth ministry.

Our Senior Pastor Julian spoke to Tom about focus, the joy of serving and how his faith has developed in his everyday life:

Julian: Good morning! How are you doing? 

Tom: Good. Yeah. Good. 

Julian: So tell us your name and where you come from? 

Tom: My name's Tom. I come from Croydon.

Members of the congregation cheer 

Okay, good. Yeah, we like that

Julian: Did someone just boo?

Tom: It's not that bad! 

Julian: We can pray for him afterwards. It's okay. But you love the Lord though, so it's all good.

So Tom, what are some of the things that the Lord has stirred in you recently? 

Tom: So I had quite a tricky 2023 for a few different reasons. My faith was tested in lots of different ways that I hadn't been tested before and perhaps I hadn't expected to be.

There was something that we did as a small group at the start of last year, which was to find a word for our year. And for me that word was focus. It wasn't immediately obvious at the start how that was going to be relevant, but over the course of the year I came to realise that having the focus on God with all the other stuff that was going on around me was really important.

So yeah it was really hard at times, hard to be proactive in that.

Julian: I love that you start with a word. We did a straw poll just after New Year's on resolutions, and only two people raised their hands. And so this word of the year that's carrying you through is something that God's kind of unsettled in you, that you need to actually draw down your attention to Focus.

Tom: Yeah. Well, the thing I realised was that I wasn't always particularly focused, and it's quite hard to be proactive in that. Simple things, prayer, reading the Bible, even coming to church and being in spaces like this, having that as a focal point of your life is not always easy.

Julian: No, Absolutely. 

One of the ways you serve is by leading our young people on our youth team. What inspires you most about serving our young people? How is the Lord growing you through serving them? 

Tom: So when I was youth age, I had some brilliant youth leaders and was really blessed in that.

So that gives me a lot of the motivation to serve in youth. But having been around the church for a while, I'm sure some people might be able to empathise, you can get bad habits creeping in. You can maybe get a bit weary. The energy levels can drop. But being around the youth is amazing. The energy, the optimism, the positivity that some of them have and their desire to sort of act out their faith is is really amazing.

It's a real privilege. I'd really encourage it.

Julian: Can I ask you, do you understand all of the phrases they use? Because I was a youth pastor for many years and I thought it would never happen. And it's happened. 

Tom: Haha, no!

Julian: Right, so we're in the same boat. We don't feel left out! And yet you can still serve our young people. 

Tom: Embrace it, embrace it.

Julian: In what ways have you experienced spiritual growth through your working with our young people? 

Tom: It's a great team to serve on. There are some phenomenal youth leaders. When you serve on Youth, you spend a lot of time around the leaders on the camps like DTI (Dreaming the Impossible), on Friday Nights, at Youth Small Group. And so I learn a lot from the leaders as well and how they approach things. When you have a responsibility to teach people about faith, Church, God, Jesus, all of those things, the challenge that I find is being in a place where I can communicate that clearly and understand that. It makes me realise the simplicity of a lot of the things we do at Church. We sit there and we really overcomplicate the foundations that we all know we should have enough faith that we sometimes neglect. 

Julian: So as we as we look at the way we serve, one of the things we do as a church is we come in, we get built up in the faith and then we also give out of what gifts and talents the Lord has given us. But obviously committing to serve and going the way that you are is a bit of a time commitment in a variety of ways, because, for instance, you know, it's not just on Sundays, is it? How do you balance that commitment to growing in your faith, serving our young people and maintaining a positive presence as you go about your daily work as well? 

Tom: Yeah. that's a huge thing for me. I think it's really important to have spaces in the Church that you give to that maybe draw on your energy levels and youth is that. It's great, but it can be tiring.

But also having spaces that you can learn from and grow in. And so small groups are great and I really appreciate the community that you have in that and the learning that you can get from that.

And I think that's really important in a work setting. I work in the civil service, so it's not always easy to share about your personal life, faith or otherwise. I have the odd conversation. I had a conversation with a guy last summer after DTI, and found out that he also serves as a youth leader in a church, I didn't even know he went to church! So it was really nice to have that community with someone to sort of support me.

But what I do try to do in the work setting, if I can't talk about my faith because it just doesn't come up so much as, is think of what I can control. I can control how I act and try to apply the sort of principles that Jesus taught us to have in work. 

That's honesty, integrity, kindness, how you treat people.

I try to bring that in where I can. 

Julian: And what I love about that is this if you call it, there's three aspects here where Tom is a part of our church. You're serving our young people, but also that's a catalyst for conversation in your everyday life. All of these things play together in helping extend the table in different ways because you're serving here in what you’re familiar with on a Sunday. But actually it has an impact on all areas of your life.

Thank you for sharing!

If you’re looking to find out more about serving on any of our Church teams, visit our Join a Team page or email hannah.miles@suttonvineyard.org for more information!