For many, but not all, a bucket and spade will mean one thing - memories of holidays at the seaside. Why is it that children, young and old, love the seaside? For children, their laughter makes their delight obvious as they splash in the sea, build sandcastles and eat ice-cream. For adults, perhaps it’s being away from routine or responsibilities, being free to play, to read and to indulge in leisure-pleasures. What do you look for in a holiday? Some like activities but others prefer the quieter and slower pace of life. When you think about the idea of ‘holiday’, it becomes clear that it is unique to humankind - animals and plants are too busy surviving to think about it!
To find ongoing fulfilment through your work is ideal but relatively few achieve it as you know if you think about your friends and acquaintances. The ideas of ‘job fulfilment’ or four weeks for annual leave were unheard of pre-Middle Ages and still is in some places. If you live in Mongolia then you can expect no more than 15 days annual leave, in Mexico 13 days or in Guyana just 12 days.
Most of us prefer beginnings to endings - the starting of a new chapter, the first day of your holiday or the birth of a child. And yet, we all know these things will end because our experience of life is linear. Scientists suggest that the world began with the ‘big bang’ and many fear that it will end with a big bang either from an asteroid or a nuclear one of our own making. The world will not end because of over population, disease, wars or even global warming. These may well be accompanying signs as you can read in the book that is all about beginnings and endings, the Bible which is God’s Word to us. The picture has a clue which some will recognise. What you see there is a Tide Clock which links the time with the moon and the tide. Whilst we understand much about day and night, the gravitational pull of the moon in its different phases and the movement of the tide, there is much we just don’t know. We don’t know exactly how or why it all started. Many do not accept that there was a ‘Who’ behind it but the Bible fills in the gaps if people care to read and seek to understand. There came a time when God entered our story as a human in the person of his son. That son, the Lord Jesus Christ, knows the story line and holds it all together, for he is The Alpha and The Omega.
THE BEST CONNECTIONS APP is a free resource online and as an app to help people get the most out of life’s journey.
There are 6 main sections with 5 important sub-sections. Within them are nearly 500 quotes from famous past and present people who have walked planet earth and offer their wisdom. These include Socrates, Voltaire, Obama, Marilyn Monroe, Confucius, John Lennon, Stephen Hawking, Ghandi and many others from all walks of life and religious views.
Available now - click for details
• A4 large print magazine
• Free electronic presentation with notes
This is for use by Chaplains, Ministers and anyone with friends or relatives in the ‘retired-plus’ group. Materials are extremely thought-provoking with stunning images, extensive quotes and testimonies to inspire connections in the silver years.
Silver Connections notes and Powerpoint presentation are available for download. It is worth printing off the notes separately to use in discussion with the images, quotes and many interesting stories on the slideshow.
Click below for free notes and ppt downloads:
Silver Connections Slideshow.ppt
My Connections
a free discipleship App
This is a 31 day journey for those who are already connected to stimulate your personal walk with God.
Use for free and then pass on to friends.
Download the free app here:
DISCONNECTED? FIND... A BETTER CONNECTION
Two short videos for personal or group use for anyone considering a better connection with church and/or God! Links to free online session notes, invitation cards, discipleship and outreach booklets.
TCL/The Connected Life is a similar two session resource for people to explore a first connection.
Download A Better Connection Session 1 notes to your computer or tablet by clicking the image below:
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Click to open a PDF in your browser window |
Click here for more details and downloads
including handy contact cards for you to download and print
Download A Better Connection Session 2 notes to your computer or tablet by clicking the image below:
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Click to open a PDF in your browser window |
UNCONNECTED? DISCOVER … THE CONNECTED LIFE
Two short videos for personal or group use for anyone interested to see how Christ connects us to God and how it brings completely new Identity, Value and Purpose! Links to free online session notes, invitation cards, discipleship and outreach booklets.
In this first TCL session, we’re focussing on the search for security, happiness and motivation... and where most people make the mistake of trying to find them.
The Connected Life Session 1 Notes to your computer or tablet by clicking the image below:
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Click to open a PDF in your browser window |
In this final session of The Connected Life (TCL), we explore how the need for identity, value and purpose in our lives is ultimately found through connection with God.
The Connected Life Session 2 Notes to your computer or tablet by clicking the image below:
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Click to open a PDF in your browser window |
All the resources for outreach and discipleship have now been put into electronic format for free use. Watch this short video to see how C4L Online works:
• Best Connections Cards
• C4L Connections Cards
• TCL & ABC Cards