There are printed songbooks available for those who have difficulty reading the overhead projection screen and there is also an induction loop for those with hearing aids if you sit in the middle section of the church. Ladies’ toilets are located in the back hall on the left and gentleman’s toilets are through the doorway in the church on the right as you enter. Please ask if you need any help. After the morning service, tea, coffee and other refreshments are available in the back hall, please join us.

We looked last week at the challenge that the writer to the Hebrews puts before his readers to enter into the rest of God. He drew on the Old Testament story of the Exodus in his teaching, and reminded them that those who left Egypt never arrived at their destination because of faithlessness and disobedience, which the Scripture calls ‘hardness of heart’. They missed their longed-for rest, for that’s how the people thought of the promised land. We, too, can miss God’s rest unless we ‘make every effort’ to enter into it. Our effort consists in allowing the word of God to judge us, our great High Priest to represent us, the mercy of God to acquit us, the grace of God to strengthen us, and the people of God to encourage us. Today we’ll look somewhat more closely at the word of God, and see if it convicts us. It should do, because then we’re going to need the services of our mediator and advocate, even our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. But, sorry, I’m jumping the gun, as we’ll consider His credentials rather more fully next Sunday.

On Tuesday we have our December Council Meeting, so please keep us in your prayers as we need to keep our vision of Jesus sharp for the coming year. This has been a year of comings and goings, with perhaps a bigger change in our congregational make-up than we have realised. I was struck by Brenda’s comment on the first Sunday that she and Ming were back with us, that she hardly knew anybody! Our sad news is that our next-door neighbour, Ted Bowden, died this week (Thursday), having been ill for some time. It is likely that we will host a thanksgiving service for his life at the church on Friday week, but arrangements are provisional as yet. We are praying for the family.

There is a breakfast this Saturday, 08 December at 8:30am. Do come along and enjoy a good hearty breakfast, fellowship with other men and opportunity to listen to our speaker Ray Djan. Please let Richard know if you are coming so we have some idea of how many to cater for.

The Women’s Fellowship are looking forward to their Christmas lunch together at the Dene in Woldingham. Ladies will be contacted this week to arrange transport from their homes at around 12:30pm for lunch at 1pm. This is a new venture for us. I understand that, for some years, Pauline Pocock has generously prepared a lovely meal for the members of the fellowship. Hopefully this year she will enjoy having one cooked for her! Please pray for safe travel, good health and strength for the ladies – we hope to have a short meeting in the hall as usual at about 3:30pm as our last meeting of the year.