AGM Reports

Minister's Report to AGM 2008

So another year has passed and what a year of changes. Our journey together has taken us from our nomadic worship at the WI, Cotton Hall and Orchard Close back to our home here at the church.

It is good to be back and I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard at ensuring our church life has continued week by week. you know who you are.

As always it has been a mixed year – we have said goodbye to some folk, but we have had the joy of welcoming others and were especially blessed in sharing in the Baptism of Mandy on our return to our church.

But it is not the same building as we left it is bigger and brighter and offers more to our community.

I am delighted that it is already beginning to be used as intended.

CAMTAD has now become a regular resident helping those in our community with hearing difficulties.

I am delighted that God has again raised up servants to offer hospitality to the International Students at the Coffee House which meets each Monday

We are about to begin our monthly Coffee morning this Thursday for those who want company and conversation as well as a free tea of coffee.

Cocktails of the non alcoholic variety will shortly be served to our secondary school youngsters giving them another place to socialise and see that God wants them to have fun.

With the improvements to our facilities we have been able to offer even better hospitality to some international Ten Singers who have camped out and also been used as the back up venue for their regular meetings

Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship which has continued to develop and promote the idea of fellowship and enjoyed and speakers on a variety of topics.

We have also continued our Services Orchard Close and Midfield Lodge Nursing Home, which are very much an extension of the fellowship, being communities within our church community, have continued to bring the praise and worship of God.

Our monthly prayer meeting continue to be one of the few areas for concern. This is an area that I have commented on in every report I have brought to the church. We know the power of prayer, we know that it is the powerhouse of the church; we know that it is in our prayer that God frequently reveals his plans and yet of all the activities the church is involved in our corporate prayer life is one of the weakest. So why do we find it so hard to get together for prayer.  If we are serious about the part we want this church to have in God’s work for the kingdom then we need to pick up the challenge of our corporate prayer life.

Another area of concern is our House Groups which in the past have provided such a rich opportunity to study God’s word and grow in our knowledge and understanding sadly with the exception of the daytime group they stopped for a large part of the year and although we have re-started one for the period of lent though many are missing this important chance of fellowship, prayer and learning.

I believe firmly that we are approaching a crossroads. I believe that God is preparing us to join him on a journey that will see his kingdom grow and that will glorify Him and that means we need to  make some important decisions both as a church and as individuals. My hope is that we capture His vision and follow the path he is preparing for us.

Last year I closed with the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi and as I stand before you today they remain equally true.

I thank my God every time I remember you.

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.

 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:3-11

As we journey together let us seek God’s will and direction and draw ever closer to him by our prayers and our study of his word that we might truly bring him Glory and build his King*dom.

2006 Student Minister's Annual Report

This is the last time I shall stand before you to give an annual report as your student minister. As I enter the final semester of my course I again would like to thank you all for the support and encouragement that you have not only shown to me but also your love, in being patient with me when my enthusiasm has overtaken my sensitivity But you have not only shown this to me but to my family as well.

It is on occasions like this when we can look back at the year past and give thanks. With a few exceptions I will not name names but offer a deep and heartfelt thank you to all of you who work so faithfully in serving the church in a myriad of different ways both seen and unseen.

I would however like to say thank you to Stephen our secretary who stands down this year. He has served the church faithfully in that role demonstrating all the gifts God has blessed him with in ordered running of our church. He has been a great personal support and encouragement to me as I have felt my way through being the student minister gently guiding me in the affairs of church.

We are blessed by a deaconate that truly has a servant heart, as I talk to my student colleagues I realise how fortunate we are to have a group of sincere Christians who have no private agendas. A team whose desire is to build up the body.

I am pleased that we are not a parochial church but seek to serve the Lord out in the community often inviting the community in.

• Coffee House I continue to praise God for the Coffee House for the team who serve week-by-week showing God’s love to some who might never otherwise have the seeds of Christian life sown in their hearts. We need to pray for those who give up their time week by week to serve in this way.
• Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship has continued and has enjoyed a variety of good speakers
• Services at  at Orchard Close & Midfield Lodge Nursing Home have continued to bring the praise and worship of God to some that might otherwise have no opportunity to enjoy the fellowship of a service
• And the monthly Coffee Morning have continued to be a feature of the weekday life of the church giving those in the village a place to drop into and again I thank all those who have helped me in offering this important hospitality.
• In December we again hosted the Donation Diner where the generosity of those who came enabled us to participate in helping the young people at the Lady Adrian School and the work in Malawi.

BUT just as we are outward looking we have seen continued growth through our services and in the ways we support and care for each other.

We have been blessed and challenged by those who have supported us in our hearing of the word and teaching us through their preaching and I am grateful for all that Phillip Staves does in keeping our pulpit filled.

Our Sunday school has continued to flourish and as a parent I have been thankful for the teaching and care given by all the team and would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who help week by week and especially to thank Angela and Karen for their dedication to and love for our children.

House Groups  I am pleased that following our 40 Days of Purpose lent course last year that we now have two groups that meet every other Week offering care and support to one another in addition to the growth that comes from the study of God’s Word.

I was pleased by the support for corporate prayer especially in a time of great need for one of the families in the church. I believe that it is through prayer that we build the relationship that God wants for us. Prayer as individuals and as a fellowship, and I would encourage us to continue to value all that the opportunities for prayer offer.

This past year has been a roller coaster for many in the church. We have had the joy of sharing in the Baptisms of Jen and Kay and the sadness of sharing personal tragedies. But as I have spoken to those involved I have been humbled by the comfort and support that God has given that each has testified to.  And it is at times such as these that we are reminded what it means to be church. The body of Christ that feels both the joys and the pain experienced by any one part.

The coming year will see many changes for us as a church and as a community.

As a community

• We will say farewell to The Lady Adrian School as they relocate in the summer to a newly built school.
• We will see the continued expansion of the village as new houses continue to be built.
• We will see a familiar landmark in the village undergo a major facelift as Cotton Hall is redeveloped and refurbished. 

As a church

• We will see changes to our building and we need to pray for the opportunities to use those new facilities for the benefit of the community and the glory of God.
• We will experience a change in where we worship which I hope will show the community that the church is not the building but the gathering together of God’s people

It means change for me

• As I change from being away at college and being a student to being a full time minister and I ask you to pray that I might recognise the opportunities that having more time will present to me.
• As I balance the need to continue with my studies without the enforced discipline of being away at college. 

But with change comes opportunity and I look forward to being the Pastor of this church because as I look around me I see a community of Gods people who are growing together and maturing in Christ, who support one another and care for one another and as we seize the opportunities that God presents to us my prayer is that we will demonstrate not only that we are in the community but for the community showing God’s love to all.

Steve Holland

2005 Student Minister's Annual Report

And so another year has passed. I certainly does not seem like a year since I last stood before you giving what was my first report as your Student Minister. Again I would like to thank you for all the support and encouragement that you have given Karen and myself as we have tried to serve the Lord here in Girton. And yet while I was tempted to begin to thank all those who do the transport and the coffee and the cleaning etc I am aware that I may leave some un-thanked so I offer a simple but heartfelt thanks to all of you who work in out fellowship bringing glory to God quietly in the background.

One of the personal highlights of the year was the baptism of Dolly and Dennis and Sally and I pray that even now God will be preparing the hearts of others for Baptism.

Another was my trip to Malawi and I thank the church for giving me the time to go. It was a trip that has truly changed my life and I shall be always challenged by the pastor who praised God that he and his family had food to eat nearly every day. I thank God that we have the privilege to be part of the wonderful work that God does there through Aquaid.

Last week marked the end of the college semester and also the half way point in the course. I am pleased that have again managed to submit all my assignments on time and subject to the results of my last assignment and exam I have continued to reach the required standard. Is with last year I still struggle to find the balance between college, home and church life and while I have had the great joy of visiting many of you in your homes and some of you in hospital, I have been unable to visit you all. So as with last year I will try to do better.

We have said farewell to Rachel our time for God Volunteer. She was instrumental in leading a number of international students to developing or deepening their relationship with God.

I am pleased that we are not an inward looking church but seek to serve the Lord out in the community often inviting the community in.

I thank Peter for his regular updates on all that happens at the Coffee House and I praise God for those who serve week-by-week sowing seeds of good news to the many international students who would not otherwise hear the good news of Christ.

Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship has continued and has enjoyed a variety of good speakers

Services at Orchard Close & Midfield Lodge Nursing Home have continued to bring the praise and worship of God to some that might otherwise have no opportunity to enjoy the fellowship of a Christian service

And the monthly Coffee Morning have continued to be a feature of the weekday life of the church giving those in the village a place to drop into and again I thank all those who have helped me in offering this important hospitality.

In December we again hosted the Donation Diner where the generosity of those who came enabled us to give to the Aquaid lifeline fund and to Lady Adrian School here in the village.

BUT just as we are outward looking we have seen continued growth through our services and in the ways we support and care for each other.

Our Worship Group has continued to inspire us in our worship introducing us to new songs and leading us and encouraging us in our praise.  As I have listen to the other students at college I realize more and more fully how blessed we are to have such gifts in our church.

We have been blessed and challenged by those who have supported us in our hearing of the word and teaching us through their preaching and I am grateful for all that Ken and Alison and now Phillip do in keeping our pulpit filled each Sunday.

Our Sunday school has continued to flourish and as a parent I have been thankful for the teaching and care given by all the team and would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who help week by week.

The House Group at Neil and Angela’s that not only stimulates the growth that comes from the study of God’s Word but that also offers care and support. And I look forward seeing that joined by at least one other group throughout the period of Lent.

I also rejoice in those who attend the monthly Prayer Meetings and join me on Saturday mornings.

It is through a healthy corporate prayer life that we see what God has in store for our church,

It is through corporate prayer that we are guided in the decisions that will face the church in the coming year, and it is through corporate prayer that our church becomes the church that God wants us to be.

I am delighted that we have had the opportunity to pray for our community through the prayer promise which will be delivered to every house in Girton

But I am aware that we must never be complacent and that we should constantly seek Gods vision and purpose in going forwards and I would be happy to hear all views on how we can encourage each other to join in this vital work.

I see this coming year as a year of opportunities:

• Opportunities as we grow as individuals and as a church through the 40 days of purpose
  
• Opportunities as we re-develop the Sunday school room, Kitchen and toilets
  
• Opportunities to engage in our community life through events like the Girton Village Feast.
• Opportunities as our communities are changing with the new housing developments as in Girton and we have also involved in what the Christian presence might be in the housing developments at Northstowe, which will bring an increased opportunity to witness to those about us.