"How important is our fellowship in the local church?" Let me answer that question by telling a story.
A minister was concerned about the absence of a man who had normally attended services. After a few weeks, he decided to visit him. When the pastor arrived at the man's home, he found him all alone, sitting in front of a fireplace. The minister pulled up a chair and sat next to him. But after his initial greeting he said nothing more.
The two sat in silence for a few minutes while the minister stared at the flames in the fireplace. Then he took the tongs and carefully picked up one burning ember from the flames and placed it on the hearth. He sat back in his chair, still silent. His host watched in quiet reflection as the ember flickered and faded. Before long it was cold and dead.
The minister glanced at his watch and said he had to leave, but first he picked up the cold ember and placed it back in the fire. Immediately it began to glow again with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the minister rose to leave, his host stood with him and shook his hand. Then, with a smile on his face, the man said, "Thanks for the sermon, pastor. I'll see you in church on Sunday." -David Roper" [Our Daily Bread Sept. 22 2003]
We agree with the above "sermon" but further feel that to keep the embers glowing all week the ideal way is to have another fireplace away from the church building. That's one of the reasons why we have formed a small group called Embers.
The M(embers) are: Dave and Norma Ashburn, Jacques and Roberta Beaudreault, Larry and Jean Fiddler, Nancy Tan and Fred Powell(leader).
Our Fireplace away from Brighouse rotates among the Fiddler, Beaudreault and Powell homes.
We meet the first and third Tuesday of every month from late September till the end of June.
Our meetings last from 7:00 to 9:30 pm with coffee/tea desserts and fellowship from 7:00 to 7:30; praise and worship and opening prayer from 7:30 till 8:00; Bible study from 8:00 till 9:00; then fellowship and intercessory prayer and conclude with next meeting assignments at 9:30.
This year our bible study is Relying On The Holy Spirit from the In Touch Study Series by Dr. Charles Stanley.
We always have an empty chair at every meeting and would welcome anyone who would be interested in exploring M(embership) in our group. Contact any Ember if you are interested.
Lord, help us see how much we need each other
As we walk along the Christian way;
In fellowship with sister and with brother,
You will keep us growing day by day. -Hess [Our Daily Bread Sept. 22 2003]
The warm fellowship of the church will keep your heart from growing cold. [Our Daily Bread Sept. 22/03]
This our equivalent of the Human Resources Dept. A church is built on human relations, and somebody is required to keep an eye on the masses of volunteers and technical assistants required!
The Coffee and Tea Committee is the dedicated group that takes on the responsibility of bringing refreshments to our congregation after the Sunday service. Volunteers come from a rotating roster. Join us!
To foster in the children, youth, and adults of Brighouse United Church, a greater understanding of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in The Bible, in order that we may live as disciples of Jesus Christ.
To provide age-appropriate opportunities to learn and grow in our knowledge of Christ and God's place in our lives by providing a safe environment and personal coaching for students, that is helpful and relevant.
Groups that want to use Brighouse facilities (for weddings, funerals, meetings, etc) will typically rent the required space, and Brighouse provides the support services such as security and cleanup.
The Rentals Committee is a good place to learn how to document bookings and rentals.
When your group arrives at Brighouse, you will find that the floors and windows have been cleaned and the trash has been emptied, and everything is ready for you!
This committee is a very useful way to learn about managing the cleaning of large facilities.
Every once in a while our members tackle a special project to fill a special need. Recently they created a new Fireside Room so we could have a special meeting place:
And special thanks to Ken, Katie, & the Special Projects crew!
Our children, believe it or not, (bless their dear little hearts) are just like little kids everywhere, and require lots of guidance
Early School Classes:
These little hatchlings are a mix of new readers and kiddie readers. The class emphasizes bible story telling, singing, and bible crafts, with a range of tasks to suit the age range. At the end of each class, the children learn to sing simple, but classic, Christian songs and seasonal favourites like Christmas carols. A major goal of each season is for the kids to sing for the congregation! They do it all themselves, including playing the piano and tambourines.
Toddlers are usually in a separate group in the Toddlers' Room with a window onto the main church service. They stay with mum because, well, since they're mostly fully occupied with what toddlers usually do with their mums!
Depending on the numbers, we may have a separate class for children in grades 1 to 3 meet for biblically based Sunday school classes that use different types of activities to share knowledge about Christian tenets and biblical history in a way that's fun and intriguing. Considerable time is spent on Bible-centred songs, word games, mazes, and puzzles to encourage the children to enjoy the language of the Bible.
Students in grades 4 to 6 meet for biblically based Sunday school classes that use different types of activities to share knowledge about Christian tenets and biblical history in a way that's fun and intriguing.
The David C. Cook curriculum is specifically designed for children, and is composed of lesson plans that teach a particular idea or concept. The lesson's center is a biblical passage, usually a story, which the children read aloud. Sometimes we incorporate plays or games into the lesson that allow the kids to emphasize with the lesson's concept, and the story's characters. Work sheets, activities, and crafts relating to the subject strengthen the topic and maintain the children's interest.
Students in grades 7 to 12 are welcome to join Clarence and Charles for a Sunday school curriculum aimed at older students. The curriculum is biblically centered, and the class explores Christian life through a variety of means.
Curriculum such as the Zondervan small group guide books, themed lessons, or even the Alpha video series have been used to help students learn and grow in their faith. Topics include exploring Christian attitudes, foundational beliefs, and application of biblical principles into everyday life. Occasionally there are materials to take home (such as small group discussion books), but always there is food for thought. From time to time, the senior class may join the junior class for various activities such as murals or videos. The format of each lesson is structured, but more discussion based and often involves fruitful digressions. Students are encouraged to speak up and participate, and their opinions and thoughts inform future curricula.
These little hatchlings are a mix of new readers and kiddie readers. The class emphasizes bible story telling, singing, and bible crafts, with a range of tasks to suit the age range. At the end of each class, the children learn to sing simple, but classic, Christian songs and seasonal favourites like Christmas carols. A major goal of each season is for the kids to sing for the congregation! They do it all themselves, including playing the piano and tambourines.![[[Advent Group]]](http://www.brighouseunitedchurch.org/_Library/images/sundayschooladvent2007.jpg "Advent Group")
that use different types of activities to share knowledge about Christian tenets and biblical history in a way that's fun and intriguing.
Work sheets, activities, and crafts relating to the subject strengthen the topic and maintain the children's interest.