Fireworks and Fellowship

Remember, Remember the 5th of November.

Last night was Bonfire Night and as a cluster we came together to enjoy an evening of  of fireworks and fellowship . Fellowship is when people who have the same beliefs share life together and we did this in various ways. To serve one another we each brought food to eat together – delicious.

In Matthew 25:35 it says “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me”. God provides us with all that we need, and so as a cluster we try to share our time and food together.

When spending time together we should encourage each other in our christian faith by praying, worshiping and looking at the bible. Last night we were able to  do this by looking at various ways to worship, and singing our praises to God.

James 5:13 says, ‘Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.’ No matter our situation we should choose to worship God and in the middle of a busy term this was a perfect opportunity.

Together we then lit and watched fireworks and sparklers, which as students was definitely a laugh and definitely makeshift – try setting off fireworks from a pan full of soil. To watch something so beautiful and exciting together was lots of fun, and their was a real sense of friendship.

Starting a New Year.

Having started a new year at University we’ve had a few changes to our cluster. Action has seen many people graduate and lots of new faces start to hang around with us.

At the start of a new term we’ve had some exciting events and some new ideas starting. This year as a Cluster we’ll be focusing on building each other up, and spreading the love of Jesus to the Sheffield Hallam community. The students and the church have been back together for about a month, and we’ve see spiritual and numerical growth in each.

In John 15:12-15 it says: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” 

This year that is one of our primary focuses to Love God, Love our Friends, and to Love our Neighbors. So far this term we have been doing this in a variety of ways.

We built up our friendships within our cluster, and other student groups, at our church at the Church4Students party at Vodka Revs.

C4S Student Party Oct’14

C4S Student Party Oct’14

In addition, this year we’ll be regularly water-bottling on the club and bar scene in Sheffield to help and bless students of both universities. This started with a bang last night as we went out to support Sheffield Sports Societies who regularly go out on a Wednesday night.

Water-bottling Oct’14

Opportunities like this, and our Cluster meals (at Bloo88) encourage us to support our friends and to invite others along to simply chat, eat, or help out, or maybe, to ask questions about God.  We’re very excited about what this year brings, and bringing Jesus back to the city of Sheffield.

Paul wrote, “Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind.” Philippians 4:4-5.

Times of Fellowship

As a cluster we love to socialize, gathering as a community to share life. 
It has been a busy semester so far for most people with exams and deadlines looming over our heads but, as important as those things are, it is important to come up for air every once in a while to see friends and encourage each other.
It says in the bible that sharing in times in fellowship in God’s name brings us together with him.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there i am among them.” – Matthew 18:20

The week after Easter we thought a catch up was in order so we gathered the cluster at a cafe in Sheffield and had a catch up over cupcakes and tea (a bit girly i know, but the boys definitely seemed to enjoy it!) 

Last week was the Church for Students party at Vodka Revolution in Sheffield. A chance to let our hair down, drink cocktails, eat and dance! It was a really great way to celebrate the fantastic year we’ve had with Church for Students and a good opportunity to invite non-christian friends (free food is always a good bribe!)

This Sunday was Cluster Sunday at our church in Sheffield- meaning no morning service and the clusters gather as communities to socialize and do outreach. Action did a ‘Come Dine With Me’ event where we brought and shared food together and all walked up to Church for the evening gathering where we heard a great preach about Courage which we’ll talk more in depth about in this weeks Cell meetings!

We are very blessed as a Cluster to be surrounded with supportive, encouraging and loving people who we can share our life with and talk about our walk with Jesus. 

“Finally, all of you, have unity of heart, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a humble mind.” – 1 Peter 3:8

Water Bottling

I think the three words I’d summarise our experience of water bottling are: Memorable, Evangelistic and Cold!
So a few weeks ago a few of our cluster went out in the early hours of the morning to hand out water bottles to people outside nightclubs to help with the ‘sobering up process’ in some cases but the main reason was just to bless the people we met.
We started off the night at a friend’s house and had a time of worship and asked God to fill us up and equip us for our evening ahead- and he definitely provided!

We went on to Carver Street carrying almost 100 bottles and handed them out to people passing us. It was really great to be able to have a chat with them about why we were giving out free water, people got very confused about why we weren’t charging for the water “Why is it free?! What have you done to it?!” was probably the most used line of the evening, but certainly a good conversation starter!

Some of our team had some great conversations with people wanting to understand what on earth we were giving up our time to do this for and a great opportunity to be able to speak a little bit about our faith.

It says in the bible that we should be witnesses for God to people who do not know him, any act, small or big that shows the word of God is precious in his eyes.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” – Romans 10:14

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” – 1 Peter 3:15