4 O'Clock Church is a St Nicholas Church congregation which meets at Lady Boswell's School every Sunday at 4pm.

Our services are very relaxed and informal, and have proved especially popular with young families. We always have a Bible talk, some (mostly modern) songs and prayers. At the end of each meeting we share a high tea which includes sandwiches, cakes and hot or cold drinks. Visitors are very welcome.

For details of our children's work at 4 O'Clock Church, click here.

Why not make an Autumn Resolution?

God approves of resolutions. 2 Thessalonians 1:11 says "We constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." Which means that God approves of 'good purposes' and resolutions prompted by our faith.

I am writing this letter on the Contact (youth group) Houseparty. I am glad you haven't had to savour the aroma of the boys' dormitories but I wish you could see everyone digging into the Bible and asking questions about what it means and how to live it out. I gave a talk on Jude 20-21 and it made me think about my own priorities for the next few months. Perhaps it will prompt you to make some Autumn Resolutions yourself:

"Build yourselves up in your most holy faith"
What's this most holy faith? It means the things we believe in as Christians, the stuff that's in the Bible, the Faith. It's âow Jesus puts it. He doesn't say, I will love you if you obey me. It's not my obedience that makes him love me. He loved me way before that. He already loves me. He died on the cross for me while I was still his enemy. So he's not saying, "I will love you if you obey me." He's saying, "I already love you, now don't walk away from my love. Don't walk away by disobeying me." Jude verse 4 says certain men were changing "the grace of our God into a licence for immorality". Grace means forgiveness if free. And it is! We don't have to earn it, God just gives it. But some people were saying, "Hey, if forgiveness is free then I can do what I want - and just keep getting forgiven." But if you think that,, you're not really getting it yet. The reason God loves us and forgives us is so that we can stop being his enemies and start being his friends, his children. If we keep saying to Jesus, "Hey Jesus, thanks for the forgiveness, but you know, stuff you", then we're not going to grow in friendship with Him, we're going to push ourselves away from Him, and away from his love.

I wonder if there is an area of life God is putting his finger on that you know you need to do something about?
We know we live in God's love - let's resolve to stay there!

Bible Teaching on Sundays @ 4 o'clock

Date	Talk passage
Feb 7	Exodus 26-31
Feb 14	Exodus 32
Feb 21	Exodus 33
Feb 28	Exodus 34
Mar 7	Matthew 26v1-13
Mar 14	Matthew 26v14-30
Mar 21	Matthew 26v31-46
Mar 28	Matthew 26v47-56
Apr 4	Matthew 27v45-56
Apr 11	Matthew 27v57-28v20
Apr 18	Joshua 1
Apr 25	Joshua 2

Midweek @ 4 o'clock
Prayer Meetings - 8pm, first Tuesday of the month We meet to pray for both 4 o'clock Church and things beyond. We tend to pray as one large group - there is no pressure for anyone to pray out loud if they don't want to. Towards the end of the meeting we often break into smaller groups to pray for each other. If you've never been before, please come. Tuesday Sept 1 Tuesday Nov 3 Meetings are 8pm at James and Elizabeth Miller's house Tuesday Oct 6 Tuesday Dec 1 -2a Dartford Road

Small Groups on Tuesdays or Wednesdays
This term we are going to be doing two mini series. The first on the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk is just typical of the Bible: you kind of wonder what on earth a bloke who died over 2000 years ago can have to us to us, and yet he speaks with powerful relevance about some very modern questions which still bother us today.

The second series is going to be on Prayer - especially thinking about praying for our non Christian friends. They won't become believers if we don't pray for them, and I suspect we will need all the encouragement we can get to keep praying believing prayers. Tuesday Groups Joe and Catherine Dent 779140 Jerry Salter 463009 Wednesday Group Iain and Sarah Taylor 740573

Simply Christianity
A Course to ask your Questions
Thursdays Oct 15 - Dec 3, 8pm
Perhaps you've done Christianity Explored but still have questions and doubts. Perhaps you'd like to know more about how to live as a Christian. The idea of this course is to provide helpful input, but to leave space to address the questions people come with. Why not join us? Please speak to Joe

Evangelism for the Terrified
An evening with Jonathan Fletcher
Tuesday 29 September, 8pm, St Nic's Undercroft
We need all the encouragement and help we can get when it comes to passing on the good news. Jonathan Fletcher, Vicar of Emmanuel Church in Wimbledon, will be giving us some pointers, encouragements and help - why not come along?

Book of the Term
Real Life Jesus
By Mike Cain
This book takes you through John's Gospel, brilliantly introducing Jesus and explaining who is he is with real freshness. You can't help but get excited again about why you're a Christian. (Mike spoke at the St Nic's Houseparty two years ago, you may remember him if you were there). A great book to read and lend. Look out for it on the bookstall.

The children and young people meet during the service.
Creche (0-2) Catherine Dent 779140
Scramblers (3-4) Debbie Levett 460693
Climbers (4-7) Debbie Levett 460693
Explorers (7-11) Elizabeth Miller 455223
Centrepoint (11-14) Tony Waghorn 884345

For further details of 4 O'Clock Church, please contact Elizabeth and James Miller on 01732 455223, or Martin and Debbie Levett, or Joe Dent via the church office.