Sunday 5th February 2023

Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:6

It's the first Sunday in February today, which means we all get to gather together in our building for our 10.30am service, which will include communion. There will also be our youth and children's work running alongside the service. As we begin to look deeper into our key verse at the top of this email, we're going to be reconsidering our vision as a church. What is God calling us to do? How can we step into that and bear more fruit for his kingdom? All are welcome and it will be great to see you there.

In the evening, from 5.30pm (or is that late afternoon?!) we are gathering to pray for our overseas mission partners, and you are very welcome to join us. If you are not able to make it, then please do take the opportunity to pray for the mission partner on your card. If you don't have one, then please do collect one from the "Our World" noticeboard which is to the right of the kitchen door in the hall. It'd be great to know there are many more of us praying than the ones who are present in the building.

Below are a couple of photos I recently took in the newly renovated Queen Mother's Garden. The bench you can see in the first one has been bought by Churches Together Dereham (CTD) to be a reminder of God's work going on all around our town. We are getting a plaque made for the bench, and are also getting a sign to go on the wall behind it with the words: "Jesus says, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." I think the bench is in the best spot in the garden, and the wonderful view from it can be seen in the second picture. On the right hand side of that picture, you can hopefully see a green wooden bookcase on the wall. Alongside other books that are in there, CTD have placed three bibles - an English one, a Portuguese one and a Ukrainian one. The cost of all of this is being shared between all of the various churches in CTD, so if you would like to give a donation towards it on behalf of DBC, then please do - that would be hugely helpful. Please mark your gift QMG and then we'll know what it's for. Thank you. And down forget to visit the garden and make use of the bench!

Nigel