We are moving!  From the 14^th September we will be meeting from 3:00pm in the upper room of the well know Northfield pub ‘The Black Horse’.

After running a number of successful events there we thought it would be great, and maybe a little novel, to actually hold our Sunday meeting at the same venue.

The pub has been very helpful as we have sought to establish a weekly Friday tots stay ‘n’ play group called ‘Little Treasures’.  Again a pub is probably not the first type of venue that comes to mind for such a group but the arrangement has worked brilliantly.  The group is now full to bursting, often with people staying on for lunch at the pub afterwards.

Off the back of the success of ‘Little Treasures’ we have recently started an equivalent group specifically aimed at Dads/male carers and their kids called ‘Happy Hour’.  This is on a Saturday morning at the same venue, we have not yet decided how often to run it but are looking at maybe quarterly.

The plan now is to hold our Sunday community worship meeting, which involves refreshments, chat, music, preaching and kids work in the upstairs rooms of the pub.  I imagine the pull of being able to have lunch beforehand or/and a drink after will be strong for many and will give another opportunity for genuine friendship and community to be formed.

On one of our very first visits to Birmingham before I had a job here, before our second child was born and long before Northfield/Longbridge was even on our radar, we stopped off at The Black Horse for food on the way back home to Exeter.  Who new at the time it was going to play such an important part in our lives and the life of the church.

Black Horse here we come!

If you want to check us out on a Sunday or any of our other events please do.  All are very welcome!

Last Sunday we started our new series entitled ‘My Pleasure’.  It is five sessions exploring serious pleasure!

We kicked off with ‘Pleasure; the fullest and the longest’.  Psalm 16v11 says “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for evermore.” (ESV) 

No-one or nothing else can make a better claim to pleasure and joy than that.  You can not get fuller than full or longer than evermore.  The invitation to trust in and follow God is an invitation to pleasure - pure, unadulterated, incomparable, inexpressible pleasure!

The next three talks will be considering three specific pleasures.  Starting this Sunday 11th May with ‘Sex in another position’.  Then on the 8th June ‘Happy hour; drinks are on me’ and then ‘A sure bet’ on the 22nd June.  The plan then is to finish the series off with ‘His Pleasure’ a look at what God himself takes pleasure in, on the 13th July. 

We normally work through a book of the Bible, recently finishing a look at Colossians and will be starting a series looking at the book of Luke alongside ‘My pleasure’.  However, I wanted to spend some time specifically looking at the subject of pleasure as it is something which is often misunderstood but something we could all do with a lot more of!

Being Easter time I have been pondering the fact that I actually believe about 2000 years ago Jesus died but then came back to life and has not died since!

When I say it like that I realise something of the magnitude of the claim!  If I am wrong on this I have really got it wrong, like I might be going mad wrong.  On the other hand if I am right surely it changes everything, absolutely everything!

The fact is I am either right or I am wrong.  This is either true or it is not, Jesus is either alive or he isn’t.  You may already have an opinion one way or the other.  You may not have thought about it before or even care.  Could I encourage you that if anything is worth investigating fully this is!

I admit at first glance it is easy to just dismiss without further thought as too crazy a suggestion to be true.  But is there actually a viable alternative explanation of the happenings and claim that started Christianity 2000 years ago?

I have become convinced in my thinking and in my feelings that he actually, really is alive.  Maybe I am deluded and even going slightly mad. Or maybe not.  Only you can decide what you think about this huge claim!

This Easter may be the perfect time to start seriously looking into Jesus and the claim of his resurrection.  One way of doing this would be to read one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).  They are basically four different biographies of Jesus.

Another way would be to go on an ’Alpha’.  Our next Alpha starts with an Alpha Taster on June 4th at the Black Horse Pub http://redeemerbirmingham.org.uk/alpha/ all are welcome.

Happy Easter to you all!

Even though we have been meeting together on a Sunday publicly since September, we have maintained doing something a bit different on the first weekend of the month instead of the normal meeting.  This may be an event on the Sunday or something on the Saturday (or both).  We have done such things as a bbq, a story telling event, watching sporting events together, games nights, going for a drink at the pub and watching The Voice final.

We do this for two main reasons:
1.  As we are only small putting on a Sunday meeting involves a number of us each week with a specific job to make it happen.  So not meeting in this way once a month gives all of us in the church plant a rest, helping to prevent burn out and slipping into just going through the motions.

2.  It allows us to have time to get to know each other and have fun together in different settings.  It also allows for friends to come along and have fun with us and for us to be a blessing to the wider community.

Last week one of our people put on an event called Bish, Bash, Bosh!  It was a drumming and den making workshop, which involved a lot of noise and a lot of fun!  A number of children and parents came along and had a great time.

Whether as we a grow we will continue with this monthly set up I don’t know but for now it seems to be a good idea.

We continue to move forward with a full on March.  The month started well with a fantastic story telling family event which people seemed to really enjoy.  Then off the back of the success of our weekly Friday stay ‘n’ play Little Treasures, we thought it would be good to try and run something specifically for the Dad’s.  Although Dad’s and male carers are very welcome (and a few are able to make it to Little Treasures) many are not free on a Friday morning.

So at the same venue (The Black Horse) but on a Saturday morning we put on ’Happy Hour!’ a stay ’n’ play for Dad’s and their kids.  For the kid’s; toys, snacks, a craft rocket to make and some parachute games to finish off with.  For the Dad’s there was tea & coffee, a free bacon buttie and football on in the background (although due to a technical fault this only lasted 5 mins, we will get this sorted for next time). There was 12 Dad’s and 18 kid’s.  Everybody seemed to have a good time and be up for running it again.  We are thinking maybe bimonthly would be good.

In March we also had the huge event that was our first Baptism!  This was a wonderful time and a real marker for the church.  A number of friends also made it along to witness this public statement of trust in Jesus.  It was actually a combined meeting as we also publicly gave thanks for the daughter of the young woman being baptised.

We are now building up to our next Alpha Taster on June the 4th at 8:00pm.  Again the Taster will be in the Black Horse but this time in the side bar with a free curry.  Watch this space for more posts in regards to this.

A year ago today we took the big step of moving from a monthly mid week meeting to our first weekly meeting in our home.  We have come a long way since then with new friendships made and existing friendships deepened, much fun had together and all sorts of events and meetings put on.  The fact that a few weeks ago, at our Christmas Carol Service, we had in total 43 people come along (27 adults and 16 children, one in the womb) demonstrates how much has happened in the past year.

This year, like last, the 8th of January marks the start of a new phase for Redeemer Church Birmingham. Today I began my part time employment for Red.  So far this has been most enjoyable, apart from an annoying 20 minutes of not being able to sign into this blog for some reason (first hurdle overcome).

I have been thinking through what I want for 2014 and over Christmas was struck by the statement in the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2, that the birth of Jesus is ’good news of great joy’.  That is what I want for 2014, great joy!

I have realised and began to experience that joy is found in joy himself, Jesus Christ!  In amongst the reality of the hardships, pain, suffering and just plain boredom life throws at us I believe genuine great joy (happiness/pleasure) can be found in and through Jesus!

I plan, hope and pray next year by the 8th of January great joy would be more of a reality in my life. I want it for myself, for my family, for Red and for the Longbridge/Northfield area!  This is what I am resolved to and Red is all about.  If you would like to join us in this, please do!

Amongst the troubles 2014 will bring may you also know genuine great joy in Jesus!  Consider him?

Happy New Year to you all!

Wow tomorrow is December!  It will be Christmas day before we know it.  But before then is the Redeemer Christmas Carol Service.  This will be held on Sunday the 15th of December at our usual meeting place (Longbridge Methodist) but at the later time of 4:00pm.

Most people seem to enjoy a good carol over the festive period.  So please feel welcome to come and join us.  The service will involve a few carols (obviously), one or two bits for the children (plus a children’s activity pack) and a Christmas thought (something to ponder). 

The service will be about 30 minutes long so that both adults and children can enjoy it.  Christmas drinks and nibbles will follow and also a bouncy castle.  Everyone is welcome, it should be good fun and get us in the festive mood.  Christmas 2013 here we come!

Once again I haven’t written a post for far too long, time seems to fly by!  We are now two months into our public Sunday meetings.  These have gone really well, it’s great having a bit more space for adults and children. 

Every first Sunday of the month we have not held the normal meeting but put something different on.  In October we had a bbq at Waseley Hills Country Park and then last weekend we had a Bonfire night.  This was great fun with a number of guests coming along.  The evening included pulled pork rolls (yum), hot chocolate, mini bonfire, sparklers and fireworks!  

Last month we also held a prophecy and healing evening for the Little Treasures parents/carers.  A number of mums turned up and God really spoke.  We have had some exciting feedback and intend to do a similar event again.    

Since starting public Sunday meetings we have also started a monthly mid week prayer meeting.  The second of these was last night with a good supply of sweet treats to keep prayer energy levels up!  We also plan in 2014 to start once monthly mid week small groups so that we have a bit more time to chat and relax together.

With Christmas just around the corner we are now in the process of arranging how we will celebrate this together, more info to follow on this.

This Sunday coming marks a change in gear for Redeemer Church Birmingham as we go for a weekly public meeting.  We will be meeting at Longbridge Methodist, 1654-1658 Bristol Road South, B45 9TY at 2:30pm.  The meeting will go on until about 3:30pm with refreshments afterwards.  A children’s club will be provided during the meeting.

This is a big and exciting step for us.  Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen.  Although we have been working toward this for a while this is really just the start and who knows where we will go from here!

If you are interested in coming along then please do.  Either just turn up or be in contact for more info.