Dehradun Mission Trip – April 2013

Posted by Nick on May 7, 2013

In April 2013 St Andrew’s Church sent a team of 26 to Dehradun, India to the New Life Centre School and Boys Home. Our projects included the plastering, painting, and preparation of a complete wing in the school. The wing is now complete and ready for classes to begin.

The team also conducted a youth outreach event for teenagers in the community and about 200+ students from the neighborhood turned out for games, activities, fellowship, and music.We also enjoyed taking the children who reside at the home out for a dip in a mountainside creek!

This is a significant partnership between St Andrew’s and New Life Centre that we hope to see blossom in years to come with more service opportunities, building projects, and spiritual support.

If you would like to know more about how you can get involved in supporting the New Life Centre in Dehradun please contact us.

: Plaster, Paint, and window work was needed to complete classrooms and corridor of school

: Completion of work in six classrooms and corridor. Building is now ready for class activity

: Our teenagers excited to contribute work toward the completed project

: Ministering to orphan children at a mountainside creek by splashing and dam building!

: Teen Outreach

: The Plaque

St Andrew’s presentation to Synod 2013

Posted by Andy on February 21, 2013

The St Andrew’s Church presentation given to Synod in Larnaca, February 2013.

Unity in Diversity – St Andrew’s Abu Dhabi from Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf on Vimeo.

Many thanks to Ray Haddad for making this terrific video.

To find out more about the Diocese, and in particular Synod this year, visit http://cypgulf.org/about-synod/synod-2013/

Lent

Posted by Helen on February 2, 2013

Ash Wednesday (February 13th) marks the beginning of Lent. The very word Lent means spring or springtime and just as in spring it is traditional to plant seeds and bury them in the darkness of the ground, so too Lent is a time when we plant ourselves in God and focus on and repent on the darkness in ourselves and in our world. It is a time of opportunity when through repentance, prayer, study, fasting and reflection that our lives can become transformed both inwardly, outwardly and towards our world and so enable us to become the people God has called and created us to be.

Perhaps you might consider doing something different from the norm during Lent … here’s a couple of suggestions:

Make time to read a Christian book

Here are some suggested titles

Abiding by Ben Quash ~ the Anglican Church recommended Lent 2013 book. It asks the question, what does it mean ‘to abide’ with Christ in the places we live, in our communities, relationships and one’s own mind and body.

Love Set Free by Martin L Smith. Meditations on the passion according to St John.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Pastor, martyr, prophet, spy. The biography of an extraordinary man with an amazing faith that stood against the evil of the day. One quote sums up Bonhoeffer’s life: ‘Silence in the face of evil is evil itself. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act’.

Not by Bread Alone by Bishop Robert F Morneau. Daily reflection resource, with scripture reading suggestions, prayer and thought for the day, to use during lent.

All are available to buy and ship, or to download on kindle (just click on the titles to find them on Amazon)

Lent Study Group

There will be a Lent group gathering for study, fellowship, prayer and reflection, looking at the book of Jonah: a Rebellious Prophet.

It will meet at Raha Beach Al Zeina between 7:30pm and 9.30pm on 18th and 25th February, 4th, 11th and 18th March.

Contact Rev. Gill Nisbet for further details and directions: gillnisbet@standrewauh.org

New book – Gospel Magic

Posted by Andy on February 1, 2013

Often our experience of preaching (if we are really honest) can frankly be described as instantly forgetable! This troubles me because I happen to be passionate and excited about the Gospel message and we do the Gospel no service if people do not have their imaginations stirred by our message.

The use of visual aids in preaching is Biblical and part of captivating an audience’s interest. I find that magic tricks are a great visual aid and in my years of preaching I’ve found that audiences are impacted and often remember the gospel message more when I use such illustrations. Many are really simple to learn and have an effective appeal and impact across all cultures and ages.

This new book is a hard copy of something I wrote some time ago and enables anyone involved in sharing their Christian faith to communicate ten Bible based messages, using easy to learn magic tricks and illusions, which the listener will never forget.

Andy

Service Trip 2013 – New Life Center & Boy’s Home in India

Posted by Nick on January 10, 2013

Support St Andrew's Service trip to India 2013

St Andrew’s Service Trip 2013
NEW LIFE CENTER & BOYS HOME
Dehradun, India
April 5-11

For age 14+
Cost: AED 2,999 all inclusive
Click the button to download the application form

Application Form

You can also make a donation to support those who wish to go on the trip but may not be able to raise the entire cost – and to help pay for the materials that will be necessary to carry out the various tasks while they are there – by enclosing your gift in an envelope marked “Dehradun 2013″ and placing it in the collection bag or giving it to any member of the Clergy or Pete Rizzuto, or handing it in to the Church Office.

All gifts will be receipted. Cheques should be made payable to St Andrew’s Church.

Christmas Greetings from St Andrew’s

Posted by Andy on December 22, 2012

Dear friends of St Andrew’s,

2012 has been an an amazing and eventful year – the launch of our building work and the ordination of Jo Henderson are but two highlights which stand out in particular in the past months.

During this joyful Advent season Navina and I and the whole St Andrew’s team send you our Christmas Greetings, with much thankfulness for your friendship and generosity. Just last Friday at the end of our Christingle Service for example, we asked for your help to raise AED 10,000 to prevent a young disabled girl becoming homeless. In the space of five minutes you gave over AED 12,000 – Thank you!