The above photo was taken at about 3am in our last 24/7 Prayer room in 2010. It was amazing looking out the window onto Acton at that time in the morning and I remember praying for all the people who would be awake at that time for whatever reason and thinking how God always sees what happens, even in those hours when most of us are asleep.

I prayed for nursing mums and prostitutes, drug dealers and policemen, people being abused and people working night shifts.

This year, we will be running a 24/7 Prayer room with Antioch and the Acton Vale Missional Community in Holy Week, 1st – 8th April.

More details of how to sign up for a shift will be coming soon, but for now, put the dates in the diary and think about when you might want to take some time out of the hustle and bustle of life and meet with God to pray.

This term at Church Central, we are exploring the amazing ways we communicate with God both talking to him in prayer and hearing him through the gift of prophecy.

We will be having various guest speakers including some from different traditions, as we look at the different ways we can build our relationship with God through prayer.

Join us at 8pm at 216 Acton High Street on:

22 February

21 March

16 May

30 June

Evenings will start with refreshments followed by some sung worship, teaching and time for prayer.

This Autumn  and into early 2012, we are going through Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth. A messy church trying to follow Jesus in the multi-cultural madness of Corinth.

What was Paul telling the Corinthians and what does it have to say to us Jesus-followers here in Acton, our part of the great city of London?

02 Oct     Seeing God Beyond the Mess     1 Cor 1:1-17

09 Oct     Fools for Christ     1 Cor 1:18-2:5

16 Oct     God’s Secret Wisdom     1 Cor:2:6-16

23 Oct     Building a Fire Proof Life     1 Cor 3:1-23

30 Oct     The Kind of Leader God can Use     1 Cor 4:1-21

06 Nov     Week break from normal series!     Luke 15:1-7

13 Nov     Scandal & Judgement      1 Cor 5:1-13

20 Nov     Gift Day     1 Cor 16:1-4

27 Nov     Sex in the City & the Church     1 Cor 6:1-20

04 Dec     Sex, Singleness & Stickability     1 Cor 7:1-40

11 Dec     Incarnation is Contagious     1 Cor 8:1-13

18 Dec     Carol Service

25 Dec     So Others May Live     1 Cor 8:1-23

01 Jan     Running for Gold     1 Cor 9:24-27

08 Jan     Finishing Well     1 Cor 10:1-13

15 Jan     Living Behind Enemy Lines     1 Cor 10:14-33

22 Jan     United Service with Antioch

29 Jan     CAP Service – Highlighting our work with Christians Against Poverty

05 Feb     Culturally Relevant Worship?     1 Cor 11:1-16

12 Feb     Bread, Wine & Poison     1 Cor 11:17-34

19 Feb     Spiritual Gifts     1 Cor 12:1-11

26 Feb     Nice Face, Shame about the Body     1 Cor 12:12-31

04 Mar     All You Need is Love     1 Cor 13:1-13

11 Mar     A Prophetic Church     1 Cor 14:1-25

18 Mar     A Prophetic Church (part 2)     1 Cor 14:26-39

25 Mar     Paul’s Passionate Plea     1 Cor 16:5-24

01 Apr     Palm Sunday

08 Apr     Easter Sunday – Resurrection!     1 Cor 15:1-11

15 Apr     Resurrection – So What?     1 Cor 15:12-58

image adapted from inyucho

8 May – Commandment 10:  Find True Contentment

15 May – Commandment 9:  Hold to the Truth

22 May – Commandment 8:  Prosper with a Clear Conscience

29 May – Commandment 7:  ‘Affair-Proof’ your Relationships

5 June – Commandment 6:  Manage your Anger

12 June – Pentecost Sunday

19 June – Commandment 5:  Keep the Peace with your Parents

26 June – Commandment 4:  Stop Driving Yourself Crazy

3 July – Commandment 3:  Take God Seriously

10 July – Commandment 2:  Know God

17 July – Commandment 1:  Live by Priorities

We’re moving!!

From Sunday 6th February onwards, we will be meeting in our new building, 216, Acton High Street. W3 9NX.

You’re most welcome to come and join us and take a look around. We’ll be there every Sunday at 4:30pm.

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’re on the move!

Since we were planted as a worshipping community in Acton in 1993, we’ve never really had a home of our own in the heart of Acton. All that is about to change.

On Friday the 4th February, we will be handed the keys of 216 Acton High Street and on Sunday 6th February we will be meeting in the building to pray and worship together.

We don’t have a fixed preaching programme for this term but we’re excited to see what God is going to reveal to us week by week as we start on this new era.

We are running an Alpha Course in our new building, 216 Acton High Street, starting on Tuesday 1 March.

I remember way back in 1999, my flatmate mentioning the Alpha Course to me and I thought – I don’t really fancy doing some course. Reminded me of study and essays and hard work. But she then said ‘I’m doing this Alpha thing want to join me?’ and for some reason I said ‘yes’, probably as she was going too. When I got there, I found friendly people who really wanted to get to know me and listen to me, great food, an interesting talk and an opportunity to chew over and chat about what I thought about the talk. No essays, no homework, just easy going chat!

Alpha became the highlight of my week and I went home buzzing with all I was learning. The stuff I learnt on Alpha and the relationships I made changed my life.

Come along to the first night and see what you think.

If you are planning to come, email me through the staff page so we can cater for you.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Today Oak Tree is thankful for:

so many good memories.

You can join in with us on Facebook or in the forum on the website by telling us:

What are You thankful for?

Here we are on day 21 of our 21Days of Gratitude

Our last day! Here’s a run down of all the things Oak Tree has been grateful for:

1. The joy of technology to build community

2. The support of friends.

3. An awesome staff team.

4. Opportunities to speak God’s truth to others.

5. Days off to rest.

6. Seeing CAP clients getting their lives back on track.

7. The people we’ve met through market church.

8. The fabulous builders working on our new home 216 for us.

9. Our vicar Mark and his lovely wife Kate who are celebrating their wedding anniversary today….

10. Its adventurous, sacrificial, loving and God-chasing members…

11. Half term. What a great opportunity for families to have some quality time together.

12. 3 full Oak Tree villas booked on the Retreat to Advance New Wine Conference in January!

13. Being able to meet at Twyford School on a Sunday.

14. Our wise and committed Church Wardens Sarah Miller and Steve Jupe.

15. Freedom.

16. The plans God has for us.

17. All the diversity of the Acton community.

18. The fact that there is always more to learn and experience of God.

19. Jesus

20. Lots of new people coming on a Sunday.

21. So many good memories.

We’ve loved taking the time to reflect on God’s goodness to us.

Perhaps we can take a moment on Fridays to be thankful every week and encourage each other with the good things God is doing!

(img src: affirmyourlife.blogspot.com)

Today Oak Tree is thankful for:

lots of new people joining us on a Sunday.

You can join in with us on Facebook or in the forum on the website by telling us:

What are You thankful for?

Here we are on day 20 of our 21Days of Gratitude

The Americans and Canadians have a whole day of Thanksgiving every year.  They eat turkey, get together with family and reflect on what they are thankful for.

We don’t have a specific Thanksgiving day here in the UK – and I think these last few weeks have shown that thankfulness should not be reserved for one day a year! How can we continue to cultivate a life of thankfulness to God?

What one thing can you do to make thankfulness more a part of your life?

(img src: 1000gooddeeds.com)

Today Oak Tree is thankful for:

Jesus.

You can join in with us on Facebook or in the forum on the website by telling us:

What are You thankful for?

Here we are on day 19 of our 21Days of Gratitude

‘When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him’ Luke 24:30-31

The guys met him on the road whilst they were travelling to Emmaus. They didn’t recognise him at first…. but whilst they ate with him, they recognised him. One of the things he did was ‘give thanks’. Jesus himself modelled thankfulness for even the most basic things in life. The same man who taught us to pray for our daily bread, always gave thanks when he received it.

Let us give thanks for our answered prayers today, even the most simple ones.

(img src: attractingabundancehq.com)