Kerith Encounter Podcast

With Encounter being made to close after Esther announced that she was stepping down, we celebrate the last 6 years of her leadership at our final meeting.- Esther talks about what Encounter has meant to her and reminisces about many of the series that we have studied including lots of visual aids & handouts that she has provided.- We celebrate all of the major birthdays (40, 50, 60, 70, 80 & 90) that people will have this year, as well as everyone else's birthday.- Geoff shares some statistics from our meetings, then messages from Ben Davies (who led Encounter before Esther) and Sola Osinoiki (who was Esther's mentor for some of her time as leader), and then gives her the presents that the members of the community had contributed towards.- We have an open microphone period where attendees can come to share what Encounter (or Esther) has meant to them.- We close by singing The Blessing over each other.See https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ETJ2rlP3W0JDloDVYXNhcs4BXJyXutJIjiTJ_XEk7cJ6zg?e=XrpW71 for Esther's slidesand https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/Ea8wRfCJYGxHh3Prz5cP31AB0y4n18WYqRpGSd8AHgOPVA?e=hOI43j for the statistics & messages.

We conclude our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Clive & Glynis Challis give their story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EXihNsMpNIdMujf9j5lgmjMBBOrPHl7w4PtMgeunCQHT6A?e=cyx6vQ

For the first part of the meeting we continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Iris Joyce gives her story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EW2eIVo2xIVMmsm0bz1Qz5EBmbTo17YTlluCC94Lsx0NGA?e=ZRh2YaFor the second part of the meeting Esther shares the extremely sad news that Encounter will be closing when she stops leading it on 12th February. Pelumi Aworinde & Ben Oliver join us to share the church leadership's reasoning behind the decision.

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Angela James give her story then Kay Foulger gives us a history of our church from its inception before giving one specific incident from her story.See additional notes for Angela at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EanIBBgx95ZLv8E4hrUiCi8BRAvBKFR8CU1KHdLXh8JxRA?e=zCMuct and for Kay at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EeRN4ZTyfX9MnEFRK0cFBikBA0NSoC85P6_i3_4r3DXciQ?e=Ds8EQC

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Anne Hope-Whitlock & Liz Phillips give part of their stories.See additional notes for Anne at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EZy105PW85dBmDomVAHAiFYBjmgXMVw_i5X2iZgTFVdxGA?e=6Gb64P and for Liz at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EdkoKK_x8hdBrtlf_j-mYcABxs7pizs9ecfiMr-CUS0WIg?e=j0QTn4

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Jim Macey gives one particular incident from his story and Frank Blasi gives part of his story.See additional notes for Frank at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EWZ_YsVpjOhCqMcK-nWxwMUBWm0yahjALYEZdLywOLEGJQ?e=rFCKPK

Our last meeting of the term and of 2024 is our Christmas Celebration. We have a video, 2 couple of readings, a poem and several carols including a reflective version of Silent Night, plus Esther speaks on the subject "Room for Christ at Christ-mas".Here is the outline of the meeting:Welcome - GlynisCarol - O Come All Ye FaithfulVideo - "Retooning the Nativity" - https://youtu.be/7-4y5mK_o9EReading - Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-7 - BrianCarol - While Shepherds watchedReading - Luke 2:8-20, Matthew 2:1-12,16 - TonyTalk - "Room for Christ at Christ-mas" - EstherPoem - Behold, I Stand - AnneReflective - Silent Night - Bill & RuthCarol - Joy To The WorldClosing Prayer / Blessing - MichaelAnnouncement / Closing - EstherSee additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EVFIVPzsLg1Bkb6GLtLB748BU8-AchYTxG-pzmi8J8c_lw?e=MxB1M6

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Michael Bentley gives his story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EV8tnG87PPZArzW3d24jUs0Bn2ApbtCNFn-j6o3_6oEOyQ?e=HZDJnU

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Simon Benham, our senior pastor, gives his story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EcSjhBMK8kBMqEauY7RFIiABAcKXrcqMOZKLgerr64-m7g?e=q9mk6Q

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Mark Ridgway gives his story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EVuRUs--SwVEjqV05GQ2u3IB69R6DO_rjjDZOrdeVSS0vw?e=cxdyMqIn addition, Esther shares the sad news that she will stop leading Encounter at February half-term next year.

Since we had Remembrance Sunday last weekend and Armistice Day on Monday we had a minutes silence at our Encounter Meeting today. Then Esther looks at two areas, firstly remembering the people who are affected by the various wars or armed conflicts around the world so that we can pray for them, and secondly being thankful for what we have and what God has done for us this year.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EfBe1o-it6RAhQu3WLnF9OoBl4uEztMfgekokqw4krGiCA?e=SKbMRy

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Rob Kempton gives his story and Melissa Savage gives her story.See additional notes for Rob at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ETITYy3OgNpFjr4ocpGg0ocBcNZBCNqMA1PjaL1J8fKiag?e=2Bj2dw

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Geoff Hawke gives his story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EakrRZt2cCtGuY4XG_vWyMEBlpxr5UnlzqEQd5QRJllX9A?e=21HcnZ

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Chris Barber gives her story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EU8Cm3Ea0W9AmT9e-VmhLK0B99OWb4tArn2YdyPeEJ58xg?e=LlfZnH

We were intending to continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. However, both people who were going to talk were ill.Therefore instead we played a video where Reinhard Bonnke gives his story.

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Brian Papps gives his story and Jackie Hooker gives part of her story. You can hear other parts in previous talks that Jackie has given.See additional notes for Brian at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EX1I1nlzVAxDnrhYcYL-bJYBBacq2AtvKuwhIMOEZU2xXQ?e=a3e6WQ and for Jackie at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ETtrV2faJ1ZEmPhcRV2OaGoBKEMyCm9rF6pCdjsV0TkCRA?e=uuIA9y

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Sue Toms gives her story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EfH-__XQMiBMntJqJdr-QxEBTU0VysuwNacsxnNdgozYrQ?e=Ze7hBr

We continue our God Stories series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Krystyna Lysakowska gives part of her story. You can hear other parts in previous talks that Krystyna has given.See additional notes at 20240918_encounter_krystyna_lysakowska.pptx

This term we start a new series where we will be hearing from different people within the Encounter group, sharing their experience of God and how He has and is impacting their lives. Today Esther starts the series by giving her story.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EV6TbrPxyxxFjyNo7VI8jqgBKK1KXf7_9RYdFHP-vfG09g?e=HIAQFo

Esther concludes our Lessons From Luke series looking at the central question in chapter 9 v18-20 (plus Matthew 16:13-20) where Jesus asks who the crowds & the disciples think that he is. Since this is such a fundamental question Esther asks who Jesus is to us and then proceeds to explain what Jesus was anointed and chosen to do.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EdRroIfX_C1LhxKWn8tYXFMBQE2czkYMVpEDoWSo8ZSxxw?e=3vJ7Tg

Our guest speaker today is Ben Davies, who was our Senior Pastor for 43 years before retiring to Pembrokeshire. After various technical problems due to dealing with Ben joining the meeting via a Zoom call, he reads a quotation and asks "Who Are You?". Then he proceeds to read from 1 Peter 2 v9-10 and tell us who God says that we are.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EVHYbO9f3CdAhXjwe2SmQUYB1rPYhMc8jHjSiHwvQWL43g?e=tLn3Pl

Our guest speaker this week is Michael Bentley. He continues our Lessons From Luke series by looking at chapter 11 v37-54 where Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees and Experts in the Law for their behaviour with all of their rules and regulations which ignore the clear teaching of God's word. Michael asks how we would respond if Jesus looked at us and asked about how we behave. He goes on to talk about the dangers of pride, thinking that we are more important than others then encourages us to be humble and consider everyone as important.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EeVTnBzltQdGo51oR7kFMm4BTCkoaXiV5s0jswRBwJW4Ew?e=sxjMjA

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series looking at the story of Zacchaeus in chapter 19 v1-10. She asks if Zaccaeus was going to stay in the tree just looking for Jesus or was he going to come down as requested and become all that Jesus intended him to be. Then she asks the same question of us - what God is calling us to and whether we are going to allow Him to fulfil His purpose in our lives.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EbH_HkGnkhtHvoHHSFdwUqoBoYL70dSHJ7els_tnctNL6w?e=s0AkQe

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series by looking at chapter 10 v38-42 where Jesus was at the house of Martha & Mary. The 2 sisters were very different in their approach to Jesus. Martha was very practical, opened her home to Jesus and wanted to prepare everything for Him, but got disillusioned when her sister didn't help her. Mary just wanted to sit at Jesus's feet and learn from Him. Esther looks at both sister's approach and how Jesus responds to them, then she asks what we can learn from each of them and what are our priorities.  See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EXkZCpbRQRNOizl99WvpUsEB8QO6OZrRGSKe5Xv3gr4VoA?e=SddWc9

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series talking from Chapter 21 v1-4 about a poor widow who brought everything she had to God. Esther points out 3 things that Jesus saw in her offering and looks at how we can relate these things to our lives today.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EeBcsfRxt8RPgQxqdaJED2ABXelZV-R2vt3t2suH41ahEg?e=vZ9zqD

Our guest speaker today is Michael Bentley. He continues our "Lessons From Luke" series looking at Chapter 18 v35 to Chapter 19 v10 where Jesus meets 2 men on His way to and through Jericho. Firstly a blind man who Jesus heals completely. Then Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, who is completely transformed by his meeting with Jesus. Finally he challenges each of us to make sure that we have had an encounter with Jesus before it's too late.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EW2RUg32eppEv5sdLP-k3tMBKf8NLLSvT4pArvW46r0W7w?e=vvmyxz

Today's meeting was a more informal meeting where attendees had an opportunity to share some stories of what God was doing in their lives. In order to keep these within the group it has been decided not to include them in the podcast. Therefore this recording contains only the worship at the beginning of the meeting, a worship video plus Esther's comments throughout.

Our guest speaker today is Simon Benham, our senior pastor. He continues our "Lessons From Luke" series looking at chapter 8 verses 22-25 where Jesus calms the storm on the Sea of Galilee declaring that He has power over the weather; and subsequently He goes on to show in other ways as well that he is God and has the power to do miracles. Then Simon talks about storms in our lives and he encourages us, if we are in one now, to admit it to ourselves and to God; to ask Jesus to be in the storm with us and to have the confidence to know that He will see us through it.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EVSPMs1lldlDrTgHMdTRtaUBbyfx5oUp2AOGuPJ1z67XSw?e=F1dqaR

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series looking at the story in chapter 8 v40-56 of the woman with the issue of blood who touched Jesus' robe and was instantly healed when he was on the way to heal Jairus' daughter. Esther asks why she was healed simply by touching Jesus and suggest 3 reasons - her desperation, her determination and her faith.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ETBQbsJgJkpKhevjFKfbnfABf2WbfzvBJCJoBGB2YSK5ZA?e=gbkCTh

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series by looking at a story in chapter 7 v36-50 of a sinful woman who wept at Jesus' feet & anointed them with perfume, a Pharisee who thought that he was good, and Jesus's response to both of them. She ends by bringing 2 applications from the story for us.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ESJFs7jnJglGo8a7vSAEzk8BCPlFAdfVXDKO1aqTLZ-MDw?e=yR9huX

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series by looking at the story of the man who was forgiven and healed when he was lowered down through the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching. Finally, to see what we can learn from this story, she looks at Jesus' response to the paralysed man and then at the four men who faithfully brought him to Jesus.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EUOVJQtoD9hAlibZLsdMjLcBp1TrPQig4C8Iv_qOXwNxNQ?e=onpxJo

Today was our Easter Encounter meeting, Just Getting Started.Here is the running order:- Welcome and intro to first song – Mish- First Song – This is Amazing Love- Reading – Tony – Luke 23 v 33-34, 44-46, 50-56, Luke 24 v 1-6- Second Song – Introduced by Mish - Video of BSL “I Stand Amazed in the Presence”      - https://youtu.be/Bv4xtRTUa9c- Welcome - Esther and introduce the video- Video clip - “Just Getting Started”      - https://shiftworship.com/product/just-getting-started-mini-movie-journey-box-media/- Preach - “Just Getting Started” - Esther- Third song – When I Survey the Wondrous Cross- Prayer - Esther- Reading words of “The Cross is my beginning” - Anne HW- Fourth song – Man of Sorrows- Closing Prayer – Esther- Close – Esther – Kerith Easter events, Happy Easter

Our guest speaker today is Michael Bentley. He speaks on the story of the lost son in Luke 15:11-32 saying that chapter 15 is actually 1 parable told in 3 parts where each of the stories illustrates the wonderful grace of God, speaking about something that has been lost and found again so causing great rejoicing.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EXOmDB7k1MlEgcvsVkOulbMB9DtxZVWd_amE1OMo3KQdtA?e=B67etV

As we head towards Easter, this week's Encounter meeting was a reflective communion service remembering Jesus and the cross. Esther looks at 2 phrases, "in remembrance of Me" and "to proclaim the Lord's death until He comes", which provide a foundation for why we do communion.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EZL-UeFOgpVLlJjwxADQ0jQBoDZZnsF3OucaFjtaeO1Dyg?e=qVJNgs

Esther continues our "Lessons From Luke" series by looking at chapter 5 verses 12-16 where Jesus was willing to meet the need of a man with leprosy and heal him. She looks at 3 things that Jesus was willing to do for this man which we can all relate to.At the end she plays Willing To Heal by Don Francisco, which can be found on YouTube at https://youtu.be/5eRkhHdUCm4?si=S57sgX4FKfj5LShSSee additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EWj9q5_EeJdMmLBYpspQX_sBSe9IBq4vDR_2zdR9i87cJQ?e=DfLEZI

Our guest speaker today is Michael Bentley. He continues our "Lessons From Luke" series by looking at chapter 5 v1-11 where Jesus calls his first disciples. After teaching the people, Jesus tells Simon to put out into deep water and let down his nets. Even though they had caught absolutely nothing the night before, and Simon possibly thought it was a daft idea to fish during the day, he obeyed and was amazed at the enormous haul of fish that they caught.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ESH9s48lgZdBrHss3NjnCQkBf2PLeJUlOloxnXADa2xFrw?e=l3EnQW

Esther continues our "Lessons from Luke" series by looking at what happens in chapter 4 verses 14-44 when Jesus comes out of the wilderness. He starts his public ministry by reading from the prophet Isaiah and then demonstrating that he is the Messiah who has come to fulfil the prophecy. She states that the reason why Jesus could go about his ministry with so much power was that he regularly drew aside to spend time with his Father and gives 7 reasons why it's good for us to find time to be in the presence God too.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/Eb3yAXwRHrBHuXBUwUB42xsBaCvoCVkqkayWvAgmc3vONw?e=U95PKW

Our guest speaker today is Sola Osinoiki, who was an elder at Kerith until he moved to Germany. He speaks from Ephesians 3:16 on the subject "Strengthened by the Spirit" and outlines the amazing abundance of the riches of God's glory that he wants to bestow upon us.At the end he asks 3 questions:- What impact does your life have?- What legacy do you want to leave?- What value do you want to bring?See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EfL4T6gSFslBlCj0N12ZflUBfOtPosBgwJVA9oDlvkjb4g?e=o6eGrX

Today's meeting was a more informal meeting where attendees had an opportunity to share some stories of what God was doing in their lives. In order to keep these within the group it has been decided not to include them in the podcast. Therefore this recording contains only the worship at the beginning of the meeting plus Esther's comments after worship and at the end.

Our guest speaker this week is Simon Benham, our senior pastor. He continues our series "Lessons From Luke" by looking at Luke 4v1-2 where Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He compares Adam's failure to resist temptation with Jesus overcoming temptation so that we might have life and salvation through his victory and encourages us to put our trust in Him.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EV1j2l3oTptCtDaW_Zm4aQABd1o53pWuEL9wrGWynFQucA?e=8vWQat

Esther continues our new series "Lessons From Luke" by looking at the Angel Gabriel visiting Mary in Luke 1:26-45 to see what we can learn from Mary's response to the news that she is given.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EcvCVekAg0tPmnOjCFCetTMBB2a2o0RCJT3klkxt6y8EzQ?e=xmcfk5

Esther starts a new series called "Lessons From Luke" and looks at what we can learn from chapter 1, where we find the introduction to the book plus the story of the Angel Gabriel appearing to Zechariah to foretell the birth of John to his wife Elizabeth.See additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/ET9Uz4rCr0RKlYeedVJreKgB-bYYR6yiFJ03XL3hDCcj0Q?e=hXdkyc

At the first Encounter meeting of 2024 Esther talks about the need to slow down and intentionally make space for God in the midst of all that's going on around us. She expands upon the following acronym:S - StopP - PrayA - Align and ActC - Connect and CultivateE - ExpectSee additional notes at https://kerithcommunitychurch-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/encounter_kerith_church/EXY4JpoGIThBrowxDxf1GXIB-8WkDQ9DH518THtt8lKRZQ?e=2jtThn