As you have probably noticed our social media took a step back over recent months. Now that community projects have become more manageable, the churches social media is back up and running again.

We are a church that follows the Lord’s lead. During our digital silence we want to let you know where the Lord led our digital church members instead of bringing you digital content. Just so you know what’s been going on.

Before we get going we praise God for using everything that he gives us and we want to glorify his name. Without Jesus none of this would have been possible. As it says in Psalm 96.

Psalm 96

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Let’s get going. Firstly, our weekly coffee morning group has still been running every Tuesday, where we receive people for hot drinks and treats, and our lunch club starting at 12pm.

Dean who is largely responsible for our digital content has been working at St Vincent’s Centre, Ely Bridge. He has been involved in several projects since mid-February. Let’s take a look.

Non-Alcohol televised Six Nations Rugby.

St Vincent’s Centre, Ely Bridge televised all the Six Nations rugby matches not long finished. They received over 100 people. They came to enjoy a social with friends without any involvement of alcohol. We provided non-alcoholic drinks and delicious half time meals. Here are a few photos.

Pushing digital content for St Vincent’s Centre, Ely Bridge.

We have been pushing the centres digital media for them, getting the word out to the people of Ely that there is a Christian centre in the community that has the resources to support them.

Writing grants to ensure the centres sustainability.

We have co-written two grants for St Vincent’s Centre, Ely Bridge. We are delighted to announce that both were successful where £119,000 was raised for the centre. Monies will be distributed to the Men Changing Lives project over the next three years.

Mentoring people at the Dusty Forge café

We have continued to work with ex-offenders at the Dusty Forge community café,

We have been mentoring and supporting volunteers to gain new skills to help them into full time work.

Putting on Easter events for the community

We have been involved in putting on Easter events at St Vincent’s Centre. We sourced over 150 Easter eggs to give away to families across Ely.

Developing an anxiety video workshop for Men Changing Lives

We have been busy developing an anxiety video workshop for people who need help with their anxiety and mental health.

Planning training courses to help people get into work

We have been responsible for arranging training courses for people who need to gain new skills to help them get into work.

Processing food and fuel bank vouchers for those in need

We have been processing fuel and food bank vouchers to some of the most vulnerable people in Ely.

Whoever said working for the Kingdom of God was boring. If you want to get involved in church work or are curious about church, come and get involved. Visit one of the services taking place every Sunday. The first service begins at 10.45am and the second at 3.15pm.

We are an active church that studies the Bible. We have an active WhatsApp group that studies the word of God regularly, where people contribute and a platform where we can all learn and draw closer to God.

Here are visuals of all of our WhatsApp groups that show we are organised and active serving the people who attend our church here at Leckwith Avenue.

Here are visuals of a WhatsApp group where a recent Bible study of Philippians is underway.

We have dedicated members here at Church in the Avenue who are committed to people who want to draw closer to God. Who glorify God in their actions and provisions. We are not an artificial church setup to show we are a church that holds great numbers, no! What is the point of a church that has many people but are far away from God, being taught that the walk is only about being blessed by God. Jesus said we will have trouble and we are a church that prepares for trials by studying Gods word drawing close to God, developing that love for God that brings them peace that protects them in any storm.

So, lets conclude. Are you going to a church because it looks glitz and glamour, big and strong, or do you need a smaller church that is humble and thanks God for every provision, knowing it is all of him and nothing of us. Think carefully about where you go to church in 2024 and where you can draw close to God with people who are vulnerable and in relationship with one another, supporting one another along life’s bumpy road at times.

From January 7th we will be back ready and raring to go. Every Sunday doors will be open form 10.45am for our family service, so come along and get acquainted, but above all get involved with all of the great projects we have setup in order to help you draw closer to God.

Our Senior Pastor Chris Selby led the Remembrance Day service at Cardiff City FC. We all came together to honour those who made such a huge sacrifice keeping our country and democracy safe. Here are a few photos of the service.

When you have a chance please join us in a prayer for those who have suffered in conflicts over the years and around the world.

Father of all, remember your holy promise,
and look with love on all your people, living and departed.
On this day we especially ask that you would hold forever
all who have suffered during war, those who returned scarred by warfare,
those who waited anxiously at home,
and those who returned wounded, and disillusioned;
those who mourned, and those communities that were diminished and suffered loss.
Remember too those who acted with kindly compassion,
those who bravely risked their own lives for their comrades,
and those who in the aftermath of war, worked tirelessly for a more peaceful world.
And as you remember them, remember us, O Lord;
grant us peace in our time and a longing for the day when people of every language, race, and nation will be brought into the unity of Christ’s kingdom.
This we ask in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We are a Church that gets active in the community. We like to follow what scripture tells us and are all about pleasing God. Lets look at a scripture from the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:16
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

This scripture is all about doing good, sharing what we have with other’s and sacrificing your time for the good of others.

This being said lets look at our next volunteering role, where we have been helping the local community. Volunteers from our church have been helping Ace at Dusty Forge in their community cafe. The community cafe has been setup to help those who have been in prison get back on their feet. Here are a few photos of the guys cooking delicious food for people at Dusty Forge.

Sacrificing time here, and sharing skills with others helps them get back on their feet, leading them to a better life. Because we are following Hebrews 13v16 God is pleased with sacrifices like this.

If you are new to the Christian faith or curious, then why not visit us at our family service that takes place every Sunday at 11.15am. You will be warmly welcomed and we are happy to answer any questions that you have.

A congregant of Church in the Avenue volunteers with a ministry in Scotland, called Kildean Ministry. We were blessed to be involved in sending two people from Cardiff up to Scotland to attend a free discipleship course.

Kildean Ministry has been established for 15 years. It was setup by former Cardiff Prison Chaplain Joyce Dean. She felt a calling to help people who had found faith in prison. Therefore with much prayer and the Lord opening doors she went ahead and ran two discipleship courses a year for men either new to the Christian faith or who had come to faith in prison, and has been running them ever since.

The discipleship courses last for two weeks and are free to all men who attend. How were they free might you ask? Joyce has always depended solely on the Lords provision and for 15 years has never been short of a provision financially or in want for anything like food and volunteers. Praise God.

The Bible teaches us that God is faithful in the promises he gives. Kildean Ministry is an example of Gods faithfulness to provide, and in doing so has restored so many broken lives from all kinds of addictions and troubled pasts.

Here are photos of the most recent discipleship course that took place in Glasgow, Scotland at the Bible Centre.

What is true about Kildean Ministry is Jesus is still doing what he pronounced in the synagogue over two thousand years ago today, specifically written in Luke 4 v 18-19 displayed below.

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”^[a]

We have seen through the discipleship courses Jesus healing people of addiction and setting the captives free. Nothing is more true than this happening at Kildean Ministry, to which Jesus our Lord and Saviour deserves all the glory.