Welcome to the e-Mission newsletter: issue 01

You're probably wandering what this is about and why you've got this in your in-box! Well, over the last few months, a team of volunteers have been thinking about how we could make the Leamington Spa Seventh-day Adventist Church more open and accessible to regulars and visitors alike. We also wanted a way to keep in touch with distant friends and family members. In the age of technology, two mediums stood out as being the perfect tools for the job - our church web site and a regular electronic newsletter!

The result is a new website that went live yesterday, but before you go and look, here's a summary of the new things you will be able to access NOW:

• Events calendar - Publish and view planned Leamington church related events, be they outings, birthdays, Alpha, Kids Clubs, business meetings or any other church event. To publish, you'll need a login account and we'll be issuing privilege details on this shortly.
• Quarterly preaching plan - see who's preaching in the coming month and quarter.
• Prayer request corner - Send in any request, which can be personal or anonymous and it will be noted and acted on by the Pastor.
• Secure members section - Access church information including business meeting minutes and Church Officer lists for the year.
• Sunset calendar - Not sure when Sabbath is in? Use the sunset calendar to find out.
• Search facility - As the site grows and becomes more interactive, use the search tool to find the information you want.
• Gallery - A sort of 'Moments in time' photo gallery of the church's events and memories down the years. Have you got photos you are happy to share on this site? Let us know!

New for the New Year

If you thought that was impressive, then here's a taste of what we have in store in the New Year:

• 'Brief encounters' page - As we grow in number, take the chance to get to know each other better. Sometimes we're rushed off our feet during our weekly Sabbath service, that you never get time to mingle, or get to know new faces or even catch up with the old ones (faces that is!) Here we'll have a light hearted page that will give people a chance to tell the world a bit about themselves. We already have a personal testimony from someone who recently attended an ALPHA course at Leamington to get things going.
• Web streaming - Technology permitting, we hope to explore live web streaming, so if you cannot attend church one week, watch parts of the service on the Internet (you'll need a broadband connection though!)
• Audio Sermons - Technology permitting, you will be able to download and listen to select sermons recorded at the Mission - all so you don't have to miss out.

Spread the word

We thought we'd send this to as many friends, members, visitors and supporters of the mission as possible. We invite you to spend some time surfing the site and encourage you to familiarise yourself with the interactive sections. Our aim is to make the site open and accessible to members and non-members, regulars, visitors, Christians and non Christians alike, who are interested in what we're all about and what we're doing.

Above all, we want this site to be a way to engage and inform people about Jesus and be in the name of Jesus.

We also want it to be an invitation to the web enabled world to visit us online and to feel interested and intrigued to want to visit us in person as well (where they can!).

What do you want it to be - so it's easily bookmarked as a favourite site? Feel free to tell us by replying to this e.mail.

Counting on each other as the count down begins!

In the run up to Christmas, millions will be getting ready to clamber up dusty attics to retrieve the cobweb laden Christmas tree, for yet another year of fun and festivities with family and friends. The arrival of the 1st Dec will see Christmas trees across the land set up in some obscure part of the living room and adorned with decorations galore - more often than not in a semi-planned, haphazard fashion! On the same day, out come the advent calendars and the exciting countdown starts in earnest!

Whilst Christmas is a special occasion that means different things to different people, for some, it represents a time of loneliness and a 'can't wait till it's over' feeling. As a growing church, Leamington Spa, aka 'the Mission', has seen its numbers swell from 18 members in 1990, to over 70 to 100 people attending every week. With so many people, it's not easy to keep in touch or know what anyone is up to these days - some regulars will be on their own at Christmas, whilst others will be in far flung places around the world. As we count down to Christmas, let us use this time to look forward to celebrating its true meaning with family and friends, but also take time to look out for each other as a church family - and remember the less fortunate around our country and the world.

BUT DON'T FORGET...

Other headlines:

• In the new site, look out for the mission advent calendar for 25 days of enlightenment!
• e-Mission newsletter 02 - Out early January 2006
• Quarter 1 preaching plan available circa 16th December
• Want to be a web site section content owner? Email us here.
• Interested in attending the Alpha Marriage course? Call or email Pastor Rudi Puskas on 01926 745847
• Interested in the role of, starting up or being part of a Small Group? Speak to Antonio Castellino or click here for details
• Got something you wish to announce in e-Mission newsletter 02? Wedding, baptism, dedication, birthday, prayer request, send it for the attention of Tristan Simmons

You have received this e.mail as it is believed that you may be interested in receiving the quarterly e-Mission newsletter from Leamington Spa Seventh-day Adventist Church. If you do not want to receive future issues of the e-Mission newsletter from us, please send a return e.mail with the words UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject title and you will be removed immediately.

© 2005 The Mission