I am a creature of habit, a man of simple tastes, with very little interest in the “finer” things in life. Hence, when my wife asked if I wanted to go with her to the theatre to see By Royal Appointment (a play exploring the relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her dresser, and how the monarch…
Edition #38 | September 2026
“Our Community in Summer”
Welcome to our newsletter! Here you’ll find news from across our church community, along with some encouragement and details of what’s coming up. We’ll keep this page updated throughout the month, so do check back e.g. for any new notices you hear about on a Sunday. Well done for Tash for winning this month’s photo challenge. Scroll through above to see all the entries.
Good News!
Our Eckington Family Fun Day was a wonderful opportunity to welcome people from across our community. With nearly 50 people attending, it was a lovely day of food, fun and connection. Thank you to everyone who helped make it happen. We will be doing it again.
Food for Thought
How do I know what God is already doing?
David’s article on last month’s Food for Thought:
Notices
- PA Operators – we are in need of more PA operators across both sites for our Sunday gatherings. Is this something you feel gifted in and are willing to give it a go? Let us know. Training will be provided!
- Singers needed! – Each month, Mary & Sharon faithfully lead a service for the residents of April Park Care Home in Eckington. This is a powerful and important ministry. Could you join them and sing? That’s all you would need to do: sing a few songs (an hour a month) to bless the elderly residents in our community. Even if you can’t make every month, any help would be appreciated. Get in touch if you can help.
Photo Challenge
September’s Theme:
“Look Up!” – take a photo of something beautiful above you e.g. clouds, trees, birds, stars etc.
Theologians in the past have referred to the natural world as “God’s second book”. Like the Bible, it reveals something about God in a way nothing else does! Each month, we would like to encourage you to get out into God’s amazing creation and take some photos of what you see! Get involved this month…
Submit your best photo to Emma on WhatsApp before 23/09/26. There will be a small prize involving a bean from South America for the photo our independent judge decides most captures this month’s theme! Happy snapping!
Podcast Recommendation
Check out this inspiring episode of Simon Guillebaud’s podcast, an interview with Sid Williams:
Verse of the Month
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8b
Prayer
Our prayer focus this month is for people returning to education this September, either as staff, volunteers or pupils.
Children & Youth Corner
Have you been struck by the tragedy at the Big Church Festival? We’re sure we all have questions about what happened, especially the young people in our midst who might be questioning why God would allow this to happen, especially at a Christian event. We recommend this article by Amy Orr Ewing addressing this topic: https://amyorrewing.substack.com/p/when-disaster-strikes?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Sunday Gatherings
Here’s a reminder of what’s happening across our Sunday gatherings this month (starting at 10.30am unless otherwise stated):
- 6th September — Celebration (Eckington)
- 13th September — Healing Room (Dronfield) / Family Breakfast (Eckington, 9.30am)
- 20th September — Equipping (Dronfield & Eckington)
- 27th September — Sanctuary (Dronfield)
Recent Midweek Musings
The theme of Sunday’s Celebration was ‘education’. As we think about education, perhaps our first thoughts should centre on how we define education. A dictionary describes education as: “The process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through study and training.” Or: “The process of teaching, especially at a school, college or university.” And: “The theory of…
This week I’d like to share something I’ve observed from being involved in leading worship. To help me prepare for worship, I have accumulated a vast array of resources (and instruments – shush! Don’t tell Fran!). The songs I regularly use I keep in a file and, because I’ve not fully adjusted to the digital world,…
In July, we were thinking about service in the context of meeting the practical needs of others: www.oakscc.org.uk/servicepart1 Definition: Service is the expression of Christ-like love through meeting the practical needs of another. It’s fair to say that we are all good at this! But this month we were challenged to go deeper, as we…
Get Involved
There are lots of ways to get involved at Oaks, whether that’s helping at an event, serving on a Sunday, or simply getting to know people in our community. If you’d like to find out more about serving or volunteering, please get in touch.