Sunday 2nd November 2008, 8pm, Christ Church, Lostock Road, Davyhulme, Manchester
Christians of all churches walking together

Over the past 18 months we have experienced a powerful sense of the movement of God’s Spirit amongst us. Countless messages have been received from many who have experienced profound healing and a radical deepening of their faith. We have been blessed by countless visitors from overseas and those engaged in special ministries in this country. Over 300 believers in all traditions have shown their commitment to ‘First Sunday’ and to the vision of Maranatha. Many of them exercise leadership in the churches and therefore some cannot attend every month, but the fruit of ‘first Sunday’ is rich. Countless new initiatives have been instigated.

We now believe God is calling us to spread the net wider in the area around Manchester. We have not heavily publicised these meetings but we have now reached the point where, clearly, we need to ask where is God leading us as a prophetic Community. What is He asking of us? In the face of the huge collapse of the banking system, the whole issue of trust and security has been raised. How far do we trust God? What is He saying to us in this economic crisis? As the Maranatha Community moves forward we are coming to terms with the central question of what it means to be a Christian in the 21st century. Please pray for ‘First Sunday’. Do please endeavour to pass on to others an invitation to be part of this loving and growing fellowship.

Our theme on Sunday is “Our yearning for revival of faith in our land and our yearning for growing oneness in Christ.”

“Our society is tired and sick. It seeks but does not find. It drinks but its thirst is not quenched. Our society demands of us Christians – Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Anglicans – a common witness, a unified voice”.
Archimandrite Ignatios Sotiriadies of the Orthodox Church of Greece addressing the Synod in Rome last week.