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Student Stuff!
09-10-2008. Update. Activities.
[IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2kc156673386.jpg[/IMG] Hey there student people! I hope this finds you enjoying your first few weeks of uni and that you're managing to settle in! Thanks to all of you who were able to come to our meal last Sunday. It was great to have the room packed and see all of the food eaten! I hope you were able to get a taste for what we stand for as a church and our desire to assist you in taking the good news of Jesus out to the campuses. Unfortunately due to various circumstances we're not going to be able to do the hill walk we'd been planning this Sunday. However, we will be able to do it next Sunday the 19th October. Be ready for a great walk and stunning views! You can even see my house from the top! In the meantime we'll also be hanging out in the Crwys pub on Tuesday night from 8pm. Rumour has it that it's also quiz night! Get those pointless facts that you know at the ready! See you soon!
Dan Gaweda

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Student Lunch on Sunday
01-10-2008. Update. Lunch.
[IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2kfc035574e2.jpg[/IMG] [BRALL] Hey folks, just wanted to remind all the 18-25s that after the service on Sunday we're going to be having a BBQ lunch. It'll be time to relax and chat but also to hear from Dave Taylor about where we hope to see you guys as a group heading. A great opportunity to hear about what we're about and where we're going this year. All we ask is for a small £1 contribution (unless it's your first week in which case it's free) so we can go out and buy a cow to eat! There will be vegetarian options as well of course. Cheers!
Dan Gaweda

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UWIC Freshers Fayre & Beach Trip
25-09-2008. Update. Beach Trip.
[IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2k31094cff64.jpg[/IMG] [BRALL] We had a great time this last week helping out UWIC CU move in freshers at Plas Gwyn. It was a timely reminder of just how many students there are in this area who have no idea who God really is. It was also great just to hear how the CU and some of our guys were able to demonstrate God's love by lugging boxes and bags around for freshers. We also had a fantastic time at the UWIC Freshers Fayre in Cyncoed Campus. The guys handed out over 700 wallplanners and other leaflets about what Christchurch does in student land! We had our own little stampede at one point! While at the same time the CU managed to hand out thousands of Gideons bibles - as well as beer mats and other essentials! This week after church we'll be taking the minibus and a fleet of cars down to Rest Bay near Porthcawl. If it's your first week with us this Sunday then please feel welcome to come along to - we promise not to push any new people into the sea. Others beware! Keep praying for UWIC, Newport and Cardiff CU's as they reach out to their campuses this week! See you Sunday.
Dan Gaweda

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Uni Students... Welcome Back!
19-09-2008. Update. Back again.
[IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2k0170b722a3.gif[/IMG] [BRALL] [B]Welcome back[/B] to the bright lights of Newport and Cardiff! September 2008 is here and the term is just about to take off! A big hello to all of last year's guys and girls who are back in South Wales! It's been quiet without you all being about! I can't wait to get stuck into this year - we're going to have loads of stuff going on from BBQs, beach walks, open mic nights, bowling, pubs, mountains, the Equipped student nights (from 2009) and of course Outpost Cardiff (starting November 2008). I'm really praying that this year we'll grow in our love and appreciation for our great God and his amazing gospel; in our pursuit of holiness; and a passion to see men and women hear the amazing good news of Jesus Christ. [I]Thanks for coming back![/I] [IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2kc9f9c5ff08.gif[/IMG] [BRALL] If you're new to the area then a big welcome! If you're from outside Wales then I'm pretty positive (even as an Engishman) you will come to appreciate this area very quickly. I'm sure you're excited and maybe a little daunted at the prospect of uni starting. We want tohelp you settle in as soon as possible by making you feel at home withus here. All new students get a great goody bag - full of life's essentials! If you want to, you can jump into one of our homegroups (in Newport and in Cardiff) to get to know other people fromthe church. We send a free minibus and car around to pick you up anddrop you off on Sunday mornings. If you have any questions before you get here just check out the FAQ section or email myself or one of our student team. Or if you have questions once you're here then come over to the Info Corner at the back of the main hall to meetsome of our students and have a coffee and chat - plus free sugary food! We also have a [B]Facebook page[/B] - just search for Christchurch Students. [IMG]http://www.christchurchnet.org/admin/blogs/upload/2ke7cfb240e4.gif[/IMG] [BRALL] This weekend we'll be helping out the UWIC CU move in freshers so please pray that UWIC and all of the other CUs are able to effectively reach out to their campuses by lugging bags and other stuff around for people they've just met. We'll also have a stall at the UWIC Freshers Fayre on Monday 22nd September and at the Cardiff CU 'Search for a Church' event in Heath Evangelical Church on Saturday 27th September. Keep an eye out for us - [B][I]and get your own wallplanner[/I] [/B]- good for covering up holes in the wall and remembering dates! Whether you've been here with us ages or you're just coming for the first timewe can't wait to get started and see what God has in store for us this year! [I]Let's get stuck in![/I]
Dan Gaweda

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Movin’ On. Christchurch Students
08-08-2008. Update. Summer Holidays.
As you know we have a good number of students come to Christchurch from all three local universities. Some of our students are moving on this year. They have come to the end of their academic courses and are relocating to different parts of the country for the next season of their life. Alex and Chris are both going to be working for churches back in their home counties. Hannah is starting her first job in occupational therapy and James is returning back to Nottingham for the time being. However, Gerard and David are both going to be staying at Christchurch for the foreseeable future. All of these guys have been great people to get to know and have all benefited from their time at Christchurch. Below are their testimonies of their time at Christchurch. Please note the emphasis that they place on all of you as key instruments in their enjoyment of Christchurch. As you read their testimonies look out for how God has impacted their view of the gospel, Christian living and outreach. Much of what they have been taught has been through observing and speaking with you! Praise God! Thank you for the way that you have reached out to these guys. You have affected the way they view their lives and our God! Please pray that these folk continue to develop their love for Jesus and his gospel and would be effective servants of his in whatever context they find themselves. Enjoy reading how God has worked with each of these graduates! Dan Gaweda [I]I first came to Christchurch because my roommate Chris' (Watts) sister at Grace, Bristol suggested it to us. Chris and I had every intention of looking around at a few other churches but we didn't bother after our first week at Christchurch because we loved it there so much. It was a little intimidating at first because the building and congregation are huge, especially when compared to my church back in Nottingham. However loads of people came and greeted us and I felt at home within a few minutes. The Caerleon home group organised a rota to drive us from campus every week and were really supportive in our first year which was very humbling. I guess it was this desire to serve that kept me going there - everything from people putting themselves out to get us to church on a Sunday morning to the monthly student lunches and the student gift bags we got on our first day! The people of Christchurch made every effort to make us welcome and feel at home, which is no small task given the size of the church. I couldn't give you any one highlight because my whole experience of Christchurch was so amazing. The fellowship there is the one thing I think I'll miss most when I go back to Nottingham. James Briggs During my three-year stay in Newport studying at the university, Christchurch played a great role in supporting me in many areas of my life. Pastorally Dave, Pete and both Dans gave me continuing support and fellowship through both the highs and the lows. These guys also served as great teachers and encouragers, through their clear words and their practical instruction through the way they acted and lived. Aside from the Sunday based activities home groups were a great support not only spiritually but also in providing me with a fresh group of friends, who weren't just students! Monday night 4-4-2 football also gave me an outlet I greatly valued. Not only did it give me physical exercise, often much needed as a media student, but also allowed me to share my ability and love for football with others from the church family. It also opened doors to inviting non-Christians to church run events such as the 5a-side tournament. Despite the relatively short time spent in Christchurch I believe that through the heart-driven work the workers and members are doing I have made many friends that I will keep in touch with for life. Chris Watts I expected a long hunt to find the right church for me when I started uni, but Christchurch was the only church I ended up visiting. I was so struck by everyone’s warmth and friendliness (plus great cooking skills!) that I quickly knew that this was the place I wanted to be. People’s hospitality and love didn’t change at all throughout the three years, and Christchurch is one of the main reasons why Cardiff became more home to me than my hometown. I think uni epitomises people’s philosophy of ‘your truth is your truth, mine is mine.’ It would have been easy to either become apathetic to my faith or abandon it completely. I made plenty of mistakes but God really protected me by putting me in Christchurch. Throughout the three years, people’s lives and the teaching at Christchurch has challenged, edified and encouraged me. I have been blessed so much by being in a church that has such a passionate and genuine heart to see people saved, and I’ve been surrounded by people who have never pretended to be more than they are – saved by grace. More importantly, I never had to worry when inviting friends who weren’t Christians to Christchurch, knowing that everyone would welcome and love them, making them feel at home as well. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of it all for the last three years, I will miss you all so much!! Hannah Simpson It has meant so much to be a part of Christchurch. It has impacted me in the way I view the cross and God's grace shown to me. Christchurch has truly pointed me to the cross time and time again and this has had such an impact on my life! I have grown and matured over the 3 years through the great teaching week in and week out. The house group was amazing, it was great to get to know people on a more personal level. It has been a joy to see Christchurch change and develop in just the three years I’ve been there. The ‘In it to win it’ series has had a major impact on the way I viewed my non-Christian friends by the way I tried to interact with them in a way that Jesus would – being in the world but not of the world, wanting them to know the wonderful truth of the gospel. One of the main ways I attempted this was through my artwork. What I have learnt and experienced at Christchurch will no doubt affect the way I will live. It has been a really important moment in my life creating a good sturdy foundation and doctrinal bases for the years ahead and for this I am so thankful. Thank you all for the time and effort you gave to myself and all the students. Alex Yarlett Since coming to Christchurch in September 2007, I have been bowled over by the loving and welcoming atmosphere of the church body as a whole. Week by week I have met, or been introduced to new people who have been incredibly friendly - often inviting me to their homes for meals! As a "poor" student this has been fantastic! I have noted how the teaching on grace has permeated, very practically, into the life of the church as a whole. People at Christchurch seem to have a genuine love and care for one another "...bearing with one another in love...". This is perhaps the greatest reason for my choosing to stay in Cardiff and at Christchurch. I have grown spiritually throughout my time at Christchurch. Being able to walk in and worship straight away on a Sunday morning is an immense privilege. As well as this, being able to get to know the leaders of the church (particularly on "The Choice" weekend away) and seeing how God's grace has permeated their lives gives me confidence to submit to their authority. I am greatly blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this community. I thank God for bringing me to Christchurch! Simply...Christchurch feels like home - it is home for me... and it is wonderful to be apart of this family! Gerard van der Westhuyzen The fact that I ended up in Christchurch is quite a funny story in itself. I had been before and was just visiting again for a change of scene and told Dan Gaweda I probably wouldn’t be coming back regularly. Nine months later and I’m preparing to serve for a year on the GAP team! There are a number of reasons why I have come to appreciate being a part of Christchurch. The first thing that really impressed me was the way I was welcomed in (even if I wasn’t planning to stay). People genuinely showed an interest in me, and this has continued throughout my time at Christchurch. Getting integrated into a home group was one thing that I have definitely appreciated. In a large church it is difficult to get to know people well that are not of a similar age; however, I really feel I have got to know some great guys through the home group and its great to know I am being supported in prayer and in person by such great people. I think I have definitely grown spiritually in my time at Christchurch and the teaching has helped to shape the main focus of my life onto Jesus and His glorious gospel. Each week I am more aware of Gods grace toward me and how dependent I am upon Him. The pastoral care from the leaders is wonderful and I really look forward to giving back to the church some of what they have given me by serving how and when I can next year. If I could sum up Christchurch in a short sentence it would be this: an honest, servant-hearted group of Christians who are passionate about sharing the gospel. I really can’t wait for September now to see what it’s like from the other side! Thanks once again. May you know Gods grace in the coming year. David Toms [/I]
Dan Gaweda

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	Week One: 12.02.08 Is Jesus The Only God?
	Week Two: 19.02.08 How Human Was Jesus?
	Week Three: 26.02.08 What did Jesus accomplish on the cross?
	Week Four: 04.03.08 Did Jesus rise from death?
	Week Five: 11.03.08 Where is Jesus today?
	Week Six: 18.03.08 What will Jesus do upon His return?
	Week Seven: 15.04.08 Why should we worship Jesus?
	Week Eight: --.--.08 What makes Jesus superior to other saviours?
	Week Nine: --.--.08 How did people know Jesus was coming?
	Week Ten: --.--.08 Why did Jesus come to earth?
	Week Eleven: --.--.08 Why did Jesus' mum need to be a virgin?
	Week Twelve: --.--.08 What difference has Jesus made in history?