We are often asked how successful friendsfirst is?
If you judge success by the number of marriages we've had then we are very successful. And if you add in the numbers of people making new friends (which is what some people join for) then it's even better
For more details of couples stories
> click here
|
Enhance your social skills!
Would you like to be better at meeting people, feel more confident and do it more often? We've teamed up with The Dating Doctor giving you preferential rates on a whole range of his services.
For more details.
> click here
|
|
|
Churches Newsletter September 2009
|
|
friendsfirst's Newsletter
Helping your ministry with resources and encouragement
September 2009 - Issue No: 6
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Dear Katharine, |
It's time again for the twice yearly email from friendsfirst supplying you with information and resources to encourage, support and complement your ministry to the single people in your congregation and community.
Please don't hit the delete button - especially if you are married yourself! Here's why:
We're trying to reach your congregation.
As a minister, priest or church leader, you are the gatekeeper and pastor to your congregation/flock. Most church leaders we talk to, who don't automatically support us, tell us they either don't have anyone in their congregations who is single (this turns out on further questioning NEVER to be the case) or no-one who is interested - and yet they tell us in the next breath that they don't know the intimate details of everyone's lives. We talk to 1000s of single people and most of them really don't want to be on their own. Most wish they'd heard about us sooner. Most are interested in us. The chances are your flock will be too!
Please read on. In this email you will find:
- Resources - An article for your church magazine; help for preaching on singleness and dating
- Our News - Praying for men; more marriages
- Wit and Wisdom - Some thoughts to encourage you
|
|
|
|
 Resources
|
1. An article for your newsletter/church magazine
Many people in your congregation will be feeling the pinch of the credit crunch. We know that it's causing people to rethink what's important to them. Here's a short article about it for you to use in your church magazine or pew newsheet. Click here or the link below to go directly to this article on our website. Repriorising you life Please feel free to copy it and use it.
2. Preaching on singleness
Singleness is a big issue in our society, and dating no less so especially for people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Modern dating is a new phenomenon and it's a long way from what God intended for us. There is a huge need for some good teaching from the pulpit on this issue. But perhaps you think it's not relevant for your particular church congregation? Well if this is the case then consider how many people in your congregation have children, grandchildren, friends or work colleagues who they interact with and influence. A sermon on this important issue could reach far more people than you think.
Perhaps the subject scares you rigid because you wouldn't know what to say. We've recently found a truly excellent article about Biblical Dating which could easily be adapted to a 20 minute (or longer) sermon. It is well thought out, full of Biblical references and will certainly leave your congregation with lots to think about. Click here to read it in full.
3. Is the church failing single people?
January's issue of Woman Alive had a thought provoking article on the way the church meets single people's needs and contributions. In case you didn't see it, you can read it here. It also listed some books that are useful resources on this issue.
|
 News and views
|
Praying for the men
One of our members has started a weekly prayer group to pray for the men in the church feeling that they should be reaching out to men outside church but realising that there is little vision in the church for this. You can click here to read her post looking for others to join here. If you know of women in your church would would like to join in with this initiative please do pass on this information to them, or ask them to contact me directly and I can put them in touch.
Our successes
We've now had over 130 people get married or engaged to other people on our books. In fact this month is going to be very busy for friendsfirst couples tying the knot - there are 5 couples doing so this month - 3 on the same day (and two who have the same names!) But probably more important to us than these statistics is the amount of feedback we get from people whose lives we've touched just by listening to them on the telephone, encouraging them and giving them confidence. It's what makes us proud of what we do, and why we hope you'll continue to recommend us to people who might benefit from our services.
If you would like to read more of our members' feedback about our service please click here or if you'd like to read our latest God inspired story of two members who've got married please click here.
Did you know?
In 2008 2.7million Anglicans went to a Christmas Day or Christmas Eve service. By contrast more than 4.4 million Britons went shopping online on Christmas day, spending £84million.
|
 Wit and Wisdom
|
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambition. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great." (Mark Twain)
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
"By the time a man realises that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong." (Charles Wadsworth)
|
|
I do hope you've found something in this newsletter useful.
Please keep single people in your thoughts - and if you think our service might be suitable for them please pass on our details.
And if there is anything we can do to help you with your singles ministry, we'd love to hear from you. With warmest regards,
Katharine Gray friendsfirst Director |
P.S Please do forward this newsletter to any single people in your congregation. If you would like more information about friendsfirst and our history, click here
 |
|
 Back to main archive page
|
|
|
0121 427 1286 
