We hope you are being blessed! Here is a slightly late chapter 11 for 2025: a late November newsletter.
Please let the editor know if you want to share something in the next edition.
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Waging a good warfare with the prophetic word spoken over you - Dave Food |
One of the remarkable gifts God gives His people is the prophetic word, those Spirit-inspired promises, insights, and encouragements that speak into our future and remind us who we are in Christ. At Runnymede Christian Fellowship, we value these moments not as emotional highlights but as markers of God’s intention for our lives. Yet Scripture teaches that prophetic words are not merely to be admired; they are to be warred with.
Paul urged Timothy to “fight the good fight” using the prophecies spoken over him (1 Timothy 1:18). In other words, the prophetic word becomes a weapon, not against people, but against doubt, fear, and spiritual resistance. When God speaks identity, the enemy often whispers contradiction. When God declares purpose, circumstances may appear to suggest the opposite. This is where warfare begins: choosing to align ourselves with what God has said, even when it feels distant or unlikely.
Waging good warfare begins with remembering. Write down the prophetic words you’ve received. Pray over them. Let them shape your conversations with God. “Then the LORD replied: ‘Write down the revelation…’” (Habakkuk 2:2). When discouragement comes, return to what He has spoken. These words are not wishful thinking; they are seeds of future fruitfulness.
Secondly, warfare involves cooperation. A prophetic word is an invitation, not an automatic outcome. James reminds us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). If God has spoken leadership, cultivate humility. If He has spoken compassion, practise kindness. If He has spoken breakthrough, persevere in faith.
Finally, warfare is done in community. “Two are better than one… if either falls, one can help the other up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). Share your prophetic words with trusted believers who can pray and encourage you.
Take hold of what God has spoken. Stand firm when the battle feels fierce. As you wage a good warfare, may every word from God strengthen your walk with Christ and shape your destiny. So, as we prepare for 2026, let’s lift our eyes with anticipation. The best is yet to come—and God is already at work preparing the way.
Runnymede Christian Fellowship – Rooted in Faith, Growing in Love, Reaching in Hope.
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Embracing grace in all its fullness - Dave Food |
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Grace is one of those words we hear often in church life, yet its depth continues to surprise us. It is simple enough for a child to understand, and yet profound enough to occupy a lifetime of reflection. At Runnymede Christian Fellowship, we speak frequently about living as a people shaped by grace, but what does it truly mean to embrace grace in all its fullness?
First, grace is God’s unmerited favour. It meets us where we are, not where we think we ought to be. In a world driven by performance and pressure, grace whispers a different truth: You are loved because God chooses to love you. No earning, no striving, no competing. When we deeply receive that truth, it changes the way we see ourselves. Instead of living from scarcity, we begin to live from abundance, the abundance of God’s kindness.
But grace doesn’t stop with us. Fullness of grace is found when we allow it to flow through our lives into the lives of others. Jesus embraced those who were overlooked, broken, or misunderstood, and His grace invited transformation. When we extend grace to those around us, forgiving quickly, listening gently, and offering kindness where it is least expected, we become living signs of the Kingdom.
Grace is also the fuel for spiritual growth. It doesn’t excuse sin; it empowers holiness. It doesn’t minimise our weakness; it strengthens us to walk differently. Grace forms us into people who reflect Jesus, not because we are perfect, but because we are surrendered.
So this week, pause and breathe in God’s grace. Let it soften the hard edges of your heart. Let it redefine your worth. Let it move you toward others with Christlike mercy. And as we embrace grace in all its fullness, may our fellowship become a community where love is tangible, forgiveness is normal, and God’s presence is unmistakably real.
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Using your Gifts for His glory - Dave Food |
One of the quiet miracles of the Christian life is that God has given every one of us a gift, something uniquely shaped for us to use in His service. Too often, we imagine spiritual gifts as grand, platform-level abilities, but Scripture paints a much gentler and more practical picture. Paul writes that we are “one body with many parts” and that each part is essential. No gift is too small, too ordinary, or too hidden to matter in the Kingdom.
At Runnymede Christian Fellowship, we often speak about being a community that reflects Jesus in word, deed, and attitude. But that vision becomes reality only when each of us brings what God has placed in our hands. Some of us serve through teaching or hospitality; others through prayer, encouragement, administration, creativity, or quiet acts of compassion. Whether we stand at the front or work behind the scenes, the call is the same: to offer our gift back to the One who gave it.
Using your gift to serve isn’t about striving; it’s about surrender. When we make ourselves available, God multiplies what we offer. Think of the boy with the loaves and fish, an ordinary lunch that Jesus used to feed thousands. Our gifts, however modest, become powerful when placed in His hands.
Serving also forms us. It lifts our eyes from self-concern and draws us into the joy of contributing to something larger than ourselves. In a culture that often asks, “What can I get?”, the Kingdom asks, “What can I give?” And in giving, we discover our deepest purpose.
So this week, take a moment to ask the Lord: What have You placed in me that could bless someone else? Then step out, however small the step feels. As we serve together, we become the church God intends, a family shaped by grace, united in love, and alive with purpose.
There are already places you can volunteer to help in the Church App.
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Making Room for the Gifts, Fruit, and Presence of the Holy Spirit - Dave Food |
One of the greatest privileges of the Christian life is learning to make room for the Holy Spirit, not just in our meetings, but in our everyday rhythms. At Runnymede Christian Fellowship, we long to be a community shaped, guided, and empowered by the Spirit. But this doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by intentional openness. We create space for God to move when we welcome His gifts, cultivate His fruit, and honour His presence.
Paul reminds us to “eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 14:1). These gifts, whether prophecy, healing, wisdom, tongues, or encouragement, are not spiritual accessories; they are tools for building the body of Christ. Making room for the gifts means we come with expectation, humility, and willingness to step out in obedience. We don’t chase the spectacular, but we do open our hearts for God to speak and act through us.
Alongside the gifts comes the fruit. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognise them” (Matthew 7:16). The Holy Spirit not only empowers us but transforms us, shaping love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control within us. Making room for the Spirit means slowing down enough for this inner work to take root. Gifts reveal God’s power; fruit reveals His character.
And then there is His presence, the very nearness of God. The psalmist writes, “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11). We make room for His presence by cultivating worshipful hearts, unhurried moments of prayer, and an awareness that God is with us in every ordinary moment. When we gather as a church, we expect Him to meet us. When we scatter into our workplaces and homes, we carry His presence with us.
As we intentionally welcome the Spirit’s gifts, nurture His fruit, and honour His presence, may RCF shine with the life of God, a community where the Holy Spirit is not an occasional visitor, but a constant, transforming friend. |
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Preparing for a potential Mission: Looking Toward Jinja, Uganda 2026 - Dave Food |
As we look ahead to our 2026 mission to Jinja, Uganda and Abba Father’s House, there is a growing sense of anticipation within Runnymede Christian Fellowship. Mission is never merely a trip; it is a posture of the heart. Long before we board a plane or pack a suitcase, God invites us to prepare inwardly, allowing Him to shape us into people who carry His love with humility, courage, and compassion.
Preparing for mission begins with prayer. Not simply prayers for safe travel or good logistics, but prayers that tune our hearts to God’s purposes. Uganda is a place of warmth, resilience, and deep faith, yet also a place where many face everyday challenges. As we pray, we ask the Lord to give us eyes to see as He sees and hearts that respond as Jesus would. Mission is never about what we bring, but about joining in with what God is already doing.
We also prepare by learning. Understanding Uganda’s culture, history, and the incredible work of Abba Father’s House helps us arrive not as experts, but as servants. When we take time to listen and honour others' stories, we build bridges rather than make assumptions. This is Kingdom leadership in its simplest form, leading by serving.
And finally, preparation involves openness. Mission stretches us. It takes us beyond comfort and into deeper reliance on God. We may be challenged, surprised, or moved in unexpected ways. But it is often in these moments that God shapes our character and deepens our discipleship.
As 2026 draws closer, let us ready ourselves prayerfully and wholeheartedly. May we go not merely to do good, but to reflect Christ, bringing hope, encouragement, and genuine partnership to our brothers and sisters in Jinja. |
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The creative team at RCF - Dave Food |
There is something wonderfully life-giving about creativity in the church. From the opening pages of Scripture, God reveals Himself as Creator, shaping, imagining, and bringing beauty out of nothing. When we create, we reflect that divine spark. So joining the creative team at Runnymede Christian Fellowship isn’t simply about volunteering; it’s stepping into a ministry that helps people see and experience God in fresh ways.
Today, creativity takes many forms, and our church family is richer when all those expressions are welcomed. You may feel drawn to music, design, photography, or crafting visuals. You might be gifted in writing thoughtful posts, producing short videos, managing social media, editing content, or shaping the stories we share online. Or perhaps you simply feel a gentle nudge toward something creative but haven’t quite named it yet. Wherever you are on that journey, the creative team is a place where those gifts can be discovered and developed.
In a digital age, creativity is more than aesthetics, it’s communication. A social media post can encourage someone mid-week. A short video can capture the heart of a testimony or illuminate a Scripture. Written content can deepen reflection long after the Sunday gathering. These simple offerings become ministry when shaped with prayer, purpose, and love.
Joining the creative team is also about community. We brainstorm, experiment, learn, and occasionally laugh at the ideas that didn’t quite translate! It’s a space where we grow both in skill and in Christlike character, supporting one another as we serve.
If you sense God stirring something creative within you, don’t dismiss it. Bring your gift, however raw or unpolished it may feel, and allow God to breathe on it. Together, we can build a creative expression at RCF that points people to hope, truth, and the transforming love of Jesus. |
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If you have something you would like to share in the next newsletter, please email theeditor@e-runnymede.co.uk |