Blog Archives

Jesus Paid it all

Gaz Simmonds | April 1, 2010

So we are well in to the time of Easter. I have to say this is the busiest I think i have ever been! So many services, each with a different message, from Palm sunday, to Maundy thursday, to Good friday, and Easter Sunday. My brain is nearly sizzled from searching for songs to play that are sensitive to each service. But it is really amazing to spend so much time thinking about it. Every time i sing each these songs, something seems to speak to me, there is really so much power in the cross.

After spending most of the afternoon picking songs for tonights maundy thursday service, and 2 good friday services tomorrow. I somewhere got inspiration to write a celebration song about the resurrection! It’s funny because it’s a song i have wanted to write for a very long time, almost like it has been on the tip of my tongue for months. And it all seemed to just go together, i then included part of a song that me and Andy Baker have been working on, which again fitted perfectly. But i have a feeling it may be a little too late to use it on Sunday, i’ll have another look over it tomorrow and see! I always seem to get inspiration when it’s a nearly too late!!

I really wanted to share this Youtube clip with You, The song is ‘Jesus Paid it all’ I find that it just speaks so much truth, so wanted to point you towards it, in preparation for tomorrow!

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Beyond Our Dreams

Gaz Simmonds | February 7, 2010

I have just got back from an amazing weekend away, where we took about 20 ‘Youth’ from our Church away for the weekend. We went to Edale to stay in the Peak Centre up there. And I must say it was excellent. We did a wide range of things including Rock Climbing, Archery, Fencing, as well as several teaching sessions focused on Sleep and Rest, in a variety of ways.

There was a really excellent atmosphere to the place, everyone was up for everything we did, and I was especially inspired by how willing people were to learn, and grow in their walk with God.

On Saturday night I had quite the traumatic experience however, when I got dressed up as a hoola girl, (Still with my original clothes on, don’t worry!) And was made to do various tasks, against my will. Including the dreaded food game, I hate all games food related! And then was asked to make up a dance routine with my team, for the song ‘Stacey’s mom’, not one I will be introducing at church any time soon. The video of which will probably never be shown anywhere, ever!

Today I lead a session on Worship, with just the Lads. One of my greatest prayers for the church is that we really try a little harder to grasp just how great our God is. Church, in my opinion is far too casual. We don’t get excited; we often offer lame, heartless, small worship just because ‘that’s what we’re supposed to do’. And this just doesn’t seem to match whom our God actually is. Our God is huge, amazing, and has such a heart for us, when I’m pretty sure it should be the other way round!

The God who made the universe, the world, the God who breathes out the stars, the God who speaks and light appears. This is a God we need to get excited about. A God that deserves more than a half raised hand once a week. A God that deserves more than our too often, lame worship.

Yet the most amazing thing is this is a God who makes Himself relevant to us as well. The God who came down, to give sight to the blind, bring life to the dead, and bring the lame to their feet.

One of the guys asked the question, God created everything, even the sun, and there is even stars bigger than the sun. Then he must be bigger than everything he has created, so how does he speak to us?

This kind of baffled me, because I always go straight to Jesus for the answer to a question like this. But so often we dumb down the sacrifice that Jesus made. This is not about a great man coming to earth to help us out. This is about God, who created matter, time and space. Who holds the universe in the palm of his hand, giving everything for us, forfeiting all glory for us, becoming so small, for us.

In the scheme of thing’s a miracle like making a blind man see, is only the start of things, but a God so big we cannot even imagine, becoming a fetus so we could understand, now that is amazing.

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Busy Busy

Gaz Simmonds | November 24, 2009

So here comes the Christmas season for real. This morning we did our first Christmas themed assembly, well, advent themed anyway!

I have the proof copy of the Christmas magazine right in front of me as i write. Ready to go to the printers this week. Trees are going up, the Coca Cola advert is on TV, and it is exactly one month till Christmas Eve.

I must say that I never really believed people who work in Church, when they say how busy they are. Until last year. And i realised, yeh its Kind of a lot of work. But this year, I have been blown away again. There is so much to do!

It is such a relief when you can tick things off the to do list though i must say. The Christmas Magazine, ‘Spotlight’, is done, proofed and will be printed this week, and delivered next week. Can’t wait to see the finished product! Next week we have our Christmas Crafts fair at church. I took the fliers into the local schools. Best get printing the menu for the Cafe!

But the big one is planning for the Christmas Services. Christmas Eve is the big one. With 2 services repeated at 4pm and 6pm, I can’t wait! Got the Choir practices booked in for the debut of our new Contemporary Choir along with the Band Practices, should be rocking.

I will keep you updated of what’s going on. I love Christmas! And in the midst of all this, I am off to see delirious on Saturday in Leeds with Katie. Can’t wait.

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One thousand days of prayer

Gaz Simmonds | October 22, 2009

So as you know I am now working for St Thomas’ Church, Brampton. Just last week we kicked off our new prayer initiative. Cleverly named ‘One Thousand Days Of Prayer’, does exactly what it says on the tin! For the next 1000 days, we are committed to prayer. And in each year caught up in those 1000 days, the aim is to pray for 1000 hours.

So practically, the real aim is that the Church is open much more than it has been before. Monday to Friday the Church is now open from 9:30-12:30, for people to come in and pray. As a staff team, we now try to work physically in church every morning between these times.

It has already been quite something being open like this. It is so refreshing to come into a church each morning, which has people there praying, instead of just being greeted with a cold empty building!

For the 2 weeks this has been going there has been a steady flow of people every day which is really encouraging. In the next few weeks we plan on letting the whole community around know. And we also have a little pavement ice cream type board on the way! Reading ‘Church Open’ (I will post a photo when we have it!!)

So yeah, if you live around chesterfield, do pop in and join us in prayer at some point.

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New Job

Gaz Simmonds | September 14, 2009

So i have been working for just over a week now, and it has been a really great week. I can already see I’m definitely going to be busy!

On Sunday i lead worship at a Youth and Children event thing in Derby Cathedral. Which went really well actually, it was a really good turn out and a nice service.

Myself and Chris are, as i have previously mentioned, working on a new website which is exciting, hopefully i will bring you news on that very shortly.

I am really enjoying being back at home, but working. It’s nice being able to see Katie more often!

I am by the way also loving Logic Pro! Been working on a couple of Demo’s, maybe if i figure out how to put one on here i can give you a sneak preview of a song or two i have been writing!

First School assembly tomorrow! Scary stuff! Luckily I am not doing it on my own!