Friday 14 November 2014

November News and Prayer requests from Dernier Publishing


Welcome to the November 2014
Dernier Publishing newsletter!

We are creators!

We are children of a creator God, and I’m a firm believer in being creative – it’s part of the awesome privilege we have of being made in His image. If we have been given a gift I believe we should use it to honour God who gave us this ability. Some people love creating a garden, others a website. Others love to sew, paint, stick, make things from wood, make music or delicious meals. Others love to write. All these things are wonderful gifts from God that we can use to serve others. But we have to learn our craft. If we want to produce pretty much anything of value, we need someone to show us how to do it, people to encourage us (even our first feeble efforts!) and we need to stick at it and not give up when the going gets tough. (The photo is of a friend from DR Congo – I showed her how to make English cakes!)

This isn't the first time I have mentioned Write for a Reason a course I set up for Christian writers who write, or want to write, fiction for 8-14s. There are also lots of free writing tips on the Write for a Reason website! Why not take a look, or point a writer friend there? What greater joy could there be than for us to point the way to Jesus through our gift of writing? Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. We can be workers in this harvest with our writing. Books change lives . . . More details here: Write for a Reason

If you're not a writer, what is your creative gift? Are you using it to bless others? :-)

Sad figures

I found this statistic recently and jotted it down (sorry I have forgotten where I found it): “Between 1990 and 2020 the UK church is predicted to have lost 1.1 million children from congregations.” If true, this is an alarming statistic. 1.1 million children lost from church! Here's another really sad statistic tweeted by the NSPCC a couple of weeks ago: "We are receiving more calls than ever before to ChildLine from children who are feeling suicidal." Doesn't that make your heart ache?

Jesus said, “I will build my church.” Nothing will stand against him, but in some incredible way He wants us to do our bit.

Do you know a child who might be finding life tough? Could you buy them a Christian book? Or perhaps you could organise to buy books for all your Sunday School or Kids Club this Christmas – children who seem to be walking the right path also need encouragement to stay on it! Or could you offer two or three books as raffle prizes for a village or church Christmas fete, give gifts to neighbours' children, sponsored kids abroad . . . The message of Jesus brings hope, life and light, even in the deepest darkness. Let's spread that hope, light and life this Christmas, because we can, and because it is our responsibility to do so. Imagine a life changed, through a book you gave. That's awesome.

 

Fabulous initiative 1: please pray!

I had a lovely email from Mary Weeks Millard a few days ago. She says, “The churches in Weymouth are presenting an event called ‘Silent Night’ on Dec 4th; carols in the local football stadium to remember the WW1 Christmas Truce. Taking part will be a choir from years 5 and 6 in the local primary schools. At the moment 6 schools have opted to take part and the special school will also be taking about 6 children. It will be about another week before numbers of participants are known; it could be 100+. The Lord has really put it on my heart that it would be good to give each child taking part a copy of ‘A Pennyworth of Peppermints’. The celebration is right, the location and the also the age group of the children. I feel that I should go ahead in faith - the organizer, Rev. Anni Douglas is thrilled with the idea as is the choir mistress (who attends our church). I am hoping that maybe church members in the town would feel they could sponsor a book.


Please do pray for this initiative and the children who will receive this book with its message of God's love and forgiveness. If you are organising an event and would like to buy a quantity of books please let me know; firstly as I can offer quantity discounts (as can most local Christian bookshops), and also so we can back you in prayer. I look forward to hearing from you!


Fabulous initiative 2: please pray!

A teacher at a local primary school is going to start up a book club at her school with books that have Christian characters! How wonderful is that! Please pray for new children to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus through these books. Thank you!



Christmas online catalogue

This is the link to our online Christmas catalogue:


Please do take a look yourself and forward it now to as many people you can think of who just might be interested, because it might be exactly what they are looking for, for a grandchild, nephew, niece, Sunday School or children's friends. Thank you very much for your help!


Next year

I have so many plans for next year, and want to make it the best ever, but I need your help. More than anything else I ask for your prayers for Dernier. I would like to bring out five books next year – some in paperback, some in digital format. More news in January in about that, but please would you start praying now, as I begin to get organised? I would appreciate that more than you know. If you join us on facebook, you can keep in touch with news as it happens: Dernier Publishing's Facebook Page. Hope to see you there!


Right, lots to do, I'd better get on with it – may the Lord bless you and keep you.


Kindest regards,

Janet

PS Don't forget to check out our online catalogue :-) http://www.flipgorilla.com/p/23735439970010745/show