LMAP Women’s Retreat 2025

“The Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

The three speakers for our Women’s Retreat, Kezia Barnes, Tamara Lindeback and Linda Oakley, take us through how we find the Joy of the Lord in His character, in our salvation and in our Christian fellowship.

Download the booklet (PDF)

Talk 1 – Joy in God’s Character (Kezia Barnes)

Read the text – Psalm 33

Talk 2 – Joy in Salvation (Tamara Lindeback)

Read the text – Titus 3:5-7, John 15:3-16, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 51:12-13, 1 Thess 5:16-18

Talk 3 – The Joy of the Lord in Christian Fellowship (Linda Oakley)

Read the text – Matthew 18:20, Nehemiah 8:10, Isaiah 40:31, 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, Galatians 6:2, Revelation 7:9, Romans 15:1-2, Galatians 5:24-26, Romans 15:13

Sermon – God & Life: End of Life

Read the text – Psalm 139; Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Isaiah 65:17-25; Romans 14:1-9

God ends life. God is the author and sustainer of life – from conception to eternity. How does the Christian person live by his timing and determination until he brings you home. In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes aims to help us think Christianly (Biblically) about the value of life under God’s hand when it comes to dying and death – especially as we live in a world where life can be quietly ended or painlessly prolonged. Our topic: Thinking Christianly about Euthanasia.

Bible Talk Outline Download

Sermon – God & Life: Limitations in Life

Read the text – Psalm 139; John 9:1-34

God shapes life. Disability is a normal and good part of God’s creation and whilst that may mean there are limitations placed upon a person (including their reliance on others), Christians should embrace the God’s gift of each person.

In this talk, Ken Noakes opens a discussion about how Christians can think about disability in our fallen world now and suggests a different approach to thinking about disability in our coming perfect world. This will create discussion – agree or disagree – let’s together recognize that we can take steps now to care well for those who live with disabilities as we all wait for heaven.

Talk Outline Download

Sermon – God & Life: Made in God’s Image

Read the text – Psalm 139; Genesis 1:26-2:4; Colossians 1:15-23; Revelation 21:1-4

We see ourselves as choosing individuals. Our strength is measured by our ability to stand on our own two feet and make decisions (we value agency). And we live in a society which views the autonomy of the individual as sacrosanct and defining, and that any challenge to that autonomy is regarded as a threat (we value choice). In addition, we live in a consumer culture, which tells us that we deserve to have whatever it is we want (we value entitlement). Yet, Christians hold to the biblical view that God makes men and women in his image. He gives life, shapes life, and takes life – and we experience that life both individually and collectively.

This ‘God & Life’ series looks at some of those key and ethical life matters where we, as choosing individuals, are now able to make decisions that will impact our life or another’s life: Abortion, Disability, Euthanasia (to pick three examples).

In this first talk, Ken Noakes sets the scene which help us think theologically about life matters over the next three talks. The purpose: to start a conversation – how can we value humanity as created by God and so in our care for ourselves and others, how do we think Christianly?

Talk Outline Download

Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Authenticity (Matthew 8:18-34)

Read the text – Matthew 8:18-34

Jesus is confounding. Reading through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus do some extraordinary things and the result is that some follow and some turn their backs on him. That is not so different from today. We often expect the extraordinary before we allow ourselves to believe something. As such we settle for the normal and mundane, all the while wishing for the extraordinary. Jesus came into the normal and mundane, but he did that which was extraordinary. He does what we hope by doing what we find hard to believe! How confounding.

In this Bible Talk, Nick Lindeback looks at the chaos of life and shows us how Jesus holds the power over chaos. If you know Jesus is in control, then you can live in faith rather than fear. Are you willing to rest in this storm, and are you willing to trust him when the chaos of this life overwhelms you?

Bible Talk Outline Download

Sermon – Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:1-7, Rev. 4:1-11)

Who can summarise a person in one word? To encompass their experiences, identity and personality in one word seems an impossible task! So can we summarise God in one word?

This Bible Talk shows us how the Bible summarises God in one word – Holy. And although the prophet Isaiah shouts “Woe to me!” in God’s presence, there is the hope and promise of one who takes away our guilt and pays the price for our sin.

Read the text – Isaiah 6:1-7 Revelation 4:1-11

Sermons – Hope in…

Hope Series Graphic

‘Hope’ is a well used term, yet one that is easily misunderstood. This three part series aims to help Christians understand and be equipped as children of God to live in a world that is flawed, fraught and fallen yet still under the glorious umbrella of hope in Christ.

Using the Letter to the Romans as a springboard, this series will look to address the topics of Judgement, Suffering and Predestination – whilst recognizing that ‘creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.’ (Romans 8:20-21)

Hope in Judgement

Read the Bible text – Romans 2:17-3:20

Watch the Video – here

– Josh Ord

Hope in Suffering

Read the Bible text – Romans 5:1-5

Watch the Video – here

– Dave Swan

Hope in Chaos

Read the Bible text – Romans 8:31-39

Talk Outline – Hope..in Chaos (Predestination)

Watch the Video – here

– Ken Noakes

Choosing what we sing in Church:What is Corporate Worship? (Part 1 of 9)

By David Shead

What is corporate worship?

“Worship” is the word that sums up the whole of life.

“Worship” describes the entire orientation of your life; your attitude of humble submission and service towards the thing or person that you most value in all of existence, whether that’s yourself (or another part of the creation like money, or leisure, etc.), or the true and living God.

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