After 5 great years as Anglican Chaplain to the University of Essex, Rev. Thomas Yap is moving on - he will be volunteer Chaplain to London Olympics in the summer of 2012, after which he will start a Psychotherapy Centre in London. He writes: “I will miss you all! I leave wishing for a perfect ending but the truth is saying Goodbye hurts. It reminds us life is not always neat and poems sometimes don’t rhyme. But one thing I am certain - Jesus Christ loves you. So, I can leave with not knowing, but trusting in Him who holds All things together. May God hold you in His loving Hands till we meet again!“

This is the time everyone has been waiting for!

Student Alpha will be launching this Thursday 16 February 2012.

This is a short course for you to discover more about Christianity - and it involves having food together, great conversations and friendships.

Interested? Here are the details:

What: Student Alpha

Where: Chaplaincy Centre (Colchester Campus)

When: 7.30pm on Thursdays (Starting 16 Feb 2012)

See you there!

Are you a Fresher and have now finally arrived at Colchester Campus? If so, we are so excited you have arrived here - Whoop! Whoop! Just to let you know two special events we have put on specially for you:

Tuesday 4 Oct 2011

4pm-5.30pm Anglican Chaplaincy Tea Club featuring Teas from all over the world for your enjoyment!

Thus 6 Oct 2011

12noon-1.30pm Anglican Chaplaincy, Christian Union, Jesus Alive Fellowship, Friends International, Chinese Christian Fellowship are hosting a FREE lunch to welcome all Freshers. Everyone is welcome!

Sunday 9 Oct

7.30pm Anglican Chaplaincy Movie Night with Evening Worship afterwards in the Chaplaincy (Title: Sahara Starring Matthew McConaughey, Penélope Cruz, Steve Zahn.)

See you there!

Are you a fresher to the University of Essex? If you are, great stuff are in store for you!

For every Sunday of your first term with us, we will be giving free lifts to churches of different styles, denominations, shapes and sizes every Sunday and also free lunch before returning you back to Colchester campus. All you need to do is turn up at North Towers at the appointed times and hey presto, we will be there to welcome you! For more information, click on the menu on the right FRESHERS CHURCH VISITS 2011-2012.

This time of the year is a powerful time as we celebrate the leaving of our graduates! We have shared tears, fears, joy, seen each other through thick and thin and now, it is time to say goodbye and to new beginnings!

We will be praying for your journey ahead - God go before you as you start new adventures. Congratulations!!!

Christians are finding it increasingly hard to get their voices heard at public and government levels. This has involved cases of Christians being demoted from their jobs or facing discrimination because of the expression of their faith in their work. Christian Concern is organising a “Not Ashamed” Campaign which you can sign up to in order to help put Christian voice in parliament. The Anglican Chaplaincy is supporting this campaign.

Please look at:

http://www.christianconcern.com/

http://www.notashamed.org.uk/

Please support the campaign by signing the petition on the website, thank you!

You are probably already aware of the earthquake in Japan, and the tsunami that followed after. We are praying for Japan and for our Japanese friends. If you would like to donate money to help people in Japan, the Anglican Chaplaincy is donating money through World Vision UK, a Christian Charity operating there bringing immediate relief supplies to those left homeless and also sending teams to help provide help for children traumatised by the double disaster:

https://www.worldvision.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.3001&giftId=47

Please pray and ask God how much you should give to help people in Japan.

I’m sure most of you would already have heard about the developments in Egypt. Please do join us in prayer for Christians in Egypt especially in this time of political turmoil. If you want to do more, you can also sign the “NO WAY OUT” campaign run by Christian solidarity on:

http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=88&ea.campaign.id=9295

The Student Alpha course will be running here at the University of Essex in 2011!

The Alpha course is an international phenomena and spans worldwide. It includes free food, great presentations, and free, open discussions about anything you’ve always wanted to ask about God, life, healing, Christianity etc.  You can’t miss it!

Student Alpha will be starting here on Colchester Campus from the 17th February 2011. To find out more, just email Thomas at tyap@essex.ac.uk

Happy New Year to you!

I wonder whether you’ve had any new year resolutions, or even just thoughts about changes in this new year…. Whichever way, it often seems easier to give up on the good intentions as the days and months of the term roll on! My decision to pray more and go the gym more to get healthier is already being challenged….

This made me think about the faithfulness of God – How, in contrast to our fickleness, God’s good intentions for us stays forever. “Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23v6).  So no matter how tough it is and no matter what is in the way, God’s heart for us is stable, and His love for you stands strong.  He will complete the Good things he has started in you and His Mercy means that no matter what happens, you will find Him picking you up.

So, may you receive God’s empowering and love for this new term. And more importantly, may you find friends who help you to keep receiving from God. For it is in fellowship that we can encourage one another and spur each other onwards. (So, thank you for those of you who drop by my office and say: “Come, Thomas, let me pray for you!”)

May you find fellowship and may you continue to receive God’s ever-present faithfulness to you! My prayers will be for you too.

Dear Anglican Chaplaincy fans, friends, members, supporters, visitors…..

This comes with my prayer for your blessing, peace and joy for this Christmas!

As Christmas dawns and we think of our Lord Jesus coming to this earth as a vulnerable baby child, I pray that you will know His Love for you in difficult and good times this season. He has come so that you may have life to the full – May you receive His life into you.

You will be in our prayers, and if there is anything specific you want us to pray for, please do drop us an email.

Members of the Anglican Chaplaincy are supporting Open Doors to help Pakistan Flood victims. According to the UN an overwhelming 15-20 million people in Pakistan are in need of food, water and shelter.

Many thousands of Christians are also caught up in the disaster. For some, the only place of refuge is their local mosque, where extremist strongholds are strongest and Christians could become very vulnerable.

Open Doors partners in Pakistan have identified 1500 Christian families as being most vulnerable. Many of these believers have lost everything. And now they are looking to us for help in their moment of dire need.

The situation is critical and urgent. Your prayerful generosity now will ensure assistance, supplies and support reach Christians.

Although the DEC member organisations will provide support to everyone, through Open Doors partners your gift will reach the marginalised Christian minority.

Please give now.

A gift of £115 will provide a family of six with an Emergency Pack containing essential items like food, medicines, pillows, blankets and cooking utensils.

Thank you, and please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters in their distress.

*Should this appeal become overfunded, your gift will be used to fund ongoing work to support Christians in Pakistan

To donate, please visit the OPEN DOORS website on: http://www.opendoorsuk.org/give/pakistan.php

Graduation is over - The summer months are here!!! During the 1st - 31st August 2010, the Chaplaincy will be in the resting period with most services resuming in 1st Sept 2010.

A small team of us (students and Chaplaincy friends) will be attending the 2-3,000 strong Christian festival called MOMENTUM in August. It’s still not too late to join us - register online at: www.soulsurvivor.com/momentum

If you are enquiring about the Chaplaincy counselling service, please contact: Julie Wilman by email: jwilman@essex.ac.uk

If you are enquiring about Church services, please check out the ”Links” on your right, then on “Churches linked to the Chaplaincy” and if you are a student of the University, all you need to do is ring them and ask for a lift to church! 
 
The Chaplain Rev. Thomas Yap will aim to answer any emails within a week during August.

In the meantime, following the words of our Vice-Chancellor: “bon courage to those working on research, admissions or other matters in August, and bon voyage to those going for a well-deserved break”.

I (Rev. Thomas Yap), would like to add on top of that - May you experience the power of Christ during the month of August in setting you free from fears and anxieities! The Lord be with you.

YES!!!! YES!!!!! YES!!!!!! IT’s GRADUATION TIME!!!!!! 21-23rd July 2010

Congratulations to all our 2010 graudates this year. We are really proud of you; we know how hard it has been, we’ve seen the tears, the late nights as well as the fun.

This year, as usual, we will be here for you - literally at the Squares. If you are graduating this year, please come visit us at our gazebo. We have a small gift for you, and we’ll pray for God’s blessings for you on your future. The gazebo will be the place for reflective space and prayer!

Exams are looming this new term and we know how hard it is to find the right place to revise but fear not!

Here at the Anglican Chaplaincy, we will provide you with both time for quiet space for revision (with free prayers) AND also time for whining about exams!

These are the allocated times - Bring your revision with you and we’ll see you here….. 

Monday 2-4pm “Come Whine with me”

This is the time when people can come and chat informally about their worries and exams in the Chaplaincy room. Free tea and coffee.

Tuesday 10-12pm  Study Zone

This is the revision space: You can come and revise here at the Chaplaincy and Christians will pray for you quietly in another room!

Wed 2-4pm  Study Zone

This is the revision space: You can come and revise here at the Chaplaincy and Christians will pray for you quietly in another room!

Momentum 2010

21-25TH AUGUST 2010

FIVE DAYS IN A FIELD WITH GOD, YOUR MATES AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS. FOR STUDENTS AND 20-30 SOMETHINGS.

WORK.PLAY.STUDY.JESUS.CAREER.MONEY.JUSTICE.DEBT.

BIBLE.RELATIONSHIPS.GRACE.SEX.LIFE.JOB.FOOD.

WE ARE GOING TOGETHER FROM ESSEX UNIVERSITY AS A BIG GROUP!

COME & JOIN US. EMAIL REV. THOMAS YAP TO LET HIM KNOW YOU ARE COMING.

FURTHER INFO: WWW.SOULSURVIVOR.COM/MOMENTUM

Hey All,

Happy Easter! Jesus is alive and He reigns forever! Alleluia!!!

Just to let you know that over the Easter break, we continue to worship in our local churches even though the Anglican Chaplaincy has a “rest” time.

If you want to find out which church to go to, all you need to do is check out our web-links on your right and email them to ask them to give you a lift to the church.

When term re-starts on the 25th April, we will be launching a new project and programme for the exams term.

Have a good break and may the Lord refresh you!

During term-time, we have been experimenting with joining up with St.John’s Anglican Church for our Sunday evening worship. We meet at North Towers Car-park at 6pm and arrive in the church ready for the starbucks quality coffee, informal atmosphere and great worship time together. Why not join us and try it out for yourself? Just turn up at North towers or give Rev. Thomas Yap an email at:tyap@essex.ac.uk

We meet On Friday nights at 7pm here at the Chaplaincy. Currently, we are doing a DVD series called “Beginning in Christ together” but we are doing it with a twist! Come and join us –it’s a good way to get to know the Bible a bit and to meet with fellow Christians! See you soon!

Just to let you know we managed to collect £65 for all the charities. Many thanks for those who have supported us and for all your hard work!

17^th Feb 2010 5.00-6.00pm Ash Wednesday Service (at the Chaplaincy Centre)

Ash Wednesday is a time for us to remember our humanity and to reflect on how we live our lives. There will be a short service at the Chaplaincy and get marked with ashes as a sign of our turning away from the false self and turning to Jesus.

16^th Feb 2010 12.30-1.30pm Pancake Day

We will be out on Square 3 flipping pancakes for pancake day – just for some fun but also to prepare for Lent! Come and join us as we show off our pancakes flipping skills!

Once a year, we have a mega Christmas Carols Celebration at Colchester Campus.

This year 2009, the snow is falling, and we are expecting a white Christmas as we sing Christmas Carols!

Programme includes: mince pies, hot drinks, drama, high-tech clips, carols with a brass band etc.

Staff, Students and Guests are welcome to the University of Essex Christmas Carols Celebration

Time: 6.30pm Doors Open; 7.00pm Starts

Place: Ivor Crewe Hall

Date: Wed 16th Dec 2009

SEe you there!!!!

Student Alpha course has started over the term and we had a Christmas meal before the break! It has been fun eating together and most of us have gone over deep over questions of life such as who we really are, how can we pray, what does it mean to be human? We will restart again in the new term in January.

A warm and very special welcome awaits you for Fresher’s week this year. If you are browsing on our website to find out what’s happening for Christians on campus, you will be delighted to find we are busy praying and preparing the most fabulous programme for you! To find out more, all you need to do is look on the Fresher’s pages on the right and click on them, note them down and turn up on the day! Really look forward to seeing you soon!

We are now into our summer vacation, so our regular activities will be taking a break. We will be meeting on Sundays for Evening Prayer at 6.30pm in the Chaplaincy (except August). If you are looking for a local church to worship in, please get in touch!

For all of you who are graduating, we hope you enjoyed your time here at Essex University and have been richly blessed. We will be in the Squares during the Graduation ceremonies, so don’t forget to visit us to say farewell!

The next big event will be welcoming all the Freshers in October! Please pray for the new students as they prepare for life at Essex University, and look out for details of next year’s events!

God Bless

We have been offering massage and prayer space for people in the Sports Centre for the exams period. It has been wonderful seeing people relaxed and chilled-out! We have been booked choc-a-bloc and had some amazing stories of how people have begun to explore their spiritual lives too….If you have missed out on it this year, do not fear! We shall be looking at a similar project again soon. Keep your eyes peeled on this website!!!

Easter has arrived! It’s a time when we celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Here in the Anglican Chaplaincy, we would like to wish you a Joyous Easter.

If you are thinking of going to a church service here in Colchester, please feel free to browse our Links page and find a church to attend! If you ring them up beforehand, they will come and pick you up here at the University!

We have just given our palm crosses as a symbol of the crucifixion at our last Sunday evening service of the term. Sunday services will begin again on the 26th April 2009.

We are also already preparing for the post-Easter project including massage and relaxation for the exam periods coming up, so keep your eyes peeled and watch this space!

Ever wondered how you can be a better listener? Do you want to build your relational skills? Want to know how to respond to people?

We are running a Listening skills training session on Wed March 11th 2009 from 1-4pm. Cost £10 (Subsidised by the Anglican Chaplaincy already).

The session is run by a qualified counsellor from Lifelines Colchester, a counselling organisation.

To book your place, simply email Dawn at: dbailey@essex.ac.uk  or call 01206 873108 now! Spaces are limited, first come first served for the bookings!

Would you like to have a more generous and giving nature? Well, it does take practice and here’s an opportunity for you to do so!

It’s the time of the year called LENT when we learn to let go of things and refocus on our direction in life. A time to let go of things that draw us away from God and to take things on that nurture our souls and keep us in God’s love.

As part of that, we are doing a frugal lunch. Frugal means “little”.

We will serve you a “little” lunch: soup and a roll – in return, you donate the money that you would use for lunch to Charity. You can, of course, give more than your lunch money.

We will provide an offering box for you and also good space for meeting other staff and students on campus!

When: Every Tuesday (3^rd, 10^th and 17^th March 2009)

Where: Room 5.300 (Square 3, Level 5, Entrance 2NE, Common Room) Near Department of Government.

Time: 1pm-3pm.

 You don’t need any qualifications or do anything – all you need to do is turn up!

 That’s why we call it TGI Tuesdays - Thank God it’s Tuesday!

 See you there!

Greetings, dear friends of the Anglican Chaplaincy. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our brother Markus Ng, a former student of the University and an active Christian on campus. Markus left us on the 4th Feb and we are still in some shock of his passing away. We will miss him - his smiles, the way he sings, his gentle and humble way of helping people, and his love for God.

We will be holding a memorial service for Markus and everyone who knows Markus is invited. The service will be held here in the Anglican Chaplaincy on Tuesday 10th Feb at 6pm.

The service will be an opportunity for us to give thanks for Markus’s life and for us to remember him together.  

As part of the service, we want to be sharing memories we have of Markus, so if you have any electronic pictures of Markus, it would be lovely to share them. Please send them by email to Jasmine by Monday 9^th Feb 09 at hlting@essex.ac.uk

Jasmine has kindly agreed to collate the pictures so that we can share them together at the service.

 Also, if anyone would like to say a tribute to Markus at the service, please do not hesitate to contact me as soon as possible. My telephone number is: 01206 87 (3108) and my email is: tyap@essex.ac.uk

 We will be having an offering/collection of money at the service. All monies collected will go towards the causes that Markus is passionate about.

 We will also have a big card prepared so that everyone can write your condolences to Markus’s family. If you have any letters that you want to give to the family as a sign of your memory of Markus, please do bring it with you to the service. We will collate them together and send it with the card to the family.

We look forward to welcoming you as we remember Markus together.

Christmas Day is drawing near! We had an amazing Christmas Carol Celebration at Ivor Crewe - totalling between 350-400 people attending. Thanks to all who made the evening a special one. For those who have missed it, so sorry but there’s always next year!

Over the Christmas holidays, all programmes including Sunday evening worship, morning prayers, bible study group and discipleship group will also be taking a break. We will resume the full programme again in the New year beginning from the Week 16 (12th Jan 2008 onwards).

If you are on campus and wondering where all your mates have gone or why its gone so quiet, or you just want a natter and to meet some new friends over the season, we have two special events on during the holidays:

22nd Dec 2008

Christmas Tea Get Together!

A time for meeting new friends and food.

2-4pm in the Anglican Chaplaincy. This event is free but must be pre-booked for catering purposes. Please e-mail Thomas at tyap@essex.ac.uk if you want to come.

5th January 2009

Christmas Tea Get Together!

A time for meeting new friends and food.

2-4pm in the Anglican Chaplaincy. This event is free but must be pre-booked for catering purposes. Please e-mail Thomas at tyap@essex.ac.uk if you want to come.

If you are interested in joining a Christmas service in Churches across Colchester, you will be spoilt for choice. All you need to do is go to our “Links” page and browse for a nearby church and find out what is on offer! There will be traditional Christingle services to Christmas Rock services!

God’s blessings for Christmas and New Year!

Christmas is coming! YOU are invited to the University of Essex Christmas Carol Celebration 2008. The Celebration promises to be a great night out; with good music, songs and presentations for the evening. Dignitaries and local community leaders will also be joining us. To come along, all you need to do is find your way to the Ivor Crewe Building on Wed 10th Dec 2008 at 6.30pm. It’s too good to be missed! See you there!

Alongside the major Celebration, we have a whole week of programmes lined up from the Christian communities here on campus. To find out more, simply click on the link “Christmas programme 2008″ on your right.

The same day is also the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in conjunction with the Human Rights Centre of the University. A whole week of programme has been planned including a Candles Action near the Ivor Crewe Building from 6.15-6.30pm. See you there!

Welcome to the Anglican Chaplaincy: it was fabulous seeing everyone at the Sunday Evening worship service! If you havent been yet, you’ve missed a treat! This is just to let everyone know that the Anglican Chaplaincy is running at full-steam, and you are more than welcome to drop in anytime - We are always open for people to come in: some people come to have their sandwiches over lunch, some come to touch our sofas (smile), some just want a prayer and a chat…you get the picture! So, see you soon, the kettle is singing already….

There will be an end of year celebration for all students on the 8^th June at the Chaplain’s house. This will consist of a time of worship, a BBQ and international food (if you are an international student please feel free to bring a dish of food which is typical of your country). If you wish to attend, please R.S.V.P to ecmullis@essex.ac.uk by the 5th June 08 in order for us to assess catering needs.

We will be meeting in the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Centre at 4:15pm to leave at 4.30pm .