Hi all,
Don't know if I'm doing this right but we'll see - Tom asked me to blog about last night so here I am blogging!! We had a cosy time with coffee and cake around our table. Time of worship then praying for each other - it was good to be together and encourage each other on various issues. Be sure to come along to any pop ins at T&M's - it's good to hang out together - bring drink and nibbles if you'd like.
Have a good week and share any news for us to pray into and for you about anything so that we can support each other - let's use this blog as a way of finding out news.
Lots of love Jane - let's go publish and see if it's worked!
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Soup service week 3 - team work
Things don't always go according to our expectations - sometimes they go far better!
Last week I left home telling Marianne that I was hoping that we didn't get less than the previous week, she had told me to expect at least 4 guests, later telling me she thought we would get 8. On the way to the building I found myself very aware of God's presence, and praying that this would be the beginning of revival in Winchester. So I arrived expecting perhaps 6.
At 7.40pm, 20 minutes before we were due to open about 15 guests arrived.
Tony from the Salvation Army said he brought about 6, although I suspect he brought more. They were nearly all guys I had spoken to before, but many who I hadn't seen for several months.
The rest of the evening was a real blend of experiences.
Firstly I was slightly taken aback by the love I felt for each of these guys as I spoke with them. I cannot fully appreciate what they have been through, and how difficult this time might be for them, but I know that God loves them so deeply that he gave his son up on the cross for them. I have been listening to Stuart Townend's excellent album 'Creation Sings' this week, I found the following lyric:
This is the irreverent truth of the gospel - these are those he died to claim as his own - he came to seek and save the lost. This is the foolishness to the world, but the boast of every believer, that the King of Glory reaches down to claim that which not only rejected him, but has so often in turn been rejected by this world.
He calls them. He loves them. This is the gospel.
It was also a week in which I felt my own inadequacies and limitations. But thank God that he puts us in relationship and teams with others which bring the necessary blend and balance of skills and gifting!
I was ill-prepared:
> without enough bread
> having forgotten the ladle to serve the soup
> not even having knife to cut the wonderful cake given by Helen Athill
> feeling slightly overwhelmed in the kitchen area
Retrieving my pen knife from my bag for Linda who then made a perfect job of cutting the cake with a 2 inch blade, I couldn't even pass this across without slicing my thumb! I spent the rest of the evening trying to stop my thumb from bleeding onto the bread as I served our guests.
Yet so many of the team seemed to become serene and calm as the chaos of serving 15 became our responsibility, and the women in particular seemed to move to a higher-plane of calm and effective action:
> going to Sainsbury's and returning with bags of extra rolls
> producing keys for the main building and returning with flasks full hot water and coffee allowing us to make hot drinks available in a fraction of the time
> suddenly appearing with with bags of hot Cheeseburgers from MacDonalds
> making, cutting (with a pen knife), and distributing the lovely fruit cake to our guests
The guests began to groan as they were offered more food :-)
Bob, Tim, Dave, Rob, and Andy sat around and over the course of the evening seemed gradually to be engaged in conversation by those joining us. Many others, like Hazel and Jan did other jobs (including fetching me a plaster) and talked with guests around the edge, and Laura and Keren having arrived early were able to get us started quickly with hot drinks.
These early weeks are a critical time for us to listen, learn and pray for people - to get beyond any simple stereotypical views of what people need, and understand the size of their own challenges at the same time as asking God to give us a deeply biblical vision of his plans for this work ...
On week 4, we have the perfect opportunity to show what Nigel Ring described in his very helpful article 'The Poor Deserve the Best' as 'progressive vision' - as Titta and Linda will take a lead in the organising, and no doubt many things will run more smoothly.
But let us not forget, whilst smooth organisation is definitely needed, we need God more - we need him to bless and prepare us as we seek to serve people, the leading of the Holy Spirit as we talk with guests, and the courage to seek and lay hold of opportunities to both show and share the gospel.
Last week I left home telling Marianne that I was hoping that we didn't get less than the previous week, she had told me to expect at least 4 guests, later telling me she thought we would get 8. On the way to the building I found myself very aware of God's presence, and praying that this would be the beginning of revival in Winchester. So I arrived expecting perhaps 6.
At 7.40pm, 20 minutes before we were due to open about 15 guests arrived.
Tony from the Salvation Army said he brought about 6, although I suspect he brought more. They were nearly all guys I had spoken to before, but many who I hadn't seen for several months.
The rest of the evening was a real blend of experiences.
Firstly I was slightly taken aback by the love I felt for each of these guys as I spoke with them. I cannot fully appreciate what they have been through, and how difficult this time might be for them, but I know that God loves them so deeply that he gave his son up on the cross for them. I have been listening to Stuart Townend's excellent album 'Creation Sings' this week, I found the following lyric:
How beautiful the feet that carry this Gospel of peace
To the fields of injustice and the valleys of need.
To be a voice of hope and healing, to answer the cries
Of the hungry and helpless, with the mercy of Christ.
from 'Everlasting Kindness (Compassion Hymn)
This is the irreverent truth of the gospel - these are those he died to claim as his own - he came to seek and save the lost. This is the foolishness to the world, but the boast of every believer, that the King of Glory reaches down to claim that which not only rejected him, but has so often in turn been rejected by this world.
He calls them. He loves them. This is the gospel.
It was also a week in which I felt my own inadequacies and limitations. But thank God that he puts us in relationship and teams with others which bring the necessary blend and balance of skills and gifting!
I was ill-prepared:
> without enough bread
> having forgotten the ladle to serve the soup
> not even having knife to cut the wonderful cake given by Helen Athill
> feeling slightly overwhelmed in the kitchen area
Retrieving my pen knife from my bag for Linda who then made a perfect job of cutting the cake with a 2 inch blade, I couldn't even pass this across without slicing my thumb! I spent the rest of the evening trying to stop my thumb from bleeding onto the bread as I served our guests.
Yet so many of the team seemed to become serene and calm as the chaos of serving 15 became our responsibility, and the women in particular seemed to move to a higher-plane of calm and effective action:
> going to Sainsbury's and returning with bags of extra rolls
> producing keys for the main building and returning with flasks full hot water and coffee allowing us to make hot drinks available in a fraction of the time
> suddenly appearing with with bags of hot Cheeseburgers from MacDonalds
> making, cutting (with a pen knife), and distributing the lovely fruit cake to our guests
The guests began to groan as they were offered more food :-)
Bob, Tim, Dave, Rob, and Andy sat around and over the course of the evening seemed gradually to be engaged in conversation by those joining us. Many others, like Hazel and Jan did other jobs (including fetching me a plaster) and talked with guests around the edge, and Laura and Keren having arrived early were able to get us started quickly with hot drinks.
These early weeks are a critical time for us to listen, learn and pray for people - to get beyond any simple stereotypical views of what people need, and understand the size of their own challenges at the same time as asking God to give us a deeply biblical vision of his plans for this work ...
"The gospel is at the heart of all that we do, and successful ministry embracing the the Poor should have the clear an conscious expectation that lives will not just be 'patched-up' with people being lifted out of poverty to a better lifestyle, important as it is. There should be a eternal dimension which they are exposed to, for only the gospel can bring about the heart transformation that will truly lift people into a place of hope and fruitfulness. (Nigel Ring, 'The Poor Deserve the Best' in New Frontiers magazine, January - March 2010).
On week 4, we have the perfect opportunity to show what Nigel Ring described in his very helpful article 'The Poor Deserve the Best' as 'progressive vision' - as Titta and Linda will take a lead in the organising, and no doubt many things will run more smoothly.
But let us not forget, whilst smooth organisation is definitely needed, we need God more - we need him to bless and prepare us as we seek to serve people, the leading of the Holy Spirit as we talk with guests, and the courage to seek and lay hold of opportunities to both show and share the gospel.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Community Group - less meetings? notes from the preach ...
Evening all,
good to be together tonight - I enjoyed it. Felt very real and honest, which is a very good thing. I was encouraged, so thanks.
Harry stayed asleep for the whole time which itself was a miracle!
I enjoyed Paul's recital of Job 38. We had been talking about Haiti at the beginning, and I think some prayer in the worship reflected this. Paul prayed about Job trusting in God despite many challenges, so we got him to read it out a bit afterwards - you can read it here for yourself.
We talked about a very funny and helpful preach from C.J. Mahaney on Job - does anyone have a copy of this - even if on a tape I will transfer it to mp3 and upload for us to enjoy!
We experience great sadness as we pray for Haiti, but we also remember that God is faithful and just.
Less Community Group meetings to the end of March?
As Hazel reminded me on the way out, there is a LOT going on until the end of March - soup service every Thursday, High Calling ladies thing on Monday nights. I'll talk with Marianne when she's back about whether we might meet less often and focus on a snack and chat sort of thing once a month on a Sunday - maybe 2-4pm so it doesn't necessarily up the whole day. If anyone has any views on that please let me know - for or against!
Life Application
For those who couldn't be here, or those who were and wished we had more time to spend on the word, I have put the notes below....
Elijah – Man of Faith
1 Kings 17 v 1-16
John Groves Sunday 17 January 2010
Read 1 Kings 17 v 1-16
1. James 5 v 17 tells us Elijah was “just like us”. However, he was a man of great faith. Faith and Obedience to God’s word go together.
What can we learn about faith and obedience from this passage?
2. Elijah probably did not start off as the man of great faith we see in 1 Kings 18. In what ways would his faith in God have grown through this part of the story?
How have members of the community group found that their faith has grown through tests and trials?
3. God moves Elijah around quite a lot. In his preach John talked about being “poured from vessel to vessel”. Have any members of the group got stories about changes in circumstances or moves that weren’t comfortable but developed their faith and their walk with God?
4. God provides for Elijah but in some extraordinary and humbling ways. Do we know of any other examples, in the Bible or in our lives of God providing in ways we wouldn’t expect?
Pray for any needs in the group.
Pray for God’s provision for our Gift Day on 7th and 14th February.
good to be together tonight - I enjoyed it. Felt very real and honest, which is a very good thing. I was encouraged, so thanks.
Harry stayed asleep for the whole time which itself was a miracle!
I enjoyed Paul's recital of Job 38. We had been talking about Haiti at the beginning, and I think some prayer in the worship reflected this. Paul prayed about Job trusting in God despite many challenges, so we got him to read it out a bit afterwards - you can read it here for yourself.
We talked about a very funny and helpful preach from C.J. Mahaney on Job - does anyone have a copy of this - even if on a tape I will transfer it to mp3 and upload for us to enjoy!
We experience great sadness as we pray for Haiti, but we also remember that God is faithful and just.
Less Community Group meetings to the end of March?
As Hazel reminded me on the way out, there is a LOT going on until the end of March - soup service every Thursday, High Calling ladies thing on Monday nights. I'll talk with Marianne when she's back about whether we might meet less often and focus on a snack and chat sort of thing once a month on a Sunday - maybe 2-4pm so it doesn't necessarily up the whole day. If anyone has any views on that please let me know - for or against!
Life Application
For those who couldn't be here, or those who were and wished we had more time to spend on the word, I have put the notes below....
Elijah – Man of Faith
1 Kings 17 v 1-16
John Groves Sunday 17 January 2010
Read 1 Kings 17 v 1-16
1. James 5 v 17 tells us Elijah was “just like us”. However, he was a man of great faith. Faith and Obedience to God’s word go together.
What can we learn about faith and obedience from this passage?
2. Elijah probably did not start off as the man of great faith we see in 1 Kings 18. In what ways would his faith in God have grown through this part of the story?
How have members of the community group found that their faith has grown through tests and trials?
3. God moves Elijah around quite a lot. In his preach John talked about being “poured from vessel to vessel”. Have any members of the group got stories about changes in circumstances or moves that weren’t comfortable but developed their faith and their walk with God?
4. God provides for Elijah but in some extraordinary and humbling ways. Do we know of any other examples, in the Bible or in our lives of God providing in ways we wouldn’t expect?
Pray for any needs in the group.
Pray for God’s provision for our Gift Day on 7th and 14th February.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Heavy Clouds | Shane Beales
I've been listening to this EP for a few months, after I found it via a Stu G (ex Delirious lead-guitarist) tweet. Really very worth a listen - and free to download!
/Tom
Sunday, 3 January 2010
New year kick off - Jan 6th
All,please come to our house next Wednesday (6th) night for the New Year kick-off.Please expect to have talk about, talk to, and study the plan for life as told and shown by Jesus.Will be interested to know a book you read last year which you particularly enjoyed, and one you might be planning to read next year.We may also make some soup.Looking forward to seeing everyone again. :-)Tom and Maz
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