this week at group

N.B. No Group next week

This week at group ...

• were Andy & Jane, Jeremy and us ... Kate joined us at the end after buying coconuts - you will have to ask her.
• we talked about rats, HOTS, and a conference in April bring run by the Vineyard church which looks very interesting - details to follow soon.
• we prayed for people in the group like Jacob M and Fiona M, Tash (back), and Grace & Ruby.
• we had a great time of worship together when I felt God's love again for me and we all received Jane's prophetic word to lift up our eyes and see and focus on Jesus.
• we discussed Dave's word from Sunday as we asked ourselves what new things God was doing at the moment - Jane told a great story about Healing on the Streets (HOTS) last Saturday as they prayed with one of the the guys we occasionally see at the Soup Service - ask Jane for the full story! I shared a story from last Friday night

Notices:

• No Group next week - Andy&Mary, Jim&Kate, and Marianne and I are meeting to talk about next steps for us as a group. Please pray for us over the next week to hear God, have wisdom, and be full of faith. We really need God!
• Julian Adams is preaching on Sunday morning and Sunday evening. I've heard him preach a couple of times. I cannot encourage you enough to be there.
• Soup Service Clothes - If you have any items please take them on Sunday, remember the guidelines, casual wear in decent condition, that you would happily wear on a Saturday afternoon in town. Trainers or casual men's shoes are particularly welcome.
• Vineyard Conference Details: 'The Church has Left the Building' - April 29th - 1st May. For those interested in going with Andy& Jane and Tom&Marianne to the conference, please contact Jane. Conference synopsis:

  Can you imagine an environment where the poor are welcomed, the sick are healed and the lost are found... where everyone engages in mission, infecting their community with the Kingdom in their daily routine of life?
  
  Imagine your own region alive to the glory of God, encountering Him through His people and awakened to the glory of God, encountering Him through His people and awakened to His reality among them. Imagine healing, signs and wonders OUT THERE among the people as you impact your community with Kingdom power and authority. If you can imagine this... then you are ready to discover just what happens when the church leaves the building.
  
  Come join us for this 'hands on' conference that enables you to learn how to live a life of extreme risk unleashing the potential of your church to fulfil her mission

this week and a prophetic word for us all

Hope we are all having a good week.

In Proverbs God says:

"Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law."

Today I read a prophetic word over the U.K. given in 1967. I found this prophecy as I read the blog of a guy called Simon Holley for whom I have a growing respect. Simon is the lead elder at Kings Arms church in Bedford. I have heard him preach at a conference I attended in Bedford, and since listened to his preaches via podcasts, and read his blogs.

The prophetic word can be read here at his blog .

Please do take a few minutes to read this and be encouraged. We want to be a people who have a growing revelation of the glory of God, and a prophetic edge to us which brings expectation and faith for our country in a way which honours God.

This week, Community Group will be at our house. Please be encouraged to come and seek God together. I hope this prophecy will build us up with faith in God's plans, and also increase a godly dissatisfaction with settling for anything less than that which God has for us.

Jesus taught us that anything we ask in his name we would receive it - let's make sure we are in his presence so we have insight into what he would have us ask him for. We all come to God to ask in his name. There is no appointment in the church which gives anyone a greater or lesser position to call on God or enjoy his love. As his body, it is as we all gather in this name that we enjoy his favour and he hears us - his body.

Of course we will pray for the Fosters. Grace gave birth to Ruby yesterday which was fantastic! Both Grace and Ruby are still in hospital after a few initial complications, but Ruby is improving. Let's celebrate with them and pray for them.

Jan's jaunt to Sudan

At the end of this week Jan will travel to Sudan where she will live for the next 3 months ...

"I am off to Sudan on 25th February and returning on 30th May."

Jan has known John and Poppy since 1991, Jan spent time working with Poppy in the prison, and became a good friend.

Last time Jan visited John and Poppy in 2007 on an initiative called 'habitat humanity'. Jan helped with a number of projects.

Jan playing scrabble pro at Chantmarle.

Among the highlights of this visit was the time Jan spent helping the local teachers learn how to teach sports like cricket, touch rugby, and netball. The lady teachers wore high heals whilst Jan trained them.

John and Poppy went to work for the Brickworks based in Yein, Sudan which looks a bit like this.

Poppy is opening satellite clinics in rural areas and in southern Sudan, John is running a training college. Due to the war, many boys have been sent to war and have not been educated.

John is helping establish schools who offer basic training in carpentry, mechanics, and health care work, the girls are being sent to nursing college and medical college. John has also been helping organise finances and attempting to hand this over to the Sudanese, although the hand-over has not been simple. Nevertheless the aim is to leave the initiative completely to John from 2011

Wendy, Jan's friend from Southampton, a colleague from 10 years ago, attended a meeting with Jan where she met John and Poppy. Wendy gave up her job of 15 years to go and work with John and Poppy, and has been instrumental in helping improve relationships in the area. Wendy has been in Sudan for about 6 months.

Although Jan is unsure of exactly what she will be doing, her considerable experience in working in mental health in the U.K. is likely to be of great use ...

I am not entirely sure what I will be doing but I think it will include administration and practical help around the college and clinic that John and Poppy run and possibly work with a local mental health charity.

The help Jan will provide will release Wendy to go and work in orphanage with children whose parents have died or simply left them.

Jan has shared an email address on which she may be contacted, but mobile and email access is likely to be sporadic.

Jan's prayer request is:

- to not itch (the dust can be bad for her skin).

- to be useful

Farewell but not Goodbye - let's see Jan off on her travels

looks like this week is back on at ours!

I think pancakes may tip us over the edge for a weekday night, but please do bring a bottle and snacks.

Be great to learn more about what Jan is going to be up to and where she is going.

/Tom & Marianne