Touching Heaven, Changing Earth

Our Week of Prayer is here, with themes of confession, repentance, renewal, revival. We're referring to 2 Chronicles 7, and using that great reply of God as a basis for much of what we share, as well as praying over the wide range of activities and interests of the church here.

This morning we had 10 hardy souls brave the very icy conditions for a time built around Morning Prayer from the Northumbria Community.

Today at 13.00-14.00 we'll be focussing on prayer for our Children's ministries. Included in the topics we pray for will be:
  • Thanksgiving for growth in numbers and spiritual growth in all sections of Children's work on Sundays (Bubbles, JAM and Sprouts)
  • Prayers for expansion of our outreach i.e Stay and Play, Messy church, a possible youth house group, links to local schools etc.
  • Prayer for leaders, especially those starting this term and for new leaders to be called to work in Sprouts and new areas of work.
This evening we'll be meeting from 19.30-21.00 with a focus on the music, arts and creative ministries within the church. Alongside some interactive prayer stations we'll also be praying together for:
  • Music group: sustained/deepened relationships, new members
  • Notice board/display: volunteers to present displays/generate ideas
  • Use of poetry, prose writing in gathered (and personal) worship
  • Drama in gathered worship
  • Special occasions: Choir(s) Leaders and volunteers.
  • Openness to God speaking/leading in gathered worship
  • Website: For the designers and those who make contributions.
  • Visual/3D art/media in gathered worship and around the church building
If you can join us, then please do, if you're unable then please pray for us anyway, we'd really appreciate it.

Comments

Paul Giggz said…
You say you took the Red Pill but you Worship Jesus how does that Work?
18/1/10 13:10
Jonathan said…
You know the analogy from the Matrix Movies? Neo takes the red pill and goes on a journey of enlightment and realisation of truth.

I called the blog this for two reasons, firstly because I started the blog at a time when I was about to embark on a new way of being involved in Christian ministry, and secondly because I think it's a nice metaphor for those who follow Jesus, they've made a choice, like Neo, that there can be no going back from, once one has tasted of the heavenly goodness it is impossible to pretend one hasn't.

I'd say that as a Jesus-follower, I've made a choice, and in doing so have opened up a new reality, a new me, that gives daily enlightment and adventure.

Grace and peace
Jonathan
18/1/10 13:16
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An outpouring on outpourings

I guess many of us will have been looking with a mix of interest, curiosity, hope, bewilderment and maybe amusement at the events taking place in a conference centre in Lakeland, Florida, USA. For a few of weeks now, nightly “Revival” meetings have been taking place there, led by Todd Bentley. A google or youtube search on “Florida Outpouring” will give you a flavour of what's been happening. There are now reports of a “Dudley Outpouring” as well as others around the globe as leaders who have seen what’s been happening (normally on godtv.com or the God Channel on satellite) go to Florida and bring back what they have “caught”, and impart it to the folks at home. So, what to make of this? I’ve been asked for my reflections by a few folks, possibly because when the Toronto Blessing movement was at its height in the UK I was involved with a ministry (that I deeply appreciate and love) that sought to introduce people to what God might have been doing in that time. As I reflect on those...
Read more

World Book Night, One million Book Giveaway

Image
So, it's the first World Book Night tonight, and the organisation aims to give away one million books. There are 25 titles being given away, and folks wanted to be part of the process were invited to make contact a few months ago, indicating which book they'd like to give away and why. I applied, and asked to distribute the book "One Day" by David Nicholls. I'd picked up a copy whilst on holiday a couple of months ago, a friend had suggested it, and said there would be a particular reason I'd like it. It's a book that is set on July 15th, St Swithin's Day, my birthday, and follows the relationship of two very different kind of people. It wasn't the usual kind of book I'd read, but I found it terrifically moving, very funny, and quite insightful about human relationships, life, and slowly growing older. Here's the blurb from the World Book Night site: I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can pictur...
Read more

Communion service at Baptist Assembly

This last weekend saw approx 1300 baptists joining together in a very sunny Blackpool for the annual Baptist Assembly; a time for us to gather in prayer, celebration and reflection about the life of our Baptist Union of Great Britain , and the work of BMS World Mission. For the last few years I've had the privilege of being one of those who gets to shape some of the larger sessions, we have the somewhat utilitarian title of "session Design Group". It has been a thrilling experience seeing words we've crafted and laboured over be used in ways that have brought joy, peace, hope, laughter, as well as creating space for people to encounter God or access his word afresh. This year I had the task of shaping a communion service that would be intergenerational, that is to say would speak in some way to people of every age. For various reasons there were some constraints (getting more than a thousand people moving around in a fairly full space can be tough, and we needed t...
Read more