Phil in a Grass Skirt! & BBQ's before Prayers!

Life is full of boxes! We are moving house on Tue 1st August! So life is very hectic!

No excuses for not blogging though - Sorry.

Highthorn Church in Rotherham - Last Sunday they held a BBQ before their evening Family Service in the Car Park - My girls loved the Bouncy Castle, the Connect 4 and the Food. Lots of people dropped in who they would not normally see on a Sunday. It was the first time they had tried something like this so not everything went smoothly - They couldn't find the key to the kitchen outside door for starters - then they realised they didn't have any pans! So they knocked on a neighbour's door, and borrowed hers.

And here is what you have been looking for "Phil in a grass skirt - what are you doing?" also Dan bursting balloons "Like the hat mate!"
Heathend are holding a great Holiday Bible Club this week, lot of kids there on Monday morning when me and Mary dropped in. Lots of enthusiastic volenteers, mostly in their teens. It was very good to see them taking the lead, and fully involved in running games, helping kids on a one 2 one with crafts and acting in the sketch -que Phil in his grass skirt! Its all based on a jungle theme, and lots of work had gone into decorating the room, to give it the jungle theme. I liked the animal masks hiding in the grass on the notice board. Great use of a green paracute hanging from the ceiling. The challenge was to see how many pop-up animals you could get to stick down in 1 minute. The record was i think 7. We also found out in advance what the brides mothers hat will look like on Saturday, but we are not telling. Do pray for the team this week and the kids, Club finnishes on Thursday.

Its been a while since my last entree.
Last week we attended the WRU conference. It was a great blessing to us and a good opportunity to chat with many leaders about their own church situations.

Conversation on the Work of God (Phil Hearson)
"Battering down the hatches?"
This was one of the many highlights of the conference and a real challenge.
Phil looked at the opposition Christianity is facing. Direct from atheists, and indirect such as debt & gambling, family breakup, moral decline etc. These last ones might not (but can) effect Christian themselves, but we certainly feel the effect as we pick up the pieces, counsel the broken hearted, and witness loved ones hurting.
A verse I would quote at this point is..........
Php 3:10 "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Someone else in the conversation spoke about a ship going into battle, "Battering down the hatches" and with all guns blazing sped into the middle of the battle.

Phil's message was that this is our calling, not to shy away or hide, but to proactivly roll up our sleeves and get involved. With our eyes on Jesus and the love of Jesus in our hearts

Another speaker on the conference spoke of getting right into the situation, and experiencing/sharing the plight of those we are ministering to.

I'll leave the final word with William Booth, which sums up what it all means

While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight;
while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight;
while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight;
while there is a drunkard left,
while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets,
while there remains one dark soul without the light of God,
I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!