Some mid-week news

Matthew is the one wearing
a cap. Taken a few years ago!

Hello!  I am writing this post in the middle of the week as Doreen and I are off to Wales for a wedding on Saturday and so we are taking a couple of extra days to visit relatives and friends in the area.  This posting will be brief and rather cryptic.  The wedding is of Matt Ford and his wife to be, Liz.  Matt is now a farmer, working with his parents at Herstmonceux.  It has been a privilege to watch him grow up and to have shared in his journey of faith during our time of ministry there from 1990 to 2005.  Just for his embarrassment I have included a picture of him and his friend Xian. 

The baptism on Sunday went well and I will add some pictures here.  Catherine was all smiles and I have had amazing feedback from various quarters.  I am very grateful for everyone in the church who helped to make the whole event such a blessing.

I wrote part four of the four-part Bible-based sessions on Friendship Evangelism.  As it is half term the groups are not meeting this week.  If anyone wants to look at this material for their church or home groups I will gladly make it available.

Today (Wednesday) I am off to Nottingham for a joint Pastoral Care Board and Training Board meeting.  I am chairing the PCB element as our esteemed chairman is unable to attend due to an illness in his family.  This evening I will be leading a home-based Bible discussion group in Yelvertoft as we dig into Paul's letter to the Philippians.

The coming week (30/10/11 to 5/11/11)
Sunday I am taking the morning service in Gartree Prison with three friends from Theddingworth.  We usually get 30 plus to the services.  Some are committed Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit.  Others range from casual attenders to new seekers.  Please pray that God's word will be heard through it all.

Please also pray for our friend, Dr Gordon Temple, who will be taking the service at Yelvertoft.

Tuesday I will be back in prison to work with the choir - now preparing for Christmas Services.

Thursday morning I will be leading the second Bible discussion group that meets in Yelvertoft.  We have thirteen of us now meeting.  Then in the afternoon I will be leading the last of the four home group sessions on Friendship evangelism in Market Harborough.

Sunday 6th Yelvertoft.

Other matters:  Both September and October have been extremely busy and my university work has suffered as a consequence.  Please pray as I have to dig in hard and get back up to speed with this.  I am still at the stage of having to do a lot of reading so that my work can be appropriately referenced.  As this means reading several books on matters that I have been teaching and writing original material about for years this is hard for an activist!

Thank you.

Barry

Exciited by what God is doing

Dear friends,

It was great to be able to sit under John Harris' ministry last Sunday.  John is part of the team that help me with ministry at Yelvertoft.  He is a retired Methodist minister and was one of the first to welcome me warmly when we came to the East Midlands.  It had been a very busy week with a lot of travelling, and I needed the break.

The early part of the week involved preparing documents for the Sunrise Ministries trustees meeting.  We are looking to appoint two or three new trustees and value your prayer that we will be led aright in this matter.  We need people who have a real heart for rural ministry and who share our vision of helping existing rural churches to become appropriately missional.

We were twelve at our village Bible discussion group on Thursday morning (even with one missing!).  In such a small village this is a great encouragement.  We are also running an evening Bible discussion group looking at the same passage.  There is a potential of five more in that group.  Praise God for this opportunity and the way God's word is being received.

On Thursday afternoon I led one of the home groups for Market Harborough Congregational Church where we are looking at Friendship Evangelism (a course of four studies I have written with Suzanne Nockels, the local minister).  Once again this went well.  We have at least one other person wanting to use this course.

A large part of Friday and Saturday were spent preparing for the baptism at Yelvertoft tomorrow.  Please pray for Catherine and her family that God will use this service to draw them and others closer to himself.  This will be the first time that a baptism by immersion will have been conducted in the Chapel.  We are grateful for the use of a portable baptistery and heater from neighbouring churches.  This service could prove a major event in the life of the church in the village.

Next Tuesday I will be in Gartree Prison.  On Wednesday evening I will be leading the Bible discussion group in the village.  Then Doreen and I will be away for a few days in south Wales.  On Saturday Matthew, a young farmer who grew up under our ministry at Herstmonceux is getting married.  Please pray for him and his wife to be and all their relatives.

We hurry back after the reception ready to take a service in Gartree Prison on Sunday 30th.  I will be taking with me a team of three from the village of Theddingworth.

Thank you again for your prayers.

Barry and Doreen

Missional Spirituality

What a week!  Monday and Tuesday contained a 24 hour residential for the Churches Group for Evangelization at High Leigh, Hoddesdon.  Then back to Market Harborough for my weekly visit to prison.  Wednesday was Churches Rural Group in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, Thursday was session two in the series on Friendship Evangelism I am helping to run.  Then we were off to a Farm Stay B&B in Bromsgrove and an evening gathering with some of my cousins who live in the area.  Friday morning I had personal business to attend to in Kidderminster and then off to Doreen's visit sister in Preston, Lancashire, stopping off to visit Sheila (a former colleague) at Crewe on the way.  On Saturday morning we helped Doreen's sister sort out some of the things she no longer needs since the passing of her husband, packing the car out with lawn mowers, power washer, garden hose, garden seats, tree lopper......etc!   On the way back home we stopped off to spend time with Alfred and Sylvia Lavender, eventually arriving home Saturday evening amazed at how much we had managed to pack into two days (not to mention how much we had packed into the car!

The title of this news post comes from the agenda of the residential at the start of last week.  Is evangelism just a mechanical process or does it have roots in some form of genuine Christian spirituality?  As part of this discussion I made reference to the 'Values Statement' I introduced at Yelvertoft.  The thinking behind this Statement was to define the life and work of the church in some other way than using dogma and doctrine.  It has become a mission statement, both informing ourselves and using a language that communicates to those outside the church.  Here it is:

We value all individuals, young and old, male and female, regardless of wealth, ability, or standing in society.  We value communities in which individuals care for one another.  We value the kind of love that puts other people’s needs before our own. 

We value justice for all people and long for a world where there is greater fairness and equality.  We value truth.  We value kindness and compassion.  We value deeds more than empty words.

We value the peace that comes from respect for other people who might be different from us in some way.  We value the kind of unity that can also celebrate diversity.  In other words we value the kind of world about which Jesus taught and for which he gave his life.


The week ahead
Monday 17th  Meeting with the new CEO of Rural Ministries
Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th Study days (no prison visit this week)
Thursday 20th 10.30 Bible Study Group at Yelvertoft; 2.00 Home Group on Friendship Evangelism at Market Harborough (I have now written three sessions and starting on the fourth).
Friday 21st Collect portable baptismal pool from Northampton.  Setting it up on Saturday.
Sunday 23rd believer's Baptismal Service at Yelvertoft.  Please pray for Catherine and members of her family.

Please also pray for a very special friend, Alan, who has known me since early childhood and supported and encouraged me in my ministry. He is unwell in hospital where he is also grasping every opportunity to witness for Christ.

Barry

Temporary Message

Hello!  Thanks so much for coming to read the blog today.  Doreen and I returned from our journeys last night and, frankly, I was too tired to sit down and type last night, and I am just glad that John Harris is taking the service so I have not had to prepare anything and can sit back and enjoy the meeting.

But I will write the news up this (Sunday) afternoon).  Lots to thank God for and also items for prayer.  So please come back and have a look later.  Have a good day.

Barry

This Week's News

Do please take a look at the immediately previous post about discipleship.  I would value your comments.

As predicted it has been a busy week and the one in front of me looks just as busy.  A good number attended the Area Assembly in Oakham, Rutland where we explored the importance of every Christian knowing and engaging in the role that God has called them to.  The Monday school assembly theme was about ambitions and after praying about this we focused on the vision for the kingdom of God and our part in working with God to bring it in.

Tuesday's Prison choir practice was our last before the concert the following day.  Fourteen men turned up (the most ever) but we had a few (slightly) unruly characters.  This was made up  for by a high level of enthusiasm.  The concert itself on Wednesday was well attended by those from outside (mostly prison visitors) and men off the wings.  The tumultuous applause at the end said it all.  It was good to see the smile on the lads faces as they stood for yet another round of applause!

Thursday morning held a Bible discussion on the start of Paul's second missionary journey and was well attended.  In the afternoon I led one of the home groups for my local colleague as we began exploring friendship evangelism.  Friday was given over to some pastoral work with a meeting of the Congregational Federation's East Midlands Area Executive which I chaired in the evening.  This brings us to today which is all about preparation for tomorrow's harvest thanksgiving services.

Two other answers to prayer:  we received a secure promise of a portable baptistery for the event at Yelvertoft referred to in last week's post.  Please pray for Catherine who will be baptised on 23rd October. My baptism on Easter Sunday 1963 was a real milestone in my journey of faith.  May it be so also for her.  The other answer to prayer is that we seem to have obtained listed building consent for the much needed alterations to our premises at Yelvertoft.

The Coming Week:
Sunday 9th 10.45 Harvest Thanksgiving at Yelvertoft.  In the evening we will be supporting a similar event at Theddingworth.
Monday and Tuesday - Group for Evangelisation Residential at High Leigh, Hoddesdon.
Tuesday afternoon - Gartree Prison.
Wednesday - Churches Rural  Group, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
Thursday - Second session of the Friendship Evangelism Home Group.  This time exploring the importance of listening to God and the people we befriend (Bible passage Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch).
The tail end of the week is free of engagements and Doreen and I might use this to make fleeting visits to some family members in Worcestershire and Lancashire.

I hope you are encouraged by the many answers to prayer we have been experiencing.  God is good (all the time)!  Don't forget to read the posting about discipleship.  What our ministry is all about is the developing of disciples within missional churches.  God has so much more that he longs to do through Christians in rural Britain.  The challenge is getting people to catch that vision.

Our thanks and warmest greetings in Christ,

Barry and Doreen

Believers or Disciples?

I have been invited to speak at an event in November on evangelism and discipleship in rural areas.

While I have a wealth of material on rural evangelism, I am still gathering material on rural discipleship, and would value any contribution anyone can make.  It would be particularly helpful to learn of any active programmes in rural area where the intention is clearly the making of disciples rather than the making of believers.

You may well be aware that the issue of discipleship has been raised in several denominations.  I am curious as to why this is and how it is being worked out.  Any information you have on this would also be helpful.

I am interested in how discipleship is being defined, if indeed it is being defined.  Is it understood in terms of the quality of personal devotional life, in terms of holiness, or in terms of mission?  How would you define discipleship?

I am also curious as to how the concept of discipleship sits with the concept of ‘committed Christian’ – a term common among evangelical Christians.  Is that expression something that people are familiar with today?  In the past it was usually understood in terms of support for two Sunday services plus at least two mid-week meetings each week!  Has it become redefined or are there just less committed Christians around!

Most churches in rural Britain, by reason of their denominational identity, are already committed to the ‘Five Marks of Mission’ of which one is the proclamation of the gospel, and another the making of disciples.  It seems to me that in rural Britain, unlike rural areas of many other countries, there is not a great deal of evidence of such a commitment.  Am I wrong?

Preparing for this talk is likely to produce an interesting, and perhaps helpful, paper.  I hope to make that available.  If you would like to make brief comments on any of the aspects raised above you can either leave them below or email me at barry@ruralmissions.org.uk.

Thank you.

Barry

Giving thanks

When I was about five years old I had a two week stay in hospital during which some national celebration took place and we all received a present.  My present was an autograph book that was signed by the surgeon, doctors and nursing staff.  My pastor, Angus McNaughton,  also visited me and wrote in it "Whenever you are in a fix, look up Philippians 4 verse 6".  Long ago I lost the autograph book but never the memory of what Angus wrote in it.  To save you rushing for your Bible, here is what that verse says: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  But the bit that often gets forgotten are the words "with thanksgiving".


Last Sunday I was encouraged when at the end of a pre-baptism session with Catherine last Sunday she indicated that she was willing to be baptised by immersion (Congregational churches historically baptise the infants of believers but Catherine - now in her twenties had not been baptised).  It had been a good session held before the morning meeting at Yelvertoft.  This will be the first such event (as far as I am aware) in this village.  The problem is finding a portable pool.  Hiring one would cost the church over £200 and that is not on.  Doing it somewhere else is not in my opinion an option.

Emails circulated through our local inter-church network produced an offer - rejoicing! This was followed by a subsequent email apologising that it was already promised to another church on the same day - frustration!  Time is very short and this is important.  One possibility is changing the date but that is not ideal.  So first item for praise and prayer: give thanks for Catherine's progress and please pray for wisdom and guidance as we seek another source of pool.

Give thanks for the interest shown in the Bible Study series starting this week at Yelvertoft.  These are run on an open basis in the village and not just for our members.  We are looking at Philippians and my hope is that it will prove valuable both to mature Christians and for those still at the exploratory stage.  Please pray for a good attendance.  We are running two in parallel - one in a morning and one in an afternoon.

Give thanks for a busy month of exciting activities at Yelvertoft but please pray as I must get studies back on track and time seems limited!  Pray for wisdom in prioritising the use of my time.

Give thanks for the invitation from Market Harborough Congregation al Church to develop a series of home group material on 'Friendship Evangelism'.  This series will run on Thursday afternoons through October and I will also lead one group.  Session 1 is complete and the outline for sessions 2 and 3 are ready but need writing up very soon and certainly by the end of Monday!  Please pray as the minister of the church and I prepare these, and that they will have great benefit in the life of this church.

Give thanks for an excellent time with the choir last Tuesday and the continued cooperation of 'C'.  Please pray for our final rehearsal on Tuesday and the concert on Wednesday.  We expect perhaps 30 people from outside the prison and perhaps 20 from inside to attend.  If you have seen 'Sister Act' you will have some idea of how big a deal this is for these men.

Give thanks for an excellent issue of Country Way now sent out.  Please pray (a) as we gather articles for the next issue, and (b) for growth in readership of this inspiring and helpful magazine.

Give thanks as I was able to set up a new prayer group using Facebook.  Please pray for some who limit communications because they are somewhat facebook-phobic!  This social networking facility offers much potential that Christians can use for good and we should grasp the opportunity rather than retreating.

Give thanks for an encouraging planning meeting in London last Thursday as we look forward to a major international conference in 2013.  Please pray as we seek to book the right speakers at this time.

This week's key activities
Sunday 2nd  10.45 Yelvertoft Congregational Church.
3.00 Area Assembly at Oakham, Rutland where I will be speaking.
Monday 3rd  School Assembly at Lubenham, Leics.
Tuesday 4th  Gartree Prison...
immediately followed by participation in the Leicester Diocese Rural Group meeting in Leicester.
Wednesday 5th  Early evening concert at Gartree Prison.
Thursday 6th Morning Bible Study group at Yelvertoft ...
and afternoon Home Group on Friendship Evangelism in Market Harborough.
Friday 7th Afternoon meeting with Canon Glyn Evans in preparation for an event in Oxford in November where I am speaking on discipleship in a rural context...
and in the evening I will be chairing the Congregational Federation East Midlands Executive.
Sunday 9th Harvest Thanksgiving at Yelvertoft.

As you will see it will be a busy week needing your prayers, but let's not forget to give thanks.

Barry