Just about all my ministry activity has been teamwork. I started out working in a small mission organisation and over the following 25 years planned and led hundreds of short term outreaches where I worked in a team. Apart from the planning, my main role was as the song-leader. Someone else did much of the preaching, while others undertook children's work, youth work, work with senior citizens. and had musical roles. Other team members had many skills and for the main part we knew one another well and worked fairly easily together.
Also behind the scenes there were many valued team members. I recall Graham Silver and Philip Stainer who looked after finances, and David Woodward and Trevor Rye and many others who made up the admin team. Then there were several who have supplied much valued personal secretarial help, all of whom I keep in touch with, with the exception of Jenny Burgess. Jenny married a young man who then trained for the Anglican ministry and I can't remember his name! But the teamwork is remembered.
More recently there is the Sunrise Ministries team which, in addition to my colleague, Monica, includes others such as trustees and support groups. Then there are the prayer partners, those who give regularly to keep us on the road, and most importantly - Doreen who is my most important human team member.
Colleagues within the Congregational Federation's Boards and Committees and national office holders are an enormous blessing. Then there are those who make up the various churches where I have served in the past and serve now. Teamwork is certainly a description of those ministries. Then even more recently there are those within Action for Christ (formerly Mission for Christ) - the organisation I have recently agreed to help. Since this is the organisation with which I started I guess it has now gone full circle, though the people have changed.
Over the past few weeks I have been asking you to pray for this aspect of my activities so it is about time I introduced you to the team. Elizabeth Ingram and Terry Martin are my fellow trustees. Elizabeth is an old friend and a Lay Canon in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is our chairperson. Terry Martin is a most gracious and experienced minister from within the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. We have a staff of two in the office: Heather and Mary. Once again, it is a good team.
Over recent years the organisation has served several small churches through generous grants and the provision of free design and print services. Current circumstances have necessitated some changes and an opportunity to review future direction. We hope that this can be carried out quite quickly and with the minimum inconvenience to others. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for the trustees through this period.
Brief general news
A highlight of the week was our latest choir concert at Gartree Prison. The choir members were excellent and the singing was of a high standard. It's just a shame that they perform to such a limited audience as they are certainly good enough to go on the road. But of course, that is never going to happen to these men who are serving life sentences. Pray for 'M' with whom I had difficulty at the final practice and have now had to formerly request to be taken out of the choir. I greatly regret such a situation and hope that he will realise the problem.
Your prayers for the ministry and other activities through this week are - as always - very much appreciated.
Everyone who prays for our ministries, and those churches and individuals that give what they can to help us serving in rural mission work are team members with us.
Quick Closing Comments
I would like to encourage you to pray for this country's dairy farmers at this time. Most are struggling to keep going. Pray also for our friends in the Farm Crisis Network.
If anyone is looking for sheltered retirement accommodation we have two excellent Christian projects in this part of the country and I would be very happy to pass on information.
The Lord abundantly bless you.
Barry
Also behind the scenes there were many valued team members. I recall Graham Silver and Philip Stainer who looked after finances, and David Woodward and Trevor Rye and many others who made up the admin team. Then there were several who have supplied much valued personal secretarial help, all of whom I keep in touch with, with the exception of Jenny Burgess. Jenny married a young man who then trained for the Anglican ministry and I can't remember his name! But the teamwork is remembered.
More recently there is the Sunrise Ministries team which, in addition to my colleague, Monica, includes others such as trustees and support groups. Then there are the prayer partners, those who give regularly to keep us on the road, and most importantly - Doreen who is my most important human team member.
Colleagues within the Congregational Federation's Boards and Committees and national office holders are an enormous blessing. Then there are those who make up the various churches where I have served in the past and serve now. Teamwork is certainly a description of those ministries. Then even more recently there are those within Action for Christ (formerly Mission for Christ) - the organisation I have recently agreed to help. Since this is the organisation with which I started I guess it has now gone full circle, though the people have changed.
Over the past few weeks I have been asking you to pray for this aspect of my activities so it is about time I introduced you to the team. Elizabeth Ingram and Terry Martin are my fellow trustees. Elizabeth is an old friend and a Lay Canon in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. She is our chairperson. Terry Martin is a most gracious and experienced minister from within the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. We have a staff of two in the office: Heather and Mary. Once again, it is a good team.
Over recent years the organisation has served several small churches through generous grants and the provision of free design and print services. Current circumstances have necessitated some changes and an opportunity to review future direction. We hope that this can be carried out quite quickly and with the minimum inconvenience to others. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for the trustees through this period.
Brief general news
A highlight of the week was our latest choir concert at Gartree Prison. The choir members were excellent and the singing was of a high standard. It's just a shame that they perform to such a limited audience as they are certainly good enough to go on the road. But of course, that is never going to happen to these men who are serving life sentences. Pray for 'M' with whom I had difficulty at the final practice and have now had to formerly request to be taken out of the choir. I greatly regret such a situation and hope that he will realise the problem.
Your prayers for the ministry and other activities through this week are - as always - very much appreciated.
Everyone who prays for our ministries, and those churches and individuals that give what they can to help us serving in rural mission work are team members with us.
Quick Closing Comments
I would like to encourage you to pray for this country's dairy farmers at this time. Most are struggling to keep going. Pray also for our friends in the Farm Crisis Network.
If anyone is looking for sheltered retirement accommodation we have two excellent Christian projects in this part of the country and I would be very happy to pass on information.
The Lord abundantly bless you.
Barry
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