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Yesterday I was driving home from Kent to Leicestershire when I encountered a 45-minute queue at the Dartford Crossing. It was dark, I was tired and planning a break at the services the other side. As often happens, common life experiences have faith applications. Right now, it feels like I am stuck in a work traffic jam made more frustrating because I am tired!
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Friday 18 December 2015
Stuck in a traffic jam
Sunday 1 November 2015
It's About Time
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Monday 24 August 2015
Fruitlessness
It is sad that among many Christians there is a desire to always appear successful. We don't like admitting to failure. A Minister attending a Ministers' Fraternal in a large town was perplexed as in turn each one present spoke of the wonderful things that were happening in their churches. He became concerned that something about the meeting inhibited people talking about problems they were confronting. As an older man himself he knew that church leadership and ministry often produces tears. So when his turn cam he deliberately only spoke about a current difficult situation in his church. He hoped that his contribution would release other Ministers to speak more honestly. He waited expectantly for the next man. His opening word were "I'm glad I haven't got any problems in my church like that!" Not one other among the 20 to 30 Ministers there were prepared to admit to problems or weaknesses. Why can't we be more honest?
My fruitlessness story this week is about my attempt to upgrade my laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I have an early version of Windows 8 on my Surface Tablet and knew that W10 would be a better experience. I goit ready by transferring data files to an external hard drive to maximise space. I checked that my computer and system passed the test for the upgrade and was delighted to see the update downloading and installing automatically late one evening. But at the critical moment it failed to load.
The next day I ran some checks and repeated the download and installation successfully. But once more it failed on startup. A phone call to Microsoft resulted in a very nice lady in their technical department spending a couple of hours working on my laptop remotely but every time she loaded W10 it failed at startup. She kindly booked me a session with a senior technician and this Saturday morning he rang and we made a confident start. During the following five hours, during which time a second senior technician joined the exercise, the outcome was fruitless.
So I wasted about a day and a half with these fruitless attempts. I wonder how the men felt who had tried so many things to get it to work. After all they are experts and the problem is with my laptop and not their skills.
The problem was not with the men who had gone fishing. They spent time and effort fruitlessly despite drawing on their knowledge and experience. They were experts but after fruitless hours had to admit defeat. Fortunately there was another expert on hand who understood the problem and had a workable solution. I'm sure that you know the two occasions that are mentioned in the gospels, (Luke 5: 4-7; John 21: 1-8)
How are you feeling about your service for the Master right now. If it proving fruitful then give thanks to God. On the other hand if you are going through a frustrating and difficult time, don't despair. Acknowledging our failure and listening to God's response may well change the situation. His presence and his wisdom changed the situation for the fishermen. However, trust in God is not the same as triumphalism, which is usually a bad thing. Sometimes, it is part of God's plan that we live with our failure so that our faith and commitment are tested. Many a wonderful servant of God has felt that they laboured for nothing. Remember that success is getting up one more time thaan you fall down.
Fruitfulness in ministry of any kind is not down to our ability or goodness. When things are not going right in our ministry then trying harder is not usually as effective as trusting more.
Current items for praise & prayer
Thank you for your prayers for the Sunday ministry at HMP Gartree and Yelvertoft. There was quit blessing in both locations. Thank you also for your prayers for Holiday at Home (10-14 August) in Market Harborough. There was a good attendance each day and a real sense of the joy and blessing of God. It was particularly encouraging to see how both the team and our guests worked together for the blessing of others. We lose our leader, Rev Brian Kennard, next year but the team is in good heart and keen to keep going. Brian and his wife are former associate evangelists from Mission fro Christ days.
Last Tuesday was my last day as Chair of the Churches Rural Group (a Coordinating Group of Churches Together in England). While I shall continue to be part of this Group I was happy to pass responsibility on to fresh shoulders.
On Thursday I met with others responsible for Area Mission workers fro the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation. After much prayer, consultation and reflection we have come up with a plan that has excited us as we seek to support some 30 churches in their mission.
This Sunday I share in a Joint Open Air Service in the village of Crick, Northants.
Monday 24 I share in a telephone conference responding to various requests for financial support for mission within the Congregational Federation.
Tuesday 25 there is more planning - this time with the Yelvertoft group from various churches as we plan the next two term's school assemblies. From there I go to HMP Gartree for my regular activities.
On Wednesday 26 we hold our summer holiday Messy Church Event in Yelvertoft. Please pray for a good attendance by children plus parents. Please pray for the team of which I am a part.
I have been doing some important writing recently and there is more to be done. I am also busy in several aspects of ministry so although there are no meetings for the rest of the week I expect to be very busy.
Thank you for your prayers for the Sunday ministry at HMP Gartree and Yelvertoft. There was quit blessing in both locations. Thank you also for your prayers for Holiday at Home (10-14 August) in Market Harborough. There was a good attendance each day and a real sense of the joy and blessing of God. It was particularly encouraging to see how both the team and our guests worked together for the blessing of others. We lose our leader, Rev Brian Kennard, next year but the team is in good heart and keen to keep going. Brian and his wife are former associate evangelists from Mission fro Christ days.
Last Tuesday was my last day as Chair of the Churches Rural Group (a Coordinating Group of Churches Together in England). While I shall continue to be part of this Group I was happy to pass responsibility on to fresh shoulders.
On Thursday I met with others responsible for Area Mission workers fro the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation. After much prayer, consultation and reflection we have come up with a plan that has excited us as we seek to support some 30 churches in their mission.
This Sunday I share in a Joint Open Air Service in the village of Crick, Northants.
Monday 24 I share in a telephone conference responding to various requests for financial support for mission within the Congregational Federation.
Tuesday 25 there is more planning - this time with the Yelvertoft group from various churches as we plan the next two term's school assemblies. From there I go to HMP Gartree for my regular activities.
On Wednesday 26 we hold our summer holiday Messy Church Event in Yelvertoft. Please pray for a good attendance by children plus parents. Please pray for the team of which I am a part.
I have been doing some important writing recently and there is more to be done. I am also busy in several aspects of ministry so although there are no meetings for the rest of the week I expect to be very busy.
CHRISTIAN SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
I am looking for some additional members for the Webinar Team, especially people with reasonable confidence using a computer who would help monitoring questions raised by those who attend the webinars. Email me to find out more.
Sunrise Ministries is looking for people who understand rural life, love the Lord and have ability in children's work. At the moment we have sufficient funds to offer a part time post. This position involves work as an enabler with rural churches to help build appropriate programmes of mission and ministry to and with children. Email me for more information about this post.
I am looking for some additional members for the Webinar Team, especially people with reasonable confidence using a computer who would help monitoring questions raised by those who attend the webinars. Email me to find out more.
Sunrise Ministries is looking for people who understand rural life, love the Lord and have ability in children's work. At the moment we have sufficient funds to offer a part time post. This position involves work as an enabler with rural churches to help build appropriate programmes of mission and ministry to and with children. Email me for more information about this post.
Thank you for your prayers and practical support. Your fellowship means so much to us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Barry
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Barry
Wednesday 5 August 2015
Release the Potential
Release the Potential
The
famous 19th Century
evangelist Dwight Moody, having returned home after speaking
at a meeting, is reputed to have told his wife that
three and a half souls had been saved that night. A little perplexed his
wife asked him whether he meant three adults and a child. To this Moody
responded "No, three children and one adult". His point was
that the adult had already spent half his life and could only live the
remaining half for God.
Moody, together with his song leader, Ira Sankey, grew up in the USA won acclaim as an international evangelist and established a pattern for evangelism later taken up by Billy Graham. But his ministry began with children. Unable to obtain an opportunity for ministry he focused his attention on reaching the poorest children in Chicago. He rented and filled three pews in his local church each Sunday and grew his Sunday School to around 500 if I remember the account aright. I love it that this great man of God had such a vision for ministry to and with children.
In my rural ministry children have played an important part. Through the labours of my late colleague, Monica Cook, hundreds of children have found a saving faith in Jesus and grown in discipleship, Some now occupy positions of leadership in various churches. This would never have happened had we not treated children as seriously as we do any adult. We do so because that is exactly what Jesus did.
Evangelising children calls for sensitivity and common sense but in many ways it is no different to the way in which we share the gospel with adults. The method and language is adjusted to suit the audience and care is taken not to employ methods that might manipulate emotions. Telling the story simply is always best. Those with whom we share the gospel story should always be encouraged to make a response, but children could simply respond because they want to please you. It has always been our practise to encourage children who might want to ask Jesus Christ into their lives to talk with us after the meeting. We then ensure that there are distracting and fun activities before the meeting ends. Those children who seek us out afterwards are usually sincere.
Jesus spoke about the value of childlike faith and I think that there are few greater privileges than to pray with a child who understands and sincerely gives their life to Christ. One soon discovers just how real this is and how much we can learn from the faith of children.
To talk of children as the church of tomorrow or the church in waiting is nonsense. Regardless of age anyone who has placed their trust in Jesus and his work for us on the cross is part of the church of today. We do not control admission; it is the work of the Holy Spirit. But this then begs the question about how children develop in discipleship. This is a glorious contrast to what extreme Islamists do with children. We do not seek to mould their attitudes or coerce them into service. We simply explain the resources God has given, help them learn to pray and know how to read the Bible and encourage them to seek the fullness of God in their lives. This is no different to how we counsel adults.
If some children are real Christians it follows that they are also part of the body of Christ with gifts and ministries given them by the same Holy Spirit who gives gifts and ministries to us all. That's where releasing the potential of our children comes in. I have witnessed children with the gift of evangelist or a gift of pastoral ministry showing the love of God among their peers. Monica often ran Prayer days for children with great effect. I once went to a church where over 50 children voluntarily met for prayer for half an hour before Sunday School. I know of schools where children have established their own fellowship meetings where staff have not been available. If we fail to take seriously that Christian children ought to be disciples, with growing faith and ministry experience, we fail them, we fail the Church, we fail the world and we fail our God
Too often we treat children as second class. We marginalise them when it comes to allocating space and resources. We withhold from them what is not ours to withhold. When I was the Minister at Herstmonceux Free Church in Sussex we had the joy of having many children who had become Christians. We celebrated communion (Eucharist) once a month and at first the children were mere spectators. Since I could find no biblical justification for refusing them the elements (we used non-alcoholic wine) I moved to inviting any children who wished to take the bread and wine to do so "if their parents approved". A Christian father urged me to remove all qualification as he did not feel he should be the arbiter of his childrens walk with God. I did so. What a blessing! But best of all was the first Sunday when the children served the bread and wine to the adults!
We need to affirm Christian children as part of the Church of today and encourage them to grow in faith and realise their potential in Christ. Their experience and faith is only limited by our attitude.
Current items for praise & prayer
Thursday 6th - Communion at HMP Gartree, Leicestershire.
Sunday 9th - Sunday Service at HMP Gartree followed by the Sunday Morning Meeting atYelvertoft CC
Monday 10th - Friday 14th - Holiday at Home, Market Harborough. Each morning we run various activities under the auspices of Churches Together for older people in the community. We share good news but this is not overt evangelism.
Tuesday 11th - HMP Gartree in the afternoon.
Sunday 10th - Yelvertoft CC.
Wednesday to Friday last week was spent in Kent and Sussex. We encourage your prayers for Dunks Green Evangelical Free Church as we work with them on constitutional matters. This is a part f the ministry of Action for Christ. We also encourage your prayers for Herstmonceux Free Church where a great Christian has gone to be with the Lord recently and whose funeral service I attended on Thursday. It is good to see the church going on well. Pray too for one of my colleagues, Canon Elizabeth Ingram and I as we seek to manage a difficult situation elsewhere in Sussex.
On saturday I met with others to explore possibilities for ministry with children and young families in the East Midlands. Your prayers for wisdom and God's guidance will be appreciated.
Thank you.
Barry
Saturday 25 July 2015
Are we salt or Light
The previous Praise & Prayer News on the importance of behaviour provoked a good number of positive responses and obviously there is common concern that this is a topic that needs more airing. While replying to one email received from friends I found myself pondering on the challenge for Christians to be light and salt in the world. Some years ago a well known evangelical Anglican wrote a book for rural Christians in which he presented the opinion that in rural contexts evangelism is better though of as being salt than light. But Jesus didn't give the option. In Matthew 5:13 he states, "You are the salt of the earth...", and in Matthew 5:14 he states, "You are the light of the world...
I note that he does not say that he wants his disciples to be salt and light. WeARE both. Many writers and preachers have used these verses to illustrate how we evangelise. Light is clearly obvious and immediately distinct. Salt is more subtle. I suppose that if there was an option and we drew a straight line and wrote "light" at one end and "salt" at the other we might be able to plot somewhere along that line where we see ourselves (you might like to try that). Some of us might put our position right in the middle, but that is not how we are to understand our calling. We are to be fully light and fully salt.
Also, anyone who suggests that salt can only be understood as subtle has clearly never had the displeasure of tasting something that is too salty. It is possible to have too much light and be blinded and too much salt and be sick. Of course, we could consider that Jesus was thinking about salt in a preservative sense. This would be quite reasonable. Also, historically, salt has been found to have certain medical benefits. In food salt suppresses bitterness, increases sweetness and enhances odours. Adding salt to food does make it better. Salt is actually vital for life. The body cannot make it so we need to take it. But again getting the right amount is important.
So, using salt in appropriate measure and in appropriate circumstances is vital, whether to assist our eating, preserve against corruption, help relieve pain and bring healing, or simply vital for life. Frankly, we cannot live without it. Christians therefore should be making the world a sweeter place, and a source of healing and a counter to corruption.
Salt in Jesus' day was not pure Sodium Chloride. Sodium Chloride never loses its saltiness but if household salt was exposed to water it is the sodium chloride that would dissolve and drain out. What was left would neither taste the same or have the same benefits. Similarly if salt became contaminated by contact with another chemical it would become unpleasant. Jesus's message was about the danger of something that should be good becoming useless. We need to take care that our Christian life is not watered down or contaminated in any way.
The analogy of light needs little comment. Verse 16 makes it clear that Jesus is talking about how other
people perceive our lives. But we shouldn't be doing good because we know it is what we ought to do; we should be doing good because God's life in us makes the difference. What we have to do is to let people see the difference that having the Holy Spirit in our lives makes.
So I ask, "Are these analogies anything to do with evangelism which is about telling out the good news?" The answer is that they are not anything to do with the method of evangelism but they are about the importance of integrity. Every Christian is called to share the good news concerning Jesus. Some have the special gift of being an evangelist. But we must all share in telling others. But unless this is demonstrated by transformed lives that are still being transformed then our message will lose its power. The analogies are not so much about what we do but who we really are. Our lives already witness to the beliefs we have and the message we share. We must take care not to lose our essential saltiness or our light to become obscured.
Sunrise Ministries and Rural Mission Solutions
Sunrise Ministries is the official name of the Charity under which most of my rural ministry is conducted. Rural Mission Solutions is the primary aspect of Sunrise Ministries. Recently the Lord called home my long-term friend and colleague, Monica Cook. What does the immediate future look like for Sunrise Ministries?
Firstly, we are continuing the aspects of our ministry that Monica established. We have a small amount of funds in hand that were contributed to support Monica's ministry in the UK. The trustees wish to honour this so we are looking to appoint someone to continue her ministry. We hope that many of those who have supported Monica in the past will continue supporting the ministry she exercised. This includes child evangelism and working with rural churches to help them develop their own sustainable appropriate and effective programmes that help children come to faith and grow in discipleship.
Secondly we now have a small team so that we can continue our programme of regular webinars (online seminars). You will find a list of topics on our website. We are happy to consider adding to these topics anything that might help mission especially in rural areas. This uses modern technology to enable our core vision of enabling churches to develop sustainable, appropriate and effective programmes of mission and evangelism.
Thirdly, we are considering ways in which the same technology can be used. A sister organisation has run Sunday School by Post for children in isolated rural settings. Once we have a new children's worker in place we will explore the possibility of running regular online events for rural children. We are also aware that many rural Christians do not have much in the way of Bible teaching so we are thinking about how best to use the technology for that.
Fourthly (but not actually finally because we want to stay open to respond to need and answer God's call) we will be continuing to offer local consultations, working with colleagues in the Rural Evangelism Network, offering to run Church Away days on mission and evangelism and more. Alongside this we will continually look for men and women who love Jesus and have a heart for rural ministry who we can enable in any way.
None of the above will happen, and certainly will not be blessed without prayer and financial support. We need to grow both aspects of support and need your prayers now. Anyone who would like to know more about how they can help in any of the aspects mentioned here are invited to contact me please.
New Readers from Sunrise Ministries
If you are receiving this e-letter for the first time you will see that it contains a biblical reflection and some news with items for praise and prayer. You need to take care that it does not disappear into your spam folder or anywhere other than your in-box. Some systems identify it as marketing! Past issues are available on the blog.
If you do not wish to receive it regularly you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page. That will take you off this list but not off the Sunrise Ministries database. If you are a past supporter of Monica Cook and, for any reason, you no longer wish to stay in contact with Sunrise Ministries please click here.
Other Related Ministry
New readers may not be aware of other activities in which I am involved. Many of these complement one another. Here's a short summary:
Yelvertoft Congregational Church - Having a pastoral/leadership ministry in a rural church keeps my feet on the ground and should give confidence to others that I am not just a theorist. Apart from that it keeps me accountable and I love pastoral ministry and Bible teaching. See website.
HMP Gartree - This is the largest UK prison for men on life sentences. Most Tuesday afternoons I run a small choir which brings me into contact and opens up pastoral and ministry opportunities. I also conduct occasional Sunday and mid-week services. The prison is like a village in many ways. The music aspect also provides me with a recreational activity.
Safeguarding and Pastoral Care - I have shared in writing two significant publications about the pastoral care of people who have suffered sexual abuse. Occasionally I am asked to speak on this subject, and I teach regularly on the Salvation Army's Safeguarding programme. Education on this topic is the best way to keep people safe.
Denominational Responsibilities - I have never been comfortable with any ministry that is not accountable both within and beyond their local church. This brings with it some responsibility and I serve on two national Boards for the Congregational Federation. These are the Pastoral care Board and the Inter-Church Board. The latter brings me aware of what is happening across the wider church. At a regional level I share responsibility for our mission enabler (another to be appointed soon).
Prayer is valued enormously for all aspects and activities.
Current items for praise & prayer
Sunday - Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Monday - Hope in our Villages Planning meeting (three villages and 8 churches involved)
Tuesday - HMP Gartree
Wednesday to Friday - various meetings and activities in Kent and Sussex
Saturday - CF Regional mission support meeting (might be deferred)
Pray for wisdom as I help draft constitutional documents for the Free Churches Group and also a village church in Kent. I also value prayer as over the next few days I will be preparing several talks, writing articles and planning activities for August.
Please pray that we will get sufficient regular support to enable the employment of a children's worker to build on the ministry of my late colleague.
Thank you.
Barry
I note that he does not say that he wants his disciples to be salt and light. WeARE both. Many writers and preachers have used these verses to illustrate how we evangelise. Light is clearly obvious and immediately distinct. Salt is more subtle. I suppose that if there was an option and we drew a straight line and wrote "light" at one end and "salt" at the other we might be able to plot somewhere along that line where we see ourselves (you might like to try that). Some of us might put our position right in the middle, but that is not how we are to understand our calling. We are to be fully light and fully salt.
Also, anyone who suggests that salt can only be understood as subtle has clearly never had the displeasure of tasting something that is too salty. It is possible to have too much light and be blinded and too much salt and be sick. Of course, we could consider that Jesus was thinking about salt in a preservative sense. This would be quite reasonable. Also, historically, salt has been found to have certain medical benefits. In food salt suppresses bitterness, increases sweetness and enhances odours. Adding salt to food does make it better. Salt is actually vital for life. The body cannot make it so we need to take it. But again getting the right amount is important.
So, using salt in appropriate measure and in appropriate circumstances is vital, whether to assist our eating, preserve against corruption, help relieve pain and bring healing, or simply vital for life. Frankly, we cannot live without it. Christians therefore should be making the world a sweeter place, and a source of healing and a counter to corruption.
Salt in Jesus' day was not pure Sodium Chloride. Sodium Chloride never loses its saltiness but if household salt was exposed to water it is the sodium chloride that would dissolve and drain out. What was left would neither taste the same or have the same benefits. Similarly if salt became contaminated by contact with another chemical it would become unpleasant. Jesus's message was about the danger of something that should be good becoming useless. We need to take care that our Christian life is not watered down or contaminated in any way.
The analogy of light needs little comment. Verse 16 makes it clear that Jesus is talking about how other
people perceive our lives. But we shouldn't be doing good because we know it is what we ought to do; we should be doing good because God's life in us makes the difference. What we have to do is to let people see the difference that having the Holy Spirit in our lives makes.So I ask, "Are these analogies anything to do with evangelism which is about telling out the good news?" The answer is that they are not anything to do with the method of evangelism but they are about the importance of integrity. Every Christian is called to share the good news concerning Jesus. Some have the special gift of being an evangelist. But we must all share in telling others. But unless this is demonstrated by transformed lives that are still being transformed then our message will lose its power. The analogies are not so much about what we do but who we really are. Our lives already witness to the beliefs we have and the message we share. We must take care not to lose our essential saltiness or our light to become obscured.
Sunrise Ministries and Rural Mission Solutions
Sunrise Ministries is the official name of the Charity under which most of my rural ministry is conducted. Rural Mission Solutions is the primary aspect of Sunrise Ministries. Recently the Lord called home my long-term friend and colleague, Monica Cook. What does the immediate future look like for Sunrise Ministries?Firstly, we are continuing the aspects of our ministry that Monica established. We have a small amount of funds in hand that were contributed to support Monica's ministry in the UK. The trustees wish to honour this so we are looking to appoint someone to continue her ministry. We hope that many of those who have supported Monica in the past will continue supporting the ministry she exercised. This includes child evangelism and working with rural churches to help them develop their own sustainable appropriate and effective programmes that help children come to faith and grow in discipleship.
Secondly we now have a small team so that we can continue our programme of regular webinars (online seminars). You will find a list of topics on our website. We are happy to consider adding to these topics anything that might help mission especially in rural areas. This uses modern technology to enable our core vision of enabling churches to develop sustainable, appropriate and effective programmes of mission and evangelism.
Thirdly, we are considering ways in which the same technology can be used. A sister organisation has run Sunday School by Post for children in isolated rural settings. Once we have a new children's worker in place we will explore the possibility of running regular online events for rural children. We are also aware that many rural Christians do not have much in the way of Bible teaching so we are thinking about how best to use the technology for that.
Fourthly (but not actually finally because we want to stay open to respond to need and answer God's call) we will be continuing to offer local consultations, working with colleagues in the Rural Evangelism Network, offering to run Church Away days on mission and evangelism and more. Alongside this we will continually look for men and women who love Jesus and have a heart for rural ministry who we can enable in any way.
None of the above will happen, and certainly will not be blessed without prayer and financial support. We need to grow both aspects of support and need your prayers now. Anyone who would like to know more about how they can help in any of the aspects mentioned here are invited to contact me please.
New Readers from Sunrise Ministries
If you are receiving this e-letter for the first time you will see that it contains a biblical reflection and some news with items for praise and prayer. You need to take care that it does not disappear into your spam folder or anywhere other than your in-box. Some systems identify it as marketing! Past issues are available on the blog.
If you do not wish to receive it regularly you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this page. That will take you off this list but not off the Sunrise Ministries database. If you are a past supporter of Monica Cook and, for any reason, you no longer wish to stay in contact with Sunrise Ministries please click here.
Other Related Ministry
New readers may not be aware of other activities in which I am involved. Many of these complement one another. Here's a short summary:
Yelvertoft Congregational Church - Having a pastoral/leadership ministry in a rural church keeps my feet on the ground and should give confidence to others that I am not just a theorist. Apart from that it keeps me accountable and I love pastoral ministry and Bible teaching. See website.
HMP Gartree - This is the largest UK prison for men on life sentences. Most Tuesday afternoons I run a small choir which brings me into contact and opens up pastoral and ministry opportunities. I also conduct occasional Sunday and mid-week services. The prison is like a village in many ways. The music aspect also provides me with a recreational activity.
Safeguarding and Pastoral Care - I have shared in writing two significant publications about the pastoral care of people who have suffered sexual abuse. Occasionally I am asked to speak on this subject, and I teach regularly on the Salvation Army's Safeguarding programme. Education on this topic is the best way to keep people safe.
Denominational Responsibilities - I have never been comfortable with any ministry that is not accountable both within and beyond their local church. This brings with it some responsibility and I serve on two national Boards for the Congregational Federation. These are the Pastoral care Board and the Inter-Church Board. The latter brings me aware of what is happening across the wider church. At a regional level I share responsibility for our mission enabler (another to be appointed soon).
Prayer is valued enormously for all aspects and activities.
Current items for praise & prayer
Sunday - Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Monday - Hope in our Villages Planning meeting (three villages and 8 churches involved)
Tuesday - HMP Gartree
Wednesday to Friday - various meetings and activities in Kent and Sussex
Saturday - CF Regional mission support meeting (might be deferred)
Pray for wisdom as I help draft constitutional documents for the Free Churches Group and also a village church in Kent. I also value prayer as over the next few days I will be preparing several talks, writing articles and planning activities for August.
Please pray that we will get sufficient regular support to enable the employment of a children's worker to build on the ministry of my late colleague.
Thank you.
Barry
Saturday 18 July 2015
Is Behaviour So Important
In our most recent Bible Discussion Meeting at Yelvertoft we have been reading and discussing Paul's Pastoral Letters. 1 Timothy and Titus were written earlier than 2 Timothy but all three were written during times of imprisonment. Paul's ability to visit churches and to do things himself was restricted and he was dependent on others, including these two whom he considers sons in the faith.
I have toyed with the idea of writing a simple commentary on all three letters and entitling it "Letters from an Anxious father". Our discussion group has got a wonderful amount out of these discussions and have found there are various ways in which we can reflect on what Paul writes. It was Titus that surprised us. In our first meeting we considered the first chapter. Titus, who had apparently done responsible work at Corinth earlier, had now been sent by Paul to Crete to ensure that everything was in order. Elders were to be appointed in every town (we wondered how many towns) and an appropriate standard was defined by Paul. We are a mixed group and our different traditions had different understandings of what elders are. We focused on function rather than status. Elders were essentially overseers and we noted that the term elder is also interchangeable with bishop, meaning shepherd.
But it was our second meeting that surprised us all. We read the whole letter through and noted that it said almost nothing about doctrine or church order but was almost entirely about how people should behave. Paul urged Titus to be a good teacher but what he exhorts him to teach is how older men and women, younger men and women, children and parents, masters and slaves should all behave to one another.
None of us (including the preachers among us) could ever remember hearing a sermon in church on how to behave. But at the time of writing, while Paul was also concerned about soundness of faith and avoidance of false teaching, he majors on behaviour. Even rebuking and correcting has to be tempered with humility and gentleness. We noted that in the churches there was no room for a persistently divisive character. Why does Paul seem so concerned about behaviour? It is so that the testimony of Christ is not dishonoured.
I visit some churches for whom particularity in doctrine is the most important thing. I visit others that seem to be mostly concerned about worship and inspired revelation. I cannot remember visiting a church that deliberately majors on behaviour. Have we been getting it wrong? But then how much did Jesus teach about doctrine or worship? He seemed to have more to say about behaviour and attitudes.
The sad thing is that when I bump into people who used to go to church but no longer do so, it is usually bad behaviour in church that caused the offence. It also seems to be a major factor in discouraging people to join a church. Perhaps we could all do with hearing a few sermons on behaviour. Perhaps this is what the world is waiting for, that is to say for us to behave as we ought.
I have toyed with the idea of writing a simple commentary on all three letters and entitling it "Letters from an Anxious father". Our discussion group has got a wonderful amount out of these discussions and have found there are various ways in which we can reflect on what Paul writes. It was Titus that surprised us. In our first meeting we considered the first chapter. Titus, who had apparently done responsible work at Corinth earlier, had now been sent by Paul to Crete to ensure that everything was in order. Elders were to be appointed in every town (we wondered how many towns) and an appropriate standard was defined by Paul. We are a mixed group and our different traditions had different understandings of what elders are. We focused on function rather than status. Elders were essentially overseers and we noted that the term elder is also interchangeable with bishop, meaning shepherd.
But it was our second meeting that surprised us all. We read the whole letter through and noted that it said almost nothing about doctrine or church order but was almost entirely about how people should behave. Paul urged Titus to be a good teacher but what he exhorts him to teach is how older men and women, younger men and women, children and parents, masters and slaves should all behave to one another.
None of us (including the preachers among us) could ever remember hearing a sermon in church on how to behave. But at the time of writing, while Paul was also concerned about soundness of faith and avoidance of false teaching, he majors on behaviour. Even rebuking and correcting has to be tempered with humility and gentleness. We noted that in the churches there was no room for a persistently divisive character. Why does Paul seem so concerned about behaviour? It is so that the testimony of Christ is not dishonoured.
I visit some churches for whom particularity in doctrine is the most important thing. I visit others that seem to be mostly concerned about worship and inspired revelation. I cannot remember visiting a church that deliberately majors on behaviour. Have we been getting it wrong? But then how much did Jesus teach about doctrine or worship? He seemed to have more to say about behaviour and attitudes.
The sad thing is that when I bump into people who used to go to church but no longer do so, it is usually bad behaviour in church that caused the offence. It also seems to be a major factor in discouraging people to join a church. Perhaps we could all do with hearing a few sermons on behaviour. Perhaps this is what the world is waiting for, that is to say for us to behave as we ought.
From my Diary
Sorting out the Children's Department of Sunrise Ministries has continued to take up time in the past week. We definitely plan to build on the vision and work that Monica had for the UK. This was to enable rural churches to develop and sustain their own appropriate and effective programmes for ministry to and with children. With possibly one and a half million children living in rural Britain we need missional churches that show the love of God and share the gospel of Jesus. I need another partner to replace Monica as soon as possible.
I have also been involved in advising Friends of Obambo regarding maintaining Monica's work in Kenya.
Also this week I was part of a group drafting By laws to go with a new governing instrument for the Free Churches Group (the working part of the Free Church Council of England and Wales).
Prison Ministry: J for whom I asked prayers was back with us this week. Please keep him in your prayers as he has been through a hard time.
This week I anticipate being mainly desk-bound but there is much important work including getting used to a new bookkeeping programme, so I value your daily prayers please.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Barry
I have also been involved in advising Friends of Obambo regarding maintaining Monica's work in Kenya.
Also this week I was part of a group drafting By laws to go with a new governing instrument for the Free Churches Group (the working part of the Free Church Council of England and Wales).
Prison Ministry: J for whom I asked prayers was back with us this week. Please keep him in your prayers as he has been through a hard time.
This week I anticipate being mainly desk-bound but there is much important work including getting used to a new bookkeeping programme, so I value your daily prayers please.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Barry
Saturday 11 July 2015
"Never was so much owed by so many to so few"
Most people in the UK will recognise the title as an extract from a speech by Winston Churchill to Parliament on 21st August 1940. Hitler had planned to invade Britain and air supremacy was vital to his plan. At the time of Churchill's speech the situation was probably at its hottest. The Battle of Britain which had begun on 10th July was to last to the end of October and the fight was only won at considerable cost. The courage and commitment shown by British fighter pilots is legendary. If you wish to read an objective an detailed account click here.
The recent anniversary commemoration of the start of the Battle of Britain caused me to reflect on how often in Scripture we find that it is the one person or the few that have saved so many. These include such people as the young David, Gideon, Samson (Judges 14-16), and the courageous three. In each of these account the odds against them were enormous but they placed their faith in God and committed themselves to the task.
Inspired by such accounts, Christians have arisen in the past to undertake extraordinary mission activity, showing equal courage and commitment. I think of William Carey a founder of the Baptist Missionary Society who famously spoke of "expecting great things from God and attempting great things for God". I think of CT Studd who stated that “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. I think of Jim Elliot, a martyred missionary wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
The recent anniversary commemoration of the start of the Battle of Britain caused me to reflect on how often in Scripture we find that it is the one person or the few that have saved so many. These include such people as the young David, Gideon, Samson (Judges 14-16), and the courageous three. In each of these account the odds against them were enormous but they placed their faith in God and committed themselves to the task.
Inspired by such accounts, Christians have arisen in the past to undertake extraordinary mission activity, showing equal courage and commitment. I think of William Carey a founder of the Baptist Missionary Society who famously spoke of "expecting great things from God and attempting great things for God". I think of CT Studd who stated that “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. I think of Jim Elliot, a martyred missionary wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
I count it a privilege that my Sunday School gave annual awards of the biographies of pioneer missionaries who were ordinary people who did extraordinary things because of their faith, courage and commitment. For me this was what it meant and still means to be a Christian, and I have no desire to be a chocolate soldier. While you may well identify yourself with such sentiments, there are far too many Christians in the western world for whom their faith seems little more than a hobby. More than once in recent weeks I have heard and read of Christian leaders lamenting over church situations afflicted by argument and division brought about by petty mindedness of those who seem to have lost the plot when it comes to engaging in the real war of the spirit. We have a common enemy and we need men and women to rise up together in common cause to deny his claims over us and to take his territory.
Answering the call of God to follow Jesus is to sign up for war, though we fight with different weapons and in different ways. We dare not wait for others to act first. If we are to imitate the qualities shown by the few in Britain's air force during the war, or those outstanding people in the Bible, or the pioneer men and women missionaries, we must each strive to be first in the queue for volunteers.
From my Diary
I am still kept busy working on the consequences following the recent home call of my colleague, Monica Cook. There is much to do regarding administration and correspondence with her friends and supporters. We are also looking at ways of building on her legacy both in the UK and also in Kenya. There are two ways in which this can be done. Firstly, those who have been supporting the work in Obambo are encouraged to keep doing so. Friends of Obambo, which Sunrise Ministries encouraged Monica to set up will have a new administration address (our Battle office is now closed). There is a commitment to support thework with children in Obambo and that must be honoured.
We also hope to build on the vision and work that Monica had for the UK. This was to enable rural churches to develop and sustain their own appropriate and effective programmes for ministry to and with children. With possibly one and a half million children living in rural Britain we need missional churches that show the love of God and share the gospel of Jesus. I need another partner to replace Monica as soon as possible.
Your prayers for both strands of continuing her ministry will be very much appreciated.
The final school assembly for this term at Lubenham was very effective and staff and pupils very responsive. The theme was trusting God at uncertain times. We welcome a new head teacher at Lubenham and I look forward to working with her (my fourth head in this school).
My regular half day at HMP Gartree brought several opportunities for pastoral conversations. Please pray for J who has been going through a bad time recently.
Today, I will attend the induction service for a friend and colleague coming to Market Harborough. Local work preparing for Holiday at Home also continues. We are also moving forward once more towards the appointment of a new Children and families Worker for the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation.
This week there are activities most days which i will not detail here. You can keep up to date with these via Facebook and Twitter (@ruralbarry).
We also hope to build on the vision and work that Monica had for the UK. This was to enable rural churches to develop and sustain their own appropriate and effective programmes for ministry to and with children. With possibly one and a half million children living in rural Britain we need missional churches that show the love of God and share the gospel of Jesus. I need another partner to replace Monica as soon as possible.
Your prayers for both strands of continuing her ministry will be very much appreciated.
The final school assembly for this term at Lubenham was very effective and staff and pupils very responsive. The theme was trusting God at uncertain times. We welcome a new head teacher at Lubenham and I look forward to working with her (my fourth head in this school).
My regular half day at HMP Gartree brought several opportunities for pastoral conversations. Please pray for J who has been going through a bad time recently.
Today, I will attend the induction service for a friend and colleague coming to Market Harborough. Local work preparing for Holiday at Home also continues. We are also moving forward once more towards the appointment of a new Children and families Worker for the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation.
This week there are activities most days which i will not detail here. You can keep up to date with these via Facebook and Twitter (@ruralbarry).
I pray that you will have a good week. Be encouraged in the fight and encourage others into the fight.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Barry
Sunday 5 July 2015
Why Forgive
I started writing these reflections following the brutal murders in Charleston, South Carolina a few weeks ago. Since then there have been other acts of sectarian violence and murder. Forgiveness for such acts does not come easy. I wonder what you thought when some of those at Charleston almost immediately spoke about forgiving the man who had done this terrible act. They stated that "Hate would not win".
My own reaction was to wonder whether they had acted without due thought. I also wondered what exactly might have been the motivation in speaking words of forgiveness so soon after the event. Did they feel it was the "Christian thing to do"? Did they hope that by countering hatred with love the man might become ashamed? Did they think that it was what God expected?
Such declarations of forgiveness have become a common practise particularly among evangelical churches, so much so that it has become a kind of pop theology. This in turn can cause some people deep hurt. For example, one priest in the Church of England resigned her position when she found she could not forgive the people who caused the 7/7 disaster in which her daughter died. She felt guilt for her inability to forgive. Another friend who was sexually abused within a church context and by a person whose help she was seeking was publicly verbally attacked on a Christian radio broadcast because she confessed she could not forgive her abuser. In such situations Christians and a poorly informed culture added guilt to the hurt already being suffered.
While it is true that God loves unconditionally, the Bible does not provide evidence to suggest that he forgives unconditionally. Indeed the Bible makes clear that forgiveness is only possible on the grounds of true repentance. Love makes forgiveness available. It is as if it is waiting in the wings, just waiting to bestow its blessing. If that is how God's righteousness is expressed is there not a danger when Christians speak words of unqualified forgiveness? Where does God's justice come into the situation?
I fully understand that it can be a healthy thing to be able to forgive. Certainly carrying bitterness and resentment around can be harmful to our personality and hinder spiritual development. The Bible counsels against such a situation. It is therefore a good thing to be ready to forgive those who have hurt us.But when the Bible speaks about the importance of forgiving and places it in the same context as our being forgiven by God, surely this means on the same terms.
We also need to be careful regarding what we are forgiving people for, when it comes to third party injury. If we have suffered the loss of a loved one then we might be able to forgive the perpetrators for the loss and hurt we have felt. But we cannot forgive the perpetrators for what they have done to their victim. God alone can do that. The young man who committed the murders in Charleston will no doubt feel the full weight of the law and due punishment for his crimes. Furthermore he needs to know that he is living under the wrath of a loving and holy God. I hope that he will experience sufficient conviction for his sin that forgiveness might be experienced.
It is commendable that Christians in Charleston felt able at that moment to speak words of love and forgiveness. Personally, I think such words would have greater weight after the shock and pain had really sunk in. However, I applaud their desire. But we should take care not to be casual when it comes to forgiveness, and hand it out like sweeties. Holding people to account for what they have done is often the more loving act.
Monica Cook's Funeral
Friends who had come to know Monica at various stages in her life and who could manage the journey gathered at Holy Trinity Parish Church on Friday as we laid her mortal remains at rest. It was a warm and pleasant summer afternoon as we gathered to honour her memory and to support her family in their loss. After the service their was warm fellowship as people shared their memories.
The service was recorded both as an audio recording and a video recording. These are available for people to download. In order to access these you will need Dropbox, which is a free and useful programme. If you do not already have Dropbox please let me know as I can gain the benefit of extra storage space if you sign up on my recommendation. If you do already have Dropbox please email me so that I am aware of your email address and can share the folder with the photos and recordings.
Please note that the provisional date for the Thanksgiving Event is the afternoon of Sunday 13th September. Further information will be sent out once this is confirmed.
The service was recorded both as an audio recording and a video recording. These are available for people to download. In order to access these you will need Dropbox, which is a free and useful programme. If you do not already have Dropbox please let me know as I can gain the benefit of extra storage space if you sign up on my recommendation. If you do already have Dropbox please email me so that I am aware of your email address and can share the folder with the photos and recordings.
Please note that the provisional date for the Thanksgiving Event is the afternoon of Sunday 13th September. Further information will be sent out once this is confirmed.
From this week's diary
Sunday 5th July - Yelvertoft Congregational Church
Monday 6th July - School Assembly, Lubenham, Leics.
Tuesday 7th July - HMP Gartree
Friday 10th July - Taking part in a constitutional meeting for the Free Churches Group, London
Saturday 11th July - attending the Induction Service for the Rev Stephen Haward, Market Harborough Congregational Church.
Over the past few weeks Doreen and I have received many messages of fellowship at this time of loss of a special colleague. These have been very much appreciated. It has been a demanding time as I have had to correspond with around 350 people. If I have failed to respond to a card, letter or email, I hope that you will understand. The many kind and generous comments about Monica and the ministry we have shared has meant a great deal to me.
Thak you,
Barry
Monday 6th July - School Assembly, Lubenham, Leics.
Tuesday 7th July - HMP Gartree
Friday 10th July - Taking part in a constitutional meeting for the Free Churches Group, London
Saturday 11th July - attending the Induction Service for the Rev Stephen Haward, Market Harborough Congregational Church.
Over the past few weeks Doreen and I have received many messages of fellowship at this time of loss of a special colleague. These have been very much appreciated. It has been a demanding time as I have had to correspond with around 350 people. If I have failed to respond to a card, letter or email, I hope that you will understand. The many kind and generous comments about Monica and the ministry we have shared has meant a great deal to me.
Thak you,
Barry
Monday 29 June 2015
From a seed to a harvest
"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24 NIV)
The words quoted above were spoken by Jesus regarding his own impending death, and we are part of that great harvest. But Jesus went on to speak of those who would follow him and the importance of self denial. It seems to me that these words also have relevance as we come to terms with the home-call of my friend and colleague for 40 years - Monica Cook who went to be with Jesus last Sunday.
Monica's journey of faith started in her childhood Her early life was spent as a Primary School teacher both in the UK and in Australia. It was a job she loved and she was good at it. Then, towards the end of her 20's Monica began to fee that God was wanting more from her. But letting go would not have come easily.
She enrolled in what was then the Birmingham Bible Institute. Any of her contemporaries reading this will know that this also brought a challenge to faith and Christian commitment. It was here that I first met Monica Cook. I was a visiting speaker presenting the challenge of rural mission within the UK. After the presentation she asked, "What opportunities does your organisation have for women in Christian service?". My feeble answer was, "We are able to fit them in". Monica later recalled thinking, "That's the last organisation I would want to be in; I dont want to be just 'fitted in'"
When we learn to die to self, though that is often painful, we discover great things. Within a year Monica had enrolled onto a training programme I was running at the time. Seeing her potential I encouraged that she be invited onto the staff of our evangelistic team. For the next 13 years she took part in evangelistic missions, taught on our training programme, set up children's clubs to follow up the missions and produced material to nurture new young followers of Jesus. In 1988 there was another challenge to self. Doreen and I had left that organisation and were looking to place greater emphasis on enabling rural churches to become truly missional in character. Monica took the bold step to join us though we had no resources to be able to pay her.
In 1995 we agreed she should go to Kenya following a visit I had made. I asked her to focus on the village of Obambo. She came back to the UK fired up with a vision. What she has since achieved in that place is amazing as she proved herself to be an effective 21st Century missionary. Other invitations from around the world started to come in and in 2002 Sunrise Ministries granted her autonomy to go wherever she felt God calling her. That has taken her t,around the world including countries in Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand and Australia. Wherever she has gone she has shared the gospel with children and adults alike. She has provided training for children's workers and so much more. And along the way hundreds of children have become followers of Jesus. As they grew up she often found herself teaching and reaching their children. One seed that fell into the ground has produced an amazing harvest.
Self-denial and sacrifice did not always come easily. Monica liked certain creature comforts. But she happily gave these up to travel rough roads in developing countries, to run the gauntlet of armed gangs and secret police, to eat strange food and survive when sometimes hygiene was barely basic. None of this came naturally to her. To all of this some might add she took on the challenge of working with me for forty years! But she did it all - and did it gladly - because she knew that self had to die for the fullness of the blessing of the Lord to be realised.
Now Sunrise Ministries is looking at ways in which the harvest time of her life might continue. The harvest from her life produces seed that themselves have been leading to more harvests. We value your prayers as we seek God's guidance. Firstly, we are committed to encouraging those who have been supporting the work in Obambo to continue faithfully The future of the children in this remote Kenyan village are in our hands. This will be managed by a separate organisation that Monica set up with others called "Friends of Obambo".
Then we are also considering whether Sunrise Ministries could appoint someone to take on Monica's role within the UK. This is a ministry of evangelism but also helping rural churches and others to develop appropriate, effective and self-sustainable programmes of mission to and with children. Is there, I wonder, someone who is the fruit of Monica's ministry who will answer this call? We need prayer for guidance please.
Monica's journey of faith started in her childhood Her early life was spent as a Primary School teacher both in the UK and in Australia. It was a job she loved and she was good at it. Then, towards the end of her 20's Monica began to fee that God was wanting more from her. But letting go would not have come easily.
She enrolled in what was then the Birmingham Bible Institute. Any of her contemporaries reading this will know that this also brought a challenge to faith and Christian commitment. It was here that I first met Monica Cook. I was a visiting speaker presenting the challenge of rural mission within the UK. After the presentation she asked, "What opportunities does your organisation have for women in Christian service?". My feeble answer was, "We are able to fit them in". Monica later recalled thinking, "That's the last organisation I would want to be in; I dont want to be just 'fitted in'"
When we learn to die to self, though that is often painful, we discover great things. Within a year Monica had enrolled onto a training programme I was running at the time. Seeing her potential I encouraged that she be invited onto the staff of our evangelistic team. For the next 13 years she took part in evangelistic missions, taught on our training programme, set up children's clubs to follow up the missions and produced material to nurture new young followers of Jesus. In 1988 there was another challenge to self. Doreen and I had left that organisation and were looking to place greater emphasis on enabling rural churches to become truly missional in character. Monica took the bold step to join us though we had no resources to be able to pay her.
In 1995 we agreed she should go to Kenya following a visit I had made. I asked her to focus on the village of Obambo. She came back to the UK fired up with a vision. What she has since achieved in that place is amazing as she proved herself to be an effective 21st Century missionary. Other invitations from around the world started to come in and in 2002 Sunrise Ministries granted her autonomy to go wherever she felt God calling her. That has taken her t,around the world including countries in Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand and Australia. Wherever she has gone she has shared the gospel with children and adults alike. She has provided training for children's workers and so much more. And along the way hundreds of children have become followers of Jesus. As they grew up she often found herself teaching and reaching their children. One seed that fell into the ground has produced an amazing harvest.
Self-denial and sacrifice did not always come easily. Monica liked certain creature comforts. But she happily gave these up to travel rough roads in developing countries, to run the gauntlet of armed gangs and secret police, to eat strange food and survive when sometimes hygiene was barely basic. None of this came naturally to her. To all of this some might add she took on the challenge of working with me for forty years! But she did it all - and did it gladly - because she knew that self had to die for the fullness of the blessing of the Lord to be realised.
Now Sunrise Ministries is looking at ways in which the harvest time of her life might continue. The harvest from her life produces seed that themselves have been leading to more harvests. We value your prayers as we seek God's guidance. Firstly, we are committed to encouraging those who have been supporting the work in Obambo to continue faithfully The future of the children in this remote Kenyan village are in our hands. This will be managed by a separate organisation that Monica set up with others called "Friends of Obambo".
Then we are also considering whether Sunrise Ministries could appoint someone to take on Monica's role within the UK. This is a ministry of evangelism but also helping rural churches and others to develop appropriate, effective and self-sustainable programmes of mission to and with children. Is there, I wonder, someone who is the fruit of Monica's ministry who will answer this call? We need prayer for guidance please.
Other Matters for Praise & Prayer
We have closed down the office in Battle where Monica was based. All her email communications have been routed to the office at Market Harborough. The past week has been extremely busy and I have sought to be helpful and supportive to those in Battle and the surrounding area. Getting communications out and sorting out administration has been demanding. Doreen and I value your prayers as we deal with these matters.
Please pray for Monica's brother Michael and for Pauline. Pray too for Monica's sister, Jean and her family. Remember all who will gather for the funeral on Friday 3rd July at Loddon and for people around the world who will meet or pray at the same time (14.00BST; 13.00GMT). Especially our friends in Obambo. I have been asked to speak about Monica at the service.
Pray for the trustees of Sunrise Ministries as we seek God's guidance, and for Clive Mills and the committee of Friends of Obambo. Pray also for her many friends who will miss her including those at her church in Battle, East Sussex.
Give thanks for a Christian friend who has provided some space for Monica's files, publications and other material from her office.
Pray as we continue the programme of Rural Mission Webinars over the coming weeks. The schedule will be appearing on our website.
Over the next few weeks I expect to be working with one church in Kent with an Away Day looking at friendship evangelism, and another church in Kent helping them with constitutional matters. I also have a church in Norfolk that I have to visit for a mission consultation and several requests for resources.
In addition to this I have my regular responsibilities with ministry at Yelvertoft Congregational Church on the next two Sundays and on Thursday before setting off for Loddon. I will be in HMP Gartree on Tuesday.
I am very grateful for those who have emailed or phoned to assure me of their prayers for me at this time of bereavement. That has meant a great deal. Thank you.
Please pray for Monica's brother Michael and for Pauline. Pray too for Monica's sister, Jean and her family. Remember all who will gather for the funeral on Friday 3rd July at Loddon and for people around the world who will meet or pray at the same time (14.00BST; 13.00GMT). Especially our friends in Obambo. I have been asked to speak about Monica at the service.
Pray for the trustees of Sunrise Ministries as we seek God's guidance, and for Clive Mills and the committee of Friends of Obambo. Pray also for her many friends who will miss her including those at her church in Battle, East Sussex.
Give thanks for a Christian friend who has provided some space for Monica's files, publications and other material from her office.
Pray as we continue the programme of Rural Mission Webinars over the coming weeks. The schedule will be appearing on our website.
Over the next few weeks I expect to be working with one church in Kent with an Away Day looking at friendship evangelism, and another church in Kent helping them with constitutional matters. I also have a church in Norfolk that I have to visit for a mission consultation and several requests for resources.
In addition to this I have my regular responsibilities with ministry at Yelvertoft Congregational Church on the next two Sundays and on Thursday before setting off for Loddon. I will be in HMP Gartree on Tuesday.
I am very grateful for those who have emailed or phoned to assure me of their prayers for me at this time of bereavement. That has meant a great deal. Thank you.
Yours gladly in His service,
Barry
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