Good afternoon! I hope you are well. It has been busy here the last couple of weeks and once again I have to apologise for missing last weeks blog. Sorry!
The weeks are going fast and the year in Eston is winding up very nicely. It is still busy and there is still plenty of work to be done. This includes The Grid! I thought I would give you an update on how this is going. For those who don't know The Grid is the name of the Youth Group that Eston Salvation Army has began in which I had the privilege to help establish. We had 7 young people attend in our second week and the best thing of all is that it is the young people that are inviting their friends to come along! It has been a real blessing this year to work with these young people and to get to know them as individuals. Throughout this year there has been an emphasis on work with the 11-14 year old age group, whether that be in Eston or at events like Spring Harvest, and I really think God has expanded my mind and has led me into that ministry. I thank God for that ministry, I thank God for all the young people I have worked with this year and I thank God for the lessons that they have taught me!
A couple of Sundays ago it was one of my favourite events in the Christian calendar,(behind Easter!) Pentecost. I love Pentecost, the story excites me and it really challenges me. The day the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and breathed life into what we call today the Church. But there are certain things that always hit me when I read the account of the "first" Pentecost. Firstly, it says in Acts that the disciples "were all together in one place". You can read that literally and simply say that they were all in the same room, but I think it means more than that. The disciples were one. They were one in mind and yet many, how can the Church have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us if we are not united? We must be one body of Christ with one aim and one message and through us may the Holy Spirit work wonders. Secondly, how scary must it have been when the Holy Spirit came!? There was a violent wind blowing through the house, fire dancing on people's head and people speaking in tongues! I think in this day of age that if there was fire in a Church it would be a health and safety hazard, but from the outside it must have been terrifying. Even speaking in tongues must have been a bit weird for them, but the I don't think the disciples were afraid. I reckon the disciples just revelled in the infilling of the Spirit. Oh I want to have that fearlessness, the fearlessness to completely trust in the Power of God even if that means having flames above my head. Lastly, the Spirit came and that day "3000 were added to their number". Think about it, 3000! Put it into perspective, in your Church or Corps, what a huge difference it would make to the place if 30 people walked through the doors and were saved, now times that by a hundred! The thing is this miraculous event of 3000 people coming to Jesus can still happen today. The Holy Spirit has changed so the only thing stopping it happening must be ourselves! What a challenge. All these thoughts come from one event that changed the World because imagine the world without the Church, I wouldn't be here! But more importantly imagine the World without the Holy Spirit, without God's promised presence. It probably isn't worth imagining.
I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog, have a good week and make sure you get in touch.
God Bless
@peggo36
pegg.j@hotmail.co.uk
Tuesday 17 June 2014
Tuesday 3 June 2014
God Equips!
Hello! I hope you're well and have had a good couple of weeks. The last couple of blogs I wrote I told you of many exciting things happening and I think it's only right that I update you of how it went!
So last week was half term, and after a busy week beforehand I was ready to relax back home in Wellingborough. However as soon as I got home, I was ill. I had an asthma attack on tuesday night which led to Paramedics getting called out and me getting put on a Nebuliser. What a drama! I think I must be allergic to rest! But thank goodness it happened the week I was back home than the week before, it was such a busy week... I didn't have time to be ill! But it was a lovely week at home and it was rounded up on Sunday at Wellingborough Salvation Army's Messy Church. Great things happen through Messy Church and families experience God by walking through the doors of a Church and engaging in craft, song or conversation. Whether they realise it or not it is worship and to see young children who don't normally attend church sing a song that says "Wonderful Lord, Wonderful God... help me to trust You forever" is nothing more than amazing. Me and Sophie led the actions to that song at it was a real blessing to see all people of different ages engage with worship in that way.
The week before half term was the week the Texan university students came to work here in Eston and it was a really signifficant time. I had the privilege of getting alongside them and helping them in their mission. The really helpful thing for me was being able to get involved and go into places where I wouldn't have had an opportunity of going into before. I mentioned in my last blog that I would be visiting secondary schools with the Texans and last thursday we went to a particular school called EOTAS (Education other than at School). It was basically a school for kids who struggle to learn or behave in mainstream school. To experience some of the things that went on in that classroom was a bit of an eye-opener and it did make me question what can be done to help these troubled young people. The teachers there are doing a fantastic job and a job that I could never do. But what is society doing to help the kids who are troubled? Those who have issues in school or issues in their family life? It is a challenge for society and it is a challenge for the Church, what can we do? I think we need to trust God to put us in the situations where we can talk to these young people, through schoolwork or meeting them where they are at and this is exactly what happened to me on the Wednesday. Leaving the hall after Hi-5, we saw three young lads, about 12 years old, cycling round our car park. They were jumping on the big green clothes bin and doing tricks down the stairs, making a nuisance of themselves in all honesty. So I called them over and I spoke to them, I was there for about half hour speaking to these lads and most that time was them asking me questions. They asked me questions about the Salvation Army, about Christianity and the Church. They asked me questions like; "Do you smoke?" or "Do you do drugs?" or "Are you going to go home and get drunk?" and it came to a surprise to them that I answered no to their questions. One of them wanted a fight with me, even though he was about 13, he probably could have hurt me so I kindly refused. These kids were troubled young people and this one lad in particular told me how he's been kicked out of school because someone tried to stab him, he was 12 years old! This is what some young people have to deal with in this day and age and I think it is a challenge to society and the Church of what can we do about it? How can we help these young people turn their lives around? It was an experience that I certainly never forget!
I'll give you a quick update on how "The Grid" went. If you remember "The Grid" is the group that has just been established focusing on young people between the ages of 10-14. We had around 15 young people in that age bracket turn up on our first night and when we include the Texans and other helpers, we had a good number for our the very first meeting. This Thursday we start back up again after half term, pray that it all goes well and that this group will flourish and that seeds will be planted in the hearts and minds of the young people who will attend.
Along with the Texans being here, that week myself and a few others were leading the Sunday meetings, both the Morning meeting and Café Church. We concentrated the theme on the Call of God or the official word "KALEO". I was helping to lead Café Church and I did the YP story on the popular saying "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called" or a variation on that "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called". I did a demonstration of this by making a sandwich, but I had the wrong tools. So I used a saw to cut the bread, a plaster brush to spread the butter and a hammer and nails to cut up the tomato (which did go everywhere). The point of that silly task was that God doesn't call us into doing something and then gives us all the wrong things to complete the task nor does He just leave us to it. We can read in Exodus chapter 3 that when Moses was called by God to go free the Israelites from Egypt, he used every excuse under the sun to try and not fulfil God's call. However God had His way because He gave Moses everything he needed so He can free the Israelites. He gave Moses the gift of speaking powerfully, He gave Moses physical things such as a staff that turns into a snake and on top of that He God sent the plagues to support the task Moses was given. God doesn't just let us get on with it and leaves us to fend for ourselves, He equips us and He never leaves us. "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called".
I pray that for you reading this will be encouraged and affirmed in your faith that the God you serve is faithful. Have a blessed week this week.
Get in touch:
Email: pegg.j@hotmail.co.uk
Twitter: @peggo36
So last week was half term, and after a busy week beforehand I was ready to relax back home in Wellingborough. However as soon as I got home, I was ill. I had an asthma attack on tuesday night which led to Paramedics getting called out and me getting put on a Nebuliser. What a drama! I think I must be allergic to rest! But thank goodness it happened the week I was back home than the week before, it was such a busy week... I didn't have time to be ill! But it was a lovely week at home and it was rounded up on Sunday at Wellingborough Salvation Army's Messy Church. Great things happen through Messy Church and families experience God by walking through the doors of a Church and engaging in craft, song or conversation. Whether they realise it or not it is worship and to see young children who don't normally attend church sing a song that says "Wonderful Lord, Wonderful God... help me to trust You forever" is nothing more than amazing. Me and Sophie led the actions to that song at it was a real blessing to see all people of different ages engage with worship in that way.
The week before half term was the week the Texan university students came to work here in Eston and it was a really signifficant time. I had the privilege of getting alongside them and helping them in their mission. The really helpful thing for me was being able to get involved and go into places where I wouldn't have had an opportunity of going into before. I mentioned in my last blog that I would be visiting secondary schools with the Texans and last thursday we went to a particular school called EOTAS (Education other than at School). It was basically a school for kids who struggle to learn or behave in mainstream school. To experience some of the things that went on in that classroom was a bit of an eye-opener and it did make me question what can be done to help these troubled young people. The teachers there are doing a fantastic job and a job that I could never do. But what is society doing to help the kids who are troubled? Those who have issues in school or issues in their family life? It is a challenge for society and it is a challenge for the Church, what can we do? I think we need to trust God to put us in the situations where we can talk to these young people, through schoolwork or meeting them where they are at and this is exactly what happened to me on the Wednesday. Leaving the hall after Hi-5, we saw three young lads, about 12 years old, cycling round our car park. They were jumping on the big green clothes bin and doing tricks down the stairs, making a nuisance of themselves in all honesty. So I called them over and I spoke to them, I was there for about half hour speaking to these lads and most that time was them asking me questions. They asked me questions about the Salvation Army, about Christianity and the Church. They asked me questions like; "Do you smoke?" or "Do you do drugs?" or "Are you going to go home and get drunk?" and it came to a surprise to them that I answered no to their questions. One of them wanted a fight with me, even though he was about 13, he probably could have hurt me so I kindly refused. These kids were troubled young people and this one lad in particular told me how he's been kicked out of school because someone tried to stab him, he was 12 years old! This is what some young people have to deal with in this day and age and I think it is a challenge to society and the Church of what can we do about it? How can we help these young people turn their lives around? It was an experience that I certainly never forget!
I'll give you a quick update on how "The Grid" went. If you remember "The Grid" is the group that has just been established focusing on young people between the ages of 10-14. We had around 15 young people in that age bracket turn up on our first night and when we include the Texans and other helpers, we had a good number for our the very first meeting. This Thursday we start back up again after half term, pray that it all goes well and that this group will flourish and that seeds will be planted in the hearts and minds of the young people who will attend.
Along with the Texans being here, that week myself and a few others were leading the Sunday meetings, both the Morning meeting and Café Church. We concentrated the theme on the Call of God or the official word "KALEO". I was helping to lead Café Church and I did the YP story on the popular saying "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called" or a variation on that "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called". I did a demonstration of this by making a sandwich, but I had the wrong tools. So I used a saw to cut the bread, a plaster brush to spread the butter and a hammer and nails to cut up the tomato (which did go everywhere). The point of that silly task was that God doesn't call us into doing something and then gives us all the wrong things to complete the task nor does He just leave us to it. We can read in Exodus chapter 3 that when Moses was called by God to go free the Israelites from Egypt, he used every excuse under the sun to try and not fulfil God's call. However God had His way because He gave Moses everything he needed so He can free the Israelites. He gave Moses the gift of speaking powerfully, He gave Moses physical things such as a staff that turns into a snake and on top of that He God sent the plagues to support the task Moses was given. God doesn't just let us get on with it and leaves us to fend for ourselves, He equips us and He never leaves us. "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called".
I pray that for you reading this will be encouraged and affirmed in your faith that the God you serve is faithful. Have a blessed week this week.
Get in touch:
Email: pegg.j@hotmail.co.uk
Twitter: @peggo36
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