Three Tools we use

As a team we use many tools, like the buildings, in our attempt to be true to the work God has called us to.

Let me tell you about three of the tools.

Facebook:

Ok, so I’m not the biggest fan of facebook, but social media is here to stay and we soon realised that we were missing part of the conversation on Harold Hill by not being on facebook. Part of being a missionary is being able to hear the local conversation and then speak the Gospel into it. This includes Facebook. Because of Facebook we are able to be made aware of those with pastoral needs, remind people what’s coming up and have some really interesting debates, like we did in lent and when Bin laden was killed. Like all tools it requires wisdom to use and I still believe that face to face human contact is best and so try to only use Facebook to enhance our friendships on the Hill, not to replace them.

Working with the Local Authority

This second tool has been very significant in helping us meet and have contact with others. We are very grateful for the excellent working relationships we have with Social workers, children’s centres and schools. I believe that they now trust us to do good and professional work. They understand that we are Christians and we understand that working with them means we need to respect that they work with all and can’t be seen to promote or support one faith. Our working agreement I believe has benefitted us both and in this time of cuts to frontline services we the church are being able to fill some of the gaps in a professional, Godly and distinctively Christian way. The danger with this tool is that we would just become an extension of the Local Authority, surrogate social workers etc, however I don’t believe this is the case for us. (For a fuller explanation, see our Blog from June 6^th as to why we are not like social services. http://shorteradventure.blogspot.com ) Please pray for our Local Authority.

Being Baptist:

It might seem strange to suggest that being Baptist is one of our tools, especially as we don’t have what many would consider a ‘church’. However being Baptist is about more than just getting people really wet. For us it’s about a whole way of treating and working with people. One of the comments I get regularly is that “your not part of the system”. That’s right we’re not, as Baptists we believe that the community has a voice in discerning God’s will for it. We believe that all, young and old, those who are broken, those with mental health issues, those with a past and those who have never had a voice and been listened to can be part of and help shape and discern God’s will for His community. Being Baptist effects us because we want to ask people what they think, we hopefully show they are valued, that they can make a positive contribution, that we want to listen to their ideas. We hopefully model how to disagree and how to want what’s best for all, rather then just yourself. All of which are qualities needed in a healthy congregational Baptist church which is seeking together to discern God’s Will. As we take the next steps in working out what a church community is on Harold Hill. Being Baptist is at the heart of our values and how we operate.

Once again thank you for your love and prayers

Rich

keeping the rumour of God alive

This week Steve hosted a great xbox 360 night, one of our friends bought his mate along and as the night went on he asked what i do, i told him.

He then told me about his gran who used to read him bible stories every night and that he want ed to know more even though he'd forgotten most of them.

I'm thankful for that lady of faith and i'm thankful for the chance to keep the rumour of God alive on this man's heart and mind.

r.

Are gatherings really helpful?

Picture the scene, a roomful of people, mainly families with young children, a good number of mom and dad's and splattering teenagers, there is noise and laughter, families interacting together and the place is just about as full as it can get.

Surely this is a good thing for a church, the majority of people attending are not followers of Jesus, but would consider this their church. For 2 hours on November 4 this was the scene at the church chapel on Harold Hill. The night ending in a firework display worthy of Buckingham Palace! With the 2 guys that the children have made going up in flames beneath the Catherine Wheels.

On top of all this Steve had a teenager's group and led an excellent discussion about their stresses and enjoys and what they thought about Jesus and I had the privilege of talking to the parents about the same things. (Results of the discussion to follow shortly)

On the whole an excellent evening one which I'm sure would tick many boxes however, I'm not sure that hosting this type of gathering is in the long-term effective for church planting or regular church.

Firstly, I don't think we as a team had an opportunity to say more than a brief hello to all those who attended. Secondly I don't think that we as a team spent any time with our children, which meant that in the middle of this fantastic gathering were 3 little shorters wandering around on their own! Thirdly the event is costly in both time prep and finance. Fourthly by doing these events so well we are setting a high standard which is not always easy to follow.

So as a team we decided to reduce the number of events/gatherings that we do. We can see their value in bringing people together and giving people an excuse to attend one of our events. These gatherings give us the opportunity to see people who have not seen for a while. So we will keep some events in the diary. Our plan for the next couple of terms is to try and use the time that we would have spent in planning and preparing events in people's homes or down the Cafe or in the park with those people whom we have come here to serve.

I'm becoming concerned that our gatherings and in fact all Christian gatherings are not reflective of the Trinity God whom we follow. The gatherings like ours did not increase community and interaction with one another. They do not allow the space for the young and the old, the hurting and the well to be heard, to be involved and to have the opportunity to influence what is happening. Our hope by scaling back on big events is that we build community and so more faithfully represent the the Trinity in what we're doing.

After Christmas we are going to start sharing communion at the end of each of our community meals. The community meal will finish at 6 o'clock and communion will be served between 6 and 630. We will say to people they can stay, they can join in for as much or as little or their free to leave. Our hope is that by doing this will be sharing the Christian story and the Gospel in a way which enables people to interact receive and give while being part of our little community.

Gatherings can be helpful but what really builds community is allowing people to have a voice, to be heard to be challenged to be encouraged and I'm not sure that how easy that is in a crowd.

Love and prayers

Rich

fireworks night (Well the 4th nov) on Harold Hill

Hi all, last night was a our firework night.

Thank you those who prayed it was an excellent night and so much made it great night.

The help from romford baptist church was amazing, it was great to see so many families. Many of whom came with their dads. It was great to see the 'guys' which the kids made burnt really well.

We had a teenager group for the first time which steve lead, and the parent's group went really really well. ( i think the kids group was crazy, but Alison was doing that.)

It's amazing how with a bit of banter you can turn the conversation into thinking about Jesus.

these events are amazing, later in the week i'm going to blog are they helpful!!!

rich

pops it's been a while sorry

Hi all, hope you're ok,

The last month has been a bit a insane, some good, some not.

The coming month is going to include some big decisions about some aspects of our church plant.

please pray for the following things:

• a team day on friday 11th to look at where we are at and what we're going to do in the coming months and most importantly what God is saying in all this.
• By the end of Nov we will have a better idea of Steve and Lauren's future, please pray for Gods clear call.
• We have some key meetings about other elements of our future which i can't say much about now, but they are very key, please pray, we need wisdom and a little hope.

This week among all the admin and meetings i'll be leading 2 parenting courses and as a church we have our fireworks night on Friday, can't wait, it's going to be great to see our friends altogether in one place.

thank you for praying, God is our only hope, news letter out this week i hope!!

love and Prayers r.

where am i?

Where am I?

Once a week I feel compelled to join a community for an hour or so, so where am I?

I am greeted by the Shepherd of this flock, whether they are on duty or not they're always there to check who is attending and who is not.

I'm inspired by this Shepherd, where they show concern for all, even those who are clearly hard work and who often make a nuisance of themselves. This Shepherd is there almost every week without fail serving this community in many ways which are not noticed or thanked, and when this community is threatened the shepherd stands tall to protect their flock, so where am I?

My hour or so in this little community always has the same rhythm, the same sacred topics of conversation, those whose voices are heard louder than others and those whose voices ignored when they bravely speak up.

Everyone has their own seats! Their own positions of residence within this little community and every week there in the same place, they gather to reflect on the their day on their week on their life, so where am I?

The seasons have their rhythm, Christmas, st Georges day, Easter, Guy Fawkes and others are observed, with the buildings decorted accordingly.

There are those who control the music, mainly tunes from one era, the era of their hayday, these are played and played and sung along to, unless of course someone younger makes a radical choice which is often bemoaned as being too trendy or inappropriate for the occasion.

A community which welcomes it own with open arms, but on the whole is sexist, racist and homophonic , so were am I?

I am humbled by the way they care for each other, yes there is plenty of gossip, and moaning about the way things are and the way they are not as they once were, but this little community know how to gather around one another to offer support, in this community those without work are found work and those without a home and Christmas day, gather for lunch and eat together as family.

So where am I, my local or my local church?

"Just cause chaos and give them back!"

Good news!,

Alison I have finally become an aunt and uncle. (Hooray) And in the next couple of days we are due to become aunts and uncles again. My younger brother has been an uncle for 6 years now and so for the 1st time in my life :-), I had to ask him for advice.

"Simon, what's your advice on being an uncle?"

“just cause chaos and give them back." Was his advice, which if we are being fair to him is definitely how here's been an uncle with our children and they love him for it.

My brother's advice was wise, and I have every intention of following it and it got me thinking about church.

Often the tactic of the church, is to take someone, challenge their worldview, suggest a different moral system and value system to live by, and then to try and keep them in the church as part of the church for as long as possible. Which invariably means that within a short space of time they have left the community there once belonged to and have become part of the church family.

Perhaps, we should do church in the way my brother does being an uncle.

Maybe, we should cause chaos with someone's value system, understanding of the world, and most importantly their understanding of Jesus and what he offers them and the universe. Once we have caused chaos their understanding of the world rather than hold on to them, perhaps we should send them back to allow them to cause chaos in their communities.

When my brother taught our son to Mooney, not only did it challenge my sons worldview about what body parts he should show in public, it also caused chaos in our family when he returned with this behaviour.

Wouldn't it be great if the people the church I contact with went back into their communities and caused chaos because what they have learnt to challenge the norms of those communities.

Maybe we should see ourselves more as spiritual aunts and uncles to those Christ is in the process of saving rather than as spiritual parents wanting to hold onto them.

May you have a great week causing chaos and giving people back to where they came from.

R.

PS now that my brother is about to have children the chaos is going in the other direction.

sorry it's been so long

Sorry it's been a while!! so so much has happened in the last couple of months.

• We helped run a churches together stall at the Harold Hill festival, which meant local churches working together in an amazing way.
• We have run an evening for families asking " Is God a good parent?"
• We had a 10th wedding anniversary party at the pub which was an amazing opportunity to have a party with our friends from Harold Hill, Steve and Lauren did the catering and it was an amazing time together.
• We continue to work very closely supporting some families and this is a big privilege and we as at times a bit of a burden as we serve these wonderful people.
• We have had significant chats with those we are serving and what is encouraging us the most is the way that God is on the agenda so often in our conversations, whether it's at the pub, at a ladies coffee morning or at any of the other times we have interaction with the community.
• Alison and Lauren have put on some amazing pamper session for some of the moms.
• The community meal has exploded numbers wise, BBQ's and sun are proving great pulls.
• People have started to ask for prayer and support which again is a great step forward.

Please pray for us, to be honest we're tried and still have some exiting things coming up but we're also really busy with all the normal stuff and i'm doing a lot of preaching in the next couple of months.

It would be also really good if you could pray for Steve and Lauren, they are considering their future at the end of their training ( 9months time) steve is off to thailand for 3 weeks in Sept with BMS, but then hopefully steve will be free to focus on his studies and on Harold hill from Oct onwards. please pray for him as he does this.

Once again, sorry it's been so long and thank you so much for your prayer support and encouragement.

R.

handing out leaflets

This week we're having a family gathering asking the question "is God a good parent?" judging him on the parenting course we run!!

So on Monday i went out to deliver 10 invites to families to attend a gave myself a couple of hours to do.

The evening proved to be a complete failure as well as a complete success. i only got to deliver 4 invites, but all the families invited me in and so i got to spend 2 hours hanging out with those we're here to serve.

Please pray that these parents and children come to see that God is the greatest parent ever.

and now the end is near it's time to face........

On saturday as a family we had the privilege of being at Shoebury Baptist for Jim Hamilton's leaving do/ retirement. The church, as ever did a great job, and it got me thinking about loads and loads of different things.

One of which is that for Shoebury it now has to face the reality that change must come, as they pursue a new man or woman of God to be part of their team leadership.

Change is never easy to face and churches aren't known for being the best at accepting change, change is not easy, painful or always welcome. Often we seen the need to change, but doing it is another matter. (I speak as daily failing dieter)

Just as shoebury baptist must now face the reality of change, i think the THE church must also face the same reality. Today i had lunch with my amazing 91 yr old grandmother. i was asking her about her early life and she was telling me how hard it was to find a church which was alive to bring up her children 60 years ago!! (They ended up commuting 30mins to find such a church). Seeking a way to honour and be faithful to God and have mission as high as a priory as HE does is not going to easy. I just hope most churches don't leave so late that the church is going to be retired/ shut.

As for us, i pray that we have courage to be open to God and what He is calling us to here. (Not easy, even i like the old ways, well some of them!!) And give thanks to those who are faithfully supporting us in exploring what church is for today, tomorrow and most importantly for God.

I'm sure the people of God at Shoebury will have the ability to get to know, love and support whoever comes in and the changes that it will bring as it's a church in which many people know that 'it's not that the church of God has a mission, but that its the God of mission has a church.' (Rowan Williamson said that not Jim H!!)

And breath..……

Took Monday out to pray and to listen, in tray full, diary full, but boy did I need it. The next month has a lot of churchy meetings and to be honest although all good I find it hard to square away in my mind, I love spending time with those who don't yet know Jesus, but I need the time I spend with those who do.

Why do I ( and others ) feel guilty for spending large chucks of time with you father? Jesus did it and yet the perception today of ministers is a couple of retreats a year will do!!! Pray I/ we get the balance write and pray that Jesus is always my model for this.

'mate well done'

I realised that there are people in my life for whom the only way I've been able to really connect with and talk about life to is only possible because we've moaned and been talking people down.

These people have find it hard to praise encourage and listen. People that I've gone to with a good idea are a deep question only to be dismissed or to only have a short conversation. However if I'd gone to the very same person and said, I've just been to that church and the sermon!! So bad, have you heard xxxxxxx preach?? We'd have had a twenty min passionate and animated chat putting the person/ church down. Shame . And to my shame I've become the same sort of person when people come to me.

Two weeks ago I spoke to a dad who had been meeting with different professionals all day. He'd done some really good things and made some good steps forward, but he'd not been encouraged all day, only the negative had been focused on. This I didn't know when I praised him saying ' mate well done' . He told me it changed his day.

When in the pub and other places in which the conversations are founded upon the same negative Tone I try to only run myself down or be positive, it's hard work, tiring but in the end I believe makes a difference.

If I've led you to talk too negatively about someone God loves forgive me, let's try and speak differently to the way the world does.


Lord may we lights of hope not pessimism, joy rather than despair and encouragement over unnecessary criticism and lord if I can be those positive things help me keep my mouth shut!!!

Ouch!!

So the last term has been interesting in many levels. Sadly through the lessons we've learnt through pain.

Alison, Lauren, steve , the kids and myself were gutted to hear this week that Emma will be leaving the team with immediate effect. This saddens us as we've all enjoyed getting to know her and seeing the gifts and person she is. Please pray she finds somewhere she can call home.

Obviously we need to spend some time as a team reflecting on the last 6 months, asking God to teach us in the mist of our disappointment and asking what we need to learn about the way we support and operate as a team.

Still our work goes on, over 30 came to a graduation BBQ at our house on sat, it was a really good time and made some real steps forward with some of these families.

Thanks for yr prayer.

R.

Our minds

This last week I've been challenged by a book I was reading looking at the verse 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' Matt 22v37. The part that I was reading focussed on 'all your mind'. Throughout each day we face many choices but i guess it's when the difficult times come that we don't always respond in the way we wish had. The more we fill our minds with the words and thoughts of God the more likely we are to choose to respond in the way that he would want us to. So i'm trying to make sure I get my mind in the right place with God a bit more than I did yesterday and hopefully day by day I will learn to love the Lord with ALL my mind. It's a big ask but I'm happy to take it step by step, here's hoping I keep moving in the right direction! A

easter at the pub and week emma

Hi all, easter at the pub was amazing, a really good atmosphere and again a chance to show that like christmas easter is an event we believe to be true and based in history. there was great fun and some really good banter. Only down/ challenge is that it was only families from the pub and no-one come from parenting courses, next yr we need to consider who to ensure the easter message is heard by both.

For a number of reasons emma has not ben able to jions at team meetings since she started so we're have emma week which is going to be morning prayer meetings as a team and evening times of chill/ chatting / getting to know each other. please pray for these times.

Love and Prayers

R.

that was not a good one

Ok so we've had a terrible week on a number of levels, we have such great lives and we have been given so much by God, but i'll be honest a bad week is not easy to take at all.

I've been think about lent some more and how Jesus was tempted by the devil when he was at the end of himself. Even though he was at the end he didn't stumble. I can say that my reaction to the stressful has been that good or Godly.

Thank you Jesus for setting us an example, help us to live it and thank you for friends who pray when lifes not easy.

R.

Chat with the Head

I went to see the head teacher today in my role as parent governor. A few parents had spoken to me about a few small issues and I felt it was part of my role to pass it on. The head was very open to hearing parents views and pleased that it was happening, they have tried to encourage it before but it hasn't really happened. It was great to feel that I was able to hopefully start something new and help develop the relationships between school and parents. A real privilege.

lent- for giving stuff up or for doing things?

We are having an amazing time doing Lent with some of the members of our little community. However people keep pointing out that there is a new craze of people doing things for lent instead of giving them up!!! Whilst i think that doing things is good, to call it lent is to miss the point. Lent is about 40 days in the desert. Lent is about the stripping back of that which is hindering us from being all God would have us be.

Speaking honestly it's not that I need to do more!! it that i need to put down a loads of habits and attitudes which are making my doing less effective.

Those who know me know i'm usually up for new things and new ways of doing life/church/God. However when it comes to lent I think it should be about the fast not the doing. Typical of the modern world to want to do more and not spend more time reflecting about where we are at in live and with God.

Happy lent time to you!!

R

"i feel clean"

Pancake night was great and people committed to trying to fast for 40 days.

Take a look on face book at events "church 123 40 days of lent" event. but so far it's going well.

Today has been a day of excitement and disappointment.

Firstly there was a role in the local community that i had been hoping to do and dropped a few hints that i'd like to do it, but sadly it's not come about and someone else has it. ( gutted)

Secondly Alison at her thursday morning group has been having more and more chats about God.

Some of those who come have catholic backgrounds and one of them said. " when i attend you events i feel so calm, (which has surprised us as our event are often so crazy!!) the mum when on to say, not only do i feel calm, but i also feel clean.

One of her friends is having us around for dinner tonight and they are coming too and now they want us to share communion together!!!

R

Clearing through the clutter

This weekend we have Emma's commissioning at her home church, which is going to be really exciting.

We also have a pancake night next tuesday:

We hope to have a discussion with those adults who attend at the value of give stuff up to help us see what is important.

Planning this has made me wish the evangelicals (&Baptists) made more of lent, i wish i made more of lent. It such a great opportunity to remind ourselves of what is crowding our true relationship with people and most importantly God.

So much can crowd out that hearing the still small voice of God and what he says about us and wants for us. Most give up chocolate. which is good for the waste line, but what about Facebook, texting all day long, watch tv all night, drinking alcohol. None of which are wrong, but all can stop us hearing what God thinks/ wants of us.

We're not going to challenge people to give one think up for the while of lent as this might be a big first jump we're going to challenge people to give up one thing each day for the 40 days.

please pray for this, maybe you'd like to join us?

r.

Eastern Baptist assembily

It was better than it sounds, promise!!

Glen marshall was one of the speakers and was talking about our need to open to be converted by God away from traditions that we have held dear. He used peter and his encounter with cornelius ( in acts) to illustrate this.

This i found most comforting. Over the last year and a half not only has i had most of my ideas about church shaken and turned upside down, but I've also had lots of my ideas about God shaken and turned up side down. Those times when from behind the comfort of the pulpit ( not that i ever use it!) i've given easy, often over repeated statements about God, which when you're face to face with your own sinfulness or the mess of those around you just don't seem to be enough. I've realised that i'm not sure what i know/ think about God in so many areas of my life.

Now don't panic i've not lost my faith, i think if anything i'm finding it!

Thank you God for continually converting me.

the sound of laugher

Hi all, hope your well, the sound of laugher is a great sound, to be honest when i'm feeling a been flat and low it's the comedy section on the bbc iplayer i head for, ( makes me think about why i've lead so many dull services, instead of helping people have a laugh.) Now Laughing and real joy are not the same, but to hear families coming together and laugh is surely a sign of the coming kingdom. The challenge is that following jesus requires the emotions that lead to laughter and tears, but this week at our love gathering, eat 123 and a couple of other encounters we've had with people we've heard real laugher from people i know spend a lot of time crying! ( thank you jesus for fun, please bring real and deep joy to the lives of those we know.)

Our new arrival

This week, both parenting courses went well and Alison and i have had some time to spend with some of our families individually as well. The biggest influence on our time this week as been our new Dog!! we have an 9 week old choc lab. I know crazy, but we've always wanted a dog and with the amazing garden etc we though it was time.I also need thing to stop me working all hours under the sun. (we'd saved some the money shoebury had so generously given us when we left.) So Rocky arrived on monday.

Next week we have our first gathering of 2011, which is to be a family games night next thursday night, loosely based on the theme of LOVE. We will be using the LOVE IS passage from 1 Cor 13 to do some informal teaching but our main aim is to build community and help people get to know each, we don't know to have gathering were people are strangers.

On a very practical note, could you pray for a book keeper for our money group. the person who is done it for the last two years has done a great job, but they now need to hand it over to someone else. This is a really important role and so we'd value your prayer about this.

Love and Prayers

R.

Numbers!!

Ok so those who read our latest news letter will have seen my rant about numbers!!

Yesterday we started 2 parenting courses, we expected 18 to the first one and 8 families to the second.

we had 8 people to the morning one and 4 families to the second, but were good fun and ill be honest number don't matter, but it was disappointing.

some more may come next week, but i guess it so human to focus on who's not there rather than how is there!!

As jesus suffered with is ( 10 lepers healed) then i guess i'm in good company.

I just hope i can spend more time being grateful for what i've got rather than what i'm missing out on.

rich

the privilege and the pain

Next week Alison and I start our first parenting course together! So far we have around 18 people registered ( which is too many by you expect about 1/4 to drop out).

With almost each of those attending we have done a home visit, people are on the course for any number of reasons. Some ask to attend one, for others local professionals suggested they attend, for other they are told too by the courts.

Meeting these families is an huge privilege and insightful glimpse at these peoples lives.

It would be fair to say that doing these parenting courses has given us the opportunity to meet and engage with those on the edges of Harold Hill.

Often people stories just reflect how they were parented and so their stories are full of pain, most want out of the cycle of not knowing what to do as parents, but they also want some encouragement and support.

To be honest these are the brave ones, for everyone we have agree to attend we have at least an other who is refusing, knowing that the courts can do little to make them come.

SO..............Please pray

for Alison and I, for wisdom, for the gift of encouragement and for opportunity to see families have hope.

For the families that come that children will not be ill, that they will be open to discuss and receive as well as share.

That it makes a real difference in the lives of these parents and their children.

That meeting Alison and I is a key element in braking the cycle of loneliness and isolation

and finally that as the kingdom is expressed and people experiencing what is above that those attending would move forward in their journey of discovering the hope and love and Jesus.

R

Christmas events

So how did they go? Our gather at the church buildings was great, some new families and most of the people who came to the first one. Making christingles As families was great and Emma led a great session with the kids while lauren and I had a chat with the parents about the stresses of Christmas then we all came back together and got around the piano and sung some songs before father Christmas turned up!!!
A great night and people seemed to enjoy.

The pub carol service was delayed by 5 days till Wednesday, a smaller crowd than we expected due to change of date, but that meant more interactions and so the whole event felt more personal and people listened to the little talks etc. Over the weeks leading up to it I'd taken photo of the regulars and then steve put the photos into the nativity story which they loved.

So that you for praying because they were both great session and we felt really really encouraged.

Happy New year

Welcome to 2011!!

seems only yesterday i was a young boy with only the 6 nations on my mind at this time of the year! still!!

I hope you had a relaxing break, we did.

What do you do with those who wind you up, i must admit this week i've come across a couple of parents whose attitude to their children needs a serious think.

God give me the Grace to Love those whose attitudes and action i can see damaging and destroying young lives!

Funny story this morning ALison and i were going to spend the morning praying for our team HH etc, we were just about to start when there was a knock at the door! we had the local minister prayer time at ours!! totally forgotten, good job we were in. Still at least we spend the morning in prayer!!

we would value your prayers on the 26th Jan i start a parenting course with the youth service and Alison starts one with me in the mornings, in the next two weeks i've got to visit around 25/30 homes!! what an opportunity, but it's a lot to fit into the coming week.

Love and Prayer