I think I have been unfaithful-

This is my confession- Sorry I've given the attention and love I promised to one, to another!!

It's not that I meant to, it's just that I've been really busy and not have the time to love as I want too.

The look in the others eyes said to me love me, care for me and touch me!

I felt as if I could only say yes!!

I wish I had given more time to the things which matter, then at least I could have show love to both!

I wish I could say no as often as I say yes.

If only I could make decisions based on what I'm called to do and not on what will massage my ego and pride, then maybe i would not come home smelling of another.

If I could just remember the amazing things God has put into my hand and stop trying to add more and more, maybe I wouldn't be so so guilt right now.

God, you have been so good to me, help me to be good to what you have given me and stop taking what you have given to another.




[Some lovely friends have had a baby, they have a dog. I have helped look after that dog while they were having the baby. My faithful and often ignored dog is asking "how come you can make time for to play, stoke and walk another, but not for me. How can you come home smelling of another?"]

Guess how much (in %) a kids spends in school in a year!

Go on? have try?

45%?


32%?


62%?

??%

Well the answer is..... I tell you in a moment and keep you reading for now. The answer is a shattering reminder that the HOME is the key to a child. Teachers are amazing and do an amazing job, but we need to support, cheer on and challenge parents to be raising world changers and not clones of a broken society.

Parents our job is to let are kids know they are loved, have skills and talents which God has a great joy to use.

Parents we need to send our kids out into the world with positive self esteem, being highly socially   competent and with the self discipline so they can face the challenges in changing a broken and unjust world.

School is good and important, but lets say sorry for leaving it all to the teachers. Those who spend the most time with children have the most influence on them.  Not easy, often tiring, often unappreciated, often flawed and mistake ridden, but if we could rise to our challenge then maybe our kids could change the world to see an end to hunger, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poor. See the 'different' being accepted and loved as humans and not pushed the to sidelines of society.  

And so they would see God's kingdom come in ways we can't imagine.

The answer is 16% of year.

PS If they sleep for 10 hours a night thats still leaves 40% with YOU!!

PPS Kids still need to go to school BTW. That 16% is still incredibly important. ( unless you home school)

PPPS I realise some family shapes mean that that % is different, but i don't think that reduces the challenge.

Did we get the balance right? Did we do too much telling and not enough living!

Over the month of December we as a team had a number of amazing opportunities to share the good news of Jesus at Christmas. We had the local youth centre Christmas faye, the Harold Hill Light switch on, a church Christmas meal, and the pub carol service and other. All were good fun, all we very time consuming. All meant that the relationships I have suffered ( at home and in the community).

But to be honest we weren't say much new- People on the Hill tend to know the story the local school all have nativity based school shows.

Would it have been better to send the time and energy explain the "so what" of the Christmas story and helping people understand how understanding it can free us from some of the trap of the "material" Christmas.

Is part of the problem that so much of the what the church does fits so neatly into the material christmas?

I know as a Dad I'm struggling with what my children learn about life through the way we celebrate christmas.

Is Christmas seen too much as proclamation time of year over a discipleship opportunity?

Would churches and communities be healthier if the time, energy and money poured into telling people what most know and used for helping the saints live it and understand the So what of the christmas story?

I think next year less will be more for us at church1v23



(PHOTO: LIZ doing some out on the streets time with some art work- Inspired by Chris Duffet)

it's been a while- sorry

Sorry it's been a while, i'm planning to be better!

rich

Would you please pray?

Last year during September we asked you to pray for more team members and God answered by providing Liz. She is an amazing gift, however four years into our adventure we still feel we could do with another couple of people willing to move onto the hill to share in this incredible adventure.

I'm sure all churches would love extra servants living for Jesus, here is why we are praying for more.

The harvest is plentiful but the shorters and Liz can only stretch so far! We know so many people, but only have so much time.

Much relies on Rich and Alison and this can't be healthy in the long term for the church we are planting, nor is it healthy for the shorters in the short term!

Iron sharpens iron! We'd loved and needed Steve and Lauren's company, Liz is so wise and full of energy but others would help us bring the best out of each other.

To help make this work of God sustainable we need to bring in different gifts and life/ God experiance. ( for example Rich is doing a lot of admin- I know scary)

So for September would you pray the following? Put it in church notice sheets. Pray it at small groups- every time you pray it we would be very grateful.

Father, we thank you for your love of Harold hill, we thank you for those who know you and serve you on the hill. We praise you for all you have done through the urban expression team over the last 4 years. Please send others to live on the hill and join in the adventure of serving and living for Jesus. Holy Spirit stir those you are calling to explore this adventure of faith.

Many thanks

rich.

our New Wine experience

Alison, the Kids and myself went to New Wine last week with some friends of ours.

New wine is a Christian family week, camping in summerset with 15,000 others. This was our first year. We choice to go because Alison and I used to enjoyed Soul survivor, the youth version of this event and because this event has a charismatic expression of spirituality which both of us would say is part of our spirit shape.

There are two main sessions a day and many different seminars throughout the day.

Taking kids to an event like is knackering and does change how much you can go too, but we still managed to get to all the seminars we wanted to. We even got to hear the Arch bishop of Canterbury, who came across as a very likeable and deep person.

The main highlights/ challenges for us were.

Hungry venue:

There was an alternative morning worship and teaching venue for those in urban settings. We were nervous going to New Wine, we know we needed to spiritually refreshed and recharged, but main stream church now makes us a little twitchy!  Hungry for us was honest, creative, raw and had a great balance of word and spirit.  Its was focused on sending us back out to serve the poor and needy for Christ. It was just what we needed.

Generous spirit.

There was the room to be different and think differently to others. The leadership of new wine come across as very generous and this is reflected in the tapestry of speakers that they have. I was very humbled by this.

Kids work.

The Kids work was amazing in both quality and content. Listening to our kids pray and talk about God, it is clear they had so much more than a good time.

Band trinity

On the Thursday night we went to see a band called trinity. This was the most multi cultural band I have ever seen- if you get a chance hear/ experience them.

 Friendship

Being with another family whom all the kids get on and the adults could share an honest place to be real and laugh together was for me the biggest highlight of the week.

Over all we come back inspired, reminded of our call and God’s ability to fulfil that call.

It's been a while.... sorry

Hey faithful blog followers, how are you all?

We are good and things are going well.

I will write more in the coming weeks, but wanted to check in!

2 bits of good news.

• Liz has become a team member. She is an amazing lady with an amazing life story and we are sure that God has called her to work with us.
• We have 5 more years. Romford Baptist church who started this partnership have extended it by another 5 years. this is a great encouragement. 

talk soon......honest!