funky doo

post equipping

5 session in and I'm finally realising that the week following Equipping sessions are a bit of an uphill struggle! I LOVE doing the course - it's always better than I imagine it will be as I plan and above all hearing the stories and examples of youth ministry going on across the Area and Diocese are so encouraging. Keeps my feet on the ground...however, I am knackered now and with only 1 night in last week and a busy Sunday, I could do with a proper, sleep filled day off!

Unfortunately, not something that will happen til Thursday now...

Not such a busy week this week,but none the less full of things to do. I begin a series of termly youth leader forums across the Deaneries tonight, starting in Basildon (Southend are next Tuesday 30th and Hadleigh on 8th October). These are another great way to get together with those who are doing the stuff with young people, and being able to resource, support and encourage them is one of the best bits of my job.

I'm also covering a bit of work in the Colchester area while it is in vacancy and going to see a parish about employing a youth worker and encouraging youth outreach in their rural context.

I've not commented so far on the recent 'fall' of prominent church leaders across the world. Todd Bentley and the Florida healing outpouring has featured on this blog before and over the summer, things kinda fell apart with the revelation of his 'emotional' relationship with another woman and the separation from his wife. Along with another Australian youth minister, and other less high profile christian leaders there has been a series of confessions, exposures and disclosures which have rocked many people, churches and ministries, not least us here in Maldon. It's disappointing, but not surprising that in a time when there are pressures on people around finances, housing, futures that these things should happen, as they always have done. Our church is coming under pressure in many areas, relationships, finance, morality and what seems to characterise this period is a level of grace and a season of understanding which is allowing these things to come into the light and be exposed and be made clean. We had a powerful word in church a couple of weeks ago about how God is making his bride spotless for himself and I believe that is part of the process. It's rubbish, hard, disheartening, but God is faithful, powerful, loving and desperate to see his church and people restored.

Now I don't know where you readers of mine stand on issues of prophecy and prophetic words of knowledge. I post this example as a discussion starter and to make you think. Sharon Stone is a woman of God, of that there is no doubt and this prophetic word given to her was spoken in August 08, before recent world events unfolded.

This is what she wrote in the email forwarded to me last week:

Just hours ago we received this e-mail from a lady who attended a meeting at which I spoke this summer.  The dramatic events that have unfolded this week in the US and within the past 24 hours here in the UK resonate with the truth God spoke through this word.  I want to share this with you in light of these events as an encouragement that the Lord is faithful to His Word and He has made both provision and a way.

Blessings in Christ,

Dr. Sharon Stone  

12/09/2008 15:03:43 GMT Standard Time

Dear Sharon and Greg,  

I thought you might be interested in seeing this prophesy you gave in Glasgow this summer.  While I was in prayer this morning God reminded me that I scribed this on the Sunday morning you were with us.  I don’t know how much you keep up on world news but there is a freight train fire in the Chunnel right now.  And on the 29^th of August Sarah Palin was introduced as

John McCain’s vice presidential running mate from Alaska .  Also XL Airlines has just halted its flights because it could not find a lender and people on holiday are stranded all over.  Last week the UK government cancelled council taxes for the purchase of homes under 200,000 pounds for a year.  Isn’t God amazing!

Your Sister in Christ,

Lisa Gibbs

Prophecy given by Dr. Sharon Stone, Glasgow , Summer, 2008

“September is a turning point and a sign of the times.  It is all about those who have made Godly alignments in this season being blessed with revelation and information in the midst of world crisis.  

“I see more banks will suffer: a USA world bank’s shares are in trouble - I see government in the USA bailing out mortgage giants and the government in England cutting house purchase taxes for the sagging housing crisis, to no avail.  I see a European airline failing with no notice.  I see the eyes of the world looking to see, ‘who is this coming out of Alaska ?’  And I see smoke coming from the Chunnel.

“As I see these things I hear the encouragement of God to His Isaacs in the earth who sow in the times of famine and reap 100 fold in the year.  I’m not a prosperity preacher, I’m a prophet.  And God is saying that September will convince you that you must connect to His economic system.  There are always the few that are greatly blessed when the majority are shaken, threatened and fearful.  

“God says, ‘Have you positioned yourself for THE NEW?  Your storehouse is not an earthly bank.  Hold on and I will bail you out of your mortgage issues.  Am I not better to you than any government?  I will not leave you stranded on foreign soil, and I will carry you above the circumstances better than any plane or jet.  And your hope is not an Alaskan saviour, but Me. ’ I know that sounds strange, it does to me also.  

“ England , the smoke I saw coming out of the Chunnel is a warning for your intercessors to arise and cut off the enemy’s plan to sabotage and siege  England 's favour in trade.  Let him who has ears hear.  

“God I release an Isaac anointing upon us now!”

 

republican, democrat - does affiliation matter??

Some interesting perspectives on the faith and beliefs of Hillary Clinton in this article.

In the midst of a crazy busy week, but will aim to post more at the weekend...

mormon president

I was amazed to find that I had completely missed the passing on of the Mormon President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Latter Day Saints, Gordon B Hinckley. While I was at University I had a healthy obsession with all things Mormon, prompted by a friendship with lovely Annette from Sociology elective at the start of my degree and culminating in my dissertation on Mormon Temple Worship and the exaltation of the family unit (I got a first for it!!)

It's been somewhat away from my radar recently, as I've been otherwise engaged with Jehovah's witness theological debate and having a baby and such things! It's been a distraction today as I've browsed the internet looking at obituaries and other commentary on his death and the next step for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Whatever else you might say about the Mormons (and people say plenty, there are some horrible web sites out there slating their beliefs...mainly set up and used by 'Christians', makes me embarassed) - President Hinckley built more temples and travelled more of the world than any other Prophet before him...you could never say the Mormons aren't committed to their cause. Although I do believe they are wrong about the Trinity, who God is and what happens to us when we die, we have a lot to learn from them in terms of their missionary zeal and community support programs.

The new Mormon President has been named as (no, not Mitt Romney!) Thomas A Monson. Good luck to him!

I really must do something about putting together my training package around understanding pseudo-Christian sects, especially in relation to young people who are particularly susceptible to new and different thinking at that time in their lives...and are involved and committed to something before they realise it. I've started writing a course a couple of times but always lost momentum - maybe a booking to do the session somewhere would be the motivation I need?! Any takers!

Other things today have been finally booking a venue and a date for the Sophia Network gathering for the Essex/South East area for women in youth ministry. Further details are:

Wednesday 23rd April, 10.30am for 11 start. Finish by 1pm and those who can head off for a pub lunch or similar.

Rayleigh Holy Trinity Church Hall, Rayleigh, Essex

All women welcome, you don't have to be a member of Sophia and please pass on this info to anyone you know who is a woman in this field!

gotta go pick up the baby now!

money

This wouldn't normally be the place where I talk about my bank balance, but I am in need of some 'bleurgh' space and so a new blog post seemed perfect.
We rang the Halifax yesterday to increase our mortgage payment - we have been paying the interest only since last July when we moved in, partly because we needed to do work on the house before Matilda came and also so we could save for me being on maternity leave. Since I've been back at work, administration has been a bit lax and we suddenly realised we should really start paying off our mortgage!! It's scary stuff - owning a house still seems terribly grown up and the size of our mortgage is madness really. When we bought our first house in Gateshead in 2003, we paid £59,950 and had a mortgage of £215 a month!! Let's just say it's now into 4 figures!

I've been preparing some sessions for a youth group on money and possessions the last couple of days. I really struggle with 'stuff' and having lots of it and frequently feel the need to de-clutter and chuck out, as a liberation and also to discipline myself. Matilda is growing up in a world where having the right toys, shoes, computer games, even decor is considered so important and I'm not sure I want that for her. I was listening to Radio 5 this morning and they were talking about the recall of Mattel toys because of excessive levels of lead in the paint. They had on a mum who was livid that she was going to have to take away all her daughter's toys and she listed what she had removed - Barbie toys, Barbie play rooms, Polly Pocket toys, dolls, accessories. She stated that she would be having 'hell on' tonight when he daughter came in from school to find it confiscated. What do you make of that?? I feel saddened...

This weekend, Matilda was dedicated and we asked for no presents, just 'your' presence. Understandably, people did want to give Matilda something to mark her special day - but we got mainly books and some money and CD's and that was just great. Stuff for stuff's sake makes me uncomfortable but there is so much value in books and music.

For Christmas this year my family and I have agreed not to do presents - we're all skint and resent having to spend time thinking, shopping, wrapping and scrimping to buy gifts. There have been previous years when I have asked people, both family and friends, not to buy for us, or to make a donation to a charity. However, we usually then get a note saying a donation has been made on our behalf and we get a gift anyway!! I wonder if we can stick to our promise this year - the Christmas bug seems to get us all and catch us unawares and before we know it, the presents are unwrapped, piled up and with no where to go.

Am I being a complete Scrooge?? Or just trying to get back to the real meaning of Christmas and valuing what we have? The fact is, by paying our mortgage off, we are now going to be pretty skint, with about £50 a month to play with. Coupled with the fact that all my work expenses get paid out before I get them paid back and the overdraft is used more than I like. I don't want to worry about money....but what would we do without it??

What does God say about money - I'm looking into that right now!

Virginia Tech massacre

just reeling this morning with the news of the shooting in Virginia.

I remember being a youth worker in Scarborough when the Columbine massacre occurred and there being so much discussion about 'what' or 'who' was at fault - TV and the level of violence in films or parenting or lack of gun control in the States generally...but we ourselves in the UK have seen unprecedented levels of shootings recently in the east end, in a country where guns are outlawed...there seems no real answer.

Reading some stuff coming through on Ekklesia news feed, the churches and other Christian bodies seem to be speaking out about when this madness will stop...

"How many more will have to die before we say enough is enough? How many more senseless deaths will have to be counted before we enact meaningful firearms control in this country? How many more of our pastors, rabbis and imams will have to preside over caskets of innocent victims of gun violence because a nation refused to stop the proliferation of these small weapons of mass destruction?

the question is whether the church has enough of a voice to make a difference in a country so vast and divided as America. Is it REALLY a right to carry a gun, with the potential of harm of death to others? So many bang on about it being in the constitution, an historical privilege...doesn't seem much of a privilege to me when 32 people are dead. 32 children, about to graduate and find their place in the world...I feel sick to the pit of my stomach for those parents, family, friends who are grieving today.

Lets hope and pray that the issue of gun laws in the US won't get talked about for a few weeks and then put under the carpet again, like with Columbine.

My prayer today:

Deep peace of the running wave to you;
deep peace of the flowing air to you;
deep peace of the quiet earth to you;
deep peace of the shining stars to you;
deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.

A Celtic prayer