Holiday at Home

Millie Robinson reflects on Holiday at Home, 10 – 12 July at Wrangthorn.

Monthly Tea and Cake socials built up to the ‘Holiday at Home’.  The 3 day event involved lots of exciting crafts and workshops, including lace making, cake decorating, making paper flowers, dancing and a quiz! As the first event of its kind, it was quite small, with the busiest day being Thursday with 8 guests, but with a mix of people from Wrangthorn, St George’s, Community Church and a few friends too, there was a lovely atmosphere each day, and new friendships were made.

“It was amazing to see the relationships formed between the interns on team and the guests, and to bridge the social gaps of age that so often occur in the church.”

The event was planned and led by several of the St George’s interns, and has been a very exciting venture for them, with lots to learn along the way. It was amazing to see the relationships formed between the interns on team and the guests, and to bridge the social gaps of age that so often occur in the church. It was a privilege to hear stories of people’s lives and history, and share our hopes for the future, as well as have a lot of fun and a lot of cake!

“We know that God will have been at work this week, through the new relationships formed, old relationships that have been strengthened, and just the time spent together as a community.”

We know that God will have been at work this week, through the new relationships formed, old relationships that have been strengthened, and just the time spent together as a community. We pray that God will continue to be at work in the lives of everyone who attended, and that He would be preparing the way for more events of this kind in the future.

Summer/13: Pray for

Members from St George’s are serving this summer at various camps and festivals around the country.  Please join us to pray for those involved in leading, organising and working with young people.

20th -27th July
Brymore: 14-18 yr olds
Tim Clarke, Elly & Alex Woodhead, Ben & Louisa Lawrence
Pray that God would build the young people to have lasting faith.

27th July – 4th August & 6th – 14th August
Ripon: 11-18 yr olds
Chris Balding, Fraser Raitt, Kate Wright, Mel Scott, Rachel Sanbach, Ruth Zealey, Rachael & Richard Fox
Pray that community would be developed and that both members and leaders would leave determined to join in work with God’s Mission to His world.

27th July – 3rd August
Morfa Bay: 10-16 yr olds
Ben Walton, Will Talbot, Rob & V White
Pray for safety and good weather as they lead 120 young people.  Pray also for strengthened relationships with God.

3rd – 9th August
New Wine: Newark: All ages
St George’s Staff and Congregation
Pray that God would bless this time away together and equip all those serving on teams.

11-17th August
Treginnis: 8-11 yr olds
Louise Mann, Tim Clarke, Swales Family
Pray for confidence for a new young leader from Kidz Klub, and that the kids get to experience God’s love in a big way.

12-18th August
Ingestre: 11-14 yr olds
Emily Holden
Pray that God would be glorified throughout the week.

To love the city where God has placed us

The new PCC have been busily drafting a mission action plan for St George’s.This will state accurately what our mission is so that we can use our resources in the best way for what God wants us to do in the future; we believe that God is calling us to share our resources more widely. We are working on a 3yr plan for 2013-16 with an overall ‘to share the life of Jesus Christ and to love the city where God has placed us’. The big new thing is to take responsibility with others for the renewal and growth of the Church in Leeds. The plan states that we will aim to ‘multiply missional churches across Leeds (and the North)’. This will mean strategic consultations with the diocese and other churches in Leeds.

Part of this is our commitment as a church to setting up the new St Barnabas Theological Centre (SBTC) in partnership with the Belfrey Church York, St Thomas Crookes Sheffield, the Church of England dioceses in Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Baptist Association. Mark Powley is the director of SBTC; Jon Swales and James Barnett will also be part of the new teaching team.They will teach a biblical theology of the kingdom of God and best current missional practice for growing and planting contemporary churches. Ordinands will have 3 days studying and 3 days learning on a church placement.

Some exciting news is that former intern Jimmy Lawrence will be returning to Leeds to train as an ordinand alongside Chris Sayburn. As Chris begins his training in September his role at StG’s will change. Jimmy will be placed at Wrangthorn, living at our house on Vesper lane.

Jimmy will be working with Joanna Pearson at Wrangthorn, alongside the team from St G’s who will be commissioned on 15 September. Crucially, they are not leaving St G’s, they will remain part of the family; the vision is for our two churches to work together as one team.

All these are exciting developments and will involve all of us. For St G’s it means giving and sharing our resources; especially our resources in people including our staff. All of us should ask, from time to time, where God wants us to serve. As some of us are sent out we need new people to step up and get involved, filling roles according to their gifts. It may feel as though we are being stretched but let’s rise to the challenge!

Please be praying that God will make his call on St George’s very clear; pray for the PCC; pray for Mark Powley and the SBTC; for Joanna Pearson and Wrangthorn; that they will all know God’s power and blessing as they step out, with their teams, in faith.

Jonathan

July/13: Pray for

Prayer points for this month…

Pray that Matt Small and Amy’s family continue to experience the comfort of God’s presence and the hope of the resurrection in their lives.

Pray for the family of John Winteler as he sadly passed away on Monday 22nd July.

Pray for St George’s and the PCC, that God will show us how to share the renewal and growth we have experienced with the rest of Leeds.

Pray for St Barnabas Theological Centre to get off to a good start. We need ordinands (and other students) to sign up for the courses. Pray for strength for Mark Powley.

Pray for Chris and the Sayburn family for spiritual protection. And pray for our congregations that we will all adapt well to the changes.

July/13: Thank you

Answers to prayer

 

• Amy Davenport
  Thank God for her life, witness and faith.
• PCC
  Thank God for good teamwork in the new PCC, and for agreement on an outline mission action plan.
• Chris Sayburn
  Praise that Chris Sayburn has been accepted for ordination training

July/13: Mission Partners

Short Term Mission Partners

Please continue to pray for our short term mission partners who are currently working overseas. See full details here. Pray that on their return the right opportunities will be found for them to reflect on their experiences so that we as a church may learn from them and be inspired by their stories.

Sarah & Toma

We give thanks to God for Sarah and Toma’s wedding last month. The occasion was a moving witness to God’s faithfulness and his love for Sarah and Toma in bringing them together. Sarah and Toma begin their married life back in the Middle East where Toma will be country director for a French NGO, and Sarah will be teaching. Please pray for them as they begin their married life together. Pray for safety in a challenging environment and that they will quickly settle into the country,  the community where they are living, and their new employment.

Chip and Diane Cowles

We are delighted to have Chip visit us this month and to speak at the Xchange Xtravaganza event on 18 July. Please pray that he and Diane will be encouraged as he meets with members of St George’s and assured of our continued support for them and their family. Please continue to pray for their work reaching out to the local community in Sandyford, Newcastle at the Barney and Jude’s project. For the ‘Vintage club’ for older members of the community, for Wednesday evenings ‘Fresh Expression’ services, Music Nights for young adults and Family afternoons on a Friday. Watch this video to find out more about their projects.

To find out more about Mission at St George’s please visit our website.

Wrangthorn Church Family

Lizzy McCaffrey shares her story of becoming part of the Church family at Wrangthorn.

How did you come to faith?

I was brought up a Christian home and went to a lot of different churches during my childhood. I had a growing understanding of who God was and what Jesus had done for me, so when I was about 13 years old I gave my life to Jesus and came to know a relationship with him.

What brought you to Leeds?

I accepted a job in Castleford as an Optometrist after completing my degree at Cardiff Uni in 2011. I found myself moving to Leeds without knowing a single
person here (including my housemates!). Coming from a small church background I
explored a few different churches but felt God wanted me to settle at St. Georges.

“…although the service was very traditional I came away really moved by God and full of an excitement for the plans that He has for that place.”

How did you get involved with Wrangthorn?

Last June I was offered a permanent job at my work and realised I would be staying in Leeds for a while. I felt challenged by God as to how I was going to begin serving at St Georges. I prayed about it and found that every time Wrangthorn was mentioned, God was prompting me. I then visited the church one Sunday and although the service was very traditional I came away really moved by God and full of an excitement for the plans that He has for that place.  I have committed to being part of the Wrangthorn morning congregation since last August. In April this year I felt called to be a member of the PCC. I am so excited about God’s future for Wrangthorn and the growth of his kingdom in the Hyde Park area.

“Personally I have found it such a blessing getting to know people over the last few months, and have been really welcomed into the church family.”

What is happening at Wrangthorn?

Personally I have found it such a blessing getting to know people over the last few months, and have been really welcomed into the church family. We have an ‘under 30’s’ breakfast meeting once a month before the morning service to pray together and share food and fellowship. This has really grown over the past year. In May the new PCC met for the first time. It was such a positive meeting and our first decision was to increase our mission giving, despite a deficit in the budget, in faith that God will provide. Intern Millie has started a new ministry among the over 60’s, and Wrangthorn was the base for the June project a few weeks ago; enabling students to go out and witness to Hyde Park.

Please pray for… an ongoing vision of how God wants us to build His kingdom; a continued sense of excitement about this and strength to face the challenges. For an increasing closeness as we grow together as a church family and an ability to welcome others. For wisdom as a PCC in all the decisions that will need to be made over the coming year. Opportunities to be able to reach out and witness to the Hyde Park community: both to the new students who move into the area in September and the existing residents.

SBTC Ordinands: Jimmy

Jimmy Lawrence, 26, Currently working as Pastoral Associate at Coventry Cathedral. He will be placed at Wrangthorn during his training with SBTC.

My job involves working with anyone in the Cathedral who is under the age of 30.  It’s a great job; every day is different. I get to do everything from preaching at services, to meeting up with students one-on-one, to event planning, to singing Choral Evensong.

The Cathedral is one of the most eclectic places I have ever worked in. We have people from every tradition and background you can think of; black, white, rich, poor, ex-drug addicts, lawyers, charismatic’s, Catholics, those who like smells and bells and those who prefer ‘happy clappy’. It’s a melting pot for ideas and a great place for exploring faith and life; you are bound to come across a new point of view!  Prior to working for Coventry Cathedral I studied Music at Leeds University before becoming an intern at St. George’s for two years, where I worked primarily with students and youth.

“I was 10 years old and struggling with being bullied at school. I asked God if he would be my friend and felt him say ‘yes’.”

I became a Christian on a field in North Norfolk. It was a late summer evening and I was there on a Christian Camp. The camp is one of the oldest in Britain, based on pre-war scout camps. I was 10 years old and struggling with being bullied at school. I asked God if he would be my friend and felt him say ‘yes’. My simple childlike faith was boosted by a miracle in the following September. I started a new year and found some friends!

“I have always had the childlike foundation of knowing that God cares about the personal, little and seemingly insignificant things of our lives”

Over the past 16 years since I first made that decision, my faith has had it’s ups and downs. I’ve spent time being angry and rebellious. I’ve tried to ignore God and walk away from him. However, slowly and surely, God has pursued me, and our friendship has grown, developed and deepened. No matter how theological or complicated things have got over the years, one thing has stayed the same. I have always had the childlike foundation of knowing that God cares about the personal, little and seemingly insignificant things of our lives that I’d be too embarrassed to talk to anyone else about. I have visited that field in North Norfolk almost every summer since and it is a very special place for me.

I’m coming to Leeds this September to start training as a Vicar through St Barnabas Theological College. I will also be working at Wrangthorn Church for my placement as an ordinand.

I don’t know what I’m going to be doing yet, but I’m looking forward to the mixture of theological training at St. Barnabas and missional outreach at Wrangthorn.

“I am passionate about seeing vibrant communities engage and transform the world around them. I love seeing the historic traditional church communicated in a way that modern non Christians can understand and engage with.”

As a student at Leeds University I used to live in Hyde Park and walk past Wrangthorn every day. I remember thinking what a fantastic opportunity for God’s Kingdom it would be to run a church right in the heart of the student community. I am passionate about seeing vibrant communities engage and transform the world around them. I love seeing the historic traditional church communicated in a way that modern non-Christians can understand and engage with. I’m expecting the next three years to be challenging, exciting, interesting, tough, and a lot of fun! I expect to learn a lot and be stretched to think in new ways.

“Consistent prayer has become something I have grown to love and need.”

In some ways this reminds me of my first week as an intern at St. George’s 4 years ago. I was faced with a steep learning curve as I had difficulty operating at the same speed as the rest of the team. I was passionate and determined but completely out of my depth. I remember being amazed by how much praying the team did during the week. At one point I found myself thinking “I’ve spent more time today with my eyes closed than open!” This was my introduction to the spiritual discipline of prayer and being part of a worshiping community of faithful prayers. Consistent prayer has become something I have grown to love and need.

4 years on, I’m a bit older and hopefully more prepared, but I’m still anticipating more of that stretching and I’m excited about throwing myself in at the deep end! I have always found St. George’s to be a stimulating and formative place.

Please pray for me as I get ready to start the course and work for Wrangthorn. I’m going on retreat for the last week of August, but between now and then I will be finishing my work at Coventry Cathedral and enjoying a holiday. If you could particularly pray for good rest, and time with God, I would appreciate that.

Visit stbarnabastraining.org or find resources in the Church foyer, for more information on SBTC.

Women’s Weekend Away 2013

Women from St George’s gathered in Wensleydale for a weekend of relaxing, listening to God and getting to know each other better. Lisa Woodlock led a small team to organise the weekend; Mary Clark led a short teaching programme on Faith, looking at the book of Hebrews.

Here are some reflections from some of the women who enjoyed the weekend:

 

 

What was your highlight of the weekend?

“Laughing in the spirit on the Saturday night. I just wanted to stay in a place of worship all night.” Sally

“The impromptu harmonies during Sunday worship when we were encouraged to sing and create a new song for the Lord.” Sam

Did you value the time away?

“It was a wonderful respite to regain perspective on what I had been investing my time and energy on. It was great to get to know more women in the church that I had never had the chance to get to know before.” Sam

“It was time to get to know a few new people and to spend quality time with good friends who I don’t get a lot of time to talk with. I had time to reflect on life and the things I am doing.” Claire

 

Where was God working?

“It was amazing and so encouraging to hear so many stories. So many strong women who keep loving and praising God through the hard times they have had. Gripped in Grace.” Sam

“About some things that had hit me since getting back from my recent holidays, learning about trust and walking in true faith.” Claire

“There was an amazing openness to God, which prompted lots of people to be real and make themselves vulnerable. This then allowed others to let go. Instead of living in our own little bubbles we journeyed together for the weekend.” Sally

Has the weekend made an impact on the way you Share Life, Love Leeds? 

“Yes, realising that although some people I  don’t see very often but can still connect with and continue those relationships where they left off.” Claire

“Yes, I’ve been much more chilled out this week. I scrapped my planned session for small group and just went with what seemed important. I’ve scrapped the lists of jobs and spent time with God and people instead.” Sally

Find out more about Women’s Ministry events at St George’s on our website.

Meet the Interns: Alice

“God is faithful and even in the aspects of my year that have been a struggle, and in the times when life has been difficult, he is always there.”

Alice Simpson is an intern on the Student Team and runs the Central Student Network.  Approaching the end of her internship, Alice shares her experience with us.

What has your internship involved?

It has involved two areas this year, firstly on the student team I have been leading a student Network, mentoring and speaking. The other area is design where I have worked on projects from Explorers to Academy of Life and working out how we can use design to communicate our vision.

Where have you seen God working?

God has done so much this year! I have seen God grow so many of the students in faith and as disciples. Looking back (now that term has ended) it’s amazing to see the difference in so many people, and also the real strength of community between the student networks.  It’s incredible to think that at the start of the year these communities, where people are growing and supporting one another, didn’t exist.

God is faithful and even in the aspects of my year that have been a struggle, and in the times when life has been difficult, he is always there. I think what I have seen God do in me in this year can be summed up in Exodus 33:14; God says to Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

“God invites us to join in with this incredible journey and all we need to do is trust him.”

What have you learned this year?

This year I’ve learned heaps of theology, lots about myself and had the chance to think through some really tough issues. But I think the main thing that God has taught me is just that he is faithful. It can pretty much be summed up by this (brilliant) scene from Aladdin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkwMEwenaQQ. God invites us to join in with this incredible journey and all we need to do is trust him. A lot of what God has been teaching me this year is that he has already earned my trust a million times over.

What is next for you?

I love Leeds and am trying my best to stay here; I’d really love to get stuck into a design role. I’m busy applying for jobs at the moment, so prayers for that would be massively appreciated!

Why would you recommend the internship to others?

I think that when you specifically give God all of your time for a year, he doesn’t waste that. I’d say that you will leave the internship changed, knowing yourself better and knowing more of God.

To find out more information about the internship at St George’s visit our website. Or read other stories from this years interns; Millie, Lizzy, Christina, Philippa.