Hello! I have enjoyed a quiet few days at the end of August – it’s been the first slower-paced week in a while, so a great chance to catch up on some admin, both ECCP and personal – which tends to get organised last. Putting things in order every so often is important for my overall sense of sanity!
A ‘sort-out’ theme has continued at the office - creatively making room in a small space for more team members who have arrived or are arriving soon. It has been very encouraging to see God leading new people to join us. Facing the challenge of the premises situation we have been praying to find God’s perspective on what is happening and how to move forward. He spoke to us clearly about two areas - that the project is the people not the premises, and that we are in a time of the tent (like the time during the reign of King David when the ark of the covenant did not yet have a permanent home). This has had several points of application, one of them being that we need to be flexible! So we are exploring various options for both temporary and more permanent space when we need to move out of this building, which looks likely to be early 2010. Please pray for the right opportunities to open up.
Throughout the past year my involvement in counselling has increased and I have topped up my training with a couple of day seminars focusing on specific topics. I must do a case study in order to complete the requirements for the next level of Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC) qualification, but it is difficult to find the time for tasks like this in the middle of the routine things that must happen in order for the project to function. However counselling is a skill that I can use in different ministry contexts both now and in the future, so it’s something that I would like to invest in. Please pray that I can prioritise and delegate well to enable me to make space to work on the case study.
Nancy and I have been leading the Women’s Drop-In together since she arrived last autumn (picture above). We have had a steady flow of volunteers to assist in running the group, but we would love to form a larger and more consistent long-term team that can share the responsibility for the pastoral care of the women. We are also in need of ideas and inspiration for the reflective and creative activities! Please pray for us as we share Jesus with the ladies, that as they encounter Him they can find healing in their different situations.
At the beginning of the month we had a lively 10 days hosting an outreach team of 14 – 18 year olds from Touch The World UK. With their help we were able to run a summer party at the Coffee Bar, including a BBQ with the team sharing testimonies and dramas (picture below). We are always hugely encouraged to have the support of visiting teams – it brings some variety and inspiration into our regular routine, and enables us to run these one-off events.
At church things have been quieter – in the spring I stepped down from leading one of the youth groups. It seemed the right moment to take a break – I felt my energy needed to be more focused into responsibilities at the ECCP. God spoke into a season of relationships – strengthening foundations with Him, and also more time for people in my life not just activities. This has included highlighting areas that I need to allow God to work on - particularly learning more about the grace He has for my weaknesses, and in turn growing in grace towards others instead of slipping into criticism and judgement. There have been plenty of opportunities for me to practise all this!
On a personal note, in the last couple of months I have had some fun/action at a wedding in Switzerland, ‘doing London’ with some friends, and five days in St. Ives with (almost all) the family. I still have holiday weeks to take and a list of potential things to do, but haven’t organised anything yet. However I am taking seriously the need for a good rhythm of work, rest, ministry, fun… so it is definitely a priority to get it sorted!
Thank you for taking the time to read this - your friendship and support is much appreciated.
Love
Rebecca
