|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this Letter: Summer report Reports from: • Gelding News about • Mark Greenwood
Go For It Many of you will remember I produced a video a few years ago to help people learn to share their faith, called Go For it. Well this four session course is now available on DVD. If your home group or church would like to develop their faith sharing skills a copy can be purchased from the office for only £17.50 (+ P & P). This comes with a workbook that helps you work through each session. Extra workbooks can be ordered at 50p per copy (+P & P).
Forty Three Trust Family News Congratulations to Mark and Emma Greenwood on the safe arrival of their daughter Robin. She was born on 30 April weighing in at 7lb 9oz. Please pray for them as they settle into family life together. Welcome to Lisa Howard our new admin assistant. Lisa lives in Coventry and is married to Richard, they have two children, Oliver (8) and Jonathan (6). Please pray for Lisa as she settles into office life.
In the next letter Reports from • Overslade • Harrogate • Manchester • Whitby • Ian's Sabbatical
|
Summer 2005 Our dear praying friend, I passed my Latin O-level exam at the third (yes, third) attempt: so I've always had a soft spot for that dead language. And there it was in The Times, this May. ' Non nobis, Domine ' (Not unto us, O Lord). I had even sung those words in the school choir. Ah, nostalgia! The paper had reprinted its edition of May 8, 1945, Victory in Europe Day. The then editor had written these words at the end of his leader column: "George the Sixth goes to St. Paul's Cathedral on Sunday to render thanks on behalf of all his peoples to the only giver of victory. Non nobis, Domine. ' Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the praise: for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth's sake'." I don't expect I read it at the time, aged one. But what a remarkable thing for a secular newspaper to write, giving God all the glory for victory in war. Sixty years on, we need to get back to our roots in God and his "loving mercy". And just to prove my Latin has not been wasted, here is a very educated set of headings for this letter...... AVE ATQUE VALE (HAIL AND FAREWELL)
Of course, there are financial implications and concerns as we make these forward moves, as I am sure you will understand. Please will you stand will us in praying that the extra funds we need will be forthcoming? If that gives you a nudge as well-then praise the Lord! In the office, we have recently welcomed Lisa Howard as our secretary, whilst saying farewell to Sue Pratt, who has moved into full-time work. Two of our Associate Evangelists, Mark Brown and David Lopez, are also moving on, with our blessing and prayers. All these changes are being made in the happiest of atmospheres, and we thank God for old and new colleagues. Please pray for them all. LAUDATE DOMINUM (PRAISE THE LORD) The beginning of Psalm 150 says how we feel about 2005. The year so far On their Gelding Mission, Di Newhouse and Mark Brown, together with the Bishop of Southwell, gave away 2000 ring doughnuts at a huge car-boot sale, asking people, "Is there an emptiness at the centre of your life?" There were over 50 events, with good responses. When Di told the annual Mothers' Union breakfast how precious and valuable we are, one woman trusted Christ as she said, "I've never heard anything like that before". Mark Greenwood had a great youth Mission in Malvern. Every school assembly received a spontaneous ovation. Literally thousands of school pupils heard the message of Jesus Christ over the week, with more than a dozen responding at a special event one evening. Mark and his team have been invited back for 2006.
Dave McKay and I went to St George's Barnsley for a St George Celebration weekend in April, where I spoke 12 times in 48 hours - just like old times! We did everything from a tea-dance to a quiz night in a pub, from an open air to a children's afternoon, an all-age service, a marriage celebration and a healing service. Among those who gave their lives to Jesus were a father, mother and son in one family. Many came forward for healing as Dave and others prayed for them. Several long conversations took place to help people move forward with God - a 'hidden' work where we value your prayer for great wisdom. And what blessings we saw in Doncaster. Among the nearly fifty who responded was one man who, according to his Christian wife, "would never darken the door of a church", but came to the men's breakfast and, afterwards, asked for a leaflet. One of the ministers (there were four churches involved) said to me, "You had a brilliant evening with the young people". "It went OK", I replied. "Well, my daughter was one of those who responded - so it was brilliant!" At the united Pentecost service, the lady who read the lesson was the churchwarden: she had trusted Christ at our previous mission in 1986 - "fruit that lasts". What a joy! The following two days also saw real blessings and response in Eastbourne , where elderly and bereaved folk found help in Jesus. So we praise God for very many blessings as we have shared the Good News of Jesus. We have witnessed conversions and healings. At one service in Coventry people spoke of 'seeing' the Holy Spirit hovering over the congregation, as some trusted Christ and another was healed. Laudate Dominum indeed! The rest of the year Three things to mention here: Weekends. These can often be as profitable spiritually as full Missions. Please pray for God to do a great work where you see them in the Diary. Visits. I have included three specific visits to see Bishops during September to show the opportunities I get outside my 'speaking events'. The Diary will fill with more during the Autumn - thank you for praying on 'blank' days. Kenya . John Price and I are back for a very special time in December. We will be preaching and teaching throughout the Bungoma Diocese. Two very important things will happen during our visit, for your earnest prayers. My son Jon raised a very large sum of money when he completed the London Marathon last year. Bishop Eluid is to build a suite of rooms, with the money raised, for those attending his Conference Centre. These rooms will be named after Jon, who is coming out with us to lay the foundation stone: please pray for Jon to be blessed and for the rooms to be a blessing. Secondly, to my great surprise, Bishop Eluid has said he intends to ordain me. I have the full support and encouragement of two of your fellow prayer partners - Bishop Colin of Coventry and Archbishop Rowan of Canterbury - so I take this major step with humility and the need for God's grace. They sing at ordinations in England a hymn from the 9 th Century Latin, Veni Creator Spiritus - 'Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire'. I am delighted my wife, Ruth, is also coming to Webuye Cathedral for Sunday 4 December. Please pray for me - for us - on that unique morning. Of course, we will not be living there - I'll still be Director of the 40:3 Trust living in Coventry. VICTOR LUDORUM We had some wonderful, dreadful, corny and cheeky entries to the 'Ian and the Camel' caption competition. Inevitably there were several which referred to 'the eye of a needle'. Others spoke of burdens being lifted, whilst Derek Millington from the Wirral came close with, "I met a camel with three humps, called Humphrey" (work it out). But the winner, for that little extra bit of lateral thinking, was from Maureen Irwin of Eastbourne. She had the camel asking me, "Who are you, disturbing my sabbatical?" Rather clever, personal and appropriate - well done! It was good to hear from all entrants. A final Latin phrase for you: Pax vobiscum : 'Peace be with you'. You are special to our Heavenly Father and special to us. We had a Mission once which was called 'Autumn Gold'. May the gold of God's peace be yours this Autumn. With love from us all in the team, old and new,
Home | About The 40:3 Trust | Evangelism Diary | Evangelism Prayer Letter | How Can We Help You? | How Can You Help The 40:3 Trust | Contact Us | Evangelism Products
|
There are some very big and exciting developments here at the 40:3 Trust. We are thrilled to bits that, on October 1 st , Mark Greenwood will join us as a full-time staff evangelist. Mark is one of the finest young evangelists around today. His 'Goings Trust' will merge with ours, bringing on board two new Trustees, Adam Carver and Phil Starbuck. Martyn Leigh will also join the Trustees. We say a huge 'thank-you' to three retiring Trustees, Andy Barker, Dave McKay and Ian Jarvis, who have helped steer us through our life so far - Ian Jarvis helped found the Trust in 1986. 
The Mission to Bury, where the team included our website designer David Crout, Sylvia Johnson, Mark Greenwood and me saw over 50 people respond to Christ. One elderly lady prayed to trust Christ at the Ladies Fellowship when Sylvia spoke. She told Sylvia, "When you were speaking I felt tears coming into my eyes. You see, I never really knew before. It's just such a relief!" The Methodist Church called its Mission 'Come and See', and many did. There was a huge variety of meetings, including the 'African Evening' when Sylvia and I dressed in our Ugandan and Nigèrian outfits and an African group from Bolton led singing and provided African food. We left a church fired-up to continue their excellent outreach. We had seen blessings in retirement homes, among the schools and young people and at a special service for those who were bereaved. We even learned to line-dance! 
