SteveandGill.com: May 2006

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Please leave your messages of condolence here

Hi all

No she isn't dead, Gill has a bad back and is flat out on our sofa. Pray she is up for the meeting tonight. All prayers welcome for her tonight during the meeting.

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for exercise to help or you'd like to leave a word of encouragement for those in pain, please feel free to do so here.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Definitely NOTCATHERINEZETA

yep
we sure had high hopes this weekend and God delivered, well sort of. Everyone who came to the Cheese and Wine and the Da Vinci Code discussion group, came to church on Sunday and we had real fun with puppets, songs and cartoon clips. The message was pretty good too.

sorry the pics are blurred

Cheese and wine evening

Sarah, Christine & Lee (&Emily!!!!!) waiting for the crowds to arrive

Sunday morning during the puppet show - we felt a bit fuzzy!¬!!!!!

Jeff, outside with some of the kids

and finally this little prayer from our lovely Madame

Jesus, fank you for today, and we went to church and dair wa puppets dair and we had food wiv Jew and Steve and Sawah and Lee and I did chatted wiv Steve and he was silly and Jew did take lots of his chips and he did have to take more from the bowl. Amen

Just in case you didn't realise this picture is definitely YES NotCathrineZeta (if you know what I mean) www.rebeccahelen.co.uk

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Cheese and Wine Evening

At i61 this Friday, 26th May at 6pm

Come along for a chance to get to know us and our talented team. Hear a very short presentation by Jeff and Steve about our plans for the summer work with our local community, families, young people and children.

We’d like to hear from you too! What do you feel, we can offer you?

Bring the kids. Christine will be doing some craft work with them

Will you be be coming? Leave a Yes, if you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then tell us which cheese and wine you like, Oh! and a bring a friend

See you there - location Bryn Morfa Caravan Park, Conwy

Saturday, May 20, 2006

The Story of i61 Church

Some people, when they heard the news of i61 have been asking us,
How did i61 come about?
Isn't this a bit sudden?
What's the story?
Why did you leave PDBC?
Is it a plant of PDBC?
Is there still relationship between you and PDBC?

What will happen to Prayer Week?

So this blog entry is dedicated to answer a few of those questions......
here's the story....

Almost a year ago now, We felt that God was calling us to something new.
God began to speak to us about the need to reach people that are spiritually lost, the hurting, broken, lonely, broken families, abused desperate people in our society.
Now you may say well isn't that every Christian's aim? Yes it is,
But the reality of it is that the people who need to find answers to their spirituality questions, are generally not looking to the church for answers. They think we're not relevant!

So we did some behind the scenes research and asked people we knew, why they didn't come to church, what was it that put them off, and if they had come once or twice, why didn't they return? The answers we got opened our eyes!
They thought church was full of weird people, that want to hug you all the time, that wasn't the norm in the world. They didn't know what to expect, sometimes wacky things happened, it's a bit scary when you don't understand it. There was no structure to it.
The Christians used words that only they knew the meaning of: 'redemption' 'sanctification' 'atonement' and stuff like that.
The sermons were long and full of scriptures that only made sense to people who knew their Bibles really well. It was boring.
Never-ending singing, never-ending sermons!

We then asked Christians we knew, like ourselves, why they didn't invite their friends and neighbours to church..... We got the same answers! They didn't know what to expect, would it be cringy, wacky weird, boring or simply too long for them, and would they be able to face them in the street or at work the next day if they didn't like it!
The truth was we were all a little embarassed.....

We came to the conclusion that Church was a place that was very comfortable for church-going Christians. We had got things just how we liked them!
The only people who were attracted to us were people just like us!

So we felt that God was calling us to change, to create a church that was totally aimed at the un-churched on a Sunday morning, with lively contemporary worship, short relevant messages, using drama, multi-media presentations, the best of the modern day technology, aiming for excellence in all we do.
A church where we could happily bring our un-churched friends to without any cringe-factor.
A church that connects with the local community in practical helpful ways.

So with this call and vision in our hearts, we knew that our church, PDBC was looking for a new Pastor. We felt that God was saying to put our names forward for the roles of joint Pastors.
This was a long lengthy process of Elders and Deacons meetings lasting seven months, followed by Church members meetings to discuss the possible problems with this, i.e. it would mean one of the Pastors being a woman, (is it Biblical?) Both of us never having had formal training, although twelve years in the church mostly in positions of leadership, teaching and preaching etc.
But was that enough?
Also part of our vision would mean returning to the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4, and building a team of leaders for the ministry.
So that would need Pastors with a strong gift of leadership to build up the body for this 'new' style of ministry, so would that be acceptable to the members?
No longer just the 'one-man-band' type pastor......
Do we really want or need to change as a church? Are we not okay as we are?
The leadership and the church had all these things to consider.

In the meantime we began to preach on our vision to the church, it would mean that we would all be more involved in being the church in our town, and some of the ways we do things would have to change. For many it involved a change of mindset to change from 'doing' church to 'being' church!
We began to teach on giftings and encourage the development of the Spiritual gifts in people. PDBC had no lack of spiritual gifts, we were well equipped!

Eventually last March the church voted on this, as is the Baptist way.
The vote went 60/40 in our favour.
Unfortunately this was not a high enough percentage for us to be called by the church to be their new Pastors.

Many of the above reasons being given by the 40% for their 'no' decision.
Of the 60%, some thought, Oh well back to the drawing board lets start again....
But the majority were extremely hurt and disappointed with the result. They were fully supportive of us and the vision God had given to us. They were excited to get on with it!
They loved us and we loved them in return. We were grieving together....
Our hearts were breaking for them.... God had really given us the heart of the pastor.

We have been in PDBC for over twelve years, we became Christians there, baptised there and grew up in our faith there. We have many many true friends whom we love dearly as our own family. Even some who we know voted against us, we undertstand their reasons....
So the decision we now had to make was the most difficult of our Christian life.....

Do we stay and let the vision die, or do we go and chase the dream?

Well as you know, the choice was made, with much prayer, soul searching and tears... We left.

God had said to us a while back, "I want you to use what I've given to you to build My church"
In our human understanding we couldn't see beyond PDBC, so now we had to re-think those words, what do we have? what is in you hand?
Well we have our home, and we have our business, a caravan park with a club house....

So voila - i61 was born, a church in a pub!
We are non-denominational, but firmly founded in Christian beliefs......
We are a group of Christians all working together for the same vision.
On sundays we meet at Bryn Morfa Club Bar in Conwy. Our aim is to minister to the un-churched, our priority on Sundays is not ourselves and what we want.
Our aim at these meetings is to connect with new people to make them welcome, make them feel valued, and to give them the space and time they need to find Jesus for themselves in a comfortable, friendly enviroment, even if for some that is over a pint of Lager and a bag of Pork Scratchings!!!! Sunday are for reaching out to others.
We want to do events for all ages that will create a community spirit in the town and region once again. To break down walls of suspicion and fear.
And we have an amazingly talented team who are eager to do this.
Our childrens pastors are totally awesome, their energy and ideas are endless,
we have kids clubs during the message times and funny sketches that the adults love as much as the kids!!

i61 is growing slowly, every week we have new faces, and every week we're talking to people who need to hear Good News... and we're caring for people who need to know someone cares, "People don't care what you know, until they know that you care!"
We meet at i61 ( The club bar, at Bryn Morfa) every Sunday at 11am, the meeting last approximately 1 hour.

We have no Sunday evening meeting on purpose, because we encourage the afternoons to be given over to family time, we encourage hospitality, invite someone new for Sunday lunch.
We find with no one under pressure to be back at church at a certain time, afternoons often carrying on to the evenings. Sunday BBQ's at our house are a popular time and can last for 5 hours or more. We believe that this is part of 'being' church. Sharing what we have with anyone.

On Wednesday evenings we have a meeting at our house aimed at the Christians who are ready to mature in their faith, called 'Deeper'
This is a time for ourselves to grow together. A time of hanging out, drinking tea, eating biscuits, talking, building relationships. A time for going deeper in worship and the Word.
We meet 7.30 for 8pm every week.

So to put it in a nutshell, on Wednesdays we fill up and on Sundays we give out!

This is a new way of doing things for us and we must admit to being challenged and stretched by God in every area. He has us doing things we would never of dreamt we'd be doing just a year ago..... But it is so so good, we're loving it!

So was it's God's will to do this at PDBC ? or did we get it wrong?
Did He want us to start i61 in the first place?
Did He simply know that it would take a bomb blast to get us to leave!!!??
Time will tell....

We have a sadness in our hearts for our friends still at PDBC, because we miss them, but we know that God will find the right Pastor for them and He has great plans for the future of the church in Colwyn Bay. We pray abundant blessings for them.
PDBC will always hold a special place in our hearts, it was the place we were born and grew up in our Christian life, when we go back it feels like going home. We get a fantastic welcome!
Overall our relationship is extremely good, of course there are some that are not happy with our decision to leave, and some who were happy to see us go! But they are a small minority.
They are still our family, we are one Body in Christ. We love them, pray for them and we know that they do for us....

As for Prayer Week, nothing is changed whether it remains at PDBC or comes to i61
It is an international ministry of the world wide church, it has always been what you make it and Christians throughout the world have made it something powerful for God.
When Christians unite together in prayer in such numbers, we are fulfilling the prayer of Jesus that we may be one as He and the Father are One. So that the world will know.......(John 17)

We believe that we are on the threshold of a mighty harvest of souls, and as is often the case we are the answers to our own prayers......
Jesus said, Go into all the world and make disciples....
The world begins on our own doorstep.

www.i61.org

It's Going To Be Alright!

. . .You love me! You are holding my right hand!
You will keep on guiding me all my life
with Your wisdom and counsel . . .
Psalm 73:23-24

Two sons! What fun! Fun mixed randomly with good-sized helpings of fear or frustration, some tears or dismay, definitely joy, always amazement—and other varied emotions! They learned from some wise person that if you would just smile and kiss your mum she’d forget a lot of things. And you know, when they were little it was pretty simple to quiet their fears and assure them that it would “stop hurting in a little while.” It was simply amazing what a new Hot Wheels car, an ice cream, a coke, or a trip to the pier could do! They held onto me and I could snuggle them on my lap and nuzzle my chin in their spiky hair cut. It was very fulfilling to have someone love me and trust me so much—to hold tightly to my hand and believe me when I said, “It’s going to be all right.”

And then something happened: They got too big for my lap and their pain was too deep to promise them that they would “stop hurting in a little while.” The ice cream and Hot Wheels cars lost their therapeutic value. I couldn’t make the hurts go away any more—but Steve and I had introduced them to Someone who would step in and take our place.

Then, when they grew up and they’re too big to sit on my lap, they still have Someone who will say to them, “Come over here and sit down by Me and let’s talk about what’s hurting. It’s going to be all right.”

I remember how happy I felt when my boys needed me, came to me, and listened as I held them and tried to sooth the hurt. And you know, I believe it’s very precious to the Lord to have someone who needs Him, who loves Him, and trusts Him so completely that when He says, “It’s going to be all right,”—We believe Him.

....................... My Little Boys and me!

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Laughter is Good Medicine!

A Priest, a Pentecostal Preacher and a Rabbi all served as chaplains to the students of the University of Georgia in Athens.They would get together two or three times a week at the Varsity for coffee and to talk shop.

One day, someone made the comment that preaching to people isn't really all that hard. A real challenge would be to preach to a bear. One thing led to another and they decided to do an experiment. They would all go out into the woods, find a bear, preach to it, and attempt to convert it.

Seven days later, they're all together to discuss the "experience". Father Flannery, who has his arm in a sling, is on crutches, and has various bandages, goes first. "Well," he says, "I went into the woods to find me a bear. And when I found him I began to read to him from the Catechism. Well, that bear wanted nothing to do with me and began to slap me around. So I quickly grabbed my holy water, sprinkled him and said, "Holy Mary Mother of God". He became as gentle a lamb. The bishop is coming out next week to give him first communion and confirmation."

Reverend Billy Bob spoke next. He was in a wheelchair, with an arm and both legs in casts, and an IV drip. In his best fire and brimstone oratory he claimed, " WELL brothers, you KNOW that we don't sprinkle! I went out and I found me a bear. And then I began to read to my bear from God's Holy Word! But that bear wanted nothing to do with me.
So I took hold of him and we began to wrestle. We wrestled down one hill, up another and down another until we came to a creek. So I quickly dunked him and baptized his hairy soul. And just like you said, he became as gentle as a lamb. We spent the rest of the day praising Jesus".

They both looked down at the Rabbi, who was lying in a hospital bed. He was in a body cast and traction with IV's and monitors running in and out of him. He was in bad shape.
Rabbi Lipschitz looked up and struggled to speak to the others.
"Looking back on it, circumcision may not have been the best way to start things out"

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Don't Accessorize GOD!!!

Now either you have God at the centre of your life, or you don't.

But one thing you cannot do is ACCESSORIZE God.

You can't wear him like a pretty hat and hope it makes you look better. You can't adorn a bracelet or two, ear-rings or a few rings on your fingers and hope people don't look at the real you.

You can't have God as an added extra and think it's enough in your life. "Well, I'll make him fit into what I want, when I want it"

No, with God, you either make him the all and everything or he's not in your life. Don't kid yourself, don't think you're kidding anyone else and you sure aren't kidding GOD. He knows all that is in your heart and everything you have ever done and will ever do.

Ask God to come in and be in the centre of your life. That's why He gave you Jesus, so you could accept him, what He did on the cross, why He did it and live life to the full.

Where do you have God in your life?

Are you trying to make yourself look 'perrtie' or do you accept who and what you are and talk every day to Him. Walk the way He did when He was on earth and endeavour to seek what He wants from you in your life.

Let's be honest, without God, life just isn't pretty!!!!!!

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Mental??

This has been the most 'Mental' week ever. If you labelled all the boxes in my head this is what they would read

Prayer Week - 'i61' - work - 5,000 people at the N.E.C. Birmingham - climbing mountains to pray - pick up Alex & Tara- drop off Jonathan - Godfrey - hotels - tickets - Da Vinci Code - ahhhhhhh !!!!!!

UCB - Radio - TV - Meetings - chat - sleep (not much) - Do you ever feel mental????

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

They're coming home, they're coming home...

Hey! guess what? they're coming home....
for the first time in a long long time my family is gonna be in the same country at the same time
I'm sooooo happy :D
By the way i have some great kids, just in case you didn't know..... i'm blessed!
come and meet them, you'll love 'em too!

Monday, May 08, 2006

A Mountain Top Experience

Yes here we were at 8am this morning - Having a Mountain top experience - in Prayer

Matthew 18:20 For where two or more come together in my name, there am I with them"

We prayed over the new church - i61 - over the local housing estates - the local school - over the town and locality.

We prayed with a passion! (I was taking the pictures)

Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

We will be in this spot every morning this week
at 8am - Please do come and join us

Saturday, May 06, 2006

UCB Word for Today

Give us more pioneers!

THERE'S SO MUCH MORE. LET'S GET ON WITH IT!' HEBREWS 6:3

Settlers are important. They bring order and stability.
But without pioneers we'll go no further. Pioneers bring change, and change is unsettling. But that's the price of progress. Henry Ford said, 'I'm looking for people with an infinite capacity for not knowing what can't be done.' In 1920, Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize winner, said, 'There is no likelihood that man will ever tap the power of the atom.' In 1943, Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, said, 'I think there is a world market for no more than five computers.' Wow! Rather than being concerned about what our most gifted people will come up with next, our greatest fear should be that they won't be given the chance to do it. We mustn't allow our policies and procedures to stifle God-given vision! The Bible is full of non-conformists like Deborah, Elijah, Esther and Paul, who challenged the established order, refused to settle for less than God's best, and left us an example to follow. Want to encourage our pioneers? Give them a longer tether; they need space to soar. Put them in charge of something they can really 'own.' Listen to their ideas and give them time to grow. Leave them alone and allow them to blossom. Want to kill our pioneers? Have as many layers of management as possible for decisions to have to travel through. Keep looking over their shoulders. Make your policy manual very thick. Control all-important decisions at the top. Send everything to committees for deliberation. Make them wait months for decisions that affect them. Put them on a team of small thinking bureaucrats.

Prayer Week 2006

Matthew 6:4 (ANIV) so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Only God really knows how much we put into preparing Prayer Week and that's the way it should be. It never ceases to amaze us how imaginative Christians are in the place of Prayer. It's totally awesome.

Only God knows how many people join in prayer through this simple vision He gave us 7 years ago.

Only God hears EVERY prayer - isn't that wonderful??

Only God can answer each prayer as he sees fit.

Only God can make a difference

& only in prayer can we make a difference

Let's pray
"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, [10] your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us today our daily bread. [12] Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' [14] For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Something Incredible is Happening around us!!

1How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!
2It's like costly anointing oil
flowing down head and beard,
Flowing down Aaron's beard,
flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.
3It's like the dew on Mount Hermon
flowing down the slopes of Zion.
Yes, that's where GOD commands the blessing,
ordains eternal life.

What does Unity look like?
If you could reach out and touch it, what would it feel like?

We all know it's what God calls us to, encourages us to believe for and we constantly have faith to believe that one day we will see it among a group of us.

In the Dictionary it declares 'Unity' thus

The state or quality of being one; singleness.
The state or quality of being in accord; harmony.

Sounds easy enough and yet, each time we seem to get close, each time we actually reach out to touch it, along comes someone who BLOWS it all up in your face.

Well I have seen it, touched it, felt it and it has warmed my heart, through to my very soul. Around us have gathered a group of like minded, like purposed, like driven, compatible, similar, of one heart, of one accord, in unison, and in complete agreement group of people - I have ever had the priviledge of knowing.

Now, if you knew me before this time, don't go all hyper-active on me. It doesn't mean I didn't have a like minded person or two, or three around me, but this is different.
It's everyone and it's wonderful.

Okay, now I have declared it, this comes to my mind.

Zechariah 4

6 "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

7 "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground (a plain NASB) . Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!' "

SteveandGill.com