HOUSE UPDATE MAGAZINE - THE REVIVAL ISSUE by janinavictoriadesign

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HOUSE UPDATE

U P DAT E S, STO R I E S & E V E N T S

T H E R E V I VA L I S SU E

Leaders’ Lab with Gary Clarke

Tony’s Story

From drumsticks to dancefloor

Ask Ana

Life and leadership keys about the essentiality of excellence and why to apply it to every area of our lives.

Between foster care and prison cells, Tony shares how he found God at rock bottom.

We gain insight into Elijah’s story and how attending AMP impacted his life.

From leadership to business, get to know Ana Loback – our resident psychologist.

H ILLSO N G U K

H O U S E U P DAT E

E D ITO R I N C H I E F Dan Blythe | C R E ATI V E D IR EC TO R + E X EC UTI V E PRO D U C E R Janina Victoria | PRO D U C E R Lloyda Lawson | PRO D U C TI O N AS S I S TA NT Alexia Demetriades | H E A D O F WR ITI N G Ellen Redman | WR ITE RS Ben Bluemel, Gary Clarke, Jess Mally, Kami Gakuru, Nicole Muza, Phoebe Ede, Ren Ramirez, Rochelle C King, Shekinah Asamaowei | D E S I G N E R S Joey Miranda, Olivia Filgate | C O PY E D ITO R S Lara Akpojiyovwi, LaToya Harding | R E S E A RC H E RS Jessica Edwards, Jobin Thadathil, May Haruna | PH OTO G R A PH E RS Maggie Paskaleva, Min Ryu, Fitria Tjandra, Preston Yoo | PR I NT PRO D U C TI O N pageprinters.co.uk

contents Hey Church, NOTICEBOARD

FIVE MINUTES WITH

LAST SEASON RECAP

time.

CHEF’S TABLE

In this first edition of House Update we’ve got all the

CONVOS WITH CATHY

TONY’S STORY

FROM DRUMSTICKS TO DANCEFLOOR

STIRRED, NOT SHAKEN

INSIGHT INTO PRODUCTION TEAM

ASK ANA

MEDIA COLLECTIVE

LEADERS’ LAB WITH GARY CLARKE

GRACIOUS COLLISION

KIDS & YXYA

VISION RESCUE

COMING UP IN 2019

WHAT’S AHEAD

Welcome to this first edition of House Update, the quarterly magazine which is designed to keep you up to date with all that’s happening in church life. Myself and Cathy are so excited for this magazine, which has been pulled together by people within the life of our church and we hope you enjoy flicking through it in your own

information you need on what’s coming up in the next few months of the year. We have some great insights into people in our church and the amazing things that they are doing – to find out more have a read of Tony and Celine’s stories, and be inspired about how God can use you too. We also have some other fun features such as ‘Chef’s Table’, which is designed to give you new ideas for food at your Group. We are also giving attention to a couple of our larger gatherings which are taking place over the next few months: Colour Conference, our annual women’s gathering at the SSE Arena in Wembley, and Young Leaders’ Lab, which is a gathering designed for anyone who is looking to raise up and release young leaders in any area of life. We hope you enjoy reading through this edition of House Update - looking forward to seeing you at church soon. Take care hey, Gary + Cathy

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Noticeboard What’s happening this Spring

01 EASTER SUNDAY

0 4 M E N ’ S XCC

02 KING O F HEAVEN

0 5 YO UN G L E A D E RS ’ L A B

21 April: Easter Sunday across all UK locations #CrossEqualsLove hillsong.co.uk/easter

15-18 May: Xtreme Character Challenge, Scottish Highlands A mind, body and soul adventure – an active and challenging endurance event for men, out in the wild. hillsong.co.uk/men

21 April : Easter Production, London Palladium, W1F 7LA Service Times: 11am | 1pm | 3pm | 5pm | 7pm Join us at the London Palladium for our Easter Services. hillsong.co.uk/kingofheaven

1 June: The Warehouse Project, London SE16 3LP A day for young emerging leaders to dream of a tomorrow in the sphere of life they believe they are called to lead in. hillsong.co.uk/yll

03 C O LO UR C ONFER ENCE

0 6 CO M PA S S I O N S UN DAY

2-4 May: The SSE Arena Wembley, London Placing value upon Womenhood. hillsong.co.uk/colour

9 June: Across all UK locations On this Sunday we focus on our partnership with Compassion and how we can change the world for children and their families in Uganda. hillsong.co.uk/compassion

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Looking how to get involved? Groups

Groups happen every week and are a great place to meet people and make friends. To find a group near you, head to hillsong.co.uk/groups.

Engage

Engage is a place where you can get connected, involved and learn about who we are. It happens after every service across all our UK locations, so speak to someone on team to find out where it takes place at your location. We can’t wait to meet you! hillsong.co.uk/engage.

Team

Serving is not only a great way to meet people but it’s a huge part of making church happen week-in and week-out. There are so many teams to choose from, so to join one, head to hillsong.co.uk/ teams or chat to someone from our team in the foyer.

After-Service Hangout

Five Minutes with...Michelle “I moved to Edinburgh from Australia around 6 months ago on a working visa. Despite being a Christian for most of my life, I moved to the city without any plans to get plugged into a church. My sister had been encouraging me for a while to check out Hillsong, gently nudging me to ‘just give it a try’. So one Sunday, holding my breath with a little hesitation, I walked through the doors of church for the very first time in years. As I made my way into the building, I saw the familiar faces of a few people I’d seen on the Hillsong Edinburgh Instagram. It really put me at ease to be welcomed in by the smiles of those I recognised. When the MC asked us to turn around and say Hi to someone, one girl tapped me on the shoulder, greeting me with a warm ‘hello’. To my surprise, this didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable, but rather totally natural. I found out that like me, she also previously lived in Australia and I felt a sweet sense of nostalgia as we chatted about the sandy beaches, good coffee and sunny weather. Before having the chance to quietly slip away at the end of the service, the same girl tapped me on the shoulder and invited me to coffee during the week. I politely accepted. Admittedly, I secretly hoped that our meetup would be brief, however in-between sips of coffee, laughter and five hours of endless

chatting, I realised that unexpectedly, I’d just made my very first friend in Edinburgh. During our conversation, I joked about how when I was young I used to be a drummer. Without hesitation, she invited me along to an upcoming worship team night and with nothing to lose, I said yes. Later that night, she texted me the details of her group where herself and her friends get together once a week to eat, hang out and pray. Within the space of two short weeks, I’d already been to two Sunday services, a team night, a group and had 10 new numbers in my contact list. Despite my initial doubt, I discovered that a unique culture had been brewing – a kind and contagious culture of real people who love others and love Jesus. Because of this, making friends was easier than I could’ve hoped or expected it to be. Before I knew it, I felt completely connected to this ever-growing community of people and all I wanted to do was keep coming back. Six months later, I decided to recommit my life to Christ. As I look back, I can’t even imagine my life without church, all because of the simple kindness of one girl who mustered up the courage to reach out and tap me on the shoulder. Who knew that my story of connection could begin with just one ‘hello’?

Looking for a fun, relaxed way to meet new people at church? Then join us at one of our after-service hangouts! Chat to someone on team and they’ll let you know where it’s happening. See you there!

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Last season recap

Dating & Marriage Night with Dr Robi Sonderegger Earlier this year we had the chance to hear from the relationships expert himself â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr Robi Sonderegger. Over two evenings he shared his wisdom and knowledge about the different kinds and stages of relationships and how to be successful in them. Filled with learning and laughter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this was definitely one of our highlights.

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Heart & Soul Night Every few months our locations across the UK gather together for what we call Heart & Soul Night. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our chance to rediscover the heart and the reason behind everything we do as a church. In February, we gathered for a night of complete revival in both our individual lives and the collective impact of our church. We prayed, we worshipped, we pressed into the heart of God and left completely refreshed. As we step into our 20th year of Hillsong UK, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited to see our church, our teams and our reach go further than ever before.

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Valentine’s Party back to the 90’s

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Encounter Conference Encounter Conference was exactly what its name suggests – it was an encounter with God like never before. Earlier this year we saw thousands of youth and young adults gather in 3 locations across the country, for two days of praise, worship, ministry, entertainment and a whole lot of FUN. Over those days, we discovered what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made - our theme for the conference. In line with this theme, we released a book, Fearfully MADE. Go and grab a copy at the resource area at your location. We’re already counting down to next year’s conference – we can’t wait!

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Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table Takunda and Chef Jonny cooking together for groups

In the midst of our busy lives thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something pretty special about getting together and sharing a tasty meal. Chef Jonny, who attends our Dominion campus is a master chef with years of stellar experience under his belt. He met up with group leader from our Bermondsey campus, Takunda, to prepare a tasty, quick and fun recipe for groups to recreate together. While cooking the Green Frittata dish, Takunda shares some group highlights and kitchen disasters.

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How did your group start? I was talking to a girl in the foyer and she was saying how she was meeting so many girls that were looking for a group near where she lived but there wasn’t any nearby. Jokingly I replied, “Why don’t you start a group?” Actually, “Why don’t we start a group?” So, we started meeting up and that’s how it started.

What encouragement would you give to someone thinking about joining a group or starting a group? Do it! Getting involved in a Group and now leading one myself have honestly been two of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Getting involved in one was a first step to making our massive church feel close and intimate and intentionally getting together outside of a Sunday has grown me spiritually and practically. God has become so real to me as I’ve seen his generosity and kindness through his people and the friendships I’ve made.

Have you had any kitchen disasters? When have we not had a kitchen disaster, you mean? One time we were trying to make mini-pizzas and we bought loads of pizza bases so that everyone could bring in their favorite toppings to add on. We had around twenty-four people coming that night, so it was already going to be a bit crazy. We had thirty mini pizzas and the oven was being temperamental and couldn’t go over 160 degrees. We didn’t notice until we were about to make the pizzas. We ended up eating at ten o’clock and we stayed until midnight. It was pretty funny.

And now being able to host a space for that to take place in others lives has been game changing. As Gary always says living open and giving to others does something on the inside, where I just find myself happier and more whole.

Another memorable moment which we can simply call a disaster, happened on our second connect group. We were hosting at my friend’s house but unfortunately her electricity had stopped working earlier that day. People started arriving to the house, but all the lights were off. There was a lot of new people arriving as it was our second week. So, you can imagine the awkwardness of this first impression. Everyone finally arrived, and it was pitch black. So, we used our phones and started introducing each other with the torch lights. Luckily, one of the new members was an Electrician. Kid you not, they got up on a chair, reached out to the fuse box and on their first group night, they fixed the lighting in this house.

G RO UPS

Groups are a great way for you to find a place to belong, connect and share life with others. Whether you are new to faith or new to church, there is an incomparable sense of community and family that you will experience as you gather around a meal. To join a group near you, talk to one of the team members at your location this Sunday or fill in the form online at hillsong.co.uk/groups

What’s the best thing about your group? I think the diversity of people it brings together. The group builds relationships that are not based on looking the same, acting the same or coming from the same place. It’s something deeper than that, so that’s my favourite thing about the group. Seeing that diversity of people and the fun we have.

H O S PI TA L I T Y CO L L ECT I V E

Jonny is part of our Hospitality Collective. If you’re a chef or work in the hospitality industry, come along to one of our Collective evenings! hillsong.co.uk/hospitality

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Quinoa & black bean salad 500g 250g 1 tin 1 tin 1 2 1 50g

Rocket Quinoa, cooked Sweetcorn Cooked black beans Red onion, diced Oranges, segmented Ripe avocado, chopped Chopped coriander

Citrus dressing 1 1 2 2 tsp 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 4 tbsp

Ripe avocado Lime, zest & juiced Orange, zest & juiced Maple syrup Cumin powder Chili powder Extra virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut a piece of baking paper large enough to fill a large baking dish or a pie dish. 2. Begin preparing the quinoa by thoroughly rinsing it, then cover quinoa in a pan with water and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. 3. While the quinoa is cooking, in a large frying pan on medium to high heat, heat the rapeseed oil. Add potatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic and green chillies and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the curly kale, spring onions and sauté for a further 2 minutes and transfer to prepared baking dish. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, lemon zest and juice, chopped coriander then salt and pepper to taste. Pour over vegetables. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until centre of dish is firm. 5. While the frittata is cooking, you can make the salad, salad dressing and avocado dip. 6. Prepare salad ingredients by chopping the onion, avocado and coriander, then segmenting the oranges. Open the tin of black beans and sweetcorn, then drain and set aside. 7. Prepare the salad dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If you prefer a vinaigrette, leave out the avocado and simply whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. 8. Add all the ingredients for the avocado and sour cream dip to a food processor and purée until smooth or mash with a fork in a bowl. Serve into small bowls for later. 9. Plate the salad and serve with dressing on the side, or toss with dressing before serving. 10. Take your frittata out of the oven and enjoy with your group!

Green Frittata with Quinoa Salad Serves 8-10

Spiced green frittata 1 tsp 500g 2 12 6 250g 1 bunch 100g 24 250ml 2 100g

Rapeseed oil Baby potatoes, diced Red onions, sliced thinly Garlic cloves, finely chopped Green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped Curly kale Spring onions, finely sliced Coriander, chopped Large eggs, lightly whisked Plain unsweetened almond milk Limes, zested and juiced Parmesan, finely grated

Fine sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Crushed avocado & sour cream 4 300ml 2 1 bunch 50g

Avocados, peeled and pitted Sour cream Limes, zested and juiced Spring onions, finely sliced Chopped coriander

Fine sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

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Convos With Cathy FEATURING BENITHO AND NAOMI ONYEMBA

Convos With Cathy is an interactive podcast series which has real, raw and honest conversations with a wide range of guests from the church community. From pioneering entrepreneurs to trauma trained psychologists, presenter and lead pastor of Hillsong UK, Cathy Clarke, each week asks the burning questions we all want to ask, in a light, humorous way. In this motivating podcast, Cathy sits down with the inspiring duo, Benitho and his wife Naomi, former beauty entrepreneur, who both actively serve within the Youth Ministry at Hillsong London.

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Understanding each other’s cultures was important to their growth as a couple and as adults when addressing the uncomfortable truths as Benitho shares…

In this 50 minute long episode, the couple discusses common misconceptions about dating, breaking destructive cycles and the prejudice that can come with interracial dating. Filled with nuggets of wisdom, here are some of the highlights from their hilarious interview:

“For our wedding, my mum wanted to have this huge guest list. Africans do this thing, where they invite loads of people to their weddings. I think originally her guest list was 100 people of her own, so we had to chuck that number down a little bit. It was so hard saying no to my mum but in that moment, I needed Naomi to know that if the opportunity came, I would definitely step in and make sure she’s comfortable. I honour my mum, but I also need to make sure my wife is comfortable and her voice is being heard. And in doing so, my mum actually sat me down afterwards and said ‘well done’ - she was really proud of me for that.”

The couple met in Australia with Aussie native Naomi making the first move. Oblivious to all the signs, London-born Benitho stresses the importance of a strong friendship as a pivotal moment in their union:

The wedding day was not a day that they had envisioned as Naomi breaks down:

“We had a mutual group of friends. So we would always hang out together. One thing I found in my experience of being single in church is sometimes that when you want to hang out with someone, there is too much pressure. As a guy you’re like ‘Hey, let’s hang out!’ Grabbing a coffee, the girl (would be) looking at my life thinking; ‘Can I marry this guy? Will he be the father of my kids? How much money does he earn?’ Hanging out amongst people gave us the opportunity to get to know each other with no pressure. For me, once I saw her character and how she loved Jesus - I was all in. I knew this was the girl I wanted to be with.”

“I think you always have this idea of what your wedding is going to be like. My sad element was that my Dad wasn’t able to be there for it. My brother walked me down the aisle...we shared this beautiful moment he wore my dad’s cufflinks that he wore for his wedding. Both Ben and I don’t have our dads, we both wanted ‘Good Father’ as our wedding song - so I had this God moment - knowing that God and my father were there. It was special for both of us, because we had to learn who God as a father is.”

As feelings began to grow, so did the relationship intentions as Benitho goes on further to explain…

Now celebrating their one year anniversary as a married couple, Naomi also has some great parting advice for single women:

“I think one of the mistakes I see quite often is not being intentional with what you want from that relationship. With me and Naomi, I knew I was moving to London and where I wanted to spend the rest of my life - to build church. I had a close friend of mine who after 4 years of dating (ended his relationship) because they never discussed where they were heading. It doesn’t have to be the same specific calling but when you’re heading in the same direction, you can actually support each other. In our long distance of 6 months, it was very hard but we both knew the end destination was London. We knew what we were working towards. That gave us the passion, the consistency, the drive to not give up and believe in each other. You don’t need to have all the answers, but it’s very important to know your life is heading in the same direction.”

“You are beautiful, you are perfect. Don’t question who you are in God and don’t be hung on the moment of waiting for the right guy to come along. Focus on you and God. I know it sounds like such a cliché thing to say but when you take the focus off what you are lacking, it’s surprising how quick it just comes along by surprise and sweeps you off your feet. He will direct you, you won’t be able to question, you will have that discernment in your heart knowing that you’re making the right decision. Keep God number one in your life.”

And for the guys, Benitho says relax… “Just in general, take the pressure off yourselves. Enjoy your relationship with God and allow relationships to come in a genuine way. It’s through friendships how I met Naomi. Allow friendships to be the primary resource and foundation of any relationship. You’re building a relationship with somebody because you know who they are. And also, if you’re single, please don’t get advice from other single people.”

Benitho also delves into his challenging upbringing and the impact it left on him emotionally. Naomi talks about not being fazed by his past: “Ben was honest from day one. The past is the past. Yes, we all have family situations that you can’t escape but the man I know and the man I see is not his past and that didn’t faze me. The integrity that he holds and how he lives his life, outweighs the situation of how he grew up. I truly believe that God does amazing things. I know what Benitho has experienced, he will also want to change. Benitho now knows God and has seen what it’s like to walk with God. It wasn’t really an issue where I had to think about it - because I loved him.”

Being an interracial couple has come with it’s challenges as Naomi explains:

Don’t forget to listen to the full interview at hillsong.co.uk/convos Here you will also find other inspiring podcasts and stories! To join the conversation, follow us on social media using the hashtag #convoswithcathy!

“I maybe cried when it first started. I was just like why is this something? Like now, I don’t even notice half the people looking at us, because it started to just become something I don’t focus on. Let them look, but I’m not going to notice it. I had to be honest about it to Ben, because it was affecting me in a way and dampening our relationship in a greater way than it needed to.”

SOME STORIES ARE POWERFUL REMINDERS THAT TRANSFORMATION IS MORE THAN AN IDEA IMAGINED OR A PROMISE HOPED FOR. FOR PERSONAL TRAINER, TONY MARSH, TRANSFORMATION IS A TANGIBLE REALITY AND A TESTIMONY PROUDLY TOLD. BORN AND RAISED IN LONDON, TONY GREW UP IN AND OUT OF THE CARE SYSTEM. IN PURSUIT OF ESCAPING THE ACHES AND PAINS OF LONELINESS, HE WALKED FROM A YOUNG AGE THROUGH THE AVENUES OF CRIME, BULLYING, DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO A SENTENCE OF LIFE BEHIND BARS.

Tony’s story

“FROM A POSTURE OF BROKENNESS TO A PLACE OF FREEDOM, I KNOW THAT I’M STANDING HERE BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND THIS IS THE STAMP ON MY STORY.”

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TONY MARSH

Between foster care and prison cells, Tony shares how he found God at rock bottom.

TONY RECALLS HOW THROUGH THE EVER-CHALLENGING EBB AND FLOW OF HIS STORY, THE GRACE OF GOD BROUGHT HIM THROUGH HIS DARKEST AND MOST DIFFICULT OF DAYS. THE NARRATIVE OF HIS STORY ONCE CHARACTERISED BY CRIME AND PRESSED BY PAIN, NOW MARKED BY SOMETHING FAR GREATER. HIS TESTIMONY REMINDS US OF THE STRENGTH IN SURRENDER AND THE FREEDOM TO BE FOUND IN THE MOMENTS OUR KNEES HIT THE GROUND.

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“I grew up from a young age without a mum. I had a dad but my mum left when I was only 6 months old. As a result, this then took me through the care system. My first core memory is of when I was around 6 or 7 years old. I was sat in my bedroom and remember feeling a deep sense of loneliness, never truly feeling like I fitted in and struggling to understand why all of the other children had visits from their families, but I didn’t”. Feelings of unworthiness and isolation became an allencompassing aspect of life. In the absence of connection, he began searching for a sense of belonging. “By the age of 8 years old, I was sniffing deodorants and glue which later lead to taking harder drugs and drinking a lot. This feeling of being alone overpowered me to the point where I started committing crimes. Back in the day, I used to steal money from 1p bubble gum machines. I quickly got addicted to this feeling and began stealing car stereos. For a brief moment, the hole in the depths of my stomach would leave me and I’d be caught up in anxiety and fear, almost enjoying the sensation that it gave me. The truth is, I was always yearning for something more and I can really see that now”. Moving from every pillar to post, Tony quickly became familiar with an ever-changing way of life. The rebellion of his youth resulted in him being sent to live in different children’s homes, foster homes and retention centres across the city. “I remember my carers trying to get me to go to school but I just wouldn’t go. I was always running away and really believed that I couldn’t read or write. I also noticed that many of the children who were bullied were the ones who cried or the ones who spoke too much so I became pretty reserved and angry. I took up boxing and began fighting a lot. This meant that in order to cope with bullying, I became the bully”.

that I took the resentment and hurt that I’d been harbouring for so long and just exploded. I got into a bad fight at a pub and with the evidence stacking against me, I pleaded guilty and was eventually sentenced to life in prison”.

Beneath the surface of a tough exterior and carrying the patterns and pain of childhood into later life, Tony continued to cultivate the belief that he was unwanted, unneeded and unworthy. Despite having a few close calls with death, one particular moment of Tony’s story steered him to a sharp and unexpected stop. “To this day, I can’t remember what happened but I know

In the midst of the change and trouble, Tony began to explore the prospects and possibilities of faith. “Whilst I was in prison, the only time I felt connected to society was in church on a Sunday. I began to enjoy the spirit of the songs and this brought me a little bit of hope. Each day was hard but I would pray that God would bring me through just another day. Despite not yet

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knowing who God really was, I knew that I was safe with Him and I knew that He was there”.

was connection. Ever since, my life has been all about these beautiful moments of small everyday interaction in their purest and simplest of forms”.

“Shortly after my release, I fell back into crime. My reputation carried weight and the life I’d left behind was still waiting for me beyond the prison walls. We began increasing our levels of criminal activity and I found myself in situations where I was held at gunpoint and even shot. One morning, I woke up in hospital with TB, blood clots and a congested valve in my heart. There were a lot of things wrong and I felt as though I wasn’t strong enough to fight society for another day. It was too much for me and I was completely broken”. In sheer hopelessness, Tony attempted to take his own life that day, however looking back through his rear-view mirror, he describes how God had a far greater plan. “The reality was, I injected myself but absolutely nothing happened”. Later, he realised that particular day held more significance than he once thought. “A few years ago, on that very same day, my little boy Harry passed away. From the moment I realised this, I lost the desire to take drugs again”.

When Tony got baptised, he recalls that this was the final stretch of his fight. “This is when I knew that the war was over. Ever since, I’ve been telling the world about how my life has been transformed”. This change, however, was not an over night awakening but rather the by-product of surrender. “I’ve learnt that it’s not about what drives us towards those bad feelings, emotions or places, but rather it’s what drives us out that counts. From a posture of brokenness to a place of freedom, I know that I’m standing here by the grace of God and this is the stamp on my story”. Looking forward into the brightness of the future, Tony lights up as he talks about his beautiful daughter, thriving business and his life rich in love, hope and joy. “I know that my future is bright” he smiles, “God has restored me to who I was always meant to be”. Today, I run a 12-step programme for guys who are in the early stages of addressing their addictions. Our group meets at the intersection of brokenness and faith and we take them through a step by step process, seeking to bring some faith, hope and light into their lives. It’s a non-judgemental environment and a space created to speak the name of Jesus out loud. Being able to introduce others to church has been such a pleasure for me and I know that all of this is through the grace of God”.

Over the years, Tony began building and forming a personal relationship with God. Moving forward in courage and leaving the past behind him, he learnt how to read and write and was offered a job as a personal trainer. Within 6 months, he was promoted as manager. “It all began when I met Ryan, one of the pastors at our church, who reached out to me and regularly invited me for coffee. It felt really special to be looked out for and noticed by somebody within the church. We built a really beautiful friendship and because of this, I continued to come back to church. As a child, nobody ever truly took the time to look me in the eyes and gently ask me ‘how are you?’ or ‘how are you coping?’. Ryan was the very first person in my life to do this. In a day and age caught up in disconnection and disengagement, all I was really searching for throughout the course of my story

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JOB 42:5

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From drumsticks to dancefloor by Amplified Arts Academy

THROUGH THE HELP OF AMP AND A WHOLE LOT OF HARD WORK, ELIJAH “NAE NAE-ED” HIS WAY FROM THE DRUMSTICKS TO THE DANCE FLOOR AND IS ON A MISSION TO CHANGE THE WORLD ONE DANCE MOVE AT A TIME.

Meet Elijah. Elijah has been part of Amplified Arts Academy from day one, attending our first ever Taster Day in 2014. He is now in our advanced dance class, volunteers as a student TA and enrolled into BRIT school’s dance stream last year. His story is one of many, that beautifully portrays everything we try to achieve through AMP and the impact and influence AMP can have on any child or young person attending our Saturday classes. When Elijah first started at AMP his life’s trajectory was clear; finish secondary school whilst working on his drum skills, apply for a spot at BRIT school and do music. Like any dedicated parent, Diane wanted Elijah to be around as many positive role models as possible whilst also working on the skills that would set him up for life. So as soon as she heard that Hillsong was starting a performing arts and music school, she signed Elijah up.

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Furthering young people’s potential — regardless of their background, is right at the heart of what AMP is about.

For the first couple of years Elijah enjoyed his drum classes - progressing well, he became an integral part of our AMP family and made lots of friends. Drumming was his craft of choice, yet he had always enjoyed dancing: from entertaining at family parties as a young boy, to trying to nail ‘The Dougy’,‘The NaeNae’ and all the other latest dance moves kids dance to these days - he took any opportunity to dance. According to his mum however, he never quite had the confidence to fully engage in, or to be naturally talented in dance. Diane recalls: “Elijah always liked dancing but his movement always somewhat lacked the ease I saw in some of his friends, so if anyone had told me Elijah would dance professionally one day, I would have laughed them off as delusional!” His friends eventually convinced him to join the ‘Youth Dance’ team; his natural work ethic meant he was willing to put in a lot of work to catch up with them as best as he could. He’d come home from school and practice until he had the moves down, only to find he was behind again when he arrived at training the next week. Not one to give up, whether it was his drum lessons helping him with rhythm and coordination, or simply his determination, one Saturday as he was practicing some moves in front of a mirror at AMP, our Dance Stream Leader Shaun noticed him and immediately saw some real potential in him. Like all of our AMP staff, Shaun only gets paid for the actual time he teaches - all his Stream Leader duties are done in a volunteer capacity. Those duties include everything from the management of the teachers on

the stream, laying out the syllabus for the year, as well as signing off on lesson plans every week. They also include spotting talent and investing in young people outside of regular classes to help them achieve their personal goals. So when Shaun spotted Elijah, he approached him and asked if he was interested in accepting a scholarship to join a Dance class at AMP. Elijah was keen and went straight back to check with his mum. Furthering young people’s potential, regardless of their background, is right at the heart of what AMP is about. Our first point of call always is making things accessible to young people in our world. Though Diane was happy for Elijah to take the class, she wanted him to continue with drums, as that was his life plan at the time after all. BRIT applications would be due soon and she wanted to ensure he was ready to apply. So yes, he could join the dance stream, but he’d have to continue to prioritise working on drums yet there was an issue with a timetable clash between his drum and dance class. Undeterred, Elijah put his new found passion for dance to work by working extra hard at home, asking Shaun for notes at the end of every class and ultimately, even though doing both classes meant he would miss the first part of his class consistently for about a year, he progressed faster than anyone could have anticipated. Soon enough, he approached his mum with the seemingly inevitable: he wanted to give up drums, focus on dance and apply to BRIT for the dance stream.

“Being a part of AMP gave me a confidence I didn’t have before. I can express myself better, am more positive about engaging with new people and fully believe that I can achieve anything I want.”

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Diane was concerned; he had only been dancing in a class setting for about a year and did not have as much experience as she thought might be needed to get into a school like BRIT. Either way, his mind was made up and with the encouragement and support from his teachers at AMP, he set out to prepare for his audition. At this point the Ballet stream at AMP had started to encourage the kids who were intensely focused on hip hop and street dance, to broaden their horizons, solidify their technique and find value in a more holistic approach to dance. Elijah was one of the first to sign up to this class too. In the lead up to his audition, both Shaun and other teachers, such as Julia, our ballet teacher, took time out of their already busy schedule to work with Elijah, coach him and give him tips on how to best prepare for the big day. By the time auditions for BRIT came around, even Diane had hope. She’d prepared him for the worst but inside there was a part of her that thought he could actually make it. On the day there were other young people his age auditioning with more experience than him, of whom some didn’t make it. At this point, Elijah began to worry a bit: He had only been dancing for a couple of years, how would he stand a chance? Slightly nervous, he took a deep breath, said a prayer and went into the audition room. Diane vividly remembered what he said when he came out: “God was in there with me today mum!”. After an interview with the faculty in which he left them impressed with his responses, his overall approach to dance and his desire to give back, they got the news: He got in! His persistence, the ups and downs and belief in himself earned him the spot to start the dance stream at BRIT! Both Diane and Elijah attribute a big part of his journey and the now new trajectory of his life to AMP; and they’re not only talking about the obvious things; of course, he’s learned to dance and flourished in his skills; they do however both agree that there was more to it than that. To our question, what has changed for him the most since attending AMP (other than dancing become his primary focus in life?!) He said: “Being a part of AMP gave me a confidence I didn’t have before. I can express myself better, am more positive about engaging with new people and fully believe that I can achieve anything I want. It’s also made me see the importance of giving back - I want to do for others what Shaun and those guys did for me. Coach the next generation and be someone who believes in them.”

This year as we celebrate 5 years of AMP and we couldn’t imagine it without Elijah. We have a feeling he couldn’t have imagined the last few years without us either. To see Elijah and all our other amazing students in action, come to one of our Showcase days!

The story of Elijah is just one example of the impact being part of AMP has had on our young people. Amplified Arts Academy provides high quality and affordable education in performing arts. We currently run in two locations on a Saturday: The Warehouse Project in South Bermondsey and a Community Centre in Camden. Our classes are for young people aged 4-21 and happen across Dance, Act, Vocals and Drums. All our classes range from Beginner to Advanced level and we aim to ensure every young person is placed into their best fit - the fit that allows them to grow and reach their full potential. Our hope is that, through AMP, we can help young people in the community by developing skills in their chosen field, acquiring many transferable life skills gained through the arts, as well as contribute to their personal growth.

In the words of Richard W. Riley:

“I believe arts education in music, theatre, dance, and the visual arts is one of the most creative ways we have to find the gold that is buried just beneath the surface. They (children) have an enthusiasm for life a spark of creativity, and vivid imaginations that need training – training that prepares them to become confident young men and women.”

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B ER M O N D S E Y T E RM DAT E S :

11th May 18th May 25th May 8th June (â&#x20AC;&#x2039;Assembly / Parent Hub) 15th June 22nd June (Assessment Week) 29th June 6th July 13th July (â&#x20AC;&#x2039;Summer Showcase) If you are interested to find out more or would like to sign you or your child up for a trial class, please head to our website

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Stirred, not shaken. DEVOTIO N A L BY BE N BLUE M E L

Steadfast strength in the church is founded upon a revived intimacy with God. A revival in intimacy with God will both STIR us to action, and help us to stand firm as the foundations of our modern society are SHAKEN. Back in February, as Pastor Brian encouraged the church with the declaration that “Revival is in the air”, I wonder whether you took any time to reflect on what that actually meant, and crucially what it could look like in your own life, and how it could impact the church at large. It’s a bold statement, and one easily cheered at. Yet if we are going to experience the reality of it, rather than allowing it to settle tamely as nothing more than a tagline, we need to biblically and practically engage with the meaning and essence of Brian’s words. I write this article so that you might stir yourself to action, and commit to the concept that revival starts with you; in your walk with God, in your devotion and in your desire to grow and learn more about who Jesus is. That way, we might truly experience the power of Jesus’ words in John 10:10 as he declared “I came that they (you!) may have life and have it abundantly”.

the Bible: grounded in truth. When we speak about intimacy with God, what does the Bible teach on what that means? How is it accomplished? Let’s delve a little deeper. The Foundations of Intimacy: Trust and Knowledge “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) I would suggest that intimacy has everything to do with truly knowing and being known by another. It is defined in the dictionary as a “close familiarity or friendship”, something which we all crave at the root of our very humanity. We all intrinsically desire intimacy, and yet it is so often increasingly neglected by a modern technological society that lures us towards electronic screens rather than the more risky and vulnerable world of faceto-face interpersonal relationships. Intimacy is not spatial but relational. We all know what it’s like to be sitting right next to a person with whom we feel distant and we can feel close to a person who is a thousand miles away. Intimacy has no obvious formula (no two relationships are ever exactly the same), but there are certain things that we would all agree can build intimacy, and certain things that can destroy it. Two of the most obvious things that build intimacy are trust and knowledge. The more you trust someone, the closer you let them get. Where trust is compromised, intimacy scatters. Similarly, you cannot be intimate with someone you do not know anything about. As knowledge and trust entwine, relationships deepen and intimacy is formed. Intimacy is a beautiful and relational concept, and so it is no surprise that we are called to find such a place with God. He is a relational God who desires intimacy with each and every one of us. In finding that intimacy, our deepest human desires to be truly known will be fully satisfied in Christ.

Of the four areas that we prayed for revival within (intimacy with God, the miraculous, finances and relationships), it was the intimacy with God point that stuck out to me as the key which had the potential to unlock everything else. If the people of God could only awaken, rouse themselves, and rediscover intimacy with their holy, loving, kind and powerful father, then perhaps, just perhaps, we could see a God-driven movement gather momentum and millions of people saved in our nation. God works through people, you see, and so when His people are intimate with Him and not distracted by the things of the world, He is able to do more, speak more and act more in and through His church. It’s a stirring thought, and my prayer is that through an awakening in Jesus’ church, the revival comes out of the “air” and lands squarely in our “streets”: our almighty living God expressing himself openly, tangibly and miraculously through His church as His “kingdom comes” and His “will is done” by a people who live their lives united with Christ and in utterly personal relationship with Him.

Wherever you’re at in your walk with God, then, resolve to grow in your trust and knowledge of Him over these next months. There, you will find a revival in intimacy with Him. Search the scriptures for His promises, and put your faith in them. Seek out the knowledge of God through the Bible and community, without letting it become a legalistic academic pursuit. Biblical knowledge is far better than gold when it fuels our trust in God, because it fuels our intimacy with God (Psalm 19:10). But when biblical knowledge replaces our trust in God, it only fuels our pride (1 Corinthians 8:1). Build in discipline to your devotional life. It’s very hard to be intimate with someone that you spend no time with. Sacrifice something time-consuming in your week to give God some space to speak to you and work on your heart; perhaps plan an evening in to rest and meditate on God’s promises. The amazing truth of the gospel is that Christ is in us, and that we have become partakers of the divine nature.

What, then, does intimacy with God look like, and how can we experience a revival in that area of our lives? What does intimacy with God even mean? In our postmodern generation, these are important questions. Much contemporary thinking believes (perhaps inconsistently) that the first truth about language and reality is that they are both in flux. We are the products of our culture, of our community, our heritage and our experiences. These combine to determine our perception of the universe. Meaning is presented to us as subjective. You can make your own meaning, and if someone else’s meaning is different to your meaning, that’s ok! It sounds fancy, but presents a problem to us as Christians. We believe in objective truth – and that truth is found in the person of Jesus Christ, witnessed to by scripture. As a result, we need to be clear in the way we communicate and ensure that we understand everything from the perspective of

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As we grow in our knowledge of God, and learn to trust Him more, this will play out in the transformation of our own lives as our intimacy with Him results in our becoming like Him, and the realities of His kingdom (healing, authority, identity etc.) outworking through us. A revival in intimacy is the foundation for inner transformation.

operating out of an obedience fuelled by loving intimacy, they become in tune with each other: the church starts marching to the same beat, and the unity created has a power and godly momentum about it able to move spiritual mountains in cities and nations, causing the lost and the broken to be welcomed home in multitudes like never before. A church that is intimate with God is a church of action and strength, founded on the rock of Christ and steadfast in times of trouble. The closer you get to our God, the more His holiness, love, grace and power affects you and the more you will be stirred to action. Your passion will grow. Your faith will feel fresh. You will truly feel like you are drinking from the “living water” of God’s word and His spirit within you. As a Church deepens its relationship with Jesus, it will find the strength rise up and reach out to people that so desperately need the gospel message. In a society that is being shaken at its very core – in its morals, boundaries and hierarchies, we need a revival in intimacy with God so that together, we may be stirred, not shaken.

The Impact of Intimacy: A church that is stirred, but not shaken. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13) Furthermore, proactively pursuing a revival in intimacy with God does not just benefit the individual. Indeed, intimacy is fundamental to the effective outworking of the mission of the Church. As Christians rediscover and grow in their intimacy with God as individuals, a snowball effect is created, and God is corporately given the space within His church to work on a scale that is far beyond the sum of its parts. A hundred pianos tuned to the same tuning fork are automatically in tune with each other. As Christians individually tune in to the inner workings of God,

ONE MAN AWAKE, AWAKENS A NOTHER . T HE SECO ND AWAKENS H IS NEX T D O OR B R OTHER . T HE THREE AWAKE CAN R O USE A TOW N BY T URNING THE WHOLE P L ACE UPSID E DOWN

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Insight into Production Team Interview with Production Manager Stephen Maddox

Stephen Maddox, head of UK production, moved to London in 2017 alongside his wife, Stephanie, and two kids Frankie Jane and Maverick. Stephen and Stephanie met in 2002 at Southeastern University, Lakeland, before moving to Missouri where Stephen previously worked as a Pastor and Producer. Himself and his talented team have worked with heart, soul and behind-the-scenes devotion to deliver many of the exciting productions weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had here at our church, whilst Stephanie also produces our much-loved podcast Convos With Cathy.

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Yourself and your team have worked behind the scenes to deliver many of the exciting productions we’ve had the joy of experiencing at church. Could you tell our readers a little more about these? For example, what’s it like preparing for and serving at a big event like Colour or Carols?

they do. We have service coordinators that make sure operators have what they need to run the service, and service producers make sure that everything is executed in excellence during the service.

How many people do you generally have serving with you on a typical Sunday to make it all happen?

Serving at the larger events like Colour, Conference and Carols are a surreal experience. We’re in venues that people from around the world perform in and walk the same halls, but our mission being to make Jesus known and encourage people in their walk makes it all the more important and special. It’s also inspiring to put on something for so many people, yet do it alongside so many teams as well.

Our Sunday teams are ages 16 to the ages where people stop telling you how old they are. We have around 60 people serving a weekend at the Dominion location. With hundreds across locations on all teams. A small minority of people on the team would be skilled in the trade they operate in, most have different jobs to where they serve. A common misconception is that people have to be professionals to operate and be a part of team, but actually, very few are.

What would you say are some of the best/most rewarding things about being on the production team?

You mentioned that the production team is a really fun group to be part of, operating as both a team and a community. How does your team cultivate that element of community?

It’s great to be a part of a team that strives for excellence in the details and those details are what make the difference. The team of people we serve alongside are the biggest rewards. At the end of the service when the MC does the altar call, seeing every hand raised and knowing that not only have we been a part of something that impacts that one life, but also the lives connected to that one life. That makes all the difference and pushes us on when we’re setting up, and preparing for each service.

Our team loves to get together and hang out for meals and drinks. We also have connect groups within team to help people in being a part of church and the community of people. They’re a hilarious group of people to serve alongside and make a point to do what we do well and in an fun environment. Banter is strong with this group. The team also sits together for services and meets together before or after they serve to strengthen community. People are able to commit as much or as little as they’d like.

Could you tell us a bit more about a day in the life of the production team? We know that being on team is so much more than rolling up cables or plugging things in on a Sunday. What are some of the things your team operate during the four services?

If you want to get involved, head to hillsong.co.uk/ production. Just let us know which location you’re interested in joining and someone from our team will reach out to you directly. A common misconception can be “well they have a lot of operators, they don’t need my help”, however our church and our locations are ever-growing and ever-expanding, we’re always looking for people to get plugged in and join our team!

So our team consists of sound engineers who operate sound desks, lighting engineers that operate lighting desks and follow spots, video engineers that control what scriptures go to screen, what graphics go on the screens, and route the cameras and different elements to the correct screen, as well as operate cameras and make sure our live links run correctly across the locations. Stage managers maintain what happens on stage and making sure whoever is on stage has what they need to do what

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Ask Ana FROM LEADERSHIP TO BUSINESS TO FAITH, GET TO KNOW ANA LOBACK – OUR RESIDENT PSYCHOLOGIST WHO’S EAGER AND READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU THROW AT HER.

We sat down with Ana Loback, Managing Director of Turningpoint Leadership, to chat all things faith, business psychology, and mental wealth. As a wife, mother of two and a well-accomplished leader within the world of business and also in the life of our church, Ana is not only passionate about the power of positive psychology but is also devoted to living a life which seeks to empower and equip those around her.

Could you begin by telling us a little about yourself and your faith journey?

She had such a strong experience with Christ, it made her want to change everything [She had an ‘all-in’ mentality]. Then obviously, l as well ended up having my own experience with Christ and that was awesome.

When I was growing up in Portugal, faith was initially a women’s thing. We started going to church when I was around 11 years old, after my grandmother gave her life to Jesus and invited my mum along.

Would you say that the testimony of your grandmother, your mother and yourself all coming to Christ, has shaped you into the woman you are today?

When my mum started going to church, things changed quite radically. She had an interesting experience where she gave her life to Jesus, every single Sunday for about a year. It was back in the day where people would put their hands up and then would go to the altar, and she did that every Sunday, until one day the pastor’s wife walks up to her and says ‘l think you’re good now!’

Yes absolutely, l think everything, all our experiences shape who we are and who we become. Even just seeing the transformation in my house and in my family was really key for me. Once l gave my life to Christ, l understood that l was giving my life not just to God, it also meant giving my life to the church

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When you choose to focus your attention on positive outcomes rather than the gaps, the lacks, the threats and the weaknesses, you automatically will perform better, your team will perform better.

because that’s what being a Christian is about. You become part of something bigger than yourself, you become part of the body of Christ, of the church and really once you do that, everything changes.

‘Mental Wealth’ is about having a healthy, integrated brain and a stronger mindset. It’s about making small investments that can give you big returns in respect to your mental wellness and to your well-being.

Let’s fast forward a few years into your journey at this point you’ve studied 5 degrees, including one at Harvard, which is very impressive. Tell us about your journey into business psychology.

You wrote a thesis on “Team’s peak performance” - What exactly is a team’s peak performance?

My career actually started in broadcasting and TV - l studied journalism and media studies and have a Masters in communication. I enjoyed working in that field and it was fun but I really had a sense, a calling almost for something more than what I was doing. That’s when I decided to retrain in Psychology. It was a difficult decision as at the time, Lee and I were already married and with one child. It’s so easy to put yourself in a box when you go through different stages in life: you get married and suddenly you are thinking to yourself “Ok, this is it now.” However, you have to give yourself permission to change your mind and know it’s ok to do so. Research shows that most people are very unsatisfied with their jobs, and most of us work, because we have to, not because we want to. l went back to the drawing board and decided to retrain as a Psychologist and specialised in Business Psychology.

What exactlty is Business Psychology, could you explain this a little bit ? Essentially, it is using behavioural science, tools, models and research from Psychology (which is the study of human behaviour) in the workplace. I am a social scientist, and my role is to bring in scientific evidence and research to certain structures to help leaders lead more effectively. Another objective is to help organisations create environments that are nurturing for the people to be more productive, more positive which then leads to better performance. How can corporations and companies address mental health issues in business culture and how does Business Psychology help? There are various elements that apply. People still don’t talk about Mental Health a lot and they certainly don’t always approach it very openly when it comes to mental illness or depression. When it comes to supporting people that might be going through any sort of issue regarding their mental health, there are a few things to look into. It’s about putting the right things in place, and helping organisations to create the conditions for what I call ‘Mental Wealth’. Mental Wealth is about designing and redefining a work culture that facilitate mental wellness, which is a lot better than being reactive and only coming in with a Psychologist when everything is falling apart.

Up until the 90’s, Psychology as a science was primarily focused on understanding the problems, the deficits and what happens when something breaks in your brain or in your emotions. In 1998, Professor Martin Seligman, president of the APA (American Psychological Association) at the time, introduced the idea of ‘Positive Psychology’ and started to reflect on the possibility to scientifically study what goes right in humans when it comes to mental health and emotions and how it affects the performance of individuals, of teams, organisations and ultimately communities and societies. Since then, there has been a huge growing body of research into understanding human potential. For example, understanding what motivates people, what causes someone to behave a certain way and what makes people perform well and bring great results. And now we know how to use these tools. We are all familiar with the phrase “humans are social creatures”. And this couldn’t be more true, however to understand the depth of what that actually means and to give leaders and team leaders the knowledge and tools to help them understand how to leverage that, is tremendous, because it could truly change the game. Most people don’t know what happens in your brain when exposed to social connections. When it comes to studying social connections and especially the sense of belonging, it has been shown that the most solicited and engaged spot in our brains is the amygdala, and to be more specific the endogenous opioid system - the same system that relates to addiction centres, to the pain and the pleasure centres in your brain. In other words, feeling like you belong (to a group) and being in true connection with someone including a work team, is literally firing all the pleasure centres in your brain and making you feel great. And not just ‘feel’ great, but really leads to individuals being healthier, both mentally and emotionally. We really are social creatures, and are instrumental to another’s health and well-being. Working together to achieve a common goal can bring out the best in one another - and also the worst! When you choose to focus your attention on positive outcomes rather than the gaps, the lacks, the threats and the weaknesses, you automatically will perform better, your team will perform better. You will because it’s there, and it happens to be what the Bible says as well, so it’s great.

I manage my teams and people around me, not based on the current performance, but based on their potential, I believe in them. That’s how my pastor did it: he believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

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How would you say social connections (principles and benefits) apply to the church environment? Social connections aren’t only great for us, they are vital. In fact, they are essential. In a recent conversation with Pastor Gary, we talked about how the greatest predictor of a species brain size is the size of their social group. Indeed, when looking at other animals, the ones with the largest brain structures are the ones that have the largest social groups, and not just social groups but really the species that need social groups to survive. Weirdly enough, when you rest and your brain is on ‘rest mode’, you have exactly the same brain activity of when you’re connecting with others. Practically speaking this means that, even when you think that you’re not thinking about anything, you’re thinking about others. Even when you think that you’re not doing anything and are just resting, you’re still thinking about other people - or what others might think of you. So you’re constantly connected to other humans, and this is essential for us, because we need it. That’s also why church is so good for people. Most social scientists would agree that people who are part of, for example, church groups probably live happier and healthier and longer lives thanks to the impact of that group on your life. So it’s really really important to be part of something like that.

You’re currently the Managing Director at Turningpoint Leadership, where you develop personal approaches to leadership with executives and numerous corporations. How do you believe that experience shaped your view of leadership? I was 16 years old when I was asked by my pastor to step in and lead the team and this really shaped my view on leadership. The day that I decided to say yes, was the day I became a leader. I fundamentally believe that leadership starts in your heart, it starts with the decision to step up and fill a gap. That is what it is and that’s exactly what I did. At least that’s how I see leadership. You don’t become a leader once you’ve developed leadership skills, you don’t become a leader once you’ve learnt how to lead. I remember when the worship pastor at the time, left for Brazil. There was no one to fill in. Although there was a team and great people, all of them older and better musicians than me. Even though l was only 16, the Pastor came up to me and said: “You are going to do this Ana”. l had no idea what to do, I had zero leadership skills, I hadn’t lead anything before. There I was, thrown into leading a very visible team. For some reason, my pastor just looked at me and he believed in me. I know now that part of being a leader is actually to see potential everywhere. Leaders are visionaries who see potential where no one else does - in things, in products, in ideas and in people.

You are an all-rounder - a Mum, a Managing Director and a Worship Leader who is quite invested in people’s lives. You get to see them grow and reach their full potential. Do you think being caring around others has helped you with the trajectory of influencing even more people? 100% and l couldn’t more agree with having to care and nurture, because that is certainly one of the most important elements that leaders can bring to their teams. If they want to develop people, they need to care about them. I think Simon Sinek, has some interesting work on the whole idea of creating a circle of safety around your team, and how important it is for leaders to make sure that people know that you as a leader, care. What a team will challenge and will be frustrated about is when individuals don’t feel ‘protected’. When their leaders aren’t stepping up for them. Bad leadership commences when one stops caring about their own.

How do you balance your professional and personal life? Good question! I believe that you can have everything, but not at the same time. Put in simple words, my work/life balance has everything to do with diary management, energy management and learning how to prioritise. Being able to identify what the “fillers” (what energises me) are as opposed to what the “drainers” are in my life, has become a standard for me. There are things and people that will fill you up with energy and in other seasons, things and people that will simply take it from you. You have to be the architect of your own stability, meaning that time and energy management is key. Having things in place, to manage life appropriately is essential. I have found precious support in my Executive Assistant, Heather and my team at home: my husband Lee, my son Gustavo and my daughter Mathilda. My kids and my husband are all a part of my team and they would joke that “We’re part of your team right, mum? “We’re all team Loback!” and they absolutely are. Family is not a limitation, it’s an asset.

As a mental health specialist and practicing psychologist what are your top 3 most frequently asked questions? A topic l often get a lot of questions on is ‘emotional intelligence’, and it has become apparent to me that it is in fact, an area that people are struggling in. There is a very broad sense that people either, don’t understand how to manage their emotions or they feel like their

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If you understand those small investments that you can make to give you the biggest returns in terms of your mental well-being and your wellness, then your ability to unlock your potential expands and this can really set you up to win in any sphere of your life. The other interesting piece of work I’m focusing on is “the future of work” and the trends relating to new socio-economic parameters. In a recent paper released by the WEF (World Economic Forum) “The Future of Jobs Report”, experts have highlighted that soft skills (leadership and social influence, people management, emotional intelligence, creativity and cognitive flexibility) will not only be trending but will be imperative to have in the workplace by 2022. What we now realise is that the most important skills are the human skills. The ability to lead complexity, to develop human connections and to lead with intuition is something no machine can learn for you. So the fact that the skills of the future are the human skills, means that they are fundamentally and intrinsically related to psychology. For me, this is a very interesting and relevant topic so I think there’s certainly some good stuff coming up. Watch this space!

It’s now time to close this wonderful conversation. What does a perfect day off look like to you ? emotions are taking over. I work with senior leaders at big organisations and often this exact question, stemming from the exact same worry, especially in one-on-one conversations. We have learnt from a culture that has taught us how to suppress our emotions. The workplace in particular, has conditioned us to judge our emotions and to think of emotions as good or bad. However, emotions are just data, they give feedback to your nervous system and to your brain.We need to learn how to process and manage, to work with them, not against them. Another question that l get asked is linked with not being able to focus, and that leads to all sorts of problems in terms of performance. I believe in helping people understand the importance of focusing on setting their brain filters to the right things is vital - this is called ‘attention management.’ The last one is usually about ‘stress management’. People are either too stressed or they feel they don’t have enough resilience and this leads to feeling constantly switched on and a hyperactivity to things. However, it is all about understanding how to switch off and learn how to disconnect. I endeavour to equip people to help them understand that most of the stress they see as external, is only the result of a lack of effective selfmanagement. In this hyperconnected digital age we live in, there is a constant demand for our attention and focus, which means there is a perpetual fight or flight mode of the sympathetic nervous system, which is always switched on and you’re constantly in that state of emergency that leads to adrenaline poisoning in your brain.

Let’s now look forward to the future. What’s next on the horizon for you? Any projects you would like to share? First, there’s a lot of work that I’m doing at the moment, even within our church, which is all about giving people some keys to develop Mental Wealth. The aim of this project is to fundamentally help people in every sphere of their life.

My perfect day off is actually just chilling with my kids.We will go out for a walk in the forest, which is literally just down the road and then we just walk in the forest - and that’s my perfect day, one spent with my family. Then we’ll sit in our living room and watch nature programmes - which we love, especially about dogs or lions. We know everything about lions, wolves and dogs! If there was a quiz about pack animals, the Lobacks would win. One other thing I would definitely do on my ‘perfect’ day off, is to do some songwriting. Although it’s been a while since I’ve put any music out (my last album of originals was launched in 2012, which is ages ago), I’m still writing and it’s definitely still a big part of my life.

What are 3 things that you want people to know about you ? 1) l am obsessed with dogs. 2) No one knows this about me, but l love a good accent (I do a good Irish accent, although I’m the only one who thinks that). On a similar note, l love a good sense of humour. 3) Loyalty is very important to me. l will do whatever it takes for my friends, for my family and for my leaders.

Got a question for Ana? Ana is a great source of wisdom and has a lot to share, so if you have any questions, please send them in, we’d absolutely love to hear from you! No question is too small or insignificant. Send your questions to houseupdate@hillsong.co.uk and Ana will answer them in our next issue!

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Media Collective Interview with Timothy & Judith Achumba from the Media Collective So, you two have been part of the Media Collective pretty much since it started and you’re now running it. How would you describe what Media Collective is? Timothy: I would say media collective is a community of people within our church who are working in or studying something in the media industry. Judith: With that being said, the “media industry” is such a broad term. And I’d hate for people to feel excluded from that. So really, Media Collective is for anyone with an interest in creating whether it’s photography, graphic design, fashion, journalism, film – there’s an endless array of sectors within the industry and all are welcome.

Love that. So, with that in mind, what are some of the aspects of Media Collective that really make it stand out? Timothy: I think Media Collective is special in the sense that there’s a lot of collaboration. A lot of groups are just about the friendship element but although that’s a big part of Media Collective, it’s also a space where we can learn from each other about a particular craft and where we can collaborate on both church projects and personal projects. It’s such an inclusive community – that’s something I find really special about it. Judith: I think that in order for church communities to become friendship communities, there needs to be a real sense of sharing life together. And as life gets busier and busier, it can be really hard to establish that. But what I love about Media Collective is that it not only gives us the opportunity to gather around a common interest, it also allows us to get practically involved. So, we end up doing things together day in and day out and over time and that builds friendships that are authentic and go beyond just doing church together - we end up doing life together.

Talking about doing life together – could you share some of the ways that Media Collective impacted your lives not only within the church, but outside of it too? Timothy: I think there’s something special when you see people who share your faith, but are also really good at what they do. Outside of church, faith is often seen as something that hinders you. So, in Media Collective, it’s really great to see people who are really faith-driven but have had the opportunity to influence the external industry at a very high level. That really encourages me a lot. Judith: My example is a bit more specific – my business partner, who doesn’t go to church at all and isn’t a Christian by the way, once said that he had never heard of anything like Media Collective, which establishes such a sense of community - especially in London which can be such a cliquey and lonely place. There have even been times when we’ve been looking for someone with a particular skill and he’ll ask, “Don’t you know someone at Hillsong who can help?” I think that’s such a testimony of the positive mindset changing we’re evoking as a church outside of the church.

That’s amazing! Now, Judith – you’re a fashion psychologist running your own fashion magazine and Timothy – you’re a product designer and digital expert. Both of you are involved in industries that rely on creativity, aesthetics and innovation. How do you use your industry-expertise to contribute to Media Collective? Judith: I’m really interested in making sure that the content, the purpose and the message of everything we do is intentional and tells a story that really empowers the community. And when it comes to what we do on a Media Collective night – whether it’s the stage design or what we’re speaking about – I like to make sure that it serves a bigger purpose and that it’s not only relevant within society at large, but that it’s also specific to a Christian who will have to navigate the industry through a faith-lens. Timothy: I think one thing both Judith and I have been able to contribute, is that we’re both passionate about taking a message or an idea that we really believe in and transforming it into something that’s both tangible and relevant to the community who will receive it. Judith: And just to build on that, Media Collective is even more about the community than it is about the craft. So, we always like to think about who can we work with or who can we bring on board to give palpable expression to those ideas. This really establishes the community and reminds us that it’s not about us or our preferences – it’s about the bigger community and how we can contribute to growing that.

You both mention cultural and societal relevance – how would you say Media Collective stays relevant to ‘Worldly Culture’ without losing the ‘Kingdom Culture’? Timothy: I think it’s about perspective. Just because we’re Christians doesn’t mean we don’t have to navigate the same things that non-Christians have to navigate. But what’s different is that we should have a different perspective on things and we should know that whatever situations we experience in the workplace, do not have to define us but that we have a purpose far greater than our careers. And what we hope for with Media Collective is that Christians and non-Christians alike can come and think, “I get this.” That’s why we use what’s happening in society as a conversation starter. People can then add the faith element to that and take it back into their worlds and use that to encourage the people within those worlds. We’re about a message of hope and that’s what we’ll always aim to bring to our respective fields.

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Judith: I think it’s really important that we remember that what we have within us has the power to change the creative industry. My job is very much about changing the industry, but the approach I often see within the industry, usually stems from a place of hopelessness and even anger. It’s refreshing to be at Media Collective where everything stems from Jesus and our identity in Him and with that, I really believe we can change the industry at large.

How would you say the Christian creative community is changing the reputation of the creative industry and its various fields? Timothy: I think we’re slowly changing the preconceptions about creatives within church and what we’re bringing to the table that’s more important than the crafts themselves, is the character of these creatives. Media Collective is a character-building environment and that’s what ends up taking you the whole way in the real-world. People see, pick up on and are encouraged by this and when you go into the world with a character of excellence, loyalty or even servanthood, it stands out and makes people think, “What’s going on here?” The craft element will give you the platform but the character will sustain it. Judith: I agree. It definitely takes both craft and character. The industry will rarely listen to you unless you’re very good at your craft and although you can have great character, unless you hone the craft, you won’t get the platform to display that character. I think Media Collective is a place where we can grow both of those areas.

On top of balancing character and craft – what are some tips you’d give to young people in the creative sphere who are trying to balance work/church/passions etc.? Judith: We’re laughing because not even we have the answer! But I think it’s a very seasonal thing – life changes so quickly from one moment to the next so it’s a constant figuring it out. Being involved in church for so long gave us some really good foundations but we still have to go back to the basics from time to time to refresh those foundations.

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Timothy: I agree – I think it’s very much about being adaptable and not holding anything too tightly. It’s taking every season for what it is but also having an awareness that as things change, we’ll have to re-evaluate certain aspects to figure out how to navigate these different stages of our lives.

same journey. Here are a group pf people who are interested in growing in the things that they love. It’s an environment where I am both encouraged and feel I can encourage others. Judith: I’ve been in church and serving for about 8 years. And in those 8 years, I would often have to remind myself why I was doing what I was doing and have hyped myself up for it. But being part of Media Collective has given me such a different experience of what serving can look like. I’m doing something that I would do even if we weren’t asked to lead it. It’s so aligned with what we value and what we talk about and dream about and care about. It’s just been really empowering for me to know that I’m contributing to church in something that feels so right and so natural. It’s completely organic.

You’ve briefly touched on this, but how would you say Media Collective serves both the community outside of church as well as within the church? Judith: I think what’s really important is that people feel genuinely and authentically connected. And it’s so important that we establish community not just inside of church but outside as well. Everyone needs true community and from that both society and the church can benefit. Timothy: Media Collectives are popping up across the globe and we’re slowly setting an example of how we can give as much importance to community as we do to the task at hand. People are really starting to take notice of this.

If you want to learn more about Media Collective and how to get involved, follow us on Instagram @mediacollectivelondon or go to our website hillsong.co.uk/mcl We look forward to hearing from you and welcoming you into our collective of creatives!

Okay, now focusing more on what Media Collective looks like practically – how would you describe a Culture Club Night? Judith: Well there’s two parts to it. It starts with our volunteers who set up the evening from set-design to experience. Then we have the social element – hanging out, meeting new people, making friends etc. and then we start with the official part of the night. This includes a topic that we’re covering and often involves a panel of people who are ahead in their respective careers within the industry. The whole point is that these panellists can impart their experiences and wisdom to our community. And finally, we have more hanging out!

Other Collectives: ARTIST EDUCATION BUSINESS CITY SOCIAL JUSTICE HOSPITALITY

What are some of the most rewarding things you’ve seen come out of these Culture Club Nights? Timothy: One thing that’s really rewarding is seeing that people don’t feel left out but that everyone is trying to be as inclusive as possible. Another thing that’s really cool to see is that there are so many more volunteers getting involved and contributing with their various talents and expertise.

COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE COLLECTIVE

We host various Collectives across our church, each in a different sphere of influence, which serve to connect, inspire and empower people who share the same passion and interests.

So, what would you say to someone who is looking to join Media Collective?

To find out more about the different collectives and how to get involved, head to the website below.

Timothy: I’d tell them to keep an eye on our Instagram page or go to our website and fill in the form which will allow someone to get in contact with them. We’re always looking to grow the community and we want to make it as easy as possible for people to become part of it. Media Collective isn’t an exclusive club – it’s really for everyone.

hillsong.co.uk/collectives

Okay now finally, to wrap it all up, what is Media Collective to you? Timothy: Media Collective is something I always wanted and always felt the church needed but didn’t really know what it would look like. So, I guess it’s a bit of a saving grace. Community is so important and being free to be yourself within a community is essential. Media Collective has empowered me to have that and to be that. Here are a group of people who share the same interest. Here are a group of people who are on the

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Leaders’ Lab with Gary Clarke Each edition of House Updates will contain leadership content from our lead pastor Gary Clarke, which is designed to help you in the leadership role that you find yourself, whether it be in church, in the workplace or in the home.

Over the years, I’ve always aimed for our church to live by the mantra that we pursue excellence in all that we do. This has proven to be a controversial statement, as the reality is that we live in a world which is often content with settling for mediocrity. Although mediocrity seems to be the aim in so many places, at our church, whether it’s the welcome that new people receive when they arrive, the cleanliness of the venue, the production quality, or the message being preached from the platform, excellence is the aim.

David to remain in his service, and the reason he gives is that “he has found favour in my sight.” Excellence attracts and mediocrity repels. David’s excellence inspired Saul to accept him into his service, all because David’s excellence was attractive to him. Excellence also honours what it represents. I believe God is excellent in all He does, and so we should aim to replicate His nature if we are endeavouring to representh Him here on earth. The Genesis creation story tells us that everything that God did in creation was ‘good’, and the work of Jesus on the cross is often called ‘the Good News’. You never hear of God doing anything sub-standard or mediocre; He is a God of excellence! In the 1 Samuel 16 passage it shows us that David had a revelation of his need to pursue excellence, which in turn caused others around him to recognise the excellence of the God that he served. By pursuing excellence we honour the God who we do it for.

It fascinates me how many well-meaning people have tried to dissuade us from this way of thinking, but excellence really is a Biblical principle, which is all about doing the best with what you have in your hand. Think about the team you’re in at church or work - it doesn’t matter if you’re in a team of 2 or 200, excellence is a way of thinking in which you aim to do your best at whatever you put your hand to.

David pursued excellence in all he did, which provided the foundation for his elevation into the king’s service. Every one of us should be aiming to use our leadership to point to God, and one of the keys to this is a pursuit of excellence. Whatever team you find yourself in, why not commit to honouring God by pursuing excellence and see the difference it could make. It really is a counter-cultural value but one that can have incredible benefits in your life.

I always wonder what our church would look like if everyone in it decided that they would give everything to whatever area they found themselves in. I truly believe that the pursuit of excellence has the potential to push us forward into so much more of what God has for us as a church. I’m passionate about the pursuit of excellence, firstly because excellence inspires others. It has a way of lifting people’s gaze and pushing them onto more than they knew they were capable of. When people walk into the Sistine Chapel, they marvel at the quality of what they see. In the same way, we should aim for our church services to have the same effect, where people are inspired to take seriously the gifts that God has given them! Excellence causes people to think about how they could use what’s in their hands to build the church and how they could inspire others to do the same.

Think about: — What does excellence look like to you? — How can you best honour God by pursuing excellence in your sphere of influence?

We see this with David, in 1 Samuel 16:17-23, when he is brought before Saul, after Saul makes a request for a man who is musically skilful. Having seen David’s excellence, Saul asks for

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Gracious Collision NEW BEGINNINGS, COLOUR CONFERENCE AND HOW EXPERIENCING GOD’S GRACE CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF ONE’S LIFE.

Having faced displacement and discrimination throughout her childhood, Celine battled with her identity for over 17 years before finally finding a home at church through an encounter with Jesus, and one youth leader who went out of her way to buy her a ticket to her first Colour Conference. Now a youth leader herself with big plans for the future, she shares her story as to how finding girlfriends who go the extra mile enabled her to allow God into her heart to transform her destiny.

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My life growing up was lonely; travelling from place to place, uprooted at every turn. I was born in Uganda and shortly after moved to Boston with my mum. She lost her green card whilst we were there, and we were moved to London as asylum seekers before being sent to Glasgow for a few years. The way I viewed myself was shaped through my experiences there; I was bullied in school for my skin colour and was molested by my next door neighbour, but I had nowhere to turn. I remember hiding this from my teachers and my mum as I didn’t want to cause a scene or make life more difficult than it already was, so I just bottled it up and tried to deal with the trauma all by myself. I didn’t understand racism or abuse at that time, I just accepted the labels that were thrown at me, allowing them to shape who I thought I was.

care so much about my life that they would do something like that for me, but I had no idea of the true impact that the conference would end up having on my life. It was the small things like that which made church home; someone willing to pay for me when I could not, people going the extra mile, really wanting the best for you. After that first Colour I began to see a shift in the way I saw myself; the message of Jesus and how he saw women made me think “if this is the way God sees me, why don’t I see the same thing?”. I began to truly understand the love that God had for me and therefore how much he wanted a personal relationship with me. That first Colour will always be the most memorable one for me. There was one particular session I remember where several women shared their life experiences, the challenges they had faced and the fears they had overcome. Just seeing their faith gave me more faith for my own situations. I remember the whole arena singing out to God in tears after that session. I honestly think as women we don’t get enough opportunities to have a moment of true vulnerability with one another. That was the first time I’d experienced anything like it.

After a while, mum and I moved back to the states and settled in Houston, but my outlook on life was no different. I was even lonelier, I had just one single friend in school and tensions between my mum and I were building as I was growing up. I didn’t see her as my mum anymore and I felt like she didn’t see me as her daughter, we just fought constantly. Before I was 17 years old I had been displaced four times, racially abused, sexually abused and I had nowhere to call home, no one I felt I could trust. My thoughts were dominated by constant questioning; who am I? Why am I here? What is my reason for existence?

Before Colour I never truly understood what the Sisterhood community was and I didn’t see owning my femininity as something that was important. When I saw so many women of all ages come together however, I realised that Sisterhood is about unmasking the stigmas attached to what women gathered together look like, views which I actually held myself until then. Sisterhood is now so important to me and so many of the women in our church because it brings girls together – we don’t need to be in a huge arena to experience Sisterhood, it’s simply getting together with your girls, having a good time and being vulnerable with one another.

Then in 2015, I moved back to London from Texas to start college. I was determined to make a new start, inspired by my newfound independence from my mum. I felt like I had failed in life and I was desperate to change who I was. Although I had no friends and was by myself again, I met a girl in college who invited me to a youth night one Friday. As I had been thinking about going to church and had previously heard a little about Jesus growing up I accepted the invitation and went along. The first thing I remember was how friendly everyone was. I was an outsider but for once in my life “..I felt peace I was included from the moment I walked through the door. and comfort

Four years after that Colour and I’m now a youth leader myself. I would never have deemed myself worthy of having an impact on someone else’s life, but as someone was willing to put the effort in for me, I have been able to do the same for others. I have been able to use my experiences to help young girls who are going through the same struggles, making sure they never feel alone like I did. It’s amazing to be the ‘big sister’ I never had for someone else.

for the first time in my life.”

I liked it so much that I returned a couple of weeks later on a Sunday and saw the ‘Welcome Home’ mat when I walked in. Having moved around so much, never having a place to belong, never having a ‘home’, this spoke to me immediately and although I didn’t understand all the words of the songs at first, nor did I understand why so many people were jumping around, somehow the worship hit home and I felt peace and comfort for the first time in my life. Jesus was telling me that I was finally home. Through the hurt and the brokenness, the relationships I’d fought through, this was a defining moment in my life.

I can’t put into words how much Jesus has changed my life. I was blundering through my youth aimlessly with no idea what I was doing, but now all aspects of my life; friendships, family, work and my dreams for the future, have been pieced together by Him and I am able to help other girls change their lives. I’ve learnt to love people, to trust people and I know now that there is more to life than hurt and loneliness. I am surrounded by a community who cares for me and I know that I am made for more.

It wasn’t all plain sailing in an instant, but I knew now that I could make a change and I was learning to surrender my issues to Jesus. This surrender was particularly difficult for me, as I had taught myself to always put on a brave face, never let the walls down and to deal with everything on my own. Over time though, I was able to trust the youth leaders and friends that came around me. They accepted me for who I was, when in the past I had always been rejected. There was no need for a mask and I discovered how to be vulnerable, allowing me to acknowledge what had happened in my past and move on. It was the best feeling finally being able to be myself.

Looking back, I used to see every day as a drag, seeking validation from other people because of the brokenness I saw in myself. Now, I see every day as an opportunity and a step towards my dreams, all stemming from my decision to make Jesus Lord of my life and allowing the community around me to help me grow into my God given potential. As Colour comes around again this year the theme is “Be Found in the New” which I think is a continuing theme in our lives. Perhaps in terms of seeing God in a new way or believing for something new to happen in your life. There are always so many stories that come out of Colour, the most exciting are the ones where women come with one expectation and leave with an experience that is the complete opposite. No matter where you find yourself, this conference has the opportunity to sow a seed to change someone’s life, like it did for me.

In my first year, I remember seeing promotions for Colour Conference but at the time it wasn’t a priority for me. I didn’t think a women’s conference was something I needed. My youth leader at the time tried to convince me to come and I nodded along but never got around to buying a ticket. A week later though, she called me to tell me that she had gone ahead and bought me a ticket anyway. I was shocked that someone could

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was blundering through my youth aimlessly with no idea what I was doing, but now all aspects of my life; friendships, family, work and my dreams for the future, have been pieced together by Him and I am able to help other girls change their lives.â&#x20AC;?

VALUE AND ALL

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STUFF COLOUR TWENTY-19 BE FOUND IN THE NEW THE WONDER. THE COLOURS. THE FAVOUR. 2-4 MAY 2019 THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY

COLOURCONFERENCE.COM/LONDON

SALVATION

IS NO

SMALL THING SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER AT COLOUR TWENTY-19! HILLSONG.CO.UK/VOLUNTEER

KIDS X FAMILIES In Hillsong Kids we are focused on leading kids to live a Christ-centred life in a safe and engaging environment. We do this in all of our different age groups through personal discipleship, small groups, engaging worship, dynamic preaching and creative story telling.

BUDDIES

Buddies is our programme for children aged 1 year old (and walking) to 2 years old. Our desire is for these children to start making friends and becoming Buddies for life as they embark on the journey of faith together.

“ I love kid’s church because the leaders make me feel important.” - Isabella (7 yrs)

CHAMPIONS

Champions is for children aged 3 to 5 years old. A programme created to grow young Champions who grow up making good choices and understand how we are Champions through Jesus.

“I love wha tw the actions. e sing, I know all ” - Bella (3 yrs)

HEROES

Heroes is for Kids aged 5 to 6 years old. This age group is focused on encouraging kids to be Heroes in their world, but knowing who greatest hero and saviour is.

VOLTAGE

Voltage is our programme for 7 to 11 year olds. We desire to grow young world changers who know where their power comes from. With values of LOVE, RESPECT & HONOUR we encourage kids to Love God, Respect each other and Honour their parents & their leaders.

n st frie my be yrs) 4 nna is “Sava .” - Logan ( h churc

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CURRENT THEME: Over the next quarter Hillsong Kids (HSK) will be following our ‘Draw Near’ and ‘Gospels’ programmes across all our services and locations. We will be teaching on prayer, the what, the why and the how to pray. Followed by the theme of praise, sharing how we as Christ followers can draw near to God through our praise and worship. The ‘Gospels’ programme is all about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Exploring how Jesus was fully man and fully God, investigating his miracles and how he was the Messiah and salvation plan for the world. HILLSONG.CO.UK/KIDS @HILLSONGKIDSUK

“I’m sa fe - Kai (5 with God in c hurch.” yrs)

ader in K favourite le “Pat is my oxi (5 yrs) L Church.”

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AGES 11-14

YOUNG A

“I moved to London from Zimbabwe three years ago, and arriving here faced the challenges of bullying and loneliness, which led to suicidal thoughts. I received therapy for a while, and it is here I met a friend who invited me to a football project he was involved with, and this is where I met a guy called Ralph who invited me to church. My first step into church literally made me say, “wow, where has this been for all this time I have been suffering?!” It was all so new to me, and it took me some time to adjust, but I made a decision to follow Jesus, and then got baptised. Now I know have so many people I call friends and family who I know are there for me.

The reason I share my story is because I realise that I started to forget what God had done in my life, since all I was so focused on was what I wanted him to do – get me a VISA – forgetting that it wasn’t too long ago I was saying I had nothing, and wanted to end my life.

WHAT’S UP WATSONS What an exciting few months we’ve just had and even better times are ahead of us. So much is coming up and we don’t want you to miss out. As a Youth & Young Adults ministry we are passionate more than ever about positively shaping society, and we are seeing that as we together find our identity in Jesus and grow in his word, we are able to go into our areas of life and have a positive impact. Being Culture Kings & Queens wherever we go. How good is Michael’s story!!! Jo and I are told hundreds of stories like that from within YxYA and it’s so encouraging to see what God is doing in people’s lives! My favourite part of the last few months is that our crews and groups are continuing to grow! If you’re not yet in a crew or group then I strongly encourage you to find one asap….better yet why not speak to your local youth pastor or young adult pastor about leading one yourself. God bless, all the best! Dan & Jo Watson

SEARCH // HILLSONG YXYA VISIT // HILLSONG.CO.UK/YXYA

YXYA SERIES COMING UP

As culture Kings and Queens, let’s not get distracted by what we want God to do and miss out on what He is doing. It’s my third year with no VISA, but I continue to allow God to use me right where I’m at, and I want to encourage others to do the same. Let’s lead the way, set the atmosphere wherever we go, and see more and more people turn to God.”

POSITIVELY SHAPING SOCIETY

Fast forward to the 26th February 2019, I received a Jack Petchey Award for outstanding performance in college, which meant I got the opportunity to go to Parliament and represent young refugees.

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Biju’s Story Founder, Vision Rescue

Little did I know what I was putting my foot into, regarding the deep waters of the needs and challenges of the city of Mumbai. Though the images of the children on the streets would haunt me, I never thought it would make any difference even if I tried to help a few of the hundreds and thousands of street children in Mumbai. I kept holding myself back from this undeniable and enormous need. One day a friend of mine told me about a newspaper cutting he had seen, there was a picture of a 3 year old boy lying next to a dog. Looking closely at the picture one could figure out that the little boy was drinking the milk of that dog!! The caption given under the picture read “This dog is his mother”. When I heard this, that was it! I decided that I was going to do something about this and not just turn away from the horrendous conditions of these children. If I could make a difference in the life of ‘one’ of these kids, if I could keep ‘one’ child from drinking the dog’s milk, ‘one’ child death due to starvation and malnutrition, I would do it! Now the excitement of the possibilities and the avenues available to change the destiny of people thrills my every moment!

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VISIO N RESCU E

In India, more than 8 million children under six years old live in approximately 49,000 slums and a large number of these children remain out of the education system. Malnourishment is another challenge many of these children in the slums are facing, with 47% of children in Mumbai’s slums suffering to some degree from the effects of poor nutrition.

Last year, Vision Rescue enrolled 497 children from the slums into formal education and over the years 2,019 children have been enrolled in government and private schools who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend school. Through our partnership since 2004 we have been able to help hundreds of children and families so far but the need remains great. To find out more and see how you can support the work of Vision Rescue visit hillsong.co.uk/visionrescue

Our partner Vision Rescue has as their mission to break generational poverty by engaging and sustaining these children into education in India’s urban slums of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Five days a week, Vision Rescue provides nutritional meals and education through their community centres located within the slums. Next to the community centres, buses are used as mobile classrooms to get to the harder to reach locations and teach the children there. Vision Rescue takes a holistic approach, offering additional support activities such as sports programmes, vocational training and medical and dental vans. They provide this support not only to the street children, but also their families and the wider community.

C O M I N G U P I N 2019

H O U S E U P DAT E

21 APRIL 2019 Easter Sunday: Cross Equals Love

24-26 JULY 2019 Young & Free Conference (11-18 yrs) Indigo at the O2, London

21 APRIL 2019 Easter Performance: King Of Heaven London Palladium, W1F 7LA

29-31 AUGUST 2019 Powerhouse Summerfest (18-30) Cefn Lea Park, Wales

2-4 MAY 2019 Colour Conference: Found In The New The SSE Arena Wembley, London

26-28 AUGUST 2019 Youth Summercamp (11-18) Cold Harbour Farm, Kent

15-18 MAY 2019 Men’s XCC (Extreme Character Challenge) Scottish Highlands

24 SEPTEMBER 2019 Heart & Soul Across all UK campuses

1 JUNE 2019 Young Leaders’ Lab The Warehouse Project, SE16 3LP

3 NOVEMBER 2019 Heart for the House Across all UK campuses

9 JUNE 2019 Compassion Sunday Across all UK campuses

9 NOVEMBER 2019 Men’s Day The Warehouse Project, SE16 3LP

25 JUNE 2019 Heart & Soul Night Across all UK campuses

29 NOVEMBER 2019 Sisterhood United Across all UK campuses

24-26 JULY 2019 Hillsong Conference Europe The O2, London

15 DECEMBER 2019 London Carols The SSE Arena Wembley, London

24-26 JULY 2019 Kidsong (1-11 yrs) The O2, London

T H E R E V I VA L I S S U E

H O U S E U P DAT E

What’s Ahead

SEE WHAT’S COMING UP IN YOUR LOCATION

Hillsong Central London @HILLSONGCENTRALLONDON

DOMINION THEATRE, W1T 7AQ

Mo n d ay, 8t h Ap r i l Me n’s Hour of Powe r P r ayer 7 : 3 0 p m , T h e Wa re h ou s e P ro jec t S E 1 6 3 LP We dne s d ay, 1 0 t h Ap r i l S i s t e rh ood Re a l Ta l k (for a l l wom e n) 7pm , S t Ja m e s Ch urc h Fa r r i ngdon Fr id ay, 1 2 t h Ap r i l Im p a c t ( 30 +) Fr i day Nig ht Dr in ks 7 : 3 0 p m , Fl igh t Cl ub, SW 1 E 5 D J Fr id ay, 1 2 t h Ap r i l Fu e l & Wi l dl i fe Soci al Hang o u t ( 1 1 -1 8) S u n d ay, 2 1 st Ap r i l Ea s t e r P roduct i on: K i ng O f He ave n 1 a m | 1 p m | 3pm | 5 pm | 7p m London Pa l l a di um , W1 F 7 LA Mo n d ay, 2 2 nd Ap r i l B a nk Hol i day Fa m i l i e s Ea s t e r-Egg Hunt s 1 1 a m , va r i ous l oca t i on s We dne s d ay, 2 4 t h Ap r il L a d ’s Ha ngout (for a ll m en ) 7 : 3 0 p m , P i zza P i lgr i ms , EC 2 N 1 H Q Tue s day, 7t h May C o l ou r Te a m Pa r t y 7 : 3 0 p m , Loca t i on T B C Fr id ay, 1 0 t h May Im p a c t ( 30 +) Fr i day Nig ht Dr in ks 7 : 3 0 p m , Cour t h ous e Hot el S h ore di t ch S u n d ay, 1 2 t h May Ma r r i age P re p Cour s e 1 0 : 3 0 a m, D om i ni on Theat re Fo r eng ag e d c ou p le s l o o kin g to g et mar r i e d ; r u nni ng fo r 4 we e ks .

We d n e s day. 15th May S is t er ho o d Real Talk (fo r al l wo men ) 7p m , S t James C h urc h Far r ing do n Frid ay. 1 7th May Yo u t h p resen ts th e Wareh o use (1 1 -1 8) 7p m, Th e Wareh o u se P ro jec t , S E16 3L P S atu rd ay. 18th May T he Gat h ering (18 -30) 7p m , T he Wareh o u se Pro jec t, SE16 3LP S u n d ay, 19th May Mar r iag e Prep C o u rse 1 0 : 3 0 am, Do min io n Th eatre Mo n d ay, 20 th May Men ’s Ho u r o f Power Prayer 7: 3 0 p m , Th e Wareh o use, SE16 3LP S u n d ay, 26th May Mar r iag e Prep C o u rse 1 0 : 3 0 am, Do min io n Th eatre S u n d ay, 26th May Baby D ed ic atio n s D o m in io n Th eatre A n o p p o rtuni ty fo r fami l i es to c o m m it thei r chi l dren to Go d a n d fo r parents to be prayed fo r d u rin g the serv i ce. S u n d ay, 2nd June Mar r iag e Prep C o u rse 1 0 : 3 0 am, Do min io n Th eatre Mo n d ay, 3 rd June Ar t is t C o llec tive 7p m , C o n c rete S p ac e S h o red itc h A c o m m uni ty of peo pl e i n the p e rfo rm ance and entertai nment in d u s try expl o ri ng w hat i t means to p u s h the bo undari es and be c u l tu re s hapers.

Wednesday, 5th June Med ia C o llec tive 7 :30p m, S t. Jo h n at Hack ney B rewery A co mmuni ty of creati ves i nterested i n the fi el ds of photo graphy, graphi c design, film, fashi o n, w eb/app devel opment , and so ci al medi a market ing. Fri day, 7th June Imp ac t (3 0+ ) Frid ay Night Dri nks 7 :30p m, Ro o f East, E15 1 BB Mo nday, 10 th June Fin an c ial Freed o m C o urse 7 :30p m, Th e Wareh o use , S E16 3L P Mo nday, 10 th June Men ’s Ho ur o f Power Praye r, 7 :30p m, Th e Wareh o use Proj e ct, S E16 3L P Fri day, 14th June S isterh o o d Lo c al 7 :30p m, vario us lo c ations Fo r al l the w o men i n o ur church. Fri day, 14th June Ed u c atio n C o llec tive 7p m, Th e Wareh o use Proj e ct, S E16 3L P A co mmuni ty fo r peo pl e t hat work w i th yo ung peo pl e. Mo nday, 17th June Fo un d atio n Din n er, 7p m, Th e Wareh o use, SE1 6 3LP A n eveni ng fo r Ki ngdo m Builders and V i si o n Impacto rs, i n cluding di nner and an i nspi ri ng t a lk from a keynote speaker. Tuesday, 25th June Heart & S o u l 7 :30p m, In d ig o at th e O 2, S E10 0ES Fo r everyo ne w ho cal l s Hillsong ‘ho me’ and i s co mmi tted to bui l di ng o ur church.

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/centrallondon

Le a d e r s h i p Ma s t e rc l as s (fo r al l Lo n d o n l o c at io n s) 5 wee k cour s e s t a r t ing Wed n es d ay, 5 t h Ju n e 7 : 3 0pm , Crow ne P l az a Lo n d o n , EC 4V 6 D B

Even ing C o lleg e (fo r all Lo n d o n lo c atio n s) 7 week c o u rse starting Wed n esd ay, 22 n d May 7 :30p m, King s C o lleg e Lo n d o n , WC 2R 2L S

Le a de r sh i p d e ve lop m e nt p ro g ra m m e with s o m e of Lo nd on’s be st le a d e rs h ip te a c h e rs , in d u s try c onsu lt ant s and bu s in e s s l e a d e rs .

Hi l l so ng Eveni ng Co l l ege i s ul ti matel y desi gned to empo w er yo u to i mpact the w o rl d and to gai n a greater understandi ng of theo l o gy, l i fe and l eadershi p i n your Chri sti an j o urney.

Re g i ste r onli ne at hil l s o ng .c o .u k / l ead er s hip

Regi ster o nl i ne at h illso ng . c o . uk/even ing c o llege

T H E R E V I VA L I S S U E

Hillsong New Bermondsey THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT, SE16 3LP

@HILLSONGBERMONDSEY

Fr id ay, 1 2 t h Ap r i l S i s t e rh ood Fr i day (for a l l wom e n) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t

Frid ay. 17th May Yo u t h presen ts th e Wareh o use (1 1 -1 8) 7p m, Th e Wareh o use P ro jec t, S E16 3L P

Fri day, 14th June S isterh o o d Lo c al 7p m, Th e Wareh o use Proj e ct Fo r al l the w o men i n o ur church.

Fr id ay, 1 2 t h Ap r i l B e r m o nds ey Yout h Nig ht (1 1 -1 8) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t

S atu rd ay. 18th May T he Ga th ering (18 -3 0) 7p m , T h e Wareh o use Pro jec t, S E 1 6 3 LP

Fri day, 14th June B ermo n d sey Yo u th Night (1 1 -1 8) 7p m,Th e Wareh o use Proj e ct

S u n d ay, 2 1 st Ap r i l Ea s t e r: B a pt i s m s T h e Wa re h ous e P roj ec t Fr id ay, 2 6 t h Ap r i l C h u rc h Pa r t y 7pm , Haw ke r Hous e , S E 1 6 7PJ Fr id ay, 2 6 t h Ap r i l B e r m o nds ey Yout h Nig ht (1 1 -1 8) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t Fr id ay, 3 rd May B e r m o nds ey Yout h Nig ht (1 1 -1 8) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t Tue s day, 7t h May C o l ou r Te a m Pa r t y 7 : 3 0 p m , Loca t i on T BC Fr id ay, 1 0 t h May S i s t e rh ood Fr i day (for a l l wom e n) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t

Frid ay, 24th May Ber m o nd sey Yo u th Nig h t (11-18) 7p m , T he Wareh o use Pro jec t Frid ay, 3 1st May C hu rc h Party 7p m , Haw ker Ho use, S E16 7 PJ Frid ay, 3 1st May Ber m o nd sey Yo u th Nig h t (11-18) 7p m , T he Wareh o use Pro jec t Frid ay, 1st June Ber m o nd sey Yo u th Nig h t (11-18) 7p m , T he Wareh o use Pro jec t Frid ay, 8th June Ber m o nd sey Yo u th Nig h t 7p m , T he Wareh o use Pro jec t

S unday, 16th June B ap tisms Th e Wareh o use Pro ject Mo nday, 17th June Fo un d atio n Din n er 7p m, Th e Wareh o use Proj e ct A n eveni ng fo r Ki ngdo m Builders and V i si o n Impacto rs, including di nner and an i nspi ri ng t a lk from a keynote speaker. S aturday, 21st June Powerh o u se S o c ial (18-30) 7p m, Lo c atio n TB C Tuesday, 25th June Heart & S o u l Fo r everyo ne w ho cal l s Hillsong ‘ho me’ and i s co mmi tted to bui l di ng o ur church.

Mo n d ay, 10 th June Fin an c ial Freed o m C o u rse 7 : 3 0 p m, Th e Wareh o u se Pro jec t

Fr id ay, 1 0 t h May B e r m o nds ey Yout h Nig ht (1 1 -1 8) 7pm , Th e Wa re h ous e P ro jec t For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/bermondsey

Hillsong North London BERNIE GRANTS ART CENTRE, N15 4RX

@HILLSONGNORTHLONDON

S at u rday, 1 3 t h Ap r i l B ow l i ng A l l St a r s La n e 6 p m , We s t fi e l d St r a t fo rd

Mo n d ay, 27th May Ban k Holid ay Party 1 2 p m , Alexan d ra Plac e, N22 7AY

S und ay, 2 1 st Ap r i l Ea s t e r : B a pt i s m s

Mo n d ay, 10 th June Fin an c ial Freed o m C o u rse 7 : 3 0 p m , Th e Wareh o u se, S E 1 6 3 LP

Fr i day, 2 6 t h Ap r i l Fr i d ay Nigh t Soci a l 8 p m , Troy B a r, N1 6N G S und ay, 5 t h May ‘ Ma n D e m ’ Ha ngout s (fo r a l l m e n) 4 -6 pm , Tr ue Cr a ft , N 1 5 5 N R

Frid ay, 14th June S is t er hoo d Lo c al 7 : 3 0 p m , vario u s lo c atio n s Fo r a l l t he w o men i n o ur church.

Mo nday, 17th June Fo un d atio n Din n er, 7p m, Th e Wareh o use, SE1 6 3LP A n eveni ng fo r Ki ngdo m Builders and V i si o n Impacto rs, i n cluding di nner and an i nspi ri ng t a lk from a keynote speaker. Tuesday, 25th June Heart & S o u l 7 :30p m, In d ig o at th e O 2, S E10 0ES Fo r everyo ne w ho cal l s Hillsong ‘ho me’ and i s co mmi tted to bui l di ng o ur church.

Tu esd ay, 7t h May C ol o u r Te a m Pa r t y 7 : 3 0 pm , Loca t i on T BC

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/northlondon

H O U S E U P DAT E

Hillsong Guildford @HILLSONGGUILDFORD

G-LIVE, GU1 2AA

Fr i day, 1 2 t h Ap r i l S i s t e r h ood Mor ni ng (fo r a l l wom e n) 1 0 .3 0 a m, G -Li ve

Frid ay, 26th A pri l Hil l s o ng G uild fo rd Party (18 + ) 7 : 3 0 p m , Ko mo B ar

Fr i day, 1 2 t h Ap r i l G ood Fr i day Spor t s 2 - 5 pm , Sur rey Spor t s Par k , G U 2 7AD S und ay, 2 1 st Ap r i l Ea s t e r : B a pt i s m s G -L i ve

S u n d ay, 24th May Hil l s o ng G uild fo rd Party (18 + ) 7 : 3 0 p m , Ko mo B ar

Tuesday, 25th June Heart & S o ul 7 :3 0p m, Man d o lay Hote l, G U 1 2AE Fo r everyo ne w ho cal l s Hillsong ‘ho me’ and i s co mmi tted to bui l di ng o ur church.

Frid ay, 1 4th June S is t er hoo d Lo c al 7p m , Oatlan d s Park Hotel Fo r a l l the w o men i n o ur church.

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/guildford

Hillsong Oxford @HILLSONGOXFORD

ODEON CINEMA, OX1 3AE

Fr i day. 12th A pril Im p a ct So c ial ( 3 0 +) 7 : 3 0 p m, Ku pp, Wes tga te Oxford

Friday. 1 0t h May Imp a ct S o cia l ( 30+ ) 7:30p m, Kupp, Wes t g a t e Ox fo rd

S u n day, 21st A pril Ea s t e r : Gro u ps Eas ter Pa rti es

S aturday. 1 1 t h May Men’s B rea k fa s t 9a m, T he Fo ur Ca n dl es , OX 1 2B E

S u n day, 22nd A pril Vo l t ag e Go n’ Wil d C ot swor l d Wil dlife Pa rk, OX1 8 4JP

S aturday, 25 t h May Youth Tr ip t o Th o rpe Pa rk Trip (11-18)

Fr i day, 26th A pril C h u rch Par ty 7 : 3 0 p m, Ku pp, Rao u l’s Ba r, OX2 6 A

Friday, Jun e 7 t h Oxford Yo ut h Nig h t ( 1 1 -1 8 y rs) 7p m, Cherwel l Mus ic Ro o m , OX2 7E E

Frid ay, 1 4 t h Jun e Ox fo rd Yo ut h Nig h t ( 1 1-18) 7pm , Ch erwel l Mus ic Room, OX 2 7 EE Frid ay, 1 4 t h Jun e S is t erh o o d Lo ca l 7pm , S t . A n drew s Ch urc h, OX 2 6 UH Fo r a l l t h e wo men in o u r church. Tu es d ay, 25 t h Ju n e Hea rt & S o ul 7 : 30pm , CM S Ho us e, OX4 6B Z Fo r ever yo n e wh o ca l l s Hillsong ‘h o me’ a n d is co mmit te d to buil d in g o ur ch u rch .

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/oxford

Hillsong Birmingham

@HILLSONGBIRMINGHAM @HILLSONGUKBIRMINGHAM

ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE, B4 7XR

Tu e s d ay, 9th A pril New To Te am Nig ht 7 :3 0 p m , C anal Ho u s e, B1 2JR

Tue sday. 1 4 t h May New To Tea m Nig h t 7:30p m, Ca n a l Ho us e, B 1 2JR

Mo n day, 22nd A pril B a n k Ho liday Hang o ut 1 1 a m , C anno n Hil l Park

T h ursday, 3 0t h May Powerhous e S o cia l ( 1 8 - 30s) 8p m, T he Nig h t O w l , B 9 4 AG

Tu e s d ay, 7th May Co l o u r Team Party 7 :3 0 p m , Red Lio n, B18 6N G

Tue sday. 1 1 t h Jun e New To Tea m Nig h t 7:30p m, Ca n a l Ho us e, B 1 2JR

Tues d ay, 1 8 t h Jun e Hea rt & S o ul 7pm , Roya l B irm ing h a m Co n s erva t o ire Fo r everyo n e wh o ca l l s Hillsong ‘h o me’ a n d is co mmit ted to bu il d in g o ur ch u rch .

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/birmingham

T H E R E V I VA L I S S U E

Hillsong Newcastle WESTGATE HALL, NE4 5QD

@HILLSONGUKNEWCASTLE

Fr i day. 12th A pril Lo c a l Yo u th Nig ht ( 11-18) 7p m , We s tg ate Hal l

S aturday, 1 1 t h May Imp a ct B rea k fa s t , 10a m, Ikea Newca s t l e, N E1 1 9XS

S atu rd ay. 13 th A pril Im p a ct Break f as t ( 3 0+) 1 0 a m , Ikea Newc as tle, N E 11 9XS

S aturday, 25 t h May Youth Rev is io n Day ( 1 1 -1 8) 10a m-4 pm , Wes t g a t e Ha l l

S u n day, 21s t A pril Ea s t e r: Baptis m s 6 p m , Wes tg ate Hall

Tuesday, 28 t h May Church Pa rt y 7p m, Yol o Tow n h o us e, N E1 1 EN

Tu e s day, 3 0 th A pril C h u rch Party 7p m , Yo lo Townho u s e, N E 1 1E N

S unday, 3 rd Jun e Ba p ti sms 6 p m, Wes t g a t e Ha l l

Mo n d ay, 6th May Ki d s & Fam ilies Pic ni c D ay 1 2 p m , Saltwel l Par k G a teshea d , N E 9 5 AX

Friday. 7 t h Jun e Loca l Yo ut h Nig h t ( 1 1 -1 8) 7p m, We s t g a t e Ha l l

Fr id ay, 1 4 t h Jun e S is t erh o o d Lo ca l 7pm , Wes t g a t e Ha l l Fo r a l l t h e wo men in o ur church. S at u rd ay, 8 t h Jun e Im pa ct B rea k fa s t ( 30+) 1 0a m , Ikea Newca s t l e, NE 11 9XS Tues d ay, 25 t h Ju n e Hea rt & S o ul 7 : 30pm , Wes t g a t e Ha ll Fo r everyo n e wh o ca l l s Hillsong ‘h o me’ a n d is co mmit ted to bu il d in g o ur ch u rch .

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/newcastle

Hillsong Edinburgh

@HILLSONGEDINBURGH @HILLSONGUKEDINBURGH

THE ROSE THEATRE, EH2 4AZ

Fr i d ay, 19th A pril Fr i d ay Nig h t So c ial 7p m , Baba, EH 2 4JZ

Friday. 1 7 t h May Fri d ay Nig h t S o cia l 7p m, Ba ba , EH2 4 JZ

Fr i d ay. 10 th May Fo u n d a tio n Dinner s p e a k to th e team for loca ti on

Friday, 1 4 t h Jun e Fri d ay Nig h t S o cia l 7p m, Ba ba , EH2 4 JZ

Tu es d ay, 25 t h Ju n e Hea rt & S o ul 7pm , Th e O l d Dr B el l s B aths Fo r ever yo n e wh o ca l l s Hillsong ‘h o me’ a n d is co mmit te d to buil d in g o ur ch u rch .

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/edinburgh

Hillsong Tonbridge RIVER CENTRE, TN9 1RE

@HILLSONGTONBRIDGE

Fr i day. 12th A pril D y n a m ic Nig ht (45+) 7 : 3 0 p m, River C entre S u n day, 21st A pril Ea s t e r : Baptis m s Ri ve r C e ntre

Friday, 1 4 t h Ju n e S i sterho o d Lo ca l 7:30p m, River Cen t re Fo r all t h e wo men in o ur ch u rch .

Mo n d ay, 1 7 t h Ju n e Fo un da t io n Din n er 7 : 30pm , Th e Wa reh o use Proj ec t S E1 6 3LP

S aturday, 1 5 t h Ju n e D yna mi c B B Q (4 5 + ) T i me, Lo ca t io n TB C

Tu es d ay, 25 t h Ju n e Hea rt & S o ul 7 : 30pm , River Cen t re Fo r ever yo n e wh o ca l l s Hillsong ‘h o me’ a n d is co mmit te d to buil d in g o ur ch u rch .

Fr i day, 26th A pril New To C hu rc h Party 7 : 3 0 p m, River C entre

For more information or to register for any of these events, visit hillsong.co.uk/tonbridge

H O U S E U P DAT E

Hillsong Croydon Fr i d ay. 12th A pril Croyd o n So c ial 7 :3 0 p m , Boxpar k C royd on

@HILLSONGCROYDON

Friday. 24 t h May Croyd on So cia l 7:30p m, B ox pa rk Croydo n

Frid ay. 21 s t Jun e Croydo n S o cia l 7 : 30pm , B ox pa rk Croydo n

For more information, visit hillsong.co.uk/croydon

Hillsong Liverpool HINTERLANDS, L8 5AF

P l a t fo rm Team Nig h t Eve r y T hurs day So r t S tudios , Mann St

@HILLSONGLIVERPOOL

G roup s Happe nin g week l y at v a rio us lo catio n s

For more information, visit hillsong.co.uk/liverpool

Hillsong Reading ST MARY’S MINSTER CHURCH, RG1 2HX

@HILLSONGREADING

T h u r s d ay. 11th A pril Re a d i ng Gathe ring s 7 : 3 0 p m, St Mar y’s Mi nster Church

Frid ay, 1 0t h May Hil l s o ng Rea ding Pa rt y 7 : 30pm , A l l B a r O n e, R G1 2AG

Mo n day, 22nd A pril B a n k Ho liday Bar becues i n Ea st a nd We s t Reading , Wo k ingha m a nd Bra cknell Co nt a c t Jam es at james. mo wle @h illsong. co . uk fo r m o re detail s .

T h u rs d ay, 1 6t h May Rea ding Ga t h ering s 7 : 30pm , S t Ma ry ’s Min s t er Ch urch

For more information, visit hillsong.co.uk/reading

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