New Wine Magazine - Issue 65 - November 2016

magazine

CONNECTING. EQUIPPING. GROWING.

A

# 65

publication.

November 2016 Stories from United 16 Ever question whether God is at work in our world? He was certainly busy this summer. p.15

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Know someone who wouldn’t want “just another gift” this Christmas?

Why not make that person’s Christmas present a gift that will transform the life of a family in Asia?

Many of the dozens of gifts given through Gospel for Asia’s Christmas Gift catalogue, like chickens and mosquito nets, will be distributed by churches in Asia to families in dire need of help. Other gifts, like vehicles and Bibles, will help our brothers and sisters as they serve the Lord and their people. Through all of the gifts, many will know they are loved by Jesus and by us, His people.

And that is our desire—that through everything we do as Gospel for Asia, people would have the same opportunity we have to know and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Give your Christmas gift in honour of a friend or loved one online at gfauk.org/gift or call 0161 946 9484 to find out more, and then send them a free card letting them know. The card shares that a family in Asia will never be the same because of this Christmas gift.

You can also order free Christmas Gift catalogues online to share with your friends or church family!

Donate at gfauk.org/gift or call 0161 946 9484 Adult Gift Card

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Child Gif

t Card

PO Box 316, Manchester, M22 2DJ infouk@gfa.org 0161 946 9484 Registration Number: 3433617 Registered Charity Number: 1064738

magazine Issue 65 Want FREE copies of the New Wine Magazine for your church? Email us at: info@new-wine.org Would you like to advertise?

020 8799 3771 advertising@new-wine.org The next edition will be published in February 2017.

The advert booking deadline is 9 December 2016.

New Wine does not necessarily agree with all the views and practises of advertisers.

Managing Editor Lani Charlwood Commissioning Editors Lucy Avery & Lucy Williams Advertising Amy Tsang & Vanessa Hitchen Creative Jonny Taylor & Pete Coomber Print Halcyon

Get In Touch Find us: 4a Ridley Avenue Ealing London W13 9XW

Welcome Since joining New Wine, I have been encouraged by the genuine relationship that exists within the New Wine family. Lives have been shared in a real and unfiltered way, joys have been celebrated and sorrows carried together. From these raw experiences, wisdom overflows and I have seen how friends and strangers have learned more about what it means to live life daily in relationship with God. When people make time to connect with one another on a ‘soulful’ level (pg 41), the smallest actions can have eternal consequences.

Whether it’s Emma Ineson challenging our perceptions of authority and success (pg 31) or Chris Sayburn encouraging us to look beyond the expectations the world places on us, towards God’s kingdom plans on earth (pg 25), it is small moments and honest relationship that spur us on towards love and good deeds.

Called out of chaos –25

As Christians, it is dangerous for us to stop challenging one another to pursue God’s kingdom work. We were taught to pray ‘Your Kingdom come on earth, as it is in Heaven’ and that prayer is as relevant today as it was when Jesus spoke it. At United this summer, we saw God’s kingdom break through on this earth in powerful ways and the testimonies shared in this edition are inspiring examples of the Holy Spirit moving among us (pg 15).

I hope that you will find this issue an encouragement that when we look for opportunities to partner with God in his kingdom work, we will see depression lifted, refugees homed, communities flourishing and lives turning towards our Creator.

Spiritual turnaround –37

With every blessing,

Phone us: 020 8567 6717 Email us: mag@new-wine.org Visit our website: new-wine.org

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Promoting sustainable forest management. www.pefc.co.uk

Lani Charlwood Head of Marketing and Communications

FEATURES

Led by the Spirit Getting to know Paul & Becky Harcourt 11 Filled with light Michelle’s powerful story out of depression, drug abuse and near-death 13 Stories from United 16 Faith-building stories from our summer gatherings 15 Hope in a war zone Eddie Lyle on how your generosity is helping displaced Syrians 21 Caring for the carers What’s the New Wine Healthcare Network?

Louise Anderson fills us in 23

Surviving school How a partnership with TLG helps children struggling at school 27 Re:Generation Leadership Conference speaker David Stroud on his vision for shaping city culture 29 By whose authority?

What’s your power source?

Emma Ineson explores Jesus-like leadership 31 Refuge & strength The Boaz Trust on how to offer love and practical support to refugees 35 Spiritual turnaround A church’s story of catching the vision for redirection and a ‘New Wine baby’ 37

Giving shelter The number of people sleeping rough has doubled since 2010.

How do we respond? 38 There is more Have we lost our sense of soul?

Brian Draper reminds us to reconnect 41

REGULARS

National & local events Some dates for your diary

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Encounters with God Stories of blessing, healing and revelation at our recent events 10 Recommended Resources Books and an app that offer inspiration and encouragement 42

Called out of chaos Chris Sayburn’s story of pursuing God’s call into leadership 25 5

Our Vision & Values NEW WINE’S VISION To see the nation changed through Christians experiencing the joy of worshipping God, the freedom of following Jesus, and the power of being filled with the Spirit.

To see churches renewed, strengthened and planted, living out the word of God in every aspect of life, serving God by reaching the lost, broken and poor, and demonstrating the good news of the kingdom of God to all.

NEW WINE’S VALUES CONTINUITY & CHANGE – we want to be faithful guardians of an unchanging message about the person and work of Jesus, and the need for personal salvation and sanctification, while also adapting ways of worship, teaching, being church and doing mission according to culture and context.

CROSS & RESURRECTION – we want to honour all that Jesus has done for us on the cross, and to embrace the way of the cross for ourselves, while also knowing the power of his resurrection to set us free.

GRACIOUS & TRUTHFUL – we want to be kind and generous in the way we think and speak about others whether they agree or disagree with us, while also clearly communicating what we believe and why we believe it.

LEADERSHIP & EVERY-MEMBER MINISTRY – we want to train and deploy anointed, courageous and missional church leaders, while also equipping every Christian to serve like Jesus in their home, church, work and life-place.

MISSION & COMMUNITY – we want to see the church become a missionary movement to love and reach the lost, to care for the poor and to bring justice to our homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces and nations, while also being a grace-filled community in which people can find relationship, healing, faith, hope and love.

NATURAL & SUPERNATURAL – we want to see every Christian using all the natural reason, wisdom and skill that they can, while also learning to operate in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit to minister to others in love and power as Jesus did.

NOW & NOT YET OF THE KINGDOM – we want to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God and to see that confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders, while also ministering grace to all, knowing that suffering will be part of life until Jesus returns and makes all things new.

TRANSCENDENCE & PRESENCE – we want to live lives that celebrate God’s awesome power, transcendent majesty and sovereign work, while at the same time experiencing his intimate presence as we encounter him in heartfelt worship.

UNITY & DIVERSITY – we want to work with everyone who holds these values in open, mutually accountable friendship, while also acknowledging and honouring differences in leadership style, church characteristics and denominational emphasis.

WORD & SPIRIT – we want to derive all we believe, teach and do from the Bible as the written word of God, while also learning to hear and obey the voice of the Spirit speaking to us individually and collectively.

Some new leaders...

Thank you for supporting and praying for New Wine in 2016. With Paul Harcourt leading us forward, we are pleased to let you know of a few leaders that will be joining us or stepping into new roles in the coming year.

Please pray for them.

KATE WHARTON

JOHN HOOKWAY

ASSISTANT NATIONAL LEADER IN THE NORTH. Kate is Vicar of St George’s Church in Everton, Liverpool.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR LONDON & EAST John is vicar of Christ Church, a growing church in Ware.

MARK MELLUISH

BEN DOOLAN

ASSISTANT NATIONAL LEADER IN THE SOUTH. Mark leads a family of churches from St Paul’s, Ealing and is a Director of Tearfund.

HEAD OF MINISTRY FOR INVEST Curate at the Belfrey in York where he oversees the evening gathering, student work and 18-30s.

JOHN MCGINLEY

NAOMI GRAHAM

OVERSEES THE REGIONAL DIRECTORS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR MIDLANDS & EAST. Vicar of Holy Trinity Church in the heart of Leicester.

HEAD OF MINISTRY FOR INCLUSION Naomi goes to KXC church in London and is also a Children’s Occupational Therapist.

RICHARD MOY REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR LONDON & WEST Richard and his wife Nicola lead Christ Church W4.

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YANN DUBREUIL HEAD OF RURAL MINISTRY Yann is married to Hannah and is the vicar of three parishes in East Hampshire.

Some of the latest New Wine resources to equip you and your church for Kingdom ministry.

Available now from new-wine.org/resources MUSIC

CARRY THE LIGHT_BOOKLET.indd 1

Gold

Simple Pursuit

A collection of tracks

by Sam Bailey to stand in the gap between Kingdom and culture.

Live worship from United 2016.

Featuring Sam Bailey, Tim Hughes, Karen Gillespie & Chris Sayburn. £12.99

£10.99

SELLING AUTHOR

Dig deeper in your kids groups! Get ready to X-Cavate!

“Throughout New Wine’s history, childrens ministry has been at the heart of everything we do.

We are passionate about seeing children meet with God, experience His presence and grow into faithful disciples of Jesus. The teaching in this book will be hugely beneficial to any local church and I can’t recommend it enough.”

MARK BAILEY LEADER, NEW WINE

learning to heal A practical guide for every Christian

A practical guide for every Christian

Hearing God is the birthright of all believers, but we need to learn and grow in our ability to hear Him, as part of developing a prophetic lifestyle. In this book, Mark Aldridge shows us...

Jesus trained His disciples to do the things that He did – but He Himself said that He was doing only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He wants us to learn how to see what He is doing and hear what He is saying, so that we can join in with Him.

NEW WINE RESOURCES learning NEWtoWINE RESOURCES hear God’s voice Hearing God is the birthright of all believers, but we need to learn and grow in our ability to hear Him, as part of developing a prophetic lifestyle. In this book, Mark Aldridge shows us...

• How to use the gift wisely and sensitively

• Numerous examples and illustrations to help you practice and develop your gift in a safe setting

• How to hear God’s voice today

• How to begin using the prophetic gift both inside and outside of the local church • How to use the gift wisely and sensitively

Pre-schoolers Curriculum Your Kids Will Dig!

JOHN COLES • Numerous examples and illustrations to help you practice and develop your gift in a safe setting

learning to heal

About the author: Mark Aldridge leads the Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship in Acton, London, and is the Head of Ministry for New Wine International.

He loves to teach on the prophetic, healing, the

...and live a prophetic lifestyle Kingdom of God and the mission of the Church.

Jesus trained His disciples to do the things that He did – but He Himself said that He was doing only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He wants us to learn how to see what He is doing and hear what He is saying, so that we can join in with Him.

• How to hear God’s voice today • How to begin using the prophetic gift both inside and outside of the local church

ISBN 978-1-908393-63-0

| DVD

www.new-wine.org

X-Cavate!

www.new-wine.org/resources The best of New Wine Kids resources for pre-schoolers (0-4s) and KS1 (5-7s).

Teaching, games, crafts and song ideas; a great resource for churches and kids groups.

£24.99

About the author: Mark Aldridge leads the Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship in Acton, London, and is the Head of Ministry for New Wine International.

He loves to teach on the prophetic, healing, the Kingdom of God and the mission of the Church.

Mark is married to Kate and they have four children and live in London.

BOOK

www.new-wine.org/resources BOOK | DVD

ISBN 978-1-000000-00-0

• How to use the gift wisely and sensitively • Numerous examples and illustrations to help you practice and develop your gift in a safe setting

| STUDY GUIDE

LTHGV-book-cover.indd 1

www.new-wine.org

| DVD

• How to begin using the prophetic gift both inside and outside of the local church

MARK ALDRIDGE 07/07/2015 14:54

MARK ALDRIDGE

About the author: Mark Aldridge leads the Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship in Acton, London, and is the Head of Ministry for New Wine International.

He loves to teach on the prophetic, healing, the Kingdom of God and the mission of the Church.

Mark is married to Kate and they have four children and live in London.

ISBN 978-1-000000-00-0

BOOK

| DVD

BOOK

| STUDY GUIDE

LTHGV-book-cover.indd 1

| DVD

| STUDY GUIDE

NEW WINE

A new take on spiritual growth by New Wine’s National Leader. £7.99

| STUDY GUIDE

| STUDY GUIDE

MARK A

Hearing God is the birthright of all believers, but we need to learn and grow in our ability to hear Him, as part of developing a prophetic lifestyle. In this book, Mark Aldridge shows us...

• How to hear God’s voice today

LTHGV-book-cover.indd 1

NEW WINE

Growing in Circles

| DVD

NEW WINE

WWW.RIVER-PUBLISHING.CO.UK

Jesus trained His disciples to do the things that He did – but He Himself said that He was doing only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He wants us to learn how to see what He is doing and hear what He is saying, so that we can join in with Him.

www.new-wine.org hear God’s voice

LEARNING TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

BOOK

• Numerous examples and illustrations to help you practice and develop your gift in a safe setting

ISBN 978-1-000000-00-0

ISBN 978-1-000000-00-0

JOHN COLES

learning to learning to heal

live a prophetic lifestyle A practical guide...and for every Christian

• How to use the gift wisely and sensitively

...and live

MARK ALDRIDGE

Hearing God is the birthright of all believers, but we need to learn and grow in our ability to hear Him, as part of developing a prophetic lifestyle. In this book, Mark Aldridge shows us...

Mark is married to Kate and they have four children and live in London.

NEW WINE

About the author: Mark Aldridge leads the Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship in Acton, London, and is A practical guide forWine every Christian the Head of Ministry for New International.

He loves to teach on the prophetic, healing, the Kingdom of God and the mission of the Church.

Mark is married to Kate and they have four children and live in London.

Anna Scott

BOOK

learnin hear Go

• How to hear God’s voice today • How to begin using the prophetic gift both inside and outside of the local church

LEARNING TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

www.new-wine.org

JOHN COLES

Volume 1

MARK ALDRIDGE

ISBN 978-1-902977-32-4

NEW WINE

or leads All Saints’ Woodford Wells in NE s wife, Becky, where they have served for is New Wine’s Regional Director for the st Region. Paul is involved in leadership newed churches and regularly speaks at the UK and Europe.

• 10 exciting sessions (5 for 0-2 year olds, 5 for 3-4 year olds) • Interactive Bible Teaching for pre-schoolers • Top tips from the Our Place team on how to include ALL children • Response activities that are both quiet and lively – specifically designed so that the Holy Spirit has space to touch children at a level that is completely age appropriate • Downloadable resources including PowerPoints, videos, crafts, family activities, party invitations and much more to make your life so much easier!

X-Cavate!

LEARNING TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

ss of life by His Spirit. Like many things in seasons and cycles. Neither is there urity – that would be too impersonal for growth comes from understanding some dly. We come back to the same places more deeply. This simple, but profound your faith and answer many questions w to develop a vibrant spiritual life.

This resource is like no other you’ve seen before. Seriously, we’re not kidding! It’s jam-packed full of:

LEARNING TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE

EAL

ELATION LIFE

There’s no better way to start X-Cavate! than by launching it with the youngest members of our church – pre-schoolers. Yes, you know, all those screaming babies and snotty toddlers who are NOT at school yet! Don’t they deserve to dig deep and find God’s treasure in a fun, interactive, Spirit-filled way, which could transform their lives forever?

Jesus trained His disciples to do the things that He did – but He Himself said that He was doing only what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). He wants us to learn how to see what He is doing and hear what He is saying, so that we can join in with Him.

MARK ALDRIDGE

ing to go deeper in their their maturity as a believer. mend it!”

JOHN COLES

learning to heal

MARK ALDRIDGE

We are passionate about seeing children of all ages digging deeper for God’s treasure – not just at New Wine gatherings, but throughout the year too. We want to share with YOU, the ideas, resources and vision God has given New Wine Kids, so that you can go on an exciting expedition with your kids groups to X-Cavate! all the treasure God has for each of you!

X-Cavate! Pre-schoolers Curriculum Your Kids Will Dig!

X-Cavate! is a brand new curriculum from New Wine Kids, covering all our rock-themed groups. This curriculum resources is especially for Gems (0-2s) and Pebbles (3-4s).

NEW WINE RESOURCES

Anna Scott

X-Cavate!

LES

WKINS

A New Wine Worship 'best of' album from the last 20 years, including Facedown, Adoration & Oceans. £12.99

STUDY GUIDES

Are you ready for a new, Holy Spirit-filled expedition?

Are you ready to dig deep and see God move in exciting ways with your kids?

Well, grab a spade and get ready for...

ith Paul in conferences and in ites from authentic and ience.”

NEW WINE

20 Year Collection

Comprising the best of kids’ worship for all ages - from Gems to Boulder Gang! £12.99

NEW WINE RESOURCES

BOOKS

his book re-ignites my longing derstanding of how to keep ll of us and this book could at for you.”

05/07/2016 11:55

Carry the Light

07/07/2015 14:54

www.new-wine.org

www.new-wine.org/resources

BOOK

| DVD

| STUDY GUIDE

LTHGV-book-cover.indd 1

Learning to heal and Learning to hear God’s voice. www.new-wine.org/resources

DVD series and study guide ideal for small groups.

Book from £6.99 DVD £18 Study Guide £1.50

BOOK

HARROGATE

HARROGATE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

18 MARCH 2017

Early bird tickets £20 before midnight on 28 february 2017 and £25 thereafter

new-wine.org

HELP US CHANGE A NATION. We believe in the radical, transformational love of God and the power of his Holy Spirit to advance his Kingdom and change lives, communities and nations. Sign up to give regularly to New Wine and join a network of Christians with a vision to see local churches changing nations.

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National & local events New Wine hosts a range of events and conferences, including local meetings arranged by New Wine network groups, that are held all over the UK

NATIONAL EVENTS

LOCAL EVENTS

Men’s Days: Living with Purpose & Passion

South Surrey Network Meeting

19 November 2016, St Mark’s, Harrogate

23 November 2016, St Stephen’s Shottermill

Urban Forum

Round Table Mentoring Day

23-24 November 2016, St Mary’s, Leamington

24 November 2016, Holy Trinity, Leicester

Accessible Church Training Day

East Kent Network Meeting

4 March 2017, All Saints’ Woodford Wells, Essex

26 November 2016, Holy Trinity Sittingbourne With Ian Parkinson

Regional Leadership Conferences 13-17 March 2017, Bristol, Leicester, London and Manchester

New Wine Women: Splendour

New Wine Celebration 11 December 2016, Wye School, Sittingbourne With John Coles

18 March 2017, Harrogate International Centre

East Kent Network Meeting

United National Gatherings

19 January 2017, Holy Trinity Sittingbourne With Paul Harcourt

Week 1: 22-28 July 2017 Week 2: 30 July – 5 August 2017 Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

North Essex Network Meeting 23 February 2017, St John’s, Colchester

Created for Connection 4 March 2017, St Mary’s, Bryanston Square, London A groundbreaking therapeutic approach for helping couples.

Landmark 29 April - 1 May 2017, Ripley Saint Thomas High School, Lancaster

These are just some of our events.

For a full list please see new-wine.org/events 9

Encounters with God When we make space for God he meets with us. Here are just some of the stories you’ve shared with us of experiencing revelation, healing and blessing at our events.

Encouraged & energized ‘I came to Face to Face having just lost my elderly father-in-law who I’d been carer to since he moved in with us nearly five years ago. I was very low energy, torn between thinking I should be at home or being at the event. I was so blessed by the prayer groups. People who didn’t know me had such encouraging words from God about my character and abilities. I didn’t know anyone else before going, but it was fantastic to meet so many people who I instantly felt love for, joy for their joys, and sorrow for their sorrows. It’s a funny situation we find ourselves in when married to a minister, but it was so wonderful to be among women who understood, such a release and a freedom. And all of this on top of some fab teaching and worship! I have come back with more energy to deal with our situation at home.’

Lou Beamish, Prince’s Drive Baptist Church, Colwyn Bay

Face to Face Leaders’ Wives

A rush of relief ‘I came to Face to Face in an utterly broken place. The moment I got there it was like a rush of relief; being able to share pain with others who just got it, and being able to listen to others’ pain too. God was there in the conversations so beautifully, weaving his love and presence around us. I came away different, having encountered God in worship and word, having laughed and cried, and carrying hope.’

Liz Carter, Priorslee Open Door Church, Telford Face to Face Leaders’ Wives

Strengthened for life ‘It was a time of refreshing. Jo Saxton spoke so powerfully and her humour, honesty and energy kept me focused and challenged. Hearing stories of lives impacted with God’s love brought a thankfulness and hope. I came home strengthened to stand firm for God knowing my vulnerability and brokenness yet defined by God’s amazing love and life in me.’

Julie Collins, St George’s, Leeds Splendour Women's Day

Taking it home ‘It was a remarkable conference. It’s going to take quite some time to process all of the learning but both myself and our church will benefit immensely from the inspiring speakers and the way God’s Spirit moved in power. Can’t wait for the next one!’

Richard Williams, Hope Community Church, Hinckley Leadership Conference

Re-equipped & re-charged ‘From the gifts on arrival to the quality of the worship and teaching I felt honoured and valued by New Wine (and therefore Jesus). It was a day where each session spoke into my situation even more and I felt equipped and re-charged for what God has for me. In a ministry time God made something that had been holding me back so clear that I could just thank him for releasing me and move on from it.’

Diana Gott Ebenezer Baptist Church, Scarborough

Splendour Women's Day

Filled with the Spirit

Eyes opened

‘I returned to faith nearly 12 months ago after turning my back on the church for 30+ years. At INSPIRE I held out my hands inviting the Holy Spirit to come in. My hands became heavy and started to tingle. A blinding bright light was swirling behind my closed eyes. I felt so full of the Lord’s love. I felt safe. I went for prayer to serve God and do his work. I felt as if I had just made my marriage vow. My promise is to devote my life to the Lord. I feel I have been given a second chance and this time I won’t turn away or let life get in the way. I am waiting for God’s plan for me whatever it may be.’

‘My most profound God moment was on the Thursday morning when I was touched by the Holy Spirit during the worship and found myself praying for God to break my heart. I had no idea why I was praying that prayer until Brother Edward stood up to speak. Within minutes of listening to this diminutive figure showing such courageous humility in the face of unspeakable evil, my eyes were streaming and I felt awash with grief.

We are blinded by complacency, comfort and petty details when we should be looking at the bigger picture from God’s perspective, weeping the tears of Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to prompt us into action. The whole conference was skilfully put together and hugely powerful in impact.’

Susan Wood, St Paul’s, Shipley

Inspire

Cathy Dyson Cottesmore Benefice, Rutland Leadership Conference

Relaxing with family ‘It was my first time at a New Wine summer event. I’m not a camper. I hate tents and use straighteners every day to avoid my curly hair. As the days went on I gave in to the curls and accepted that they’re what God gave me. I even cleaned my teeth in a field! I experienced wonderful worship and was able to sing and praise. I had no technology to lead me astray and I could relax with my church family and meet some new people. Since we got home all my boys (aged 7 and 9) have talked about is their amazing camping New Wine experience! They’re not big readers but read their new Minecraft Bibles cover to cover within two days of returning.

Bring on 2017!’

Humbled together ‘I thought the conference was brilliant. The Bible teaching and worship were amazing, and it was a really significant time for me and the two colleagues I went with. We have returned a far stronger team – having been humbled together – and inspired to pray more for God to be at work in us and in our churches.’

Jema Ball, Oundle Team, Peterborough Diocese

Kaz Vincent, St Michael Le Belfrey, York

Inspire

Leadership Conference

LED BY THE SPIRIT

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I

f you didn’t already know that Paul Harcourt is our new National Leader, where have you been? We caught up with Paul and his wife Becky to find out where they came from, how they got here and their hopes for the future.

How did you two meet?

B: Paul and I first met when I came on an overseas study programme from my university in the States. It was 1990 and I came to study French Impressionism and CS Lewis in Oxford, where Paul was studying Theology. I thought it was my last chance to see Europe while I was still young – little did I know what God had in store for me.

P: The first time Becky saw me I had oven gloves on – that was very misleading! Obviously we hit it off, and over the next couple of years we commuted backwards and forwards to see each other and got married just before I was ordained.

How did you come to be at All Saints’ Woodford Wells?

What was your first experience of New Wine?

B: We first heard about New Wine while at our church on the Wirral. A group went in 1993 and came back saying, ‘You’ve got to come, it’s so fantastic’. To which I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding – I’m never going to go and camp for a week.’

P: When we first started going we stayed in a house with friends, but quickly realised we were missing out on the amazing sense of community, so after a couple of years we camped with our church.

We’ve been so blessed as at the time Joshua’s special needs became more obvious, the Our Place ministry started. Without that we wouldn’t have been able to go.

‘God is on the move and there are so many opportunities… it’s a great time to be a Christian’

P: I first came to All Saints’ in 1995. I was ordained in 1992 and we’d been at a church on the Wirral for three years. At the end of that time there were lots of jobs to consider but none felt right. I phoned David Pytches (New Wine Founder) to ask if he knew of anywhere that would suit us and he said that, just the day before, someone had called him about a job here in Woodford. So we came to lead the smaller of the two churches in this parish. After five years I made the unusual move from curate to vicar in the same parish.

P: One of the things we’re really excited about is the sense that God is on the move and there are so many opportunities. God’s favour is on New Wine and it’s a great time to be a Christian. Up until now we’ve only really been involved in one region, but now I’m getting to see what God is doing across the whole nation.

B: The great thing about All Saints’ is the sense of family. In the time we’ve been here we’ve seen children born, grow up and get married, and it’s been a real privilege to be part of people’s lives.

It’s great to see people love the Lord, embrace their calling and reach the community. We’ve been so encouraged by the way they support and love each other.

What would you say is the purpose of New Wine?

Tell us about your family

B: We have two children – Joshua who’s 17 and Rachel who’s 14.

Joshua is autistic and severely disabled. He can’t speak more than a few words and we have to do most things for him like brushing his teeth and, now he’s 17, shaving him. He loves to jump so we have a very noisy house. It is challenging but he’s a joy in many ways and we love him. Rachel has just started her GCSEs so we’re just learning what that’s all about.

How do you relax?

P: I like to be on the go so my relaxing activities are usually with people. I love board games so we have people over to play when we can. I love live music and getting out to concerts. On our days off Becky and I find the time to go for coffee or go out somewhere scenic.

Tell us about your new book, Growing in Circles

P: At the heart it’s a book about discipleship and what it means to follow Jesus. Jesus said if anyone believes in him they will do the things he’s been doing – and even greater things. We don’t grow by discovering things we’ve never known before; often the most profound discoveries are those that we already knew but never realised the strength and depth of. Like the love of God and who we are as his children, or the authority that comes from being a son or daughter of God. So Growing in Circles is about the ongoing process of growing in the things of the Spirit and seeing God use you in signs and wonders.

What excites you about leading New Wine?

B: We’ve really valued the opportunity to go and visit New Wine gatherings in Sweden, Finland, Holland, the Channel Islands and other countries. It’s been such a blessing to meet people who have the same passion to see God change their nations.

P: New Wine began in 1989 as a way of sharing what God was doing in one particular church – St Andrew’s Chorleywood. A lot of people came to see the new life that God was bringing and the new wineskins needed to hold it. We often need to help the church change so that people can receive the life that God wants to give. It’s grown from there. We’re best known as a summer conference but at the heart we’re a family of leaders and churches who are pressing into the presence of God, who have a vision for the ministry of the Kingdom and for the signs and wonders that go with being a disciple. Our desire is to see that flow out of local churches to change their local communities.

How can we pray for you?

B: Since it was announced that Paul would become the new leader we’ve been told by people all over the world that they’re praying for us – we so appreciate it and it’s such an encouragement and comfort. We’d love prayers for us as a family in this new season: for wisdom for the decisions that need to be made and to know God’s peace in it all. We’d also like prayers for our church, that it would thrive and do all that God’s called it to do.

P: We’re aware that it’s not all about us so we’d love people to pray for the team that we’re forming to work with us and that we would lead out of revelation. We want to keep in step with what the Spirit is doing and I know that when God speaks it raises courage and faith and we can press into those things.

Watch the full interview on youtube.com/newwinetube

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What will the next generation know about the Bible?

More than you might think.

With only 1 in 10 adults in England and Wales actively engaging with the Bible, you might think connections with the word of God are disappearing. However, we’re hard at work bringing the Bible to life for the next generation across the country.

Registered charity 232759

Find out how you can get involved: biblesociety.org.uk/nextgeneration

FILLED WITH LIGHT

M

ichelle shares her story of finding freedom and purpose at our Inspire event in August 2016.

Inspire was my first New Wine event and it’s had a profound effect on me. I became a Christian in December 2014, after denying God’s existence for over 30 years.

I had a high powered job and, following the collapse of my marriage, was a single parent, struggling to cope with life. I became depressed, was drinking heavily and then got hooked on cocaine. I was working very long days and chasing more and more money and thrills. I was in a relationship full of love, but with a man whose perfectionism I struggled to live with. Pushing myself to do so contributed to my depression, along with a series of health problems.

On 8 December 2014 I was suffering from an acute psychotic event brought on by the chaos in my life. I drove to Wales where I tried to kill myself by first taking an overdose of paracetamol with vodka and rum and then walking into the sea at Colwyn Bay. I got washed back onto the shore, vomited up the tablets and, in a delirious state, walked through the night, eventually ending up in a ditch. I stayed in the ditch for eight days and nights, during which it rained, snowed and hailed. I had no shelter other than some bushes that shielded me from the road. There was a police search and TV appeal. Through it all I was locked in my psychosis, unaware of what was happening.

On the ninth night, when my psychotic voices subsided, I asked God to save me. I felt a warmth spread through me and my father’s

voice spoke to me (he died in 1991). He told me to turn to God and that my Auntie Maureen would look after and guide me (she is a committed Christian). I was eventually found the next morning by a dog walker. I was rushed to hospital, only hours from death.

I was dehydrated and hypothermic. I also had frostbite in both feet and the doctors had to amputate two thirds of both of them.

‘It was like a light being switched on inside me. I feel alive in a way that I have never felt before’ Since being found my recovery has been good. I am walking and have recently been issued with prosthetic feet, which help a lot. I now work part time supporting victims of rape and sexual abuse. I left the unhealthy relationship. However, throughout my recovery I have felt shameful and guilty and haven’t considered myself worthy enough to fully serve God. The Inspire event changed all that when Mark Aldridge spoke openly and honestly about his own sins and history. I went up for prayer and was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was like a light being switched on inside me. I feel alive in a way that I have never felt before. I can and will serve Jesus and share my experiences in a way that will bring people to him.

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STORIES FROM UNITED 16 SMALL KIDS, BIG FAITH

‘I was on the Pebbles team for the first time this year. I learned so much! It seemed that there was just as much thought given to the experience and development of the team, especially the young team, as to the Pebbles children - which was fantastic! I loved the ministry times and hearing the testimony in the Arena on the penultimate evening of a woman whose Pebbles daughter had prayed for healing and her back was now healed. Fabulous that the children are experiencing such prayer and miracles as being the norm. I enjoyed the creative prayer times when even some of the wrigglier children managed to lie down under the parachute and be still in God's presence for a few minutes. I asked one of the children who she was talking to on a toy phone, and she replied “King Jesus, of course!”’ Sara Bates

Islands! Ground Breakers manages to be the coolest, most fun place but also peaceful and full of the Holy Spirit and each year my daughter changes as she meets the Lord and learns to walk with him. We are so thankful.’ Cat Meakin, Cambridge

‘Each year my daughter changes as she meets the Lord and learns to walk with him’ A POWERFUL VISION

‘When I came to United 16, my left leg was in a moon boot as I had broken the top of my foot. During one evening meeting I got prayer and the swelling and bruising went, and I could walk without my boot. I didn’t expect anything like this to happen so I only had my right shoe! What made it even more cool was that the teaching at Pebbles was about the lame beggar whose legs were healed, so we were able to show kids that God is still in the business of healing legs today!’ A Pebbles team member

‘I suffer from quite severe anxiety/depression and have experienced a lot of verbal hurt and abuse from family and people close to me.

Four months before United I called a friend to take me to hospital because I was afraid I was going to kill myself. I came to United and had a blessed week. I received a vision while in the pastoral prayer tent that I feel I must share. Jesus appeared as a figure of light and the Holy Spirit as a mighty wind who whisked the light into a tornado shape with me in the middle of it. I opened my mouth and out came big, black letters forming words of all the horrid things people close to me have said. The letters were whisked into the tornado and the light overcame each one of them the higher they got into it. Then a black breath came out of me and was also taken into it (I’ve often described my depression as a darkness). When the tornado calmed down God showed me shattered windows and an open door and said “The door is open.

What are you waiting for?”. I had this vision on the Tuesday, then on the Wednesday and Thursday Anne Calver talked about letting go of hurtful words in the Morning Bible Teaching in Impact. I felt compelled to ask her to pray for me and when she did so I felt the Holy Spirit come and wrap around me. God is giving me the power to overcome the hurt. He’s leading me forwards and I have faith in him.’ Hannah

INFECTIOUS ENERGY

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

DISAPPEARING DERMATITIS

‘Our four-year-old Silas was in Pebbles and brought home some kind of diary which we didn’t read until we got home. It said that the children prayed with their leaders about their itchy skin. We didn’t think anything of it but recently looking at our son’s body there is no more dermatitis/eczema anywhere at all. He used to have it on the backs of his knees, the insides of his elbows and all down his back. It developed when he was around two-and-a-half.

We’d been to the doctor with it and been prescribed creams but they only soothed it and it didn’t heal. I’ve been checking regularly and there's still no sign of it!’ Jenny Brayshaw, Perthshire

LAME NO MORE

‘A huge thank you to all the kids’ group leaders. My kids can’t stop raving about how amazing it was. My youngest daughter (5) said to me: “When I get back to school I’m going to find out which of my friends know Jesus, and if they don’t know him, I’ll tell them about him, and if they only know a bit, I’ll tell them the rest”.

During the Family Celebration in the Arena on the last day I was one of the parents who went on stage for one of the messy games (blowing a raw egg through a tube at another parent). I was sick all over the stage, but it’s one of my greatest New Wine stories. Those young leaders have such energy and vitality that it is so inspiring for my kids (and me).’ Brad McLaughlin, Chepstow

MEETING WITH GOD

‘My daughter Izzy loved Ground Breakers and talks about it every day – the games and drama but also things she learnt about God. She and her little brother sang Carry the Light all around the Greek

‘God has spoken truth into my questioning and confusion, healing into my brokenness and hope into my despair. I’ve been experiencing huge anxiety on and off over the last few years, which has made many things quite tough, especially prayer. This week in Impact I have prayed with greater clarity than I have for years, heard encouraging words from God through others and through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and felt renewed vision to use my spiritual gift of encouragement. In the midst of doubt and uncertainty I have been reminded of two things this week, over and over: God is good and God is here.’ Anon

ANOINTED TO PRAY

‘I've been attending a newly started Spirit-led church since December 2015 (having been part of a traditional church for 30 years) and felt an inexplicable draw to prayer ministry but felt I completely and absolutely lacked the confidence and ability to do this, especially

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since I felt unable to pray out loud. But God kept nudging me.

At a Celebration in Impact we were asked to go to the front if we wanted to confirm our commitment and the person leading was praying over us and saying “I anoint you”. I was standing next to a lady wearing an orange lanyard saying ‘Ministry Enabled’.

I suddenly found myself saying to her “I want to do what you’re doing next year. Will you help me?” It came out of my mouth with no conscious thought. She and another lady talked and prayed with me; they asked me about my church and what my minister thought. I told them he had been trying to encourage me. Then they gave me an orange lanyard and invited me to join them for their prayer meeting in Impact that evening. I felt so massively enabled and called to pray for others that for the first time, I was able to do this, out loud, with no conscious thought, it just came out. I felt so blessed and anointed and I have gone back to my church to become a prayer minister.’ Wendy Jackson, Kenley

WORSHIPPING WITH ANGELS

‘On the Friday night in the Arena it was as if Heaven opened up and God’s angel armies joined in with us while we worshipped. I felt freer in my worship to join in singing with them like I have never done before. It was as if I could see up to where the clouds separate God’s power in Heaven from the Earth. It was so calm and yet there was such a sense of God’s Almighty power. At the same time, I felt that he was looking down on us with Christ at his right hand, saying, ‘These are my people, whom I love.’ This wonderful experience has stayed with me since then and I can’t wait to go back to my church and lead people in Spirit-filled worship like never before. It has taken my worship to a new level in Christ.’

Sue Edwards, Ripon

‘I felt the Holy Spirit come and wrap around me’ OVERCOMING ANXIETY

‘I have had intense feelings of stress, anxiety and lots of self-criticism for a long time, but increasingly over the last five years. I’ve prayed for healing but always tried to deny it and told myself other people experience worse. I’ve walked past the prayer ministry tent in previous years and been too daunted to go in, thinking it was too indulgent to get prayer for myself! This year I had the opportunity to go in without having to arrange childcare, and was prayed for very gently. God challenged me to go back for more prayer. This time it was much more direct and encouraged me to be very direct with God, which was just what I needed. Finally, I went up for prayer after an Arena Morning Celebration and was prayed over.

Having returned home and experienced family travels and future uncertainties I’ve realised that all that pressure and destructive anxiety and self-doubt has gone – completely! It’s amazing and has completely transformed my relationship with my husband, my kids, my wider family and everyone else. I’ve never experienced God’s peace and joy so personally and intensely before in 20 years of following Jesus!’ Anon

GROWING STRONGER

‘Last year was the first time I attended United and I found the whole experience overwhelming! I hadn’t been to anything like it before; to see all these thousands of people worshipping ‘my’ God was just incredible. This year I knew what to expect and was open to new experiences. I was able to join in fully at worship sessions, attending really helpful seminars and got so much from the week.

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I was keen to have prayer but wasn’t comfortable with going to the front of the venue for this – but it didn’t matter, because God knew this and sent someone from the prayer team to the back of the room to pray with me! My faith has grown stronger, issues I have been wrestling with were dealt with during the week and I feel spiritually refreshed and recharged ready for the next few months ahead. What an amazing place. I will be back again next year!’ Anon

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN

‘I have been struggling with some of the Old Testament texts where God seems to condone or demand the slaughter of whole peoples.

The seminars on the Old Testament were brilliant and the early morning Rise Bible Teaching helped me to see these passages in context, understanding why God had to show that he was so different from the other gods being worshipped at that time. I heard about God’s unfolding story and his rescue plan for the world. And God is not anti-Canaan, he is anti-sin. We looked at a timeline and saw that Jesus is the true Israel, leading us towards the new creation.

So instead of fear, we offer strangers sacrificial radical hospitality, wearing the scars of this, like Christ. Thank you for giving me a new way of reading the Old Testament.’ Christine Burgess, Kendal

ROLLING BOULDERS ‘I loved it in Boulder Gang learning about the armour of God and David. The worship was probably the best I have heard out of all the children's groups so thanks to Andy Slater and the rolling boulders. The best part was the messy games – especially gunge wrestling. I loved New Wine 2016, thank you.’

Tim Wakefield, age 11

BREATHING EASY ‘After Alan Scott spoke in Hungry I prayed for a person behind me who had a chest infection. As I prayed, I felt my own lungs expand. I had asthma for years and had lots of prayer. A couple of years ago, I realised I didn’t have asthma anymore, but my lung

‘My faith has grown stronger, issues I have been wrestling with were dealt with and I feel spiritually refreshed’ capacity wasn’t great. It was noticeably better and has continued to improve since United. I used to find it difficult to climb stairs, but I can now go up two flights without difficulty. I couldn’t run but I can now run for a bus without getting out of breath.’

Elizabeth Jewkes, Chester

SERVANT HEARTS

‘This was the first year I’d brought my two daughters (5 and 3) to United and it was a great week for all of us. I arrived expecting to listen to great speakers and for my girls to attend fantastic kids’

19

groups and I wasn’t disappointed. What I hadn’t expected was how fantastic all the ancillary services would be too. My youngest made no less than five trips to the Medical Centre. Each time we were treated promptly, graciously and in a child-friendly manner.

On our fourth visit she fell asleep in my lap and the medical team organised for the golf buggy to come and take us back to our camp.

Nothing was too much trouble and I know their prayers made a big difference.’ Lucy, St Albans

RELEASING AND CALLING

‘God did loads in my group. Three of the young people gave their lives to Christ and the others all grew in faith loads. At least two of them were praying in tongues by the end of the week. A few of them told me about visions they had. One guy said he saw a golden box around him which exploded and he said he felt much freer.

Later in the week he said he wanted to be a church leader and was really encouraging to everyone. It was amazing to see God at work in him. Another guy who loved the worship and stayed every time there was late night worship said he might like to lead worship in the future. I think the worship bands had a big impact upon them all. By the end of the week all of my group were praying for each other unprompted and asking if they could pray for me too.’

Barney Sampson, Club One team

‘I’ve never experienced God’s peace and joy so personally and intensely before in 20 years of following Jesus!’

A DATE NIGHT WITH A DIFFERENCE

‘Lots of the children registered with us this year had severe attachment disorders. Our team fed back stories of how the child they were working with gained confidence over the week and were able to stay in the groups, engage and smile. More than their parents or us could have imagined possible. We had a particularly great time at our parents’ curry night, something that we do each year to give parents of children with additional needs a rare chance to have a date night. We order in a takeaway, decorate the room and serve them. For some of the parents it was the first time in as long as they could remember when they had a time together without needing to worry about their children, knowing they were being well cared for across the site in their own activities.’

Our Place team leaders Jenny & Zoe

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised £191,000 at our United offerings for the work of CAP, GLO and Alpha; and over 600 people became regular financial supporters of New Wine through Nation Changers!

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Book now!

Speakers include

R.T. KENDALL•KATE COLEMAN•JOSEPH D’SOUZA SIMON PONSONBY•PETE GREIG• JOHN & DEBBY WRIGHT•KARL MARTIN Week 1 22–28 July 2017 | Week 2 30 July – 5 August 2017 For the best early bird rate, book before 30 November 2016 Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

new-wine.org

This is a New Wine England event 21

£15 OFF

for under 30s and New Wine lea ders in training

LEICESTER

M A NCHESTER

13-15 March, St Philip’s Salford

14-16 March, Holy Trinity Leicester

BRISTOL

LONDON

15-17 March, Woodlands Bristol

DEBBY WRIGHT

14-16 March, City Gate Ilford

STUART BELL

DAVID STROUD

Gathering leaders to be equipped, encouraged and empowered to change churches, community and culture

Book now at new-wine.org

HOPE IN A WAR ZONE

E

ddie Lyle reports on how your giving has enabled a church in Syria to provide for displaced people in desperate need.

“A bomb fell on our roof and Rana and myself were inside our apartment. If that bomb had gone through the ceiling, we both definitely would have been killed.”

Dangers like these are part of daily life for Pastor Edward and his wife Rana, two of Open Doors key partners in Syria. They have now lived through over five years of civil war, as well as facing the threat of attack by Islamic extremists who are intent on eradicating the church in the Middle East.

And yet, they have no desire to leave Syria – they want to stay and serve their community. Pastor Edward says, “I am so thankful that we are in Syria at this time... Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are keeping on and every day we are even more hopeful than the previous day. Every time we go into the church and we see new people coming in, we feel that this is a great opportunity.”

Thank you!

If you were at the New Wine Leadership Conference in March, you may remember hearing Pastor Edward speak from the book of Nehemiah. Those attending gave an incredible gift of £140,000 to support Open Doors partners like Pastor Edward in Syria, enough to provide over 3,300 displaced families with food for a month.

Pastor Edward says, “I want to thank everybody for their heart, their prayers and many times their tears for the pain and suffering that is going on in our country.”

Open Doors partners in Syria are supporting 12,000 families every month with vital aid. One of the families being supported

by Pastor Edward’s church fled the town of Idlib when Islamic

‘I want to thank everybody for their heart, their prayers and many times their tears for the pain and suffering that is going on in our country’ extremists took over. Pastor Edward says, “They just left their home and their city in the middle of the night, and came all the way to Damascus with their young daughter, with nothing but their clothes. The church really is the supporting hand of Jesus that is touching their pain and their needs.” Thank you for enabling the church in Syria to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

This year, Open Doors has launched the Hope for the Middle East campaign, a global, seven-year campaign to mobilise the church around the world to support their church family in Syria and Iraq in prayer and action.

Visit www.opendoorsuk.org/SaveME to find out how you and your church can continue to pray, give and speak out to bring hope to the Middle East.

Eddie Lyle Eddie Lyle is President of Open Doors UK & Ireland, an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches worldwide.

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CARING FOR THE CARERS

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I

n this time of turbulence for NHS England the stress that healthcare workers are experiencing is obvious. Louise Anderson shares how the New Wine Healthcare Network offers support and encouragement.

The New Wine Healthcare Network (NWHN) came into being in 2011 after a workplace seminar at the National Gatherings for delegates working in Health and Social Care. Each week these were attended by about 30 nurses, midwives, doctors, administrators, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, dentists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, students, healthcare assistants and hospital chaplains (this number more than doubled in 2016).

Some were working in the NHS and others for non-governmental organisations. The enthusiasm in meeting other Christians within our own culture could be measured in decibels. After this Dr Sacha Simon and myself realised the need for ongoing networking and support for Christian healthcare workers.

‘Local churches are playing an increasingly important role in bringing Jesus to their communities by providing social support to suffering people’ With the guidance and support from Helen Wordsworth from Parish Nursing, Ross Bryson from Karis Neighbour Scheme and Cat Anderson, a Warwick Biomed Student, we developed our vision and strategy. We want to inspire and encourage those seeking to express God’s kingdom through healthcare in the following ways.

Regional meetings for training and friendship

Our main aim is to provide support and friendship through relational networking opportunities. One the challenges is that our members are spread throughout the country, and come together only at the National Gatherings. We are aiming to overcome this by having regional representatives and meetings around the country.

Dan Petrie, a GP in Lincolnshire, has an interest in Mental Health and will represent the ‘North’. Fi Hibberts, a consultant nurse in London is working with us to host an interactive day seminar exploring ‘How to Build Resilience’.

In June 2016 Paul Harcourt invited the NWHN to Wholeness, a Mental Health Day at All Saints’ Woodford Wells. Adult mental health is not an area that I have much experience in. I learnt a great deal from Katherine Welby-Roberts and Christy Wimber – particularly about how well-meaning and kind people may come across to those struggling with their emotional health; and that we all have emotional health problems at some stage in our lives. I met with mental health professionals from a variety of backgrounds who shared difficulties encountered and solutions found. I came away with a new admiration for those working in the difficult and poorly resourced field of mental health, and with an increasing realisation that the Third sector – particularly local churches – is having to provide more and more support to those in need in their local communities. This highlighted the need for adequate mental health training for pastoral and outreach teams.

Local churches providing support

As local churches are you praying for the healthcare workers among you? Many Christian healthcare workers report that they feel the work they do is the mission they are called to and that it does not seem as valued as traditional church or ‘Christian’ activities. You are a vital part of their support group.

Local churches are playing an increasingly important role in bringing Jesus to their communities by providing social support to suffering people. Many services previously funded by NHS England have ceased. Churches have responded by initiating diverse ventures such as carer cafés or dementia cafés, where they are able to welcome those in need. At Holy Trinity Rudgwick we have partnered with Age UK to provide a Home From Hospital service, where a member of the congregation visits someone just out of hospital for an hour a week for six weeks. This is not onerous or difficult, but makes a real difference.

Don’t feel you have to do it all yourself, but look around to see what is being offered by organisations to see if you can help each other. We’d like to help you develop links from the church to local community around practical healthcare projects. Parish Nursing can play a major role in connecting churches to their local GP practices, as the nurses are employed by the church but work in the local community supporting patients from the local practice.

Encouraging mission

Part of our vision is to encourage all our (already busy) members to be involved in mission. This can be as close to home as some of the initiatives mentioned above, or international. We have partnered with Parish Nursing, Healthcare Christian Fellowship, Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) and PRIME among others, to provide opportunities to share information about skills required and opportunities offered. Time requirements vary from one day (teaching on a CMF Developing Health Course) to months abroad. We invite speakers to the National Gathering and regional conferences to explore how we might become involved.

Supporting the Medical Team at United

The National Gatherings could not happen without the Medical Team, led by Dr Jo Daly. The medical needs of over 20,000 people would overwhelm local services. The Medical Team treat 300-400 people per week at the Showground. There is an efficient triage system whereby most people are treated in the venues by paramedic teams. If they need further treatment they are then seen at the designated Medical Centre by a nurse or doctor. Almost all patients are treated on site and very few require transfer to a hospital.

The Medical Team has good relations with local hospitals and retrieval services and have developed escalation protocols with them.

While you may think that this is a busman’s holiday, many of the team report what a refreshing and uplifting experience working on team can be. The opportunity to spend 30 minutes with a patient and pray for them during the consultation is how we’d all like to practise throughout the year. Are you a GP, A&E doctor, nurse, paramedic or first aider who could join the Team for United 17? newwinehln@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/ NWhealthcareleaders

Louise Anderson Louise is a paediatrician in Guildford. She lives in the village of Rudgwick, West Sussex and worships in the local parish church Holy Trinity.

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CALLED OUT OF CHAOS

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A

t 6ft4 with full sleeve tattoos, 33-year-old Chris Sayburn doesn’t fit the stereotype of a vicar. He shares his journey of pursuing God’s calling on his life.

Have you ever arrived somewhere and wondered how on earth you got there? I was brought up in what is probably best described as a dysfunctional family in Blackpool. I left school with no qualifications, little boundaries, major anger problems and an increasing battle with anxiety and depression.

I came to faith in Jesus in 2001 after going to Soul Survivor, which was sold to me as a ‘Christian Glastonbury’. My beer was confiscated but I experienced the power of the Holy Spirit waging war against the darkness and chaos in my life and the Father’s love and peace for the first time. It changed everything.

I had an overwhelming desire to respond in worship through song and I learnt to play the guitar in a day. It was prophesied over me that I would be a worship leader, I would have a heart of David (who?) and that I would be in full-time Christian ministry and lead many people to Jesus.

‘I had to fight believing that ordination is just for educated middle class people and hold onto the call of God’ Taking responsibility

One week later I led my first song in church while sharing my story.

The presence of God fell in such a way that the vicar stopped the service. I misunderstood the situation and ruined the moment by saying ‘I told you I wasn’t that good’.

Over the next few months my world was turned the right way up and my life became about his presence, his Glory, his Kingdom.

I just couldn’t stop talking about Jesus. I lost most of my mates because of my faith but I gained a family. While I experienced life-changing encounters with God, I still had to go on a long journey of healing and recovery, including anger management. I had to take antidepressants, go on a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy course and not be ruled by feelings when it came to my faith. I still at times experience anxiety and depression. I name this because I want to break the stigma, or worse, silence, about mental health, leadership and the Church.

I soon met my now wife of 12 years, Cat, and after serving a gap year together in Blackpool we knew we were being called to some form of full-time church ministry.

A willingness to serve

I first encountered a New Wine event at St Peter’s Gildersome, South Leeds and was asked to lead some worship. From there I kept getting asked to serve across the local network. When I look back I laugh because I was terrible. The leaders were so gracious. I know they saw my genuine love for Jesus and desire to serve him.

It was at a New Wine Network Gathering that I received a prophetic word about moving into full-time worship ministry and then was offered to interview for a potential one-year role at St George’s Leeds – where we stayed for 10 years and had two children!

Growing in character

I’m so thankful for those who took a risk on me, nurtured me and, most importantly, challenged me. I remember someone saying to me about six years ago that I was gifted as a worship leader but my character was poor. From that moment I gave myself over to intentionally partnering with God to grow in this area. It’s a journey. Gifting may get you so far but character will determine the duration.

Throughout the time we had in Leeds I had the privilege of serving at many New Wine Network Gatherings which led to later being invited to help lead at the North conferences, Leadership Conferences and then more recently leading at and writing songs for the United National Gatherings. I had no plans to move away from being a worship pastor until some scarily timed dreams, words and specific pictures over a two-week period about ordination that were tested and confirmed through the church.

Training in context

For many people residential training is a gift, but for us as a family contextual training through St Barnabas Theological Centre was a huge blessing. The community there was inspiring, so many different people, experiences, pathways, yet all united with a love for Jesus and a desire to make him known in the North. It meant that from the start we had to learn how to cope with the demands of study/essays/pastoral ministry/family and our own personal investment in each other and our faith. It has made us stronger.

The biggest challenge for me was the education criteria, especially essays (my poor tutors!). I’m dyslexic and I have no qualifications.

I struggle to read and even forming this article has taken hours.

However, with contextual training what I learnt in the classroom on the Monday, I would get the chance to reflect/act upon straight away and then bring that back to the classroom. Knowledge must lead to action.

Trusting in the call

While I look back with thankfulness, there were some dark times and I often questioned, ‘What am I doing?’. I had to fight believing that ordination is just for educated middle class people and hold onto the call of God. When you know God is calling you, you dig in and keep going trusting he will give you what you need to fulfil that call. I’ve come away with a greater love for Jesus, a greater confidence in the historic/worldwide story we are part of and so thankful for the opportunity to serve as a family.

We have just headed into a new adventure with Gareth and Lizzy Robinson and Saint Philips Chapel Street, in partnership with New Wine. I’m excited more than ever to lead people in worship, to see God’s kingdom come, on Earth, as in Heaven. To see what’s dead come to life and see a passionate missional people planting churches all across the North West.

The best is yet to come!

Chris Sayburn Chris is a Pioneer Curate at Saint Philips Chapel Street, a church plant in Salford in partnership with New Wine.

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DO YOU HAVE A JOB VACANCY TO FILL?

THERE’S A SUCCESSFUL ‘FIND A JOB’ SERVICE ON THE NEW WINE WEBSITE. Find a Job gives churches (and other organisations) a quick and easy way to advertise jobs, with access to a large target audience.

You can use this service to advertise church leaders’ appointments, as well as all other roles within the church (including worship, youth, children’s and community work, internships, managerial, administrators and other support roles).

new-wine.org/jobs

LOOKING FOR YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT AFTER TRAINING IN A CHURCH WITH SIMILAR VISION AND VALUES TO YOU?

www.new-wine.org/leaders

Do you want to see your nation changed?

Join New Wine’s free, dynamic and growing network for all those in leadership.

new-wine.org/network 28

SURVIVING SCHOOL

O

ne in ten children in the UK feel unable to cope with the school day and 45,880 school exclusions are given to children before they’ve finished primary school.

Darren Holland shares how coaching a struggling child can make a big difference.

Josh is at a primary school near our church. As he attended our weekly boys’ youth night he was just like any other lad – laughing, having fun and playing with the others. But when his mum arrived to pick him up she stood watching him in disbelief and with tears of joy.

Josh hadn’t always been a confident, bubbly boy. Since being at primary school he’d found day-to-day life tough to cope with. His Asperger’s syndrome had a huge impact on his school experience; his strong reactions meant that he scared away new friends. Josh would often shut himself down when faced with physical activities and he struggled to understand his emotions. That’s why the evenings’ events were so staggering. I realised that as a church we’d started something that could have amazing implications for many more children and families.

An hour of coaching

Josh’s incredible transformation began nine months ago. Paul, a recently retired member of our congregation, began coaching Josh at school for one hour a week via Early Intervention, a programme run

by TLG The Education Charity. They train our church volunteers as coaches to support children in our local school who are having a tough time in their education. Coaches provide a listening ear and, using TLG’s specialised resources, help each child know that they matter and to explore the choices they make.

Together, Paul and Josh worked on practical projects designed to help Josh express himself and as Paul coached, the rest of the church prayed. Today, Josh is more confident, more self-assured.

He dreams of being a clothes designer. He makes friends, joins in with others and has a much brighter outlook.

Reaching desperate families

Josh has Asperger’s syndrome but there are many other reasons why children are struggling so much in school, such as bullying, bereavement, family breakdown or being in the care system. This is why we decided to offer support to the children and families in our community whose needs, like Josh’s, are at risk of being lost in the school system.

‘Together, Paul and Josh worked on practical projects designed to help Josh express himself and as Paul coached, the rest of the church prayed’ Our partnership with TLG has fitted well with our other ministries.

Through providing this vital support we can make contact with families who have been desperate for someone to turn to for help.

I’m excited as I see a number of New Wine churches partnering with TLG to offer struggling children hope and a future.

To find out more about partnering with TLG go to www.tlg. org.uk/early-intervention or call 01274 900 387

Darren Holland Darren is the minister at South Chadderton Methodist Church in Oldham. He is married to Ros and they have two children, Grace and Seth.

29

RE:GENERATION

O

ur Leadership Conferences in March 2017 will empower you to change your church, community and culture.

We interviewed keynote speaker for the London and Bristol events, David Stroud.

Have you always lived in London?

No, but I’ve wanted to since I was young. In my late teens I was once on a train coming out of Waterloo Station and felt a deep sense that one day I should come to London and start churches.

After a significant period of ministry in other parts of the country, starting churches in Bedford and Birmingham as well as training others to plant their own churches, I moved to London – that was about 12 years ago. A few days after moving, I remember walking down the street and realising that I felt properly at home for the first time in my life. I’ve lived in lots of other places, but ‘came home’ to London.

‘We are passionate about shaping the culture that surrounds us and are committed to social justice – believing that the city should be a better place because the church is there’ Tell us about your journey into church leadership

When I was 17 I had a very profound experience of the Holy Spirit.

From that point on I wanted to lead churches and help other people experience the love of God as I had done. I went to university in Durham to study Theology and from there onto Hong Kong to work with men coming out of triad gangs. I was then lucky enough to have the opportunity to go and work with the Evanston Vineyard Church in Chicago where I met Steve Nicholson, who became a significant mentor to me throughout my 20s and taught me so much about how to successfully plant churches. When I came back to the UK I started the King Arms Church in Bedford, before becoming part of a team that aimed to start 50 churches in the Midlands between 1995 and 2000. As part of that I started a church in Birmingham, and was able to travel across the Midlands meeting church planters and helping to start further churches. I trained church planters in both the UK and abroad, before coming to the capital to start ChristChurch London.

Green – and are committed to the cultural, social and spiritual renewal of the city. We are passionate about shaping the culture that surrounds us and are committed to social justice – believing that the city should be a better place because the church is there.

We’re involved in a number of social action initiatives: a mentoring scheme for young refugees; tutoring disadvantaged children in English and Maths; a Foodbank; Monday evening football with around 60 young people who live on estates in Vauxhall; and a night shelter for homeless people in Tower Hamlets.

What’s your vision for the next five years?

We’d like to have eight services in six locations by 2020, with all levels of leadership reflecting the gender and racial diversity of the city. This will create 50 missional communities, groups of people who meet across the city with a specific mission in mind, and should lead to there being over 1,600 people who call ChristChurch London their home. Our aim is to build on our commitment to cultural renewal, to place greater emphasis on social action through the many people in the church who collectively volunteer thousands of hours to help make London a better place and help others find faith along the way.

How do you spend your free time?

I love to read or pray. I often spend time thinking and strategising on new projects, for example wondering which part of London we might start a new service in, or how we can renew culture for the better. My favourite days off are spent with my wife, Philippa. We like to have long breakfasts together and then go and explore the city before coming home to spend a relaxed evening watching a film.

What has inspired you most in the last six months?

I’ve been so inspired by everybody that’s made our move to four services such a success. It was really amazing to see the way so many people worked so hard to make this happen and it’s resulted in more people getting involved at every level. We’ve been able to refine our vision as a church, and accelerate our mission too. I have also been very privileged to meet some outstanding leaders in business, the arts and academia who are thinking seriously about how their faith contributes to their work and how they can use their experience and resources to work for the renewal of our world.

Where’s your favourite place in the world?

I’ve been lucky enough to visit some amazing places in the world – the John Getty museum in LA and the Peggy Guggenheim in Venice are two of the most beautiful. But my favourite places are either when I’m sat having a meal with Philippa or round the kitchen table with my family.

What’s ChristChurch London like?

It is a diverse community in the heart of the city, which has people from a whole variety of backgrounds and professions as part of the congregation – artists, students, young professionals, families, people who have been Christians for many years and people who are just starting to think about faith. We meet in four locations across London – Stockwell, Blackfriars, Covent Garden and Bethnal

David Stroud David is the founder and senior minister of ChristChurch London. He is the co-founder of Forum which launches in early 2017 and serves senior leaders from all sectors of society to build a better world.

31

BY WHOSE AUTHORITY?

D

uring the last few tumultuous months in politics the word ‘leadership’ has been all over the media. Emma Ineson explores how our relationship with God means we can lead with authority.

of one or a few. He simply says ‘Don’t do leadership like the world around you. Do it differently’. What if we allowed God as Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to shape our approach to leadership?

In the days following the Brexit vote BBC political correspondent Nick Robinson tweeted: ‘WANTED: For small country heading in unknown direction at dangerous time LEADERSHIP. Applicants need to be available to start immediately’.

In Romans 13, Paul reminds Christians that ‘there is no authority except that which God has established’ (v1). We need to remember this when the world around us gets frantic about leadership and we’re tempted to allow others to make us into the Messiah. That job is already taken. God is the ultimate authority and Christian leaders are his ambassadors, sent by him to represent him in the world (see 2 Cor 5:20). In his book Freedom for Ministry Richard Neuhaus says it’s a bit like being appointed as the ambassador of a king whom other nations don’t yet recognise. We are premature ambassadors.

The recent Labour leadership contest highlights the fact that determining who chooses leaders is no simple matter. Jeremy Corbyn is elected by grassroots party members, but his parliamentary colleagues refuse to work with him. As I write, Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump fight it out to lead one of the most powerful nations on earth. Who has the authority to decide what happens?

3 types of authority

In the early 20th century, the sociologist Max Weber described three different kinds of authority: Traditional authority occurs where ‘it has always been so’. People with this kind of authority have often inherited it, e.g. the monarchy. Legal-rational authority is that ability to get things done because you’ve been appointed or elected to do so, e.g. politicians. Charismatic authority (in the sense of ‘having charisma’) influences by virtue of character, powers of persuasion, qualities, charm, rallying people to achieve things. You may have all three of these kinds of authority in your leadership roles.

We’re all leaders

All of us have a degree of power and authority in our communities, homes, workplaces and churches. Encouraging young kids to get their shoes on in the morning is exercising leadership within a framework of authority – or at least trying to. Traditional authority says ‘Because I’m the mummy/daddy’. Legal-rational authority says ‘I know how to tie shoelaces and am uniquely qualified in this situation to do so’. Charismatic authority says ‘Let’s see who can get their shoes on the quickest so we can go to the park!’.

Jesus was noted as having a unique gift that politicians would give their eye teeth for; ‘he taught as one who had authority’ (Matt 7:29).

One of the challenges for those of us in leadership is to make sure we are operating with a Jesus-like authority and not with models of power drawn from more worldly sources.

Doing leadership differently

A crucial passage for understanding Jesus’ leadership ethos is in Luke 22. Like us, the disciples were obsessed with leadership and authority. When they began to quarrel about it Jesus offered them a different way of thinking: ‘the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves’ (25-26).

Notice that Jesus doesn’t condemn human authority and leadership.

Studies have consistently shown that wherever groups of people exist, human nature is such that eventually power will rest in the hands

Leadership with the authority of the Father

Leadership in the name of the Son

The world demands its leaders are successful. Football managers are quickly sacked if they don’t win trophies, politicians anxiously watch their poll ratings, business leaders are rapidly deposed when their statistics dip. Success for Christian leadership will look very different. Like Jesus, who made himself nothing, we need to be prepared to lay down claims to ‘success’ as the world sees it.

We are meant to look for fruits and growth arising from our ministries, but we also need constantly to be checking the motivation for our desire for success. As we watch politicians held up and cast down according to the whims and vagaries of popular opinion, we need to be careful to base our authority in our status as God’s children, in his calling and qualification for ministry, and in the knowledge that our ability to do the job comes from his strength rather than our own.

Leadership in the power of the Spirit

Weber’s charismatic authority category describes the ‘exceptional sanctity, heroism, or exemplary character’ of the leader. It all depends on the personal appeal of the individual. Politicians and celebrities often rely on a sense of personal charisma to uphold their authority to lead, and when it’s either overdone, or lacking, it gets commented on by the media.

For Christian leaders ‘charisma’ takes on a very different meaning.

We rely not so much on our own personal charisma but on the gifts and empowering of the Holy Spirit who breathes life into our endeavour. Christian leadership is hard work. If we try to do it in our own power, based on our own charisma, we’ll soon burn out or trip up. But if we draw daily on the resources of the Holy Spirit, as politicians come and go and leaders and celebrities rise and fall from grace, we will stand firm in the authority of God.

Emma Ineson Emma is Principal of Trinity College Bristol, where she teaches leadership, preaching, spirituality and charismatic theology.

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REFUGE & STRENGTH

F

rom the crisis in Syria and the plight of those fleeing across Europe, to the post-Brexit rise in hate crimes, the church must respond to the call to care for the foreigner in our land. The Boaz Trust offers advice.

‘I was born in Iran. I was about 20 years old when my mum was shot dead during the war between Iraq and Iran. My dad had a heart attack 40 days later and passed away. I was only 28 when my husband died, and was by myself with four children for over 20 years.’

And so starts Mary’s story, a refugee now living in Manchester, having fled Iran 6 years ago. After her husband’s death, Mary struggled to work and raise her children, and eventually got remarried. Very quickly her new husband turned violent – he was verbally and physically abusive, which worsened after she tried to leave.

Escape

‘In my country, women have few rights. He worked for the government so was powerful and well-connected. I knew that he could stop me leaving the country, but I had to escape.

Homeless and helpless

I suffered a lot during this time. I didn’t have food or the chance to wash. The smuggler said he would take me to a European country – he didn’t say where. When I arrived in the UK I was in a terrible situation. I applied for asylum but was refused and the Home Office stopped their support. I found someone to stay with in Manchester and started to go to church. And that was the time I became a follower of Jesus, even though I was so anxious and afraid. I was baptised but then a friend put a video of it on YouTube. I was so scared because I knew this was forbidden in Islam. Someone back home found out and my daughter in Iran was arrested and beaten very badly.

Scared and desperate

Just after Christmas in 2012, I was asleep and was suddenly woken by four uniformed officers saying, “You are in this country illegally.”

They took me to Yarl’s Wood [immigration removal centre in Hertfordshire]. I was terrified and wanted to kill myself there. I became very sick and lost a lot of weight, and my illness affected my eyesight. I had a solicitor and was eventually released, but again my case was refused. I felt very hopeless. I went to a Red Cross project in Manchester and they referred me to Boaz.’

Love in action

The Boaz Trust were able to accommodate Mary and offer holistic support. She took part in some wellbeing activities and also volunteered in a local charity shop. We provided one-to-one support from an experienced case worker, who provided emotional and practical help. Mary was able to see our in-house solicitor, who worked with her to collate evidence for a fresh asylum claim. Last summer, she was finally recognised as a refugee and granted leave to remain in the UK. She is now able to live here independently, free from fear.

Mary knew what it was to experience hospitality and prayer support from her church family. Being a place of welcome and an inclusive approach makes for an environment where people who may be new to our communities can start to feel safe and accepted.

Make a difference

Those seeking refuge come from all faith backgrounds and none; they may not find their way to our churches. It’s quite possible that there are asylum seekers and refugees in your area, needing help and reliant on strained charitable services. As church communities we can make a difference.

1. Pray: It’s powerful and it works. Pray for those seeking asylum, for justice in our asylum system and an end to the situations causing people to flee. Ask what God’s calling you to do to be part of the solution.

2. Get involved: Who is already working with asylum seekers and refugees in your area? Can you support with donations or volunteering? Offer a room to host someone? Has your local council committed to resettle Syrian refugees? Can your church consider community sponsorship of a Syrian family under the government scheme? If there are no or few asylum seekers in your area, get behind work happening elsewhere.

3. Speak out: We need to be informed to speak truth and help bust harmful lies about those seeking asylum. We can sign petitions challenging unjust and harmful practices in the asylum system, even lobby our MPs. We need to be a voice for those who have been silenced; to stand up against injustice, especially as a country that claims a proud heritage of welcoming refugees.

Whatever we do, let our faith give us cause to act in a way that leads others to respond as Ruth did to Boaz, ‘Why have I found such favour in your eyes that you notice me – a foreigner?’ (Ruth 2:10).

USEFUL RESOURCES www.forrefugees.uk – Bringing together local churches, specialist agencies, national partners and the UK government to respond to the refugee crisis.

www.naccom.org.uk - National network of organisations providing accommodation and support to destitute asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants.

Sarah Beaney Sarah is Community Engagement Manager at Boaz Trust, a Manchester-based Christian organisation who provide accommodation and holistic support for refugees and asylum seekers (www.boaztrust.org.uk).

37

38

SPIRITUAL TURNAROUND

N

ew Wine exists to support, equip and empower churches in their local mission. We’re so encouraged to share Fiona’s story of what this looks like in practise.

The New Wine United Gathering has been a regular feature of our family’s summer since 2002. I became a curate in 2009 and we started taking a group from our new church which was very much aligned with the New Wine values. However, as I moved into leadership two years ago I did wonder whether it was right to keep on coming, as it didn’t really seem to fit with where we were. I had just started as a vicar in a parish with a very different spiritual DNA from New Wine. We were small, local, middle of the road and somewhat constrained – rather than open to the leading of the Spirit. The church needed a real spiritual turnaround. I knew I had been called there but I was feeling somewhat overwhelmed as to where to start.

That year, however, one family was interested in going to United with us. They didn’t book early enough so came for just two days, sleeping overnight on a church hall floor in Shepton Mallet. They came with a couple of other adults plus five teenagers – and they loved it!

‘The Lord came and brought healing, words of knowledge and prophecy right here in our living room’ The next year they all came back and brought others. This year we had 10 teenagers (one who served on a team) and 10 adults who camped, plus some other day visitors. And among us were four very new Christians. Jane Ashdown came for the first time this year, and said, ‘I have one word to describe the week I spent at New Wine – Awesome! It was one of the best weeks in my life. I had been suffering from back pain for years and it had really flared up just before, so on the first night I went for healing ministry and it completely went. The music in the worship services was uplifting and the Holy Spirit could be felt so strongly. I seemed to know the tunes even though I’d never heard most of them. It helped me personally to begin to understand who I am in Christ.’

Redirection

The amazing thing is the way that United has facilitated a spiritual change of direction in the people attending during the rest of the year. The teenagers who were so fired up the first year went on to start their own group called Lighthouse on a Sunday morning as they could not connect with the Parish Communion. They took it in turns to lead their sessions (because I had nobody else to lead them), but this was clearly what the Lord had intended as

Lighthouse grew under their leadership and now two years on we have just taken on a youth intern as a result.

The members of the PCC who I asked to be on a rota to provide an adult presence in their group were all bowled over by what they saw and experienced when worshipping. This proved to be God’s way of giving the PCC a vision for the new style service called Connect that we started in September.

It has been a long time in planning and praying, but God’s timing is perfect and he has brought together the people, prepared the facilities and answered our prayer for musicians via the iSing App (a great way to provide contemporary worship when you have limited musical resources). Unbelievably we have the full backing of the rest of the traditional church even though it has meant the Parish Communion timing has needed to change!

Catching the vision

Everyone that was with us at United this year is part of the seed group for the new service, which is like a church plant but in our church hall. They took away so many ideas from the Impact venue (including the sofa and drapes) and caught the vision for prayer ministry in the power of the Spirit. The whole week seemed to be forming us as a team and inspiring us to ‘go for it’. I have just run a Learning to Heal course using the New Wine DVD material. Ten people, all of whom had been at United, came to be trained, two of them teenagers, and the Lord came and brought healing, words of knowledge and prophecy right here in our living room. The team was so encouraged, it was all new to them but they now feel confident and, right from the start, we will offer prayer ministry as part of our service.

Without New Wine, the United Gathering and the training, we would certainly not be where we are now. Our Connect service will be pretty experimental, both the youth and the adults will have an active role in leading it, giving talks and ministering to others. We feel nervous and excited – it is like a New Wine baby is about to be born! We are not quite sure how we will nurture it, but are trusting God will show us, and we know that we will love it when it arrives.

We are praising God for the ongoing ministry of New Wine and for the pouring out of his Spirit into the little churches and places that so desperately need refreshing. Two years ago in his opening address, John Coles kept saying ‘“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord’ (Zech 4:6) – how we know and see that to be true here at All Saints’.

Fiona Simon Fiona is Vicar of All Saints’ New Haw in Surrey. She studied Chemical Engineering with management economics at the University of Bradford.

39

GIVING SHELTER

T

he number of people sleeping rough in England has doubled since 2010. Pioneer minister Heath Monaghan shares how his church have partnered with Hope into Action to house vulnerable people in desperate need of shelter and support.

A member of our church discovered Hope into Action (HIA) when she was mentoring a heroin addict who was serving time in prison and had nowhere to go on her release. She got in touch with HIA, went to one of their conferences and was so inspired. She would not stop badgering me until I looked at the website and the leaflets she gave me.

BAM! It was one of those God instances. HIA Founder Ed Walker and I have a similar background in housing. We’re both passionate about the potential for a social action organisation to be a fresh expression of God’s love. In short, HIA scratched an itch I’d had for a long time.

‘The ability to welcome people, to give them a sense of belonging and to see wonderful friendships being forged is a blessing’ A long-term commitment

We opened our first house in February 2016 offering two spaces for vulnerable women. One was referred from the local night shelter as she was sleeping rough during the winter. She has since volunteered at our church most days, formed strong relationships and is attending regularly. The other was a former prisoner and she stayed out of prison far longer than probation expected. We are about to take in our third vulnerable woman.

Watching one of the ladies start to thrive has been tremendous.

She has become very involved in the work of our church and comes in to cook Thai food once a week for all the staff. She’s on the fringes, drawing ever closer, but change takes time and that is something central to this model. We often believe that all we need to do is give people a Bible passage and watch the Holy Spirit do the rest. The reality is if we want to see lives changed it does require relationship over a long period of time.

Relationship is key

As a church we form a ‘Friendship and Support group’ to provide rich relationships to the women in the house. Our mentors get a great deal out of their involvement; as well as the satisfaction of knowing that they’re practically supporting someone, they can see the transformation of individual lives. It’s hard work, but the

rewards are immeasurable. Matching people in the church who want to be supporters with the people who need their support is a joy to witness.

The ability to welcome people, to give them a sense of belonging and to see wonderful friendships being forged is a blessing in itself; it makes us more Christ-like as we fulfil the command to welcome the stranger (Matt 25:35).

Learning as we go

Obviously there have been some challenges. One of the women got involved in drugs and that opened the church members’ eyes to a world in desperate need of the light of Christ; it’s a world of lies, addictions and poor treatment of other human beings. We get fantastic support from HIA, they’ve had a handle on everything and have helped us immensely. We’ve learnt from the challenges which have made us stronger and better equipped to put that new knowledge into practise.

We’ve made fantastic local partnerships with the Probation Service and the Local Authority, who are actively requesting more places.

We have aspirations to open more homes, according to what the need is. People are already knocking on our door, so the demand for more is clear.

HIA is an expression of living and breathing the gospel in today’s society. By breaking down the barriers, we can show the love of Christ in today’s communities. It’s a fantastic way of enabling everyone to get alongside and transform individual lives while participating in practical mission.

Working in partnership

HIA is a relatively new and young charity that enables churches to house the homeless. Started six years ago by Ed Walker and his wife who, using an inheritance they had, bought a house and got their church, Bretton Baptist Church, Peterborough, to support two guys who were homeless. That one house has now grown to 37 with a number more in the pipeline. Each house is in partnership with a local church and so the churches are able to build genuinely strong relationships with some of the most vulnerable in their community. There are now churches partnering with HIA with homes for ex-offenders, homeless people, former sex workers, people coming out of rehabilitation, people fleeing domestic violence and refugees.

For more information visit hopeintoaction.org.uk, email info@hopeintoaction.org.uk or phone 01733 558301.

Heath Monaghan Heath is a fresh expressions pioneer minister who leads Aspire Church, Ryde, on the Isle of Wight. He worked for over 10 years in the YMCA, as a firefighter and has been a foster parent for many years.

41

THERE IS MORE

M

indfulness is a buzzword in today’s frenetic culture.

But is mindfulness more than simply a tool to balance out a stressful lifestyle?

There must be more to life than this, mustn’t there? More to work life, home life, church life even! And deep down, we know it. For even as we’re busy skimming the surface, mercifully something calls to us from below that surface.

It’s what the author Cynthia Bourgeault calls ‘nostalgia for the infinite’; and what rock band U2 touch on in their song I still haven’t found what I’m looking for; and it’s what the Bible reminds us when it says, ‘God has set eternity in our hearts’ (Ecc 3:11).

A taste of the divine

We sense it when we catch the sun setting or watch a child giggling infectiously – or even when we stand at a graveside.

Our soul stirs and we recall glimpses of that nagging sense of ‘more’ – the more of who we are, for instance, created as imagebearers of God. I love how the poet Wordsworth puts it: at our birth, he writes, we come ‘trailing clouds of glory from God who is our home’. We can spend our life forgetting this, but sometimes we have our memories jogged.

Recently I was out running when I turned a corner to behold a most glorious rainbow. It stopped me in my tracks, and for a few blissful moments took me out of my petty grievances with the world – a taste of the divine, a reconnection with the ‘more’. But do we stay alert and connected when the rainbow fades, and life rushes on?

Mindfulness

Personally, I’ve gained some helpful insight from the mindfulness movement, which overlaps with much ‘contemplative’ Christianity.

Mindfulness – through sustainable practices such as paying attention to our breathing and stepping into stillness – helps us to be more present, creative and alive, as well as to cope with stress.

If you want a definition, think of its opposite, and ask what you’ve done mindlessly in the last few days. How did you listen when a friend was sharing something personal and significant with you?

How did you drink your last cup of coffee? What did your food taste like?

Meditation is one way of becoming more fully present, and the Anglican clergyman and clinical psychologist Mark Williams refers to this very usefully as ‘calmly abiding in the present moment’, which is something we can all try. Make a cup of tea, step outside, and give yourself permission to ‘be’ for a few minutes, instead of always doing. If you need to do something, try watching the clouds. Seriously.

Otherwise, try walking slightly more slowly than normal for a change, along a familiar path. Can you imagine Jesus charging through life the way we often do? Slow down, let him catch up with you, walk a while together, and see where it takes you.

Soulfulness

So mindfulness can be very helpful. But the danger is that we can end up seeing it as just another tool to keep us calm within an otherwise frazzling and unsustainable lifestyle that we have no intention of changing. Yes, it settles our minds, but aren’t we so much more than calmed minds alone?

Ultimately, that’s why I love to talk of soulfulness. Think of the word soul, for a moment, and I wonder what you picture. Soul music? A soulful café? A soulful supper with friends? A soulful gallery that inspires? A soulful stretch of countryside? It puts a smile on my face even thinking about the word.

In Genesis 2:7 we read that God formed a man from the dust, and breathed life into him, and he became ‘a living soul’. It’s the first mention of the word soul in the King James version. I love this – that God took two good things, matter and spirit (both are affirmed here), and created something that was even greater than the sum of the parts. Soul!

That’s why soul, for me, always connects us with that sense of the ‘more’ – whether it’s the more of who we were created to be, individually and uniquely; or the more of how we relate to God, each other and the world (soul to soul, ‘as deep calls unto deep’); or the more of our life’s work, which instead of massaging our ego, can manifest the soul.

And here’s what I really love about soul – it has to be fleshed out, just as ‘the Word became flesh and dwelled among us’ (John 1:14).

Spirituality might often seem about escape, about wafting away on a plume of incense, but soul is incarnational. It’s spirit and matter combined. When we follow Jesus, it’s not about avoiding our broken world, but finding a vivid, compassionate and present way back in, to embrace it.

Physical & spiritual

So while soul speaks of the heights and depths of who we are, it’s fleshed out in (for instance) that supper you share with others, or in gathering around a crackling fire on a wintry night, or in the playing of a song, or in unexpected tears.

The Last Supper, despite its pain, was truly soulful. A meal among friends, in which Jesus washed feet, broke bread, and shared wine.

It was physical as well as spiritual, and created more than the sum of both.

And how about after the resurrection, when Jesus prepared a charcoal fire with his own nail-scarred hands and cooked fish for his friends, on a beach, at sunrise? Exquisitely, they get to taste both forgiveness and smoky fish. Peter’s soul is restored.

Of course, soulfulness is no three-point plan for a perfect life. It follows the path of descent, as Jesus did – or as an autumnal acorn must to have any hope of becoming a mighty oak. We may obsess about the shiny surface of our life, but it’s through the cracks that the light will shine.

Jesus once said, ‘What does it profit a [person] to gain the world but to lose their soul?’ (Mark 8:36). What if the world was never ours to gain in the first place, but instead a place in which we were to help each other reconnect as deep calls unto deep, as soul calls to soul: a divine foretaste, of fish, and forgiveness, and so much more of ‘the more’ of the kingdom of God.

Brian Draper Brian is the author of Soulfulness: Deepening the Mindful Life. He is a speaker, writer and retreat guide, and often presents Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

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Recommended resources God wants to work in us and through us to make an impact for the Kingdom. Discover some resources that offer teaching, inspiration, encouragement and practical application for you, your ministry team or small group

BOOKS

is book re-ignites my longing derstanding of how to keep l of us and this book could at for you.”

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Growing in circles Paul Harcourt

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ng to go deeper in their their maturity as a believer. mend it!”

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ss of life by His Spirit. Like many things n seasons and cycles. Neither is there urity – that would be too impersonal for growth comes from understanding some dly. We come back to the same places more deeply. This simple, but profound our faith and answer many questions w to develop a vibrant spiritual life.

or eads All Saints’ Woodford Wells in NE s wife, Becky, where they have served for s New Wine’s Regional Director for the t Region. Paul is involved in leadership ewed churches and regularly speaks at the UK and Europe.

ISBN 978-1-908393-63-0

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Despite it being a quick and easy read, this book is profound in its depth and has drawn me out of my ‘stuck’ place into a higher, deeper revelation of Jesus. I've been following Jesus for 18 years and we have recently been invited onto the leadership team at our church, but I have felt quite inadequate and often overwhelmed – I had walked the steps from intimacy to obedience but had stalled none the less. This book has really encouraged me to see the journey as a continual cycle of these steps and this growth tool is one I really appreciate.

Mandy Muckett is on the leadership team of Oikos International in Basel, Switzerland.

BOOKS GIVEAWAY! 44

Higher Bible The Higher Bible was created as a resource to use as an initial discipleship tool for young people after making a decision to follow Christ. The layout of the Bible has an added section containing explained relevant concepts for the young people, such as creation, the fall, key Bible characters and the church. It also contains thumb cuts in five of the books which can be used as a guide for starting to explore the Bible.

The Higher Bible is a great resource for young people who have both recently come to faith and also those who are already on a discipleship journey, as it explains significant concepts alongside the New Living Translation.

Sarah Hockley works for The Message Trust in their Mission department and leads Club One at United.

Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life Rowan Williams As someone who is involved in church leadership and also studying, on a near weekly basis someone asks me the question ‘So, what book should I read?’ To be honest, the answer to this question used to change like British weather.

However, since Rowan Williams wrote this book the answer to that question is now solidified. In just over 80 pages, the former Archbishop poetically and clearly unpacks five areas of the Christian’s life and ways in which faith is activated in those settings. From holiness and faith in society to forgiveness and life in the Spirit, Williams masterfully navigates these areas in a way that is as accessible as Nicky Gumbel’s Why Jesus?. I’d recommend any youth worker or church leader to bulk buy this book and use it for small groups, one-to-one mentoring or to preach through because while only a small book, the minute I finished it I wanted to go back for more.

Alex Rayment is the Youth and Student Outreach Pastor at St Paul’s Cheltenham.

Simply email the title of one of the above books to mag@new-wine.org before 14 December 2016 for your chance to win a copy. One entry per person.

Winners will be chosen at random and notified by 16 December 2016

APPS Dirty Glory

Transformed

Pete Greig

Caesar Kalinowski

I have had the privilege of working closely with Pete for a number of years.

We’ve found ourselves leading together all over the world, from churches to palaces to open fields.

Time with Pete is always massive amounts of fun, brilliantly inspiring and deeply profound.

Dirty Glory is no different. I couldn’t put it down – it was like an adrenaline shot in my arm. This book will challenge you to think bigger, to risk more and to love recklessly. It’s a reminder that we are invited into the adventure of a lifetime, knowing God and making him known.’

Tim Hughes is a songwriter and pioneer of Worship Central and leads St Luke’s Gas Street in Birmingham.

Infinitum

We all like a good barbeque but have you ever thought about how something as easy as eating together can change a person’s life?

That’s what Caesar explores in this book. Reading this together challenged our mind-sets and spurred us on to be disciples making disciples in ‘a family of missionary servants.’ By highlighting six ‘rhythms’ of life and giving story after story from his own community, Caesar gives a humorous, practical and real life picture of living out of a ‘Gospel identity’ in the everyday… rough edges included. This book has transformed our thinking! If you’re up for a fresh revelation of who God is, who you are, and the missionary life God has called us all to lead, then read this book and be transformed.

This app is part of Infinitum Life, a community of people wanting to journey both locally and globally with others to see the radical call of Jesus become a greater reality in their lives. This is done through ‘hubs’ of people committing to this journey, which the app resources and facilitates. It has already been transformative for our local church, with small groups and friendship groups functioning as hubs and using the app to fuel a more intentional discipleship. The app provides quick and easy access to Infinitum resources that shape this, along with daily quotes and ideas to help. It’s free to download and a great way to do life together.

Rich Johnson is Regional Director for the South & South West and Vicar of All Saints Worcester.

Anna & Jonathan Martin live in Coventry where Anna works for Kidz Klub, reaching unchurched children as well as writing curriculum for New Wine Kids.

BCL Half A4.pdf

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Quiet lovely 4 bedroom house with sea views, 250yards from beach and coastal path. Contact via www.ownersdirect.co.uk/ accommodation/p8160893

Lee Abbey (Devon) Youth & Children’s Ministries

INDUCTION LOOPS

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SOUND Are you called to one of the above roles and looking to join a Christian Community in welcoming thousands of guests who come to Lee Abbey and our Beacon Activity Centre?

We are seeking to enable and encourage children and young people in their walk towards Jesus, or to journey further with Him. We aim to live out our faith and through Community to share the love Jesus has for His people: the lost, last, least and little. We want those who come to be challenged, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, whilst out and about in God’s stunning creation. We want to push the boundaries of children’s and youth work, using the Beacon Activity Centre and adventurous activities like zip wire, crate stack, climbing and much more.

We aim to be cutting edge in the way we innovate, deliver and expose people to the Bible and its relevance to us today. Can you help us do that? for application packs contact: Personnel, Lee Abbey, Lynton, North Devon, EX35 6JJ. tel: 01598 754250 Email: personnel@leeabbey.org.uk

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