Heavenly sounds and royal castles

ourselves about what it meant and what we should do about it! Karen writes about this in detail in her book ‘Igniting a flame of prayer’ Suce to say, right here, that it moved us to gather a dozen or so who were in a similar place of searching into William and Karen’s lounge each week. We were praying and seeking God about just what He was inviting us all into. Eventually in that year of 2007 began the work of The Beacon House of Prayer. Its story has been an incredible and ongoing time of grace and challenge, growing a community that welcomes His presence and glory. Out of all Tracy and I had learned about our place in the city and the growing understanding of the power of combined Prayer and Worship, it was the start of a new chapter, a new adventure. As we all began to learn and build, Presence was still serving local churches, doing some training and equipping more locally as well as contributing to the ongoing gathering of what was the 2C7 City leaders gatherings. It was in this year of 2007 that I had a strong sense that it was time to bring a significant oering of worship at a City level and having prayed it through with Robert Mountford, Lloyd Cooke and other trusted friends, I set about organising 12 hours of unbroken worship which was to be called ‘ embrace’ on the 20th October. We had leaders from around the City, 8 worship teams and prayer stations set all around the building. Space to pour out our love and devotion on Him.

Psalm 100:2Worship the Lordwithgladness; come before him withjoyfulsongs The year 2007 was also the first of 2 years for me being involved in Connecting the Connectors. Gathering together leaders for a couple of days at Swanwick conference. Times to worship, pray and share with thoise like us in Stoke who were engaging in deeper ways both spiritually and practically, believing that as we did, we’d welcome more of His kingdom in. This was another of many opportunities where Lloyd, Robert and myself were sharing leadership together. 3 Stokies who God was using to serve His body.

Heavenly sounds androyalcastles

As we began 2009 I still had a heart to see extended times of worship and as part of our City leaders’ journey organised a second ‘Embrace’ Continuous worship gathering. Another 12 hours to give oursleves over as an oering to God in the city. This time the team from the Beacon organised prayer stations and I gathered teams and tech for a beautiful time at St Mark’s Church in Shelton. This year became busy with the development of local things, particularly in the House of Prayer but also some other amazing opportunities

I visited Washington Crossing again to serve at Scott McDermotts church and had the joy of staying with Tom and Linda Flakoll. This visit gave me the opportunity to lead and serve with the local team and have some good times of building and fellowship. It was during one of my chats with Tom, sharing with him about what God was doing in our home town that he, having not travelled for years, got his passport back out and committed to join us in Stoke for a conference later in the year. Through city and local connections 2009 also saw something unexpected. An opportunity to lead worship at Windsor Castle. A friend and evangelist Jonathan Oleyede had on His heart to meet to bless the monarchy and to gather intercessors from across the UK to pray and worship. Having gained permission we had 2 days of prayer and worship in a chapel in the Castle grounds staying in accommodation inside the castle walls. We were able to pray in St George’s Chapel welcoming what God wanted to do in our nation and giving thanks for our Queen who was so faithfully living out and declaring her love for God during her reign. It’s moments like this when you have to just pinch yourself. God was taking what Tracy and I had oered and opening up the completely unexpected so that what we had could be used in evey imaginable and unimaginable way! In June of this same year I headed out to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City to take part in the ‘Forerunner Music Academy’ for a week. Taking in some teaching and going behind the scenes with some of IHOPs worship teams. Our friends Pam and Lorie Stead had kindly organised all this and given me accomodation. We first met Pam when we had just begun meeting on Sundays to worship as ‘The Beacon House of Prayer’ at Packmoor Community Centre. She’d been over from the States visiting her mum who lived in Staordshire and had found out where we were. She was to become a great encouragement and cheer leader to us all.

On this trip she and Laurie were amazing hosts. As well as great times in the House of Prayer we had some fun down time together. One highlight for me was visiting her good friend Melody Green for an evening and having an opportunity to sit and play at Keith Green’s piano. He had been such a gift to the Kingdom with songs like ‘There is a Redeemer’ After a week learning new skills and gaining new insights my good friend Lloyd joined me from Stoke and we were able to spend some wonderful times just ‘being’ in the prayer room at IHOP and taking some opportunities to share with others our 2C7 Journey. Towards the end of our time, Pam arranged for us to meet with some European friends and I was privileged to lead a time of worship together.