It’s Happening
Spring 2014
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4
Students
Connect
8 9 16 DZ
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Youth
Marriage course
Sozo
10 12 Alpha
Foodbank
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Cells and community
14
Marriage course
20 Trustee talk
welcome We’ve got a great term ahead and this magazine gives you a feel for what’s going on.
positive difference in the life of the city by reaching out with love and compassion to those around, one life at a time.
People from all walks of life and all areas of our city make up our church community. We are a large and growing church with lots of ways you can belong. Our groups, communities (p14) and opportunities to be involved all make it easy to feel at home. If you’ve got questions about life and faith in Jesus you’ll find Alpha a great place to start (p10).
It’s happening gives you a flavour of what’s going on throughout the Vineyard Church. We can’t contain our story to just the pages of this magazine. Our story is of people following Jesus and experiencing life in a new way. It’s written in the lives of our members of the heart of our communities. We believe the stories just begun.
We don’t believe that the church exists for itself. It’s not just a club or society for the benefit of those involved. Church at its core and at its best, exists to make a
Andrew & Rosie
Andrew & Rosie McNeil and Simon & Keely Bateson [Senior Leadership Team]
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connect
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find out more We aim to be a church where anyone can come, feel welcomed and find their way at their own pace. Our desire is that everyone can experience God’s life and love and find a place to belong. A great way to find out more about the church is to attend a Connect Event. These happen each month and are an opportunity to hear the story and vision of the church and find a place to get involved. You can meet other new people and the leaders will be on hand to answer any questions you have. First, tear off the connect card from the Sunday bulletin. Second, fill it in and give it in. Fill in your connect card and then put it in the post box on the Information Wall by the media desk.
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Third, come along. You’ll receive an email invitation to the next connect event. These usually happen on the third Sunday of the month from 4:45 to 5:20pm before the service while we serve tea and toast, on the ground floor of Network House.
mal - it is r fo in y r e v is connect welcoming f o y a w r u o simply h you to churc osie
Andrew & R
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The average couple spend hundreds of hours preparing for their wedding day. The marriage course is an opportunity to prepare your marriage! Every year in church we have the privilege of seeing couples meet, get engaged and start to prepare for marriage. The average couple spends hundreds of hours preparing for their wedding day. We like to run The Marriage Course in church because this really helps to prepare not just for that day but for a marriage which will have the firm foundations to last a lifetime. The course is run over a series of about 6 evenings and is designed to give couples the information and space to strengthen their relationship. The evenings consist of some video and some live teaching each week, always with time to speak privately together discussing the content of the session.
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This year we had 6 couples on the course. You can see what they had to say about the course................
Great hospitality. Space to really ed topics we So helpful as it cover talk about important issues with together didn’t talk about in our life you partner Great advice about resolv ing conflict to way great A The conte nt is ver nt orta imp encourage the y good a nd wor the d Love conversations. th going ove r togethe homemade cakes :) r
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MARRIAGE PREPARATION
course
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u’ll need to Great tools yo marriage succeed in your
If you want more information about the next course please chat to Rosie McNeil
This last term has been jam packed for students. We have fed over 130 people over 3 weeks at our student introduction lunches, launched a monthly gathering in one of the main student areas, we have set up peer mentoring, hosted a fab careers event, been on the Fusion Road Trip to 5 of our University campuses and taken 30 of our students away to Cause To Live For…and that isn’t even everything! It is true to say that God has been incredibly faithful! One of the things that I love is that students have been engaging their friends, course mates, house mates and people on their campuses about Jesus. From inviting their friends to church, to chatting to them about Jesus over a cuppa in the kitchen – we have seen a real display of the Gospel going out. A story I particularly love is of one girl in a coffee shop on campus. She had some free time so simply prayed that God would lead her to where He was working. She ended up sitting in one of the University coffee shops. As she was sat there one woman that walked in took her attention. She knew she had to talk to her and so managed to pluck up the courage to go and speak to her. A conversation that felt like 20 minutes turned out to be 1 and a half hours. She ended up sharing about her life and inviting the woman to the jazz event back in November! However, we believe that God has so much more in store! One event that is coming up soon is Urban Camp. This is our student weekend-in and is a real formational time for us as a student community. The theme this year is ‘I Dare You’ focussing on daring one another to live a life worthy of the cause. The dates are the 24th – 26th January and is going to be epic! So if you are a student it is not to be missed. Save the date! If you have any questions about Universities, students, student mission etc, please feel free to get in contact.
james.leepickin@vineyardnetworkchurch.com
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In Discovery Zone we want to raise a generation that doesn’t just know about God. We want kids to have a personal relationship with Jesus and talk to him about everything and anything. Part of the way we do this with the 4-11s is through teaching them conversational prayer, not using words like “Dear God” or “Amen” but just chatting to God about life. We chat about what we had for breakfast, what we enjoyed in the last week, what our favourite toy is and what made us sad. After that we ‘catch’ from God, an opportunity to receive what God has for us. When a child receives from God for the first time or tells us what God has said it reminds me of how much God loves each one of them and how much they can teach us.
have age related groups at all 3 of our services and there are groups for the under 4s at both morning services. In the morning there are four different age groups and in the evening there is one group for those of Primary School age. Part of showing our friends how to live God’s way is to have events for children to bring their friends to. Last term we had two parties for the children. At the Bright Party we had 93 children of which 50% were guests. It was a great success and much fun was had by everyone, including the leaders who got into the fancy dress slightly too much! Look out for more events coming soon.
We currently have over one hundred 0-11s here at Vineyard. The 4-11s
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zara.llewellyn@vineyardnetworkchurch.com
Network Youth is our vibrant youth group for those of secondary school age. The youth are a vital part of our church family and you’ll see them involved in worship, Discovery Zone, hospitality, PA, media and many other areas of church life.
Our vision for the youth is: Micah 6:8: Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with our God Looking Up: 100% reliance and devotion to God Looking Out: Making a difference in the world
Being a young person has many challenges and culture tells us all that life is about us. Our vision reflects our desire for the youth to be counter cultural. The answer to all our problems isn’t found in searching the depths of ourselves it is in looking up to Jesus and looking out and serving our world. We are thrilled that this is the way that many of our young people are choosing to live. Last term we had Network Camp, a chance for the young people to get together from Friday night until Saturday lunchtime. We looked at the power of the cross in our lives and in our city. Joel and Mel Goodlet talked on the Friday night and many of the youth were challenged and inspired by the question ‘How well do you know God?’ Saturday morning was led by Colin and Ejay Harwood. We had a great time praying creatively for friends, our own lives and our city. There was a lot of fun and laughter including drama sketches impersonating youth leaders! In youth cell this term, the young people will be looking through ‘uncover’, a study of Luke’s gospel put together by UCCF. Through doing this we pray that we’ll all know how to tell our friends that Jesus really is the hope of the world.
zara.llewellyn@vineyardnetworkchurch.com p9
Is there more to life than this
should i text back
Our next Alpha starts... Wednesday 22 January 2014 with a meal
7.15 - 9.15pm
at Network House, 174 Barford Street, B5 7EP You can register online at: vineyardnetworkchurch.com p10
What is it
Sometimes it’s easier not to ask questions but on Alpha we think life is worth exploring, so your questions are welcome no matter how ‘out there’ they are. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions exploring the meaning of life. It’s fun, relaxed and totally no pressure (that’s why over 22.5 million people worldwide have already done it).
Who’s it for
Got lots of meaningful questions? Never really understood the Christian faith or been to church? Maybe you gave up on it a long time ago. Alpha was designed for you, or anyone who doesn’t go to church much, if at all.
What’s so great about it Ever wanted to explore the meaning of life or ask challenging questions about the Christian faith? Maybe you’re just curious about church stuff and want to have a nosy? Alpha doesn’t care about your background, it welcomes all those big questions and it’s free. Can’t say fairer than that right?
How does it work
How much is it
There’s no charge to do Alpha.
During each of the 11 sessions there is a short talk, a bite to eat, drinks and a chat around your table.
Got questions about life #tryalpha
foodbank
supporting
Since 1992 Freshwinds has been offering care and support, without charge, to adults and children living with life threatening and life-limiting illness as well as individuals from socially excluded backgrounds.
“Without the support from Vineyard Network Church my three children and I would not have managed when we were in need. I want to thank you all.” Freshwinds client
grab a bag
fill a bag
give a bag
“He had just come out of prison and benefits were not in place. It was a Bank Holiday weekend and the client had no food. We took a Foodbank bag round and he couldn’t believe that there were people out there ready to help people in need. It made a big difference.” Patricia Fleming - Freshwinds
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sarah.wicker@vineyardnetworkchurch.com
healing on the streets We have been regularly meeting to offer prayer for anyone in need at Birmingham Cathedral every month for more than five years. In that time we have learnt that we can always expect God to be powerfully present every time we have held HOTS, every month showing His love and compassion to people in pain and suffering. In 2010 a very disheveled and broken man came to us. He had been drinking and had a cut on his face from a fall. He had pain in his shoulder and both knees from arthritis. We prayed for him and God completely removed the pain from his joints. He was so grateful .He gave us a big hug before he left! Last month he came to see us again. I didn’t recognize him, he was healthy, happy and well dressed. He told us his story, how he had been an alcoholic and drug dependant for 20 years, but God had healed his joints completely, the pain he used to have never came back. He had given his life to Jesus that year and since had given up alcohol and drugs. This summer he was baptized at St.Martin’s Church. This is what our wonderful God loves to do, take a broken life and gently mend and restore it. We could share so many stories of how God met with each of the precious people He has bought to us. Not a single month goes by without us seeing tangible evidence of His love and compassion in the lives of those who come. We feel so blessed to have the privilege to be involved in this and we would love you to come and see what goes on for yourselves. The dates for HOTS this term are below. We would love you to come too. Perhaps you could give out chocolates or flyers or perhaps you could film people talking about what God did when they received prayer? We meet at the Cathedral doors at 12.30pm to pray and wait on God then do HOTS from 1.30pm till 4.00pm. Then we go to Starbucks (next to the Council House in Colmore Row) with any who want to talk more. Don’t feel you have to be there for all of it though! You are welcome to join us for as little or as much time as you would like.
If you wish to join us, please talk to: Sandra Eagle: sandraeagle20@gmail.com Jackie Tearle: tearle264@hotmail.co.uk
The dates for this term are: Jan 18 Mar 15 Feb 15 Apr 19
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cells & community On the 4th Sunday in each month we have Community Sunday. We don’t meet in one location but we gather in many spaces across our city (currently 10 communities across Birmingham). It’s all about building and extending community. We build community so everyone has a place to belong and can forge great friendships. We extend our community by inviting friends and neighbours to experience the life of our church. We do this through our cell groups coming together to host social events, community church with lunches, projects that serve others, family activities, prayer gatherings and many more expressions of God’s love in action. Community events are great to invite friends to and are a unique way to make a difference. Our vision is to touch every part of our city with new cell groups and cell communities.
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we have cells that meet in all the following locations
Stirchley West Brom Halesowen
Solihull QuintonNorthfield Harborne
Wishaw
Perry Common
EdgbastonYardley
Selly Oak
Jewellery Quarter
Cotteridge Kings Norton Digbeth Moseley Bearwood Bournville Cell groups are core to our church vision as they help us live out what Jesus said. They are an ideal place to discover more of what it practically means to follow Jesus. Meals together, serving one another, growing in our faith and ‘being Christ’ to the people we meet all helps create a sense of community with a purpose. All of our groups have a slightly different flavour but the same values run through all of them: We want to live life with Jesus at the centre not the edge.
We know that Jesus led by example in serving others and showing God’s love to the world. He is the one we follow as we learn to serve our friends and neighbours. All our cells are open and love to welcome new people. Feel free to call, e-mail or visit a group near to you. Alternatively ask our Sunday Welcome Team to introduce you to our cell leaders.
Everyone needs a place to belong, a community within their wider community. We want to become everything God has destined us for, in work, relationships, and in all of life. That process of growth is central to our groups.
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sozo Our church has always been passionate about helping people on their journey towards wholeness. We want people to have lifetransforming experiences that help them know more of God’s love and enable them to live life to the full, in healthy relationship with God and with one another. A Sozo appointment facilitates a time of listening and responding to God, aiming to get to the root of problems and issues that may hinder our relationship with Him and others. If you would like to book a Sozo appointment with one of our team, then please pick up our Application pack from the Information Wall. Keely Bateson
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“I am so grateful to God for his timing and having the opportunity to do Sozo when I did”
‘I decided to have a Sozo appointment as a last resort before going to the doctors for medication I had been struggling for a long time with anxiety issues that were causing me to have sleep problems. If I’m being totally honest, I was a bit sceptical and didn’t know what to expect. However, in a safe and trusting environment I was taken on a journey with God that led to the revelation that 'God doesn't end when the night shift starts.'
Church office 0121 622 1230
Almost immediately, months of sleepless nights dissolved in God's peace. I didn't have to dig and search around, God gently revealed to me those areas where I had stopped trusting in His ability to look after me and my family. It was a journey of forgiveness, inwardly and outwardly. I can't recommend Sozo enough and I am so grateful to God for his timing and having the opportunity to do Sozo when I did.' Netta Spafford
keely.bateson@vineyardnetworkchurch.com
city pastors A friendly face, a listening ear and a caring heart
Recently we felt called to pray for twenty new recruits to help bolster the city pastor team. We weren’t entirely sure where these people would come from but we were sure that God would bring them. To our joy we ended up training 23 new pastors at the end of 2013 which has been a great benefit to the project. The quality of the people that apply to be City Pastors is always a great witness to the other agencies we work with. They are still amazed that there are so many gifted and caring people in the church in Birmingham.
“Why City Pastors… what do you do?” We exist because we believe that a Christian presence in the night time economy of Birmingham is absolutely vital. We know that by being on the streets we are changing the ‘spiritual
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citypastors@gmail.com
atmosphere’ of our city. All our pastors pray before, during and after their shifts for the well-being of the people of Birmingham and this ongoing prayer is making a difference. We also bring an essential caring presence to the streets. We “fill the gap” between other agencies and help to protect the vulnerable and give time to the marginalised. Some shifts are quiet and some are extremely busy but one police inspector told us, “You’ll never know just how much you change situations just by being present on the street…” We realise that sometimes it is the things we don’t see happen that are just as important as the things we do see. Because of our ongoing service to the city we are now an integral and valued part of the Night Time Economy Steering Group where we work with all the other agencies to make Birmingham a safe and vibrant place to be.
“Moments of Truth…” When we train our new pastors we talk to them about “the moment of truth”. This is the initial contact point between an organisation and a member of the public. The impression that is created in those first few moments of interaction shapes that person’s view of the whole organisation. When our volunteers put on a City Pastors jacket they are representing and stewarding the trust and equity that has been built up with the public and the agencies that we work with. The fact that they do this so responsibly and faithfully is re-shaping people’s understanding of who Christians are and what they do and this is very exciting to watch! If you are interested in joining our team, please send an email to citypastors@ gmail.com and we’ll send you a link to our online application form. If you just want a chat to find out more, grab me on a Sunday and I’ll be happy to share a few stories. In the meantime what are the “moments of truth” you can create in helping people see Jesus in your life.
Simon Bateson – on behalf of City Pastors Steering Team
City Pastors is a project involving volunteers from local churches working together with other night time services to ensure everyone who visits Broad Street or Southside encounters a safe vibrant environment.
trustee talk We believe that God has called us to develop a large and generous church that makes a difference in our city and beyond. We do this through a growing network of groups and communities as well as developing services and ministries reaching the people of this region
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Vineyard Network Church Birmingham is a registered charity and so has a board of trustees that volunteer their time and wisdom to serve the church. If you have any questions about church governance you can contact them at any time. Our trustees are:- Phil James, Hilary Dougall, Ian Rogers, Bill Dixon, Mike McMaster, Andrew McNeil
Phil James
Hilary Dougall
Bill Dixon
Ian Rogers
Mike McMaster
Andrew McNeil
The Vineyard church doesn’t receive any funding from outside organisations or agencies so we are able to function purely because of generosity of the people in the church. It is the giving of those in the church that enables us to do things well. We get to demonstrate God’s goodness by serving those in our city and beyond. We also have the privilege of investing in the work of other charities and individuals who have specialist areas of ministry.
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Ultimately we see the wise use of money as an act of worship to God. The Bible shows that how we prioritise our finances is an indication of what’s going on inside our hearts. By supporting Gods purposes expressed through his church, we forge a heart connection with his work. In the last year we’ve been able to give generously (over £28,000) to many other organisations in our city and beyond. These organisations represent: church planting, aid and development, leadership training, student outreach and discipleship, support for the persecuted church, work with the disadvantaged and vulnerable, youth work, and work amongst the business community. Andrew
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activities City Pastors is an initiative involving volunteers from local churches working in partnership with the Broad Street and Southside Business Improvement Districts to ensure that the city is a safe, vibrant environment for everyone who visits.
Simon Bateson
Every month a team of people go out onto the streets to show God’s love by praying for people who need healing. They meet outside St Phillip’s Cathedral and St Martins in the bullring Birmingham from 1-3.30pm.
Jackie Tearle Sandra Eagle
We aim to help young people find space to make friends, learn more about Jesus, serve the church and live the reality of the kingdom of God.
Zara Llewellyn
FOODBANK The focus of Sozo is to break the lies and heal the wounds in our lives. If you are in this church and in a cell group and would like a Sozo appointment then do pick up an information pack. Keely Bateson
Foodbank reaches out to serve those in need by providing a bag of provisions in a time of crisis. Every bag has a card inside with a simple message from the church to express something of God’s love. Fiona Harding Sarah Wicker
Children’s ministry meeting during the morning and evening services: Sparks (0 - 2) Launch Pad (2 - 4) Rockets (4 - 7) Orbit (7 - 11)
Zara Llewellyn
www.networkhousebirmingham.com
Vineyard Bible Institue (VBI) is an accredited Bible study programme. Contact Adam Pipe for more details.
Adam Pipe
Crafted is a compassion ministry. It is exclusively for women and in groups of two we run a craft activity for two hours, once a month, in refuge accommodation. Seanna Lassetter
We run Network House Birmingham as a social enterprise conference centre, employing and training people in events and conference skills. Talk to Rosi Davies if you are interested in finding out more. Rosi Davies
Contact Addresses
City Pastors citypastors@gmail.com Healing on the Streets sandraeagle20@gmail.com tearle264@hotmail.co.uk Youth zara.llewellyn@vineyardnetworkchurch.com
Network Netball meets regularly on Monday evenings at Selly Park Technology College sports hall from 8pm. New players welcome.
Jo Bullock
Sozo keely.bateson@vineyardnetworkchurch.com Foodbank sarah.wicker@vineyardnetworkchurch.com Discovery Zone zara.llewellyn@vineyardnetworkchurch.com VBI adampipe@talktalk.net Crafted danielandseanna@ntlworld.com Network House rosina@networkhousebirmingham.com
Dalitso Trust works in partnership with rural villages in Malawi with its team based in Malingunde.
Netball joanne_e_stagg@yahoo.co.uk Dalitso Trust thomashusbands@dalitsotrust.org
Tom & Ali Husbands
Sunday services 1st, 2nd, 3rd Sunday of every month: 9.30am 11.15am 5.30pm Network House 174-178 Barford Street Birmingham B5 7EP 0121 622 1230
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get connected There are many ways you can connect with the church:Through Sundays: morning or evening services are a great way to experience the vibrancy of worship and ministry
Connect Events: if you are new and want to find out more, we hold regular connect events before the evening service – fill in a connect card and we’ll be in touch
Through cells: the place to make friends and build community
Through communities: experience the synergy of cells working together to make a difference
Through facebook: join our facebook group vineyard network church birmingham
Through the web: download the latest Sunday talks and keep up to date Through e-bulletins: make sure we have your email on our database and you’ll receive a nice (short) reminder of key events
Follow us on twitter:
@VineyardBham Through It’s Happening: you are reading it! You can also read this magazine online on our website Through text-alerts: if you are on a Sunday serving team and we have your mobile number, you’ll get a nice text reminder to let you know when you are next on
www.vineyardnetworkchurch.com