august 2013 UPDATE FROM TAYLOR M. POOL
pick a pocket / leadership Being in Leadership of Pick A Pocket has been an incredible journey with challenges and joys all around. I’ve been in this position now for 3 months and I’m still learning so much about how to lead, what does it mean to lead, the responsibilities that come with leading, and learning how to not lead out of my own strength, but out of Gods. Being able to view the team, Pick A Pocket, in a new perspective in leadership has been so joyful and amazing. Seeing where my giftings in relationships and logistical work can be used to serve the team and ultimately to see how can I help God achieve what He wants to within our team. Pick A Pocket launched our brand new website; www.pickapocket.net Please take a look to see who we are as a ministry and what we stand for. On Monday Aug 12, Pick A Pocket will leave to Scotland for 5 days to celebrate our 5th year anniversary as a ministry and team! Why Scotland? Well 5 years ago a group of people went to Scotland after their DTS in Herrnhut, Germany and asked God what to do with their art and lives; and God spoke to them about the vision and movement of Pick A Pocket. Therefore we are going back where it all started and ask God what does He have for us in the next 5 years, and to also reflect on what He did in the past 5 years.
N端rnberg, Germany
liz and the lions
4 day vacation
In June I went on a one month tour to Holland, Germany, and Austria with a band named Liz and the Lions. Liz and the Lions is a missional band from YWAM Herrnhut and Pick A Pocket. My fiance is the keyboardist, accordion, and harmonica player. My part in the band is to manage the daily life and schedule of how the tours go, and also be the accountant. It’s great to see how God uses their music to challenge, inspire, and to bring people into a relationship with Him. When we tour we try to play a lot of bars or cafes, but on this tour we played in a lot of churches and saw God using us to encourage the church to get out of the pews and onto the mission field. We also were able to do some street ministry on tour and talk and pray over homeless people. Liz and the Lions was also to raise 400 Euros for The Koshe Project on tour! I will be coming out with a Liz and the Lions Tour Documentary sometime next year when they release their new album.
Ruth and I recently took a 4 day vacation near Kassel, Germany. We met up with a few friends from ours outside of YWAM and went to a festival called Freakstock. Freakstock is a christian music and lifestyle festival. Ruth and I felt like it’d be good to take a few days off and get out of town for a bit and do something with a new group of people! Being at Freakstock was so refreshing to see what God is doing around Germany and in other communities, and also to see live bands again and camp!
Dresden, Germany
Dresden, Germany
pick a pocket tv
personal
Since January this year I had a vision of making videos that share with the viewer how you can co-create with God by doing arts and missions as one. Therefore, I begun the process of filming a cellist who’s in Pick A Pocket named Josh. Interviewing him about his life, his view of missions, and testimonies he’s seen God do using his musical talent. After being on tour with him for one month in June, I was able to complete my 5:30min video and release it to the public. I’m very excited for this new series I’ve started and believe that God will use these videos to call others into missions and His kingdom. I think there are so many believers and non-believers out there who have no idea that they can do what their passionate about inside missions and with God. I want these videos to educate the viewers that you can, and to bring inspiration to them to live out what they love with God.
In September I will be moving into a larger apartment with 6 other guys. This is such a “praise God” moment for me because the apartment I’ve been living in for 2 years has become to squeezed in and run down, and I’m ready for more space and more of a community feeling. The next weeks I will spend a few hours a day working in the new house so that we can have September rent for free!
If you haven’t seen the video yet, please click this link : www.vimeo.com/ pickapocket
What’s up with Ruth This fall Ruth will be stepping into working with the Marriage of the Arts DTS. Her role will be leading the Fine Art Track with a few other staff and about 30 students. Right now this DTS in the fall has over 200 students accepted. This is one of the largest DTS’s in the world right now! So excited to see what God is going to do this fall in our community and within the Fine Art Track as Ruth leads them in Gods heart for Fine Art. Ruth is also leading and pioneering a YWAM gallery in Herrnhut called “Wildnis Galerie” (Translation : Wilderness Gallery). Last week Wildnis Gallery showcased their 5th gallery exhibition of 3 artists from around the world and their studies in painting and portraiture.
Ruth and I at Freakstock
Innsbruck, Austria
Zittau, Germany
Thank you so much for reading my current update! Thank you so much for sticking by me all these years and being in missions with me. I truly believe God wants to use the arts to revive, refresh, and bring people into His kingdom by using galleris, live concerts, and many forms of media. It’s great to recognize there are many different forms these days to preach the Gospel to others, and we as Pick A Pocket have been seeing the past months and years people coming to know God because they looked at a painting or a photograph and “felt something different”, then came to ask us why they feel the way they do, and from there we’re able to minister to them! I want to invite you to join my financial support group and bring the Gospel more to the nations and people. I cannot do missions without the financial support of others. With you, as a team, we can see the Kingdom more established on Earth. I’m lacking monthly finances in order to invest into more flights for different countries and to invest into different ministries. Please pray about joining my team!
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