I’m writing this on Christmas Eve before nipping out to the High Street - I’m a last minute person by nature, and although for once I’ve managed to get most of Sue’s presents, it wouldn’t be Christmas for me without a last dash round the shops!
It’s been a busy year, with a mix of business, holiday and ministry trips to the US (3 times), Egypt, Russia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Switzerland, France and Germany, so I am looking forward to a few quiet days at home, and I’m feeling very sorry for everyone who has got caught up in the travel chaos here in the UK, caused by fog. I was up at 4am to give friends a lift to Stanstead after their Heathrow flight to Frankfurt was cancelled yesterday.
We’ve really enjoyed our church programme this Christmas - we took the now traditional “Christmas Lorry” round the streets of Catford, and our Carol Service was packed yesterday - we are hoping for the chance to find a new venue to meet in 2008!
Our 2 older children, who are at Uni, will be home for Christmas, and all my family are coming to our house on the 27th for a gathering, which we are looking forward to.
Whatever you are doing this Christmas, whether you are able to be with family and friends, or if you are on your own, we pray that the God of all hope will be with you this Christmas and into 2008.
We have known the church at Kingsland for some years - they are a great bunch, and have a strong all-age focus, and talented and anointed worship leaders and musicians. So, it’s no surprise that they have produced a “home grown” all-age worship CD, and we are pleased to be offering it through the FW online shop. At only £6, it’s a bit of a bargain - the songs are all very usable, and the stand out track for me, partly because it is out of the ordinary, is “The Prayer Room Song”.
In my early twenties, I worked briefly backstage on a couple of West End shows, and there met Chris Gidney, who had launched a ministry to those working in all areas of the entertainment profession. 25 years on, CIE has had an amazing impact on thousands of people, and continues in vital work - encouraging and supporting those in one of the most challenging vocations for a christian. Check out the video below, and visit the CIE website for more information.
The trip was at the invitation of a large church in the capital city, Harare. Friend and record producer, Dave Bankhead, had been to Harare the previous year for a conference, and found himself working with the children of some of the delegates to that conference. He taught them songs from Heal Africa, and presented them on the final day, and it was so well received that the church (One Way Ministries, pastored by Langton Gatsi) wanted him to come back the following year and put on a whole conference just for children.
So, Dave invited us to think about going with him and his wife Jean. I was born in Zimbabwe but had not been back in 40 years, so jumped at the chance. Of course we knew that the country is in terrible turmoil at preset, with massive food shortages, hyper-inflation, unemployment, and a volatile political situation, so we prayed, and Sue did as much research as possible to find out whether it was safe and wise to take our younger two children as part of the team. Some people urged us to be cautious and some thought we were crazy to even think of going at this time,
We’ve really enjoyed our church programme this Christmas - we took the now traditional “Christmas Lorry” round the streets of Catford, and our Carol Service was packed yesterday - we are hoping for the chance to find a new venue to meet in 2008!
We have known the church at Kingsland for some years - they are a great bunch, and have a strong all-age focus, and talented and anointed worship leaders and musicians. So, it’s no surprise that they have produced a “home grown” all-age worship CD, and we are pleased to be offering it through the FW online shop. At only £6, it’s a bit of a bargain - the songs are all very usable, and the stand out track for me, partly because it is out of the ordinary, is “The Prayer Room Song”.