Happy Christmas 25 December 2007
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Hi everyone – have a great Christmas.
Let’s seek him like the Wise Men and find him with great joy like the shepherds.
Giving Thanks 20 December 2007
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The Bible and Jewish tradition has a lot to say about celebrating and giving thanks. Remembering is something which is stressed again and again – don’t forget what God has done for you – don’t forget where you’ve come from – don’t forget who saved you. As Tom Gillum recently reminded us the story normally goes something like this – we had a problem – God showed up – let’s party!
We wanted to finish our term remembering God’s goodness to us. Remembering all that Jesus has done for us and reminded each other of his faithfulness by sharing stories of what Jesus has done in us and through us over the year.
Obviously a key part to remembering as a Christian is through the bread and wine – “do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me” – and so before eating our feast of roast chicken and vegetables – we broke bread and took time to remember what Jesus has done for us.
It was a great party – great food, great company and a great celebration of God’s faithfulness.
As we went round and shared what we were thankful to Jesus for we were all encouraged, hearing of answers to prayer, protection, salvation in others lives, growth through hardship, joy in difficulty, new revelation of God and much more, and we celebrated together another year of the Boiler Room community.
We thanked God for where he had brought us so far and for where he was leading us.
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. Gal 6:9-10 MSG
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Phil 1.6 MSG
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 24-25 NIV
Top 5s 18 December 2007
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My Top Five Books of the year (that I’ve read this year) ….
1) Christ Plays in 10,000 places – Eugene Peterson
without a doubt my favourite book – deep and thoughtful yet easy to read and enjoy
2) Good News for the Poor – Tim Chester
Challenging and provocative, yet sensitive and with good scriptural basis
3) Spirit of the Disciplines – Dallas Willard
Very good, clear and thoughtful. A great accompaniment to a celebration of discipline by Richard Foster.
4) Irresistible Revolution – Shane Claibourne
An enjoyable story of Christian community and a heart for the poor
5) God on Mute – Pete Greig
Thinking deeply about the problem of unanswered prayer from his own experience
Top Five Albums of the year (ok this isn’t Christian but I thought I’d share what I’m listening to!):
1) Editors: The Back Room
2) Radiohead: In Rainbows
3) Gomez: Bring it on (an oldy but a goody!)
4) Passion: Hymns Ancient and Modern (ok so this is Christian)
5) Snow Patrol: Eyes Open
( 6) Tree 63:Double Worship Album)
I could carry on with top fives, perhaps Top Five friends… maybe that’s a bit personal, but please feel free to leave your own top five, particularly if you want to comment on good Christian books……
Prayer Walking 18 December 2007
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One of the things we are keen to do as a Boiler Room community is to support others locally in their work by praying with them and for them. George Heslop is one of those people. He has been living on Stanwell Moor with his family for the last 14 years or so. He’s invested so much of himself into the community, supporting events and activities, helping lead a youth group, supporting church plants and making close friends with so many within the community.
We went to pray with him a week or so back. He walked us around the area and pointed out some of the key places and activities that went on and how we could pray for them. It was good to be able to support him in this way.
It’s an amazing place, the new Heathrow Terminal 5 building dominates the horizon and every minute or so a Jumbo Jet screams overhead having just reached the end of the runway just the otherside of the field. There were a couple of excited cheers from the Australians as Quantas planes banked round above us and jetted off towards their home!
One of the things that struck me was how peaceful and pretty the place was, despite the airport a stone throw away and also despite it’s reputation locally as rather a rough estate. George told us excitedly of all the changes he’d seen over the time he’d been living their and some of the exciting things that have been happening recently, to do with funding for projects and activities.
Colin has posted a few more photos onto our flickr account, which you can access on the side bar of the blog.
The following day George phoned me to say he’d already seen answers to prayer, particularly to do with families on the Moor, where he was seeing tensions begin to ease.
Please pray for George and for Stanwell Moor. Pray also for Jonathan who starts work for east to west after Christmas on Stanwell Moor, running the Impact Youth Group.
Our visit to Community of St Jude in Earls Court 12 December 2007
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The Church bells chimed and we began to read through Psalm 104 together out-loud. We sit there reflecting on the psalm together quietly, in the space laid out at the back of the huge church, the temperature just slightly below comfortable. We read about God’s creation, its dependence on him and the focus on God’s glory. We pray together about the things we see in the psalm and for the people we’ve already met during the day when the door creeks open and in walk a couple of friends of Tom and Jo. They both live on the streets, they look a bit cold and scruffy but have warm smiles and are keen to meet us. We sit down with them and begin to chat. One of them is talking excitedly about his church and his faith. The other is having a hard time and shares some of the things that are on his mind. We have an opportunity to pray with him and ask God for his provision. It’s a brief meeting but enough to give us a small glimpse of the highs and lows of these guy’s lives and the comings and goings in the community of St Jude.
We wander outside into the brisk air and the fading winter sun and up towards the fire and warmth of Tom and Jo’s house. There we are told of some of the harsher realities of life in Earls Court for the many girls who are trafficked and forced to work as prostitutes. It’s rather harrowing, that behind these astonishing buildings some darker secrets lurk. We spend time asking some questions and then are able to pray around the streets, with heavy hearts.
Set against the backdrop of the Gillum’s generous hospitality, and structured around their daily prayer rhythm we had a good taste of life in the community of St Jude. We enjoyed the regular times of prayer, the unexpected meetings with all sorts of different people and were blessed to see the example of so many people faithfully serving God where he’d called them to be. Although there are darker secrets behind the facades we sense God’s grace is there too.
24-7 Networking day in Reading 6 December 2007
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Being in the midst of a prayer movement certainly has its perks! Attending the 24-7 Networking day last Saturday in Reading was one of those perks 
Pretty much to sum up the day it was a whole bunch of friends who are doing similar things for God (i.e. praying & being a part of their local community) sharing what’s happening amongst them & eating loads of GOOD food!
I loved how people were just so willing to pray & prophecy & encourage. For Mick & I, the stuff that we got prayed over us meant so much & was so relevant to where our head space has been over the past few weeks. I just loved how God used total (or almost total) strangers to speak encouragement & blessing into our lives.
It really gives you a little bit of perspective when you hear stories about what God is doing across the U.K….
In Cornwall, Matt & Ally talked about their ‘Firestation’ prayer room & everything else that is happening there, George from Guildford talked a bit about what was happening across the country in Uni campuses (which I’ve sort of gathered already from talking to a lot of Royal Holloway students). I thought worship was amazing…hmm…what else…
Hearing about what’s happening with one of our new friends (who we met in Saville), Phil Anderson, in Parliament. That got me excited, especially in light of the recent Australian election!
It was really quite cool hearing about what’s going down in Reading as well. 2 years ago the very first Boiler Room closed. Andy Freeman & Pete Ward shared about how God might be doing something again, & when people prayed for them & for Reading it became clear that God IS DEFINITELY doing stuff!!! These are exciting times
Louise & Chris also shared a bit about Transit. I don’t know how they managed to share about Transit as no one really knows what Transit is anyway (lol, running Transit joke…)!!!
Anyways, I think as a community we came away with new & stronger friendships. It’s exciting to think about what we’re going to be able to share at the next networking day in 6 months-ish!!!
Lauren xx
