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The Noise Report 28 May 2008

Posted by jamesbutler in What we're up to.....
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This report on the Noise project came in from Dave Food. Thanks to everyone who was involved in the day and in praying leading up to it.

On Saturday the 24th of May Young people and students from Royal Holloway College and Young people from Churches and youth groups in the Egham, Egham Hythe and Englefield Green completed 9 projects around the area.
Over 60 people cleared garages and sheds, cleared a number of gardens and painted anything that stood still walls, benches and fence panels.
Thanks goes to those involved in helping making it happen, team leaders, Abigail Trickey and Tim Sudworth for hosting the launch event at St Johns on Friday Night, to John Brannan who helped me co-ordinate all the resources and projects today and Anna Hope who organised a celebration of all we had done this evening.
There are many tired bodies tonight as all the workers go to their beds, there are van loads of rubbish to go to the tip, it will take days. (If any one wants to help please get back to me)
Thanks particular goes to the local Police who came and joined us again this year, John got on his knees to make a difference, Carol got covered in paint. Also thank you to all those who donated materials The Runnymede refuse team, The Egham police, Sainsbury’s, Starbucks, Homebase, Halls, but particular thanks goes to the local Churches who really made this happen, St Johns Egham, United Church of Egham, Runnymede Christian Fellowship, The Journey, Hythe Community Church and Englefield Green Methodist Church.
Final thanks again goes to the Young people themselves who made some Noise.
More details to follow pictures to be posted at the Facebook page

Just pray. 20 May 2008

Posted by boilerroom in Praying for..., What we're thinking about...
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I sat in Guildford a week & a half ago & I prayed for the people of Burma after the cyclone. We prayed that foreign aid would be allowed into the disaster areas. I honestly didn’t expect for much to happen (at least not straight away); I had the mentality of “the situation is so big, how on earth are my prayers going to make any form of difference – especially because this is a 2 second prayer!”

I was quite blown away when the next day Mick showed me the headline on the Sydney Morning Herald website; “Burma – foreign aid finally allowed in”.

I had the same mentality when I was at Boiler Room prayer the other morning. We were thinking about the things that break out heart, or stir up a sense of injustice in us. We were talking about the gap between the CEO’s of companies & its workers; and the ridiculous amounts of money that they get paid even when they do a bad job. Like when a big company goes bust, it’s the poor that get hit the hardest when CEO’s still get a fat, juicy retirement fund…

So we started to pray, not eloquently or brilliantly, but we prayed all the same. We prayed for the victims of the China earthquake & how the press have been overlooking the stories of the victims (not only in China, but in Burma too), and politicising desperate situations. We also prayed that journalists would start writing about the people that have been affected in the tragedies.

Again, the next day the headline for the SMH website was the story of a little girl orphaned by the earthquake. I then received an e-mail from James that said: ‘Since we prayed yesterday there has been lots of attention in the press of the victims of Burma and China; and also did you notice today the British Airways announced profits, and have split some of them between the staff and the CEO has refused to take his bonus! Crazy!!!!!’

I don’t know why these prayers seemed to be getting answered straight away, but I figure if you ask God to move in situations that break His heart then He will. God says that he’s looking for someone to stand in the gap, so why can’t it be us?

God calls us to pray, simple as that.

Lauren x

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

The Architect’s Plans prayer week 15 May 2008

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architects_plans.jpg

Prayer week is coming up – The Architect’s Plans.  2nd-6th June at the Caddey, St John’s Church, Egham.

Do come and join us as we explore the master Architect’s plans for our lives, our churches, our town, our world.

More details to follow…….

Record Profits… 15 May 2008

Posted by jamesbutler in What we're thinking about...
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In the last few days Sainsbury, Barclays and BT have all announced increased profits – that’s not that they’ve turned a profit but that they’ve made more than last year.  When interviewed on radio one of the key people at BT said they would continue to maximise profits and look to increase their share of the international market.  At the same time there workers are saying they are not being paid enough and there are on-going discussions with unions.  I don’t know the details but it seems sad to me that the employees don’t seem to benefit from all their hard work.  I’m sure the line is something like “they get a reasonable wage” or a “comparable wage” but I guess my question is, is it a fair wage?

The relationship between the employer and employee becomes less and less tight.  There is no employer loyalty; less favourable pension schemes, smaller benefits, longer hours, greater pressures and worst of all temp workers who they can employ and turn away whenever they like.  Profits are all that matter – maximise profits, minimise expenses.

It’s not just sweat shops where workers are exploited, it’s in our own towns and cities.

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you. James 5.1-6

The Bible isn’t quiet about these things – it is very clear.

Praying for the Noise in Egham, Englefield Green and Egham Hythe 2 May 2008

Posted by jamesbutler in Praying for....
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We are coordinating prayer for the noise. It’s an amazing opportunity to serve our community.

Below are prayer points and the meeting currently praying for the noise. Please try to make it to at least one to pray.

Prayer points:

  • Praise God for the opportunity to serve him and others is a very practical way
  • That God’s will would be done and that he would be preparing the way for the young people.
  • Pray that God would provide the projects and the people to do them
  • Pray for team leaders, that there are enough and that they lead the groups well
  • THe people we are serving that this would be a blessing and that God would working in their hearts.
  • That it would make an impact – living life our loud
  • For long term relationships to be built
  • For Safety for all those involved
  • For a means to easily and safely (and cheaply) remove all the waste

Who

Where

Date

Time

Prayer Walk

Outside St Judes Englefield Green

Tuesday 13th May

12 midday

Bishops Gate Evangelical Church

Kings Lane

Thursday 15th May

7.30-9.30pm

Hythe Community Church

The Hythe Centre

Sunday 18th May

12.30pm

The Journey

The Methodist Church Englefield Green

Sunday 18th May

2pm

The Boiler Room Meal

4 Runnymede Court

Monday 19th May

7pm (for food- let us know) 8pm to pray

Prayer Walk

Outside St Judes Englefield Green

Tuesday 20th May

12 midday

Hythefields Gospel Church

Gospel Hall, Egham Hythe

Wednesday 21st May

7pm

Boiler Room

4 Runnymede Court

Thursday 22nd May

8am

Wendover Rd Methodist Church

Egham Hythe

Friday 23rd May

9.30-10.15am

*More to follow but I thought I would get these ones published now.