Friday 23 July 2010

Wet Wet Wet

No not the pop group but how our holiday club ended today. The day was great and we managed to get outside for a picnic and then have the usual water fight a good soaking was had by all. The week has gone so fast we can't believe it is now over. The children have been great the junior leaders did a brill job and a really good time was had by all.

We just have the Sunday service to do now at 10.30 on Sunday morning which will be a mix of traditional songs and hymns as well as giving the parents a small taste of what has happened during the week. Talking to parents at the end of the morning was great too as they told us just how much their children had enjoyed what they had done during the week.

It would be good if we could build upon this and hold another event in the Autumn we'll need to think about that one.

Thanks to all our blog followers who have been praying for us during the week.

Sarah and I are now taking a three week break before doing the Urswick holiday club on August 16th.

Thursday 22 July 2010

A jester at WAC

Yesterday I was asked to go and talk to the Wednesday Afternoon Club that meets in the community centre on Croftlands. My brief was to talk about our work with Jester For Jesus - so I did. Then I told them all to imagine they were 7 years old again and I did a children's magic show for them. Except I did add in one or two card tricks. They loved it! I ended the show with my usual ending about Jesus taking all our sin away and God pouring out His love for us. Despite being told not to do too much God stuff - I did what I felt was right and yes sowed a few seeds - great fun all round.

Monday 19 July 2010

Croftlands Community Church Holiday Club

Our God is a Great Big God.

Not only was this the first song we sung today but Our God really is a Great Big God. Last Sunday we had just 29 children booked in for holiday club. We thought it was as a result of the cheap holidays some people had got this week. But slowly over the week the number started to rise. When it got to 40 we said great that is 10 per group - we can cope with that. Then the numbers went up a bit more and then a bit more and then even more still. We then past last years 54 number for those that had pre-booked. God is really working out His purpose we thought. We got to 60 which is 15 per group well we have had that before - lets print the list - ring ring went the phone 2 more - OK print it now - ring ring again 3 more - so that's 65 - WOW!! This morning 68 children turned up for holiday club and we have another new starter tomorrow. God is certainly Blessing us as a Church with His goodness. My prayer tonight as I write this is that God will Bless all those children that came today and if they don't come back tomorrow I pray that God will work on them with something they have picked up today. So I just want to say thank you God - You are a Great Big God.

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Jonah@Low Furness

We did our last assembly of the year at Low Furness today. I wanted a story they could remember over the summer as well as give them something to think about. It was also the last assembly with the year 6 children so I wanted them to take something with them to their new school.

Jonah came to mind yesterday, I was told to go and he did in the opposite direction which is what we do at times. But God had a plan for his life as he has for ours, also God protects us and looks after us. God sent the fish to Jonah, Jonah then went the right way.

Sarah told the story from one of the kids bibles and I encouraged children to help act out the story. Some became a boat others sign posts still others operated a dark sheet for the sea. We prayed with the children and for the leaving year 6 class before singing Wonderful Lord together, Sarah's heart was melted by one little boy's singing.

It is an absolute privilege to be able to go into these schools and interact with these children. We don't know what September will bring but it is my prayer that God will direct us back into the schools to continue the work started this year and to perhaps increase it as well. Looking back over the year it has been fantastic. Praise the Lord.

Sunday 11 July 2010

Jester For Jesus -plays the Palladium

Yes you read the headline correctly. Yesterday we had a very busy day and Bertie the Clown perfomed on the stage of the Palladium - Millom!!

We went over to Millom to do a Gala day fund raiser for the Rotary. It should have been outside but due to the 'Heat wave' - not it was inside. The only space after the various stalls had been set up was the stage which meant the children had to sit up on the stage too which was fine. We did two different shows during the day both had a Christian message to them and we gave out several childrens leaflets and a few bussiness cards. There were a few people there from some local church's who asked us questions about our work.

We followed the afternoons events with a meal round at Fred and Lorraine's house (Lorraine was Sarah's help and nannie when we had Grace and Fred is Pastor of Millom Community Church). We had a blessed few hours with them catching up.

Thursday 8 July 2010

Croftlands Infant School

Just done our last assembly of the year at the infant school. We had a great time. It has been such a joy to be able to go into that school and share a little of God's message with the children. They do so love to sing songs except this time we did not sing Our God is a Great Big God. Inright Outright was the first song we sung followed by the talk we do on reflecting God's Glory in our lives, we followed this by singing Shine.

I hope and pray that we will still be able to do assemblies in September. Of course if I get a full time job that can't happen, that's why working part time has been so good this year. It would be even better I feel if I was called to do more of God's work.

After the assembly I spent an hour or so walking round the estate planning a treasure hunt for Kidzone on Wednesday. It was a time for me to reflect about the work we do on the estate I spoke to a couple of people and introduced myself to them. I hope to do more walking about in the coming months around the estate and pray into verious areas and parts of it.

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Croftlands Junior School

What a reflection!



Today i went to the junior school and took the assembly. The children were so pleased to see me I was greeted with calls for the chicken song and where's Sarah? Sarah had stayed in bed this morning still feeling the effects of a very busy weekend. I didn't do the chicken song but I promised that we would sing it lots and lots at holiday club. Hey Diddle Diddle was the order of the day. I followed this by looking into various mirrors I had taken with me which brought a bit of a laugh. The whole point was to ask the children what they reflect. I talked about how a mirror reflects 100% of the light that enters it and I showed them a verse from 2 Corithians 3:18 which talks about reflecting God's glory. I finished with Shine and a little talk about holiday club before I said a prayer for year 6 and prayed for the rest of the school.

Sunday 4 July 2010

St. Helens Festival

Sarah and I along with the family have been off this weekend to St. Helens at the invitation of SHINE - St. Helens Inter Neighbourhood Evangelism. who have a space at the festival each year. They target the youth of the town through a group called Youth Aflame. Our task is to entertain the children in between the sound checks and acts performing. On Saturday we did 3 magic shows from 12 noon till 5pm and today took part in the Praise in the Park open air service then went on to do 2 other magic shows. Each show had a Christian message at the end following one of my gospel tricks. We have between 15 and 20 children each show as well as their parents. We first of all worked the crowd as they passed by and invited them to the show and gave away over 200 leaflets to children on Saturday. Today we gave away slightly less than that. I was also able to talk to a few adults who happened to pass a comment about the clown costume. My approach was to tell them who I was, what I did and then why, ending with God loves them. On my clown suit I have 4 badge's which represent the 4 points - God loves us, we have done wrong, God sent Jesus to save, we have to decide to follow Him. I can't remember how many people I have spoken to over the weekend and I guess I'll never know how many lives God has touched. So my prayer tonight is that God will work on those people that have been challenged and that they will decide to follow Him - To God Be the Glory.