KEV’s ROLLING DIARY ~ 2014
These selected entries will give you some insight as to what I get up and how to pray for me in the ministry with Face2Face Educational Trust. You can either scroll down and select the month or just enjoy reading the article from the beginning. Thank you 
I thought some selected updates from my travels and different events during 2014 would be of interest to you, so that you can see the variety of things I get up to and be encouraged along the way. Straight after the holidays I was leading and speaking on the first Sunday [5th January] at Prince Aldborough Chapel in North Norfolk. The subject was the ‘Ministry of the Holy Spirit’ and it was presented using PowerPoint. I had lunch with friends and returned home in time for a brief catch up with Val before going to Hopton in the evening. After the service I chatted and felt prompted to pray for a 91 year old lady who has ‘the heart of an evangelist’ for her one-to-one ministry with people in the village. You can never be too old for the Lord to use your life effectively if you give Him your all.
Prince Andrews Chapel where Kevin is doing a teaching series on: Jesus, Son of God; The ministry of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Church
I was prompted by the Spirit to write up the Sunday morning’s message and present it or some of it on the Face2Face website. Within two days, this was uploaded using some new artwork slides [to add to as inspiration comes in the year]. Time was also spent sorting emails, documents and doing mundane but necessary office admin.
Building in some reflection time into the week is important and really rewarding. Jotting down any helpful thoughts and spending time in prayer, helps my focus.
Thursday: there was a school lunchtime chess club at Admirals and 12 pupils came. It was encouraging with many hungering to learn different aspects of the game. Two of the children came to the Thetford Youth and Community Club’s Christmas party and are keen to continue coming on Wednesday evenings. This will attract other pupils from the school too as children attract children.
Sketchclub started in the evening and although the winter depletes the numbers attending it was a good evening and we started a drawing project on a leopard. I did my first teaching input from work prepared on the Master artists last autumn and spoke on Leonardo Da Vinci and Rembrandt.
The leopard and forest scene will be finished by the end of January
Friday: Donning my painting overalls, equipped with oils and brushes, I set up camp for 5 hours at Assington, painting a forest scene. Assington Hall days are helpful times to give myself a day out once or twice a month. I can pray, think and work in quiet and normally paint solidly taking a break for a cuppa now and then and an apple or two. I then drove on to St. Mary the Virgin Church in West Bergholt in Colchester where I ran a youth event for 10-16 year olds. About 15 young people came and it was a stimulating evening. The games were appreciated and the group is a pleasant mixed group of boys and girls. The Wired youth work was set up with local team several years ago and has developed well. Many are young people on the fringe of church, with little direct involvement or church connection. Overnight I stayed at a Trustees house and caught up with him and his young family before returning to Thetford on Saturday morning.
The start of January is always a time to sort so there are papers and files that get trimmed down and a wheelie bin that gets filled up. Today, I am tackling some post and folders, even though it is supposed to be a day off! I will aim to create time to go through various folders and files in the month of January. It is an unsung hero’s task as there is little to show from it, but it does create space and plastic pockets!
Monday, 13th January – Interesting phone call asking me if I would go and do a chess day in junior school in Norfolk. The Headteacher is keen to promote and develop chess play and have appropriate Christian inputs within the day. Sounds just up my street! My friend who rang me said to the Headteacher, “I can’t get a Grandmaster but can get the next best thing!” So watch this space…
Tuesday, 14th Encouraging children’s club at Elmswell Baptist with 15 children and young people. The Bible mimes were particularly impressive where the children mime acted in their teams the story of creation; Jonah being thrown overboard and Gabriel, the archangel warning Joseph to escape Herod’s troops and after Herod’s death to return back to Israel. Impressive performances alongside some games and craft. I have been asked by the church to double my investment at Elmswell Baptist and enjoy working with the children. Please pray for eternal seeds to be sown through this faithful work with the children over the years. It was great to see three teenage girls helping as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award. The girls used to come to the club, really enjoyed their time and are now giving back.
Yesterday, I did two chess clubs in two schools. In the first one, I befriended a parent dad of one of the youngest pupils who showed real chess interest. I invited him to the Community chess club in the evening and he came with his daughter. He played a good game and patiently played his daughter and one or two other children. I took him on in the latter part of the evening and it was a good game with me eventually getting the upper hand. Children came from two schools to the club and it was encouraging to see their enthusiasm. I coach them at different levels according to their ability, age and chess development. The parent enjoyed the experience and said he would be keen to come on occasions. Val and I then went straight to the cinema to make use of an Orange Wednesday as we would be apart till Sunday evening, we watched: American Hustle and enjoyed the performance.
Sketchclub was well attended this evening from the ages of 9 to 65 years. I spoke on the 20th Century French painter, Renoir, drawing out some of the key strengths of his work, style and use of colour. We then proceeded into week 2 of the leopard piece & I spent some time with each person constructively helping them along in their art work.
Friday, I went to Hutton in Essex for a church consultancy regarding a July summer mission involving two churches, Hutton Congregational Church and Shining Light in Shenfield. The meeting was positive as we discussed further plans for a holiday club on five mornings, a specialised events for young people and an all age Saturday event. The two churches are quite different in age mix so will compliment each other beautifully. The mission will be a great opportunity to share the message of the cross in the Hutton community. The Groundbreakers holiday club will be based on various biblical characters including Jonah, Elijah, Nehemiah, Hezekiah and Jesus. There will be a construction theme running through the week and it will be designed to break through with children and families in the area.
Sizewell Hall is a Christian Conference centre in Suffolk not far from Titchwell RSPB reserve on the coast near Leiston.
I then travelled up the A12 in somewhat heavy traffic towards Sizewell in Suffolk on the coast. Despite a longer journey than planned due to an accident, I still made it in time for the evening meal. The weekend involved 100 folk from High Street Chapel of all ages and was a great time of relaxed fellowship and fun. The weekend was enjoyable and helped me develop some good chess ministry amongst 10 chlldren and build with families in the church. I also got some games in against some men, wrote ten cards/letters to supporters and had many good conversations over the meal table.
Photograph on the way home pulling off the road initially to view a hunting Barn Owl in the afternoon light. I then noticed this attractive sunset, proving the sun has shone more this January than recent years.
Monday, gave an opportunity to link up with friends in Brixworth in Northamptonshire, meeting two former Scripture Union colleagues, Colin Draper and Colin Stephenson. They like me, set up their own evangelistic Trusts, three years ago. We meet up in country park bi-monthly and catch up with each other over a meal and pray together. Between us we notched up 80 years of evangelistic experience with Scripture Union before we left to set up our own Trusts, not bad, eh! The sun shone today and I thanked the Lord for a much warmer January than the recent years. As Colin and I sat looking across the park a pack of dogs came round the side and then more! After some seconds a horseman appeared with bugle chasing after them and calling them back. As he then turned blowing his bugle riding off into the woods, I counted 26 hounds running after him!
The past few days have seen some good teaching in a local school with year 2 to year 6 children. In spare moments I have written to a number of supporters who have financially given towards the work of Face2Face Educational Trust. Every now and then I like to write to 20-30 donors to thank them personally for their donations, their prayers and support. That support is vital to the work of Face2Face Educational Trust as donations, legacies, along with generated income enable the Trust to run effectively. Of course writing letters is a ‘behind the scenes task’ but I believe it is very important as it values supporters and is one I have always invested time to do. I also visited a Trustee to sort out a bit of Face2Face business and ran the Thetford Youth & Community Chess club on Wednesday evening.
Sketchpad was good last evening with children and families being befriended by the art ministry. I started the class by presenting on John Everett Millais, an artist who had a illustrative approach to his painting and one I very much like. His use of colour and his picture composition is very impressive. Today, I felt a bit under par and went to bed to keep warm. I used the computer to counsel some people who were making responses to the gospel on line. This is very exciting and today, I was able to respond to people making decisions in Nepal and India. I also spent some time preparing a service for Sunday.
Today, I wrote to further supporters and dealt with some emails. I have an early start tomorrow as I head to do the service in Stambourne in Essex. If the weather is conducive I may visit Linton Lions on route home. On Sunday it was wet and lots of flooding on the roads. The service at Stambourne was positive and enjoyable to see folk again following some mission work in the church last March and August. I drove home aborting the idea of visiting the lions and enjoyed the FA cup match in the afternoon and wrote some more letters. I went to Hopton in the evening where Victor Jack spoke very well on the subject of ‘giving and tithing’. By Monday afternoon I was able to send off 50 letters to supporters written this past week, there is nothing like the personal touch!
I did some work on the F2F website late on Monday, one outstanding bit of admin was updating the Financial Gift Aid Donation Forms. Tuesday, will be action packed with teaching in a local school from year 2 to year 6, followed by a trip to Elmswell Baptist church to lead their children’s midweek club to primary aged children, with some excellent teenage helpers. I was encouraged by a phone call from a lady who prays for me every day, she is 87 years and a mighty intercessor, in addition, a church leader booked me to speak a couple of times later this year.
I was up finishing a report for TES who sponsored the F2F art project specifically towards the Sketchpad residential and the regional art day event at Assington Hall. Before teaching this afternoon I aim to do some more on an oil painting to enter into a competition. Elmswell was encouraging yesterday with a good crowd of children attending and attentive too. The young people helping really impress me with their enthusiasm and willingness to serve.
I am leading/speaking at Prince Andrews Chapel on Sunday so will mull over the message before some intense study over the later part of the week. The subject will be: ‘the role of the Church.’ Afterwards I will lunch with a friends and so will get home later in the afternoon.
I spent the day painting in acrylics to finish the month of January and have now put in 8 hours in this piece and feel it is nearly there. I was saying to myself all day, capture the movement & colours within. When working, I think about the week, the month, what are my targets for the month, pray and think hard, it is a good reflective time and very rewarding.
FEBRUARY 2014
I went to Prince Aldborough Chapel on Sunday, 2nd February to complete a three part teaching series on Jesus, Son of God, the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the role of the Church. The hospitality afterwards with friends was super and we shared a relaxed afternoon together before I travelled back to Thetford. I had a short time at home before going to Hopton in the evening.
Monday was an admin day and a chance to catch up with overdue expenses. The big game on Monday evening, as an keen sports fan, was most enjoyable. Intentionally I try to stay up with the world of soccer, cricket and rugby as it really helps you to engage with lads and men. With children and young people I try to keep reasonably up to date with films, actors, celebrities and current affairs. I will sometimes make connections with sport and films when doing inputs in schools and churches with appropriate graphics too!
Tuesday was an enjoyable day completing some filing, posting some key items, banking some cash and teaching art in a junior school [Year 2-6 children] and then straight onto Elmswell to run a church based midweek children’s club with around 16 children participating. I am catching up gradually on a back log of sorting, filing and admin! Early night as I am feeling quite tired this evening.
This Sunday I am at New Church in Great Cornard so will need to think through my message over the coming days. I like to mull over the Scriptures in my head, praying into the message and listening to the points the Holy Spirit wants to bring out. I have learnt you can prepare so much but the final outcome is always in His hands and He has a way of over-riding things to bring out the emphasis He desires for a given church context.
Today, I am encouraged about two people who have asked for the Checkmate Gospel to be sent to North America. Both have been encouraged by some of the website articles as to how you can work with chess as a tool within the world of Christian education. So let us pray for James in Quakertown, PA and Fernando in SF, California as they develop chess ministries in the U.S.
James writes: “I am interested in your Checkmate Gospel handout. We have been running a Chess club for a few years at my school and this year I wanted to really incorporate the gospel into our meetings. Thanks for the site. ‘Do not grow weary of doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.’ Gal. 6:9 Thanks again brother!”
“Kevin, I am a bible believing Christian who is preparing to start a chess ministry in the inner city of SF California. I came across your site and would like to purchase a chess pamphlet if possible? Fernando, God Bless You.”
You didn’t know I had a ministry on the other side of the pond, did you? Talking of chess ministry, today gives me the opportunity to run two clubs this afternoon and evening. One is in a school where I am paid to teach chess and the other is a community chess club open to all ages. Tomorrow, I run a lunch time club in another school for primary aged children. For those interested in the August, 6 day, Checkmate residential holiday, there are 6 places left.
Monday, 10th February It seems to have been a busy few days. I was at New Church in Great Cornard on Sunday, leading/speaking on Joseph. I was asked to bring out salient points relevant today from the life of J0seph. This meant studying the chapters of Genesis from 37-50 in the Old Testament in particular. I have always found Joseph a powerful character story and very significant in the lives of many people, including God’s way of preserving and protecting Israel. I will write up the message and upload it this year with graphic visuals.
Joseph must have felt everything was going wrong when he was rejected by his brothers and sold for 20 shekels to the Midianite traders. Then wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife and put in prison for years. Had the dreams been wrong, was he forgotten by God, was his life a waste? These questions must have gone through his mind as a young man in the his late teenage years and into his twenties. However, God doesn’t forget and at the age of 30 he was appointed as Pharoah’s right hand to govern the land in times of plenty and then seven years of drought. Joseph’s ability to understand and interpret dreams was a God given gift that would be used at the right time to cause Joseph to be called from the dungeon the Pharoah’s service. Through his position, God was able to save many lives including the people of Israel who would be welcomed into Egypt to feed and live. Thank you Lord for your BIG plan and for the life of Joseph, who was shaken and turned upside down but in time turned the right way up, for God’s glory.
The F2F website that was down for a couple of days, it is now sorted and back re-instated for everyone to see. I have now one website company in charge of the web hosting and providing the URL [domain] so that should make things streamlined. I hope you like the site, do bookmark it and read the varied articles, I try to make it biblical, relevant and informative. People have visited the site from over 50 countries around the world and I never realized that it could have a positive impact on people in far off countries. So please pray it will be useful in more ways than one. Let me know if there is an area of ministry you want me to write up and I will do my best. If you want to pick up on things in this article: ‘Kevin’s Rolling Diary’ and uphold me in prayer, that would be most appreciated. Churches are welcome to pray for me too and if you want me to come and visit to contact me and I will be delighted to come.
This coming Sunday the car will take me to Elmswell Baptist in Suffolk, where I will lead/preach. The car knows the way, it could almost be on auto pilot! I go to Elmswell to help run their midweek children’s ministry and for 5 years ran some joint church youth work in the village. The children’s work has been a faithful, positive work over 14 years now! The Lord has underlined to me recently, the importance of being faithful in service.
Last week, time was investend into developing my leopard portrait. This has been a class project set in January and after 3-4 weeks it is now nearing completion. It is good to take a group on an art journey, stretching them and focusing on the fine details that you observe as you develop a piece to a high standard.
I was teaching in school yesterday afternoon, despite a power cut. As I started the lesson and was speaking about the power cut, pointing to the lights, the lights instantly came back on and all the children laughed and thought I had some magic powers! The lesson with year 2 to year 6 gave me the opportunity to almost finish the design piece we have been doing on the year 2014. After half term we will begin a portrait of a dog, capturing with shading the moving fur and looking at colours within colours. During class we have been discussing the news over past weeks and of course the flooding in the country. Today, I am in the school teaching chess with year 1 to year 6 children.
The following thought has been on my mind a lot over the past week. The Bible says that the words of Jesus can be the strong foundation to build our lives on. Anything else is but sand and will not stand the storms of life. Jesus, can be the Eternal Rock of our lives, the Cornerstone, the most important foundation stone. Many will reject the Capstone, whilst many testify that the ‘Name of the Lord is a strong tower’.
This is me, groggy over the past couple of days with a nasty head cold, coupled with migraine and chesty cough! I even had to have some early nights! I always enjoy the feeling of health returning after any sickness and I now feel I am over the hump and on the road to recovery. I wasn’t really as bad as this guy! hehe
I presented ‘the best game of the year prize’ to a regular at the school chess club on Thursday lunchtime. She deserved it and has been a regular at the club and has developed in her game play. She won a quality, travel chess set and her face said it all. I like to affirm and encourage whenever possible, one of the key elements of teaching. This evening I am running Sketchclub and am pleased that the weather seems to be finally picking up! Bad weather will often affect people attending clubs. During the evening the input will contrast the styles of Lowry, the English painter, with Canaletto, the Italian painter.
MONDAY MINISTRY OFFER TO HELP A CHURCH:
Presently, I have capacity to help a church in it’s children ministry on a Monday evening, probably on a monthly basis, if that is helpful. Alternatively, if you want to develop some specialist ministry in chess or art then I could help. The specialist ministry can reach out to children and adults, I find the age range works from 9-75 years plus, if any churches are keen to explore this on a Monday evening then do make contact.
As the weather buffets Britain, one realizes how fragile life can be and how the elements can wreck what man has put in place. The cumulative record rainfalls over the past months has caused the water tables to fill, rivers to swell and eventually burst their banks, flooding many fields, plains and even homes, causing much inconvenience and misery. When you add 50-100 mph winds in severe storms due to weather fronts coming in from the South West, you feel that it is a case of battening down the hatches, driving only when you need to and being wise and careful in the decisions you make. The storms have taken down power lines, opened boreholes, caused building debris to crash on cars, topple trees and rip off the occasional roof, as though it was nothing but a tin lid! The pictures of sea waves crashing over sea front defenses, over houses, restaurants, clock towers and smashing into a coastal church in Devon has been astonishing and dramatic. The emergency services have been working hard to help evacuate and rescue people as required and have been doing a great job. The environment agency has been hard at work to relieve the areas of flood water and work with the emergency services. Large pumps have been borrowed from the Netherlands to pump huge amounts of water away from the flooded areas. Government officials have been keen to visit flooded areas and the Royal princes have helped, along with the army, on the sandbagging of properties, particularly in the South. A month of water has sometimes fallen overnight in these storms [40 mm] and the nation has struggled with the incessant buffeting from these constant streams of storms caused by this band of low pressure.
In the past week the Church has been more proactive. Prayer networks have been sending out guidelines for people to pray. The Church congregations will come together over the weekend and pray for God’s protective hand to be seen and for His grace and mercy. Prayers are specific about the band of low pressure to move so that we don’t get the continual stream of storms. It is interesting and not surprising the forecast next week looks already significantly improved. The Bible says that when two or three people come together, praying in Christ’s name and authority, He hears and moves upon those prayers and by His Spirit He shows us how to pray with wisdom & guidance. As many come together, to pray, to seek His face, to come before Him, we see the move of God’s Spirit in our nation. Perhaps one lesson from all this, is that the Lord desires us to seek Him. He desires our hearts, He desires our focus, our prayers, our communication. Are we too busy to pray, to seek Him as we should? What would happen if the nation sought Him?
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” Revelation chapter 3 verse 20
Any national, regional or local disaster presents the Church with opportunities to serve in the practical ways in their communities. Visiting the elderly, helping those in need, showing in practical ways the love of Christ. Offers of help from a huge volunteer army will be put in place to care for those affected in community life. The Church is full of volunteers, across the age spectrum, who show the practical love of Christ in action.
For the Body of Christ, His Church, this is a practical opportunity to shine in all kinds of humble service.
Elmswell Baptist is a caring church in the village of Elmswell. It has the local community very much at it’s heart and seeks to reach out in various ways to children and adults. The CU club, is a midweek children’s club that attracts up to 20 children and runs pretty much every week apart from school holidays. The church invited to help the church which led to a meeting with the church in 1999. That consultancy evening gave me the opportunity to ask some hard questions and get a feel of where the church was at and what could happen that would be sustainable and positive for the future. At the end of the meeting I recommended, prayerfully, a course of action that would mean setting up a midweek children’s club. They as a church were to fast and pray about it and let me know post Christmas the outcome of their prayers. After some weeks of prayer they came back to me with a green light to set up the midweek club on a Tuesday evening and promised the half a dozen team to make it happen, along with my practical support. My practical offer to the church was to do the first 10 weeks of the club and then give monthly support, reviewable each year. 14 years on, the CU club is still going well, with many encouragements along the way. Several young people, now in the mid teens, are helping the club each week as junior helpers. The club offers children a positive Church village event, on a regular basis. The children hear and learn about biblical characters and truths, they can ask questions and explore spiritual truths. The games are energy burning and the activities stimulating. Healthy food is offered each week and over the years, the children get to know the team of volunteers very well. Well done to Elmswell Baptist Church in offering such a child friendly ministry, despite being a rural church, with a relatively small congregation. Thousands of churches in England and Wales offer midweek activities for children and young people and this is so important. Many years ago, the All God’s Children report concluded that, at least twice the amount of children attend church midweek clubs compared to Sunday attendance. Over the years, I believe the work done in churches, outside of Sunday, is crucially important in building bridges with children and young people, and sowing eternal seeds.
I have produced some publicity shots for Sketchpad, Checkmate and Sketchclub and Chess club so you can publicize these clubs and residentials. I will add them into this my rolling diary too. Whilst battling a lingering cold and cough, the website design is something that has been enjoyable to do. Please pray for contact to be made with the right young people to fill the remaining spaces at Checkmate and Sketchclub. Please also pray for the team of volunteers required to run the holidays successfully. Downloads are available in the Residential section of the website.
This coming Sunday I am at Stambourne Chapel in North Essex. I am visiting this church over three consecutive months following a successful Groundbreakers holiday club last August. The teaching input on Thursday at Sketchclub featured artists Honour Daumier and Thomas Gainsborough. Some contrast was also made with the composition of the Rembrandt paintings. Students will finish the leopard project and begin a celebrity portrait, mine is a choice between the late actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman or David Luiz, the Chelsea playmaker. Both characters inspire me, so I will have a go at both characters over the next month or so.
The publicity produced this week has been sent out digitally to folk on email, to forward to other people, so let’s pray it will be well used to inform people of these events and opportunities. The library will feature the posters for the Thetford Youth and Community Chess Club and Sketchclub weekly clubs and the coloured pdf’s were sent to the editors of About Thetford, a coloured magazine that goes to 10000 homes in the Thetford area, for the March edition. Hopefully these initiatives will raise the profile of these clubs and opportunities to the public. The Sketchpad and Checkmate residential holidays pdf’s have been sent to Scripture Union to feature on their national website.
Over the weekend I enjoyed the English win over Ireland in the six nations rugby tournament. The game was hard fought and very close, with strong tackles coming in from both teams. Teamwork was the key for Chelsea to win against Everton in the Premier league, with John Terry getting the late winner in a very competitive match between two of the top six teams in the league. Both games showed me the importance of belief and hard work, persistence to the final whistle.
The film, Lone Survivor was a sobering film based on a true story, about the tough fight in Afghanistan, and featured a four man, Navy SEAL team of US soldiers in the mountains, overwhelmed by Taliban forces. The end of the film showed an Afghan village look after the lone US survivor, risking their lives and village community in the face of the ruthless Taliban army. The ancient tribe, loyal to Pashtun customs uphold the Pashtunwali code that promotes self-respect, independence, justice, hospitality, love, forgiveness, revenge and tolerance toward all, especially to strangers and guests. As a result the US navy SEAL is given hospitality in the face of Taliban violence and preserve the soldier’s life until he is rescued by helicopter. The Pashtun tribe number millions of people across Pakistan and Afghanistan, and some of the villages support the Taliban, whilst others, like Sabray, right up in the steep mountains have a code they adhere to, called ‘lokay’. In other words, the whole village of Sabray was prepared to fight for him to their death. Remarkably and against all odds, this brave soldier, never gives up hope, he prays and trusts in Christ and sees deliverance from certain death from the hundreds of Taliban forces hunting him down. Behind the scenes in his home town in Texas, nearly 300 people are gathered praying night and day for Marcus Luttrell to be found and rescued. This true story reduced me to tears on more than one occasion.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want, He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of Lord forever. Psalm 23:1-6
These true life stories make me think about the meaning and purpose of life and the awful conditions that many people are living in some countries in the world, like Afghanistan, Iraq and North Korea. These true life stories make me more determined to live for Christ, my hope, cornerstone and strong tower [see John, chapter 17, verse 3; John 3:16 and John 10:10] The Bible states that Christ has won the ultimate victory, by overcoming through His death on the cross, 2000 years ago, sin, death and evil. Without Christ in my life, there would be no hope, no light, no eternal truth.
‘Without Christ in my life, there would be no hope, no light, no eternal truth.’
On Sunday, I spoke on ‘the role of the Church’ and in the afternoon, emailed the minister who was in Nauru, an island south of New Zealand on mission business. I was amazed when he emailed back later in the day to say he had too been speaking on the role of the church! You can be thousands of miles away but the Spirit of God is same, yesterday, today and forever.
MARCH
One of the best bits of fellowship is the spontaneous ‘stuff’ that happens with refreshments after the service.
Today, I was in New Church, Great Cornard where I visited several times in recent months. The Church is a young church in a residential estate and uses a disused Victorian school building. I believe that I gave a word in season that would encourage the church forwards in it’s ministries. The drive was pleasant and the sun was shining, it felt like spring was in the air. I love the spring and summer months and always find the lingering bits of winter, the most taxing part of the year. Welcome March, the month of sprouting daffodils, trumpeting tulips, awesome blossom trees, & wonderful new life. Later this month it is our silver wedding anniversary, it is my son’s birthday, we draw closer to Easter and the days are lighter and longer.
This afternoon I had an order by email of some Chess Gospels from a retired minister in Western Australia! Monty is developing a chess ministry much like I have been led to do over the years. I love encouragements! The Chess Gospels have officially gone to the ends of the earth!
Furthering my research in the great Master artists, I delved further into the lives of Holman Hunt and Rembrandt today. My biblical research in the world of art has been fruitful and the results will appear in various ways over the coming years. My findings have underlined the importance of honouring the Lord in my work as what else really matters? I am convinced that biblically inspired art work will be of use to the Holy Spirit over the years of time and will bring a blessing to others and maybe, by God’s grace even be used to speak into the lives of people, as yet unaware of His love and goodness.
Good children’s club last night with fun and games. During an open question time, the children put me on the heat seat and presented me some very good bible questions. There were many questions including: “What happened to the guy with the coloured coat?”; “What does the word, ‘Bible’, mean?” and “How long did it take Noah to build the ark?” The club is run in a Baptist Church in Suffolk and I work in partnership with a church team of volunteers and some junior helpers.
I did some research into Edward Munch and Francis Bacon in my work on the Master artists series. I will input on these expessive artists at some teaching sessions this year, including Sketchclub in Thetford. In recent years, these works have been highly collectable and when available at auction have sold for world record prices. Lucien Freud will be my next featured artist to research.
Where would we be without encouragement in the world? Personally, I am spurred on by encouragements, they motivate me in the right direction.
Yesterday I was encouraged by a Russian man telling me at the chess club, that he plans to book in his second son into Checkmate this August. This morning I was encouraged by a friend who telephoned to say that she had successfully been fitted with a Pacemaker and had been encouraged by the card I had sent. This friend prays for me regularly and we catch up with a good phone chat every now and then. Where would we be without encouragement in the world? Personally, I am spurred on by encouragements, they motivate me in the right direction. I always look to encourage when I teach students, affirmation is wholesome and builds upwards.
As Easter approaches many will think of holidays, chocolate eggs, fields of daffodils and trumpeting tulips. Some will consider Good Friday, 2000 years ago when Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross on the outskirts of Jerusalem at a place called Golgotha. Church services will be held around the world on Good Friday and Easter Sunday when they remember the death of Christ and the resurrection that occurred, 3 days later. So is the death of Christ, 2000 years ago, relevant to a modern day, fast paced, digital world? This is one of several hard hitting questions I will pose and attempt to answer in an article I will upload over the Easter period. Watch this space…
http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk/Holidays/RegionalHolidays/East/138692.id
Good to see that the holidays are featured on the Scripture Union website under East Region [see link above].
Had a lovely class at Sketchclub and was impressed with the gallery show of the students work towards the end of the lesson. My latest offering is a portrait of actor John Hurt, who is quite a character and has starred in some great films over the years including the very powerful ‘Midnight Express’.
