(The view at Chatsworth)
Hi friends,It's been ever so long since we've talked. How you been? I've been doing well. Keeping busy and joining in the excitement of the Autumn season. As most people were away during my birthday and a friend was getting married a few weekends after, I didn't celebrate my birthday until the 25th of September. And I celebrated in style. Camo jumpsuit, camo ski mask, helmet, boots, goggles, and...you guessed it, a paintball gun. There must have been about a dozen of us who went out on what was my very first paintballing experience. It was intense! And yes, those little round balls of paint hurt when they contact flesh. I had four bruises/welts to prove it.
Soon after, I helped out and experienced a sozo. It deals with less visible wounds, those we receive from others and choose in the course of our life. Sozo is the Greek word for saved, healed, and delivered, or as my Dad likes it, redeemed. The idea is that Jesus meant for salvation to include more than just eternal life and forgiveness of sins, He meant for us to be healed from wounds in our past and delivered from the demons that irritate and lies we believe. In short, a sozo is a time of healing prayer. You can check out bethelsozo.org.uk for more information.
(Padley Gorge, The Peaks)
In addition to celebrating my birthday, Antioch Community Church Sheffield celebrated 5 years. We had a roast dinner, cake, testimonies, and celebrated what God has done over the past five years. Old friends were there with some new, and it was truly a time to thank God for five successful years in Sheffield. We had about a hundred people show up for the event. Here's to five more!
(5 Years of Fun)
We've celebrated some other changes this past month. Two new babies were born into the church congregation, and we've had a 12-year-old girl visiting with one of the families. She has a mild case of autism, so it's been interesting to interact with her. It's exciting to have new kids to introduce to Jesus! I've also starting leading one of our smallgroups in lifegroup. The lifegroup as a whole rotates on a two week system. One week in lifegroup and one week reaching out to people in your social network. It's started slow, but it's great to see people reaching out to and even thinking about how to reach out to their friends who don't yet know Jesus. I hope to see a lot of fruit and new lifegroups started out of our efforts.
(Baby Bea)
This coming year, ACC Sheffield may have a new building to welcome these people into. We've looked at a property that would definitely be a fixer-upper, but is a fairly good location. Please be praying for us as we negotiate terms of lease and just that we hear God's voice clearly. Obviously we don't want to walk out where He's not leading, but we felt as a staff like He was calling us to step out in faith to believe for a building this year. It would be exciting to have a place to call our own. I'll keep you updated as things unfold.
(Fun in my Flat)
Speaking of updates, I did get my visa sponsorship and managed to get my application posted just in time. The package had to be mailed on Sat 23 October and I got my certificate of sponsorship on Friday evening. Talk about needing to trust God and His timing! Now it's a waiting game. Well, mostly a praying game. They take my photo and my fingerprints and they make a decision. I'll continue to update you.
In other news, late September is the time for universities to return to session. We've had many new students visit. One girl even came all the way from Colorado :). One exciting visitor is an international student. He brought his friend to lifegroup, and she has recently given her life to Jesus. Hooray! Plus this girl has already invited two of her friends who don't know Jesus to lifegroup. Isn't that exciting? And one of the women that a teammate and I know from conversation club has also given her life to Jesus. God is one the move; jump on board. Talk with you all soon!
