Welcome 2012

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Over a month has gone since I last wrote here. Oops. I cannot believe how fast time is going. At times I sit and wonder what I have to show for it. Does that really matter in the eternal-sense not having "things" to show for it? The question really is - have I made use of the time? Hmm, I think that needs to be addressed.

I find it strange when I start writing, I have an idea where I want the post to go, then suddenly, like above it's taken a total new, surprising direction. I'll come back to where the last paragraph ended in another post.

I cannot believe how much has happened recently in/for Redeemer Central. It is so amazing. Sunday 8th January 2012 was our first service in our new home. The week before people gave up their time to clean and decorate the building. What a transformation. I love the way the character of the building is still visible and hasn't been hidden. I feel it has only been enhanced. Old meets new comes to mind - Redeemer have put their touch to the building, tastefully.

It feels like we've always been using the building, not our first service - like coming home. There is room for growth - a great visual reminder of why we are here, why any church is here...


I spent a lovely Christmas with Chris, Barbie, Megs, Pam and the family. It was so good to have a week with them instead of the usual 2/3 days quick visit. I'd left it too late to contact people to see if I could come and see them. Out of a potential 6 visits I made 0. I should have got in touch as soon as the flights were booked to see who was around. I had wanted to make use of having a base in Essex to visit people. It was good not to have to run around everywhere, which it probably would have been had everyone got back to me, so it was a blessing as I did need to have a rest after the last few months at work.

I had mixed feelings at New Year. Apart from having a bug and being in bed, looking ahead to next 12 months was difficult at first. It's amazing how Scripture can stand out at the right time. I was listening to UCB on my DAB radio and heard

Anxiety is looking to the future without God

That made me stop and think. I know I cannot have a future with God. So that has helped me to stay calmer and look at the next 12 months in a different light. I feel quite blessed to know of a couple of major changes that will happen this year. I'm not too sure when exactly they'll occur but I'm pretty confident they will happen this year.

Redeemer Central has continued to grow, not just in numbers, spiritually too. We spent a few months at the end of last year going through the Prodigal Son parable using a study guide by Tim Keller. It was great to go through this in our Citygroup knowing the rest of the Citygroups were studying the same. It was such a good time together we are continuing to study over the next few months. I do miss the bible studies I had in Nis, a chance to go deeper with others. I hadn't realised how much I missed them until we started studying together in Citygroup.

Talking of Citygroups...Citygroup South has now multiplied, tonight in fact. I'm so excited I cannot sleep so I thought I'd update the blog. It is amazing how quickly the group has grown. There are 32 people in the South who have shown interest in our midweek group. We are now 2 groups in the South.

Going back to the changes this year ...I think the first change will be my job. The new structures have been issued and my role isn't there. Without going into too much detail as it's a blog in the public domain and also I don't want to be dishonourable - I came to the conclusion that I need to move on in my role due to working relationships. That is such a hard decision. I absolutely love my role - it's all the politics that go with it that is a problem. I'm keeping faith that God knows my heart for my job and will provide a better role. I like the contact with the students.

The restructuring is going to be a difficult time. I keep being reminded to look at what is best for me and not to worry about the Programme, it's hard after all the work I've put into it. Things are working so much better now, procedures are in place, documents are to hand. Part of me feels all of the work I've done is for nothing - as in the amount of work the Team Leaders have to do they won't have time to maintain what I've put in place. Why put me in this role only to be taken out of it 2 years later?

I have to remember I cannot see the bigger picture. I need to have faith that the people in charge of the restructuring also have a bigger picture and this will work well in it.

I need to keep track on my thoughts about my job. It's so hard to let it go. I don't mean I'm not caring about it now, far from it. It's hard not knowing when I'll be moving on, where I'll be moving on to and if there's time in between roles. But isn't that where faith comes in? Believing the unseeable?

The other major change is Chris, Barbie, Megs and Pam will be emigrating to Australia sometime from July onwards. I am so happy for them, it's something they've been working towards since 2005 and it's finally got the go ahead. On the other hand, being totally selfish - it's making me so sad. I love them to bits. It will break my heart to see them go. I cannot think of that at the moment, it's too painful. Nope - cannot write the rest at the mo...
 
Anyway...desperately trying to think of something else to write. I cannot, so I think I'll leave this post for now.
 
Praise

• Redeemer Central's city-centre building
• Citygroup:South multiplication
• Continued emotional healing throughout last year
• Able to have a summer holiday

Prayer

• I have courage to continue with emotional healing
• Issues still need to deal with are identified
• Peace re job situation
• Improved general health (no more colds!)

Goodbye Oh Yeah, hello The Space

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We reached another landmark meeting yesterday. Citygroup:Sunday is having to change venues. We've outgrown the Oh Yeah Centre. Can you believe that? DC mentioned yesterday about our first meeting there round a couple of tables and look how we've grown. It's amazing. I cannot wait to see what rooms there are for children's work. They've been doing a great job with the limited space they have. It's going to be great to have space to be able to do really embrace the vision. I'm so excited. I'm still hands off at the mo as I feel it's wrong to get involved when I'm not in a good place. I have faith for healing and getting fully involved again. The sticky floors, having to hoover up the bar area or building area before we can set up will soon be a memory. Although I wonder what delights await us from The Space? It's part of Queen's University Student Union building. I feel I'm surrounded by students on all sides now. Is He trying to tell me something? Those student hangout nights in Nis will be put to good use soon, I think.

Oh Yeah!

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Wednesday 5th August 2009
Citygroup was at Oh Yeah Centre, the venue we will be using from September and will be using when we launch. It was great to get to see it. It felt like home. Already we seem to be outgrowing Pizza Express which is great as we are unable to use that from September. I'm wondering how long until our Sunday service outgrows this venue.We discussed what would be happening from September onwards. There are few developments. I'm really excited to find out how this will impact the church.
We are starting to have Small Groups – not in the sense of a home/cell group but as an evangelistic tool. Activity based groups meeting fortnightly gathering like-minded people. An opportunity to find out what we are like – building relationships outside of the church. I'm having difficulty deciding which one I want to go to. There will be (at the moment) family based group, book club, film club, pool ladder and periodically a food/drink activity. I'd love to spend time learning to play pool as the last games I had I was so much better than I have been and beat the boys as well (I'm sure they were playing properly!). I'd like to do the book one but not if I have to read books over fortnight – not good at pressured reading! Film club – are the films going to be varied? I like films but don't get to see many so it'd be good to catch up on them. I'm going to have to ask the people running the group to get some answers to these questions. Hopefully that'll make it a bit easier to make a decision!
We were also told about the development of three-person-discipleship-groups. This is a great idea. I have got to the point where I need to get back into discipleship and this is a great idea. The groups can evolve as the church grows. I'm not sure this is set in stone but I'm happy with the provisional choice of group members I'm with. Trish, Charis and myself are one group. I had come to the peaceful realisation before coming to live here that Trish won't be discipling me as she'll have lots of other things to do. So to learn that we may be in a group together is great – must find out when I'll know this is a group.
I love the way the church is looking towards the bigger picture. It must be an easier route to only look at the immediate situation but if you start doing that it's difficult to change things. By having systems in place early on when we hit the growth these systems are established and will help develop and strengthen the church instead of isolating members.

Frankie Says ...

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Thursday 16th July 2009

Citygroup was last night (Redeemer Central weekly meeting) It's odd – I don't feel like the new person. I know I don't really know these people but that really doesn't matter. It was such a good meeting – great worship and a great time together.
I arranged to meet Kelly and Jules in the city today. My first adventure out – yay can get to the city by bus. Not that it's difficult but still an achievement!
I feel we were really blessed – on the way to the coffee shop we were offered a free frappé then we filled out a form which enabled us to have a free coffee. Great. It was good being able to spend time with the girls.
After Kelly left Jules and I headed off to Oxfam Vintage shop as we have an 80's party to go to tomorrow. It was great fun looking through what they had and trying on some things. I didn't want to spend too much. It was so strange looking at the clothes in Primark – 80's is definitely back in. Great clothes, still as colourful! (yes, I'm admitting I was there the first time round). I'm looking forward to seeing what the others have found.
One thing I'm enjoying is being able to spend time studying and as much time as I need/want to in prayer. I thought I'd make the most of the spare time I have while I can as I know when I'm at work I'll be tired again and a lot less time.
I love the way I start praying for things and then go off on a tangent – something I hadn't even thought about. That's why it's good keeping a journal to see where the Holy Spirit leads the prayers.