Friday 30 August 2013

Building site news

As we approach the end of the summer holidays work has continued unabated on the building site. 




What's been happening?

  • Concreting oversite work is complete
  • Brickwork is removed on the concourse
  • Work is 50% complete on felting and battening the low roof
  • The main roof is felted and battened
 
  • Scaffolding at the rear is complete
  • The old flooring in the Chapel has been removed
  • Installation of new timbers and insulation to the floor is now complete in the Chapel



In the next two weeks:

  • Low level roofs will be completed
  • Flat roofs will be covered
  • Underfloor heating and new floor in the Chapel will be finished
  • Brickwork will be completed
  • Roof tiling will begin

    Only a few more months to go..............

Tuesday 27 August 2013

The Wisdoms in Burundi

During the summer we have been delighted to have with us the Wisdom family, on holiday from Burundi, where father Jeremy has been Principal of The King's School for a year.  Despite facing huge problems due to lack of staff, resources and finances, after much prayer, gifts and loans from the UK the school was able to remain open.  


'As a family we've learned to trust God in everything - for financial provision, for time to get things done, for our health, for our hearts - that he'll give us the daily strength to cope with challenges. We've learned that he's sovereign over all. We have no need to fear as He goes before us and is always with us. It is a daily challenge to us to trust God, but we feel privileged (most of the time!) to have been called to serve Him in this way and to live lives where we must depend so totally and utterly on His love, goodness and grace.'

 
'It's not easy starting a new school when you're eleven, in a new country, where your Dad's the school principal, your Mum's a teacher and you're the only white boy! However God has given Harry a fantastic group of friends and they celebrated his 12th birthday at the beach together at the end of term. They are an international bunch from India, Canada, Burundi and the US! We're really thankful that all the children have settled well and made friends at school and church.'

The family fly back to Burundi this week to begin a new school year with exciting new opportunities and challenges:

  • A new Director of Studies to help improve teaching
  • Evening classes teaching English and sharing resources with National Schools
  • A new focus on assessment and support for students with special educational and behavioural needs
  • New informal bible studies and counselling for students
  • Youth Alpha in the Spring Term
  • A new home for the family with a guest bedroom for visitors!
If you'd like to hear more about how God is using the Wisdoms in Burundi you can follow the Wisdom family blog

Tuesday 20 August 2013

David's story part 2

 
A few weeks ago we told you about David Mukhia and how he came to faith in Jesus.  He is currently back in India raising funds to attend Bible College.


Here is the rest of his story.  It's quite long but worth the read!

After I became a Christian, as a teenager I came back from school one day and met an old couple who were visiting our house. My Mum said to them, “This is the boy you prayed for when he was born.” I had no idea what was going on. The couple hugged me, full of tears in their eyes saying, “Thank you Lord.”

Then I asked, “Could you explain what’s going on here?” The old lady replied; “Didn’t your mother tell you?” I asked, “About what?” She said “When you were about to be born, your mother was in great pain. She was struggling all by herself. At the same time, I was praying at home and God gave me a vision about your family and the trouble your mother was facing on her own. So I came round to your house and found your mother almost unconscious. “I started to pray and to help her however I could. Your father had warned her that if she didn’t give birth to a son, he would leave her and get a second wife.

She was in great pain and had no idea what to do. I prayed and shared the scripture with your mother and told her to trust in the Lord because he would take care of everything. As we prayed, you were born but I was troubled to give the news to your mother. I said to her, ‘You’ve got both good and bad news. The good news is, you have a son and the bad news is, he is stillborn.’ She cried loudly and could not control herself. She was so afraid of your father. I said to her, ‘If God will, He can give life to your son. You just need to believe from your heart and trust in Him. I asked her, 'If God gives life to your son, will you dedicate him for God’s work?' She was full of tears and said, ‘I will give him for God’s work and I won’t stop him serving God for any reason.’

I shared from the scripture about all the healing that God did among the people and told her that there was nothing impossible for Him, we just needed a little faith to let Him do His work. We were praying with a lot of hope that God might bless you with new life. After nearly half an hour of prayer, you suddenly started crying. Your mum and I started thanking God for answering our prayers immediately. The joy came in your family and your father was happy too. God gave you a new life that day. And I am happy that I am still alive to see today that God has guided you till now.”

Then I said to my mother, “Why didn’t you tell me before?” She replied, “I wanted you to find your God who gave you this life and follow him. You had to discover for yourself.” Then I recalled everything that was going on in my mind about the closeness that I was getting with God. I remembered the scripture that was preached in the church from Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nation.

My heart was filled with joy because I found the answer and my eyes were full of tears. From then on, I have served God whole-heartedly. 

Read part one of David's story

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Progress at the Chapel

Things are still moving on according to schedule and already:
  • the rear brickwork is almost complete
  • first floor joists are complete

 
  • floor decking is laid
  • roof  construction is continuing
 
  • balcony steelwork is complete
  • rear scaffolding is complete
 
  • all drainage work is complete
  • most service trenches dug

During the first two weeks of August work continues of the main roof and begin on the flat roof, and the concreting of floors will begin.

We are thankful for the good weather which has allowed this work to continue on time.


Thursday 8 August 2013

Transition heroes

Ever wondered what it involves to set up on a Sunday morning at Lord Williams' School for an LCBC service?  Here is what happened a couple of weeks ago.



The church-in-a-box trailer full of equipment arrives at the school




 Equipment is downloaded
                                                          Lots of things have to be carried in, and this is one of the things that Home Groups members are very good at helping with









Chairs are put out, firstly by moving stacks of them across the hall - another job for Home Groups
 








Wiring is laid down and covered by rubber mats by the audio team
 

 The music group starts 
to set up
                                          

More chairs!


Pastor Jeff helps

                                            

The sound desk is being set up
    

Still more chairs.................  
                                                                               
                                            

The audio equipment is carried in


  The LCBC banner is tied in place with bits of blue string and ........


.... they are still moving chairs
  

The refreshments team set up urns and cups


The music group get plugged in for sound checks


The early birds begin to arrive



The computer operator checks projection and service plan


The sound desk is ready to go as more people begin to arrive














And after the service it all happpens in reverse, with a little assistance from Daddy's little helper!


We are all very grateful to everyone who gives up their time to set up and clear away every Sunday morning while we are a peripatetic church - you are all transition heroes!

Sunday 4 August 2013

Lighthouse 2013






So it's all over for this year. The Big Top is silent.  With music still ringing loudly in their ears children, musicians,  teenage helpers, sound team, site workers and Lighthouse leaders have left Thame Showground, in various stages of exhaustion, excitement and exhilaration.




The five days of Lighthouse were jam-packed full of games, craft, singing, storytelling and ..... a lot of jumping up and down.  Not to mention the daily gunging of some poor adult!


With more than 900 children registered, over 300 volunteers, 10 large tents and around 28 microphones in use, this year's Lighthouse was bigger and noisier than ever before!  18 churches in Thame and the surrounding villages got together to share the good news of Jesus with children, teenagers, Mums and toddlers and Silver Lighthouse for the over 55s.





The teaching was based around five miracles of Jesus, and these tongue in cheek posters may give you a clue to the stories.


 
 




Yes - you're right! The stories were:
  • Raising Lazarus
  • Healing the paralysed man
  • Feeding the 5,000
  • Parable of the Sower
  • Zachaeus (not shown here)


For more information about Lighthouse and lots more photos see the website.