HUNDREDS INVOLVED IN HANOVER R-Punkt OPENING!  “On the opening day (January 21) for R-Punkt 300 visitors were involved – with many first time guests,” reports core team member Detlef Bendig. “Now we have café evenings, serve soup for homeless people, conduct meetings for seniors, have reading evenings – and every Sabbath evening have a family worship service. We always have some guests.” R-Punkt is at the centre of a Hanover community with many poor people from around 60 cultures and nationalities. (For more details see http://www.r-punkt.net) 

DARWIN MARKET CULTURE MINISTRY:  Following their ministry at the Katherine Baptist Church (Northern Territory, Australia) James and Mandy Cox developed a plan to develop a new work in the distinctive “market culture” of the city of Darwin. Over the last two years they have sought to develop a core team for their presence at the Mindil Beach markets. They have developed a very dynamic stall that seeks to be a place of “advocacy for the poor” – and the sale of “fair trade” goods imported from very poor communities from around the world. They have been encouraged by the “community” they see developing around their stall – and believe this may grow into a “shop presence” with areas for reflection, prayer, discussions, meetings and a range of literature. 

HANOVER KRONSBERG-LIFE PROJECT ACCEPTS BOLD CHALLENGE FOR GOD!  Last year (2005) Martin and Carmen Schulz joined a core team in the Hanover district of Kronsberg – a new district built for a city Expo. Also for last year’s ‘Church Day’ the German Evangelical Church built a 18 meter wooden tower in the center of Hanover calling it the ‘tower of questions.’ It stood in the city centre for 6 months. “Our church planting team then purchased the tower for 1 €uro – and then two months they were allocated a 14,000 square meter property in the centre of Kronsberg for 250 €uro per year,” reports Detlef Bendig. “The city expects the Kronsberg-Life church plant to do work for children and youth.”  

BREAKFAST-WORSHIP ATTRACTS FRIENDS IN BREMERHAVEN:  There has been a small group in Bremerhaven for many years – with about 5-6 old people. “A few months ago the pastor in the area had the idea to have a breakfast-worship with invitations to friends,” writes Detlef Bendig from Hanover, Germany. “They do this once each month and there are always 40-50 visitors who not only eat breakfast but also study God’s Word.”

EXCITEMENT AT Xpres.zo! FIRST BAPTISM! This Saturday (4 April) the Xpres.zo planting team (Rotterdam, Netherlands) will celebrate their first baptism – with the baptism of three unchurched adults. 

Uni&K’s VLAM IS WORKING WELL!  VLAM is a ministry concept developed by the Uni&K (Utrecht University Church Plant, Netherlands.) They invite unchurched friends to join them in doing something for their community – such as face-painting to raise funds for community kids, etc. 

NEW CHURCH PLANT – PLANTS ANOTHER NEW CHURCH!  “I'm sure you will be happy to hear we planted a new church in Dunstable (England) this past Sabbath (February 11),” writes pastor and planter, Andrew Leonce. “The Luton North church – planted only two years ago – is the ‘mother’ church.” Andrew Leonce also reports that the Luton Central is also planning to plant another church in a few months time.

SENIOR PASTORS STEPS DOWN – AND LAUNCHES ‘MATTHEW’S PARTY’: The former senior pastor of Papanui Baptist Church (Christchurch, New Zealand) has stepped down to head up a new community among the poor and disadvantaged in the city. Each week they gather during the day for ‘Matthew’s Party’ – a celebration of a life for these people. 

CHURCH DECONSTRUCTS INTO NETWORK – AND GROWS! The pastor of Glen Ormond Baptist Church (South Australia), Andrew Turner, tells of how his church has ‘devolved’ itself into a network of what they call “Contextualized Christian Communities” – with the growth from 90 members to more than 160 people. “We now have a community planted within a nursing home, another amongst a primary school community, another among local youth, as well as keeping a much-simplified ‘traditional’ (though contemporary) congregation,” reports Andrew. They all gather together each month. The plan is for two more communities in the next 1-2 years. “We use the image of an extended family as opposed to a nuclear family,” Andrew says. “A nuclear family aims to keep everyone under one roof and in order; an extended family spreads and multiplies.” 

RE:VIVE – IDEAS FOR INVOLVING FRIENDS!  re:vive (Grantham, England) core team member, Fiona Selvige, tells of how a skeptical mother came to a skating event a couple of weeks ago. “After she had socialized with us for the evening she was already including herself in whatever the next social would be.” She will also be involved in –

• A sewing/knitting group to make puppets for re:vive kids.  “Just another simple way to get our friends and neighbors involved.  Sit around sew or knit and chat – great stuff!”
• If you decide to take a Saturday afternoon walk – ring up your seeker friends. “As we walk we share and it is wonderful to see people just being loved and mixing with each other.”
• Join your seeker friends if, together with other seekers, they organize a social event. “It is so great to see people taking ownership of their church!”
• Hold an Agape Feast on Easter Friday evening.  “This is will be a completely new experience for some – so prayers for that please.”

 CREATIVE NAMES FOR EMERGING CHURCH INITIATIVES! These are some creative initiatives in Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) –

• Living Room – is the name chosen for three groups meeting in homes and public spaces committed to supporting each other in missional ventures and living.
• Inspiral – is a community of university students who are committed to discovering how the gospel of Jesus can sustain their commitment to peace and justice.
• Urban Seed Church – is a worship service consistent with the city-based ministry of Urban Seed in the CBD (Central Business District) of Melbourne.
• Organic Life – is a highly incarnational ministry amongst the New Age community in North Melbourne.
• The Big House – is a community based ministry in Pakenham (on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne).
• And (I just remembered) – Emmanuel’s Place is the name of an Adventist church plant for Hispanics in the inner-city of Reading, Pennsylvania (USA)! These are great names!
   

NETHERLANDS CHURCH PLANTERS X-CHANGE DEVELOPS LISTENING SKILLS! About 100 church planters attended a January conference to study “Listening for Heaven’s Sake.” “This is a course in listening skills – a part of the Irresistible Evangelism track,” reports Netherlands church planting coordinator, Rudy Dingjan.

POLISH PLANTERS INSPIRED IN ANNUAL CHURCH PLANTERS X-CHANGE: 35 Polish church planters from 11 plants spent 13-16 February at Podkowa Lesna (just outside Warsaw) working through the New Church Incubators material – focusing on worship, evangelism, unity, mobilization and prayer in church plants.  TED church planting coordinator, Janos Kovacs-Biro, was the guest presenter.  One participant said, “The atmosphere was very good. We felt the Holy Spirit’s presence among and in us.”

FAREWELL – BETINA WIIK STEPS DOWN FROM CAFÉ CHURCH LEADERSHIP! The pioneer planter of CaféKirken in Copenhagen, Betina Wiik, is stepping aside. Writing to church planters in Europe, Betina says, “I have made a very difficult choice – to stop serving as a pastor in the church and to stop as a leader in Café Church. It’s very hard to say goodbye to something and so many ‘someones’ that I love from deep within. I know now it has been the right choice for me. My husband Frank is of course with me by my side and it has been very hard for him as well, but we have peace in our hearts.” Betina has encouraged and blessed so many planters – and, in the minds of many, has represented Café Church. She has equipped others – and is moving on to plant again. Betina says, “Frank and I are seeking God for our new church plant. Our vision is to see Denmark transformed by the Gospel and our mission statement is from Matt. 28;19-20 and Acts 1;8… Our time is short and people need to be saved.” Betina encourages all planters to read the book of Acts again – and recognize that opposition and pain can be the journey of the church planter – “No matter where you are you will meet a storm and it makes you want to seek the face of God even more.”

INTEREST IN CHURCH PLANTING GROWS IN SOUTH FRANCE: Training to help church leaders develop support systems for church planters (what we have come to call ‘Matrix’ training – and starting in Lyon on February 16) was followed by a gathering of over 100 people who are interested in planting new churches in France.

ADVENTIST JEWISH FRIENDSHIP CONFERENCE INSPIRES PLANTING POSSIBILITIES IN EUROPE: Richard Elofer, coordinator for Adventist Jewish Friendship and leader of the Adventist church in Israel, was a main host and organizer of an international conference in Jerusalem in mid-February. One European planter who attended has been inspired to share with Jews in his city. He indicates there are many “non religious Jews” in his community. What specific people groups do you have in your communities?

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CHURCH PLANTING NEWS
Peter Roennfeldt
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