Dear Friends,
It is about 5 weeks since you received a NEWS. Judy and I have been in Australia – visiting family and friends. We also visited with a number of church planters – and finalised plans for the upcoming Church Planters Study Tour.
Many of you have kept in contact and your emails have told of challenges, answered prayers, decisions for Jesus, the burden of criticism, exciting service, new relationships for God, etc, etc. You are doing God’s work – leading lost people to know Him. I am inspired by your dedication.
This last weekend Judy and I were with the Stanborough Park BLUE team (England) – for their visioning weekend. It was really encouraging to see the commitment and creativity of the whole team. It would be great to hear the latest from your church plant as well. Your ministry ideas and struggles – and answers to prayer – will encourage others. And, you’ll enjoy this NEWS!
Christian regards
Peter Roennfeldt
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CHURCH PLANTING NEWS – 10 Feb 04
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In this NEWS –
# GOOD NEWS FROM YEOVIL
# OLD NEWS – BUT A GOOD IDEA! “A Half Weekend for Full Inspiration”
# FIRST CHURCH PLANTERS’ X-CHANGE FOR 2004 – A SECOND FOR THE UK (BUC News #379 – 6 Feb 2004)
# BALTIC CHURCH PLANTERS X-CHANGE – ATTRACTING STRONG INTEREST!
# NEW CHURCH PLANT IN ENGLAND …
# GYM FELLOWSHIP – ON TARGET!
# CHRISTMAS OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES …
# HOPE CHANNEL – PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR CHURCH PLANTERS
# FUTURE BUC PLANTING EVENTS
# ASKER PLANT PROGRESS REPORT
# SOUTHSIDE ‘BACKYARD BLITZ’!
# INNOVATIONewsletter – DO YOU RECEIVE THIS?
# GOD CAN USE YOU! READ THIS STORY – AND STEP OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY!
# PRAYER REQUEST FROM THE GULF STATES (Middle East)
# PRAYER SUPPORT FOR DANA & LESLIE KINGS (South England)
# SOUTHSIDE – 9th BIRTHDAY!
# DID YOU NOTE?
GOOD NEWS FROM YEOVIL
“God sent us two new Adventist on Sabbath,” report Yeovil church
planters, Dana & Leslie King “One has been in Yeovil five years and the
other left the the church as a teenager. When he gave his testimony it was very clear that it was the love and care of an extended adventist family that renewed his interest. He has indicated that he would like to study towards baptism. God never ceases to amaze us. In two weeks time our Adventist company shall be serving a complimentry meal to all our charity staff.”
OLD NEWS – BUT A GOOD IDEA! “A Half Weekend for Full Inspiration”
“At the end of November (03) we had a great gathering of about 100 Dutch church planters and church renewers,” reports the church planting coordinator in the Netherlands, Rudy Dingjan. “We called it ‘A Half Weekend for Full Inspiration’ – and it proved true to the name!”
FIRST CHURCH PLANTERS’ X-CHANGE FOR 2004 – A SECOND FOR THE UK (BUC News #379 – 6 Feb 2004)
61 ministers (pastors and members) met at Hothorpe Hall, Northants, for the British Union Conference’s second Church Planters’
Exchange. “They represented fifteen different church planting projects in North and South England, Wales and Ireland,” reports David Cox. The Exchange featured frequent times of worship and prayer mixed with five case studies presented by planters and their teams. The guest speaker was Michael Moynagh, businessman turned pastor, and author of the book “Changing Church, Changing World.”
Two individuals who attended last year’s international event in Finland – one an agnostic and the other Pentecostal – were baptised recently and were excited to attend as members of the Church. They are part of the Cottage Beck Cafe Church planting team in Scunthorpe.
BALTIC CHURCH PLANTERS X-CHANGE – ATTRACTING STRONG INTEREST!
The Korinta Cafe Church team have been busy preparing to host the first Baltic Union Church Planters X-Change. Aira and Regina been visiting churches in Estonia and Lithuania – encouraging members and pastors to understand that this will be more than just a conference. Juris Rekis reports that they are explaining that “this will be a time when God speaks to people through messages, music, case studies and the time for prayer.”
There will be a team from Hope Community Church in London participating in the X-Change – as well as Atte, Heli and John sharing the experience of SEEDcafe in Helsinki. Over 70 people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have registered – including all Union and conference leaders. Peter Roennfeldt will be the key presenter.
NEW CHURCH PLANTING IN ENGLAND …
The BUC News on 9 January 04 reported that another new church has started worship services. “The West Bletchley Community Church is the newest church plant in the South England Conference,” BUC News reported.
“At its opening service on 20 December more than fifty people attended and local pastor Colin Stewart reports that, ‘the service was different in a refreshing way.'”
GYM FELLOWSHIP – ON TARGET!
Laverne observes that the most valuable time with people is not in the gym – but when you meet them in their houses to share. “You are on target,” observes Oscar (Laverne’s coach). He also observes that this is an ‘eating ministry’ rather than a ‘preaching ministry.’
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
# “We had a great event – Korinta’s Christmas Surprise,” writes planter Juris Rekis. “It was a charity event and we collected enough funds and materials to give 30 poor kids in Riga a wonderful Christmas Surprise!”
# “In Köbanya we had about 100 children to our program before Christmas,”
reports church planting director for Hungary (and church planters), Laszlo Szabo. “The local city government has recognized us and is ready to support
us.”
# In a half page article, the local newspaper (Varden, Monday, 22 December 2003, page 3 – ‘Christmas peace in Christmas rush’) reported that over 50 kids and adults accepted the invitation of Apen Dor (Porsgrunn, Norway) to their Christmas outreach. The newspaper reported – “It was like coming into another world. With long car queues up and down Sverre Street on the outside and with Christmas peace inside Folkets Hus. The sweet scent of hot drinks met us in the hall, and well-dressed people walked to and fro chewing on small cookies and raisins. It is the third time the Adventist Church has had a Christmas programme in connection with their Open Door project, and from being a small church with about 10 active people, the attendance has now grown to 50. ‘The church building in Porsgrunn has become too small,’ says Arne-Kristian Andersen, pastor in both Skien and the Open Door project in Porsgrunn, and the latter has become a whole new Adventist church.”
# It was further reported that (as part of their Christmas programme) the children from Apen Dor marched to the police station with cookies to say
“thank you to the police for taking care of our town.”
HOPE CHANNEL – PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR CHURCH PLANTERS
Hope Channel will soon be broadcasting the LDi ‘Evidence’
programme with host Dwight Nelson across Europe. With a cafe audience, ‘Evidence’ will explore 10 biblical values with our secular friends. This will go live on Monday to Friday 1-5 and 8-12 March 2004 – and then be replayed Fridays, March 19 & 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30, May 7, 14, & 21.
Here are some satellite facts (for more details go to
Time: 19:00,GMT (20:00,CET; 21:00,EET) and 20:00,GMT (21:00,CET;
22:00,EET)
Language: English
Length: 60 Minutes
Satellite: Hotbird 6, Hope Channel; Position:13 degrees East;
Transponder: 93; Frequency: 12577; Polarisation:
Horizontal;
S/R: 27500; FEC: 3/4
FUTURE BUC PLANTING EVENTS
The BUC’s second Church Revitalisation Conference will be held near Northampton, 16-18 February; and an International Church Planters’
Exchange will be held in Germany, 25 July – 1 August. For more details on either event – contact David Cox. Phone: 01923 672251. Email:
ASKER PLANT PROGRESS REPORT
“We are progressing slowly, but steadfastly, in Asker (Norway)”
says planter Svein Are Lund. “We now meet for worship twice a month in addition to our weekly cell-meetings.” The leadership-team is working on a Project Plan – developing a clear picture of the mnission and values for the church plant.
SOUTHSIDE ‘BACKYARD BLITZ’! Teams from the church go into the community to
help needy people clean up, move house etc. There are 3 teams – a moving
team, a cleaning team and a yard team. Members are invited to ‘Pick a team and join in!’
INNOVATIONewsletter – DO YOU RECEIVE THIS?
If you have a friend or colleague who isn’t receiving this free bi-weekly newsletter and would like to, please send an e-mail to [email protected], with the message “subscribe innovationewsletter” followed by the desired e-mail address.
GOD CAN USE YOU! READ THIS STORY – AND STEP OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY!
“You have talked a lot about equipping lay people for the work.
Some have started and are doing great ministry to the people,” says Laszlo Szabo – church planter from Hungary. “There is a women who started a small group in a village. She can not preach but she always gets someone to talk about a topic that is good for the people and for the speaker. She has now about 30 people coming regularly to her meeting in a village without any Adventists. I have visited them and I was surprised to see the motivation of the people and the good atmosphere. Another women started to work for homeless people. She has now 150-200 people every Sabbath afternoon for food and clothes and some of them for Bible study. The whole town knows her. She became famous through her ministry and everyone knows that the church is behind her. She talks on television about her work, collects food and clothes. I could tell you many stories about successful evangelistic meeting conducted by lay people, baptisms and other blessings of the Lord.”
PRAYER REQUEST FROM THE GULF STATES (Middle East)
“Simply pray for the progress of the work in the Middle East,”
urges Victor and Candice Harewood from the Gulf States. “God is marching on here too. You understand we need your prayerful support. It does us good on the inside to know that you are praying for us on the outside.”
PRAYER SUPPORT FOR DANA & LESLIE KINGS (South England)
Dana & Leslie could not have believed the way God would open doors and so dramatically expand their contacts in Yeovil when 2003 was starting. They seek your prayer support for the challenges and opportunities that 2004 will present. Every Tuesday they set aside hours for prayer. Join them in prayer!
SOUTHSIDE – 9th BIRTHDAY! Southside is going to celebrate its 9th birthday on 14 February, Valentine’s Day. Congratulations Ken and team.
DID YOU NOTE? In a report from Ron Gladden – one church planters explained that they “are trying to reach 10,000 homes” before they launch a new church. They have already surveyed 350-400 homes.