Sunday 15th May
A full week at work this week after the bank holidays of the past few weeks and a full week of activities outside of work. In Sunderland Circuit we have an Examining and Education Committee which oversees and supports those from the Circuit who are studying. Monday evening was an opportunity to consider the progress of the Sunderland Circuit students so that we can offer prayerful support for them. I returned home after the meeting to assemble the latest in a long line of vacuum cleaners that we have owned, I’m afraid to say that my wife is something of a serial killer of vacuum cleaners so I wonder how long this one will last!
At the Junior Youth Club on Tuesday night it was encouraging to be asked when I would next be in school to take an assembly and to hear how much the children enjoy the stories. My wife, Anita, was also asked about her next visit and encouraged by children from one of the schools that she visits. It is a tremendous opportunity and privilege to be able to take assemblies but it can be nerve racking when you realise the responsibility so these encouragements are welcome. At the Senior Youth Club we saw the return of some of the young people who had mistakenly thought that it would be closed during the school holidays. We assured them for the future that it would be open unless they were told otherwise.
There was further encouragement on Wednesday when, at the joint prayer meeting we thanked God for what He has done for us as individuals and as Churches and as we then asked for prayer for specific opportunities that we have. We were able to pray about the three schools that will be sending classes to the Bible Comes Alive in our home church next month, the Pentecostal Church is for the first time having visits from their local nursery, our Enfield Road Church has developed links with their local school and three of the Churches have toddler groups where there is the opportunity to talk to the carers. Thus with the encouragement of remembering answered prayer we prayed for these opportunities to reach people across the age range but especially the young.
After the prayer meeting the Seaham Churches Together meeting took place, it was the annual meeting so officers were appointed and plans were made for future events. At the end of the meeting it was good to chat to the Methodist Minister who was interested in what we do as a Church and indeed how we do it as they are looking to extend their witness.
On Thursday there was more encouragement, another man at the community choir, one who can sing! I really enjoy the choir though I struggle with following the written music and feel I could be better if I had another voice to follow, time will tell.
The Administration Group Meeting was cancelled for Friday evening so instead I was able to attend the Bible Comes Alive planning and prayer meeting at our Thorney Close Church. We were sorting out what help the churches need to play characters which went better than expected and then of course there was a good time of prayer for the whole project.
The IMTAK’s 50th Anniversary dinner was held at our Bethel Church, Newton, Wigan on Saturday evening when it was good to meet up with many friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen for many years. There was a great sense of excitement as old times were discussed, friends swapping stories and catching up on what has happened in the intervening years. Our friends at Bethel catered for the dinner which was excellent and afterwards John Penney, formerly of our Ashton on Mersey Church gave an excellent after dinner speech and I had the opportunity to bring the greetings of the Connexion. The closure of the M62 lead to a diversion of nearly forty miles so the journey home took longer than I had anticipated, it was after half past one in the morning before I got home but with memories of a wonderful evening.
It was a good job that I wasn’t preaching on Sunday after such a late night, I was glad to be worshipping with our home Church although my wife, Anita, was out preaching in the morning at our Brandon Church and in the evening at our South Hetton Church.
If you would like to get in touch for whatever reason you can contact me by e-mail at president@imcgb.org.ukor by writing to me at my home address.
Diary Dates for the Coming Fortnight
Monday 16th May
3.30pm Governors’ Meeting at New Seaham Primary School.
Tuesday 17th May
10.15am Assembly at New Seaham Primary School.
6.00-7.00pm Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
7.30-9.00pm Senior Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
Wednesday 18th May
4.30pm Rachel’s parents’ evening.
Thursday 19th May
5.45-7.15pm Attend Seaham Community Choir at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
Saturday 21st May
11.00am Connexional Committee Meeting at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
Sunday 22nd May
10.30am Speak at South Hylton IM Church, Sunderland Circuit.
6.30m Speak at South Hylton IM Church, Sunderland Circuit.
Monday 23rd May
6.00pm Church business meeting at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
Tuesday 24th May
6.00-7.00pm Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
7.30-9.00pm Senior Youth Club at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit .
Wednesday 25th May
6.30pm Attend the joint Seaham Churches prayer meeting at Seaham Pentecostal Church.
Thursday 26th May
5.45-7.15pm Attend Seaham Community Choir at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
Friday 27th May
7.00pm Northern Counties Confederation Committee Meeting at Easington Lane IM Church, Sunderland Circuit.
Sunday 29th May
10.30am Preach at Stanley Street IM Church, Seaham, Sunderland Circuit.
5.30pm Preach at South Hetton IM Church, Sunderland Circuit.