Update from North Africa team

Latest news is the team is well. And so are the children they've been looking after.

They completed their children's work successfully. Thank God.

Please pray for safe return travel today.

News from the Hope 2008 prayer room

The prayer room has now been the site of 4 days of prayer room, with seven church congregations taking slots.

Visitors have commented on the sense of peace in the prayer room. But Magic, a visitor from Poland, also commented on the life he saw.

Passers by have taken the chance to hang prayers on the church railings. (These prayers are then brought inside and prayed).

Free slots in the prayer room are still avaiable at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm today. Also midnight - 1am, and 2am - 5am Wednesday morning. Also Saturday 12noon - 8pm.

Please sign up for slots in the prayer room, St Peter's Church, North Hill.

Also please consider asking your church leader to support the Global Day of Prayer on Sunday 11 May. The Hope 2008 Colchester organisers are asking church congregations to say the Prayer for the World together at 11am on Sunday.

For more info visit wwwglobaldayofprayer.com It's an awesome prayer! And amazing to be part of a prayer being said across the world.

If you intend to join with this global prayer, please let marie@colchesterprayernet.co.uk know.

Richard

News from North Africa team and prayer update

"News from Mike and team in North Africa is that they arrived safely on Tuesday and all of them are well.

They are having good times with the children praying for the nations, and the children are enjoying the stories the team have brought.

Please pray for continuing peace and joy, especially for the little children they are working with.
Also good worship times with the older young people.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for them."

Boundaries

Here's a great bit of wisdom from Marie....

"I learned something in the Easter holidays that may also be an encouragement to you in this busy season.

Grace and I visited an owl sanctuary.

We discovered there used to be 14,000 owls before the second World War. At that time fields were fairly small.

During the war the government became worried about feeding the people. They encouraged farmers to remove the hedgerows, creating bigger fields, and to plough to the edge of the field rather than leaving the edges alone.

Of course, this meant there was nowhere for some animals and birds to shelter and find food, and so their population rapidly declined.

Until that point I had always thought of setting boundaries as an issue of my health, spiritual, physical etc. That day I realised it's about people who live on the edge of society and who rely on what they find there.

If I plough to the edge there is nothing left for them."

Hope 2008 24/10 Prayer Room update

The prayer room will be running from 8pm 1 May - 8pm 10 May at St Peter's Church, North Hill, Colchester.

So far 16 different church congregations have committed to taking prayer slots in the prayer room, covering about 8 days of continuous prayer!!

If you'd like your church to be involved please contact Richard Smith via mail@colchesterboilerroom.org.uk

The prayer room will be open to visitors 7am - 8pm Friday 2 May - Saturday 10 May.

Pray for North Africa team Thursday 24 April at 7.30pm Kingsland Lexden

Dear Boiler Room friends,

You can come and pray for Mike and the team before they go to North Africa on 29 April.

We are gathering at Kingsland Lexden at 7.30pm on Thursday 24 April. I think there'll be coffee!

love Richard

One minute of prayer for Zimbabwe each day

Hello Boiler Room friends,

There is a state of emergency and dispair in Zimbabwe currently. However, there also seems to be an opportunity of movement towards change as well as potential violence.

Please would you join me in praying for Zimbabwe for a minute a day at this time? This could be added to our Daily Prayer, if you pray that.

Further info on Zimbabwe and the one minute prayer are below.

with appreciation of your time and prayers,love Richard

Dear World,

I am a 16 year old person living in Zimbabwe. I think the time has come for a more direct appeal, and so I am writing to you, the world.

Maybe, just maybe, there might be someone out there who can help us...It's tough here now.

The inflation rate is so high that if you don't change money within 6 hours you could get half the amount of foreign currency that you would have originally received.

We're starving now; people die around us. In the last year alone at least ten people associated personally with my family have died despite the fact that they were only middle-aged. Other people don't make it to middle age. They don't even make it past childhood.Our once-proud nation is on it's knees. We flee or die. This beautiful, bountiful once-rich land has become a living hell. We have dealt with it until now; we have made a plan. That was the Zimbabwean motto: 'MAKE A PLAN'.

But now we can't make a plan. We're too tired, too broken, too bankrupt. We can't afford life, and life does not cost much, not really. We cannot afford to eat, we cannot afford to drink, and we cannot afford to make mistakes, because if we do we die. We don't have the capital to support ourselves, and those few who do, have to deal with the horror of watching their friends and family fall into absolute poverty as they cannot afford to help them.We're waiting desperately for a great hand to pick us up out of the dirt because at the moment we are outnumbered by Fate herself, and so we close our eyes and pray. We have fought for too long, and have been brought to breaking point. We simply stand, heads down, and bear it. Our spirit has gone; we are defeated. After a valiant struggle of over fifteen years, we have been broken.

There is no will left, no spirit. Like a horse that has been beaten until it cannot fight anymore; we are the same, and, like that horse, we stand dusty, scarred and alone, with dried blood on our sides and lash marks along our flanks. Our ribs too stand out; our hide is also dull.
Our eyes are glazed, our throats are parched, and our knees struggle to support us so that we stand with splayed legs to bear the brunt of the next beating, too dejected even to whimper...

This is my plea. The thought of picking ourselves up again is sickening; one can only take so many blows before oblivion is reached, and we are teetering on the rim of the bottomless void. One more push will be the end of us all...There must be someone out there who can do something. There must be someone out there who cares! We are a destroyed nation, and the world sits back and watches, pretending they cannot hear our cries. I appeal to you all...HELP US!

(From a 16 year Zimbabwean.)

IN VIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN ZIMBABWE WE ARE ORGANISING A DAILY ONE MINUTE PRAYER TIME AT 8 A.M. OR 1 P.M. OR 8.00 P.M. AT ANY ONE OF THESE TIMES, PLEASE STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND SPEND THAT ONE MINUTE PRAYING FOR GOD TO INTERVENE IN THE AFFAIRS OF OUR COUNTRY.

SOMEONE SAID IF CHRISTIANS REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE FULL EXTENT OF THE POWER WE HAVE AVAILABLE THROUGH PRAYER, WE MIGHT BE SPEECHLESS.

THANK YOU, ZIMBABWE 24-hour Solidarity Vigil

Ordinary people going extraordinary places

Last weekend, I visited Shropshire - land of rolling hills, wind and rain... and... snow! I joined other believers for a training conference for voluntary work with a Chiristian company either overseas or in UK.

These other people were really encouraging. I'm more and more convinced God chooses people who seem ordinary or clearly not naturally qualified for the job. The Bible is full of them... Moses, Abraham, Gideon, David, Peter. I believe this means God will choose you some day...

God has chosen me to go to Africa in September this year. I wake every day saying thanks to God for this opportunity. I'm mixed with feelings of humility, joy, peace yet also thougts of, "Why me?" "What will happen to me there?" and "What will I do when I'm there?" I just wanna seek God my Father and do what he says.

I need your prayers and so do many other volunteers sharing the gospel. Ordinary people who go out every Friday night as a Street Pastor and those who tirelessly prepare food for the Soup Run every single evening. Those are just two examples of many... I really hope you listen carefully to what God would say to you about sharing the greatest story in the world.

Much love and thanks
Michael

Please get in touch if you would like to know more about my work in Africa by the email on this website or phone - (01206) 523923

24-7 Podcasts available for to inspire prayer and reflection

Check this link http://www.24-7prayer.com/spaces

I think these podcasts inspire Godly reflection and prayer...

what do you think?

love Richard

Great Clacton Prayer Room

Anne Scott, prayer room creator extraordinaire invites us to the;

Great Clacton Methodist Church Prayer Room

Day of prayer
Share time with God and with others.

5th April 2008 7.30 am – 10.30 pm

Hope 2008 24/10 Prayer Room

Many people across the church are coming to together with the dream of seeing many people reached by the love of Jesus Christ. This is Hope 2008. We believe prayer is crucial to enable us to be guided by God, and to see fruit for His kingdom. You and your congregation can be part of a special prayer time to fuel Hope 2008 in Colchester, and inspire our work together for His kingdom.

The vision is for a 24 hour Prayer Room runnning continuously for 10 days at St Peters Church, North Hill 1 – 10 May 2008, in the run up to the Global Day of Prayer 2008 on May 11.

This vision involves more continuous prayer than has been seen before in Colchester. It is pioneering but possible, if we work together. We need 19 church congregations to each commit to filling a 12 hour block of one hour slots.

What will the prayer room be like?

The prayer room will be available for all types of prayer to Jesus. So, a group may come and pray during one hour slot, or people may want to come on their own. People may want to pray in silence, or play music.

There will also be creative prayer activities in the prayer room.

The prayer room can be a place of mission, too. It will be open to the public during the day, so that any interested people can come in and find out about prayer and about Jesus.

Each person who is booked into a slot will have the responsibility for looking after the prayer room. People who are in the prayer room at night should find another person to accompany them so they are not alone at night. There will be prayer room supervisors on call at all times.

How can you be involved?

You can contact Richard Smith on richard@colchesterboilerroom.org.uk to check which slots are available. The slots will run 12 midnight – 12 noon, or 12 noon – 12 midnight.

Richard Smith, Colchester Boiler Room Community
Hope 2008 is supported in Colchester by
Seeking God's Blessing for Colchester, Colchester Prayernet,and church congregations.

Encouraging news from Turkey

Here's some encouraging news from the hosting church in Turkey, who we worked with to do a 24-7 Prayer Room.

"We can see a new zeal for the Lord and a new desire to pray.

The biggest thing happened to a couple who thought they have to go back home to work and earn money. One of them just found work last week in the International School as a teacher. She can start in September. Also housing and schooling for their kids is free. That is a miracle. It popped up in one day. They are so happy. Also we, since he serves us as finance man.

Alfa courses is also going well. Easter was also a good Sunday. We had a big celebration and cooked dinner for 200 people. Praise the Lord."

Amazing times in Turkey

Colin, Jean, Katy and I had an amazing trip to Turkey. Thanks so much to all of you who prayed and encouraged us. God provided all we needed, and answered all our prayers for the week.

Here's the entrance to the daytime prayer room (we had two prayer rooms making up this 24/7 prayer week). "Hos geldiniz" is "you are welcome" in Turkish. A key prayer for us during the week was "Hos Geldiniz, Isa" or "You are welcome, Jesus."
Preparing the sunny patio where we could offer hospitality at the entrance to the prayer room.
The team on the "crown of Smyrna", a strategic hill and castle in the middle of the city.
The night time prayer room, in a central church building. It was a peaceful and inspiring place. And the site of the most amazing musical worship on the last night with young people.
I hope to share more stories with you in person. But particularly special things spring to mind now;

• prophecies received, confirming those received over many years, about Holy Spirit fire coming in this place and then spreading across Turkey,
• many stories of the Holy Spirit miraculously touching people, including a Muslim woman healed by Jesus in a dream then waking to find she is healed,
• I experienced an overwelming filling of the Holy Spirit whilst being prayer for in the prayer room
• we sang the Hallelujah chorus at the ampitheatre at Ephesus together with a Japanese tour group!
• many people now want to see more 24/7 prayer in Turkey

Thanks and glory to God.

love Richard

News from Turkey

Dear friends,

Thanks so much for all your encouragement and prayers. We have really felt supported in our trip, and we are seeing answers to your prayers.

We have been welcomed very well by many friends here. The two (!) prayer rooms are now running. And many of the slots are booked up.

One is a basement boiler room, with a well in the back room. Living water is a theme in this room and people coming in can draw a Scripture verse in English and Turkish from the well. There is also a graffiti wall, art activities, a hoş geldiniz (welcome) patio, and a chance to wash one another's hands.

The other (night time) prayer room is in a new church building. The top floors offer a view of the crown of Izmir. There is music making, and areas for thanks and prayer for Turkey.

In both prayer rooms there are many prayer requests gathered from the church here.

Give thanks for;

The provision of the venues
The church congregations working together here, including a church leaders meeting in the prayer room on Wednesday
Good team working amongst the Colchester team
Good response and interest in the prayer rooms
A policeman visiting the prayer room, and encouraging us, saying he's "here to protect you"
Holy Spirit visions and words of prophecy that are already starting to flow

Please pray for;

Holy Spirit inspiration and guidance for all in the prayer rooms
Ongoing unity, especially between two hosting congregations
Good balance of work rest and pray for the Colchester team
God to continue to take care of the logistics
The exciting sessions planned with children and young people on Friday and Saturday
Surprise(d) visitors called by the Holy Spirit to the prayer room!


love Richard and Katy

24/3 Prayer Room at St Stephens

Here's a message from Chris,

The 24/3 prayer room will be at St Stephens Church, Canterbury Road, Colchester.

"If you have time please could you publicise the prayer room as we would really welcome anyone and everyone.

The prayer room starts at 9pm on Maundy Thursday (20thMarch) and runs till Easter Sunday 10pm (23rd March). During the days the prayer room will follow the different days of easter.

The theme for the prayer room is praying for the spiritual Health of our nation.

People can contact me, Chris Liddamore, to book a slot or phone on 01206 560822 or
0775 236 9612."

A vision for Prayer Rooms as part of Hope 2008

A vision for Prayer Rooms as part of Hope 2008

Church congregations have been working together to run 24-7 Prayer Rooms in Colchester area since 2000. These Prayer Rooms continue to be a place of inspiration, refreshment and encounter.

Colchester Boiler Room Community would like to co-ordinate a 24-10 Prayer Room at a town centre location 1 – 10 May 2008, in the run up to the Global Day of Prayer 2008.

The vision is that this prayer room wil run continuously night and day, and that different congregations can take 12 one hour slots, keeping the prayer room running. The prayer room will be open during the day, so that any interested people can come in and find out about prayer to Jesus.

By running this Prayer Room together we can encourage; prayer for Hope 2008, church congregations working together, inspiration for fresh actions during Hope 2008, and a place of mission.

24-7 Prayer Rooms could also be part of Hope 2008 action in your local community. Colchester Boiler Room Community would like to serve you by helping you to run a 24-7 prayer room in your area.

How can you be involved?

Come to the Hope 2008 meeting at St Botolph's Church, Colchester at 7.45pm Monday 10 March.

Help us find an accessible venue for the 24-10 Prayer Room.

Ask your congregation to commit to taking responsibility for a 12 hour slot in the prayer room, and come and pray in the Rrayer Room yourself.

Plan a 24-7 Prayer Room as part of your action for Hope 2008. All you need is a venue available for a whole week, and willingness to pray and act.

More stories from the Highwoods prayer room

Thanks to Gillian for this report of comments on the Highwoods prayer room in January;

‘I felt the prayer room had a peaceful atmosphere and I felt very much at home there.’

‘I felt a new commitment to the people on Highwoods generally.’

‘'Break through' was a major theme that cropped up again and again’

‘It was good to know that there was an hour where you weren't going to be distracted. It was peaceful but very stimulating.’

‘Sometimes I didn't know what to pray but there was always something there to help’

‘I really enjoyed the opportunity to be involved and to pray for different needs. ‘

‘ It was as if He was showing me that time spent with Him is always good, which I should of course know but which sometimes gets a bit lost. Anyway, trying to clarify this I would just say that it felt as if offering prayer in that room for 48 hours was pleasing to Him.’

Also several people have told me about how they found peace in the prayer room and could sense God’s presence there.

This is from an e-mail from Jamie sent yesterday about the Youth café on Friday.

‘The most amazing thing for me is that last night we put Luke's friend, Lee on the hot seat at the end. A tradition to put adult helpers, particularly new ones, on the spot to keep them on their toes. We request questions from the young people - the person on the hot spot can choose not to answer. First question he gets is: "So when did you become a Christian?".. to which he responded " Last Sunday!". When we quizzed him about it afterwards, he said he became a Christian during the prayer room session that he and Luke were doing overnight on Sat night / Sunday morning. SO HALELUJAH TO THAT!’

Wounded for Jesus

Julian of Norwich wrote of three "wounds" she came to desire in 1373.

"...by the grace of God and the teaching of the Holy Church I conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life: that is to say the wound of very contrition, the wound of kind compassion, and the wound of steadfast longing toward God."

What "wounds" would you desire to carry for Jesus?

24-7 Prayer Trip to Turkey

Date

Depart Friday 7 March – Return Monday 17 March.
Prayer Room runs Sunday 9 March – Sunday 16 March 2008.

Place

Turkey has a strong Muslim culture. Although freedom of religious practice is in the constitution, the practice of Islam is strongly culturally enforced. Turkish believers suffer persecution from their families and community. The secret police persecutes church activity.
The language is Turkish. Some English is sometimes spoken by educated young people.

The Mission

We have been invited by a church congregation to help them set up and run a 24-7 prayer room. They will also try and invite involvement from other church congregation.
The prayer room will be aimed at Turkish speakers.
The theme for the prayer room has yet to be agreed. However, there are recurrent prophecies about the fire of the Holy Spirit sweeping through Turkey. It should also be a place of meeting with Jesus. We will also pray for strength and grace to endure the persecution.

Prayer Points

For God to guide the planning and running of the prayer room by the Holy Spirit.
Presence of the Holy Spirit in the prayer room.
Financial provision for all team members.
Good preparation for the visiting team, and for the church in Turkey prior to the prayer room.
Good communication and working together.
Protection and perseverance for seekers and believers in the face of persecution.

Colchester Boiler Room Feast Reports

"I was chuffed to welcome 88 people to the Colchester Boiler RoomCommunity Feast, as part of the 24-7 UK Tour.

The had been alot of preparation. In fact it felt like we were organisinga wedding feast! But the God provided and worked through the preparation. About 20 people worked together to make the Feast happen. I'm sure thisis preparation for future service and community time together.

BIG thanks to Phil, Lucie and Charlotte for coming to encourage us...andshifting tables and helping decorating and serving!To me, 2 days later, it feels like the Feast was the beginning ofsomething, not the final event...

If you'd like to be part of the nextchapter of 24-7 Prayer with Colchester Boiler Room Community then please leave a comment below... " love Richard.

Here's Jason's experience of the evening....

"Welcomed with an orange, apple and tropical juice taste bud explosion; the guests and volunteers to the UK 24-7 Tour Colchester Boiler Room Feast wasted no time with introductions. People from various groups around Colchester and further afield mingled in the main hall and lobby after receiving a goodie bag, created by a boiler room member. What was in the bag will be revealed later...

Drumming was the primal medium to announce the feast with words swiftly followed by the Boiler Room duo of Richard and Katy Smith. Much to the delight of hungry faces food followed and table conversations lit up the Church at St Botolph's with a 24- 7 film shortly after the entree.

With some musical chairs, companions were shifted after both the main course and the dessert giving people the opportunity to chat to other organisations represented at the various tables.
The tables were represented by such organisations as: Street Pastors, New Neighbours and Highwoods Youth Cafe.

24- 7 provided the viewing for the next 45 minutes with short films and an awe inspiring talk from Phil T of 24 - 7 UK. Mustard seeds (in reference to the Parable) and bells (played by Chris) were used as contemplation devices with sounds seeming to come from the ethereal realms of heaven itself.

A lively prayer time and a noisy 'lively up your soul' time preceded the meditative bell. You see, inside the goodie bags were kazoos, whistles, and other noise makers. The idea was to wake up to the Holy Spirit to be in the presence of the Lord.

At about 10 o'clock the feast finished and clear up time went on, and on and on but it was all worthwhile.

Special thanks for the evening have to go to the cooks, especially Sue and the Decorating team headed by Michael. The whole evening wouldn't have taken place had it not been for the Richard and Katie combination whose constant eye for detail and people direction was fab.

Of course without the foundation of our faith, Jesus, none of the guests would be united under one roof. Thank you Jesus!"

Highwoods Prayer Room news

The Highwoods Prayer room was a special place to be.

The creation and running of the prayer room was a real team effort between Highwoods Methodist Church, St Lukes and Colchester Boiler Room Community. Special thanks to Helen, Gillian and Daphne.

As soon as we'd set up the prayer room there was a sense of God's presence in the room.

Young people from the Highwoods Youth Cafe really responded to the activities in the prayer room on Friday night.

And I was encouraged to meet some new friends who were praying and hanging out from the small hours til dawn on Saturday night.

I also felt God will continue to pour out His Spirit and build His kingdom in Highwoods, because people there are willing to listen and submit to Him.

Richard

Reflections in a desert place

I have just been away the Sinai region of Egypt.

There's alot of desert there. It was a daunting environment to drive through...so arid and bleak.

I've also been reading, as you do on holiday. I've been really loving a book called The Journey by Alister McGrath. It's a real and wise book about the Christian journey, and the different places and seasons you encounter on the journey. Here's a prayer in the book from Anselm of Canterbury, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093;

I thirst for you, I hunger for you, I desire you, I sigh for you, I covet you:

I am like an orphan deprived of the presence of a very loving Father,

who, weeping and wailing, does not cease to cling to the dear face with all his whole heart....

All this I hold with unwaivering faith,

and weep over the hardship of exile,

hoping in the sole consolation of your coming,

ardently longing for the glorious contemplation of your face.

Richard

Highwoods Prayer Room 18 - 20 Jan 2008

There will be a 24-2 Prayer Room at The Ark, Highwoods Methodist Church, Jack Andrews Drive, Highwoods, Colchester

from 7pm Friday 18 January 2008 to 7pm Sunday 20 January 2008.

We need people to book slots to pray in the prayer room. Please book your one hour or longer slot by contacting Daphne Digweed on 01206 523744 or daphne.peter@ntlworld.com

Lakes Hospital Carol Concert

Sarah Steigman and friends sang carols, read accounts of the Christmas story in the Bible and then she shared personal thoughts on what the light of Christmas means to her. Afterwards we were served mince pies and hot drinks. We offered prayers and continued to share personal testimonies with patients.

One woman told us of her spiritual experiences and hearing God through dreams. She told us of a recurring dream in which she is falling, without fear, looking down upon a large hand. Unfortunately she is never able to reach the hand. Both Sarah and I suggested the the 'hand' is of the Father God. The woman agreed and we continued to talk. We ended up praying that she would make a decision to allow herself to fall into the hand.

This all took place on the Friday before Christmas (sorry can't remember the date - every day has become such a blur you know!) I strongly felt there are many people in the Lakes mental health hospital who are hungry for the presence of God and healing of Jesus Christ.

Sarah is continuing to seek God for the future of this developing ministry amongst the community of people there. Please pray for her and if you would like to know more about how you could be involved, get in touch with us at Colchester Boiler Room and we could pass your details on to Sarah.

Many blessings for 2008!!

The Gift at Mersea

I've just come back from Mersea Island where I've visited The Gift at West Mersea Free Church.

It's a really good creative journey into the Christmas story.

I particularly liked (although was moved by!) the part that looked at our brokeness.

I also liked the part that reflected on Jesus being born into a refugee family. And then gave information on the many refugees and Internally Displaced People in the world today.

The Gift really broke open and shed light on the Christmas story for me.

Nice one, Joe and friends at West Mersea Free Church for putting it together and opening it up.

Street Pastors First Night Out

Here are my friends, Norman and Jennie. There were two of 18 Street Pastors who were out on Friday night 11pm - 4am.

And we were backed by many friends in the church who were praying for us.

Thank God He gave us a spirit of boldness to go out. I did feel nervous, because it was the first night out in our Street Pastor uniforms. But I was also really excited and buoyed by having so many friends around me.

During the night we were able to help many different people; we reported a girl who was missing, we stopped a girl getting bullied by her friends, we treated an injured woman and called an ambulance, we encouraged a group who were looking after a distressed woman...

There was one incident of threatened aggression against us. However, that amounted to nothing.

Please continue to pray for the Street Pastors who are out to help people 10pm - 4am on Fridays, and also on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Contact admin@colchesterprayernet.co.uk if you would like to be part of the prayer support.

Richard

Street Pastors launched at Mayors Parlour!!

We had an amazing evening on Saturday night. It was the comissioning service for the Colchester Street Pastors. These are Christians who are being sent out on Friday nights to help people and bring the love of Jesus to the streets.

There was prayer and worship in the Mayors parlour, Colchester Town Hall.

And the Mayor (alongside the Police and local church leaders) commissioned the Street Pastors with these words.

"Will you undertake your work as Street Pastors faithfully and to the best of your ability? Will you pray for the work you undertake and for the people with whom you come into contact?"

To which we replied. "With God's help. We will."

Street Pastors go out for their first night on uniformed patrol on Friday 10pm - 4am. And will be out evey Friday night.

If you are interested in being part of prayer support, please contact info@colchesterprayernet.co.uk

West Mersea news and request for help

Here's news from Joe on West Mersea.

I am running an evangelistic event on Mersea for Christmas. It is a Christmas Journey. The church will be laid out in 5 different stations and will be like a maze with dividing walls for each station.

The theme of each station is:
Brokenness - Reflecting on a broken world and us as broken people
Promise - God's promise to fix it all
Gift - God's way of fixing it through the giving of a Gift
Birth - The Gift is His only Son
Hope - The future is bright because of the Birth, death and resurrection of Jesus

Each station will have meditations and hands on practical things to do. People will come and go as they please with hot drinks and cakes being served. It is my hope that people will come and discover the meaning of Christmas in a new, fresh and relevant way.

We are running it on Sunday 16th December from 6.30pm onwards and Monday 17th December from 9am onwards.

When people leave they will get a bag of to take away things they have made during their experience and a DVD. The DVD is called More To Life and has 11 testimonies of people who's lives have been transformed by Jesus. It was made by Viz-A-Viz.

the favours:Could you circulate this for prayer please? I need prayer that practically it will all work. Presentation - that it will look really good. Fruit - That through it many will be drawn closer to Jesus.Also circulate for people to come and experience it for themselves.

I also need to find loads of purple, red and white material to dress the church with. I won't cut it or anything and the people can have it back after the event. Do you know anyone who has anything like that?

God BlessJoe

contact mail@colchesterboilerroom.org.uk if you can help.

Prayer for the Lakes Ministry

The Lakes Ministry will hold a Christmas service at The Lakes psychiatric hospital on Friday 21 December. The Lakes Ministry will be offering prayer to patients and staff at this event.

In preparation people will be praying and fasting for the Lakes Ministry on Thursday 13 and Thursday 20 December.

Support is also needed praying for the Lakes Ministry during the Christmas service, from 2pm to 4pm at the Colchester General Hospital chapel on Friday 21 December.

If you would like to join the prayer support please contact Richard Smith on mail@colchesterboilerroom.org.uk

Colchester at 24-7 UK Network Day

On Saturday Jean, Mike, Katy and I got up too early.

But we were full of excitement because we went to Reading to meet up with other people who do 24-7 Prayer from around the UK. (here's some picture of them...)

It was inspiring to hear stories of how God is leading people to pray and live out their prayers across the UK.

I especially remember stories from Matt and Ali from Cornwall who have an amazing calling to pray and do Chritian community amongst surfer people. And we had an amazing time standing alongside and praying for the pioneers from Reading who are once again stepping forward into 24-7 prayer.

I was very encouraged, again, to share and pray with James. He heads up Boiler Room Community in Egham.

Jean reflected that the most important message she carried away from the day was about community. The need for community. The fact that we are all part of community in some way. And also some trepidation for the young 24-7 communities that are starting.

Mike was again please to be amongst the 24-7 "family" and was encouraged by it. He was also excited to hear of the vision for mission to be led by each local 24-7 prayer community, rather than a central office. And to see this happening already....even in his own life!

There was a time of prayer for the different locations represented, and during this a time of prayer for Colchester. I remember two words being given in particular;

One was a picture of a town surrounded by a wall. And out of gaps in the wall came arrows. And these arrows were very directed and very effective.

Another was a prayer for Essex Men. And a prayer for redemption of Essex Men. That their talents for entrepreneurism, energy, doing new things and telling others would be redeemed and used for God's kingdom.

with excitement,

Richard

Reflection from Stephanie on the Prayer Hearing

Some of us went to a Prayer Hearing on Wednesday 21 November, organised by the Bishop of Barking at a local secondary school.

Sister Stephanie Cardis reports;

"The venue of the school and the context as given by Faith Spinlove gave powerful focus.

The presence of the young people and their willingness to speak brought a new dimension, much valued, to the Prayer Hearings.

And it was great that after their "conversation" they wanted to go on contributing during the plenum."

We then shared our different experiences and practices of prayer together.

The young people shared what they thought God would like to say to us. Some said that they thought God would be pleased with the good things that happen in Colchester. One young man said that he thought God would want us to seek Him wholeheartedly.

We also reflected on what we'd heard from the Prinicipal teacher, prayed for the school and shared our heartfelt desire in prayer.

Highwoods Prayer Room

Big Thanks to the Highwoods youth club crew for hosting our prayer room on Friday night.

It was a "Prayer Room Express" ;) Just open for one and half hours during the youth club. (And we set new records for setting up and taking down a prayer room.)

The prayer room was themed on the five senses; smell, taste, touch, sight and sound. And included a prayer jukebox, and a tent filled with the fragrance of Frankincense.

The young people were keen to have a look around. And all respected the prayer room by removing their shoes to come in.

I am praying this experience will encourage them and their friends to engage with a 24/2 prayer room happening on at Ark Methodist on Highwoods 18-20 January 2008.

love Richard

First fruits...in Colchester!

This morning, I had the privilege of praying with some friends of mine at the Out 4 Good Project house in Colchester.

This is a house for young men who are recently out of prison, who want to live a life free of drugs and crime.

There is a growing support network of people from the church in Colchester who will support these young men in their brave walk.

And the house has just opened this week!

It's so exciting to see how God is providing through His servants and through us, the church!

We read from James and prayed together.

I was touched by this passage from James 1: 16 - 17;

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.
He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

It's wonderful to see the firstfruits that God produces in our obedient lives.

Out 4 Good is a pilot project that will be rolled out to other towns in the UK, if it's successful here. What other first fruits can you see in Colchester?

Richard

A moment in school...

Here's a report from a friend of ours who teaches in a school in Colchester.

My least favourite time in school of the week is Wednesday break when I am on duty in the social areas.

These rooms are part of the only building left standing from when we held holiday clubs in the school. Added to that, of course this week we have the GSUS live bus parked just behind the building.

This morning I went on duty and for the first time it was fairly calm. So, I (probably to be honest for the first time outside my classroom) foundtime to pray. Praying for peace on the place.

I found myself start singing a Godfrey Birtill song I'm not that familiar with - so unfamiliarI couldn't remember any of the words!!! It was this from "O God, O God, O God";

I have loved you, I have held you
Though you weren't aware of it
Taught you how to walk and talk
and Abba your first word.