A Family Get-together
Recently Jubilee Church went away for the weekend to spend time together and with God. We had an amazing guest speaker, Angela, who has helped the church over the last decade. She brings her personal experience of living both in South Africa and the UK alongside her prophetic gift. Over the years she has helped shape the direction that Jubilee has taken.
I asked a few people to tell us their responses to the weekend.
Lorraine:
I’ve been on a lot of “Church Weekends”. It’s easy to go with the same expectations, or even the same hang-ups (complaints and moans). I can honestly say though that this was my favourite so far!
I loved being able to catch up with so many people, have chats over food, or over coffee, or during the afternoon walk. Not just small talk but some really honest conversations where God used me to encourage, to speak truth or just to listen; and where I was very much encouraged and provoked too. We all need connections like this, but often the busyness of the everyday pulls us away, and we forget just how valuable these times really are.
I was challenged and stirred by various random conversations but also by the teaching. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t got everything sorted. God has a perfect plan and He chooses to involve me in it. I need to be alert to not let MY agenda get in the way or become my focus. God spoke to me beforehand about placing the lonely in families (Psalm 68) and then during the weekend about rescuing others, Him saving the whole person, about our warfare sometimes being just doing the right thing.
Paul & Anne:
My main take away from the teaching was that the time of renewal is now. It felt like a fresh start for Jubilee and everybody there, including ourselves.
Personally I felt God confirming that Anne and I were in the right place and He had brought us here.
The beauty of the surrounding countryside as refreshing as the teaching, giving us an opportunity both for reflection and recognition of the Fathers omnipresence.
Three weeks on, I am reminded that God is in community rather than theology
Beth:
At the Weekend Away, I was reminded again that God cares about every little thing that we care about. He spoke to me about there being evidence in my life of His deliverance and faithfulness; and that we all experience the Holy Spirit differently – and that’s OK.
I don’t know what God wants me to do with my life, but I don’t mind that. All I want to know is the next step. I know that His plan is good and so I trust that He has it all planned out and that He’ll get me there safely.
I was reminded that I don’t need to worry unnecessarily. Trust always! If you’re worrying then you, subconsciously, aren’t completely trusting in God.
The idea of family is firmly built into the fabric of the church. Not the traditional view of 2 adults and 2.4 children but a community of people joined together for purpose. Listen to Simon talking about this recently.
We don’t have to go away for the weekend to spend time with God. We can spend time at home, at Lifegroup or on a Sunday morning. Why not come along one Sunday morning to meet us? Here are the details.
