- Tim's ramblings (TRES WEE)
- HOPE '08 UPDATE
- Sandwell net news (Hope & Pray )
- Trumpet Call
- Leaders' Net news
- Walsall leaders' news
- Gen Net news
- Sector Net news
- Black Country Prophetic School
- Come share new offices with us in Sedgley?
- Dudley Songs of Praise at Himley in June
- House for sale in Tipton
- Cell UK European Symposium
- And finally....Idols Shout to The Lord!
- Jobs
- The Word for Today- adult daily devotional
- Word 4U 2Day – youth daily devotional – this has been redesigned especially for Hope Revolution and is branded with the Hope Revolution logo!
- Book of Hope – the gospel in magazine format making the Word of God more accessible to children and young people. The Book of Hope comes in various age ranges; preschool, 5-7s, 7-11s, 11-14 (Hope Xtreme – this has also been redesigned with Hope 08 in mind and also has the Hope Revolution logo) and 14-18s.
- Information about our Prayerline service and Looking for God website; posters/ business cards etc.
- We also are currently trialling Prayerline and looking for God beer mats, to promote these services in pub and clubs and if you have links with a bar/ pub or club or would like to use these in any way please let us know.
In this issue:
Dearest Black Countryites,
I trust that you are all well. There is lots to communicate this week, especially regarding more of HOPE '08, so I will keep my own ramblings to a minimum.....aaagh, I hear you say with glee!!
Please read through the items below, and please get yourselves ready to take your stand in HOPE & PRAY as we join in with a genuinely GLOBAL MOVEMENT of God's people..........an estimated 500 million Christians worldwide.....can you imagine that?
Well, we have evenings taking plave in each of our 4 boroughs, so none of you needs to travel too far, and we are thus providing you with ease of access to this global phenomenon which we hope you will take up. I intend to travel around all 4 boroughs on 11th May to see and connect with all four boroughs, so hope to somehow see you all.....4 channels:1 voice.
Full details of each evening is below, and on our web-site.....please don't miss out on this guys....God is going something truly historic around our wonderful world with this GDOP....let's not look for reasons to miss out.....let's connect to what He's doing NOW!
We are also genuinely thrilled to have the wonderful Brummie Ian Cole with us at our next Sector net breakfast on Wednesday 7th May at our usual venue at The Quality Hotel in Dudley from 7-9am. Ian leads WPC (World Prayer Centre) out of our neighbour state, as well as various prayer initiatives such as the wionderful TRUMPET CALL gatherings at The NEC (see below). I cannot speak highly enough of this guy.We want to throw the invite as wide as possible this time around as Ian carries an anointing for The Body of Christ regionally, nationally and even globally. With "The Global Day of Prayer" (GDOP) rapidly approaching, we have asked Ian to come and share some of the stories he heard first-hand at a recent global gathering of leaders of all kinds that are TRULY inspirational, as well as whatever he is sensing on his heart for our nation, as Ian heads up "TRUMPET CALL" which is one of the "rare"genuinely national prayer gatherings for The UK.......please see TRUMPET CALL section below.
Come and hear Ian's heart, and meet other Black Countryites passionate enough to get up at 6am each month to want to connect into something wider , new and emerging. We sense that you will NOT be disappointed! The stories will excite you as you catch what our God is doing around this beautiful planet of ours, and what this might mean for us all......but we need you to book in for glorious full English breakfast guys!
Love to all,
Yours together,
Tim
On behalf of YOUR NETwork
HOPE '08 update
Please see www.thenet.org.uk for more HOPE information relating to The Black Country, and feel free to advertize your HOPE '08 events and activities on netnews too.
REMEMBER---please also register your activities for HOPE throughout the year so that we can compile a huge report at the end of '08 which will prove to be very effective when we show the collective and joined-up efforts of THE BODY OF CHRIST in our area to each-other, the media, local goverment and whoever else wants or needs to know.
You can access this via our web-site OR via www.faithsurvey.info
NEXT BLACK COUNTRY CHAPTER--- "hope & pray"
"Hope & Pray" evenings are being held in each of the four 4 Black Country boroughs simultaneously....all from 5-8pm...... Four boroughs: One voice
Dudley--------------------------Wordsley C of E(contact John on admin@thenet.org.uk )
Sandwell--------West Bromwich Town Hall (contact Jon on sandwellnet@thenet.org.uk )
Walsall----------------Church at Junction 10 (contact John on church@junction10.com )
Wolverhampton-----------------------Civic Hall (contact Tony on tony@lifesprings.org.uk )
SANDWELL NET NEWS.......Hope & Pray;
Dear Sandwellians,
Tim from Bethel Church in Oldbury, Andy Greenfield from West Brom and myself are more than happy to do a 5 min spot in your notices to promote the HOPE AND PRAY EVENT on MAY 11th if that would be helpful. Let me know asap if you would like one of us to come.
See you soon!
Jon
Sandwell Net
3 SUNDAYS TO GO!!! PLEASE PROMOTE THE EVENT WITH YOUR CONGREGATIONS!! LET’S SEE THE PLACE FULL!
Please look at ways of promoting and encouraging people to come. Would anyone be willing to join a working group to meet a couple of times to pull the event together?? I have got loads of flyers and posters to promote the event here at the Sandwell Net Office, please let me know if you need any and I can either drop them off to you or you can come and pick them up. Please start/continue to promote the even in your local congregations.
HOPE AND PRAY-----in the 4 boroughs! Linking in with THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER '08
It goes without saying that if we are going to see a real impact in this year of HOPE we need to pray like we have never prayed before! As you may be aware as a network we are facilitating a Prayer Celebration this year in the four boroughs across the Black Country. I am co-ordinating this event in the Sandwell Borough and would like to ask for your support in gathering as many members of our individual congregations as is possible to join together in prayer.
The date is Sunday 11th of May, the venue is West Bromwich Town Hall the time is 5pm until 8pm.
People can come for the whole three hours or for parts of it. The exact format is yet to be decided but one thing we do hope to do is join each of the 4 boroughs using technology at some point during the evening!
Perhaps you can let me know if this is something that you feel you could support? Would you be prepared to sacrifice your evening service so that we can all be together? Would you be willing to take part in some way?
Due to parking etc. organising a coach might be the easiest idea?? I know a lot of churches found that a lot easier to organise and help people get there for the Hope 08 launch in Wolverhampton.
Speak to you all soon
Jon Grant
Sandwell Net
TRUMPET CALL VII
Dear Black Country,
It is good to be able to be in touch again as we begin to plan ahead for Trumpet Call VII.
Trumpet Call on 21st June will be the seventh stage of an amazing journey that God is leading us on based on Numbers 10:9 “When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies”. From blowing a trumpet to lift the oppression and awaken the sleeping giant in the nation, to releasing the message of grace, praying for the church to arise, launching Redeeming our Communities, then launching the year of prayer for Hope08 and praying for the release of the Gospel and the vision of WPC, God continues to lead us.As you will have seen from the brochures (available from many sources, including The Net office-Ed), we are looking for the largest prayer journey on the longest day to give a massive prayer push in the middle of Hope08. Leaders from the rest of this family of nations will be welcomed as we formally launch the new Prayer Forum website (Prayer Forum of British Isles and Ireland).
We would be blessed and honoured to have you standing with us on the day as we seek God’s heart for our nation and ask for His kingdom to come and for His will to be done.
We look forward to standing with you for our nations.
Yours in Christ Jesus
Ian Cole
World Prayer Centre, Cornerstone House5 Ethel Street, Birmingham, B2 4BG, UK
Office: 0121 633 7393
Web: www.worldprayer.org.uk
**WE WILL HAVE IAN WITH US AT OUR SECTOR/BUSINESS NET BREAKFAST IN MAY 2008...
Leaders' Net News-April '08
20th May 2008 at 9.30am....Zion Christian Centre,Little Cornbow,Halesowen, B63 3AJ.
WITH
John Glass.
John is the general superintendent of the Elim churches and will be speaking on ‘because of who I am’. John says that ‘who we understand ourselves to be has a direct effect upon what we produce for God and how we produce. Destiny does not come about by a haphazard arrangement of circumstances but a spiritual DNA implanted in the leader at the time they received their call.’ Wherever or whatever you lead this material will help you, encourage you and remind you who you are in God’.
Please see Zion’s website for maps & directions www.zionnetwork.org or use the postcode at www.streetmap.co.uk
Please note there is very limited parking at the church, so please use the Cornbow multi storey car park and walk to the church; it is not far.
Why not hit the reply button now and let John know you are coming?
Blessings,
Adrian Lowe.
Sent by: -John Whitehouse....Admin The Net........01384 370365.
admin@thenet.org.uk
Dear Church Leader,
On Wednesday 7th May 2008, Dr Tony Campolo will be speaking twice in Renewal Community Church (Solihull, B91 2JR).
Firstly, at 12:30pm at an invitation-only lunch for Church Leaders, with an opportunity for Q and A afterwards.
Then again at 7:30pm, he will be speaking on “How our faith can offer solutions in our communities” at a large event aimed at Christians - being held in aid of Youth for Christ’s evangelism and work with marginalised teens and young offenders. Flyers are available on request.
We hope to sell upwards of 1300 tickets to this evening event.
Please let Darren Richards know if you are able to:
§ Attend the Church Leader’s lunch with Tony, at 12:30pm on Wed 7th May 08.
Just call Darren Richards on 0121 502 9640 or email Darren.richards@yfc.co.uk to book your place/s.
§ Promote the Evening Event to your church in the coming weeks, and encourage them to buy tickets in advance – to give Darren an idea of numbers. (7.30pm, Wed 7th May 08, £2.50 person - tickets are available from www.yfc.co.uk/campolo or from Darren).
Many thanks
[The lunch is free of charge, but donations to YFC will be gladly accepted if you wish to contribute]
____________________________________________
Walsall Leaders' news
DATES:
Saturday, 26th April - Catalyst
Wednesday, 7th May - Leaders Prayer
Sunday, 11th May - Hope and PrayDETAILS:
"Catalyst" - Leaders' Breakfast
For Christian Leaders in Walsall. Share what God is doing. Hear reports of Christian initiatives in the town.
Sharpen each other. Pray together. Encourage one another and believe together.
This month we have Kevin Davis sharing with us to provide some stimulation.
We continue to organise different churches to take responsibility for praying each day of the week.
Saturday, 26th April, 8.00 - 9.30 am
Walsall Christian Centre
Corporation Street West.Walsall Leaders' Prayer
Wednesday, 7th May, 12.00 - 1.00 pm
Small Street Centre (First Base)
Off Corporation St., Walsall.
...........and First & Third Wednesdays of each month............Hope and Pray
Part of the "Global Day of Prayer" and "HOPE 2008"
Prayer and Worship Celebration
Sunday, May 11th, 5.00pm to 8.00pm
The Church @ Junction 10 (Wolverhampton Road)
Running simultaneously with events in Wolverhampton, Sandwell & Dudley.
GENnet news
WEEKENDS AWAY -
May.....As a team, we really sensed that it was right to go for two weekends away this year. The first one is just 5 weeks away, and we have just 4 places left....that's the good news!
SO, for those of you who want to connect but haven't yet booked in, here are the details again;
May 23rd – 25th at the Frontier Centre, Northampton. As you can see, this is not too far away now, so please can I ask you that if you are interested in this weekend, you send me your money or a firm commitment and the promise of money before the end of this week!!
We have a theme planned for this which we believe to be God-inspired, and have already begun planning as we sense that this will be a very focused time where we move forward together, and in Him too.Costs for the May weekend are as follows-----adults--£85 each....kids are free.
Please send money to – GENnet, C/O The Brierley Hill Project, South Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 2RRNovember.......It's good news that our next weekend in May is virtually sold out but the bad news is that we now need to look ahead to the November weekend as the managers at The Kings Park Centre in Northampton are pushing us to confirm places. Pagans!
It's not even summer yet, but they have a business to run at the end of the day, and we have tried to delay this as we often find this very difficult to discern as we have had between 50-120 at our previous weekends!! So how many do we reserve (and have to pay deposits for) this time??
SO, we are asking you to respond as soon as possible to let us know if you will be joining us on the weekend of 14-16th November.Many of you have already reserved places, and others have committed to join us later in the year that can't make the May weekend. But we need you all to commit now guys as we will have to send off a cheque from THE NET'S charitable funds to confirm these places next week at the latest.
How many do we book? "You should step out in faith", some might say, which is fine (especially if they will also underwrite those people who commit but then change their minds later) and we are willing to do this when we know your responses as we will trust you to be good to your word.
The costs will be in the region on £110 per adult, and different prices for children depending on their age.....the cost of living is rising guys, and so do the costs of weekends away! The Net never makes any profits on any of these weekends (we assure you!) so we are doing our very best to find the best venues, locations and prices for all of us.SO, after all that, are you coming? We would genuinely appreciate it if you could respond as quickly as possible as we often spend so much of our valuable and volunteer time chasing people up that could be spent on other more effective stuff......sorry if this sounds blunt, but it's true!
We love these weekends, and we know that many of you do too, so let's wrap the preliminary stuff up on this one asap PLEASE..........confirmations are needed back here by 29th April 2008
--------------------------------------
YOUNG HOPE
Are you aged between 12-40 years? Not afraid of a bit of hard work? Up for a good laugh, all in the name of serving the community? Then Young Hope is for you.
Read on for more details….
When: Saturday 19th July 2008
Where: Brierley Hill Project, Chapel Street Estate, Brierley Hill
Time: 8am – 10:30pm
Cost: Absolutely nothing but your sweat and laughter!
Activities: The day will be a long one and split into two parts.Morning/Afternoon
Taking place in and around the Chapel Street Estate, be prepared for a huge mix of activities, ranging from litter-picking and gardening for local residents, to face-painting, balloon modelling, five-a-side football competitions, inflatable’s, arts & crafts and nail art, as well as DJ and Rap workshops.
You do not need to be trained or experienced in any of these activities. You will be put into teams and will rotate around each activity with a fully trained team leader.
All of the activities are designed to involve and bless local residents. If you are cheerful and willing to pull your weight, we want to hear from you!Evening
We will all gather together as a huge team on the evening for a pizza party and debrief of the days activities, sharing all of the stories we’ve been part of.So is it for you?
Young Hope is aimed at those aged from 12-40 years – those young at heart, young in spirit, and/or young in years. Families are welcome and encouraged to attend, as are those in their 20s to 30s who want to bless our area. We hope to gather people from all end of this generation – from those very young to those not so young, not only those in youth groups.Want more details?
If you want to get involved, please contact Linsey Pearson (smethills@hotmail.com) with your name and contact details and she will keep you informed.
-------------------------------------
SHOCK: UNICEF have recently reported that out of 21 European Union member states, the UK is BOTTOM in child welfare...'Hope Play’.
The 'Hope Play' will go into as many primary schools in the Black Country as possible. The more money raised, the more schools that can be reached with this important message of Hope.
The 'Hope Play’ takes the story of Joseph and propels it into the 21stcentury. Joseph struggled with family pressure, cultural clashes and rejection but managed to hold onto the dream that God had given him.
This production communicates to children that they can be themselves, have freedom in God and aspire to change their world.
For more info on this play or to book it for the schools in your area please contact michaelt@saltmine.org or phone Michael on 01384 454807
----------------------------------UCB RESOURCES
We have various free resources to supply to as many Hope 08/ Hope Revolution activities and events as possible. The resources are as follows:
Please contact events@ucb.co.uk to ask for your free resources, with details of your activity or event.
God Bless,
Nat (UCB).
Sector Net news
"The Clarion Call of Prayer"
When he recently appeared on BBC Question Time, Archbishop Dr John Sentamu received a spontaneous standing ovation when he proposed that prayer was the most powerful weapon we could use in the battle over Zimbabwe and called for the country to reconnect with the power of praying together.Is the nation hungry for prayer? Are we ready to sound the trumpet?
The 'Global Day of Prayer' (GDOP) is fast approaching and we are genuinely thrilled to have the very wonderful Ian Cole joining us from the World Prayer Centre, at out next breakfast on Wednesday 7th May at our usual venue, the Quality Inn Hotel, Dudley, from 7am to 9am.
Cast 'The Net' on the other side of your boat
We want to throw out the invite out as wide as possible - meaning you guys and girls need to invite as many friends, colleagues, associates as you feel appropriate along to this - because Ian carries an anointing for the Body of Christ, locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
We have asked Ian to come and share some of the stories he has heard first-hand at a recent global gathering of all 'shapes, sizes and flavours' of leaders - and these stories are truly INSPIRATIONAL.
The Trumpet Call
We have also asked Ian to share whatever he is sensing on his heart for our nation as Ian heads up 'TRUMPET CALL' which is a genuine national prayer gathering (see the Trumpet Call section above).
So please come and hear Ian's heart and meet other Black Country-ites passionate enough to get up at 6am each month to connect with something wider. The testimony will inspire and excite you as you catch what God is doing around this beautiful place called Earth; our community and our home.
Please book yourselves and your friends in by replying via e-mail to anna@thenet.org.uk no later than Monday 5th May 5pm. Breakfast included, £10 per head.
Bless you.
Jolyon Barker
Black Country Prophetic School
Hi Everyone,
For some time we have sensed the need to develop a teaching/ workshop environment that facilitates the development of the Prophetic Gift in our believer communities across our region. Working with Martin Scott and Chris Meredith we have developed an initial program running monthly on Saturdays starting in April. If you sense either you or someone with whom you are connected may be interested please read on or pass the email on those who may be interested. You can register for the program by emailing admin@thenet.org.uk
The dates for the schools will be:
Saturday 17th May 2008
Saturday 14th June 2008
Saturday 12th July 2008
Adrian Lowe
On behalf of the Core Vision Team of the Net
The first school has now passed but please feel free to book in for the remaining 3 dates, the first session had some amazing feedback from it from all ages. But don’t worry if you can’t make these dates there is another school planned for September!!
Office space in Sedgley
As many of you may know, The Net began to share an office with our Financial Services company located in Sedgley just over 10 years ago. We will shortly be moving up the road to the old Tipton St Methodist Chapel, still in Sedgley. This is currently being fully re-furbished.
Once completed, there will be an large open-plan, first floor self-contained office suite available for rent from the Spring, and 3 or 4 offices on the ground floor too, all with car parking spaces, so if you are a Christian organization or business looking to re-locate and come share with us, please get in touch via 01902 885651 or call Tim on 07976 297868.
Dudley Songs of Praise-June '08
Co-ordinator - Mrs. Joyce Murray
53 Wrens Avenue,Tipton.W. MidlandsDY4 8AF
E-mail dsop@btinternet.com
Dear Friend,
On behalf of the committee and Churches Together I should like to invite you and your fellowship to Songs of Praise in the Grounds of Himley Hall on Sunday 15th June, 2008, at 7.00pm.
There will be one or two changes to the format of the service this year, including the involvement of Saltmine Theatre Company..
Last year the event was attended by some 1200 people drawn from churches, schools and youth organisations. The main focus of the worship is the singing of well known hymns and worship songs by the whole congregation. If you have attended this event in the last ten years you will know that it is always spiritually uplifting and a wonderful act of witness. This year, once again, invitations have gone out to organisations in the boroughs which surround Dudley and many significant figures in religious organisations in the area are expected to attend, as well local M.P.s and M.E.P.s and the Mayors and Mayoresses from each of the boroughs.If your group intends to come, I would like you to contact me for a form please. This can be obtained by e-mailing me on the address above AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Over 1,000 organisations have been invited to attend, so it is essential that we have some approximate idea of the numbers at this stage. There is no limit to the numbers who join us for the worship, except for the choir and musicians. Since music books need to be produced we need a more accurate figure for those leading the music. Also, for safety and insurance reasons, there is a limit to the number of people who can be accommodated in the choir.
Finally, for those intending to sing with the choir, it will not be possible for ‘would-be’ members of the choir just to ‘turn up and sing’. We are asking choir members to commit themselves to one rehearsal as well as to the event itself. I hope that you agree this is an essential step as the singers will have to practise a large range of music. The rehearsal is booked for the evening of Monday 9th June at 7 pm at Dudley Concert Hall. This date needs to be entered into diaries along with the practice at 4.30.pm on the day itself.
I look forward to your reply,
Yours sincerely
Joyce Smith
Chairman
Mrs. Joyce Smith
Vice Chairman
Rev’d Roger HidesSecretary
Mr. Adrian Durkin
Treasurer
Mr. Andre Burns
HOUSE FOR SALE - Martin & Melanie Stand, who worked for six years forTipton Youth Project/Youth for Christ, moved to Darlington last September to pioneer a new Youth for Christ ministry in Darlington. They are still trying to sell their home in Coseley (251 Central Drive, Coseley, West Midlands, WV14 8JE) and are unable to obtain a home of their own in Darlington until a sale is secured. The temporary accomodation they were initially given is soon to come to an end.
If you know anyone looking for a property either as a 'buy to let' or to live in why not see if you can help release the Stand's into their ministry in Darlington. The property is on the market with Paul Dubberley in Bilston and can viewed on Rightmove at http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-20023412.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy <http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-20023412.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy> . It has three bedrooms, an extended ground floor and the real selling point for the right person is the high double length garage, which could be converted or used for caravan/van storage. As we know the housing market is particularly fragile at the moment, so they have recently dropped the price by £5,000 so it is now on the market at £127,500 or contact Martin & Mel at martin.stand@virgin.net
Cell UK European Symposium, 18-19th June 2008, Harpenden
Dear Friend,Our June Symposium is filling up fast, so don’t forget to book your place soon. It will have a real European flavour, and I believe that you would really enjoy the event.
It is a unique opportunity for anybody involved in or interested in the Cell Church movement to hear from the experienced church planter Paul Reid. He is leader of a very large Belfast-based cell church, which was one of the first Cell churches in the UK. His story and experience will help us all, whatever the size of our church and wherever we are based.
It is also a great opportunity to hear from other international speakers including Jeff Fountain, Regional Director of YWAM Europe and director of HOPE Europe, and also to meet Ben Wong, a key leader in the Hong Kong Cell Church network.
This promises to be an exciting time together, so do come if you can.
We are delighted to be able to offer the early booking discount for a few more days: if you reply to this e-mail at cellukprojects@oval.com before Thursday 24th April, we will hold your place at the reduced cost of £60 per person. Information and a booking form can then be e-mailed to you.
Don’t forget to forward this information to your friends, colleagues and other contacts, as we would love to welcome as many as possible of our European friends to this Symposium.
I hope you can come, and look forward to seeing you on 18th June.
Your friend,
Laurence
Laurence Singlehurst
Cell UK Ministries
Highfield Oval
Harpenden
Herts AL5 4BX
(+44) 01582 463232
www.celluk.org.uk
And finally ....... Black Countryites, SHOUT TO THE LORD!
Bye guys,
Some of you may have seen this....some of you might think, "So what!!".
If you have a minute or four, have a look at this for yourself....I was quite moved when I saw it to be honest......shoot me!
8 finalists on American Pop Idol having a good old sing-along.....
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=i6G0U8Vg6nY&feature=related
