Back to normality???

Golden Gate bridge as we flew back into San Francisco from Redding, CA.


The shiney shiney engine of the tiny tiny plane.



Picture of Annu, Helen, Adam & Julian just before the final 9.5 hour flight from San Fran to Heathrow.


Hello friends!

So we are back safe and sound and fundamentally different in so many ways, but it's back to normality??? (or is it?)

Annu and I went along to the School of Supernatural Ministry today at NKCC and were able to share our testimonies of some of what we experienced and felt out in California. Annu, Dave Webster and Pete Carter (and me) all did a great job of getting across some of the flavour of what we were exposed to and what washed through us while we were there.
We worshipped God and had a powerful time of ministry at the end where we were able to lay hands on people and impart God's love and Kingdom values into peoples hearts. Many were blessed and overcome by what happened to them and the presence of God was thick in the room - It was amazing stuff and a real privilege to be a part of!

Earlier I said we were going back to normality. Normal isn't a very good word, so I've decided anyway! The question is... "What is normal???"

One dictionary defines the term 'normal' as : "a lack of significant deviation from the average"

I really don't want to go back to being average... I have spent most of my life being average, in fact a vast majority of it being below average if I'm honest!
But the last week has been spent mostly being 'pickled' in Holy Spirit which for many, including me, is quite abnormal. My life should and never shall be the same because of the way in which Holy Spirit has 'marinated' me. I may look like the same person but when you get close enough to see, hear, smell, feel, taste what I am about you will find that the pickling process has fundamentally changed the essence of what I'm about. I may look the same but my flavour has been changed into something glorious by Holy Spirit. I reek of heaven, I taste of freedom, I've been soaking in the presence of God and it has made me finger licking good!!! (I say that in jest, but it's true!)

In Matthew 28:18-20 it says :

18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

There are 2 different root words in Hebrew that make up the word baptise.

1. To cover, wash or dip something in water and then pull it out.
2. To immerse something in water so that the structure of it changes.

The 2nd definition is the one used in Matthew 28:19. We are told to change the structure of things through the Holy Spirit. We have been changed (pickled) and we are to then do the same to others, we are to 'go' and seek them out and get pickling. But in ourselves we can't do it. It's Holy Spirit that changes us, and them!

I can't wait to start pickling people with the Holy Spirit - God is good, He's in a good mood and He wants to free us up into some amazing things!!!

Be blessed!

Gordon

The Travellers are Home

Hi Everyone - thought I'd take the chance to let you all know that we arrived back in UK after a straightforward overnight flight from San Francisco. We landed early and drove back to Medway with no hold-ups. All the travelling has been very good, and has flowed well. We have all kept well, and despite some disruption with sleep, we all felt good on arrival.

We have lots of photos between us of the whole time away, and we are planning to make them available so you can see lots of detail (and quite a lot of food-related photos...is there a theme here?)

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

love from Helen

Team Video

Final Sunday lunch in Applebee's

Final reflections

Pre-service Prayer Meeting with people 'walking round' and round and round....

It's now 7.30am in the morning (Monday). We travel home today. Our flight leaves at 3.30pm from Redding followed by a 3hr wait in San Francisco. We will arrive at Heathrow at about 1.30pm on Tuesday.

The flight back to San Francisco is fun as it is in a small 27 seater plane. Our group takes up 22 of the seats! It rattles and bumps around. Real flying!


Yesterday was a long a fairly tiring day. Annu and Gordon visited the children's/youth work. Annu particularly found it helpful and inspiring. We then had the morning meeting with worship and Bill Johnson speaking, followed by ministry. We went out for dinner (I had steak) and then back for the prayer meeting at 5pm and the evening meeting at 6pm. There was a visiting prophet called Martin Scott who spoke, it was a word particularly for the Americans. We didn't hear it all as at one point we all fell asleep!


Gordon and I grabbed some more food at about 9.30pm before sitting with some of the others from the region for an hour in the hotel.


Final reflections as we travel back:


As a team we have received as a group. Seeing that the others have been impacted is great as they will bring this back and impart to others. Mission objective - achieved!


Personally, the individuals have met with God and have found direction and answers to prayer taking place.


Regionally, this has once again strengthened relationships and exposed a wide of group of churches to a common experience. We are not alone, but working alongside friends to bring the presence of God to Kent.


We are not interested in simply copying or imitating. This would be to change the structure without changing the heart. To change the wineskin without changing the wine. It just doesn't work. We change the structure to help sustain and move into the things that God is already doing by his Spirit and in our hearts.


We see the strength and foundations that we already have within our church, God has already done alot. We don't see Bethel as being 'the answer' but recognise that we can learn and receive from others who have something to say and share. Particularly about the person and presence of the Spirit and how this is worked out in a local church.


So, once again thanks for your encouragements and prayers.




Look forward to seeing you all again soon.



Love Adam

One more day to go

Lake Shasta and the dam. It's the second largest dam in America. We had a tour inside it. It was like a military operation to even get inside!













Caught eating my Sandwich in a small cafe we ended up in

A few of us who went upto Lake Shasta and the dam. Julian, Dale Barlow (Oxted), Adam, Steve Williams (Oxted), Dave Webster (New Ash Green), Annu, Pete Carter (N.A.G), Donna King(N.A.G)

Hello,

Once again, thanks for all your lovely comments, we read them all!

Glad that you had a positive Sunday morning, I spoke to Susie who said that all went well. Good that we're not indispensible!

Yesterday (Saturday) we visited the healing rooms in the morning where some from our team were prayed for and felt God touch them, we also saw someone else being healed of deafness. It was good to see some of the children who were assisting in prayer and working with adults on the teams. It was all done very well in an atmosphere of faith. They have a worship/soaking room which then leads into a prayer room where teams pray for people. Teams come round and collect those who have 'signed in' so they can go into the other room. There were people coming in wheelchairs and it looked like sick children being prayed for too. Many are healed before anyone has even prayed with them!

We went up for a visit to Lake Shasta in the afternoon following Mexican wraps (more than we could eat for about £4.00.

In the evening we were invited to a lady called Faith's house (she works on the Sozo team), there were also others there from the church, we had puddings and then they prayed for us (in their own unique style!). The house was pretty amazing, seriously, i've not seen anything like it. It was the way it was decorated and furnished. A bit like a palace. It even had it's own prayer and soaking room upstairs. The whole place felt somehow impregnated with the presence of God.

Annu and Gordon have gone to the earlier meeting (8.30am) so they can visit the children's and youth work, Julian, Helen and I will be going to the later meeting (10.45am) with them after that. Then there is a prayer meeting at 5pm followed by the evening meeting at 6pm. So that's the plan which will be interspersed with lunch/dinner no doubt!

One of my biggest prayers was for the others from M.F.C. that God would meet with them and that through exposure to a different kind of church and kingdom culture it would lead to change in their hearts. This was one of the main purposes of us all going as it's really about individuals changing who can then leak that out when we get back. Not about filling up notes or having more ideas of things to do. That was never the primary plan. This seems to have happened and so I'm encouraged. This was as important to me as anything God may say or do with me.

When we get back, it won't be about relaying information, which will be difficult to do (although we will try!), but sharing more about what we feel we have received. We'll spend substantial time on Sunday having worship and ministry. We'd love to pray and lay hands on everyone who wants to. We'll move chairs out of the way and create space so we can do this more easily. So I encourage you to come expectant on Sunday!

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

Love Adam

Good Morning Sunday

Hello MFC Bloggers! Helen here, adding a quickie.

We are receiving blessings here which are for you folk, and for all the others around us who we will reach out to. It's difficult to communicate details about it all, but we have been given wonderful prophecies of great blessing that will flow out to Medway through all of us. This trip is not just for us, it's for the whole church, and for the wider community. God is using us as the conduit to bring it back. Bethel people have given their blessings to us, very generously, and we will be pouring it out on you. It's free and it's plentiful.

One major thing that I have seen more clearly than ever is that we connect and receive from God through knowing the presence of the Holy Spirit. After that connection in our spirits, or in our hearts, revelation and understanding comes. Knowing him and enjoying him, is a continual joy.

So, be encouraged, have a great time worshipping God this morning. He is preparing a feast, and it's going to be tasty! Teresa commented that she was getting an aroma, but not the food - yes, but be assured, the feast is coming, and it will taste very good, very good indeed.

Loads of love to you all, Say aloud - "God is very good, and he loves me!"
Helen

Morning Campers!

This picture is from the 1st day at San Francisco outside the tube station. The man tells no lies!!!

Hello folks!

There's so much I could say about what we have all experienced in our time out in Bethel, but it would take me an age to write it all down, so instead I'll just give you a few highlights from my own week so far.

• God is good!!! - I always knew this but He has really blown apart some things that were inside me preventing me from seeing Him as I should. Issues relating to fatherhood and words spoken over me that I've carried as a heavy burden without knowing it have been lifted from my shoulders in my Sozo (and many other things too). It's hard to explain but when you've been walking around with a weight draped around your neck and it's gone you start to realise you can stand up straight and are a lot more free than before.


• Bill Johnson and the rest of the Bethel team are rock solid in their identity in God. They know who they are, why they are, what their gifting is and they honour other people. They see the gold in others and call it out. They don't entertain the fear of man as that affects the annointing they carry. They cultivate and nurture their relationship with Holy Spirit to a point where they are always in tune with what God is telling them - It's inspirational and atainable. We just have to make choices in our life, it's not about effort, it's about what we want, and I want God!!!


• I got 'whacked' by Holy Spirit (as did the others, but in different ways) and was creasing up with laughter and joy. Kevin Dedmon (author of 'Ultimate Treasure Hunt') was explaining that 1/3 of the Kingdom is joy and God was showing me that in a really powerful way. I could laugh no more and was doubled up and I felt fire, an intense heat, rushing down my back. It was like oil was being poured over me and it felt good!!! I think God was annointing me at that point because I haven't felt the same since! God is moving and doing something that isn't just in Bethel but it's breaking out across the world. People are hungry, they aren't satisfied with organised, structured religion that is full of law but no power or love. It's all about the heart, it's not about what events we put on or how many people we can convince to come into church on a Sunday but we have to be looking at people and meeting their needs through love, through relationships. Reaching out and asking Holy Spirit, "What have you got for this person???" We have God's Holy Spirit in us and without it we are just trying to work our way into heaven. It's all about the relationship... It's all about the relationship!

I could go on for ages, but lets just leave it at "People need God, so lets introduce them to Him!" - Now that's a word right there!!!

Last day at school - a blast!

Julian having lunch at the church, sitting outside with his wrap and salad, the meeting room from the front, Bill Johnson speaking, breakfast at the hotel for Gordon, Helen and Ian (from Croydon).

A quick update before our breakfast (on Sat morning) to say that yesterday was great. It was the last day of the school. The morning was looking at working with other churches in seeing the city transformed, the guy who spoke for the morning was very inspiring and the strategies they have put together i've not seen so well co-ordinated under one banner before. He's not from Bethel church but another church in Redding.

Gordon and I ate a 'brick' again for lunch. I'll try to take a picture so you can see the size of the cakes they have in the cafe (He-brews) at the church. They are enough for about 4 people!

Then we had Bill Johnson for a couple of hours which was very insightful, you have to listen carefully to that man or you miss it! Every other sentence is light a pea followed by prayer for impartation for each of us, we all lined up in the corridor as he went along and lay hands on each. That was particularly powerful for some!

After this we had a time where each church represented there was called up the from and given prophetic words and prayer. A couple of those with prophetic gifting (Dawna and Faith from the Sozo team) had spent time praying and asking God prior to the meeting and so they then listed off what they felt God had said. Obviously they don't know the churches so what was brought was more insightful. It was all recorded, so we can re-listen.

Here's a mention of some of what was said - Healing was spoken of, that there will be many healings happening in the church and then they listed of significant illnesses/conditions that God was going to heal including Autism, depression, bi-polar. The other main area was of evangelism, that there would be an increase in evangelism coming from within the church, not by one evangelist but that many would be quickened to reach out. That it would not all all depend on the number of people in the church but the quality and what God is doing by his Spirit.

As this was spoken the Spirit fell (as it did with each church group) to various effect! In fact throughout the day God continued to speak and meet with those on the team, but no doubt each team member can share what they experienced and what God was doing/saying with them. Actually, to be honest it will probably be hard to relay it all. It's not easy to put these things into words. It's more about what God does in us which then comes out in family, work, church and city.

In the evening we then went to a prayer meeting which was more of a soaking/encounter room which to many (esp. faint hearted evangelical brits) would seem slightly odd to as much of the room walks round in a big circle while they pray! With others lying (or crawling) around on the floor overwhelmed by the Spirit. There is no prayer agenda or list to get through here! The emphasis is on meeting with God before the meeting, people are praying in their own way, sitting at the side of the room, reading the Bible etc.

We then went to the worship of an evening conference session before going off to a restaurant about 9pm. Annu was tired so we dropped her back a the hotel before meeting with others. Bed at about 11pm!

Adam

Video of the meeting room

This is the room where we meet each day, from 9am-5pm. There are around 40 of us here and 25 from newfrontiers churches. It is interactive with time to ask questions and speak with those leading after sessions. It has an informal feel rather than conference/teaching feel. With plenty of tea/coffee, cakes, snacks, fruit and other treats between sessions.

Today at School

Sitting in the room we meet in, Danny Silk introducing Kris Vallotton for his session. Thurs afternoon.

Hi to all you bloggers

I can't believe it is now the last day of the school. Looking forward to all the speakers and especially Bill Johhnson this afternoon. It has been a roller coaster ride this week with so much to take in and digest. We had a particularly thought provoking session with the senior pastor Chris Vallotton yesterday who was challenging us about how we can truly see transformation in our cities. He asked more questions than he answered but this was good for us as it caused us to evaluate what we are doing and how we are aiming to transform our community in Medway.

The treasure hunt was great and very helpful and encouraging to us all. We were each allocated a student from the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry who were very experienced in treasure hunting and were able to lead us into good conversations and encounters with some of the local residents. The students were quite inspiring as they were so bold in their approach to people and the amazing thing was that most people that we talked to were really responsive and genuinely wanted to talk. There were a number of healings experienced by our group whilts praying for folk and we will share these with you when we return.

I have been enjoying swimming in the mornings which is a good fresh start to the day but I am still finding that i am waking up at between 4 and 5am and not being able to get back to sleep. So I get up and have a swim instead!

Last night we were invited to the house of a lovely family who are members of Bethel and had a meal with them. Dave Webster and I ended up challenging their 3 boys to a game of golf on their Wii which was fun!

Missing Lena and the girls so much and looking forward to seeing them next week.

Well, got to go now to the morning session so see you all later.

Love Julian

Annu's American Adventures

Well I have finally managed to get the laptop off those happy bloggers (sounds kinda like happy slappers) from MFC to keep you up to date with my adventures. Firstly, I must tell Garry and Shakira, I miss you both so much and I love you. Garry I am having so much trouble sleeping without you and I find that time the hardest, I even miss your snoring! God must be doing miracles. Please pray you all, as they say here, I have not slept more than 4 hours a night.

Well there is so much to tell, I am just gonna pick my favourite bits. We are having so much "fun" as a team and it is such a laugh. I thought I might feel a bit intimidated by so many leaders of churches, but you know what they are so ordinary and so much fun, in fact they behave so silly. They remind me of my class of children on a school trip all messing around and teasing each other. There's this guy, Dale from Oxted, he's a hoot. As you can imagine it is infectious and we all keep messing around and I am so enjoying that. By the way, I was not trying to stab Gordon Natalie, he and Adam had just had a "Brutus Burger" and I was recreating the scene of Brutus stabbing Julius Caesar, as you do.

Sharing a room with Helen has been so much fun. Steve, you would not believe how incredibly tidy she is here. Her side is immaculate, mine is like a bomb has hit it and I have not even unpacked half of my suitcase. Helen says she is not like this at home and I am always tidy at home, it is like complete role reversal! It has been good just sharing stuff and being the Bethel girls.

We went on a treasure hunt yesterday and my team ended up praying with loads of people and I was so encouraged that so many of our clues were accurate. The teaching here is amazing and I have been spolit for a taste of something new, which I so desire to carry in my life and call out the gold in others.

Yesterday, a few of us met with Teresa and went through some Sozo trouble shooting and I sat in on a Sozo and also recieved a Sozo.In fact recieving, that word seems to encapsulate my experience here. Last night, my friend Sue, who is part of the Bethel Sozo team took me out for dinner with her husband and they so loved and blessed me, they spoke so much encouragement and direction to me and prayed for me. I was in tears as they just poured love into my life. It was so special and an experience I will treasure forever.

Natalie and Lena, we are bringing back changed men and husbands to you. Lena, when Julian came out of his Sozo, he was radiant, I have never seen him like it and he is so relaxed and funny, God has truly met with him! Nat, Gordy has been transformed!!!! God had met with him in a way you will discover in the fullness of time, but he has not stopped eating chocolate, cakes and biscuits bigger than dinner plates. Lord have mercy!

Well for all of those concerned about my hair, thanks so much because our hair drier miraculously started working. There is a God! Now I have straightners too, but then the rain came and ..... I turned into a frizz ball anyway. God has a sense of humour!

Love to you all, church family, friends and loved ones,
Annu x x x

Thursday already - where is the time going?

Hello everyone,

As I write (having come back from a lovely evening spent with one of the families in the church), some of you will be beginning to stir back in UK. It's 6.15am, according to my 'cell phone' (I'm picking up the local lingo) which is still on UK time. But here in Califormnia it is 10.15pm so soon we will all be asleep. How amazing that the Lord cares for us all, speaks to and holds us, challenges and blesses us, just as we need. His kindness is mind blowing.

Today we heard from Kevin Dedmon, the man who wrote 'The Treasure Hunt'. He was full of wisdom and insight. There is a great deal of joy amongst the people here, and this man excels in it. Our treasure hunt - in some drizzly rain, unfortunately - was good. We met 3 lots of people who we prayed with, all of whom were blessed in various ways. Quite a few of our clues fitted them, so it was very encouraging.

Have to close now as I'm geting tired. As you are getting up for your Friday, we are going to sleep. Have a great day, as we have a great sleep!
loads of love
Helen

PS> Great to talk to you today, Steve. Annu laughed at me jumping up and down for joy, and said it was really sweet. Praying for you as you prepare for Sunday. xxx

Good, profound, fun and positive

Athe restaurant last night, While setting up the camera it accidently went off and caught Annu trying to stab Gordon in the neck! (Helen had an early night)

Here's a list of some of the things I have found good, profound,fun and positive over the last couple of days:

1. Getting all your comments back. We miss you all and our families especially x. We would love you to all be with us, but getting the comments back is great. We read them all even though they might not all get individual responses. Keep them coming, it's good to know you are there and that you can share in our experience.

2. Finding a way this morning to get two more strokes in the pool which only takes five strokes to reach the end! By going diagonal. Julian and I had a quick swim this morning before breakfast, we haven't seen anyone else at all in there!

3. Spending time with the others here, from our church and the other churches. It's good to be in another setting together.

4. Seeing one person after another in our teaching/school who carry the same dna and love teh presence of God but are very different characters. Some are loud and 'crazy' (some might say!) whereas others are quiet and gentle. None come across as being copies of Bill Johnson but many have a powerful supernatural ministry which they work out in their own setting. The way they work together and honour one another is healthy.

5 Hearing Joaquin and Chris yesterday. Two guys who oversee the healing rooms and pastoral visiting and hospital visits. They clearly love Jesus and brought his presence tangibly into the room. Chris then shared about visiting the sick in hospitals and in the community and spoke about dealing with those that are not healed. It was a profound message as he has seen 100's of people healed of serious illnesses including cerebal palsy, but not all are healed. He spoke of how he had been ministering to a girl for 13 years with cerebal palsy who had not been healed - his daughter! He was very real about the struggles and spoke about needing to encourage himself, not lower his expectation.

6. Being reminded again how it is about the presence of God. Much of what is heard from a distance from Bethel focuses on healing as that is a major part of Bill Johnson's ministry and what is seen in the church. But it is not about healing but the presence of God and building a church which carries the presence of God in tangible ways. We have heard about how they visit the poor and feed them, take sunday school out to the streets to reach the children and how they clear up houses and doing ironing for people. How building loving communities and sorting out marriage and families are a priority. It's really not just about healing and having a good experience of God in meetings. That comes accross very clearly. It's difficult to appreciate that from a distance.

7. Quotes:

As we were led into a ministry/receiving time: 'Seriousness is not a fruit of the Spirit.'

Testimony of someone who became a christian 'I followed the happy people up the hill' (the church is at the top of a hill!)

8. Seeing how much of what we have been preaching on over the last few months and this year chimes with much of what we are hearing. It's a bit like being with people who have entered into a dimension and experience of the kingdom of God that you have seen from distance and spoken about but not actually lived there yet.

9. Being encouraged and confirmed personally by what I am hearing. In alot of the sessions I find myself becoming emotional in. I'm not really sure why, but I find that my eyes well up alot as i'm hearing things. I feel as if my spirit is leaping around within me all the time and that I love God. I'm taken aback by how good he is and the reality of his kingdom that is actually here. Yesterday I felt a sense of God's heat and fire on me in one of the sessions, it's as if it is always deep inside and then at moments is suddenly unlocked and floods out.

10. Having others from the church here with me. It's far better to have others to receive and then bring back. It does feel more strategic. It's been encouraging to see how God is speaking to and meeting with the others from M.F.C. They are all open and hungry for more of God.

Love, Adam

Wednesday in Bethel

Outside the Prayer House


Hi all - its been another great day in Bethel! We have all been experiencing God's blessing today especially both Gordon and I who have been sozo'd.

Before commenting on today I want to just mention a ministry time yesterday. We were all encouraged to write a message from the Father to each of us personally, waiting on God to reveal what he had to say. I found this wonderfully releasing as the Father spoke His love into my life and then I shared this with the group of 3 others in our group. They then prayed and prophesied over me and the sense of God's love was overwhelming - wonderful stuff! Just at this point, the ministry team was released on us and they started praying over each of us in the group, which meant that our prayer time became a powerful experience of God's presence with plenty of joy and laughter (this features a lot in the ministry times here at Bethel).

This was all preparation for me for the Sozo that I went through this morning. The others went off to their first meeting with Chris Overstreet while I went to the ministry rooms for my Sozo. I went in with such a sense of anticipation as I had been preparing for this over the previous week. I found that through this process God reached deep into my life and dealt with issues from my past in such a way that I found a deep sense of release and new life and joy flowing in the place of past hurts. It was great to see the way God did this so well and with such love.

Today we have been hearing about evangelism to children (like the kids clubs that many NF churches run) and this afternoon we have received ministry from the those who head up the healing room ministry at Bethel. So exciting to hear about how they send teams into hospitals and homes to pray for the sick in response to requests received.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to hearing from Kevin Dedmon on Treasure Hunts and we will actually be going out with the teams on the streets to experience this first hand - pray for us! Great to see all your responses on the blog and please keep them coming as this is really encouraging to us all.

Note to Lena and the girls - thanks for all the lovely notes in my bag! Really exciting to keep finding these little notes from each of you as I take out my shirts in the morning! Thanks also for your notes on the blog - missing you all so much so keep blogging.

Much love, Julian

Good Day and Good Sleep

Lunchtime in the Sun. It was about 20 degrees. Nice. But should be a bit more dull today! Just behind Annu's head is Mount Shasta. Covered in snow.

Good Morning, Julian and I slept better last night. Probably about 7-8 hours in total as the first night was a bit broken. Body clocks adjusting and all that. Julian went off for a quick morning swim at about 6am.

Yesterday was a great day. I felt God speaking to me and there were a couple of accurate prophetic words shared in the small group we broke into.

If we had to come home now I would feel that i've already received quite enough from God to be getting on with!

Julian and Gordon are both having Sozo's this morning. We are going off now as Julian is booked in for 8.30am.

Bye, Love to all, Adam

News from the Bethel Girls

Hi everyone back home!

I am having a fab time just soaking up all that is Bethel. We are having real fun as a team just hanging out together and doing stuff. The flights were good and I stayed awake until we arrived at Redding airport which looks like a Doctor's waiting room, and fell into a deep sleep waiting for Adam to get the hire car!! Gordon has a photo of me asleep and if he tries to bribe anyone with it, do not pay for it.



Helen and I are sharing a room and I feel I need to tell the world that Helen does not have "Delicate Lady snores" as her husband describes them, and has not snored at all! Gordy just will not stop eating chocolate. Natalie, today he ate the biggest mint choc chip brownie, with sprinkles, known to man. Julian and I are modelling healthy eating and are going to start a sticker chart soon, as we are so pleased with our selves for being good, may God give us grace to keep this up and a gift of humility. Susie, as your friend I want you to know that Adam is eating whatever he wants! For all those concerned about hair in America you would not believe it, after all the saga I went through to get straighteners that work in the states, today our hair drier would not work, so I just had to be "Curly". Well God is teaching me to be open and transparent and not worry about being a Frizz ball!

On the serious side, it is truly amazing being in a place where wisdom seems to exude out of everyone. I have been deeply challenged by the openess and honesty of people to share the nitty gritty details of their lives and how much I have not seen this model of church before. Today Danny Silk shared about the story of Joseph and Jacob, one I had read thousands of times and pulled such simple truth out of it, I could not believe I had not seen it before.

When we were eating lunch outside the Prayer house, in the sunshine, looking at Bethel and just looking at the mountain ranges, I nearly pinched myself thinking, I can't believe I am here, little old me. It is so weird to sit in the same room that you have seen loads of times in the Bethel DVD's and walk around the church that you've heard so much about and now I'm here, what a gift.

The stuff Lori shared about their core groups was so insightful and wise. I can feel a sense of stirring comin on....... watch this space!..............

Stay connected and blog back real soon,
love to ya all,
Annu

Day One of the Course

It has been an excellent first day here.

I want to say a little about the middle session of the day although each one has been so good I could write for ages about them all!

The person leading (Lori Bryne - Community Pastor, who heads up Small groups and 'Core ' Groups) asked us to invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us those things that the Lord wanted to say to us right then. We were in groups of 4, men together or women together. With 'soaking' music playing, each of us wrote down our letter from God. Then we shared what the Spirit had said to us and the other 3 prayed and shared. We had prophetic words for each other and ministered through the contents of the letters. It's was so powerful yet 'easy' in the sense that the letters themselves just flowed, and the ministry was very moving even though we were deliberately put with people we didn't know. For each of us in our group the things shared by the others were confirmations of stuff in their lives or areas they had been asking God about. Very simple, but powerful.

The church 'campus' is lovely. Since the weather was beautiful today - very warm and bright sunshine - we had our lunch outside in the gardens around the Prayer Centre. I felt so grateful to be here in such a beautiful place enjoying the Lord's kindness to us. I have felt all day that the Lord is giving me presents - good sleep, (an answer to prayer, see my no. 2 item below, thank you!) wonderful teaching sessions, generous and considerate care from the staff here, such a beautiful landscape of mountains around us and glorious weather to enjoy. Thank you, Jesus!

Lots of love to you all - we are thinking of you!
Helen

Good Morning USA

Howdy par'dners!

It's 08:15 Tuesday morning in sunny Redding, California!

Had a great sleep in a massive bed after changing rooms yesterday as the original bed was designed for 'little' people - Sharing with a chap called George who's very nice despite his passion for Crystal Palace FC!

Attached are a couple of pictures from our jaunt out into San Francisco - Couldn't believe I was actually there looking at the Golden Gate bridge, very surreal after being awake for 24 hours, but great fun!

Really looking forward to today, meeting downstairs in lobby in approx 15 mins to jump in the cars and head off for my first experience of Bethel, a place I've heard and read lots about but have yet to taste and feel, but going expectant and everyone was buzzing at breakfast this morning about starting what we've come here for!

Will keep you all posted... Much love,

Gordon

Action Snaps

Gordon & Julian on the 10hour flight from Heathrow to San Francisco. Still looking okay!


Adam swinging his bag up after getting off a tram in San Francisco!


Gordon, Julian, Annu & Helen standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge which can't be seen very well because it was early evening. It is there. Honest!

Annu & Helen on the way to the airport in the minibus from the car park

We're here!

Just a quick one to say hello and we've arrived safely. We are just about to head off to bed! We all managed to stay awake, but a couple were flagging and dropping off in the car on the way to the hotel and on the final flight.

The flights were all on time and good, we arrived early on all of them so had time to spare.

While waiting in San Francisco for the next flight, we managed to escape out from the airport and went into the city for a short time. Having a fun ride on a tram which took us up and down the steep roads. Rather like a rollercoaster.

We landed in Redding at about 9pm which would be 5am UK time. Then waited for about 30mins to sort the car hire about, we got to the hotel about 10pm.

Gordon has gone into another room as the third bed option was not very good! It was a bit cramped and the mattress was thin so you could feel the springs underneath it. Another guy had the same problem and so they've got another room together while Julian and I are sharing in the original room.

The hotel is sufficient for our needs, but............................it does not have anything within walking distance such as restuarants and it has no bar or area to congregate in which is a shame, as this is useful in the evenings.

Who is actually going from other newfrontiers churches?

You may find it helpful and interesting to see who is going from other churches, well there's 25 people from North Kent, Surrey, Wales & France. We expect about 40 in total on the school so we will take up most of the room!

Paul Barratt – Lead elder Jubilee Church, Croydon
Iain Quick – Elder, Jubilee Church, Croydon
George Sharp - Lead elder, New Addington Church
Adam Voke – Lead elder, Medway Family Church
Julian Perry – Elder, Medway Family Church
Helen Gallagher – Staff/Sozo/Small Groups/Admin - Medway Family Church
Gordon Watson - Leadership Trainee, Medway Family Church
Annu Butler-Kania – Children’s Leader/Sozo/Small Groups - Medway Family Church
Dave Pike – Lead Elder, Hope Church, Cardiff
Joey & Helen Bowers – Leadership Team, Hope Church, Cardiff
Mark & Julie Hewett - Lead Elder, Sevenoaks
Adam Northcroft – Leadership Team, Sevenoaks
Simon Lock –Leadership Team, Lingfield/Oxted
Steve Williams – Elder, Oxted
Dale Barlow – Lead Elder, Oxted
Pete Carter – Lead Elder, New Ash Green
Dave Webster – Elder, New Ash Green
Donna King – Pastoral/Small Groups, New Ash Green
Craig Spickernel – Leadership Team, Tonbridge Church Plant/Tunbridge Wells
Steve McVeigh – Leadership Team, Tunbridge Wells
Gordon & Kerry Neale – Leader, Paris Church Plant
Johan – Leadership Team/Worship – Paris Church Plant

Only One Day to Go...

Helen here, adding my thoughts to the mix.

I am excited about going to Bethel... and nervous. At this stage in getting ready for a trip I generally don't want to go - there's too much to do and I'm dis-inclined to leave the security of hearth & home. But on the other hand, I am excited to see the Californian church community on the ground and explore what they have built together. I am hungry for more of the presence and grace of God in my life. I am hungry for us at MFC to discover more of the good things that God has prepared for us.... it's an adventure! And as the explorer Mallory said, "The greatest danger in life lies in not taking the adventure." So, onward and upward - and back to the packing!

Flights & Programme .

Flights:
There: Monday 19th Jan. Leave at 1.20pm from Heathrow T1. arrive at 4.30pm in San Francisco T1 - Leave at 7.55pm to Redding. Arrive at Redding at 9.00pm.

Back: Monday 26th Leave at 3.36pm from Redding. Arrive at 4.45pm in San Francisco T3. Leave at 6.58pm from San Francisco. Arrive at 1.25pm in Heathrow T1 on Tues 27th Jan.

School of Transformation Phase 3 –programme

Meeting in the hospitality suite 9am-5pm Tuesday – Friday.

Tuesday-Jan 20th

9am-10:30am - Danny Silk, Assoc Leader/Pastor
10:45-Noon - Lori Byrne Session 1 (Home groups & Core group)
Noon - Lunch
1pm-2:30pm - Lori Byrne Session 2
3pm-4:30pm - Lori Byrne Session 34:30-5pm - Danny Silk

Wednesday-Jan 21st

9am-10:30am - Chris Overstreet Session 1 (Evangelism & Outreach, power evangelism)
10:45am-noon - Chris Overstrees Session 2
Noon - Lunch
1pm-2:30pm - Joaquin Evans (Healing rooms)
3pm-4:30pm - Chris Gore (Pastor On Call/Hospital visits)
4:30pm-5pm - Danny Silk

Thursday-Jan 22nd

9am- Kevin Dedmon – Evangelist (taking teams on Treasure hunts)
Noon - Lunch
1pm-2:30pm - Marla Baum (Intercession)
3pm-5pm - Kris Vallotton – Assoc. Leader, Prophet

Friday-Jan 23rd

9am-noon - Jon Thompson (Redding Transformation)
Noon - Lunch
1pm-2:30pm - Testimonies
3pm-5pm - Prophetic ministry with Dawna DeSilva and Faith Blatchford (Sozo Team)

Also for M.F.C. team:

Weds 21st
8.30am & 10.30am - Personal Sozo's sessions for those booked in.

Thurs 22nd
noon – Sozo team to meet with Dawna/Teresa at the ‘Transformation Centre’ to discuss Sozo ministry in more detail and give feedback from our training in the UK.

Saturday 24th
9.00- 10.30am – Visit to healing rooms on site.

Sunday 25th
9.15am – Visit to children’s/youth ministry for relevant team members
10.45am – Main Sunday Worship meeting/Visit to children’s church for relevant team members
5.00pm – Prayer meeting
6.00pm – Evening meeting

Points for prayer

Back: Annu, Gordon, Helen

Front: Julian, Adam

Following our team preparation meeting where we we went throught finer details of our programme, confirmed arrangements and prayed, here's a few prayer points for prayer now and while we are away from each of the team.

As well as praying for a safe and good journey, quick time adjustment, God to speak to us and deposit many things in us that we can bring back, please pray for the following more personal things:

Helen

1. That I will receive a clear confirmation from God of my future role, activities, call it what you will. I feel I am straddling too many things at the moment...

2. That I will receive what I need to throughout the week, and not get too fatigued by travel and being in a new environment.

Annu

1. For all to go well with Garry and Shakira while I am away. Garry has a very sressful job and I have tried to oragnise all I can at home, but he will have to work, run the home and look after Shakira and serve in his usual roles. I would like things just to run smoothly for them. I am struggling with the whole idea of being away from them as i am so used to doing things with them!

2. For real insight, wisdom and knowledge and equipping in areas where I serve, especially children's work, Sozo ministry and Small group leading. I would like God to bring clear direction for my life and to encounter him in a way I have never done before. I want to recieve everything possible!

Gordon

1. That God would help me to see myself more through his eyes and that there would be a breaking off of 'dead branches' that hinder me.

2. For God to 're-wire' me so that I can be even more effective in receiving and walking into all he has for me in the future.

Julian

1. For a powerful personal Sozo session. That God would use this to deal with things from the past, give fresh revelation and bring new breakthrough.

2. An increase in evangelistic passion and anointing. New confidence in the gospel and God's Spirit at work.

Adam

1. That God would give some clear direction and practical wisdom for the many things we are moving into and looking to develop this year as a church. The sort of things that were covered on the vision evening. Gospel & Spirit, Community, Getting on mission etc.

2. For God to meet with me personally in a way that will move me into a new place. A recent prophetic word I received from someone hinted at this. I would love to have a fresh baptistm of the Holy Spirit.

Annu excited about Bethel!!!

Hi fellow bloggers,
I am just posting my first message "Officially" on any blog! Whoaa!
We have just had our Bethel planning meeting at our house and am excited about the Itinerary, sounds like it is going to be an action packed week at the Transformation centre. Pray that we recieve all that we can.
Annu

The Official Lowdown

We are sending a team of 5 people from Medway Family Church to Bethel Church in Redding, California on 19th January until 26th January 2009 (arriving back on Tues 27th).

The people in the team are :

• Adam Voke - Lead Elder
• Julian Perry - Elder
• Helen Gallagher - Administrator / Small Group Leader / Sozo Team
• Annu Butler-Kania - Childrens Work / Small Group Leader / Sozo Team
• Gordon Watson - Church Leadership Trainee / Small Group Leader / Childrens Work

(Also from within Newfrontiers there are about 20 other leaders from North Kent, Surrey and Wales. )

Why is this group of people going?
Primarily for strategic reasons, hopefully it will give a wide impact across the different groups and ministries that we currently have within the church. The team are people who are already involved in leading areas which will benefit the wider church. The benefits will then be more readily available, applied and shared.

The members of the team are also people that have already had exposure to teaching from Bethel, from books and audio sermons so they won't be starting from scratch with the things we will be learning and exposed to.

Conveniently those going were available at short notice to get time away from their everyday roles.

Funding & Costs: Some maybe interested in how these sorts of things are funded. There is no set pattern but on this occassion much of the cost will be funded by the individuals going, with a previously agreed amount being covered by the church.

What are we going to do there?
We are enrolled in Phase 3 of the Transformation School which takes place from Tuesday to Friday (9am-5pm). The school focus will be on such things as Small Groups, impacting the community, outreach, evangelism (such as treasure hunts) and it also will involve ministry and impartation.

(Phase 1 which was for church elders/pastors was completed by Adam and Julian in Feb 2007 at Bethel and Phase 2 which focused on healing/deliverance/freedom ministries was undertaken at Sevenoaks in the UK in July 2008.)

Annu, Julian and Gordon will each be having personal Sozo sessions out there. This will help immensely as they will then have more in depth personal experience of this ministry.

We will also be meeting with Teresa/Dawna from the Bethel Sozo team for further discussion about establishing this ministry following our training in Medway and the feedback received.

Annu will hopefully be spending much of her time undertaking further Sozo training, sitting in on sessions for on the job training. Adam and Helen may also sit in too where time allows.

We will also be visiting their Healing Rooms on the Saturday.

Annu and Gordon will be visiting the children’s work on Sunday morning and speaking to leaders there as we review and develop our children’s work this year.

We will also be attending the Sunday prayer meeting & the main church meetings (am & pm.)

Everything we are going to be experiencing and looking at feeds into much of what we are looking to develop this year at MFC – i.e. Sozo, Children’s work, Life in the Spirit, Outreach - on the streets.

We feel it will encourage and build up those who are leading which will in turn benefit others.
It will also greatly develop relationships and teamwork amongst the leaders whilst we are away together and it will help us as leaders to help the church to then ultimately help Medway!

What will we do when we get back?
We will aim to feedback to the church over the next couple of Sunday’s after our return. Then review all that we have covered and been exposed to. We will keep hold of what is relevant and helpful and right for us and leave the rest!

We are certainly not seeking to carbon-copy everything we see at Bethel, but to learn from them, from their experiences, particularly in the areas we are wishing to make changes. We feel that they have real insight in a number of areas in relation to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and how this works out in building a local church, we feel this can help us as a church.

A previous visit Oct 07

The group who visited in Oct 07 for the Open Heavens conference. From newfrontiers churches North Kent, France and Wales.

Receiving ministry and prayer following a conference session

The 24 hour prayer centre built on Bethel site

The front of the main building at Bethel Church.