An Adventure in Ministry

It has been a while since I came back from the riverbank conference, a fantastic weekend for women of The Salvation Army, but I am still processing the truth that I heard and how I can apply it to my life as a minister in Macclesfield. One of my highlights (although there were lots of highlights) was the teaching of Dr Helen Paynter. In her second teaching session she focused on some of the women in the early church who are mentioned in the bible. She took us on a fascinating journey back through time to explore each of  these powerful women who were used by God and how they did great things because  ‘Nobody told her she couldn’t’ We were reminded that Pentecost included women, that the book of acts included many women who helped grow the church and that beyond the bible there were many extraordinary women who were used by God in a mighty way. Helen also challenged us to consider that the church today should include women, and as women of God in The Salvation Army,  that ...

  This last week has been an interesting week in ministry and it has been a real challenge to juggle our mission of helping the needy in our community, especially the homeless.   Jesus says in Matthew 25:35-36: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” The salvation army has always encouraged its people to look after and minister to the people who are often forgotten in society. Its founder William Booth felt passionately about caring for peoples physical needs as well as its practical needs. He once said: ‘What is the use of preaching the Gospel to men whose whole attention is concentrated upon a mad, desperate struggle to keep themselves alive?’ However, as is often the case when we are doing God’s work, the enemy doesn’t like it. Unsurprisingly, as we star...

As I have mentioned in a previous post, one of the joys I have in supporting the tech team at the conference is that I get to sit at the back and close to the lakeside. At times it isn't so great as I get so enthralled in the things going on in the lake outside that I forget to do my job inside! However sitting by the ‘riverbank’ has given me so much joy!  In the lake are some absolutely huge fish and throughout the weekend I was fascinated by their behaviour.  Watching the fish in the lake looking for food, I saw three types of fish. 1. Floating below the radar. These fish seemed happy floating underneath the surface of the water feeding on the crumbs that drop from the surface of the water. They are close enough to the surface to feel the warmth of the sun, but not close enough to break the surface. 2. Snacking on the surface. These fish are happy to get closer to the surface, sometimes sticking their heads above the water in order to be fed. They don’t mind being seen and a...

  I have recently returned from a fantastic weekend at the riverbank, a conference for women within The Salvation Army and I had such a brilliant time. The fellowship was sweet, the worship was spirit-filled and the teaching challenging, and I am only beginning to unpack all that God did over our time together. Today I am thinking about the keynote speaker Dr Helen Paynter who powerfully brought us the story of Esther - a woman in the bible who discovered she can! Dr Helen Paynter presented the account of Esther in a fresh light showing the tyranny of the powers of the day and how her story was truly one of resilience and pain. She talked about the call on her life to make a stand for God and how in spite of the barriers, she gave her risky yes.  While talking about the call on Esther’s life, Helen used a phrase that has been bouncing about in my mind for a little while, and one that I felt God had been challenging me with. This is the command of “Speaking Truth to power.” Est...

  I have recently returned from the powerful Riverbank conference, a weekend away for women in The Salvation Army in the UK. The weekend was packed full of worship, community and above all truth and I am still trying to unpack it all. Today I have been thinking about our first evening at the Riverbank and the life transforming message of Major David Betteridge the Director of Family ministries  Before David came to speak to us we spent some time in worship and we sung this years ‘theme song’ for the conference. The words were striking and seemed to provide the scaffold for all the words of truth that we would hear throughout the weekend. One of the verses said: Thou are the bread of life, O lord, to me,  Thy Holy word and truth, That saveth me; Give me to eat and live With thee above; Teach me to love Thy truth,  For thou art love.  What a profound statement “Teach me to Love Thy truth, for thou art love.” As I sang those words, little did I know what liberating...

  I have just returned from a truly special and spirit-filled weekend at The Salvation Army’s women conference called the riverbank. Often when we think about time spent at a riverbank we think of words such as refreshment, rest and restoration and this year the conference did all this for me and more besides. This year’s conference theme was ‘Truth be told’ and to start off my recap series I thought I should take the time to tell “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!”  The truth is I almost didn’t make it to the riverbank! up until 3pm on the Friday afternoon (and the conference started at 4pm!) I didn’t know if I would be at the conference or in the hospital awaiting surgery! At the beginning of May I had undergone an operation on my back and there had been a number of post-op complications.The last few weeks had been painful,  (both physically and emotionally) Frustrating and confusing and it had been a steep learning curve for me about trusting in God...