City Church is part of a family of churches together on a mission

We are a member of the Evangelical Alliance and part of Together in Christ—churches working together on Tyneside. Our office is at The CastleGate, Melbourne Street, Newcastle, NE1 2JQ ~ 0191 233 2288 ~ office@city-church.co.uk ~ www.city-church.co.uk

Book Review: ‘Everyone Bible Study Guides: Hebrews’:

Tom Wright My husband would tell you that I am quite an avid reader of books but of a rather lightweight kind compared to his. However, as we are looking at the book of Hebrews in church on Sunday mornings, I dared to dip into Tom Wright’s study on Hebrews and discovered it wasn’t quite as ‘heavy’ as I had imagined. In fact, it made very easy reading and contained some real gems of explanation! For the last few months this book has been my daily scripture reading and I have really enjoyed it. In fact, although I don’t usually go along with marking passages in a book, I have succumbed in this case and each page has at least one or two marks in the margin. Of course the Kindle addition doesn’t allow you to do this yet, so why not try the original paper edition; read and mark those wonderful words of wisdom which you can refer to on future occasions. Remember this is Tom Wright (not N T Wright for the theologians amongst us!), it makes easy reading and there are copies available from the bookstall at the back of the meeting on a Sunday morning. Linda Le Dune

Flat to Let: * Two bedroom, first floor flat in Pelaw, £450 pcm, metro station & local shops nearby, excellent condition. Contact James Faraday on 0775 1730 701.

* Two bedroom flat in Rodsley Avenue, Gateshead. Close to leisure centre and buses. Excellent condition. £425pcm. Contact Adrian Smith on 0773 6354 659.

Rooms to Let: * 1 room to let in a family home in Sunderland, £280 pcm incl. bills. Contact Sam Dobson for more details on 0798 5921 659.

* 1 room for female in a 3 bedroom upper flat available. £240 pcm plus bills. Contact Hannah on 0771 6368 932.

Are you a refugee in need of accommodation? We specialise in letting private rented residential property to refugees in flexible & affordable ways.

For details of our latest properties available see www.actionletting.org.uk or call 0191 231 3113

Sponsored run/walk—Sat 30th June

Would you like to take part in the 4k or 10k Challenge in the

beautiful Derbyshire Peak District to raise funds for Action

Foundation? For more info about the event see

www.smallcharitychallenge.org . To register contact 0191 231 3113

or fundraising@actionfoundation.org.uk

The Big Lunch As part of the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations she has asked if the whole country can join together in hosting the BIG LUNCH on Sunday 3rd June and invite their neighbours and friends to eat together. The Hope organisation with Mike Pilavachi ( Soul Survivor), has produced leaflets and online resources to help us in this at: www.hopetogether.org.uk . Amongst other things, they have a sheet where children can write thank you messages and prayers to the Queen and these will be sent to Buckingham palace. For more information, pick up a leaflet from the welcome desk on a Sunday morning! Gill Longfield

Quality Toys for older boys needed!!! We have limited toys for older boys for Hullabaloo on a Sunday morning. Do you have anything you could donate? Specifically, lego, a racing track of some kind and a playstation 2 with age appropriate games. If you can help in any way please text Shelley on 07974 937492

With Special Guests: Stuart Townend Strings of the All Souls Orchestra North East Churches Choir Featuring City Church’s Acappella Worship Band!

Thursday 7th June, 7.30pm Gateshead, The Sage Ticket Office: Tel 0191 443 4661 or online at the-sagegateshead.org

Hullabaloo Sundays Information Evening Monday 18th June 7.30pm (at Shelley Drury’s house) At Hullabaloo Sundays we want to see Children meet with Jesus and live their lives for him. We are meeting together to pray and hear what we are going to be doing next. If you would like to find out what we do and enjoy tasty puddings (no pressure to join the team) then please text Shelley on 07974 937492.

CD Review: ‘A Lick and a Promise’: The Situation ‘The Situation’ is a great new band with

musicians from our very own City Church! All the tracks are written and produced by the band, making ‘A Lick and a Promise’ a brilliantly original blues/rock album. Gaz Brown provides the wide variety of vocals; from the growling, prodigal-son inspired ‘Beast I Am’ to the laid back blues tones of ‘Torn Up’, and plays the rhythm guitar and even a dash of harmonica. Ross Hill joins Gaz on the rhythm guitar, and also takes up lead guitar; with some classic rock and blues licks. Alex Underwood is on bass guitar supplying the band with a solid foundation to their groove and rhythm, throwing in some funky runs along the way complemented by James van Tuyl on drums. There’s even a guest appearance from the talented Matt Isherwood on synths and keys! From the guitar solos of ‘Right Now’ to the slower stripped back ‘Until the End’, ‘A Lick and a Promise’ has something for everyone! Check them out at: www.facebook.com/thesituationofficial or catch one of the band on a Sunday morning for your copy of their CD– only £4!!

My friend died last month. He was not quite my age. I’m so sad about it, mostly for his wife Julie and their four kids. The suddenness and finality of it really gets to you. Death hurts. However loss like this, painful though it is, can also in a strange way be a friend. Through the pain and sorrow, death of someone we love speaks. It speaks to us that some things in life matter a whole lot more than other things. Keeping your eye on the things that matter is tricky. There are myriads of distractions all competing for a piece of our attention. But it is love, grace, forgiveness, kindness, understanding, cheerfulness, and faith. These are the things that really matter. Death affects everything, not just the people we live with and love. Relationships change. Jobs change. Hopes can die. Businesses can fold. Children stop being children. We are subject to forces of change and decay all the time. Thank God he is sovereign. Thank God our true hope does not rest in the here and now but in God and all that he holds in his hands. In my life I’m seeing a lot of change. Some of it is sad. But a lot of it contains a strong note of hope and promise of new things.

We are sending James and Sarah to lead County Church in Bedlington. This is a big step of faith for them. We would love some people to go with them. Maybe that is you? That church needs strengthening. But their step forward is also a huge loss to us. God’s kingdom is not pain free. We belong to a family of churches called newfrontiers. We’ve been part of it for over twenty-five years. Heather and I have many good friends all over the world. Like all families it has some short comings. But it has also been a place of blessing and source of many good things. Now it is all changing. Instead of there being one group of churches in the UK, we are going to be at least five. Terry Virgo, who has been the father of the family, and the one around whom everyone gathered, has now stepped back from his long held leadership role. Other leaders and teams are emerging. Churches will connect with different people now. We won’t actually notice much change as the person we are connected to and served by will remain the same. David Devenish has been a friend of our church for years. He’ll be here again for a day in June

giving the leadership team accountability and helping us move forwards. He will be here for a weekend in September. We are going to get much more involved in all that he is doing. So far about sixty churches in the UK and over three hundred round the world are going to be doing the same. Many of those churches are in the Russian speaking world, the Balkans and the Muslim world. In all the pressure of change, it is actually quite exciting. I’ve become personally very involved in helping David shape things up. It is quite a difficult and painful time for him. We have a lot to offer beyond ourselves. I can see a new horizon coming where all kinds of things start happening that are resourced out from us. I went to one meeting where I got invited to go to Bosnia, Burma and Tanzania all on the same day! I am not sure what God is saying to me about any of that. But I am sure of one thing. Heather and I are called very strongly to Newcastle and the North East of England. I do not want to get distracted from that. In fact I want to do it more. There is a city that needs to be saved. That must remain my priority.

In a rather unexpected way I have also become something of a father to other church leaders in the city, some of whom are older than me! I’ve helped set up the Christian Leaders Network, a new mentoring and training network for church leaders in the region. I help lead the Tyneside Leaders Forum which gathers church leaders right across the Evangelical spectrum, from the most ardent charismatic to the most staunch conservative. Following the Atrium Project, we are now the venue of choice for many larger Christian events. We have a big role to play in bringing the whole church together. The kingdom of God does not advance without pain. The cross of Christ makes that very clear. Death is a terrible enemy, and one that will only be defeated when Jesus brings in the fullness of resurrection life that will change the whole of creation, not just him. Right now we are called to sow our lives to serve him. From that a great harvest is coming. Those that sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. Ian

Unless a grain falls…

May/June 2012 Newsletter

June Diary 2012

Fri 1 9.45am CityBugs– Teddy Bear Picnic

Sun 3 10.30am Church Together

Mon 4– Tues 5

Bank Holiday

CastleGate Closed

Fri 8 No CityBugs

Sat 9 Luke & Lesley’s Wedding

Sun 10 10.45am 7.00pm

Church Together Healing Prayer 1

Thurs 14 7.00pm Art Workshop

Fri 15 9.45am CityBugs

Sun 17 10.30am 7.00pm

Church Together– Fathers Day Healing Prayer 2

Thurs 21 7.00pm Art Workshop

Fri 22 9.45am CityBugs

Sun 24 10.30am 7.00pm

Church Together– Baptisms Healing Prayer 3

Thurs 28 7.00pm 7.30pm

Art Workshop AF Prayer meeting

Fri 29 9.45am 7.30pm

CityBugs Birds and Bhuna

Doug Richard at Web Fuelled Business

Lost in Translation Circus

Ladies! Have we got a night for you! On Friday 29th June we are having a girls only curry and comedy night ‘Birds and Bhuna’. Following the recent success of the Blokes and Balti night which saw over 200 guys fill the Turbine Hall and raving about for weeks after, we thought we couldn’t let the boys get away with having all the fun! Joining us will be John Archer one a few class acts to make it through to Las Vegas on ITV’s ‘Penn and Teller: Fool Us’ and reports tell me he is fall off your chair funny. So be prepared to bring your best snorts; or may be that’s just me! The Days of Raj will be providing us a 2 course Indian meal catering for Vegetarians and Carnivores alike and with a

free glass on wine on arrival I don’t think it can get much better! Tickets are £15 full price / £12.50 for concessions before the 4th June and £17.50 full price / £15 for concessions thereafter. Why not book a table for you and your friends and make it a work night out / an end of term party for the school mums / finishing exams celebration or city group social. You can book tickets by emailing birdsandbhuna@gmail.com or purchase at the Birds and Bhuna stand at the back of church most Sundays running up to the event. Look forward to seeing you there! Steph Lumsdon

God wants intimate friendship with you. This is why you’re here. Above everything else the reason God made you was just for the joy of knowing you and being known by you. Knowing’ in Hebrew is a very intimate concept. In Genesis it says “Adam knew his wife Eve - and she became pregnant”! To be a Christian is to know God. “They will all know me” God says. Not know about me. Know me. A Christian is someone who knows God intimately.

And so God makes Himself available to us. “You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies” Psalm 23 says. In the middle of all your troubles - God prepares a table for you. God wants you to come & sit down with Him so you can just talk and listen. He wants to

know you and be known by you. He wants to speak His love over you. He doesn’t wait till the battle’s over and things have calmed down. In fact, it’s stopping and sitting down at the table with God that’s going to enable you to win your battles. And our response to that can’t be passive. We have to choose to come and sit and eat. That can be harder than it sounds because we all consistently default back to prioritising other stuff. Fasting is a way of saying to God “God - I want you to know that I really am hungry for you”. That could be fasting from food for the day or it could be fasting from something else – your desserts or Facebook. It doesn’t really matter. It’s giving up something that you would normally enjoy as a way of saying to God “I want you more than this”. When you fast you reconnect to your desire for God. It strengthens you in your commitment to prioritise enjoying God above everything else.

In May and June we are going to have 40 days of fasting as a church as a way of saying to God – “God – we really our hungry for you in our church and in our lives. We want you! We love you!” If you would like to join in with this by fasting for a day then you need to email Michelle and she will get back to you and suggest a date that you might fast. You can fast for 24 hours in any way that works for you. If you sense that God is speaking to you as a result of fasting – we would love to hear how He has encouraged you personally or how He is encouraging us as a church. It would be great if you could put that in an email to Michelle and we will find a way to get some of those stories out so we can all be built up. 40 Days of Fasting: Tues 1st May to Saturday 9th June. For more information email the City Church office at michelle@city-church.co.uk

A Hunger for God

Ben and Cat Frampton: Life Begins in Zambia

In 2011, Ben and Cat Frampton shared with us about moving to Zimbabwe to serve a ministry out there.

Here, they update us on what they’ve been involved in and where God has taken them since: When we left you in February 2011 we were heading to Zimbabwe to serve a ministry called Foundations for Farming(www.foundationsforfarming.org). We faced many visa challenges and ended up spending three months at the Malawi base and then three months visiting different churches in Zambia, while we waited for our Zimbabwe visa to be resolved. However, in November 2011, we were asked by the leaders of New Frontiers and Foundations for Farming to start the first formal Foundations for Farming ministry in Zambia in a place called Mkushi. After visiting, and praying about it, we had peace that it was where God wanted us to be.

Why Mkushi? Mainly because its a key farming area where there are thousands of small scale farmers underproducing and in poverty. Mkushi is also home to Zambia’s main commercial farming bloc where God has already raised

people with a heart to serve the poor and His Kingdom. Mkushi offers the opportunity to develop a model where large and small scale farmers can work together to truly unlock the agricultural potential of Africa and the blessing which comes from loving ones neighbour and faithfully stewarding God’s creation. We’ve been living in Mkushi since February. We’ve been warmly welcomed by the church community and enjoyed getting to know people. The church sees God’s timing on us coming and has allowed us to live in their house, rent free and is just one of the many testimonies of God’s amazing provision for us on this adventure. What will we be doing? The long-term vision is to have a centre of excellence which serves Mkushi, the nation and wider region with training courses and residential discipleship ministries for church leaders, farmers, and young people. Until we have a site for the training centre, the church site where we live now will serve as a place to model Foundations for Farming. The church in Mkushi has already set up a small farmer training centre in one of the villages close to the commercial farming bloc, which trains farmers in conservation farming. We have started serving into this centre by providing extra training and support to the leaders. Last week we did our first compost training there, 35 people came, and 7 people responded to the prayer of salvation during the training! Praise God! We have hope that God will establish similar training ‘outposts’ in other communities.

Members of the church are also working in local government schools, the Mkushi prison, and into a number of local villages and they have asked us to provide extra support to teach Foundations for Farming into these different areas. Real development is driven by good businesses not charity, so we want to also be involved in training entrepreneurs and creating trading opportunities which benefit communities.

As you can see there is a lot for us to be getting on with, so we’re on the look out for help! We hope that we can gather a team of inspired people, ready and raring to live completely for God and His Kingdom to see individuals, families, communities and nations transformed by His love and power. Maybe God wants you to come and help?! Ben and Cat Frampton Ben and Cat will be back in the UK in June but to find out the latest news from the Framptons, go to: http://framptonnews.wordpress.com/

You may remember in December hearing about Give Hope, a charity which was first established in Zambia, in 2005 by Martin Zuch, a member of City Church Newcastle. Give Hope serves alongside the poor as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. Here, Martin updates us on how things are going:

Luyando Community School, which was established and fully funded by Give Hope in Zambia, has accepted sixty new children in this new academic year. Robertson, Benson and Janet are the three new teachers added to the team to continue the excellent service provided to the existing and newly enrolled children.

The school, which started in 2005 enrolling the first sixty-three children in preschool, has now grown up to grade six providing free education to well over 400 children who come from destitute families of Kamafwesa community.

In Ethiopia, Give Hope has continued expanding its services to more and more orphaned and vulnerable children. The number of children receiving support, including school stationery and uniforms, tutoring & nutrition, has grown to a

total of 118. Give Hope is also actively engaged in building the capacity of women by organising them in self-help groups for saving and credit and income generating activities. The children are enrolled in a regular Sunday school programme, and the carers/parents hear the gospel at least once a month prior to distribution of the monthly ration. Give Hope will be participating in the New Wine conferences to be held at Newark (from 28th July– 3rd August) and Shepton Mallet (from 29th July– 4th August). It is hoped that this participation will help Give Hope to raise additional sponsors for the orphaned and vulnerable children who are currently on its waiting list in Zambia and Ethiopia. Martin Zuch You can participate in this great work in many ways including:

sponsoring a child,

making a one time donation

volunteering in the UK, Zambia, or Ethiopia For more information, please contact martin@givehopeinternational.org or call on +447770302222

Serving the Poor: Give Hope Summer Update

Farsi Weekend Away: Enjoying God-Making Friends-Changing Lives Spending a weekend in the Lake District can be risky. We chose the windiest weekend of the year to head to Knock Christian Centre in the beautiful countryside near Appleby. It may have looked fairly unassuming from the outside but it was toasty warm on the inside. A promise of the smell of Iranian cooking wafting through the rooms was enough for about 40 of us to sign up for food and fun, meeting God as well as hanging out with old and new friends.

A few brave souls hiked to a meagre height of 410m buffeted by the wind and shoes muddied but spiritually ground was definitely taken. Sola Idowu spoke to us about the Father’s heart for us and bringing down walls that were barriers to entering into deeper revelation of God’s heart for us.

Permission for the Holy Spirit to take down spiritual walls led to deep ministry times where prophecy spoke to hearts, forgiveness caused demons to flee and freedom to be experienced.

The general consensus was that the risk of a weekend in the Lakes was definitely worth it. If you want to know more why not ask one of the Iranian group about it? You might even get an invite to taste some delectable Iranian cuisine.

A huge thank you to Sola and Liz Idowu, Louis Spence and Leon and Linda Le dune for coming along ministering and having fun with us.

Becky Brown

You are welcome at City Church. We welcome all kinds of people: short, tall, fat, thin, clever, funny, happy, sad, good, bad, ugly. God loves all of us. All are welcome and included in every aspect of who we are and what we do. However, we know there are some people who might harm children/ young people or vulnerable adults. There is no way to know which of the people who come to City Church are the ones who might cause harm, so we have to run things in a safe way so that the risk of harm is as small as it can be. To run things in a safe way we have Safeguarding Procedures. Safeguarding involves keeping our children and vulnerable adults safe from people who may harm them by putting boundaries in place. It is important that everyone is aware of these boundaries and that we all work together in supporting the stewards and children’s workers doing their jobs.

What we’re aiming for is simple – that by communicating well and all signing up to our house rules we can:

Be welcoming

Be confident that we are running things safely

So... we’re asking we all get on board by doing 2 things… 1. If you’re on a team get trained, ask

loads of questions and get to know Ruth Evans, Phil Reed or one of the team who advise us on all this and if you have a concern or idea, tell someone appropriate!

2. We all respect & get behind the rules,

(e.g. no-one enters children’s work rooms without a sound reason), even if it is a bit annoying at times.

Together we can make this a great environment for all! Ruth Evans

If you want to know more, you can take a look at the City Church safeguarding policy, which is both readable and rigorous. Any concerns/ disclosures/ allegations are taken very seriously- not just by the safeguarding team, but all of the senior leaders. They have all read and signed the original copy of the policy. If you’d like to know more about Safeguarding, the safeguarding team are very happy to talk about the policy/ procedures and how it all works in real life. Please feel free to talk to: Simon Warren, (safeguarding elder) Sarah Wade, (safeguarding trustee) Ruth Evans, (safeguarding coordinator) Phil Reed, (dep. safeguarding coordinator) Alison Bourne, (safeguarding team)

City Church – Creating a Safe Place for All

Safeguarding– What Do We Do?

Over the past few years, we’ve developed our Safeguarding policy based on advice from CCPAS (Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service) who provide expertise to churches nationally. As a result, we’ve adopted their 10 Safeguarding standards:

1. Safeguarding Policy: We have a policy available to view at the welcome desk, or at the office.

2. Safeguarding Awareness Training: We have training session twice a year, and require our childrens’ workers to attend at least once a year.

3. Safe Recruitment: At least every term, we run a recruiting session for people who wish to join the childrens’ work teams. The process includes interview, references, and a CRB check before being appointed to the team.

4. Management of Workers: All of the childrens’ workers and stewards, know which team they belong to, and who to speak to if there is a problem. They know who to speak to if their team leader IS the problem!

5. Working Safely: The teams work in a transparent and accountable way. We encourage teams to work together to agree how to handle issues as they arise, rather than insist on a set of rules.

6. Communicating Effectively: This means helping our workers to communicate well with children/vulnerable adults.

7. Responding to Concerns: Dealing with disclosure/ concerns is part of the regular training.

8. Pastoral Care: City Church recognises that people affected by abuse need compassion and support.

9. Managing Those who Pose a Risk: City Church recognises that there are people who pose a risk to children, and we do everything possible to minimise that risk.

10. Working in Partnership: Social services, police services, and CCPAS are all helpful in safeguarding.

Last month, James and Sarah Shepherd shared with us about how God challenged them to take a step of faith. Here, James updates us further: Just before Christmas Sarah and I had a visit from John Wilthew who is the lead elder at County Church in the Wansbeck region of Northumberland. He asked us to consider leaving Newcastle to join County Church and for me to take over from him as the leader of the church. He and Ian had been discussing and praying into it for some time and felt that God might be calling Sarah and I into leadership at County Church. After a period of prayer and seeking advice from God, friends and family we decided to go for it. There was no booming voice from heaven or anything but God has really given us faith and vision for this new adventure and we are so excited to see what God has in store for us, for County Church and for Northumberland!

I start my new role at County Church on 1st June. I got quite a shock a few days ago when I realised I am in my last few days attending and working at City Church. Both Sarah and I have mixed emotions about the whole thing. On the one hand we are looking forward to getting stuck in at County Church. On the other hand we will be sad to leave behind what has become a real church family to us over the last few years. But most of all we are excited because we know that God is with us and that He has great things in store for us as we step into this new season together. Over the last couple of months we have been getting to know County Church. We have joined them for a couple of their Sunday meetings and have been meeting people and making friends. They are a great bunch of people who have made us feel really welcome. We are also in the process of buying a house in Bedlington. County Church has an amazing vision- to reach Northumberland with the gospel. The next step for the Church is

going to involve building a strong base church in the Wansbeck region. The church has already started a social action project based in Bedlington, the Community Help Hub, that helps people find employment and benefits. We want to build a church that changes lives and transforms communities with the Good News about Jesus. A couple of requests … Whenever you take a step of faith it makes you more aware of your total dependence on God. This whole process has made us rely on God. We are looking to him for growth, for impact, for lives transformed, for vision, for buildings, for house purchases to go smoothly. Basically we’re looking to God for everything! Please would you pray for us and for County Church? Specifically for the following: 1. For our house purchase to go

through as smoothly and cheaply as possible!

2. For us to settle in quickly to County Church and to make good friends there

3. For a church building / place to meet in Bedlington

4. For a new season of growth, impact and fruitfulness for the church

We believe God has great things planned for County Church. It feels like He is calling the church to a fresh season of mission, of impact and of growth. As part of that we would love

for some more people from City Church to come and join us at County Church. Would you consider it? Perhaps God is calling you to come and be part of County Church. Perhaps God wants you to step out in faith and come and join us on this adventure. Perhaps this new challenge is the answer to things that have been on your heart for many years. It would be such a blessing to us and to the church to be strengthened with some new people. Maybe one of those new people could be you? If you think it might be, or if you just want to chat to us more about the church in general, please come and talk with me or Sarah. We realise this is a big decision for anyone and that it would require a lot of thought and prayer. We would love to speak with you about it and there would be no expectation on you to come and join us whatsoever. Finally: Thank you … Being part of City Church has been one of the best experiences of mine and Sarah’s lives. We love this church! We have grown immeasurably in our love and faith in God, we have made amazing friends and we have been trained and equipped for this next step. We want to thank you all for the support, friendship and love we’ve received from so many of you. We will not be far away and will still be very much in contact with City Church in the coming months and years. God Bless, James Shepherd

James and Sarah: On the Move!

When Ros and I got married in February 2000 it felt like the end of one chapter in my life and the start of a new one. I had a feeling that the new chapter was going to involve even more than a new marriage and nearly straight away I started saying to God (and Ros), in a slightly annoying fashion, “I need to know what’s next. I need to know what’s next”. After doing that for about 12 months we came to church one Sunday morning. About half-way through the worship a lady went to the front who often brought powerful personal prophecies. She asked me to stand up and then said “I felt God say to me ‘You’ve got to do something about Andy Bramhall’” which felt about as embarrassing as it probably sounds. But then she brought a prophetic word that started with the words “God’s calling you to be a father in His church and to His people. You will have many children…” That was a defining moment for Ros and I. Within a year or so I had quit my job as a school teacher. We did a leadership training course together for a year and then I worked voluntarily for the church for two more years before finally coming on the church staff in Feb 2005. The last seven years for us have been a fantastic adventure with God. Working for a church is an amazing privilege and on many, many days I find myself saying “I can’t believe I get to do this!”

One of the things that makes working for the church exhilarating is the pace at which we are moving and the amount of stuff that we are doing. But one of the downsides to that can be the lack of time to reflect. This Summer we are lucky enough to be getting a great chance for that kind of reflection with a Sabbatical for 3 months from mid-May. I am aiming to spend 7 weeks studying and then we will be going for a long camping holiday as a family on the North coast of Spain for the rest of the time. I feel so lucky to be doing this that I don’t really feel in need of much further blessing! But if you would like to pray for us there are a few things that we would really like: For Ros and I to hear God clearly

and enjoy Him That we would recharge as a

family That I would be able to really

feast on Scripture and come back ready to regurgitate that!

Andy Bramhall

The Bramhalls: Time to Hear from God

Being the body of Christ is not just for the internal benefit of our church family but has the potential to affect and bless our community in many ways. Over the past years one of our students, Lisa Whitten, has given her time to be trained as a volunteer with the People’s Kitchen - a brilliant organisation working with the homeless community here in Newcastle. We asked Lisa to share what she’s learning and how she is seeing God at work there: As I was leaving the People’s Kitchen after my post-summer return visit in September, I realised I was leaving black footprints on the freshly cleaned white tile floor. I got some paper to wipe these clean. Placing the paper in the bin I realised I’d done it again; I got back on my knees and wiped them clean. It was then, I felt God speak, seeing a picture of our Lord Jesus, on his knees, using his glorious white robe to gently wipe a red stained footprint. I realised, these were mine; yours; everyone’s.

The People’s Kitchen is an organisation that works locally to provide food, clothing and friendship to the homeless and marginalised in the city. Together their 150 serve an estimated 650 people each week from a centre just behind St. James’ stadium and the vans they take to sites around the City to take food to those less willing to be inside. Although this is not a Christian organisation they truly provide for the “least of these”. (Matt25:40) As with all places, I have found the People’s Kitchen to be full of people crying out for the hope of Jesus, both clients and volunteers. I have learnt so much from their stories; many of the volunteers are closer to God’s heart of love and generosity than they may know. A lot of the clients believe in the Lord and have prayed to Him, but do not know Him – often thinking themselves’ unforgivable or just full of anger and hurt. I want to share some encouragement with you. One of my team leaders with a beautifully generous heart suffers from a lot of

health problems. I was able to pray with her one week for blessing and restoration, I haven’t seen God take away the pain but the following week she was telling of singing worship along with a Songs of Praise programme. I felt this to be a promise from the Lord of what He desires for her. A big issue seller, one of the clients has been in much pain with a leg injury for months. I had prayed for healing previously with him but with no change. I felt challenged by Jesus recently that my prayer had come from duty, not love and I felt God invite me to pray again. Again I did not see healing at the time and I was a bit discouraged so kept bringing this man to the Lord. A few days later, cycling past his usual spot, he called me over to say he’d been re-diagnosed with the prospect of full recovery and he was praising the Lord. I thank Jesus for His faithfulness but also pray for His kingdom to continue in its’ forceful advance in the People’s Kitchen. I invite you to join me. I am writing this to encourage you that we overcome these things by the blood and work of Jesus and the word of our testimony (Rev.12v11) but also to invite you to join me in both praying for the Kitchen that God will use it for His glory in this city and to consider getting involved. One practical way you can help would be by collecting canned and dried food supplies for the Kitchen’s warehouse and so respond to the bible’s invitation “…to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood...” (Isaiah 58v6-7) Lisa The People’s Kitchen have faithfully served the homeless community in Tyneside for many years. It is so good to be able to support them in prayer, finance and practically. If you would like to find out more about the People’s Kitchen you can visit their website at http://www.peopleskitchen.co.uk/ In the coming months we are going to explore starting a food collection programme to partner with the People’s Kitchen. Watch this space for more info!

God of this City: Life at the People’s Kitchen