Arise Ministries at the Baptist Assembly 2011 from Arise Ministries on Vimeo.

Well this year I crossed over to the other side and joined B:ace (Baptist Assembly Children’s Event), working with 70 5-11 year olds. After two crazy weeks of intense preparation (printing, cutting, sticking, laminating, building and painting fancy wooden structures…) we headed up to Blackpool and the Norbreck Castle Hotel where we had a marquee set up. Andy Keel came with Ed and I in the van (the second hire van – the first wasn’t big enough so we had to swap at 4pm on Wednesday afternoon!) to tech for us.

The weekend went something like this:

Thursday: Travel, unload, a bit of set up, find our B+B, head out for dinner.
Friday: Breakfast at 8 then to the hotel for a day of setting up (with well timed pauses to catch the important bits of the royal wedding!) – the first session from 7pm-9.30pm.
Saturday: Session from 9am-12.30pm, session from 7pm-9.30pm
Sunday: Session from 9am-12.30pm, Praise Party from 4pm-5pm, session from 7pm-9.30pm
Monday: Session from 9am-1.15pm, pack down and travel home.

We had a great team of people all volunteering to work with us and took over a local(ish) B+B so had time in the evenings to get to know each other a bit better. We were joined by some volunteers from BMS, Jack who became Fredrickson the Crocodile at key points over the weekend!

The theme for the weekend was ‘Your Kingdom Come’ and we had a Knightly Theme – each day following three Knights on the quest for the Ultimate Kingdom. There were crazy songs with Big Fish Little Fish, stories, news reels, weather reports, talks, leaders being pied (yes I did, and no I didn’t whinge…much!), letters from Fredrickson, crafts, games…you name it, we did it! We also had for the weekend a keypad system which meant at certain points each child was given a keypad and we asked questions and they selected their answer using the keypads (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire ask the audience styley!) which was brilliant. We asked them all manner of questions about God/Church/Prayer/Friendships, as well as using them for discussion times in smaller groups.

The weekend was exhausting but brilliant. It was so cool to see these kids engaging, having fun and chatting about God. We also filmed them answering questions like ‘What is Worship?’, ‘Is the Bible boring or exciting and why?’ and ‘Why do we go to Church?’ – some of the answers they came out with were fantastic – well thought through, or just spontaneous and enthusiastic. It was great to chat to the parents too and hear that the Children were so excited to come every morning and were loving it. The parents were really appreciative that we weren’t just babysitting the kids so that they could get some time off in the adult venue, but were actually giving them some good teaching.

Now it’s time to sort out the 20 something big plastic boxes full of stuff, remembering what happened over the weekend and praying that the children we met will have been really impacted by God and fired up to live their lives making a difference and helping see God’s Kingdom come on Earth.

We spent the weekend in Plymouth for the Baptist Assembly, running Innovation the 11-18s programme. We were set up in a local Baptist Church and had around 50 young people from Friday to Monday. It went really well, had good opportunities to pray with young people. Also got a chance to explore Plymouth a bit, our hotel was right on the front – very pretty at night time!

After packing down on Monday we travelled all the way to Ashford and stayed in the Travel Lodge. Up ready to leave at 8.30am to get the ferry from Dover to Dunkirk and then drive to Herne in Germany, arriving at 7pm. Today we went into a school, set up and did a 45minute gig, then packed down and went to a youth cafe for lunch. Fortunately most people speak pretty good English but it’s still a bit of a challenge communicating! Tomorrow we”re not working so we’re off to Cologne hopefully!

Next week we’re part of a mission called Lighthouse Week – check out the website if you fancy some translating!

Currently we’re in 4 double rooms, hoping to switch to Twin rooms at the weekend! I haven’t been feeling too well today so your prayers would be much appreciated! We have free Wifi at the Hotel so will try and keep anyone that is interested updated! You can text me but I won’t reply coz it will cost me!!

xx

This week we are in the office preparing for some of the events that are coming up:

21st March: Strictly Come Praying, Grangemouth
8th-13th April: Spring Harvest, Minehead Week 2
16th-18th April: The Mix, Norwich
29th-3rd May: Baptist Assembly, Plymouth

There are others in between but these are what we are focussing on! A meeting about each to plan and prepare, as well as rehearsals, stock checks and other admin type stuff! We had an office prayer time this morning, its great to catch up with the people who work in the office, day in and day out keeping everything going and doing the really important stuff that keeps us going on the road! A chance to find out how the other ministries are going and what God’s doing. We’re going out for a meal on Thursday lunchtime, sort of a leaving do for Clive but he can’t make it…so we’ll still go anyway! Any excuse to go out! Also this week is a chance to meet with Andy and Joy and chat about how everything is going and what’s happening next year…I have no idea what God’s plans are for me for September so your prayers would be much appreciated!

Currently preparing part of a seminar for Strictly Come Praying. It’s on ‘How does God speak to us?’. Myself, Keel and La Roche are running it and have chosen the 3 topics of through The Bible, Sung Worship and People & Circumstances. We’re doing 5min chat and 5min practical activity for each. I’m doing Sung Worship so if anyone has any thoughts they would be much appreciated!

On a non-work level…It’s nice to be ‘home’ (Mum gets upset if I call Wickford home so hence the ”!) for a week, a chance to catch up on washing, hang clothes up and have a bit of a tidy up! Very much looking forward to watching Holby City at 8pm tonight, rather than on iPlayer a few days later! Saw Maddie, Emi and Billy at the weekend – we went to the park and got really muddy and it was great fun! I fell over so had to change into my pjs when I got back to Sarah’s and put my jeans in the wash! Watched a film called ‘Fish Tank’ in the evening and it was really good! I recommend for anyone who likes real life films. Had Billy laying on my tummy for a couple of hours, all snuggly and warm! I miss them so much when I don’t see them! 

I bought the Florence + The Machine album and have been listening to it for the past couple of days. I like it a lot!