Everyday Encounter

Tonight was the start of our Youth Services and Youth Prayer events. It usually takes these things a while to get off the ground and really start running fully, however although tonight was a fairly low key and understated event I found it both encouraging and inspiring. It was a real privilidge to be able to spend time in prayer with some of you guys and just be witness to the amazing spiritual growth that has gone on within you, and to see the passion and enthusiasm that you guys are sharing for the desire to share the love, mercy and grace of God to people everywhere.

It was also great for us to pray for each other, with each other and for the leaders and young people that come along on a Friday night or on a Sunday or Thursday to a Cell. Important points to remember and be raising up to God are:

- for strength, encouragement, refreshing and creativity for the leaders who try to keep friday nights and cell groups both fresh and inspiring
- for a real community that actually, genuinely does care for eachother and makes people feel welcomed, accepted and loved.
- for us all to have such a passion for God that it spills over into all areas of our lives and out onto the streets both near and far, spreading hope and bringing peace and security to many people.

OK so there is no Encounter Friday Night Project this week so how about spending time on Friday night, or throughout the week lifting these areas, and any others you can think of, up to God in prayer. And don’t forget about our ‘Making Our Money Count’ campaign that we are collecting towards over these next two weeks. More Info on that will follow soon, so keep an eye out here!

Well, week two of Encounter 2007/08 has just past and we have seen a few changes to the programme this year – and what’s been happening so far is really only the tip of the iceberg, there’s loads more instore. We’ve had two really great weeks, filled with great banter, challenging messages, open conversations, worship moments, difficult realities faced together and 1 sub-standard rugby match.

The great thing about Encounter is that it is continually evolving – no two seasons of Encounter have ever been the same, and now we are hoping that no two weeks seem the same this year. There are loads of ideas brewing in the pipeline, which will be rolled out at various different points this year. For example on Friday past we launched one of our new features – “Challenge The Leader”, which will be returning throughout the year in various different forms and challenges. If you wish to take part in this feature simply speak to a leader or put your name in the entry box that will be provided during the weeks preceeding the next edition of “Challenge The Leader.”

However, the exciting thing this year is that, we believe, all the programme changes and new features and slots aren’t the best part of what is going to happen this year.

THERE IS MORE. Where the real excitement lyes is in the amazing work that we believe God is going to do in all of our lives, and in the lives of the surrounding community, and futher afield. This year we are looking forward to being stretched and growing in God, to being open and real with eachother and God, providing accountability and love for one another, and that love, in turn, spilling over into awesome worship that sends us to the streets focussed solely on Jesus Christ.

We hope you get on board with where Encounter is heading this year – with God’s direction, strength, blessing and power.

If you have any ideas that you want to contribute to the ‘continually evolving’ Encounter, feel free to comment them below, and also feel free to post your prayers, thoughts and excitement about what’s instore for this year there too. We look forward to hearing from you!

HOPE2008