Some of my November doings and prayer diary

Stormy waters most you will be aware of the horrendous journey back home from Tenerife at the end of October, not so much the journey as the 12 hours spent due to a delay in what has to be one of the most uncomfortable airports in the world! Not helped because I had been awake most of the night before with sickness and diarrhoea. I was nearly reduced to tears on more than one occasion.

Whilst away on holiday we heard the sad news of the death of my brother-in-law Colin within four weeks of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 62.

Arriving back on Saturday I was due to attend the Church Army AGM and a C.A. Cluster Coordinator’s meeting in Sheffield, travelling up there on the Monday and staying over until Wednesday. At that stage we had no news from my sister-in-law, Alison about any funeral arrangements and therefore I cancelled this trip so that I could be around and also fully recover!

Training in Faith Sharing –

I have had a great time with a small group from St Peter’s East Blatchington and St Andrew’s Bishopstone on evangelism. This was held over three consecutive Sunday afternoons. I based these sessions on the Rural Evangelism Course available on the Arthur Rank Centre web site…

www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk Both places are no longer what may be deemed rural having been morphed into nearby Seaford. However I was pleased that the Course whilst being rural proofed is not so tightly rural specific that it cannot be adjusted and adapted to a different setting.

Due to Colin’s funeral I had to cancel another trip to Sheffield for the Area Evangelist Conference. The funeral itself went as well as these things can go when someone you know and love is taken so quickly and unexpectedly.

I did take a trip north, near to Tamworth for a Farm Crisis Network Conference. We stayed at Whitemoor Lakes Centre, an amazing place opposite the National Memorial Arboretum.

http://www.actioncentres.co.uk/whitemoor-lakes/ I was asked to be the Chaplain for the FCN Sussex Group not that long back so this was a good time to get to grips with what that actually means. It was also an opportunity to meet up with ‘old faces,’ people who have been knocking around the rural church circuit for some years.

Our Christian Vision for Men Regional Day was AWESOME! Being our fourth one and with low numbers in the last few weeks leading up to the event we did wonder if we had overcooked this enterprise. We were delighted when the number crept up in the last week and we just topped 200 on the Day. Our theme was ‘Rooted & Booted’ – rooted in Jesus then out into the world with our boots on ready for action. And if you are looking for a great venue in Crawley then try the Charis Centre, they were fantastic.

Yet another cancelation, this time due to weather, was a Rural Evangelism Network Consultation in Cornwall. My colleague Barry Osborne did make it, just, and as stood in my stead as through the wonder of email I could send down my PowerPoint and hand-outs.

Prayer Diary December 2012

Saturday 1^st St John the Baptist Hove ‘Quiet Day’ (participant)

Monday 3^rd  Sussex/Surrey FEAST and making plans for the forthcoming ‘Mission Shaped Ministry’ course

Tuesday 4^th Soul by the Sea, meeting to plan a Nativity in Brighton. This is a gutsy telling of the story and linked in with the group who produced the Passion Play. In the evening a Mission Action Planning meeting with St John the Baptist Hove.

Wednesday 5^th Mission & Renewal full team meeting and in particular laying out some plans for 2013.

Thursday 6th As a Spiritual Director I am meeting with two others for mutual support and supervision.

Sunday 11th Mince Pie 10 mile run and seeking to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
www.justgiving.com/Gordon-Banks6    

Tuesday 11^th Spiritual Directors Course (as delegate)

Wednesday 12^th Kidz Klub Party – give thanks to God for the great work that Chris and his team have done for many years reaching thousands of children with the love of God in Brighton and the surrounding area.

Thursday 13^th  Personal Quite Day

Monday 17^th Meeting with my friend as she walks towards Ordination

Tuesday 18^th Evangelist and good friend Tim Hill has been calling a group of like minded people together to share a curry lunch for a few years now. It is always a great time to chat and chew with people who ‘get evangelism and mission.’

Friday 21^st Church House Carol Service 1pm I am drawing this together with Jane’s help.

Tuesday 18 – Friday 21 December 2012
Brighton Christmass Nativity  ~  not the ‘tea towel nativity' but a gutsy retelling of the Christmass story 

Doors open at 7:00pm

Venue: St Mary’s Church, 61 St James Street,
Brighton, BN2 1PR
Check it out and get your tickets on line

http://www.soulbythesea.info/our-events/christmas-nativity/

The Family: Joe is close to being offered a full time job with Cotswold in Truro. However he does need to get a motorbike to get him from Fowey to Truro as the railway has proved unreliable in getting him to work on time. Daniel is still the Man with the Van, or perhaps that should have been a boat given the recent weather. He is getting increasingly involved with the youth side of things at Holy Trinity St Austell, which is great. He was one of the founder members of the Truro Youth Council set up by the diocese. Tabitha has secured an eight/four contract with Monarch. She had hoped to get a temporary post perhaps in Starbucks, however jobs are like hen’s teeth so she is now waiting until later in December when she will be back flying. Tabitha is also looking at trips and tours to China and Russia for later next year – that’s a bit scary! Jane continues to be a bit all at sea, she is not really settled into any one Church, has not managed to secure any kind of posts and it all feels like life is just slipping through her fingers.