Rachel's FP intern update

Rachel is one of our FP interns, spending a year serving our church community. Here’s her latest update…

Last week as interns we all went to Bedford for training. This time we covered loads of fun topics from prayer, to doctrine of scripture, to eschatology, or in other words the end of the world.

Rachel with her dad

I learnt a lot at this training block, and have taken the email address from one of the teachers to ask them more questions about eschatology. One afternoon is really not enough time to discuss the end of the world, judgement and new creation.

This time was also spiritually significant. I frequently suffer from bad dreams, and on the second morning of training I'd gone in and asked the other two Durham interns to pray with me because I couldn't shake the feelings of my dream.

As the session started, the woman leading it stopped and said "I feel prompted to pray for those struggling to sleep". God knows exactly what we need!

There were a few times God spoke to me across this week. One of these was in a prophetic word from a woman called Linda who came to teach us. I won't repeat the whole thing, but about half way through she told me I was creative, and she didn't know this but even as she said that she was stood right in front of something I'd drawn in worship the previous morning. I don't know what the significance of her saying that was, but it reminded me that God really knows us.

I also had the great joy of visiting Victory Hill Church in Edinburgh! It was so encouraging to see what God was doing there, and great to spend time with some of our regions beyond family.

Thanks,
Rachel

International Sunday brings a visit to The Emmanuel Centre

Our International Sunday last week was a wonderful time of connecting with God and being propelled forward into the future.

Many of us donned national dress, we welcomed our great friend Finny to speak and we all visited the building that will become The Emmanuel Centre, where we launched a special gift day to fund this exciting project.

‘Your appointed time’

Finny spoke powerfully from the book of Zechariah.

Zechariah was destined to be a Priest, with regular day by day activities; but rather being called as a Prophet, putting on prophetic robes, for “this appointed time” to show that “Then you will know the Almighty has sent me”.

The five visions he had set out in Ch 1-4, are so apt for us today:

  1. God is setting peace in our midst

  2. He will de-horn any enemy that may come against us

  3. Expanding our capacity, rather than using a measuring line to build walls, he will become a wall of fire to protect us

  4. Leaders, at all levels, will have a new authority as they have new ventures, inviting neighbours to sit under vines

  5. Olive trees will fill the reservoirs of the Golden lamp-stand - don’t despise small beginnings.

Please do listen again to his sermon available here.

The three vats

Alan then reminded us of a prophetic word from 2017 regarding three vats that would cover the building and would contain grain for the feeding of the nations.  This prophetic picture was then actualised as mixing vats were taken out of the building by transporter (see below).


We then walked across to The Emmanuel Centre where we launched our crucial Gift Day. We are just lacking cash to see the building developed, and we were asked to pledge an amount that could be given before or after the end of the tax year.  

For more information on how to give financially, click here. For pledges related to The Emmanuel Centre, please include ‘TEC Pledge’ and your surname.

During the month of February we have pushed into God as we explored the richness of communion, and in the evenings as we prayed for the development of The Emmanuel Centre. During those times we saw many prayers answered, including the adequate provision of electricity in to the building, and much lower costings than was first anticipated.

Our vision is outlined here.

So as we are experiencing growing momentum and growth in our community, come before God and ask what he wants you to give into His Kingdom.

Six baptised: lives changed by Jesus

We were overjoyed to baptise six people during our service on Sunday 1st March. Each baptism is a declaration of a life lived for Jesus, and a public declaration of faith in Him. We got some great photos and videos, both of these friends being baptised and telling their stories. Enjoy!

Jonny is baptised in to Jesus, at Emmanuel Church on Sunday 1st March, 2020.

Baptism stories