Feedback from our half day of prayer, Saturday/Sunday 11th/12th June 2011, Holy Trinity Church

Specifically Vision Thoughts

1. I had a picture of ants swimming through water towing stones. See Proverbs 6:6

2. A picture of Moses with Aaron and Hur supporting him. As a church family, we should be supporting Nick in this way, as he could so easily get tired without our joint help. "They...held his arms steady until the sun went down." - Exodus 17:12 (Two people had exactly this same verse/ idea!)

3. Recurring thoughts from an old bible study in 1989, during Mission 89 …1 Cor 4:1 - "You should think of us as Christ's servants." While discussing the word servant, it was explained that the original Greek word is Hyperetes, meaning a galley-rower, someone on naval service, a servant. Thoughts flowed from this like - pulling together, moving as one, not just pulling on your own and getting nowhere, but being in a team, giving united strength against the tide.

4. Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ on my right, Christ on my left
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me
What a vision to aspire to! Praying this for me, for us, for Holy Trinity, for St. Saviour's, for the whole church, for all Christians. What a difference we could - we can - we WILL make!

5. I had a picture of a fire which had been lit. It started in the church, went out to the buildings and then out into the community. It was a very long fuse and continued burning.

6. On the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." But our church isn't finished! That's always bothered me - what else do we need to do to fill the church so we have to build it out on the west end as the original plans showed?
Or is it a metaphor that we the people aren't finished - not finished doing what? I'm never sure.
But today I sensed God saying that He isn't finished with us! (Hooray!) And that he sees that back wall not built out of brick, but out of glass - so that he can see in, the community can see in, and - more importantly - we can see out.
And I also sense that God wants us to use the space on the other side of that wall, not for a bigger church building, but for some other purpose. Not sure what, though…I'll keep working on that…
(Some time later…!) - Ok, this is very random - but I think what I see is a conservatory!! Brings together my jumbled thoughts over the whole day of prayer about glass - temporary - seeing out and seeing in - and between the buttresses out to the ridge on the grass…I went out and let god walk me round the grassed area. But what on earth does God want a conservatory FOR?! Answers please…

7. When praying for God's vision for our parish I was filled with excitement and then was overcome with tears and wept. I believe that God has a plan for us and our community of Knaphill and Brookwood. He can do amazing things here but he needs us with him to do it. And that's where the tears came.
Some people are hot - excited - willing and wanting to discern and discover this plan and to seek to put it into action.
Others are tepid/ luke-warm/ some even cold.
They are in a safe comfortable place, they're ok, they're saved and their lives are too busy to be overly concerned with the rest of the community - they don't see where they have any SPARE time to commit to doing anything else.
I believe God's weeping over our commitment and our priorities, and that includes me too.
We need to seek his will.
God needs us to put our own desires and wants aside - the needs for how we want to/ like to worship him - and turn to what God wants. He wants us to come to give and not just to receive. To worship him and to give our lives to him - for him to tell us how to use our lives and not for us to say - this is what we've got left in our life to give - how do you want us to use that bit - what can we do in what spare parts/ time we've got left. Focus and Priorities!

8. On Sunday evening in church, I had a picture of our church on fire, and people outside with buckets of water trying to put the fire out. They were unsuccessful because it wasn't a physical fire but the fire of the Holy Spirit. I believe God is going to set us on fire, and no-one will be able to put that fire out as long as we remain united.
During my quiet times on Monday and Tuesday, I had the next "instalment" to that picture. A few little flames started walking out of the church towards the gate and they were immediately doused with the bucket of water and the flame went out. I feel God is saying we must not try to go it alone, doing work for him, thinking our flame will remain bright. We need to remain in the body of the fire to keep burning brightly…

9. During the service on Sunday 3rd July, when Nick prayed for the Spirit to come on us in power, I heard the Holy Spirit say, "I can't get in! Move over and make room for me!"

Other Poems/ Thoughts

" When you seek me with all of your heart, you will find me.

" Petals bursting from the white peony when it was touched - they fall at random, you can't predict where they will fall. Just like God's love - meant for all, not for us to judge who "deserves" Him!

" Velvet is only smooth when you rub it one way. Run your hand against the nap of the fabric, and it catches, it's rough, it doesn't feel right.
If only we could see so clearly the nap of our own lives! If only we could see the direction to take where the way is smooth, instead of making choices to go where the way is rough, where it doesn't feel right.
Jesus said, "I am the Way."
His way leads to Truth and Life.
The Holy Spirit will continues to help me take that glorious, gracious, wonderful Way….if only I'd let him!

" I woke in the night with the words of a Sunday School chorus -
"Jesus bids us shine
With a pure, clear light,
Like a little candle
Burning in the night;
In this world of darkness
So we all must shine,
You in your small corner,
And I in mine."

But I sensed it was the second verse, that I struggled to remember, that mattered:
"Jesus bids us shine
First of all for Him,
Well he sees and knows it
When our light grows dim;
He looks down from heaven
Just to see us shine,
You in your small corner
And I in mine."

As a child that second verse made me feel guilty - Jesus knows how poor a witness I am. But today I feel more that He sees and encourages my flame to grow - "a smouldering wick he will not snuff out." Yet I am also drawn to the first verse and the challenge to us as a church to be both pure and clear - there's work for us all here.

"JOY" Graffiti board - What gives you Joy in the Lord?

Being in this place, and being here with God
My children
My grandchildren
My family and knowing that you love me, Lord God
My family and rainbows and sunsets and friends
A clear starlit sky; a glorious sunny day; heavy rain after a time of drought; snow!
Beca and Gary's wedding
Helping Mummy
Seeing my children enjoy the simple things of life
My family and friends - thank you
Seeing the children at holiday Club engage with all we were doing in your name and for your glory
Making others happy
Singing to and with God!
The gift of friendship
Roaring with laughter in the company of friends
Beauty - flowers, music, art - thank you, Lord!
My husband, family, friends. Thank you.

Places/ Areas where we want to be more Faithful for God -Prayers and Places written on Candle shapes and stuck on a candelabra

Here within the church Community
In my place of work
HTK and StS
In my family
Nursery
Right here, right now!
Messy Church
At work
Westfield Primary School
Everyday at home and in the children's work I lead
At school

The next half day of prayer will be at St Saviour's Church on Saturday 3rd September 2011, 6am - 12noon.

Contact: Holy Trinity & St Saviour's Church, Trinity House, Trinity Road, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2QY
Tel: (01483) 473489 e-mail: holy-trinity@tiscali.co.uk
Registered Charity No: 1128410