MARCH POLL

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SCHOOL OF PROPHETS

It’s almost here! Golden Valley Church School of Prophets commences on Saturday.

Taking place one Saturday per month over the next six months, the school will be an opportunity for students to develop their prophetic giftings, understand the role of prophecy in the Bible and today, catch God’s heart for the nations, and learn to hear God better.

We are so excited to be running this school this Winter season. The school will be led by Wes & Sharron Boxall, with video teaching by Mark Virkler and others.

CONTINUING PRAYER FOR ISRAEL

Next Tuesday we will be holding a further evening of prayer for Israel, who the Bible makes clear, are loved by God, and have rich promises over their nation.

We are living in challenging times, where there is much upheaval and change in the world. Israel needs the prayer support of Christians, who honour the ‘root’ from which the church is growing.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they prosper who love you!” Psalm 122:6

PARTNERS IN HARVEST CONFERENCE

Last week several of the leaders of Golden Valley Church attended the bi-annual European Partners in Harvest conference in Hemel Hempstead.

The conference was a momentous few days of Holy Spirit impartation, teaching, testimony, and friendship; making us aware again of how much we appreciate this family of churches, to which we are affiliated. Stories of what God is doing in the nations abounded, as well as testimonies of God’s love and healing.

The main speakers were John & Carol Arnott, Rolland & Heidi Baker, Dan Slade, and Jerry Anderson (LaRed). Between them they addressed a variety of pertinent issues, and exhorted all who attended in their relationship with God. Worship, led by teams from Northern Ireland and Sunderland was truly first class and an awesome experience to be part of.

The conference was well oversubscribed, with several who attempted to book places late, having to be turned away. How fantastic is it when there is so much demand to be in God’s Presence and to go to ‘church’?!

God is very much alive and well in Europe, and we are thankful to be a part of what He is doing.

UGANDA CHURCH NEW BUILD

Work is going ahead on the Omega Healing Centre church in Kampala pastored by our friends Livingstone and Betty Wagaba.

After using ‘temporary’ wooden structures with tin roofs for the church and school – which they have had to enlarge several times to accommodate everyone wanting to attend – they are now in the process of erecting permanent brick premises in the slum area where they are located.

Please pray for this project to run smoothly and without hindrance. Most of the local people have high regard for the work of Omega and its positive effect within the community, though there is some opposition from the more ‘influential’.

We have worked in partnership with Omega for many years and continue to support their very valuable work. Again we thank all our child sponsors without whom we would not be able to fund the running of the school.

FAITH LIKE POTATOES

Next Sunday, 12th September, at Golden Valley Church we will be screening the movie ‘Faith Like Potatoes’ which tells the true story of rugged South African farmer Angus Buchan.

“Frank Rautenbach leads a strong cast as Angus Buchan, who leaves his farm in the midst of political unrest and racially charged land reclaims and travels south with his family to start a better life in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, and help from his foreman, Simeon Bhengu, the Buchan family struggle to settle in a new country. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil Angus’ manic quest for material success is slowly transformed into a wild love for God and people, as he wrestles with faith, hope, natural disasters and tragic personal loss.”

The first part of the film will be shown during our Sunday morning service, which will be followed by a shared lunch, and the second part of the movie being screened about 2:30pm. If there’s time we will also show a documentary which includes interviews with Angus Buchan himself.

Come along and get your faith stirred! Our God is a great God who loves us with an everlasting love and in His kindness draws us to Himself and works wonders. Glory to Him!

Angus himself is still preaching the gospel throughout Africa. His website is http://www.shalomtrust.co.za/

Please note: as this film is certificated as a 12/12A due to one incident of bloody injury, no children will be allowed to present without their parent or responsible adult with them.

RUSSIA YOUTH CAMPS TEAM WORKER WEDS

It was a great privilege for a Wes & Sharron, and Becks with Solly, to attend the wedding of Anna Finnegan to Tyrone Power in Waterford, Ireland, on Saturday.

Anna has partnered with us in ministry both in Ireland and as a regular member of our summer teams to Russian youth camps over many years. She has been an invaluable part of the teams and her humour and fun-loving approach has endeared her to the rest of the teams, and to the Russian youth and children we have worked with.

The wedding took place in the Theatre Royal, Waterford, followed by a reception in the Grand Hotel, Tramore.

We pray for the couple as they begin their new phase of life together, and wish God’s richest blessings on them and their families.

VISION FOR MISSION

by Marjan Dekloe

originally preached in Golden Valley Church 23rd May 2010

God has a BIG MISSION HEART!!! He is not satisfied with just reaching the Jews; He wants the Gentiles as well (Acts 14:27 “… He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”) That’s good news for us! He wants everyone to come to Him. That is His heart; He does not want that anyone perish. He is the God of the Nations. He loves the nations! We can clearly see that in Psalm 2:8 “Ask of me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance….” This is Gods desire; He wants to give His Son all the Nations as His inheritance! All Jesus had to do was to ask. And what does Jesus do? He involves you and me! We can find that in Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the Nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus wants to do it with us and through us. I find that amazing!

“God has only one Son and He made Him a Missionary” (David Livingstone). Jesus had a mission mandate on His life: “And she (Mary) will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) His call has cost Him everything. Mission can be costly; are you willing to pay the price???

When this is God’s heart, it should be our heart as well. If you will let Him, He will stir it in your heart. I think God is very clever; He knew that mission is not for one or two people who feel called to go somewhere. Mission is for the whole body! You can’t do mission on your own. You need one another. That is why no one is excluded. Maybe you can’t go. Well, that’s fine. But there are things you can do. Maybe you can give, so that others can go. Maybe you can write; when you are away it is great to get mail! In that way you can let people know that even when they are away, they are still part of the body. And how about praying? We can all pray. Ask God which part He wants you to play. Ask Him to give you vision for what you can do and how you can be involved.

In Acts 1:8 it says “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” That sounds like neighbours and nations are equal. We can’t sit back and say “Well hey, good for those who are called, but that’s not for me!” Mission is not a journey abroad, it is a lifestyle. “I am on a mission” is part of my life, every day. Nations and Neighbours together.

“When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion.” What is in my heart when I see the multitudes? When I see my colleagues at work? Do I have a hard heart; that is a heart without compassion… I have to ask God to soften my heart. Why? “The harvest truly is plentiful – but laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. ” (Matthew 9:36-38). Do you want to be part of that??? I do!!!

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Flags picture courtesy of Flags of All Countries used with permission.

KENYA SCHOOL KITCHEN COMPLETED

It is with great pleasure that we have news from our colleagues in Kisumu that the kitchen in Jagir Singh school has now been completed.

In partnership with New Life Church Ross-on-Wye we have been coordinating a feeding program in the school for several years. Previously the lunch-time meals provided for all students in the school were prepared out in the open on the ground.

Thanks to the support of a US donor new classrooms and kitchen structures were built. And thanks to donors here in the UK the kitchen has now been completed with chimney and fittings.

We thank God for this facility which can only be of great benefit to the children of migrant sugar cane workers, who are among the poorest of the poor.

Thank you everyone who has prayed and those who have contributed to this project.