Fashionably Late

I will state my appologies for the late blog entry, our internet was down on Monday and this is the first chance I have gotten since. Hope no-one was holding their breath

Djembe Djembe

Tomorrow will be my one month mark. Seems weird to think that I've been here a month. I'm inclined to say that it feels as though it's been more of a lifetime. Things happen quickly, and there's so many little things that have occured that when I look back it looks much longer than I suppose it has actually been. Which by all means is a good thing - I made a conscious decision to make the most of this venture in both learning and experience, and a lifetime in a month seems to have been the result.
This past week was an exciting one, bowling with my small group on Tuesday went very well (I am apparently very bad at bowling). We saw two somewhat new faces, the young man who I spoke about in the last blog entry came and he brought a friend... both have decided to make it a regular part of their week, and we will see them again tomorrow night. Please continue to pray for him, as well as my relationship with him. Then the rest of my week consisted of many many meetings with various people, business and personal, and planning for Sunday morning program - Radiate. On Friday I helped out in the Street Evangelism again, and handed out more lollipops than ever before in my life, and just chatted with various locals which was really quite the experience.
I also got to see Northern Ireland shut down for the Rugby World Cup on Saturday Evening as England played South Africa (South Africa won and all the Irishmen were happy).
Radiate on Sunday morning went great, we saw 6 new faces and brought our number up to 12.
Then on Sunday evening I was invited to tag along as 4 Worship interns went down to a small town about an hour away to lead worship in a very traditional church. I ended up playing the Djembe (a bongo kinda drum thingy) for their set, after a very random series of events. The preacher spoke powerfully on hell and heaven and Christians and non-Christians, as we all sat in the front row in casual clothes with 300 people behind us in formal wear. There was a minor miscommunication I suppose, but we got a great response and I got to begin my new career as a Djembe player.
Overall, I look back and it just makes me more excited for this next upcoming week. Please continue to pray for me, both for what God's been doing in me and for what I've been doing to glorify God. I didn't get much time to read or write this week and hopefully this week will be more gracious in that respect. Anyways I must be getting on, the sun has already set here and there's much more to be done before the day is over. Thanks for tuning in, same time next week. (I had to say it). Cheers and God bless

Miracles

Well, I can't believe it's another Monday, my third one here thus far. It's been quite a wild ride, and one that has challenged me greatly in every way. I know I've said that already but it is something that is happening continually and at the top of my mind in all my personal times. Recently I've been reading two books, "Don't waste your life" by John Piper and "Miracles" by C.S. Lewis, the second of which I picked up and started reading because of my need to understand the subject further. There hasn't been a shortage of miracles since I've been here, working with a charismatic church. I won't go into that subject though, not until I understand it better, or at least have prayed about it and have some kind of grasp on where it all comes from. On a more practical note, yesterday, being Sunday, Radiate was launched (Radiate is one of the programs that I designed for 11-14 year olds on Sunday morning). It was a great success, not necessarily in numbers or by the way I lead (surely not that), but because of the reactions that came from the 6 youth who came. I had one youth, a young guy at the age of 15, who apparently had completely disowned Christianity in just about every form possible, and who also had been dealing with an anger problem (punching holes in walls) (none of this I knew) who came and joined in the 'ice breaker' games and then eventually participated in prayer and worship very openly. Afterwards I encouraged him to come to my small group on Tuesday nights, he wasn't very keen until I told him we were going bowling this week, which he apparently loves. I thought this was normal but when I heard what his mother thought about it I found out the rest of the story, and saw what a cause it was to praise God. I am happy to share this story (one of a few that I've gathered so far) because it shows that God has gracefully used me as a tool to do His work already. For this I'm glad. If you would pray along with me for Radiate and the youth who come, and for the young man who's heart seems to have been changed, that would be great.
Things are coming along steadily now, the ministries that I am a part of have been set in place and so I feel more comfortable and able here. I know what has to be done, which is much less stressful than not knowing. Currently it is raining but the sun is shining bright, crazy Ireland (thought I'd share that with you... sorry). Thank you for your support and prayer. I have been encouraged by some of the messages I have received through Facebook or email, or even here on the blog. Would you please continue to pray for me in regards to keeping myself on track and growing, as well as the ministries I have been placed in charge of. These are my major two elements in need of prayer, both of them would be best explained in just saying - pray that I would be continually doing what God wants me to be doing. I have to be heading out now, the church office is closing. Thanks again and I hope to hear from you all soon! God bless

Radiate

Well, already I would say I have learned more about God and people and community and church and myself in the last two weeks than I ever have in my life. I can't even explain. I apologize for my lack of communication over the past few days, this is my first week of having a set schedule so hopefully that will make things easier to work out. Ok so what can I say? Well let me first start by saying that I have posted pictures on my Facebook account under JP Theriault because it is the best way for me to post bulk amounts of photographs... so please add me as your friend if you are not already one (or... go on another persons account to check it...). If that is not possible for you than I will somewhat explain the way I feel about this town. When I first got here, or rather, on the plane as I was flying over, I started to read 'the man who was thursday' by G.K. Chesterton. In his opening words he describes his character as his character enters into a town, this is how he describes the town. "The suburb of Saffron Park lay on the sunset side of London, as red and ragged as a cloud of sunset. It was built of a bright brick throughout; its sky-line was fantastic, and even its ground plan was wild. It had been the outburst of a speculative builder, faintly tinged with art, who called its architecture sometimes Elizabethan and sometimes Queen Anne, apparently under the impression that the two sovereigns were identical. It was described with some justice as an artistic colony, though it never in any definable way produced any art. But although its pretensions to be an intellectual centre were a little vague, its pretensions to be a pleasant place were quite indisputable. The stranger who looked for the first time at the quaint red houses could only think how very oddly shaped the people must be who could fit in to them. Nor when he met the people was he disappointed in this respect. The place was not only pleasant, but perfect, if once he could regard it not as a deception but rather as a dream. Even if the people were not "artists," the whole was nevertheless artistic. That young man with the long, auburn hair and the impudent face -- that young man was not really a poet; but surely he was a poem. That old gentleman with the wild, white beard and the wild, white hat -- that venerable humbug was not really a philosopher; but at least he was the cause of philosophy in others. That scientific gentleman with the bald, egg-like head and the bare, bird-like neck had no real right to the airs of science that he assumed. He had not discovered anything new in biology; but what biological creature could he have discovered more singular than himself? Thus, and thus only, the whole place had properly to be regarded; it had to be considered not so much as a workshop for artists, but as a frail but finished work of art. A man who stepped into its social atmosphere felt as if he had stepped into a written comedy." ... haha and that's what it's like. It's unreal and poetic and so very beautiful, and as a place, both physical and cultural, I love it. So... I'm sorry about how long that was but I needed to share it. In the heart of this place lies the church office where I work and plan. I am involved quite a lot in the ministries of the church, which are VERY different from the ministries of West London Alliance but in no way is either superior or inferior to the other, God works in both. I do street evangelism on Friday afternoons, which is a crazy and bold ministry but it works very well. Then on Sunday mornings I've, myself, started a new ministry called Radiate (after the radiators which are everywhere here) it's for 11-14 year olds who prior to now have not had any teaching or church. I plan each Sunday for that and speak and lead the volunteers. I'm also running a small group of about 8 15-16 year olds, which takes place on Tuesday nights, I'm in charge of that as well. I have my own small group on Thursday nights, and our home (where there's 6 guys living) does a small group/worship night together on Monday nights. Mondays are my day off and hopefully the day to check this blog for updates. I've organized myself completely and I've put time in on Mondays for communication and updates. Our post here is on strike so I can't send letters yet and if you've sent me letters that's why I haven't gotten them yet. Please continue to pray for me, my world has been turned upside down in the last two weeks and I'm trying to gather my thoughts and sort through some of the new experiences while at the same time trying to be effective in ministry and doing God's work. Please pray for the ministries which I am a part of and involved in that they'd be effective to God's will and kingdom. Also for me myself as I am trying to learn and explore a lot of different things. Thanks for the support back home, know that West London Alliance and my family and supporters are all in my prayers. If you have any questions please email me or facebook me (I love how that is now a verb), I'd love to hear from you. God bless and cheers!

What's the craik?

What's the craik eh? is what I say, an Irish term that I've added a little touch of home to. It pretty much just means whatsup. I've had an extreme first 6 days, it already feels like a month at least. I have to tell you that this is the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life, it's like everything is an aged work of art, surrounded by the sea and cliffs and a lot of green. I've been involved in a lot of ministries already, and this upcoming week I am leading a couple of them. (they've really got me going early here, I like it though). Pray for me that I can be effective and God honoring in my ministries here, and that as the ball really starts rolling I can be focused and managed in my time and efforts. Thanks a ton, talk to you again soon