Crashing Forward

Where did the summer go? This has to be my fastest summer ever, oh to be back in the days of school when summer holidays seemed like a year. I do however love the routine of September and catching up with people returning from holidays. This September we open the Storehouse at the Vineyard and we  hit the ground running with Vineyard kids, Vineyard Community, after schools club, Lava, Vineyard Together (english classes) Jolly Tots (mums and toddlers) and our cafe that is looking great already. www.vineyarddungannon.co.uk/legacy.htm 

One of my highlights of summer 08 was Crash. We had a team of 14 come over from the Mother Ship (Cincinnati Vineyard) and serve, serve, serve along side Vineyard Dungannon. We did kids club every morning, 20p car wash in which you got your car washed and then when you go to pay you get the 20p; I'd do that again for sure, We prayed for people in the streets, we held a healing service one evening, we went to a nursing home and worshiped and prayed with the residents, we gave away loads of free stuff in our communities. Man we worked the Cincy guys and our homegrown guys hard. What always gets me is when people serve, they always come back feeling that they got the best deal in the world. I have had emails from our friends in Cincinnati thanking us for having them here in Dungannon, many saying God changed so much in their lives. It makes sense when Jesus said "to find your life, you got to give it away" We had so much fun serving and the cool thing is this, when we go, we grow and there is healing as we become wounded healers.

As this blog is about crashing our world with God's love and grace, I want to recommend this book from one of my hero's in the faith, Dave Workman. The Outward Focused Life  is inspiring, full of great stories and fun too, but be careful it might start a revolution in your soul that could lead to a healthy addiction of serving. What's cool about this book and Dave is that he smokes what he sells.

Crashing Forward!

J