NOVEMBER 2014 ISSUE 13

What a year this has been! It's the year when kingfisher reached 21 years of age, and the year when we rediscovered our forward momentum. So much has happened this year in the UK and overseas - there really seems to have been an accelerated pace of change. Back at the beginning of this year, I was talking about this year being the start of the next seven years of the life of this Network, and that this new era would be defined by the word MATURITY. As God causes breakthroughs in many areas, and as we come through our Refiners fire season of the previous year, so what he is looking for and what he is expecting to see in us is a growing sense of spiritual maturity; a growing sense of maturity in community, a growing sense of maturity in worship, a growing sense of maturity in terms of the spiritual battle. Maturity is what is called for in this new season. Yes there will still be setbacks and challenges and faith-stretching times, but God's challenge to us was (and is!) to deal with those times with increasing maturity. There have been some tragedies this year - opportunities for this community to respond with mature pastoral care. There have been those who have grieved the loss of loved ones, those who have grieved the breakup of family, those who have struggled with major illness. I have seen this community, both at Kingsway and Tredworth, rise to the challenge of supporting and caring for those people in really wonderful ways. Just quietly and sensitively, with healing words and actions. There have been some faith-stretching times for people who have lost jobs, had no visible means of financial support, who have felt God's call to move into particular areas as a complete act of faith, and the community has rallied around and brought encouragement and support.

We were looking at the beginning of this year at three themes that were likely to emerge:

• community (everyone who calls Kingfisher their home to be in a

small group...either a connect group or a ministry group)

• Worship (worship evenings and the album, Proclamations).

• Spiritual warfare (Setting The Captives Free course, which is well on the way to being produced)

At the start of this year, we had some faith targets we were facing:

• Social Enterprise headquarters in town (we are now in, with the shop already up and running and The Cavern being set to open at the end of the year)

• Lent course (The 'But God' series of forty thoughts-for-the-day)

• Praying towards this year Ollie Bennett being able to become a full-time pastor and, somehow for both Ollie and Shaun to be paid as full-time pastors. (Ollie became the full time pastor of Tredworth at the beginning of September). We are launching the financial model the Trustees have developed for both Tredworth and Kingsway at the beginning of next year. This will mean that both churches are responsible for their own finances, which includes paying their pastors as the money comes in for that. Both churches have been released to take control, under the guidance and direction of the trustees, of their budgeting. This has been made possible for Kingsway by Jan Burn

stepping down from being a staff member. She will cease to be paid by the church from 1st October. Katie Tucker has also stepped down from being a member of staff at the church, that being from the 1st September.

• Praying towards arranging for both Simon Haq (National Director, India) and Charles Mithowa (National Director, Malawi) to travel to the UK to help launch the International Network at a whole new level. (This is still our intention, and Stuart Gray is currently working with Charles to go through the process of applying for a visa, with a view to getting him and Simon over here Feb/March 2015)

• Stuart and I travelled to Mozambique to open the new centre that has been built there as the result of our 2013 harvest appeal. The building was completed earlier this year and Stuart and I travelled to Mozambique in May, where we commissioned not only the new centre, but the new National Director of Mozambique, Fuloresi Dempster.

This has been a year of change and growth. In addition to Jan and Katie stepping down from being staff members at Kingfisher, I have stepped down from being the pastor of Tredworth and taken up the role of Senior Pastor full time. Paula Braham has become a trustee. Elaine Campion has stepped down from being a trustee. Jan has been invited to become an elder at Tredworth.

Where are we now as a result of all of that? In new territory! This is a new day.

Let me share with you a prophetic picture that was shared a short while ago. It concerns the Israelites who crossed from the wilderness where they had been wandering for forty years into the Promised Land. As they reached the Promised Land they were probably thinking they had arrived and that it would be plain sailing form there on. However, what confronted them in

The tide is turning

THE NETWORK

‘Maturity is what is called for in this new season’

Continued on page two

News from the Network

Huge obstacles that were already in the land and that barred their progress. That was shared a couple of months ago in the eldership of Tredworth.

A few weeks ago, Ollie was meeting with someone who doesn't come to Kingfisher, and certainly did not know about that picture, and as they were praying together, this person had a picture of a fortified city; a city with a large wall all around it. He said that, as he looked at the wall around the city he saw a person hitting the wall with a hammer. As the hammer struck, hairline cracks appeared in the wall. The hairline cracks increased as the wall began to weaken and, eventually fall. He said that he felt this was a picture of what God is doing with Kingfisher at the moment.

For the past 21 years we have been heading for the land that God has been promising us; our Promised Land. Being at the centre of society, affecting societal change as we not only reach lost people with the life-changing gospel, but we see community change; society change. But as Joshua and the Israelites found, there are not only giants in the land, there are fortified cities. Entrenched attitudes. Institutional unfairness. Ungodly structures. These are the fortified cities, each with thick wall around them. Joshua was not told to break down those fortified cities through military strength, but through demonstrating faith and obedience to God. Through living the Christian life and through living out real community. One of the ways in which God is challenging us to do this is through our connect groups. Both Kingsway and Tredworth have been

starting new connect groups this year, and the majority of both churches is now in a connect group. This speaks volumes about what is happening in terms of community. People are buying into community at an unprecedented level. We are well on the way to seeing everyone who calls Kingfisher their home being part of a connect or ministry group.

So where are we headed? Further into the Promised Land, challenging the fortified cities. They are already in the land that God has called us to. Another way of looking at fortified cities is in terms of worldviews. We have looked at this recently in our evening services; a worldview is the filter through which we see and understand the world. We are going to get an opportunity to look at other worldviews in more depth in coming months via the Respond ministry.

How do we overcome these fortified cities? I think that is a lesson that God is wanting to teach us, not just here in the UK, but in other countries where there are Kingfisher churches.

Fortified cities seem immoveable and like they're always going to be there. And we live in a society where there are some big, entrenched fortified cities. The theory of evolution; relativism; naturalism; humanism; pluralism...these aren't passing fads, they are entrenched worldviews. And they stand effectively blocking entry to the Promised Land. And because of them, Christians feel disempowered and irrelevant. However,

It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down. (Hebrews 11:30 NLT)

It is instructive to look at how Joshua overcame the fortified city of Jericho as they entered the Promised Land. You'll be aware of the story...it's in Joshua 6. The fortified city of Jericho stood between the Israelites and the Promised land.

But the LORD said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give

one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.” (Joshua 6:2-5 NLT)

Joshua 6:2-5 shows how it was done, but Hebrews 11:30 summarises it all as an act of faith. Overcoming fortified cities to move into the Promised Land is all about faith.

It's also all about unity of purpose. "You and your fighting men should march around the city for six days." This is about seeing the fortified cities for what they are, coming together as a community of faith and believing in God for the victory. This is not hopeless...there are cracks appearing in the walls of the fortified cities. Attitudes towards Christians are changing as a result of things like the holiday clubs and the coffee mornings and all that Treasure Seekers is doing, and the testimonies that people are giving. Each time those Israelites marched in silence around the city of Jericho, hairline cracks were appearing in the brickwork. Unseen, unnoticed, unexpected. But when, on the seventh day, they shouted in unison, those cracks became fissures and the walls came down. Praying in unity, worshipping in unity, growing in unity, presenting Christ in a united way; the cracks are appearing in the fortified cities. Entrenched worldviews and values and assumptions that have long gone unchallenged and that stand between where we are now and the Promised Land can be challenged and can be overcome, and they will be overcome, because God wants us to march forward into the promised land.

Yes, there are giants in the land and yes there are fortified cities all of which can make us feel like grasshoppers. But there are cracks appearing in the walls, and in the words of Joshua himself:

"And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” (Numbers 14:8-9 NLT)

We're in the right place, we're headed in the right direction. The Lord is with us!

‘It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.’

Hebrews 11:30 NLT

Continued from page one

Saturday the 18th of October 2014 will live on in my memory for a long time: yes, it marked the fulfillment of a vision cast by James at the end of 2013; yes, it was amazing to have a time of worship consisting of songs birthed through our church; but, most of all, I think I'll remember the presence of the Spirit and the sound of Kingfisher flooding my ears - that is, YOUR voices soaring over the sound of the band.

The whole theme of this album has been stepping over the line in the sand, and my prayer now is that we will make that step every time we gather to make our joyful proclamations. After all, it's the same God we worship! So in light of this season and that night, let's

remember all that God has done and be expectant that the best is yet to come.

Once again, on behalf of the whole Engage team thanks for

your support and for sharing in this milestone with us.

News from the Network

The official Kingfisher album launch

!!!!!!!!Hello, I am Lisa Seagrave and I am part of the Kingfisher Network Family Matters team which is headed up by Gill Parkinson. We support all areas and aspects of parenting through Care for the Family courses we run. Part of my role in this is as the Gloucestershire regional area co-ordinator for Home for Good. The Home for Good campaign is seeking to find homes for 6,000 children who are currently waiting for adoption and to provide 9,000 more foster placements

throughout the UK. Why does this matter? Only 13.2% of children in care obtain five good GCSEs - compared with 57.9% of all children.1 23% of the adult prison population has been in care and almost 40% of prisoners under 21 were in care as children (only 2% of the general population spend time in prison). One third of care leavers are not in education, employment or training - compared with 13% of all young people.2 A quarter of young women leaving care are pregnant or already mothers, and nearly half become mothers by the age of 24.3

The church is uniquely placed to support and help those in society who are vulnerable.

However fostering and adoption is not for everyone, but everyone in the church has a role to play: that can be in prayer, practical support and creating a welcoming environment for vulnerable children and their families. I am passionate about this as our family

adopted my youngest son in 2009. So if you have adopted or fostered a child or children, or you want to know more about this I would love to hear from you. I need to know what support if any you would like and to find out what would be useful help from the church. If you don’t feel able to foster or adopt but would like to get involved in supporting those who do, I would love to hear from you too. Come and speak to me in church or contact me at glosregionalco@outlook.com or via the church office 01452 304339. Or you can visit www.homeforgood.org.uk or www.careforthefamily.org.uk. Together with God’s help we can make a real difference.

Adoption and fostering support at Kingfisher‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’

James 1:27

1 http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000930/sfr08-2010.pdf

2 http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000960/sfr27-2010v2.pdf

3 http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2008/01/23/107036/teenage-pregnancies-among-children-in-care-research.htm

News from Kingfisher Kingsway

!!!!!!!!As I reflect on what has been happening in 2014 within Kingfisher Church Kingsway, I am grateful for what God has been doing. We have seen teenagers showing their dedication to Jesus by being baptised. Over ninety children filled the school hall during our holiday club, Chocolate Adventure. Little Fishes, our parent and toddler group, have expanded into the new community centre in Kingsway. 180, our youth group, have re-launched their midweek session in the community centre. New people have joined our church. God has definitely been with us.

I also reflect, however, on things which could be better. We are still quite a distance from seeing our faith target of 50 adults and their children regularly attending Sunday services. I would love to see more people decide to fully devote themselves to Jesus and turn away from the lives which they are currently living.

Our vision from God was based on this verse: ‘When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things’ (1 Corinthians 13:11, NLT). In the verse’s context, Paul was saying that in order to become mature, we are to turn away from the things which stop us from loving God and loving others. Love brings maturity, and love brings growth! I believe that God wanted us as a church to devote ourselves to four specific things; the Bible, community, worship and prayer. This was based on this verse; ‘All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[a]), and to prayer’ (Acts 2:42, NLT).

I believe, however, that this type of devotion cannot be fully developed in our strength or with our ability. If we are to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, we need to fully immerse ourselves in the gift that has been given to all of those who believe that Jesus has died for their sins. This gift is the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who stirs the desire in us to be taught by God’s Word. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to serve our community in the way that is required, and ultimately lead them into relationship with Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the love to

encourage and comfort the Church. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the desire to worship God in all kinds of ways. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the courage and the knowledge to know how to pray in various situations.

As we immerse ourselves in the living water which is God the Spirit, the Spirit who lives in us when we give our lives over to the Father through trust in Jesus, we will experience His guidance, His voice and His power. Devotion through immersion enables maturity through love! Imagine if we decided to put Jesus at the centre of our universe and allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives. Think how the Spirit would bubble over to affect the lives of our community around us. Surely our love and devotion for God and others would be transformed!

This is the focus of Kingfisher Church Kingsway for the rest of the year and beyond. As the church moves into Kingsway Community Centre in 2015 for Sunday services, with all the expansion potential which that entails, the church will be encouraged to rely on God through the Holy Spirit to devote ourselves to Christ, and to expand our family as we look to put childish things away as we look to love the way how God desires. Please pray for us, only God can do this!

By Shaun Russell, Pastor at Kingfisher Kingsway

Devoted through immersion

‘But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life’

John 4:14 NLT

PHOTOS FROM CHOCOLATE ADVENTURE

Alternate Wednesday’s, 7-9pm at Kingsway community centre

For those in years 7-11 at school

Fun and games, tuck shop and a playstation too! £1 entry

Contact Jack on 07794428569 for more details

News from Kingfisher Kingsway

Little Fishes move to new community centre

Little Fishes has now moved to the new community centre in Kingsway. We have been based in the Beacon Children’s centre for the past three and a half years and while we have loved being in a building that is purpose built for under 5’s we felt that the group had outgrown the room at the children’s centre.

In our new venue we are able to hold one big Little Fishes session where previously we had to hold two smaller sessions due to the small room size. As you can see from the photos we have a lovely big, light and airy hall so we have room to grow and to introduce many more families to God through songs, story and craft.

Since moving to the community centre at the end of September we have seen 13 new families

come to Little Fishes regularly and one of our new families have also started coming to church!

Our team is also growing; we now have four people helping to run the sessions, one of whom is a mum who has been coming to Little Fishes for many year’s who’s youngest child has just started school.

We have been lucky enough to get storage at the community centre (definitely an answer to prayer) and some of our Little Fishes mums have been very kind in donating toys and equipment to the group. We are still looking for some duplo, a rug and a small slide so if you can help with this please contact the church.

The children are enjoying having lots of extra space and the parents/carers are enjoying the

fact that we now serve teas and coffees! We feel very blessed to have this lovely new venue for Little Fishes and hope to continue serving the community for many years to come.

Family chocolate adventure

Family Chocolate Adventure is how Kingsway Church does holiday club reunion, here families are encouraged to come along with their children to take part for themselves. These events have proved popular and this year was no exception as we saw over 60 people attend. The usual fun and madness of holiday club engulfed the morning where parents and family members were seen to be just as competitive as the children, with people, sweets and trays flying for the memorable “Pick and Mix game.” A great time was had and more importantly the gospel message of Jesus Christ was heard by all.

Baptism serviceThis year’s second

Baptism service took place on Sunday 12th

October with Ben Seagrave braving the freezing weather and the outdoor pool!

News from Kingfisher Tredworth

On the 31st of August we held our reunion Sunday at Tredworth, as all the kids from the Holiday club were invited back to relive some of their Chocolate Factory adventures. Then after the services it was an afternoon to relax on the field next door welcoming many more from the wider community and other church related groups.

Jazz Friday, a local jazz band provided the soundtrack for the afternoon as we enjoyed the beautiful, late summer sun. Ollie Bennett and Helen Gould sparked a run on people getting soaked as they completed their ‘Ice bucket challenges’, whilst the kids made the most of the bouncy inflatables and sweet stall. A big thank you to Steve Evans and Co. for providing the barbeque and to Simon

Beardsell for organising the footie competition. It was great to see different connect groups getting involved in running stalls especially the food bank team and Noy Stephenson for creating all the hanging baskets.

Mostly it was great to spend some quality time building relationships, meeting new people and just being a family together. Same time next year?

Many joined us for ‘Fun on the Field’

Detonate

James’ new lecternDuring the leadership conference in October our Senior Pastor James

Burn was presented with a lectern. This was made

possible by donations from people in Tredworth and

Kingsway and was gifted to James as a thank you for leading the network for

the past 21 years.

News from Treasure Seekers

New term starts with a bang!Treasure Seekers has kicked off this new academic year in style! We recently had our second open day where we exhibited all of the activities that we run for adults with learning difficulties. Including our new activities we now have discos, karaoke night, performing arts, outreach, coffee morning, LD service, bible study, keep fit, the shop, the building, and our creative workshops!!

The open day was great; it was an opportunity for people to come along and get information they need on any of the groups. It was also a day of fun with BBQ, raffle, tombola, tuck shop, creative workshop and performances throughout the day. What was really encouraging was not only the great turnout, but that some people stayed all day! It was a real community event and was all thanks to our amazing team of volunteers who work so hard at putting these events together. 

Our Karaoke nights are going from strength to strength too. We started off with 4 people at the beginning of the year and we now get over 50! We also have our new Keep Fit class that

Sarah Baker is running every Thursday afternoon. The class is aimed at adults with LD but everyone is welcome. 

The renovations of the building are continuing, especially in the Cavern which is looking so good! We would like to thank Steve Evans for all the building work he’s been doing and Katie Tucker and the team for all of the design and decorating. Our live music youth venue will be up and running very soon! Feel free to pop by and check it out.

As always, lots is happening in Treasure Seekers, its such an exciting ministry to be a part of. We are seeing real fruit with a lot of people from the shop and the activities coming to church and starting a relationship with God!

If you would like to find out more or want to get involved in any of our activities please let Craig Tucker know.

!!!!!!!!!The TSPA group put on a fantastic Disney show on the 17th July at Kingfisher Church and the 18th July at Waterwells Police HQ. It was real Disney magic watching Snow White (Vicky Judge) and the Seven Dwarfs defeating the Wicked Witch (Danny Slujavas) with the help of a kiss from The Prince (Richard Fox). Captain Jack Sparrow (Ashley Parlour) invited Buzz Lightyear (Jack Mullins) to a dance-off and just to help them they were assisted by Gary (Police) and Sally (Fire Service). Unfortunately Gary “danced” on Captain Jack’s team

and the audience decided that Sally had helped Buzz Lightyear to win the dance-off. The Dance Team performed brilliant routines to Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast and Zero to Hero from Hercules.

Belly Dancers performed wonderfully to Let it Go from Frozen and Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid. We had great songs like Circle of Life, There are no Strings and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. We saw Aladdin (Carl Davis) take Jasmine (Lydia Edwards) on a magic carpet ride and Mary Poppins (Harriet Kissick-Jones) fly in on her magic umbrella.

Then came the big finish with the finale song of The Bear Necessities - everyone can be pleased with a memorable Disney Show. Well done everyone and I think we should do it again!

By Bill Cooper

!

PHOTOS (ABOVE) FROM THE OPEN DAY AND (BELOW AND RIGHT) FROM THE CAVERN.

News from the Network

!!!!!We believe that, as part of our Christian witness, we are called to be on the "front line" and help those in our local community who are in crisis. Kingfisher church therefore works to support the Gloucester Foodbank which is located at the George Whitefield Centre on Western Road. Clients come from all walks of life but share in common the issue of being in a crisis and therefore in need of an emergency food parcel. Here are some of the practical ways in which Kingfisher helps:

Food Collection Kingfisher church is a food collection point for the Foodbank. Many thanks to those of you who have been placing your donations of non-perishable food in the collection box which is located in the church. We

regularly deliver these donations to the foodbank and your donations contribute to food parcels for those who are in need. Thank you.

Funding A big thank you to Felicity, Gill, Mary and Andrea who raised £28.00 from their Tombola stall at our Summer party-in-the-park. This was given to the Foodbank on behalf of Kingfisher Church and will be used to help with the running costs of the Foodbank.

Volunteering On Thursdays a team of us (from both Kingfisher Tredworth and Kingfisher Kingsway) volunteer to serve members of the public at the Foodbank on Western Road. This team comprises Mary, Gordon, Gill, Bob, Andrea and Veronica. Three colleagues from other Gloucester churches and a couple of non-christian friends also work with us. Bev sometimes serves on our emergency rota when she can spare the time from her other Thursday commitments.

Each of our sessions begins with prayer where we ask God to equip us to serve those we will be meeting with that day. We serve by making up food parcels, making cups of tea, ensuring that the room is clean and welcoming, listening and sometimes offering to pray with clients. Some of us also try to find out practical information that clients can use to resolve the underlying cause of their crisis. Sometimes we find that we can signpost them to other Kingfisher activities to meet their needs

The Kingfisher team meets regularly at Kingfisher Tredworth over a cup of tea to support each other and to pray for the work of the foodbank.

Would you like to become a foodbank volunteer? Can you commit to serve once a month on Thursdays from 11.15am-2.45pm, or more often - or even just as an occasional stand in for emergency cover?

If you feel drawn to this area of service please contact Veronica Tullett.

Get involved with the Foodbank

Selah - the title of our 2014 Leaders’ Conference - means PAUSE.

Pause to reflect on the magnitude of what God is doing right now.

Pause to offer a response of praise and worship.

Pause to come into agreement with God (the Aramaic word, ‘Selah’ is the equivalent of ‘Amen’).

This was a powerful day conference where the leaders of Kingfisher paused to reflect on how far God has brought us and, as we are embarked upon an exciting new era in this Network, to come into agreement with him on what needs to change as we move forward. He

is capable of doing exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine - so what are you prepared to give up, leave behind, break free from to embrace the new things that he is leading us into?

This is an invitation to us all - to pause and reflect on how far God has enabled us to come, and then to agree to make ourselves freshly available to him for the next leg of the journey!

Time to ‘Selah’If you would like to be notified when the next newsletter comes out, please go to www.resources.kingfisher.org.uk and enter your email address so we can keep you up to date with news. !Next issue due out 1st February 2015 - copy deadline 19th January. !Kingfisher Network Kingfisher Church Moor Street, Tredworth Gloucester GL1 4NJ !www.kingfisher.org.uk info@kingfisher.org.uk !+441452 304339 !© Kingfisher Church, 2014

‘...for I was hungry and you have Me food: I was thirsty and you gave Me drink...’

Matthew 25:35 (NKJV)