Monday Spot (21 January 2008)
This week-end represented an important milestone in the life of the corps, focusing again on our vision featuring Ezekiel’s picture of a river.
The River Medway at Chatham
Since adopting the vision in 2005 we have periodically reviewed our progress. On Saturday the Leadership Team met again for that purpose and spent several hours in prayerful consideration of what has been achieved and how we might progress further in the future. Much of the time was again spent on the subject of how we might become more relevant to our community, including both our local community and our wider international community represented by readers of this website.
Another subject of vision for 2008 is the imminent commencement of building works in the form of redevelopment to our halls and facilities. A presentation of these proposals will be made to the corps within the next three months, when more detail has been added to the plans, and opportunity for comment will be offered. At last it looks as though this issue, which has been on the agenda for many years, is about to come to fruition. Continued prayer is requested for this project.
The team at work
New building plans tabled
On Sunday morning Major Drew took as his theme ‘Vision – River of God’ using the passage of scripture from Ezekiel 47:1-12 as his opening reading.
Major Drew
Songs 298, 527 and 471 from The Salvation Army Song Book were used alongside 935, 362 and 168 from Songs of Fellowship. Musical ministry was provided by the Singing Company and the Songsters who brought us ‘I won’t give up’ and ‘Before thy Cross’ respectively.
Recognition was given to Pat Phillips and Steve Wood, both of whom have relinquisehed leadership positions, Ladies Fellowship Leader and and Assistant Corps Sergeant Major respectively.
Pat & Steve are recognised
Further scripture from Luke 18:18-43 was used and Drew, in his message, spoke about developing our corps vision further. He said I feel a very heavy responsibility for the direction in which this corps is going. The cross is the life source of our vision and it is here that the vision begins to flow, beginning as a trickle and increasing in its flow as it gets nearer to its objective, bringing new life to dead places. Lost people matter to God. This is illustrated by stories about the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. God sent Jesus into the world in an all-our search for his lost children, culminating in losing his life on the cross and He celebrates when the lost return home. We need to reach out and not just concentrate on ourselves, however important that may be. We celebrate that we have seen new Christians in the corps in the past year but we have not yet reached our potential in this respect. We are ‘knee-deep’ in the river but have not yet ‘jumped in’. We must let go and trust in God’s leadings. Are we still asking the question ‘What must I do?’ ‘Give up all and follow Christ?’. What are we doing to influence people for Christ, particularly those we meet every day? Our challlenge is that, this year, we will concentrate on engaging with our friends for Jesus’ sake.
A number of rededications were made at the end of the meeting.
In the afternoon we concentrated on matters discussed by the Leadership Team on Saturday. Leaders of each purpose group gave brief accounts of how the vision currently influenced their particular sphere of activity and how it was proposed to proceed in the coming year. The situation with regard to the redevelopment of our property was oultlined and we were told that building work for phase 1 of the project would probably start within a few months and be completed by the year-end.
We gave thanks to God for the many achievements of the last year, particularly with regard to becoming more relevant to the people of our town. The on-going challenges were also highlighted and no less than 11 were specifically identified. We were especially asked to ‘keep God first’ in a period when it would be easy for our focus to be diverted by major practical issues such as the building works.
Major Kathy
Following tea a brief period of worship was led by Major Kathy who used songs 710, 745 and 803 from The Salvation Army Song Book along with 707 and 1404 from Songs of Fellowship. Scripture readings were 1 Kings 17:8-16 and John 2:1-11. She said God has a plan for The Salvation Army in Chatham and challenged us to follow the instruction of the scriptures to ‘do whatever He tells you’. Changes will have to be made in our lifestyles and attitudes if we want to be obedient servants of God’.
This was a day to remember, when the vision for our corps in 2008 was clearly outlined. We pray we may be just as clear in carrying it out.
We look forward to our quiz night next Saturday (26 January) at 6pm. If you have not yet entered please contact us at this website or contact Fellowship group leader Sam Wood direct.
Sam Wood
Teams of six people will be the format and if you don’t already belong to a team please enter anyway and we will place you in one. A meal will be provided. Cost of entry is £3.50 per person