Weekly Wrap 5

Wow, I can't believe I have come to the end of my third week here in Southport! Time is flying by. My days are so long and full. I can't tell you how many days this past week it was 8:30pm and I really just wanted to crawl into bed. I mean, I know I am getting old, but my goodness! :)

On Monday, my team and I went into Scarisbrick Hall and did an assembly (the same assembly mentioned in the previous Weekly Wrap) and spent the rest of the day in the office working on upcoming ministry.

Sarah and Trey working hard!

That evening I had a delightful coffee and a very large scone with my vicar (and line manager) Sonya.

Tuesday, our long day, we went into two primary schools to do a lunch club and an after-school club. In all the primary schools we visit we are talking about the Fruit of the Spirit. Some are easier to define and understand than others. For example, these kids get patience (they understand having to wait!) but kindness and goodness are a bit more challenging to explain and discuss...Also, that evening I met up with Hannah and Gabriel to talk about New Generation, our kids club. I really enjoy them and their heart for these kids!

Wednesday Sarah and I went to Greenbank, an all-girls secondary school (high school) and the boys went to Birkdale, an all-boys secondary school. At the girls' school Sarah led a discussion about Heaven. We asked the girls if they thought there was a Heaven and if so, who gets to go. Their answers were interesting, and slightly heartbreaking. The girls in my group said that "good" people get to go to Heaven. "Well then," I asked them, "how do you define 'good?'" Their answers got a bit gray then. But they were all in agreement that God decides who gets to go to Heaven. Sarah clearly presented the Gospel then and 15 of the 23 girls in the room raised their hands to either give their lives to the Lord for the first time or recommit their lives to Him again. Praise the Lord and Hallelujah!! God is good! By the way, the enemy hated that and Sarah got spiritually stomped on a couple days later. That was a good reminder to me that we really are fighting a spiritual battle and as Pais workers, in the schools, we are on the front lines. This is serious stuff! But greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world!! After that, we met with the owner of the only Christian bookstore/café in town (Café Delight!!) to discuss youth work and supporting each other as Christian organizations in our community. He was really encouraging and I got to have some gooooood coffee :) That evening I got to go to New Generation, my awesome kids club. I love these kids!!

This is Hannah's almost-70-year-old father at the kids club portraying Goliath after David defeated him.

Thursday was another day of clubs, half of my team went to Meols Cop (a secondary school) and talked with them about "Where your heart is, there your treasure is also," and the other half went to a Catholic primary school to talk with them about the Fruit of the Spirit. Then we met back up to do an after-school club at a different primary school, where we will be doing a workshop tomorrow morning!

Sarah, Luisa, and David at our Thursday after-school club talking with the kids about Patience

That evening Sarah and I got to go to "tea" (aka supper) at the home of the leaders of Open Well, the church that meets at 3pm on Sundays. John and Tracey are so sweet and it was a blessing eating and fellowshipping with them!

Friday my team and I agreed to hit KFC for lunch, which I think was a good idea. Every week we work really hard Monday-Thursday doing ministry prep in the office while at the same time hitting these schools to actually do the ministry.


At this point, Trey needed a break. I think we all did!

Friday is our admin day (so precious to me!) where we catch up, debrief, and plan for the week ahead, and to take some time to get out of the office and eat some goooooood food together was a good idea, I think. That night Sarah and I went to Shoreline, a local church, to talk to their youth group about Pais and what the apprenticeship looks like, should they be interested in joining in the future.

Saturday, my one day to sleep in! And I did. Actually, we all did. I refused to set my alarm clock but when I woke up I made my way to my Saturday morning hide-out for some gooooood coffee and some Bible time! :) I also went shopping because Chapel street, the pedestrian street with all the stores, was on my way home ;) So I bought myself a birthday present. Saturday evening I hung out with my team, plus a couple others. We ate, fellowshipped and they played a bored game (no, that is not a typo).

Today, Sunday, I again went to three services. I was with "my girls" this morning, and we are beginning a series discussing how God sees us, which I am very excited about. Following that, I went home, took a little nap, and then went back for church at Open Well. If I were to say which church in Southport is "my" church, this would be it. This is where Holy Spirit encounters and refreshes me. This is where I feel I belong and can worship freely. I love this place so far! Following that, we had Resolute Youth at the church where our Pais office is located, which is a once-a-month meeting of youth groups from around Southport. I thought it was great and I am really encouraged to see the young people in the church coming together to worship and fellowship!

Well, that was my week. And that is typically what it looks like. In the office and in schools Monday-Friday, church work in the evenings and on the weekends with Saturday normally free to rest and do what I enjoy! I know it was a lot, but now you kind of know what my life is like week in and week out--busy! :) But it's good and I am loving it!