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Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD?"
Click to download a full PDF copy of the
Lighthouse
Answer to Prayer
The F2G group have been focusing on our prayer life and more recently by the 24/7 prayer movement that has been sweeping across the UK and around the world. This study of the vision of 24/7 prayer gave birth to the idea of not just a 24/7 prayer but to a 48/7 prayer time.
Even non-christians pray, so as a people of God we are called to enter a deeper relationship of communication, listening intently to the small voice of our heavenly father and learning to speak with him in depth and intimacy.
Our 48 hour prayer room commenced on Friday 31st July at 7pm and was well attended. All of the hourly slots were eventually covered through to 6pm on Sunday 2nd August. A number of prayer stations were set up all around the church building providing creative, reflective, interactive and Holy areas.
The weekend proved to be a time of great blessing and outpouring of God’s love, guidance and revelation to those attending. So many prayer requests were made on the different prayer boards and the creative wall of paint, sketch, writing and pictures was breath taking and truly inspiring. Positive feedback has been made verbally and in the comments book from young and mature Christians alike.
We were also visited by Richard & Katie Smith from Colchester Prayer Boiler Room who had covered our event with prayer and given advice and encouragement leading up to the weekend.
Many comments and enquiries have been made as to if there will be another opportunity for a 24/7 prayer time. The F2G group are keen to keep praying this way and repeat the event. We are hopeful that this can be repeated or turned into a regular alternative prayer evening with the help of others in the fellowship that have particular giftings with this ministry.
Listed are a few of the comments which were recorded in our feedback book from those who visited the prayer rooms:
“What a tremendous privilege to be able to sit at Jesus’ feet with a real sense of peace and no disturbance or any interruptions.”
“Amazing! Thank you Lord, for being able to come to you in this place in this way away from the pressures of life.”
”AMAZING, just AMAZING.”
”We are the family of God. Encourage each other of all ages. Bind us together even closer. “
”Ecclesiastes 3:1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven. Thank you O my father for giving us your Son.”
”Praise God for His greatness, His closeness and His “real-ness”. You are an awesome Father and how blessed, humbled and privileged I am, knowing you. My life will never be the same!! Reveal your mighty plan, for your names sake. I Love You Lord!”
”What a blessing praise His Holy name. God meets His people in a life transforming way. The atmosphere of the prayer room is thick with anticipation, holiness & joy – the powerhouse of our God and King fusing us together as His people obedient to serve Him. Pray, Pray, Pray – Holy is our God.”
”24/7 has helped me to learn more about God/Jesus. The prayers have been amazing and I have especially enjoyed the creative room. GOD IS SO AMAZING!!!”
”The 48/7 Prayer has been one of the most amazing experiences of my Christian life. My God has revealed Himself to me in a very real way. My experience of the communion was breath taking, having been given the opportunity to fully prepare myself before entering the Throne room of my Father. Thank You Jesus for this awesome time of Intimacy I have shared with you. I Love You and I eagerly await as you reveal your plans to me!!!!”
Thank You to all those who commented in the book, your words have been a real encouragement to the group.
The Inspiration for the delivery of the 24/7 prayer to the F2G group, came after reading an amazing book called RedMoonRising written by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts.
This book is the story of 24/7 prayer in this country, one man’s vision materialising in a global prayer movement.
Mandy & Nigel Drew
Harvest
Harvest Supper
6:30pm
19th September 2009
Harvest Services
20th September 2009
48/7
Prayer
Time
I personally would like to thank God for the initiative of the young folk in F2G to put in motion this means of prayer-time for us all to participate in. Also, for the innovative way in which the various prayer stations were set up.
Truly it was the experience of all who took part that this was something special. What a privilege to be able to pray in complete confidence of non-interruption of everyday things, e.g. telephones, callers etc. etc. Someone did say that I could have done this at home. Maybe, but having to make the effort and time to drive to the Church was, I think, all part of the blessing.
This is not something new, it is happening on a regular basis throughout Colchester, Great Britain, and elsewhere – is this the “new thing” that God wants to show us at Stanway Evangelical Church, because we all know with assurance that “prayer changes things” – we have proved it does so many times, and perhaps we need to look, as individuals and as a body of God’s people, to spending more time in prayer. This is, of course, entirely between us and the Lord.
Marion Bland
48 /7
48/
7
Return to Dunwich
On 19th August we made a return trip to Dunwich and the Flora Tearooms via coach, with a visit to Southwold afterwards.
Did you know that at one time Dunwich was the largest port in East Anglia with city status? It also boasted 12 churches. One by one the buildings were lost to the sea due to the eroding cliffs.
The city became a town, the town a village, and the village a hamlet. The last Church disappeared in 1919. All that remains now is a handful of cottages, the ruins of a priory and leper hospital and a solitary gravestone. The Flora Tearooms were built in 1888; exactly 100 years later on Easter Monday 1988 it was burnt down, only to be rebuilt as good as new in March the following year.
Can nature speak?
Among the many blackbirds that frequent my bird table, one seems to be my friend. On these nice sunny mornings, I take my breakfast and sit on the garden bench. This particular morning I had not fed the birds before eating my breakfast. Mr Blackbird sat on the shed roof looking at me. Not getting what he wanted, he then came and sat at my feet. I then heard nature speak. Mr Blackbird was asking for his breakfast. Before I could get to the bird table, he was on it waiting for me. Because I feed the birds regularly, the sparrow hawk visits from time to time.
The following Sunday was another sunny day so after dinner on the garden bench I sat with a cup of tea. This time my garden robin came and sat at my feet. Thinking I had not got the message, he hopped up onto the bench beside me. Knowing what he wanted, I got some currants and put them on the ground at my feet. He had a few, then fluffed up his feathers, spread his wings, put his head on one side, opened his beak and had a 10 minute sunbathe. I think he was saying “No fear of the sparrow hawk here”. I was his shelter.
Some lines of the Hymn Beneath the Cross of Jesus, came to mind as I looked at my robin.
O safe and happy shelter,
O refuge tried and sweet - and - I take,
O cross, thy shadow For my abiding place.
Q. Can nature speak?
A. God speaks through nature.
Graham Theobald
