Fly Fishing by JC

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him.

This story in the Bible always strikes me, these men who had a decent living dropped their nets and just followed Jesus, amazing. What I also like is that is all Jesus asks, he doesn't ask them for their CV or how much of the Bible they know, or how much evangelism they may have done in the past, the only requirement is that they follow him and HE will make them fishers of men.

Monday was generally a quiet night, the field we normally visit was silent, there was not a ripple in the pool, all was calm. It gave us a chance to check our nets, to listen to the call of Jesus and see where we needed to follow. We spent time going to a new pool that we have been checking out down the road, we threw some ground bait out and prayed and we look forward to what Jesus has called us into, it is up to him to make us fishers of men, we just want to follow.

It has been an exciting few weeks with ripples going out on the pond. We are in talks with another local church about supporting some fishing in their area, we are talking to some churches in the town centre in October, we have another meeting planned the following week for other church leaders, a large charity in Guildford is talking with us about teaming up. To be honest the problem we are facing is not where to fish but that we need more fishermen!

I don't know about you but I often read things like this and think this sounds great, good on you but it's not for me. I am not great with young people, I don't really like meeting new folk and so on. However there is something for everyone, we are all part of the body of Christ and we need all those parts to function. You are a valuable member of the team, yes you do have something you can offer, and more importantly, is Jesus saying "Come follow me...."

We really need a prayer team for Monday night, we currently have one member and need another to join so that when the team is going out there are people back at a house-base praying, could you help us in this way?

We are also moving into new territory, we want to reach out to the elderly and lonely, people who need contact with the outside world, Outside Light perhaps becoming an Inside Light on some occassions. Could you get involved in this way? Can you design flyers or posters? Can you mow a lawn or paint a fence?

Please contact us if you can help, Jesus supplies all you need.......

George

(Our thanks to Jackie Bolton for offering to pray-partner us in Old Woking on Tuesday evenings. We desperately need more to join us as prayer partners for Monday's as well as more volunteers for Monday's and Tuesday's please.)

A Hard Afternoon

Several O-Lighters attended the very moving service celebrating the life of the young lad who died as the result of a motor accident a couple of weeks ago. There were heart-rending moments as grandparents and parents got out of the car and waited patiently to enter the Chapel. What testimony to this young lad's life that there were several hundred people there, mostly young people but older folk too - possibly his teachers. Far too many people for everyone to fit into the Chapel.

Young people cried, make-up ran, emotions ran high, and tributes relayed by the loudspeakers to everyone outside, spoke of meeting the lad again, 'somewhere, wherever he is'.

That evening we met again on The Vyne field where there was much sadness - perhaps only a half-dozen or so kids turned up. It's dark now at 7.30 so no surprises there. One or two kicked a ball but others just wanted to chat.

Last night, in Old Woking, some of our group met with lads there, who also knew the young chap who had died. Their opening comments related to the previous days' events and much sadness was expressed. One of those who spoke last night had been one of the older lads who had said 'don't come back' at the end of the last football session we held there a few weeks back. Last night he seemed pleased to talk!

Our prayers must be with the family of the young lad who died, and his mates. His circle of friends extended around Woking and his death has touched each of them individually. Maybe, just maybe, his fate will resonate with all or many of them and will help them to value their present life, as well as their life eternal. The lad who died may just help all of his mates in a very special if unintended way.

Prayer, Planning and Tragedy

Since the last post we've not done much in terms of frontline youthwork. Two Monday's ago we prayed, Monday gone we planned - Phil's vision is for a couple of bods to go out in Old Woking prayer-walking, while others wil run a drop-in at New Life Church throughout the months when we have darker evenings. Others, we hope, will be praying inside the building while this goes on. Previous drop-in's have been something of a challenge since fights apparently broke out most weeks when the old Gloster Road Group last ran drop-ins a couple of years ago. We have God with us though. We trust Him.

The next couple of weeks, however, will be on the field as normal - although we're hoping to hold a final bbq on the last week to promote the drop-in.

We really would value your prayers about these plans. As I indicated in earlier blogs, it's been a bit mad in Old Woking of late. BUT, maybe that's a good thing. Just maybe this is our old adversary taking a pop at us because we're getting places with some of the kids we're talking to. There's definitely a polarisation between kids who are very engaged and talking to us, and those whose behaviour is something more challenging than mere 'naughty'.

MONDAY's

Sadly, tomorrow is the funeral of one of the lads we met on the field on a regular basis. Tragically injured in a motor accident after collecting his GCSE results, he died a few days later in hospital. Our prayers must be that he absorbed some of the seeds that were planted during our encounters with him. Our thoughts right now are with his family and his mates; I can't at the moment imagine the scene tomorrow - I don't want to imagine it. My heart goes out to everyone for the tragic loss of his young life. He'll be sorely missed.

There's a lesson here though. There has to be urgency about what we're doing. To not share the Gospel with those we meet is like not handing out parachutes to the passengers and crew of a plane that we know will crash. Can we really bare the responsibility of knowing that we had the means or message that could save someone but chose not to share it - perhaps because we were a bit scared, or thought our faith should remain private, or thought we weren't good enough?