Cold is the new Hot

Last Friday night a very select few of us braved the very cold weather to do our normal Friday evening outreach in Woking Town centre.  Boy was it cold!  I wore a thermal vest, a t-shirt and four jumpers (that’s right four!).  We met to pray at the Y-Pod at 9:30pm as normal not really knowing what the evening would hold, or whether it would be worth it with so few of us.  We decided to pray, then make a decision about what to do as Woking seemed very quiet.

Having prayed, the three of us felt that it was worth going ahead and we decided to travel light with so few hands at the pump, as it were.  We left the flag and tables in the Y-Pod and just took what the three of us could carry, a single thermos of hot water, tea & coffee, sweets and tracts/gospels, which all ended up laid out on the edge of one of the flower bed thingys (don’t know what they’re called) under the station shelter.

We thought that there would probably be nobody around given the cold weather but to our surprise there were two of our “regular customers” who had come out early and were waiting to see us when we got there.  We greeted them with a hot drink and went straight into conversation. 

One Portuguese man, Alcino, had come the previous week with a bad back, so bad that he had been in hospital three times and had been in terrible pain that no medication had really helped with.  We prayed for him and he was completely healed.  When we saw him last night, he was still in complete health, but was off work due to the weather!  The long and short of it is that he said that he is really keen to take things further with God, and that he wants to attend our Monday evening Bible study.  He even said that he will try to persuade his girlfriend to come!  Praise the Lord!

We also spoke to several young people who were hanging around under the shelter whom we were able to share our faith, why we were there and gave them some leaflets, which they gratefully received.  At one point we must have had about 10 people huddled around our single thermos flask perched on the edge of the plant thingy!

Finally, two wonderfully kind young men brought a Yorkshireman called Tim to us who is tragically sleeping rough at the moment, having had problems accessing Woking Winterwatch.  He is sleeping in a disused freezer!

He has a faith so we were able to encourage him and pray for him, which he appreciated, and Andy went to see where he sleeps.  Hopefully we can keep in touch with him and help him in the weeks to come.

One thing that was really brought home to me was that while the table and the banner and all the other “kit” we use on Fridays is really useful, what God really wants is us, willing servants, and that there is literally no limit to what God can do if we put ourselves in His hands.  I really didn’t think it would be worth staying around and that there would be hardly anybody for us to speak to but in reality we were literally rushed off our feet the whole evening.

Thank you Lord for such a wonderful evening!

Please remember to pray for Alcino, for Graham who we see every week and for Tim who is sleeping rough.

Cheers

Andrew

More Encouragement from Friday Night

Hi all

I wanted to tell you about last Friday as an encouragement.  We had a great evening and really felt God’s presence with us.  We really noticed God’s influence in the way that people responded to us, we gave out quite a lot of gospels and tracts and people seemed really appreciative of them, even if they didn’t have time to stop and talk about it.

We prayed for several people which was great and a highlight was a Portuguese chap called Ilsano who was drinking because he had injured his back, was in a lot of pain and his medication wasn’t helping.  He explained that he had been in hospital twice that week and that he had been unable to work.  We prayed for Ilsano, that he would be healed and that he would have an experience of God.  After we prayed he said that he couldn’t feel any pain and could bend down in a way that he had been unable to previously!  He also said that as we prayed for him he felt God “change his mind” and felt that his whole thinking was different.  God certainly seemed to have had a big impact on him.  He left his beer with us half full!

I was greatly encouraged by Friday and I hope that flavour of what happened encourages you too.

God bless

Andrew

Thursday and Tonight -Tuesday

I just wanted to let those of you who have been praying for us know that all is well in Knaphill (Thursday) and Old Woking (Tuesday - tonight).


On Tuesday we had a really good night, although John H was stymied by a computer virus in from America that attacked his company's servers - quite a big deal seeing as he works for one of the Internet's major companies.


We had pizza, games were played, nails painted, conversations had. The only negative was an 8-year old who tried to walk off with a volunteer's Blackberry.

Tonight
Mostly we had a really good evening - up to the last ten minutes when one lad lost his temper and tipped up three of the dustbins outside - rubbish all over the place. This is one of the lads we prayed for last week. I tried asking what his problem was but he wasn't in a mood to respond. So many of these kids have anger issues and it doesn't take much to set them off. There again, given the lives that some of them have been dealt, it's not that surprising. Up until then he was funny and chatty. Something happened to change that - I think he chipped his tooth on a lolly. It really doesn't take much but who knows what other straws were loaded onto this particular camel's back?


The other problem was yet ANOTHER broken tap. It's only a piece of plastic that broke - but whichever way you look at it, it's bust. To New Life, yet again, we're really sorry.


Apart from these two incidents the rest of the evening was very chilled with no problems. Esther (our newest volunteer) chatted to the girls. Nick made and cooked pizzas which the kids ate like they'd never eaten anything before  - and I drifted, generally amazed that I wasn't having to stop any fights. And after everything had calmed down and most of the kids had left, a few stayed behind to hoover and mop the floors and a half-dozen of those stayed a little longer for prayer. 


This is becoming a regular thing now and I really believe we're starting to see lives change. Just a few embers that we'd love to help fan into flame over the coming weeks.


Next week is the Outside Light Prayer meeting - Tuesday at Holy Trinity Church, Knaphill. Please come along if you're free.


John

Roller-Coaster Drop-In

The amazing thing about last night was that God provided us with a good number of volunteers in time for the anticipated backlash. We had Esther, who has joined the team from Vineyard Church and has youth-working experience, Paul, Gav, Nancy, Nick and me. You'll remember that the last couple of weeks were really peaceful and there were just the two of us.


New Life Church had a special service taking place at the same time, so the main challenge was to keep the kids from getting through the doors - a task that needed to be undertaken by two of us (had there been just Nick and me, we wouldn't have coped this week - God is indeed good) - even then they almost squeezed through on a few occasions and had to be caught and brought back in. On one of those occasions I was threatened with a head-butting, which resulted in Nick barring the lad for two weeks - we won't tolerate threats to volunteers, even the 6'5" ones like me. The very satisfactory outcome was that the lad apologised to me before leaving for home. Nick's 'word' with him had the desired effect and we shook hands.


Much of the extra work resulted from two brothers attending simultaneously - where in previous weeks one of them had been unwell so only one turned up. These lads are a handful as individuals (not unlike a certain Outside Light team member was at around their age), but together their impact is more than equal to the sum of their two parts and we need eyes in the backs of our heads to keep track of them. That said, Nick kept one of them busy in the kitchen making smoothies for quite a while  - a task that the lad seemed to enjoy. We'd really appreciate it if you could pray in particular for these boys.


Again at the end of the evening several of the lads stayed behind and helped us clear up - I think this was the messiest I've ever seen the kitchen - unsurprising given who was the chief smoothie-maker. Many hands make Outside Light work though, and it didn't take long before we all had sat down for prayer again.


Two of the lads had asked us last week to pray that they'd be taken off report - one was. Another lad asked us to pray that he'd be able to get an education. It seems he's been excluded from local schools and is being sent to a boarding school - he doesn't want to go but he's clever enough to realise he's unlikely to get a job without an education. Something of a dilemma for him.


It'd be fantastic if you could find time to pray for these lads and redouble your efforts, please, in prayer for next week's drop-in. 


Thanks again for your prayers this past week.


John

Prayer Meeting for Outside Light 23rd November

Please spread the word and get the date into your diaries that we are having a prayer meeting for Outside Light from 7.30 to 9.30 pm on the 23rd of November at Holy Trinity Church, Chobham Road, Knaphill, GU21 2SX - link

It will be a time of fellowship, worship, some short teaching and prayer. We think these are vital meetings and really important for the volunteers to come to in order to receive prayer and support.

Could you pass this on to prayer partners, supporters, interested parties and encourage as many along as you can to join us. 

Grace, Grace, Grace

George

Thursday, 4th November

After hearing of disruptions at the Tuesday meetings in Old Woking, I dropped in – after an absence of five months – in case an extra pair of hands would help. Had I kept up with the most recent news I might have been prepared for what I witnessed, but I hadn’t. It was truly shocking.

There was no aggravation, only a really good vibe; no punch-ups or verbal fisticuffs, only polite conversation. When Nick called ‘time’, the majority walked without a murmur, and those that stayed got stuck into tidying up. I even had a broom taken off me by one of the boys because the job had been allocated to him. And after everything was tidy, five boys joined us for the prayer de-brief, where the broom-boy straightaway opened up about difficulties at school and his concern that things were unravelling again; he wanted it to be put right. The difference in him during the evening had probably been the most remarkable, but it was by no means the only change.

One girl who had been a school-refuser told me how she had a plan in place with a new school where she felt really comfortable. It was so refreshing to see her smiling. Another, who had been exploring the boundary-line last time I was around, was chatty and showed me her art-work, a talent I never knew she had before. What humbled me the most was their warmth after I had taken a necessary (but unexplained) step back from their lives; their acceptance reminded me what an honour it is to have been involved in this corner of God’s work.

God has made sure that the recent disruption has been put to His use. Prayer is central – that vibe couldn’t have been achieved without the prayer support from various homes. Judging by Tuesday night, the strong line taken in recent weeks has really hit home and the young people have responded by reining in their behaviour and taking responsibility with both hands. It was always the plan to enable them to become responsible for themselves and others in the running of the ‘club’ (their word) and it’s a huge encouragement to see that starting to evolve.

Sure, the devil doesn’t like to see things going well and there’s no guarantee that things will be so rosy next week, but all those involved should be encouraged and motivated to keep going and to PRAY because a lot of ground has been covered and it won’t go to waste!

Isaiah 40:26-31

Nancy

Friday Update

God was moving on the streets of Woking again last night. He is so faithful! Hallelujah and Amen!

We started the evening off with 1 Corinthians 12 and reflected on how we all have a vital part to play in the body of Christ and how we are meant to be interdependent not independent.

We were a small team of 5 and once again perfectly formed ;-) I would like to welcome Naomi to our team. Naomi attends Send Evangelical Church and the Holy Spirit spoke to her last Sunday morning. Her work shift finished earlier than expected so she was able to come! She fitted in so well with the team and God used her in many conversations. Praise God!

I also want to thank the other team members (you know who you are!) for their unfailing faithfulness and their love for the broken people we are privileged to minister to.

We christened the new Thermos flasks and enjoyed very hot drinks!

We talked to lots of people and prayed with several and each of us have our own memories of people who touched us.

I would ask you to pray for A, a singer songwriter who periodically attends the catholic Church. Pray that the Holy Spirit touches her heart and she hears a call to come back to Jesus to know Him in an intimate and personal way. She gave Andrew her contact details and partly suggested she may be interested in getting involved.

G has lost a close friend and she was asking lots of questions, bravely ignoring the jeering of her friends. She allowed us to pray for her and Amanda did this with sensitivity. Her friends were trying to pull her away and she told them to give her a few minutes. She is a neighbour of Jack's. Pray that  she will wake up today and remember what God was saying to her, that she will gain strength and comfort and that Jack will be able to come alongside her and direct her to appropriate support.

B caught us at the end of the evening. We were all pretty sure we've seen him before. He was fixated on how black people came to the world, given that Adam and Eve were 'white'. He was pretty calm but argumentative and really didn't want to hear what we were saying........but he just kept on coming back for more!!! Pray that his ears will be opened and that God will speak to him.

Please pray for Graham. He was not there last night and we were not totally sure of the outcome of Monday. I hope that he may be able to pick up emails  at some point......not sure though. Please pray for peace, strength and an overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit now and over the next few months.

There were more people we spoke to so,  finally, please pray for them too!

We are hoping to arrange some training on reaching out to other faiths. It will be on a Friday night, prior to going out. I will let you know the details as soon as I have a date.

Its all for the glory of Jesus!!

Miracles Do Happen in Old Woking

You might recall that we've had some difficulties in Old Woking these past few weeks; fire extinguishers being let off, kids on the church roof, another running up my van bonnet onto its roof, personal abuse, stones thrown, physical harm to a volunteer, etc etc etc. And so it was last evening that our team felt led to fight the same war but on different battle fields. Nick and I opened while others in our team prayed! The effect of this was powerful!


The night before last night Nick and I prayed together with Rachael his wife in preparation for last evening, that as Jesus did in Mark 6, he'd get into the boat with us and calm the storm. We really believed before we got there that the spiritual atmosphere would change at the drop-in, and that's exactly what happened.


The evening's highlight for me was the help given to us by a couple of the older lads. Not only did they help control the younger ones, but they also helped get equipment out and put it away again - and they hoovered, mopped, washed up and cleared up. They were brilliant - and the big surprise was that one of them last year was obnoxious to the point that I had to leave the building for half an hour before I did something very unChristian to him. I can't believe the change in him - and I put that entirely down to prayer. It was another specific prayer the night before last that we'd see a change in this lad - and I know that Nick has been praying for that for some time.


Nick and I would like to thank, firstly, the other volunteers and numerous others for supporting the evening in prayer. It worked - big time! We'd like to thank the New Life Church Elders for their support - they decided not to charge Outside Light for the earlier damage caused. They understand what we're trying to do and they support us. We feel really blessed by that. And we'd like to thank Jesus for getting into the boat with us and stilling the storm - we know that He WAS the difference.  Mark 6: 47-51. 


A couple of points that I take from this passage: 1) is that we're not promised there will be no storms, but we must have faith that He's in control. 2) Jesus was about to pass them by until they cried out. That bit's very interesting.


Thanks to Him
John

Thursdays - Relationships are building

Hello Everyone

Outside Light on Thursday Light is proving to be succesful.  We are starting
to forge some good relationships with the local kids and have had the
opportunity to hold some interesting conversations and gain an understanding
on what's happening in their lives. Some of the kids, who at the beginning
didnt want to talk to us, are starting to open up and its been great to see
this transformation.  Last night we had an unusual situation when an
estranged dad turned up and judging by the girl's reaction it wasn't an
entirely welcomed visit. JD explained to him that he couldnt stay as adults
need a valid CRB and after about 10 minutes he went. He looked the worse for
wear. Prayers were said afterwards for the girl and her family.

It's nearly always best at the end of the evening when the kids leave -
several have started to say thanks. Others call us by our name - one lad
(who only a few weeks ago behaved as though he was from another planet)
shook hands!

We also gave up several copies of Tony Anthony's book, Taming the tiger and
we hope and pray that the words leap off the pages and into the hearts of
the readers and we see transformation.

Many thanks and blessings to you all,

John Holland

Church without walls....

Angels and gardners!

 

I am really excited at what is happening in Woking, particularly over the weekend on the streets! I had another meeting with Street Angels today as we talked about working together to reach out to Woking. I am overjoyed that there is more presence on the streets of Woking.

 

Street Angels are a group of like minded people who will be hitting the streets in Feb 2011 to help the police take care of those people who are a little worse for wear, struggling or just needing some help. Mainly built up from Christians in Woking with Christ at the centre of why they are doing this they are going to provide a valuable service to the public and totally support Outside Light in what we are doing.

 

It will be great to work together, although we have slightly different aims, I can see Street Angels referring those who want to talk about Christianity to us, and those who come to us with cuts or health issues or simply needing help we cannot provide we can point to Street Angels. Another exciting partnership is being formed in Woking.

 

Street Angels are running a series or training events in January including, personal safety, Relating effectively, drugs & alcohol and are inviting all Outside Light members and associates to these training events. They are being run every week on one evening in the week from January 12th and also running on Saturday's in January and Feb. Let me know if you are interested in this valuable training - georgeosborn@avantiministries.com

 

In addition the Friday night team are looking to run training sessions before going out on Friday's, with experts in each area being invited to come and share with the team. We will keep you posted as this develops.

 

We continue to value your prayers as we visit Send church this Sunday morning at 10.30am to share about the work God is doing through Outside Light.

 

Thursday nights is going great guns, being run by John Holland who I know would value prayers for more leaders to come forward.

 

Tuesday nights is continuing to ask for prayer for breakthrough with some tough contacts who maintain coming up against the team.

 

We look forward to hearing from you.....

 

Much love

George

 

 

Check out our gospel presentation - http://www.avantiministries.com/think.php

 

For His Glory
George Osborn
Evangelist
 
Avanti Ministries Ltd
6 Clarence Road
Southend-on-Sea
Essex    SS1 1AN
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0) 1702 333 319
 
Email:     georgeosborn@avantiministries.com

 

Website:    www.avantiministries.com
                  www.releaseconference.com
                  www.outsidelight.org

 

Blog:     www.georgeosborn.blogspot.com
latest news: www.4shared.com/get/ou9r3Vz4/George_Newsletter_Autumn_10.html
My story:   www.sendec.org/media/sermons/?sermon_id=105

 

I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the mission the Lord Jesus gave me, that of testifying to the gospel of God's grace...acts 20:24

We Didn't Open This Evening

Following on from last week's episode we decided again this evening not to open the Old Woking drop-in.

There was a point, as late as 6.30, when we would have opened with a skeleton staff, but then several things happened that made us think we weren't meant to be there this evening. Firstly we were very short in terms of volunteer numbers, then it rained - hard. We also needed to collect the key from Send, but there'd been a bad accident on the A3 that meant Send was gridlocked.

Please pray for our volunteers - several of whom felt this evening a reluctance to open up the drop-in because they are disturbed by recent bad behaviour.. 

Please pray for more volunteers - we're at a point where, unlike Knaphill, Old Woking can't be safely run without an adequate ratio of adults to young people

Please pray for the vast majority of Old Woking youngsters who we are well-behaved and who would also have been disappointed that we've been unable to open for a second week.

Please pray for those few young people who are so badly behaved - but remember that there is much in their backgrounds that makes this unsurprising.

Please pray for wisdom for Outside Light volunteers

Outside Light Church Services - Coming Up

24th October 10.30am
Send Evangelical Church
10 Broadmead Road, Send, 
GU23 7AD

http://www.sendec.org/

-------------------------------

31st October 9.30am

Holy Trinity Church, 

Chobham Road, Knaphill

GU21 2SX

http://www.knaphillchurch.co.uk

-------------------------------

7th November 6.30pm

St John's Church
Church Road
St John's
Woking
Surrey
GU21 7QN

http://www.stjohnswoking.org.uk

Old Woking and Knaphill - Chalk and Cheese

MARRAKESH

Marrakesh is one of those places you love or hate - or perhaps you start off hating it and end up loving it. Certainly it was a culture shock when my wife and I were there a couple of weeks ago. The first three days were like hell on a jet-ski, with unfamiliar smells, lots of donkey droppings, mopeds that swarmed around us like angry bees, dodgy tummy and people who seemed intent on parting us from our cash by hanging snakes around our neck, or trying, uninvited, to balance a monkey on our heads. Actually, by the end of our six days holiday there we ended up loving it - though we won't want to go back :o)

OLD WOKING

Even with all the Marrakesh-mayhem going on around me I felt an inexplicable anxiety, not about our immediate environment, but about Old Woking Outside Light that Tuesday night.

It seems that my anxiety wasn't misplaced, because that night there were several problems with kids getting on to the church roof, a fire extinguisher being let off (£100 down the drain), stones being thrown at a volunteer's car, another volunteer having her arm pulled (a problem because she has physical health issues), and a row of kids sitting across the car park exit to stop volunteers going home.

So, it was with great regret that this last Tuesday we decided not to open, and to pray instead at Paul's home. Jackie and I (and later Nick) went to the church at 7 to tell the kids it wouldn't be opening - which wasn't well received, especially by a half-dozen or so of the kids who repaid us by swearing, calling us foul names and by one of them running over my van bonnet, up onto its roof! Another tried to prize open the church door as an Elder was entering for a meeting. I'm afraid I called the Police, more to show that I would do that than to get them into any trouble.

On the upside, an older lad who who was last year's 'challenge', told the others to behave else we might not open again!. Other kids pleaded with us to open and not let in the rowdy ones - because they 'really enjoy coming'. Another warned me to move my van, because some of the others intended to 'terrorise' me. I didn't.

When we met later at Paul's, we determined that we WILL open next week and that we'll ban, for two weeks, the half a dozen or so kids who caused most of the trouble the previous week and this week. We'll also explain that if they misbehave like that in future, they'll be banned for a year. Hopefully this'll get their attention - but we suspect that we'll be in for a rough ride nevertheless. I think that one or two of us will be parking our cars away from the site and walking there.

This IS a spiritual battle we're involved in. Some of the kids are only 11 but they've attitudes that wouldn't be out of place in lads who are much older and who are extremely street-wise (in a bad way). But we also know something of the background of three of them - which isn't unlike that of Jon Venables. We very much doubt that they know how it feels to be loved. We really want them to experience the love of Jesus. We HAVE to believe that their lives will one day change.

We therefore need your prayers, especially for these kids. It would be a terrible thing if these kids were cast aside - even though they're unlikely to do much to help themselves.

We can't let Satan win. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE PRAY!!!

KNAPHILL
This Thursday just gone at The King's House was, in comparison to Old Woking, heaven. Most of the evening the kids chatted, played on the Wii, played cards, decorated their fingernails, chatted some more and ate Pizza. We're really starting to build relationships there. The worst thing that happened was some of the local 'hard men' who are in reality as hard as immature Cheddar, decided to throw some of the pizza at each other, outside of the building. At the end of the evening as we finished packing up, a half-dozen girls came in and apologised on behalf of the other kids. Then they added how much they appreciate us opening for them, and that they know that we're all volunteers and that we don't have to do anything for them. Wow!  I can't tell you how thankful we all were to hear what they had to say.

PRAYER NEEDS

We'd love you to pray, please, for the young people of both groups - 

• For those who are badly behaved and for whom there isn't really much hope of a future outside of prison. 
• For those in Old Woking who are sensible and who find their lives blighted by those around them (for example by our closure of the drop-in through no fault of theirs). 
• For the volunteers in Old Woking - to tell you the truth I worry for our ladies in particular. They're brave but I really think we could do with some more men to help. 
• For improved relationships, not only in Old Woking but also Knaphill - to build upon the foundations that are firmest in both places.
• For the volunteers in Knaphill - to give thanks for those we have and to ask God for more to help so that the load can be spread.
• For more of the Holy Spirit in all Outside Light ventures.
• For more wisdom, especially in challenging circumstances.
• For the two OUTSIDE LIGHT church services that are about to take place, the first at Send Church on the 24th and the next at Holy Trinity Church, Knaphill, on the 31st.

Love

John

God is good, God is faithful and God uses us all in our weakness!

Last night a small but perfectly formed team ventured onto the wet and dreary streets of Woking. It was a fairly quiet night but we had some significant conversations and the opportunity to pray for people.

Andy and I talked to a couple of muslim young men who questioned us intently and intensely on our faith and on occasions seemed 'hell bent' on tripping us up. It was an animated discussion and we parted company with a wave, smile and an encouragement for us to keep up the great work we are doing. A side note here is that many of the muslims we come across all approve of what we are doing and think its right that we should be telling people about our belief in Jesus! it would be great to spend a session sometime looking at how we can effectively reach out to this group.

We prayed for T who has just come out of prison and is an alcoholic. He wants to turn his life around and be able to support his wife and 3 children. He is 27 today!


George and Anrdew spent a  long time talking to 2 separate men, one had lost his job and the other was wrestling with karma etc.

There were many other conversations which i havent noted  and these were of equal value!

Thank you to a great team and I would ask you all to pray that everyone we talked to last night would be open to the Holy Spirit and that God would work in their lives.

We want everything we do to glorify the name of Jesus!

Same time, same place next week - please join us ;-)

Blessings!


Julie

Friday Reaching Out

God is good, God is faithful and God uses us all in our weakness!


Last night a small but perfectly formed team ventured onto the wet and dreary streets of Woking. It was a fairly quiet night but we had some significant conversations and the opportunity to pray for people.

Andy and I talked to a couple of muslim young men who questioned us intently and intensely on our faith and on occasions seemed 'hell bent' on tripping us up. It was an animated discussion and we parted company with a wave, smile and an encouragement for us to keep up the great work we are doing. A side note here is that many of the muslims we come across all approve of what we are doing and think its right that we should be telling people about our belief in Jesus! it would be great to spend a session sometime looking at how we can effectively reach out to this group.

We prayed for T who has just come out of prison and is an alcoholic. He wants to turn his life around and be able to support his wife and 3 children. He is 27 today!


George and Anrdew spent a  long time talking to 2 separate men, one had lost his job and the other was wrestling with karma etc.

There were many other conversations which i havent noted  and these were of equal value!

Thank you to a great team and I would ask you all to pray that everyone we talked to last night would be open to the Holy Spirit and that God would work in their lives.

We want everything we do to glorify the name of Jesus!

Same time, same place next week - please join us ;-)

Blessings!


Julie

New Look Blog - and Latest News

This is Outside Light's new blogspot, we've moved it to this location so that all leaders will be able to post to it rather than have to send their content to me.


Tomorrow is the first of a series of church services in which Outside Light will be making a presentation. This one's at Calvary Church - which meets at Goldsworth Primary School at 10am next to Bridge Barn.


This is George's new video that'll get first showing tomorrow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLN1eSRqWFE


The couple who were about to be made homeless have moved into a semi-detached house that's owned by St Mary of Bethany Church. There's no doubt in our minds that this only came about because of God's intervention - starting with Nancy feeling that she should telephone St Mary of Bethany Church because she'd heard that they sometimes let property. She didn't know at that time that the house had become empty only a couple of weeks earlier. 


The response from members of New Life Church to Phil's appeal for funds, was amazing. Others at New Life negotiated with the previous landlord's agent for a 'stay of execution' for a couple of weeks. It was only after the successful outcome of that negotiation that the other property was 'discovered' by Nancy. The paperwork for the new property was done and dusted in super-quick time so that it was possible for the couple to move in last Saturday - which was the day by which they had to move out! All glory to God.


Tuesday night at Old Woking
The drop-in restarted earlier this week, with a bbq that attracted 30 or so youngsters. This was generally a good evening although the youngsters were in high spirits ( a little too high on occasion ).


Thursday night at Knaphill
We started the new drop-in at The King's House two Thursdays ago - and couldn't have hoped for a better start. John Holland's vision and enthusiasm has really helped this off to a great start - with activities such as nail painting (provided by Trina, John's wife) and friendship bracelet making (with Mary). There was a small incident on the first night with one girl trying to take a policeman's hat. But the evening ended with another girl coming back after all the others had left, to apologise for their behaviour and to say thanks for putting on a 'great evening'.


Friday and Monday Nights
Hopefully Phil and George will update us shortly.

What can I say?

Humble apologies for the length of time we've been off-line. The youth teams did have a quiet August but in truth by the end of July we needed the rest. :o) That's not to say that all of the Outside Light Team rested - far from it!


During August the Friday night team has been going to the town centre between 8pm and 12 of a Friday night. They've taken drinks and sweets and met with clubbers/drinkers/revellers, as you might expect, and also with some people who are homeless and others who have massive problems with drugs and alcoholism. They've prayed with people, chatted to them, answered questions, valued them.


Coming from this a small Bible group has started on a Monday night, meeting at New Life Church. Phil will write more about this in due course, but he's been busy trying to help one particular couple who are threatened with imminent homelessness. (It's complicated). 


Both Old Woking and Knaphill drop-ins will be starting up again next week, Nick and Paul will be leading the Old Woking group based at New Life Church. John Holland is heading-up the new Thursday evening drop-in which is to be based at The King's House. Tonight several of us walked around Knaphill handing out leaflets promoting the new Thursday drop-in and we met around eight or so of the kids who are well-known to us and are looking forward to the free pizza. Free pizza's always guaranteed to get their attention. Thing is though, they saw us walking toward them in the park and while we were still 20 yards away they were shouting hi to us and were really chatty and pleased to see us.


We're hoping to be able to provide activities for them so we're really, really praying for Christians with skills such as nail painting, crafts, smoothie-making etc etc, anything that'll be interesting to the young people, to make some occasional time available on either or both Tuesday and Thursday evenings. 


There's a need for young people to have positive contact with adults. It's rewarding when there's trust built. Anyone who does this for the first time might well have their perception of young people challenged. If you're thinking of coming along, you'll find it's worth it just for that experience.


Prayer-needs: 

• A young woman and her younger brother (well-known to us at Outside Light) who's mother has been diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer. The boy hasn't been to school because there wasn't the money to buy uniform. Nick will be sorting something out there in the next couple of days on behalf of Outside Light.
• The couple who will be homeless on the 18th of this month who need nothing short of a miracle to help them.
• The re-start of both the drop-in's at Old Woking and Knaphill. Please especially pray for John Holland who's taking this on as leader for the first time. And give thanks for his enthusiasm and sense of fun too.
• Phil and the time and effort he's putting into Friday nights and to the young couple who are about to become homeless.
• The Friday night team  - which goes out faithfully every week
• Christians to come forward on an occasional basis on Tuesdays/Thursdays, and share any skills with young people.
• The young people we meet, their growth, relationships and most of all the change in their lives that can come from only one source.

Hot Stuff

Things are hotting up not just in the weather but outside on the streets. Outside Light is continuing its outreach in the streets of Woking. One of the problems in the summer is the ground gets a little harder, this is certainly true spiritually too, people have hearts that are hard to the good news of Jesus Christ.

Friday night we continue to venture out into the heart of Woking between 10.00pm and 12.00am every week, giving out tea & coffee, sweets, helping people and sharing the good news of Christ. There is always a steady stream of people to talk to and conversations to be had. We have seen a real breakthrough with a group of people who are now regularly coming to a bible study on another evening. A homeless guy has given his life to Christ and is now starting that journey of recovery and we would love your prayers for him and his addictions. We have also met a young woman who is going to begin a bible study course in August and is keen to learn more about Jesus. It is safe to say we meet lots of other people who seem un-interested, who are sometimes argumentative, we are always fully aware, as Paul wrote in Corinthians, that to some we will be the aroma of life and to others the aroma of death, but we rejoice in stepping out for Christ.

The team that ventures out in Knaphill have now moved their day to Thursday evening and are looking to open up a drop-in centre in the Kings House coffee shop Knaphill, some new volunteers will be joining this team and John Holland has now begun heading up the group and has some great ideas and passion.

Tuesday nights are potentially looking to help another group in Old Woking towards the end of the summer to get a group going in Westfield, it is so encouraging to see where God is leading and what he wants to do across Woking.

It is a race and we are in it for the long haul, this is not a sprint but a marathon. There are times when we are running up-hill and wondering when the end is going to come. There are glorious days when we are running down hill wind in our face revelling in the opportunity. There are times when it is just steady and plodding along. 

One thing we know is we are not giving up 'till we CROSS that finish line into the arms of our Lord and Saviour arms stretched out wide his scarred hands wrapping around us welcoming us home. In the meantime keep pressing on!

We really need more workers too for all the opportunities that are opening up at the moment, will you join us, do you know someone who could or would benefit, do you know someone who could do with a visit? Please drop us a line.... info@outsidelight.org. You could join us just to make a cup of tea for the volunteers - or to help clear up after a busy night. You could join us and pray, but not take part in the various activities. If we were a football team we'd have a trainer, physio, manager, striker, defender and mid-fielders. There's be someone to launder the kit, someone else to cut the grass on the football field and so on. If you're a grass-cutter then come along. If you're a tea-maker, we love drinking tea (or coffee in my case). You  might not be able to make it every week. Fine! if we had loads of people prepared to help out then we could all take it in turns and ease the pressure on the few who turn up every week - sometimes two or three times a week.


We need all kinds of people to help. This is the Lord's work and he's given you gifts to use for his glory - so this is an opportunity for you to use them - and to walk with God and see him at work, close-up.

Blessings

George

What's Happening on Friday Nights

The Town Centre team visits each Friday night, starting at 10pm and finishing around midnight. The conversations we have at that time are "awesome". Drinkers and others find it hard to understand why we'd be interested in them or their safety'.


Where?

"Outside the station in Woking town centre

When?
Friday nights 10pm -12 midnight.

What?
Outside Light is hitting the streets with the Gospel of our Precious Lord Jesus Christ.

Who?
Mid March of 2010 a new team was formed.
 
What an encouragement it has been to join together with like-minded people spreading the good news of Jesus late at night.

Why?

We are taking the gospel to where the people are - and on a Friday night they are in Woking around the bars and the clubs.

How?
UNITY, BOLDNESS, GOD'S POWER is the key.

It's simple, all you need is a table, sweets, bottles of water, tea in a flask, gospel booklets and a team with a willingness to listen, talk and pray. AND GOD with us. Immanuel.

Results
So far in two weeks we have talked and been friendly to loads of people, given out lots of tea and sweets, shared our faith, prayed with people, returned a potted tree to its owner and listened to a rendition of the best guitarists in the sixties and seventies performed by Dave on air guitar after he took a break from his night out to educate us in the art of guitar playing. We've also met up (as a direct result) with some who are homeless, showing them they're treasured and as much loved by our precious Jesus as we are.

It's a buzz to be out there, most of the time friendly and extremely fulfilling. This is where the church of Jesus should be, on the streets, outside the building, getting involved.

This is where true fellowship and growth happen.

We are going forward together.  WATCH THIS SPACE.

Want to see action? Want to see Jesus at work - really at work - not just words from the Bible but the Bible coming to life? Come along and be a part of it. Email me at philhazelden@hotmail.co.uk - we'd love to welcome you along.

Phil

Outside Light Meets With Some Who Are Homeless

On Tuesday three of us ventured out into Woking to find two homeless guys.

Myself, Malcolm and new Outside Light team member my wife Judi, it's great to see her wearing an Outside Light Jacket.

The initial contact came via the Friday night town centre outreach where we met G, a homeless guy since 2003.

The contact has been a strong one with G bringing along friends on a Friday to meet the team and have hot drinks etc.

We have talked with these guys, prayed with them, accepted them, they've accepted us and a good bond is beginning to develop.

There are many needs here, some of them food, athletes foot powder, waterproof bags, hot drinks all of which we need to provide with genuine care.

Friday is not enough, how can we not do more when we know the need these guys have and they are literally 10 mins walk away?

So this week for the first time an Outside Light team (and first time for me) ventured into Woking bearing gifts of food and treats pre-arranged with one of G's friends.

We met up and sat on a bench talking for an hour, read a bit from the bible at their request and shared out the food and stuff.

We came away with a small list of other essentials to bring next time and a sense that caring for others is rewarding in so many ways.

This has been a most exciting evening and we hope that it's a small beginning to something much larger.

God Bless.

We Don't Want to Give Up Ground

 Another difficult night. That’s not to say that there weren’t some positives to be had from this week’s drop-in in Old Woking – some good conversations early on, some encouraging signs with one or two of the youths, and a very positive visit from Woking Borough Council’s anti-social behaviour officer.

The last thirty minutes was tough however. A lot of disruptive, unruly behaviour which eventually resulted in £100 of damage from discharged fire extinguishers, a lot of threatening verbal abuse, a break-in into the building site next door (resulting in more damage), and oh yes, urination up the outside of the Church wall!

I hate it when we end up being policeman, constantly monitoring every move in case of potential damage. I hate it more than the actual damage/aggro/language because it completely wipes out any chance we might get of having a decent conversation or in fact, any kind of meaningful interaction.

By the end of the evening we had had to “red card” two more members (two week ban). For those who are generally well behaved you begin to wonder what kind of effect the repeated aggro on Tuesday nights has. Following on from the evening in the drop-in, I had a disturbed night’s sleep- I felt oppressed even in my sleep.

So once again we ask ourselves, how should we respond!? Positively of course! We have to remember who we're representing. We need to recognise as much as ever that we are in the midst of conflict. We know that three or four of these kids are actively engaged in occult activities and we see that that influence manifests itself sometimes on a Tuesday night.

We had an encouraging letter this week from a member of the Jesus Army in London who has engaged in this kind of stuff before. She reminded us that before Jackie Pullinger had any kind of breakthrough in the Walled City the youths came in and destroyed the club-house. Her response was to continually pray. Soon after that incident came the big breakthrough.

As I write this we are still deciding whether to bring forward the closure date of the drop-in by a few weeks (we would normally close by the time the clocks go forward so that we can back out on the streets). We need to be really wise about this, and thoughtful. We're not wanting to give up any ground that's been gained.

Paul