Newsletter containing recent information and prayer requests
DH/SJ
21st April 2008
Dear Supporter
Spring Newsletter
Hi everyone - it’s that time of year again when the Macclesfield Christian Mission Newsletter comes through your door. You may have wondered why you didn’t receive it during the Easter break. I took the decision to produce my quarterly newsletter now because Easter was so early this year and I also felt that I’d only just got the year under way! However, we are here now so thank you again for reading this newsletter; I hope and pray it will bring you great encouragement.
I am happy to report to you that the schools’ work we do is still going from strength to strength; the Christian Unions over lunch times are healthier than they have ever been which I am sure is a direct result of your prayers and, of course, down to our wonderful God who makes all things possible. We also have a healthy diary of schools booking us in to go and do their RE lessons and Assemblies for them. This is especially challenging and exciting because it enables us to get our Christian viewpoint into these lessons and Assemblies without compromising the schools’ curriculum. So again we need to praise and thank God for these wonderful opportunities.
Please continue to pray for the work in the schools, especially the Christian Unions. Please also pray for a new helper at Marlborough School as Carol Edwards, who has been a faithful ‘right hand’ to me, has decided to take a well earned rest from July onwards. The work she does for me in that lunch time is invaluable and may I take this opportunity to thank her for her diligence and support. I would be most grateful for your prayer support in this and if you would like to know more about what is involved, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Some of you may remember from my previous newsletter that I had been elected as the Town’s schools’ co-ordinator for ‘Hope 2008’ in Macclesfield, and we were making preparations for the Hope ‘Unleashed’ gig in February by getting the Message bands into the schools in Macclesfield. Well, this was a huge success and God really opened doors that amazed us all. Three local High Schools were involved; the drama company “In Ya Face” went into Macclesfield High School; LZ7 went into Tytherington High and Blush went into All Hallows. The night of the gig itself at the Leisure Centre was amazing when 180 young people signed up to know more about God. Since then we have been working tirelessly to put together a follow up course for these young people and commenced a six week course called ‘Deep’ on Monday 14th April. Although it wasn’t very well attended we continue to praise God because the youngsters He did bring along really wanted to go deeper and learn more about Him and I came away from that meeting knowing God’s peace and I realised that it is not all about how many people you get to these events, it’s about those who want to know more, reminding me of Matthew 18 v 12- 14. This ‘Deep Course’ will be held until the May half term. Please remember it in your prayers.
Another event that we have planned for ‘Hope 2008’ in Macclesfield and in the local schools is that in June a Message band called ‘TBC’ will be going into as many Primary Schools as they can in a week. It has been our job to make that happen, and I am pleased to report that we only have one and a half days left to fill for them; the Primary Schools have been fantastic and very responsive. So as in the case of the High Schools earlier in the year, we now have the opportunity to share more about God’s love with the younger generation. Again please keep this in your thoughts and prayers.
We also have to give thanks to God for the radio show we did leading up to Christmas and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for listening and also to thank all my guests who got up really early on a Sunday morning to contribute to the show. I am pleased to announce that Canalside radio has received its’ full time licence and will be permanently on the airwaves from September/October time, and yes we have been asked to be involved again. This is a great resource tool for us, because Nick Wright (the controller of the station) is very keen for Christian input in to this station, and we will have a free hand in what we include in the programme So if there is anything you would like included in any of the programmes, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Also this year I was involved in a holiday club at Gawsworth Church back in February half term, and I am looking forward to being involved with a couple more during the summer months, and again this is very exciting work.
There are one or two things I need to tell you via this newsletter:
1. First of all we have had to change our regular prayer meeting which took place a 1.30 pm on a Wednesday. The main reason for this was that more and more of my time was needed for the schools’ work. Therefore we have decided to move the meeting to the 2nd Saturday of each month. The next prayer meeting will be held on Saturday 10th May 2008 at 9am at 22 Bollinbarn, Macclesfield, for one hour. We would love to see you at this meeting and if you need directions please do not hesitate to ring Sue Johnson on 614911.
2. Our Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 19th June 2008. The venue is to be confirmed but we will send out a little note and include it on our website nearer the time informing you where the meeting will take place. Again it would be fantastic to see as many of you as possible at the AGM.
That just leaves me to say a BIG thank you again for all your support both prayerfully and/or financially; it is welcomed and received with love.
May God richly bless you.
Yours in Jesus Christ
Darren Hodkinson
Director of Operations
Macclesfield Christian Mission