[15] Investigating Hidden Treasures (1)

We began with silent prayer. We were sitting in a circle and we held hands whilst we prayed silently. We had a selection of verses from Ephesians 6 to think about as we prayed. 

Feedback from round the circle was that this was a powerful time, people felt focussed and together straight away.

Next we fed back on our weekly rhythm of prayer and in particular the focus on Ephesians 6. 

We heard from two more of the group about their spiritual rhythms and prayed for them. Again it is encouraging to hear from each other on this topic.

Investigating Hidden Treasures

Our main business for this week and next is to focus in on several of the areas we feel God is directing us to regarding what Southampton is like as a place - what is on God's heart for the place.

It is easy to see negative things around us resulting from people's choices, from organisations or from the devil, but we are not called to do things that way round. We are looking for where God is already at work, where He is already pointing things out.

We divided into groups according to our areas of interest, and the things that we have been discovering in recent weeks. Our areas of investigation are:

• Bitterne Park - it's history, including the monastery that used to be there

• teenagers in Southampton

• the Chrisitan heritage of the city

• monuments with inscriptions in Southampton

• Southampton as a gateway to the nations

• Southampton as a magnet, drawing people in from other nations.

We took some time to pray and set some goals for the coming week and will re-convene next week to carry our investigations further.

Our goal is to get to know Southampton more and to create some materials that will be used to focus and help people to pray in the House of Prayer.