[16] Investigating Hidden Treasures (2) 

Opening up the meeting

To start with, we sung an old old old praise song (Praise God from whom all blessings flow), which some people didn't know as they weren't even born when it was last sung in the church. But it was good to praise Jesus together in song.

Then we prayed for each other - to bless each other and to pray for healing of sicknesses. 

Leadership

Kathy and Richard need some help! A few weeks ago in our update meeting with local leaders and 24-7 we decided that it would be good to identify 2 or 3 of the group to help lead this discernment phase. Having prayed for a while, Kathy and Richard chose Chris, Carolyn and Greg from amongst the group to join them. These three have all accepted and over the coming weeks will take on aspects of the leadership alongside Kathy and Richard.

Ali suggested praying for the new leaders and the group enthusiastically prayed for all 5 leaders - very encouraging. This is an example of how the group has grown together and is a nurturing place for us all.

In the process of praying for leaders we prayed for everyone in the group and God gave us some encouraging words for each one, which we gave out this week. Hazel had also brought some wrapped sweets with scripture verses on them and we gave everyone one of those too.

Hidden Treasures

This week we continued in our groups, praying about the topics of investigation we started last week.

There were some encouraging stories about how the Lord had guided people through friends or events to find out new things. Some people had dreams or pictures that God had given them through the week. Some groups found a new emphasis was emerging through their reading, research and praying together.

We will continue with this next week. Well the week after actually, as next week we have booked a guided tour of the old city and will meet at the Bargate for this. Exciting!

Overall, we see that our sense of identity is beginning to emerge in the way we are going about looking at these hidden treasures and as we find out what they mean.

Why?

We had some good questions about why are we doing this research. One reason is to be able to tell the stories of how God has moved in Southampton in the past, to give faith and anticipation to the church of today, and also to help us realise that things change - what new things does God want to do in Southampton in 2019?