Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It is off to Trent we go!

So then, tomorrow morning we embark to Nottingham for a newfrontiers gathering.

Well actually; it is a gathering of the newly recognised apostolic spheres who work together in the UK as Newfrontiers.

And also those people representing Churches who still identify with Newfrontiers as was, and are still waiting to build relationships with one of the new apostolic spheres.

So yes, it is a time of flux.  A time of transition.  A time of change.

And yet, I feel, a time to be reaching out for a greater sense of unity and togetherness than perhaps ever before.

My guess is that there will be lots of worship.  There will be lots of powerful spiritual gifts.  There will be a few introductions.  There will be some meaty teaching.  And there will be some important explanation.

And by the end I will know more than I do now about the future of our movement of Churches but I won't have every question answered.

Because we are still at the stage of working out what it means.

Ultimately I think I will be standing at the back of the meeting, baby Joy in my arms, enjoying the presence of God.  If someone asked me what Newfrontiers might look like in the future I honestly don't have a tight answer for them, but in that moment the answer will be clear, "This!"

Watch this space!

Shrewsbury Food Bank

For more than a decade the food bank at our Church has given out thousands and thousands of pounds of food to local people disadvantaged through all sorts of different circumstances.

Starting out primarily as a debt relief project the ethos has morphed to include crisis help, especially for people who are caught before their benefits starts to kick in.

All kinds of agencies refer people to us, and we give them enough food for a week.

As food has got more expensive so the food parcels have got more expensive and yet the work still grows, and in this economic climate we can only see it continuing in one direction. 20-30 people a week get around £30 of groceries.

For years it was called "Basics bank" but now we have changed the name to make it easier for people to find and understand what it is.

www.shrewsburyfoodbank.org

A couple of years ago the guy who set it up won a "Pride of Shropshire" award from the local newspaper / council for services to the community.

There is a big bin at the back of our main hall and people bring donations of food every Sunday. We receive all sorts of stuff from Harvest Festivals at other Churches. We go to supermarkets and ask for donations.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat" jumps out of my Bible and this project gives me a way to live it out.