5 The Grove Horsforth LS184BB

Dear Friends

Thank you for your continued support of the work I am involved in. I am writing to update you with stories of the work and plans being made that you are making possible through that support.I never find it feels easy to strike the balance when sharing the stories what I am doing, between either overplaying or underplaying my part in what is almost always a team effort.

Credit of course truly belongs to God who is our motivation and inspiration for all we do.The illustration of the body in Corinthians reminds us we all different parts of His body, each part having a different role, each part indispensable, working together to as a unit to express the wonder of God to the world. This is a great joy in seeking to do God’s work.

So what’s coming up :Well you might have noticed Christmas is coming and we are trying to help our Community Celebrate.

In Primary Schools, a team of 15 volunteers will be running “Rewind to Christmas” for all the year 4 children from Newlaithes, St Margaret’s Westbrook and Broadgate school. The ninety minute program invites students from different schools to meet together and journey into the Christmas story and imagine what the characters of the nativity would have experienced.The day after at the Farmers Market we are planning a ‘Step Into Christmas’ Nativity Scene where children can have their photos taken in the nativity, whilst enjoying the angelic voices of local people singing Carols. Keeping up the Carolling theme there is a gang touring round some of Horsforth more popular social venues, aka The Pubs on Wednesday the 11th. Then on the 14th ‘Carols in the Park’ will once again provide a community setting to bring the town together to celebrate Christmas.Finally in Horsforth High School we are busy organising four 1 hour Christmas assemblies in which I will try and bring a message to give meaning for students to all the celebrations.

We anticipate we will have contact with more than three thousand people during these celebrations! Of course if they hear me sing first it might be less. It is a privilege that through the overall schools work we have regular contact with 2900 children and the farmers market had a monthly footfall of 1000 people.

Looking back towards the summerHope In The Park left me with a deep sense of gratitude. Once again the weather was more than favourable, we had a fifty strong team of volunteers who worked very hard and people flocked to the event. One of those volunteers summed up the day for them, “people were talking to one another, engaging, enjoying and feeling at ease.” A number of people asked for prayer on the day and 120 people

painted stones of encouragement to be given to family and friends, many using the scriptures suggested to bring that encouragement.

The Farmers Market celebrated it first birthday in October with the sharing of two hundred buns, and a locally produced apple juice toast. Stuart Andrew MP came to cut the ribbon and eat the first bun. He was clearly impressed and enjoyed the morning posting on his Facebook site “Well Done Horsforth Churches Together”

We have booked flights to South Africa, a team of 17 will travel in August. We have a mixed team of older teens, early twenties with a few more mature ones to add wisdom to the energy of youth. We pray the trip will provide a beach head for many others to be get involved and the people of Horsforth to be a blessing beyond its borders. Horsforth School students have been learning all about the situation for children effected by AIDS in South Africa which has been described as the orphan capital of the world. They have taken it on as their main charity of the year and are organising a variety of fundraising initiatives. ‘Come Dine With Me’ this term will be paradoxically followed by a sponsored rice only fast for a day next term.

The School students are also presently working hard making show boxes full of Christmas goodies for Horsforth Live At Home. The boxes are being decorated with great imagination and love. Those whose box is judged the best will visit the live at home scheme and be involved in the distribution of food. They school have also agreed to support Foodbank by doing an Easter time collection. It is hard for staff who are very stretched to offer support but we are very grateful that they are willing. Right – one of last year’s shoe boxes

The value of good networking is that is opens up a wealth of otherwise unattainable opportunities! Horsforth Foodbank is one example of this. Although I am not directly involved, I have been thrilled with the way individuals across the churches have been working together. It’s planned to open this month.

Looking ahead I am thankful for and occupied by all that is already happening and juggling time is becoming a challenge. However over the next six months, I will being aiming like to find space to research and help us think together about the work we do with the young people in the town. I want to map out what is happening in terms of both youth work and youth ministry and bring people together to listen to what God is saying. Youth ministry is where I have come from and although I am looking at it from a different role now, I can’t help but feel we as a church must do more to address both the opportunities and the challenges of discipling young people.

The other challenge I must be honest about, despite the wonderfully generous giving of individuals, I am £5000 short of what I need. It is an anxiety and a request for prayer. God has been very faithful to me and so I have to trust him but I would value prayer to see something released in terms of provision. I would be grateful if you would let people know who might be able to help. I recently made a decision that I didn’t feel it God’s will for any one church to employ me around a specific piece of work. It felt uncomfortable when the rest of my support is given to support the work of whole Church. However I am writing to each church to ask if they would consider a contribution towards that £5000. I am aware I may need individuals to help also.

With the success of the events in the Park, Primary School work maturing, the Farmers Market establishing a place in our communities life , Foodbank about to launch, connections with Leeds Trinity growing alongside the relationships we have in Horsforth School I am encouraged by the position church is in. I am also prayerful that from this position we will be fruitful in sharing of God’s word and see His Spirit increasing impact the lives of those in our community.

Wishing you, your friends and family a Happy Christmas With much love and thanks

Duncan Stow dmstow@gmail.com 01132580510 For more info contact me or Pete Gillions from my Steering Group pgillions@yahoo.com Giving Forms can be downloaded from the website www.horsforthchurchestogether.btck.co.uk/buildingcommunity.