SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2013

n e wsle t te r
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 2013
This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah , doing what was good faithful before the Lor and right and d his God. In everythin g that he undertook in Gods temple and in ob the service of edience to the law an d the commands, he so and worked wholeheart ught his God edly. And so he prosp ered. 2 Chro
nicles 31:20-21

PRAYER dIARY
Tuesday 10th Sept Trustees meet, 7.30pm at Christ Church Wednesday 11th Sept Consultancy with Christ Church St Albans Thursday 12th Sept Parish Youth and Childrens Workers lunch Saturday 14th Sept A fundraising evening of live music, food and laughter. At Forest Town Church, St Albans Thursday 19th Sept FUEL Planning Friday 20th Sept Impact Harpenden prayer event at St Georges School Sunday 22nd FUEL Harpenden, 7pm-9pm at High Street Methodist Church Monday 23rd Sept Consultancy with St Lukes Bricket Wood Tuesday 24th Sept day retreat for those involved with youth and childrens ministry Tuesday 24th Sept Total Training Sessions (TTS) at Forest Town Church, 7.45pm-9.30pm. Topic: ensuring your youthwork is a joy not a chore Wednesday 25th Sept Consultancy with Christ Church St Albans Sunday 29th Sept Preaching at St Marks Colney Heath Monday 30th Sept FUEL TEAM Training, 4.30pm-8.00pm at Forest Town Church Thursday 3rd Oct Youthwork Breakfast at St Helens Wheathampstead, 9.30am-11.00am Thursday 3rd October London Fundraising Event Saturday 5th October the267project AWAY DAY for trustees, advocates and fellow workers Wednesday 9th Oct Resource Writing Day Sunday 13th Oct Preaching at St Lukes Cell Barnes Lane Wednesday 16th Oct Resource Writing Day Thursday 17th Oct Trustees meet Sunday 20th Oct Training Young Leaders at St Helens Wheathampstead Thursday 24th Oct Mayors Pride Awards at St Albans Arena. Love Harpenden has been chosen as a nalist in one of the categories. Everyone is welcome to come and support us, tickets are free but need to be booked Sunday 27th Oct FUEL St Albans at Christ Church, High Oaks. 7pm-9pm Monday 4th Nov More? Caf, St Albans starts. 7pm-9pm at The Merchant. This terms theme: Questions for God Thursday 7th Nov Youthwork Breakfast at Prt-A-Manger St Albans, 9.30am11.00am

A stylish 2:67 Mug is now available 5 each, you can collect them at an event, or we can post them out for an extra 1.50.

Encouraging and equipping your youthwork

Success in ministry! Last week I had a really good chat with a bunch of church leaders about what success might look like in Christian ministry. We talked about a few things, even whether we should be striving to be seen as a success. I left the conversation encouraged but also a little challenged. If we say that we are doing this to glorify God and make Jesus name known rather than our own name, then surely we should be wanting to achieve as much as is possible. As Christians we are not seeking money, power or position but maybe we should be seeking to be seen as being the very best at what we do and also being something that is worth everyone stopping and taking notice of. As we begin the 7th year of the267project my energy and passion for the work continues to grow. I begin this term more excited about what God has planned that in any of the previous 6 years. I want to succeed! I want the project to be all that I believe God has called it to be! I want people to be drawn to the project and so in turn be drawn to Jesus. At my recent appraisal I let slip to one of the trustees that I would like to be famous! He asked me why and pushed me a little on my motives, as indeed a trustee should. I am not sure I gave the most eloquent or clear answer but I did communicate that I want more than anything to tell people about Jesus, I love sharing the good news of Jesus, I love preaching Gods word, and if the opportunity came, I would love to do this for vast audiences. I believe God has given me a character and the skills to do things for His Kingdom, I believe God has put me in a place to encourage others on their walk of faith. I believe whole-heartedly God has brought the267project into being and sustained and blessed it for the same reason. Why would I then not want to succeed, and in succeeding bring glory to God? Obviously there is a bit of a tightrope that we are walking here. How does one keep from arrogance and refrain from thinking its all about me rather than Jesus? Well the words above from 2 Chronicles have encouraged me and also and reminded me of some key truths. I need to do what is right and faithful before God, I need to obey Gods word, I need to seek God and I need to work hard - this is my hope and aim for the coming year! My prayer is that, like Hezekiah, the project would prosper. God has given me amazing trustees to pray for me and keep me in check, God has given me friends and colleagues to remind me of His truth and God himself through the Holy Spirit I pray will guide, strengthen, challenge, grow, prune, teach and inspire me as I journey through this year where I am praying and working hard for great success. But seek rst his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Its not me its HIM

G o d at w or k :
I thank God for all the support I receive in my role as Director of the267project; supporters, trustees, advocates, youth workers and church leaders, you are such an abundant blessing to me. Thank you. Love Harpenden was such an amazing time and all the young people served so selflessly all day. I was so proud of each and every one of them and God has been blessing us tonnes through all that went on during the day. The event was nominated, and has been chosen, as a finalist for the Mayors Pride Awards. God is so good, the day was not only an encouragement to the people of Harpenden but also to everyone who was involved. You can check out a short video showing some highlights of the day here: http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=563621IKcqI We have been able to confirm a venue for our New Years Houseparty, we shall be spending 3 days at the awesome Buckden Towers in Cambridgeshire God has all our needs in His hands, not least our financial needs. Recently we have been awarded 2 grants totally around 16,000. This money will be going towards finding a van to help with the projects ministry, and also the money will help us build and give away 40 games boxes to local youth groups. Thanks to trustee Kate who has been working so hard on grant proposals, pray for her as she continues to seek grants for us so that we can grow the ministry The Palins had a superb summer with a wonderful mix of rest, holiday, catching up with friends and serving at the Greenbelt festival. Thanks to God for giving us such quality time together, I start this term refreshed and excited Our first Youthwork Breakfast of the term was hosted by Vineyard and we gathered around 18 of us together for fellowship, encouragement, prayer and the all important breakfast! Pray for these each month as they are such a great place to network and share stories Thanks to God for a lot of planning for the term completed. More?, TTS, FUEL and The Houseparty are all coming together really well Thanks to God for time I spend with Robin, a life coach I am seeing. He is helping me grow as a leader and project Director and I find our time together to be a rich blessing to my ministry For the amazing trustees that work so hard to enable to project to thrive, be well stewarded and plan for the future For Tracy, the projects PA, who continues to enable the project to run so effectively I thank God for my friends and colleagues who bless me regularly

O ur prayer re q uests :
God, I pray for great wisdom as the project grows. Would we build your plans and not our own, would we hear your voice when making decisions and not our own, would you give us all we require to make your name know through this ministry It is a full term with many, many exciting things. Pray for good planning, good communication and fruitful trustee meetings Pray for the advocates who are our single most important link into the churches we work with. Pray that we will communicate well with our advocates and also in turn advocates will find an abundance of opportunities to share with their churches about the ministry, plans and needs of the267project Pray for new youth leaders who have started working in our area. Pray for Jesse at Vineyard, Sarah at Homewood Rd URC. Pray for Forest Town Church, Christ Church St Albans as they consider employing a worker over the coming year Pray for all those who are heading off to University, FUEL Team will be losing some its number to Uni so please pray for others to join this exciting group of young leaders Pray for TTS as it begins this month Pray for FUEL Harpenden which takes place at the end of the month Pray for our fundraisers that are happening this term On Tuesday 24th Sept we are running a day retreat for youth leaders. Pray for me as I prepare and plan for this day and pray for all those who attend. Whatever state people come in will God bless them hugely during the day and enable them to leave fuller, fresher and more equipped to serve This term the trustees and Mike will be looking at some of our more mediumlong term aims. Pray for wisdom and passion as we consider our growth and then fundraising for these bigger projects Pray for my regular meetings with Sean (Chair of trustees), Tracy (project PA) and Kate (trustee responsible for grants). I have decided to meet more regularly with some key people to enable our future plans to be given the appropriate time and energy to flourish and develop Pray for my one-to-one times with youth leaders. Would I give them my full attention and see each of them as an individual with a unique ministry of their own that I might be called to encourage We are always on the lookout for a venue somewhere in St Albans that we might be able to grow into. We feel called to expand the work of the project but also to create a space which can be used for all our resources as well as a venue to meet young people, train and encourage leaders and provide a suitable work space for Mikes consultancy and Tracys PA role. Pray that the money will come for this and we will be content with Gods timing in this part of the ministry Pray for Mike as this full term begins. Pray for wise diary planning, good times of rest, space to think, space to pray and listen to God, quality time with the family and finally an increased ability to hear Gods voice and His plans for this ministry

A group of 12 Brownies from 1st Flamstead Brownies chose 267 as their charity for their '1 mile walk in a onesie !' 4 of the girls had come on the 7-11's weekend away and got loads from it and wanted to thank us and bless us in this way. The group raised 130 for us which is just amazing.

If you would like to volunteer with the267project then drop us an email director@the267project.com or pa@the267project.com Thanks