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Prayer update for May

Posted: May 27, 2010 by Jonty Rhodes

Dear Friend

Thank you for agreeing to pray for the early days of Christ Church Derby. I recently came across a quote from Samuel Zwemer, one of the first missionaries to the Islamic world, and known as the ‘Apostle to Islam’. In it he claimed, “It is far easier to give of our substance to the missionary cause, or to go in person, than it is to truly pray for the kingdom.’ Harder to pray for mission than to give to it or do it! I know from personal experience how true that is of my own prayer-letter experience, so we greatly appreciate your working with us in the launch of Christ Church.

As this is the first letter, let me share some of the bigger picture. St Alkmund’s Duffield, an Anglican church just outside Derby committed themselves to planting churches as part of their vision plan, convinced that we need many hundreds more churches to reach our nation. Derby is a city of a quarter of a million people, with perhaps 1 or 2 per cent regularly in church. Christ Church is aiming to meet right in the centre of the city, perhaps in a school or borrowed church building. In fact finding a venue is one of the most urgent needs. We will not be an Anglican church, but work (whether formally or not) on a Presbyterian basis.

A ‘core team’ of 8 have been meeting to pray and plan since January, and we are looking to expand this to a ‘launch team’ of perhaps 20-30. This is definitely beyond what St Alkmund’s could naturally manage, the core group for example, being 50% people who are moving to Derby and from other churches. Please pray that they would find jobs and housing A week or so ago, though, we had a great evening when around 30 people came along to consider joining Christ Church: please pray that some of these will in fact come! I will be following leads up over the next few weeks.

As usual with new ventures, finances will be tight too. God has been very generous to us so far, through the personal giving of many friends at St Alkmund’s, and with the P.C.C. also contributing. Please pray for continued and increased provision though, as we are by no means there yet! One great help has been the offer from a family at St Alkmund’s to let me live at a much reduced rate in a house they are buying in the local area. This offer came seemingly out of nowhere one Sunday morning after church, a real encouragement!

It goes without saying that people are the main focus of the church. A particular encouragement has been Gwiz, currently an apprentice at Duffield. Real name ‘Gwiryon’ (the only one in the UK: pretty cool) she committed herself to joining the new plant months ago, before any of the plans were in place, and before she had a job or housing lined up in the area. Please pray that she does find work and accommodation, and thank God for her faith, a real encouragement and example to the rest of us.

Many thanks

Jonty