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Transformation Thurrock metamorphosis
 On Monday morning (28 June), a group of eight friends drawn from local churches and ministries gathered together in the offices at Chafford Hundred Community Church to discuss the Transformation Thurrock vision and the way forward.
Those present represented a broad cross section of the church of Thurrock - people who have had a particular part to play in the early life of TT since its 'launch' in 2008. These were (right to left in the picture):
- Pastor Ayo Gbajabiamila (New Covenant Church, Stanford-le-Hope)
- Colin Baker (pastor, Grays Baptist Church)
- Evangelist Lara Akinola (Pray4Thurrock & Liberty Evangelical Ministries)
- Rob Groves (leadership team member, Fresh Hope Community, Stanford-le-Hope)
- Rev John Guest (St Margaret's, Stanford-le-Hope)
- David Bareham (pastor, Chafford Hundred Community Church)
- Barbara Brown (leader, Thurrock Healing Rooms)
- Tim Harrold (church-in-the-house, Central Thurrock)
Pastor Olu Olukoga of Spring of Life (RCCG), Grays, was also invited but was unable to attend and so sent his apologies.
The representation crossed the boundaries of gender, race, denomination, culture and tradition. Not every type of church or ministry was represented, but there were Anglicans, Baptists, Pentecostals and Charismatics in the mix. In time, this forum may enlarge, like the pulling out of pegs on a tent in order to stretch it wider.
The group discussed what TT has achieved in its first two years; where it's at right now; and possible direction for the future. The meeting was seen as an opportunity to envision, equip and empower; to not necessarily come up with decisions and solutions, but to join with agreement that this is a good God thing and to move forward not just to better but to best.
Tim Harrold was able to share his ongoing vision for united prayer events in the borough and about some new ideas he has. Rob Groves told how his experience working for One Commmunity in Tilbury over the past year has equipped him to begin to think about moving into areas of Social Enterprise.
We were able to look at the statistics regarding the website which show and over all average upward trend of the numbers of hits the website receives. Everyone was very encouraged and encouraging!
 It was re-emphasised that at the heart of all of TT's work is the passion for creating, promoting and establishing unity in Christ - for uniting (the verb) in Jesus.
TT is an organism in the first instance that acts as a prophetic sign of a prophetic community that is emerging across the churches of the borough, reflecting what God is doing in the body of Christ nationally and internationally.
It is a time of shaking and shaping, of deconstruction and reconstruction. It is a time of metamorphosis - from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. During the chrysalis phase, all that constitutes what was formerly the caterpillar breaks down and reforms by a process known as totipotency. Maybe TT is at the mushy brain, unruly adolescent stage!
A couple of us have actions to action, and then the group will re-convene on Monday 19 July to discuss matters further.
Please pray for TT at this time of transition - pray that God's will be done in TT and Thurrock as it is in heaven.
Dates of future TT Prayer activity and specific events currently being planned:
- facilitating prophetic prayer walking around borough - healing the land
- promoting ‘Treasure Hunting’ and prayer-in-the-community
- facilitating praying in places of spiritual battle e.g. Psychic Fayres
- aiming to put on Thurrock GDOP Pentecost Fest on Sunday 12 June 2011
- co-facilitating Thurrock & Havering Schools' Prayer Day 2 October 2010 @ Aveley Methodist Church
- facilitating and resourcing Thurrock Day of Prayer 16 October 2010 (venue tbc)
- promoting and being involved in National Day of Prayer at Wembley Stadium in September 2011
- facilitating and resourcing Thurrock Day of Prayer 22 October 2011 with Rachel Hickson (venue tbc - Civic Hall?)
- continuing GDOP London M25 Nutcracker development
- continuing Thames Gateway Prayernet development (14 July 2010 - Celtic Prayer Pilgrimage to Bradwell; 13 November 2010 - prayer bus around Olympic site)
- co-facilitating proposed Essex Prayer Partnership development
- continuing Olympic Games prayer development in relationship with Transform Newham
What Transformation Thurrock 'does'
- www.transformationthurrock.com - promoting united prayer and united mission across the borough, advertising events with an ecumenical flavour
- Transformation Thurrock Prayer gatherings - monthly (usually)
- Thurrock Day of Prayer - this year it's on 16 October - venue TBC
- Thurrock and Havering Schools Prayer Day - this year it's on 2 October at Aveley Methodist Church
- Grays Leaders Prayer - weekly gathering of local ministers
- Bar'N'Bus - Thurrock Teams Co-ordinator for this mission to young people on the streets of the borough in the evenings (ends 31.8.10)
- Thames Gateway Prayernet - frequent prophetic intercession at key points along the river, linking in with people from other prayer networks in Essex and Kent
- Thurrock Global Day of Prayer - next year we hope to be helping to facilitate and resource a cross-denominational open air 'Pentecost Fest' for all the church and community of Thurrock
- M25 Nutcracker - bringing church groups together to pray for the Capital and the Nation around the M25 region in partnership with Global Day of Prayer London
Brief history of Transformation Thurrock
- 2002 Feb - first 24-7 Prayer Week at TCF Grays
- 2003 Jan - 24-7 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
- 2003 Mar - Grays Leaders Prayer starts
- 2003 Sept - become self-employed
- 2004 Sept - step down from youth leadership at TCF to take up planting East London Boiler Room (ELBR)
- 2005 Mar - first Bar’N’Bus team begins
- 2006 Jan - GLP emails become TT emails
- 2007 Jan - begin meeting in house
- 2007 Sept - begin attending Grays Baptists as visitors
- 2007 April - Stanford Boiler Room starts
- 2007 Sept - The Old Tennis Court Grays Community Prayer House starts
- 2008 Mar - TT vision broadcast at Debra Green (Redeeming Our Communities) seminar, Stanford Meths
- 2008 June - TT website started with Rob Groves
- 2008 July - TT ‘launch’ breakfast, Thurrock Hotel
- 2008 July - TT Prayer Breakfast, Thurrock Hotel
- 2009 Sept - Rob takes job and begins Bible course
- 2009 Oct - Thurrock Day of Prayer
Links (in no particular order)
- Across Havering
- Brentwood & Billericay
- Love Southend Prayer Wall
- Barking Prayer
- Transform Newham
- Transform Bexley Borough
- Kent Prayer Partnership
- Medway Prayer
- Cinque Ports Prayer Canopy
- Global Day of Prayer London
- New Wine South Essex
- World Prayer Centre
- Redeeming Our Communities
- Seedbed Trust
- Coastlands & Gateways
- Together For England
- Love London
- Love Croydon
- National Prayer Breakfast
- City Prayernet
- Alpha
- Network Cities
- More Than Gold
There are probably more! The internet links to all these links will be posted in due course.
If you'd like to personally support Tim Harrold, who has recently had a major funding stream come to an end, please contact him on tim@transformationthurrock.com.
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Tim Harrold, 29/06/2010 |
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