Tonight's the night! Rock Thurrock weekend starts here!
The events we've all been anticipating for so long finally get underway this evening at Thurrock's Civic Hall in Blackshots Lane, Grays.
Will Graham, grandson of world fam ous evangelist Billy Graham, is speaking tonight (Friday 23 September) at The Celebration of Hope, and at the Rock Thurrock main youth outreach events tomorrow (Saturday 24) and Sunday (25).
Rock Thurrock has been faciliated by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in partnership with a large number of local church expressions working together with the networking help of Transformation Thurrock.
This is the climax of a over a year of preparation, training and community action to bring about something spiritually transformative across our borough that can only be achieved in and through Jesus Christ.
Quite simply, those who have shared in this vision, are believing for harvest.
For each individual that responds to the Good News of Jesus over the weekend, the promise and potential of personal transformation. This can only be good for our schools, colleges and well-being of society, as lives are changed and Christ-likeness becomes the norm - our world turned the right-way-up.
 Prayer at Blackshots
Two nights ago, on Wednesday evening at dusk, some 15 people prayer-walked the land around the Civic Hall, many circumnavigating the venue seven times, claiming the land and the building for Christ's glory over this weekend. There were visions of light being poured out, and angels ascending and descending staircases to heaven, and paths being made straight.
Psalm 24 was declared down the avenue at the front of the Blackshots complex - "Swing wide the gates, let the King of Glory come in!"
Oil from Israel was used to anoint the area, that the Civic Hall may become a tent of meeting and encountering the presence of the Lord. There was a sense of a 'thin place' being opened up at the entrance (above right), so thick was the presence of God at that point.
LZ7
Yesterday (Thursday), LZ7 - one of the bands appearing at Rock Thurrock - continued their stint around five of Thurrock's educational establishments, hitting Palmer's College for a lunchtime concert. Knowing this audience would be different to those in the secondaries, LZ7 handled it perfectly, and had the young people dancing at the front of the drama hall with energy and passion, and quite a few nifty moves. Today they are doing an assembly, taking lessons, and performing at lunchtime at Ormiston Park Academy (formerly Aveley School).
 Sin and Syn!
Last night (Thursday) the Rock Thurrock Encouragers' Rehearsal too place at St Margaret's in Stanford-le-Hope. BGEA trainers John Cass and Gary Cobb took all the volunteers through the ropes with clarity and humour, followed by the commisioning of Community Evangelist Rob Groves by David Hawkins, Bishop of Barking (both left, with Rev John Guest).
Bishop David brought a word absolutely apt for the occasion and for the task of weekend - get tough on SIN; and be in SYN!
The Bishop led a time of public repentance, falling on his knees in front of everyone present, praying for himself, but encouraging all to join with him in praying for themselves. "I", he said, "is in the middle of SIN, damaging my relationship with God, and with each other."
SYN, he told us, is the Greek for 'together', and emphasised the word SYNERGY, saying, "When we're united, the world sees God."
 Civic Prep
As this is being written, the Civic Hall is being prepared for the Celebration of Hope tonight (right). Prayers are being prayed here, chairs are being put out there, meals are being cooked in the kitchen, materials are being collated, rooms are being sorted, marquees are being put up...
The EEI team (Emerging Evangelists Institute) have been in Grays Market today...
The next time you here from Transformation Thurrock will be when it's all over.
|
Tim Harrold, 23/09/2011 |
|
