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East Thurrock United Service prays for Thurrock's transformation
 Last Sunday evening (20 November) around 50 people representing a number of churches in the east of the borough gathered at Hassenbrook School to pray through a number of current and emerging themes.
Transformation Thurrock was invited to the latest of the monthly East Thurrock United Services by Rev John Guest. Hosted by Fresh Hope Community - the fresh expression church plant of St Margaret's, Stanford-le-Hope - a time of worship led by Simon Wilson opened the evening.
Tim Harrold began the prayer time by reading 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV):
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
This appropriate scripture took everyone immediately into bringing before the Lord the other interchurch event taking place that evening - the UNITE 30/31 youth event being held at Grays Baptist Church featuring the Christian Body Builder group, Tough Talk.
All ex-gangsters, they bring their unique brand of the message of Jesus using weight-lifting. 80 young people were there, and apparently 5 responded to the gospel at the end of the  presentation. The folk at Hassenbrook broke up into groups to pray.
Tim then read from the scriptures again, this time from Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV):
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This led into the next section, led by Rob Groves - 'Gold Champion' for FHC and St Margaret's - gave a short talk about the potential of the Olympics and Paralympics for the gospel to be preached and witnessed through word, action, creativity and service. The fact that the Olympic Torch is now coming to the borough (on 6 July) has turned an excuse into an imperative.
The transformational vision is for the borough's body of believers to
- be involved in assisting the Council in events' management
- be a forerunner in creating community activities - such as street parties - which will intentionally leave a legacies of enhanced local identity
- work across the denominations on a variety of related projects through which the message of Jesus can be further shared and demonstrated
Once again, people split into groups around the assembly hall to pray, eyes fixed upon Jesus for inspiration and ideas. Tim concluded this section by asking how Christians can make good the seven Olympic values as they engage with London 2012:
- inspiration
- determination
- excellence
- equality
- friendship
- respect
- courage
 Finally, the last section covered other projects on the go or being developed that are part of the process of transforming Thurrock. Tim introduced each and groups were formed to pray for each according to peoples' interests and hearts:
- GSUS LIVE - booked for September/October 2012, only one local secondary school has so far shown an interest, and so may have to be abandoned (education is changing with the advent of the academy that is no longer bound to the national Curriculum, and therefore to deliver RE, and so we maybe looking to the Lord to reveal to us new ways of interacting with young people in out schools, something that is actually already happening)
- HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee - more opportunities for community engagement at this historic time, and to bring our nation before the King of whole Earth
- Rock Thurrock legacy - praying for the follow-up, both short term with the Velocity course, and long-term with a strategy for schools
- Foodbank - for this, Graham Marshall of the Foodbank team gave a brief summary of the vision and it's imminent start-up
At the conclusion of these prayers, refreshments and fellowship followed in the refectory.
Further developments of all the above will be reported on and supported by Transformation Thurrock.
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Tim Harrold, 23/11/2011 |
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