Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’
On Sunday 16 March, the 2014 Transformation Thurrock Tour reached St Cedd’s Church in Crammavill Street, Stifford Clays.
St Cedd’s was built when the surrounding estate was in its infancy and is at the heart of that community. The church is named after Essex’s very own Celtic hero, a monk who was sent from Lindisfarne to preach Jesus to the heathen East Saxons in the mid-600s. So that sense of mission lies at the core of the fellowship’s DNA.
After a time of worship, prayers and the reading (Matthew 28:16-20), Tim Harrold gave those who were there a brief history of Transformation Thurrock and talked about where it is ‘at’ right now. Then he vision-casted a couple of ideas for the future, which is centred around equipping the church of Thurrock in the things implicit in the Great Commission that Jesus gave his disciples before he entered heaven.
As with the previous fellowships visited, there was then a time of hearing the mind of Christ that is the promise to every child of God. From this came some vibrant discussion and unpacking of visions and their implications for the church and the community. Two main themes came from this, which are refections of that transforming missional spirit of St Cedd:
- to take Jesus and church into the community and schools
- to bring transformational blessing through Christ-centred social enterprise
The broad range of ideas emerging from this conversation can be seen on the right. This sheet will remain on display in St Cedd’s and serve as a reminder. The challenge of the TT Tour is to action the God-given ideas.
Finally, prayers were said in unison for Thurrock.
Next Sunday, 23 March, the TT Tour reaches St Cedd’s sister fellowship,
St Mary’s, North Stifford.
Where has the TT Tour gone and where is it going?
The 2014 TT Tour is growing all the time, and looks like this, as at 7 March:
- 16 February – Fresh Hope Community (St Margarets’ Fresh Expression), Stanford le Hope – DONE!
- 2 March – Grays Methodist Church – DONE!
- 16 March – St Cedd’s, Stifford Clays – DONE!
- 23 March – St Mary’s, North Stifford (starts 11.15am)
- 30 March – Seabrooke-All Saints Mission Shaped Community (Thurrock Christian Fellowship), All Saints Centre, Grays
- 6 April – Grays Baptist Church
- 13 April – New Covenant Church, Grays (starts 11am)
- 4 May – St Margaret’s, Stanford le Hope
- 18 May – St Mary’s, Little Thurrock (starts 9.30am & 11am)
- 18 May – Corringham Salvation Army – East Thurrock United Service (starts 3pm)
- 25 May – Grays United Reformed Church (part 1)
- 8 June – Grays United Reformed Church (part 2)
- 29 June – Destiny Chapel, South Ockendon
- 13 July – Tilbury Pride Mission Shaped Community (Thurrock Christian Fellowship)
All dates in between these (apart from Easter Sunday, 20 April) and after up to and including 20 July are currently available.
The content is suitable for any fellowship Sunday service or prayer meeting no matter what your style or where you’re ‘at’.
If you’d like to book Tim and the TT Tour, please call 07929 878 089 or email him on tim@transformationthurrock.com.
The presentation – which is adaptable – is made up of three sections and lasts about 45 minutes. It follows this simple structure:
- Information – Powerpoint presentation
- where we’ve been
- where we’re at
- where we’re going
- Interaction – small groups
- what is God saying?
- what are you going to do about it?
- who are you going to tell?
- Intercession – for Thurrock and the UK
- proclamations of blessing
- prayers of protection
Information – Powerpoint presentation
