March Update

So nearly a week late, here's a brief update on how things are going.

With Easter looming this weekend, I'm involved with organising some kids work for the Easter Sunday service. Children, chocolate and excitement. It's gonna be mayhem.

My year is looking a little more streamlined than it did back in September, as I've handed over leading the youth work to Karen. (Karen you're a star!) I still get involved every so often with leading the group, but mainly it's just informal chats with them on a Sunday morning.

So at the moment, a typical week looks a little like the following.

Monday:
Work in the day, Bible study, eating and relaxing with the house in the evening.

Tuesday:
Technically my day off, but usually I'll pop into the church for an hour to upload the sermon onto the Church website and a few small bits of admin. Though inevitably I'll end up staying for a bit longer to chat to James. A big man with a massive heart. Over the last few months I've been trying to catch up with my friend Matt on Tuesday afternoons. He's been very ill and obviously it depends on my own state of health whether or not I get to see him. Finally, in the Oxford Uni term, I sneak back into my old choir, REV, for a couple of hours and then a quick drink with them.

Wednesday:
Pretty much the same as Monday.

Thursday:
Training day up till lunchtime (what this looks like varies from week to week) , then head off to work in the afternoon to help with interviews. Community group in the evening most weeks.

Friday:
Work till 12:30ish, when I get a break to help Katie run C.U at the college. This is always a great time even if the staff outnumber the students most weeks. We're just starting a series on difficult questions. Last week we had a rather mind-blowing discussion on sin and evil. Then it's usually back to work for an extra hour or so before heading home to finalise plans for the weekend. (Sadly kids work doesn't organise itself). Then we'll usually do something together as a house, either go out or watch a movie etc. Once a fortnight we'll meet together to pray for Kids Club (see Saturday)

Saturday:
Once a month or so, I'll have the outreach Kids Club to help with (messy games and running about for 30 kids), also once every six weeks we have leadership training. So every so often these two clash, which is a shame. On the other weeks, it's anything from essay reading, diary reviewing, shopping, house tidying, sleeping in and buying things for kids work the next day.

Sunday:
In term time, I head into Brasenose college to grab breakfast with the Chaplain and some of the Christians there. Free breakfast and friends is usually a winning combo! Then it's off to the morning service, followed by lunch in a local pub/restaurant with friends. Then relaxing in the afternoon. Some weeks we have discipleship groups in the evening, or Youth Worship or other such fun.


So that's my life at the moment, and how it's looking for the next couple of months.

As usual there are things it'd be great to pray for.

• Matt - that his chemo carries on going well and he makes a full recovery.
• Plans for next year - I'm looking at various career choices for next year around youth work and teaching, but still no obvious choice at the moment.
• Housing - sadly the house I'm living in at the moment is falling apart, so the four of us are moving out in the summer. Dave and I will be heading to the delights of Percy St, so prayers for an uncomplicated move would be great.
• OCVC CU - As mentioned before, the C.U has more staff than students attending.
• Discipline on my part - To carry on leading the kids team effectively and diligently. It's becoming a lot more difficult to lead at the moment with most of the students having gone home!
• Family and friend situations - Many of you will know what I mean by this, and if not then please just pray generally. It all helps!

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all
kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always
keep on praying for all the saints.


Pray also for me, that whenever
I open my mouth, words may be
given me so that I will fearlessly make
known the mystery of the gospel, for
which I am an ambassador in chains.


Pray that I might declare it fearlessly as I should.

Ephesians 6:18-20

Thanks and many blessings

Alan

Welcome!

Hi as I've said above, this is a place for me to share some of what's going on in my life as part of the year team at Oxford Community Church.

Those of you who've been receiving my email updates will know most of this already.

So, since September 2007 I've been part of a group of 6 young men and women, looking to give a year of their lives (actually it's only 10 months) to be trained, challenged and hopefully matured slightly in the way we live our lives. This is achieved through a variety of different methods.

1) Disciplines:
We are encouraged to pray and study the Bible everyday, with the aim of reading the entire Bible in one year. Over the past 6 months, I've found this regular reading and prayer has changed my attitudes probably more than anything else.

Other disciplines we're encouraged to try and form habits in include fasting and regular exercise.

2) Study Breaks/conferences:
One of the great pleasures of this year, has been going to Study breaks and other training events. Being able to listen to stories from those who're often a bit more experienced and wiser has been amazing.

3) Regular accountability:
Probably one of the most scary parts of the course. I have meetings at least once a fortnight with a mentor, who asks me very awkward questions about how I'm doing in all aspects of life. He also gives advice and covers me with prayer regularly. It's been a challenge to be honest and open, but leading a life when you know you're accountable regularly for how you act is strangely releasing.

4) Ministry:
The church is very keen on giving us as a team and as individuals responsibility in leading certain areas of church life. So this year I've been doing a few bits and pieces like leading the 7-11's children's work, helping run a Christian Union at the local college, bits of admin with the church website, some pastoral visiting to sick members of the church and most recently, helping lead a discipleship course for guys in their 20's.

5) Assignments:
These vary from month to month, we usually have reading of some kind to do and then a piece of work. Some are essay based, some a little more artistic, I put together a video for the last assignment. We'd been learning about the different aspect of God's nature and were asked to pick the one we found most difficult to see/accept.

This month we're looking at the cross and how it impacts the way we look at our mission.

That's a brief outline of what the year involves. Life still goes on around this, so I find myself regularly praying for peace and strength. If those of you who pray would say one for me from time to time, it'd be greatly appreciated.