News - June 09

LAST WEEKEND OF SCHOOL OF WORSHIP AND LEADERSHIP

A significant milestone was reached at the beginning of June when we finally said farewell to 73 students of the School of Worship and Leadership that had been with us for the past couple of years. As we shared communion together on Sunday afternoon it struck me how much our lives had become intertwined and I felt so privileged to be part of such a wonderful community of friends. Yes, there were tears of farewell, but we will no doubt keep in touch - in fact we are planning a reunion weekend in October to catch up with people and see how the training has impacted their lives and ministry. The last weekend was great fun, and although serious rain had been forecast it held off until late evening when we didn’t really mind. We enjoyed a good Czech BBQ and a presentation held in a markee in the grounds of the hotel, and then stayed up till around 2am having fun!

Libor thinking - Magda looking worried! (Left) Death-defying preparations for the evening presentation at the last School weekend

NEXT INTAKE FEBRUARY 2010

Plans are well underway for the second intake of the School starting on February 5th next year. Libor Orel continues to project-manage things (and a great job he is doing!), and the same team of helpers will again host and teach the next group of students. (Sadly, though, Dennis Bavister will no longer be with us - we wish him all the best in his future ministry.) Joining us on the team for the next course are 8 students from this graduation group who will use their skills to help train a new group of people. We will also use this experience as an opportunity to further invest in these people with on-the-job training.

SUMMER WORSHIP RETREAT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

I am looking forward to meeting those of you who have booked for this event. It promises to be both refreshing and challenging as we explore our response as Christians to changing times. Roger and Sue Mitchell are really looking forward to being with us and will be doing much of the teaching, we will also have input from one of our UK Trustees, Martyn Cripps, and I might do some things as well. Its going to be fun! If you haven’t booked it’s not too late, but note that the main hotel is now full: you’ll have to sleep in chalets in the hotel grounds which are a bit basic - look on it as a character-building experience.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ENGLAND?

As you know, Yelly is running a cookery school from our home here in Cumbria, and I am pleased to say that business continues to grow. We also have a constant stream of guests through our doors: it’s so good seeing the house used as intended - a place  of community, music and yummy food! At the end of June we’ll have another of our residential songwriting weekends here at the house which I am looking forward to. (There’s still a few places left, by the way, if you’d like to join us.) We plan more of these creative weekends this year: details will be posted here on the website. I am also working on a number of UK events, especially in the autumn - concerts and various training events.
So the house is pretty much finished. We’re now working on the garden - especially waging war against ground elder. Nasty stuff.

BUILDING THE BRIDGE

Martyn Cripps was invited to take part in a special service at Bethlehem Chapel in Prague a few weeks ago as a representative of the English side of the historical partnership between the Czech lands and England. As you may know, at the time that John Wycliffe was stirring things in Oxford (15th-century), Jan Hus’s teachings were having a major impact in central Europe. Although the two men never met personally, some of their disciples made the hazardous journey to the ‘other side’, and as a result the fires of reformation were fanned into flame in Europe. It was a fire which, one hundred years of so later, burned from both directions towards Germany, having a major impact on the thought and ministry of a young monk, Martin Luther. When Martyn Cripps went to Prague, it reminded me once again of these historical events, and how we - in this 21st-century post-modern Europe - are also called to stir the flames of renewal: some might even say we are due for a new reformation. I hope that we can play a small part in encouraging people in their faith, especially the creative people who I believe hold in their hands keys that will unlock spiritual renewal for many.
So please continue to pray for us and support this work through your gifts which are much-needed. I look forward to writing an update about the summer conference sometime in September, in the meantime I hope you have a wonderful summer yourself, and look forward to hearing your news.
Best wishes,
John de Jong.