Barb Totterdell September 24th 2017 ~ Five words starting with C...

As many of you know, some of us are heading to Augusta in January to be part of the Family Festival (Beach Mission) in the Flinders Bay Caravan Park. While we will run some programs for children, youth and families while we are there, a large part of what it is about is camping alongside other holiday-makers and joining in with what we see God doing around about us. It’s about being and bringing good news into that caravan park. We can plan some of that but as we don’t know specifically who the people will be this year, or what the dynamics will be, or how God will be at work, much of it is about being ready to discern and join with God when we get there, much like all of our lives are everyday really, wherever we find ourselves. As a team, we’re planning on using a tool to help us reflect on what God’s doing and for us have eyes to see how we might join in with Him. We’re practising using this tool in our meetings leading up to January. When we meet together each day at the Family Festival, we’re going to discuss what we’ve seen happen and what we’ve experienced in the caravan park using five words starting with C … and that will form the basis of our prayers and some actions for the following days. We’ll be asking:What’s been happening that we want to CHEER – what’s the great stuff that’s going on in the caravan park, maybe where have we seen someone being kind to another camper or how the caravan park managers have been going above and beyond to help out the campers. Could we acknowledge that in some way?Are there any CELEBRATIONS happening that we could join in on? Perhaps we’ve heard that it’s someones birthday the next day or Australia’s won the cricket. How might we join in on these things or initiate a broader corporate celebration?What CRISES are happening around the caravan park? Has someone had a significant issue with their tent or is there tension in the caravan park? How might we be good news in those situations?What CONVERSATIONS have we had that are worth noting? In both incidental and more significant conversations, where do we see that God’s been at work and doing things that are worth us paying attention to? Is there something that would be useful for us to follow up that conversation with?Finally, what ‘COINCIDENCES’ have occurred? Perhaps we keep bumping into the same person at the BBQ and then while we were in town we also bumped into them. Would it be worth being a bit more intentional with that relationship?We’re looking forward to seeing how this tool helps us notice what God’s doing and helps us join in with Him in Augusta in January.As you think about the contexts of your life and reflect on these five words, I wonder what things it might make you aware of? How might you pray and act arising from what you observe? How might you be and speak good news into those situations? I’d encourage you to share some of your thoughts, reflections and subsequent plans with someone, or perhaps organise to meet up with someone during the week to chat and pray about it.Blessings,Barb