Asking the Lord of the Harvest.......

It was so good yesterday (Sunday) to see the church filling our building - it won't be long before we will be needing to move MCC from West End Impacts building, in fact if everyone came to the Sunday service at the same time there wouldn't be enough room for them all. Good job Gordon found some more chairs! So soon we will either have to have 2 services or move buildings. The thing is though that as from the end of August another church (Home Church) are using the building for a service at 4pm mmmmmmmm... going to have to think that one through!!!

Anyway the thing that's really blessing me at the moment is that GOD is sending more workers!!! YEAH!! For the last 10 years I have been asking the Lord of the Harvest for more workers as the Harvest is plenty but the workers are few!! In other words 20% of the people at MCC do 80% of the work!! This has been a problem, and over the years - lets call a spade a spade - we have been worn out to point of almost giving up on several occasions. We accept that there are always going to onlookers in every church and there are always going to be the ones who feel inadequate and feel they have nothing to give, but we have made it a priority in our church to practice the 'priesthood of all believers'. We have used the Network course as a tool as regularly as possible to help people find their gifts and given as many opportunities as possible for people to get involved and use their gifts. We have also been very open for people to get stuck in and if they don't feel gifted in a particular area they can try something else. In fact at our yearly volunteers appreciation meal it is very obvious that most people in our church are involved in a little way at least. The problem has been though that few are souldering responsibility!! Also with the nature of the people we are getting there are few who can shoulder responsibility, not many are unwilling. We have many people who struggle with mental health and low self esteem. I am very encouraged presently though, as God is doing amazing things and I can see that our core team is widening!! I was reminded yesterday that God promised us at our Commissioning in 2003 that He was going to do something special with young people and I can now see that an amazing youth team is evolving. God said through Steve Bland that we were not to see the young people as the church of tomorrow but we were to see them as part of what God is doing at MCC now that God will use the young people just as much as any adult!! (probably more) It's exciting times and although I really want to go on holiday next week as I am tired I am also frightened of missing something whilst we're away :) a very good position to be in!! Leadership training is going to have to be high priority in September and I am very much looking forward to our THINK TANK vision casting session in the Summer!! Exciting times!!

West End Impact

West End Impact is Morecambe Community Churches charity which we set up 10 years ago now, in response to the regeneration of Morecambe. Unfortunately not much of the regeneration that was being promised 10 years ago in Morecambe has been done. Morecambe is still a very beautiful place though - the Bay is one of the best views in the world!! :) There is such desperation in Morecambe though and we as a church and organisation really want to see 'More for Morecambe'!! Just today at our drop-in I was talking at length to a guy, who had given up all hope - he told me his life story and what a sad life he had led so far. There are so many people who have lost HOPE and any motivation to see that they have a future. There is so much family breakup, so many people with depression and mental health problems, people with addictions and hundreds of people who are just lonely. People are looking at all their issues and problems and feeling totally overwhelmed!! As a Christian organisation and church we want show people that the Church feels responsible to help, in a practical way. Of course we would love that everyone would see that God can set them free that the whole reason God sent his son Jesus Christ was to set them free from all their burdens, and past and guilt and fear etc etc. but God commanded that we just help!! It's no use saying to someone God bless you if they are riddle with debt, and don't know how to fill in their benefit form properly. We, as Christians, need to help in practical ways with no other motive than just to do what Jesus Christ did. We want to show people their worth and show them they CAN!! So many people are being told they can't, they can't learn a new skill, they are no use at doing this that and the other. It's all rubbish!! There is so much potential in every person we meet at Morecambe Community Church and at West End IMPACT  and it is our job to show what they can do. Everyone needs a purpose and ultimately our purpose is in God. I could write loads of what is going on on a weekly basis, but today it just struck me afresh the number of people in Morecambe, not just the financially poor and needy,who have lost all sense of HOPE.