Deeper - Words Revealed in Prayer

Every term, three times a year, we invite the church together for a 'whole church' prayer meeting. Each time is like coming for air as we ask God to breathe life into the plans laid on our hearts. We usually take time to sit and listen. Without fail, it seems like the Lord is ready to speak, nudge and prompt us as we stumble our way forward into His plans and purposes for our lives and the church.

In this new academic year, we sense the Lord calling us deeper—deeper as a church, deeper in relationship and connection, and deeper in community. This journey is not one we take alone, but one where each of us plays a vital role, prodding around in some uncomfortable ways as we allow ourselves to walk tightly in step with the Holy Spirit. It's impossible to have a lasting impact if we don't have depth in our faith, and your role in this is crucial.

And so, many people began to pray and share what God was showing them; here is a snapshot of those words and pictures from our time in prayer together. We ask that you continue to bring these things before the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to help you put words into action as we go deeper.

Follow

Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men; closeness to Jesus comes first. As we follow Jesus, He will make us into something. Let us walk closer and go deeper.

Ice cream

A chain of people bringing hope and joy to the borough. I see an ice cream van and a chain of hundreds of people who are the church, and they are passing the ice cream down the chain of people to those who have nothing.

Fortune cookie

The excitement and accessibility of the faith that comes with knowing that God is not a fortune cookie. Unlike a fortune cookie, it’s not a guess but something that will come to pass. What has God said? What do we need to remind ourselves of?

Aslan

Stop, think, give, Aslan. Make giving accessible. Make it easy to give as we support them. If we all sacrificed a cup of coffee and offered that in support, it would amount. How can we offer deeper support?

Lion

Boldness and purpose, no-nonsense, true and deep, stand out like a lion. We are called to be a lion, fierce, beautiful and bold.

Keep it real

God doesn’t want us to pretend to be happy all the time. He wants honesty and realness. Be honest in our relationship with Him.

Colossians 3:2

Set your mind on things above, be like Jesus and do His work - Be: Jesus, he reveals his character and heart as gentle. Do: Seek and save the lost, and remember what it is really about.

Relationship

Deepening relationships with the Father so that we can deepen with others and with those we serve.

Creativity

There is ingenuity within us - how we outwork things is creative in many ways and God wants to use this.

Dig

Digging wells deeper from those who have gone before. The deeper we dig the fresher the water.

Eagle

A picture of an eagle flying back to the nest feeding the young - bring lost souls back to the nest to feed.

Skyscrapers

They require deep foundations and are tall, seen landmarks. As we go deeper, it is in preparation to build skyscrapers of faith.

Excavator

Large industrial excavator coming towards us - God says he’s got some serious digging to do!

Cavern

A deep cavern full of people singing with a beautiful echo. Sometimes, there are cracks from the surface down to a cave, and through these cracks, the music in this deep place is seeping out, and people are noticing.

Consistency

The deep walk towards Jesus is like weight training- don’t give up too soon, keep going and maintain the course.

Bite

A bite out of an apple, God's goodness is plentiful fruit. The community work is also like a plentiful fruit, God has so many good things for our community.

Viking Ship

On the side of a Viking ship, the timber overlaps and connects and is watertight. We need tight connections with each other. Deeper connections will keep the sheep watertight.

Spread

An image of ice spreading and connecting, Holy Spirit spread through our church.

Partner

Partnership - working together with each other, the community, etc. learning from and with one another.

Connect

A deeper connection is to the Lord's Church, of which we are a part. It’s not just us, it's all of us together!

Courage

As the community develops, we will need the courage to fight for fairness and justice.

Forward

The picture of the hole left behind encourages us to move forward. We cannot go back. The past is past. Let us move forward.

Sunset

There is a sunset below a dark cloud over Sutton. There is often so much more than we can see. Hope is on the horizon, and below that cloud, light is breaking through.

These are some of the words the Lord began to stir in people's hearts. Let me encourage you to pick one or two and begin bringing them to God regularly in prayer. Ask him to reveal more to you and show you how to put these things into action as we look to go deeper as a church.

What would happen if we all began exploring the depths of these words? 

I can't wait to see what God does in and through your life!

Much love,

Julian.

Reflection: Post Sabbatical Musings

I landed back in the office a couple of weeks ago and in some ways, it feels like I haven’t left! To mark the occasion, I made the staff team a snazzy presentation of my time on sabbatical sharing photos and memories. Although unable to share that with you all, I will share some things I have learned, benefitted from and grown in over the fourteen weeks I was away from my role here. 

Jason and Bev, our wonderful founding pastors, have an interest in the Enneagram (it’s more than a personality test!) and how who we are, how we are built and other bits of our character are reflected in our journey with Jesus. I am privileged in that I have had time to explore the type of person I am and how this intermingles in my daily work as a pastor, but I hadn’t taken time to consider how this also impacts me in my rest. 

I typically thrive on action, am highly efficient and value doing things well. My sabbatical (and time with my Spiritual Director) has allowed me the space to explore what resting well looks like for me. How, as a more introverted person, spending time just with myself is refreshing to my soul. It’s not necessarily productive, nor efficient in the immediate sense, but it fills the well within my soul. Having the opportunity to potter at home, plug into my headphones at the gym and take time on public transport gazing out of the window refreshed something in me which I didn’t realise needed hydrating. 

Spending time with my Bible, re-reading the same passages has added to that flow of water. Musing on a verse or two for a whole week, allowing my thoughts to escape to places with Jesus that in the noise of normality would not have been possible, has allowed my heart and soul to take a significant pause. Psalm 19:7-10 has been one of the passages I have found new depths in each time I visited. 

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.

Even now, I read these words and am struck by their magnitude. I am vastly aware that it is a huge privilege to have had fourteen weeks to change my rhythm and have the opportunity to be spontaneous, but even in this next season I am going to focus on revisiting passages again and again. Lectio Divina is a great way to do this with structure, but as someone who thrives on structure, I’m going to try and focus on going with the flow a little more when reading and digesting scripture. Using passages like this as a springboard for creativity with the Lord. Having no agenda, other than to hear His words. 

Alongside time with Jesus, studying, coffees with friends and their beautiful babies, holidays, the gym and much more, I’ve also visited other churches to see what church looks like to other communities. I have loved seeing the Vineyard expression in other boroughs, experiencing new ways of worshipping and encountering the Holy Spirit with strangers. Along with very practical ideas that I can bring back with me from these Sundays, in me has been an affirmation of the beauty and necessity of the local church. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and experiencing something new but came away each Sunday with a greater appreciation and love for the group of people who make up Sutton Vineyard. I love the journey we have been on together, the new things and the things of the past. I am privileged to have been invited on journeys with old friends and new. I am proud of how we come together for weddings and funerals, for parties and for picnics. I am especially in awe of our wonderful staff team and leaders for how they love Jesus and love people. 

The Lord is doing something very special in our church and I am privileged to be a part of it with you all. The last seven years have been a wonderful journey and I am refreshed, renewed and expectant for the next seven to come as a family and community at  Sutton Vineyard. 

Do come and speak to me to learn more about the Enneagram or about Spiritual Direction - I’d love to chat.

Discovery: Vision Sunday Reflection

Vision is what could be and what should be. It is the things we begin to see for the future in line with what the Holy Spirit sites within us. 

On Vision Sunday, we were able to share with you what the Lord has been saying to us for the coming year. We are so excited by the things God has laid on our hearts, and we wanted to highlight the key things we shared.

There are many things we are discovering in our corner of the world that could be changed and transformed by the presence and influence of the church and they should be.

We want to give every person, young and old, the opportunity to have their first and next encounter with Jesus. We believe passionately that as we lift up Jesus, He will draw all people to Himself and in doing so, we want to be known as the church for the least, the lost, the near and the far-off.

During our first few months on the ground in Sutton, we began to sense God stirring many of you into a new season of discovery. So many of us are being moved for people in a new way, dreams are welling up within people, and we are embarking on a discovery year to understand how each person might begin and continue to extend the kingdom of God as we bring Jesus to people as the church in Sutton.

Wherever you are at in your faith journey, if you have begun to sense that Sutton Vineyard is your home, we want to invite you to help us build the church and there are 3 vital ways in which you can help. 

Prayer

Prayer is the engine room of the church –or, to use another analogy, it is the body’s lifeblood. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Many years ago, The Lord began to speak to our church about building a dedicated room for prayer. At our Dolphin building on the High Street, we have a place that is given over entirely to praying. We’d love you to help underpin the vision and purpose of our church by committing to regular prayer. This can be in your own time at home or on the way to work, but you could also be one of many people who want to use this space to uphold our aims and objectives as a church in prayer.

We are setting up the prayer room to continually capture all that God is saying and doing in our church and to have them at the forefront of our minds as we seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus in Sutton and beyond. 

Finance - Consider in prayer

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supports our church financially. No matter how much is given, we don't take anyone for granted. We see these things as an act of worship that also resources the church to reach out to those who need Jesus. We are eternally grateful for those who serve, give, and stand with us. We cannot do this without you!

Each year, we budget with outstanding stewardship, the best way to be an active and vibrant church in Sutton. We need to close some financial gaps to keep going and minister vibrantly and powerfully as a church.

As of September 2023, we currently have a monthly shortfall of £2.5k stopping us break even. But as we begin to mobilise the church to reach the least, the lost, the near and the far off, we don't want to close the gaps, but if possible, gain some momentum as we discover and uncover ways in which we can bring Jesus to our corner of the world.

As we prayerfully consider our approach in opening up more opportunities for our local community to be welcomed in, it will cost us.

With our Youth and Children, we will consider ways to create community touch points. In our compassion projects, we are exploring the next steps to build on the great work already happening. Within local governance, we are networking and discovering ways to bring the church's voice to play its role in the wider community. As we discover these steps with prayer, strategic consideration and fostering new relationships with other churches and local leaders, we know it will come with a cost.

To help get ahead, we don't just want to close the gaps, we want to move our finances to a place that puts wind in our sails. So we desire to see our giving move to £4k extra a month to help move us from a place of maintenance to forward momentum.

The apostle Paul encourages us not to give reactively or under compulsion ⎯but to pray about it. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

You may not be able to give financially, but your support could be standing with us in prayer and with your time. It might be that you've been in a time of waiting, but now could be the time to consider if you are ready to build with us. You might have been faithful with your time, resources and prayer for years, but God might be stirring you afresh.

We want people to do this carefully and prayerfully. Would you help us close the gap? Are you one of 50 people who could give £50? Are you one of 25 who could give £100?

If you are not yet in a place to stand with us financially, we'd love to have you pull along side us in other ways.

Get involved

There are several key ways you can get involved!

• Small groups - Our small groups are a fantastic way to build friendships and delve deeper into what is shared on a Sunday. If you are not yet in a small group, we'd encourage you to chat with our Assistant Pastor Hannah, who will be able to get you connected to a group at a time that is convenient to you!

• Our men's and women's ministries will be themed around discovery, too. They will be fantastic opportunities to have fun, build community and intentionally explore discovery in our own lives.

• Discovery groups - We will be launching several focus groups after Christmas that will focus on different aspects of church and ministry to prayerfully and practically evaluate where we are at now and where God is leading us over the coming years. We recognise these groups might not be for everyone, but we will be providing more information about these in due course. These groups are specifically for those who lead or feel stirred to action in these areas and will encompass different areas of church such as compassion, prayer, worship, evangelism and family.

Whatever season you are in on your journey of faith, we'd encourage you to prayerfully consider how to actively engage in being the church. We each have a role to play, whether directly or indirectly, but our prayer is that we come together as the body of Christ, seeing the church continually move into action to bring Jesus to the least, the lost, the near and the far-off.

May the grace of God be over you in all things.

Julian & Libby Arnold