All Saints Community Church, Bryant Park. An Anglican and Methodist Cooperating Parish.

Ministry Team Outreach.

A team of seven people answered the call of a Northland Church to provide them with a Ministry team for their Church Camp.

The Ministry Team had the backing of our home Church with prayer, fasting and equipment. The whole team had been asked to pray and fast for this upcoming weekend and the hosting Church were doing the same.

The preparation prior to the Weekend was extensive. Constant prayer by Sandra undergirded the weekend from conception to completion. The Leader (Jim) felt God had given him 3 topics to talk on but he struggled for the 4^th. One of the team members (Charlotte) who had never preached before really felt God telling her that she was to do a session and what she was to talk about. With absolute trepidation she plucked up the courage and made the suggestion. This was readily accepted by Jim and thus the topics of the weekend were God’s ordained.

The technical part of the team (Chris and Trevor) worked extremely hard getting everything on computers and letting the hosting church know our requirements. The music couple (Allan and Lorraine) worked long hours on the song selection and preparation.

Things didn’t go very smoothly with many obstacles in the way but all felt that with God in this it would sort itself out and it eventually did. Even a car laden down with all the gear wouldn’t start after lunch on the trip up North because of a flat battery (headlights accidently left on) and a GPS took another car load of people and equipment to a footbridge instead of the camp but we all arrived in time with everything intact.

The sleeping and preparation areas for the Team were a test of endurance and grace. The sound equipment provided was certainly not up to expectations but God sure was. To watch the hosting church blossom over the weekend was a miracle. The Team needing to rely on God and each other to bring about what proved to be an amazing celebration. Team members quietly moving around the rooms or outside as they sensed God’s prompting and always praying was such a huge comfort to those up front at that particular time.

We saw many people released from bondage and weariness. Many were renewed.

After the evening session it was the young people's turn (teenagers). We started at 11pm with loud music and singing, some prayer then we moved into a time of questions. They were given permission to ask us anything on any subject imaginable. The questions came thick and fast and were more often than not ones the young people really couldn’t ask their parents. This was quite a test for many of the Ministry Team but answers were given to all questions. We believe that these young people really appreciated us being open and honest with them.

The next day (or should I say only a few hours later) some of us went down to the little beach at the camp and sat on the shore only to discover at breakfast time that there was a tsunami warning for New Zealand. Fortunately we didn’t experience anything out of the ordinary.

In the first session on Sunday, many of the youth were able to declare that they were “in God’s army” and were determined to move forward. What an amazing blessing to us all that was.

The drive home after such a great weekend was filled with laughter, jokes and excited talk. Texts flew between the two cars keeping us all in communication with each other and keeping us from feeling the effects of sleep depravation. To know that our home Church of All Saints were praying for us not only individually but within their services was reassuring.

The team worked together seamlessly and with joy and would willingly do it all again if we felt it was God’s call. What a great time we all had. What a blessing we all received.

Praise God for his provision in everything we do when it is His will.

If you require a ministry team for a weekend then please contact the church office.

All Saints Community Church

"Together: Following Jesus, Building Community, Reaching out"

Ministry Team Outreach.