Changing times

Here in the UK we are dealing with a rising death toll daily and new legislation that, honestly are presented as 'advice' instead of 'law's leaving many confused and worried about what to do. All gatherings have closed and the shelves are always bare... because of this season our ministry is changing slightly.. we are closing down the meeting place during this time and instead it is being used as a food distribution center for the most vulnerable.  Also, as the youngest in the church, we will be the ones running to shops and pharmacies to help support our most vulnerable church members. 

We arent forgetting the young adults during this time. We have moved our Bible study to a WhatsApp group where we will post study's and have discussions through the technology.  We will also be hosting prayer times, worship sessions, and just ears to listen. We’ve also moved a big part of our ministry to the vulnerable group of elderly people that attend the church and live in our neighborhood.

We want to send a big thank you for your prayers and continue support of our family and the ministry during this time. We know it’s easy to get wrapped up in things, to make decisions out of fear or anxiety, we know there are sacrifices being made so that we can serve the lost here.  We want you to know how greatfull we are and that it is still making a difference in this chaos. Also we want you to know that you and your family are in our prayers daily.  

We know that we serve a God who is still on the throne and He has given us a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.. not of fear, in fact his perfect love drives out all fear. So as we face unknown and learn how to serve and connect in ways we didn’t think of before, be driven by His love not others fear... 

God a Bless and Stay safe.

One weekend down

  One weekend down and hopefully hundreds to go...

The meetingnplace officially opened on the 8th of February and last weekend had its first full weekend of operation. 

It's been great! We are averaging around 6 people a night,  many who are not believers. Its been great seeing people come in to enjoy the Nintendo or pool table.. even a slice of cake.  We've had to kick people out at closing time.

Thank you for all your prayers and support to help make this happen.

Opening soon on a high street near you!

The time has come.. after months of work, prayer, planning, more prayer, sweat, tears, and hope we are getting ready to open the Meeting Place.

It comes at the perfect time, with the UK leaving the EU there is a lot of fear and anger running around town. We are excited to bring a safe place where peace and hope is the focus.

Please continue to pray for the impact we hope to have on the young adults in the community.

We had a work day today to really put together the big things we needed help with.. when you dont have the skills to complete what God has put before you, you can trust He will provide you with the people who do. It was great to see the church come together today and work as one body.

Praying

I've been talking with God about the meeting place lately. I feel there us opposition in the community and the devil is trying to restrict us. But I know God can use this place for amazing things and it can bring Him glory through changed lives.

I felt God saying gather your partners and pray for the opening, the influence, and against the enemy. I felt like praying every day at 8pm for eight weeks. I didnt know why that jumped into my head, maybe because we open on the 8th?

But I looked it up and I did find this one Bible website... "The number 8 in the Bible represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true 'born again' event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life"

That's what we want the Meeting place to be.. a place where new beginnings are found..

Please join us at 8 pm ebrry night for the next 8 weeks in lifting up the meeting place. 

Thanks ♡

365

365..... what a number... 365 days .... a while year...

In the midst of all the craziness that has been happening these past 12 days we almost missed it. Almost sailed by this moment without recognizing the big impact it represents. 

Almost.. but we didnt...

I have started and re started this post multiple times. Because while the anniversary of us moving here has come life has changed again so drastically these past two weeks. 

Welcoming in our second son the days after were filled with stress, joy, worry, and a lot of culture shock and home sickness. Having a kid away from home is hard and having complications in a medical system you still dont understand is even more stressful. 

The hardest part is going from euphoria to valley in the spand of a blink. We were settling in, we were seeing ministry happen, we were feeling comfortable.  But comfortable isnt what we are promised..  we are promised a shield and a refuge.

See the meeting place is opening in a few weeks, and while there is still a lot to do we are very close to seeing this vision come to reality and see the doors open to youth and young adults we otherwise wouldn't be able to reach... and with this comes warfare.. we are battling it on every front. But we arent fighting alone. We have God with us and we have you with us. We feel your prayers as we wait at the doctors, as we figure out the system, as we wonder what's next.. thank you for the prayers and words of encouragement.

We are so amazed at how far God has taken us these last 365 days.. what he has all put into motion and what he is all doing in the hearts of the young adults.  We cant wait to see what the next 365 days bring.

Please keep us in your prayers as we battle health issues for our boys (Stephen has chicken pox,  Gideon has to gain more weight and has eye infections), healing for me (my incision opened and now has a hole), strength for Eric, the opening if the meeting place and everything that has to be fixed still, and the financial concerns of support raising.

Thank you for taking this journey with us.


With joy we present
Gideon John Mayer
Born 12/27/19 at 12:45pm

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

This year Christmas is different.

 We celebrated with our families when we visited the states in October and now our little family of three will celebrate here in the UK.

The days of celebration and traditions weve grown accustomed to are now replaced with new days and different customs. While we hold on to those deep rooted family traditions that shaped our childhood we cant refuse these new ones that have shaped our community. 

Our sons will grow understanding a mixture of American and English Christmas while never really being able to identify with one or the other.. a sacrifice of the field.

It's hard when things are different,  whether its merging two separate family holidays into a new marriage,  learning to build around the loss of a loved one, or moving to a different place where maybe they dont ever have white Christmases.

However there are things that dont change. The love of a family, the excitment of a kid unwrapping a present, the heart and emotion behind the Christmas season.

The meaning of Christmas never changes either. How precious the thought that no matter the location, emotion, struggle or joy the reason we come together stays the same. The gift of Christ, the center of our salvation story came for us.

Just as our beed for him never changes niether does his sacrifice for us.

This Christmas we are preparing for our second son to be born, It affects everything we attend, all the decorations,  even how we celebrate... I cant help but think of Mary and Joseph, while they weren't preparing for Christmas they were moving, going for a census, just married... their preperation included a little baby that would change not just their life but their world...

This Christmas in the midst of all the tinsel and traditions are you preparing for the little baby that changed the world? Are you leaving space to welcome him in?

From our family to yours we hope you have a blessed Christmas ♡

The Mayers

Well.. we feel like real Britts now

When you move anywhere new theres a lot of change to get used to. You have a nee normal, a new route to work, a new shop to buy your groceries. Depending on how far it's looking for new local hang outside, learning where the best burgers are sold. When you move overseas everything us new and you have to adjust to a whole new culture of doing things. Through this period of adjustment there are things that happen that either highlight the difference between your new and old home or make you feel like you're finally putting down roots. 

Whether its being able to run the the shop on your own for a few items (not to mention food shopping for a week doesnt take 3 hours anymore), giving someone a recommendation of a good restaurant near by (even if it was given to you by someone else), or being stopped and asked for directions (ok might have pointed them in the wrong direction). 

Today after church we went to grab a bite of lunch at this amazing pub/restaurant in town. Now you have to pay to park in town if you cant find street parking. But its Sunday and we knew that Sunday is free in the car parks.so instead of trying to find street parking we just went to the car park...

After lunch and a slow (I am 9 mths pregnant here) walk in town we return to our car to see this bright yellow bag... 

Guess what.. parking is NOT free in this lot on Sundays.  So now we have a parking fine, which you get 50% off if you pay in 14 days... now here's the way this story connects... I never thought about it but getting this ticket makes this place feel even more like home...

Weird, huh?!?