MCC BLOG

West End Impact, where most of our activity takes place, is in desperate need of a revamp. I spend hours trying to find place where we could possibly get funding and sometimes find it very frustrating. One will say they all give to the top 10% of poorest places in the country, another will say that they won’t give to anywhere promoting religion. The criteria is not always easy to meet. So now we have thought of some other ways to help people see the work that needs to be done, and the money that is so desperately needed to keep the work at West End Impact going. We want West End Impact to be a place that people just love to come, therefore we need to present it well and to the best of our ablility, make it a top class place. We want it to be a place that will lift people spirt, so that the Holy Spirit can do a greater work in their lives. So a couple of months ago we introduce the Standing Order forms where people can give £10 per month (or more if they feel they can) to the running costs of Impact. We need about 5 more people to do that an the running costs will be covered. Then we would like to lay an laminate floor which will cost around £500. This will make the whole main area look lighter, brighter and clean. We also want to replace the shaby shop front, which includes 2 big bay windows and a door. This will cost around £2600 if we are to PVC. Then we want to completely redecorate, taking off that lovely woodchip (hint of sarcasm) and repainting the 2 main rooms and kitchen. This should cost around £400. We also need to put a false ceiling in the kitchen and we need 2 ceiling fans in the main rooms. Last of all, we do have a patch of damp in the store room and it really needs dealing with before it gets worse. The good news is that the roof as been repaired at a cost of £160, thanks to our kind roofter Dave. So anyone feels that they can give, in anyway to our revamp project please let Tracy know on Tracy@mcc.uk.com. The smallest amount will be greatly appreciated. The work @ West End Impact is growing weekly and we need this building to be done out to the glory of God. Remember God is no mans debter, and when we give from the heart we will always recieve an abundance back from Him.

Tracy

I was just look on our website stats, and it appear that on the keyphrases that people have searched for 2 people searched for ‘Abundant Life Church Brainwash Cult’. I don’t know who this is and I never will but I just wanted to give my oppinion on it. I know that Abundant Life in Bradford is a big church, I think about 4 thousand, but it doesn’t mean that there must be something dodgy going on there. It is just a church that God is blessing and it is growing fast. OK maybe there are some things that are not quite right there I don’t know what but maybe there are. No church can get everything right, we are human. I am sure that we get it wrong at our church sometime. Hey don’t be sceptical just because something is good, and big, and successful. Also please do not get jealous, because I can assure you from experience that Paul Scanlon and his family will have some awful battles along the way, some great times of suffering and hardship and people calling them allsorts. Please don’t be one of those who critises them rejoice with them and be glad of there success. They are not a cult and God is touching the lives of thousands of people through their ministry. PRAISE THE LORD!!

Tracy

We had a great time at Capernwray Hall today. We were invited, as were hundreds of others, to share in the celebration of the completion of the new dinning room, kitchen and staff accomodation. What an amazing place it is, and done in the usual Capernwray 1st class style. It was an inspiration to here Mrs Joan Thomas speak again, about the day she bought the Hall for £7,546.00, almost 60 years ago. Major are Mrs Thomas are now 85 and 92 years old and are still having visions and dreams and seeing God fulfill those dreams in amazing and miraculous ways. The reason why they are still seeing things happen is because they are still willing to step out and take amazing risks for God. This inspired me to think about our small building ‘West End Impact’ in the West end of Morecambe and how great it would be to see it done out to a top class standard. Maybe it will take some risk taking and stepping out on our behalf as we don’t have much money to do the work required but God has his store houses full. So watch this space. If any of course would like to donate to the ongoing work at West End Impact, you will find details on how to do that on our website. www.mcc.uk.com. Thanks Major and Mrs Thomas for continuing to be an inspiration to us all.

Tracy

Did anybody watch GMTV yesterday? Apparently there was a 12 year old girl with her father on it. She had taken the Silver Ring pledge, which means she has vowed to save sex for her husband when she gets married. It has been a great craze in USA and has now come over to England and has been promoted by the Romance Academy and other organisations. It’s really helping teenages to re-think this whole thing about sex and sexuality and their self esteem and how they feel if they do have sex outside of a loving relationship. Anyway this girl on GMTV had taken the pledge and was wearing her Silver Ring proudly, but was told that she wasn’t allowed to wear it at school. The father was appauled and couldn’t beleive it. He said that Muslims get to wear a whole outfit for religious reasons, and the pledge that his daughter had made was what she believed in and it was because of her faith in Jesus. I think he has a good point. Why one rule for one and another for another. Are we also going to be told that we can’t wear crosses. I think it’s terrible and I also think that the government should be helping promote The Silver Ring Thing and The Romance Academy as they have been very successful in help teenages think through their sexuality and see sex as a wonderful gift that enhances a loving committed relationship between a man and woman. Sex has been cheapened so much and this whole thing makes young people realise that it is a part of their being that is involved, and that the physical act of sex can effect their soul.

Tracy

I just purchased what looks like a great tool for helping kids know about God, Jesus, Life and Faith. It’s called ‘ALF’ about Life and Faith, and it is produced by an organisation called ‘Vizaviz’. Is there anybody out there who has already used it? It looks great and I am really looking forward to using it. It even gives you instructions to help train you team up before you start, and everything that you need to do and prepare for each session is laid out so simply. It is very easy to understand even for those who haven’t had much experience in working with kids before. I just wondered if they were any success stories out there that would get me even more excited, and that I could tell my team as I am trying to motivate and enthus them about this material. We hope to do the training in the Summer and start in September. It should be great!!!! Can’t wait!! It must be good because it’s even getting me excited about working with that age group, which is not normally my things. All my energy goes on my own kids!!

Tracy

Has anyone out there read the book ‘The Tipping Point’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It is supposed to be a very interesting book on how to make small changes with a big impact. I saw it as a recommendation in two different Christian sources and and really wondering if it would be a must read. If anyone out there has read it and found it helpful please let me know. Thanks.

Trace

As a church we also run a charity called ‘West End Impact’ in the west end of Morecambe which is a really needy area. From there we have people in our church and other churches running various projects. We have 2 sessions a week where we feed the disadvantaged of Morecambe, and our latest project the new youth clubs has just grow from 5 to 30 11-15 year olds in just 9 weeks. We would love to make this place a better place to be and we have been trying to apply for funding to improve the building since we opened in October 2002. It is so difficult to get the funding. I know the Lord provides in many different ways and He has always come up with goods through one channel or another. Is there anyone out there who can gives us some advice or help on how to get funding to make our IMPACT centre the best place that it could be. We would love to have a laminate floor, we want to conpletely redecorate and we also would love to convert the cellar, which would also require a fire escape being built to go outside, a massive project. We would also love to replace our shop window and have a really cool logo and lettering on the shop front. It all costs money and we don’t have much. We are reaching out to the community in many ways and peoples lives are being touched and changed, but it also costs money. Lets us know if anyone can help.

Well we did it!! Our service out at the car boot sale. Apart from getting rained off half way through I think it was a pretty successful thing. Our musicians are great. People stopped and listened and appreciated the music. They know we are doing this because we believe there is a God and hopefully that will make them think about what they BELEIVE. We will do it again towards the end of Summer and hopefully we won’t have rain the next time. It’s getting out into the market place and letting people know that we are an extraodinary church who can offer a life changing experience, because of God, and what he has done for us. We all have a relationship with God and Jesus and we all know how wonderful and awesome God is but we need to let everyone else know. There’s no use meeting @ college every Sunday just expecting people to come along, we have to get out there and let them know what they are missing and that is exactly what we did this morning. The rest is up to God.

Recently one or two of us, espiecially our evangelists, have been feeling a bit itching sat in our Sunday services. We made the step to give out free water at the car boot sale, which is right on our doorstep every other Sunday. So about 4 weeks ago we were there at the car boot at college, giving out free water and it hit us how reluctant people were to take anything free. It was weird. I don’t know if they thought we had poisoined it or something, but even on a hot day a lot of people just would not take it. Anyway we contine to give to the ones that want it and some even take our little leaflet that explains how Jesus has given us the free gift of life and life to the full, if only we would believe in him and follow him. Last week we were feeling even more itchy in our seats and we came to the decision of taking our service outside amongst the car booters. This is a big brave step and the service will have to be very different and geared very much towards the people out there. Non threatening and full of love and grace. Not that that isn’t how we would normally do our seeker friendly services. So we are holding our first service on the car boot sale on Sunday. Come and join us and support us if you can. There will lots of music, drama, face painting, and a few thoughts along the lines of ‘Believe’ and the football theme. It will be a bold step, but I am sure God will bless it. Nick the college manager was certainly for it, bless him. Just two other exciting things to mention. We have a full house at Youth Club now. We had over 20 again on Friday, I am sure we could squeeze a few more in, but we need a bigger place. Also we are all looking forward to the grand finale of JAM club where we are expecting all 80 children to come. Things are hotting up guys. PRAISE GOD.

What do you think? Do you ‘believe’ today? Will they do it? I hope people are not too disappointed if they don’t? So much hype and advertising, millions of pounds worth has gone into today. Will they win or won’t they?Well I believe they will, but my happiness does not depend on it. I have a much greater hope and I believe in far great things than whether England win the world cup or not. It isn’t my goal in life to see then repeat 1966, even though I was born in that year. I will very much enjoy watching England play and I will be disappointed for about 3 minutes if they loose, but I will still believe that there is hope in a God who is far bigger than football and certainly deserves far more media attention. I have far more belief in Jesus than I do in 13 men and their football skills. What do you ‘Believe’?