YCC - Latest News

BAPTISMS 22nd MAY

We have another opportunity to declare our faith in Christ through Baptism in May. This will actually be an all-age service, and the baptism will also be used by the Chinese Church in the afternoon and G2 ..! What a wonderful day to be a witness for our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are thinking about being baptised? If you want to know more about baptism? If you're old in your faith but have never got baptised? Or if you are young in your faith (and/or age) and have questions about baptism? Then just grab an elder or your house group leader, or a children's worker ... and TALK & PRAY.

Burns Night at Burnholme

Vanessa McWilliam's Ceildh Band is playing at Burnholme Community College on Friday 21 January, doors open at 7pm. You don't HAVE to dance, but try to tell that to your feet... There will be good food, too, and an Auction of Promises.

It is a benefit event for two causes: the victims of recent mudslides in Colombia; and Christians Against Poverty, the UK relief charity with which YCC has been recently partnered.

All YCC members are encouraged to come and have a good time, and to bring their friends.

Tickets can be reserved by contacting YCC office (office@yorkcommunitychurch.co.uk).

Adults £7; Concessions £5; Children £4; young children free.

More Baptisms

At the Sunday Morning Service on 28 November two more people were baptised - Fiona and Jonathan. You can hear their testimonies and some of the prayers that got prayed for them here.

BaptismFionaJonathan

BaptismFJPrayers

Bulletin 36

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Bulletin 35

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MORE THAN CONQUERORS

 
The long awaited ladies' conference is back for 2011 ..!! Friday 25th March - Sunday 27th March.

Download a low resolution leaflet here for your information and registration. Download 2011 mtc (for web) 

Baptisms

Just after starting at our new venue in Burnholme Community College, the Sunday Morning Services were enriched by four people getting baptised. Congratulations to Hiris, Katie, Christine and Jonathan.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face towards you and give you peace.

Below are the testimonies that Katie, Christine and Jonathan said just before going in the water.

Katie

I was brought up in a Christian family, surrounded by Christians right from birth and had always believed in God. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I realised that just believing in God was not enough and I needed to fully accept Him into my life. When I was 13, I was being quite bullied at school and became very anxious and worried. At that time, God spoke to me through various bible verses about not worrying (Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 12:22-31) and trusting in God with all your heart (Proverbs 3:5). I hadn't been doing this and realised that I needed to, so I committed my life to God at this point. My worries didn't disappear immediately, but God was patient and faithful and brought me through that difficult time.

Although I still have anxieties, I know that God is in control and has some amazing plans for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He is with me always (Deuteronomy 31:8, Matthew 28:20). God has done some amazing things in my life. He has spoken to me, challenged me, taught me and revealed Himself and His plan to me in so many different ways over the years and this is just the start! I am about to start a career in nursing, so the timing of my baptism could not have been better. For me, getting baptised is about re-committing my life to God, choosing to seek his will and kingdom first, and dedicating whatever time I have left on this earth to His work.

Christine

It is entirely appropriate that my daughter is taking a hands-on approach to my baptism today as she is the reason that I came to YCC.

Sophie started to attend YCC about 6 years ago with her good friend Emily and they both worked on me to give up a Sunday at my former church, to see what YCC was all about.

I walked through the door at Tang Hall about 5 years ago and I knew immediately that I was “home”.I felt such love and acceptance on that day that I never left and today that feeling has only grown.

Highlights in my Christian life over the last 5 years must surely be the ladies weekends and coffee mornings, “More than Conquerors” at Whitby,the weekly bible study and the enduring support of my house group.

This encouragement and support has allowed me to grow as a Christian and I now live with Christ in my life every day. He is my father, creator of all, the reason that I exist (with all my flaws) and the King of my soul.

More than this, I am blessed with feeling so filled with the holy spirit that I cannot help but tell others of Jesus, which is something that I could not have contemplated a year or so ago.

Now I feel that it is the right time to dedicate my life to Jesus.

I would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone here today for bringing me to this decision, especially: Jonathan and Sophie, Jayne and Vladimir, Tamsin and my house group.

I am expecting great things in my life from God and I know I will never be disappointed.

Jonathan

For many years I have been trying to work out my purpose.

I have sought to make a difference by using the means of man, but become disillusioned.

I have challenged those in positions of authority for their hypocrisy, merely to find myself outmanoeuvred, overwhelmed and to be confronted by my own failings.

I have tried to gain power and influence, but found this unfulfilling and corrupting.

Yet I have always known that putting my faith in organisations and individuals would inevitably come to nothing.

I have been searching for an answer as to who or what to put my faith in.

The answer has always being there. I have come close before but missed the point.

I now know that I have been pre programmed to search for God.

I have been blessed with good parents, who have kind hearts, and by meeting Christine, my wife. She was a catalyst to progress this.

All the signs were there, arranging to meet for our first date by the statue of the Emperor Constantine who used the sign of Christ, CHI-RHO, to defeat his enemies - “By this sign you shall conquer”.

The key to me was to understand that I could not by my own efforts gain redemption. That this had already been achieved by Christ on the Cross.

I will fail and sin again, but I will continue to pursue this life with God.

God will be my shield, armour and sword in the future.

In the immortal words of the Blues Brothers: “We are on a mission from God”.

Bulletin 34

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From Midnight Tonight ...

As Thursday 29th April begins - so begins our YCC 24 Hours of Prayer for the church, mission, ministry, future, venue, CAP initiative and up and coming YCC FUN DAY (June 26th, 12noon-4pm).

DON'T forget the value of fasting. A number of people have mentioned this to me and I for one will happily bring these differnet acts of worship together during the day. 

There are more details of prayer events and prayer topics on our 24 Hour Prayer Day page.

YCC - 24 Hours of Prayer

Covering YCC with 24 Hours of Prayer

Pledge to pray for YCC –  for at least one hour, from

Midnight 00:00 to 23:59:59 on Thursday 29^th April.

Why? Because we want to seek God’s mind, seek Him about our future: the church venue, new mission opportunities, developing ministries and the potential for CAP in YCC.

Where? SIGN UP on the charts at TH and Osb to PRAY as an individual and/or invite others to pray at your home for an hour. Let’s fill all 24 hours!

When? For as many one-hour slots as you can, on Thursday 29^th April. To God be the glory!

 

 

Find out where the coporate meetings are and find the prayer guidelines sheet - follow the link  24 Hour of Prayer information

WEEK 1 - THE THREE DIMENSIONAL CHRISTIAN

Available to download are Simon's slides from this mornings message at Tang Hall introducing the concept of the THREE DIMENSIONAL  CHRISTIAN: Download 3D Christian WEEK 1. The message will be available to download in the next couple of days click in the side menu - talks.

Bulletin 33

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The 3-D Christian BEGINS..!!

The official start date of the 3-D Christian is Monday 19th April (WEEK 1 DAY 1). Please get hold of a FREE copy for your own devotions and inter-actions. I am aware that a number of you have not only taken 'your' copy, but also then given it away to others (friends, family, ...) this has led to a wonderful shortage of books that will be completely resolved by next weekend Sunday 25th April, as the second printing will be back from the printers - oh and yes, and before you ask, the second print run will still contain all the typos and errors that the first (and original) one has. My proof-readers are hard at work to make a more clinically viable version when the Second Edition is called for. THEREFORE, for this week you can Download 3-D Intro & Week 1.  

If you feel you want to contribute towards the £6.99 price of the book, please pass your gift to Simon B-S or Bryan W.   

New content on the website

A new biography (Simon Rennie's) has been added to the People section of the website. More will follow in the coming months - don't be surprised if Vladimir approaches you with a request for a life story interview!
Click here to find the new content. 

HOLY WEEK

As non-conformists we don't always follow 'the church calendar' and without a building, organising a Maundy Thursday communion or a special Good Friday service becomes overly complicated. So why not share your personal devotions and reflections here, as we journey together through the events of that 'last week'.

Use the video below to focus your thoughts and let the Scriptures feed you.   

Click on 'Comments' and share your thoughts.
 

Bulletin 32

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School of Ministry

Using the index to your left click on School of Ministry to download the lastest notes, to be reminded of the dates for the next sessions and the NEW START TIME ..! 

Bulletin 30

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Bulletin 29

Bulletin 29 is out. It is distributed by e-mail, but you can download it here as well. Download Bulletin29

School of Ministry

An exciting opportunity for equipping. The topics covered will help us handle Scripture with more confidence, unwrap God's spiritual gifts and expand our abilities to minister to one another.

The first of these monthly sessions will be on SUNDAY 24th JANUARY, 6.30pm-8.30pm at Osbaldwick Primary School. A monthly

Please REGISTER if you're plannning on coming, so we prepare and copy enough materials and handouts for the attendees. Thank you. Register by email or phone the church office.  

COLOMBIA 09 - The Final Report

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POWERFULLY SUPPORTIVE PRAYERS AS WE´VE SORT TO JOURNEY WITH GOD AND BE FAITHFUL IN OUR WITNESS. It´s about 5.30pm here on Wednesday evening, in 24 hours time we should be back in Bogota, awaiting an over night flight to Paris, then a third flight to Manchester should get us back in York for 6pm (local) 1pm (Colombian). The latest news...

SATURDAY saw us having lunch (dinner) with the family, and it was our turn to cook. We fed about twenty five or more. Family members came from up to 2 hours away to see us ... and Dora Maria never misses a chance to share the Gospel. I´d spent most of the afternoon slaving over a hot gas ring, which had two settings, lit and unlit. So I stepped outside into the lane to take some night air to make more room in the small house for Dora Maria´s message. Three re-commitments, and one new convert - Praise God.

SUNDAY we went back to the church we visited last week, Puerta de Salvicion. Oh wonderful wonderful wonderful. The presence of God and the passion in the people. Wonderful! Unexpectedly we were invited up to say a few words. I´m not good at saying, "I´m Simon and I´m a pastor in England" so I shared a vision I had had the previous week when I´d seen tongues of fire on members of the worship band, and I encouraged the church to bless the Levites who facilitate the Family to encounter and praise God so well. That weekend the church had been having a mini conference with a visiting American speaker. She was a university academic who now wrote text books part time to underwrite her ministry trips. Well she spoke that morning (powerfully!!), and concluded by saying how on the Friday night she had seen tongues of fire on the worship band! So she then invited me (the English pastor, she called me) to minister with her over the band. Well.... what an opportunity for God to do His business. After we prayed specifically for a prophetic anointing, we got them to get their instruments and microphones and just GO FOR IT WITH GOD. Twenty or so minutes of extempore praise followed... and the whole fellowship joined in, with song and dance. Tremendous. The meeting was brought to a close, but the band kept playing ... ...

NEXT OUR HOLIDAY, 4pm Sunday to Tuesday afternoon, 48 hours away to relax. San Vincente Grand Spa Hotel. About 90mins from Pereira, up steep hills and mountain roads that are hardly passible, and you come to the hotel. Surrounded on all sides by tree covered mountains spurting forth scores of waterfalls, many of which are naturally hot springs. So the swimming pool is full of this mineral enriched naturally hot water. And for the adventurous, you can wander off into the jungle paths and discover a number of these naturally hot pools and streams. Before long I´m swimming in unknown waters in the Colombian jungle. Have my senses left me?!!

WEDNESDAY (today) I´ve already tried to explain the events of this morning in a private email. Let´s just say it started at 8.30am when twelve assorted members of Dora Maria´s family wandered around a cemetary trying to find the unmarked grave of Dora Maria´s brother who died six years ago. Without all the details, the family in the most stark way, gathered the remains of Dora Maria´s brother and then her father (who died four years ago) and re-housed them in a wall tomb in the crypt of a church else where in the city beside the remains of Dora Maria´s mother. While waiting for a taxi to get us and the remains from the graveyard to the crypt, Dora Maria preached the Gospel, I guess there´s nothing like digging up the dead to make you think how precious a resurrection body and an after life must be... three family members gave their hearts to Jesus and two others made serious re-commitments. In the midst of a morning I really DIDN´T want to remember, God redeems the moment and brings His salvation in His perfect timing. Amen!

I guess that´s what we´ve been reminded of, time and time again.... Our Father God has the control, and if we trust in Him in all things we will see the Glory of God upon many situations. And so Father God, may the grace that has been upon us to minister here in Colombia return with us to York to bless and transform lives for your Glory. May your church enter into the fulness of who we are in You to be available and empowered to do Your Kingdom work. En el nombre de Jesus, Amen!   

Bulletin 28

Bulletin 28 is out. It is distributed by e-mail, but you can download it here as well. Download Bulletin28

COLOMBIA 09 - Oh such a perfect day...

From Saturday 2pm to Sunday 2pm, ... one of those `perfect days´. It started with lunch with Dora Maria´s family and extended family ... always more and more cousins and nephews etc (as I found out on Monday too.) We lunched together in their humble Colombian home. Laughed together, watched the Simpsons in Spanish and prayed. Two more members of the family accepted Christ - WONDERFUL. The sun set and we sat in the almost dark, the front door open, to let in fresh air and to say ´hola´to passing neighbours as we drank hot chocolate with great hunks of bread. Then I was encouraged to do impersonations of the family, ... that seemed to have them in stitches! We returned home late to find another nephew waiting to fix a heater to our shower. At a price of less than 15.00 pounds you wonder why more Colombians don´t convert their showers to operate with warm water ... but the electric wires hanging around your head shoved into the nearest socket is not that appealing to the locals ...  but a quick prayer of faith means I come out clean and not electricuted. The morning sees the shower prove its worth, such a difference from the cold mains water the previous days! Then a church meeting... I could write an entire paper on this experience, like a dream come true, the building, the relaxed atmosphere, the people, the welcome, the kids area, the after care, EVERYTHING ... what a wonderful morning. It truly is right that in South America the Pentecostals are becoming more Charismatic (and vice-versa globally), and it truly makes for a wonderful corporate gathering, Dora Maria was thrilled sensing the difference in the spiritual environment - - - throughout our time in Colombia this trip we´ve experienced this new spirituality in the churches where we´ve ministered and attended - - - I knew when we married that our marriage was a prophetic symbol of this new union within God´s people. I cried during this church meeting, then since, and now as I write this. Lunchtime, we met up with some other family members in a city centre restaurant, a delightful Colombian lunch, cheap and cheerful,... And then over the inhouse music system came the soundtrack to  "The Godfather" ... oh such a perfect day.

Enough(??), ... but then came Perfect Day 2. Monday was a national holiday, so the family decided to go out of town, up the farm covered mountain of Dora Maria´s childhood and to prepare lunch at the dwelling of Dora Maria´s second eldest sister and her son. We needed to hire a special farm wagon to get us up the mountain track, and then prepare a fire to cook the one pot lunch for twelve on. It felt like I was in another world. Another landscape and another form of existence. I felt a thousand miles away from York, indeed I was a thousand miles away from York. As the sun set and we waited for our converted livestock wagon to arrive to take eight of us back to the city, ... we prayed together, the sister´s son gave her heart to the Lord and a passing neighbour, who had responded to our invitaton to eat with us, now also responded to an invitation to receive Christ into his heart.....!!! Yippeee !!!

COLOMBIA 09 - Tuesday 10th, still in Bogota

We arrived back in Bogota Friday evening TIRED...!!! Saturday morning was free-ish, Dora Maria used most of it preparing a message for Sunday morning. The afternoon saw us at a church Kids Club ... 40 children (3 years to 13 years) three helpers (plus us) and a three hour long programme. We sang, prayed, ate, sang again, did a Bible story and drama, prayed, said YES to Jesus, prayed more, ate again, sang and prayed again before going home. After all that I was more TIRED...!!! Then came Sunday ...

A four hour long meeting in the morning, where unexpected to me, I was asked to minister through, music and song, and then preach (much to Dora Maria`s surprise as she had a sermon ready). But in obedience to the leaders I preached. A communion followed with TWO cups (Luke style) and then prayer ministry with a lot of olive oil ... my hands have never been so soft! God was gracious in the ministry time,... tears, emotional healings, reconciliation, and fresh Spirit baptisms - Praise God a good and blessed time. Another hour (the 5th hour) followed with coffee and spontaneous testimonies and prophecies. Then lunch - one of my favourites ... sobrebarriga, muy rico!

The evening was meant to be free, but we renewed contacts with a church from two years again, so off we go for an hours drive through a very poor suburb of Bogota, where the tarmac on the roads cease and pot holes reign. It was good to unite again with another young pastoral couple. Dora Maria felt her message was not right for the evening meeting, so I was on again. Since Saturday afternoon I`ve been pulling messages out from Mark 4 and 5, waking up Jesus, land contamination, and Sunday night was  a fresh look at the Parable of the Sower: the three keys to spiritual maturity and multiplication. The real miracle is Dora Maria`s ability to translate for me through a whole sermon - SHE IS AMAZING..!!!

Monday ... Free, a time to  resolve my extreme TIREDNESS..!! It was a good day

Along the way we`re picking up pastoral matters with those we`re ministering to, so please pray for wisdom and the time to invest in our relationships here. Tuesday is visiting Bogota family and pastoral visits, Wednesday (I think..?) is various ministry meetings. Thursday we fly to Pereira, to catch up with Dora Maria`s sisters, in-laws, nephews etc. etc. and some downtime for ourselves... YES!! 

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PRAYER SUPPORT... WE NEED IT AND SENSE ITS HELP IN GUIDING OUR FOOTSTEPS. Gracias. Muchos Gracias. 

Colombia 09 - Friday 6th November

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND PRAYERS. ALL VERY ENCOURAGING FOR US.

In a few hours we´ll be leaving Medellin and flying back to Bogota. The stay here has been far to short, and there is so much more we have been invited to do. Day two of our mission in Medellin saw salvation, two on the Metro (or I should say the Metro-Cable Car - an amazing journey) and then others in the evening meeting. Thanks for your prayers, it is so good to be supported in this way by the prayers of the saints. Dora Maria preached Wednesday night the same sermon she used in Osbaldwick in October, La Casa de Mas Gloria (Haggai 2:9). Salvation came and much Holy Spirit ministry, the meeting started at 7pm ended around 11pm, followed by a meal (!!!).

I preached Thursday night, with the help of a very able translator. Again the ministry that followed lasted twice as long as the sermon. The message was about resurrection life and removing the grave clothes (using texts from Eph 1:17-22 and John 11, for the accurate among you). God cleansed and anointed in the midst of tears and laughter. Then after .... real REAL Jesus stuff ... we were invited to go into a particular area of Medellin and minister to into a ghetto community of the homeless, rejected, addicts and mentally disturbed street people. I can´t describe here the events that followed, but this morning Dora Maria and I are still impacted by the worship, prayer and food that was part of this midnight mercy mission. We´ll share more on our return.

The pastors here - all four of them are great guys all under the age of 30..!!! God is raising up a very new and fresh visionary generation of church leaders here, with no restraints linked to past traditions ... these guys are just full of radical passion and a dynamic desire to reach people with the transforming message of Jesus. 

Today (Friday) back to Bogota, then next Thursday we fly to Pereira (Dora Maria´s home town and region).  

WITH EVERY BLESSING TO YOU ALL,

much love, Simon y Dora Maria  

Diary - 8th November

To download this week's diary click here Download 8th November BLOG

Diary - 1st November

To download this week's diary please click hereDownload Ist November(BLOG)

Colombia 09 Wednesday 4th

We thought this first posting would be about how smooth the journey was ... apart from some fun & games sorting out our domestic flights..!! But after our first day of ministry, all that fades away. Yesterday (Tuesday) we got into a car that arrived for us .... per-normal, not knowing what we`re doing. We ended up after an hour or more of driving through some poor areas of Medellin to the HOUSE OF RESTORATION --- a ten year old charity working with street kids of 15+, ex-gang members, addicts and ex-offenders. After a brief history (5 minutes) from the founder (an ex-everything, now passionate for Jesus) we were introduced to the boys and men in the house, and told to minister. Dora Maria and I both shared a short word, then I asked if we could pray for them all. The Holy Spirit was invited to minister powerfully, and lives were blessed. Some demons manifested, but not as many as I had expected. There was far more crying and weeping, broken hearts being made whole. Praise God. Wow.  

They told us they had no meeting in the evening, so back in the car, I thought we`re going back to the hotel, it was now about 8pm. But we stopped at another building. A church and spontaneous orphanage come refuge for kids of violence, neglect... the under 15s were here, being looked after by a pastor and his wife and their family. We prayed and then walked through the streets up a hill, a big hill!! and up to a point where we could see all of Medellin below us. We prayed for the city, all of us ... adults and kids alike, singing, crying and dancing in the total darkness. You end up doing the most amazing things during a day when you had know clue what was going to happen...

We need to go... another full day ahead. Dora Maria is apeaking tonight (Wed.) and me tomorrow (Thurs.) but where we are speaking and to whom... God knows!

Pray for our continued protection and anointing to minister. THANK YOU 

Diary - 25th October

To download this week's diary please click hereDownload 25th OctoberBLOG

YCC Together (downloads)

As promised the two handouts in regards to the YCC presentation.

Download YCC Together handout

Download Feedback

Please do send us your feedback, via the form, or through an email, or why not meet up and chat through your thinking with one (or two or three...) of us.

Thank you for the positive feedback we have already received tonight in regards to the actual presentation. Let's keep communicating.  

More Than Conquerors

I've heard just a LITTLE of this weekend, but what I've heard has been wonderful... Praise God for His faithfulness, kindness and restoration.

Bulletin 27

Bulletin 27 is out. It is distributed by e-mail, but you can download it here as well. Download Bulletin27

PRAYER WEEK OCT 3-11

October 2009 will see YCC engaged in a NIne Day Week of Prayer. A separate page (see the menu oppoiste Prayer Week) is being set up on this site that will include downloads of the various Prayer aids and booklets, ... PLUS opportunity to comment and exchange insights on your 9 DAY prayer journey including: the inter-active 9 DAY prayer booklets and the special 'prayer-applied' TASKS (... Oooooh!). 

   

Diary - 6th September

To download this week's diary please click here: Download 6th SeptemberBLOG

IN CHRIST

As requested the PowerPoint notes from Last Sunday's (Osbaldwick) talk: Download In Christ 

Thanks from Ostrava

Milan Michalko has been in touch to say thanks again for the weekend they had in York, they had "a truly fantastic time". He posted a few photos on his Facebook page.

Click here to see them.

Mark wore his best shirt on the Saturday evening (see the first photo), which is worthy of an archival record.

Bulletin 26

Bulletin 26 is out, giving information on the decisions taken by the Elders at their meeting last week. It is distributed by e-mail, but you can download it here as well. Download Bulletin26

Imagine Slides

A number of requests have been made for Simon's "IMAGINE Series" powerpoint slides to be made available. So here they are ... 

Download Imagine God's Church

Download Imagine God's Help

Download Imagine God's People (this is the one that includes the 12 month discipleship programme)

The messages that relate to these 'slides' can be heard by clicking on Talks.

Global Day of Prayer

It was great to see so many people from YCC up on the walls in 'our' section (between Peasholme Green and Monk Bar). A steward counted people as they came down from the wall at the Monk Bar end, and added with those who came down at the Peasholme Green end, we calculate there were 350 people just in our section (so I think there may well have been more than 2,000 altogether). It was an inspiring and exciting time of prayer to see so many flags being raised and waved, and to hear Andrew's trumpeting. Most people went on to The Minster, and with all seats taken and many people standing, we were initially led in praise and prayer by Dave Godfrey. Dave was ably assisted in a variety of ways by folks in YCC; praise resounded loudly with songs such as 'Raise the banner; fly the flag', and a riot of colourful flags waved in praise. 'Round the world' prayer tickets fluttering down onto the flags of many nations encouraged us to pray for our world. The more contemplative prayer stations, as we later walked around The Minster, focussed our intercessions, culminating with flaming torches carried in procession out of the main west doors, symbolically taking God's presence, through His Holy Spirit, out into the world. A wonderful and inspiring evening to encourage us all.

NEW! YCC Diary Page

For the latest "What's On" and to avoid CLASHES (!!) check out the new YCC Diary Page. It's still under contruction, ... in terms of the contents.

Access the Diary: either from this page: click on Diary in the left hand column, or direct from the YCC homepage, again just click on the word Diary in the left hand column.

Bulletin 25

Download Bulletin25

ARE YOU PART OF THE ANSWER?

Some of us have great 'unexpected' stories in regards to the Try Praying booklet, therefore YCC will seek to keep a regular stock of these really helpful books at the office - for whoever and whenever. 

Also we have a brand new piece of literature: ARE YOU PART OF THE ANSWER? This is NOT a traditional tract to be left with people or thrust in someone's hand - oh no, that wont do at all! This tract is activiated by means of a pen, and is an inter-active piece of literature. Again like the Try Praying booklet, it invites people to engage with God, believing that through prayer God can change situations. He is a loving God who desires to bless His children. 

This tract is available, but some training and explanation of how it should be used is needed. Thousands of these tracts have been used in London, with some believers reporting that NO ONE has ever refused prayer, and the fruitfulness of the literature is bringing people into the Kingdom and into regular local fellowship. Amen.  

Other helpful pieces of literature are also being examined, as many of us in our spontaneous conversations love to leave people with something in their hands that explains more of God and the contact details for YCC.  

Switzerland: multi-church relationship building

Ten YCC-ers will be travelling to Switzerland this May Bank Holiday weekend to join with a team of 12 from Kingsland Church (Colchester) for a WORSHIP WEEKEND in the Vallee de Joux. The main purpose of the weekend is to continue to establish and strengthen relationships with local churches: to share in fellowship and worship and to gain a broader vision of God's Heart for Europe.

The YCC-ers will be travelling on Thursday, to help with the set-up of the conference. The weekend sessions will include worship workshops for musicians, non-musicians, the prophetic and the indigenous 'sound of the land.' We will also be joining in with the local Prayer School and participating Sunday in the morning and evening celebrations. 

Do pray for safety in our travel arrangements, especially as the Colchester team are travelling overland in a recently refurbished minibus. Pray for the sessions, the broader fellowship over meals and in our host families - for mutual edification and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  

Living the Life

A big THANK YOU to those who made the recent Living the Life weekend such a great event: both leaders and task-forcers..! And to those who covered us in prayer. It seems that all involved had a great and rewarding weekend of fun and fellowship, based around the theme of OUT through the IN door. Simon Rennie was the guest speaker, and his teaching helped us to see how our Christian walk of ministry and service had to be rooted in an ever developing personal walk with God. Don't forget you can keep up-to-date with RUup4it and the summer events through the YCYH website.

Twittering

Helpful..? Unhelpful..? Incarnational or just cyber distraction..? YCC are exploring twittering. The tweets are in the left hand column. There may be some tweaking before all the tweeting is as it should be. Thoughts..? 

Eggstravaganza! - Sunday 5 April

What a great community event. Thanks to everyone who made this happen: kitchen crew, registration, activities, egg contributors, leaflet distributers and all - THANK YOU.

I'm not sure of numbers, but the tables we put aside for parents, were always full, and I spoke to guy who lives in Liverpool..!! They came from far and wide.  

YCC & Latest News

Well the latest news is - "York Community Church has its own blog site": a place where various folk can post up latest news items,... but more specifically, where anyone can leave comments. I guess time will tell if this piece of technology proves helpful in communicating church activities and allowing for a 24/7 forum for feedback. We can also upload pictures and use the blog to download documents - ooow..! 

Let's see how it develops.    

Video used at Induction (February, 2009)