Frontier Project is over for this year and I just wanted to say thank you to the two young people we have had on FP this year. For those who don’t know Frontier Project or FP, as it is more commonly known, gives typically young people the chance to work for the church for a year while receiving excellent training and support. It is done on a voluntary basis and costs the individuals both a year of their lives and cash to do it.
This year we have been blessed by being served as a church by two OUTSTANDING individuals, Ali and Penny. Both graduated from Durham University last year, Ali in theology and Penny in classics. Since then they have been working hard for the church in Durham here is a short break down of some of what they have been doing
Student work – They have both worked real hard with the students we have in the church, encouraging them, discipling them, praying with and for them and of course organising them so they can get to church on time on a regular basis. In particular in the last term they have worked really hard to get the students to the building which is not in the centre of the city but on the outskirts in an industrial area.
Youth work – Historically our church has had NO formal youth ministry and Penny has took this challenge on to great effect. With the start of the youth cell, and a range of other activities she has managed to take something from zero to very effective in no time at all. (A big thanks also to the helpers in the youth work!). This is culminating this year with the trip to the NFI youth conference NEWDAY.
Schools Work – Penny has also been going into schools with the Youth for Christ rep for Durham.
Prison Work – Ali has pioneered a work in the local prisons (of which Durham has a few) and this is now going to be carried on by other people in church after he goes.
Family Fun Day – Ali organised from scratch a family fun day at our new building, this had everything from a bbq, face painting, Wii on a huge screen, bucking bronco, splat the rat, potters wheels and all sorts of other thing which was provided FREE for the whole community. We had over 200 people on the day with the vast majority of them NON CHURCH people and they came despite the fact it tipped it down. This is now something we plan to run again and hopefully expand.
Pan-Church Alpha – Ali also organised an alpha course involving three churches in Durham, Emmanuel, Kings and Vineyard. This was very successful and was the first time the three churches have worked together on such a project. In particular it was the first time Emmanuel and Kings had worked together and as we were once one church prior to a split I think this was very important as part of the overall healing process for the churches.
On top of all this Penny has held down a part time job teaching in a local 6th form centre and Ali had a jolly jaunt to Canada and the US where he was forced to preach, teach and spend time with Americans and slightly mental Canadians.
Ali is now leaving us to continue his studies at the Spurgeon Bible College and working three days a week in the city of London, but he will be back I am sure of it. Penny is staying with us and will continue with her work with the youth.
So I just want to say a really big thank you to the pair of you for all the time, effort, prayers, blood sweat and tears you have put in over this last year. You truly have been amazing and we thank God that he put you with us for this year.
And two the new two starting in September…… we are praying that you will be as effective in your chosen areas as these two have been in theirs.
(Oh and there is still time to sign up for FP if you want to do it)
