Mission Development South - Pete Winmill's Spring News
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor. He sent me to tell prisoners that they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. He sent me to free those who have been treated badly and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness.” Luke 4:18-19
| Praise | Prayer |
| For safety whilst travelling | For the work of Prospects, staff & volunteers |
| For effective awareness raising | For an increase in resources to fulfil the objectives that God has given |
| For many new contacts & groups | For Spring Harvest France & England- safety & refreshment for us all |
| For ongoing strength and health to see the work grow | For groups that are struggling |
| Equipping of new leaders for existing & new groups | |
| Younger people to catch the vision | |
| For the trustees & senior management team of Prospects for wisdom & strength especially in the light of current legislation | |
| For the results of the court case |
I cannot believe it, but my first newsletter was sent out in January 2002. Whether you have received these letters since the beginning or this is your first, thank you so much for the support you have given us through this time, financially, prayerfully and with words of encouragement and affirmation. It has meant a lot. So much has happened in that time.
Many readers will know that the above words were read out by Jesus at the beginning of His ministry on earth. I have absolutely no doubt that those words can be spoken by all of us who have the privilege of working for Prospects. Yet I have a dilemma!
I have travelled thousands of miles and talked to hundreds of people face to face and over the phone; preaching engagements have become more and more frequent; I have seen many new Causeway groups start and seen others close; I have run numerous ministry training days. As I travel I see the spiritual growth in people I meet and the numbers attending our meetings at Spring Harvest, Keswick and other places are steadily increasing. Yet I still find so many who have never heard about Causeway Prospects. Constantly I hear ‘If only I had known sooner’. Groups close because there is no provision for new leaders to take the reins. In some cases it is because, knowingly or not, potential leaders are discouraged rather than encouraged. So what is to be done? There is a need for more resources, more time, more money, and more information, but perhaps we also need more grace.
As you have probably guessed, the work continues to be very time-consuming, but in the main it brings such joy and satisfaction. There are now 171 groups across the UK and opportunities to raise awareness of how the church can address spiritual needs of people with learning disabilities continue to increase. We need to pray that the necessary resources and finances are there to support the demand.
Just recently there have been opportunities to speak at Church of England Lay Readers’ training weekends. It is not often you have responses like “We believe the ripples of what has been achieved this weekend will go far beyond this conference” or “I have been attending this conference for decades, they have all been good, but this one outstrips them all”.
I was recently at a meeting celebrating the anniversary of a children’s charity and the comment from one of the speakers was that we keep on praying, but what we also need to do is be willing to answer our own prayers and do something! In my own church recently we have been preaching from the Letter of James. I love this book, I always have, but it does give us a problem. We have rightly emphasised God’s grace towards us in that we are saved by what Jesus has done (through dying on the cross for us) and that we are not saved by works (doing things), but James is a ‘doing’ book that reminds us that we mustn’t sit still and do nothing.
So what am I going to do? What are you going to do? Will you stand with us in prayer asking that God will ‘unlock’ the finance needed to resource more people for mission development of Causeway Prospects? Could you be one of those who feel that with the right support and training you could start a Causeway group where you live? Could you be someone who will encourage and support other leaders for times of prayer, encouragement and outreach? Are you someone who could contribute to the financial needs of the charity? – please consider a standing order and/or tax efficient giving. Please let me know if you want a form.
If you live in Milton Keynes could you consider starting a group? I know some people who would like one! Do you live near St Albans and have secretarial experience and would consider giving me a few hours a week? – it would be such a help.
What’s it all for?
So that Adults with Learning Disabilities are able to access worship and teaching that is appropriate for them.
Recently the Causeway Prospects Mission Development Team (Tony, Jo, Fiona and myself) met with some people who attend groups to find out about their experience of Causeway. Are we really meeting their needs? The experience was amazing, in fact beyond anything we might have imagined. Let me explain. We gave advance notice of the questions we were going to ask in order that they could prepare and be supported. Some of the comments on the evening were these:
“I would like Causeway to provide a CD for me every Sunday afternoon explaining my minister’s sermon”
“I sit and listen to Causeway worship songs; before I do I ask God to make them become part of me”
“I pray and read my Bible with a friend every night”
How encouraging is that? It shows us that there is a real desire to grow closer to God and for God’s words to be real to them. Sadly we will never be able to provide the CD explanation after every sermon, but we can keep asking preachers to be more simple in their approach and at the very least to sum up the sermon with a single thought for everyone to take away at the end – that I believe would help everyone!
Family News
We are thrilled to announce that Christine and I are grandparents. Eden Hope Winmill was born to Andy and Emma on 11th March weighing 7lbs 3½ ozs, and she is gorgeous! With Rob and Cathy now expecting their first child in October, we shall soon be expert grandparents!
With every blessing,
from Christine and myself,
Pete Winmill
Mission Development (South)
Please contact me or the Reading Office if you want any further information – we are here to help!
