Prayer Sheet February/March 2007 - Thanksgiving

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies; Father, unto You we raise, this our sacrifice of praise.

Church Life

• For grateful, thankful hearts and joyful, willing spirits
• The Lent and Easter season: Sunday services; the Parish Lent Course; other bible studies; special services, including Mothering Sunday and Easter itself, plus our own, private, devotions
• Alpha Courses: Evening Alpha running through to 29 March / Afternoon Alpha commencing 15 March
• planning and organisation - the PCC, the Church Committee, Committee Working Parties, the AGM / Lunch (25 Mar) and church officers. Also implementation of a recently received report into our systems (or lack of them) + the growth of every member ministry
• church finances as we begin another busy (& expensive?) year

Children and Young People

• EVENTS: Children's and Youth Anniversary Service (11 Feb); LOST Weekend away at Whithaugh Park (date TBC);
• REGULAR ACTIVITIES: ACORNS; Old School Nursery, Sunday School; After School Club; AllStars; Covies; Friday Club; Bag of Chips; assemblies at Meadowbank and Cheadle Heath; C3 at Kingsway
• Work at St Augustine's with which Rachel Wild is involved
• Those working with young people in the community: staff and helpers at local schools, uniformed organisations, Police, youth workers etc.

Others needing our prayers

• John and Lisa being married at St Matthew's, Edgeley on February 10
• Ruby Pugmire, being baptised here on 25 February
• Those seeking guidance in vocation, work or relationships.
• All who are ill, bereaved, housebound, or troubled in any way

OMF in Cambodia
The Country
After 30 years of civil war, including the genocidal Khmer Rouge, when approximately 1.7 million people were exterminated, the land now has rest from war. Much recovery work still needs to be done however, not only for the infrastructure (roads, electricity, water, sanitation, medical care, communication, education etc), but also to deal with injustice, corruption, military impunity, unemployment, and exploitation of vulnerable groups. Most of the people are poor, unhealthy, and dispirited.

The Church
After 47 years of mission work, there were only 1000 Cambodian believers in 1970 The subsequent expansion of the church was halted by the Khmer Rouge regime of 75-79, and the Vietnamese regime that followed it.. However from 1990 it began to grow rapidly, and by 2005 there were 260,000 believers worshipping in 2,400 churches.
The church is keen to keep reaching out with the Gospel. However it is in great need of teaching, and for books to assist preaching and discipling. Division in the church (often fostered by outside groups) is also a problem.

OMF's work
Working alongside other mission groups, the 80-strong OMF team (drawn from 16 different countries) is seeking to establish the Kingdom of God in Cambodia, and has permission from the government to engage in both development work and church work.
Our development work is focussed in the three areas of 'teaching' (in the university, offices and in schools, including music, English, computer science, geography, and literacy), 'medical work' (Aids, leprosy, dentistry etc), and 'people care' (factory girls, orphans, prisoners, the unemployed etc).
Our church planting work is focussed in 2 centres in Phnom Penh, and 5 centres up-country; we are also reaching the NE tribal areas, and looking to reach a large Muslim minority group with the love of Christ.
Others are engaged in 'inter-church' ministry activities, such as Christian radio, leader training, Christian literature production, and bible school training.

Prayer is needed for the following:

• The nation, as it seeks to recover physically, socially and economically from the terrible wounds of the past. The people are looking for wise and transparent government.
• The church, as it seeks to grow both in size, and especially in depth. Leadership training, bible and discipleship courses, literature production are all greatly needed.
• The OMF team as it seeks to train in language and culture, and to press ahead to meet the most pressing spiritual and physical needs set before it.

Thanksgiving
Now that we have completed the first year in our new building, it is good to look back and give thanks for the successful completion of the project and the good things that have followed from it-

• "Great oaks from little acorns grow". Our own Acorns for parents and tots has grown by leaps and bounds and is currently pushing the boundaries of the available space with over 50 toddlers.
• With a slightly different clientele, the church cafe, too, has provided a social meeting place for those who want to chat over a cake and coffee.
• Men behaving godly (a contradiction in terms?), is another new initiative (are they just jealous of In Stitches?) providing a mixture of social and spiritual content for men.
• In Stitches continues to thrive, providing an outlet for all that creative talent, as well as a place to chat and develop friendships, as well as enjoying croissants and coffee!
• Not to be outdone in new ventures, the thriving young peoples work has expanded again as "Lost" meets on Sunday evenings.
• Church lunches are now well established on the calendar as we continue to make good use of our new kitchen facilities.
• The work put in by MAP continues to pay dividends as we begin to build links with individuals on the mission field.