Thank you for your love and support over this last month. We have been mainly based in the UK and Europe this month and so been able to hug and chat with many of you at various conferences. It is always so encouraging to connect and share stories. There is an expectancy for a fresh awakening of God to move in our nations, a definite stirring in so many hearts.  In every network, amongst churches and in the prayer movements there is a new priority being given to the place of prayer, with a deep longing and hunger for God. 

As I was praying a while ago for friends facing various health challenges, I heard God say to me – they are not waiting FOR me to come to them – I am right here, waiting WITH them! Suddenly I had such a sense that God is sitting right with us in this season of waiting. I had this picture of sitting at the bus stop – straining to see if the bus was coming – waiting for the right number bus to finally come down the road… I had been waiting for God to come and arrive in my situation. But then I realised that in this bus shelter God was sitting right there with me, He was there IN the WAITING. Then there was an alignment, a collision of time: my hunger and my circumstances all coming together and suddenly the waiting was completed, and we were moving to the next part of the journey. God is with us in the waiting time and also in the forward movement. When God says HE WILL NEVER leave us – He means it. He is always present…. we are not waiting for Him to come, because He has not left us alone –  but we are are waiting with Him for the next shift of season. While thinking about these things I then felt God ask me a deep question: Rachel, are you FAITH-FILLED and FAITHFUL in this season? Which areas of life are you in faithful stewardship mode and where are you needing to be challenged into a more faith-filled risk attitude in this season? What are your challenges as you consider these two expressions of your faith? Where does the church need us to be more faith-filled and take risks in a national context? As I considered these thought-provoking questions, I realised that in some areas it is easy to slip into a “faithful attitude” and just steward faithfully what God has asked me to do and step back from the FAITH-FILLED RISK areas of enlargement. In others areas I have been pioneering and risking – needing to be  FAITH-FILLED for finance and resources but not wanting to steward the long process of being faithful to truly pioneer the new project until it is established and flourishing. I step out and begin the process but then get weary in the establishing of it! God wants us to be BOTH – FAITHFUL and FAITH-FILLED as we pioneer in this season of AWAKENING. These are exciting days of partnership with God and one another.

May started in Germany with a team of people from the UK ministering near Dusseldorf. There was such joy ministering together and watching the tapestry of God’s word knitting our messages together. God really helped us. Then Gordon was in Paris, Helen was at Moggerhangger for the BICOP forum and I was in Oxford…! We had a busy week hosting the Roundhouse in Oxford, preaching at the Elim Leaders’ Summit in Harrogate, encouraging business people in Witney and then in Birmingham with Betel for Pentecost Sunday. Also during this time we had Craig and Monie Lotze with us from the USA and Gordon was in London with them as they did the Christian Heritage tour in the City of London, a deeply moving inspirational revelation of the godly foundations and story of our capital. This tour will awaken your cry for our nation. We are ending the month of May in Bergen, Norway, and then Portadown in Northern Ireland. Helen has also spoken in churches, with a Sunday in Fleet and connecting with leaders across the nations. Zoom calls enabled us to share with leaders in Canada and the USA as well as those with a heart for missions in Europe. Strategic connections are being strengthened through these zoom calls and times of prayer and strategy adding a new dimension to our ministry. The month was also filled with many face to face times with leaders and friends to share, pray and plan together for the next season of life and church in our nations. May was filled with both little and large connections with a great sense of hope and momentum for the next phase of God in our cities and nations. 

With our friends, Craig & Monie Lotze.

Helen writes: We are so grateful to those of you who have faithfully supported our work in Moldova over the last several years. This has been an adventure of faith-filled risk and faithful stewardship in equal measure and we are so thankful for your partnership in the journey. When war broke out in Ukraine two years ago, you rallied to the call to help in the crisis response and excelled in generosity which enabled our partners in Moldova to coordinate hosting refugees who streamed across the Moldovan border and to bring aid to those who remained in Ukraine. You may remember that we committed to three phases of support: crisis care (rescue, rest & recovery and relocation of refugees); long-term care by supporting those left in Ukraine, and then the third phase of rebuilding when this becomes possible.  We also committed to the ongoing support of the thriving projects in Moldova including the winter aid initiative, the Girls’ Academy and the training of a team of 40 mentors for the young people.  Specialist training in trauma counselling has also become necessary and this is providing a very valuable way in which the team can serve the community in this season. Because of your generous financial investment, Heartcry has been able to continue to send a regular gift of £2,000 per month to support this work.  Thank you for helping us faithfully steward these doors of Kingdom opportunity. From next month Charlotte and Johannes will be preparing for the summer youth camps.  You can read more on our website where we post regular updates from the frontline https://heartcryforchange.com/project/april-2024-update/ . There is also a link on that page if you would like to contribute financially towards this  work.  

All across Europe at this time, we see the signs of awakening in spite of the many challenges. We have felt stirred to invest time in Europe this year to strengthen workers on the ground.  In June Rachel and Gordon will be in Bari, Italy, with a new young church plant.  Please pray for them as they seek to encourage and strengthen the team there.  At a recent leaders’ gathering that we hosted, a friend who had not been to one of these meetings before walked in and immediately burst into tears! She said that she felt instantly at home and deeply impacted by the sense of family and the depth of the presence of Jesus. She realised how weary she had become faithfully doing what God has called her to do and how much she needed to be in a place where she could allow Holy Spirit to breathe new life into her. When the breath of God fills us, we are empowered with fresh stamina to stand with renewed hope and vision. This month, for our Fresh Bread message, I will pick up this theme of being “Empowered to Stand”. Let’s pray for ourselves and our leaders in this season and receive the empowering presence of God afresh! 

With Martin Luther and his quote “Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me, God!”

Thank you for praying for us…your prayers strengthen us and we so appreciate your messages, texts and emails of encouragement. Here is what the schedule for June looks like:

Ministry Dates June 2024

1-2 June Portadown Elim Church, N Ireland (Rachel & Helen)
2 June Fresh Bread message, Heartcry online platforms (Helen)
6-10 June Bari, Italy, church weekend (Rachel & Gordon)
13 June Elim Scotland & NW England leaders’ day, Cumbernauld, Scotland (Rachel & Helen)
15 June St Mary’s Cholsey prayer ministry training, Wallingford, UK (Helen)
16 June Hillsong, Oxford, service (Gordon)
23 June Hillsong, Oxford, service (Rachel)
29-30 June City Life Church Bible school and Sunday service, Sheffield, UK (Helen)
29 June Sisterhood One Day, London, UK (Rachel)
30 June Epping Forest Community Church, UK (Rachel)

So thank you for praying. Thank you for standing and believing.  Thank you for giving. We are so grateful for every partnership. 

Every blessing and hugs,
Rachel & Gordon with Helen and the team.