Pembury Baptist Church

What a weekend! I've been struck this week in my reflections on this last weekend by how much God is using PBC and how far we've come in our development. What I write below does not cover every activity PBC did this last weekend, simply some of the ones that particularly impacted me.

Friday

The weekend begins for me with breakfast at the Camden Arms with Mike Rayson, Tara and Kyle Jackson. There I am, sitting in a Kentish Pub at 8:15 in the morning, being sung to by a woman from Nashville and being observed by surprised guests staying at the Camden Hotel. Mike Rayson turns to me and says, 'That isn't even loud - you wait.' It was a great breakfast with Mike - a friend PBC has known for two special concerts and would see again on Sunday morning - and Tara and Kyle, two new friends who I knew would bring encouragement to PBC on Sunday evening. This was a Sunday I was particularly looking forward to.

During the day, the Staff Team had an away-day to begin planning for 2009 as well as to spend some time looking at the serving culture at PBC and how we can better support those who serve and give of their time to what God is doing here. It was a full-on, hard-working day when the team made a good start in learning from the year we've had to have an even better year in 2009. We asked questions like, 'What has God been doing through us this year?', 'Where have we seen lives transformed?', 'Where have we made mistakes?', 'Where could we make improvements?'. We began the day in prayer for 2009, during which I felt God remind me of Psalm 27 and the desire to 'gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.' Let's hope many of us get caught up in praise and worship during moments in 2009. It was also great to have Jennifer Roberts with us until 2pm, who will be starting as our full-time Adminstrator on November 3rd. Jennifer's insightful questions and contributions brought clarity to muddled moments and demonstrated to us all just how much she is going to add to the team, and to PBC more broadly.

In the evening we had the Man2Man Curry and Worship night. This was such a special time, with worship led by Simon and a guest band who brought freshness to the worship with new interpretations and styles to familiar songs. Rosie Bass cooked up a great curry, with Ada helping.

Sunday

What a special day. Firstly, Promiseland had its second week and all the reports and helpful feedback have commented and proved just how significant a launch this ministry is in our desire to serve Pembury and the wider world. As the week before, PBC's sanctuary still filled up with people hungry to worship God, and Pembury Primary School was packed with children and leaders having the 'best hour of the week.' I am so thankful to God for the vision of Promiseland, for the leadership and sacrifice of the Promiseland Core Leadership team, for all the volunteers and for all God's provision. Two years ago I heard his prompting to start a new method of children's ministry at PBC and PBC has carried out his bidding with passion and excellence. In this, there is real joy. God is pouring his favour on this initiative and I can't wait to see the lives being changed.

Mike Rayson joined us at PBC in the morning, with teaching packed with honesty and faith, trusting and questions. I can count on one hand the amount of excellent teaching I have heard on suffering and our God who meets us in our brokeness, and this was one of them. It wasn't 'easy listening', but life isn't easy and our teaching needs to reflect that. Jemma and I had the privilege of having lunch with Mike (and the Nevison family) and more time with this great, yet humble, man of God.

On Sunday afternoon I glimpsed the PBC band praying, preparing and practicing for the Guy Chevreau conference at TBC on October 24th and 25th. What a fantastic and sacrificial music group we have at PBC.

For the evening service PBC was packed to the rafters and filled with enthusiasm and uplifting song. Our music group kicked us off with two worship songs and I could tell that people were hungry for God. I then introduced Tara Jackson who sung and chatted for 45minutes, her voice being better than anything on X-Factor and her heart conveying faith and encouragement to all that were there. She was blessed by the experience too, commenting to me after the service about how she could clearly see how special the community at PBC is. We can't wait to have her back again. I've had many people young and old say to me that they came to PBC feeling low and left feeling encouraged having met with God.

Monday

It was my day off but I could see the Marriage Course preparing, transforming PBC from sanctuary to restaurant - it looks stunning. A number of smiley married people have shared with me how well the Marriage Course is going, how excellently it is being led and how effective it is as outreach, with a few couples outside of church attending. My thanks to God for everyone who is working hard to bring this together, particularly Philip and Claire Davis. I then went to see the Christian band Delirious at the Assembly Hall and saw many of PBC's youth leaders encouraging our many young people who were attending. PBC in action once again.

And the concert was the end of a perfect weekend for me, as Delirious sung out 'History Maker' which says "Well it's true today that when people stand, With the fire of God, and the truth in hand, We'll see miracles, we'll see angels sing, We'll see broken hearts making history, Yes it's true and I believe it, We're living for you." I stood there, remembering first singing this song at a Delirious concert back in 1995 and all the promises I made to God during those early Delirious youth events in Littlehamption. I stood there, 13 years later, marvelling at what God has done in my life and is doing through PBC and how God knits everything together in His purposes of redemption and recreation.

What a weekend. I am so glad we don't know what God has in store for PBC; it might wreck the sense of adventure I feel. I firmly believe our best days are ahead of us and that we get to enjoy the journey together. So this reflection is simply one of gratitude. In my 15 years of Christian life, I've seen many different churches and I can say without a moment's hesitation that there is no other church I would rather call home than PBC. Is it perfect? Far from it. But in humility and heart we keep stepping forward into God's plans for us, committed to serving our village and our world with the love God has lavished upon us.

Your friend,

Wayne

Rev. Wayne Alexander, Senior Pastor, Pembury Baptist Church