Earlier this month, several members of our church community attended the New Wine United 2017 conference. For those of you who don't know, New Wine is a movement of churches working together to change the nation through a network of church leaders, summer conferences, training events and resources. Each year, a group of us pitch up their tents alongside thousands of other Christians for a week of worship and spiritual development.
This was our fourth visit to New Wine (that's myself, my wife, Sarah, and our two children, Joseph and Lily). It was by far
the coldest and wettest but it made me realise a number of things about why the
weather really doesn't matter:
You don't need good weather
particularly when you have as much equipment as we did - tent extensions,
shelters, brollies and wellies.
This was the Line family's fifth New Wine,
and for all of us it is a time to have fun, learn, be together and do our own
thing. Edward had his Rock Solid group every morning and evening, leaving me
free to enjoy the worship and seminars. He loves it - with sport, drama,
worship, stories, arts, crafts... so much to do! In the afternoon he played with
Rebecca and other friends who camped with us.
Richard had seminars and worship, and hung out with friends from previous years, and made new ones.
Fran was 'on team', volunteering in the children's Stomping Ground. They fed her too, so we rarely saw her!
This year, the weather was a challenge, but so much of New Wine is inside. The morning worship series of talks by John Mark Comer really spoke to us all this year, and I have already made changes in the way I live my life to the full for Jesus. With 14,000 Christians in one place, the Holy Spirit is everywhere. I usually find I 'hear/see' God at New Wine, and it shapes my year ahead. This year was no exception!
The highs for me was the worship! Praising God with over 1,000 Christians,
it was an awesome experience...
I loved all the worship places for different reasons. Followed by my daily dose of John Mark Cromer... I loved his talk on the Sabbath and dreams. He was very real and honest, an intelligent man with a touch of humour.
I also heard our own Bishop Rachel for the first time which was refreshing. I also loved going to Wells Cathedral with some camping buddies on our midweek ‘day off’.
On Friday, our friend Jo made a surprise visit to St Michael’s tent, which was lovely. Bits that weren't so great were the mud, the rain, and the showers! But on the whole it went well with my soul.
P.S. if you don't like camping There's always bed and breakfast!
John Mark Comer achieved a first in my three
years at New Wine ... usually the St Michael's adults start the week together
at the arena but we lose one or more to the other venues, depending on how well
the speaker attracts (not the right word, but you get the idea) the different
traditions we are from. This year, we started and ended the week together as he
spoke to each and every one of us.
Bishop's Cleeve Church Office
St Michael's Centre
School Road
Bishop's Cleeve
GL52 8BA
Call / WhatsApp: 07354 874617
Email: admin@stmichaelsbishopscleeve.co.uk
Website generously provided by
St Michael and All Angels is part of the Diocese of Gloucester and The Church of England