1 minute read
with MESSAGE YORKSHIRE & HUMBER
John: “Let us do a fundraiser!”
Janet: “Yes, good idea.”
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John: “It must be really cold.”
by Janet Ayres
Janet has worked with the Message Yorkshire & Humberside Team for 4 ½ years and is currently the Operations & Enterprise Co-ordinator, managing all things day to day in the Hub. She lives in Chesterfield with her husband, two boys and an over-excitable Labrador. Janet serves on the Leadership Team of Redeemer King Church. Contact her at yorkshire@message.org.uk
Janet: “Let us invite our friends to take part!”
“Great idea,” said 23 church and ministry leaders. And so began the idea for our personal fundraiser for 2023. On Tuesday 20 th June at 6am, we began our Ice Plunge Interviews fundraising challenge. John Lawson (Team Leader) and I (Operations and Enterprise Co-ordinator) hosted 10-minute interviews, on the hour, every hour for 24 hours in a very, very cold pool of water.
We heard inspiring stories about what is happening locally: ideas and dreams springing out of lockdown; youth work; men’s groups supporting and discipling each other; and much more.
One thing that carried across all the interviews and really struck us is how local leaders are really championing each other. The partnering of churches and ministries across Sheffield in order to support and pray for each other and their communities has blown us away. Transformation is no longer restricted to own backyards, but seen from a city-wide perspective – “what can we do to help you?”.
The sharing of ideas and projects and dreams has left some people commenting how they hadn’t realised all this was happening. We pray that what started as a crazy idea while staring at a baptistry pool in reality brings more people and churches together for the Gospel, and that the well that is springing up within the city bursts out into the outskirts and surrounding areas as one church gathers together for one purpose. We feel so privileged to be able to play a part in it.
We’re already harnessing some ideas for the next crazy Kingdom collaboration opportunity so do let us know if you would like us to keep you informed.
