Meant to be?

Well yesterday, when we were having the picnic in the dark on the Hoe, I was talking with the guys there about where they would be going to church today (Sunday) and they reeled off a whole list of different churches and none were St. Judes.
Now I'd been told about St. Judes and had this nagging within me to go along there on my first Sunday- but no one else was going...

Sunday morning (ie today)- still not sure where I should go- with my new CU buddies, or by my lonesome, so I prayed about it, opened my Bible and it opened straight onto the first page of the book of Jude (to be honest, I didn't even know there was a book called Jude in the Bible)
So that was it, I went to St. Judes. It was cool, 10.30 service, some really welcoming people, some slightly unwelcoming pews. Worship was a little cheesy and soft for my liking, but still worshippable to. The talk was alright- all about meeting people where they're at "that's why we're doing these alternative services here"- possibly a slight contradiction. Meet people where they're at to me means getting out there and going to them instead of waiting for them to come in to a building of stones and pews- but still, I could see that God was really starting to develop a vision for the church through Tim Smith, the pastor.

During the service a chinese guy walked in, he looked about my age, so at the end of the service, (infact during the full emersion baptism) I made a bee line to speak with him. He was actually 30 and teaching as a language assistant in Ivybridge. He heard the music from the church out on the street and just walked in- never been to church in his life. So I spoke with Gordon the warden there (he's young and cool) and got Lamb (the chinese guy) set up to start the Alpha course this Tuesday. How awesome is that- definitely meant to be. I also met a girl there called Hayley, she also, like me, had come as a student for the first time to St. Judes by herself. She's from Bermuda- how cool is that! I invited her along to the BBQ that CU were putting on for lunch- so she came and was able to meet loads of other Christians also. There was almost 40 of us at the BBQ, quite a few white africans also, I got to know loads of people, signed up on a surfing trip and gave them one of my giant norfolk carrots (cheers Richie)!

This evening I went to church again, this time Mutley Baptist- this had a worship band that I felt very comfortable with, still pews, but loads of 18-30 year olds who gathered together after the service for informal meeting and social time as part of their group, "Fuse". It was cool, but I didn't really catch on with the teaching though. I might stick with this church, but I'm going to try out a few others first.

Later on tonight I found myself in next doors flat- they loved my cow pyjama bottoms (a big hit- thanks Claire) Soon though the wardens let themselves in and started noting down everything wrong; propped open fire doors (£20 fine per door) loud music and four of us who weren't supposed to be in there. Luckily we all blagged our way out of the fines, but it was a close one, and drunk Alex didn't really help the situation! I'm getting to know loads of new people, both Christian and non-Christian which is exactly what I want to be doing- been jotting down different mobile numbers and names, just got to make sure I match them to the right faces... that could be interesting "Shaun?" "No, Megan" "Whoops!"

Tomorrow induction starts, beach party in the evening- I don't know if I will get the chance to write on here. However, just incase, I'll pre-brief you. I'm walking to induction with Shaun at 9.10am and have got stuff hapening until 2.30pm. I really want to get out along the coast on my bike, but we'll see what happens- its not in my hands, but I pray that God will give me some more "meant to be" moments.

One last thing; this is why we should prophesy: to build up, to churn up and to stir up.
If God speaks to you, make sure you pass his word on- it changes lives.
That's all I got out of this evening's sermon on Amos 3v1-8. I don't understand a lot of that passage though, but briefly scanned through the whole book and got a fair understanding of the whole book- I'm not sure yet though when Irael will be destroyed- maybe it's in another book, or maybe it's still yet to happen...