Gathering at "The Gathering"

The results are in, and I deem this weekends outreach a success. We got back yesterday early evening from Salem MA.
Picture: Jessica(Virginia), Nathan(North Carolina) and Rebecca(Sweden) at Cafe Kushco's!

We left New London Saturday morning and got to The Gathering church in Salem at around 11:30 am. We kicked things off by getting ourselves some lunch from an amazing local Greek place called Cafe Kushco's. They have some pretty great food, it's definitely a crowd pleaser. After our little lunch break we went back to the church for some worship and prayer after which we launched right into our dream teams.

Picture: Mike and Mandy(Texas)
Around Valentines, Salem has had a Wine and Chocolate festival thing where many of the local shops have tastings and various things going on. It definitely was no where near as busy as it was when we were there for Haunted Happenings, (Look back in the November Archives to read more about that!) but with around 4-6 teams set up at all times that afternoon, we had a fair amount of people come by. We were set up from about 1-5 pm with all of us switching on and off from dream teams, to intercession, to going out and gathering people in.

It was a really good little trip, one of the things that stuck out to me this weekend was really how little we have to do with ministry. What I mean by that is, there were times that weekend where I really, really felt like I had nothing to give. That's perfect, because then, you know it must be God because you have no idea what you are doing. That's a hard place to be in though, because it meant that I had to just rest in who I knew God to be, sit back and say whatever He said.

Once we start ministering out of who we are instead of who God is, that's when we get in trouble, so I'm grateful that God does this to us. It's like, sometimes when I listen and then speak what I think He's saying to the person sitting across from me, it feels like I'm just making it up, or imagining this story and to make matters worse, the person is sitting stone faced across from you. So it's always so encouraging when after you're done they tell you that you were right on, and they give the reasons why.

Picture: Micah(New Hampshire), Chad(Michigan), Rebecca(Sweden) and Jamie(Alberta)

For example, I was on a team with Jamie(Alberta) and Jody(Michigan) and we had two guys in their late 20's sitting in front of us. We gave them words about the one guy being a builder, good at starting things, we told him he was creative and with music, etc. After, when we were done, he told us he was just building a recording studio, he was indeed a musician and that everything else we said was really encouraging.

It was so awesome because I knew when I sat down on that team that there was no way I could do this on my own, I wasn't feeling particularily holy or anointed or anything and I told God it would definitely have to be all Him. I believe that is all that God is looking for, a chance. He's looking for you to let Him out, to let God be God. That's all that we were doing, we were simply facilitating His presence and listening to do whatever he wanted.

God's good isn't He? He sure likes to come through if we only give Him a chance.

I took a bunch of pictures which I posted below, I hope you enjoy them, if you don't, well, I'm sorry.



Picture: One of the many Ice Sculptures littered around the area

Picture: Here's another sculpture, some of them were really well done, a little weird, but pretty cool

Picture: Here's Anthony(Virginia) impressing us with his piano prowess


Picture: I went out on an early morning walk Sunday morning and here are the results...

Picture: Me by the Atlantic and an ever so exciting giant replica ship

Picture: The ship itself

Picture: My breakfast Baguette


Picture: Dan(Scotland) and Brandon(Wyoming) at Starbucks for a pre-church pick me up

Picture: Anton(New York) and Myself doing the above


Picture: Now this is a book store!


Picture: Trying on some winter hats


Picture: John Harding preaching on sunday