When the day of pentecost came, the disciples had already been waiting at leats a week, but this was one kind of wait that they had no control over. I wonder if they realised it would be a day they would never forget? In Acts 2 we go from patient waiting to everything happening in a blur. Within moments of being empowered by the Holy Spirit, the disciples were outside telling everyone ‘the wonders of God’, and no matter what country someone came from, they could listen and understand what was being said. Nothing was going to get in the way of the message of Jesus getting out, not even the barrier of language.

“When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it wasn’t dynamite, it was a dynamo! Dynamite makes a loud noise, kicks up a lot of dust, and it’s over. A dynamo is a continual source of power. It builds and builds and builds, and the power never stops flowing.”

Ken Hutcherson

I continually praise God for the freedom we still have in this country to go on telling children in schools about ‘the wonders of God’. We will finish our assemblies this year with Peter re-telling the story of Pentecost, bringing to life the story of a fisherman who stood up infront of more than 3,000 people and preached God’s word with power and boldness.

Please pray that we would do the same! have a great summer.

The two words are found in Mark 16, when the women went to Jesus’ tomb and the angels spoke to them:

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

[youversion]Mark 16:6-7[/youversion]

Why did the angel say ‘and Peter’? Wasn’t Peter one of the twelve? Why mention him specifically? As God’s messengers, angles only say what they are instructed to say. This led me to only one logical conclusion. It must have meant that during the most amazing miracle the world has ever seen (the resurrection of Jesus), God was in heaven talking with the angels about a lowly fisherman called Peter! He know how much Peter must have been hurting after denying his best friend, and he knew that Peter was going to get a chance to put things right. I find this pretty mind blowing! And this can only give us hope – because if there’s an ‘and Peter’, then there must also be an ‘and Darren’ and an ‘and Niki’ and an ‘and Daniel’ and your name too! God is interested in the intimate details of our lives and even when we are far from Him, we are never beyond His reach.

This coming half-term, we will be telling the children the story of Peter’s denial and restoration. Even young children sometimes fell they have committed the “unforgivable sin”. Please pray with us that those who may be particularly hurting will realise that because of God’s grace, there is always a way back!

If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put trust in a grave, but it won’t stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it up in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise! | Clarence W. Hall

One thing I have learned in ministry si that the cross will always cause a reaction, will always divide opinion and will often result in opposition or even persecution. These reactions will sometimes be out of our control, but we can choose how we will react. The most important thing however is that in a climate where the Christian faith is under constant pressure, we never compromise the truth about who we are, and who He is. This can be demonstrated even in small ways. last year, I was listening to a friend speaking about something as simple as saying grace:

When I am at home, I give thanks for my food before I am about to eat, and if I am out in a resturant, I do exactly the same. Sometimes I might get a few odd looks from people but I don’t care. I’m not doing it for that reason; I’m doing it because it’s part of me, part of who I am.

Here at Pathway, we will never compromise in telling the Easter story to the thousands of boys and girls we meet every term, it’s part of who we are, and this yea is no different! Our latest assembly will include telling the children how each time something bad happened to Jesus on His way to the cross, He remained silent. How he was lied about, was laughed at, was hit and hurt and was abandoned by his closest friends. But one of the things Jesus did say was Father, forgive them.

Please pray with us that as the boys and girls hear about what Jesus went through on the cross, that it will have a lasting impact on their lives.

• Date: Tuesday 18th May 2010
• Time: 7:45pm (for 8pm start)
• Location: Trinity Church, 15 Nether Street, N12, 7NN

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3 (© NIVUK)

Whilst we often rejoice in what Christ acheived through the cross, the ctual act of crucificion was pretty horrific. It can be so easy to forget that the Romans crucified people because it was such a painful way to die.

Years ago I remember hearing a song about the two men who crucified either side of Jesus. The song tells the story of how one of the men was at first hurling insults at Jesus, but then comes to a point when he realises that Jesus doesn’t deserve to die, so he speaks up for him. The song ends with the verse:

When the shouts and curses did not stop even when the sunlight ceased
But somewhow in the midst of it, my soul had been released
And though the agony continued, it was still too small a price
To be allowed to hear those words, and to die beside the Christ!

Mistakes are a part of life, we all make them. Sometimes we are very quick to judge others when they mess up, but what does God think?

How does He treat people who make mistakes?

In our work with young people we often meet children who feel that they have already messed up so many times that no-one will ever forgive them. What a privilidge to be able to tell them about God’s forgviveness and acceptance.

As we near Easter, please pray for us as we take this powerful story of forgiveness into the schools with out latest assembly.

We wrote to the parents announcing the start of the club, asking them to complete the form if they wanted their children to come… I phoned the school the week before the club was due to start – expecting to be told that 6 or 8 children had signed up. i nearly fell off my chair when I was told 36 children wanted to come!

The club was so popular it begain with a waiting list! Niki continues:

The children love the club and the school have been very welcoming and friendly. A few have stopped coming – probably were not really sure what they were signing up to – but that is fine as 35 children is too many! It is a church school – so the children are all respectful of Christianity and have some knowledge – but it is a great privilege to be able to teach them more from the Bible and give them an opporunity to ask questions and look deeper.
Regular activities at club include games, craft, singing, Bible stories and a chance to look at the Bible more and ask questions for those who want it. There is also the ‘Leo’ challenge (which stands for ‘Love Each Other As You Love Yourself”). Children whjo behave in a loving way towards others can win a Kinder egg!

I’m a great fan of the Calvin & Hobbes cartoons. Like any six-year-old boy, Calvin constantly struggles in coming to terms with the concept that anything that builds his character involved hard work!

Pathway is currently going through a very testing time regarding our finances and for the first time since I have been leading the team, there have been very serious discussions regarding the future viability of the organisation.

This is not asking you to give more, as we are aware that so many of you already give so sacrificially. But we are asking you to pray, so that through this time of testing, God would indeed build our character so we are ‘ready for anything’.

As we approach the Christmas period we will be re-telling the story of Simeon, how he held onto God’s promise that he wouldn’t die before he had seen the saviour of this world.

Please pray that we would find favour as we visit schools and churches with this incredible message.

Recently Pathway sent a questionnaire to the schools we work in. Here are some of the things they said…:

The children always appear to enjoy assemblies and staff are grateful of the religious input, which they are not always very comfortable with teaching.

I am delighted that we have Pathway at Walker. I wish we’d known about you years ago!

The assemblies always engage the children and relevant to the age and interests of our pupils

Provides effective and fun introdutions and consolidation of RE syllabus

We find the contribution to our RE curriculum is invaluable

They always have a new slant on traditional themes. very thorough and entertaining. Children love the assemblies

Coincidentally, Pathway was booked in during our Ofsted last November. The inspectors were very impressed.

Firstly a huge THANK YOU! to Carla Stephens for being a brilliant administrator whilst Pippa was on maternity leave. We really appreciate all her hard work, particularly on church/school links, and supporting Darren. She will be missed, and we pray that she will settle well into her new work roles.

And so we welcome back Pippa Cant as administrator.

Introducing:

Rebekah (MTC/Gap Year)

Pathway Gap Year MTC Student: Rebekah Cole

• Name: Rebekah Cole
• Favourite colour: Pink
• Most irritating thing: My sister singing in her room at 3am!
• What do you use to relax?: Go to Starbucks with friends, write poems/stories, go to cinema
• Best bit in the Bible: Zephaniah 3:17
• What led you to Pathway?: Pathway did a family service at my church about 5 years ago, and I remember being very interested in the training programme. Four years later I was wondering what to do next and it came back to my mind. I wanted to spend a year telling children about Jesus and this seemed the perfect opportunity!
• What are you looking forward to in your time with Pathway?: Putting into practice what I learnt at Bible school last year, telling children about how amazing Jesus is and having fun with them!

Stephanita

Pathway Team Member: Stephanita Dimitrova

• Name: Stephanita Dimitrova
• Home Country: Bulgaria
• Most irritating thing: When I’m tired and can’t sleep
• Special Skills: Playing piano, singing, dancing … Ooo having fun with small kids – I love it!
• Best bit in the Bible: Jeremiah 29:11 – maybe because I am young and it’s normal to ask myself where exactly God will take me in the future.
• What led you to London?: I’ve been at theological seminary in Germany for 2 years and this is my practical ministry year
• What are you looking forward to in your time with Pathway?: To learn more about working with kids and in a team. To have fun and a wonderful time with incredible, unique, blessed kids! I am glad to be here!