Newry Go-team Report

22nd July saw the Newry Go-team members arrive at the Murphy abode anticipating and looking forward to a fruitful week for the Kingdom of God in Newry.  The team members were Mary McCollum (Limavady), Rachel McCollum (Lisburn), Rachel McCahon (Ballylaggan), Alison McKeeman (Dervock), Rachel Bond aka 0-0-Ray (Dromara), Wendy Rankin aka Winnifred (Dromara), Christine Murphy (Tullyvallen), Paul Wright (Ballylaggan), Ben Hanna (Carrickfergus) and our leader Peter Loughridge (Carrickfergus).  We were made to feel very welcome and spent time in prayer for the week ahead and getting to know each other a bit better.  We also got to know Jacob Zwiers who was ministering in Newry for the summer.

On the Sabbath after worshipping at Riverside we drove to Bernish Viewpoint to have a picnic.  The view was spectacular from there.  We enjoyed fellowship with each other and members of the congregation and it gave us the opportunity to pray over the city of Newry where we asked that God would work during our week.  We started leaflet distributions that afternoon and this continued throughout the week from 3-5 pm.  These leaflets advertised the meeting Prof. Robert McCollum was talking at on the Thursday evening and also message of the gospel in short.

Peter, our leader, showed us right away there was to be no slacking on this team as we began with a very busy day on Monday.  We started leaflet distribution at 9am that morning, stopping for the Kids' Club in Mournview and Greenfields which lasted from 11-12 midday every day.  We were very thankful to God for the large turn out of children at Mournview and how attentive they were for the talks which focused on the life of David.  Greenfields however had no children on Monday or Tuesday so after praying earnestly for this matter we moved the club to a nearby park at 'The Windmill' where God provided a large number of older children who also were attentive to the talks.  Thank God for his providence and guidance in this matter. 

Each day saw a filling lunch at the church hall preceding our Bible studies with Jacob and the interesting, to say the least, 'roadtrip' questions!  These studies focused on a number of different passages of scripture which were relevant to the work in Newry, particularly the 'Great Commission' where we are to go out and make disciples of all nations.  This is the command we were aiming to carry out in Newry with God's strength.  Distribution of the leaflets followed this on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  We had roughly 4,500 leaflets to distribute and these were all completed by Wednesday evening.  The ladies of Newry were very hospitable and dared to have us dine at their homes in the evenings where we were definitely sufficiently fed and watered.  On Monday and Tuesday nights we did door to door.  For me especially, as this was my first go-team, this was a very daunting prospect but the Lord really used our weak words to challenge people and this saw one lady in particular, Joanna, come to the meeting on Thursday night so please pray for her that she might have been challenged by what she heard there and that she would see the need in her life for Christ as her Saviour.  Also we were very thankful for the reception we got at most doors and that those who were spoken to would be challenged to think about their need for Christ.  This is very needy in Newry where the majority of people believe that going to mass and living 'decent' lives means they will be fit for heaven.

On Wednesday we had a well deserved night off when we were invited to the Lyons’ caravan in Cranfield where we had a BBQ and a brilliant nights craic.  We enjoyed many games and the team spirit high.

On Thursday afternoon we had open-air psalm singing in Newry centre.  This was a great opportunity to sing the inspirational words of God for passer-bys. This went well and a lot of people sat down to hear us and took leaflets so thank God for that.  On Thursday night Prof. Robert McCollum came along to give his talk on the very relevant topic 'Where is God when bad things happen?'.  It was very encouraging and a privilege to see God answer our prayers when some outsiders, especially those who some of us spoke on door to door came to that meeting. 

Friday was our final day and the children at both clubs turned out to hear us again.  Throughout the week there were glimpses of a real desire in the hearts of those children to know Christ.  It was particularly encouraging to hear some children recite the memory verses off by heart and answer the quiz questions. The memory verses were "For the Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16 v 7 and "God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ dies for us."  Romans 5 v 8.  Friday afternoon we held a party for both estates which had a lot of messy and mad games.  Some children were quite disruptive at the start but soon settled down and listened to the epilogue that Jacob gave. 

That evening we closed with a time of prayer where we all thanked God for his powerful presence with us throughout the week and how we could see his hand at work in the city of Newry.  The unity of the team was also another amazing blessing.  It was such a privilege to be able to serve God in this way and would urge you all to continue praying for the people of Newry and also the congregation and that God's Kingdom would grow here.  Also pray for the work Rodney and Ruth Murphy are doing in Newry.  We thank Ruth and Rodney and Sam and Dot for their hospitality and the congregation of Newry for their amazing meals and kindness shown to us.  Most of all we thank God for his blessing during the week.

Rachel McCahon (Ballylaggan RPC)