Prayer.
So I’ve not really spoken much about my church, so I know that a lot of people don’t know what it’s like.
My church…is awesome. God-centred, loving, caring, willing to bend over backwards to help you out. I adore it. The pastor and his wife, along with their friend who works in the admin side of the church, are an amazing blessing and I honestly am so honoured to have been a part of their church.
However, (and there always seems to be a however doesn’t there?) they’re leaving. They’re moving back to the States at some point. Don’t follow? Ok. I’ll give you a bit of back story to this amazing couple and the blessing that they have been on our church.
Tam and Drew are originally from California, US. They moved over here about eleven or twelve years ago to plant a church, having been called whilst on their honeymoon here in Newcastle. They planted the church, and set up what was then known as the Upper Rooms, on the fifth floor of a building, 88 steps up with no working lift. Kudos if you got the reference. They were an amazing ministry to the city, keeping a lot of kids safe and proving that Jesus was patience, love, grace, and hope, rather than what these kids had been taught. A few years afterwards, trouble happened and they ended up closing. They moved around a bit, and finally, in 2009 thanks to God’s grace and providence, the church settled in what is now known as The House (again, kudos if you got the reference). They had been there just under a year when I came crashing through the doors. They are the church I refer to in my testimony, the tool that God used to truly save me, and I just…don’t have words to express the love and thanks I have for these guys. They’re truly amazing.
However, in July time, Drew’s mom got real sick. She developed cancer, and it was later discovered that it was terminal. She was given 6 months ish to live, and passed that 6 months on December 17th. She’s still going, but there’s more. His dad, who is caring for his mom, has developed a series of heart problems, and as the icing on the cake, he has skin cancer. I’ll put it this way to describe his parents. They are prayer warriors. Honestly, Drew told us about a time he remembers before he knew Christ when he would come down stairs in the morning to his mom, lying prostrate on the floor, praying. She would’ve been there for hours. They’ve donated somewhere in the region of a house’s worth of money towards our church, and are one of the biggest contributors to our church, making it possible for Drew and Tam to live here, supporting themselves and their kids, without any income from the actual church.
They came back from visiting the states in early January, and they both realised that God had called them back to the States. We found out tonight, at the AGM (annual general meeting), and I was floored. I honestly didn’t know what to say; they’re part of the church, so intergral to our church, that we don’t know what to do anymore. We have no-one that is able to step forward and take their place, yet they have a sense of urgency about their decisions because of what Drew’s mom and dad are going through right now.
I don’t know what to ask for. Prayer, mainly. But also advice. I feel like I have something to really contribute towards our body, as does Chris, but we’re in such a fragile time right now. 169 days till our wedding, Chris still doesn’t have a job and I have another year and a bit of university left. We don’t care where we end up, but we want to be able to help out.
Please pray for everyone involved guys. Joyce and Steve are amazing and inspirational people, they’ve blessed us so much, not only through money, but also through Tam and Drew and their being with us.
K.
