14-15 June 2014 Anniversary for Kidderminster Baptist Church

June 14th and 15th is the anniversary for Kidderminster Baptist Church, and this year marked 206 years of involvement in Kidderminster.  To celebrate, the church members decided to go away for a day's retreat, and then to have a special Sunday morning service and meal together.

It was a real honour for CMM to be asked to lead the weekend.  The minister of the church is Simon Gudger, and he along with his wife Lou have long been involved in CMM, taking part in the musicals Snakes and Ladders and Wildfire together, and Simon also was a soloist in Pharisee, Simeon, The Inn Crowd and Jail Break.

On the Saturday the retreat was held at Barnes Close, also known as the Community of Reconciliation, near to junction 4 of the M5.  Roger led the day, assisted by Helen, Ann and Christine.  The day didn't follow one of CMM's regular structures, but instead was much more of a quiet day.  Roger began by speaking about 'The Worship Seeker', and asked those present to draw a road map of their life, and illustrate it with occasions where God was actively seeking them out.  Then, after a coffee break, Helen spoke about the wonderful encounter between Jesus and Peter on the beach, and linked it in to teaching about the prayer ministry model used by Wholeness through Christ.  This enabled people to further add to their road maps occasions where maybe there was past trauma, and how God was bringing healing to wounds or breaking bondages.

After a lovely lunch Roger used the song 'Within the darkened womb' to show how precious we all are to God even right from conception.  Then the day was rounded off with a communion together.  Barnes Close was a lovely place for people to spend their free time reflecting and thinking, with lovely grounds.

On the Sunday morning the team reassembled at Kidderminster Baptist Church to lead the morning service.  It was great to see the whole congregation together and to worship alongside them as they celebrated all that God had done and all he is still going to do.  Helen led the service, and Roger spoke about the baptism of Jesus (very appropriate for Trinity Sunday!).  Jesus was committed, anointed and assured - and so too can we be.

After the service we shared in an amazing lunch together - the congregation will still be eating the leftovers for days.