Dear pray-ers,

Wow, I’ve done a terrible job with keeping touch this last month, in fact it’s been a 2 months gap and I know that some of you have been wondering what’s been going on! Thank-you so much for all your prayers, it has been an incredibly blessed Lent and Easter period. Things are only beginning to wind down again for the summer period. There is not one think that happened this month that could have happened as well as it did without God. From birthday celebrations to a Confirmation camping trip; from a holiday in California to starting a brand new High School ministry; from having 10 youth baptized to submitting my final assignments in seminary this past week – without your faithful prayers I think I would have completely lost my mind.

These last few months have been some of the best and some of the hardest. In these last 8 weeks I realized that I’d be in ministry for the rest of my life, but I also experienced the pain of what it means to truly love people (both parents and teenagers) who barely love themselves, who are experiencing hurt it their lives and are only discovering how to love God.

So, there is much to praise God for, also I definitely need God to inspire me and to continue to work through the youth ministry and the whole of Trinity Church down Spring Hill. Here are a few points:

• Church-wide Service Day (May 16th) – On this Sunday morning, everyone’s going to turn up to church, we going to praise God and join in Holy Communion and then we’re are being ‘released’ into the community to BE the church; to carry out acts of kindness and services for our neighbors and for our local community. Please pray for safety but most of all that people will experience the heart of Jesus.
• High School Ministry (15-18year olds) – Up until this point I’ve been focusing on building the Middle School Ministry (12-14year olds) however since we’re coming into the summer and kids are already preparing to move up in the Autumn it has been important to begin programming for the older age bracket. There are many challenges ahead but please pray that teenagers will continue to experience God in this ministry, and that love and joy would be the focus.
• Mission trip to Birmingham, Alabama (June 27th – July 2nd) - Please prayer for all the organizing that still needs to be done for this, particularly fundraising. I’m doing this all by myself and I’m starting to feel the weigh of it, especially now as it’s getting closer and closer.
• Related to the point above, I’m inclined to rely on my own strength – which fails me when I’m tired or hungry or selfish or proud – I’m quickly learning that one individual can keep pouring out if they refuse to fill themselves up. However, I seem to always fall into this trap, so please remember me in your prayers as I reconnect with God through prayer and bible reading.
• Finally, an opportunity just arose yesterday to live down in Spring Hill close to the church and right in the community. Despite only being 25 miles south of where I’m currently living, it is a significant move for me. Although it is one that I definitely want to do, it does mean uprooting from the close community of friends that I have in Nashville. Please pray for peace about this transition, which will probably happen mid-summer.

Again, I can never thank-you enough for your faithfulness. For in my weakness and neglect God has blessed me by answering your prayers, many blessings,

Emma