Refreshed and Ready for More!

Smiths' Ministry Update!

Highlights over the last month:


Imagine Toowoomba!

As part of the Imagine Toowoomba project that our home church is hosting this year, we were privileged to hear Neil Hudson from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity last month.  As Neil puts it, a disciple is "someone learning to live the way of Jesus in their context at this moment."  Not only were we challenged to be whole-life disciples wherever we are every day of the week, recognising our part in God's Mission to restore people to Himself (knowing He will one day restore everything to Himself).  We were also challenged as Jesus' people (the Church) to be more intentional about supporting each other in the various roles we each play within this great Mission.

Finished Shift:m2M Training!

At the end of April, Mike attended the final retreat for Shift:m2M (by Power to Change) that he started last year. This has been an eye-opening journey through Jesus' life and ministry - learning how to make disciples who can make disciples by watching how Jesus did it.  He is our pattern, and as we learn from Him and follow His lead, depending on Him as we go, He will use us to not only make disciples, but to help them make disciples as well, and see His Kingdom multiply.  Please pray with us as Mike continues to look at ways to continue to implement what he is learning. The course is over, but the journey continues.

Young Adults Community!

Since the last update Mike has been given the opportunity to facilitate two more storying times with the Young Adults Community Group. These have been well received and it's great to see everyone learning together as we gather around God's Story.  Last time together we started a series through Peter's story.


ATS Weekly Meetings!

After a couple of weeks off due to public holidays, we restarted our weekly ATS team meetings today (Monday).  It was great to catch up with the team across Australia again.

What's Coming Up?

  • Podcast Experiment - Mike is looking at piloting a storying podcast as a new way of ministering to others through God's Story. Stay tuned for more info to come.
  • VERGE - The Smiths are planning to head to Victor Harbour, SA, in July for VERGE!!!  Want to join us???  This is the one national Verge event for 2016 and the invitation has gone out across the country.  The hope is to see this life-changing event multiply nationally.
  • An Access The Story event is being planned for Hervey Bay later this year.  More info to come.


 Toowoomba Family Life!


While Josh was enjoying his 789 Camp over the Labour Day long weekend,Mike, Ray, and Hannah took the time to get away to the Bunya Mountains. This was the first time we've taken a non-ministry trip since moving to Toowoomba 20 months ago, so it was great to get away and recharge. 

Mike continues to work two days a week as a support worker.  At this time the funding for this position is guaranteed until the end of June.

Sadly, we made the difficult decision to give away one of our dogs, Storm. It became increasingly obvious that she needed to be somewhere with more land and where she could burn off more energy. Unlike her placid sister, Alaska, who is more content to lay around, it didn't take much for Storm to become bored and amuse herself by digging, pouncing, barking, and digging some more, all over the yard.



Financial Support Update!
We’re grateful that you’re continuing to partner with us and we want to say a big “THANK YOU” to each of you.  We couldn't do this without you and your prayers, and we're also very grateful for those who are supporting financially as well!
As an “Associate Worker” with AccessTheStory, any support raised for Mike can be made available to him to cover ministry expenses.
We’re excited about what God is doing and the doors that He is opening, and
are hoping to continue raising support which will also allow Mike to supplement his income as a “Worker” with ATS in the future.
Meanwhile we continue seeking further opportunities to serve through Jesus’ Story.  And we invite you to consider whether God is calling you to contribute financially to help cover ministry expenses.
An example of this could be to help cover costs for the family to travel to South Australia for VERGE in July.
J

Thanks for your continued support and prayers.  We could not do this without you.  God continues to be good to us and we're thankful and excited to see the opportunities that He is opening up for us to be part of His Story being written into more and more lives.


Mike & Ray

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