Heart of the Issue

Smiths' Ministry Update!

Thanks for taking the time to read this update. 

BASE CAMP - Supporting Leaders to Verge AccessTheStory is excited by the opportunity to help kick-start people into their Mission story through our BASE CAMP initiatives. The goal of our current BASE CAMP Project is to sponsor 12 youth/young adult leaders from WA, Qld, NSW, & Vic by covering their camp fees at our national VERGE experience in SA 10-15 July 2016 (through donations). These leaders will then be invited to explore how they might implement a new expression of VERGE in their own local context.  The possibilities and potential to see how God might multiply His Kingdom through His Story are very exciting. As AccessTheStory’s flagship experience, VERGE has not only been consistently identified as a life changing experience for individuals, but also as a significant catalyst for spiritual renewal in the local church community. Are you a youth / young adult leader?  We're still looking for leaders to sponsor from Queensland, so let us know if you're interested.  Or you can pass this on to someone who might be. Want to help support this initiative?

Storying Podcast Experiment! I've invested in a good quality microphone that we picked up for a good price, and have started preparing content to record for some upcoming storying podcasts.  Looking forward to being able to connect with others in this way through God's Story.  Please pray with us for wisdom to do this well and to spark good connections, and that God will use these to bring people closer to Him.

Helping prepare for Verge2016! For the upcoming Verge event, we're looking at trialling audio recordings for one of the walk-throughs. This will give participants the option of listening to the readings through their own smart phone. Using the microphone that I purchased for podcasting, I've recorded the readings for this walk-through, and have created a simple webpage to navigate these readings.  If it goes well, this option could be used in future events making for a more immersive experience.

Young Adults Community Group! Once a month this group is going through the "Transforming Work" program and also has a night of prayer and praise another week each month.  The other weeks we've been continuing with a Storying time (Though there was one interruption with us being down with the cold) and have continued with the series through Peter's story.  It's really great to see these young adults discovering and learning together, and teaching each other what they're learning; and I'm enjoying this opportunity to put into practice the things I'm learning with AccessTheStory.

CLN Weekly Meetings! Since going part-time in my support worker role in July last year, I've been regularly attending Toowoomba's weekly Christian Leaders Network (CLN) meetings whenever I can.  This is a great time to pray and worship together and is a constant reminder of the unity among the various flavours of Jesus' body across the region.

What's Coming Up?

Podcast Experiment - Mike is preparing to pilot a storying podcast as a new way of ministering to others through God's Story.  VERGE - Flights are booked for our trip to Victor Harbour, SA, next month for VERGE!!!  Want to join us??? It's not too late!  This is the one national Verge event for 2016.  The invitation has gone out across the country and registrations are coming in from around Australia and beyond.  The hope is to see this life-changing event multiply nationally with inter-state leaders being sponsored to get a taste of ATS. An Access The Story event is being planned for Hervey Bay later this year.

 Toowoomba Family Life!

Ray gave me (Mike) a bit of a scare when she called me at work one day to tell me that she had been taken to the hospital Emergency Department with a racing and irregular heartbeat.  After having her on an ECG, on a drip which gave her medication to stabilise her heart rate, and taking an x-ray of her heart, she was prescribed some on-going medication and sent home. After the few days it took for her body to adjust to the new medication, her heart seems to have settled into a fairly regular rhythm. Since then she has had to wear a heart holter monitor for 24 hours and then had an echo scan of her heart.  We're waiting to see the cardiologist for the results of these tests. Hannah continues to be busy with year 11, work, learning to drive, volunteering (at school, youth and church), "and whatever else [she] can get her hands on." Josh is looking forward to school holidays and going to South Australia, and continues to "love playing games." Mike continues to work two days a week as a support worker.  We still haven't heard if the funding for this position will continue beyond the end of June.  Trusting that God will continue to provide one way or another.

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. Funds raised so far have made it possible for our trip next month to Verge in SA.  J

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.

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

Serving with ...