Give Tanks

This is the time of the year when we are thinking about the giving of gifts to family and friends, so am I suggesting a possibility in the title? No, not at all. One of the most amusing and, sometimes, challenging things that appeal to Cindy and me in this land are the accents. One sure-fire way to tell if someone is from the Republic of Ireland is by their pronunciation of “th’s,” or rather, their non-pronunciation of them. So what I have titled this wee writing is in the southern dialect’s way of saying, “Give thanks!”

Having just celebrated a Thanksgiving dinner with members of Harvest, I have had to reflect on what I can give thanks to God for. At first, all the good stuff comes to mind – the things we like to think of as “blessings.”  But the Bible talks about the “sacrifice of thanksgiving.” To be thankful for difficulties, disappointments, defeats and even disease is giving a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When we express faith by such a sacrifice of thanks, we grow in understanding of God and also grow deeper in the love that the Lord has for us.

Like a little child at Christmastime, we may have our heart set on a G.I. Joe tank as a gift, but would we be thankful if we received a pair of socks instead? So in our lives right now we may be receiving tanks or socks, but no matter what is coming our way, we can be “giving tanks.” In fact, Cindy and I will be spending this Christmas apart for the first time in our marriage, but we will still be able to give tanks. 

Cindy's going to California

As many of you know, Cindy's father has not be well for some time.  Recently his health has worsened. For the past week or so we have been seeking the Lord regarding if she should come back for a couple of weeks prior to our already scheduled trip in April/May for our visa renewal.  This seemed an especially good time as we have finally gotten in touch with our son Daniel.  The Lord gave us direction, that indeed this is His will.

So, Cindy will be arriving in LA on Dec 19 and leaving Jan 12.  Obviously her primary focus will be her family.  I will be staying home, taking care of the things needing to be done here in Northern Ireland.  

In January, Cindy will be attending the Missions Conference in Murrieta.  She will be staying with our lifelong friends Bill and Mary in Murrieta during that time, they live just down the road from the conference center.

So lots to be praying for please.  

• For Cindy as she travels, a blessed visit with her parents, and family.  
• A fruitful time with Daniel, whom we have not spoken to since March.  For Daniels complete surrender to Jesus. 
• For me while Cindy is away, I will be spending Christmas with some good friends here, we had already planned to spend the Christmas weekend with them.
• For the unplanned costs of this trip, as Pastor Chuck always says, "Where God guides, God provides"
• For my mom's, Dee, health as well.  She was recently hospitalized, and was very ill.  She is recovering very slowly, but is making good progress. She is currently living with my sister in Washington. Also, for the sale of her home, she will have to move into a smaller home once she able to be on her own.

We appreciate your prayers, love and support at this trying time.  So if you see Cindy, please be sure to take good care of her for me.

Thank you,

Pastor Rick

If you would like to bless us with a wee Christmas gift to help with the cost of the flight, you are more than welcome to! 

Please contact: 

GO! Ministries, PO Box 651, Norco, CA 92860

Please reference “Acct #1240” in the memo line of your check or you can donate on line @ “go.ccnorco.org”

Rick's Birthday - Model Railway Exhibit at Ulster Transportation Museum

We spent last Saturday afternoon at a local museum for Rick's birthday.  He loves trains, and especially model trains!  He's just a big kid at heart anyway...as many of you already know!  Here are some of the pictures we took.  We had a great day, I really enjoyed watching him enjoy all the exhibits, and there were plenty!

Finding Favor in Friends and Family

October was a month of renewal. Renewed friendships, renewed fellowship in the Lord and renewed relationships with family. Spring is usually thought of as a time of renewal, not the autumn, but for Cindy and me it was a reversal this year. The month started out with the first ever All Ireland conference for the Calvary Chapel fellowships on the island. We were able to renew friendships with all the folks we had met just a few weeks before during the children’s ministry training. Also, some of our wonderful pastor friends came over there, too, including the great Irish ex-patriot John Henry Corcoran who is now based in Costa Mesa California.

The conference itself was themed around the “Parables of the Kingdom of God” and 9 messages were given by all the Irish pastors as well as those who had traveled from America.  The result was a renewed closeness with the Lord.

The month ended on a high note with the visit of Dan and Deb Schell, Cindy’s oldest brother and his wife.  We all had a delightful time and of course, good ‘craic’.  It was nice to have them to ourselves in our own home. When the Schell family gathers there is always a flurry of activity and a lot of people around. Their visit with us this time resulted with a renewed and deepened relationship between brother and sister.

            So it was all about family this month.  We can see in our natural family an image of the family of God – we are brothers and sisters in the faith. God pours out His blessings on the family and in a variety of ways we received those blessings in this past month. We thank the Lord for the blessing of renewal in the family at home, the family of faith and the family on earth.          “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” 2Cor 4:16

Cindy, John Henry & Rick 

Dan and Deb by Belfast City Hall

Dan, Deb, Cindy & Rick

Visiting an old graveyard

Dan and Deb at Galgorm Castle

Hallelujah Party 2010

This year again Harvest held a Hallelujah Party as a Halloween alternative. There were a lot more people who came this year.  Rick shared the Gospel message through an object lesson. Everyone had a wonderful time as you can in the pictures below...


Everyone truly enjoyed the time and we are already looking forward to next years!

Kids guessing the quantities of goodies in the jars

Stick the leaf to the tree....way to go Little Bo Peep!!!

Let's go fishing....

Apple swing game...first to eat the apple wins...this was so funny...couples, kids and their parents..great fun

Cupcake Walk

Candle Making Craft Class

 Yesterday we attended a craft class in town, candle making.  I talked Rick into coming along, and because he is such a good sport...sure enough...he came!  We had such a good time, met lots of folks and each came home with a hand full of candles!  We wanted to do this in order to get out and meet people where we normally wouldn't.

One women in particular was great - Dominic, she is from France originally but has lived here in Ballymena for the last 21 years.  Dominic has two children, and we have invited her to come along to the Hallelujah Party the 30th October.  She teaches French at a local secondary school (high school) Ballymena Academy.  It's quite interesting, in the fact that she and her children actually live on the grounds of the school!  There are three homes on the grounds.  One is for the Head Master (Principal), another for the Grounds Keeper and the third I'm not sure who its for, but Dominic and her family love living there.  She said that she actually has 3 gardeners!

Rochella and Dominic

Rick had a lot of fun in the class
We all had a great time at the candle making class, and are very glad we took it, even Rick said so as well!!

Flowers - mine, Stripes, Ricks..pretty cool huh!!!

These are all the candles Cindy made.

Calvary Chapel Ireland Conference

This year the first, of a long awaited. All Ireland conference was held the first weekend in October. There were around 160 attendees in all. It was a wonderful time for all the Calvary Chapels in the Republic of Ireland and Harvest (the only CC in Northern Ireland) to come together and fellowship, get to know one another and to see all the children playing together. We drove down to the conference, arriving on Thursday, to help set up in any way needed. Jan Knight, one of the women from Harvest drove down with us.

On our way to the conference we stopped by a "High Cross", seen in the picture behind Cindy & Jan. This cross is around 1000 years old! Inscribed on this, and another located here, is the story of the Bible. Carvings beginning in creation through to the second coming of Christ...amazing to see these crosses. I Peter 1:25 says, "the Word of the Lord endures forever" is what comes to my mind.

Once we arrived to the conference, Rick and I were asked to oversee the camping and registration. So, camping we did....but this time....we stayed dry!! It did rain, but we were blessed with a new tent...a waterproof one!! We did have a wonderful time, and we were snug a bugs in a rug! (only 3 layers of sleeping bags and blankets :-)

This is the 'best' picture I was able to get this night...Ian is playing the Uluen (sp?) pipe, and Irish pipe, Siona, his fiancée is playing her violin, then there is Rebekah (Pastor William's wife) on her violin and Dave Sylvester from CC York came to lead worship. We were truly blessed with some great worship.

Rick and one of the men who are helping at CC Waterford, CJ from the States

John Henry is one of the teachers at the School of Ministry where Rick attended. We have a real special place in our hearts for John Henry - he is so much fun, always keeping a smile on your face!

Gwanyeboyie! Gwanyeboyie!

Some of the ladies at Moreland Close

Cindy and Margaret

Debbie enjoying a cup of tea with the folks at Moreland Close, Sally is sitting behind Debbie in the blue sweater, she is who stood and yelled "Go on ye boyie!" during the film - these folks are such dear, sweet people.

The movie was nearing the climax and a lad for the “good guys” had just
intercepted a pass and was streaking down the sideline for the end zone. As you
read these words, you, as one familiar with American football, understand exactly
what is happening. But this film was being shown to a group of senior citizens at
an active care retirement facility in our town of Ballymena. This was probably the
first exposure any of them had had to America’s favorite sport. However, we
realized that they did “get it” when one of the ladies in the back row jumped up
and cheered on our hero with an exuberant outburst of a well known Northern
Irish expression: “Go on ye boyie! Go on ye boyie!”

We were delighted that they were enjoying the film so much, as a regular
part of our ministry is reaching out to these dear folks with friendship evangelism.
Likewise, this joyous cheer reminds me of the encouragement I can receive from
the Lord. In those moments when I may feel down or discouraged, I recall
Scriptures such as Colossians 1:11 which says, “May you be strengthened with all
power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
giving thanks to the Father…” In other words, at these times, I hear God
whispering in my ear, “Go on ye boyie, go on.”

The Lord's Creative Time at CreationFest

Rick led morning devotions for us campers who were up bright and early.

Us in the camping office...working hard, can't you tell???

Rick, Desiree Uht, me and Janelle Uht - two girls we taught in Sunday school when they were just 'wee-ins'. The girls were at CreationFest serving in the children's ministry area with a team from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.

Rick, Eddie, Cindy, Chris and Dave - the Wren brothers, Chris and Dave worked with us in the camping office

You know the times I’m talking about – when we do things because we know it’s the right thing to do, yet we wonder if any real good can come out of it. I kind of thought CreationFest would be like that. CreationFest is a week-long Christian festival combining bands, Biblical teaching and youth and children’s activities. It is not your usual music fest; as I came to see it (and the way it was received by most everyone in attendance) it was a Christian festival done right.

CreationFest was sponsored by the Calvary Chapels of the UK and Ireland. It was free to attend and had camping at a nominal cost. While at the UK Pastors and Leaders Conference held in York, England at the start of July, Cindy and I were led to volunteer to head the camping when the need was broadcasted. Oh well, it’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary. But God… who always has surprises for us, used these two simple servants in amazing ways.

We were “stuck” in the camping office in the back corner of the festival site, but people were brought to us. The office had power outlets and word soon got out that portable devices could be charged there. Some would come in, they thought, just to charge their mobile phones and would engage in conversation and lo and behold, real ministry was happening in their lives. We prayed for their needs, gave counsel, encouraged and befriended them and saw the Lord move through us.

The peak experience came as we ended up leading a girl to faith in Christ! She, too, had just walked up to the office with a practical need to be met, but the Lord used us to meet the greatest need of all in her life. The CreationFest had as a primary goal – which was wonderfully met, to build up the body of Christ. But being a Calvary Chapel sponsored function, the gospel was frequently presented and 58 new members of the family of God were officially registered! Make that 59 with our new sister Judy.

Thanks for all your prayers during this time, we are so very grateful for you!!!

Rick and Cindy Johnston

Independence Day

Its funny how terms are used differently – and taken for granted as well. What is simply called "the Fourth of July" in America is known as "Independence Day" in the UK. It actually makes much more sense to call it that because it describes the reason for the holiday. It is the day Americans celebrate their freedom from being a colony of England to becoming an independent country. As you might imagine, we wondered how it is viewed by citizens of this province of the United Kingdom, but it is mostly accepted as a historical fact simply with curiosity as to how it is celebrated.

As Christians, we can recognize our own personal "independence day." Mine is on November the 8^th. That is the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and was forgiven by God of my sin. It was the day I was set free. It is a glorious freedom – freedom from the stain of sin, freedom from working to try to be "good enough" to make it to heaven, freedom to love. But the Apostle Paul makes an enigmatic statement about freedom in the first verse of Galatians chapter five: "[It is] for freedom that Christ has set us free." I get the "Christ has set us free" bit – he has set us free from the burdens and cravings of sin - but it is 'for freedom' to or for what? The context of the verse, however, is about salvation by grace through faith.

Paul continues on in the verse to say "stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Oh, I see, we can be-come entangled in the urges of the sinful nature and fall into bondage, imprisoned by evil lusts. That must be why he says later to "walk in the Spirit and you will not gratify the lusts of the flesh" (5:16) and also "having been set free from sin, you become slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:18). So, it is for freedom from guilt; for freedom from striving; for freedom from fear; for freedom from doubt and so on. This is a pretty good deal. So one more question remains: do you have your own independence day?

4th of July

Harvest held a 4th of July BBQ outreach at Justin & Melissa's home. They arrived in March from Tucson, AZ. Their current plan is to be here for 1 year, and then see how the Lord leads. The BBQ was a great success, 3 neighbors came over, and enjoyed the BBQ'd sausages and hamburgers. The weather was just right, it rained all weekend, until church ended on the 4th..then puffy white clouds, and lots of sunshine. The kids (big and small :) played in the jumpy house and kicked the football (soccer ball) around in the back yard. There was lots of great fellowship, and opened doors with their neighbors!

UK Pastors/Leaders Conference - 1 Year in Northern Ireland

It's been one year now that we have been in Northern Ireland and what a year it has been. God has shown us over and over, in subtle ways, how clearly it is His will for us to be here. To be in ministry for Him full time, with people that we enjoy, doing what we love and fulfills us so, is such a blessing. But God isn't finished working in us, either. One statement from the Pastor's conference has summed it up: "It's not the work that God is doing through you that matters, what is important is the work God is doing in you."

In this past year, the Lord has graciously provided perfect transportation for us and a wonderful house to live in. He even supplied a kitten to comfort and entertain us! He has opened doors of opportunity to minister to others through children's church and the retirement community at Moreland Close, as well as prison ministry and Christian ministry in the greater community.

But at the conference, in talking with Phil Twente, the missions pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, he said how difficult the first years are for those of us who have left the familiar and are serving in a different culture. The harsh reality is that there are difficulties and we are in a spiritual battle. We "fight the good fight of faith" with enemies within (our own sinful human nature) and enemies without – unseen enemies that are trying to confuse us and discourage us from following the course the Lord has laid before us.

Second Thessalonians 3:3 reminds us, "Yet the Lord is faithful [literally: utterly to be depended upon] and He will strengthen you and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil one."   Another encouraging message from God's word says to us in Philippians 1:6, also in the Amplified Bible, "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ – right up to the time of His return – developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." May the Lord Jesus keep working in us in the years ahead and even work through us!

 

1 Yr Anniversary in Northern Ireland

Wow, can you believe it!  We've been in Northern Ireland 1 year today!  We arrived June 11, 2009.
 
We are so blessed and are amazed how faithful the Lord has been.  Along with you, those who love, pray and support us...we couldn't be here with you, so we wanted to once again say, "Thank You"
 
 
We also have a prayer request for a few folks here, Stef and Cindy have Mono (Glandular Fever), and yesterday we found out that one of the other ladies, Gillian, may have come down with this as well...please be praying they will all recuperate quickly, and that it will not spread further.  Thanks so much!
 
 
God Bless YOU!
Rick and Cindy Johnston
 
"And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." Jer 3:15,

Harvest's First Day in New Building

The first Sunday for Harvest to be in the new church building happened to be one of the coldest days in recent decades! Unfortunately the building is unheated, so we have only a couple of space heaters mounted on the walls and a borrowed floor standing propane heater - and it ran out of gas. We had it running for two days straight, moving day and Sunday. The building is a warehouse type of facility located in an industrial estate (an "estate" is a term for a neighborhood). But it is in a good location with plenty of traffic. It is just up the road and around the bend from the county Motor Vehicle Department.

It is quite a nice move up for us. We moved from an upstairs building that was approx. 750 square feet to one on the ground floor that is 2800 square feet. And, yes, they still use imperial measurements here. It is a mixed use of the metric (centimetres, kilometres) and imperial (inches, feet, miles) in the UK. With all the snow lately, news broadcasts gave depths in centimetres first then inches. However, temperatures are in Centigrade and Cindy and I have to keep converting the Celcius to Fahrenheit .

The temperature in the building before service peaked at about 10 degrees Celcius, which is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. That was when there was still propane in the canister. By the time service was to begin, the propane had run out (we and Pastor William had arrived two hours before service was to begin to heat up the building and, uh oh, ended up using up the gas that remained!) So we decided to meet in the children's room which was toasty warm due to two floor standing heaters which had been running for two hours. The whole church squezed into the room and worshiped together, then Rick briefly shared with the children and William gave a (for him) brief message.

The video clip on this link is the fellowship after service. We always have a leisurely time of fellowship (and food, of course) after every service. The larger building affords a permenant area for fellowship and the chairs in the sanctuary area beyond it now don't have to be stacked up after each service. I think this setup creates a first impression when you walk in that really reflects what Harvest is all about. We are family gathering together in the Lord, and what do families do? We huddle together in the cold - and eat. :-) But families support one another, accept each other and build up one another. This is truly what the "building" of Harvest is about. It's not four walls and a roof, but a group of people in love with Jesus and desiring to see the other person grow stronger in the Lord. So even though the room was cold, there was still alot of warmth from each other.


Please pray for:

• Continued wisdom in effective use of funds for building improvements
• To be a place of light and ministry in the estate
• To grow - in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and in numbers as He wills