Distinct Reflections

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New blog for new adventure

It’s all change in the Brighton household this year. Not least because, after 11 years as Senior Minister of Poynton Baptist Church, Neil is stepping down.

By September both our children will (we hope) be studying at University and we (Lori and Neil) will become mission volunteers with BMS: world mission. For the next two years we are going to assist the work that BMS are involved with in Iquitos and Nauta, Peru.

A large part of the work we are going to do is connected with the Nauta training centre which Neil has been involved with since it’s inception. We are really looking forward to working with others from Peru as we develop the training course and building links with other mission personnel in Nauta and the rivers.

Our plan is to spend two thirds of our time in Nauta. Some of the rest of the time will be in the UK, both to support our children but also to work on training materials for the centre. And the rest of the time? Who knows, we are open to whatever doors God might open, though we will need to give some time to raising funds for our work in Peru.

There are lots of things to sort out over these next few months as we aim to ‘leave well’ our roles in Poynton Baptist, to organise somewhere to live both in the UK and in Nauta and keep trying to work on our Spanish.

To help us do this we've moved the blog to a new platform and given it a makeover. So to keep up with our news please go over to the new blog at distinctreflections.net

Iquitos bound

Checked in online- hold luggage still overweight; yes, I’m off to Iquitos again. However, this time I’m bringing a small team from the church in Poynton. Whilst most of my time will be spend preaching and teaching they are going to be involved with children and youth work, basic hygiene and generally getting stuck into serving the people there.

On Sunday I’m preaching at Antioquia Baptist Church in Iquitos before we head up to Nauta. Nauta is a small town about 100kms from Iquitos (the two are joined by the only road in the region as Iquitos is not accessible to the outside world except by boat or air) and is the launch point for a number of river boats. Nauta is also where the BMS supported training centre is based.

From Nauta we are then spending a few days up river, visiting villages around Santa Rita where we are sharing about the work of the training centre. I’m really pleased to be involved in this: it comes from a partnership between the training centre and JungleMasters, a US based mission, whereby they are encouraging (and paying for) the leaders of the churches they have been working with to train with us in Nauta. Historically there hasn’t always been much cooperation between church groups (nor foreign missions) in the region so it is great to see relationships being formed.

The second week will be based at the training centre in Nauta. Most of my teaching is based on Mark’s gospel, but also includes Revelation and Christian Ethics. The challenge is helping pastors who have little formal education, and no access to books, get to grips with the Biblical text and think how to apply their knowledge in preaching and leadership. Each time I go I think we’ve not yet got the mix right.  Each time the balance of people on the course changes; their home community (the city like Iquitos or a river community like Santa Rita) affects their experience of education and their training needs. However, the feedback from those who come each time is positive and they keep coming back for more so we are clearly being of some help.

Taking a team is, for me, a new experience. The main thing being the sense of responsibility for their preparation and welfare. I’ve just got used to getting on a plane and going with the flow so it is a good discipline having to answer questions and see what assumptions people have. The fun part will be that whatever plans we may have the reality will be different. Last year saw me baptise 6 people in the river - an unexpected priviledge. Who knows what this visit may bring?

Internet in Nauta is limited so updates will probably have to wait for my return.