Sorry again for being incommunicado over the last while.
I find that as these trips progress, and especially if we are traveling (as we were last week) it gets harder and harder to keep up with all that we're doing. Since we didn't have reliable access to the Internet for about a week while we were "down country", I didn't get any blogging done and then, as with other trips, by the time we're back to Dublin, there is so much to tell that it is overwhelming to try and recap it all.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
We finished up in Cork in good order, having met with contacts, old and new, as well as conducting our workshop at Grace, which went very well. Michael O'Donovan, the Worship Pastor has asked us to come back again and do an intensive with their key worship leaders.
Our new contacts made in County Kerry were very worthwhile. We met with the key leader of Listowel Christian Fellowship and an American missionary who works with him. It seems that they are at a crucial point in their church's development wherein they need some help in the area of worship. We plan to return on our next trip to see what we can do in that endeavor. We also met with another leader from that same fellowship who in full-time ministry. He divides his time between several concerns, including, among other things, Focus-on-the-Family, Evangelical Alliance Ireland (EAI) and the church in Listowel. I think he will pan out to be a strategic contact to have.
We returned to Dublin on Friday. Since then we led worship at City Gates Church and have had "bits and pieces" of business and personal things that demanded our attention.
Today we drove up to Dundalk (about half-way to Belfast) to meet David Porter, who we were with the first weekend here, to discuss ongoing issues being faced in the area of worship at his church.
We have meetings the next couple of days and then a rather comprehensive workshop with worship team members from the three Trinity congregations in Dublin.
Then it's back to Florida (and the heat - yuck) on Monday.
I'll be sharing some of my impressions, reflections, ruminations, etc. over the next while, so stay tuned...
Oct 10, 2007
Sep 30, 2007
Wow, a whole week and nary a word
Sorry for the lack of keeping up. It's been a really busy week and unfortunately I don't have a lot of time right now to fill in all the details or post any images.
We are now in Blarney, which is near Cork. We've a had a few meetings here so far and went to church at Grace Fellowship this morning. We'll be at Grace again tomorrow night conducting our second workshop for their worship team, the first being in January.
We have another meeting Tuesday with a new contact in Cork before we head out west to County Kerry where we'll be meeting with a couple of other new contacts. Yea! We have been hoping that tings would open up for us in that part of the country and now it seems they have.
Yesterday was really our first true day off since we've been in Ireland so we took advantage of it and did a little sight-seeing.
More details and pics to come soon!
We are now in Blarney, which is near Cork. We've a had a few meetings here so far and went to church at Grace Fellowship this morning. We'll be at Grace again tomorrow night conducting our second workshop for their worship team, the first being in January.
We have another meeting Tuesday with a new contact in Cork before we head out west to County Kerry where we'll be meeting with a couple of other new contacts. Yea! We have been hoping that tings would open up for us in that part of the country and now it seems they have.
Yesterday was really our first true day off since we've been in Ireland so we took advantage of it and did a little sight-seeing.
More details and pics to come soon!
Sep 22, 2007
Seem like old friends
Two-and-a-half years ago we made a trip to Dublin. It was our first ministry trip.
While in Ireland, we met a fellow GEM missionary (and former GEM Ireland team member), Durand Robinson, who had come over from Germany. We really hit it off with him and found many common experiences and interests.
This past March, Durand and his wife Ruth were in the US and stayed with us overnight. Once again, we really hit it off with Ruth as we had with Durand two years previous.
In the mean time, they have moved back to Ireland.
So now, in the past week we have been to Durand and Ruth's house twice and it just feels like we've known them forever.
Just another way that God is knitting our hearts to Ireland.
While in Ireland, we met a fellow GEM missionary (and former GEM Ireland team member), Durand Robinson, who had come over from Germany. We really hit it off with him and found many common experiences and interests.
This past March, Durand and his wife Ruth were in the US and stayed with us overnight. Once again, we really hit it off with Ruth as we had with Durand two years previous.
In the mean time, they have moved back to Ireland.
So now, in the past week we have been to Durand and Ruth's house twice and it just feels like we've known them forever.
Just another way that God is knitting our hearts to Ireland.
One down, a bunch to go
Today was our first workshop of the trip at Swords Baptist. This is our third workshop that we've done for Rory McDonald and his worship team members. We focused on the role of the Holy Spirit in worship leading, both in the planning and "in the moment".
It's interesting that there was slim turnout, but it seemed that the Lord hand-picked who should be there. I think that given the subject matter, having the key people in the worship ministry (which is who showed up) was perfect, as we dealt mainly with the subject from the perspective of the one "in charge".
Rory and his wife Mindy have been such gracious hosts (did I already say this?) and we have been so blessed by their hospitality to put us up all this week and on through this coming Friday.
Yesterday we had a GEM Ireland meeting. It was good to see everyone again and get caught up with what's been going on and where things are heading. The surprise was that Tim Garrett was there. Who is Tim Garrett? He and his family lived in Greensburg, KS, (which is located 30 miles from my hometown, Pratt) when it was flattened by a Cat. 5 Tornado in May. We have been in contact with him and tried to work out meeting them when we were there in July. But instead we meet in Ireland. Weird.
We then had to drive to Laragh, out in the Wicklow mountains a ways south of the city, to set up our sound system for a symposium sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance Ireland. It was a nice drive. There we happened to meet a guy from out west that we had been in contact with and had been trying to get together with since January. We'll be having lunch with him and his wife in a fortnight (two weeks) in Adare, Co. Limerick.
Last night we watched our first Rugby match (on TV). Unfortunately France trounced Ireland in the run for the World Cup. Neither of us are big sports people, but I rather enjoyed it and realize also that to survive in Ireland, I've got to keep up with not only rugby, but football (soccer) and Gaelic Football as well. So last night was a good start.
Tomorrow we're off to Clondalkin on the west side of Dublin to New Life Christian Community Church. It should be a good day as we attend church in the morning, have lunch with the Carrolls (Michael and his wife Trish oversee the worship ministry) and then spend the afternoon with their daughter Rebecca who is leading worship for the second time tomorrow.
This week we have a whole slew of meetings slated, so it should prove to keep us busy.
On the philosophical side of things...
So far this trip has been about encouragement, both for us and through us. While we have had our share of unexpected... uh... surprises, shall we say... we have also been greatly encouraged by so many that we've met with. God is doing something and it's exciting to be a part of it. At the same time, we've been given many opportunities to be the encouragers.
Quite fun and challenging.
It's interesting that there was slim turnout, but it seemed that the Lord hand-picked who should be there. I think that given the subject matter, having the key people in the worship ministry (which is who showed up) was perfect, as we dealt mainly with the subject from the perspective of the one "in charge".
Rory and his wife Mindy have been such gracious hosts (did I already say this?) and we have been so blessed by their hospitality to put us up all this week and on through this coming Friday.
Yesterday we had a GEM Ireland meeting. It was good to see everyone again and get caught up with what's been going on and where things are heading. The surprise was that Tim Garrett was there. Who is Tim Garrett? He and his family lived in Greensburg, KS, (which is located 30 miles from my hometown, Pratt) when it was flattened by a Cat. 5 Tornado in May. We have been in contact with him and tried to work out meeting them when we were there in July. But instead we meet in Ireland. Weird.
We then had to drive to Laragh, out in the Wicklow mountains a ways south of the city, to set up our sound system for a symposium sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance Ireland. It was a nice drive. There we happened to meet a guy from out west that we had been in contact with and had been trying to get together with since January. We'll be having lunch with him and his wife in a fortnight (two weeks) in Adare, Co. Limerick.
Last night we watched our first Rugby match (on TV). Unfortunately France trounced Ireland in the run for the World Cup. Neither of us are big sports people, but I rather enjoyed it and realize also that to survive in Ireland, I've got to keep up with not only rugby, but football (soccer) and Gaelic Football as well. So last night was a good start.
Tomorrow we're off to Clondalkin on the west side of Dublin to New Life Christian Community Church. It should be a good day as we attend church in the morning, have lunch with the Carrolls (Michael and his wife Trish oversee the worship ministry) and then spend the afternoon with their daughter Rebecca who is leading worship for the second time tomorrow.
This week we have a whole slew of meetings slated, so it should prove to keep us busy.
On the philosophical side of things...
So far this trip has been about encouragement, both for us and through us. While we have had our share of unexpected... uh... surprises, shall we say... we have also been greatly encouraged by so many that we've met with. God is doing something and it's exciting to be a part of it. At the same time, we've been given many opportunities to be the encouragers.
Quite fun and challenging.
Sep 20, 2007
Good day, bad cold
Our meetings today went really well. It was All-American day. We left out this morning to take the train into the city and met with Rebecca Pfortmiller who is an American who was hired 7 months ago to as worship leader at St. Marks, a very Irish church in Dublin.
Then later we met with Jim and Laura Pettit, a couple from Chattanooga who are over exploring the possibility of becoming missionaries in Ireland. They are considering a couple of different organizations to hok up with. He is a musician and she an artist, looking to work in the arts should it work out for them to come. Through them there are possible connections for our work as well.
Both meetings were encouraging and we look forward to possibility of working with either or both. In fact, we may be helping Rebecca with St. Marks' sound system while we're here.
Then we had a new experience -- the Dublin bus. Fortunately we were able to take one bus from the City Centre to within two short blocks of where we're staying in Swords. We sat in the front (well, second row) on the top level of the double-decker. Rather thrilling at times -- especially when the bus appeared to swallow a bike rider, then a small car!
The only bummer today is that I have a cold coming on strong. Been consuming the vitamins and trying to stay hydrated.
Okay, one other bummer. We're trying to open a bank account here and expected to have it accomplished today after beginning the process in April, but we never heard back from the bank and we may not be able to get it done tomorrow as we probably won't have a chance to get into the City Centre.
Maybe Monday.
Then later we met with Jim and Laura Pettit, a couple from Chattanooga who are over exploring the possibility of becoming missionaries in Ireland. They are considering a couple of different organizations to hok up with. He is a musician and she an artist, looking to work in the arts should it work out for them to come. Through them there are possible connections for our work as well.
Both meetings were encouraging and we look forward to possibility of working with either or both. In fact, we may be helping Rebecca with St. Marks' sound system while we're here.
Then we had a new experience -- the Dublin bus. Fortunately we were able to take one bus from the City Centre to within two short blocks of where we're staying in Swords. We sat in the front (well, second row) on the top level of the double-decker. Rather thrilling at times -- especially when the bus appeared to swallow a bike rider, then a small car!
The only bummer today is that I have a cold coming on strong. Been consuming the vitamins and trying to stay hydrated.
Okay, one other bummer. We're trying to open a bank account here and expected to have it accomplished today after beginning the process in April, but we never heard back from the bank and we may not be able to get it done tomorrow as we probably won't have a chance to get into the City Centre.
Maybe Monday.
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