Christmas Gathering at Painswick

As you may know Roger has been working on behalf of the West of England Baptist Association during the past nine months. This required actioning a visitation programme in the well-to-do area of Painswick, Gloucester.If you receive the CEM magazine you would have read that its proved to be a difficult area to make any substantial progress in planting a Church. However, Roger has persevered and decided it would be appropriate to have a house Christmas Party to encourage awareness that the intention is to develop a "Fresh Expressions" or "Emerging Church" community group.

The response to the selective invites was very positive with some twenty people attending. Roger engaged with Brian, his able team member, the people assembled in both single and group discussion. All this amongst the beautifully decorated venue, with excellent Christmas music and sumptuous food which made for a very worthwhile and entertaining evening.

We look forward with a great measure of optimism that new people from this event will swell our numbers in the new year. Giving us lift off to a new community group which will allow people to explore their lives and understand more fully the message of Jesus Christ and his impact on our world.

Trustees initiate Volunteer Team.

Cutting Edge Ministries have always had the services of volunteers helping out the missioners with their work over many years. This invariably has come about through CEM working in a particular church or area which in due course, created interest from members of particular congregations to join with CEM`s wider ministry.

Recently the board of CEM Trustees decided it was necessary to recognise and include
all volunteers bringing them into a more intimate relationship with CEM, to achieve a greater sense of support and belonging. It was widely felt that all volunteers had been under valued and their voice of experience had not been heard.

Plans were made for meetings to take place where area trustees, a missioner and volunteers could meet on a regular bases to support and plan CEM`s ministry work. The picture here shows Rev Ken Davies. Trustee, with Roger and volunteers Brian and Brigite, Fran and Steve.

A further meeting will take place in September.

Visuals from joint CEM and Nexus Mission.

Roger on Mission with Nexus (on View)

For the second year running CEM with Nexus embarked on a joint mission at Beaufort School in Gloucester. A school with a strong Christian presence due to many of the teaching staff being Christians. The head teacher allowed us the opportunity to teach not only music but in addition R.E. lessons. The week was climaxed by three concerts, two in the afternoon and a third during the evening for the general public. All were a great success, with particularly the evening event which was evangelistic, with lots of Christian literature being distributed.
The picture here shows the the Nexus team in action as they perform secular and Christian music to the applause of the audience.

We look forward to a repeat mission next year which has proved to be a high profile event that enables the students not only to enjoy the subjects but educates in very relevant ways.

A short DVD has been produced for any who would like a copy. Price £3
Roger Leigh

Call to Higher Ground

This Easter saw Paul and Alistair again gather predawn with some hardy souls for a march up to the summit of Glastonbury Tor. Scripture was read out along the way. The observance to glorify the risen Christ at this unique and profound location has become a perennial event and is as much an evangelistic opportunity as a traditional high point. As more people filtered up to the ancient tower of St. Michael the hymns "Before the Throne" and "In Christ Alone" were sung with fervour as the sun came up. Paul gave an address. It was interesting to see a line of bleary eyed people pop their heads out of mummy style sleeping bags roused by the celebration. Upon finishing their heads submerged again. Did they ponder the challenging message delivered, or just drift back into a catatonic state? Will one or two that morn be raised to the resurrection of the blest or the alternate? This, of course, goes for most of our work in the Gospel; we sow seeds through the Word commend to God's Spirit the outcome. Sometimes, just sometimes, one gets to hear and rejoice in how effectual some encounter became. Paul meets many people in Glastonbury throughout the seasons on spiritual quests/journeys, often from overseas. It seems each year there is usually someone who seeks him out for further consultation bringing them closer to knowing/trusting in Christ. The Medieval Chapel where Paul usually holds services is undergoing renovation so we pray that the closure for work will not be protracted.

Blog Log: West to East

Paul and Carol had not visited family and church supporters of their ministry in the Eastern United States for some time, so flying west to do so was deemed overdue. This included travel between Tennessee and Ohio to address the large congregation in New Carlisle. The updates they gave were in the format of a panel interview for two services. Many congregants afterward were enthusiastic about what they heard and stuck around afterwards to ask more in-depth questions about the spiritual scene in the UK and CEM strategies employed. As with their previous visit to their sending church in Oregon, a genuine wave of Christian affinity and affection, with promises of intentional prayer reinforcement, was a powerful blessing. After returning to Somerset Rowena and Nigel Steady, Dave Nesbitt and others (above) helped Paul & Carol put a Celtic Christian Worship event at Bagley Church near Wedmore that covered a spectrum from rousing to reflective. The Saturday afternoon time slot was experimental and produced a 40 person response. They gave a ride afterward to a pagan seeker of all things Celtic who walked many miles to attend. He said it was as if God had directed him there. Paul feels this sort of service, i.e. contrasting worship moods with message, but all naturally focused on celebrating the Gospel, is what churches in Somerset need to offer. At the moment most fall into the categories of either stand up/sit down formal in antique edifices, or happy/clappy informal in uninspiring gymn-like facilities. It has to be admitted, however, that although the Bagley venue is modern, it boasts magnificent views over the Levels to the sea which add positively to the experience. It is believed that a repeat of this outreach can benefit from alternate window of time (that does not compete with a typical Sunday service of course). Also enhanced sign posting if so rural a location is opted for again.

Roger sharing currant news at WEBA meeting.

Roger was invited by the powers that be to speak about his Painswick, CEM project that is under the oversight of West of England Baptist Association. Regional Ministers Nigel Coles and Alistair Longwell enlisted Roger with his new colleague Brian Niblette to plant a "new expressions" of Church to replace the existing Painswick baptist Church, which had recently closed its doors for the last time. Roger was given the opportunity to speak at Brunswick Baptist Church, Gloucester for the purpose of explaining the recent ministry developments CEM had created which WEBA had become aware. This resulted in Roger being invited to represent them in the Painswick area by working to plant a Church Community Group able to face the challenges of modeling different ways of being and doing Church.

Speaking to Church Leaders from across the Midlands, Roger shared in the strategies he has repeatedly adopted in reaching people who had interest in spiritual matters but know interest in attending Church. Rogers door-to-door work, and the process of creating subsequent community groups,caused a great deal of interest from other Evangelists as well as Ministers who were keen to speak with him afterwards.
Roger said, "it was good to see this kind of openness by the local Baptist Churches in wanting to receive news of this kind, to enable their understanding of particular ways they could adopt for their outreach programmes."

OUR MORE DETAILED NEWS LETTER WILL BE WITH YOU NEXT MONTH.

CEM and Nexus..... Plans for Future Mission.

The Christian Music College Nexus, sent staff member Anthony Hippsley and second year student leader Joel Rhys Davies, to visit Roger recently to plan a schools mission for May 2011. You may remember Nexus and CEM, got together last year and it proved a pleasing success with ten young people finding Christ.

The plans for this year is again to visit Beaufort Comprehensive School, here in Gloucester but to hold the week long event in the school building. This will mean that the Saturday climatic evangelistic event will take place in the school, rather than last year in a local church building. Lessons in music and religious studies along with daily school assemblies will be the programme for the week reaching 1600 students. The fun side of the mission will come through the organising of a "X Factor" competition during lunch hours. In addition, a short twenty minute Nexus music concert, each day after school, will take place just to wet the appetite for the young people to attend the Saturday night concert.

CEM`s relationship with Nexus based in Coventry, developed through Roger`s son Nathan being a student there for two years. In fact you may remember the story in the "On the Edge" magazine last year.
Roger says, "the Nexus Music Team, has a great deal of STREET CRED with the students. Young people with the gift of performing music can at all times get on to the level of school children on occasions such as these. So that's pray the Lord will use this significant event to reach these youngsters with the powerful truth of His Gospel."

We all say "AMEN" to that!
Roger will oversee the event from beginning to end.

Living on the Cutting Edge

The recent conversations with the West of England baptist Association, and the subsequent agreement for Cutting Edge Ministries to pioneer a church plant in the Painswick area near Stroud, from the 1st February, is about to commence. Brian Nimblette, (see picture) and myself, have agree to represent the Baptist Church in working towards creating a "new expressions" type church in a predominately middle to upper class area. That means we are going out into the community to listen to what people have to say about church and how they would like to see something new develop? Both Brian and I have have acquired a great deal of experience in this area. You know about me and what I have been doing over recent years, but Brian comes from a different background yet the Lord has spoken to him in a very similar fashion! Born in London Brian spent ten years in the Yemen with WEC, then returning 18months ago to finish his Masters Degree, and to allow his teenage daughter to continue her education in England. Brian and his Swiss wife Brigitte, came to Farmhill Church one Sunday morning when I was taking the service. In talking with him afterwards, Brian started to come to the Thursday group realising what I was doing fell completely in line with what he and a small number of missioners were doing in the Yemen. This has now developed into Brian joining CEM as a volunteer missioner, while he seeks the Lord for his ministry future. This of course could be with CEM?

Our remit from WEBA is to bring into being under their banner a community group who will effect their immediate community through friendship, goodworks and spiritual guidance in that order. How this will look in one years time we will leave to God? It will be a challenge that will take us on to the cutting edge, which is how we like it!

So please include us both in your prayers as we will be starting from nothing.

Roger

Cutting Edge Ministries New Year Dinner 2011

Fifty people all from the Gloucester area met at Redcliffe College for the CEM, New Year dinner evening on Saturday 22nd January. An occasion which proved to be a very pleasant evening with wonderful company, good food, enjoyable music, story telling and a Morcombe and Wise sketch. The music was supplied by a Christian group from Coventry called "Fiction Fight." This group however included two young men from Gloucester, Chris Donald, son of our past Chairman Dr Ian Donald, on lead guitar and Nathan Leigh my son on keyboards. Nathan also performed a solo medley which was appreciated by all present. The story telling came from our two Glastonbury missioners Paul and Alistair. Regarding the Eric and Ernie sketch, Alex (third from the left in the picture opposite), Nathan and myself put our own interpretation on the Andra Previn sketch. it was fun to do! apart from the blunders which caused people to laugh even more at our inadequacy!

It was very encouraging to have a Trustee and her husband from a newly supporting trust situated in Bristol as our guests, alongside many folk who have supported us from the first days of our existence back in 1994. Fiction Fight, Nathan second from right.

The four course meal which was provided by an outside restaurateur in Gloucester, was well received by all present.

In short a good evening was had by all, including the fellowship of meeting folk who we do not see too often.

Mr & Mrs Derek Sweet. Chairman, (facing) speaking with our special guests.

We now look forward to 2011 to see what the LORD has in store for us in the coming ministry.

Roger.