My own story about the reality of God in my life

Linda Currin

My parents always took me to church, and so from birth, I grew up listening to all the stories and words from the Bible. My upbringing was ingrained in every way with the morals and principles and very deeply entrenched principles of Church life, and the interpretations and confines the Word of God in that life. In our family of six we were born not too many years after the War, and so had little spare money but very hard working and disciplined parents who could make the very best of very little. Home grown and homemade were economical and healthy. So, although I was not aware of it, the principles of God’s Word were working all the time in my family, i.e. discipline, and ethical moral standards and a great respect for God and others produced a stability that is never really analysed, but none the less, does something in your own deeply ingrained ideas and lifestyle. So, I was ten years old when I really knew God nudging me one evening as I sat with the Girls Brigadiers at an evangelistic meeting in the Town Hall in my city of Hamilton, New Zealand. The only clear thought to me that night was, this is for the rest of your life!’
When God starts a work in an open heart, often we are unaware of how to hear Him, how He is leading and protecting and just exactly what He is doing, but many decisions I have made have come from a very strong in built ‘knowing’ that one way seemed more right than another. Nursing was one,wanting to be involved with missions of some sort or another, of wanting to work with people and make a difference in their lives, of having a great love and respect for the Word of God. As I dutifully read His Word and went to church and had a heart desire to be right with God, even when my rebelliousness was evident to many! Somehow in it all, I look back in hindsight, there was always this Knowing in my Knower, this way or that. Many times I did specially pray, and also many times I believe it was just as Paul says, ‘In HIM I live, and move and have my being ’wonderful! It’s like beingin His love, coming from NZ to England with 3 children aged 4, 6 and 8, was not such a difficult step because the certainty of the move, the amazing Word that started the journey to England, a word from Ezekiel that our neighbour came over with one day – ‘Prepare your stuff for removal…’ that Garry had just read the week before. The selling of our house without even a ‘For Sale’ board up, the provision of many things including a house offered to us in Birmingham before we had even left the country etc. All this was just part of that ‘being in the Way the Lord led us.’ It opened up to us and as we took another step, another door opened, and we took another step. In fact, it would have been almost difficult to stay, although I have to say that if I had known we would still be living here 25 years later I may not have been so willing! We have had some hard times, but we have seen some quite miraculous provisions.
Our first house in this country we bought 10 months after arriving, had no credit rating, no furniture, nothing apart from a couple of towels and a sheet and were looking to purchase a detached, 3 bed roomed, un-modernised house in Coventry that nobody could value since it was a deceased estate with a boarded up corner shop attached. I had forgotten at that stage I had dreamt many months earlier that we were living in a house linked to a shop.needed 100% mortgage, which the estate agent told us we would never get and as we prayed outside the Halifax office, we went in believing for a miracle. And that is what happened – this very patriotic Englishman chatted about his country and we enthused greatly since we loved living in the UK and he offered us the whole amount! We accepted. That is just one of our stories, and we felt our cup was running over.
So, in a nutshell, I am telling you what Jesus has done for ME. He has never failed His Word; never once gone back on any of His promises to me, and to my family. We have been tested, stretched and gone through uncomfortable, distressing and very painful times and have hung on by our fingernails to promises we could not see, but I can honestly say, He is Faithful who has called us, and we walk on…Glory!

What’s going on with the Youth?

There’s an active schedule for 11 to 18 year olds here at the Church!

Sunday Morning…

There is a session called ‘Teenage Group’ for 11 – 14 year olds on a Sunday morning at The Coton Centre from 11:00am till 12:00pm.
Then each Friday night in term time, from 7.30 – 9.30pm, we have our youth event called ‘mettle’ for 11 to 18’s.

Friday Nights…

‘mettle’ is an engaging platform for young people, aims to develop their understanding of Christian values, and see young people fulfilled. There are 3 strands:

• Wildcard nights (these focus on people chilling out and being socially active as a group)
• Hot Potato nights (these focus on interaction and discussion)
• Core Session nights (these are for being challenged by the Word)

When you turn up to mettle and are registered, people are split into the age groups of 11 – 14’s or 15 – 18’s (apart from Wildcard nights when we are all together). Each night has a theme, such as crime, mission, or peer pressure. As a start, we’ll use Ice Breakers and Activities to engage with the theme, which are quite fun, and talk about the topic at hand, how that affects us in our culture, through discussions and what the Bible says. The nights are interspersed with practical applications which are really exciting!!!

The nights are really fun! There’s a team at the Church that work with the young people who are committed to seeing the young people develop.

Each week, a ‘Youth Email’ is sent out to everyone on the ‘Youth Email List’. It contains information on what is happening with the young people and is an effective method of keeping on top of things. If you would like to receive the Youth Email, please contact Matt Brinkley (below) who will happily send you the emails!

Saturdays once a month…

Throughout the town here in Tamworth, a number of Churches have gathered together to organise an Inter-Church Youth event. Encounter is a Youth worship event for 13 to 21 year olds in Tamworth. Head over to www.tamworthencounter.org.uk to find out more!

Watch…

A while ago, a handful of us got together and made a short film about ‘Esther and the Beauty Treatment’…

http://www.vimeo.com/7266098

For more information about any of the youth events, please contact Matt Brinkley.

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Click here to see a calendar of current events at the centre

Listen to Sunday Morning Sermons

Each Monday, the Sunday morning message at Coton Green Church is published on the website. You can listen to them week by week by going to the front page and clicking the play button as highlighted below.

Alternatively, you can also subscribe to our Sermon Podcast in iTunes. You can find the link by clicking here.

11 to 18’s: ‘mettle’ Youth Event

Once again: mettle excitingly makes another appearance in our schedule this Friday.

‘mettle‘ is a youth event for 11 – 18 year olds held at The Coton Centre each Friday. The aim of it is to engage youth interactively into thinking about their lives according to the Word and to see young people built up in discipleship and healthy friendships. There’s also loads of space for fun and action, as the busy program is interspersed with ‘Wildcard Nights’: a space for good social development.

This particular Friday, the theme for the ice-breakers, activities, games, discussions and scriptures are all based around the theme of ‘How to be a Disciple’ of Jesus. The Youth Team (who put lots of effort into preparing) at the Church looks forward each week to spending quality time with the young people at The Coton Centre each week – if you’ve never come before, maybe this Friday will be your first time!

mettle this Friday promises to be a fantastic night. Please come along at 7.30pm till 9.30pm – and with parents if they would like to see what goes on. Costs £1!

For any more information, please contact the Youth Leader, Matt Brinkley: 07729405347 or mattb@cotongreenchurch.com