Dear Family and Friends
Can you believe 2021 is almost over? This past week my iPhone did an update and one of the first things that popped up after it restarted was a review of the photos I had taken throughout the year. It’s hard to believe how so much has happened in a year where we still had Covid restrictions and faced so many challenges. I couldn’t believe how many special moments happened over the past 11 months.
One of my big highlights from this year is my move to Slough. After being in our West Kensington Congregation for 17 years, it was a huge move for me emotionally and physically. I have developed so many amazing friendships and family relationships in West Ken, so saying goodbye was very difficult, BUT our Slough congregation has been so welcoming and has immediately embraced me as family in such a very short time. I’ve been preaching on Sundays, teaching at our Follow Courses, leading and mentoring youth, overseeing our Connect Groups and so much more, so it actually feels like I’ve been in Slough for years instead of months! God has done such a quick work in making me feel at home.
On the downside, at the beginning of the year our Slough congregation lost a few family members to Covid and to cancer. I also experienced a personal loss of my 'Tio' passing away in April. In many ways you could say it’s been a year of incredible highs but also a year of mourning by not only losing loved ones but also moving to Slough. It’s interesting how change can bring up so many emotions isn’t it? I love how in God’s perfect timing, that our 3 congregations all recently went through a series on Well-being. The series spoke to us about our physical bodies, our emotions, our relationships and so much more. It ministered to so many of us in every area of our lives.
I didn’t know it at the time, but this series also set me up for the next few months. Here in the UK, we have a policy that our Every Nation staff take a time of sabbatical every 7 years. My next sabbatical is actually supposed to take place in 2022, but because Slough’s current pastors will be planting a new church in Cardiff next year, we decided a few weeks ago that I should actually take my sabbatical now so I could be around to help with any transitions needed in Slough in the new year.
It was a very quick decision, but we all felt like it was God’s timing for me to take a time of rest now to get ready for all that He has for me in 2022! A perfect time to focus even more on my own well-being. So, a few days ago, I hopped on a plane to Marseille where I have been blessed to be able to stay with a friend over the next 2 months to take sabbatical.
I know the timing of my sabbatical will come as a surprise to you as much as it did for me – but I also pray that you will be excited for me as I am now, to be able to take this time to rest, have some fun and take in everything God has for me to get ready for this next season!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and your financial support in 2021 – I could NOT have got through this year without you. You have not only been a blessing to me but to so many here in Europe and beyond as you have enabled me to do ministry here.
Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Blessings
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
A lot has happened over the past 6 weeks! At the beginning of October I taught on our last session of our Follow One Course on God’s Gifts of Grace. It’s been such a blessing getting to know more people in Slough as they’ve grown on this 4 week course on the Father Heart of God.
Our Every Nation Slough congregation was planted over 10 years ago from our West Kensington congregation and since then, EN Slough has been sowing into other areas of the UK and also the world. The original church planters for Slough now pastor our EN church in Gent, Belgium. Also, EN Slough has been a significant part in a recent church plant in Kampala, Uganda. In recent years there have been 2 outreaches developing in other areas of the UK from people who have been connected to our congregation. One is in Swindon and it’s surrounding areas. I recently took a trip there to encourage a small group that has started meeting there on a regular basis. We are waiting to see what God’s plans are for this outreach.
The following weekend I went to visit another outreach that is turning into a church plant! Huntingdon is located just outside of Cambridge and they will soon be moving into their first venue in January. I spent the weekend with a group of 9 leaders training them to become small group leaders. Unfortunately we were so focused on the training and spending time together that we forgot to take a picture. Stay tuned for pictures in the coming year as I am sure I will be visiting again.
For the past few months our London churches have been doing a series on Well Being. I think it’s such a significant time for the world to really look at how we are REALLY doing in every area of our lives. On 17 October, I had the privilege of preaching on the topic of Relational Well Being. You can check out the sermon here on our YouTube channel.
At the end of October I headed to France for a much needed 2 week holiday with one of the Europe ladies that I have mentioned to you about in my previous letters. (Fiona, one of the pastors in our EN Marseille church) With everything that has been happening over the past 2 years, I must say God blessed me with the most relaxing holiday ever. He is so good.
From France, I took the train to Gent, Belgium to join our Evangelism Summit where 17 nations took part in a week of training and activation on evangelism. I also got to spend some time with two other ladies I meet with in Europe. Cece is the Executive Pastor in our EN Gent church and Aoife is a pastor in our EN Dublin church. Love walking with these ladies and others across Europe!
The Evangelism Summit was an incredible time of seeing people stirred up to reach their cities across Europe. We went onto some of the university campuses in Gent and it was the first time some of the people attending the summit ever talked to someone about Jesus. It was like starting a fire for many of them and we are already hearing stories of people sharing their faith and leading others to Christ just in the past few days since they have left the conference! Here are a few pictures from the week.
Thank you so much for all of your prayers. You have no idea how much they are helping me. Thank you for all that you do!
Blessings
Traci
Dear Family and Friends
September is always a start of new things here in the UK. Our schools and universities started their new academic year and it’s also a time where we as a church relaunch our Connect Groups and Follow Courses after our Summer Break.
I have recently taken over leading our Connect Group Ministry here in Slough, so I am looking forward to seeing what God is going to do in our groups this season. I will also be teaching on our Follow One course. This course not only teaches about the Father Heart of God, but it is also one of the first things new people get plugged into when they come to our church so it’s a great opportunity to build new relationships.
At the end of September we had our first Counter Culture Youth Event in PERSON since all of our lockdowns. It was so amazing to see 55 teens gather from across London for a night of games, worship and time with God. They were so excited to be together and from the start we could see new relationships being built.
In last month’s newsletter I mentioned our Counter Culture Youth Camp and showed you one of the pictures. Here is a picture of all of us from the older teens camp as well as a highlight video.
As I continue to do ministry in Slough, I am also continuing to connect with many of the ladies who are leading in our Every Nation Churches across Europe as well as preaching this past Thursday to a group of ladies in our Every Nation Nepal Church. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture to share with you, but it was so exciting to connect with these ladies who are all first-generation Christians in their families!
Thank you for being a part of making all of this happen through your prayers and support! You are reaching the nations and generations of people!
Please continue praying for my financial team to grow. This move to Slough has brought on a lot more expenses than I had in London. God is so faithful in His provision, and I know He will provide more people to join our team.
Have a wonderful October!
Blessings
Traci