Northeast Celebration USA

By Lissie Cooley

Christ the King Church, Rochester, NH

USA

For the Newfrontiers USA churches of the Northeast, the weekend of 21–23 July was a celebration indeed. People from eight churches gathered just outside of Boston, Massachusetts to worship God, hear from Him and be with each other.

With Tommy Stanley (Lee’s Summit, USA) leading worship, Ian Ashby (Portsmouth, USA) facilitating and the Holy Spirit in charge, we were called to hoist our sails and catch His wind. Did the Spirit blow? You decide. Worship flowed from exuberant to profound and back again. Evocative prophetic words about God's enclosing, relentless love and purposes for us came out. God is writing our stories as we choose Him and He knows the worldwide, eternal plot that we fit into as we respond to Him in faith.

Teachings followed suit. Colin Baron (Manchester, UK) spoke on perspective, using the story of Joshua. When we encounter challenges similar to crossing the Jordan, we need to remember that only God is able to overcome; we must require His presence. Only a Big God can help us plant churches in places like the Big Apple. John Lanferman (St Louis, USA) taught from the story of Elijah, whom God called out of his cave of unmet expectations into fellowship with Elisha, and His purposes for him. Similarly, we need to come out of caves of our own making into the community of the church and finish the race. Finally, Terry Virgo spoke about not being a people that simply gather around a fading memory of what it used to be like to be with Jesus, but being a people who are actually with Him now. We don't want our Christianity to be reduced to, ‘I'm not allowed to do this or that.’ We want to make choices that make people wonder what we've seen that they haven't.

The nations

Northeast Celebration 2006 was internationally flavoured. Over twenty people from Boston's Chinese Church came expressly to hear about Newfrontiers and the Holy Spirit. Folks from New Brunswick and Ontario, Canada attended. We prayed for the Baron family as they go back to help a church plant in Manchester, UK and for the Wong family from Hastings, UK as they arrive to pastor Christ the King Church in Rochester, New Hampshire, USA. The nations are coming and going!

Outreach was also cameoed as we prayed into new church plants in Chicago, Illinois (begun by a couple from South Africa!), Portland, Maine, and Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Healings

Finally there were ‘signs following’. One woman reported that, after Terry prayed for her, internal bleeding that had caused nausea and fatigue stopped. Her improved condition was later confirmed by her doctor. Another excited lady from the Chinese Church shared, ‘Previously, I couldn't raise my shoulder because it was so painful. I tried to raise my arm to praise God but I was in lots of pain. Terry prayed for me. I can now really move it freely without pain. So, I thank God that He is real and I praise His name.’

Did the Holy Spirit show up? Yes. He came, and we were changed. He called out, and we are going.

Dates for next year: 20–22 July 2007