Latest News

January Sign Up Deadline for Big Weekend

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:31:40 +0000

Please note that the deadline for signing up for the Big Weekend is 31 January. Click here to sign up

Reach

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:57:00 +0100

The latest copy of our prayer diary Reach is now available. Download it from here

Big Weekend Appeal

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:27:00 +0100

The Big Weekend Appeal has just been launched. We hope to raise enough money to subsidise 150 students to attend Big Weekend 2012. Click here to find out more.

South-East Regional Day

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:24:00 +0100

There is a South-East Regional day planned for 28 April 2012. This will be at the FBC centre in Finchampstead (near Reading). Click here for more details.

Super Saturday, West Midlands event

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:54:00 +0100

The Navigators Super Saturday November 19^th 2011

An event organised by The Navigators in the West Midlands

-"You shall raise up the foundations of many generations." Isaiah 58:12 NKJV

It is 41 years since Navs first arrived in the West Midlands and this verse continues to be an inspiration to us. God continues to challenge, strengthen and guide us as we seek to raise up the foundations of new generations from students, to graduates, working people and beyond!

This will be our first regional event since The Navigators reorganised into a new structure. The day will give opportunities to connect with past and present generations of Navigators, to see old friends, to be resourced in your mission and personal ministry and to hear about some of the new initiatives and plans of Navs in this region. We are aiming for it to be informative, challenging and fun! Please feel free to invite some of your friends you are close to and work with in your areas of neighbourhood, ministry, church or work. They would be most welcomed and the day will be for them too.

The event will take place on Nov 19^th at Christchurch, Selly Park, Birmingham. The day will run from 10am-4:30pm. There will be a cost of £10 for adults and £5 for concessions and lunch will be provided. You can secure your place by returning the reply slip along with your payment.

We will be delighted to see you on November 19^th. In the meantime, for more information or if you have any questions about this event you can contact me via email at jon.gallagher@navigators.co.uk

Yours,

Jon Gallagher

The Navigators West Midlands Team Leader

and on behalf of Allan, Cathie, Gillian, Judi, Leihlyn, Pete, Pippa, Sam and Tom

Big Weekend 2012

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:29:00 +0100

Big Weekend 2012 in Blackpool! More details coming soon...

Summer Mission trip to Norway & Latvia

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:28:00 +0100

NORWAY & LATVIA REPORT 2011

SPIRITUAL GENERATIONS OF LABOURERS LIVING AND DISCIPLING AMONGST THE LOST

Thank you so much for your support this past summer; we are very thankful for your prayers and support, without which none of the good things that we were involved with could have happened. Below are some highlights from the trip and some stories of what God has been doing in us and through us. We are deeply indebted to those who have ministered in this country and especially at this camp over many generations and we are privileged to co-labour with the Lord in this work and have been acutely aware of His help, presence and power.

Testimonies from the team

"It was a very challenging but also rewarding time. I have never felt so broken before (which was not much fun at all) but I am so glad that God did break my heart for them. I learned more about God's heart. I got a glimpse of how much it hurts Him to see His children sad. I also learned to take comfort in the fact that these kids are in the Lords hands."

"I've been really seeing that God can use me for His work. I also found that I do have it within me to trust and depend on God. Being an older role model for others has been a big issue for me having not had any myself and so I've worried that I would have no clue or be inferior in some way. I believe God has shown me that I can be, through relationships with one of the kids at camp. The bond we developed together was very special."

"I learned that God is a patient God who is willing to wait until I'm ready to open my heart to Him but also a God who is firm in reminding me that I have to! I learned that His plans for me are perfect but sometimes confusing and scary; He's answered a lot of prayers these past few weeks with an answer that was not at all what I was thinking but it always worked out for the best."

"I learned a lifestyle of living with the people you minister to. I saw how important it was to just hang out with the guys and have fun. It shows them that you're interested in them and their hearts...and I'm more inspired to redouble my efforts to have quality time with my non-Christian friends back home."

Fruit in the lives of our Latvian Friends

Many of the relationships we have in Latvia stretch back up to six years. One such relationship is with Cos who we first met in 2006 and who became a Christian a few years ago. When we first met him he acknowledged that "his God was distant but our God was near" having had a background in the Russian Orthodox Church like many we meet at the camps. One evening towards the end of the week after campfire another young man Philippe (18) who has just left the orphanage shared that he wanted to commit his life to Jesus. He had actually committed his life to Jesus the previous year but he acknowledged that he had done so with wrong motives. This time was different and after several of us prayed with him he asked Cos (who had been translating for us) if he would disciple him. What a blessing to be part of that critical moment in both Philippe and Cos's lives!!

Towards the end of the trip we had the opportunity to attend the lake-side baptism of four of our good friends (Tima, Katija, Ivan & Julija). This was such an unexpected blessing but such a joy to be there for. Tima is one of the children of Anatoly and Ruslana Koval who are responsible for the camps that we help at. These are young people who we have known for many years and it has been so encouraging to see them come to faith. This was a significant step for all of them to take and for Tima especially as he finally committed His life to Jesus during the past year after years of resisting. It is people like them that have been our motivation to keep going back to Latvia and it is a great privilege to see them growing in their faith in the Lord.

We could write about many others but space does not allow... suffice to say that God is developing a growing number of young believers who are starting to impact the next generation.

Please pray for the ongoing work in Latvia

- Please pray for Philippe in these early days of following Jesus and especially as he looks for permanent work & accommodation having left the orphanage at the start of the summer. Please pray Cos as well as he seeks to draw alongside Philippe and help him grow in his faith.

- Please pray for those baptised (Tima & Katija and Ivan & Julija) as they continue their journeys with the Lord. These young people (amongst others) have huge potential to be foundational in reaching their generation and the next. Please pray for us (and others) as we seek to help them grow as disciples themselves and be fruitful as disciple-makers.

- Please pray for Patrick Noonan (Maine, USA) who is preparing to move to Latvia on a four year assignment with the US Navigators. Pray for God's provision, timing and all that needs to happen before he moves. Pray too for Patrick as he will be travelling to Latvia in October for several weeks, Norway for a few days and then joining us in UK in November where he will be speaking at our weekend away.

- Pray to for us as a family (pictures alongside) as we continue to evaluate our ongoing role and responsibility in Latvia and seek God for how He would have us continue to serve there. Currently that has been through summer trips, several trips to Latvia during the year visiting friends, as well as having those friends visit us in the UK each November. We don't envisage this changing imminently, indeed God seems to be continuing to affirm a calling to this country but we have been ministering in Latvia for the past six years and feel it is healthy to evaluate this alongside our responsibilities back in Southampton.

- Pray against spiritual opposition; once again we (and the team) have found ourselves right on the frontline of a spiritual battle. The experiences connected with this continue to be a huge challenge for us and so we would ask you to pray for protection both for us and for others who we are taking into Latvia during the coming year.

- Thank God for His provision of finances for all those participating in this year's trip. The UK team really enjoyed tackling the Three Peaks Challenge as a fund-raiser and are so grateful that God answered our prayers for safety both in transit between the mountains and on the mountains themselves...suffice to say we faced some 'less than ideal' weather conditions on the peaks. After all it is not much fun climbing Scafell Pike in darkness, rain and gales!

- Finally please pray for others involved in the ministry in Latvia; please pray especially for Ole-Magnus and Kari Olafsrud who are responsible for the Navigators ministry in the Baltics and pray too for others who God has clearly been giving a heart for Latvia (Olav Humlebrekke & Ingvill Aa, Adam Collett & Kate Marshall, Derek & Eva Leaf and more).Thanks again for your prayers and support...we all appreciate it!!

Latest copy of Reach now available

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:57:00 +0100

The latest copy of our prayer diary Reach is now available. Download it from here

Scottish Disciple-Making Summer School

Thu, 05 May 2011 16:32:00 +0100

The Scottish Disciple-Making Summer school is a conference organised by the Navigators in Scotland in partnership with other organisations.

Its VISION is to see this GENERATION wholeheartedly give their lives to the MISSION OF GOD in Scotland and worldwide; equipped to disciple people towards real Christian maturity.

Click here for more details. You can also download the talks from last year's conference by clicking on the above link.

Latest copy of Reach now available

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:32:00 +0100

The latest copy of our prayer diary Reach is now available. Download it from here

Sue Richardson

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:10:00 +0000

We recently received news of the death of Sue Richardson. Roy and Sue Richardson have been long-term friends of the Navigators and for a number of years Roy was our Office Manager in New Malden.

Roy wrote: -

This is where she wanted to be and looked forward to with some intensity. Whenever Sue heard about the death of a Christian she herself would remark "nice for them". Let us remember that truth in our sorrow sadness and present numbness.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. " 2 Cor:4:16-18

Oxford Conference with Bill Hull

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 10:01:00 +0000

Bill Hull is an American pastor who has had a number of books on disciple-making published by Navpress. He is leading a conference in Oxford this August focused on "Discipleship" looking at: -

The Teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
CS Lewis - Imagination Transformation
How to Create a Disciple-making Church
Christianity and the Arts

Details are can be found here. Mention you have accessed the information via the Navigators UK for a 50% discount on your tuition fees.

Big Weekend update

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:22:00 +0000

The Big Weekend has happened! Read our report on how it went here

You can also listen to the talks Mark Greene gave at the weekend here

Latest copy of Reach now available

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:38:00 +0000

The latest copy of our prayer diary Reach is now available. Download it from here

Big Weekend

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 14:44:00 +0000

Big Weekend is an exciting joint venture between the Navigators and LICC focused on the student generation and will be taking place 11-13 February 2011. We want to inspire and equip a new generation of young people to be effective as disciples on campuses across the country and to impact their society beyond the student years. For more information click here

Latest copy of Reach now available

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 13:42:00 +0000

The latest copy of our 'Reach' quarterly prayer guide is now available for you to download. The guide contains daily prayer requests for our ministries and interesting background information on our Reps and their work. Download it here.

Kate's Travels to Norway and Latvia

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:03:00 +0100

Kate's Travels to Norway and Latvia by Kate Marshall (Southampton Connect worker 2009-10)

My summer adventure began in Norway………

What a breathtaking country in so many ways. God’s creative hand is displayed in all its glory wherever you go in this stunning country. We arrived in Norway in mid June and spent a few days in Bergen as a British team. We then travelled to the beautiful village of Skjolden, which sits at the head of the Lusterfjord in South Western Norway. Elvheim youth hostel was to be our base for the rest of our time in Norway and was where we joined a team of 40 young people from as far away as Uganda for the international discipleship week of teaching and great discipleship which centred on Ephesians 6 and the Armour of God. Each day began with an hour and a half of quiet time reflecting over what we had been looking at in Ephesians, and seeking answers to questions we were challenged to think about at the start of the week. Sitting beside the fjord and looking up at the towering mountains made these times all the more powerful. I was really challenged to find time in my ‘normal’ life for opportunities like this. So often I get caught up in the routine of quiet times each morning, that I forget what a privilege it is to do so and what a powerful and personal message I’m holding in my hands – that it is God’s letter to us!

Each evening had an international theme; with 8 countries being represented in the group it proved to be quite an event! We had activities ranging from making Latvian ‘bread soup’ (yum!) to making the Estonian national flower from coloured paper. These were great opportunities to hear about what life as a Christian is like in different countries, and amazing to know that our God is the same faithful and unchanging one all around the world!

Throughout the week we had the chance to hike in the stunning mountains surrounding Skjolden. This provided many wonderful opportunities to get to know the rest of the group………there’s certainly no better way to get to know someone than chasing them up a Norwegian mountain out of breath and somewhat soggy! It was such a blessing to meet so many wonderful people on this trip, and I’m thankful for the chance to keep in contact with them via the wonders of modern technology! During our spare time, we played a lot of midnight volley ball (badly – on my part!), jumped in the FREEZING fjord (it took me a while to pluck up the courage, but I did it!), hiked a glacier, made lots of cakes, and generally enjoyed sharing stories of how God has been working in our lives. A truly unforgettable time with some very special people and one amazing God!

The final days at Elvheim were spent preparing Bible studies, dramas, games and testimonies and attempting to learn some Russian for the next stage of our adventure into Latvia…..

“Pray for me also that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am in chains.” Ephesians 6:19-20

….this verse really stood out and became a great help in those days. ‘Words’ have never been a strong point of mine, and leading bible studies in a different language, culture and age group to that I was used to was a bit daunting to say the least. But over the next few weeks, God taught me that He could work through my weaknesses for His gospel to be made known!

And then onto Latvia……..

My heart still jumps with joy when I think back over my time spent in Latvia, a country that now holds a very special place in my heart. After arriving and spending a day in Riga, we travelled to the village of Zosna close to the Russian border where the camp would be held for the week. Our team of 17, from the UK, USA and Norway were joined by around 80 young people raging in age from 4-24 for a week of bible teaching, seminars and lots of fun, volleyball and swimming!

I had the privilege of co-leading a bible study group (with Jan-Idar from Norway) of 10 young people through the week. We were studying the theme of ‘Grace’ looking at a number of Jesus’ parables that helped us tackle questions such as ‘Why do we need grace?’ and ‘How do we take hold of Grace?’ It was so exciting to see the group really opening up and engaging in Gods word, asking some very searching questions and encouraging each other in doing so.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

This became a favourite and inspiring passage for our group over the week…coupled with the song ‘Cast your burdens unto Jesus, (for he cares for you.)’ We thought a lot about the amazing freedom Gods Grace gives us, that we are no longer slaves to sin but free IN Christ. And how this grace shown to us should motivate us to live lives holy and pleasing to God – glorifying Him in all that we do. The Bible studies gave me a great opportunity to get to know some of the girls better.

Lera, Nastja and Kate were three young ladies with the most wonderful smiles! They were so much fun to spend time with, and during our ‘free time’ we had some really great conversations about anything and everything. God taught me a lot through these three girls, especially about the value of investing in true friendship, and about being open and letting God guide your conversations. Each day I saw more and more of His grace being displayed in conversations like that around camp – I think that was part of the beauty of Zosna. Despite the total randomness and haphazard way of camp, God was so obviously at work behind every small thing that went on there.

The evenings were probably the most exciting times for me, everyone would gather around the campfire to sing songs (with some amazing actions!), perform dramas, play games and most wonderfully to hear testimonies of what we had been learning during the day. Each day we all had the challenge of learning a memory verse from the Bible study and at the end of the week it was amazing to watch a lot of the campers standing at the front reciting all 6 verses! My prayer is that these verses won’t just be words for those that have learned them, but truths that we know are for us from our loving father. These were such wonderful times of fellowship and fun together and God opened many doors for great conversations into the early hours there.

My time in Norway and Latvia, and especially at Zosna camp was definitely life changing. God showed me that He is not limited by what I think or see of Him, that He can work in great but subtle ways with an outcome that is far beyond my expectations. An amazing trip to end an amazing year!

Agape Workplace Initiative

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:16:00 +0100

On October 4th Agape begin a four-session course for Christians called forgiveness@work.

* Devised to help people harness annoyance and anger at work.
* Derived from MBA material developed by Agapé for non-believers.
* Designed to address the difficulty of telling someone that their sins are forgiven when we ourselves are struggling to forgive them.

For more information click here

Then, on Saturday November 6th they are hosting a half-day on witness@work.

* Over the years, recipients of this training include Christian groups at PWC, London Business School, UBS, Santander (Abbey), Marks and Spencer, BlackRock (BGI), TUI (Thomson), BP, and the Ministry of Defence.
* We will practice our skills at the National Socialist Convention.
* Feedback from previous events can be found here: http://www.agape.org.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=143&StoryID=107 and here http://www.agape.org.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=143&StoryID=213.

For more information click here

Mission starts at home...

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:27:00 +0100

Mission starts at home…

One of the summer mission trips offered to students is a week with Tom and Judi Walsh in Birmingham exploring other faiths and cultures. The week focuses around the major faiths of Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and this year for the first time Buddhism.

Tom and Judi have lived in Sparkhill, a vibrant part of central SE Birmingham, for over twenty years. They are never too sure whether it is 14,000 people and 12 languages within their parish or 12,000 people and 14 languages. Either way the point is made. At least 70% of the people are non white, mainly but not entirely from South Asia.

The aims of the week are to have an opportunity to spend time in a multicultural environment, to study and seek God’s perspective on mission and crossing culture, to learn about the three major Asian faiths, to serve the local community in Birmingham and to have fun!

Following is a report by Joshua who came over from Canada to take part in this mission week in June this year:

Birmingham
Birmingham was perhaps one of the more busy places in my trip, mostly because of all that was involved. A Navigator couple, Tom and Judi, took me and two Connect workers from Leicester on a Cross Cultural Tour through Birmingham! What an incredible experience that was! We visited Mosques, Hindu Temples, and Sikh Gurdwaras.

Birmingham has one of the largest South Asian populations in the whole of the UK, and as such, has an incredibly diverse community. Tom and Judi brought us into their home and introduced us to their friends and took us on tours of the different places of worship. This experience was invaluable as I was able to learn a lot more about religions I knew very little about, and was able to remove a lot of my ignorance towards them.

Tom might tell you that my favourite part would have appeared to be all the good food we got to eat...and he wouldn't be far from the truth, but I still stand that it wasn't the highlight, just a really great bonus. Sparkhill, the area we stayed in, is nicknamed the Balti Triangle, known for its Balti restaurants and South Asian cuisine. All of the people we met during our time showed us great amounts of kindness and hospitality. Hospitality is something that is very important to the South Asian community, and if I am being honest, something that the Western community could pick up. The Sikhs believe in a form of selfless service called Sewa that puts the needs of others and their community at the forefront of their thoughts. Visiting their Gurdwara, as long as you come with your head covered and in respect, gets you unrivalled hospitality.

Sanctuary
Sanctuary is a church service put on by the Sanctuary Team which includes Tom and Judi. http://www.eastandwest.co.uk/sanctuary.html

It is a church where members of the South Asian community may go to learn about Jesus in a place that doesn't remove them from their culture. The service is focused around South Asian culture, in a way that helps them to better understand Christ in their cultural context. As such, the services are different than most, but I really enjoyed my time there. They offer up prayer to anyone who asks for it. The service is held in the cafe of a much larger church, though once the set up is complete, you would never know the place was a cafe. The service I went to spoke on Psalm 23 and how Jesus is our shepherd, again helping people to understand Jesus as the Son of God and helping people to see God as our Heavenly Father. After the service is complete, there is a meal. Or rather should I say the meal is part of the service!! This again flows from the South Asian love for hospitality and community, and is an important part of the Sanctuary church service.