Read our February Blessmail here.

Packed full of bless news & interviews, creative prayer resources, blessays, seasonal recipes and upcoming events.

Blessmail

Bless friend, surfer and church leader Dan Evans has guest written this months poetic Blessay:

A golden orange glow begins to surface over the dark velvet waters. 
The distinct taste of salt lies fresh on lips as sea mist hovers over the early shore. 
Weary morning eyes fixed on the horizon. 
Surveying the landscape of this Holy place, waiting for a new creation to rise.
The sound of waves lapping the land stir an anticipation of that first fix of union, 
As perfectly formed pulses, which could only have been formed by the purest of artists, 
Peels across the landscape.

New beginnings, endless opportunities and fresh starts awaken my slumbering soul as the ocean caresses my feet. 
With a prayerful paddle and judicious duck dives the rising glow draws closer,
Warming the face with radiant reflection. 
And all is calm, right and well with the world. 
A moment of peaceful reflection with only creation and Creator present to observe.

The first pulse arrives below the board, 
feet planted firmly as the board slides from underneath. 
In one unconscious moment and movement the journey begins, 
a work of art drawing mosaic lines across the glass edge face of the wave. 
A moment of unity in matters of confusion where neither creation or surfer are in control. 
A dance with the Creator as both unite to perform a masterpiece of joy and exaltation.

Dan Evans Blessay February Blessmail

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Blessmail

Bless: Introduce yourself…

We are Iris and Justin. Last October we moved from Amsterdam to Rotterdam; Holland’s second largest city and known for the huge seaport. Iris works as a teacher, training young people in the area of physiology and anatomy. Justin works as a logistics coordinator for a fruit and vegetables trading company. We both really enjoy our work, we like to hang out, to organize, we do sports, Iris plays guitar and Justin loves to make bonfires. 

Bless: How does Bless fit into your story?

Iris was the first to get involved first with Bless. She was part of a mission trip to Croatia. After that experience Justin was introduced to the Bless family. We led a short term mission trip to Bosnia in 2010 and have helped on PRAYERhouse teams during Spring Harvest and attended lots of Heart to Bless prayer weekends.

Bless is important to us because it feels like family and we feel really connected in the beliefs we share. We love the fact that Bless doesn’t want to be exclusive, instead their drive is to include as many people as possible by offering them space to learn more about themselves and God in a missional context.

What are you up to at the moment?

At the moment we are running our first Bless event in Holland. We have been given the opportunity to run a few prayer stations at a Navigators (Dutch student) festival called Focus. Check out focusweekend.nl for more info.

Bless: What are your dreams for the next 12 months (or so)?

Our dream is that we find opportunities in Holland where Bless can fit in. We are dreaming of finding churches to connect with the Bless ethos of creative prayer and training young leaders through mission. We also hope to connect to those people in Holland who are searching for what Bless has to offer.

Bless: What can we pray for?

Pray for us as we lead people in prayer at the Focus conference.

Pray for loads of energy and time; as a lot of our work for Bless we do in our own time.

Pray for connections with people, organisations and churches in Rotterdam.

Blessings to all of you who support Bless and believe what God is doing through Bless! 

Interviews Blessmail

Come spend some time with Bless.

time2bless Tricia Davies Quote

STAY PRAY LEAD is our March heart2bless.

STAY at Bethanie, our missional training centre in France, and enter into our rhythm of daily PRAYer and shared meals. Explore what missional LEADership may look like for the emerging cultures of 21st century Europe?

“Mind bending, vision lengthening, spirit uplifting, friendship renewing, time expanding, relationship building, belly filling, heart warming - simply breath taking!”

For more info contact gemma@blessnet.eu

h2b heart2bless

Today we sourced an EPIC coffee machine and tonnes of nice coffee for BLESS TALKS.

WIN.

blesstalks

yesterday we saved all the seeds from one of our homegrown pumpkins

everyone attending blesstalks will get a few of these seeds in their welcome pack

get your tickets (and seeds) here

blesstalks

If your fundraising heres an…

AMAZING IDEA!

so, i got invited to come along to a church quiz by my dad who said they needed a younger influence for the group so i could answer some of the questions they couldn’t. 

I agreed to, but what occurred to me that this would be an amazing idea for you guys to do in your local area. 

We had a quiz, which had 8 rounds, we stopped after 4 rounds to have a quick question and answer with a lady who did mission in afghanistan. Then we ate bring and share foodies, then carried on with the quiz! 

It’s a great opportunity not only to inform your church/community in a fun setting about Bless, but also, you can make it a compition between churches or community groups! If you have been apart of Bless you could talk on their behalf, or have a cheeky chat with a Bless member and see if they could talk instead? Have a think!!

Each table had:

- a joker card
- a answer paper with a grid for answering
- some juice which we brought with us
- an envelope which each player had to pay ATLEAST £2.50 which went to a charity
- pens
- cups
- a poster with what church we were

We didn’t think that we were going to win, but we did! we were chuffed and the first ones ever to beat the church that always wins as they have a professional quiz team, mental! We won a box of chocolates and a trophy, and the loosing team got a packet of flying saucers! How lovely. 

This would cost you £3 in chocolate (for 1 box) and if you wanted to hand out a trophy I’m sure you could find a cheap one somewhere! All you need is a little bit of oomph and some persuasion and anyone could do it!

(check out  blessbazaar.tumblr.com )

fundraising quiz chocolate trophy winner looser easy

cabinporn:

Wood-burning sauna and Snorkel tub in Naramata, BC, Canada. It’s surrounded by a five acre organic orchard of cherries, apples, pears and apricots called Picker Shack.

WHAT A DREAM.

cabinporn submission