Dear friends,

The last time that we wrote we were letting you know of all that we had planned for this year in our diary of events. As we find ourselves approaching June we wanted to let you know a little of how things have been going for us, since we really value your support and interest in the things that we are about.

It would be easy to tell you of the events themselves, and we do have good news to share and stories to tell. However, beyond that, I am reminded that God is writing a bigger story that goes beyond each event in itself. The story is unfolding in the lives of individuals as the truths that we get to share bear fruit in their lives and the ripples move out like the stone that is dropped into the lake. When you consider a ministry such as ours, or you look at your own ministry context – how do you measure things ? How do you look for the move of God's Spirit? Sometimes as we all know, it is simply by being faithful to the next step God leads you on and by walking step by step with Him .

• So we were thrilled when 11 out of 12 of last year’s Encounter group came back for a 2/20 Conference. (The 12th person lives in Australia!)
• We are excited to see God draw an ever increasing number of people to our Signpost Days, month by month.
• We are in awe of God when someone writes to us after a conference to say that it was like hearing the gospel for the first time.
• We marvel when a young man can stand before a room full of people and say with tears that he would not trade the brokenness and pain he has experienced in his life for the revelation he now has of God’s love for him.

We know with conviction that the story is not about us, but we have been invited to participate in the story that God Himself is writing in the lives of individuals for His glory. How thrilling that we
get to share something of that as these folk invite us to journey with them . It is a privilege beyond words. There are many other stories that I could share where we have seen the transforming
power of God 's love intervene in the hearts of individuals. Constantly I am reminded that God throughout history has been pursuing His people out of love, that they might know His love.

In all of this we have a sense that God is gathering together people who know themselves to be on a journey; people who are willing to allow God to dismantle all that has been fragile in their faith in order to truly find God to be the lover of their souls; people who are willing to own up to being ‘ragamuffins’ who in the words of Brennan Manning, “are little in their own eyes, conscious of their brokenness and
poverty and who cast themselves without reservation on his mercy.”

As we host different events we see something of a ‘community’ being built - not because anyone is resident in the same place but because hearts are joined on a pilgrimage to encounter God, the One who meets us and satisfies us at our deepest point of need and envisions us for all that He has purposed in and through our lives.

So here's a little about the events themselves:

Signpost Days
We introduced these at the beginning of the year, as a ‘fixed point’ for people to come away, reflect and encounter God. It has been a joy to journey with folk on these days and we love to see people
consistently returning. Our next day will be September 6th at Holmsted Manor Coach House.

South Africa
A team of four of us travelled to South Africa to run a 2/20 conference. What a joy to see over 90 people gather, hungry for more of God and open to hear from Him. We trust many seeds have been sown.

2/20 Conference
We ran the same conference here in May - our second opportunity to do so down in Sussex. It was particularly moving to hear back from so many participants regarding how helpful they found the weekend.

2/20 Encounter
We are about to host our second 2/20 Encounter for the month of June. Charlotte Cass and Tim Galloway are joining us from Atlanta to help staff the course, which is exciting for us. Participants are coming from the Ukraine, Croatia, Chile, Africa and England. Once again, it is wonderful to see how God has gathered this particular group for this particular time and we are full of anticipation for all that He has for each person. Many come from leadership positions in their sphere, and bring their families with them. As they make this huge investment in coming, we trust that they experience a deeper measure of knowing Christ as life, that empowers them for service and for life in a whole new way when they return to their locations. We value your prayers for this unique time.

Part of the adventure of our ministry is seeing the way that God provides for us and those He gathers. As a staff team we are not salaried but work as volunteers, supported by friends, families and churches who believe in what we are doing. We are so grateful to each one who has supported us along the way. As a ministry we are dependent on events that we run and gifts from individuals that support the ministry in our various day to day expenses.

As individuals and families draw together for the Encounter in June, we are only too aware that for some of them the challenge will be enough in getting the costs for their flights together. We would
love to develop a sponsorship account that enables us to provide some bursaries for individuals travelling from overseas to help finance them in their training. If you would like to consider contributing to this sponsorship account, please do get in touch. Alternatively if you would like to become a regular supporter of the ministry, we would be thrilled to partner with you in such a way. Please contact us for details of how to do this.

Thank you for your friendship and support shown to us in so many ways over the years. As you join with us on the adventure of our journey with God, we trust that you would share too in seeing Father’s
tender pursuit, acceptance and desire for us to know Him as Life.