PHILIPPA HANNA | COPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT | NIKE ADEBAJO | MORE THAN GOLD

RE-CONNECTING THE BODY PLEXUSMAG.COM

PASSING THE

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NEWS 4

FEATURE 6

FEATURE 10

FEATURE 16

EVENTS 17

INTERVIEW 20

PRAYER 14

CONTENTSISSUE 16 JUN_JUL_AUG 2012 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

What are these funny looking boxes?QR codes, two-dimensional bar-codes that can be read by smart-phones. You’ll need an app for this

(they’re free). Then simply hold your phone’s camera over the code and it’ll take you straight to a video, a website, or a hidden extra.

Pete James, Parson Cross, Philippa Hanna, YMCA, Daughters of Davis...

The scoop on PLEXUS mag: where it began, the transition and the future.

We interview Philippa Hanna and hear her story of discovering identity in Christ.

Coming Together in Prayer: find out what’s happening around town.

Unemployment: How do we cope as Christians?

Contributing writers (we like you a lot!)Nick Waterfield, Jonathan Buckley, Tina Hudson, Heidi Tiplady, Sharn Johnson, Josh Christie, Corinne Gaisie, Helen Clark, Andy Frith

LET MY WAYS UNFOLDFROM THE EDITOR

It’s an ever growing mystery to me how God unfolds His plans for us. I don’t know about you, but I of-ten find that just when I think I’ve got it all figured

out, He seems to wipe the slate clean (or should I say spreadsheet). He then effortlessly manages to weave something much better out of things we had discount-ed, parts of us we thought were flaws not strengths, desires we didn’t know we had.

PLEXUS mag has been this type of occurrence for me. It was not something that I pursued, it wasn’t part of my plan. It was one of those ‘God set-ups’ that wiped my slate clean. It challenged me to see my ‘un-qualified-ness’, my flaws, my excuses, take a big deep breath and dive in.

As I ventured into re-launching PLEXUS, it started to make so much sense. I have carried a desire for creative Christian media since a young age, I work in marketing & communications (this was also a God set-up… I think I’m beginning to see a pattern) and furthermore, I long for the church to be connected as one body. Isn’t it great when God knows you better than yourself!?

So here we are, at the re-birth of PLEXUS, and I’m so glad you are a part of it. We have so much more that we want to do with the magazine, bringing relevant thought-provoking stories your way and making sure you don’t miss a beat with what’s going on around town. So stick with us and pester (I mean, suggest po-litely to) your community to subscribe. PLEXUS is not a club or a new group, you are already a member of this body (1 Cor 12:12-14), and unity is our common pur-pose. Clear communication is just a tool for a much greater goal. A church that is undivided with ‘equal concern for one another’… lets re-connect together.

Rachel Taylor is the Editor of PLEXUS mag and Marketing Co-ordinator at WFO Printemail: rachel@plexusmag.com

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Summer events guide and the Olympics

We interview Nike Adebajo about her work with emPower prayer initiative.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by contributing writers in PLEXUS mag do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of PLEXUS. We reserve the right to edit articles.

4 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

Fern & Adrienne Davis are not your average sisters. Daugh-ters of Davis write songs that are deep and expressive whilst still commercial and memorable. With unique counterpart melody, soulful harmonies and vocal inflection only achievable by siblings, it is no surprise the sisters from Winchester are playing gigs most nights of the week. It may however surprise fans to find out they left their home and jobs last year to travel permanently in a converted van!

Having recently signed with Storm 5 Management in Shef-field, 2012 is set to be a breakthrough year for two of the most hard-working girls in the music business.

Check out their NEW album ‘To The Water’ online.www.daughtersofdavis.com

Watch the debut single ‘Where Do We Go’

THE EAGERLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM FROM DOD

Space to Grow received news that they’d been successful in getting £1,000 from Southey Community First panel to help their work. ‘Space to Grow’ is one of the projects run by PXI – Parson Cross Initiative (a Methodist funded initiative working ecumenically with church partners in and around Parson Cross).

Space to Grow is the name given to their environmental work at the Cross at Yew Lane Quiet Garden, Plot107 (Parson Cross allotments) in partnership with LEAF (on Herries Road). In par-ticular they look to work alongside people who find gardening and environmental tasks “therapeutic” to their own well being. This includes young people with learning disabilities, their fami-lies and carers and other adults from the local area.

Sessions include time for both work and socialising, where people can build up new friendships and get support on their individual faith journeys.

If you want to stay in touch with these projects, or discover ways of offering support take a look at their blog.

plot107.wordpress.com

£1,000 FUNDING RECEIVED IN PARSON CROSS

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is investigat-ing pro-marriage adverts in the UK which feature imag-es of C4M support-ers on their wedding day with the head-line “I do”.

The investigation is based on 10 com-plaints where peo-ple have said they found it ‘offensive’.

Maybe it is worth writing that letter/email to ASA about those adverts which you find offensive?www.asa.org.uk

NEWS

NEW YMCA PARTNERSHIP

Ecunite has been de-veloped from the work of Unite in Rotherham and is a response by the YMCA to re-establish links and working relationships between itself and local churches. Ecunite is also the response of the YMCA to strengthen and develop the Christian aspect of the YMCA in the region.

The vision is to empow-er and encourage young people aged 11-25 in churches across South and West Yorkshire to be-come leaders in their lo-cal communities. The aim is to do this by providing leadership opportunities and training for Christian young people in Rother-ham, Sheffield and Wake-field. www.twitter.com/@uniterotherham

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 5

Pete is a worship leader at St Tho-mas’ Church Phila-delphia in Shef-field. He currently combines this role alongside travelling to lead worship and providing coaching at events in the UK and abroad.

Pete’s new album, My Heart Is Singing Loud, was produced by Trevor Michael (known for his work with Delirious?, Matt Redman and Tim Hughes). The album combines the passion of a modern-day psalmist with a creative musical energy that weaves between vibrant exuberance and intimate reflection. It features brand new anthems for the church including ‘Sav-iour Of The World’, ‘Let This Be The Time’ and the irrepress-ible title track, alongside beautiful moments of encounter in ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and ‘Take Me In Closer’ plus an epic ver-sion of ‘There Is A Redeemer’.www.petejamesmusic.com

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PREMIER RADIO’S TOGETHER NOW CAMPAIGN

Premier Radio have kick-started a campaign with the goal of raising £500,000, to sustain their national digital broadcast and each of their ministries across the UK.

www.premierradio.org.uk

PHILIPPA HANNA’S DVD

Tucked away in Sheffield stands the Lantern Theatre. Filmed over 3 consecutive nights, the audience was treat-ed to intimate and powerful performances, and now you can experience it too.www.resoundmedia.co.uk

PETE JAMES

A brand new app from the Methodist Church in Britain is now available on all mobile devices. The app offers users a daily Bible study, as well as all the latest news, audio and video from the church.

“With the rise of the smartphone, we’re more connected than ever before, and that’s something to celebrate,” said David Webster, the church’s Internet Communications Co-ordinator. “We want people to be able to make use of our resources across a wide range of platforms. Our goal is to support Methodists and other Christians as we make our way as disciples of Jesus in the modern world.”

METHODIST APP REBORN

The House of Bishops of the Church of England have concluded its consideration of the draft leg-islation to enable women to be consecrated as bishops.

APPROVAL FOR WOMEN BISHOPS

The Church Army turn a new chapter in their 129-year history when they officially open the charity’s new headquarters in Sheffield in June. The Church Army has spent the last six months relocating to the Wilson Carlile Centre from its London base.

NEW CHURCH ARMY HEADQUARTERS

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FEATURE

THE PLEXUSSTORY.

“passing the baton”

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 7

HISTORY 101

PLEXUS mag has been a com-munication tool for Shef-field Cross Links [SCL] which

stands on a foundation of many years service to the church in Shef-field starting nearly 30 years ago with Mission Sheffield supported by the charity CrissCross. The vision has always been to encourage the people of God to work and pray to-

gether, to facilitate united city vision wherever mission was expressed; working much as a supporting liga-ment/link between each part of the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:16 gives the basis: ‘From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every support-ing ligament, grows and builds itself up in love…’

PLEXUS mag is a way of telling the people of God what is happening, so that they know they’re not alone as

they work to build the Kingdom. The magazine pages tell unknown sto-ries that are exciting and challeng-ing, and stories of need and prayer. Details of missions and prayer initi-atives encourage the people of God to meet together in spite of theo-logical differences. Alongside this, advertising business services run by Christians in the city means that the family of God has an opportu-nity to support Godly enterprise.

TINA’S STORY

At a prophetic school seminar before my involvement with PLEXUS, I found new thoughts popping into my head. Mainly they were to do with Moses and Joshua, and how

Joshua was given the authority passed from Moses, to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Moses passed the baton on. I prayed over this story for some weeks, as I knew that God was speaking to me, but I didn’t know what he was saying.

In the course of my day to day routine, I found myself travel-ling on Abbeydale Road quite regularly, but during this ‘height-ened’ prayer time, I realized that I had a jump in my spirit as I passed an old ‘shop’. The shop had a mirrored glass window, and brown painted fascia. There was no way of telling what was behind that screen, but I knew that I had to find out.

It was not long after that I was introduced to the volunteer workers of CrissCross and began to discover that this Chris-tian charity, working quietly behind that mirrored glass, had collected, collated and held together databases and informa-tion for all the churches in Sheffield and surrounding areas. They worked across denominations and streams helping to resource and encourage unity. They co-ordinated much of the Billy Graham Mission and Mission Sheffield, and stayed the course when it seemed that little was happening in the city. They faithfully continued updating church details so that in the future, when churches worked together across the city again, they could help to get the message out.

I asked for a meeting with the trustees of CrissCross and I began to tell them about how I saw Sheffield, and particularly the church in Sheffield. The story of Joshua was key to my un-derstanding. Moses was dead. The time was right for Joshua to pick up the baton. He had a choice – he could carry on as Moses had done and go round the mountain again, or he could move in a new direction, and go where he had never been be-fore… he chose to take up the baton and run with it away from the old ‘known’ paths toward the Promised Land!

BY TINA HUDSON, HEIDI TIPLADY & RACHEL TAYLOR

I went on to explain that once Joshua had put his foot on the beach and the waters parted, the presence of the Lord went first into the newly formed walkway. This not only showed the people that it was safe to proceed, but that God was leading the way. It must have been a motley crew of people venturing out that day. Maybe they held hands for extra security as they walked the miles across to their future lives. Maybe, from a bird’s point of view, they looked like undulating waves dancing as a ribbon of colour across the sea. However they appeared, they were formed into one long PLEXUS of purpose, linked together and all heading in the same direction. It seemed to me that we should be encouraging this sort of linking together, as we moved into a new future in Sheffield.

As a result of that meeting, I was asked to take up the baton from CrissCross and take on the leadership of what became Sheffield Cross Links and to publish PLEXUS mag. (What had I let myself in for when I was so close to retirement!?)

I enjoyed those special years building up the profile of SCL, and working with a brilliant team of volunteers. Dorothy and Margaret who had threatened retirement as I took up the baton, promised to stay till I learned the ropes. We had such a good time ‘doing the work’ that they decided not to retire after all! My Co-Director Rev Paul Ellis gave much of his precious time too, and we could not have got our work done if it had not been for Jon, Dave, Lucy and John who volunteered every week and contributed in so many ways. The Board of Trustees also gave time and support. They are all brilliant! And although there was much scope for enlarging the work, those 7 years built another layer onto the foundation of inter-church links in the city.

In the book, ‘You are God’s Plan A… and There’s No Plan B’, writ-ten by Dwight Robertson, the concept of spiritual multiplication relationships (as modelled by Jesus) is likened to “baton pass-ing” in a relay race. As a valuable Kingdom labourer, scripture tells you to “run with perseverance the race marked out for you” and to also “pass on” everything you’ve received for other relay runners to successfully carry God’s love and plan into times and places you will never go. You’re part of a “Kingdom relay team”! (www.KBM.org)

The time for passing on the baton arrived, and with prayer, we began to feel our way forward. Rachel and Heidi had been a constant help in producing PLEXUS mag from issue 1, and as we moved toward my retirement, I looked forward to meeting them for a coffee and a chat. They were interested in how PLEXUS might continue to be a useful tool for the church, and their en-thusiasm for the ‘vision’ bubbled over that day in the café. I felt my spirit rise as I asked them if they might be interested in ‘taking over’ and running with PLEXUS. And there we were - with another hand ready to grasp the baton and with renewed energy to run the race set before them.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (TEB) ...In a race all the runners take part in it, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline; he does so in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever.

HEIDI’S STORY

I met Tina back in 2006, we sat and chatted about the Lord in our (mine and my hus-band Andy’s) conservatory at our home in

Oughtibridge. We began sharing stories about our personal walks with God, our experiences with Him and our ‘awakening’ in 2004 from our comparative ‘sleepy Christianity’. Heal-ings, miracles, signs and wonders were high in our agenda, and prior to meeting Tina we thought we were solely responsible for the changing of the city! Well, we soon learned we weren’t the only ones in Sheffield passion-ately desiring the presence of God and unity in the body of Christ.

Working as the Marketing Manager at WFO Print at the time, I soon got involved in de-signing the front cover of PLEXUS. Tina and I enjoyed the quarterly challenge of finding suitable images and layouts to match the message for each issue. Then the dreaming began (or should I say continued). I began to visualise a Christian magazine emerging to help communicate key messages to the wider Christian community. Publicising local events, Christian businesses and promoting unknown Christian artists seemed so exciting to me.

So with a vision to communicate to the wid-er Christian community in an impartial way, the baton was handed to Rachel and myself that day Tina spoke of in the café. Admittedly, Rachel’s doing all the hard work, so I know it will be a great success! Gifted with a spirit of excellence and dedication, I see PLEXUS growing into a healthy communicational tool that will bring great news to a very loved peo-ple, and where better to start than the Chris-tian community in Sheffield.

8 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 9

RACHEL’S STORY

So now you know the roots of PLEXUS, you’ve heard from Tina herself about how she was handed the baton, and you’ve heard how it

came into the hands of Heidi… but where do I come into it?

Well, my story begins when I came fresh off the boat from a year’s study in Sydney Australia at Hill-song International Leadership College in 2005. There was nothing super-spiritual about it (or so I thought at the time), I simply needed a job so that I could pay my rent when I walked into the offices at WFO Print to attend an interview for an admin posi-tion. Little did I know that I would learn the ropes and soon be working alongside Heidi who was the Marketing Manager to help businesses and church-es get their message heard. We used to have ‘white-board sessions’ in the office and write down all our crazy ideas about how WFO could help resource businesses and the church… one of which was a magazine.

So the fateful day myself, Heidi and Tina met in that café became the start of a new venture, one which I didn’t see coming, but had dreamed about.

You will no doubt be hearing much more from me as PLEXUS continues each quarter, but let me just say this. PLEXUS is not really about me, it’s about THE church in Sheffield and the surrounding areas, and therefore… it’s about US.

Stay tuned as we take PLEXUS into new territory together, and see the church continue to re-connect with one another.

LAST WORD

I (Tina) am pleased to support Rachel as she takes over the role of Editor. She has many years experience in this field, and I know she

will do a better job than I – because each time we pass the baton, the new runner receives strength to surpass that which has gone before. Just as in the case of Elijah and Elisha, I pray that the future for Rachel and her team at WFO Print will receive a double portion, to the purpose of holding together supporting ligaments, and in that linking, building the body up in love.

Ephesians 4:15-16 …Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds it-self up in love, as each part does its work.

Now you are the body of

Christ and each one

of you is a part of it.

1 C orinthians 12:27

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BY SHARN JOHNSON

A Voice for a Generation?

FEATURE

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 11

It is so refreshing to find a role model such as Philippa Hanna. For those who haven’t heard of the Sheffield born singer/songwriter, Philippa

Hanna is a Christian musician who works tirelessly to produce music and literature that promotes the worth of this generation through God’s eyes. Her unique talent and passion has always made her one of my favourite Christian artists and I wish there were more in the world like her.

Growing up, Philippa was not raised in a Chris-tian family. Her mum was a teacher and her dad an entertainer, so from a very young age she was sur-rounded by a show business environment. Others in her family had already hit heights of success, such as her half brother who was the bass player for the popular band Jamiroquai. It was these childhood ex-periences that always gave her a longing to perform and achieve musical success in her own right.

However, Philippa had a troubled youth and can relate to what teenagers go through today. Growing up she had never been to church except for tradi-tional functions such as weddings. At school she had often felt that she never really fitted in. This was not a comfortable feeling and it later led her to make a conscious effort to hang out with the crazy, party animal in-crowd, to help her become ac-cepted. This feeling of belonging contin-ued to be very im-portant to her both in her teen years and her later adult life.

Philippa’s experiences are only too common with the youth of today. Partying and drinking posed a perfect solution to the emptiness that seemed to be always lurking in the background. Not surpris-ingly, her grades at school suffered badly and she left school disappointed in what she had achieved.

Suddenly, without the security of her in-crowd, acceptance was sought through the pursuance of fame. A false feeling that her problems would dis-appear when she achieved music success led her endlessly and disappointingly on. She also decided to go onto college alongside the chasing of a record deal. However, Philippa could not cope with the work load of further education and became depressed and eventually dropped out. She spent a lot of time at home in front of daytime TV and eventually this led her to the doctors with a feeling of depression that would not go away. Relationship problems com-pounded her desperation.

It was during her late teens, that Philippa began a

frustrating effort to get a record deal. Despite her performing abilities, she felt that she could never gain favour in the eyes of those that she was trying to impress. This was es-pecially poignant when she lost her place in the BBC series Fame Academy to another girl. This hit Philippa’s self-esteem badly. She began to feel that the physical appearance of other girls swayed the decision makers in their favour. Philippa, who considered herself unglamorous thought that she was unable to achieve success because she didn’t fit a stere-otypical image of what a pop star should look like. (This is difficult to imagine however, if you have ever come across Philippa in real life, as it is clear she is such a beautiful person, both inside and out).

SO IS THERE AN ANSWER?Philippa became firm friends with Roo Walker, another musician and someone who went on to become a Christian. Being down to earth and full of life, he opened up a new way of looking at who Christians could be. Up until

this time Philippa had seen Chris-tianity as something for the older generation. A set of rules, regula-tions and formal rituals dominated her thinking and her only image of church was what she had seen on Songs Of Praise. (Funnily enough Philippa later went on to perform on this very program.) She thought that old, traditional and uptight re-ligion was not for her!

As her friendship continued to develop with Roo discussions of faith became more common place. Philippa was now drawn to the transformation that she could see within his life and she began to look upon it as something that was both refreshing and safe. Sometime later, when she attended Roo’s baptism, a rev-elation also hit her. For the first time Philippa was meeting cool Christians. She liked what she saw and it was then that she decided that she wanted a little bit of what they had got.

Not long after, during a worship event, she had her first experience with Jesus. Whilst lis-tening to one of the worship songs something began to strike a chord within her. The point of the song was about casting your burdens onto the Lord because he really loves you. She said a private prayer and suddenly a powerful sensation overwhelmed her.

Watch a clip from Philippa’s latest DVD ‘Live at the Lantern’

SHE DIDN’T FIT A STEREOTYPICAL IMAGE OF WHAT A POP STAR SHOULD LOOK LIKE

12 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

THE TRANSFORMATIONFrom this point onwards Philippa could begin to feel a real change coming over her. Her personality began to transform and she started to become much more positive and peaceful. Of course her issues did not leave her overnight and there are still battles today but it was a major change from how things had been previously. Wonderfully, this rippled through her family once they saw the positive difference in their daughter. Philippa’s Mum and Dad are now Christians.

It was at this point that God then took over her music career. A friend named Andy who went onto begin his own recording company felt moved to tell her how God wanted to do so much more with her talent. He explained how she could do OK on her own, but if she gave her talent to God then He could do so much more than she ever imag-ined. Two albums and a Louder Than The Music award later, Philippa has a full grasp on what God can do when you give your gifting’s to Him.

It was after her experience of ac-cepting Christ that she began to write new songs for her first album ‘Watching You’. These songs she describes as figuring out her faith. 3 years later, a more mature Philip-pa wrote album number two. This album, named ‘Taste’, showed how she had settled into her relationship

with God. This collection of new songs brought a message of reality about our walk with the Father. Tracks such as ‘Work In Progress’ and ‘He’ll Love Me’ radiated messages of God’s unconditional love, no

matter what the circumstances of our life.

This walk with God then led her to new exciting adventures such as her trip to Haiti with the child sponsor charity Com-passion. After sponsoring a child of her own she decided to become an ambas-sador for their cause. It was after this trip to Haiti that Philippa released ‘Ave To Love’ in support of the earthquake victims who were suffering in the broken country. This song was co-written with Eliot Kennedy, a record producer who had penned his own hits for the likes of the Spice Girls and Take That. The single went on to raise funds for the work that Compassion were still doing in Haiti after the earthquake.

WHAT NOW?Currently Philippa is now writing her third album and second book. Her continued passion to tell a gener-ation of God’s love has only gained momentum and Philippa has many more projects in the pipeline that will be sure to bless those who follow her career.

Yet what it is that makes Philippa so special and such a great role model for the younger genera-tion? I think the answer to this lies in the message that is found consistently throughout her songs. In 2011 Philippa co-wrote the song ‘I am amazing’ with multi-platinum selling songwriter Chris Eaton. In this song the listener is given a message of hope like no other. Constantly struggling with her own self image, Philippa had finally decided to recognise the beautiful creation that God had made her to be. The lyrics to this song simply tell a story of how we are perfectly created in the way that God intended.

This is a message that the youth of today are desperately in need of. With pressure to make our-selves thinner, more beautiful and adorned with the correct clothing it is a breath of fresh air to hear a talented singer say it how it really is.

Still impassioned to get a message to this gen-eration of God’s love and perfect acceptance, she followed the single with her EP ‘Out Of The Blue’. In this collection of songs there are few tracks as meaningful as ‘Raggedy Doll’. The message within the lyrics tells us how every stitch and detail of our creation is how God intended. It tells of a plan and a purpose for us exactly as we are. This message seems to have struck a chord with youngsters and adults alike. Since its release, feedback for the song has been overwhelming. Children are actu-ally asking for their own raggedy dolls and one even sent a picture to Philippa of her and her new prized

GOD LED HER TO NEW EXCITING ADVENTURES

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 13

possession. This then led Philippa to see the great potential in this project and she has now created the Raggedy Doll Foun-dation. Here she is developing her own dolls for children to own. She is also working with an illustrator to write a story which develops the lyrics in the song.

And her passion and talents do not end there. After the release of her first book ‘More’, Philippa is now currently writing her second book. This time her penmanship has been used to write about the everyday miracles of life. It discusses her own experiences with God whilst maturing in her faith and how He has faithfully moved her in the right direction whilst showing His closeness through relationship.

Philippa also makes sure that she shares her skills with others and has gone on to mentor other aspiring artists. She does this because she understands how difficult it is to be at a young age without guidance and she is committed to helping others find a similar path to wholeness as the one she has trodden.

Working frequently with schools and youth groups she has many times been moved by the hope that comes from the teenagers of today. She considers them more open, more welcoming and more thoughtful to the social injustices within society and has faith that they will rise up and become a gen-eration that brings hope to the world.

With such sentiments as these, combined with a real and purposeful talent, I think it is fair to say that Philippa will con-tinue to make an impact on those around her for a long time. I look forward to seeing her career go from strength to strength as she continues to reach out to a generation so badly in need of the truth.

Philippa Hanna is one of the UK’s brightest talents. Her songs and stories are capti-vating audiences around the globe.

Since the independent release of debut album ‘Watching Me’ in 2007 it’s been difficult to keep track of Philippa. Creat-ing a splash on the UK gospel scene, Philippa has found her-self at the top of UK Christian and gospel charts and saw out 2011 voted Best British Female by UK subscribers to popular Christian music site louderthanthemusic.com

Not only devoting her time to music, Philippa visited Haiti in 2009 with international chil-dren’s charity Compassion and has helped recruit hundreds of sponsors for the charity’s work at her concerts.

To find out more visit www.philippahanna.co.uk

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES PHILIPPA SO SPECIAL?

14 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

PRAYER

Sheffield Prayer Centre is a movement to encour-age and facilitate prayer for Sheffield and beyond. Firstly, we resource, support, and promote groups

and churches wishing to run prayer days or prayer rooms, and are available to assist in anyway we can.

Secondly we run regular weekends and days of prayer for Sheffield in the city centre, open to people from all churches and backgrounds.

Upcoming Dates:14 JULY - PRAYER DAY @ Hartshead Square11 AUG - PRAYER DAY @ Hartshead Square

www.sheffieldprayercentre.org.uk

Meets weekly on Monday evening at 7.30pm

COMING TOGETHER IN PRAYER

Meets on the 3rd Thursday each month, 1 - 2pm

This meeting is to pray and seek revelation and direction for the new work of God at Montgomery Arts and Christian Centre (MACCS) formerly Sheffield Christian Education Council. One of the directional words we believe is from the Holy Spirit is to ‘open up the well of Montgomery’ and as we gain more understanding of this we believe it has an out-working across Sheffield as well as for MACCS. We would very much appreciate input from intercessors and prayerful people as we endeavour to fill in the detail of the exciting picture God is painting.

www.scec.org.ukTel: 0114 272 0455

PAUSE FOR PRAYERMONTGOMERY HALL

TRANSFORMATION SHEFFIELDGREENHILL METHODIST CHURCH

EMPOWERST THOMAS PHILADELPHIA

The next meeting is June 28th, 7.30 - 10pm

got a prayer initiative you would like to be included in PLEXUS?

email: admin@sheffieldprayercentre.co.uk or ring Pete on 07983376751

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 15

EMPOWERST THOMAS PHILADELPHIA

16 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

COPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENTBY CORINNE GAISIE

Unemployment can be a time of great uncer-tainty for everyone. For us as Christians, it can also be a testing time in our faith when

we have to address issues of fear, anxiety, disap-pointment, doubt, grief and even low self-esteem.

In the current economic climate with high unem-ployment, searching for work can be very discourag-ing. In this time of vulnerability, our faith is being put to the test. Will God really provide for all our needs, including our financial ones? When our money pot gets to a the danger zone, the only way to remain at peace is by ensuring that we stay connected to the heart of God and dwell in His presence day and night.

TESTING TIMESDuring periods of unemployment, I have experi-enced times when a blanket of fear suddenly came over me in the middle of the night and the only way I could remove it was by calling to the Lord and de-claring the promises of God over me as a follower of Christ. I have had to learn to believe in my heart, and not just in my head, that God really has good plans for me and also trust in his provision.

During my time of testing, the Lord challenged me on some key issues affecting my walk with him, namely my identity and my faith.

When meeting someone new, it is often difficult to avoid the question “what do you do?” Our answer provides the basis on which that person will begin to form a general opinion about who we are. I found

myself slightly embarrassed to have to say that I was “unemployed”. My job title had become my identity, my security and perhaps even a source of comfort and pride?

IDENTITYThankfully the Lord loved me too much to leave me in my delusionary state and lovingly took me through a painfully humbling process. This led me to the realisation that my true identity is not in what I do for a living, but in who He has called me to be. In my desperation, with all the time in the world to seek the Lord’s presence, I’ve learnt that I

needed to discover who God really was before I could understand my true iden-tity in Him and the power of the authority I have as a believer.

In order to guard my thoughts, I have learned to daily declare the truth of the Word of God and the

promises that are specific to my hour of need. This has given me the strength to move out of self-pity and shame, and grow in hope and confidence in the Lord. I have now become a different person, trans-formed by the love of my heavenly Daddy and renewed in His strength. I have also discovered that demotion in the world often means promo-tion in the Spirit.

Today, as I face another phase of uncertainty, the Lord is teaching me about provision. He is showing me that I do not need to make de-cisions rooted in fear but in faith and, as I do so He will bless me and show me His power as Jehovah-Jireh – the God who provides. In my journey of finding who God really is, I have moved to that place where I can cast off all anxiety so as to live in the peace that comes from knowing He is in control.

I FOUND MYSELF SLIGHTLY EMBARRASSED TO HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS ‘UNEMPLOYED’

FEATURE

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 17

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EVENTS

1–4 Therefore Go… @ Cliff College www.cliffcollege.ac.uk3 Brother Yun ‘The Heavenly Man’ UK Tour @ Ecclesall Parish Church www.ecclesall.parishchurch.org.uk4 Jubilee Street Party @ St Mary’s Handsworth4 Jubilee Hub @ Green Moor 6 Mission & Unity Committee of the Diocese of Hallam with Niall Cooper, National Coordinator of Church Action on Poverty8–10 Trevor Baker @ City Life Christian Church www.citylifecc.com9 Arts and Crafts Festival Exhibition @ Montgomery Hall11–15 Arts and Crafts Exhibition @ The Winter Gardens13 Canon Michael Mitton @ Whirlow Grange Spirituality Centre www.sheffieldmethodist.org14 Meet Jill Baker the Connexional President @ Cantley Methodist Church Doncaster15 Rotherham Holiday Aid Concert @ Rotherham Minster23 School of Theology with Bishop Steven @ St Thomas Crookes www.schooloftheology.org.uk 23 Mental Health – Challenge or Opportunity? One day course @ St Peter’s Church Hall www.sheffield.anglican.org23 X:site now @ Wesley Hall Methodist Church 30 Summer Fayre @ St Mary’s Church Handsworth

JUNE

JULY3 Arts and Crafts Celebration Concert @ Montgomery Theatre3 Revd Philip Roderick & Jane McBane @ Whirlow Grange Spirituality Centre www.sheffieldmethodist.org4 Alive @ Victoria Hall www.forgeyouth.com 4 The Oakes Holiday Centre - Open www.oakes.org.uk6-8 Panim El Panim with Howard Morgan @ Hayes Conference Centre13 Glory Revolution @ O2 Academy www.makeyourcityshine.com15 Howard Morgan @ Bushfire Basecamp www.bushfireministries.co.uk

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a time to

SHINEEVENTS

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 19

The 70 days leading up to the opening of the Games sees the Olympic flame run the length and breadth of the UK – in a massive cavalcade involving a team of

8,000 torchbearers.This Torch Relay will stop overnight at 70 communities,

weaving its way through a 1,000 more. As a result, almost every church can be involved. The Torch Relay is an oppor-tunity for prayer. More Than Gold is organising a 70 day cas-cade of prayer and praise as the Olympic Torch Relay passes between communities.

SHEFFIELDThe Olympic torch is coming to Sheffield on 25th June. The flame represents the basic spiritual significance of the Ol-ympic movement, a symbol of peace among the nations of the world. While an admirable ideal, it lacks the truth and eternal light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There will be an evening of Worship and Prayer at Mont-gomery Hall, city centre, at 7.30pm on the 25th June to praise God and pray for Sheffield and the Olympics (Sheffield will host many athletes and their families during the Olympics). For more details visit www.sheffieldprayercentre.co.uk.

For more details about More Than Gold (the International organisation that has been helping Churches engage with the Olympics since the 1996 games in Atlanta) see their website at www.morethangold.org.uk.

20 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

The first emPower meeting was held on Fri-day the 30th of March at The Rock Christian Centre in inner-city Burngreave. The hall

was full as Christians from all races and church backgrounds gathered to worship and pray for the city. The band of gifted musicians from differ-ent churches led the people deep into worship, and the presence of God became tangible as people repented and prayed for greater unity, for the outreach programs in the city, and for each other.

I caught up with Nike Adebajo, the prayer leader for Kings Centre and St Thomas Philadel-phia, and one of the core leaders of emPower, to find out more.

NIKE ADE-BAJO

BY HELEN CLARK

an interview with

INTERVIEW

PLEXUSMAG.COM | 21

moved here.

What did you make of the spiritual atmosphere here?

When I first came it felt very closed spiritually, a very friendly place, but very closed. It was apt that it was

called the ‘Steel City’, but I hasten to add that it’s not like that anymore! Over the years (and I have to honour the peo-ple who’ve been praying here for a long time) I have seen an increasing open-ness to the gospel. There’s been an opening up.

Did you find it very different spiritually from Nigeria?

Nigeria is a very open place generally. It is easy to share the gospel and witness about Jesus; People take it or leave it. Nigeria is one of

the places in the world where you can say that there has been a move of God.

I learned to pray in a growing prayer movement for our nation, not just in my university. All over the country, Chris-tians in the universities were fasting and praying for God to move in our Na-tion. I love to tell this story, there was a deep hunger.

I’m pleased to say that God answers prayers. Lots of people from that move-ment are involved in ministries all over the world, and have carried the fire wherever they’ve gone. We saw lots of people come to know Jesus. It even be-came unfashionable not to be a Chris-tian in some parts of Nigeria. There’s been a real move of God.

In Sheffield over the years I’ve seen a growing openness to the gospel, but Ni-gerian Christians are people who would take discipleship, prayer and studying the Word seriously. As disciplines you learned in order to grow, not as legal-ism. It was a bit of a shock, as it didn’t seem like many English Christians were as committed to prayer or the Word, and they weren’t as open in sharing

their faith. But whatever they knew they held on to, there was a depth there. It has changed. I’m very excited when I hear about healing on the streets and about more public gatherings across the nation; that’s encouraging. Chris-tians in the UK can be very parochial, focusing more on their church or their city with less of a view of the nation as a whole. It’s hard to hear voices of Chris-tians on national platforms hearing what God is saying to the nation. Very few Christians can tell you what God is saying to the nation, which is very dif-ferent to Nigeria.

So, tell me about emPower, how did it start?

emPower has only just started, but it has come out of the half nights of prayer we’ve been having. About 4

years ago a small group of leaders in the city wanted to create an avenue for their congregations to meet together to expand the existing relationships they had. At that time it was St Thomas Philadelphia, Victory Assembly, Kings Centre and St Thomas Crookes. We had a termly half night of prayer ending at midnight, and we chose to hold them at Philadelphia so as not to disturb too many neighbours! At this stage it was primarily for the members of those con-gregations, but two years ago the Rock Christian Centre joined in the plan-ning of the meetings, and we decided to open them up for other churches to come. We know there have been and are other prayer initiatives across the city, which we honour. We just want to make sure people pray.

Cont...

How did you become a Christian?

I’m originally from Nigeria. I was brought up in a nominal Christian family; my mother went to church regularly, but

my father only went for special services like Christmas and Easter. It was when I went away from home to do my A lev-els that I heard the good news. No-one had really explained the gospel to me before. Some of my friends would go round the halls of residence and talk about Jesus. I would argue with them about heaven and hell; but after they’d left I would think about what they had said. Very quietly I made a commitment to God. It was later, when attending a program led by a man called Uncle Japhet, that I decided to make a public commitment.

How did you start to pray and what made it important to you?

It would have been rare for people in Nigeria in those days (1975) not to pray. All the Christians were hot on

prayer. I can’t talk about my prayer jour-ney without mentioning the way I was discipled in prayer when I went to uni-versity. There was a man a few years ahead of me who would gather a group of seven to eight of us in the chapel to pray and fast for our families to be saved. Prayer is not only taught but caught, and I caught prayer from him. I would watch his face as he prayed. He taught me to pray, like Jesus showed the disciples how to pray. He was a man of God.

How long have you been in Sheffield?

Since 1994. We’d been liv-ing in different places in the UK; Scotland, Cambridge, High Wycombe... My hus-

band got a consultant post and we

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“IT EVEN BECAME UNFASHIONABLE

NOT TO BE A CHRISTIAN”

22 | PLEXUSMAG.COM

How would you summarise the vision?

The tagline is Sheffield Chris-tians Together in Prayer. To encourage Christians in the city, to gather and pray for

our city and our nation. We recognise that other people are praying, and we see the need for both corporate and individual prayer. There is power in peo-ple praying for their locality.

Part of the vision is to connect people who pray to the city-wide initiatives, to pray for them. At the last meeting we had stands from some of these such as the Besom project and the Street Pas-tors as prayer stations. The vision is to grow and grow and grow.

I remember back to fifteen years ago when Christians used to fill The Octa-gon building at the University to wor-ship and pray together. We’re not trying to restart that, but I would love to see as many different Christians and churches as possible join in. We’re very happy to come and share the vision with any church or fellowship that wants us to.

It’s very exciting that each meeting is

held in a different church - that’s part of the vision. We’d also like to pray more specifically for things going on in the city; to highlight area such as the police, healthcare or education, and get prayer points direct from people in-volved in those areas.

The scripture we’ve chosen for Em-power is Zechariah 4:6 ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.’

Prophetically, what do you think is next for Sheffield?

What I sense, and this is a sense rather than a direct word, is that there is going to be a growing move of God

in the city as more and more Christians commit to praying, and more and more Christians commit to being salt in the various sectors of the city, where they are; in the workforce.

Many of the prophetic words for the city have been about individual lights, and as they come together they become brighter. A picture, if I can describe it as that, of greater freedom coming to the

city. I sense that the church in the city is

going to come together more, laying down the individualistic approach we can sometimes have, and reach out to each other. We’re going to see King-dom growth in the city, that’s the sense I get.

Is there anything you’d like to say to say to the church?

I’d like to encourage leaders in the city. Some of them, no-one’s noticed what they’ve done, but I want to acknowl-

edge it. They’re doing a great job, and I sense that the Holy Spirit wants to affirm that and encourage us to keep going.

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The next emPower meetings are Friday, 7:30 - 10pm;

June 28th @ St Thomas PhiladelphiaSep 30th @ Victory Assembly

Nov 30th @ St John’s Owlerton

Everyone is welcome

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