After much discussion with you all (and with those who are dropping out this year) I have been able to complete the planning for the start of HOTS Bath 2022! Friday turns out to be the best day for us so Fridays from 11.30 to 13.30 is when will serve in the Abbey Churchyard this year until mid November when arrangements for the Christmas Market start.
On Maundy Thursday, just before Easter, we were in the city centre in the middle of the day. The crowds were back and I thought I had not seen so many people in the Abbey Churchyard since late summer 2019, two and a half years ago. Harvest time has come again! Time to get back out to our usual corner in the Abbey Churchyard,
We know that people move on to other things and Covid had a dramatic effect on participation at most churches but last year’s team members who are not coming out with us this year (Steve, Eddie and Vicky) have made their decisions because God has called them to other things and not because Friday does not work (so all clear there). Also, of course, many thanks to all three of them for many years of faithful service !!!!!
I have also noticed over the years (except the Covid years) that Fridays in the Abbey Churchyard tend to be busier than other weekdays. The city is filling up for the weekend, so we should expect more visitors than in recent years.
Construction work in and around the Abbey has finished so all of the hoardings have gone. The benches have been put back in Kingston Square (our part of the Churchyard) with much more space between them and the south side of the Abbey itself, so we have more room at our pitch than we have had for many years.
I have four people (all ladies) who would like to join us so I am going to arrange (with them) a regular weekday evening slot to run a training course at my house. I will let you all know which night it is and any of you will be most welcome to join us as a ‘refresher’ and opportunity for the newcomers to hear some stories from you, not just from me! I plan to invite them (two at a time) to join us the following Friday as ‘shadow’ team members so that they can see how we work and make sure they really want to go through with it!
I have spoken to our friend Paul Skelton about a series of Healing Seminars he is running at various places around our district. He will be telling his trainees that if any of them would like to join us at HOTS Bath all they have to do is get in touch, we do need some new team members! If anyone knows of any other believers who might like to join us, please let me know.
Routine arrangements will stay much as last year:
- We have now agreed to serve our city on Fridays each week. We will plan to be there from 11.30 to 13.30, 2 hours. We will change the web-site to make these details clear to all web-site visitors.
- I will text/ring round to ask who is available for the few weeks in front of us rather than use the sign-up programme, until we have a bigger team again.
- On the day, the team will meet at St Mike’s at 11.00 for coffee (as our custom: I will pay!!) and any nattering we want to do – so that there is not such a great need to natter to each other in the Abbey Churchyard!
- This will also provide a time for any updates on Covid safety rules etc., planning forthcoming weeks and introducing new team members.
- I have made some new business-sized cards to give out to people who do actually stop for a chat and some prayer, so that we can hear about how they get on. I also need to chat about how we should use these new cards after we have had good chats with people and/or had the chance to pray for them.
- Rules for use of the side chapel at St Mike’s have now been relaxed post-Covid regulations, so we can use the side chapel for up to 8 of us to pray in if we wish.
- Last Thursday I noticed lots of people sitting on the Abbey Churchyard benches and, apparently, not bothered about sitting close to each other etc., so I plan for us to go back up to four folding chairs at our pitch on the corner of the Abbey, with our well known flag that says “HEALING” and the A-board that says who does it – “Jesus Heals”.
- Since the hoardings have gone and there is now more space around our pitch, we can also go back to kneeing to pray together as we start each Friday.
- The A5 size hand-outs do need revising but I still have about a thousand of them and would like to get the new season going before I update them and spend money on a new print run.
- The website needs revisions and updates. I will arrange once we have been up and running again for a couple of weeks.
More news…
- Some of you may be aware that several of the HOTS teams around the country have not yet restarted after Covid and that Mark & Lynda Marx have moved to Anaheim, California, Vineyard HQ but we are not alone……….
- Our friends Dan and Sharon are back in Bath with their sandwich boards proclaiming salvation.
- Also, in 2019 John and Carol Arnott published a new book in which they wrote that they feel a new tsunami-sized revival is on the horizon.
- England will be covered by it in an early phase.
- And, they wrote, much of it will be…… out on the streets!!!!!!!!!
We have agreed that those who are available will start on Friday next week, 29th April !!!!!
See you at St Mike’s, best wishes to all, Dorian