November 04, 2008

THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON!

Hi Church

As I write this I have just received the final update from New York about how Michael and Ryan have gone on their run…and they’re finished!  What a “breakthrough” achievement…

As we all know by now, this race was prepared for all year and was to raise awareness and funds for the building of a home for girls in our Shire.

And the achievement brings us through to a new season in God for sure, one of faith and commitment beyond ourselves.  The guys ran the race in better time than they had predicted.  I have just spoken with them and though hurting at a physical level, spirits are strong and the sense of achievement abounding!  Please pray for them as they return home next week after preaching at a church in the USA on the weekend.  You can reach them with emails by sending them to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  They would love to hear from you!

Please know that I appreciate all of your phone calls and texts this morning, and that your prayers have been so valued by us!  We love you, church!

Pastor Michael will be speaking at our MOBILISE night on Wed 12th November at 7.15pm…we would love you to come and to celebrate the homecoming with us, and to stay to hear about how you can serve and be involved in our next season at Shirelive.  We need you to be building with us and breaking down barriers together! As we move into our new building on December 14th, we look forward to having YOU alongside to build the Kingdom together!

With love

Valery

October 28, 2008

October Update

Hi church!

What magnificent spring weather we are having…I love to get out into the sunshine and to feel the warmth of approaching summer getting right into the cobwebs that winter may have left…what a feeling!

Michael and our son Ryan are currently away and headed for their part in running the New York City Marathon, in order to raise sponsorship and awareness of our need for a home for young women in our Shire, in conjunction with our amazing Esteem program. 

Why the New York Marathon?

Well, funny you should ask…it is the question of the moment! At the beginning of this year the two guys were reading a running magazine and came across an article which inspired them that, if prepared well, they could run a marathon…in fact I remember hearing the words from them:

“Hey, we could DO this!”

Oh my! I knew they were serious from that moment on!

So…after months and months of training (yes, they have done it virtually alone, with the help and advice of a couple of people) and many kilometres of “hard slog”, they are ready to face the starting line and to see how well they can do with 42 kilometres of gruelling road track around the environs of Staten Island and The Bronx, through Queens and finally to Manhatten!

As I write they are running in Hawaii after Sunday night preaching at a church there, and are off on Wednesday to tackle one of the biggest challenges of their lives…please pray for them as they move into the next phase of preparation.  They are planning on running together and finishing as father and son ... together!  What a triumphant crossing of the finishing line that will be!

Why running?
Well, also at the beginning of this year Michael taught our congregation about “doing something to break down your barriers” and for him, this has been just the thing!  What is your barrier, and have you started to do “something you’ve never done before” in order to challenge those things in your own life that need to be changed, broken, smashed through…no matter how much it takes?

Allow me to encourage you…we can all break down “barriers” ... but the first thing we need to face is the decision…make the decision today to change things that are stopping you from going forward…and live life at the top of who God made you to be...not “under the circumstances” as many people do, but getting ON TOP of them!

So…can I ask you to join me in prayer today for Michael and Ryan as they face this next few days?  They will be running at 2.00 am Sydney time on Monday morning…that’s mid morning Sunday in New York, and hopefully will finish well…some hours later!  If you want to check the course out there is a website for this race available.  When they arrive home we will be putting together a short publicity clip to show to corporate sponsors, and to show at the See Change Ball. If you can be of any help with raising funds perhaps you would like to contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) ?

I’d love to hear from you!

Our HOPE Global Conference has been a resounding success, and may I thank you for your part in this?  As was said by one of our guest speakers, it is a wonderful reflection upon the heart of our church to know that all of us still retain and support a heart for the nations and for the poor of this world as we continue to invest our own resources into Missions projects overseas and at home, in order to see the Kingdom of God here on the earth…fully established in the hearts and lives of others!  Thank you, church, for your faithful giving and promises for the next twelve months.  If you have not considered what God would have you give, it is not too late.  Sunday will bring another opportunity for you to help us to reach our targets in order to continue to support our MX5 Global vision to go…

“Through the wall, across the street and TO THE NATIONS!”

Have a most wonderful week.  We will be praying for you, for your family and for your future….we love you, church!

Valery and Michael

September 28, 2008

Hello church!

Hello church!

We have just left Kiev in the Ukraine, where Michael preached at the Sunday services for Hillsong Kiev. Prior to that, we flew in from 3 days in Moscow, where we were blessed to be able to speak to both students and the Saturday congregation of Hillsong Moscow. This latter, relatively new service planted out of Kiev by Pastor Zhenya and Vera Kasevich is proving to be a light in that city of 20 million people and still emerging from a difficult and spiritually barren past landscape.

We were welcomed by a dozen friendly college students and felt we made a connection with hearts, bridging both cultural and language barriers through our common word. As we shared what God had put on our hearts and prophesied into their lives, we felt instant rapport with these young world-changers whose passion and commitment draws them towards bringing not only their city but their nation to Christ. Their enthusiasm and work in assisting Zhenya and Vera to run the Moscow church is impressive to say the least.

Moscow is a journey by air of one and a half hours from Kiev, so every weekend these committed pastors step out to lead the fledgling work in Russia, not as an interruption to their lives, but as a blessing to be enjoyed, and a work to be committed to…how beautiful!

Church, this is one of the areas of missions support in our MX5 vision for our world. Please continue to pray for Moscow!

As we left Kiev airport, it was a fond goodbye to dear friends and the Ukraine’s cloudy skies…but we are left with memories of a packed church where a radical faith rules in the hearts of its people, and a glimpse of a dream come true.

Why?

Sixteen years ago to the month, Michael landed in the Ukraine to establish a church.  With a few musos and an enthusiastic young pastor named Darko Culjak, they were there on behalf of the Sydney Hillsong church and Pastor Brian Houston.  Amidst disturbing spiritual opposition, skyrocketing inflation and many practical obstacles, the service was birthed in the October Palace, former headquarters of the KGB. As Michael and I returned to this stunning city in Eastern Europe this last week, I could sense his enjoyment at what God has done in Kiev, and rejoiced with him as he took in, from the platform in all 3 services, the enormity of what God intends to do in the future through these people.

Not Christians but professional musicians on the day of that very first service, Zhenya and Vera and their two children became born again and took the church on as pastors (under Pastor Brian Houston)just six years after its beginning. Now this church is reaching Europe as it grows up to be an influence itself.

What glorious things God has allowed us to see on this trip, and as we begin now a short holiday to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, we look forward to seeing you very soon.

God bless you as you continue to build God’s Kingdom with us!

Love,

Michael and Valery Murphy