After nearly three years of community living together with the Newman family at 40 Kingston Road, Romford, we have agreed that it's time for this season to end. Family and friends, please pray with and for us as we attempt to end well - we know that this isn't going to be easy, for lots of reasons.
Endings are as important as beginnings (perhaps moreso?), and as I've said, we want to end well. We want to remember the highs and lows of the past three years and to fully receive all that this time together has sown into our lives, all that we've experienced and all that we've learnt, about ourselves, about one another, and about what it means to love and live for Jesus. And we want to find ways to celebrate and give thanks too. I suspect that there will be some kind of party during the coming weeks, and you'll all be invited, for sure. :) And then we also need to navigate our way through all the practicalities of 'moving on' wisely, carefully, and full-of-care for one another.
Three years ago we were fighting hard to actually get this house - every day seemed like a battle. And then, during those last few weeks before we moved in at the end of November 2007, Lewis Newman (Helen and Ian's second child) was born. Their third child, Charlie, was born in the house. I remember hearing him crying out his first few breaths upstairs, while we waited downstairs with the rest of the children. A truly wonderful memory... and it's one of hundreds, literally. I'm looking forward to reflecting on them as we draw this chapter of our lives to a close.
Also, over these three years, more than one hundred people have stayed in our community house with us for at least one night, friends and family from all over the world... from Ibiza and the USA, South Africa and Switzerland, Tunisia, Sweden, Australia and Germany (I've probably forgotten quite a few!), and then loads from around the UK. Some have come to hang out, some to learn with us, some to explore community living and hospitality and prayer, some have even come for a 'retreat' (which seemed crazy to me, as our house is always chaotic!). And every single one has been a blessing to us. We truly hope that we've been a blessing to them too. Our hope is that these experiences have sown good seed into the good soil of our lives.
"Keep open house. Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in Heaven." Matthew 5 (The Message)
...or the End of the Beginning?
At the end of Summer, after talking and praying together on many occasions, Helen and Ian felt that it was time for them to move on from the house, and from community living in this way. Emma and I, however, felt that we would really like to stay here... and that we'd like to explore community living even further, deeper, more intentionally. We feel as if there's more of this adventure for us... we feel like there's more that Holy Spirit wants to lead us into, and hopefully more that we can welcome other friends into with us.
So... we're going to give it a try. Our dream is to keep this house, and to offer out the three bedrooms to young people, to 24-7 prayer interns, to families, to young couples, to people who want to explore 'new monastic' community living with us, people who want to come and rent the rooms and just join in with our family-rhythms of prayer, hospitality, learning, creativity, justice and mission. We'd like to host more regular 24-hour prayer opportunities and connect up with more of the local churches. We'd like to host learning days and short training cycles, round table conversations and workshops. We'd like to develop creative circles and open meals. In fact, we have lots of ideas and plans... ;)
However, for Emma and I to keep 40 Kingston Road, it will mean us buying Helen and Ian's share of the house... which we simply cannot do at the moment. And so, the only way to make this work is for us to find an investor - someone who believes in what we'd like to do here, someone who can prayerfully and practically partner with us by buying a significant stake in the house (which will be redeemed when we all move on, whenever that may be - probably a few years time? - hopefully with some profit).
Could you please pray with and for us? Helen and Ian have kindly agreed that we can take the rest of September (three weeks!) to pray for and seek out an investor (or some other way), to see if we can buy their stake in their house. At the end of September, if we haven't found our investor, or if we haven't had an extraordinary word-from-God telling us to stay, then we'll need to go. We'll need to sell the house and move on. At the moment, we're not sure what that will mean for us.
If you have any questions - if I haven't explained any of this clearly enough, or if you have more detailed questions (especially if you happen to know anyone who might be interested in investing in all this) please pop me an email, or give me a call. Please bear our end-of-the-month deadline in mind. :)
Thank you for your prayers, for your support and encouragement, for everything...
Three years ago we were fighting hard to actually get this house - every day seemed like a battle. And then, during those last few weeks before we moved in at the end of November 2007, Lewis Newman (Helen and Ian's second child) was born. Their third child, Charlie, was born in the house. I remember hearing him crying out his first few breaths upstairs, while we waited downstairs with the rest of the children. A truly wonderful memory... and it's one of hundreds, literally. I'm looking forward to reflecting on them as we draw this chapter of our lives to a close.
Also, over these three years, more than one hundred people have stayed in our community house with us for at least one night, friends and family from all over the world... from Ibiza and the USA, South Africa and Switzerland, Tunisia, Sweden, Australia and Germany (I've probably forgotten quite a few!), and then loads from around the UK. Some have come to hang out, some to learn with us, some to explore community living and hospitality and prayer, some have even come for a 'retreat' (which seemed crazy to me, as our house is always chaotic!). And every single one has been a blessing to us. We truly hope that we've been a blessing to them too. Our hope is that these experiences have sown good seed into the good soil of our lives.
"Keep open house. Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in Heaven." Matthew 5 (The Message)
...or the End of the Beginning?
At the end of Summer, after talking and praying together on many occasions, Helen and Ian felt that it was time for them to move on from the house, and from community living in this way. Emma and I, however, felt that we would really like to stay here... and that we'd like to explore community living even further, deeper, more intentionally. We feel as if there's more of this adventure for us... we feel like there's more that Holy Spirit wants to lead us into, and hopefully more that we can welcome other friends into with us.
So... we're going to give it a try. Our dream is to keep this house, and to offer out the three bedrooms to young people, to 24-7 prayer interns, to families, to young couples, to people who want to explore 'new monastic' community living with us, people who want to come and rent the rooms and just join in with our family-rhythms of prayer, hospitality, learning, creativity, justice and mission. We'd like to host more regular 24-hour prayer opportunities and connect up with more of the local churches. We'd like to host learning days and short training cycles, round table conversations and workshops. We'd like to develop creative circles and open meals. In fact, we have lots of ideas and plans... ;)
However, for Emma and I to keep 40 Kingston Road, it will mean us buying Helen and Ian's share of the house... which we simply cannot do at the moment. And so, the only way to make this work is for us to find an investor - someone who believes in what we'd like to do here, someone who can prayerfully and practically partner with us by buying a significant stake in the house (which will be redeemed when we all move on, whenever that may be - probably a few years time? - hopefully with some profit).
Could you please pray with and for us? Helen and Ian have kindly agreed that we can take the rest of September (three weeks!) to pray for and seek out an investor (or some other way), to see if we can buy their stake in their house. At the end of September, if we haven't found our investor, or if we haven't had an extraordinary word-from-God telling us to stay, then we'll need to go. We'll need to sell the house and move on. At the moment, we're not sure what that will mean for us.
If you have any questions - if I haven't explained any of this clearly enough, or if you have more detailed questions (especially if you happen to know anyone who might be interested in investing in all this) please pop me an email, or give me a call. Please bear our end-of-the-month deadline in mind. :)
Thank you for your prayers, for your support and encouragement, for everything...
Phil, I'm praying for a huge release of finance for you and your family. Wish I had the money to give you! I share your dream of community living and love reading about your journey. Big love
Steve
Posted by: Steve Whitehouse | Monday, 13 September 2010 at 08:19 AM
Yo Phil
We will be praying for you and that God's perfect will is done. We ask Holy Spirit to be clear in His plans for you in this time. We pray protection over your thoughts so its ALL God. This must be a really difficult time but knowing you a little bit, have a real sense God WILL look after you in this and bring forth fruit. God bless you
Posted by: Andrew & Tarina | Wednesday, 15 September 2010 at 06:09 PM
Hi Phil,
No idea how it's going to work out, obviously, but you are wildly rich in relationships whatever happens.
All the best (and sorry not to be seeing you in Edinburgh).
David
Posted by: MisterDavid | Friday, 17 September 2010 at 03:11 AM
Hope you get an investor sorted! Sounds a bit like our community house in loughborough (family of six plus six others) .. we're constantly having to jiggle around to keep the finances of it all afloat. The mortgage people must think we're insane. Not to mention the Sainsburys delivery drivers who assume we run a nursery ;)
Posted by: Jonny | Thursday, 23 September 2010 at 04:04 PM