the latest...

...about the big move

Our flights are booked and we will be leaving on February 27th 2007. We have a free stop over in Fiji. It was our hope to enjoy a brief holiday there as well as breaking up the long flight for the kids. [If anyone has any tips to share on flying with toddlers please post some advice]. We are thrilled that we will be able to enjoy this holiday almost expense FREE! Well, sort of... we've been building up our credit card rewards points - topped up with some more from my dad, as well as some free accommodation that Clayton's parents received for sitting through some time share presentation.

We'll arrive in L.A. on the 4th of March. Fuller have arranged for us to be picked up with all of our luggage and taken to our new furnished home. We've signed a lease for an apartment that is located across the road from Fuller. It is a real answer to prayer... there is an indoor children's play room, as well as a playground, a music room, study room and various other common rooms. The other plus is that it will be furnished. The housing team at Fuller have thought of everything - linen, kitchenware... We'll still need to do some of our own setting up, but for a nominal fee, most of the expense will be taken care of through a furniture loan system. We'll be living in a two bedroom apartment with bathroom, kitchen and living area.

Clayton has been looking into what church we might become a part of. As you can imagine, there are many to choose from. At this stage, we are considering joining a campus of Erwin McManus' Mosaic Church in Pasadena. It turns out that they have a small group that meets in our apartment block that is made up of mostly other young families. Please pray that we would really be led by God in this decision, as our US church experience is potentially just as big a part of what God wants to impart in our lives, as is the equipping from Fuller.

Why we're doing what we're doing

The following except from letter I wrote in December 2005 might shed some light on the subect.

…We both have a real love for God's Church and are passionate about using the gifts He has given us - functioning in our role in His body. For Clayton, we have both known for a long time now that his primary gift is teaching and we feel a deep calling and sense of responsibility to ensure that we do our part to preserve the integrity of 'the Church' through sound doctrine (teaching), and leadership.

We recently felt led to dig up some of the prophetic words that had been spoken over each of us over the years. Listening to them gave us not only great encouragement, but also a deep challenge to "not neglect the gift that was given us through the prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on us". (1 Tim 4:14) You then read in verse 15 that we are to be diligent in these matters; giving ourselves wholly to them, and that we are to watch our lives and doctrine closely.

So what’s this big decision? Over the past week, we have gradually come to sense that God wants Clayton to take the next step and pursue fulltime theological training. One of the big options that we are considering very seriously is leaving the ministry at City Life Church and moving with the boys to the States for as much as 2 years to study. Why America? A number of reasons, but Clayton has been researching this on and off for a while now, and hasn't come across a course in Australia that has all that he is looking for. We are also seeking a season of impartation, equipping and exposure to God’s church outside of the expression that we have come to know.

One of the things that made me realise that this could be God, is that I have never wanted to move overseas or give up the security of living in Melbourne near family. I am a 'settler', and I have always said to Clayton that if we were ever meant to move overseas that God would have to do some serious work to make me want to go. Just last week Clayton was reading in Proverbs 8, "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies..." When he shared this with me he also shared the challenge from the Lord: ‘What is stopping us? Is it money and financial security?’ When he shared this, for the first time, I felt a sense that we may just have to go. What can I say? I think that God has done a number on me, because now, I have this excitement and sense that we are just meant to go (regardless of the cost).

In the flesh, it seems like a crazy decision; walking away from fulltime ministry at one of the biggest churches in Australia, leaving family, leaving friends and making the hope of one day owning my dream family home with big back yard for the kids to play in a distant dream. We would be leaving the security of employment and not to mention government support, and moving to place where we don't know anyone, can't get a job and can't ‘settle’ down.

The thought of raising Judah and Nathan in the US for 2 years without family around is not great, but we have come to realise that now is probably the best time for them as they are not yet school age children and they'll be young enough to shake off any American accent that they might develop. (I can't stand the thought of having children call me 'mom'.)

Two years ago, Clayton heard from the Lord, “Two years. You’ve got two years.” At the time he discerned that God was saying that he had two years before we’d be moving on from the Young Adults ministry. Because of his love for the young adults, he’s been fighting it and trying to re-interpret that word ever since. But it would seem perhaps that now is the time. Well actually, it would be probably be late 2006 or early 2007, so we’d have plenty of time to prepare ourselves for the trip and the Young Adults group for transition.

Who knows what we’d be coming back to? There are no guarantees that there would be any paid ministry opportunities back home. We are simply putting our trust in God, walking in simple obedience to God’s leading so that we may be equipped for whatever it is that God has in store for us, whether employed or volunteering our service at CityLife, another church, or even church planting…

Thanks for your prayers

Please pray:

• For safe travel, a smooth transition and that the boys would quickly settle into their new home in L.A.
• That God would not only broaden our horizons, but also spiritually enlarge us as his servants over our time in the US.
• That we would accurately discern God decisions from just good ones; particularly in finding a church to be involved in, and in the enrollment options that face Clayton at Fuller.
• That we would quickly build new friendships that would help serve as a local support network.
• For continued blessing from God in our finances; that He would give us wisdom in our management of what he has already given us, and that we would continue to look to Him in faith as Jehovah Jireh - our provider.

Farewell Party

Many of you have asked to be included should there be a farewell party. So here are the details:

What: big picnic brunch and prayer send off
Date: Sat 24th Feb 07
Time: 10am onwards
Where: Jells Park, Stringybark Picnic Area (enter off Waverley Rd.)

Please bring: some $ to contribute towards the brunch.

RSVP: Before Wed 21 Feb, mailto:angela.coombs@gmail.com so that we can get an idea of numbers for catering purposes.

Also, please let us know if you would be willing to help out behind the BBQ with cooking pancakes, bacon, eggs etc. If anyone has a BBQ that they could bring, please let us know.