Hill Street Fellowship

One Body

2008-10-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling" (Eph. 4:4).

The guys at New Generation Church have decided to move on from the Black Box and from this week they will be meeting at a hotel in central Belfast. We at Hillstreet will remain at the Black Box Cafe each Sunday morning (come along around 11.00 am for a coffee before we kick off around 11.30 am). We believe that it was right to join their meetings over the past few weeks and, while we are truly saddened that we didn't have more time to get to really know everyone, we want to bless them as they move on. They are a great bunch of guys and so we pray that they will be filled and led by the Spirit as they build their expression of His Church in Belfast. Pour out your grace, mercy and freedom on them Lord!

Often in the church we struggle with a range of uniquely human-focused issues such as 'organisational structure,' our 'ministries' and positions of authority. At Hillstreet we have a two-tier structure. Jesus is "the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the pre-eminence." (Col. 1:18). Everyone else, that is everyone else (including Rodney and I who typically organise the meetings - someone has to do it!) are on an equal footing under Him. We are all "sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). We all need to take responsibility for establishing His Kingdom on this earth, for doing the 'stuff' if you like and for becoming more Christ-like through the indwelling and filling of his Holy Spirit. We have only one Lord over us - one that we can worship in Spirit and in Truth, one that knows us and keeps us and is a safe refuge for us, despite our failings, our deeds or any other baggage. No man or woman comes even close to that! Think about that as you gather to worship this weekend and whether you are at the front or the back, be a Son of God, be free in the Spirit and let His Kingdom come! Love to you all.

All things new....

2008-10-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes something new comes along just when you weren't expecting it. We have been asking God about where Hill Street Fellowship was going and we have been receiving a message of grace for each other - mirroring the grace and mercy abundantly poured out for us in Jesus.

Well, it turned out that the Lord was indeed on the move again! When New Generation Church (led by Christian and Jelena Allsworth) were looking for somewhere to meet on a Sunday morning they ended up at the Black Box and so they came across our path. Long story short, we at Hill Street feel a strong affinity for what they want to achieve in Kingdom terms and so, instead of holding competing meetings, we have decided to meet with them. Now, isn't that what God's Kingdom is all about? Of course, being stuck in our old ways, we might have to have the grace to learn some new ways, and then hopefully to see God truly doing something new with them, us and everyone else that we will encounter together.

What will happen down the road? How will this all work out? I don't know. But I am convinced that this is what the Holy Spirit is doing at the moment and I want to be part of that. Will the two groups come together in love and unity? Yes, because Jesus prayed that for us and he has given us the grace that we need. Pour it out Lord. It is so exciting to be looking forward to a new dawn.

God's on the move again...

2008-05-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hillstreet Fellowship was blasted by the power of the Holy Spirit last Sunday morning (4th May 2008) - praise and worship that seemed to be accompanied with a chorus of angels despite our modest numbers - a tangible presence of the Lord - the gifts of the Spirit aplenty, prophetic songs, an amazing freedom as we laid hands on each other and healing for the body, mind and soul. Wow! Thank God for his blessings!

However, the highlight of the morning was a prophesy delivered to the church. Not just our part of the church but for all of the church in Belfast, Northern Ireland and beyond. We've posted the text of the prophesy on our web-site. I thoroughly recommend that you take a look. Let's hope and pray that God continues to move in Belfast. Also check out Graham Robinson's blog - looks like there is a stirring in the church. Be part of it!

FAQ

2007-08-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

One of the web's most pervasive contributions to society is the idea of summarising things with an FAQ list. According to wikipedia (which you should always take with a certain degree of cynicism), the concept of the FAQ goes back to at least the 17th century. Of course, these days FAQs are usually generated by the organisation concerned - so not only have they not been frequently asked, but they they may have never been asked!

I've been thinking about these things as I hope to add an FAQ page to the Hill Street Fellowship web-site in the next week or so. Rather than make up a list of questions (a so-called "frequently asked and anticipated questions" - FAAQ list), I was wondering if any of you blog lurkers would like to suggest some. Of course, I will try to provide the answers.

Now, any questions?

Operation "Open Door"

2007-08-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

This Saturday 11th August the guys from Hill Street Fellowship are kicking off Operation "Open Door". Please pray that God blesses this event as we move onto the streets of Belfast believing for miracles, healings, deliverance and salvation. Shoppers are well hardened to all sorts of interruptions as they go about their business, between Chuggers asking them if they care about the planet/poor/puppies etc and dodging the students handing out flyers for all manner of products and services. Nonetheless, we hope to offer the shoppers of Belfast the power of God in their lives - we hope to pray for them, talk to them and give them the opportunity to encounter the living God. It's all very exciting and we hope for your prayers. God is good and his Kingdom will be advanced in Belfast! I'll let you know how we get on. If you want to join us, find more here.

Hill Street Confidential

2007-07-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

Coming this autumn, a new venture for us at Hill Street. It's hardly radical or world-changing as a concept, but we believe that we've got to share the great gift of God that we have (and that is, potentially, world-changing!). So, we're running a series of Sunday night get-togethers this autumn called Hill Street, Confidential. The idea is that we hire a coffee-shop (with lattes, americanos etc, on the house) for the evening, provide some live contemporary Christian music and a bunch of Spirit-filled folks and see what God does in the lives of those who want to receive from Him. We're trying to create a "space" where people can feel free to just chill-out, listen to some music and chat with friends while at the same time others can receive prayer or healing if they need it. All of our guys will be clearly identified as being from Hill Street and will be there specifically to meet with people and see what Jesus has for them in a non-judgemental way - without regard to who they are or where they're from and without them having to join us or become Christians. However, ultimately we want people to know God the Father and be known by God the Father through the blood of Jesus.

What do you think of this venture? Would you like to find out more? Leave us a comment or e-mail confidential@hillstreet.org.uk.

Finally, we're looking for solo or duo acts to perform at Hill Street, Confidential. Interested? Then contact me directly: w5canlon@yahoo.com.

Solidarity Against Suicide

2007-06-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hill Street were one of the groups who got together with pray4belfast last Thursday night to agree and pray against the suicide epidemic here in Belfast and Northern Ireland in general (see here and here). The fact is that in Northern Ireland we lose more lives to suicide every year than we do to road accidents - and it has got worse since the "end" of the troubles. The prayer meeting was held in the Beechmount Leisure Centre on the Falls Road in West Belfast - this was strategic since both North and West Belfast have had a long history of young adults (particularly young men) taking their own lives.

While there are complex social, health and economic factors at play in the individual circumstances surrounding each of these tragedies, we recognised that our struggle was not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in the heavenly realms. Standing with such unity and agreement against the spirit of suicide must be the starting point for the Church's war against this epidemic.

The next stage is to reach out with the good news that Jesus himself proclaimed:

Luke 4:14-21
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.
The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

That "mission statement" is the remedy for our young people in Belfast and wider afield. Real freedom from both spiritual, emotional and even physical oppression can be found in Christ. The statistics show that the most vulnerable groups are adolescent males and those from the gay and bisexual communities - as Christ's Church in Belfast we must make sure that we are reaching these young people with the love and power to change that is found in Jesus. Nonetheless, there is much to do in both practical and spiritual terms and we must remain "awake" and be alert.

If you are contemplating suicide and you need someone to talk to, then please either phone us here at Hill Street on 07948 538658 or contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90. You are also welcome to come along to our Sunday morning meetings in the Black Box, Belfast where we will gladly talk to you and pray for you.

Oh Yeah!

2007-05-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

For the 27th May and 3rd June meetings we will be hosted by the Oh Yeah Music Centre, Gordon Street, just 1 minute walk from the Black Box in Hill Street. We also recently tried the Merchant Hotel in Waring Street. All of these venues are within Belfast's Cathedral Quarter and are therefore basically in line with our (albeit short) heritage and roots in Hill Street!

We'll see how Oh Yeah goes - I looked around it today with Stu Bailey (the founder and local music guru) - the accommodation is pretty basic and we'll miss the cafe (Black Box) and silver service (Merchant Hotel) but my gut tells me that it will all work out. I'll let you know in just over a week's time!

We were in the Merchant Hotel for two weeks running and the staff were extremely nice and helpful, but the venue has an 'exclusive' air about it and it certainly wasn't consistent with our access-for-all-regardless-of-class-aspiration-or-religious-background intentions.

So I guess the current order of priority is:

1st choice - Black Box, Hill Street
2nd choice - Oh Yeah, Gordon Street

Maybe some of you blog stalkers could suggest an alternative venue in the CQ? If so, drop a comment and we'll continue the "journey"!

Report on things so far!

2007-05-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to report that Hill Street's first four weeks have gone extremely well! Ok then, on the first week it came together after the 20 minute panic looking around the Black Box for a cable for the data projector - with the sweat running down my back like a river. Anyway, thanks to Paul (?) at the Black Box I managed to obtain said cable and we had the revolving announcements! After a few minutes to catch my breath we finally 'officially' started the meeting only 10 mins. late. Anyway, the worship on that first week (and since then) was fantastic - real freedom and a real sense of excitement as we dig a "new well" in this important part of Belfast City to the glory of the Lord Jesus!

We just want to thank the guys at the Black Box (and the staff at the Merchant Hotel who helped us out during the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival) for their help and support - may they be mightily blessed for being part of the Kingdom of God advancing in our wee city!

Looking forward, we sense that God wants to pour our more of his blessings and goodness on Belfast, the Cathedral Quarter and all of those working together in the wider Church (like the guys involved in pray4belfast and City Church Belfast whom we've met and fellowshipped with recently).

That's all for now. Hopefully, it won't take me as long getting around to the next posting. In the meantime, go to Hill Street and add your details to our e-mail list. Or, if you've something to contribute here in the public record, post a comment here.

Signing off, for now, William

Another invite!

2007-04-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Here's another invite to Hill Street. See you on the 22nd April...

Sign up for Hill Street e-mail updates

2007-03-28T01:07:00.000-07:00

If you would like to be kept informed about Hill Street news and events then please stop by www.hillstreet.org.uk and sign up for the e-mail list (click the link on the right hand side of any page or go to the "contact us" and get the link there). Of course, you can ask for your e-mail to be removed at any time and we will never sell, swap or otherwise share your details with anyone else!

Web site up and running

2007-03-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

At last we have a skeleton web-site up and running for Hill Street. Clearly there is much work to do and hopefully it won't be too long before we have some serious content on the site. In the meantime, please send any comments to info@hillstreet.org.uk or simply leave a comment here. Be nice now!

Invite!

2007-03-08T12:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome!

2007-03-08T12:02:00.000-08:00

Hello World!

Welcome to Hill Street Fellowship's main blog!

Hill Street is a new Christian Fellowship based right in the centre of Belfast, UK. We will start meeting at the Black Box, located (funnily enough) on Hill Street in the Cathedral Quarter on the 22nd April 2007 at 10.30 AM. We hope to post much more on this blog as we get things up and running and see what God is doing among us and the people we are reaching out to in Belfast.

Here's a picture of the cafe area where we will meet -