GS-England holds successful retreat

Twenty-seven students from the Globalscope Canvas campus ministry in Birmingham, England, attended a retreat in Wales this weekend. The team was delighted with the turnout and team leader Robert Braden shared the exciting news in an update the next day. “What a weekend!” he wrote. “There were so many moments during our retreat to Wales when we exchanged knowing glances at fellow team members, whispering excitedly, ‘I can’t believe this is working!’ ”

As Robert points out, “It’s one thing to have students agree to go out for coffee with you, another kind of a thing to have them come dine with you in your home, yet still a slightly more significant acceptance to have students attend our weekly Tuesday night Bible study. However, it’s a fairly massive deal for these students to agree to come on a whole weekend away, under our trust, unknowing of what is to come.”

Of the 27 students who attended the retreat only six are Christians. The others are students with whom the GS team members have invested a great deal of time building relationships over the past year. “By inviting them into our lives, they, in turn, gifted us with an invitation into theirs,” wrote Robert.

The retreat used the theme, “Defining Moments,” and Caleb Mallard, the newest staff member, wrapped up the retreat with a final talk. Robert reports that you could have heard a pin drop in the room as Caleb shared these thoughts with the students: “God is gentle. He doesn’t force himself upon anyone; he doesn’t coerce or bully people into doing what he wants. He’s not some massive puppeteer in the sky playing with us, his toy people-ants. God gives us a choice, always. You can say, ‘Yes I want that defining moment, yes I want to explore something bigger than me’ or you can say, ‘No thanks; I’m not really interested.’ The choice is yours.”

“Observing the power, the reality, that took place this weekend brought me to tears more than once,” wrote Robert. “This was such a pivotal time in our community. Your prayers were with us. We felt them. Church in the truest sense happened this weekend, and it was a beautiful sight. Pray for these students, these friends of ours. They have heard and experienced the Gospel through community this week, and I feel sure from the feedback they shared that they have a lot to think about.”