26th June 2017 

STEPS
We are approaching the end of the time allocated to raise funds and financial pledges towards the project from within our own community here at Leeds Vineyard.  This is an exciting time, as the pledges of money go hand-in-hand with pledges of prayer and support - hearing stories from so many people about their dreams and visions for the project.  It is also a significant time to gather and collate these dreams, visions, prayers and prophetic words together to understand more fully the plans that God has for us at this time.  He has inspired so many of us, and we invite God to keep blowing our minds with ideas to spread His good news and effectively communicate His truly unconditional love to the people in and around Headingley.

• Pray that we will hear God’s prompting and His voice, that we will give generously, and that we will all feel a sense of being able to contribute, according to our own circumstances, to this amazing project and opportunity.

 
City wide
I was very fortunate a few days ago, to attend an inspiring 1-day course with a number of key leaders from across the city of Leeds, where we considered the state of our city now, including the impact of our recent history, and looked ahead to what the future might hold.  Those of us attending represented business, arts/culture, religion, education, healthcare, social services and government.  We discussed various ways that we can work together to improve Leeds and the surrounding areas, to make it a better place to live, work and serve there.  It was amazing to gain a deeper understanding in how cities operate and function – who are some of the key stakeholders - and to consider the many elements/industries active within a city.

Although it can be a little overwhelming, thinking on such a big scale about the place 3 million people now call home, there seemed to be a real consensus across the group, that real positive change which affects the lives of each and every one of us (but especially those in most need) often begins with identifying who those people are, what their needs are, and then empowering/enabling individuals and organisations to make a difference where they are – in their local community.  High level policy obviously has a big impact, but there is tremendous power and longevity in the projects which develop naturally, ‘from the ground up’.  We saw examples of very small numbers of people working together with a strong vision to impact the lives of 1000s of people for the better.

This is our vision for Vineyard House.  It will be a place which enables individuals with visions and ideas to find opportunity and resources to see those dreams become reality, and to start affecting the lives of 1000s of people in this area – sharing God’s love in a real, life-transforming way.

• Pray that, as a community, we will be open and receptive to the full measure of God’s blessing and inspiration at this time, and that we won’t be constrained by our preconceptions of what can or can’t be done, but we will be challenged to imagine what can be, with the full resources of Heaven behind us.

 
Building
The solicitors continue to negotiate the terms of the contract for purchase.  We are about to commission the structural survey on the building, which is a normal part of the process of buying a building, to ensure that the physical condition of the building is understood, and any significant problems or issues have been clearly identified and understood.

• Continue to pray for wisdom and guidance as we proceed.

Ideas
I have been blessed by a great many contributions already - If you have your own dreams/visions/prophecies for this project, then please contact the Leeds Vineyard office, so that we can continue to gather inspiration and understand better what God may have planned for us in the coming months/years, as we tread with excitement and anticipation down this new path.


Phil Hicks