To England!

Well, later today I will be traveling to England for my study leave this year. It's going to be an action packed week where I will be attending two worship conferences. The first is in Eastbourne and is called Mission:Worship. It has a pretty good line-up of UK worship leaders and speakers, but the main thing I am looking for from this conference is connections. I want to hook up with the people with whom I can make strategic relationships for the future - mutual encouragement, possibly even trips to Cairo - we'll see! So I am praying that God will help me meet the right people when I am there.

The second event is a Songwriter's Consultation that Graham Kendrick has been running for a few years now. He has invited me along as his guest, and the two days will be spent with a bunch of influential songwriters, including Matt Redman, Tim Hughes and Israel Haughton, in discussion with a bunch of theologians about what songs need to be written for the church to sing. Where are the holes in our cannon of modern worship songs? What do we need to be singing about? Are there any major pieces of doctrine or theology that are not represented in worship music at the moment?

So it'll be lots of fun, with meeting new people and making connections. I will also get to see some family and experience cold weather! Oh yes, and eating pork and drinking beer - very important indeed.

www.50000shoes.com

I thought it best to break my blogging fast with something worthwhile, and if you don't think this is worthwhile, then I don't know what is!

Today was launched the 50k in 50 days campaign. A great charity in Nashville, USA is trying to get money to buy 50,000 pairs of shoes raised in 50 days...

The amazing thing is that only $5 buys 2 pairs of shoes. Two pairs for $5, that's less than £3!

It takes 2 minutes to donate and only three clicks so there really aren't any excuses.

So if you think this is something you can do...five dollars, three clicks, two minutes = two pairs of shoes to someone in need, just visit http://www.50000shoes.com.

So this is another jafferblog world first - I'm asking you to cough up some money to get some shoes to people who need them. Now then, go and donate, and THEN come back and comment here on the blog to let us know, and THEN tell some others.

Oh, and one person who donated will win a trip to Mexico (provided they are a US Citizen) to hand deliver the shoes they bought to someone who has never owned shoes before. Could you imagine giving someone their very first pair of shoes?

Thanks for your support!