Singing Waters Ministries - Newsletter September 2005

“But one thing I do, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
~ Phillipians 3:13b-14
FROM THE HEART OF DONNA

Donna ParachinDear Friends & Prayer Partners,

It is with a sense of real joy and expectancy that we release our first issue of the monthly Singing Waters Newsletter. We are very desirous to share with you the goodness and kindness of God that is being expressed in such rich ways among us, throughout this season. Psalm 31:19 says, “How great is your goodness which you have stored up for those who fear you…” We want this newsletter to be a tool to communicate with you the abundance of that goodness and the unfailing faithfulness of our God. Together we can rejoice over the victories, seek God’s heart for wisdom, comfort and pray for one another in challenging times and share from the rich abundance of His presence in our lives.

Though this newsletter replaces the previous monthly prayer update, it will still continue its purpose in sharing with you how God answers and guides through the prayers of His people, along with the current prayer requests that are so in need of our collective prayer coverage. The newsletter, in its new format, will go through an evolving process over the next few months. You will notice that it has not been given a name, as of yet. We have been very grateful for the numerous suggestions that have been submitted by our friends and prayer partners. Right now we are prayerfully considering those suggestions along with exploring different styles of format and presentation. Any comments by you might have over the next few months would be welcomed. We look forward to hearing from you.

It is also a joy to share with you that we have added a prayer line at Singing Waters. We noticed an increase in the numbers of people who call just to have someone pray with them. In desiring to meet this growing need, God has released Pam Gordon who has joined our ream in a volunteer capacity, to ensure that every prayer need is personally prayed for. You can send in your prayer requests or praise reports by calling Singing Waters at 519-941-0929 and leave a message at extension 32 or you can email them to prayer@singingwaters.org. Please feel free to share this with other who may be looking for some prayer support every request will be prayed over each day. What a real joy it is to be able to provide this vehicle for prayer. I feel God will use it to encourage His people.

We are looking forward to the Gathering of Praise on September 17th at 2:30pm. It is another wonderful opportunity to gather together just to seek God’s face and to worship Him. We consider these gatherings, one of the highlight moments at Singing Waters. With no agenda, we never cease to be amazed at how God releases a clear word from His heart. A scripture from one, a picture, a song, a dance, a creative moment from others, together releasing God’s heart. Certainly, they are treasured moments. Can I encourage you, if you are able and within distance, to be in attendance at these gatherings held once, every other month? We will do our best to remind you of the Gathering of Praise dates by email or a phone call. Let us know if you are able to come and if you are able to stay and enjoy dinner with us, we would be thrilled if you are able to come. Call, so we can be prepared with enough food for everyone.

I will take great joy in formally welcoming Will & Madeleine Walker to the full time team of Singing Waters at September’s Gathering of Praise. Among with the Board of Directors, we want to pray for them and release them to give leadership to newly revamped ministry center. They will be primarily involved in recruiting, developing, equipping and maturing the ministry team. Their pastoral hearts, along with their teaching skills will be a tremendous gift to the ministry, as a whole. We believe they are a gift from God for this time and season at Singing Waters and we look forward to all that God will accomplish through them.

Again this year, we will offer the SWAT (Singing Waters Advanced Training), Sept 24th-29th). If you are not yet booked to come, I’d like to really encourage you to give some prayerful consideration to that. I personally feel that it will be a great week. Should you desire specific details of the week, please don’t hesitate to contact Penny at 519-941-0929, extension 22 or email training@singingwaters.org and she will be happy to assist you.

We would deeply value your prayer support as we continue to put the plans together for the 50th jubilee anniversary of Singing Waters in 2006. It will truly be an amazing year. We will keep you fully updated. It will be a real joy to welcome friends from the past, friends from afar, along with the many guests God will bring throughout the year.

I look forward to sharing more with you next month. Until then, be blessed and encouraged in the unfailing love of our Father,Donna
IMPARTATION AT HOME AND AWAY
Steve Chua
Steve Chua
Assistant Director

“ Jesus not only taught the multitude, he discipled the twelve.”

For a number of years I had this quote, inspired by a passage out of Mark 4:33-34, pinned to the wall of my office. Having traveled across the globe ministering and teaching groups of tens or thousands, having been involved in some powerfully anointed meetings, there is still no greater joy, than to see a life transformed which in turn transforms the lives of others.

We have just returned from an incredible week in the arctic. It was a privilege to have our Inuit graduates Eva, Gela and Elijah working alongside of our team as we conducted part 2 of our healing school. Their lives and subsequent ministry have been a wonderful testimony of the Fathers unfailing love to the broken communities of the North. As a result there are now plans in 2006 to have a strategic week of practical training and ministry with 30-40 key ministry leaders from dozens of communities across the North. Therefore planting a seed in a few in order to reap a greater harvest of healing. Perhaps, this is what we mean by our mission statement - “equipping the people of God for the healing of the nations”.

Inuit Mother and Child
Inuit mother and child in traditional dress

So how do these divine opportunities arise? There is much talk these days about the power of impartation. However it is only through a desire for deep relationship can true impartation and discipleship take place. Impartation is not just about releasing anointing and power, it is about capturing the heart and character of the love of Jesus that flows from you. Lives can be corrupted by power but the heart is truly transformed by love. In the gospels, even though there were times of impartation (John 20:22), it was through his relationship with His Father that Jesus built the Kingdom. In turn out of this place of intimacy and through the profound key of relationship, Jesus imparted the Kingdom to the disciples.

So, over the past few years it has been our heart at Singing Waters that wherever we go whether to the North or the South or across oceans to distant lands, it is not just the revelation of teaching that we seek to impart but also a model of true love and relationship. Effective healing teams are not built over a weekend of teaching, rather it is spending quality time in relationship over a season that heart, vision, anointing and experience can truly be imparted.

HEALING OF THE HEART
New Beginnings
Will and MadeleineWill and Madeleine Walker
Ministry Centre Managers

There’s something about new beginnings that creates an atmosphere of excitement. Yes, it involves change and the unknown and maybe a little bit of apprehension, but when you weigh that up against what will be, it’s worth it.

For Madeleine and myself, joining the staff at Singing Waters in July marked a new beginning for us – but also for the Ministry Centre. We have no doubts that our time here will be stretching and challenging, but also fun. We also have Anna Chamberlain who has just joined our team and who will be handling most of our administrative functions along with Mary VanMaaren who has been with Singing Waters for five years.

In keeping with new beginnings we have created a Ministry Centre from which all our ministry activities will now be coordinated. For Madeleine and myself our primary role will be to give leadership and pastoral oversight to our wonderful ministry team. Our heart and vision is to see them “grow”– both as individuals and as a team. We will be actively pursuing ways in which to train, equip and develop all team members so that together we can move to higher and more effective levels of ministry. We want the ministry we provide to the broken and hurting to be ever more fruitful and life changing. We can only do this out of a determined quest to know and hear the Father’s heart and see what it is He is wanting to show us. Out of that place of intimacy with Him will come the revelations and keys we need to minister in His power and anointing.

It is also evident to us that God is sending Singing Waters to the nations as well as bringing the nations to us. This is opening up many opportunities to train and equip ministry team in other places and countries.

So we’re moving forward, building on the rich foundations of the past, but pressing on into the destiny and inheritance He has for us as a ministry team here at Singing Waters. Pray for us. We’re looking forward to getting to meet and know our ministry team and to welcome new people onto the team.
YOUNG LEADERS IN TRAINING

Maarten van der MeulenMaarten van der Meulen
YLIT Leader

We have quite a diverse team of YLITs presently at Singing Waters. There are three girls: Cheryl from New Zealand, Gloria from Taiwan and Ketisha who is originally form St. Vincent’s. We also have 5 guys on our team: Patrick from Germany, Balazs from Hungary and three Canadians: Timothy, Nathan and Allan, all from Ontario.

The most recent development to the YLIT program is that Maarten van der Meulen has joined the team as the YLIT leader. His role, primarily, is to mentor the youth and to organize both spiritual and recreational activities. During the past 5 months Michelle Edwards has come alongside to help Maarten facilitate the practical aspect of the YLIT program. She also has been mentoring the girl YLITs in their daily lives and walk with God.

We have been meeting weekly and depending on what we feel God is showing us, we will have a teaching or soaking time. One highlight in our teaching sessions is that we had the privilege of gleaning from Bill Prankard. This was a special time of vision and in particular hearing the call of God on our lives.
We’ve really enjoyed a beautiful summer here at Singing Waters where we’ve had plenty of opportunity to play volleyball, soccer, croquet, not to mention spontaneous water fights!
In writing this article we realize again how awesome God really is in His provision to us. Not only is He interested in our spiritual growth, He also greatly desires us to have relationship with each other.
Throughout the summer, God has been clearly speaking to us about His anointing, which is more important than any program. It is our desire to rest in His presence, so that our time at Singing Waters can be rich in His unstoppable blessing.

Ultimately our vision is that God would provide a safe place where young people can meet with Him in the reality of their hearts to deal with the things that hold them back from delving deeper into His presence.
WELLSPRING OF LIFE
Singing Waters Prayer Team

Preparation, preparation, preparation. This was the clear call of heaven for the month of August. The Lord made this known to us in very unique and unmistakable ways.

One of our intercessors had a dream. We were in a tour bus, and our first stop was up the mountain. To our surprise we found the mountain covered in snow, and people were having lots of fun, engaging in all kinds of winter sports.

Two weeks ago, while in prayer, another intercessor, had a "picture" of being at a friend's house. It was only September, but her house was fully prepared for Christmas. The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated, and everything in place.

The Lord then spoke these words to her heart:
1. Prepare the way - Psalm 51:10-12
2. Watch and wait - Isa. 40: 31
3. Learn to be steadfast - Heb. 3:14

Our sense was, God was saying, that He was coming. And His coming would be a total surprise, especially for those who had not heeded His call to be ready. Earlier, we'd heard "Christmas in July" now we were hearing, "Christmas in September." The message clearly was, "Be ready! Be prepared!"

Singing Waters will soon enter its 50th year, its year of Jubilee. God is in the process of proclaiming His divine release into the very heart of this Work. (Deut. 15:2).

Dear people of God, let us all expect the unexpected.
PRAISE & PRAYER REPORTS

Praise God Peter Berrelkamp is back doing prayer ministry at Singing Waters. Peter is still in the recovery stage from his pacemaker implant surgery and we want to continue to cover him in prayer as he continues to resume his normal life. We are glad to have him back at Singing Waters.

Evidence of God’s faithfulness and grace will be seen with the return of Gudrun Bonnedal this September. Gudrun has been battling cancer with aggressive medical treatment and deep prayer. She has proven many times over that “greater is He that is in you, than he who is without.” We look forward to seeing her at SWAT and sharing lots of times of fellowship throughout her visit.

We are incredible thankful for God’s grace and protection on our recent trip to the Arctic. Several ministry team members joined Donna and Steve in sharing God’s love and healing to some of the First Nation’s People of the North. Testimonies of mended hearts, spirits healed and bodies healed renewed our vision of taking the unfailing love of the Father to the broken.
It is wonderful to have Tony Delahunty out of the hospital, but please join us in prayer that he is completely healed. He needs to have his blood purged of all infection and his stamina restored.

Pam Cundick, Emily Mann’s mom, continues to need our prayers and support. Pam is fighting cancer and we need to stand with her that she will be victorious in this fight through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Restoring the Tabernacle of David was a refreshing blend of relaxation, fellowship, teaching, anointing and discovery. God was present as we explored our creativity and gave expression to our worship of Him. It was a time of deep healing and release. It was so effective and enjoyable, Marc Dupont was already planning next year’s.

Please continue to pray for the leadership as they begin to finalize and release plans for next year’s 50th anniversary celebration. We want to genuinely reflect God’s goodness, abundance and majesty over the last 50 years. We also want to release Him to speak His heart for the next 50 years.
We would appreciate your prayers for the upcoming course, Breaking Life’s Bondages, September 9 – 11, the Healing Encounter, September 13 – 15, the Gathering of Praise on September 17th and our 3rd session of SWAT, Singing Waters Advanced Training, September 24 – 29 followed by the course Transformation of the Heart, September 30 – Oct 2nd. This a vital time for Singing Waters as we touch on new areas of healing and freedom and minister into deep areas of the heart and spirit. Pray for our team that they will appreciate the strategic time we are in and that they will have abundant energy, good health and a strong spiritual life. Please pray for Russ Irwin, Terry & Melissa Bone & Dr. Grant Mullen as well as our Singing Waters team as they prepare to minister at SWAT.

Peter & Heather JacksonPeter & Heather Jackson are holding the second week of their Father Heart School. The first week held a deep intimacy with the Father that melted hearts and restored wholeness. It was a very special time with Peter and Heather ministering to each person in a small group setting that affords the Holy Spirit all the time necessary for doing a deep and lasting healing.
© 2005 Singing Waters Ministries® • www.singingwaters.org