I absolutely loved IAM5 on Saturday… I was so scared about it all week but the minute everyone arrived I looked around the room and thought, “What am I worrying about? It’s just a party for my friends!”…
For those of you who may be unaware, IAM5 was 24-7’s 5th Birthday Bash in central London on the 12th. 700 people gathered in St Mary’s, Marylebone to have some fun, say thanks to God and listen to what’s ahead.
I’ve been part of the team organising the event (Toggers, Lucy and Becca – you rock and we need to celebrate with ice cream very soon) so spent most of last week coiled like a spring afraid the party was going to be rubbish and it would be all my fault! Paranoid and controlling I know but hey, welcome to my psyche.
As it turned out the party was far from rubbish. It was great friends telling some amazing stories, worshipping an awesome God and listening to some wise old heads. Here are a few of my highlights…
***Matthew’s all encompassing prayer at the start of the day.
***Being massaged and prayed for in the round.
***Seeing a team of fabulous volunteers work incredibly hard to host everyone well. (You guys were troopers – seriously thank you).
***Looking around the venue during the first worship song and seeing friends old and new worshipping with all their hearts.
***Michaela leading worship – I felt very proud!
***Listening to everyone’s stories as the mic got passed around the room. I can’t believe how many people have been saved! Though the best story had to be Bex’s ;).
***Seeing beautiful little Nathan Samuel Worthington on stage. Made me go all clucky!
***Pass the parcel with 700 people and a few near decapitations.
***The Birthday Card messages people wrote for us. Some were really incredible; I’ll be typing them up soon so you can all read them.
***Stolen kisses from some-one special.
***Seeing Smiles, Helen and Charlotte for the first time in five days. Sadly I had missed them lots.
***Doing a rather inappropriate Beyonce wiggle at the front of the meeting.
***Praying for the nations.
***Interviewing the lovely Floyd McClung and introducing him to the phrase ‘chuffed’.
***Listening to Pete Greig talk about the next stage for 24-7. I am soooo excited about what’s to come! I really feel incredibly privileged to be a part of this. Steve said it was less like hearing a good talk and more like witnessing a piece of history… I would have to agree.
***The giant Birthday Cake donated by Tearfund.
***Jon B and bands percussive worship! I also loved the nods to Damien Rice! Fresh and inspired…
***Commissioning Brian and Tracy Heasley and Jude Smith. God really has chosen some special people to work for him. These guys are great and I can’t wait to see what happens in Ibiza and London.
***Listening to Floyd tell us to volunteer for God. I felt like standing up packing my bags and jumping on a plane to anywhere. I loved having Floyd here. He really is a lovely man who just makes you want to be closer to God when you hang out with him.
***Worshipping with my little sister.
***Sighing with relief when it was all over.
***Singing along to the Bad album all the way back to Chichester!
There are so many more memories but I would be here all day. Thank you to everyone who came and made the party a lot of fun. It really did feel like a turning point for 24-7. Here’s to the next five years! When we gather in 2010 I wonder what stories we’ll be telling?