Church Army evangelist gets out more with clairvoyants and iridologists
04 October 2006
Church Army evangelist Penny Horseman got out more in a unique kind of way when on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September, together with a local group called Journey into Wholeness, she took a stand at the large Body Mind and Soul fair in Colchester to spread the good news to an audience of clairvoyants, feng shui followers, and iridologists.
"People who attend are focused on exploring the meaning of life and are often on a spiritual search," states Penny. "So there we were opposite the dolphin healing and next to the frozen yoghurt! Not the only Christians in the fair, as we spoke to a number of stall holders and visitors who were members of churches but the only stall run specifically to share the Christian message.
"The fact that we are members of churches of many denominations makes a huge impact on the visitors. 'What sort of Christians are you then?' We can honestly say all sorts, united in the wish to share the message. We all have our own way of getting into conversation but we have a common aim in view. We offer to talk, to pray (here and now) and to engage with people."
Over the two days, Penny and Journey into Wholeness were very busy meeting and engaging with visitors, often finding answers to difficult questions on spirituality. They led in two seminar sessions, using Psalm 23 to introduce people to God through music, visuals, meditation, crafts and water. Penny says, "I found that when I wasn't on the stall, a very productive place to be was in the waiting area for the Rainbow Room where the mediums and clairvoyants sit. Whilst people were waiting for their appointments they were willing to chat about what they hoped for and what they believed. When they came out they often told me what had happened and how they felt.
"One lady was encouraged to have a reading by a friend but another friend was encouraging her to go on an Alpha course. At the end of the day she said to me, 'this has been very significant for me, everything has helped me to move forward, I shan't go for a reading again. I believe that we meet the right people at the right time and you have been one of those people'."
Penny believes that the event was a good evangelism tool that allowed them to reach people outside of church walls with the good news of the gospel. They have a seminar titled 'essence' planned for November and this has already generated a lot of interest. "We have no idea what seeds have been sown as a result of what has been done," explains Penny. "We do know that we have tried to be both honest about our faith and relevant to the culture of the exhibition. Please pray for all the people we contacted during the fair and for the planning for 2007."
Follow this link for more information on Penny Horseman. Visit the page to find out how Church Army evangelists are getting out more for mission.
