UK Visit and Leadership Training

I was leaving in just 8 hours when the Qantas text came announcing that all staff travel to UK was to be suspended till November 30! A quick call to my travel agent and in an hour I was rebooked on another airline flying in just 3 hours time. That was the beginning of my annual UK visit. It was a chilly 0C when I landed in Heathrow two weeks ago. We had just had a glorious Aussie spring weekend of a sunny 26C and now suddenly transported to the land of multiply layers and scarves. Cheers Andy Swift for meeting me and having breakky, then ex Aussie friend Sandra (ex Aussie not ex friend) for lunch. I even got a stroll through the National Art Gallery before riding train to Phil William's beloved Nailsea.

This is now my 8th time visiting Nailsea and UK and European Director Phil. It does feel like visiting old friends and familiar church and streets. Chatting at the Golden Horse $4 lunch, meeting the rector at All Saints, experiencing Phil's endless banter with shopkeepers and passersby, chatting to members of his church, hearing Joe's skate talk with his mates. Abi and Joe now the proud wearers of "I Live for Balance" shirts from my son Taylor and Annie the Amazing who juggles everything with such effortless ease it seems. Nailsea could be a set for the UK equivalent of 'Neighbours' I think, your quaint anglo, professional neighbourhood where people know what's going on in each others lives.

We had invited wider Europe to attend the first dedicated leadership training weekend utilising the CS Foundations Training and Phil was ably assisted by wonder admin woman Chloe and awesome operations man Dave Reynard. Two from Spain, two from Holland and another from Ireland joined 14 others from the UK making a great team of 20 for the training. Spain.....Holland.....Ireland, for some of you these don't evoke images of surf culture, but be very assured that surfing is alive and well in these countries and booming........imagine if the Swiss guys had turned up! Our goal was to expose our leadership to the training and give new trainers opportunity. Great to see Johnny Hillman inspired and he led us with his own unique Welsh humour. Both Dave and Phil along with myself delivered other units. The church Rectory is being renovated with a vision of it being a centre for Christian development and the local Rev Jolyon was very stoked to see the building utilised for the first time in this way.

"If you are in England maybe you can meet up with my dad he happens to be staying with us near Nailsea," so said my Facebook reply from one of our former Australian leaders. It was amazing that Boyd Pope just happened to be staying up the road.......one has to go 10,000km and the opposite side of the globe to meet up with an old friend from home!

God is so good enabling this weekend and with just 5 nights in UK I should have been incomprehensible with tiredness but felt pretty good actually.......just one 5am morning out jogging after not being able to sleep. It was a looonnnnngggg flight home, but great to have Aaron meet me at the airport (thanks Aaron!) and take my tired body home. The rest of that week was a bit of a blur with men's speaking appointments, fundraiser dinner and family catch up. I'm still somewhat tired but happy and for those reading this, PRAY for Phil Williams and the huge needs of the European surfing community. We need more staff, money and leadership to take this on.

Surf Report Dinner Summary

Thanks to all of you who attended our recent annual report and dinner and for the many well-wishers who could not attend.

We had a great night with each of the 100 available seats filled at the great venue of the Manly Pacific Novotel. The view of the beach was matched with the decor of the meeting room as a history of surfboards and a history of Christian Surfers adorned the walls in the form of boards, shirts and posters.

We were entertained by a band made up of local CS members, led by Tom, and an enlightening talk from ASP Chairman, Richard Grellman, whose tips on Men's and Women's world champions were absolutely correct!

We were engaged with the auction items, including handmade Alaia boards and bowls by BD and others, and we were inspired with the account of the world mission movement of Christian Surfers by BD and his interviews with those engaging at each end of the surfing spectrum:

• Abe Andrews shared about life on the road with the Men's ASP World Tour. Tragically his services were called upon big time directly following, with the death of Andy Irons. We're so glad to have had a chaplain in place there.
• Murray Bothma shared what it was like to be a 17-year-old volunteer leader in a local mission reaching out to no-name groms, whom God loves equally.

We were encouraged to share in the mission financially, and 5 new partners signed up totalling $5,700pa, with another $1,300 donated and $3,500 raised in the auction.

If you have not signed up as a partner yet, you still can on our website at:  http://www.christiansurfers.net/Partnership.aspx

We look forward to two events next year, one on the Gold Coast on March 26 and again in Sydney in October.

God bless you and thank you for your support,
Brett Davis and the CSI team

CSI Surf Report Dinner Tonight!

Well this is our second annual dinner and we are excited about the 100 people coming along to Manly Novotel Pacific Hotel in 5 hours time. I have made a couple of alaia boards and some bowls as silent auction items and local artists Shaun Anderson and Jackson Forbes did some artwork for me on them. Thanks to Dave, Chongy and Jeffro from Misfit for donating a board, along with Craig Bruce of Ocean Extremes. Awesome thanks to Zion Wetsuits as well! I will write up a summary soon.

Davis Diary: September 2010

This is our quarterly update and thought I would share it with you all......

BD Soapbox

I have had as a personal theme this year "More of the power and presence of Jesus"….still wondering just what that means? Our international conference guest speaker Tim Meyers made much of how "our most defining attribute is to be the presence of Jesus" based on Heb 3:6 "You are god's house". Amazing to hear tim unpack the scriptures of Gods history as he indwelt a tent, a tabernacle a temple,  all of which were mere symbols of his ultimate dwelling place……"Christ in you, the hope of glory" Col 1:27. I can scarcely believe it, can you? That the most powerful presence in allthe universe lives in us? What difference should this make? Is your life most characterized by the presence of Jesus?  BD

  

BD travels.

May Just when you want to fly to the European conference, a random Icelandic volcano shuts down the airspace of a continent! The meeting went really well without me, and I enjoyed more time at home. 

June "This team has not just built a home, you have helped rebuild a community" Mitch Anderson Chile.  Sometimes God gets on your case about something He really wants you to do. I could not resist the promptings re the needs of  the southern Chilean surfing community after the devastating earthquake and added a small detour to my North America meetings. I was amazed once I stepped out how the finances flowed for the Homes of Hope project as I fundraised with film and food night and paddle a thon. I was able to fly in, buy new tools, build a house with team to lock up stage, surf 4-6' waves at Punta de Lobos and fly out, all in 4 days. In Florida with Cal Fisher we had training for our emerging national movements with Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador and USA present. "Now I have a road map to help me develop a national movement and I feel so much more confident" Denis Leon Costa Rica.

July "Sorry Mr Davis that flight is oversold and you will not be able to fly to Chile" I was standing there in Auckland airport dumbfounded with donated boards, wetsuits and tools to deliver for the `Homes of Hope' project and sent away check in for next flight - in 2 days time!! Final seconds and I got a miracle seat….not sure why God waits to that final second? You gotta love a team of fired up Brazillian leaders set on an island retreat to dream and plan for the future of CS there. I was able to give some guidance and received much inspiration. Sergio is an amazing pastoral leader, deeply loved and stepping up to his South America role. This trip had some tough features with a sprained ankle, lack of sleep and a cancelled plane on the way home adding another 10 hrs to the flight. "Now we have added a strategy to take our movement forward" Mauri Brazil.

August Indonesian International Conference. "We are a new mission and I never knew just how much God was doing throughout CS globally until now" Nacho Argentina. With 185 leaders from 16 nations this was our 9^th conference and first in Asia and in a restricted access country. Highlights included:- cultural welcome by Gamalong music and dancers; amazing worship; Ado and Dave and Shinko Levey testimony of pioneering CS Indo and Japan missions; Tim Meyers preaching; laughing at the Welsh boys accents; laughing at everyone else not understanding the aussie accents of MC Dan and Foz; surfing together at Ulus; united vision about reaching the lost surfing tribes. Lowlights included:- Gill getting sick for 10 days and missing conference; BD missing Gill; constant reminder of idolatry; crowded surf; too many people to catch up with!

BD Romance and Bootcamp. "25 years ago I didn't have any money, I didn't have a ring and you never had a proposal story, but that is about to change". In a rush of romantic spontaneity I surprised Gill with a proposal and 25^th wedding anniversary eternity ring before 400 women at a womens' conference she was attending. I am sooooo thankful for her love, friendship and support. "in 40 years of church attendence I have never seen such a depth of men's ministry" Terry Austinmer. Our third men's "Bootcamp" in July with 5 weeks of challenging men's topics to over 80 guys. I spoke on "A Man and His Romance" backed by Gillian the Brave who spoke on "Things Women Wish Men Knew About Women".  Plenty of notes being taken.

Gill battles on in Schools. "Miss, why do you hate homosexuals?" It only gets tougher. Ethics course being pitched as an alternative, rude year 8/9 kids, bigoted and biased audience with little facts, teacher opposition etc etc. Still, Gill got to share her heart for Special Religious Education to the entire staff and got a round of applause at the end!

Jackson Vietnam Theatre. "They walk out if they aren't happy, and most stayed, so it must have been ok?"Amazing enough to be given opportunity as a first year to write and perform his own play, Jackson then went on to perform it at a World Festival in Vietnam on behalf of his university. A rush of fundraising and rehearsals and they made it. I think racing around on motor scooters was the most life threatening.

Taylor "I live for Balance" has become his celebrity status? Want to buy a tshirt? He has completed an amazing film project for Drama and musical composition for Music, but still no ideas of what to do next. A gap year is certain and many adventures ahead of the `tdogg' and all the more with his recent drivers licence!! Look out for the "Balance" empire! 

India Movements. "I love going to school, it's the BEST!"After much heartache and searching India moved from ICS to our local Bulli High School. She is very, very happy and loves being back with old friends and part of her community. Dancing is her love and she has endless joy, social energy and always a new `best friend'. 

Calvin. "9 years and you would have thought I deserved some clothing item by now?" It has been a cold winter and after watching him shivering away, we purchased Calvin's first item of clothing – a coat! All these years clothed in but a collar!? He maintains faithful watch over all and especially any in `sick bay'.

CSI Partners Dinner. Our 2^Nd formal partners dinner is on October 23^rd at the Manly Pacific Hotel. We have more opportunities opening up than we can meet and so CSI needs more financial partners! Guest speaker ASP chairman Richard Grellman, BD's update, Abe Andrews the ASP chaplain and more all share stories over a great meal and live music. Purchase tickets on http://www.christiansurfers.net/Shop.aspx?ID=34. Come and bring another!

You can sign up as a partner right now on http://www.christiansurfers.net/Partnership.aspx

Leadership Profile. Kelly Patt is our new financial manager. Originally from California now on Central Coast she has a long history serving CS in admin. We are so thankful for her and the skills she brings. You can make her day by making a donation! Go Kelly!

Support of Brett and Gill. You can become a supporter in the following ways by contacting us on brett@christiansurfers.net  

·       pray more specifically with our prayer update prayer email updates

·       join our regular financial support team, we are short 5 partners @$100/month or 10@ $50

·       offer some skill in graphic design, IT, administration, local mission help

Come join me on a short term mission in Feb 2011 in Chile 

Groundswell Conference: Day 6

Well it’s a wrap up day. We announce next conference will be in … drumroll… Hawaii!! Many excited squeals and high-fives!

Final thank you and farewells and people already moving out. It’s been an exhilarating and exhausting 6 days. 

BD’s final word picks up on the groundswell theme that we don’t want to ride a locally generated windswell but rather the far, distant, powerful groundswell that pushes through regardless of local circumstances. The groundswell of God’s Holy Spirit in us. 

Many fond farewells and we will see each other again in 2012 or before or even in heaven.  Special thanks to Rich Agius and Australaisia team. Awesome job by Ado and Indo team. Ever diligent CSI team with Aaron, Beck and Kelly. 

Keep riding the groundswell to all the nations. See you in Hawaii!

Groundswell Conference: Day 5

Today is Australasia and Pacific day. We see proud Aussie flags & tattoos everywhere and our MC’s Fozz and Dan from Cronulla are virtually impossible to understand by our foreign delegates. Funniest of all was Cal Fisher stating that Dan might as well be speaking Greek…. And Cal is from the USA! 

Rich Agius helped us see the challenges of Asia where we will engage with Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, many SW strategies needed. 

Tim Meyers challenged us to a life of faith from Hebrews 11 taking us back to the future with Abram who was told to go, even when he didn’t know WHERE nor WHEN. We are to live with heaven as our citizenship and sojourners through earth. Getting somewhere in God means leaving somewhere. We finished in Revelation 22 at the end of time with the presence of God renewing the nations in heaven, and we are to participate in this now. Wow.

Great conference photos done. Such a range of flags and nations. 

More amazing strategy stories from CSUS and Lyle, how a guy makes his way from being lost to a leader in the national movement. Jodene powerfully shares the women ministry in Australia. Mel relates how Fiji short term missions transforms lives. Cal engages with a surfer church plant that leaves most of us envious.

Communion Indonesian style with special rice and holy water is a highlight then it’s full tilt rejoicing and worship with a mosh pit up front!

Groundswell Conference: Day 4

Today is Americas Day so we were treated to all kinds of exotic candy and exposed to the vast array of Latin American unreached surfing nations, while our Brazilian sisters sang a song, flags all flying.

Tim Meyers took us deeper. It’s not enough just to “be” with the presence of God, we also need to do something. He challenged us with the parable of the servants from Matthew 25:

1. God has invested in you
2. God is not fair and gifts us differently
3. God has given us all we need to be successful, so stop comparing yourself with others & get on with it.

Our small groups are working well and it helps to check in each day with what we are learning. Good honest stuff. More strategy workshops and more challenges. We could debate for days!

Sickness continues to strike down people and prayer team in full swing. Gill Davis has barely been seen. The swell has reached 4-6’ and it’s all go to the Bukit. Some 40 of us descend on a quiet closeout that lives up to it’s name but all manage to enjoy. It’s bizarre to see a conservative Hindu ceremony in the midst of a liberal tourist spot.

Another great worship session. Our Indonesian band admits they didn’t think it possible a group of surfers would engage in worship and are amazed at the intensity. Sergio engages the Peruvian guys & also fire cracker Nacho from Argentina. So much passion.

Cal let’s us hear from Alvaro Marvez our Costa Rican brother, entering new era of a movement. Sergio is our CS speaker and we are challenged to believe God wants MORE for us than we can imagine. His story of the Surfers Bible and Surf House testify to this.

We also got late news the CSUS National Director Dean Plumlee has had a baby girl! Go Amy!