“Lord help me to….be true to Christ, kind to people and to take the gospel to the nations…”

Richard Smith, one of the core leaders of the Colchester Boiler Room community, writes; “Sounds simple? These are the very same words that were prayed by 15 year old German boy and his friends that would lead to the formation of community and later to a missionary effort that would reach the far corners of the earth.

As we sit together in our lounge or wherever we are, 5 days-a-week, praying these
simple words together we begin to dream of change… Maybe our friends will join us as we pray? Maybe our neighbours will ask us to pray? And maybe, we will begin to see a shift towards ‘the Way’?”

The Colchester Boiler Room community are a growing family of friends deeply rooted in a history of persistent prayer. Richard and Katy Smith, having been around the 24-7 prayer movement from the beginning have dreamed big dreams. The journey began with a borrowed garage filled with post-it notes and fairy lights. And then, more recently, they were given a large community house to live in, and from which to host the community. From just two people with a big vision, to a thriving group of 10-20 people on a mission… those dreams have begun to gathered momentum.

Richard writes; “From our base, a large four bedroom house on a new housing estate a short walk from the town centre, we meet daily to pray and weekly to eat and drink together as a community, and listen to Jesus. We also gather in 2’s and 3’s to read the Bible and pray. Our hope and expectation is that more will join in over the coming months. Together, we are learning together how to carry our rhythms of life and faith together and what it means for us to ‘be church’ in perhaps a less conventional way.

Our rhythms include;

• eating together as a community of family and friends
• supporting a weekly meal with a local charity for homeless young people
• hosting a family friendly ‘Messy Church’ time once a month
• committing to pray, together and individually.

With support from many local believers and church groups together our aim is simple;

“To be true to Christ, kind to people and to take to gospel to the nations.”

If you would like to know more or even come to see and be a part of our life here please contact us, or check out our blogsite.