Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSAWAKE O ZION!Maurice’s brother, Steve, was a bit of a lad with red hairand a cheeky grin. When the family were baptised, they receivedmany words of wisdom and encouragement, apart fromSteve. All he got from the Lord was a picture of a brown parcelinside which was a golden crown. Only later did we understand.Steve was enthusiastic and motored up on his bikethrough all weathers to the Hall. It wasn’t long before hemoved in.There were now about thirty of us squeezed into ‘New CreationHall’, and many others at the Welcome homes in Northampton,in extended families, or at Verna’s and Kelly’s cottagesat Great Lane (now with shared courtyard and duckpond).We called the community aspect of the fellowship the NewCreation Christian Community. New creation was the themeand a distinctive ‘kingdom culture’ began to take shape.We took a newspaper, but there was no place for televisionor radio in our community houses. We didn’t go out for ourentertainment either. There was enough at home! Some of usbecame more creative, learning instruments, and writing poemsor journals. Pete enjoyed painting, wrote songs, and wasoccasionally seen up a tree practising the violin. We couldn’tstand the noise of it in the house!We began to share more of our things. Guitars, tape recorders,and even cars were pooled. God was telling us tolive more simply. Giving away your best shirt could be quitesacrificial and deepened friendships. Sometimes we had ‘honouringdays’, when some unsuspecting brother or sister would121