Rob Barnett’s Sports Round Up

There were goals galore in the Premier League on Saturday – an amazing 41 in only eight games.

Leaders Manchester United surrenderd their unbeaten record, losing 2-1 at bottom side Wolves. However, second-placed Arsenal failed to take full advantage, letting a 4-0 lead slip after going down to 10 men to draw 4-4 at Newcastle.

The other results on a record day were Aston Villa 2 Fulham 2, Everton 5 Blackpool 3, Manchester City 3 West Brom 0, Stoke 3 Sunderland 2, Tottenham 2 Bolton 1 and Wigan 4 Blackburn 3.

Sunday’s two games only yielded one goal each as £50million striker Fernando Torres’ Chelsea debut against former club Liverpool was a losing one and Birmingham won at West Ham. Sunday also saw West Brom sack manager Roberto Di Matteo.

The Six Nations began in style on Friday evening with England beating Wales 26-19 in Cardiff thanks to two Chris Ashton tries. On Saturday Ireland needed a late Ronan O’Gara drop-goal to see off Italy 13-11 in Rome and France were 34-21 victors over Scotland in Paris. Next Saturday England host Italy and Wales travel to Scotland. On Sunday Ireland face France in Dublin.

England’s tour of Australia ended on a low note with the hosts completing a 6-1 one-day series win in Perth. Both sides have a raft of injury concerns ahead of the World Cup, which begins on February 19.

Green Bay Packers won a pulsating Super Bowl, beating Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Dallas. It is the fourth time they have won American Football’s most coveted prize.

Finally, the Super League season starts next weekend with all seven games at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

Teamwork

The CVM team is small (but perfectly formed!) for most of the year, and then for just one weekend we get to be in a team of 350.  Usually we have just a handful of office and ministry staff, some regional directors and a group of amazing trustees, then when we go to conference we get to add a whole host of other passionate guys to the mix.

This weekend our small team was joined by the most inspiring worship group led by Graham Kendrick (great job guys); a whole gang of AV nerds, sorry, experts (!), who did the most fantastic job of making the meetings run slickly; a mix of visionary speakers in our main sessions and seminars  (what legends!); the amazing Matthew Dietz who informed and entertained us in the Arts Theatre; Gram Seed who spoke with power on Saturday night; the guys running the bookshop and ministry stands; and last (but not least), all the guys who came to the conference and went away fired up – what a TEAM!

What now?

So now we’re back in our homes, offices or schools, and everything is back to normal.  Or is it…..? God spoke this weekend, some guys found Him for the first time, and others heard a specific call for their lives.  Others went away with renewed passion and vision to live the life that God wants – and it would be all too easy to let that fire go out in the next few weeks.  DON’T!!!

Do whatever you have to …. Write down what God said, tell someone else who will remind you when it all seems too hard, listen again to the CD that you were given as you left, start doing it!

Wouldn’t it be brilliant if we could all bring someone to the CVM conference in 2010, who has been saved between now and then through our determination to  Stand Up!

And if you didn’t come this year – book the date for next year now (10-12 September) – it could change your life!

Ever wondered who you’re calling in the office? From left to right: Karen Beech, Carl Beech, Alan Hodges, Andy Drake, Dave Lodge, Joe Mears, Rob Dean, Jonathan Sherwin.