The name E37c comes from a story in a very ancient book known as the “Prophecy of Ezekiel”. This story highlights how a people who have lost hope can be revived, empowered, and energised to pursue their dreams. *
Over the years, we have connected with various people and communities who have lost all hope, had their creativity drained from them and had difficulty dreaming again.
In the late 1980s, we were both engaged in construction, healthcare and working with others to create a different type of faith community. This community focused on people who had personal and mental health challenges, were marginalized by society and preyed on by unscrupulous landlords; as well as people who wanted to do church differently.
During the 1990s, we helped an organisation in South India provide sustainable places for young people who were impacted by poverty. In Mumbai, Kevin was the lead coordinator who directed and created a team that designed, built, and managed a short-term community for women and children who were infected or affected by HIV. This community provided a safe place, a place to dream again and a sustainable pathway for re-entry into city life. During this time Linsey supported the staff of an international charity and local staff of a national charity.
The decade of 2000 saw Linsey focused on music. She coordinated a group of musicians in a local church, supported town-wide music events as well as creating a musical pathway for a local school focusing on children from families of limited income. Kevin founded and directed a development charity in the south of England that worked with faith groups, government and law enforcement, enabling holistic transformation in two deprived local communities. In the second half of the 2000s, we moved to north America and worked with American and Mexican churches supporting economically impoverished colonias along the Mexican/US border. Initially, this was combating poverty and violence against women in the city. Latterly; however, it changed and focused on assisting individuals as they lived through the drug violence that impacted the Mexican and US border. During this period, we were also part of the founding leadership team that started and developed a missional Jesus-focused community in Colorado that was creative, eclectic and inclusive.
Between the late 2000s and 2015, Kevin networked with faith and grassroots community groups across the USA, encouraging and enabling them to work together to support people who were impacted by human trafficking. The communities helped provide training and pathways to healthy, sustainable lifestyles for individuals who were survivors of human trafficking. The work involved assisting local activists in developing Traffick Free Communities in several cities within the USA. During this time Linsey studied at Fuller Theological Seminary, completing a Master of Arts and a Master of Theology in Intercultural Studies. During this period we were also part of the leadership that helped develop an eclectic, inclusive faith community called The Refuge, supporting marginalized and vulnerable people along the front range in Broomfield, Colorado.
In recent years, we have split our time between leading and facilitating a creative rural faith community in South Oxfordshire that transitioned from a place of confusion, pain and aridness to one of hope, focus and vision. The new vision has enabled the little community to develop and incubate practical creative streams of life that has allowed the church to influence beyond its physical presence and capacity. For more details see the Springwater link below.
The other part of our time is spent journeying with individuals, communities and churches who are seeking to develop and find a new voice or focus. This involves local grassroots charities, faith communities and supporting leaders and organisations who desire integrated transformation to occur within their sphere of influence. We firmly believe in gender equality and in facilitating and journeying with people so they can develop their practical and creative abilities and flourish. Currently alongside Co-leading Springwater Community/Church we are supporting local and international charities and faith based boards as well as supporting/mentoring practical dreamers. We are also involved in various creative initiatives and currently Linsey can be heard as part of the DIVINE GRAVITY podcast. For more details see the link below.
Since 2004 we have enjoyed the support and encouragement of the Skylark International Network. This network has the same mindset as us and they desire to build bridges, impact culture and rebuild ruins in whatever sphere they are found.
You can see images of our travels at https://potterabout.picfair.com
Insight on our current role in Springwater at https://www.springwaterchurch.org.uk and the Divine Gravity Podcast – https://www.spreaker.com/show/divine-gravity
And for updates on some of our past work see https://www.oasisindia.org – Oasis India; https://themustardtree.org – The Mustard Tree Foundation; http://www.therefugeonline.org – The Refuge Community