MetCPA

Supporting officers and staff to be the best that they can be

Simon Berger

by

Prayer Letter 7th September 2018

Dear All

I hope you have had a good week and as the weekend is upon us, have lots of plans for the weekend, if you are not working.

This week I have had to say goodbye to a colleague who I have known for most of my service, and who I have worked very closely with for the last four years. She retired on Wednesday after thirty years’ service, to the day, and at the beginning of the week had gone up to the HQ’s to see the DCC Gavin Stevens to receive her certificate’s and his thanks. We celebrated her service with a breakfast and presents to remember us by – those who have been left working and have a loooong time before retirement comes!! After breakfast she emptied her draws, packed a few things and left the building for the last time, with a few tears shed. I wondered what she was thinking as she packed before she left. I would find it very hard to leave the people and a job I had known and loved for so long.

We have a Father in heaven who knows us and loves us. We were created by a loving father, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” Jer 1:5, and we were created for a purpose, For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11, and we are right where he wants us to be.

Now I don’t ever imagine retiring from my Christian way of life, the Bible certainly never mentions it, and I don’t think we need to wait to the end before going up to the big house in our best clothes to get our certificates and a word of thanks, I think that is there for us now, so take a moment over a cup of coffee or tea and meditate on this ‘Well done, good and faithful [friend]!” Matt 25:21. Let it soak in.

You all work hard and you may never get a word of thanks here at work or at home. I want to say your Father in heaven sees all that you do, and He wants to say, ” Thank you” and ” Well done.”

Now look around the room and see if there is someone else you can bless with this! šŸ™‚

Have a great week!

Kind regards

Simon Berger

by

Prayer Letter 25th May 2018

Good afternoon All

Given the recent re-launch of the Christian Association within Surrey, it was suggested to us that those involved should write the following prayer letters. You received Nick’s last week, and now it’s my turn. As I start I want to acknowledge the work and service of PC 1945 Nick Sharpe. I have been involved in the CPA here in Surrey since 2008,; Nick has been branch secretary of the CPA in Surrey since 1999. Since I have known him, and since being asked to be involved in the CPA I have never known him complain, and he has always been an example to look up to. I admire Nick a lot. Nick, I know, has seen this only ever as a great privilege. In my very early years Nick came to my assistance after I had been assaulted in Guildford [ one of my less glamorous moments!] and he sat with me up in A&E. I know that some of you will have similar stories to tell. I feel fortunate that Nick is still heavily involved with the running of the CPA, and I am delighted that Bert, amongst others, have joined the team.

This year I am going to the Big Church Day Out at Wiston House in West Sussex for the first time. At the beginning of the week it looked like a great idea, I’m less sure now because of the weather! I am serving on the safeguarding team.
“Could I ask that one of the prayer requests is for fruitful, key connections, that will help advance the work of Faith and police together.”
I have also had another request for this event, “That it will be a great success and also for the Police who will be attending from Surrey, Sussex and The Met, working in various areas of Safeguarding.” Thank you.
For those attending and serving I look forward to catching up over the weekend. šŸ™‚

So my thoughts that I wanted to share with you this week is to do with teaching I have received recently. I am/have been attending a course in Bedford for the last 8 months every Thursday on Supernatural Ministry.[ Great course if you are interested, drive is a killer!] I have been really challenged by teaching that essentially says, that regardless of the sin that can be committed against us, our sin is greater. To my mind that’s a tough one and you may not agree, or even think the teaching is skewed! I think there is truth in it but I am wrestling with the fact that we all know stories of people who have had it really tough, or been victims of crime, and had untold harm caused them. I know that “Jesus… is the Author and Perfecter of faith…”[Hebrews 12:2]and with Him I will work this one out.

In a way, this is what I see the CPA in Surrey doing/being, and in the wider region. We can’t do it alone, but we can do it together. We are a broad church[forgive the pun!] and our communality is our faith in Jesus and our work for the police. I can’t think of a better bunch I’d rather do it with! šŸ™‚

If I[we] can help, please do get in touch – that goes for those in the Church and not.

My thoughts and blessings are with you all. I hope that you have a great bank holiday weekend, and half term if off work with family.

Simon

by

Prayer Letter 28th July 2017

Good afternoon All

Alice is being given a break from writing the weekly Prayer Letter, so I have stepped into her shoes

Yesterday, I spent 12 hours in custody at Guildford. Other than a long shift, there were no issues, but today I am tired, short on grace and not feeling the love I would normally go about my day with. I have just been praying with Rod Boreham at Guildford, and in prayer, he referenced ā€œgetting ones ducks all lined up and in place and in the right orderā€ with reference to a HMIC/HMIP inspection coming up for our unit. [ This is something else I need grace for, but thatā€™s another story!!]

Fortunately for us we have a God who has, through the life and death of His Son Jesus, put all the pieces in place for our salvation. All we need to do is acknowledge that sacrifice, that saving grace, achieved not through our efforts but through His. I want to leave you with Zephaniah 3:17 today :

The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

I want to pray peace and grace for you today and in the days to come. The Lord your God is in your midst and He rejoices over you. šŸ™‚

Bless you all. Have a great week.

Kind regards

Simon Berger

by

Prayer Letter 12th May 2017

Dear All

Unfortunately Alice has had laptop issues this week, so you have got me again this week!

Whilst I have the opportunity I would like to thank Alice for all the time she spends on us and the prayer letter each week.Ā  If youā€™re like me I read the emails each week with much anticipation, and I always come away feeling more blessed than when I started. J

 

Date for your diary –

The National Day of Prayer for the Police is approaching – 25th May ā€“ Stick this date in your diary.Ā  If you havenā€™t seen the video clip you can view it from this link https://youtu.be/-3SL4L0U32w. Thanks to ā€˜Thy Kingdom Come organisers at Lambeth Palaceā€™ who have supported us in pulling this together.

[EDIT by LCPF – come to our National Day of Prayer event at St Aloysius Church nr Kings Cross. Click here for the details]

So at Church, we are Journeying Together using a Daily Guide called Paraclesis from CWR.Ā  Itā€™s all aboutcoming alongside others, those in our churches and those who are unchurched.Ā  If you have eyes to see it, there is need all around us, and this guide is challenging us to think about lives that can be ego-centric, and the barriers to reaching out to people.Ā  I know that I do not always feel qualified to reach out, but from my own experience, I know that God does honour and magnify what we do.

I want to encourage you – You may have benefitted from someone in the past coming alongside yourself, then ā€œlook upā€ you are an ideal person to get alongside someone else; or you may need someone to come alongside you, if so ā€œreach outā€ there are people willing and able to help. J

 

The verse for this week is from 1 Corinth, 13:2-8, ā€œIf Iā€¦donā€™t love, Iā€™m nothingā€¦Love never gives up.Ā  Love cares more for others than for self. Loveā€¦isnā€™t always me first [and] always looks for the best.ā€

 

May God bless you all this weekend.

 

Simon

by

Prayer Letter 31st October 2016

Hello Everyone

I hope you are all well and have had a good weekend?

I am stepping in again for our Alice as she enjoys a week’s leave and wanted to share with you my last week. It was one of those weeks! Everything, certainly at the beginning of the week, was just doom and gloom. Late on Saturday we had received an email at home about major work that was planned to start on the Monday that brought on the worries. As a result, my wife’s insomnia set in and she wasn’t sleeping at all well. Life at work was just hectic. The adage “over worked and underpaid” seemed to fit well. I was praying but they just didn’t seem to be getting out. I felt hemmed in and isolated.

The week did improve. Unexpectedly two small acts of kindness (at work) lifted my spirits and the workload had eased, and then on the Friday I was reminded of why I do this work. I was involved in running a drugs operation and we came across many young people who were found in possession of drugs. One boy was living with his grandfather as he just didn’t get on with his parents, and I couldn’t understand why that was. Another girl was a classic Child Sexual Exploitation victim. She didn’t want us to tell her mother about the drugs as she would get beaten “black and blue” and also made homeless.

As I reflected and prayed into this at Church yesterday, I was so grateful that we have a Father who loves us and that there is nothing that we can do that would separate us from this love. This week’s scripture then is from Lamentations 3:21-23

“This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never cease, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”

[ I’ve just realised this is the same as last weeks, just from a different version! Alice’s scripture was so timely!]

God broke my heart for these children a few years ago, (and he continues to!) and this showed me that he knows exactly where I am, and what I am doing.

Our Father also spoke to me in the form of a picture about my prayers. I was given a picture of a gold arrow encrusted with jewels that shot through the gloom and was raised up to heaven. It told me that my prayers had been getting through all along and that they were precious in the sight of our Father. I hope that this encourages you in your prayer life this week. šŸ™‚

Can I ask you to pray

  • For our Alice as she enjoys her “summer holidays.”
  • For Oliver, following the sad passing of his father a few weeks ago.
  • Ā For all those who don’t know the love of the Father.
  • For the planning work that continues behind the scenes for Surrey Police’Ā first Carol Service. We have received such favour in this. I do hope you will join us on the evening. [ Monday 12th December 2016, 7.30 for 8pm, St. Saviours Church, Guildford.]
  • Thanks for the success of the Annual Celebration of Christianity in the Police Service

I pray that you are blessing to those around you this week, even if you don’t feel like you are.

Have a good week.

Simon

by

Prayer Letter 23rd September 2016

Dear All,
I hope you are all well and having a good week? šŸ™‚ I am looking forward to the weekend. My wife is away with the church and it will just be me and the boys. We will eat well, and unhealthily!!, have some fun, and watch some football!! Hoorah!! šŸ™‚
I am guesting again this week, as Alice, spends some valuable time with family.
The verse that I want to share with you this week is from Joel 2, verse 28 [NIV]

The Day of the Lord
“… I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.”

I have been feeling inspired for a couple of weeks now. I have been inspired by walks of faith officers and staff are on which we have prayed for on this newsletter, and for other men and women that I know within the wider Christian PoliceĀ community who are leaving or finishing work to move into ministry. I am part of a setup team that is planning to start a new church in Aldershot. We have been seeking God for a vision for the Church, and of course, for God the possibilities are endless. I am also reading a book called Prophetic Evangelism by Mark Stibbe, which is an area of ministry I would love to see at work in our Church; lives changed and people saved. The journey that we are on as a group is really exciting.
I would encourage you all to dream dreams and dream BIG! If you haven’t been given a dream or vision ask your Father in Heaven for one, as what may come may well surprise you, and the journey may well excite you.

Please feel free to contact me at any time by adding a comment below or by clicking here

God Bless you.
In Him
Simon

Events to look forward to:

1. Annual Celebration of Christianity in the Police Service
Tuesday 18th October 2016, 6pm. Find out more information and reserve a free ticket here

2. Surrey PoliceĀ Chiefs Christmas Carol Service
Can I remind you all of this event. It is happening on Monday 12th December 2016, 7.30pm for 8pm, at St. Saviours Church in Guildford. We would love to see you all there. If any of you would be available to serve on the evening to support this event that would be much appreciated. Please let usĀ know, as we will be meeting with Mike Norris from St. Saviours regularly to plan this event. Thank you.