Category Archives: Newsletter

Punk Monk Newsletter – Summer 2023

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I thought it would be good to give a quick update before everyone runs off to enjoy their summer. 

Spiritual Retreat:

I was very happy to be invited back to Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre to lead their annual spiritual retreat weekend. On the Friday night I introduced the Spiritual practice of Visio Divina and then led people through an exercise where people were asked to draw 4 Images of God:

  1. Their earliest image of God.
  2. Their image of God when they first became a Jesus Follower.
  3. Their current or dominant image of God.
  4. The image of God that the Holy Spirit is inviting them to for this next season. 

I was first introduced to this exercise by some of my coworkers at GOHOP. The idea behind drawing (instead of writing) is that images come from a different part of our brain. Sometimes we can recall memories we have completely forgotten by using a different part of our brain. Many people were very pleasantly surprised at their earliest images of God

On the Saturday morning I led people through a Gospel Contemplation spiritual practice that helps people connect with Jesus through our imagination. We had some great discussions and people were really open to participate. In the afternoon I led a Blind Contour Drawing Workshop. Blind Contours are a drawing exercise that can feel a lot like prayer. You are only allowed to look at the person you are drawing and not not look down at your page. The drawing might look funny but it teaches you to really be present. I asked people to see each other as children of God and give thanks for each other as they were drawing. The picture above is of the youngest artist (age 5) drawing one of the oldest artists. It was amazing the diversity of people engaging with each other.

On Sunday I spoke at Maple Gove’s chapel service on Prayer Walking. I had retired pastor come up to me afterwards and say that they are still using the prayer exercise I had taught them last year. That was really encouraging.  

  • Pray that the seeds planted at this retreat would continue to grow.

Breath Prayer Resource:

I had the opportunity to introduce a group of pastors to the spiritual practice of breath prayer. I try to make sure that whenever I’m leading a prayer experience that there is also some sort of takeaway that helps them continue to journey with what they have learned. 

I really enjoy creating these little handout resources and I seem to have a knack for it. I’m going to start adding these ideas to my website. Feel free to use them yourself or pass them along to your church. You can download the resource here: https://randellneudorf.com/breath-prayer/

  • I have a few other resources and projects that are in various stages of completion. Pray that I would stay focused and be able to get these done.
  • I’ve handed out a number of these Breath Prayer bookmarks now. Pray that God would use them to help people encounter the God that gave us breath.

Summer Art Shows!

I’m very excited to be participating in a number of art markets over the summer. I have lots of fun hats and posters for sale. If you are in the Hamilton area feel free to pop by on the following dates:

  • Fri July 14th, 7pm – 10pm, Art Crawl on James St. N. (between Barton & York)
  • Sun July 16th, 11am – 4pm, Open Streets on Barton St E. (between Wellington & Victoria)
  • Sun August 20th, 11am – 4pm, Open Streets on Barton St E.
  • Sun September 17th, 11am – 4pm, Open Streets on Barton St E. 

Pray that I would sell enough art to pay for my time and to fund my other creative endeavours. I’m starting to sell some of my more personal Looking for Kindness Cartoons that talk about mental health issues. Pray that God would use these drawings to start some good conversations.

Recording & Health Update

We hit a little bit of a snag in the recording of my first Old Reverend Randell album. My voice hasn’t been cooperating. My doctor suggested not singing for 2 weeks to let my voice heal (a harder task than I expected, apparently I sing all the time without realizing it). In the recording studio we had the vocals done on half the songs so we have switched over to mixing. Hopefully I’ll be able to let you hear the first single by the end of the summer.

I have been singing now for about a week and my voice is doing better but I can still feel that it isn’t 100%. My mental health on the other hand has been much better. I haven’t had any large anxiety attacks in the past few months. I feel a lot more like myself.

  • Pray for my voice to be strengthened. 
  • Pray that I would continue to do the physical, spiritual, and mental health self care that keeps me in a good place. 
  • Pray for the songs I’m recording. They aren’t your standard worship songs. My producer and I really believe that these songs are needed both inside and outside the church. Pray that we can get them done and out into the world.

Summer Donations & Budget Update 

I’m currently receiving $1990 from people signed up for monthly giving plans. That is 68% of my monthly goal! That means I’m only $920 away from hitting my monthly goal. 

Consider Making a Summer Donation:
If you are someone who donates occasionally, or on an annual basis, it would be really helpful if you were able to send your next donation in over the summer. Donate Online with CanadaHelps!

If you like to use cheques or you would like to find out more about signing up for a monthly giving plan click here.

  • I’m so thankful for the support I have received. Pray that I would be able to  continue to connect with people that believe in the work that I do and that I would be able to reach my fundraising goal.
  • Pray that God would continue to open up opportunities for me to speak at churches, workshops and retreats.

Grace & Peace to you over the summer,

Randell (Randy) Neudorf

PS: It might seem like a small thing but I have created a new business card that brings all my endeavours under one roof. This will go onto the back of all my art posters and handed out when I’m teaching at churches. I’m trying to be a whole person and not have a separate identity for my prayer and creative endeavours. I’m hoping this card piques the curiosity of someone meeting me in one sphere to find out a little more about some of the other things I’m up to in another sphere of my life. 

Punk Monk Newsletter – March 2023

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Hey Team Punk Monk,

It has been a busy winter. I’m really sorry for getting behind in posting these updates.  Here is a little of what I have been up to…

TrueCity Prayer Room Stations:

I’m happy to report that my year end fundraiser was a big success. I exceeded my goals for both one time donations and art sales. I raised $410 in new monthly giving plans! That is a really big deal, since Monthly Giving Plans are the most sustainable way for me to raise support for my ministry. I now receive 50% of my income through predictable monthly donations. Over the next year I will continue to focus on this area and try to get this number up to 75%.

If you would like to sign up for a Monthly Giving Plan, or find out more info click here.

If you would like to make an Online Donation through CanadaHelps: click here.

Please be praying…

  • Continue to pray that I would meet my monthly fundraising goals.
  • Pray that I would grow in my ability to fundraise. I find it hard to ask people one on one to consider giving. This is by far the best way to fundraise so I need to learn how to do this.
  • Pray for a healthy rhythm.  The main part of my job isn’t fundraising but I can’t work without consistently engaging with potential partners. Pray that I would find a good balance in this area. 

Recording my Old Reverend Randell songs:

I have 4 songs that I’m recording professionally at Sheepdog Studios with my friend Eric Fusilier. These songs really encompass my spiritual journey over the last few years and I think they give permission for people to be honest about the hard things in life while still leaning into a God that is expressed through the fruit of the Spirit. I look forward to sharing more about this as the project comes together. My guess is I will have something for people to listen to in the summer.

  • Everywhere I have shared these songs live, there has been a really positive and meaningful response. Pray that the recordings carry that same resonance and spirit. 
  • Pray that my body and voice will be strong. I have had some pain flare ups that have me worried about my guitar playing. I also find that anxiety & stress constricts my voice, so feeling relaxed and well is really important. 

TrueCity Prayer Room Stations:

I contributed a number of prayer stations to this year’s TrueCity Conference Prayer Room. I created a new labyrinth guide to tie in to the conference theme of Shuv (to repent or to turn). I also made a guided prayer resource (see attached) to help people take some baby steps into Jesus’ teaching of blessing those that curse you. I like to use the prayer room to create things that might be useful in other places. I made the prayer guide like a little folded church bulletin that people could use in a service or in a small group. You can download the resource here. let me know what you think, or if you use it. 

We try to feature a lot of art in the prayer room. This year my Looking For Kindness Cartoons were highlighted along with some new pieces reflecting on the Plank in your eye verse. 

Lastly, I really wanted to connect some of our year long ministries at GOHOP to the TrueCity prayer room. 

Every Friday GOHOP staff and volunteers get together and pray for pastors & leaders for a couple hours. I reused my prayer candle cartoons to invite people to join us in praying for leaders. Prayer room visiter would draw the flame on the   little candle card and then write the name of the pastor or leader on the inside that they were praying for. These little cards really caught fire because 123 prayer candles were “lit.” On Fridays the GOHOP team took turns praying through each name on every card, adding our prayers to the fire. If you would like to find out more about how GOHOP prays for pastors & leaders check out: https://www.gohop.ca/prayer-for-leaders-contact

  • Although the 2 week TrueCity Prayer Room is done, the prayer room isn’t closed. We keep this space open for drop in hours every week (I’m there Monday nights from 5-9pm). Pray that the momentum from TrueCity would carry on into people using the prayer room throughout the year. You can find out more here: https://www.gohop.ca/pray-with-us

Asah & the Art of Being Seen:

A couple of weeks ago we had a homeless lady drop by during our Asah: Creatiivty & Prayer Studio in the TrueCity prayer room. She was in a snowsuit and had all her belongings in a garbage bag. She thought it was the Tuesday meal night (that Lift church runs out of the space) and was a little disappointed to find out it was Monday. I told her about the prayer room and that we did have coffee. I also let her know that she was welcome to sit in the prayer room or in the lobby until as late as 10 o’clock. She was very surprised and said “Really? I can just sit down and have a coffee?” I answered, “Absolutely!” 

My new friend spotted the fancy mocha mixes and asked “Who are those for?” I said “You! Would you like me to make you one the professional way?” I started talking to her about how you need to mix the powder with the cream first and then add the water. She told me, “You should work at Tim Hortons.” I laughed and replied, “Actually, I used to manage a coffee shop called The Freeway and this is how we made our cafe mochas.”

The conversation then went a little deeper. She confided that she wished she was invisible and said, “I wouldn’t usually stay in a place like this, I don’t like people to see me.” I said, “Wow! Thank you for sharing that with me. Sometimes I feel like I’m invisible, and I just really want people to see me.” We chatted a little more and then I traded off with Megan from Asah to teach the second half of the art workshop. When I came back out the lady was gone but Megan said she had asked her to say thanks to me for the coffee and the visit. The ironic thing was that the art workshop I was leading was all about using drawing to help us see each other as children of God. It was amazing that what God was teaching in the lobby through hospitality was the same thing God was teaching the people in the prayer room through drawing.

Thanks so much for all your support and being part of my Punk Monk journey. If you would like to hear more about what I’m doing I would love to talk to you over a coffee, zoom, or an old fashioned phone call. Let me know.

Grace & Peace,

Randell (Randy) Neudorf
Artist /// Musician /// Punk Monk
C# 905-379-3717
randellneudorf@gmail.com
www.RandellNeudorf.com

To make an Online Donation in support of Randell’s ministry through CanadaHelps: click here.

Punk Monk Newsletter – September 2022

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Hey Team Punk Monk!

I hope you had some time to do a few fun activities over the summer. At the Neudorf household we got to go to a friend’s cottage and we spent a few days at the Crieff Hills Retreat Centre. Our whole family enjoys the walking trails and the chickens and sheep on the grounds. I also made use of the labyrinth and the little prayer chapel that is about the size of a garden shed.

Medical Update:

In my June newsletter, I let people know that I was taking a medical leave from GOHOP to deal with the anxiety I have been experiencing since January. I have made a lot of progress with my therapist, learning and practicing coping strategies. It was around the middle of August that I realized that I had a lot more tools in my mental health tool box than I had back in the spring. I’ve also been learning to reframe the stories I have been telling myself about some of the bigger anxiety attacks that I have experienced. There is a lot of grace being infused into these sessions. 

My other big medical issue has been years of chronic pain (in my hands, feet, and back). I noticed a huge improvement this summer. My physiotherapist has helped me with an exercise routine that has made me a lot stronger and this has greatly reduced my pain. My family were pleasantly surprised that I was able to hike, swim, and be really active without pain or flare ups this summer. I have also been able to enjoy playing guitar more. I do still get some random flare ups but they have been shorter and more manageable. It feels good to be strong.

  • Please pray for continued access to therapy. I’m at the end of the free counselling sessions I was approved for. I will need to assess what type and frequency of therapy is helpful for me. Pray for wisdom in making these decisions. 
  • Pray into my transition back to work. I expected my anxiety to increase as I started back to work, but I wasn’t prepared for how much my anxiety would increase once work was back in the mix. I’m easing back into things over September to find a sustainable rhythm.
  • Pray that my chronic pain would continue to decrease in frequency and severity. I would appreciate some specific prayer for my left wrist. Over the last couple weeks it has flared up and impacted my ability to play guitar and lift things. 

Thank you so much for your understanding as I’ve been taking the time to care for myself over the last 3 months.

GOHOP Gala Fundraiser: Sat. Oct. 15th (5:30-8:30pm)

You are cordially invited to celebrate GOHOP’s 21st Anniversary and the launch of our new Prayer Room. We want everyone to dress up to the nines (just like a fancy wedding) and bring your friends (or even your enemies) for an evening of food, live music, artist showcase, silent auction, storytelling and celebration. I’m one of the artists being showcased and will have some my posters and paintings on display (and for sale). Here is a link to the Facebook Event Page: https://fb.me/e/3EE71Fxyo

Cost: Tickets are $20 and include entrance, dinner and dessert. Kids under 12 are FREE.

Here is how you can help out:

  • CLICK HERE to buy a ticket!
  • If you can’t make it (or you live too far away) you can make a donation in lieu of your ticket.
  • Are you an artisan or a business owner? We are looking for donations to our silent auction. I’m happy to pass any contributions on to our planning team.
  • Tell your church and invite your friends! We really want to spread the word. We would especially like to have pastors and leaders who don’t know about GOHOP to come. If there is someone you think we should offer a free ticket to, (or if your budget is a little tight right now) we do have a few extra tickets to give away. Contact admin@gohop.ca about free tickets.
  • Volunteer at the event. We will need people to help with serving food, selling art, etc…|
    Contact admin@gohop.ca if you would like to volunteer.
  • Pray for the Gala. We really want people to come out and get a sense of what GOHOP is all about and how we can partner together to play with prayer.
  • Pray for our prayer room ministry.  GOHOP is very excited to once again be hosting a prayer room, but there will also be growing pains since we have been without a prayer room for over 2 years due to the pandemic. In many ways it feels like we are starting something completely new and at the same time familiar.

Old Reverend Randell Debut:

I have had a number of music projects over the years, my newest one is called Old Reverend Randell. This is the name I’m using to play the gospel songs I write that are a little further off the beaten trail of songs we might sing at church. I choose the name Old Reverend Randell for a few reasons:

  • The biggest musicians tend to “make it” when they are young (before they are 25). Being 46, I’m an old guy in the music world and just wanted to own it. I also have some nostalgia in my music where I play vintage guitars and have a little bit of an old time vibe. I want my music to feel like something that has been around for a long time. Like I could have been a contemporary of Hank Williams, or Stompin’ Tom.
  • I don’t want to hide the gospel side of my music, so I put the word “Reverend” in to make that up front. It also has a feeling of campiness to it with the work “Old” tacked on. It lets me play in bars and coffee houses while still feeling safe for a secular crowd. There are other musicians who have the title of Reverend in their stage name who just use it for show.
  • The name lets me play music at churches in a way where I get to show people that God can be “weird” in a good way. I know that my music is never going to be the next big worship song but I think my music can speak to the topics and people that are often forgotten about in church. 

I have a couple demo songs posted. Here is where you can listen to them: https://oldreverendrandell.bandcamp.com

My first Old Reverend Randell Show happened last month at L’arche Hamilton’s Inclusion Coffee House. Their tag line is “We are people with and without intellectual disabilities creating a community coffeehouse.” It was a packed house and I have never had such an enthusiastic audience. There was thunderous applause after every song (and sometimes in the middle of a song with a pause), a couple enthusiastic dancers, and one very cool ukulele player who got right up front with me. 

The coffee house is located inside a city recreation centre. It was such an honour to play a mix of old hymns, cover songs, and my own tunes in a public space. That is really my dream is to be able to create something that can sit inside and outside the church in a way that is honest and helpful.

Looking for Kindness: A Creative Teaching on Faith & Anxiety

I have a creative teaching that I’ve had the chance to try out on a couple different churches. It incorporates some of my “Looking for Kindness Cartoons” along with some of my Old Reverend Randell songs. I use these creative outlets to talk about my own struggles with anxiety and how I have been leaning into the Fruit of the Spirit (especially kindness) as part of my faith journey. A number of people have talked to me afterwards about their own mental health journeys and thanked me for speaking so openly and honestly about my experience with anxiety.

If your church, small group or conference is looking for something a little different I would love to share this creative teaching with you.

Financial Update:

While I was on medical leave I had to set aside working on fundraising to just focus on getting well. The unfortunate reality of my job is that when I’m less active, donations tend to be less frequent. This trend started back in March and has steadily been increasing ever since. Here is a snapshot of where my fundraising numbers are at:

  • $2897 is my monthly fundraising goal. Details of how I came up with this number are posted here.
  • $1384. is what comes in from Monthly Giving Plans. 
  • -$1513 is how much additional funds I need to raise each month to reach my goal. Up until March 2022 I was able to raise this through people giving one time donations and annual donations. For the last 6 months I have not reached this goal.
  • $1425 is how much extra Honorarium Income I have made this year through doing guest speaking and workshops. That offsets about one month of fundraising. With being on Medical leave I had to turn down some opportunities. 
  • -$6209 is the total amount I’m behind in my GOHOP budget(as of September 2022), in addition to the -$4539I will still need to raise for Oct-Dec 2022. 

As I’m writing this I would like to give a firm fundraising goal for the rest of 2022, but somehow that seems to be less important than ongoing sustainability. Realistically, I won’t be able to make up an almost $11,000 shortfall by the end of the year. 

Going forward, I need to either reach my monthly fundraising goal, or I need to reduce my GOHOP hours and seek additional employment elsewhere. I don’t want to make that decision rashly. I will be trying to raise an additional $1513 each month, but more importantly I’ll be trying to raise that through an increase in people signing up for monthly and yearly giving plans. That is where I really need to focus my energy.

  • Pray that God will expand my circle of support. This doesn’t happen without God making it happen.
  • Pray that I would not be anxious about fundraising, that I would just stay the course and do the work.
  • Pray that I would have more opportunities to preach, share music and lead workshops. The honorariums that come along with these things are nice but more importantly it lets me connect with people interested in my work with GOHOP.

CLICK HERE to sign up for a MONTHLY GIVING PLAN

DONATE ONLINE through CandaHelps.
Info about donating by CHEQUE can be found HERE.
One time & annual donations are also welcome!

Thank you so much for getting all the way to the bottom of this email. It means so much to me that you took the time to catch up with what is happening in my ministry with GOHOP. 

Grace & Peace to you,
Randell (Randy) Neudorf
Artist /// Musician /// Punk Monk

Punk Monk Newsletter – January 2022

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Hey Team Punk Monk!

I wanted to start off by saying thank you to everyone for supporting the online Punk Monk Fundraiser in December. Your prayers, likes, shares, encouragement and donations made the fundraiser a big success. 

There are a number of new people getting this newsletter this month, so welcome to the team! This newsletter is a place for me to talk about my ministry with GOHOP (Greater Ontario House of Prayer), share prayer requests, and to give fundraising updates (financial accountability is always a good thing). 

I won’t always be putting finances at the top of the list but in light of all that has happened in the last few months it’s a good place to start this time.

The Punk Monk Fundraiser Story:

The idea was super simple, I was just going to post selfies online asking for money to help finish my first year with GOHOP on budget. No rewards, no shaving my beard, no song or dance, just an honest ask for help. The very first donation that came in was for $10, with a note that read “Praying God multiplies this!” God absolutely took that first donation and grew it. The goal was to raise $3000 and by Christmas I raised $3655. On top of the online fundraiser an additional $1905 came in from other places, which brings the November & December total up to $5560. I am overwhelmed with the generosity God has shown me through friends, family and strangers.

Fundraising in 2022:

My monthly fundraising goal is $2897. If you would like to see the cost breakdown of my hours and rate of pay, click here. 
The most sustainable (and least stressful way) for me to reach that goal is increasing the number of people signed up for a monthly giving plan. Right now I have 13 monthly givers contributing about $1300 in total each month. To reach my monthly goal, I need to raise an additional $1597 each month. With the extra money that came in at the end of 2021, I have now raised enough to be paid in full until the end of February. 

Here are some ways you can be praying for my fundraising:

  • Pray that more people would sign up for a monthly giving plan. Currently 44% of my monthly goal comes from giving plans. I’m praying that this would increase to 75%. 
  • Pray that one time and annual donations would continue to make up the monthly difference. Please pray that I wouldn’t have a month this year where I have a shortfall and need to do crisis fundraising.
  • Pray that I could connect with potential givers & prayer partners in my wider network or even outside my current network. 

Here are a few other practical ways people can be helping:

  • Ask your church, small group, or network if they would like me to come speak, sing, or lead a creative prayer activity. I’m happy to connect with groups no matter how large or small. I work hard to always combine stories, learning and practical application into everything I do (whether it is preaching, singing or leading an activity). Here is a participant quote I got after leading an Imaginative Gospel Contemplation workshop at a church planting retreat:

    “One of my favourite parts of our New Venture retreat this summer was the Gospel Contemplation hosted by Randall Neudorf. I am familiar with lectio divina but have never really tapped into my imagination the way Randall encouraged us to. I absolutely loved considering the different roles, as though I was reading a screenplay from different perspectives and then as an active participant in the story. It spoke to me deeply and I’m grateful to have another way to immerse myself in the scriptures.”  – Christina  
  • If you gave a donation last year and plan on doing so again this year, consider splitting up your donation into a monthly giving plan. Last year’s$120 or $1200 donation could be this year’s $10 or $100 a month giving plan. I know the math works out the same but the monthly giving plan adds the gift of predictability (and stress reduction) to that number. 
  • Introduce me to someone who you think would like to be part of the Punk Monk Team. If you know someone who might like to learn more about my work, be part of my prayer team or make a donation, please make the introduction. We all have different networks of people with different gifts and strengths. I’m always happy to meet and connect with new people. 
  • If you would like to make an Online donation to support my work with GOHOP you can do that here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/53164 (to donate by cheque click here)

TrueCity 24-7 Prayer Room:

This year I’m leading the planning team for the TrueCity Prayer Room that is part of the annual TrueCity Conference. The conference is happening on April 29th & 30th and the prayer room will run 24-7 for two weeks after that. I’m very excited to be given the opportunity to lead this team. This prayer room has always had an emphasis on connecting people to creative forms of prayer and building bridges between churches, which are two things I’m very passionate about. If you are in the Hamilton area and would like to help create an indoor (or outdoor) prayer station, please let me know. We will also be approaching local churches and challenging them to fill a 24 hour time slot as part of their TrueCity journey. 24 hours might sound like a long time but all it takes is 24 people each praying for 1 hour to make that happen. It is amazing how fast an hour goes by in the prayer room. 

Here is how you can be praying for the Prayer Room and the planning team:

  • Pray for flexibility. We are going to need to hold all our ideas and plans very loosely, as we wait to see what the COVID regulations look like in the spring.
  • Pray for safety & creativity. We will absolutely be following all the health and safety guidelines, and we will be working hard at finding creative ways to host a prayer room that is both meaningful and safe. My goal is to always look for the idea that feels like a “get to” and not just a “have to.”  The way to find those “get to” ideas is to allow safety challenges to push us into creative solutions 
  • Pray that we can connect with the right volunteers, churches and individuals to be part of the prayer room. Last year the prayer room was online and it took a much smaller volunteer base to make that happen. Pray that we will have a strong group of volunteers and participants to re-engage with this annual expression of prayer and church unity. 

Art Journal and my Personal Journey:

When I was out Christmas shopping I ran into a stranger at an art supply store who really surprised me. They said, “Hey, Randell, you don’t know me but I follow you online. I really appreciate your art journal posts, especially the ones on pain. They are so important because so many people don’t know what it feels like to live with chronic pain.” A couple weeks before that I got a message with a donation that said “Your art is truly a ministry. I’m thankful that you are spreading God’s love through this thought provoking medium. Many blessings to you!” Both of these surprise compliments have encouraged me to keep being really open and honest with my online art journal posts. In that spirit of openness I wanted to share a little bit about my latest Art Journal post. 
Christmas is a really hard time at my house and that proved to be true again this year. Christmas day I had a panic attack and it came and went over the next 3 days. Sometimes it would even hit me in the middle of the night and I would be in panic mode for a couple hours. The best way I can describe these episodes is that it feels like everything is buzzing in a bad way (like a swarm of bees rather than a strong cup of coffee). In my latest Art Journal post I talked about my panic attacks and some of the things that helped me get through them. The response to these drawings and stories continues to be very positive. I know this isn’t the main part of my job but it really feels like an important part of my ministry. 
You can see all my Art Journal stories here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10164895225245179&type=3

Here are a few personal prayer requests:

  • Pray for my mental health and my chronic pain. I am in the process of seeing a counselor but that is just starting. I also have a spiritual director and a physiotherapist, so I’m working on my mind, body and soul. My pain has been under control better lately and I feel like I’m getting stronger. I have even been able to play guitar more recently, which is very helpful (sometimes my pain interferes with my hands) 
  • Pray for my family. I know everyone has experienced hard times during the pandemic but we have definitely found that it exacerbates our unique dynamics. 
  • Pray for my art journal posts, that God would continue to use them. Pray that the right people would see them. Pray that I would continue to find creative outlets that are life giving. 

Leader Magazine: 

For 5 years I have been writing articles for Leader Magazine (a Mennonite publication). It has been a great opportunity to talk about where I have been seeing God show up in my neighbourhood and ministry. In my latest article I got to highlight a resource I created called  “A Visual Guide To Prayer Walking.” The guide is a series of drawings and prayer prompts intended to inspire people to try out prayer walking. Every few years the magazine switches up their contributors to hear from new voices. My prayer walking article was my last piece. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to share so many of my stories with people all across Canada and the United States.

You can download your own free copy of “A Visual Guide to Prayer Walking” here: https://randellneudorf.com/prayer-walking/

Connecting with Pastors & Leaders: 

GOHOP’s Pastors & Leaders prayer time is going really well. As the interim coordinator, I have consistently been able to book in a really diverse group of leaders for our listening prayer ministry. We have prayed with pastors, chaplains, denominational leaders, church planters, leadership teams and students. I have also been able to attend a number of networking events for pastors. This has helped me to connect with a number of leaders I hadn’t met before from a wider range of denominations. At one event, I was giving my listening prayer spiel to some pastors who were new to Hamilton when a bunch of other Pastors in the room jumped in and said “You need to go and pray with GOHOP!” It was amazing to realize that half the pastors in the room had already been prayed for by GOHOP in the last year.

Pray for my work with pastors & leaders:

  • Pray that I would be able to continue to book in a diverse group of pastors and leaders. 
  • Pray that we would continue to practice listening prayer in a safe and supportive way. My prayer is that our prayer time would open up the idea of listening prayer to leaders that have never experienced listening prayer before.
  • Pray that we would be able to pray for more denominational leaders. I would love for them to feel confident to refer their pastors to GOHOP for prayer.

Thanks so much for following along with my journey. 

Grace & Peace,

Randell (Randy) Neudorf
randellneudorf@gmail.com
905-379-3717
randellneudorf.com 

CLICK HERE to make a donation 
in support of Randell’s ministry with GOHOP https://randellneudorf.com/gohop/donate/