Liverpool (Kensington)

It had been two years since I had last visited Liverpool (Kensington) led  by Paul Dunne (pictured with his wife Lynne) and it was great to witness again the great pastoral heart this fine couple bring to this warm and lively congregation

Growth in the congregation and improvements to the building were obvious since my last visit and its always a joy to see the number of ways that the local church increases its contact with the surrounding community.

Weston Super Mare

Holy Trinity, Weston Super Mare, is an Elim Church pastored my close friend of 40 years, Claude Ellerington, (pictured here with his wife Susan). 

Holy Trinity is a great church and I always enjoy ministering there.  One previous occasions Claude's two sons, Richard and Steve, who are both Elim ministers have been on the team locally but now Steve is pastoring on the team in Bristol and Richard and his wife Regi are planting a surfers church in France.

Hope Church, Corby

There are not many churches that grow from a handful of people to a regular congregation of around 230 in just five years.  But that is what has happened at the Elim congregation in Corby.

Damian Carr, pictured here with his wife Maggie, moved from Selly Oak to his home town with a vision to plant a church and, and through faithful pastoral care and wise leadership, this fine congregation has become flagship for how church planting should be done.

Though catering for all ages, anyone visiting will become immediately aware of the number of young people and young families that are present.

They currently meet in a local school but their vision is to have their own building.  Hope Church is an exciting and dynamic congregation with a great future.

Daniel Stanley

Elim is not just comprised of churches but also trans-local ministries.  Such groups include evangelistic organisations and chaplaincies.

On this occasion I was spending time with Daniel and Sunitha Stanley (pictured here with sister Ramadevi and daughter Rachel) who is overseeing a number of Tamil Indian congregations around the UK.

Before taking up this role Daniel was a senior executive with a multi-national bank based in India.  It was a huge and sacrificial step for the him to resign his position but he has done so without regret knowing with certainty the clear call of God upon his life.

Acocks Green, Elim

The  church in Acocks Green, Birmingham was planted twenty-five years ago by the late George Canty one of Elim's foremost evangelists.  The reason for my visit was to celebrate this special anniversary.  Also present for the service was the Regional leader for the area, Gordon Neale and Stan Taylor a previous pastor.

Until recently the minister at the church was Jamys Carter (pictured centre) but the congregation is now pastored by Terry Jennings (pictured left) who ably led the meeting and is on target to take the church forward.

Anniversaries always provide opportunities to celebrate the input of leaders past and present and especially the faithfulness of the membership of the congregation.

Epping Forest Elim Church

Lee and Alison Carmichael, pictured here with their daughter Martha, have served sacrificially in Epping for several years having been bi-vocational in order to ensure the growth and development of the church.  

Leaders that serve the church by holding down two roles are among the heroes in our Movement and we thank God for them.