Thursday, June 20, 2013

Kensington Temple, London

Kensington Temple is Elim's largest congregation and via its network - London City Church - reaches several thousand people every week.  The senior minister Colin Dye is a member of our Movement's National Leadership Team.  KT as it is more generally known has a heart to reach 'London and the world for Christ' and its influence, reflecting this, is felt in many countries of the world.  Its wider pastoral and leadership team is comprised of very many gifted men and women and its multicultural congregation adds a very positive dimension to the expression of the Christian Church in our nation's capital.  I ministered on this occasion at its morning service.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Romania

I spent four days in Romania visiting  Ioan Ceuta (pictured here, second from left, with his wife and two daughters and their son-in-law) who heads a network of Pentecostal Churches in the Country.

Ioan and I are members of the European Council of Empowered21 - a group committed to effectively linking Pentecostal and Charismatic churches throughout Europe.

As our friendship has developed over time Ioan and his National Leadership Team felt it right to link his churches into "Elim Global" an international group set up to embraces previously formed churches to our Movement and who identify with Elim's vision and values and wish to be connected with us.

The purpose of my visit was to meet his NLT for the first time, to preach in a number of the their churches and take part in a  radio broadcast.

It was a fruitful and memorable time.  One of the highlights was touring the magnificent facility that is the central hub of the organisation and incorporates their Headquarters, a theological College and infants school that is built and run to the very highest standards.  The church campus is based there and the church feeds 500 of the poorest families in Bucharest with a hot meal five days a week.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Hoddesdon

Hoddesdon is a long established Elim Church - once known as Rye Park.  It has been pastored for the past three years by Jamie Lavery - pictured here with his wife Sophie and their daughter Lilly.

This was my first visit to the church and it was great, as usually is the case, to meet those who had been there for many years as well as those who had more recently become part of the church.

Jamie and Sophie are typical of the excellent calibre of young leaders who lead our churches around the UK with a passion for God and a love for the people they they have been called to serve.

Launceston, Devon

There are some people who dedicate themselves to the planting and pioneering of new congregations and I so much enjoyed being with John and Sally Berriman who, having worked faithfully in St Ives, moved to Launceston in Devon  to plant an Elim church in that area.

Meeting in the town hall in the centre of this small picturesque town the congregation is now firmly established in the area.  John and Sally and the church that they lead and doing a fabulous job and it was a delight to be with them for their Sunday service

Hope Chapel, Birmingham







Hope Chapel in Birmingham was founded by Sally Livingstone who is also the founder of the Livingstone House group of residential centres that she established to care for those who have been challenged by life-controlling issues such as substance abuse.

This dynamic and entrepreneurial woman has impacted the lives of many hundreds of people and it is always a joy to be connected with her inspirational ministry.  I was the guest speaker at a packed gathering at this new and growing congregation.