Elim - Church of Pentecost

The Church of Pentecost, based in Accra Ghana, is the Denomination to which we in our Movement are the most closely associated.  Every year members from our NLT attend their Conference  and, similarly, a delegation from Ghana attends our Conference.

This photo depicts the Elim NLT together with two CoP apostles from Ghana and senior leaders of the Church of Pentecost in the UK.  CoP is the largest of all Denominations in Ghana with a world-wide membership which now exceeds two million. 

Cardiff City Temple

Due to the volume of my appointments and the printing schedule of Direction, there is often a gap of some weeks before a report can be seen in the magazine.  An example of this is my Easter visit to the City Temple in Cardiff

This church always had good memories for me for it was when attending the Easter Convention in 1971 that I first met the lady who was later to become my wife.

The City Temple today is far larger and more effective than it has ever been in its long history. This is due to the fine leaders that it has had over the years and the faithfulness of the members of its congregation.  Steve Ball (second from the left) has been senior minister for the past four years and the church has continued to grow in size and depth under his ministry and that of the team (pictured) that work alongside him.  There were around 500 present for the Good Friday service and almost 800 in total in the two morning services on Easter Sunday.  It was a great pleasure to spend Easter 2014 with everyone at the City Temple.

Oasis, Wallasey

Another example of the commitment of bi-vocational ministry is that of Vinny and Helen Devonport (pictured here with their son Joshua and daughter Anna)

Vinny and Helen both hold senior roles within the educational system and yet have committed themselves to lead the church in Wallasey.

Vinny and Helen have been members in Wallasey for some years and, when a pastoral vacancy occurred, the congregation were supportive of Vinny applying for ministerial status and, from what I witnessed while I was there, they could not have made a better choice.  This a great family who through dedicated commitment are making a very real difference in the place that God has planted them.

Wembley Christian Centre

Readers of this page will know how much we in our Movement seek to honour bi-vocational leaders - people who engage in secular employment in order to support themselves in pastoral ministry

Someone who has done this for many years Soke Mun Ho who has her own dental practice in Wembley while at the same time giving pastoral leadership to the local Elim congregation.

The service at which I ministered included a testimony from a long-term member of the church who was leaving to take up a senior position as Barrister in the Nigerian government and who expressed gratitude for the input she had received from Pastor Soke Mun during the time she had been part of the congregation.

Longton Elim Church

It was in 1968 that I first met Phil Parsons (pictured with his wife Sue) when we were both Students at the Elim Bible College in Capel, Surrey so it was a privilege for me to be present at the Sunday service in which his current church put on a surprise program to mark his retirement.

What a track record these two remarkable people have within our Movement - 44 years in Elim incorporating a staggering 38 years in leadership of the church in Longton.

Apart from his faithful pastoral ministry, Phil has also served with distinction on a number of committees within the Movement.  We pray God richest blessing on their lives together in the years that lie ahead

Elim Brazil

Being with Elim in Brazil was one of the most memorable trips that I have made overseas and I am grateful to our International Missions Director Paul Hudson for planning the very full trip with such precision.  A full account can be found in this edition of Direction.  The photo shows the Elim pastors and their spouses at a Saturday teaching day that we spent together.  I love the Brazilian warmth, hospitality and openness to the word of God.