City Church, Peterborough

There are four Elim churches in the Peterborough area and my visit on this occasion was to City Church in Midland Road.  The congregation was between ministers when I visited and  awaiting the appointment of a new pastor.  That church operates so well on such occasions is a tribute the the Elders, deacons and the many volunteers that make local church effective in all our congregations around the country.

Staines

Desmond and Patricia Egharevba are leading a church plant in Staines.  On most occasion when I minister it is necessary to travel to various parts of the country to connect with our churches.  On this occasion this congregation was holding a church weekend at our International Centre here in Malvern.  I spoke on the Friday evening and Nigel Tween on the Saturday. It was good to spend time with people who were so open to teaching and input.

People's Church, Newtonabbey, Belfast

My first memory of George and Linda McKim was when they came to Falkirk in Scotland to plant a church during the time that I was the Regional Leader for the area.  They commenced with just a handful of people and, after years of tenacious and sacrificial service, saw those early beginnings grow to a church of around two hundred people with its own building in the centre of the town.

They are now leading a church in Belfast and, as I did not have and free weekends for the next eighteen months, I flew out to speak at their regular midweek Bible study that, like their mid week prayer meeting, attracts large numbers.  There would have been around 250 on the Thursday night that I was there.  On a Sunday the church numbers around 600 people.

Apart from  ministering at the church it was a delight to spend time with two people who have experienced both the pleasure the pain that accompanies the process of building a healthy church.

Ipswich

It was a very full weekend in Ipswich and it was a pleasure to spend time with the senior minister and his wife,Harold and Florence Afflu (pictured here their family).

The first session was on Saturday afternoon which was a meeting for the wider church leadership.  This was followed by an evening celebration during which the message was translated in Romanian as there is a Romanian church linked to Elim that worships in the building on a Sunday and their congregation and their leaders were present on the Saturday service on this occasion.

There  were two morning meetings to accommodate this growing church.  In the second service the church and balcony were full and there was standing room only for any who were not present for the start of the meeting.  One of the most impressive memories about the visit was that, although the Worship Band were committed to two services, they were present for their own time of worship before the first meeting began.  With such commitment there is little wonder that this church is in the healthy state that it is.

Wrenthorpe

Wrenthorpe is a small on the outskirts of Wakefield.  And it was to this congregation of faithful people that Jamys Carter (pictured with his wife Emma) came to minister a little  under two years ago,

The church is well known in the community in which it has had a presence for very many years.

Apart from his leadership of the church, Jamys is very involved in the development of Elim's "ministers in training' within our Movement and Emma, apart from her role within the church, has a  doctorate and  works as a research scientist at Sheffield University.

It was a pleasure to spend time at the Wrenthorpe church and to have some quality time too with Jamys and Emma during the day.