Living Waters, Chorley

Six years ago John Lacy, pictured here with his wife Michelle, took over as senior leader for Living Waters church in Chorley from his father Tony.  I can well remember being present for the transition services - the farewell on the Saturday and the induction on the Sunday,

From that time the church has continued to see continual and sustained growth.  It is a thriving and impacting church with strong links into the community and supporting mission works overseas.  There were around 400 people present for the Christmas service at which I preached and which was followed by a hog-roast supper.

Bude, Cornwall

There are not many more picturesque places in Cornwall than Bude and it was great to return to the church which, for the past three years has been pastored by Steve Ellerington (pictured here with his wife Natasha)

Return visits give me the opportunity to appreciate how a church has developed since I was last there and, while always a pleasure to attend, I was aware on this occasion of an increased sense of church 'family' and appreciation of the worship team who, from point of view had stepped up to a whole new level.

From a personal point of view it was great to spend time with Steve and Natasha.  Both of their fathers were Elim ministers before they retired and were fellow students with me in Bible college in the late Sixties.  In other words, I have know this couple since they were born and to see them with three lovely children of their own, watching the pastoral care and fine leadership with which they serve the church was really something special.  If you are holidaying in this part of Cornwall this year, Bude Christian Fellowship is a church you would not want to miss.

Manchester

In 1968 I left my home church in Elim Manchester that had been pioneered by my father and went to Bible College to begin my training to be a minister.  It was more than fitting that 47 years later, and shortly before retiring as our Movement's leader, the final large gathering at which I would be preaching in that capacity would be the church where it all began that is now located adjacent to Media City Salford - the part of Manchester where I became a Christian as a child 62 years ago

For the past thirty years Paul and Mags Hallam have led the church and it is during their ministry that the major growth and development has taken place that has brought this significant church - that now has branches throughout India and Romania that, apart from churches, include schools and orphanages - to the place it is in today.

During their tenure which has been hallmarked by huge vision, faith and sacrifice they have built a first class team of top quality leaders around them.  They are truly amazing people.

My Sunday began with an interview with BBC radio Manchester to talk about Elim's Centenary and then on to minister at the 11am service.

North of England ELIM100

Over nine hundred people packed the Lighthouse Christian Centre (Elim Manchester)  from our churches in the north of England for the final centenary celebration that have seen around ten thousand people in attendance during 2015

The event was convened by Regional leader Kevin Peat and the worship led by Mark Stevens.  It was the perfect finale to a great year of celebration.  Many thanks to host Pastor Paul Hallam and for the amazing team at the Lighthouse who hosted the event.

Guernsey

The three churches in Guernsey wanted to celebrate the Elim Centenary on the Island and it was a delight to speak at their event.

The day began with an interview with BBC radio Guernsey, followed by lunch with the leaders and their spouses before going on to the celebration meeting in the evening.

Pictured with me left to right are Mick and Heather Leggett (St Peterport), John and Angie Roddis (Delancy) and Steve and Angela Mudge (Vazon)

The Source, Malvern

When Elim came to Malvern six years ago a small independent fellowship asked to become affiliated to us.  

A year ago Dan and Rachel Bennett came to take over the leadership of the church and during that time have developed the culture of the congregation that has a heart to engage with the community.

Having spent time with this fine young couple afterwards, I have every confidence that the church will see continued growth in the days that lie ahead.

North West Region

Every two years I have visited each of Kevin and Margaret Peat's two Regions.  

On this occasion the venue was a golf and country club in Blackpool.  This residential retreat was subsidised by the Region in order to create a memorable, relaxing and well-deserved break for the leaders and their spouses.

As a Mancunian it is always a pleasure to be back in the North West and particularly so as the pastors in this area are so open to everything that God has for them.

During one of of my messages I gave an illustration of a baby that makes its first steps.  A young couple came to me to stay that, while I was speaking, their child had done just that!

Thank you everyone in the NW Region for the warmth with which you received Marilyn and I during the time that we were with you and Kevin and Margaret, thank you for the opportunity you have given me to minister to your leaders in the years I have been the GS

Ludlow

Our centenary celebrations have been held in  some of the largest venues across the country but this special occasion has also been replicated throughout the Movement in individual churches large and small

Ludlow, pastored by Tim Coles pictured here  with his wife Judith, had around forty special guests in addition to their normal congregation.  These included the Bishop of Ludlow and several other local clergy, and various local dignitaries from the town.

Tim convened the service with a balance of warmth and dignity and the morning service at which I preached was followed by lunch for all who were able to attend.  It was a special joy that the centenary was able to be celebrated in their newly acquired facilities which are a great credit to the congregation who have prayed and sacrificed to bring their vision to completion.  Ludlow has one of the longest serving Elim members in our Movement.  David Smith (pictured) was dedicated as a baby in an Elim church 85 years ago!.

RTC Graduation Day

As the final months of my role as General Superintendent come to a close I commence officiating at a number of our Movement's national  events for the final time.  One of these was speaking at the Graduation service  of Regents Theological College held in Malvern Priory

The service was conducted by Elim's Director of Training Dave Newton and vice Principal Peter Read.  Fifty five students graduated and received their degrees.  RTC is blessed with a faculty who are godly people as well as being consummate professionals.

Centenary Celebrations - Wales and South West

This is just a section of the 1600 people who packed the St. David's Hall in Cardiff for the ELIM100 celebrations.

This was without doubt one of my personal favourite venues on the Centenary tour.  Chris Cartwright, Regional Leader for the area convened the meeting which balanced songs from the early days of Elim as well as the latest contemporary music.  

The contribution of the Choir led by Myra Harris added so much to the evening.  The level of worship and sense of the presence of God was extraordinary.  I have preached the identical message in all of the celebrations I have attended to this point and nowhere did I feel a greater rapport  with this great congregation of Elim people.  The evening was an absolute pleasure to participate in.

Eastbourne

It was good to be with Stephen and Elizabeth Smith for the morning service at our Church in Eastbourne.

There were a number of testimonies in the meeting of the impact that the church is having upon the local community as a result of their heart for the marginalised including that of an award presented to a member of the the congregation at the House of Lords that will feature in a future edition of Direction.

During the service I led in prayer for  assistant minister Ashley Steinschauer and his wife Rachel as Ashley prepares for chaplaincy in the armed forces.

At the close of the service Marilyn and I spent  some time over lunch listening to the plans that Stephen and Elizabeth have for the church in the days that lie ahead.

Elim Centenary, London

Two thousand five hundred people attended back-to-back meetings in the iconic Westminster Central Hall for the Elim100 celebration in the London area hosted by Colin Dye (KT and NLT member) and David Campbell (London Metropolitan Regions and NLT member.  Dominic De Souza (TLC Norwich) and his team worked tirelessly over many weeks to ensure that the day was the success that it turned out to be.

Worship was lead by Sam Blake, Noel Robinson, Helen Yousaf and band plus a backing choir.

This was a the third time that I had spoken at one of these events, the previous two being in Birmingham and Scotland.

Blackburn

Simon and Valentina Pastorello moved from AoG  Italy to join the team  in Elim Blackburn a few years ago and within the past few months Simon has taken over as lead pastor in what was the first church that Stephen Jeffries pioneered in Lancashire

Their strategically positioned building is now full to capacity on a Sunday morning and there is a wide spectrum of events in which the church is engaged in through the week.

It was good to be back in  church that has members who have been there for a generation as well as those who have recently joined the church

There are a number of levels of transitioning and restructuring in which the church is engaged that will position it to be a church that I will believe will see accelerated growth in the years that lie ahead.

Elim Centenary, Scotland

The result of eighteen months of planning and preparation came to fruition when over 1500 gathered in the iconic Armadillo arena at the SECC for the centenary celebrations.  Regional leader Kevin Peat was quick to mention the work that the organising team had put into the success of the event - notably Alan Scobie, Gordon Alan and James Glass.  It was a night of great worship, video memories and, after I had brought the message the whole congregation stood together in making a verbal declaration of their commitment to move into the next phase of our Movement's life believing that, without doubt, 'The best is yet to come'.

The night was hallmarked by those who came to faith for the first time and many who recommitted their life to the Lord.  Elim in Scotland has never been in a stronger position than it is today and its commitment to church growth and continued church planting make it clear that there is, under God, a great future to be anticipated.

Elim New Zealand

Of the four million people who live in New Zealand almost half of them live in Auckland and, in this great city, Elim's multicampus church has a congregation of over 2,000.  In addition to this it has a state-of-the art Christian School that educates over one thousand children and has a waiting list of over 700 who wish to attend.  The school has recently received the coveted 'Apple' award for excellence.  A remarkable feature are the huge four-coloured letters on the roof of the school campus that spell the word ELIM and can be seen on the international flight path as planes approach Auckland airport.

Recently the Jehovah's Witnesses moved their headquarters to Australia and the huge £7 million pound complex is now owned by the Aukland Elim Church and used as a leadership training centre.  The purchase of a golf course also means that the church has its own gold academy.

The brains behind this entrepreneurial expansion is senior pastor, Luke Brough, pictured here (right) with New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key.

I was there at the invitation of good friend Mike Griffiths (pictured with his wife Liz) who was the leader of Elim New Zealand prior to, at the conference, passing the baton on to Luke.  Mike is an exceptional leader who has decided to concentrate on the growth of the church of which he is the senior pastor.

My preaching schedule for the conference was hectic however as I was ministering twelve times within a six day period.  However, I love everything about New Zealand, its national culture, its church culture and its vision for the future.

Coventry Elim

Coventry Elim has never been in a more healthy  state.  Already in multiple Sunday morning services, it now meets once a month in a city centre theatre so that all the church family can be together. Over 700 people were present at  service at which I spoke.

Duncan and Helen Clark (pictured) have led the church for several years and have built a great team around them which, together with the Elders and a committed congregation, have created, under God, something that has a full potential yet to be realised.

A recent survey showed that 75% of the congregation are younger than the senior pastor which certainly augers well for the future.

Apart from leading one of our Movements fastest growing churches Duncan is also a member of Elim's National leadership Team.

Hatfield

Fifteen years ago Mike and Heather Dyce, then based in St.Albans, pioneered a church in Hatfield.

Today both of them are ordained Elim ministers and the church which has steadily grown over the years attracts a wide age range and cultural base with many nationalities represented.

After a number of challenges and initial setbacks they were able to secure the town centre building that they are now in which, apart from a worship area has large office areas and facilities from which they operate their several community outreaches.

They are the second largest facility in the town (after Asda)

Mike remains bi-vocational and this church is an  example of what can be achieved by sacrificial and tenacious leadership.  It was great to be with them for the day.

Elim Centenary Birmingham

During the next few months I have the privilege of speaking at venues all over the UK as our Movement celebrates its centenary.

The first of these was in the iconic Birmingham Town Hall which was packed to the rafters with Elim people from the Midlands.  Many people who wanted to purchase tickets were unable to do so such was the demand to be part of this very special day.

Many thanks to Gordon Neale, Stuart Blount and a team of great leaders who put the day together and to Leon Evans and Abby Eaton who led the worship.

Elim, Glasgow

I am often asked what relation James Glass is to me and the precise answer is 'first cousin one removed' and my time at the church coincided with James and Beryl's wedding anniversary - the happy occasion at which I had the pleasure of officiating at 22 year ago.

My visit, part from ministry on the Sunday morning, was to speak at a  lunch for around thirty of the core leaders on the Saturday.

Kevin Peat, the Regional Leader for Scotland, tells me that the Glasgow church is currently the strongest it has been in its long history and this was corroborating by the ;largest Sunday service I have preached at on the many occasions I have visited the Glasgow church over the years.

James is a member of Elim's National Leadership Team.

Elim Chinese Church, London

 Without doubt one of the highlights of my year was attending the double celebration of Elim's Chinese church in London

The meal, followed by a excellent presentation in music, dance and drama marked their 27th year as a church and our Movement's centenary celebration.

 In a future edition of Direction we will feature a story of the this great church with a selection of photo's highlighting its journey.

Aaron and Anna Chan, who are both ordained Elim ministers, have been instrumental in building the church network while remaining for much of the time bi-vocational and the photo below features the core leaders of the church.

One of the most significant thing that one  notices, apart from the vibrant worship and dedication of the people, is the broad spread of ages with a large proportion consisting of those in their Twenties.

An unforgettable day.

Norwich, TLC

 There has been an Elim church in Norwich for many years but now Norwich (TLC) - Today's Lifestyle Church is now Elim's newest church.  An already established church of around eighty people in an excellent facility has applied to join our Movement.

Dominic and Catherine De Souza have moved from the 400 strong Elim church in Letchworth to lead the current congregation and already plans are underway to build a significant church complex in the heart of the city.

I preached at this significant and pivotal service and David Campbell, the Regional Leader for the area, presided over the induction.

Infuse

Infuse began as a Midlands-based family camp but in recent years has become a youth event under the leadership of Tim Alford and the Serious4God team.  Located in the Three Counties Showground at the foot of the Malvern hills there could hardly be better location for the fine event that caters in its various venues for everyone from Children to young adults.

I was the speaker for the latter group which I noticed was three times larger than it was on the last occasion I was there.  The session was ably led by Mike Nicholls who, with his wife Becky are part of the team at Elim in Northampton.

Elim Festival

This family camp has been running for fifty three years and the reason I know that is because I attended the first one when I was just fourteen years of age.  In those days it was situated in Fraisethorpe near Bridlington and, over the years,  has impacted thousands of lives for the good.

Those who have attended may remember the speakers and others the friends that they made.  But there is one group of people - possibly the most important of all and without whom a ministry of this nature would be impossible - the volunteers.

Rising early in the morning and working until late at night these men and women, who are often sacrificing their own annual holiday to be there, work tirelessly so other people ca be blessed.  Regional Leader and NLT member, Gordon Neale, has been a central part of Elim Festival over much of its life and the camp is currently led by Mark Greenwood and a first class team of people who make it possible.  I loved speaking at this great event.

Gateway Church launceston

John and Sally Berriman after running a successful business commenced a church in St. Ives which they then brought in to our Movement.  From there they moved to Launceston where they they planted a church five years ago which met in the local town hall.

It was a joy to be present at the dedication of their new new premises (pictured) named the Gateway Church as this small town of just 8000 population is called the Gateway to Devon and Cornwall.

To secure a facility of this nature after such a short time is phenomenal and the many rooms within it are being utilised for the benefit of the community.  Not content to rest on their laurels, they have now branched out into the town of Bodmin.  What a tremendous example these fine leaders are.

One Church

One Church, has a number of expressions in towns around the immediate area.  Simon Jarvis who was the senior leader of One Church Gloucester has now passed  that responsibility on to his brother Jon and, though his family is still based in Gloucester, he gives oversight to the wider network  of churches.

I was the speaker on the occasion that they brought the core leaders of the various expressions together for the first time.

Newry,

 It was a pleasure to spend the weekend in Northern Ireland with Mike and Roberta Holohan and the Elim church in Newry.  This was  to be the first of two visits to the Province in a week.

Newly suffered greatly in the Troubles but this congregation refuses to label and categorise people and that is perhaps one of the reasons it is achieving such a high level of success.

Looking at the fine building with its worship centre, lounge and offices it is hard to believe that the church is just five years old.

It also has a great heart for the community and, adjacent to the church is a warehouse that houses the food bank that is a resources to everyone who may be in need - irrespective of their church background or even if they have not yet come to faith.  Thank you Newry for all that you are doing to to extend the Kingdom of God in your area and also for your very warm welcome.

Barnsley

The Barnsley Elim building may be small but it was still full for the service at which I preached.  The church has developed well under the ministry of Albert and Florentine Bootha-King (pictured here with their daughter Altine and son Jesse).

One of the highlights of the service was music ministry by a newly formed girl group which makes it clear that the size of church can make little difference to the quality of ministry that can emanate from it.

Woolwich

David Oorloff, pictured here with his wife Marina has ministered in Woolwich, London for an amazing thirty years.  Up until just six years ago David, in order to see the church established and because there was very little finance when he arrived, worked bi-vocationally.

The condition of the church today bears testimony to the high level of commitment that David and Marina have given, and continue to give, to the church.  It is several years since I was last there but it was thrilling to see a church doubled in size since that occasion and full to capacity for the morning service.

Silverdale

From our largest church in our nation's capital I moved on to speak in the small town of Silverdale near Stoke on Trent that has a population of just 7000 people.  

However though the context is small the vision is not and a fine building in the heart of the community attracts around 150 people every Sunday.  As I have no weekends free for the remainder of my tenure, I was invited to speak at the Wednesday evening service. Senior Pastor Edwin Cotter (pictured with his wife Lorna) have faithfully served the church for almost ten years and have created a great sense of 'family' within this longstanding and well-established church that seeks to serve the community in which it is located.

Kensington Temple

KT, as it is more commonly called, is by far Elim's largest church with five major consecutive services on a Sunday and many branches around London that have been birthed from it that make up the network of 'London City Church'

Not only has Colin Dye been the senior minister for the past twenty-four years but, when I retire from my role as General Superintendent in a few months time, will be the longest serving member on Elim's National Leadership Team

I spoke at the 9  and 11 am meetings and would estimate that around 1,800 people were present for the two services

K.T's vision statement "London and the world for Christ" is far more than a simple aspiration for the influence of this church around the world is phenomenal.  With a powerful core team, led by associate minister Bruce Atkinson, and a committed membership Kensington Temple can only, by God's grace,  grow in impact and effectiveness in the years that lie ahead.  Colin and Amanda Dye are two of our closest friends and it was a joy to spend be with them again for the day.

Elim Tamil Church

It was good to be with Daniel Stanley (pictured here with his wife Sunitha and their children Joshua and Rachel) on the occasion of the second anniversary of the church in Manor Park, London.

Daniel initially planted a church in Liverpool, where they currently live, but travels to London in order to establish the congregation in Manor Park.

The building was full for the anniversary at which I had been invited to speak.  The worship was entirely in the Tamil language and one of the highlights of the anniversary was the contribution that the children made to the service.

Daniel was a banker in India before moving with Sunitha to the UK.  The growth of the church is due to their tenacious hard work and sacrificial service.

AoG Conference

During my tenure as General Superintendent my closest friends have included the leaders of our sister fellowship the Assemblies of God.  Some people are unsure as to what the difference is between our two groups.  Doctrinally we believe identically-  it is simply that we are organised differently.  Both John Partington, pictured, and I have always held an ambition that our two Movements could work in an ever closer partnership. It was a great pleasure to be present at their recent leaders conference in Peterborough.

Aberystwyth

Those unfamiliar with North Wales would probably not be aware how far Aberystwyth is from any other major town.  Despite that, the church has had a strong witness in the area for many years though perhaps never to the degree  of blessing it is enjoying currently.

Joel Pridmore (pictured) senior minister and founder member of Elim Sound has made a significant impact during the time that he has been there and, given the situation of his church office overlooking the harbour has one of the best views of any church in the Movement.  If your church is a contender for that pole position, why not let us know.

Holyhead, North Wales

David and Katie Meggers (pictured here with their son and recently adopted baby) have been in Holyhead in Anglesey for a little over three years.

The Welsh chapel in which they worship reminded me the first building I pastored in Llantrisant 45 years ago.  Although the there are a number of church buildings in the town, several of them only have very small congregations.

It was good therefore to hear from the Elders that Elim in Holyhead is reversing the trend with particular growth within the past six months.

I have spent a number of Sundays in Elim churches in Wales and experienced their typically warm and welcoming atmosphere.  Holyhead was certainly no exception.

Porth, South Wales

Mark Lyndon Jones, pictured here with his wife Gail, leads the Gatehouse church in Porth.  The church is a spiritual gateway but Porth is also at the gateway to the Rhondda valley.  Marilyn is from Ynyshir, Porth and this is the church that we were married in 43 years ago.

The church has seen very consistent growth since Mark took over the pastorate and baptismal services are a regular event.

After the morning service I had lunch with the leaders and then spent time briefly with core members of 'Sporting Marvels' a team of young people who use sport within local schools as a vehicle for sharing their faith.

Mark is also the founder of MPower - Elim's first national men's ministry - having previously been the Welsh coordinator for 'Christian Vision for Men'.  This great couple are doing a phenomenal job.

Salisbury

One of the first things that Marilyn and I became aware of as we entered the Salisbury church church on this occasion was how the building seemed so much more bigger - evidenced from the renovations that had taken place and in which the senior minister Darren Mallett, pictured here with his wife Leanne, had been both personally and practically involved.

Salisbury is a church that, like so many in our Movement, is very much involved in community life and their buildings  reflect this in scope and the fact they are available and open throughout so much of the week.  It was great to spend time with Darren and Leanne after the morning service.  Leanne, apart from her involvement in the local church, is also part of the Aspire core team and is Regional coordinator for the Southern area.

Llanelli

 The Elim church in Llanelli gives powerful testimony to the value of a strong long-term ministry and an increased presence in the local community.  The senior pastor, Bill Chapman, pictured here with his wife Ellen, have committed the majority of their ministry to building a resource for the town.  A well equipped and run creche serves the mothers and toddlers and seniors are provided for through a program customised especially for them.  Over ten thousand voluntary hours a year are invested by people in the church for the community that they serve.

The main building has a sanctuary and and several suites of rooms catering for the vision of the church.  Across the town, and on the main street, an art gallery and cafe (pictured) operates on three floors and is another feature of the church's outreach.

Marilyn and I arrived for the 9am informal breakfast service that was followed at 11am with the main act of worship and teaching. The sense of community was such that we calculated that we had spent six hours around the Llanelli church family before spending some time with Bill and Ellen prior to our journey home.

Clydebank, Scotland

Ian Miles (pictured here with his wife Lisa and their daughters Melisha and Esther) has led the Elim Church in Clydebank now for almost three years.

I have preached in this church on a number of occasions in the past and my visit on this occasion found it at its strongest numerically that I have ever known.

Ian and Lisa have a very strong pastoral gift which is evident in the sense of fellowship and community that there is within the church.

As I continue to travel throughout our churches during our centenary year I especially enjoy meeting people in our congregations who have given long and faithful service to our Movement.  In Clydebank there was more that one person present who had attended for over fifty years.

St Luke's, Newcastle

Robert Ward (pictured with his wife Alice) is a member of the council of the Evangelical Alliance and the leader of the largest Charismatic Anglican church in Newcastle.

Having spoken at the Elim church on the Sunday morning I was happy to accept the invitation to speak at St. Luke's in the evening

The informal service consisted of an exceptional time of praise and worship after which I ministered.  This was then followed by everyone breaking bread together as we took Communion.  One of the very special things about St Lukes is the wide sociological mix that ranges from upper middle class (for those who recognise such distinctions) to ex offenders and the homeless. I very much enjoyed my time there.  Its always a pleasure to engage in the strengthening of friendship and fellowship across the Denominational spectrum. 

Newcastle, Elim

Several changes  have taken place in recent years at Elim in Newcastle but non so pivotal as the purchase of a complex now know as the Dream Centre.

The local Bingo Hall had seen its number decline as the Elim church has seen its number grow.  The two buildings, just a short distance from one another on the same road were subsequently swapped with the Elim church also providing the difference in a financial settlement.

Senior pastor Simon Lawton (pictured here with his wife Julia and daughter Amy) showed me around the new building which is an extraordinary acquisition on several floors.  Most exciting of all was seeing for myself the development plans that reveal a huge vision and the dream that is now beginning to become a reality.

Marilyn spoke at an Aspire event that attracted a record number of ladies on the Saturday morning and which was hosted by Julia, and I ministered on the following Sunday morning.  This great initiative is a tribute to Simon and his leadership and the loyalty and sacrifice of the members of the church.

AoG Scotland

It is always a pleasure to be back in Scotland, for whatever reason, having spent so many years of our ministry there.  On this occasion I was the speaker at the Assemblies of God leaders day which was held at a conference centre in Perth

The Regional Leader for AoG Scotland is Andrew Smith who is also the senior pastor of the Whitburn church and is member of the AoG NLT.  We have known one another for very many years and he is a good friend.

It was a great day and I was delighted to hear about the increasing progress and strength of our Sister fellowship north of the border.

Cynon Vally Church

One of the greatest parts of my role is spending time with  emerging young Elim leaders and on this occasion Marilyn and I really enjoyed being with Luke and Sam Goodway of Cynon Valley Church in Mountain Ash, South Wales

Its always good to be in Welsh churches and you can always be sure of a great welcome there.

Ignite, Lincoln

There may be some people who do not like the words 'Chav Church' but those who attend this exciting new church plant in Lincoln are not among them.

Darren and Laura Edwards (pictured here with their children Liam and Sophie) commenced the church over a year ago and the initiative came to wider prominence at the publication of Darren's book on the subject and a very support two-page spread in the Sun newspaper who, last Christmas, asked him to write a Christmas message to their millions of readers.

As I have no Sundays free for over a year I visited the church on a Monday evening and spent time with the people.  It was great to witness those present eagerly engaging with the scriptures and sharing their life experiences.  Darren and Laura are a living testimony in their lifestyle as well as their public ministry to their passion to reach the culture of which they are part and which they love.  Spending time with leaders such as these makes me increasingly proud of the young men and women who are reaching people for Christ through our Movement.

Oasis, Treorchy

It was great to be with Jeff and Susan Evans and the congregation at the Oasis, - the Elim church in Treorchy, South Wales.  Jeff and Sue commenced their ministry in our sister Fellowship (Assemblies of God) but have pastored within the Elim Movement for the past 25 years.

The church appeared to have grown since my last visit especially among those in their Twenties.  It was a joy to spend the day with Jeff and Sue and the church there. 

Marilyn grew up in the Rhonnda valley in the small village of Ynyshir.  I went to my first church as pastor in Llantrisant  so it was very much a case of both of us returning to our roots.    

Destiny leadership conference

Apart from my ministry within Elim, I often have the privilege of speaking to Denominations and networks outside of our Movement.  One such example was when being the keynote speaker at the international leaders day in Glasgow for the Destiny network of churches.  This groups has congregations in the UK and in Europe and was founded, and continues to be led, by Andrew and Sue Owen.  It was an absolute joy to be with them and their leaders

Oldham, Elim Fountain of Hope

There are not many churches when I can say that the last time I was there was sixty years ago - but I could do on this occasion as, when I was a very small boy, my father was the pastor at Elim, Oldham all those years ago

Today it is ably led by Willie and Daphline Achumba (pictured) and the special purpose of my visit was to speak at the name change from "Elim Foursquare Church" to "Elim Fountain of Hope".

Apart from enjoying my time with the church I also had opportunity to spend time with the leaders over the lunch. The youth leader is Ugandan International Basketball star Robert Muburu (pictured)

Crawley

It was good to be with our friends Phil and Elaine Johnston at Crawley Elim.  This was the first time Marilyn and I had seen their new building.

The church was very full for the morning service which overflowed into the gallery.  There was a great sense of the presence of God in the service.

Phil and Elaine have always brought added value to every church that they have led and Crawley is certainly no exception.