New Waters Christian Fellowship- Cleveleys

Among the greatest heroes in our Movement are bi-vocational pastors. These are leaders who already carry a full or part time career and have committed themselves to serve the local church in leadership where the church is in the process of being planted or, for whatever reason, the congregation is small. In order to progress towards ordination they will have attended college at their own expense or given quality to time to study while holding down a secular job and taking responsibility for the local church.

Both Alan and Beverley Drake (pictured here with their son Adam) have responsible and demanding roles within the NHS and for the past three years have given leadership to New Waters Christian Fellowship,

It was great to be with the growing group of people whose church is situated in the heart of this holiday resort in the North West of England

City Gates - Ilford

Steve and Julia Derbyshire (pictured) have pastored the church in Ilford for seventeen years and in the past seven have been in the process of finding suitable premises to house the burgeoning congregation that is now approaching a thousand people. There have been some obstacles along the way but their tenacity, together with that of their people, has meant that they have never given up hope.

The Sunday at which I preached at the two morning services that were packed to capacity coincided with the announcement that the council had voted unanimously to pass their plans for a six million pounds new complex. Needless to say, the atmosphere was electrifying and Steve and Julia received standing ovations for the energy and faithful persistence with which they had led the church over the years that they have been there.

Given that I preach at scores of Elim churches every year its very rare that I would use the adjective 'best' when writing in this column. However, when it comes to congregational singing I have to say that its the only superlative that can be used. The music is lead by one of the country's best worship leaders, Steve Thompson, who in the past has featured in several Spring Harvest programs.

Steve Derbyshire is one of our Movement's finest leaders and he, together with Julia, is doing a ground-breaking job by building one of the nation's most significant churches.

Liverpool

It would be hard to find warmer people than those from Liverpool. Elim has two fine churches in the Kensington area of the city and on this occasion it was my pleasure to spend the day with the one pastored by Paul and Lynn Dunne

It was great, yet again, to be with a church that engages closely with the community. Midweek the church makes it premises available to those who have fallen outside the school system and a major scheme in the city, supported by many media agencies, to counter gun and knife crime is being headed by a member of the church Liam Moore.

Paul's strong pastoral gifting is reflected in the people who see church as more than a focus of blessing for themselves but a base from which to minister to those in their vicinity.

Elim Italia Conference

The Elim Italia Conference this year was the largest ever. I was the speaker there in 2008 but the 2009 event had to be moved to the largest venue in the facility. Elim in Italy has grown significantly under the leadership of Giuseppe Piccolo with over a hundred churches affiliated to our Movement. The photos above depict a section of the youth event and the Conference worship team. A 'late night special' featured musicians from the churches in attendance and I do not know of a time when I have witnessed so much talent under one roof. It was incredible. When we left that event some time after midnight the concert was still going strong led by the popular band 'Worship Station'. I was the speaker at each of the evening celebrations and Marilyn ministered to the women's meeting. On each occasion our excellent interpreter was Luciana Comastri who, apart from being a senior police officer, is also the pastor of the Elim church in Pesaro.

Blackburn

The Elim Church in Blackburn is pastored by Bob Clarke (pictured). Blackburn Elim is a thriving congegation that fills to capacity the building that is prominantly situated within the town. The church is shortly to add a youth pastor to the team as it positions itself for further expansion.

It was a particular pleasure to spend time after the morning service with Bob and Rita and members of their family,

Livingston - Scotland

Our visit to Livingston was a nostalgic event as this was the first of three churches I had the opportunity to plant during the time I was Regional Leader for Scotland. Since those initial days the church has had a series of able leaders who have pastored the church to the point that it now has a fine facility that has now achieved two stages of building.

John Henson, pictured here with his wife Claire, is the present pastor of the church and their long and mature ministry experience makes them ideally place to take the congregation to their best days yet. Marilyn spoke at the women's banquet on the Saturday evening and I spoke at the two Sunday services the second of which other local churches had been invited.

E@B

Elim@Bristol is an excellent church in the heart of the City. Originally called the City Temple when pastored for over thirty years by former General Superintendent Ron Jones, it underwent a change in name and culture when Peter Davies assumed the leadership around ten years ago. Peter had previously been the pastor of New Life Bristol and ably presided of the coming together of the two congregations.

There were a total of around five hundred present in the two morning services and anyone who visits this warm and welcoming church encounters a vibrant community of worshipping people.

Beacon Community Church

David Langton, pictured here with his wife Ann, leads the Beacon Community Church and is ably assisted by retired minister Derek Lambelle.

The church, based in Burntwood, has outgrown the original building and holds its Sunday morning service in a local school. One of the features of this fine church is its links with the local community. After an excellent lunch with the core team I had the opportunity to minister around thirty of the extended leadership.

Weston Super mare

Claude and Sue Ellerington are close friends and so it was especially good to be with them at their church in Weston. Both their sons, Richard and Steve, also pastor at the church.

As I did not have a free Sunday for quite some time they set up a mid week meeting. It was an amazing attendance and a joy to have the opportunity to minister at this great church.

Sporting Marvels

I was first introduced to Sporting marvels five years ago. Three men showed a media preesentation in my office of a vision that was then only embyonic. What I saw was one of the most moving evangelistic opportunities I have ever witnessed. The three who came to Cheltenham were John Bullock (seee last posting) and two men who were top rugby proffessionals in Wales, Phil Davies and Clive Jones who are members of Porth Elim church

I was to learn of young sports mentors who would work in schools as role models and committed Christians with a specific goal of reaching the towns and villages of the Rhondda valley.

The purpose of my visit was to minister to the team members who have come to the Rhondda from all over the world. I met people from Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria and the USA - as well as members from the Rhondda itself. The ministry is based out of Porth Elim but embraces other churches throughout the area. To learn more about this amazing ministry visit sportingmarvels.com

Porth - South Wales

The Porth Church is unrecognisable from the small church I first encountered forty years ago. My wife Marilyn hails from that part of the world and this was the church that we were married in.

John and Debbie Bullock have taken the congregation to five times its original size and are doing an awesome job there.

Just before I got up to speak I decided to change the message that I had originally prepared. Having made this decision John, not knowing what I had decided, brought a prophecy to the church on 'transformation' which was the the very subject I had decided to address. Debbie's sensitive leading the worship ensured a memorable night.

Metroplitan West - leadership Day

David Campbell, pictured here with his wife Mandy has one of the widest remits in terms of care for churches and pastors of any Regional leader in our Movement. When I speak at his Regional Days I am not only impressed by the numbers who attend but the proportion of the Region who are there. David covers two regions - metropolitan east and west - and is of course a member of Elim's national leadership team as well as being a close personal friend.

I greatly enjoyed being with the men and women in the leadership meeting for Metropolitan east that was held in the excellent Chelmsford church complex that had been made available by fellow NLT member, Mike Sherwood.

The day was a very special time and my input was made even easier by the sensitive worship leading of Penny Upson who is part of the ministry team at Chelmsford.

I stayed for the evening to witness a celebration to mark the retirement of Tony and Brenda Tween. The church was packed into the overflow areas as tribute was made to their many years of faithful service in the church

Breakthrough Conference - Newquay Cornwall

Mike Robins, senior pastor of Newquay Christian Centre, has transformed the church in the years that he has been been there. He has taken the congregation from thirty people to almost three hundred and built a church complex which has plans afoot for much greater expansion. Not only is Mike committed to the local church - he also has a heart for ministers.

The Breakthrough Conference, at which I was the closing speaker, focussed on ministers who had smaller churches who were looking to learn how to break through to the next level of growth and effectiveness. Mike has certainly earned the right to speak on that subject and the people I spoke to who had been there for three days prior to my arrival appeared massively appreciative of the input that they had already received.

School of ministry

The School of Ministry is part of the overall training program of RTC but specialises in short term input from ministry practicioners over a one year period. Gary Gibbs gives leadership to this excellent department and my visit annually is to speak on the subject of 'Building Bigger People". Prior to meeting the group I was told that 'this year's intake were a great group of students'. My time with them certainly confirmed that impression.

Bangor - Photos

Bangor - Photos

Bangor - Northern Ireland

Without doubt Bangor is one of the most exciting and innovative churches in our Movement. For many years the senior minister was Bill Crawford but, by the time he had retired, he had put in place execllent leadership in the form of David Beckett, Gary Beattie and, in the last few months, Hugh Moore.

The building is one of the most imposing structures in the city. It is known in the area not only as one of the largest churches in Ireland but also as a major conference centre. The building is state-of-the-art whether one considers the main auditorium, the restaurant or the sports hall.

Throughout the Sunday I was there over a thousand people were in the congregation. The worship was led by the full time worship leader and Arts Director Suzanne Hanna. The songs that she has recently written will become part of Spring Harvest's worship programme this year.

Dunstable Community Church

There is a great deal of excitement and expectation around DCC at the moment and for two very good reasons. The first is because of the accelerated growth that has taken place in the church over the past twelve months. The second is that the church, which is far too small for their current location, is about to purchase the lease on one of the biggest night clubs in the town.

Prior to speaking at the Sunday morning service Doug Richards (pictured here with his wife Helena) took me a few hundred yards onto the main High Street to see Cubes - the place that in a few weeks time will be their new venue and which can seat over a thousand people when fully refurbished.

Enable 09 - men's event Birmingham

When Regional leader for the Midlands Gordon Neale said that a men's event was being planned there was no way of knowing the degree of support that it would draw. However, when I learned that he had asked three top leaders from the area - Robin Baker, Duncan Clark and Iain Hesketh to put the event together I had no doubt at all that the day would be a success.

The above photo shows only a part of the 600 strong congregation to which Jeff Lucas brought powerful and relevant ministry and a band based in Coventry Elim provided the music. The venue was Birmingham Christian Centre

Greenock - Scotland

Greenock City Church

There are two fine Elim churches in Greenock, Scotland. I visited the one in Kelly Street twelve months ago and, on this occasion, was at the City church that currently meets at the new Waterfront centre on the banks of the Clyde.

The church was founded by David Campbell who hails originally from Greenock. David is the Regional leader for the Metropolitan regions and a member of Elim's national leadership team.

The church is pastored by Ian Campbell, David's twin brother, pictured above with his wife Beth. Marilyn and I know many of the congregation from the days when I was the Regional Superintendent for Scotland and it was good for us to visit the church on the occasion of their tenth anniversary.

The Saturday was a meal for the whole church in a top local hotel and was attended by the Regional leader for Scotland, Kevin Peat and his wife Margaret. On the Sunday I ministered at the Waterfront centre.

I have the highest admiration for Ian and Beth. Ian has a responsible secular job that involves him travelling world-wide. He has received no salary from church in the decade since the church was planted but leads with the level of commitment of any full-time minister. Elim is indebted to bi-vocational pastors who are willing to plant new congregations.

Westcliff on Sea

Westcliff is pastored by Bill Finley and Mike Wright. Though one of our smaller churches, as soon as you enter the building you become aware of involvement that it has with the local community. Every room is utilised most days of the week. I found the congregation to be warm and welcoming.

Motherwell - Scotland

I have known the Pastor of the Motherwell church longer than most ministers in Elim. We met at the very first Fraisethorpe Youth camp when he was seventeen and I was fourteen.

For the past twenty years Ivan and Margaret Potts have been in Motherwell and it was great to spend the weekend with them. Saturday night took the form of a traditional Burns supper. I was invited to conclude the evening with an epilogue.

I have spoken at thischurch on several occasions in the past - especially during my years as Superintendent for Scotland- but on the Sunday morning I don't think I have found the church in a healthier state than at any point in Ivan's ministry.

Forty years in ministry

I, together with ten fellow students who first entered Bible college in 1968, met recently for a celebratory meal. The evening was hosted by Phil and Sue Parsons and all of those involved remain in the Elim ministry forty years later.

Left to right are Phil and Sally Thompsett, Phil Niblett, John Bristow, Gordon and Kay Neale, Phil and Sue Parsons, Geoff and Carole Feasey and Lionel and Ruth Currie. Two not able to be present were Paul Epton and Claude Ellerington.

Fathers House - Lancaster

I enjoyed my visit to Lancaster on a variety of levels. Saturday night was an informal meeting with the wider leadership in the home of soon-to-be-ordained Sandra Jones (pictured here on the far left with her daughter Anna). It was an opportunity to share vision with around fifteen of the core team.

Fathers House was planted by Clive and Karen Corfield (pictured in the centre with their daughter Kate and son Josh) Clive and Karen have a rich teaching ministry and have travelled widely in this country and abroad prior to planting the church in Lancaster. Steve and Chris Hebden also had a very broad ministry experience prior to joining Clive in leadership. Steve carries a strong prophetic gift. Having spoken at the church on the Sunday I came away with the sense that I spent time with some fabulous people both in the church and in the home.

Ballymena

Ballymena is one of our finest churches in Northern Ireland and has been pastored for the past three years by senior minister, Jonny Law, pictured here with his wife Joanne.

The occasion of my visit was the celebration of the opening of the latest extension to the church - a balcony area and interior refurbishment that has added greatly to the capacity of this continually growing congregation. The church was packed for this service which included several visitors from local churches and the Irish Superintendent Eric McComb.

When I spoke at the service on the following Sunday morning the church was almost as full. In the evening service the speaker was pastor Don Sandford a respected former minister of the church. Jonny and Joanne are doing a fabulous job in Ballymena and have the advantage of a first-classt Eldership and Diaconate.

Clapham Christian Fellowship

Clapham Christian Fellowship is part of the London City Church network which is birthed out of Kensington Temple. Colin Dye, Senior Pastor of KT, had a vision to plant across the Capital a number of years ago and one of the many churches that emerged at that time was CCF. Roger Stedman has faithfully led this group since its inception and continues to head this witness in one of the most densely populated parts of london. There are a number of churches in the vicinity linked to Elim and it was good to be able to minister at CCF and meet the people who worship there.

London - Bethnal Green

It is always a joy to visit 'New Life Bible Church' - Elim's congregation in the heart of Bethnal Green pastored by Richard and Toyin Jama. There is a sense of infectious enthusiasm in this great church. The worship team is of the highest quality and the church, apart from being a source of blessing and encouragement to those who attend, is increasingly involved in the local community.

After the service it was a spcial pleasure to spend time with the Elders over a meal. A loyal and commited leadership is a prerequisite for a growing and expanding church. If that is the case then this fellowship in Bethnal Green has a great future.

Wirral Christian Centre

Very few ministers in our Movement have served as faithfully and as long in any one location as Paul and Evelyn Epton. It was 35 years ago that they first came to a small building in Birkenhead. They soon outgrew their first premises and moved to a former childrens hospital in 1973.

My visit on this occasion was to dedicate their new building - a former congregational church that had laid a ruin for over twenty years but now has been fully and sympathetically restored into a beautiful 500 seater sanctuary on the opposite side of the road from their curent location. The church was full to capacity for this special event at which the local MP, Frank Field, officially opened the church. Other special guests included the Regional Leader for the area, Kevin Peat and the local mayor.

Wells

The Wells church is in the process of purchasing a landmark building in the centre of the city which will be used, not just to hold services, but to serve the community on a variety levels.

Stephen Fowler, pictured here with his wife Gill, invited me to spend an evening with his core leaders in a culmination of six weeks of teaching linked to the 'Stepping Up' programme.

Wells is a church that understands what it means to be an expression of the Kingdom of God in their area and are also expressing, through their ministry, the heart and pulse of our Movement's vision and values.

Dublin

My previous two visits to the Ballyfermot church in Dublin has been during the ministry of John and Trish Waller who had had a very succesful ministry there. The church is currently led by Dave and Sylvia Galvin who are taking the church from strength to strength. They are two fabulous people and I so much enjoyed being with the church for the morning and the evening services. The night format took the form of studio-style interview ably conducted by Sylvia (pictured with her husband Dave) who later took questions from the congregation. It was a creative and innovative way to enable me to share what I had to say - and particularly to respond to the excellent and intuitive questions that were put to me.

Malvern NLT

The normal venue for our NLT meetings is Nantwich but on this occasion we spent the three days at the Abbey Hotel in Malvern so that we could visit the site of the new International offices that are under construction and, so far, right on target. For one of the NLT it was a first visit to the site and for most the first opportunity to inspect the progress of the renovation which is due to be finished in around six months time.

Loxton Retreat

My visit to speak at the retreat for the combined Regions (Wales and Southwest and Southern Region) came after one of the busiest priods in my role as GS. I had travelled around four thousand miles within the UK in the previous month and had spoken eight times in the previous nine days. However it was a joy to be there for the final two sessions and it was clear that they had had a great time of ministry prior to my arrival. The National Leadership Team request each of the Regional leaders to provide a venue (at least once every two years) when I can share the essence of my personal vision for the Movement. This was such an occasion. The venue was ideal and had been arranged and sponsored by Geoff and Carole Feasey. Geoff, apart from being a member of the NLT is the Regional leader for the area and has a very strong pastoral heart for the leaders and the churches that he covers.

St. Albans

I have known Phil and Elaine Johnston for a very long time. When I was Regional Leader for Scotland Phil was pastoring in Glasgow - the church where their son Carl now serves as assistant minister. Several years later when I moved to my current role he was the pastor in Cheltenham - the place that Marilyn and I considered our home church - it was a joy to sit under his ministry on the occasions when I was not preaching elsewhere.

It was a therefore a pleasure to be with Phil and Elaine in St Albans - the fellowship that he curently leads. The design of the St Alban's building, with it's cafe areas gives te church a sense of warmth and felowship. The service was very ably lead by Joel Pridmore - one of Elim's finest worship leaders.

Robinswood Church - Inspire Conference

Robinswood Church is one of the fastest growing and, in my view, one of the most innovative churches in the country. Simon Jarvis, together with his wife Ali, have seen it develop from around 150 to almost 600 in just three years. Before accepting the pastorate Simon headed up the youth department for the Assemblies of God.

I was there as the speaker at the Inspire Conference which they held over three days. As I was not able to be with them for the Sunday they transfered the two Sunday meetings to Saturday without any loss of numerical support - that's creativity.

Robinswood is one of the longest established pentecostal churches in the country and was pastored for many years by Albert Garner who, though retired, attends the church and is thrilled with the accelerating growth.

To be able to acheive what has been done has required a quantum leap in culture change. That this has been done in such a small space of time is remarkable to say the least.

Newcastle

Newcastle Elim is a fabulous church - great worship, warm and welcoming people, and continuing numerical growth.

Simon and Julia Lawton, pictured here with their lovely daughter Amy, had only recently moved into the pastorate of the church but it felt as if they had been there a great deal longer. They clearly love the church and it was very evident that this was reciprocated by the congregation.

I have no doubt that there is a great future ahead for this exciting church.

Princes Risborough

There are some churches that, as soon as you enter the door, exude a 'buzz' of expectancy and warmth - Chiltern Christian Fellowship, Elim's congregation in Princes Risborough is such a place.

Geoff and Jane Blease have done a tremendous job since they first came several years ago and there is little wonder why so many people have recently joined the fellowship and made this church their spiritual home.

After the service Geoff and Jane afforded me the opportunity to meet the Elders and their wives over a meal. This team constitutes a group of high caliber leaders with the acumen to take this church to many times its current size.

Wimbledon

There was much celebration at the official opening of the new complex in Wimbledon. The preparation and construction took over three years during which the Pastor, Marcus Bennet tenaciously worked with planners and builders to bring the building to completion - facility which now provides a much larger sanctuary area together with office and counselling rooms.

There were two services at which I had been invited to speak during the day. The first was the official opening that was attended by the local MP and Mayor and Elim's Regional leader for the area, David Campbell.. The second was an evening celebration service in which Marcus geneourously commended former minister Robert Styles, who was among several Elim pastors present, referring to him as his pastor and mentor and the person who had first expressed the need for new premises to be built.

Church of the Glorious Undead

This unusual church which meets on a Sunday in the basement of a London pub was started a number of years ago by Hazel Cartledge-Claus. It catered in those days for Punks, Goths and Metalheads. It was an outreach out of Kensington Temple.

Today it is caters for those who are part of muisc sub-cultures and is led by Michael Bryzak (second row fifth from left). Also present with some of his young people was Brandon Munoz (front row third from left) of Praise Chapel who runs an outreach in that area of Kentish Town. This was my second visit with these guys and I always enjoy my time with them.

Colchester - Xalt

Keith and Jacqi Ponsford have been in Colchester for the past eleven years. One of the highlights of the month is Xalt - a night of worship and teaching for young people from the surrounding churches. It was great to spend time with a group of people so open and responsive to the message.

The band, led by Keith and Jacqi's son, travelled all the way from Manchester for this event and made a great contribution to what turned out to be a great night. Keith and Jacqi are to be commended for the work that they have done in Colchester.

Portsmouth

It was great to be with Stephen and Marie Potter over the weekend and to speak at the Oasis centre that is situated right in the heart of the city - in more ways than one. I say that because their ministry recognises not just that part that Elim plays in its witness and outreach but also the wider ministry of the churches in the area. After the morning service Marie Potter oversaw the preparation of a meal for the members of the church the proceeds of which went to Age Concern - one of the many social and care organisations to which oasis has an input. Stephen and his team rightly belive that church has to touch the lives of the community in an effective and relevant way if it is to be the salt and light that God intended it to be.

Eastbourne

The idea for a new complex in Eastbourne first began in the mind of John Lancaster. The minister who followed him was Glyn Taylor who put a great deal of effort during his time into conceptualising and planning for the future development. But it was not until Keith Jackson became the pastor that things really took shape, During the opening ceremony, that was attended by Elims regional leader David Campbell, the Lord Mayor and a number of dignatories from the county council, tribute was made to the tenacity of Keith in seeing the concept right through to completion. Apart from the sanctuary area and offices the complex consists of several floors of apartments which are in the process of being sold. Adjacent to the stone that commemorated my opening of the buildind is a replica of the foundation stone of Elim building that was originally on the site and which was laid by George Jeffries the founder of the Elim Movement. I therefore took as my theme for the message the Four Square gospel that was the early tenets of Elim's message - Jesus as Saviour, Healer, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit and Coming King.

Kensington Temple - London City Church

Mention Kensington Temple, KT to most people, and it is immediately recognsied as one of the largest and most popular churches in the UK. While KT is a church within Elim, and its largest, it is also a Region. London City Church led by Senior Pastor Colin Dye has branches and associated churches throughout the Capital.

At regular intervals I receive an invitation to meet with all the pastors associated with KT and its Region. These men and women, representating thousands of Elim people throughout London, are strategic leaders and it is always great to spend time with them.

Thonon - France

When Luc Favre commenced the church in Thonon he did so with just a handful of people. Today the church has grown significantly and much work has been done on the building in which they worship.

Marilyn and I ministered at four meetings over the weekend that we were there. Particular tribute must be paid to Luc's wife Rachel who has sacrificed greatly to see this vision come to pass given that she has been the primary income-source into the home during these formative years. I also had the opportunity to spend time with Michel Rimbert who pastors the church in Ambilly.

93 Years Young

On my travels I sometimes take the opportunity to visit the elder-statesmen of Elim who have given very man years to our Movement. Recently I spent some time with Ron Jones subsequent to some treatment he had completed for skin cancer. He had just moved to a new residential home that has been recently built in the south of Bristol. Always the pastor, among the first things that he did was to arrange Sunday services at the complex. Two Sunday's per month are designated 'specials' where visiting speakers and musicians are featured. Astonishingly, he has already attracted around a third of the residents to these meetings. An incredible feat at any time of life but especially at the age of 93!

Evangelical Alliance

The Council meeting of the Evangelical Alliance - better known as EA - represents the 1.25 million Evangelical Christians in the UK. The two-day council meeting held at High Leigh was particularly memorable as it marked the end of twelve years of EA's Director, Rev. Joel Edwards' leadership of the organisation. An evening meal in London celebrated the excellent work that he had done during his period of office. It was attended by council members, friends and family of Joel and the High Commissioner of Jamaica - His Excellency, The Honourable Burchell Whiteman.

Youth for Christ

It has been my privilege to serve for several years on the Council of Reference for British Youth for Christ - an organisation very ably led by Roy Crowne. The Council comprises of around a dozen people and is chaired by the Archchbishop of York, Dr, John Sentamu. Many hundreds of YFC young people are making a vital impact in schools and churches around the country.

Ghana photos

Accra - Ghana

I can think of few greater honours I have had, in the nine years since I was elected as general Superintendent, than to be invited to be the main speaker at the farewell celebration of my good friend Dr. Michael Ntumy - Chairman of the Church of Pentecost - which was attended by around 9500 people.

Having completed ten years in office – the maximum permitted under their constitution – Dr Ntumy steps down after a spectacularly successful tenure. Those who attended would be aware that when their Chairman came to office the world membership of COP was a little over 803,000. Ten years later it numbers 1,695,412. The number of churches have grown from 7,109 to 17,418. Several of the highest ranking officials in Government and the Military are members of the Church of Pentecost and the Vice President of Ghana, His Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was present for the four hour service. He paid warm and glowing tribute to his friend as did several other dignitaries who were present.

Last year the President of Ghana awarded Dr. Ntumy ‘The Order of the Volta’ – the highest honour that can be given to a civilian.

Michael Ntumy was trained at Elim’s Theological College in Nantwich as was his successor as Chairman Apostle Dr. Opoku Onyinah

A major influence on both their lives was Lionel Currie who, with his wife Ruth was also present for the celebrations. Lionel, an Elim minister for forty years and now senior pastor of Bridge Street Church in Leeds, spent nine years in Ghana and was Principal of their college at which most of the senior figures in the Church of Pentecost received training. Understandably Lionel and Ruth are not only greatly respected by the Denomination but greatly loved.

There is no Denomination that is closer to the Elim Pentecostal Churches than the Church of Pentecost. Each year delegates are sent to our respective conferences with full voting rights.

Dr. Michael Ntumy paid the warmst tribute to his wife Martha who has been a major influence upon the women of COP. Their five sons and daughter were present for the celebration service. The Ntumy’s will now move to Germany where they will oversee the work of the church there.

On a personal level I am delighted that Dr. Ntumy will be closer to us here in Europe and I look forward to strengthening my already close links with the new Chairman, Apostle Opoku Onyinah

There are not many churches that I can say I have visited for the first time but this was the first occasion that I had spoken at Asbourne. This eighty year old Elim church is situation in a beautiful Derbyshire town with a population of just seven thousand people. Alex and Susan Prail have pastored the church for the past eleven years and it was good to be able to meet all the leaders and their spouses over lunch. Ashbourne is a warm and friendly family church.

Irish Bible Week

Around 1300 people were on site for the first weekend of the Irish Bible Week at which I was the speaker on the opening Saturday night and the following Sunday morning and evening. The numbers included those in the main tent and two other smaller venues for the Youth and Children's events. The theme 'Taking your place' was then taken up by the other speakers for the week, Dr RT Kendall and Jeff Lucas. Ruth-ann Cannings spoke at the women's venue.

The lion's share of the organisation for the Bible Week is done by the Hillsborough Elim Church though only around 50% of those who attend are from Elim churches. The minister of the Elim church, Jimmy Ritchie and the minister of a local independant Pentecostal church in Moira are the principle visionaries and it is their team that carry the rsponsibility to ensure that eveything 'comes together'. This was the third time I had been a speaker at the Irish Bible Week and it is very evident that it is growing from strength to strength.

Barnet Christian Fellowship

There were several reasons why I was particularly looking forward to being at Barnet Christian Fellowship - a church that is led by Pastor Diane Druce (far left) and Doreen (third from left front row)

My ministry involves a great deal of travelling at home and abroad. Ten intercessors from this church pray through my itinerary daily throughout the year. They have provided prayer support for most of the eight years I have been General Superintendent and and I am greatly indebetted to them. It was a joy to meet with them as a group and I was honoured to have my photo taken with them during my visit to the Barnet church.

Dewsbury

Paul and Greta Hudson have been in Dewsbury for the past twelve years and for eight of those years have been negotiating for a Methodist church building. My visit to the church which was booked two years ago coincided with Paul's announcement to congregation that the building deal had now been completed.

The service was followed by a fine Sunday lunch after which I was invited to speak to the sixteen leaders of the church including the assistant pastor Nicola Le Goupillot. One of the many highlights of the day for me to was to witness the great rapport and friendship between the leaders - always a sign of a church with a great future.

Accountability Group

It is well known that for some time I have been part of an accountability group that also includes Lyndon Bowring, Jeff Lucas and David Coffey. As the Focus on the Family center was in Colorado we stayed with Jeff and Kay who were amazing hosts. This picture shows a day off at Bear river in the Rocky mountains.

Focus on the family

It is said that Dr James Dobson is one of the two most influential Christians in the United States. Focus on the Family is one of the most well known TV programs and in the country and the teen website alone gets a million hits a week. James Dobson is a close friend of President George Bush and has been a confidant of past Presidents.

I was in Colorado to spend time at the Focus on the Family HQ and on one of the evenings was able to relax and enjoy a meal with James and Sylvia Dobson, Jim and Jean Daley (who will be heading Focus on the Family in the future) and my friends (more of this later) Lyndon Bowring, David Coffey and Jeff Lucas. In the same hotel where we were we eating was Barak Obama a current presidential contender.

MIT Conference

A highlight each year is the three-day conference for 'ministers in training' held at Regents Theological College that is co-hosted by Nigel Tween and myself. There was a good attendance and great atmosphere. It is evident that we have many fine leaders emerging in the Elim Movement. Other speakers, apart from Nigel and myself, were Colin Dye, Geoff Feasey, Simon Jarvis, Chris Jones, Kant Misra, Marion Myers, Kevin Peat, and Sallie Wilson.

Scottish Regional Day

Given that around fourteen years of my ministry had been spent In Scotland, as a pastor and as a Regional Superintendent, it was clearly a special pleasure to return for a leader's day. The venue was 'The People's Church" in Falkirk and, with typical Scottish hospitality the Pastor, David Morrison, made the day special. Kevin and Margaret Peat cover Scotland and the North-West Region and have given the best of leadership to this important part of Elim in the UK.

Dunamis - Ealing, London

Charles and Teresa Hammond have led this excellent church since its earliest days. I always enjoy my time at Dunamis - not just because of the leadership and the people but because of the incredibly high level of musicianship of the worship band several of which work professionally. One of the drummers had recently flew in from Moscow have been playing with an internationally known secular artists and others were away in Los Angeles in a recording session. Worship, as we all know, is more than gifted musicians. Its about the ability to connect with God. This church does not fall short on either count.

Midlands leaders day

It hardly seems like two years since I last spoke at the Midlands leaders day at the Nettle Hill Conference Centre. Involvement in events of this nature is about the most fulfilling aspect of my role and being with the leaders in this Region, most of whom are known to me personally, is no exception.

Gordon Neale is not only the Regional Leader for these 50+ churches but also a good friend. There was a very high proportion of the Region present for, what I considered to be, an enjoyable and productive time together.

Norwich Elim Church

It was great to attend, and speak at, the 50th anniversary of the Elim church in Norwich. My first vist there was as a student in 1969 when I was asked to pastor the church for three weeks in the summer of that year while the minister was on holiday.

Today the congregation is ably led by Gerry and Linda Turner and I sensed a great deal expectation for the days that lie ahead.

Elim Conference & Bible Week

The Bible Week is always a highlight of the year and a great opportunity to meet with the hundreds of delegates who attend together with around 2500 guests at Pontins in Prestatyn. The ministry of Tommy Barnett and Sy Rogers from the States was greatly appreciated as were all those who contributed to a fabulous week together.

On a personal note I was overwhelmed by the margin by which the Conference affirmed my position as General Superintendent for a third term. I was well aware no previous holder of the office had been invited to continue beyond eight years and I was humbled by the 87% vote that was received. As I said at the time, I will do all that I can to serve the Movement in the light of the trust that they have placed in me and solicit their prayers for myself, and for Marilyn, in the days that lie ahead.

Zion - Halesowen

The leaders NET that I referred to in the previous posting was held in Zion, in Halesowen. In the evening the local church came together for the launch of the next chapter in the life of the congregation - a multi million pound building program.

Leon Evans, pictured here with his wife Alison, brought a powerful presentation in word and media that honoured those in the past who been instrumental in the growth of the church. Then, with computer generated 3D modeling, a packed church witnessed the outline plans for the future.

The rest of the evening was devoted to a period of worship and culminated in the message that I brought.

There was a unanimous sense of excitement about the way ahead. I believe that Leon and the team that serves with him is poised to take this great church into a very fruitful future.

Leaders Net - Midlands

Around eighty leaders from a variety of Denominations in the Midlands area meet on a regular basis for fellowship and teaching. On the this occasion the meeting was hosted in Halesowen. I was delighted to accept the invitation to speak at both the two morning sessions.

Greenock - Scotland

There are two fine Elim churches in the town of Greenock which is situated in the west of Scotland beside the river Clyde. On this occasion I was speaking in the original Kelly Street church

Fraser Donaldson, pictured here with his wife Susan, grew up in the Salvation army prior to attending the Greenock Elim church as a member and later progressed to the role of assistant minister. A few months ago, when Iain Waddell moved to London, Fraser was appointed as senior pastor.

I have preached in Greenock several times over the past twenty years and it was great to see, not only longstanding members, but several who have recently joined the church. There is a great atmosphere in the Fellowship and an expectancy that the best days of this church are yet to come. It is evident that Fraser and Susan are the right people in the right place at the right time.

Erskine - Scotland

The church in Erskine was founded ten years ago from the Paisley church which, at that time, was pastored by the late John Seeman. I was present to speak at the Anniversary service.

Derek Chittick, pictured here with his wife Anne, was inducted into the pastorate two years into the life of the new Fellowship and under his leadership the church has grown in strength and depth. Derek was a Church of Scotland minister prior to becoming an Elim Pastor and is a highly respected leader in the area. All of Derek and Anne's five children are involved in ministry in one form or another and one of their sons, Gavin, is on the ministry team of the Elim church in Fraserburgh.

The excellent evening of celebration was led by Erskine's first class Praise band and warm tribute was paid to Derek and Anne's pastoral care.

Coatbridge - Scotland

I have known David and Linda Bell for over twenty years since going to Scotland as regional leader and David, who was then head of an RE department, became the Youth Director for Scotland. At that time their children were very small. Today Audrey, Louise and Shirley all play in the Praise band together with their brother Stephen.

David took on a redundant church building and commenced a congregation from scratch. Saturday morning was spent with his leaders, Saturday night was a Celebration service open to churches in the area and Sunday morning was an opportunity to be with the Coatbridge Elim congregation.