Ambilly & Thonon

I can remember the earliest days in which Luke and Rachel Favre pioneered a church in Thonon, France. 

During my five visits overt the years I have witnessed its growth and development as they have worked sacrificially to make the dream a reality.

In my latest visit I ministered at the church on Friday and Saturday night and on Sunday morning.

On the Saturday morning I spoke at a men's breakfast meeting at a second church that Luke now leads - over the border in Ambilly, Switzerland - a congregation that Rachel's father pioneered twenty five years ago.

It was a joy to spend time with such exemplary young leaders.

OneChurch, Gloucester

The majority of my weekend speaking engagements revolve around the invitations that I receive from within our own Movement.

A recent exception to that was my visit to One Church, a dynamic and growing congregation pastored by Simon Jarvis (pictured here with his wife Ally and children Jack and Abigail.)

OneChurch is part of Elim's sister fellowship, the Assemblies of God, and over the past few years I have had an ongoing connection with it.
When Simon Jarvis took over the senior leadership it had already been an established Pentecostal Church for many years and numbered around 150 people.  Today the congregation is around four times that size with two morning services to accommodate the increasing numbers.  While there are no sure-fire 'secrets of success' for any church, one of the hallmarks of OneChurch is the vibrancy of its meetings, the culture of 'team' and affirmation within in the church and its prioritising engagement and commitment to the City itself.

Greenock

There are two Elim Churches in Greenock, and my visit on this occasion was to the one in Kelly Street which is pastored by Fraser Donaldson - pictured here with his wife Susan.

The Saturday evening was an informal cafe-style format under the title 'Meet the GS' in which I was able to share the vision and values of our Movement in an interview

I was with the whole church on the Sunday morning and, before going to the airport in the evening, I met with all those in the church in a 20 - 30 year age group, in the local Costa coffee (they had designated a special area for us) at which we discussed church and contemporary culture.  My visit was one of the best possible uses of the 24 hours in a land I have grown to love over the years - Scotland.

Teen Challenge UK

Teen Challenge has been a phenomenal resource for over a generation for those who have been damaged by the use of addictive substances.

The current Director, Jay Fallon, is an ordained Elim minister and this was my first opportunity to view the brand new facilities at a site between Leicester and Nottingham.

The first thing that that you become aware of when entering is the commitment to excellence at every level.  These two photos show the reception area and the dining room but the bedrooms conference room, library, media centre, chapel and gymnasium reflect the same story.  Jay and Fiona Fallon are two very special people who have built a first class team around them.  The highlight of the day however was not the facilities but the opportunity to spend time with those whose lives had been transformed by the power of the Gospel - people who have transitioned from  heroin to health both physically and spiritually.

Gloucester

My visit to Gloucester Elim church coincided with just the third Sunday that Paul Meiklejohn had been the pastor at the church but it was clear that he and his wife Debbie had already caught a vision for the city and were feeling very much 'at home' in their new location.

I have known Paul for many years and am familar with his ministry.  I have no doubt that the pastoral gifting that has been a hallmark of his ministry thus far will be utilised to its fullest extent as he commences this next phase in his ministry. he and Debbie are a great team.

Serious4God

One of the greatest developments in our Movement in the past few years has been the way that Elim's youth organisation, Serious4God has developed under the leadership of Mark Pugh and the incredible  team he has built around him.

The Elim International Centre is an ideal location for any conference and that was the venue for a youth leaders Conference at which I spoke at one of the sessions.

No one who attended could fail to sense the amazing dynamic in the room - an understandable vibe when so many creative young leaders are in the same place at the same time.

Elam ministries

Elam, not to be confused with the name of our own Movement Elim, is one of the most significant Christian organisations in Iran - a hard line Muslim country in which it is an offence to share your faith with other Christians or even to celebrate Christmas.  Direction readers will remember a report on this page of my visit to a country in the Middle East to meet with young Iranian leaders who had suffered persecution, imprisonment and, in a number of cases, torture.

The pictures above relate to a recent meeting organised by Elam and held in St George's church in the centre of Leeds and at which several hundred Iranians now living in the UK attended.  The worship group led songs in English and in Persian and I had the privilege of being invited to be the speaker throughout the day at the first Conference of this nature.

It was wonderful  to witness a number of young Iranians commit their life to Christ at the close of the service.

Braintree Elim Church

Alison and William Atkinson, pictured here with their two sons Iain and Stephen, are both ordained Elim ministers.

For several years William served our Movement with distinction as the Principal of our College before taking up the role of Vive Prinicipal with the London School of Theology.

Alison is the pastor of the Braintree church and is also currently a member of The Bridge - a group of senior leaders that I meet with on two occasions during the year.  The church and gallery was full for the morning service at which I spoke and there were also people in attendance from the Elim church in Maldon.

Cardiff City Temple

When I was a young minister, Cardiff City Temple was a flagship church in the Elim Movement in terms of its size and influence.  The minister at that time was PS Brewster who pastored the church for over thirty years. 

Today the City Temple is far larger than ever it was in those years.  I spoke at the two morning services to around seven hundred people but there were four services during the day.

One of the things that anyone who attends the Cardiff church feels very quickly is the sense of vision and expectancy.  They are great people and the Temple is a great place to be.

One of the elements of building a successful church is creating a great team and that has certainly been accomplished by pastor Steve Ball (second from left) who came into that role after the previous minister Chris Cartwright became a Regional Leader.

Kilsyth, Scotland

 It is always a pleasure to minister in our churches throughout the UK but it was special joy to be in Kilsyth for their anniversary weekend as this was the church that I had pastored prior to being elected as General Superintendent in 1999.

Kilsyth Church of God is the longest established Pentecostal church in Scotland and celebrated its centenary during the period in which I was the minister.  This anniversary marked fifty years since the opening of its present building.
Twelve months ago Mike Preston - pictured here with his wife Bev, his son Yoshan and daughters Yolanda and Zara - became the pastor and the church is prospering under his ministry.

Apostolic Church, Ebbw Vale, South Wales

Although I usually only accept invitations for ministry at the weekend from Elim Churches it was a pleasure to visit the Ebbw Vale Apostolic church pastored by Jason Pennington - pictured here with his wife Charis, his son Nathan and his daughters Abigail and liberty - all of which are fully involved in the life and ministry of the church.

It was a joy to spend time with this warm and welcoming congregation. 

 

Gatehouse Elim Church, Porth

It was great to be with John and Debbie Bullock (pictured) and the Gatehouse Church in Porth - a dynamic congregation in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales.

Apart from being the local Elim church in the area, it is also home to  'Sporting Marvels' a phenomenal initiative that links the church to the community via sport -  google 'sporting marvels' to find out more.

This church also holds many memories for Marilyn and I as it was venue at which we were married over 40 years ago.

Silverdale

The Saturday meeting for leaders entitled, "Creating a place for the Presence'" was made open to a number of churches in Potteries and was organised by Edwin Cotter, pictured here with his wife Lorna, the senior pastor of the Elim Church in Silverdale.

It is a remarkable that a village of just a few thousand should have such a thriving Pentecostal Church.

It was an excellent day and I thoroughly enjoyed being with leaders from a variety of backgrounds.

Faith through a lens

A powerful scene of former drug addicts reading the New Testament scooped the overall winner’s award at the national amateur photography competition, Faith Through a Lens. Created by national church insurer Congregational and General, renowned photojournalist Don McCullin and Minister for Faith and Communities, Baroness Warsi, John Glass, General Superintendent  Elim Churches and Dr. David Cornick presented the prizes. .
‘Brothers in Arms’ by Paul Triller was praised by the judging panel for its immediate impact, fantastic use of light and real intensity. Paul, who took the photo whilst in Romania, received a camera-shaped trophy sculpted by emerging artist Craig Dyson and a prize pack valued at £1,400 which included a new Nikon V1 camera. Winners of the other categories also scooped a photography prize pack and also the opportunity to nominate a faith, charity or community group to receive £1000 of audio-visual or photography equipment of their choice.
Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, said: "They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I was delighted to see A Year of Service really come alive in some terrific photos that perfectly captured the strength of our faith communities and the commitment they make to their neighbourhoods. This has been a memorable year of social action so thank you to all the budding photographers who entered and congratulations to the winners."
The above photo shows the winning picture two of the judges - John Glass and Don McCullin CBE

Bethnal Green, London

It is always a pleasure to visit the Elim church in Bethnal Green, London - known locally as New Life Bible Church.

This vibrant fellowship of warm and welcoming people is pastored by Richard Jama (pictured here with his wife Toyin.

Richard Jama is also attaining an increased reputation in his home nation of Nigeria where he conducts leadership meetings and Crusades.

West Wellow

This was my first visit to this small Elim congregation on the outskirts of Salisbury.  One of the hallmarks of smaller congregations is the high percentage of people who are actively involved in the life and ministry of the church.  And this is particularly true of the good people in West Wellow.  It is in a period of transition and it was a pleasure to meet both those who had been part of its past leadership together with those who are involved in planning for the future.

Scottish Regional Retreat

Having spent fourteen years of my ministry in Scotlandd there is little wonder that I was looking forward to my time with our leaders north of the border.

Kevin Peat, NLT member and current Regional Leader, excels in pastoral care and, together with his wife Margaret, hosted the Scottish pastors at a the four-star hotel in Strathclyde Country park.

The theme was 'Replenish' and it was a privilege to be part of this fabulous two day event - not just in terms of the teaching that I was invited to bring - but being able to interact with our leaders between the various sessions.

Macclesfield

The last time I spoke at Macclesfield Elim church was 47 years ago.  I was in my mid teens and this was the was the first time that I had preached outside of the home church that I grew up in.

For the past ten years the church has been pastored by Cindy and Dean Shaw (pictured here with their two daughters).  

Though not a large church it has many activities during the week and there was an excellent family atmosphere at the morning service at which I ministered.

Coatbridge, Scotland

I have visited the Coatbridge church on a number of occasions during the past twelve years and was a pleasure to witness the growth in size and depth since my previous visit.

David and Linda Bell have worked faithfully there over the years and all of their family are involved in the Fellowship.  Pictured left to right are Louise, Shirley, David, Linda, Audrey and Stephen.

The Saturday evening service was attended by other churches in the area and the Sunday morning by the local church family. 

Ellesmere Port

 This was my first visit to the Ellesmere Port church that had been planted just three years ago as an Elim church.  Its visionary leader, Peter Israel Peters, took a great step of faith when he embarked on the purchasing of a large church complex at a time when the congregation was so small.

He and his family have worked sacrificially in order to see the new church become established and I believe that principles for growth and expansion are in place that will ensure that the church will continue to effectively reach the community with the Gospel.

After the morning service it was a pleasure to also spend time with the leadership of the local church as listen to their vision for the future.

Bethany Community Church, Cheadle

Tony Lacy (pictured here with his wife Jennifer) retired from the Elim church in Chorley (see previous post) but, far from scaling down their ministry, continued to act as a consultant to other churches in the locality.

When Bethany Community Church applied to affiliate with our Movement the Regional Leader Kevin Peat saw Tony as the obvious choice to give initial leadership to this fine congregation which meets in the excellent church complex pictured below.

I greatly enjoyed my time with one of the newest churches in our Elim Network.

Living Waters, Chorley

I always enjoy my visits to Living Waters. One of the highlights in the past was to speak at at Saturday meeting which was the farewell of the founding minister Tony Lacy (see next posting) which was then followed by the Sunday service at which one of Tony's sons John (pictured here with his wife Michelle) was inducted as the pastor.

In the period that has followed the congregation has more than doubled and has outgrown in premises in the centre of the town.

Saturday night took the form a teaching meeting for the leaders of the church.  Around fifty were present including nine leaders from other churches.

Sunday morning was the meeting of the full church family.  It was a great atmosphere and the Living Waters Praise Band is one of the best in our Movement.  The Elim church in Chorley I believe has an exceptional future ahead of it.

Dowlais

It has been three years since my last visit to Dowlais and I was immediately struck by two things.   The first was the increased size of the congregation.  The second was the refurbishment of the building. Wayne Carpenter, pictured here with his wife Carol, has always been a person committed to excellence.

The theme that the church has set for the weekend was "Intimacy with God". The Saturday service was attended by other Elim churches in the area and both Sunday morning and Sunday evening meetings were memorable occasions.

UCB

United Christian Broadcasters are a powerful and effective Christian ministry in the UK.  Operating out of state-of-the-art TV and radio studios they provide programming for their TV station and DAB radio station.  Those with an iphone or ipad should be sure to download the free UCB app.

Though UCB serves the whole church across the country, Elim has a strong relationship with this great organisation and it is UCB that broadcast our Bible Week on their TV station.

The reason for me being there on this occasion was to record thirty one-minute video shots each of which will be broadcast between programmes over the next few months.

Ignite Conference

Each year Kevin Peat, Regional Leader for Scotland and the North West,  hosts a conference for the North West Region at Cefn Lea holiday park in North Wales.  Aptly called 'Ignite"it serves to be a means of fellowship and inspiration to all those who attend.  Having spoken there in 2011 I had been invited again to speak at two of the sessions this year also.

There is always a great atmosphere at Ignite and the Elim Church in Chorley who led the worship are, in my opinion, one of the best Praise Bands in our Movement.

Persecuted church

It was over two years ago while at a Conference in South Africa that I was approached by an Iranian man in his early thirties who asked if I would travel to a country in the Middle East to give teaching and encouragement to young leaders who were undergoing persecution.

The concept at the time was that I would go to a relatively moderate Islamic country and that they would travel from the countries where persecution was more intense.

The arrangement was delayed for two reasons.  The so-called Arab Spring meant that the location needed to be changed but the second reason was far more serious.  On 26^th December 2010 my contact was himself arrested along with 40 other Christians and detained in one of Iran’s worst prisons in Teheran.

Separated from his wife and young children he is currently serving six years for converting from Islam and encouraging others to follow Christ.

A new location selected, Chris Jones and I travelled to meet a group of around 50 leaders all who had undergone persecution – some under torture. Those who had suffered imprisonment had been forced to leave their country with nothing but what they stood up in.  As they were not given passports their status was that of a refugee.  There is a huge price to pay for following Jesus around the world and the opportunity to meet and minister to them was one of the most humbling and impacting times of my 44 years in ministry.

Stockton

The reason for my visit, my first to the Elim church in Stockton, was on the occasion of their 40th anniversary.  The church is between ministers at the moment but there was an excellent attendance as several people from the Elim church in Darlington joined for the morning service.    Because of the occasion a number of people also attended from the local estate - some of which had never attended since they were children.  Four people responded to the gospel appeal at the end of the service.

Apostle Michael NTumy

One of my closest friends in recent years has been Apostle Michael Ntumy, former chairman of the Church of Pentecost.  Under his ten year tenure as the leader of our sister Movement he saw it grow from around 760,000 to over 1,600,000.  It now stands at over 2,000,000 world wide.

A few years ago he emerged from a serious spinal operation paralyzed from the neck down.  Since that time he has astounded surgeons, doctors and physicians with his progress which they have put down to his faith in God and the strength of his character.  He has also been wonderfully supported by his wife Martha (pictured standing between us).  I have visited him on two occasions in Germany where he currently resides but on this occasion I travelled to see him during a recent visit to London.  Also in the picture are dignitaries from the Church of Pentecost - including the UK Area Head (far right)  In my opinion Michael Ntumy is one of the most significant Christian Statesmen this century has produced.

MiT Conference

Each year around ninety 'Ministers in training' descend on the Elim International Centre for a three-day conference hosted by Nigel Tween and myself.  Main speakers, apart from the hosts, were Duncan Clark, Carl Johnston, Geoff Lee, Gordon Neale, Kevin Peat and Jonathan Skelton - reflecting a wide range of age and experience that contributed to what many felt was once of the most successful MiT conferences in a long time.

Crewkerne, Somerset

I have visited and spoken at hundreds of Elim churches across the UK but this was the first time I had been at Crewkerne.

The church is pastored by Steve Gray (pictured here with his wife Sian, sons Aaron and Joel and daughter Aoife)

Though Steve is from Ireland and Sian from Wales, their commitment to the area over several years has meant that they are very much part of the local community of which the church is an integral part


I enjoyed meeting the congregation and was blessed by the worship.  The added bonus was being able to spend time with this great family over  lunch at the conclusion of the service.

Leytonstone Men's Retreat

For the past few years around sixty men from the Leytonstone Elim Church conduct a retreat for men at the Elim International Centre in Malven.  For the past two years I have been invited to speak at the event.  There is always something great about guys getting together in this kind of context and the 2012 event was no exception.

South Chard

There are times when I get to visit excellent churches situated in very small communities.  My visit to South Chard, Somerset, was one such occasion.  It is led by Neil Reid (pictured here with his wife Jenny).  It was a delight to be with them.

There was a great sense of 'family' in this warm and relational congregation and after the morning service I was able to meet the wider leadership and their spouses over a curry.

Ministers Fellowship Europe

Ministers Fellowship International was  founded many years ago by Dick Iverson and thirteen years ago MF (Europe) was commenced under the leadership of Colin Cooper (pictured) - senior minister of the 800 strong Huddersfield Christian Fellowship who has brought dynamic leadership to the group.

Every year this group, dedicated to the encouragement and support of pastors and leaders,  holds a Conference in a different location throughout Europe.  The 2012 venue was in a top hotel in Athens, Greece.  I considered it an honour to be invited to speak on four occasions during the four days.  The Conference took time to especially honour its founder Dick Iverson who now is 82 years of age but who has lost nothing of his fatherly heart for leaders.

Elim Summit - Ireland

Northern Ireland was the venue for the last of six leadership summits that, over the past few months, have been held in Scotland, the North West, the Midlands, the South West and London.

It has been a pleasure to have travelled with such a great team that included Gary Gibbs, Darren Johnson, Chris Jones, Mark Pugh and Nigel Tween.

Over 200 ministers and lay leaders gathered in Hillsborough for the day subsequent to the invitation of Irish Superintendent, Edwin Michael.  The venue, the hospitality and the atmosphere made the final summit one of the best on the tour.

Newquay Christian Centre

The first time I preached at Newquay many years ago there were just 35 people present.  On the last occasion there were two morning services to accommodate the burgeoning congregation.

On this occasion there was one service but it was in the newly acquired premises - the third complex in the centre of the town and only a short walk from the seafront.

NCC is a great success story that is the product of excellent leadership from Mike Robins (pictured here  with his wife Shelagh) his team and a dedicated congregation.

Whether you speak to the Newquay surfer set that are part of the church, or the most senior people in age, the comments are the same - the pleasure of being a part of a church relevant to every age group.

Following the service the congregation gathered on the beach as six young people were baptised

The Bridge, Erskine, Scotland

The church in Erskine was originally pioneered by Derek and Anne Chittick. On their retirement their son Gavin (pictured here with his wife Louise) already an ordained Elim minister, moved from another part of Scotland to take over the leadership.

The congregation currently worship in a local community centre.  They did have a building fund but when they heard of the devastation in Haiti, emptied the bank account and gave it towards the rebuilding of broken communities.  How can God fail to bless a church with a heart like that?

Gavin and Louise are typical of a whole breed of young leaders within Elim whose character continually reinforces my belief in a great future for our Movement.

Hope Chapel

Sally Livingstone founded the rehabilitation centre for those wanting to be free from controlling addictions and is shortly to set up the fifth house for this purpose.  Hundreds of people have been helped since its inception.

Now Sally is has planted and pioneered a church in the Birmingham area and it was my pleasure to be the speaker at the opening celebration.

Livingstone House and Hope Chapel is a tribute to tenacity, dedication, spiritual principles and the highest standards of clinical excellence.

Ealing Christian Centre

My previous visit to Ealing Christian Centre had witnessed a church packed from floor to ceiling (ECC has a huge gallery).  Since then however this great church has moved to two Sunday services - 9am and 11:15am.  I preached on both occasions and the combined congregations would have been in excess of a thousand people.  

As soon as the second service concluded two more services would take place.  One in Polish and the other in Japanese.  Yet a further service would take place for the whole church in the evening.

One of the significant hallmarks of ECC is its emphasis on praying for Revival and, if ever there was a church in the UK that has 'earned the right to speak' on such a subject, it is this Elim church.  Richard and Rajinder Buxton (pictured) lead a great pastoral team and Richard is shortly to launch a book on revival which I believe should be recommended reading for every church in the country.

Alloa, Scotland

The church in Alloa has throughout its history been one of the smaller churches within Elim.  Subsequent to my recent visit, I feel that that could be about to change.  I have spoken at the church on a number of occasions over the years - mostly when I was the Regional leader for Scotland.  On this visit, I sensed immediately an attitude of expectancy and was aware of a clear culture-shift that often heralds a new season - apart from being essential to growth.

Paul and Isla Martin (pictured) came to Alloa to pastor the church from their native Glasgow two years ago and, working together with the people in their congregation, are injecting fresh vision into this small picturesque town.

Things like this never occur without some sacrifice and I came away impressed with two young people who are committed to serve God faithfully in their locality.

Elim, Burton on Trent

It is not unusual on my travels around Elim churches to encounter packed churches or multiple meetings on a Sunday morning.  What is unusual is to experience the same thing on a Sunday night

Robert and Julie Styles have been in Burton for twelve years and during that time have seen steady and consistent growth due, in my opinion, to the strong pastoral heart that both of them have, a fine eldership and a faithful congregation.

Apart from numerical growth, the church has been completely refurbished and additional space made possible via en enlarged ground floor and two balconies.  Regular readers of Direction may remember the item two years ago of the church opening a conference centre on the opposite side of the road.

 

Father's House, Lancaster

The reason for my visit to Father's House, Lancaster was to take part in their tenth anniversary celebrations.

The senior leader of the church is Clive Corfield, pictured here with his wife Karen.

Clive, who also has an international itinerant ministry, is a gifted leader and has  attracted a great group of leaders around him - several of whom are credentialed Elim ministers.

Father's House has recently acquired excellent new facilities in at the heart of the city and the church building was packed for the special services.

This is  Fellowship with a great heart and outward-focused vision.

Nuneaton

The Nuneaton Church is pastored by Mike and Suella Brown who were both recently ordained at the  Elim Bible Week in Telford.

On my previous visit three years ago, and just before they came to take over the leadership of the church, the church had experienced a number of difficulties.

On the Sunday I was there things were very different and it was clear that they were in a new season, a new atmosphere and the congregation almost twice the size.

Numerical growth is good and especially so when it is matched with growth in depth.

Elim, Barking

It was two years since I was with John and Trish Waller in Barking, London and a great deal has transpired in the life of the church since that time.

Some things have not changed - the great atmosphere, excellent worship team and the aspirations of a committed congregation.

What was different however is that, due to the numerical growth of the church, it has been necessary to hold two Sunday morning services to accommodate the continued expansion.

John and Trish have done, and continue to do, a great job as they work as a team to build a church that makes a difference in the community.

Bethel, Olbury

Bethel, Oldbury is in the West Midlands and is a long-established Pentecostal Church.

A little over a year ago the church made the decision to affiliate with Elim and subsequently Steve Kerry (pictured here with his wife Rachel and their son) became the pastor

Although Steve and Rachel have only been at Bethel a relatively short time the church has experienced significant growth.

The church was packed for the Baptismal Service at which I was the speaker and it was great to listen to the testimonies of four people whose lives had been powerfully transformed by a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.

Micklefield

There are two Elim churches in the High Wycombe area and Paul Turner (pictured here with his wife Yvonne and daughter Becky) pastors the church in the Micklefield.

There are very few churches in our Movement that I have never visited previously but this was my first time in Micklefield.

Although Paul and Yvonne have only been at the church for just over a year it is evident that they are very much 'at home' and feel part of this growing congregation. 

It is a church that is clearly open to the things of the Spirit and this warm and welcoming group of people has great potential for further expansion.

Romsey Christian Centre

Due to the number of churches in our Movement it is usually several years before I am able to make a return visit.  In the case of Romsey however, the last time I ministered there was 43 years ago when a student in Bible College aged 20.

David Walker (pictured here with his wife Jackie) is the current pastor of the church and it was very evident that, not only are they highly regarded by the congregation, but that they too have a heart for the people under their care - and also for the town in which they are ministering.

It was good, while I was there, to see the church in action and to learn of the vision and plans that they have for the years that lie ahead.

Princes Risborough

Although the church in Princes Risborough, Chilterns Christian Fellowship, has been in existence for several years it only under the ministry of Geoff and Jane Blease (pictured) that it has been able to secure its own premises.

I had the privilege of preaching at the opening the first-class complex that includes a sanctuary area, offices and several meeting rooms.  It has taken many months of negotiation with those in the locality to bring the dream into reality and the fact that this has now occurred is a great tribute to the leadership and tenacity of Geoff and the team around him.

There were two services during the day.  The first was the formal opening attended by the local MP, councillors and members of the business community.  The second was a Praise Party.  At both services were the members of the church who had been instrumental to bringing the church to this point, former ministers including the church's first pastor Ian Gardner and the Regional leader for the area David Campbell

Camborne

Over the past few years there has been remarkable growth and development within our churches in the Cornwall area.

Numbered among these is the Elim is the Elim Church in Camborne, pastored by David and Liz Smyth (pictured).

It is some years since I was at the church and it very evident that Dave and Liz, together with the leaders around them, have brought a new freshness and vitality to the church.

The previous minister had successfully inaugurated a number of ways in which the church could interface with the community  - expressing care and commitment to those within society who were the most vulnerable.  This has not only be continued but enhanced by Dave and Liz and the church building exists as a vibrant hub for a number of midweek activities.  Yet another example of how very evident pastoral gifts are not just confined to the local congregation but exist as a benefit to the wider community.

Northampton Elim

The previous twelve months had not been the easiest in the Northampton church.  Apart from other things, a massive flood had damaged much of the facilities and created  huge challenges.

A year later, not only had the fabric of the building been restored but it was now exponentially in better shape than ever before.  I sensed that this was also paralleled in the spiritual life of the church as well.

In order to thank the church for the magnificent work that had been done in the past twelve months - a lavish celebratory meal was put on in appreciation of a number of key people who had a part in the restoration process.  Over ninety were in attendance.  Senior Pastor Jason Heron (pictured here with his wife Linda) compered the evening.

Other people from outside the local church were also present and who has been support to the church during that period including Regional Leader Gordon Neale and his wife Kay.

Marilyn and I were there as guests and, before I spoke at the close of the evening two of the best worship leaders in the UK took part in the celebration - Lara Martin (who is based at Elim Northampton) and Noel Robinson.

Cheltenham Elim

I have made a number of visits to the Cheltenham church in the thirty years since I was the pastor there.  It was great to find it at the strongest it has been during those years.

Three years ago Elim's Adminstrattive Centre, that was next door to the Elim Church, moved to Malvern and the offices were sold to the local church.

Between speaking at the two morning services Gareth Lewis, the current pastor (pictured here with his wife Janet) took me on the tour of our previous headquarters.  It was thrilling to see how the space had been utilised. 

The front of the premises is a charity shop that raises thousands of pounds annually for the work of International Missions.  Another part of the building is uses as a huge food bank for people in the community who are experiencing economic hardship (pictured with Gareth is Susan Sutton who runs the food bank).  Yet another part of the is used as a CAP centre (Christians Against Poverty)

The church has created the perfect balance of spiritual growth and community involvement.  I really appreciate all that Gareth and Janet are doing to make their dream a reality.

Widnes

Farnworth Christian Fellowship was pioneered by retired Elim minister, and former General Superintendent, Eldin Corsie who, with his wife Vivien continue to attend the church.

In recent years FCW has been excellently led by Rob Case (pictured here with his wife Margaret).  The church meets in an ideally located hotel and I very much enjoyed my first visit to this fine Elim Church.

Some of the most valuable leaders we have in our Movement are our bi-vocational pastors - people who work in a secular sphere, full or part time, in order that a church can be established.  Rob Case is such a leader and continues part time within the NHS as the church continues to grow and develop.

Ballyfermot, Dublin

When, several years ago, David and Sylvia Galvin (pictured) became Christians at Ballyfermot Elim Church they never could have imagined at that time that David would one day become the senior minister of the church.

But that is exactly what happened.  David worked closely with the previous minister, John Waller, as an Elder and then, when John and Trish Waller moved to Barking in London, David became the pastor of the church having earlier applied to become an Elim minister.  

The church has continued to grow over the years under his leadership.

Weston Super Mare

At the time of writing I have no Sundays available for ministry until well into 2014 so it was unusual that I was back in Weston after just a few months.

The reason was because when I was there  last June I only managed to get half way through the message and so, when a Sunday became available, I got the opportunity to finish the subject!

The senior minister Claude Ellerington has been one of my closest friends for over 40 years.  The associate minister is his son, Richard.  His younger son, Steve,is on the pastoral staff of the Elim church in Bristol.

Every time I visit the Weston church it seems that something has 'gone up  a notch' either numerically or spiritually.  As always, Marilyn and I enjoyed our time at this great church.

NW Regional Conference

Over ninety people attended the NW Regional Conference over two days at a top Blackpool hotel.  NLT member and Regional leader for the area Kevin Peat (pictured here with his wife Margaret) hosted the event and it was a delight for Marilyn and I to be present for the occasion.

I spoke at the three sessions to a group of leaders and spouses who it was a total joy to be with and the interaction between the teaching sessions were every bit as important as the seminars themselves.

Kevin and Margaret have created an environment in their Regions that is conducive to good fellowship and strong relationships and, for our part, it was an opportunity to meet both long-term friends in ministry as well as being introduced to leaders of churches that have recently joined our Movement.

Penzance, Cornwall

The pioneering of a new church requires a huge amount of vision, commitment and sacrifice, so when Dan and Jo Rubens (pictured here with their daughters) left the leadership team at Derby Elim to commence a new church in Cornwall it was an exciting prospect.

However, when the Derby church also released  two further families to join them - people who were willing to uproot their homes and resign their jobs to commence a new church, this was an demonstration not just of commitment but also of sacrifice.

The current venue is the modern and minimalist Penzance art gallery - a central and, currently, ideal location.

It was a joy to speak to the members of a church that was only months old but which had visibly grown in that short period.

If you plan to holiday in Cornwall during a Sunday in the summer - consider this church as one of your 'ports of call'