JohnGlass ElimGS

Elim, Barking

2012-02-07T14:39:00.004Z

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

2012-02-03T14:47:00.001Z

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

2012-01-23T11:33:00.002Z

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

2012-01-17T16:33:00.002Z

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

2012-01-17T14:03:00.001Z

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

2012-01-17T13:32:00.000Z

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

2011-12-19T15:08:00.000Z

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

2011-12-19T14:25:00.002Z

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

2011-12-07T08:57:00.001Z

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

2011-12-03T11:21:00.001Z

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

2011-11-21T00:46:00.001Z

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

2011-11-21T00:30:00.001Z

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

2011-11-20T23:57:00.001Z

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'

Brecon, South Wales

2011-11-20T23:43:00.001Z

The opening of the new church building in Brecon is a huge tribute to the vision and faithfulness of the senior minister, Malcolm Jones, the local leadership and the church membership.

The celebration, at which the local MP attended, packed the new premises. The photo shows a proportion of the congregation who were present for my official 'cutting of the tape' prior to the ceremony commencing.

Five members of Elim's National Leadership Team were present including the Regional Leader for the area, Chris Cartwright. The speaker was NLT member Gordon Neale. Brecon had been his first church when he entered the ministry over 40 years ago

Summit - on the road

2011-11-20T23:26:00.001Z

Over the past twelve years there have been a number of Vision and Summit leadership conferences that have been held. This year however the Summit conference went on the road travelling to venues such as Bristol, London (pictured), Scotland, Chorley and Coventry.

The theme was 'Discipleship and Outreach' and the speakers were Gary Gibbs, Chris Jones, Mark Pugh, Nigel Tween and myself.

The delegates had the opportunity, not just receive input, but to discuss the issues around the group tables as well as sharing their insights in a plenary setting. The new-style summit ensured not only greater participation among those who attended but also a greater number of our churches around the country being involved.

Elim - Paisley

2011-11-10T10:44:00.001Z

Its always a delight to be back in Scotland given that fourteen years of our ministry was in that country both as pastor and as Regional Leader.

My earliest memories of Paisely was of a congregation of around seventy people. Today it is three tims that size with two morning services to accomodate the continued growth.

Wherever I travel on a Sunday there are two things that I value. The first is visiting and ministering at one of our churches and the the other is spending time with the pastor and his family.

This was especially true with regard to my time with Tom and Jennifer Paton and their family each of whom are fully involved in the local church. Few things give more thrilling than seeing young adults, that you have known since they were first born, who are totally committed to serving God.

Back row left to right, Callum, Tom, Euan, Neil. Front row Jennifer, Hannah, Kathryn (Callum's wife).

Festival of Life

2011-11-10T10:25:00.002Z

Over thirty thousand people attended the 'Festival of Life' at the Excel Centre in London for an all-night celebration that lasted from 8pm to 5am.

It was held under the auspices of the 'Redeemed Christian Church of God'. The other speaker was Rev. Enoch Adeboye - the minister of the world's largest church in Lagos, Nigeria which has a membership of one million. The walls of the church compound are three miles long.

Stevanage

2011-10-24T18:45:00.002+01:00

When senior accountant Kojo Wood, pictured here with his wife Caroline, entered his profession he would never have imagined that a few years later he would become an ordained Pentecostal minister. Yet, not only was that to happen, but he would also be involved in one of the most successful church plants in the Metropolitan Region.

It was veteran minister John Sainsbury that first recognised the call upon this emerging leader and created the initiative for the commencement of the Stevanage Elim church. In the past three years under his leadership the congregation has tripled from 50 to 150 and the only limitation on further expansion is the size of the rented community centre at which the church meets.

During his ministry in Stevanage he has not received any salary choosing to support himself from his professional position. While ministering at the church I learned one of the primary factors in this success story - his ability to build a high caliber team of leaders around him. I was very much aware of witnessing a church on a journey towards a destiny yet to be realised.

Glasgow Elim

2011-10-17T15:27:00.002+01:00

It is always a joy for Marilyn and I to return to Scotland for any form of ministry as fifteen years of my ministry has been spent there as either pastor in Kilsyth or as Regional leader.

Elim in Glasgow has had a succession of fine pastors in the past. James and Beryl Glass (pictured here with their family Alice, Nial and Johnny) have been at the church for the past two years and Kevin Peat, Regional Leader for Scotland, tells me that it is currently at its strongest place numerically, in the church's long history.

My experience of Scotland is the generous heartedness and openness of its people and this is very much a characteristic of the membership of this Glasgow church

The pastoral leadership of the church has the added advantage of having Carl and Danielle Johnston on the team and they, together with the local Elders, provide an effective leadership focus for the Fellowship.

I met many friends I remember from my previous visits but I also encountered a crowd of people who have joined the church within just the last few months.

Saturday morning was spent with around thirty of the departmental leaders in the church and I concluded my time there by speaking at the Sunday morning service on the following day.

Regional Day

2011-10-17T15:11:00.003+01:00

Over one hundred leaders and spouses gathered from the "Wales and southwest midlands" and "Southern Regions" at a residential two-day conference at the Webbington Hotel in Loxton, Somerset.

The event was hosted by Chris Cartwright the Regional Leader for the area. Input on the first day had been given by Simon Foster (Bristol) and Mike Robins (Newquay) and it was obvious that by the time I arrived to do three sessions of the second day, that everyone there had already had an enriching and beneficial time.

Although Chris Cartwright is relatively new to the role, it was very evident that he and his wife Annie have been universally and enthusiastically welcomed by the churches represented and there was a great sense of excitement about the days ahead. The message that I brought over the day was on a subject that is of very great importance to me and it was a joy to share it with men and women who are clearly open to receive everything that God has for them. As I said on my Facebook page at the time, the potential and calibre of the leaders in these Elim regions is exceptional.

Newport, Isle of Wight

2011-10-10T09:40:00.000+01:00

Tony and Sally Murphy (pictured here with their daughter Jodie and son James) are the kind of people who, through tenacity and commitment, create a culture in which church growthtakes place

Twelve years ago Tony, a teacher, took over a church that was around a third the size it is today and during that period worked as a bi-vocational pastor. Now Tony and Sally have taken a 'step of faith' to go full-time at 'Church on the roundabout' one of the two Elim churches on the island.

The first impression you get when entering the church building is the sense of inclusivism - a wide spectrum of the community worshiping and relating together in a relaxed family atmosphere in which singles are as much 'at home' as anyone else.

Nor is this a church where young people exist on the margins. The worship leader is fifteen and her band are almost all around the same age. I really enjoyed my time at Newport and look forward to the next time I am with them.

LivingLife Church, Shirley

2011-10-07T09:33:00.000+01:00

Livinglife church is a brand new church in Shirley near Solihull, West Midlands.

It was my pleasure to be the first visiting speaker since the church had been planted eight weeks earlier.

LivingLife is ably led by James and Lindsey Booth (pictured here with their daughters Holly and Abbie). James is a visionary leader and his wife Lindsey an exceptional worship leader.

The service, held in a local school, was well attended with several Elim churches in the area represented. I have every confidence that this new church will growth both in size and depth in the days that lie ahead..

Regents Theological College

2011-10-06T11:49:00.000+01:00

One of the great advantages of the new location of the Elim International Centre being in Malvern is that Regents Theological College is on the same site.

It was great therefore to be the speaker at the first Students Devotions that incorporated the new 'first years' together the second and third year students and it is evident that this year's intake looks as good in quality as it does in size.

Church of Pentecost

2011-10-05T10:15:00.002+01:00

No Denomination is closer to us than the Church of Pentecost - based in Ghana and with over 1.4 million members world wide.

The meeting that I attended in London was the ceremony which handed over leadership from Apostle Martin Seth Appiah the outgoing head of CoP (UK) and the inauguration of the new incumbent Apostle Newton Ofosyhene Nyarko.

The service that lasted for over four and a half hours incorporated many sincere tributes to Apostle Appiah for his work over the five years in which the Church has grown both numerically and spiritually.

The co-officiating minister with myself was Apostle Emmanuel Gyesi-Addo the International Missions Director who had travelled from Ghana for the proceedings.

The enthusiastic congregation prayed much for their new leader and his family as they took up their role in leading the Church of Pentecost in the UK. On behalf of Elim I brought the good wishes of our people and expressed solidarity and support for all that CoP were doing in this country and led in prayer for God's blessing on them in the future.

Ashbourne

2011-10-05T10:04:00.001+01:00

The opening of the new church building in the town of Asbourne was a big community event incorporating a Barbecue and Bouncy Castle at which many local people from the Waterside area attended. As I cut the tape, I was accompanied by the local mayor and the MP for the area. The opening service was attended by local Elim ministers and and those from churches of other Denominations in the town

The service was convened by the pastor of the church Ben Brown who, together with his leadership team, had overseen the whole building process. The former minister, now retired, Alec Prail spoke of the time when he had the vision for a new place and paid tribute to Ben Brown for seeing the vision through. Before I brought the message, Regional Leader Gordon Neale spoke of the huge part the Asbourne membership had played to bring the concept to fruition. Everyone was thankful to God that, in recessionary times, such a facility could be built.

Vazon - Centenary celebrations

2011-09-20T15:02:00.003+01:00

There are three Elim churches on the small island of Guernsey the oldest one of which is Vazon - currently pastored by Steve Mudge (pictured here with his wife Angela).

The first Pentecostal Church was commenced in 1911 by Welshman, Robert Davies - in a packing shed. In 1920 the church applied to be part of Elim and in 1926 George Jeffreys held a Crusade there attended by 900 people

The centenary celebrations began with a meal at a local four-star hotel at which around 200 people attended. On the Sunday both services were packed to capacity. It was 'standing room only' in the evening when other churches joined Vazon for these special meetings.

Several former ministers of the Vazon church travelled to the Island for the celebrations.

Today Vazon is a great church with a fine leadership and whose services have a good blend of traditional and contemporary music. All three Elim churches work together as a coherent team on a island that measures only nine miles between its furthest points.

Hayes - Elim Church

2011-09-12T22:37:00.000+01:00

It was good to be with the friends at the Elim Church in Hayes. For the past six years it has been pastored by Ra Smith pictured here with his wife Helen and church Elder Steve Blake and his wife Jane

Ray had been ministering recently on the work of the Holy Spirit and asked if, at the end of my message on the Sunday morning, I would especially pray for those who wished to receive their baptism. It is always awesome to witness people baptised in the Holy Spirit and come through into an experience with God for which they had been praying for so long.

WellSpring - Peterbough

2011-09-12T06:37:00.001+01:00

Forty years ago the late Alexander Tee planted the first Elim church in Peterbrough. Today there are three of our churches in the town.

My visit was planned to coincided with the weekend celebrations at at which a number of former ministers were present including John Cave who was the first pastor and Gordon Neale who is now the Regional leader for the area.

Wellspring is a great church and currently pastored by David Ashton pictured here with his wife Susannah and daughter Rebekah.

River Camp

2011-08-29T20:51:00.003+01:00

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Rivercamp, held near Evesham and in its tenth year, attracted over two thousand people for the six day event. Its growth and success is is due to the excellent leadership of David Campbell and his team.

One of the highlights for me, apart from listening to my fellow speakers, was the final day when the children and youth workers reported on the spiritual impact that had been made across all age spectrums. Rivercamp is, without doubt, one of Elim's most significant summer camps.

Ignite Camp

2011-08-26T15:00:00.002+01:00

The Ignite camp was held in the beautiful Welsh countryside at Cefn Lea near Newtown.

It is held under the auspices of Elim's Northwest Region led by Regional leader Kevin Peat, pictured here with his wife Margaret. Tribute was paid to Steve Yates, pastor of Elim Bootle, for the work that he had done to see that this holiday conference ran smoothly.

Other speakers included Simon Foster, Paul Hallam and Kevin Peat.

I never fail to enjoy being with a group of people who are open to all that God has for them and who are authentic and transparent in the way that they express their Christian lives.

Funeral of Matthew Weaver

2011-08-26T14:47:00.003+01:00

Matt Weaver was only 29 years of age when he was taken home to be with the Lord. Over 500 people packed the church service that celebrated his life and 1300 messages of condolence were received.

Matt leaves behind his wife Sarah and two small boys. He is the son of Phil and Helen Weaver, and brother to Nathan who are the leaders of Newsprings church - one of two Elim congregations in Loughborough.

Most funeral services are moving but this one was exceptional in the degree that it expressed joy and celebration on a man who was massively committed to God, his family and the local church. One of those who gave tribute commented on the fact that the way the family responded to events around the passing of Matt following a routine operation - was a powerful expression of the existence of God in the lives of those family and friends who loved him.

Rev. Archie Biddle

2011-08-14T11:46:00.003+01:00

It was a delight to spend a few hours recently with Archie Biddle who is now well into his 90's and has been a Elim minister for over fifty years. Though now in a residential care home, in his earlier years he pastored some of our key churches and served as Elim's President in the days when that annual office was in place. He was also a member of the National Leadership Team - then known as the Executive Council.

He was a great pastor and an excellent preacher - speaking on two occasions at Elim's Easter celebrations in London's Royal Albert Hall.

It was very evident that he is held in the highest regard in his Torquay home. The staff refer to him as the 'father of the house'.

I try whenever I am able to visit those who have served our Movement for so many years - not just for their sake but for my own - to remind myself that, were it not for their input and sacrifice, Elim would not be what it is today.

Infuse

2011-07-29T13:43:00.002+01:00

Infuse is one of several family camps that Elim hold around the country during the summer. Most people who attend Infuse come from churches around the Midlands and the South West. This year the venue was the Three Counties Showground in Malvern - a fabulous venue and just a few miles away from our International Offices.

For the first time in the history of Infuse the number of young people attending exceeded the number of adults. In a camp of this nature a huge amount of work in done by volunteers - those very special people in our Movement who give freely of their vacation to work in the kitchens and arrange stewarding etc.

Other speakers at the adult venue included Stuart Blount, Colin Dye, Simon Foster, Jason Heron Gordon Neale, Mark Pugh and Mark Ryan.

Merthyr Tydfil

2011-07-03T11:31:00.003+01:00

The church building in Merthyr was built one hundred years ago and the centenary celebrations were held to commemorate that fact. Over the four nights of special services the speakers included Chris Cartwright, Geoff Feasey, Denis Phillips and myself.

The church was packed on the evening that I was there and visitors came from as far as St.Mellons, Swindon, Mountain Ash and Dowlais.

During the meeting pastor Jason Tugwell, pictured with his wife Lynn, paid tribute to all the ministers who had led the church from its earliest days. It was very evident that Jason and Lynn are as committed to their congregation as their people are to them.

MiT Conference

2011-07-03T11:09:00.002+01:00

The Elim 'Ministers in Training Conference" is among my favourite three days of the calendar and the time when around a hundred of our leaders who are working towards ordination come to Malvern to hear speakers who we believe will sharpen and hone their leadership and ministry gift.

This year the speakers were Carol Alexander, Simon Foster, James Galloway, Maldwyn Jones, Mark Stibbe, Nigel Tween, Sarah Wittleston and myself.

There can be no better venue than the Elim International Centre situated on 32 acres of the Malvern Hills and the the content of input was equal to the mid-summer surroundings

I do not need a prophecy to tell me about the bright future of our Movement - the quality of the young, and sometimes not-so-young, leaders that are emerging says it all.

Weston-super-mare

2011-06-27T10:28:00.003+01:00

Just great to be in Weston-super-mare with our good friends Claude and Sue Ellerington - seems amazing that it is 43 years since we first met when we were in Bible College.

Weston in a great church and, apart from Claude, is also ably led by Richard and Regi Ellerington. Richard is associate pastor as well as being on the Movement's Serious4God core team.

This vibrant family church is planting out into the wider area around Weston.

Breathe City Church

2011-06-23T16:36:00.003+01:00

Breathe City Church is an exciting and innovative congregation in Stoke on Trent pastored by James Galloway who has seen the congregation expand from 60 people to 600 people within just four years.

The purpose of my visit was to speak with the sixty leaders who form the basis of this remarkable church. As with every dramatic rise in growth, culture change has to take place and Breathe has transitioned to a church that has attracted a wide age range but which has a high percentage of people in their twenties and thirties. There is a dynamic and infectious enthusiasm that is married to a strong commitment to vision and values. I very much enjoyed my time at BCC and the opportunity to engage with the phenomenal calibre of their new and emerging leadership.

Street pastors

2011-06-01T16:53:00.002+01:00

One of the things I enjoy so much about the my role as General Superintendent is the opportunity to forge new relationships and make new friends in the wider Church.

When Les Isaacs, CEO of Ascension Trust and Street Pastors, came to spend time in our International Offices in Malvern it was a opportunity to hear more about one of the most exciting developments taking place in the UK

Street pastors is an interdenominational church response to the problem of urban society which has trained over 7000 volunteers since its commencement in 2003.

Look out for a major feature in a future edition of Direction

Normandy, France

2011-06-01T16:36:00.006+01:00

My recent weekend in France was spent with leaders from Normandy throughout the Saturday at the church venue pictured. Sunday morning was spent at the Elim church in Yvetot pastored by Gilles Lesieur (pictured with his wife, Mirelle) who arranged my itinerary.

Sunday afternoon was spent at a combined meeting of two local Pentecostal churches.

In my experience whenever Pentecostal leaders meet, in whatever part of the world that may be, there is an immediate affinity. I very much enjoyed being with my colleagues in France and renewing fellowship with the President of Elim France and his wife - David and Christine Thabot.

Purposed Life Church, Wigan

2011-05-16T19:13:00.002+01:00

Philip and Helen Woods (pictured) have pastored the Elim Church in Wigan for several years and have seen such growth in that period that the only limitation on the development of this fine congregation is the capacity of their building

Purposed Life Church is as intentional in its vision as its name suggests and the first thing that a visitor encounters is the warmth of the atmosphere which is welcoming without being intrusive. The team of musicians add a great dimension to the worship and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect being part of this growing and dynamic church during my time there.

Liverpool

2011-05-09T17:11:00.004+01:00

Elim has four fine churches in the Liverpool area. On this occasion I was speaking at the congregation pastored by Paul Dunne (pictured) who has led this church in the Kensington area of the city for several years

This was the second time that I had preached since Paul has been the minister and it was good to witness the growth since last I was there. Paul and Lynne, through their transparency and warmth of personality, have a congregation who mirror these very same traits.

Comissioning day at RTC

2011-05-09T17:00:00.002+01:00

There are two very important moments in the calendar of Regents Theological College based at our International Centre in Malvern. The first is the Graduation ceremony at which successful students receive their degrees. The other is the less formal commissioning service that celebrates all students of both the college and the school of ministry as they return to their various spheres of service having completed their various courses.

There were so many people involved, as family and friends gathered to pay tribute to the success of the students on this special day, that it was necessary to have two services in the theatre on our site. A fuller account, with accompanying pictures, will be feature in Direction. I mention it here as I had the honour this year of being invited to be the speaker at the event.

Honouring the past

2011-05-09T16:41:00.003+01:00

I would like to think that one of the hallmarks of our Movement is that, while being focused on the future, we want to always celebrate those who were the pioneers of Elim in its earliest days.

George Kingston (1869-1948) was a very significant figure in our history. Desmond Cartwright our historian relates some interesting facts and points out that it was this man who first invited George Jeffreys to plant a church in England and this resulted in the first Elim church being established here in 1921

Andrew Kingston, who works at Oxford University, is the great grandson of George Kingston and he is pictured here handing over a silver chalice that was presented to his great grandfather - a man who was the first President of our Movement.

Des Cartwright was present in Malvern for the presentation and pointed out why he felt the moment was particularly historic. It appears that the issue of the Elim Evangel (the magazine that preceded Direction) that recorded the death of George Kingston on 28th December 1948 also recorded the birth of the current General Superintendent two days earlier.

Teen Challenge UK

2011-05-09T16:18:00.003+01:00

One of the most powerful ministries that serves those who have been involved in drug abuse is Teen Challenge. It was first founded in New York by the late David Wilkerson and has since spread around the world. The UK Director is Jay Fallon (pictured). He and his wife Fiona are two totally awesome people. It was a huge privielege for me to accept their invitation to speak to all their staff and leaders at their UK HQ which is currently based in Wales.

Many of those who now are core leaders were once on the program themselves - something that gives, in my view, a great deal of added credibility to the vital ministry in which they are now engaged. Whenever I visited Teen Challenge, and other similar ministries, I find it a humbling and moving experience. I never fail to thank God for the redemptive effect of the Gospel that is now evident in the powerful transformation of these very special people.

Together for the Harvest

2011-04-15T13:51:00.002+01:00

Together for the Harvest is a network of Christians leaders from a whole spectrum of Denominations in the wider Liverpool area - though members come from much further afield.

TFH is chaired by John and Marie Manwell and this was my second invitation to speak at this great event. Networking with those from other Movements and Streams is something that I always enjoy, but I was also especially glad to have the opportunity to be with the many of our own Elim leaders who attended.

United Christian Broadcasters

2011-04-15T13:45:00.004+01:00

In my view UCB is one of the most important Christian organisations in the UK today. From time to time leaders around the country are invited to an event that is filmed in their TV studios. It was my privilege to be the speaker on this occasion and I thoroughly enjoyed being with them.

On the following morning I was invited to lead a session with members of the UCB Board and their Heads of Department. UCB now have a free iphone app on which you can get access to their various radio channels.

Crawley Elim Chuch

2011-04-11T16:36:00.002+01:00

Phil and Elaine Johnston have been friends of ours for very many years and so it was a particularly good to be at their church in Crawley.

Though my appointment was arranged eighteen months earlier, it coincided with the 40th anniversary of he church and, during the morning, images that spanned those four decades were displayed.

Some years ago, the initial building was too small to house the growing congregation and so the church moved into a school. In a few months time the church will move into a larger church building vacated by another Denomination.

As I travel around week by week I sometimes ask myself if, had I not been a pastor, would I want to be part of the church that I visiting if I lived in the locality. In most places it is a resounding 'yes' and in Crawley's case it would certainly be so. Excellent leaders - both pastorally and in Eldership, great worship group and good people. An excellent church with a fine future.

Empowered21

2011-04-11T15:37:00.002+01:00

There are now 650 million people in the world who would describe themselves as Pentecostal or Charismatics.

A couple of years ago a decision was made to form cabinets in every Continent of the world that would comprise of both Pentecostals and Charismatics. These cabinets would relate to the world Cabinet that is co-chaired by Jack Hayford and Billy Wilson

I had been invited to be a part of the eleven member cabinet for Europe whichheld their inaugural meeting in Germany. The initial agenda included enhancing fellowship between Pentecostals and Charismatics, accelerating the growth and influence of the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches and affirming the emergence of the next generation of young leaders.

Enable - Men's Conference

2011-04-11T15:29:00.004+01:00

There is nothing quite like 650 men worshipping, laughing and learning together!

The venue was Birmingham Christian Centre and the event was the third Conference initiated by Regional leader Gordon Neale and incredibly well organised by Robin Baker, Duncan Clark and Iain Hesketh. Apart from myself the speakers were David Ritchie, Simon Jarvis and Dave Smith

Although most people came from the Midlands Region there were groups of men from as far north as Fraserburgh Scotland who had travelled eight hours to get there and those from the south of England.

Bude, Cornwall

2011-04-11T15:00:00.003+01:00

What an amazing weekend at Bude Christian Fellowship. When Roger and Janice Rowland (pictured here with Heidi, one of their three daughters) came to Bude eight years ago they commenced with a small number of committed people. Today there is a large vibrant fellowship whose greatest hallmark is of serving their community with the whole spectrum of the Gospel that affects body soul and Spirit.

Someone once said, when comparing the disciples who were arguing about who was the greatest and the following action of Jesus in washing the feet of his disciples, that people are usually more willing to fight over thrones than towels - not so in Bude. The whole leadership models servanthood and it is consequently part of the DNA of the entire church.

The purpose of me being there on the Saturday was to open their "New Life Centre" together with the member of parliament for the area who is also a committed Christian. The building houses a cafe area, counselling suites, accommodation and shower area for the homeless, a food bank and special accommodation for couples on the brink of divorce who needed a neutral space to address their issues. This short report is inadequate to cover the scope of the ministry and a larger article will appear Direction in due course.

On Sunday morning Marilyn and I were with the local congregation that serves this beautiful coastal resort. On team is 'retired' minister John Smyth who with his wife Mary served the Movement for 45 years in many senior roles. As one might expect they are are huge asset to the church and are fully supportive of the vision that Roger and Janice have for the future.

Newcastle

2011-03-21T22:42:00.002Z

There had been a huge transformation in the Newcastle Elim church since my previous visit two years ago. The church building had been extended to accommodate the growing congregation and a gallery had been added and rooms removed to create additional space on the ground floor. The church had also successfully transitioned to two morning services - both of which were comfortably filled.

Simon Lawton (pictured here with his wife Julia and his daughter Amy) is confident that these developments are simply an additional stage in the ongoing progress of this warm and vibrant congregation.

Our weekend commenced with an Aspire event organised on the Saturday morning by Julia Lawton and at which Marilyn spoke. In the evening I was invited to speak with thirty of the core leaders before speaking the following day at both of the morning services. Great leadership - excellent church.

Blackburn

2011-03-14T21:20:00.003Z

There has been an Elim church in Blackburn for a very long time and the current building stands in a prominent position overlooking the local retail park

I have never ministered in this church in recent years without there being a capacity congregation and this visit to their Sunday morning service was no exception

The church is ably led by Bob Clark (pictured left) who with his wife Rita have worked faithfully for many years. Recently he has been joined by associate minister Simon Pastorello from Italy who is shortly to be married to his fiancee Valentina who will be coming from Florence to work in Blackburn - now that's the call of God!

Delancey, Guernsey

2011-03-14T20:38:00.006Z

There are three Elim churches on the Island of Guernsey. Delancey, Eldad and Vazon. I had the pleasure of speaking at Delancey on the Sunday morning the senior pastor which is Martin O'Brien (pictured here with his wife Sally). It was an excellent service and it is great to see the growth in this fine church situated right on the beautiful coast of the Island.

Over lunch I enjoyed meeting up with the leaders of all threee Elim Churches and in the evening we had a joint meeting at Delancey at which two important things took place. The first was the opening of the new youth suite and the second was a baptismal service at which several young people were baptised. Just great to hear the testimonies of changed lives and fresh starts..

The Gathering

2011-02-28T15:50:00.003Z

Though this major event has been highlighted in detail already in our magazine, I could not possibly leave this out of my itinerary. It was a privilege to be invited by the Serious4God team, led by Mark Pugh, to speak on the final Sunday morning of the three day event.

Around 1700 of our young people were present. At the final meeting on the Sunday morning at which I spoke I gave one of the most challenging appeals for commitment I have given in over forty years as a minister. It was moving to witness the hundreds of young people who stood to their feet in positive response.

There has never been a time when the youth section of our Movement has been stronger than it is today and I cannot applaud to highly the calibre of young men and women who give leadership to this dynamic initiative within Elim.

NTCOG Conference

2011-02-28T15:44:00.002Z

The New Testament Church of God is a classical Pentecostal Denomination the membership of which is primarily Afro-Caribbean. For the past number of years it has been led by Bishop Eric Brown. Though we have only known one another for a relatively short period of time we have become close friends and it was a privilege to be invited to speak to the hundreds of leaders that were present at their recent Conference. One of the current features of the Denomination is an initiative called 'The Big Move' which outlines the Bishop's powerful vision for the future. I spoke on the Friday and the Saturday before going to speak at The Gathering on the following Sunday morning.

Clacton on Sea

2011-02-21T13:34:00.003Z

Three things remain in my memory of my visit to Clacton. The first was the leader's prayer time that preceded the morning service. It was a far from perfunctory occasion and very much set the scene for the day. The second was the noticeable growth in the congregation since my last visit three years ago. Finally it was pleasure to spend an extended lunch with the Smith family before return home later in the afternoon. (Left to right Stephen and Elizabeth Smith, Annie, Sarah and Mark)

Regents Theological College

2011-02-21T13:26:00.003Z

One of the great advantages of the move to Malvern was the combining on one 32 acre site of our International offices and our theological college

During this month I had the pleasure of speaking to the entire student body at their weekly Devotions - the largest in our 96 year history as a Movement - and then to a small group (pictured) for an informal 'Question and Answer' time. Dr Keith Warrington (far left) chaired the discussion.

Malaga, Spain

2011-02-14T18:53:00.003Z

Howard and Sue Coley (second and third from right) planted the church in Malaga around six years ago. Their two daughters (Naomi, far left and Lucy third from left) and son Sam (far right) are all involved in the life of the church which is situated right in the centre of the local shopping Mall. Dave Hodgson (second from left), who is married to Naomi joined the ministry team two years ago.

I was there to speak at leadership seminars on the Saturday and to preach at the church on the Sunday.

Through sacrificial commitment the church has grown to the point that their building is the only thing that limits their growth. I greatly enjoyed my time with them. It is always a pleasure to spend time with those who so clearly carry the DNA of our Movement whether in this country or abroad.

Letchworth Elim

2011-02-07T14:44:00.003Z

LGCC or Letchworth Garden City Church is led by Dominic De Souza (pictured here with his wife Jodi). Before coming to Letchworth two years ago Dominic was on the ministry team of Kensington Temple.

A congregation of around five hundred people were present on the Sunday I was there. Though the age range of the congregation spanned a wide spectrum, the majority of those present seemed to be in their twenties or thirties.

LGCC has five Praise Bands. The two involved in the service I spoke at were the youth band and a band that was entirely female. Both were exceptional

Over the years, LGCC has become one of our flagship churches not just by virtue of its size but in that it carries the very clear DNA of our Movement. I have just been booked at for my next available date at LGCC which is in 2013 and I have no the slightest doubt that on my return this great church will have grown significantly in size and depth.

Westcliffe Elim Community Church, Scunthorpe

2011-01-29T22:56:00.002Z

Karl and Susan Jones (pictured here with Regional leader Gordon Neale) came to Scunthorpe two years ago. At that time their small, but faithful, congregation met in one of the worst buildings in the city

The reason for my visit was to speak at the opening of their new facility. The ribbon was cut by the deputy mayor of Scunthorpe and the service was attended by a number of local ministers.

When describing the journey of the past two years Karl publicly thanked Regional Leader, Gordon Neale, for the wisdom and input that he had brought to the process. I have no doubt that Karl and Susan will see steady and consistent growth in the days that lie ahead.

Onechurch, Gloucster

2011-01-29T22:38:00.003Z

Virtually all of my speaking engagements during the year I restrict to our own Denomination. There are however a few exceptions and OneChurch in Gloucester is one of them due to the relationship that Marilyn and I have had over recent years with their senior leaders, Simon and Ally Jarvis.

Onechurch is a phenomenal church by any standards. When Simon jarvis was invited to pastor the church four years ago it had around 150 people in attendance. Today, due to the creative and visionary leadership that Simon has brought, that figure is nearer 600.

On the morning I was there I spoke the same message at three successive morning services. Those who attend cover a wide spectrum though my guess would be that the overall average would be around 30 - 35. Growth of this nature does not occur without strong and intentional culture shift. Anyone wanting to create a dynamic contemporary congregation that engages with community should seriously consider the model that Onechurch is developing.

Ealing Christian Centre

2011-01-29T22:14:00.003Z

One of the most exciting Saturdays I have spent so far this year was with the ninety leaders of Ealing Christian Centre - the average age of which was around thirty. This great 1300 strong congregation led by Richard and Rajindark Buxton (pictured) is one of three Elim Church in the Ealing area.

The morning began with vibrant worship and it was a total joy to spend time with this engaging and dynamic group. Given the quality and acumen of its leadership base, ECC has a huge future.

Elim & Pioneer

2011-01-29T22:04:00.003Z

One of the exciting developments in Elim over the past few years has been the relational links that our Movement has established with other Christian groups and Streams across the UK.

Over a recent twenty four hour period the leadership of Pioneer met with some key leaders from Elim at our International Centre in Malvern. It was a memorable time together and a great opportunity for both groups to get to know one another. Pioneer is experiencing great times and renewed vision under their new primary leader Billy Kennedy (third from right). We trust that this first meeting will prove to be the beginning of an ongoing and developing relationship between our two groups.

Romford Elim

2011-01-29T21:55:00.003Z

The first time that I visited Romford Elim the c ongregation worshiped in a church building. On the last two occasions however the venue has been at their new location that has been hired to accommodate the growing congregation. Glen and Gill Podd have given great leadership to the church during the years that they have been there and, apart from his work as pastor of the church, Glen is the longest serving member on the Serious4God team - Elim's youth department led by Mark Pugh.

Beirut, Lebanon

2011-01-25T13:53:00.004Z

It was a great privilege to be invited to speak at a leadership Conference in Beirut, Lebanon. The pictures depict the main worship leader at the Conference and in the second photo (from left to right) Pastor Chaddy - senior minister of Abundant Life Church, Chris Jones Elim's International Mission director, Pastor Said, myself, Chris Whitehead, Chiswick Elim and one of the Elders of the church.

On the first day we visited pastor Said's church which has a school, clinic and orphanage that care primarily for Muslim Hezbollah children. In the evening I spoke at the largest Pentecostal Church in Lebanon of which Pastor Chaddy is the senior minister.

Throughout Saturday, a leadership Conference took place for people from a variety of denominations. This was my first time in Lebanon and very quickly I learned of the warmth and hospitality of these great people.

The country, as most people are aware, has endured a painful history of war and conflict that have taken many lives. Two days after our team left the country the coalition government collapsed which does not augur well for the freedom of the Gospel in this strategic part pf the Middle East. Please pray for the courageous church in Lebanon and all its people.

Salisbury Elim

2010-12-12T19:56:00.002Z

Salisbury Elim is a warm and welcoming family church that through the the adjacent building called 'The Factory' solidly connects with the local community. My visit coincided with the announcement that the pastor Gordon Malcolm, and his wife Jackie, would be leaving to take up a pastorate at a Pentecostal church in Canada.

Beauty for Ashes Conference

2010-12-12T19:49:00.002Z

Sally Livingstone leads the three Livingstone House centres that minister to those who have suffered from the effects of addictive substances. The Beauty for Ashes Conference was held at Birmingham Christian Centre and it was a pleasure to accept the invitation to speak at the first of Sally's Conferences. The worship was lead by the remarkable Godfrey Birtle. The young men who have been 'radically saved' and are at the heart of this remarkable ministry brought their own spiritual energy to this day long conference. It was a powerful day.

Wembley Christian Centre

2010-12-06T13:10:00.002Z

How does she do it? Apart from leading a successful dental practice, Sokemun Ho is the pastor of Wembley Christian Centre - an Elim church and part of the London City network under the auspices of Kensington Temple.

I was present to preach at a special community service at which several community leaders were present. Brent is referred to as the most diverse borough in Britain. Pastor Sokemun expressed her churches appreciation for the community leaders, prayed with them and presented them with plaques to commemorate their presence with us. This included the current mayor, the previous mayor, head of the fire service, a representative of the police force and business leaders.

I cannot commend too highly the leadership that Sokemon Ho continues to give to the church in Wembley. She is one of our finest women pastors.

2010-12-06T12:59:00.002Z

One of the greatest joys of my role is meeting our leaders during regional leadership Conferences and, given that fourteen years of our ministry has been spent in Scotland, it was a particular delight to spend two days with our pastors north of the border.

Despite the worst weather for many years with snow closing airports throughout the country and the roads being treacherous, there was an almost total turnout - one or two being absent only because it was physically impossible to get through.

Close friend, NLT member and Regional leader for the area, Kevin Peat (pictured here with his wife Margaret) invited Marilyn and I to join them and their pastors at a four star venue at Strathclyde Country park for the two days together.

St Helens Elim

2010-12-06T12:45:00.002Z

I enjoyed an excellent Sunday with Phlip Fell and the team at St. Helens. Like so many of our churches across the UK, St Helens has realised that the purpose of the church is to to have a positive effect in local community and to see evangelism as going to where the people are - rather than reducing its impact to the limited ghetto of Sunday services. They also have a healthy and vibrant interaction with other churches in the surrounding area. At the close of the morning service the whole of the church stayed behind for a three course meal during which I learned of an exciting initiative that was being taken to hold services in a local pub. Well done St. Helens for thinking out of the box and getting out of the box.

AoG Regional Day

2010-11-27T21:18:00.002Z

I very much enjoyed conducting two days of leadership meetings with around eighty leaders from our sister fellowship the Assemblies of God. The venue was Exeter and the meetings were convened by Regional leader for the area, Tim Robertson.

There was a great atmosphere right from the start and there was a wide spectrum of leaders ranging from those who are emerging in pastoral roles through to those who have given many years of exceptional service within their denomination.

There was a fantastic buzz in all the meetings that auger very well for the future and I would want to thank them for the warm and honouring way that I was received during my two days with them.

Elim Bethnal Green

2010-11-27T21:05:00.003Z

Always love being at Elim Bethnal Green, London with senior pastor Richard Jama and his wife Toyin. This is a lively and enthusiastic church at the heart of the capital.

The service featured the church's excellent choir and following the service I enjoyed time with the wider leadership of the church over a meal. If you live in the Bethnal Green area this would be a great church to make your spiritual home.

Burton on Trent

2010-11-18T10:46:00.004Z

Robert and Julie Styles have done a phenomenal job since coming to Burton on Trent eleven years ago.

One of Rob's passions during his time there has been to network with other churches in the town and to ensure that the Elim church serves the community in every way that it can. He, and the tremendous leadership team he has around him, have fulfilled this objective with distinction.

The church itself has been modified to accommodate the growing congregation by the addition of two galleries but the building (pictured above) that I was present to participate in the opening of was on the opposite side of the road and aptly named 'The Corner'.

This facility, built to a very high standard, and for the use of the church and the community is one of the nominations for 'Best new buildings in Burton'.

Two church members who had been there since the church was opened fifty years ago cut the ribbon and present for the service was the Member of Parliament for the area, Andrew Griffiths who is pictured on the centre front row between Rob Styles and myself.

The Burton Story will feature more fully in a future edition of Direction.

Chelmsford Elim

2010-11-10T23:06:00.003Z

On the previous occasion that I spoke at Chelmsford Elim the morning service was packed to capacity. On this visit I was invited to bring the same message to two morning services that took place at 9:15 am and 11:15 am to accommodate the ever growing congregation.

Mike and Elizabeth Sherwood have been among our closest friends for over forty years. I first met them when we were Bible college students in 1968. Mike has served as a Regional leader in the past as well as serving for many years on the National Leadership Team. He is one of our Movement's most gifted leaders.

Our visit coincided with the announcement of courageous extension plans which that week were being presented to the congregation for acceptance.

After the second meeting of the morning Marilyn and I enjoyed lunch with the entire pastoral team and their spouses before returning home. It had been a great day with a great church.

Summit Confrence

2010-11-05T10:20:00.002Z

The Summit Conference held in the phenomenal Conference Centre in Telford will be reported on in depth in other parts of the magazine but had to feature on this page given that it was two of the best days I have experienced in the past twelve months.

Five hundred of our leaders assembled to hear speaks such as Malcolm Duncan, Mark Green, Mile Pillavachi among others. Elim Sound led the worship and made a great contribution to the Conference. My special thanks to the organisers of the event Nigel Tween, Mark Pugh, Gary Gibbs and Chris Jones.

The Bridge

2010-11-05T10:08:00.002Z

The Bridge is the name given to a group of around thirty people who I invite to our International Centre in Malvern on two occasions during the year. Although most are from our larger churches in the cities the group constitutes a cross-section of our Movement in terms of ethnicity and gender and there are people present from rural areas as well as towns. The 32 who gathered on the first of these meetings represent a congregations totalling over 17,000 of the 67,000 Elim people in the UK.

The purpose of the group is to form a connection between the work that the NLT and myself are doing and what is being accomplished in the most important part of our Movement - the local church. It was great to interact with the high quality of leaders that are typical of the those who lead our churches across the country.

Cape Town, South Africa

2010-11-05T09:42:00.003Z

Forty years ago Billy Graham convened a conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, to address the issue of Global Evangelism. Twenty years later a second conference was held for the same reason in Manilla.

Lausanne III took place in Cape Town, South Africa and I was invited as one of the participants. The buget for the eight days was £6 million - half of which was dedicated to providing bursaries so that people in economically challenged parts of the world could attend.

Four thousand people gathered from one hundred and ninety countries and the whole proceeding was translated into 28 languages via the booths of the interpreters and the headphones of the delegates.

Among the most moving moments of the congress was the opening night where we learned that, at the last minute, the Chinese government had refused the Chinese delegation visas while putting them all under house arrest - emphasising the continued persecution of the Church under Communism. Despite the harassment of the government the church continues to explode with many millions of Christians coming to faith in Christ in recent years.

As an act of solidarity with our brothers and sisters in China, all 4000 delegates stepped away from their chairs at a signal from the platform to send out the message, "There is a place for you at this conference even though you have been denied the opportunity to take it."

During the same service a teenage girl from north Korea told how her family had become Christians in one of the most closed and brutal nations in the world. Her father had 'disappeared' but she was going to return to the country to reach people for Christ even though it would mean almost certain martyrdom.

Much of the worship was Pentecostal in style though on the last evening a communion service was led by the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda.

Every possible means of communication imaginable was used during the week including - preaching, drama, mime, dance (traditional and contemporary) music and state-of-the-art computer graphics.

Despite increased persecution around the world, the Church is unstoppable

Kensington Temple

2010-11-05T09:32:00.003Z

Kensington Temple, London, is Elim's largest church and under the leadership of senior minister Colin Dye continues to grow in numbers and depth. Over the years it has spawned a network of congregations around the capital which are designated 'London City Church'. I always look forward to the time in year when I spend an evening with all the highly committed and motivated leaders from KT.

Acocks Green - Birmingham

2010-10-11T15:23:00.003+01:00

Twenty three years ago George Canty, the 99 year old pastor who featured on this page recently, pioneer the church in Acocks Green. In the years that followed the church underwent a period of decline and by the time that Jamys Carter and his wife, Dr. Emma Carter, arrived at the church five years ago there was only a handful of people there.

During the time that Jamys has been the pastor there has been a transformation both numerically and spiritually. The clear impression that I had of the fellowship was that of a large church that was small at the moment. The DNA of growth is already in the church which now covers a wide spectrum of age ranges.

Marilyn and I immensely enjoyed our time there. All the ingredients for continued development are already in place and we wish this church well.

Aldershot

2010-10-11T15:11:00.002+01:00

It was a pleasure to speak at the opening of the extension of the church building in Aldershot. Also participating in the service was David Campbell, Regional Leader for the area, and present a number of Elim ministers in the locality who joined with the local congregation and invited guests for this service of celebration

Mike and Sylvia Keeping have done a wonderful job since taking over the pastorate in Aldershot and, as he paid tribute to the work of others in bringing the church to this point, tribute was also paid to him for the leadership and personal sacrifice that had been involved in reaching this stage in the churches development. Mike is a bi-vocational minister whose secular role involves working on the building of Britain's latest aircraft carrier.

Alex Tee - celebrating his life

2010-10-11T15:01:00.003+01:00

A memorial service to commemorate the life and ministry of Alex Tee was attended by hundreds of people at the Lighthouse Christian Centre in Manchester.

Alexander Tee had been an Elim minister for an astonishing 58 years. During that period he had planted numerous churches around the UK, been national Youth Director (when I was in my teens), President of the Movement and apart from pastoring several key churches had served on Elim's Executive Council for a total of twelve years.

Tribute was paid to Winifred Tee who had served with him throughout his ministry and to Margaret and Sharon his two daughters. The service was convened by his son-in-law Paul Hallam, senior minister of LCC and the preacher was Malcolm Hathaway, pastor of our Southport Church where Alex had lived in retirement. I brought a tribute on behalf of the Movement. A more in depth account of this special service will be published in a future edition of Direction.

Irish Ordination Service

2010-10-06T16:09:00.006+01:00

Each year I preach at the ordination service for those pastors in the province who have successfully completed their 'minister in training' period. On this occasion the venue was the newly refurbished Hillsborough Elim church which was packed to capacity for this special event.

Featured in the photo, top row, are David Campbell and Simon Foster (NLT members) and Eric McComb the Irish Superintendent. On the bottom row are the ordinands together with their partners. Left to right Richard Preston, Geoffrey Moore, Jonathan McKee, John Fitzimmons and David Galvin. All present wished these ministers well on their continued ministry in Ireland.

Teen Challenge

2010-10-06T15:54:00.002+01:00

One of the highlights of my month was without doubt my visit to the Teen Challenge HQ outside Swansea and to spend time with its Executive Director, and Elim Minister, Jay Fallon

Jay and Fiona Fallon are passionate about caring for and discipling young people who have suffered by involvement with addictive and controlling substances - most especially illegal drugs.

I was not surprised by the extent of their work but I was hugely impressed by the way that the facilities have been maintained to the very highest standards of build quality and equipment. Jay believes this to be central to the culture of personal affirmation of all who attend there.

During my visit I toured both the women's and men's separate residences, a market garden and a factory unit - the latter two which provided the skills training that is part of the program.

A focal point would have been witnessing a seminar conducted by Fiona for police officers at which a number of the residents gave clear testimony of the change in their life-style subsequent to their encounter with Christ via the ministry of the centre,

I cannot commend too highly the work that Jay, Fiona and their team around the UK are doing.

Paris

2010-10-06T15:43:00.002+01:00

This was my fourth visit to the remarkable L'Evidence church in the centre of Paris pastored by Francois Forschel. I say remarkable because there are up to two thousand people worshipping in the church every Sunday in multiple and parallel services that cater for French, African, Russian, Portuguese and Romanian people.

I was invited to speak at a youth service on the Saturday evening that was followed by ministry at three services on the following day. The first was the French Service, the second to a French-speaking African congregation and finally to six hundred Romanian Pentecostals who gathered in the evening.

Metropolitan Region

2010-09-18T23:02:00.003+01:00

There is always a huge turnout at a Metropolitan Regional Day and my recent visit was no exception. I would have to say that it was one of the most exceptional Regional days that I have participated in in my eleven years in office. David Campbell, pictured with his wife Mandy, is responsible for Elim's two Metropolitan Regions and serves alongside me on the National Leadership Team, He is also a close and valued friend.

The worship team was extraordinary and contributed hugely to the success of the day. I enjoyed immensely the opportunity to minister to the high calibre leaders who had gathered for the event.

Visit of George Canty

2010-09-18T22:49:00.003+01:00

Every week I receive in my office those who are visiting our International Centre in Malvern. As the numbers are too numerous to mention on these pages, the visits of Denominational leaders, para-church leaders and those from within politics and the media are rarely mentioned.

I make an exception this month however for Rev. George Canty who at 99 years of age is the oldest minister is our Movement having joined Elim over eighty years ago. He pioneered his latest church when in his Seventies and has been a prolific writer and broadcaster. When an evangelist he was most well known for doing an oil painting while he preached and which he gave away at end of the service. When I mentioned his visit to me on Facebook several people responded by saying that they still have one of his paintings to this day. It was a joy and a privilege to have visit with us.

Evangelical Alliance Council

2010-09-18T22:31:00.003+01:00

There are an estimated two million evangelicals in the UK. Many of these Christians, who are reflected in a wide spectrum of Denominations and networks, are represented by the Evangelical Alliance. It speaks to the media and to parliament about issues that concern the Christian faith as well as acting as a comprehensive resource to the local and national Church.

Though Elim is registered as a Denominational member I would encourage every Elim church to register as a church.

The EA council, on which I have considered it a privilege to serve for the past six years. meets every few months in order to conduct its business. At its most recent meeting I had the honour to be elected to serve for a further six years

Peterborough

2010-09-13T14:28:00.002+01:00

There are three Elim Churches in Peterborough and it was my pleasure to be speaking at the congregation in Midland Road. Jonathan and Lucisha Featherstone have led the church for the past three years and what a thrill it was to enter a meeting and be faced with a wall of sound emanating from an atmosphere of dynamic worship.

There are 550 Elim churches throught the UK. The 69,000 people who make up our Denomination represent many diferent formats and flavours of worship. I enjoy them all because I am aware that God is more concerned with content than with style. Having said that, Marilyn and I felt very much at home with this great church as the vibrance of the worship was matched by their engagement with the word of God.

We enjoyed lunch with two of the Peterborough leadership teams. But the day was far from over for the two churches that were represented. One group of leaders, ably led by senior pastor John Harrison went away tp prepare for their evening service while the leaders of Midland Road returned to their church to cook the weekly meal they make for fifty homeless people. The more I travel the more I continue to appreciate the leaders and congregations that represent Elim across the UK

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Lighthouse Christian Centre

2010-09-13T13:46:00.002+01:00

The church that I grew up in was pioneered by my father, pastor Jack Glass. After a period of twenty years, though the congregation now had a church building and a manse the congregation was never large. After his retirement, the church fell into numerical decline and when Paul and Mags arrived they commenced with just a very small group of people.

That was twenty-four years ago and the journey since that date would require a report the size of a book. However, the story that took them from those beginnings to the opening of an 25,000 square foot complex in one of the most significant areas of the city will feature in a future Direction article. What is certain is that excellence at every level and a great deal of personal sacrifice has been the hallmark of their ministry in Manchester.

The new centre that incorporates an 800 seater auditorium, five star Confrence Centre, cafe and bistro could not more strategically placed. Their new neighbours will the the BBC's Media City.

The opening celebration was attended by a packed house. Several Elim churches were represented as were local churches. The Mayor of Salford was present as was the local MP, Hazel Blears.

One of the most important guests were Rev and Mrs Alexander Tee who, apart rom being one of the most successful evangelists that Elim has every had, are also the parents of Mags Hallam.

It was a delight to speak at this great celebration and to spend time after it was over with the leaders who, together with the senior pastors had brought he dream into a reality.

At every opportunity Paul and Mags gave glory to God for making the miracle possible but no one who was there was in any doubt about the part that they had played through their courageous tenacity in bringing a local congregation on such a remarkable journey.

From this one church has sprung orphanages in Romania and more than sixty thriving churches in India. The best days of the Lighthouse are yet to come.

Missions Training

2010-09-13T11:08:00.002+01:00

Each year new groups of dedicated people set out via Elim Missions to serve God around the world. Part of their preparatory induction is to spend a a few days at our International Centre in Malvern where a number of our leaders are invited to bring various levels of input.

I always consider this a special occasion and, again this year, it was a joy to meet those who, at some sacrifice to themselves, had volunteered to serve God abroad. We appreciate them and I encourage you to uphold them in your prayers.

Elam 29th Anniversary

2010-09-13T10:55:00.002+01:00

If there is any name that is likely to get confused with Elim it is Elam. The latter however is a ministry into Iran and Chris Jones our International Missions Director and myself were present for its 20th Anniversary held at its UK base in the south of England.

It was a moving occasion on many levels. One young leader was unable to be present as he was martyred as a Christian just a few weeks earlier. One of the Elam leaders introduced me to a young lady in her Thirties and asked her to tell me her story.

She had been a Muslim at the point of being married but a few years later was converted to Christianity. The Muslim authorities said that she must choose between Christ and her two year old daughter who she would never see again unless she reconverted to Islam. She was unwilling to denounce Christ and her daughter is now ten and she has not seen her for the past eight years. There are multiplied thousands of untold stories like this within the persecuted Church around the world. They are of course recorded in heaven and stand as a constant challenge to our commitment.

Elim Festival

2010-08-04T10:26:00.002+01:00

Elim Festival is the new name for what used to be called the 'Fraisthorpe Camp', After decades of being on the East Yorkshire Coast it has now moved inland to a new venue which, though not having the beach as feature, does possess many improved amenities

One of the reasons I had been asked to the be the opening speaker of the two-week camp was because I had attended the first ever Fraisthorpe when I was fourteen years of age.

There are several Elim camps of this nature now across the country catering for several thousand people who come for holidays and spiritual input. Without doubt the heroes and heroines are those who work tirelessly behind the scenes as volunteers. Many of these amazing people give up their own holiday in order to serve other people. Their value and importance is incalculable.

New NLT team

2010-07-30T08:16:00.002+01:00

When I record my appointments on this page they refer primarily to speaking engagements. Committees, interviews and other areas of my role are rarely included.

I am making an exception on this occasion by highlighting a recent meeting of the National Leadership Team. The NLT, as it is usually known, governs the Movement between Conferences. It comprises of Regional Leaders (who each have responsibility for around 100 churches in the UK) and ministers of some of our largest churches. Every four years I am required by Conference to nominate ministers who are then ratified by a vote at our annual Bible Week.

Deciding who to nominate on this occasion was a very difficult decision as there are so many leaders within our Movement who have the calibre to be considered suitable as a member.

The NLT meet at our International centre in Malvern for three days five times a year. My reason for including the above picture is that it was taken at the first meeting of the team who were elected at Conference earlier this year and who were highlighted in the August edition of Direction.

Retiring from the team were Mike Sherwood (ten years). Barry Killick (ten years), Geoff Feasey (18 years) and Eric McComb (25 years) each once of whom have brought to the NLT their own distinctive contribution which, in every case has been a valuable asset to our Movement.

Any change in a team brings with it a new dynamic. The first meeting of the new NLT was one of the best I can ever remember and there was an immediate sense of 'oneness' and unity that augurs very well for the days that lie ahead. It is a delight to work alongside leaders such as these.

MiT Conference

2010-07-02T11:19:00.002+01:00

The three-day Conference for Ministers in Training was held for the first time in Elim's new International Centre in Malvern. Around eighty men and women gathered at this ideal venue on the top of the Malvern Hills in what turned out to be a period of glorious summer sunshine.

The speakers included Carl Beech, Chris Cartwright, Jemma Chesman, Paul and Mags Hallam, Phil Hills, Jonny Lee, Caleb Nyanni, Mark Ryan, Nigel Tween and myself.

The seminar format consists of an hours teaching followed by an hours interaction with the speaker. I apprecaited all those who contributed to the success of our time together including Simo Festadius who led the worship, Graham Tedds who operated the sound and media together with my P.A. Sharon Millar who handled the administration.

HICC

2010-06-28T10:23:00.000+01:00

Harrow International Christian Centre has a prime four storey location in the centre of the town and is pastored by Michael and Pat Carr. Michael, was formerly an associate minister at Kensignton Temple and Regional leader within Elim. The church and gallery were packed for the Sunday service which attracts a congregation comprised of forty nations.

United Christian Broadcasters

2010-06-28T10:08:00.002+01:00

UCB are at the cutting edge of Christian Broadcasting and in the UK and, in my view, are one of the most significant and effective organisations in our country.

It was my privilege to take part in a Celebration and Dedication service to commemorate the answer to a 23 year prayer - the granting of a national broadcasting license - now in DAB

People travelled from as far as New Zealand and the USA and the speaker at the event was Bob Gas, author of 'Word for Today'. Chris Bowater led the worship.

Barnet

2010-06-28T10:00:00.004+01:00

The Barnet church commenced with a Nurses Christian fellowship that was encouraged to commence a congregation by Wynne Lewis who was then the senior pastor of Kensington Temple. Subsequent significant input was given by Colin Dye the current senior pastor of KT.

The church has been led during that period by Diane Druce and Doreen Skelton - two amazing women. It was my privilege to speak at the 25th Anniversary weekend.

There are a number of reasons why I appreciate the leaders and congregation at Barnet. One of them is that they cover me in prayer as I travel around the country. At the beginning of every year I provide them with my diary and, over the past ten years, several of the congregation have committed to pray daily for Marilyn and myself.

Wembley Christian Centre

2010-05-31T10:03:00.003+01:00

Eighteen years ago a small group of women planted a church in the heart of Wembley. At the forefront of that initiative was Sokemun Ho and Vanessa Richardson. From that day Sokemun, for several years an ordained Elim minister, has pastored the church.

Twelve months ago the congregation purchased a third of an acre of land that included a building, now used as a church, and a detached house. Subsequent to the commitment of a wonderful congregation the complex has been renovated and it was my privilege to speak at the dedication of the land. Local Elim ministers were present as was the mayor and the newly elected MP for the area.

Far from being complacent at the completion of this dream, an artists impression of the future development of the site was displayed during the service. This is a great achievement by one of our Movement's finest women pastors who, apart from giving leadership to the church, also heads a local dental practice.

Connect Centre - Wells

2010-05-23T21:27:00.002+01:00

When I was originally booked to be in Wells it was for the official opening of the exciting Connect Centre, otherwise known as the 'white building' in the heart of the city. Due to building delays this has had to be postponed for a few months but I spoke at this innovative church on the Sunday morning anyway

The church is led by Stephen and Jill Fowler (pictured) and they are assisted by their son and daughter-in-law, Thomas and Sue.

Direction magazine will be featuring Connect once the project is well underway but, suffice to say, the vision is to act as a catalyst to a multiplicity of community projects in this area of Somerset. It is a hub of community action and care and a model of what effective and compassionate Christianity is all about.

Coatbridge, Scotland

2010-05-18T10:33:00.004+01:00

My time in Coatbridge commenced with an evening celebration attended by Elim churches in the area and was followed by speaking at the Sunday morning service. The music at both meetings was a provided by Chris Mercer who has achieved a great deal of recognition on both sides of the Atlantic as a Gospel recording artist.

The development of the Coatbridge church is an evidence of the faithful and dedicated work of David and Linda Bell and their family who re-pioneered the church some years ago. It is always good to be both with them and with the church.