Weekend with elders & wives from the North of the UK

So it rained a lot, but what a great weekend I enjoyed in the north of England with Jeremy Simpkins and his band of brothers and sisters from the growing number of Newfrontiers churches across the north of the UK. Elders and their wives gathered from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England for fellowship, relaxation, food, jazz (!), church planting reports, worship, preaching, prophesying and some healings!

We had a rich time in the presence of Jesus and I was delighted to see so many old friends who had moved north to plant churches and also to make lots of new friends from the area.

Cumbria was represented – even some from Cockermouth itself where so much devastation has taken place through flooding. We were led to put our hands in our pockets to stand with our brothers and sisters from the shattered area, and many prophetic promises came to assure us of God’s faithful intent to bless His work there.

Scotland and Northern Ireland
It’s hard to believe that initially there were no Newfrontiers churches in the area. We prayed for many years for Scotland and now churches are planted in a growing number of towns and cities, and fresh doors continue to open. Having spoken at a city-wide event in Dundee this year, I look forward to visiting Aberdeen next May.

Also, news from Belfast was so encouraging, as the new church plant there, led by David Capener, is quietly getting rooted and finding a warm welcome from many and excellent opportunities for fellowship.

Churches from right across the North testified to growing numbers, fruitful Alpha courses, developing fellowship and advancing faith. It’s good to be in that part of the country and I am glad to have been invited to speak at the Keswick Convention next July and our own Together weekend in August. I certainly hope the weather will have improved by then.

Roger Bye had returned from Fiesta in Guadalajara just in time to be with us hot-foot from the airport. Praise God for excellent news of God’s blessing on the hundreds that gathered there from our sixteen churches and six church plants across Mexico, joined on this occasion by John Lanferman and others from the USA, and indeed friends from Canada.

Next weekend will find me in Oxford being hosted by Emmanuel Church and gathering with city pastors and wives as well as at student and church events. It looks like a good weekend and I look forward to it.