Two Years on…..

Two years ago this week I notified out Elders at Gunnersbury that we felt called by God to leave the church in London and to go and serve in Huddersfield through church planting.

So have begun two exciting and exhausting years. We’ve known huge strain as a family, the pain of upheaval, the exhaustion and stress of relocation and entry into a different place and culture, and the slow progress of building up new friendships, whilst trying to maintain old ones.

Are you feeling sorry for us, yet?! I wouldn’t wish our own trials on anyone, yet I wish that many, many more were burdened to plant Gospel churches. These have been two years full of the Lord’s purposes, we believe. We moved North as one family, and found that the Lord had most definitely gone before us, in preparing hearts and Gospel opportunities. The church which has now been born is living proof that you can believe in and proclaim solid, Reformed doctrine, and yet see the Lord move quickly! We certainly don’t think that we’ve ‘arrived’. We’ve not even scratched the surface of our town’s needs, and in the church we still just getting to know one another. But the joy, the sharing of lives, the manifest presence of God, the sense of purpose, the willingness to dig in, for now and for the long term, cheers our hearts.

A few highlights would be:-

· We managed to sell our flat and buy a house, moving on the 10^th September, 2010.

· We straightaway made contact with people interested in working to bring a Gospel church to life. Meetings through September to November brought worship services in November.

· Work with the core attenders to clarify our convictions, including doctrines, priorities, and ways of working.

· A Membership formed, and Pastor and two other Elders confirmed.

· Two Apprentices on board.

· Two preaching-focused services on a Sunday, the evening one involving food together and study groups.

· Opportunities to serve and work with students.

· A Church Away Weekend last May, followed by what will be an annual Vision Day in November.

· Two professions of faith and three baptisms in July; membership now in the 30s.

· Attenders of different backgrounds, ages and stages, all local, worshipping and sharing life together.

· A Youth Group of our teens, all of whom are getting seriously into the Word.

· Outreach opportunities in the Town Centre.

· Work to relaunch a Christian bookshop as a centre for quality Gospel resources as well as evangelism and teaching/training.