Friends Reunited
Deb and I are feeling refreshed and ready for the busy run-up to Christmas, having just got back from a two-week holiday in Malta. We have not been able to get away for a full fortnight since before the pandemic, so this was a real treat.
After flying in on Monday evening, I was off to Peterborough the next day to join the rest of the King’s senior leadership team at the ‘Growing to the Next Level’ Learning Community, hosted superbly by Dave Smith of KingsGate Community Church. Along with brilliant input from Rachel Gardner, Louis Giglio and Mike Pilavachi, it was also fantastic to meet up with pastors from across the nation and encourage each other to keep running the race. It was a joy to see David Stroud, a long-time friend who I have known since we were both youth pastors in Bedford, as well as Owen Hylton, Sean Green, Andy Cottingham, Jim Partridge and Ben Welchman, to mention just a few. A meal out in the evening with the King’s team and Geoff and Sherry Surrat from the USA rounded off a full and fruitful day.
Today Deb and I are representing King’s and Newfrontiers at the Richmond Group, an annual gathering of UK church leaders hosted by Nicky Gumbel from HTB and Pastor Agu from Jesus House. This is yet another opportunity to gather with brothers and sisters from across the wider body of Christ to learn, pray and worship together. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed visiting Lambeth Palace and hearing from Archbishop Justin Welby.
So this really has been a week of reconnecting with friends from the wider church, many of whom I haven’t seen face-to-face since before the pandemic. It has been a busy week and I am looking forward to being back at King’s on Sunday. Don’t forget this week is the first of two giving Sundays, so please come prepared for the special offering towards Vision 2030. Let’s rebuild and rejoice!
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