A Growing Momentum
This week in our summer series of guest blogs, Andy Floyd, Site Leader on the Lee site, tells us about some highlights from last year.
They say that time flies when you’re having fun. I don’t know about you, but this year seems to have flashed by in the blink of an eye and, alongside the usual challenges of pastoral ministry, we have been having lots of fun on the Lee Site.
On my return from summer holiday last year, the site seemed in good heart and health, although we were still fewer in number than before the pandemic. Some still didn’t feel quite ready to return to in-person services, while a number of others had, for good reasons, moved on to new adventures.
There was a sense of brewing anticipation about what God had in store for us across the new church year, and together we enjoyed and were challenged by the Undivided series. Some great conversations were had and lots of learning happened. I was encouraged in what still felt like a rebuilding phase after the intensity of the previous couple of years.
After a fabulous Christmas run, including the first Watchnight at Lee for a few years, we embraced the week of prayer, which acted like a springboard to some fantastic times in God’s presence in the weeks that followed. It genuinely felt like we were ‘back’, as many visitors came and others returned to in-person services.
As a man of faith(!), I imagined the sudden increase in numbers would be a temporary spike before we settled back to more normal ‘numbers’, but we have continued to see growth week on week ever since. And, not only this, but people entered the new year freshly engaged with God and wanting to meet with Him in ways I’ve not seen for a while. The spiritual temperature has definitely risen, with a greater hunger in worship and desire to be changed by God’s Word.
Alongside this, we have also upped the ante in terms of community moments. The summer term, in particular, has seen some lovely moments including a BBQ, a family picnic and, of course, the annual church picnic. We have also enjoyed hosting a marriage course with over 15 couples, and an Alpha course with over 30 guests, which has seen several people give their lives to Christ.
As summer comes around again and I head off on holiday with the family once more, I am massively encouraged by all that is happening on the Lee Site, and am in faith for all that lies ahead in the year to come.
