April
28
Author
Jon Cook
Cumbria & Lancashire ChristCentral Tour

Cumbria and Lancaster Region – ChristCentral Tour 7-9th April 2017

Cumbria TourThe ChristCentral Tour kicked off at the beginning of April in Penrith, on the edge of the Lake District, gathering the churches from across the Cumbria and Lancashire region.   Just over 200 people came together on the Saturday including around 30 children.  

We gathered in the Penrith Methodist Church (one of the largest venues in Penrith, complete with an impressive surround balcony). Our day together began with a family time of praise and worship celebrating and encountering our heavenly Father. We also enjoyed contributing to the ChristCentral offering and as a region investing into the various ministries we are partnering with around the world. It is inspiring to see what we are accomplishing together.

Throughout the day we had kids work led by a great team of volunteers gathered from Kendal and Cockermouth.  They spend time exploring their identity in Christ and the reality of belonging together in the family of God.

Jeremy spoke to the adults sharing how God has been stirring his heart for revival in recent months and calling us to prepare ourselves through prayer and continuing to invest in relationships with our communities in readiness for what God has promised to do.   A key summary of Jeremy’s message was that revival is “the restoration of Jesus to the centre of all that is the Church.”

Being a beautiful and warm spring day (as I write towards the end of April it has been snowing again), people headed out to local parks for their packed lunch and took the opportunity to catch up with one another from across the churches.  Times like these are so important for strengthening friendships and encouraging one another. 

In the afternoon, we made time to hear reports from our regions church plants, some of which are being supported by the ChristCentral offering. We had a video link with the Josh and Nina Bye in Gothenburg as well as Ben and Jen Reed update us on the Blackpool Church plant and Andy Williams shared with us about the church plant in Preston.  It was great to hear about the people being saved, baptised and added to the church plants as well as the need to expand into new premises as they grow.

Cumbria TourIn our final session we heard from Jeremy again reminding us afresh of the need to be living lives filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  God kept his word and many thirsty people were filled afresh and sent out empowered and encouraged.  Before we ended our time together, the kids joined us again and got stuck into praying with people before sharing testimonies of what God had been doing with them.  

Well, that just about sums up the first of the Tour events – here in Cumbria and Lancashire we got things off to great start.  It is such a blessing to be on mission together.  Thank you Jeremy and Anne for serving us so well and to all the team to made the day happen. Have a great next leg of the tour!

Jon Cook, King’s Church Eden (Penrith)