We have just returned from Easter at Spring Harvest at Butlins in Minehead – We had an incredible time there, and got to spend time with one of our favourite speakers and advocate for social justice – Danielle Strickland (Wikipedia Article).  The youth will be able to catch her at Soul Survivor in August.

Sharing a meal with new friends from Taunton Vineyard

We also had a chance to visit Taunton Vineyard, we arrived for the 10:30 service and it felt like the whole church were on the welcome team – but incredibly, the first person to greet us was a former resident of Portsmouth! – God moves in mysterious ways.  We ended up going for lunch with a group from the church and finally headed back to Butlins at 4:30 having made several new friends – I really hope we can model the same level of hospitality ourselves in the future.

Thank you Taunton!

Blessings and Grace

Denham & Jenny

We emailed the leaders of most of the churches in Portsmouth – with the help of Steve at Portsmouth Churches.

The response has been inspiring – thank you all who have been so welcoming to us!  One theme came through many of the emails we received – “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” [Matthew 9:37], our prayer is that God will use us, along with members of the other churches in Portsmouth as workers to reap what has been sown over many Generations.

Catherine Booth – the Mother of the Salvation Army, wrote in her diary nearly 140 years ago, following a four month campaign in Portsmouth with meetings each Sunday of up to three thousand people, hundreds of whom found salvation.  Catherine Booth said in 1873, “only one minister in the town is at all favourable; the others are against the work, I hear there is a population of 150,000, and only church and chapel accommodation for 30,000! . . . there has been no revival for twenty years, so it is time something was done.”

It is fabulous that the churches in Portsmouth are all working together praying for God’s intervention. Portsmouth churches do a great job of demonstrating God’s love amongst the community in a very practical way.

Blessings and Grace

Denham & Jenny

Jenny looking at the Spinnaker Tower from Gunwharf Quays

We decided to take the day out from our normal routine – and became tourists instead.  The weather was fabulous, giving us the opportunity to walk the walls of Old Portsmouth and take in the marvellous views of the Solent and beyond from the top of the Spinnaker Tower – what an asset it is for Portsmouth!  As an occasional sailor (far too occasional), I always enjoy looking out for it as we head past Bembridge in the Round the Island Race.

God did His usual trick of making divine appointments for us as we went through the day – culminating in a barbecue shared with a group of new friends.

Blessings

Denham & Jenny