This year’s Vineyard National Leader’s Conference was inspirational. Leaders from over one hundred Vineyard churches in the UK & Ireland were represented.  We were reminded that there are now over fifteen hundred Vineyards around the globe.   This year’s theme was ‘Send Us Out’ – a theme which really resonates with us at Portsmouth Vineyard LifeChurch.   Speakers included John & Ellie Mumford, Robbie Dawkins from Chicago, Alan Scott from Northern Ireland, and Tope Koleoso from Jubilee Church in North London.  Downloads of all of the talks are available to listen to on the Vineyard Churches UK website.

The worship was a mix of modern contemporary praise music and intimate worship songs to Jesus – Pure Vineyard!

We already have weekly LifeGroups and StudentLife meetings, and are growing both the infrastructure of the church and our links to other local churches.  Jenny & I graduated from Moorlands Bible College last October, the Church became a fully registered charity in November, and we finally moved from Bournemouth to Portsmouth at the beginning of December – everything happens in God’s timing!

Please pray that God will guide us clearly as we establish our roots here in Portsmouth.  We feel that God is raising people to join us to be part of His team and His vision to build His Kingdom.

We hope that as you pray to God that He will inspire you to join with us in demonstrating God’s love through serving the people in the City of Portsmouth.

You can contact us at info@PortsmouthVineyard.org or by calling 023 9366 0239, alternatively you can connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Blessings & Grace

Denham & Jenny Howard

We believe that LifeGroups enable an environment where people can grow in their relationship with each other, and with God.  They give an opportunity for people to discuss their faith, and to ask questions no matter where they are in their faith journey. Groups like these are where real discipleship happens – as the Bible says ‘Make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19).

This is an open meeting, you do not have to belong to the church to attend -everybody is welcome to join us, and to bring friends.

Excellent News – The Charity Commission have registered Portsmouth Vineyard LifeChurch as a full charity from today.  On top of the other benefits of charitable status we are now able to reclaim Gift Aid on donations from taxpayers who have completed a Gift Aid Form.

Our worship team were amazing – especially considering it was the first time they had played together.  We encountered God in an environment that was equally comfortable for long-term Christians and people visiting a church for the first time.

Portsmouth Vineyard StudentLife provides an opportunity for undergraduate and postgraduate students to meet other Christians, to talk about their faith, to ask questions, and to share their spiritual journey through university together in the relaxed informal environment of Wetherspoons.

Portsmouth Vineyard StudentLife meets at 5:00pm on Wednesdays during university term time at The Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Guildhall Walk, just around the corner from the University.

We met for drinks at Monk’s bar in old Portsmouth, before walking to Spice Island to watch the display. Thanks also to Lynn and Andrew for opening up their house and preparing drinks and hotdogs for the hungry hoards.

Jenny’s speech at graduation ended with a quote from William Booth who founded the Salvation Army – I could not have put it better myself:

“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!

Click below to listen to the commissioning.

Most of the congregation from Portsmouth Vineyard joined us for the sending out service followed be Lunch at our house near Wimborne (until we are able to finally sell it).

It was great to have the opportunity for everybody to get to know each other better in a social environment.