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The Fellowship of Faith for the Muslims (FFM) is celebrating their centenary anniversary.

This prayer movement began at the Keswick Convention in 1915, inspired by a challenging address by Dr Samuel Zwemer, the missionary speaker that year. Started during WWI, at a time when little was known about the Muslim world by most Christians in the West, it soon led to hundreds of Christians around the world committing themselves to daily intercessory prayer for Muslims, with branches in different countries.

From mid-September to the end of October, thousands of people will be following with interest the Rugby World Cup in England and Wales. There will be 47 matches at 12 different venues before the final is played at Twickenham on 31 October.

United Beach Missions has produced 100,000 rugby-themed gospel leaflets (written by Roger Carswell) with the aim to distribute as many as possible outside the grounds on match days.

Matthew Mason

Date posted: 1 Aug 2015

Why is British soil unproductive for the gospel? How can we not lose heart? At St Paul’s Hammersmith on 25 June, The Planting Collective – a partnership of Acts 29, Co-Mission, and the FIEC – heard Tim Keller and John Piper offer answers at their first biennial conference, ‘A Time to Plant’.

It was thrilling to see 400 delegates from across the UK, Europe, Africa and America. 25 years ago, church planting in Britain was unusual. Now, many churches are being planted, in villages and cities, reaching young professionals, the urban poor, immigrant communities and middle England. It was also encouraging to be reminded that there is no mystique to planting. Most delegates and seminar presenters were ordinary pastors of ordinary churches. The central things are prayer, God’s Word, love for people, godly lives and a heart for the lost.

It was with great joy that the members and supporters of King’s Church Guildford met on 9 May for a Service of Thanksgiving and Commissioning.

Around 150 people from near and far gathered in the Boxgrove Primary School hall, where the church meets every Sunday afternoon, to give thanks to God for his great goodness in the early months of the establishing and development of the church. It was also an opportunity to pray for and commission the leadership of the church and in particular the pastor.

The UK’s rail chaplaincy service, providing pastoral support to rail staff and British Transport Police officers, has from early April been provided solely by the Railway Mission.

Its partner organisation, London City Mission, has moved resources from workplace settings in order to focus on the least reached in the capital – those in poverty and on the margins. The two Christian charities, both established in the 19th century, have worked closely together for many years to provide a confidential listening ear and meaningful advice to people at all levels of the industry. The Railway Mission plans to take on an additional two chaplains by the summer.

2015 sees the 140th anniversary of the Keswick Convention and the possibility of an addition to the current site.

The possibility of securing the land adjacent to the Rawnsley site in Keswick, through purchasing the former Derwent Pencil Factory site, has arisen. In looking at how best to manage a growing event and being keen to integrate many things at one main site, this new step forward will secure the future for a growing summer convention, as well as allowing for an extension of activities at other times of the year.

An independent church in Chippenham, Wiltshire, celebrated the launch of its new building with a community open day on its ten year anniversary weekend.

Emmanuel Church Chippenham (ECC), which has met in a local school since its formation, bought a former Exclusive Brethren building last October. After several months of extensive renovation work, which included levelling the floor, installing windows and repairing the roof, the building was officially opened on Saturday 2 May.

The April edition of en covered the 6 April changes to access to NHS healthcare for missionaries based overseas.

The clarification of ‘ordinary resident’ has now been more clearly defined (!) by the government. This is the key criteria for receiving free NHS treatment, beyond emergency / GP treatment for returning missionaries, for whom until recently, an exemption existed.

Since its formation in 1991, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales (EPCEW) has been passionate about church planting.

Over the past two decades God has grown this little denomination from five congregations to 18, with churches in England, Wales and even Sweden and Germany. There remain, however, many places without a distinctively Presbyterian and Reformed influence and they see much work to be done. It is their prayer that God will continue to raise up churches upholding the inerrancy of Scripture, adhering to the Westminster Standards, and fulfilling the Great Commission.

Yorkshire is a county which needs no introduction.

Famous for its landscapes, agriculture, industrial past and present, and modern commercial clout, its sporting success and the warmth (and pride) of its people, Yorkshire is a well-known brand.

The first service of Emmanuel Church Marlborough (ECM) was held on 19 April.

Behind Marlborough’s lovely exterior is a needy area in many ways, especially the need to hear about Jesus. Emmanuel Church Marlborough is a group of Christians who live in and around the town but until now have travelled to evangelical churches in other towns. The new church is not planned to be a cosy clique, nor one that competes with others, but to reach out to the community with the Bible’s message of God’s love in Christ.

Lancaster, 6 March 2005, 10am

In a tiny ‘gospel hall’ in a back street in Lancaster around 20 people begin to gather for the weekly meeting of Moorlands Church. The church is a mainly elderly congregation, who want to see their city reached for Jesus, but have found their numbers and energy dwindling. This morning, however, there is the excitement of a new beginning.

The Easter period had some very changeable weather conditions. This was a feature of the two separate weeks of the Word Alive convention at Prestatyn Sands, N. Wales which ran from 28 March – 2 April and 2 – 6 April.

The main speaker for both weeks was David Cook, Principal of Sydney Missionary and Bible College, Australia. He took the gathered participants through sections of the book of Romans with great insight and encouragement. During Week 1 the main marquee was damaged by the wind and this led to one morning Bible Reading having to be received by everyone via TV in their chalets. The second week had mixed weather and a lot of sea mist, which was eerily beautiful and did not diminish the enjoyment of a great time.

Each Monday evening, for the last 12 months or a so, a small group has come together to pray.

They were praying for the provision of a centre which could provide a strategic base for gospel witness amongst young people in Yorkshire and beyond. On 24 February God answered their prayers in a remarkable way. To understand the story we have to roll back around three years.

The Banner of Truth Leicester Conference, 13-16 April featured a galaxy of speakers. Alongside Kevin De Young from Michigan the main speakers were Stuart Olyott and Michael Reeves ably assisted by Alan Davey (SW France), Geof Kingswood from Canada and Gary Brady and Geof Thomas.

The theme was ‘The Suffering of this Present Time.’ Kevin De Young set out the rational behind our suffering in the suffering of Christ and our identity with him. There was a mind blowing sermon focussing on the shame of the cross. Stuart Olyott took the pattern of ministerial suffering set by Paul in 2 Corinthians. This included some remarkable words of personal testimony which were both humourous and profound. Michael Reeves spoke on Puritan teaching concerning suffering and suffering in the life of Spurgeon. Alan Davey covered the cost of commitment on the mission field. Father and son-in-law Geof Thomas and Gary Brady provided the opening and closing sermons. At first glance the theme may have appeared gloomy but the speakers handled it with wisdom, warmth and scriptural integrity. It was a particularly affecting time of fellowship. Well done Banner!

Saved 2 Serve (S2S) is a conference for people ages 15 – 25 considering Christian mission. It took place in Ware on 28 March.

The main speaker was David Hircock, and the theme was on the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, conviction, transformation and reassurance. A reminder was given that life is not going to be a ‘spiritual high’. Sometimes we feel distant from God, other times we are keenly aware of his presence. But God is always with us. Our feelings don't affect that fact.