For a church with just seven members, it was gratifying to see the building full in late November as Bethany Evangelical in Leigh welcomed its new pastor, John Palmer.
He and his wife Rose are moving back north to Lancashire after Bethany’s call.
The fellowship has been without a pastor for over two years after the former pastor and a number of members moved away. The intervening years saw a great deal of prayer and ‘soul searching’ as they decided which was the best way forward, convinced that the Lord has been leading them to the calling of John, who was until 2013 pastor of Castle Street Church, Tredegar in South Wales.