On 25 November, Bill James stood down as Pastor of Emmanuel Church, Leamington Spa after 26 years of faithful ministry, to take a new role as Principal of London Seminary on 1 January 2018.
The Emmanuel Church family were joined at the thanksgiving service by friends, former members, and past pastors-in-training who had much to thank God for as they reflected on the ministry, example and legacy of both Bill and Sharon.
History of blessing
Bryan Jarvis plotted the church’s history, before Paul Gibson (now pastor of Wheelock Heath Baptist Church) spoke of the blessings of training under Bill at Emmanuel. Leo Lucas (Emmanuel’s women’s worker) shared some of the ways God has used Sharon’s gifts and passion for biblical women’s ministry – both at Emmanuel and more widely within the FIEC and beyond – before Ray Trainer (now pastor at Hoylake Evangelical Church) prayed for them both.
