2019 – A Year of Open Doors!
At the beginning of 2019 the Lord spoke to us about it being a year of greater anointing and of open doors.
We always have a testimony service on the last Sunday of the year to thank God for all he has done. Many people shared how God had provided miraculously, how he had given them perseverance, how he had healed and answered prayer. We look back at this year and can see the people he has brought to know him, those he has brought in to our church family and the ministries he has developed and blessed. Over recent weeks there has been a beautiful moving of God’s Spirit in the youth. Many have been filled with the Spirit and boldness. We are full of thanks for all God is doing, his greatness and his deliverance over and over.
New Church Venue
In December we moved to a new school hall for our Sunday meetings. We have run a lunch time drop in at The Oaks Academy for many years. We were asked to consider meeting there on a Sunday. It is warm, with windows and we feel very at home! Many visitors still found it for the carol service!
Growth and Encouragements
About 18 months ago we felt challenged to pray for the persecuted church, this led to starting a drop in for asylum seekers, who had recently been sent to Crewe. A year ago, we had a couple of people who would turn up irregularly, but now there are up to 20 asylum seekers, some of those have been granted leave to remain. Many come to HCC on one of the 3 drop ins we have each week. So many clothes were donated that we were able to give away as much as was needed and we also started the Community Sale, where we sell quality items at very low prices. This happens every 6 weeks or so. All the proceeds are given away and we have had wonderful connections made with local people. One lady came in and burst into tears at the kindness shown. She spent the morning with some ladies who shared with her. She has since started coming to church and a friend she brought with her gave her life to Jesus last Sunday!
A local supermarket rang us up to ask if we could use any food donations. We now receive food 3 times a week, which is given out to the asylum seekers, local people and those in need. We also have some Iranian and Afghani believers who have become part of church. The new table football is often used by many different nationalities with many languages spoken, but with a great awareness that people belong and are accepted. Phil spends quite a lot of time helping people with practical details such as getting bank accounts. There is a great team who run this work, but we could do with another man or two to help practically, as most of them are men. We are asking God how we can help further.
Family news
It is a strange time for us, with thoughts of Anna going to university next September! She has received offers to do photography in London and now just needs the grades! It will be a massive change for us and a new stage of life. Both she and Judah have national exams this Summer, which means a lot of work and revision over the next months. Nathanael is in year 9 and choosing his GCSE subjects.
Since Phil lost his mum a year ago, there have been some challenges in our wider family. We have really had to pray and seek the Lord for ourselves, our children and wider family over this past year. Praise God that he hears and shows us how to pray!
Phil & Emma Howell January 2020
2019 - A Year of Open Doors! At the beginning of 2019 the Lord spoke to us about it being a year of greater anointing and of open doors. We always have a testimony service on the last Sunday of the year to thank God for all he has done. Many people shared how God had...
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