Three new church plants are getting under-way in Yorkshire, England’s biggest county, with support of Gospel Yorkshire:
Christ Church Central Leeds is a new Bible-teaching church in the centre of the city. In April, the International Presbyterian Church sent Jonty Rhodes from a previous plant in Derby to begin a new congregation in Leeds. A team of a dozen adults and eight children are in the process of moving up from Derby to join ten others already here. They are currently meeting midweek and have booked Yorkshire Dance as a central venue for Sunday services, starting in September.
Scarborough
Trinity Church Scarborough has been meeting since 14 May, and they have been encouraged by the start the Lord has given. New people have come every week. They have started an evangelism training course, and have seen the majority of the church sign up for Growth Groups. They are proactively seeking to raise the profile of the church and make connections with local people.
The Spen Valley Church plant is led by Graham Thomson and Derek Ventress, and they look forward to beginning public worship on 3 September at Howard Park Community School. They recently had an encouraging Team Away Day with Al Gooderham, of Grace Church Doncaster, preaching. Please pray as team members continue to look for jobs and homes in the area.
The third annual conference of Gospel Yorkshire, titled ‘No Easy Gains: church planting when it’s tough’, and all are warmly welcome. It takes place on 28 September at Dewsbury Evangelical Church with input from Mez McConnell, Al Gooderham and Ian Williamson.
This year there is an ‘Envision Day’, to share Yorkshire’s needs more fully. Delegates are invited to stay over after the conference with overnight accommodation and take a bus around key places in Yorkshire, looking at needs and ministries in Barnsley, Huddersfield, Keighley, rural North Yorkshire and Central Leeds and meeting planters. Places for this exciting day will be limited, so we’re encouraging those who are interested to book early.
