On 24 November, Holywell Church, Loughborough, held a thanksgiving service marking God’s faithfulness towards the church over the past 50 years, preaching the Word of God and reaching out into the local area.
The church was filled with members and friends from the past 50 years and it was encouraging to have the local MP, the Right Honourable Nicky Morgan, attend in recognition of the significance of the occasion.
The international diversity of Holywell Church was celebrated with a group of Chinese worshippers singing Amazing Grace and the Bible read in Romanian.
God made it grow
Joseph Pettitt, current minister of the church, led the thanksgiving service. Bruce Powell, minister of Holywell from 1991 to 2006, read Psalm 103 and led a time of prayer encouraging Christians to return rightful praise and glory to God alone for his love and mercy towards the church. The Psalm reminded those present of God’s sovereignty and the peace found in knowing God’s imputed righteousness, an important reminder to Holywell to look forward to further opportunities to reach out.
Norma Manton, one of the founding members, gave a brief history of the last 50 years. Recalling the church’s humble beginnings as a Sunday School meeting in people’s homes, to occupying a school hall with a thriving Sunday School of over 130 children.
Joseph Pettitt preached from 1 Corinthians 3.6, comparing the efforts of Paul and Apollos to those with the vision for Holywell Church and its workers over the past 50 years; laying sure foundations on Jesus Christ, caring for the flock through biblical teaching and unifying the body of believers under Holywell’s common aim: ‘desiring for all to see the need to repent and receive Christ as personal saviour’.
