2004 Bible Convention (posted 09/05/04)
New pastor for Calvary Church (posted 10/01/03)
Ken Ham in Liverpool (posted 02/01/03)
Extension to church (posted 16/02/02)
Last week saw Calvary's annual Bible Convention, which ran from Monday to Friday.
The convention began in the early 1940's, and has continued ever since (even during the war), becoming the longest-running convention in the city.
This year's was slightly different. Each night was followed by a short time of refreshments and fellowship--and what a taste of heaven Godly fellowship can be. There was also a book stall, giving people a chance to pick up some sound literature to feast on.
Also new this year was an information stand about Maritime Christian Ministries, a Liverpool-based mission to seafarers. There was the opportunity to speak to a full-time worker with the mission, about different aspects of the work. It is planned to have a different missionary organisation featured each year.
There has always been good ministry during the convention weeks, and this year's was no exception. We had Dr. John Brencher, Rev. Alan McNabb and Pastor Neil Richards, who all fed us with good teaching, encouragement and challenge. Some people testified to experiencing truths in greater depths than ever before. Others determined to seek God's face more frequently and fervently. These are the effects of Holy Ghost power working through His word, and are examples of reasons why the convention week is so important. By God's grace, it will continue through future generations.
We are pleased to say that, after many months of prayer, the Lord has graciously sent us a new under-shepherd.
Just over a year ago, our former pastor, Chris Rogers, announced that, after some eighteen years of service at Calvary, he felt his ministry had come to an end there, and moved on. We are grateful for his earnest work at the church, the faithfulness of his ministry and the personal warmth he showed to his people.
The church has prayed since then that God would stir up a man of his choosing and give him a burden to do a work here. Meanwhile, we have enjoyed many fine preachers of God's word, and have experienced much blessing.
In recent months, the pastor of Weymouth Independent Evangelical Church, Rev. Ray Peel, came to minister to us. During the several meetings he took, the church found Ray's preaching agreeable and engaging. Not to be swayed by these feelings alone, the church continued to pray as they had done.
However, the feeling that this man was ideal for the work here concentrated our prayers, and the church eventually made the decision to call him to Calvary.
At his church in Weymouth, where he has ministered for eight years, the people there also prayed for God's will to be done. After several weeks, Ray and his people were in agreement: that a move to Calvary Church was, they believed, in the will of God. Calvary was given his decision, which brought us much gladness. This joy might have been mingled with sorrow for the Weymouth church, had it not been for two things. Firstly, prayers of faith went up to the Lord about the situation, so we trust that Ray is the man the Lord wants here at present. Secondly, the band of believers at Weymouth gave Ray their full blessing, a sign of Godly submission to the will of God. We thank God for their spiritual maturity in this matter.
Ray and his wife Lynn are from Liverpool originally, and they have four children. Prior to his call to the ministry, and ordination in January 1998, he worked as a navigating officer with various British Merchant Navy Companies, and served thirteen years in the Police Service. He trained for the ministry at London Reformed Baptist Seminary, which is owned by the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London (formerly pastored by C.H. Spurgeon).
Ray is Reformed in his beliefs, and is continuing his study of the things of God at a Protestant and Reformed centre of learning: Cranmer Memorial Bible College, which is run by Our Inheritance Bible Ministries (formerly known as Protestants Today).
We know that Ray also has a great burden for souls, and has been associated with Maritime Christian Ministries, a mission to seamen based in Liverpool. We therefore look forward to an expansion of the church's outreach efforts.
Ray and his family are expected (DV) to move up here in a few months, and we thank God for them and the congregation he leaves behind, on whom we wish every blessing.
The Director of Answers in Genesis (USA), Ken Ham, is coming to Liverpool this March as part of his European tour.
Ken is a popular speaker, and many will be looking forward to his visit. His message is simply that we should believe the Bible. Obvious, you say? Not to the great many Christians , as well as unbelievers, who believe the book of Genesis to be merely a 'nice story', rather than the literal history that it is!
Answers in Genesis is an organisation committed to defending the Bible from the very first verse. They rightly point out that, if we deny Genesis to be literal, then the gospel we proclaim is meaningless.
There will be two lectures held in Liverpool, both on Friday the 21st of March 2003, at 7.00pm. Click here for details.
Recently, the church has been pleased to be able to build an extension to the main building. It is used for some gospel meetings, the Parents & Toddlers group, the Sunday School and fellowship meals.
We thank God for the provision of this extension, and hope that it is used greatly in the future.
