Overcome !

Reading from the Book of Revelation (12:11) prompted me to write:

~~~

When our enemy sneers: “You have failed”

Remember the Lion prevailed

Turn to the Lamb who was slain,

raising us up through His pain

~~~

The accuser though loud night and day

is silenced by no other way

Than blood shed for us on a Tree

and the words of our testimony

Christmas Greetings ….

How quickly 2023 has disappeared and now lies behind us – here are a few of our highlights/news items of the past year and a significant announcement for the upcoming New Year:

• In January, for the first time since leaving Brigg, Alec took up his golf clubs, headed for the local driving range, and made a complete idiot of himself. However, things improved during the year, with some persistence and, after purchasing a practise net, playing a few rounds at Owston Park.
• Short breaks took us to Northumberland in March & September (calling in to see our daughter, Miriam in Newcastle). We also made a first visit to Chester in October – and loved that city.
• We’ve been thrilled to watch the continuing progress of all 4 grandchildren in their education, in their musical talents and especially in their Christian journey – they attend and actively participate in the IKON Church, Chesterfield.
• We enjoyed re-connecting with long-standing friends, Alan & Maureen Hoare, arranging several meet-ups in either home or at The Lincolnshire Otter (Gainsborough) – and, in May, we were thrilled to have a one-off meeting with Norman Barnes, during his visit to South Yorkshire.
• Alec had several outings to Hillsborough between January and May – a successful promotion season for the Owls – culminating in a Wembley trip on 29^th May (for the Play-off Final against Barnsley)
• After receiving a few ‘knocks’ during walking football games, Alec decided, with deep sadness, to hang up his boots in May, but continues as Chaplain to the Doncaster Dynamos WF Club.
• We arranged 2 valuations on our bungalow in Arksey (with the thought of marketing the property) but feeling increasingly uneasy (even distressed) about moving away it was eventually decided to stay put – and instead get a new kitchen fitted, in November !

BREAKING NEWS … back in August we visited churches in Rotherham, Doncaster, Lincoln, Grimsby and Chesterfield – this coincided with a growing sense that our time at St Peter’s, Bentley may be coming to an end … our involvement there spanned more than 7 years: Sue serving various teams & preaching; Alec as Treasurer, helping with a Church Re-ordering Project, with Alpha, as well as preaching several times each term. So, we have decided to leave St Peters at the end of December and will be joining Christchurch, Doncaster at the start of 2024. This amounts to a ‘home-coming’ to the Ground Level Network, where we had key involvement for around 30 years during the Immingham and Brigg years. Now we look forward to 2024, with a sense of fresh anticipation at what the Lord is taking us into, and believing the best may still be to come.

We hope this gives a few snap-shots of our 2023, and hope that you will be richly blessed over this Festive Season. Rejoicing that Immanuel IS with us in every situation we face, may His peace fill your hearts and minds to over-flowing.

With much love, 

Alec & Sue