On the 31st of May, members and friends from Buckingham Chapel returned to Hebron Hall in South Wales, for the annual Church Holiday. We praise God for the glorious sunshine that lasted for the whole duration of our stay, and for the wonderful time of fellowship, fun and rest.
In addition to the morning prayer meetings and devotionals, we were greatly encouraged by the seminars on Discipleship (led by John Norris) and Fostering Fellowship (led by Pastor Oliver), and by the testimonies of Heather Tossell and Josh Lamprecht. During the main meetings, Alan Gilmore brought God’s Word to us and led us through a series on the call of three heroes of the faith: Abraham, Jacob and Ananias. We were reminded that no sacrifice is too great when made for God, and were challenged by Abraham’s obedience and trust in God. The calling of Jacob shows us, as Christians, we are sojourners in the world, set apart for sanctification. On Saturday, Alan closed the series with the call of Ananias, where we saw a man who, although he complained to God, was compliant with God.
The holiday was also an opportunity to explore the beautiful surroundings of Dinas Powys. On Thursday, we enjoyed a group trip to Cosmeston Lakes. While some welcomed the opportunity to cool down by the water, others enjoyed playing games or taking a stroll around the lovely parklands, spotting a few great crested grebes, jays and cormorants for the twitchers among the group! With the sun still shining, on Friday morning some of us headed for a walk from the center of Dinas Powys organised by Jon and Chris Lewis. Others made their way to the beach in Barry Island. On our return from the walk or the beach, we had the opportunity to practice singing in parts, well led by Thomas Barclay. We thank God for the wonderful weather, and for His beautiful creation that we were able to enjoy. It was a blessed time, allowing us to draw closer together as a church family.
A massive thanks to James Martin for organising the holiday, to Lucy Collins for the lovely lunches, to Simon Benham for the fun and games, and for the staff at Hebron Hall for the delicious food and hospitality. We thank God for his goodness and look forward to next year!
