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THE STORY SO FAR - A Brief Overview  

Pastor Peter Williams with wife Jenny

New Life Family Church began in March 1999 in Crispin School hall under the leadership of it's founder Pastor Peter Williams. Peter, who's been in active ministry for most of his adult life, continued to lead the church until ill health forced retirement in 2004.  Peter & Jenny are much missed but we still keep in touch and benefit from occasional visits. You can watch a sermon entitled 'The God of Restoration' from Peter and Jenny's last visit in March 2009 during our 10th anniversary celebrations here. Peter and Jenny are currently involved in a house group near their home town of Bridgend in Wales and Peter regularly teaches at Swansea Valley College.  Dave Elton now leads the church and was ordained in May 2004.

 

At the ordination of Dave Elton with Dave & Pam Bishop (overseers) on the left

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The Albanian Safe House

 

After the sad death of Doreen Ginn in 2002, the Doreen Trust was set up whilst the church prayerfully sought God on how best to use it's resources. Eventually a decision was made to buy and renovate a large building in Korca, Albania to house children in a Christian environment who are in danger of being sold into prostitution due to extreme poverty - a common practice in Albania. Work started in July 2005 and finished around 18 months later. Here's a few photos. Now the children enjoy a safe and secure Christian environment. Here's Doreen pictured with Reverend Patrick Riley (now retired) on BBC 'Songs Of Praise' in 1996.

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The Call to Heal

A healing ministry was birthed in 2007 after it was felt from members of the church that God was calling the leadership into this area of service. After a special time of prayer Paula, who first felt called to minister healing, was anointed with oil. As if to confirm God's calling, Dave was deeply impressed by the healing miracles coming out of the healing ministry of Bethel Church, Redding, California. The culmination of the call of God was the formation of a healing team in July 2007 to pray for the public outside Crispin Hall every Thursday afternoon. Encouraged by numerous testimonies of healing, the ministry continues to this day.

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Later that year in December, we moved from Crispin School hall to the more visible and prominent position of the High Street at the top floor of Crispin Hall which we call the 'Upper Room'. Two months later we were joined by the leaders of Roma - a one time small Christian Community based in Keinton Mandeville. They are now part of the healing ministry team and Tony & Gill now form part of the leadership. 

Roma - Joyce, Tony, Gill and Cliff

 

 


Outreach

As an outward looking church, we have invited several internationally known speakers to minister at publicly advertised meetings.  These include:

Teen Challenge November 06

Ian McCormack...November 07, January 2010 (see photos)

Ash & Sharon Kotecha (AKMinistries)...April 08 

Andrew Pearkes (leader of Maranatha Ministries)... August 08, June 09

John Coles (Director of the  New Wine Network)..November 08

John Gaughan (formerly of Hermans Hermits) January 06 & September 09

Ellel Ministries ...March 2010

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Some of these special events have been filmed and embedded in the Video Gallery for a wider audience by Shaun who also built and manages this website which is powered by Church Edit.                                                        

                                                                  Right: Shaun with wife Mahalia

  

We also share our outward vision for the local community with three other Street churches - Street Harvest Church, Salvation Army and Street Baptist Church. This was realised in the joint effort of staging an annual free barbecue held in the library gardens at the corner of Leigh Road, Street every September. The barbecue has always been well received by the public ever since it's inception in 2007. See pictures here .We also partnered with these churches in hosting the Watoto Children's Choir in April 2008 

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Anna     

 

Further afield, from January 2006 NLFC has been sponsoring one of our members Anna Badman in her work for the Wycliffe Bible Translators in Tanzania. For Anna's powerpoint presentation detailing her work and also a film of the dedication of the Gospel of Mark into the Burunge language click here 

Left: Anna and the literacy team whom she leads. Luka, (second left) is Anna's fiance

 

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         The Leadership Team: Mahalia, Ray, Tony, pastors Dave & Paula, Gill

 

The above leaders photo was taken on the occasion of Derek Rolls' baptism in March 2009


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