Our vision as a church is to Worship God, Love one another and Multiply disciples, groups and churches everywhere until we see God’s kingdom fill the earth. Last year in spring 2023, we took some time to remember what God is calling us to as a community and, together, rededicated ourselves to be…
Committed to God and each other
Committed to making disciples
Committed to the poor
Committed to the next generation
Committed to the nations
During a time of global mounting pressure and economic uncertainty, we felt God’s call to us to step forward as a people fuelled by hope and joy rather than fear. Your willingness to join us on this journey and to support our vision financially as well has been immensely impactful and we are truly grateful.
Together, we raised an astounding £203,137 during this Vision offering. Thank you so much to everyone who gave so generously!
I am delighted to share with you how these funds have been put to use, making a tangible difference in the lives of many. Through your contributions, we were able to give financially to help those affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Michael Fuelner who leads a Catalyst hub in Turkiye says, “ I would like to express my deep gratitude to the wider Catalyst catalyst family for responding so generously in the wake of this tragedy. Your donations have enabled our churches to help and bless the victims in Turkiye and Syria in a meaningful way.”
We were also able to maintain our support for our missionaries globally and sustain our work in the Middle East. Closer to home, we were able to support those in need in our local community through initiatives such as our Care Fund and our community engagement projects such as FNM, Re-Track and the King’s Arms Project (a Bedford charity supporting the homeless and displaced who we have a long heritage of working alongside). One grateful recipient of one of Re-Track’s Love Christmas box of goodies told our team, “Wow, I am in utter shock at the parcel. I was not expecting anything like this. It brought me to tears […] That parcel came at a time of need and I honestly can’t say thank you enough.”
Additionally, your generosity has enabled us to invest in the next generation of leaders by contributing to send our young people to Newday. Enabling them to be equipped and encouraged in their walk with God and to become more influential disciples in their communities and beyond.
Another exciting outcome of your generosity is the launch of our new Blunham location. This fledgling gathering now meets regularly and are actively reaching out into the local community. One of the ways they are doing this is through their playgroup for under 5s, Little Kingdom, which is held every Friday and serves many families from the neighbourhood.
Finally, we’ve continued to address important infrastructure needs, such as repairing our flat roof and installing additional solar panels at King’s House helping to ensure this amazing building continues to serve our community and the thousands who use it every year as it is utilised by businesses, charities and other organisations. Mike Oosthuizen who serves on the facilities team says, “There are countless people who ask me about this place, remarking on how much peace they feel. They are shocked when I tell them it’s a church!”
Overall, the money raised through our Vision offering, has provided us with the vital resources needed to navigate through inflationary increases, sustain our impact in the face of rising costs and to ensure the continued operation and effectiveness of everything we feel God is calling us to.
As we celebrate the many ways in which we were able to pursue our mission and serve our community, our prayer is that God would continue to take all of us on the adventure of radical generosity.
Let us continue to shine and be the light of the world that He called us to be as followers of Christ, to see God’s kingdom fill the earth through multiplying healthy disciples, groups and churches everywhere.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication.
Much love,
Simon Holley and the eFocus team