20 1 5 news | Guest stor ies | WORSHIP LEADers | Interv iews

SPRING ed it ion

spr ingharvest . org

@ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

GAVIN CALVER : FROM EMBRYO

TO PLANNING

GROUP

C l i c k h e re

easter fun

at m inehead

two

C l i c k h e re

AFTER HOURS & SEMINARS ANNOUNCED

C l i c k h e re

SPRING HARVEST 2015

book now at spr ingharvest . org or call 0845 070 47432

T here is so much to be excited about at Spring Harvest this year – the potential for God to connect with us is increased as

we step out of our normal routines and experience different things.

There is the opportunity for extended worship and prayer in a variety of styles, in-depth Bible teaching opening Scripture, practical courses and a whole host of inspiring stories, projects, discussions and performances. Not to mention the joy of all ages being daft together as we embody the theme of the day in Big Start.

Something happens when the church gets together – our horizons get wider, our expectations grow. This year’s theme in particular will give us the opportunity to connect with a God who can do more than we dare to expect or ask for. Do you want that? Do you want it for someone else? Then why not bring them with you?

READ ON AND YOU’LL DISCOVER THE EXCITING PLANS WE HAVE FOR THE FOUR DIFFERENT EVENTS AT MINEHEAD AND SKEGNESS.

“ a reminder to take time to connect with God for the new things he is growing and the things he is transforming”

Spring Harvest is like a gatekeeper in my year – a reminder to take time to connect with God for the new things he is growing and the things he is transforming. It gives me a chance to get away from the normal routine and ask how he wants me to join in with the building of his kingdom. Our prayer for Spring Harvest is that each guest and team member would have an opportunity to encounter God, be transformed by him and be inspired and equipped to bring his transformation to others. A time for major Spring cleaning, if you will. But a lot more fun. That’s why there’s a countdown on my wall-planner.

Abby Guinness, Spring Harvest Event Director

You can enjoy Spring Harvest from

just £129pp* for a family of four!

Find out more at www.springharvest.org

*Based on a family of four sharing a standard room at Minehead Two or Skegness, including children’s discounts.

MINEHEAD ONE28 MARCH-2 APRIL

MINEHEAD TWO2-6 APRIL

MINEHEAD THREE6-10 APRIL

SKEGNESS6-10 APRIL

WORSHIP LEADERS

springharvest . org @ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest 3

MINEHEAD ONE NICK HERBERT AND TOM SMITH

(WORSHIP CENTRAL)

Nick Herbert is the worship pastor at St Stephen’s church, Twickenham, and is passionate about the local

church and seeing the release of prophetic worship. Tom Smith heads up the worship team at HTB Church in the heart of London. His co-written work includes Let It be

Known, Dry Bones, and Awesome Is He.

MINEHEAD TWO PETE JAMES AND SARAH BIRD

Pete James is a songwriter and regular event worship leader. He is currently on tour with Gavin Calver, in

association with Spring Harvest and World Vision, as they bring a message of justice for the poor to the UK. Sarah Bird is a graduate from the Brighton Institute of Modern

Music and works as a freelance musician, teacher and writer. She and her husband Jonny are both involved in

worship at St Peter’s Church, Brighton.

MINEHEAD THREE GRAHAM KENDRICK AND LUKE BACON

Graham Kendrick has been described as a ‘father of modern worship music’. His songs are widely known and sung throughout the church, and are crammed

full of biblical truth. He is based in the UK and travels internationally as a worship leader and speaker. Luke

Bacon has been leading worship since his teens, when a lady at church gave him her guitar and encouraged him

to get involved. He serves as associate minister at Christ Church in Tunbridge Wells.

SKEGNESS

BEN CANTELON AND NICK HERBERT

Ben Cantelon is originally from Vancouver, Canada, and has lived in the UK for over ten years. He is part of the Worship Central team in London, and his songs include Love Came Down and Happy Day (co-written with Tim Hughes). Nick Herbert joins us at both Minehead One

and Skegness.

Even more at

Minehead Two this Easter!2-6 APRIL

THIS YEAR AT MINEHEAD TWO WE’LL CELEBRATE EASTER IN STYLE, WITH A WHOLE WEEKEND OF FAMILY FUN AND CELEBRATION.

INTRIGUED?

Click here to find out more…

spr ingharvest . org

book now at spr ingharvest . org or call 0845 070 47434

I AM 09

MARK GREEN

I n 2009, Mark arrived at Spring Harvest with his family. Facing redundancy from the job

he had been doing for seven years, Mark didn’t have to find new employment immediately but assumed that when he did, he would go back into the world of commercial media and telecoms.

During the week, Mark began to hear God speak. He was aware that all his experience and knowledge was for a reason and perhaps it was not to carry on and simply do the same kind of job but rather, start a new work. A seminar led by Oasis helped Mark explore this further and on returning home, he continued to pray and think about a career change.

Two months later, Mark came across an advert in Christianity magazine for a position as manager of a small local community outreach run by the Methodist Church. He applied and got the job! Within three years, as well as operating as a stand-alone charity, he also secured long-term funding and was awarded the Prime Minister’s

Big Society Award and subsequently, the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Mark is now working for Scripture Union, involved in leading the publishing mission work and developing an exciting new children’s Bible engagement app called ‘Guardians Of Ancora’ which launches in the summer. He is also an ordinand studying for ministry in the Church of England.

“I have little doubt,” reflects Mark, “that without my timely visit to Spring Harvest, I would have ended up in a job doing more of the same. Having that time for reflection and renewal gave me space to hear God’s voice and the impetus to respond.”

Discover more stories and

testimonies from Spring Harvest

guests, and find out which year

God changed their life, at

blog.springharvest.org

Q. LAST YEAR, YOU WERE A BIBLE TEACHER AT SPRING HARVEST – WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU?

I had a wonderful time. The word that comes to mind is vibrancy – vibrancy of music, of worship, of teaching but most of all, of people. There was something inspiring about the fizzing faith I saw from so many while I was there. My two children also loved it and spent the whole journey home saying, “Can we go again Mum, pleeeeeaaase!”

Q. WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN THE BIBLE?

I think I’ve always loved the Bible. I grew up in a Christian household and learnt to read the Bible from an early age, but it was when I began to study it as a student, that it came alive for me. Understanding more about what the text means, where it came from and what it was like to live in the first century, has made the Bible come alive for me in a new way.

Q. YOU ARE ‘THEOLOGIAN IN RESIDENCE’ FOR BIBLE SOCIETY – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It’s a great job! The title is designed to have the creative feel of an artist or poet in residence, so I am meant to be creative, ask interesting questions and bring a fresh understanding of the Bible into the day-to-day work of the Society. It’s a big ask – I’m sure I could do it better but I’m hugely enjoying it.

Q. ARE YOU SEEING AN INCREASE OF ENTHUSIASM FOR STUDYING THE BIBLE AMONGST CHRISTIANS?

Whenever Christians read the Bible with the eyes of their heart, they are always inspired by it. One of the challenges we struggle with at Bible Society is how to put the Bible into people’s heart language.

It used to be thought that if people were given a Bible in their language, they would be able to read it – therefore, English speakers have endless translations to choose from! However, I wonder whether we have enough in our heart language and the question is... what is that today?

Q. HOLLYWOOD SEEMS FASCINATED BY BIBLICAL HEROES AND EVENTS - WHY IS THAT AND ARE THE FILMS ACCURATE?

Hollywood is interested in biblical stories because they are great stories! They always have been great stories but we’ve become too used to them and lost our excitement. If Hollywood is enjoying them all over again, then that’s great. They are not all that accurate, in fact, they never have been, but if people are sent back to read the Bible more closely to check how accurate they really are, then that can only be a good thing!

Q. ALTHOUGH THE SCENARIO IS CHANGING, FEMALE BIBLE TEACHERS HAVE NOT ALWAYS FEATURED AT CHRISTIAN EVENTS. DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON THIS?

It is really important to hear from a wide variety of people at conferences – from women as well as from men. Different styles, different approaches to faith, different life experiences help us see things afresh. So I think it’s important to aim for as big a variety as we can manage and I must say, I think Spring Harvest is really good at this and as a woman Bible teacher, I have been welcomed warmly by everyone.

Q. HOW DO YOU RELAX?I garden, cook, read, make jewellery and spend time with family and friends. Love and laughter make me relax, so I enjoy finding them all over the place – especially when I meet God unexpectedly!

PAULA GOODER

Described by her contemporaries as ‘an engaging and stimulating teacher’ with

the ‘ability to communicate her passion with great skill’, Paula Gooder, writer and lecturer in Biblical Studies, is perfectly suited for the role of Bible Teacher at Spring Harvest. As well as loving stories of how the Bible changes lives, what else makes her tick?

5

I AM 83

WAYNE DIXON

SR When did you first attend Spring Harvest?

WD I went to Prestatyn in 1983 as part of a group of lads from Covenanters. I had never heard of Spring Harvest and my first impression was a pleasant surprise. What an experience!

SR What can you remember from that week?

WD I don’t remember too much in terms of what was said, although it all left a positive impression, but I do recall being challenged by a volunteer from the London City Mission about not being a passenger Christian but to get involved!

SR Did Spring Harvest change you?

WD Yes… and it was a huge challenge! Returning home I realised one action point was to get baptised and this happened in the July. It was a very special moment for me. I unexpectedly moved in September to Slough, where I’ve now been for 31 years.

SR How did your connection with Scripture Union begin and did Spring Harvest play a part?

WD Walking through the exhibition area in 1983 I picked up a Scripture Union holiday brochure. Initially I wanted to volunteer for the 11-14’s until I saw an advert for their sports holiday… and I love sport! One thing led to another and for many years I’ve played a part in this event and other similar holidays.

SR How did being a volunteer help with your current SU involvement?

WD A young person at my home church in Slough asked if I would take an assembly at her school and help start a Christian group. That was in June 1986. After a few visits to her school and other schools, I felt God leading me in this work and after getting support from my church leadership, an idea was shared around local churches in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and in September 1988 I started as a Schools Worker in those areas. I have been with Scripture Union for 25 years now and am still associated as a schools worker under a new trust called Christian Connections in Schools (CCiS).

SR It sounds an exciting journey. Do you still attend Spring Harvest?

WD I’ve been back many times as part of various groups and also to serve, and over the last few years, I’ve been able to attend with my wife Joyce and son, Christopher. We’ve each gained so much from the event through the teaching, resources and worship, and from meeting new people.

SR What are some of your Spring Harvest highlights?

WD I’ve enjoyed helping staff the SU stand in Skyline and talk about opportunities for service; I love the incredible stories people share about God working in their lives and I’ve had the chance to present a couple of the sessions I regularly use in schools called ‘Examattack.’ Spring Harvest is a key event – it certainly was for me in 1983 and still is today – and I hope to be involved in future years.

I AM 96

DENISE MCNAUGHT

E arly one April morning in 1996, we headed off to Spring Harvest in Skegness. It was our first time and we were pretty excited.

The first evening was amazing and I remember how the worship and teaching were great. The next day we all went our separate ways – our chosen seminars were pretty intense but very worthwhile. Actually, the whole week was amazing, so many people of all ages ready to listen about Jesus and worship Him.

There were however, a couple of things that stood out. I can’t remember which night it was, but the speaker asked for all church leaders to come to the front and an unbelievable amount of people went forward and formed an archway. We were invited to walk through and be prayed for and what a feeling that was! The Holy Spirit was definitely present: many were in tears and many in the Big Top gave their life to the Lord.

The second thing was when we shared communion together on the last morning. Before we actually took communion, big, rusty nails were handed around and holding those nails in my hands brought it all back to me. I was reminded how God sent His Son for me and loved me so much that He let His Son die on the cross for my sins! I recall being so very thankful, unable to understand how people can get through life without Jesus.

SHARE YOUR STORY

#mySHstory

muchmore

than a holiday

springharvestholidays.com

spr ingharvest . org

springharvest . org @ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest

book now at spr ingharvest . org or call 0845 070 47436

Easter

Eggs -travaganza !

EVERY SPRING HARVEST BREAK IS PACKED FULL OF FUN FAMILY ACTIVITIES, BUT MINEHEAD TWO IS THAT EXTRA BIT SPECIAL!

Celebrate Easter together with a bumper weekend of action, including fun and games for the kids, quality teaching and parenting sessions for adults and a whole range of exciting things to do together as a family.

GOOD FRIDAY MATINEE PERFORMANCE Join Saltmine Theatre Company for an Easter-themed show, guaranteed to be a hit with all ages!

EASTER SONRISE SERVICERise and shine! Celebrate Jesus’ victory over death at the special Sonrise service on Easter Sunday morning.

AFTERNOON BONANZA Head over to the Skyline on Easter Sunday for all-age worship, communion and special guests.

EASTER EGG HUNT Fetch your magnifying glass and Sherlock Holmes hat as you hunt down clues hidden across the resort – you might even get a tasty prize!

BOB HARTMANMuch-loved storyteller Bob Hartman brings his hilarious range of characters, impressions and jokes to the Big Start stage.

CHIP KChip Kendall performs a hip-hopping concert – an unmissable event for young people.

ALL OF THIS, IN ADDITION TO THE POPULAR BIG START CELEBRATION EVERY MORNING AND THE ALL-AGE CELEBRATIONS EACH EVENING!

7

MAZE

HELP HARVEY

GET TO THE

SPRING HARVEST

ARENA

C M Y L Z I Q A T H S J K E A

E E I P I O L A X S U K S Z F

E O L Z T F E R I E S N Y U J

G G E E Y G N E H A P O T T E

W W T D B S T Q Z L Y O R M M

S U H X U R B E B X E S Q C M

Q M M S U G A I G W F A B M G

Z F E C P R T T B S G V J M M

E J D U Y O C X E N C I F W E

X M E Y M R V E I E J O C X L

A B J B Z X A M H S J U D A S

B L U U Q S W D Z I O R U P H

X Z P W T R M W E R S W H A T

A H X E Y A D N U S W T F E D

X F R A L V F E T T E J J U P

WORDSEARCH

EASTER

EGG

HUNT

CROSS

LENT

SAVIOUR

RISEN

JESUS

TOMB

SUNDAY

CELEBRATEALSO AT MINEHEAD TWO…

CARE FOR THE FAMILY – POSITIVE PARENTING COURSE

These brilliant sessions, led by Care For The Family experts, include group discussions and practical tasks to help you build on your strengths and give you time and space to think and reflect. The Positive Parenting Course is also at Minehead One, Three and Skegness.

SINGLES STREAM

Exclusive to Minehead Two, there’ll be a number of sessions specifically for single Christians. Led by David Pullinger and Judith Griffin and in association with SingleChristians.co.uk, morning sessions will look at flourishing as a single person, and afternoon sessions take a practical approach, with discussions on meeting, dating and romancing.

HOME FOR GOOD

We’re delighted to have teamed up with Home for Good to provide an extra-special break for families that foster, adopt or provide kinship care. Alongside the brilliant children’s programme, there’ll be specific sessions for parents and carers looking at adoption, fostering, and family. And best of all, these sessions won’t clash with the Positive Parenting Course run by Care For The Family!

OUR WORLD CLASS CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH PROGRAMMES ARE GEARING UP FOR WHAT PROMISES TO BE A GREAT EVENT.

Our leaders have been working behind the scenes for the last few months pulling their amazing teams together, and working on a content-filled, fun and interactive programme for the children and young people in their care. Immeasurably More is going to be a brilliant concept to look at, and our leaders are particularly excited about how well this very visual and exciting theme is going to work for their age groups.

BREAKING NEWS

For those with children in the Under 5s, 5-7s or 8-11s programme, online registration before the event will shortly be available. Keep an eye on the Facebook page and Twitter for the announcement when they go live, or check the website,

WWW.SPRINGHARVEST.ORG/CHILDREN

spr ingharvest . org

springharvest . org @ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest

book now at spr ingharvest . org or call 0845 070 47438

Recently quoted in ‘Christian Today’ saying, ‘The future has got to be re-imagined. I don’t believe the best days of the Church are behind it’, Gavin Calver displayed impassioned enthusiasm for addressing the big issues facing Christianity and culture. This sport loving, youth specialist occupies a special place within Spring Harvest, and not least because his Spring Harvest journey has taken him from embryo to Planning Group member!

Q WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST SPRING HARVEST? I first attended in 1979 when my mum was pregnant with me! I’ve been just about every year since.

Q DESCRIBE SOME OF YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES?

Nearly all my earliest memories revolve around Ishmael and the Glorie Company. In truth, with the exception of my time at Bible College, I probably learnt more from Scripture through Ishmael’s ministry than at any other time!

Q. MANY SPRING HARVESTERS WILL KNOW THE ‘CALVER’ NAME – BUT WHEN DID THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE REALLY HIT HOME FOR YOU?

I had many encounters with Jesus along the way but wholeheartedly surrendered my life to Jesus the day after my 18th birthday party. It’s hard for leaders’ kids and we need to give them space to establish an authentic relationship with Christ for themselves and not just rely on inherited faith.

Q WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITH SPRING HARVEST AND WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AT THE EVENT?

I sit on the Planning Group and will be at Minehead Two and Three, helping to host and speak in the evenings and lead some seminars. As usual, they will let me out to speak to the teenagers a bit too!

Q. TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH YOUTH FOR CHRIST?

I have worked for YFC for over 13 years, most recently as National Director. I get the privilege of spearheading a ministry that works with over 250,000 young people a month sharing the Gospel with them. It is such a privilege. However, in June I shall be moving on to take up the role of Director of Mission at the Evangelical Alliance.

Q. WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF YOUTH TODAY?

Young people remain our greatest hope as well as our biggest challenge. 85% of westerners who come to faith do so before the age of 23, and so they must be our greatest priority. As to their condition… it’s no better or worse than it’s ever been.

Q WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING CHRISTIAN YOUNG PEOPLE?

We live in such a pluralistic nation which seems to fight against the idea of any absolute truth. Within this, the message of the Gospel is a massive challenge and so counter-cultural. Additionally, in many ways Britain is more broken and as a result it’s a challenging landscape to grow up within.

Q. WHEN YOU’RE AT SPRING HARVEST, WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PRAYER?

That we will all go home different. That together we will be challenged and equipped to be part of changing this nation. The evangelist within me hopes to see people get saved too!

Q. WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?I love spending time with my wife and 2 young kids and also playing sport. I still play football competitively and run 3 or 4 times a week.

I AM 79 GAVIN CALVER

SHARE YOUR STORY

#mySHstory

Spring Harvest 2015 resources

Available at the event, online from

essentialchristian.com, and at your

local Christian bookshop

s p r i n g h a r v e s t

6 0 n e w s o n g s f o r t h e c h u r c hW I T H F U L L S C O R E S

Download Lead Sheets, Guitar Chords, Lyric files and more (See inside for details)

P R A I S E

spr ingharvest . org

9

2015 programme information

Show Up!Christians in Politics, a Bible Society organisation, will be at Spring Harvest to talk about their new campaign, Show Up.

The campaign aims to get Christians voting at this year’s General Election – and engaging more widely in politics. You can find out about Show Up at Bible Society’s stand throughout Spring Harvest, including seminars and evening debates.

MORE TO GET YOUR TEETH INTO

We’re delighted to welcome so many subject specialists to this year’s programme. Here are a few previews:

At Skegness, Tim Saiet will be running a course on Natural Evangelism. Tim has had an interesting journey; including spending time in the Royal Marines, and then as an illusionist (appearing on the BBC and ITV) and member of the Magic Circle, often called upon to lecture to other magicians!

At Minehead One, author and regular conference-speaker Jeannie Morgan will lead and give you insights into encountering the Holy Spirit. Jeannie is well-known for her understanding and teaching on this subject, and is the author of “Encounter the Holy Spirit”.

Leading the ‘Drink More’ stream at Minehead Two are Gavin Calver and Christy Wimber. Christy is senior pastor at Yorba Linda Vineyard Church, and a gifted teacher and speaker.

Our heart has always been to see people worshiping God together, and to take that special Spring Harvest fervour home to their churches. We are offering worship leader training at all our events – here are a few glimpses of the line-up. Minehead One will receive training from Worship Central. Pete James will facilitate at Minehead Two, and Musicademy will be sending Andy Chamberlain and Tim Martin to Minehead Three. Nick Herbert and Ben Cantelon will lead you at Skegness.

Last but not least, back by popular demand in 2015 is the popular Big Questions series – with sessions at all Spring Harvest breaks. We all grapple with tough questions about our faith, the Bible and evidence for God. This daily stream will help you tackle these head-on.

AT SPRING HARVEST 2015 WE’LL BE EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF KNOWING GOD – WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE.

The morning Bible teaching focuses on Ephesians 3:14-21 and a choice of sessions follow – each one practical and interactive: Engage More, Chew More and Drink More will unpack the theme in different ways, and there are also special streams for parents, leaders and others.

AFTER HOURS

One of the gems of Spring Harvest is the After Hours programme. After an absorbing day of powerful Bible teaching, inspiring worship, life-changing insights and memorable encounters, this is your chance to relax and be entertained.

At Minehead Two we welcome one of the Church’s leading songwriters; Stuart Townend. He’s known for an amazing list of titles, including In Christ Alone, The Lord’s My Shepherd.

Phatfish founding member and singer and songwriter Lou Fellingham is known and loved for her passionate delivery of anthemic worship, and she will be inspiring you in After Hours at Minehead Three and Skegness.

Cath Woolridge and the Sound Of Wales team release a new live album celebrating the Welsh Revival this year – we’ve heard a snippet and it’s stunning. If you are at Minehead One, we’d recommend you come and listen to their set.

Among our laughter line-up we are looking forward to another Spring Harvest favourite - touring comedian and comedy author Andy Kind.

Also appearing is funny man and Miranda co-writer Paul Kerensa, the inimitable bass baritone one man show Jonathan Veira, and an exciting emerging discovery in the Christian contemporary music world – Rivers and Robots. Keep an eye on our website – we’ll be updating it with more news soon.

spr ingharvest . org @ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest

book now at spr ingharvest . org or call 0845 070 47431 0

THE PURSUIT GATHERING IS QUICKLY GAINING ATTENTION AS THE MOST ANTICIPATED NEW REVOLUTIONARY GATHERING FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE UK.If you know anyone with a passion for worship who wants to connect with God and try something fresh, it could be for them. From 1st-4th May 2015, a residential adventure holiday site near Grantham will be turned into a non-stop, interactive worshipping community. Church-planter Cris Rogers and Rob Peabody from Awaken Movement are spear-heading the project.

ROB, WHAT’S IT ALL FOR?The Pursuit Gathering aims to bring together a generation to focus on God, to pursue him in worship and be inspired for what he wants to do amongst their peers. It’s all about chasing after the presence of God together, in as many ways as we can, unbound by the usual constraints of time and the way things are ‘normally’ done. We pray that will ignite a bunch of people to be kingdom-bringers back home.

CRIS, TELL US HOW THE IDEA CAME A BOUT.It’s an idea that has sprung out of dissatisfaction with how things are. Recent research shows that those in their twenties and thirties are now the least represented generation in church, and those that are Christians tend to make a home in non-traditional congregations. So The Pursuit is being designed as a non-traditional gathering. There’ll be a bicycle powered-busking stage, a storytelling café, a bring and take library, art and crafternoons, campfire worship… we want people to bring their paints, their instruments and voices. There will be a chance for people to connect with others and with their Creator in ways that work for them. The most important thing is that everyone gets involved. Worship isn’t a spectator sport, so we’re trying to create loads of opportunities, in fact make it a necessity, that everyone there brings something to the table. Maybe it’ll have an impact on how we do worship at home in our own communities.

ROB, HOW DIFFERENT WILL IT BE FROM ANY CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE OR FESTIVAL?Well firstly it’s going to run all through the night. A few churches have started up overnight prayer and worship sessions and seen the impact of that – we’ll be doing that for three nights running. Whether people pace themselves, burnout, or live on the energy of the Holy Spirit will remain to be seen! The main venue will be home to non-stop worship and prayer from Friday evening until Monday lunchtime and people can dip in and out as they wish. There might be silence, there might be music, there might be singing, everyone in the room will be able to contribute and lead others. We’ll set out with no agenda other than to encourage each other into the presence of God and meet with him. It’s an experiment, and those involved are excited to see what will happen. Then of course there’s all the other stuff that Cris has mentioned, plus short justice talks, coaching sessions, adventure activities on the site… and let’s not forget theological fight club! It’s going to be a blast.

T H E P U R S U I T1 - 4 M A Y / / G RA N T H AMthepursuit.co.uk

1 1

spr ingharvest . org

Adam and Eve lived there, Jonah preached there, Daniel survived the lion’s den there.

Iraq is rich in biblical history but today it is also a place of bitter persecution and suffering for Christians. To the west, in Syria, civil war grinds on. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, over three million people have fled the country and 6.5 million are internally displaced within Syria. That’s over 40% of the entire population.

Behind the statistics, facts and figures across the Middle East are countless stories of real individuals suffering, wandering, fearing for their lives. And Christians have often been the worst affected by the terrible events of recent years.

For some months now we have been working with our friends at Open Doors to assess the best way to show our support for the persecuted church – and especially for those affected by events in the Middle East.

So at Spring Harvest 2015 we want our brothers and sisters in the Middle East to know they are not forgotten. Our main offering this year will be for the persecuted church. Please pray and consider how you could support this giving.

We’re going to remain flexible in our planning so that our response at Spring Harvest can be focused on the greatest immediate need. But it’s likely that much of the offering will go towards

providing humanitarian aid for displaced families and trauma counseling for those who have experienced displacement and violence.

Open Doors partners in Iraq keep us in touch with the situation on the ground. One local worker, dealing with the flood of Christians fleeing Mosul, said: “When people are arriving without any food or water, on foot, having walked for half a day or longer, with only a plastic bag containing their belongings, you just want to provide help. What else can you do?”

Militant Islamic group ISIS targeted Christian communities as they swept through large areas of northern Iraq, taking Mosul and threatening the Iraqi Kurd capital of Erbil. ISIS has gained a reputation for brutal and indiscriminate violence against its enemies and has been linked with recent terror attacks in Europe.

Let’s pray for all our sisters and brothers in the Middle East as they live in pressure, persecution and pain. Spring Harvest will provide the opportunity to learn the most up to date news and to contribute towards helping those in greatest need.

This is a significant and historic time for Spring Harvest. Our core vision remains but we are living through many changes to venues, dates, attendance and funding.

So there was a special significance when the Spring Harvest Planning Group spent time away on retreat recently, seeking God about the future.

One of the concluding statements describes Spring Harvest as “a space where we can encounter God and learn how to serve our communities and the world in the name of Jesus. A family where we feel valued and cared for. An event which we leave feeling confident, resourced, and inspired with a bigger vision of God’s kingdom.”

In order to fulfil this exciting vision, we need to makes changes to the way we are funded. Rising costs, a challenging economic climate and a changing culture mean that to build a sustainable future, we must supplement our traditional income with donations and standing orders.

The Partnership scheme was launched in October 2014 with a letter that invited guests and friends to commit to prayer and financial support. Since then, we have been encouraged by the stream of responses which continue even now.

“ It ’s about encountering God, inspiring confidence and seeing transformation of our communities.”

Financial support from our Partners means that we can continue growing our bursary scheme, helping people come to Spring Harvest who otherwise would not afford it. Partner income also helps us continue our discount scheme for those on benefits, provide extra support for children and teens with special needs and many other things that make the event special.

At this year’s Spring Harvest, we’ll be updating you about the scheme and inviting you to partner with us in prayer and practical support. We hope that you will be inspired by the biblical example of the Philippian Christians, who Paul describes as his “partners in the Gospel”.

Spring Harvest 2015 offering: Supporting persecuted Christians

Partnership in the Gospel

EVERY SPRING HARVEST BREAK WILL HOLD AN EVENING PRAYER VIGIL FOR PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS. PLEASE COME AND STAND WITH US ON BEHALF OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

spr ingharvest . org @ spr ingharvest spr ingharvest

SPRING HARVEST TV

Spring Harvest has been hitting the small screen, with magazine style programmes made up of worship, teaching, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes action.

You can catch up on the episode at www.springharvest.org/tv

THE CHALET MAKES A COMEBACK!

Coming to Minehead this April is the beautifully serene West Lakes Village. Not only is the village set in landscaped gardens and beside two beautiful lakes, you’ll also find Butlins’ brand new stylish chalets. Visit www.springharvest.org for more information.

Latest news from spring harvest

Spring Harvest is an activity of Memralife Group, a registered charity. 14 Horsted Square, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1QG.

spr ingharvest . org

MINEHEAD ONE28 MARCH-2 APRIL

MINEHEAD TWO2-6 APRIL

MINEHEAD THREE6-10 APRIL

SKEGNESS6-10 APRIL

NEW MEETING VENUE AT MINEHEAD

We have some exciting news to share from Minehead! This Easter we’ll be changing the main meeting venue from the Big Top to the Skyline. The new meeting place has lots of advantages, including being at the heart of the resort, closer to facilities and most accommodation, and creating an additional 500 guest parking spaces. We’ll be transforming the Skyline with 3,500 capacity arena-seating and are looking forward to this opportunity for a great community worship space.

We’re also creating a new Hub – a place for you to socialise, enjoy a coffee, and meet up with our exhibitors – all in a large circus-style tent right next to the Skyline. Guests at Skegness will continue to meet in the Big Top as a main venue, where plans are on track to ensure you enjoy the best event yet!

Book Today for Spr ing Harvest 20 1 5JOIN US AT MINEHEAD OR SKEGNESS FOR AN INSPIRATIONAL, ALL-AGE BREAK WITH TEACHING, WORSHIP, KIDS CLUBS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES AND MORE! PRICES START FROM JUST £129pp* FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR AND INCLUDE:

FREE FUNFAIR & SWIMMING POOL

FREE SPORTS TOURNAMENTS

& ACTIVITIES

FREE KIDS & YOUTH PROGRAMME

FREE MATINEES & AFTER HOURS

ENTERTAINMENT

FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.SPRINGHARVEST.ORG OR CALL 0845 070 4743 *Based on a family of four sharing a standard room at Minehead Two or Skegness, including children’s discounts.