Chris was brought up as a Churchgoer in a kind, loving family, mum dad and a younger sister; Sunday School, shiny shoes and a little dog. Quite the good girl, at the age of 11 she discovered her need of Jesus to forgive her sin and quietly, in her own bedroom, invited Jesus to make that amazing transformation which, he alone can do, by giving her a new birth. Dave grew up in a family of five boys on a council estate, with all the usual benefits of that lifestyle. It was at the age of 17 in a little Methodist Coffee Bar, among the wreckage left by the gang of which he was a part, that he received Jesus as Saviour and Lord. On his first visit to the Methodist Youth Club where Chris was a member, she accidentally, (allegedly), hit him with a wet mop. The consequence was of course inevitable and they married in 1972. They now have two amazing and grown up children who love and serve the Lord, giving their parents the most joy which could possibly be available on planet earth. | In 1974, Chris, always the more discerning, felt that God was asking us to join, Newbold Baptist Church where a very dear friend, Peter and his wife, Jennifer were supporting an elderly congregation of about 12 elderly people, in a dilapidated building. God was already at work when we arrived, but we were privledged to help and see many people saved, healed and delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit. In 1979 Dave became the lay Pastor and in 1988 became full time in the Church. God continued to amaze us, until in 1990 we were able to send a group of about 50 people to establish a new fellowship. 1990-91 was a big year. Besides the establishment of Emmanuel Christian Fellowship, we saw the establishment of Emmanuel Christian School, a place of preparation for life for children. During this same year Dave went to Romania during a sabbatical. We are now deeply and widely involved with the Church and with Christian charities at work there. What a priviledge to see what God is doing amongst some of the poorest people on the planet. |