Dear Friend,

Warm Christian Greetings ! In the Autumn of last year we sensed as a Leadership that the Lord was calling us as a Church to a period of 'fallowness' (Ex25: 18-22).

Gorsley is a country Church and this word resonated with us, as for many years we have been busy with Leaders' Days and the Festival which has grown tremendously over the last thirty years with over 1,000 visitors per day.

During the last four months we have sensed that the decision was right as it has given us more time to wait upon the Lord and 'rest. reflect and refocus'. We also made the conscious decision as a Fellowship to be prepared to lay down the Festival in its current form.

What is interesting is that during this time the adjacent field which we 'borrow' for the children's and youth ministry and camping has been placed on the market by informal tender on the 26^th February.

This site is a key facility and at the heart of the infrastructure of the Festival. The Fellowship took the decision to allow the Leadership to bid for this, as it would be a tremendous resource for the work of God's Kingdom in the future.   As you can imagine this has meant a lot of prayer and listening to God, as well as a willingness to make mid-course alterations to our previous course and direction. To that end we, like Glastonbury Festival, are taking a year out with a prayer that God will guide us in the future and through all that this may entail.

As you can imagine this is a big decision to have made as so often our identity as a Church and individuals can be tied up in what we do for God – and so we would value your prayers that we may continue to 'hear what the Spirit is saying' to this part of His Church.   We would also appreciate your prayers that we may have the courage to obey His prompting for the future.

Also please be in prayer for us as we seek His guidance in putting together what would be a considerable bid for the adjacent field – and that the Lord would supply the resources we need to pay for it. It would be a tremendous resource for local outreach.

As a Church we sense that our vision has always been local, focal, and global – this year we are having to focus on the 'local' and we will endeavour through our website to keep you informed of any future news on the Festival and other events.

Our thanks to all of those who have supported us in the past and for how you have enriched our lives here at Gorsley

Yours in a Wonderful Saviour

John Lewis