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United Beach Missions (UBM) holds a variety of outreach events every summer.

Among them, is a ‘Smugglers Trail’ in Benllech, Anglesey.

Two hundred women gathered for the sold-out ‘Women for Mission’ (WfM) Conference organised by the Free Church of Scotland which took place at Culloden-Balloch Baptist Church, Inverness.

The first conference of its kind since 2018, ‘it was a real joy to have a wide age range of participants, including babes in arms whose behaviour was exemplary throughout the whole event,’ the FCoS website reports. ‘We were privileged to have as our main speaker Helen Thorne, Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK, and author of a number of books.’

Richard Coekin, the Senior Pastor of Dundonald Church, Wimbledon, says the 1,100-strong congregation has finally severed all links with the Church of England because of its ‘tragic denial of God’s word’.

Speaking to en, Coekin said the CofE’s so-called Prayers of Love and Faith ‘encourage same-sex attracted people down a path which leads away from God and His salvation instead of lovingly warning and supporting them in godliness’. He added: ‘We cannot accept this – or walk with those who do.’

Fred Drummond, the director of the Evangelical Alliance in Scotland, is leaving his role this summer, it has been announced.

Gavin Calver, CEO of EAUK, said: ‘Fred has been instrumental in leading the team in Scotland and has played an invaluable role on the leadership team; providing support for the leadership and wider team, engaging with our members, and inspiring us with his prayerfulness, wisdom and prophetic insight during his 17 and a half years on the staff team.’

Verwer was born 3 July, 1938. His parents were Eleanor Caddell Verwer and George Verwer Sr., a Dutch immigrant and electrician. They lived in Wyckoff, New Jersey, outside New York.

Verwer ‘was an athlete and boy scout, but spent a lot of time chasing girls and getting into trouble,’ as US magazine Christianity Today reported. This included starting a fire in some woods and breaking into someone’s home.

Dismay, anger and outrage from across the Church of England evangelical spectrum are greeting fresh proposals by bishops in relation to sexuality.

A majority of the C of E’s House of Bishops says it will commend its divisive ‘Prayers of Love and Faith’ for use with same-sex couples ‘in public worship’ such as Sunday services – while 11 have publicly dissented.

A pioneer of the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has marked his 101st birthday by taking to the skies again.

Jack Hemmings, who is also a former RAF Squadron Leader, was given the flight as a surprise present.

Julian Hardyman has ended his ministry as pastor of Eden Baptist Church in Cambridge and is heading unexpectedly to Madagascar.

He had become Associate Pastor in 1996 and then Senior Pastor in 2002. To their surprise, Julian and wife Debbie (see photo) discovered the Lord was calling them in a sudden and dramatic way in a single weekend in September 2021 to leave Eden and Cambridge, to serve as missionaries in Northern Madagascar. The church joined in the discernment process and so their pastor and his wife will become Eden Mission Partners and members of evangelical mission organisation SIM.

The head of Brighton City Mission has died. Mike Jourdain was described as someone with ‘great faith, passion and ability’ by Nick McQuaker of the Sussex Gospel Partnership.

Will Cockram, pastor of Cuckfield Baptist Church wrote: ‘Mike was treated for oesophageal cancer three years ago, but around Christmas it reappeared. Whilst given initial confidence from the medics over Christmas that it was treatable, Mike’s health declined very steeply, and the family were given the news that it was very possible that it might not be treatable and that he had months –possibly weeks – to live. He died six days later (17 January) in a hospice, aged 58. He leaves his wife Wendy, his daughter Clio, and a church family that is rejoicing for him, but grieving very deeply. We would covet your prayers.’

The new flying bishop for conservative evangelicals in the Church of England, Rob Munro, takes on his role at a critical time.

Dr Munro, who has been Rector of St Mary’s Cheadle, will be a crucial voice in future votes and discussions on sexuality which are at a critical stage. The former Maths and PE teacher, will have a special national ministry to parishes of a complementarian evangelical theology across England.

Bishop Andy Lines, of the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE) is to be assisted by two new assistant bishops.

Stuart Bell (photo left) who led St Michael’s Aberystwyth, the largest Anglican church in Wales, and Ian Ferguson (right), a minister from Westhill Aberdeen, will serve in the Anglican Convocation in Europe (ACE).

As many parts of the world came to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games, so the gospel in turn was brought to them.

A variety of missions groups including Birmingham City Mission, Great Lakes Outreach (GLO) and Youth With A Mission (YWAM) brought teams to the area to work alongside local churches.

Churches are being urged to remember that, for some people, returning to church as the pandemic eases is still a difficult thing.

Carl Knightly, part of the leadership team at London City Mission and an Ambassador for Faith in Later Life, said: ‘Whilst vaccination rates are high and cases far lower than they were, many are still fearful of the implications of catching Covid and becoming unwell.

The future of organisations like the Titus Trust depends on whether they realise power must be redeemed as well as people, a psychologist who attended the Iwerne Camps has told en.

Dr Simon Walker, a Christian psychologist who works in school mental-health safeguarding, and who was at Iwerne Camps in the 1980s, was speaking after the publication of a report into the Titus Trust by independent charity Thirtyone:eight, which aims to protect vulnerable people from abuse.

An evangelical theological college has axed the role of Director of Ministerial Training, bringing into doubt the future of its specialist centre for training future evangelists.

Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, said loss of income due to the pandemic necessitated the change – which means theologian evangelist Greg Downes (photo) will lose his job as well as his family home, which went with the role.

More than £2,000 has so far been raised as part of a campaign to provide winter clothing for Afghan refugee children arriving in the UK.

The initiative is organised by Christian group Afghan Welcome – whose director is Krish Kandiah (see photo), and whose supporters include en contributor Graham Miller of the London City Mission, Gavin Calver of the Evangelical Alliance and many others.

Rico Tice (pictured) has launched the 2022 Passion for Life mission with 2 Timothy 1:10, reminding everyone that Jesus has destroyed death.

In a short video he says: ‘I know the pandemic has been brutal, but it has opened things up. [People] are looking for answers. We’ve all been rocked. How can we help people to go from hunger and spectating, to actively following Jesus? Let’s come together as we seek to answer that question.’ A Passion for Life took place nationwide in 2010 and 2014. Tice says the hope is that ‘life and immortality will be brought to light as we proclaim the gospel of Jesus to all corners of the UK. ‘So many are talking about this being a reset. Surely there’s no better time for us to gather together again and proclaim Christ … put March and April 2022 in the church diary, and begin praying and planning for a Passion for Life.’

A new chaplain has joined the Railway Mission – an organisation founded in 1881 to provide pastoral care and support for staff on trains and in stations.

Helen Lewis (see photo) is the new Railway and British Transport Police Chaplain for South and Mid-Wales. Helen came to faith in Christ at the age of 14 and re-committed her life to serving God while at university.

en explains the latest developments – and what may come

What has happened?

First, independent Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight published a ‘lessons learnt’ report into disgraced former minister Jonathan Fletcher’s time at Emmanuel Church Wimbledon from 1982 and 2012. Previously it had emerged that Fletcher had engaged in naked massages with men as well as beatings on their bare backsides, among other things.

Almost 1,000 church leaders have urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to impose controversial vaccine passports on churches in England.

In an open letter published a few days ago, the pastors and ministers say they are ‘are wholly opposed to this suggestion’ and say that to ‘deny people entry to hear this life-giving message and to receive this life-giving ministry would be a fundamental betrayal of Christ and the gospel.’

Scripture Union England and Wales (SU) has launched a mission framework, Revealing Jesus, based upon research undertaken about how people come to faith. Its aim is to see children and young people find a personal vibrant faith in Jesus.

It’s designed to connect with the 95% of under-18s who have no contact with church in England and Wales. In four steps, – Connect, Explore, Respond, Grow – young people are guided and supported on their faith journey.