Hazel Gordon and Linnet Smith left their Cheshire girls' school in 1965. They hadn’t seen each other for over 60 years until this year’s Bible by the Beach (BBTB) conference in Eastbourne over the Early May Bank Holiday.
They sat in a seafront hotel and talked for four hours without stopping. “It was a fitting conclusion to our first meeting,” said Hazel, “to attend the Sunday evening celebration service in the Congress Theatre. What a profound moment to stand together as we sang ‘From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny’. We felt so blessed to have had this remarkable opportunity – and to discover that the adventure of life has not yet stopped.”
The pair had reconnected on the phone shortly before BBTB as a result of Hazel doing online research for a family event, and agreed to meet in person at the Eastbourne Bible-teaching gathering.
Hazel and Linnet were joined by 1,300 other delegates, of whom 350 were children, for fellowship, Scriptural expositions and to reflect on the conference theme Commending Christ in a Changing World, introduced by chair of BBTB board of trustees, David Bourne.
Bourne introduced Vaughan Roberts who led the main Bible readings each day, from Revelation 1 to 6, with customary clarity.
BBTB was the second occasion this year that en hosted an Any Questions discussion to celebrate the paper’s 40th anniversary. The session was hosted by Tim Thornborough, vice-chair of en trustees and the panellists were: Glen Scrivener, CEO of Speak Life; Dr Julie Maxwell from Lovewise; Professor John Wyatt, neonatal paediatrician from University College London; Chris Howles Director of cross-cultural training at Oak Hill College; and Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford. Questions ranged from highs and lows in evangelicalism over the past 40 years, the growth of Islam in the UK, the so called “quiet revival”, hopes and fears for the young, and AI.
