We are 1 year old!!
We are 1 !! East Durham Filling Station has been running now for a year and what an amazing year it has been! Last week we celebrated with balloons and a birthday cake (of course!). Over the year we have been blessed with excellent teaching from Richard Fothergill (founder of Filling Stations), Brian Streeter (regional co-ordinator), Linda Maslen (regional director of New Wine) and local leaders David Wilkinson, Miriam Swaffield, Andy Byers, Sophie Jelley, Phil Togwell, Philip Plyming, Pete Gunstone, Ruth Perrin and Ali Williams. Our ever-evolving worship band has been a great blessing and each month we have heard the inspiring testimonies of local people.
We have had an average of about 50 people attending each month, coming mainly from the villages and small towns in the East Durham area from a range of different, and very often smaller, churches and many speak of the encouragement they have found there.
Over the last year we feel that God has been speaking to us in different ways. As we started Richard had a picture of a hot air balloon being released from its tethers; the image of sea glass has also been a powerful encouragement – something that is found washed up on the beaches of East Durham, especially around Seaham; something that was discarded as waste many years ago has now been refined into something beautiful, and even made into precious jewellery. A verse which has been really significant has been Psalm 147v18 ‘He sends his word and melts them, he stirs up his breezes and the waters flow.’
The vision of the Filling Station continues to be a place where people can come to meet with God, be refreshed and refuelled by his Holy Spirit, ready to serve God with fresh energy and faith in their own church and community.
If you have never been along, we look forward to welcoming you! We meet once a month on a Monday evening at Thornley Village Centre (DH6 3EL) with great refreshments at 7.15 for a 7.30pm start (check website for dates). We always finish at 9pm.
Next month we look forward to welcoming the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler.
Monday 18th February. All very welcome!
