We have so many items of news and stories to share since the summer from the Gateway Family! Be encouraged that God is moving!
- Our Sunday evening Youth group is back up and and running after the summer with high numbers; it has been great to welcome the year 7’s, and new member through ‘make lunch’ and exciting to see youth engaging in the Eco Gen project.
- We hosted the Leeds Uni CU churchsearch over two recent Sunday’s and it was great to see so many students in the building and welcome some of those into our Gatherings. Thank you to all those who helped out on our stall.
- John Davy has been recently working on a new grounds survey for St Mark’s, here are some encouraging details of the progress…
Following the Council-funded ecological survey of our grounds last summer, Tom Coxhead of Leeds Coppice Workers is carrying out a detailed tree survey. This will help us to preserve the safety of the trees (remember the big one that fell last year!), set a plan for continuing management of the trees, and propose a plan for more general ecological management of the grounds. Local Councillor Neil Walshaw (Hyde Park and Headingley Ward) has agreed to fund the survey.
Tom is also applying on our behalf for a grant from the Tree Council, to provide a mixture of living and dead hedging around the boundary of the dense wooded area. This will help to increase the site’s security, greatly improve its appearance, and enhance its potential as a nature area and biological hotspot. The work would be done by Gateway volunteers, trained by Leeds Coppice Workers.
We are very grateful to both Tom and Councillor Walshaw for their help.
- The Community Payback team who work at St Mark’s on Wednesday have continued to make remarkable progress and difference in the ground of St Mark’s – it is great to be building that connection and relationship with many of the men who work so hard for us – well done to Bethan for her time and input she invests in these lives.
- It was lovely to welcome Janaki from India at all 3 of our Sunday Gatherings the other week and hear how her ministry is being blessed and expanding – what a brilliant, humble and gentle hearted lady. Here is a photo of her sharing food with a number of Gateway folk.
- The Baptism service held for Rose Prestwich the other Sunday was such a special time for the 9.45 Gathering with lots of visitors and a family feel.
- The Mark Drama during the 4pm Gathering was a great hit the other week – thank you to all those who made this happen.
- Thank you to those who came down for our St Mark’s Day the other Saturday and helped out by planting bulbs for our Path of Hope amongst other jobs.
- We are continuing to welcome new visitors each week at our Community Café and it looks like the word is starting to get around in the community! – We have had a Ukrainian Family join us a number of times and Lesley has been supporting them with English lessons – and now we have heard the good news that they have a Christian family sponsoring to house them temporarily – Praise God!
- Josh, Antony and Faith took a trip to Uganda at the beginning of September in order to join in with the Kalongo Conference and visit the Safe Haven Academy school there. See below a wonderful video of the children singing together!