Windrush at 75

Well, this is a rare event. My passion for justice has just coincided with my passion for stamp collecting. Not often you can put that together in one sentence!

Well done to the Royal Mail for their commemorative stamps celebrating 75 years since the arrival of the SS Empire Windrush. (You can read about the Windrush story on my blog, here). The Royal Mint are also issuing a coin.

It’s great to celebrate the diversity of our nation and the richness brought to our shores by such events. But the Windrush arrivals were treated terribly, and we have to acknowledge that we still have a long way to go before we can truly say that the British Isles is free from racism.

The Black Lives Matter initiative in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, has helped (see my blog on this, here). But there is so much more to do.

In the meantime, we can truly celebrate the wonderful people from every nation that call Britain their home.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (21) - THE FIRE AND THE RESTING PLACE

Numbers aren't everything. But they are a reflection of God's blessing. Over our recent Presence and Promise weekend, we had around 800 guests attending. That pushed up to well over 1000 on the Sunday.

It was a glorious time. Beautifully led by Steve and Juliet Barber, together with Paul and Sue Manwaring. Worship from Joel and the Chroma Worship family that took us to heavenly places. Ben Fitzgerald spoke boldly on evangelism and tenderly opened his own heart - such an encouragement for every one of us on this journey of life.

For me, the key talks came from Hayley Braun. Her preaching style is most unusual. It's as if she's talking to God and letting us in on the conversation.

At the first service on Sunday, we witnessed a strong prophetic word from Hayley for Chroma as a church, for Leicester as a city, and beyond to the nation and to Europe. This is the gist of it:

Hayley encouraged us that there was already a fire burning in this place, burning brightly. We were fanning the flames of revival. At Chroma Church, we have been given a gift - that of a resting place. This gift has not happened by accident, it happens because of intention. Steve and Juliet have paid a price. The presence of God doesn't come by happenstance, it comes when people choose to partner and to pay a very high price. It costs reputation. It costs relationship when people don't understand. It costs relational pain. But the price is worth paying.

Revival has come but we are still only ankle deep. There is a mighty river coming from the throne of God that will be unstoppable. Already the floodgates of salvation have opened, but there is about to be an outpouring of revival.

There will need to be sons and daughters to grab hold of the baton, to run in this race that is marked by generations running together.

What God is doing is not just a mantle for Leicester but a mantle for Europe - for the church, the region, the nation and for Europe.

That we are a resting place is clear. Many are coming and finding the refreshment offered by the Holy Spirit.

That a high price has been paid is clear too. We honour Steve and Juliet and are grateful to travel with them on this revival journey.

And that there is more to come is such an encouragement. For all at Chroma, in Leicester, in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. May we each choose to pay the price to see Europe changed.