Lowestoft air festival
Lowestoft’s seafront air festival in Suffolk is now the seventh largest in Europe, offering a spectacular two-day display. This involves 35 different aircraft, including the Red Arrows, Blades and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
During the thirteenth show, this July, Oulton Broad Free Presbyterian Church organised a ‘good news’ stand on the promenade for the third year running.
As the church team met to pray on the eve of the show, with rain forecast and concerned by last minute practical arrangements, it was greatly encouraged by the Saviour’s words: ‘Whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son’ (John 14:13).
On both days, the rain held off until late afternoon, and crowds of 425,000 thronged the promenade and beach. The church’s allocated position was near a main entrance. A total of 565 children (compared with 230 last year) came into the tent to take part in the activities and each one received a gospel message.
More than 4000 specially prepared Scripture calendars were given out, as well as around 2000 other tracts. The team was blessed by many from the small fellowship who helped with the stand, including 13-year-old Abigail Tompsett, who worked tirelessly with the children through both days.
The outreach team was also encouraged to meet other local or visiting believers and, although perhaps fewer lengthy conversations were held than in previous years, the atmosphere in the crowd was again remarkably friendly.
Some showed much interest and browsed the literature table, while the worst opposition merely took the form of polite refusals.
Please pray that the Word of God that has gone out would now be burned into hearts and lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, saving precious souls and ‘glorifying the Father in the Son’.
Matthew Pickhaver
