2015 GAULBY FESTIVAL OF GRACE

 

The 16th annual Festival of Grace was held at St Peter’s Parish Church, Gaulby, Leicestershire on Saturday 12th September 2015. The Gaulby Reformed Evangelical Anglican Fellowship upholds the doctrines of the English Reformers, subscribes to the Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England, and uses the 1662 Book of Common Prayer in its services.

 

The event first took place in 2000 to celebrate and proclaim the gospel of grace as recorded in Holy Scripture, build believers up in their most holy faith, and inform Christians about the work of the church at home and throughout the world. It was inaugurated by the late Rev Ashley Cheesman, rector from 1988 until his untimely death in 2010. It has become one of the most significant rural parish events in Leicestershire.

 

The event was blessed with a record attendance with around 80 folk, young and old, attending this year. The speakers were introduced by Martin Hall who opened the proceedings in prayer.

 

The first presentation was by David Baynes, Head Teacher of Emmanuel Christian School, Leicester, who gave a history of the work since its inception in 2003. The school started with eleven pupils in key stages 1 and 2 and now has 45 pupils covering all four key stages. Due to the demand the school is considering a second extension.

The school provides a Christian, God-centred education for pupils and seeks to promote good relations within the community.

The first group of pupils who started at its inception took their GCSEs this year and gained many A* and A grades and are now going on to further education.

Emmanuel Christian School recognizes and gives praise to God for the way in which He has guided and provided for the school, pupils and staff over the years and trusts Him for the future.

 

Our second speaker Andrea Williams, founder and director of Christian Concern, began by giving her testimony and explaining how, after becoming a barrister, people came to her for help over issues such as individuals losing their jobs due to their Christian beliefs, Christian Unions coming under threat in universities and similar issues. From those beginnings Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre were born.

Mrs Williams reminded us of the enormous changes, contrary to God-given values, that have taken place in society over the last 60 years: abortion made legal, divorce is commonplace, co-habitation acceptable, embryology experimentation has become lawful (including cloning and animal/human hybrids) and of course same-sex marriage.

As believers we were urged to be vocal and courageous in speaking out against unbiblical changes to our statute book. The times we live in are difficult but, as the recent vote rejecting ‘assisted dying’ in the House of Commons proved, it is possible, with God’s help, to arrest the decline of moral values in our nation.

 

The final speaker was Rev Richard S Brooks, preacher, author and the former minister of Dales Evangelical Church in Matlock, Derbyshire prior to retirement.

Rev Brooks gave a clear, and very appropriate presentation, taken from John 1:16, of the ‘grace upon grace’ which our Lord provides for His people: pardoning grace, upholding grace, sanctifying grace, interceding grace, restoring grace, consoling grace, enabling grace, soul-satisfying grace, persevering grace and dying grace. What a Saviour we have!

The message included a clear and passionate presentation of the gospel to those who do not at present know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

 

During the day we were reminded of the difficulties which Christians and Christian organizations face from an increasingly godless society; but we were also inspired by the fact that, despite the difficulties and setbacks, God is still working out His purposes to bless His people as they endeavour to remain faithful to Him.

 

Bookstalls provided an opportunity to purchase a selection of books and helpful literature. The event concluded with a time of fellowship, shared over a delicious buffet tea, when those present were able to meet old friends and make new ones.

 

We all left with a renewed motivation to be faithful servants of our Saviour who has done so much to redeem His people and look forward to meeting again next year on Saturday 10th September 2016.