15 years ago my wife and I came to Great Yarmouth. We brought a young couple and their 3 year old daughter to have a holiday in our caravan. Since then we had not been back. However, twelve months ago, coming towards the end of my curacy just outside Norwich, I had an opportunity to complete my training in a larger town setting. At that point in discussion I have no idea where that might be, but a telephone conversation, whilst on holiday, revealed the location – Great Yarmouth!

 

We were delighted. We drove around Great Yarmouth and despite it being late autumn with many shops and activities in moth-balls for the winter; we saw the town with ‘new’ eyes and had an overwhelming feeling that God was calling us here.  Originally I was only to be here for a short while and as such we would commute the 15 miles journey. A little like the Remmington advert of a number of years ago in which Mr Remmington said he liked the product so much he bought the company, I liked the town, its people and the ministry so much I became the Team Vicar. So the temporary has become permanent!

 

Reflecting on  the past twelve months it is very clear that God has plans for Great Yarmouth and that there is a very clear ministry in this town and its’ borough. So much has happened since we have been here it is really very exciting. I love walking across the market place, and around the town and being stopped by people I don’t I know and having a conversation about all sorts of things. Many people of the town will have noticed a regular Christian presence in the market place on alternate Saturdays and one Wednesday each month, talking to and praying with people specifically about healing, not just physical healing but for those who have a range of emotional and psychological issues as well

 

St Nicholas Church has been a centre for a whole host of activities and events where children and their families have met for prayer events (including singing the Lord’s Prayer to a bubble machine pumping out thousands of bubbles), seeing teddy bears parachute in the church, as well as school services and concerts

 

One thing that my wife and I are really looking forward to (especially now we live in Great Yarmouth) is all the opportunities for the churches to engage with our community and to share the love of God with those we meet. We believe that God has called us to Great Yarmouth and to share the good news of Jesus Christ and we continue to pray for the town, now ‘our town’, and its residents