Sign-up for free e-newsletter

New Pastor for Seventh-day Adventist Church 

22nd January 2018
Pastor Michael Walker (retired) reports
 
We would like to introduce the new minister and his wife to the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Burnt Lane, Gorleston.  He is Pastor Mark Borrett and his lovely wife, Norma (photo below courtesy of Michael Walker)


 
They arrived in the UK in January after spending 22 years working in California.  Mark has an MA degree in Pastoral Ministry; and Norma is a qualified teacher having graduated from Sheffield University.  The couple hail from Wales and actually moved out to California when living in Bristol where Mark worked for Hewlett Packard after studying Computer Science
 
After several years, the company invited Mark to become the project manager in the California office.  During those years, they have also served the church in various capacities, finally, as lay-pastor.  Mark started to look for an opportunity in fulltime ministry and ultimately received a call from the South England Conference headquarters to return back to Britain to fulfil the pastoral role at both the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft churches
  
Our previous Pastor, Rio Espulgar, was called to relocate to Somerset as from the end of September.  We appreciated his ministry and missed having him and his family around
 
However, we have looked forward to our new pastor and his wife joining us.  We have found them to be a warm and friendly couple.  They received their official welcome at our church in Burnt Lane, Gorleston, last Sabbath (Saturday) 20th January.  Mark’s sermon was entitled “If You Can” based upon the experience recorded in Mark’s Gospel: 9:14-29
 
Asked if he had a vision for our church, Mark responded: “To continue the mission of being an influence for good and for harmony.  A church that is relevant and involved in the life of the community.  A Christ-centred church with a no-strings-attached approach, where everyone - young and old - can find a warm welcome, friends, and the support that people so often need at different times in life”
 
We solicit your prayers for Mark and Norma as they settle into their new location, and although Norfolk may be climactically colder than California, we trust they will experience the genuine warmth of the people they meet and converse with