Ellel Newsletter: December 2022

It has been an eventful year for most of us, and here at Ellel Pierrepont the various challenges of fuel shortages and rising food and utility prices have really encouraged us to lean back into Jesus, trusting Him for our daily bread: the bread of intercession, the bread of resources of people, the bread of finance, and the bread of healing!

In April we celebrated and welcomed our 50^th NETS school to Pierrepont! The vision for people to come on NETS from all over the world continues despite complex visa requirements and financial difficulties. This year trainees have come from twenty different countries: Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Pakistan, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, UK, Ukraine, USA and Zimbabwe. We are thankful that several of them could benefit from donations to our NETS Sponsorship fund to help pay their fees.

several of them could benefit from donations to our NETS Sponsorship fund to help pay their fees.

NETS Stages 3 and 4 had opportunities for Mission in the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Finland. Unfortunately, a planned trip to Rwanda had to be cancelled as the flight costs ate up all the mission budget, but we hope to return to Africa again in 2023.  The mission teams always return giving thanks to God for what he has done in them and through them.

“It was a delight to share with the guests about God’s restoration plan for them knowing how He had already worked in me both spiritually and physically during the NETS course. My experiences of being healed through prayer ministry gave me the faith I needed that God’s love would come through for others when praying for them”.
Barry – Stage 4 Mission

We have also had many encouraging testimonies from guests attending the shorter courses we run. On a recent course, several guests spoke about the change in their lives as they forgave others and forgave themselves. One guest, who had a problem with scarring on her optic nerve, gave thanks to God for a dramatic improvement in her sight which came as she forgave.

It has been great to be able to offer more opportunities for creativity, and we were delighted to run ‘Bridge from the Head to the Heart’ weeks for NETS. The trainees from Stage 2 who participated as guests in January were able to join in as Stage 4 facilitators in July – taking the restoration God had begun in their own lives and putting it into practice as they walked alongside others.

There are several refugee families being hosted in the neighbourhood, and we provide practical support and help with transport, translation and fellowship meals.

The situation in Ukraine has been difficult for the many Ukrainians on our team.  There are several refugee families being hosted in the neighbourhood, and we provide practical support and help with transport, translation and fellowship meals. Our vision is to be able to also provide ministry and creativity opportunities as we go into 2023.

One of the fun highlights of the year was holding a Street Party for the Queen’s Jubilee where we ate outside the Main House, played traditional games and dressed-up with the theme of ‘Britain over the last 70 years’ – the person came dressed as an Earl Grey teabag won that competition!

There have been several ongoing maintenance projects this year including a few we hadn’t planned for, such as fixing water leaks. Praise God they have been fixed, and we have been able to install digital meter readers which will warn us of any unusual extra usage.

We praise God for His life-giving presence here at Ellel Pierrepont

When Storm Eunice hit the UK this spring, the wooden cross which stood in the grounds was knocked down. It was a very significant, spiritual moment when we were able to put up and dedicate a new cross. We praise God for His life-giving presence here at Ellel Pierrepont, and give thanks for everyone who has helped us continue the vision of ‘Welcome, Teach and Heal’.