On Friday 13th June the Revered Kim Goh gave his testimony at the Tower House Shopping Centre.  It was an excellent evening with over 50 people attending from various churches.   It was a combined effort between Trinity Methodist Church, and Broadway Baptist church.

I first met Kim when I attended a missionary conference in England.  I was taking notes on China and Kim asked me to forward them to him.  God was reaching out to me at that time and I was going through a lot of personal crisis.  I e-mailed the information and Kim thanked me and said he would send me his testimony.  I was shocked to find out he was an ex Chinese triad master who was wanted for 258 crimes in England.  We continued to e-mail and at Easter 2007 Kim encouraged me to hand over my life fully to God.  I had been a regular church goer but had not experienced the peace and love of God.  I gave my life to Jesus on Easter Sunday.  Kim invited me to visit him which was a wonderful experience.  God showed me clearly the missing piece of my life was the Grace.  He did this when I went to pay for the bill at a restaurant – Kim said “it was paid”, and the waiter said “it is done”.  That was the Grace in a simple format that I could understand.  I went to church and it turned out that Kim was minister at Trinity church in Loughborough, the same church that David Shirtliff  from the Promenade Methodist church in the Isle of Man used to preach at.  There were prayers for the Isle of Man in the news notes – God really moves in mysterious ways!  

That is how I met Kim, he gave his testimony saying how God spoke to him very clearly on his 3rd day in prison and God totally changed his life for ever.  He handed over control of his life to God and he became a Methodist minister after leaving prison.  Kim has written a book called “Conquering the Dragon”.

Jean Faragher 22.6.08

11 of us from the Island, God willing, are off to stay with the Iona Community from 6-12 September.  We're a mixed bunch but after a get-together last month, I know that we're all hoping that it will be a time for both refreshment & growth on our Christian path.

The Iona Community is a lay group of about 30 staff/volunteers, based at the abbey on the tiny island (3 x 2 miles) of Iona, just off the western side of Mull.  Time spent with them is not so much retreat, as sharing in community - so for example we will have to do daily chores like veg chopping or loo-cleaning after breakfast...and all accommodation is in dorms (can't have everything!). The theme for our week is 'pilgrimage' and is co-led by Kathy Galloway, leader of the Iona Community, and Ray Simpson, leader of the Northumbria Community.   I've been there 3 times and loved it.  George Macleod, who restored the medieval abbey in the mid 20th century and founded the Community, described Iona as a thin place - where the veil between the physical & the spiritual is not great.  The Community places emphasis on Celtic Christianity, innovative music and liturgy, peace and justice, reconciliation.  but in a very Christ-centred way, not at all new-agey.  As well as the chores, I guess we'll spend time worshipping (twice daily in the abbey), learning Iona songs, bible study on 'pilgrimage', a pilgrimage walk around the island stopping at prayer stations, eating together, just taking time out to ourselves, sailing to Staffa weather permitting, dancing at the ceilidh - and spending too much at the book/gift shop!   As well as the theme, the journey itself will be a kind of pilgrimage - travelling together by boat, train (7hrs to Oban), overnight hostel, another boat, coach and yet another boat - and that's just getting there.  

I'm afraid Iona now have no places left that week - but if anyone is interested, do check out the Iona Community (www.iona.org.uk) as they're open almost all year round.