Assess the current safeguarding arrangements and culture and identify any deficiencies and required improvements. Later, I learned that in medieval times the court jester, also known as the fool, acted like an immensely powerful rogue, who could nudge the mightiest power in the land to dothe right thing, often through wit and repartee. The jester taught with laughter and sought to bring healing to painful situations. The smiling Gerald modelled that in life, and now exhorted me in word. I was relieved. There was dignity in my calling.

An initiative by a couple and the Methodist / URC church in Sherborne, Dorset, to help refugees flee the war in Syria ten years ago, has led to a lively community of more than 100 refugees in the town. The Methodist Church reports that it started when church members Penny and Geoff Gardner, along with other members of the town’s Cheap Street Church, resolved to help when they saw families in desperate situations, uprooted by the war. By 2017, the town had welcomed five refugee families and helped them with housing, jobs, English language skills and paperwork. The report says: “Some residents hosted families, some bought houses for them and Phyllis, a 90-year-old woman who died recently, gave up her house for a Syrian family”. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Sherborne residents offered drop-in sessions, English classes and interview skills to all refugees and now they have jobs. One family has set up the Al Rayan (Arabic for ‘door of heaven’) catering company, cooking meals for refugees, accompanied by Syrian music and decorations. During Mr Escobar’s ministry at Pioneer excitement centred on a lady called Sally who it was believed had perhaps experienced the transfiguration of some tooth fillings and this was greeted with shouts of ‘thank you Jesus’ and applause. At the end of the TV report Sally was interviewed and we learned that nothing miraculous had happened. In spite of this she claimed her faith was stronger and she had felt the presence of God at the me

Tributes to Gerald Coates

Gerald was a radical, regularly challenging the status quo, and taking mischievous delight in overturning what he saw as unbiblical and unhelpful evangelical church traditions. Restoration 1" ('R1') followed the more conservative teachings of Arthur Wallis, Graham Perrins and Bryn Jones, and included such figures as Terry Virgo, founder of the Newfrontiers network of churches, Barney Coombs of Salt and Light Ministries International, and Tony Morton, formerly of Cornerstone. It involved Tricia and I together with 50 other friends, moving 200 miles to Cobham, just outside London, to be a part of Cobham Christian Fellowship which Gerald had planted in that town. This would be our home for the next 30 years.

Gerald was spoilt for anything else. As a young man, leading what was one of the first modern-day house churches, he met with many fellow travellers. Their influence on his theology was considerable. The Church was not to cower in the corner, waiting for some kind of secret rapture. They were called to be a radical people, influencing every area of society. To be God’s people, speaking and prophesying into a broken world. Gerald leaves behind the love of his life, Anona, along with three sons and their families. He loved well. In an age when leaders fall, Gerald stayed faithful. I had the wonderful privilege of witnessing first-hand, Gerald's demolishing of religious sacred cows, as he encouraged the church to truly embody the values of the King and His Kingdom. Assess the accuracy of Pioneer leadership’s self-assessment of the proportionality and effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements.Gerald was a storyteller. Never a theologian, though widely read, it’s important to record that his seemingly off-the-cuff preaches were laboured over, well prepared and prayed through. Often hilarious and many times at his own expense, he captured the listener. John McGinley quotes Isaiah 43:18-19: Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing, do you not perceive it? "He (God) is teaching them about continuity and change. 'You need to forget what I did in the past because I am going to do it in a new way.' We need to be willing to let go of how we have done it in the past and to seek the new things that God is calling us to. ..hold together these values of continuity and change." {6} We pray for Gerald’s wife, Anona, as well as their three sons and their families. And we pray for John, Christine’s husband, and their extended family. He married Anona in 1967 and had three sons, two grandsons and two grand daughters. They lived in Bookham, Leatherhead, Surrey. He died on 3 April 2022 at the age of 78. [7] Bibliography [ edit ]

The extent to which these subjective factors may have impacted the effectiveness of senior leaders and the effectiveness of accountability structures. THE conservation charity A Rocha UK has awarded its 25th Eco Church Gold Award to St John’s, Moulsham, in Chelmsford diocese, it was announced on Tuesday. It is the first parish church in the diocese, and the 17th C of E parish, to receive a Gold Award. “To achieve a gold award, one of the things St John’s Church has done is develop its churchyard to transform it into a welcoming green space to support wildlife and biodiversity,” a press release from A Rocha UK said. There were gasps from the crowd but Gerald had not finished. He began to eat the bread off the table while he was preaching. This was too much for some people who made their feelings known. Gerald was unperturbed. He said, “What's the problem? We are all going to eat this in a few minutes, I am just having mine early!”. He was making the point that we had made 'breaking bread' into something that it was never meant to be. Vintage Gerald. The review provides opportunity to identify further concerns or allegations that are currently unknown to the Trust, and to gather additional information relating to the concerns already identified. Pressure has always been on to complete the missing north west section from Crown East across the River Severn to Hawford and this time the preferred route ran straight through Gerald’s garden. “It would have been his Armageddon moment,” said Brian.I don't know how many have signed the Campaign for Marriage petition but on Monday this week there were over 100,000 signatures. And a letter has just gone out to every Roman Catholic church in the country.