On Sabbath 17 February, the Swinton church plant was officially organised and welcomed into the sisterhood of churches in the North England Conference (NEC).
The church has over 60 core members and contacts, and its youth and children's ministries are thriving. Dr Patrick Herbert, Director of Personal Ministries, Evangelism and Church Planting at the NEC, and Elder Danny Apeadu, the Global Mission Pioneer assigned to this fellowship, have provided comprehensive support and guidance to ensure the church's success.
The Swinton church plant is a community of believers who share a passion for praising God and fulfilling His mission in the Portuguese language. The group was formed to address the challenge many members faced in expressing their faith in English. As a result, the community has grown stronger since 2019, nourishing themselves with the Word of God and the warmth of fellowship.
This group is dedicated to reaching people from various cultural backgrounds. However, it has been particularly successful in spreading the Word of Christ among the Portuguese community living in the Manchester metropolitan area. The fellowship has organised several community events, resulting in two baptisms and seven people accepting Christ. Fifteen individuals are participating in a Bible study programme initiated by the fellowship.
"The main objective of the Swinton church is to become a spiritually strong community that spreads the gospel worldwide through various media platforms. The church also aims to train its members for missionary work and develop unique ways to organise diverse cultures and communities."
Herbert and the administration of the North England Conference would like to express their gratitude to Elder Danny Apeadu and the members of this church plant for their hard work and dedication in transforming it into a strong and lively church. By God's grace, this church will serve as a beacon of hope, effectively spreading the word of the gospel and attracting souls to experience its transformative power.