In April this year the County Towns Initiative took place.  This was organised by the Luis Palau Association Europe.  Luis and other speakers were engaged in proclaiming the Gospel at Civic Dinners across the UK.  Alan spoke at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield.  This is an account of the evening.

Dear prayer partners, encouragers and friends.  

Feedback from Huddersfield ‘County Towns Initiative’ Civic Dinner event 4th April 2006

‘At the Heart of Community’

170 individual’s from many walks of life and faiths including Christian, Buddhist, and Muslim walked into the ‘Dining Rooms’ of the Galpharm Football Stadium in Huddersfield on the evening of April 4th to share a meal and to hear the message of the Gospel. People from several churches and denominations had worked and prayed together for the last 4 months, many having met each other for the first time in order to enable this event to take place. Thirteen such events are to be held all over the UK this week as part of the Luis Palau Association ‘County Towns’ Initiative’.

The dining area was welcoming having been beautifully prepared in the blue and white colours of the club, the gold of freesia’s and roses and the prayers of the intercession team who continued to pray in the nearby room throughout the evening.  Everyone was welcomed by the sounds of ‘Network’, a Christian quartet.

An estimated 95 – 100 of the guests were non believers having been invited and now accompanied by their Christian friends. Individual’s were from all over Huddersfield town and area, and from various walks of life including the medical and legal professions, financial & insurance advisers, hairdressers, media, social / care workers, police and councillors, including the Mayor and Consort.  The finances for the entire event had been met in full, a few days earlier.

The meal itself was ‘truly delicious’ as testified by all, having been served with ‘military precision’ to the envy, I’m sure of many a restaurant. The ‘atmosphere’ was sweet with lightness and laughter at the tables (a specific prayer of the intercession team) as new friendships were forged, not only with unbelievers but between Christians of different denominations who had never met one another.  The coffee and mints were accompanied by the message.

Alan began the message by discussing the regeneration of communities through the spiritual regeneration of individuals.  He described the 1904 revival in Loughor, South Wales and how the community was impacted by the ‘Spirit’ of God as areas of the principality became known as the lands of the ‘white gloves’ when judges were handed white gloves as a sign that there were no cases to be tried – lawlessness was so reduced that the police became ‘singing quartets’ in the chapels and churches. Could this be possible in Huddersfield?  How was this possible?  Alan outlined that it was possible as God, who in his love for us and desire to reunite us with Him through Jesus, can change the hearts of individual’s and from there, change communities.  Alan shared his testimony outlining the ‘whole’ Gospel including the ‘dreaded’ death and hell (how else can you share the whole Gospel?). Although 35 min in length, such was the attentiveness of the listening that one could hear a ‘pin drop’.  At the end, each was invited to join either in a prayer to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour or, for those in the Christian walk who had either walked away or become ‘cold’, a prayer of rededication.  Everyone was invited to complete a card to indicate if they had prayed either of the above prayers, or wished to have more information/attend further evenings such as this.  According to these cards, 6 guests prayed the sinner’s prayer and provided their details for the ‘Next Steps’ follow up on the 10th of April.  Praise the Lord.  We have just heard tonight (24 h later) than another individual ‘Julia’ also prayed the prayer the prayer (in true British style, no information on the card!) and contacted a Christian friend to share the news.  We are expecting more decisions…….

20 other guests prayed the prayer of re-dedication and it was so good to meet some of these and hear how God had impacted them that night.

39 guests requested further information or a desire to attend a further event, all providing their details.  An Alpha course is available from the 24th of April for any who wish to attend, the funds for which have also been met.  It was so exciting to see the comments on the cards from these individual’s – wanting to know more about Jesus, having been challenged by the evening, including those from Muslim backgrounds.

So many Christian’s were encouraged by the format of the evening as a means to share the ‘Good News’ with their friends, family and colleagues. By the end of the evening further finance to the tune of £4,500 was presented as ‘full payment’ to ensure another such event!

THANKYOU to you for all your prayers and encouragement throughout.

THANKYOU Lord for your faithfulness and specifically for……

7 new Christian’s in the family (minimum!)

20 rededication’s

39 individual’s actively seeking God further

Bringing together your church from several denominations all over Huddersfield and the area

Full finances for the event and the Alpha course

Finances for the ‘next’ event

It is such a privilege to be part of God’s family and His work. All the Glory to God.

With much joy (and tiredness!),

Blessings from

Gail Heavey