THE work of the Holy Spirit was evident throughout Pentecost weekend meetings led by the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Brian Peddle) and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle (World Secretary for Women's Ministries) at Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. People were moved by the Spirit to kneel at the mercy seat during each of the three meetings held in the corps (church) hall.
The weekend started with a Saturday night festival that featured the four corps music sections (band, songsters, young people's band and singing company), along with the timbrels. The corps youth group presented two songs and Captain Vikki Burr movingly sang 'They Could Not'.
An exciting extra dimension was added by the Asian Fellowship and the African Fellowship, two growing groups that meet at the corps. The fellowship members sang in their native tongues, bringing delight with their sincerity and enthusiasm. One word that stood out that everyone could understand – 'Hallelujah'!
In his Bible address the Chief of the Staff explained that God had a wonderful plan, and that his gracious arms offered faith and hope in the midst of fear and apprehension. After seekers knelt at the mercy seat the congregation sang with clear feeling: 'I dare to be different, I dare to believe ... God’s Spirit receive'.
The Sunday morning meeting was themed ‘Keep in Step with the Spirit’ and featured a beautiful contribution from the singing company. The Chief of the Staff spoke about working in tandem with God and the potential for transformation when an individual is filled with the Spirit. Again, seekers knelt at the mercy seat.
On Sunday afternoon the visiting leaders joined the band and songsters at their usual ‘Church in the Street’ meeting in the Old Market Square in the heart of Nottingham. Hundreds of people sat on the steps alongside the square, listening to the service. The Chief of the Staff and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle joined corps officer Commissioner Betty Matear and her husband, Commissioner John Matear, in talking to people who had stopped to listen to the service, praying with those who asked for prayer. The visitors then marched back to the hall with the band and songsters.
In common with the rest of the weekend, the evening meeting was a Spirit-filled occasion. Contributions from the band and songsters greatly added to the worship and, following Commissioner Rosalie Peddle’s Bible address, people again used the mercy seat.
At the end of an exciting weekend there was a sense of renewal, gratitude for powerful teaching and a fresh desire to serve the Lord.
Report by Richard Ellis
