Great time at Gorsley

As I was saying on my blog the other day I have been to a number of festivals and shows this summer and they are all different in their own way.

I have just returned from manning the European Christian Mission stand (pictured below) at the Gorsley Festival, near Ross-on-Wye on the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire border.

It is a really friendly five-day event and has a homely atmosphere. There are coach parties from South Wales coming to see the flower festival which the village Baptist church launched in 1980. Since then Gorsley has grown to attract thousands of visitors over the August Bank Holiday.

There are also many others who camp and join in the Christian festival with activities for all the family.

In the Pavilion are a range of missionary societies and Christian media alongside stalls selling home-made cakes and locally-produced fruit and vegetables.

For me and ECM it was an excellent festival giving out scores of information about the mission and also selling 82 books of both Four Centuries at The Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury, and God's Secreet Listener.

What also pleased me was that about 15 people came up to the stand to tell me they had bought God’s Secret Listener last year and they had really enjoyed reading it.

Also at the festival was ECM’s The Labyrinth, a multi-sensory presentation of Christianity and they reported that they had had a busy five days.

I did manage to go to some of the Bible readings and the evening events and thought Charles Price’s expositions on Acts were excellent as was Nia’s concert and worship leading.

I am definitely planning to be back there again next year.