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Spring Harvest, Greenbelt and Soul Survivor are major Christian events that our church members have participated in for many years. These are some reports of their reports. Taken from the Church Magazine.
1989 Spring Harvest -Steve Green
1991 Spring Harvest -Barbara Goodacre
1992 Spring Harvest -Ann Hoare
1993 Greenbelt -Roger Green
1994 Spring Harvest -CYFA members
1994 Greenbelt -Alice Lawrence
1995 Greenbelt -Jane Smith
2000 Spring Harvest -Val Durkin
2002 Spring Harvest -Pat and Laura
Clayton
2003 Soul Survivor -Hannah Willis
See also 2007 'Spring Harvest in the Vendee'
Spring Harvest (1989) (June 1989 edition of the magazine)
What a way to Recover from an Operation!
When I booked our family for Spring-Harvest I had no idea that I would have to undergo major surgery on the colon before travelling. So by the time 3rd April came I had to test my driving capability to ensure we could arrive at good old Skeggy safely. Also, I had to feel confident enough to arrive there without plotting a car rally between public conveniences.
There was an added attraction to the journey . snow, and when we arrived we found Icebergs Topical Christian hazards to be discussed such as culture, pressure, change and growth.
The event was well organised. You could work yourself to a frazzle dashing around six seminars a day or take it easy as I did.
We let the family get away to their special events. There really was something for everyone, right down to the one year olds. The youngsters enjoyed a funsplash in the afternoon and their special evening meetings kept them on their toes spiritually.
Taking it easy mean t having a short walk in the morning, enjoying one seminar in the afternoon and singing praises in the evening.
This year's theme was "Deckchairs On The Titanic" and by Wednesday night the boat was rocking in a force nine gale. The rain was lashing down in bitterly cold temperatures. We were soaked and pleased to return to the warm drying fire in the caravan.
Whilst the wind was at its highest my wife and I joined in one of the evening celebrations in the big top. We looked anxiously at the water dripping down the main supports and the tent poles quivering under the strain. But our fears were
g
roundless since it seemed there was enough Atmosphere' from 5000 people with upraised hands singing praises to the Lord to keep the canvas supported.
I enjoyed the friendly Christian attitude which existed on camp throughout the week. I remember and pray for the lady from Dover who asked for our names and Church so that she could pray for us when she returned to her home prayer meetings.
You can always tell when the family has enjoyed their holiday, they start singing in the car on the way home and this time they were aided by one
of Graham Kendrick's tapes, 'Shine Jesus Shine.' There was plenty of happy Christian singing all the way home and the sun was shining with us.
Around sixty people, the youngest just over a year old, and the rest, well, spanning a number of generations, travelled to Skegness to attend Spring-Harvest. This years theme was 'Deck Chairs on the Titanic': more about that later.
Spring-Harvest is very well organised, apart from the weather! and there were seminars, worship celebrations, special events, chat-shows all combining towards the theme of the week. Very briefly, four issues - culture, pressure, change and growth were looked at in some depth and their influence upon the church today. We live in the only continent not 'experiencing growth. Lessons could be learned from other continents and cultures, therefore the church from many varied countries was studied.
All age groups and abilities were catered for, children and younger adults appeared to have a great time, partaking in their own activities. I met one chap of senior years who spent a good part of the week joining in with the kids, probably the only way to keep warm.
Five thousand people together worshiping was quite an experience; some found it difficult, and I had one or two reservations, but there were smaller alternatives. The main speakers I felt were very challenging, particularly an Australian and a New Zealander, and if you listened and took them seriously their message was very uncomfortable. The issues were about life-style, attitudes and values and how seriously we take the teachings and example of Jesus. If that seems a bit hard going, it wasn't particularly. Tiring yes, fun, yes, it was good to be together as a church. Hopefully it will be repeated, if anyone is unsure about going I think it is worth it. Finally, I guess we all know what happened to the Titanic, history will tell if the theme was overstated.
Steve Green
Spring Harvest (1991) (June 1991 edition of the magazine)
A group from St. Thomas' spent a week at Spring Harvest Pwllheli, this Easter, and answered some questions.
What is Spring Harvest?
Spring Harvest brings together Christians from across the denominations. The goal is to serve local churches through biblical and practical teaching. There is a very varied programme, with speakers from more than fifteen denominations, including some from overseas. It caters for people of all ages and all stages in their Christian life.
What was the theme for Spring Harvest?
This year's theme was the Holy Spirit, entitled "Shaken but not Stirred". The question was "Are we on the brink of spiritual awakening in our country?"
We were challenged to be stirred into action; personally; in family life; in our local church and in our hurting world.
What else happened at Spring Harvest?
For those who found the big meetings too overwhelming there were smaller care groups and an alternative evening celebration. There was also the missionary exhibition and the book shop. Each evening there were the "after hours" chat shows for the young and the not so young who were not too tired!
What about the children at Spring harvest?
The care and teaching given by the children's and the youth leaders was first class. Children under 5 were very well cared for. In addition to having super fun and games together, the Whizz Kids (5 7' s), the Glorie Co. (8 11's), Trax 1 (12 14's) and Trax 2 (15y) had a great time of praise and worship, bible stories and talks which encouraged them in their Christian lives.
Was there time for anything else?
Every afternoon there were lots of activities. For the energetic of all ages there was swimming in the Starsplash (some people went everyday!), football, a fun run, a family ramble, the funfare, horse riding, tennis, boating, badminton, trampolining, archery, table tennis, snooker, darts and popmobility. For the less energetic there was a gentle stroll on the beach or along the cliffs.
What did Spring Harvest Mean to Us?
From our children have come such comments as:
- It was great.
- I really felt that God was there.
- I enjoyed it all.
- There were only two people in Whizz Kids who did not wear badges, they were God and Jesus.
- I sang and shouted so much in Glorie Co.
- I lost my voice.
- Trax 1 was a super group, so was the Pwllheli site especially the water slides and the dodgems, but both could have been faster.
- I'm going again next year!
From the adults came the following:
- We each had different needs which were met in different ways.
- Absolutely exhausted physically, absolutely refreshed spiritually.
-A great place for children, a real confidence booster.
- There is power in the name of Jesus.
- We can fail, and often do so, but we are not failures.
- God longs to use ordinary people (honestly) ... those who make mistakes (and admit it), get confused, hurt like crazy (and don't pretend to be infallible!), read the bible, find it hard to pick up the Bible . . those who pray and sometimes can't pray ... those who feel joyful and those who cry ...
- wow, God actually wants to use me.
- It was good to be reminded of the relevance of the biblical stories to present day life.
- The worship was beautiful, with a real sense of God's power and His peace.
- Exciting, stimulating, challenging, thought provoking, tiring.
- I enjoyed being able to relax in the worship.
- Spring Harvest was a very special week to me. Having experienced sadness and dark times in my Christian life, I felt the Lord cleansing and healing me in a very gentle and quiet way. So many little things happened, inside and outside the main meetings, to reassure me of God's love and His care for me.
- It was great to enjoy a week together with others from church.
- Spring Harvest was a turning point in my relationship with God. I now realise the true meaning and value of worshipping God, and experienced at first hand how much God loves each one of us, if we only ask Him to come into our lives. Praise the Lord.
- We want to go again next year.
Barbara Goodacre
Spring Harvest (1992) (June 1992 edition of the magazine)
Before we set off for Spring Harvest I had mixed feelings about going. I had not been very well, and our 9 year old daughter, Gemma didn't want to go and "was definitely not going to go to any of the organised meetings". Gemma was sick the night before we went and we were stuck in a traffic jam for nearly an hour on our way there. Things weren't looking too good.
Once we arrived everything changed. The sun was shining, and as we entered the site there was a buzz of excitement as we mingled with others arriving from as far afield as Scotland and the South of England. One couple had even come all the way from Australia!
We checked into our chalet and then met other friends from St. Thomas'. As we had booked as one party our chalets were all very close which meant that the children could play together. It was also useful for borrowing things we had forgotten to pack!
After settling in we looked through the programme. There was such a lot to do and nothing was compulsory which meant that you could go to as many or as few meetings as you wanted. The theme for the week was 'meanwhile back at the Cross' and the daily Bible studies and main seminars centred on this theme. There were also over 100 optional seminars to choose from on a wide variety of subjects ranging from Guidance and Personal Discipline to New Age, Modern Cults, God and Science and Signs and Wonders. The highlight of each day was the evening celebration when Christians from a wide variety of backgrounds and denominations came together 'as one' to worship and to learn more about Jesus. The worship was led splendidly by Chris Bowater and there were some really excellent talks from speakers including John Wimber, Steve Gaukroger and Rob White.
While the meetings were taking place, the children and teenagers had their own meetings, divided by age groups. They were very well organised and Gemma and Ian really loved going despite Gemma's earlier reservations. In fact at the end of the week it was Gemma who kept asking if we could stay another week!
Another attraction was the wonderful swimming pool complex complete with flumes, wave pool, rapids and Jacuzzis. There was a fairground too and all rides were free!
Family rambles, popmobility, trampolining and even archery were on offer too and it was difficult to fit in everything we wanted to do. We all learnt a lot during the week and made lots of new friends. We shall definitely be going again next year - why not come too?
Ann Hoare
Greenbelt 1993 -A Field of Dreams (October 1993 edition of the magazine)
Where else could you share communion with 20,000 other Christians, listen to a Radio 4 Thought for the Day speaker talk for more than an hour, worship with moving Celtic chants and take in a heavy metal band?
You could also enjoy a wonderful candle-lit classical concert in a redundant church, watch an acclaimed Edinburgh fringe drama, camp out in beautiful, rolling parkland opposite a country house and get to grips with issues as diverse as raves in the nave, Green Christianity, the Holy Spirit and the future of the Arts and finding God in motherhood.
This was Greenbelt, four days of celebrating God's desire to be involved in every single aspect of our lives, with this year's theme - Field of Dreams.
We six Greens, together with our Curate, Sheila and 14 Catholic friends gloried in the Bank Holiday sunshine at Deene Park, Northamptonshire. The quagmire and gales of last year's event were thankfully a distant memory!
"Greenbelt," writes festival chairman Martin Wroe, "is an unashamedly Christian festival, and for 20 years it has tried to follow a dreamer who disturbed the comfortable and comforted the disturbed. Expect us to make room for the people and ideas that don't fit, the places who are ignored, the people whose dreams are all nightmares, the holy wisdom pretending to be madness."
Like the storms of '92, Greenbelt can sometimes shake you to the roots. Many in our group felt particularly challenged by an American speaker, Tom Sine, who urged the Church to wake up to the fact that the world is not going to carry on in the same way it has for the past 20 years. We as Christians need to be preparing now for the sweeping cultural and social changes beginning to take place, rather than responding years after they have happened.
Heavy stuff, yes - but Greenbelt offers much scope for relaxation and recreation too, through its commitment to Christian arts, music, theatre and cinema. And every age is catered for, from crèche through toddlers and younger children to wacky teenage events. It was great to see Carleton, Piers and Chris Amner there, too.
Next year is the 21st Greenbelt and a very special festival is guaranteed. We're certainly going again - there are big discounts for booking before the end of November. If you're interested ask us all about it!
Roger Green
Spring Harvest (1994) (June 1994 edition of the magazine)
This Easter, three brave, but willing women from St Thomas' were dragged off to keep watch over five CYFA members at Spring Harvest in Pwllheli. We realised the long 6 hour journey was not in vain when we finally reached Wales. The accommodation at Butlins was nothing to write home about but the daily meetings and worship were well worth every penny we'd paid.
The week began well with the first evening meeting. We were surprised at how many people there were in just the 14 - 16 age group. The venue was packed with young people like ourselves. The worship was very lively and even the half-hour long sermons were interesting! The evening meetings finished at 10pm but were followed by many 'after-hours' activities, catering for all ages. When our curfew of midnight came, we dragged ourselves back to the chalets very reluctantly for a good night’s sleep.
Every day was much the same with meetings in the mornings and evenings, leaving the afternoons free to sample the Butlins’ activities. There were also many seminars in the afternoons but we left those for the 'older' Spring Harvesters and visited the fair or water splash instead!
The holiday was greatly enjoyed by all of us. The spiritual benefits were enormous and it gave us a chance to meet new Christian friends. We now look forward to Spring Harvest 1995!
Heather Naylor, Jenny Travis, Sarah Dawson, Sarah Frith, Rebecca Tyler
Greenbelt (1994) (October 1994 edition of the magazine)
Do you know .........
What? A Christian festival with a strong cultural bias; or a cultural festival with a strong Christian bias.
Where? Deene Park, Northamptonshire
When? August Bank Holiday.
How long? Four days.
Who? All ages, multi-denominational, multi national.
Why? To have fun, to learn about our faith, to participate in seminars, to worship, to listen to music, to see the performing arts, to meet people, or any of these.
This was our first experience of Greenbelt and we didn't really know what to expect. Six families from Chesterfield went enmasse to corner a part of Deene Park and setup an encampment. The chosen spot was on the edge of the designated site with a view across some water to a country house and a beautiful, small, if redundant church.
A five minute walk away from the relative tranquillity of our encampment, a tent city had been set up, complete with a cardboard cathedral, a "main street", various stages, shops, stalls, cafes and telephones. In the tents, the church, the village hall and at the stages there were events to satisfy all, regardless of age or interest.
Seminars ranged from how to work for a fairer world, to the problems of being a Christian parent and even dating guidelines for singles. Worship took many different forms - matins, or compline with the Franciscans, singing and dancing with a group from Sudan or Wild Goose worship, which as its name suggest was a bit wild.
Music of many different styles took place at most times of the day and through into the night. Performing arts included The Hypochondriac by Moliere, some very witty plays by Australian performing companies and an intense passion play. There was also an exhibition, fashion show, jewellery and batik workshops - the list is endless.
There were seventeen children in our group, ageing from 1 to 15 years. Although there were group activities organised for children at particular times, our lot preferred to play around the encampment and they seemed to have a good time.
The highlight for me was the Passion play, performed mainly in a derelict farmyard under the night sky. It was a moving production that brought to life the experiences and emotions of Jesus and his followers during the last days of his life and his resurrection on the third day.
The highlight for others was the Sunday morning communion at the 'Mainstage' - an outdoor stage in a huge field.
Fifty percussionists, fifty singers and fifty dancers (all Greenbelt participants) helped to make the service a special one, as did a multi-denominational congregation celebrating communion together. John Bell preached a simple but powerful sermon - the essence of which is something that is often forgotten: God created us all as individuals and these differences should be a cause for celebration not division - a call for unity, love and tolerance.
Since returning from Greenbelt. I have noted two descriptions of it in the national media: a 'Christian festival', and a 'cultural festival'. It was both. If you wanted one without the other you could have it, but if you want both together you'll have an extremely enriching experience.
Alice Lawrence
Greenbelt (1995) (October 1995 edition of the magazine)
I decided in mid July that I would like to attend this year's Greenbelt festival at Deene Park near Corby, having heard good reports of last year's festival from Steve and Alice Lawrence. Helen Green gave me a leaflet and I arranged tickets for myself and my two children Paul, 8, and Ellen, 7. On the Thursday the children and I set off, arriving at Deene Park about 2pm.
'Officially' Greenbelt ran from Fri-Mon, but there were a few activities on the Thursday evening. Greenbelt passes firmly pinned on we set off about 8pm to look round the festival village. We queued to get into the tent where the ceilidh was being held, but came out almost straight away as it was hot and crowded and Ellen didn't like the noise. We finished off at Greenbelt's 24 hour venue, the Action Cafe where we had a sit down and a drink. I later found out that the rest of the venues you have to sit on the ground! After that when I went anywhere I usually carried a folding chair around with me!
The 4 main days of Greenbelt passed very fast -too fast. There was an amazing mix of worship services, seminars, discussions, plays (even an opera), dance, music, children's activities, fringe activities even including a football tournament.
Ellen made friends with the Franciscans who were at the festival and we were invited to lunch with them on the Sunday -a 'help yourself’ style picnic around their camp kitchen. Ellen's special friend was a lady called Jackie (I didn't even know there were any lady Franciscans). That evening I went to their 9pm Compline service and due to bad weather we all crowded into the shelter of the tent holding a lighted candle each. The service was followed by mugs of hot chocolate.
The next evening I took Paul and Ellen to the service and we were able to sit outside the tent on groundsheets. Inside the tent a cross was propped up on a white cloth and surrounded by candles a very special sight. The service was again followed by hot chocolate and Paul and Ellen helped to blow out all the candles.
I also went to two of the Wild Goose (Iona Community) late evening (11pm) worship services. The one on Sunday evening was a healing service where everyone attending had the chance to light a candle to place on the stage and also to be prayed for. With regard to the seminars, sadly I didn't get to as many as I would have liked and didn't manage to see Philip Yancie at all.
We were frequent visitors to the CMS tent called 'The Bone', as Ellen kept wanting to go round their 'Mission Maze' which took you on a journey to parts of the world where they are active Romania, Sudan and Pakistan. We were also frequent visitors to the Christian Aid tent where we were able to sample fair traded Clipper teas and since our return have been able to buy it at Safeway. One afternoon Ellen did the craft workshop at the Christian Aid tent.
On the Monday afternoon Ellen went abseiling on the abseiling tower being run by 'Youth with a Mission'. She's certainly braver than I am! I wouldn't even have climbed up the steps to the top let alone abseiled down! In the end she was more lowered down than actually abseiled but she got a round of applause when she reached the bottom!
For me the most memorable and moving part of Greenbelt was the open air worship and communion service on Sunday morning. There were many crosses sited round the ground, all of the different -one made out of a television. aerial and a satellite dish, one wood draped with lace, one made from tree branches, another one made from canes and fishing nets. It was a very moving sight seeing all these different crosses being carried around the area.
A very enjoyable and friendly week. I asked if they'd enjoyed Greenbelt. They both said they had. I then asked them if they wanted to return next year. Paul said he did and Ellen said that she wanted to go every year!
Jane Smith
Spring Harvest 2000 (June 2000 edition of the magazine)
This was the fifth time that I have been to Spring Harvest and I don't know if it's just me, but it seems to get better each time I go. Now, I am not sure if it is Spring Harvest that is getting better, or if it is me growing in my faith. Maybe it's a bit of both.
Butlins, Skegness, itself has greatly improved. There are a lot more facilities, most of which are under cover. The food is plentiful and we were fortunate that the sun shone more than it rained.
There were 51 of St Thomas' folks that went this year. This included children, teenagers, students and us adults. We felt bad about deserting church over Easter, but I think we all experienced a special Easter at Spring Harvest. There were 8,500 other Christians on site, from every denomination.
A group of us went to a series of seminars on Spirituality, which seemed to link very well with the Lent course that we had followed at St Thomas'. They were led by two very interesting Christians, who used formal information, interspersed with their own experiences to make the sessions lively. There was an added dimension as one of the leaders was a Jewish Christian, so we heard some Jewish prayers, and saw another view of the Old Testament, or Jewish Bible as he called it. The Bible Study sessions were excellent, full of sound biblical information, again interspersed with humour and real life stories.
Worship in the Big Top is something to experience! All those other Christians joining together to sing and dance and praise the Lord. We even had hundreds of balloons released into the air. When they popped, which they seemed to do together, they sounded like fireworks. What an exciting way to come into God's presence. We even had Steve Chalke on site, and his sermon was very powerful.
The calibre of all the people who speak at Spring Harvest is very high. They are all very experienced in sharing their knowledge of God. They are inspirational. Spending that much time just focussing on God is such a joy. You can actually feel yourself being filled with the Holy Spirit.
We did have some quiet times. The hour and a half at the Cross on Good Friday was very powerful. It was held in the middle of the concourse, with everyone going by, getting on with their own lives, just as it would have been while Jesus hung on the Cross. There were meditations and dance, and times for people to reflect on how they felt watching the familiar story of Jesus' suffering unfold before them.
On Easter Sunday we had a communion service at ten o'clock at night! Very strange! We thought, as Anglicans seemed to be the minority on site, that there wouldn't be too many people there. But we were wrong, there must have been 200 people there. The Provost of Bradford took the service. His talk gently introduced us to his mother and his son and he related his feeling about them to how God felt losing his Son, and how Jesus felt about his mother. Drawing the service to a close, we stood, holding hands, in a large circle around the tent. Then we turned, facing outward from the circle, facing out to the rest of the world. Such simple things seem to become very powerful at such times.
I'm already planning to go to Spring Harvest next year. I know I'm going to need renewing again. We discussed how good it would be if the whole church could go together, which I know is unrealistic, but I can dream!
Valerie Durkin
Spring Harvest 2002 (June 2002 edition of the magazine)
This year my daughter, Laura, and I made our third visit to Spring Harvest, at Butlins in Skegness. As usual our expectations were high, and we were not disappointed.
This year's theme was `You've Got Mail', focusing on Jesus' let-ters to the seven churches of Asia, in the book of Revelation. The main Bible teaching sessions, held daily, were led by David Coffey, who offered excellent exposition and a challenging message to the church.
It was enjoyable to meet other Christians in discussion in the `Zones' each day, and it was encouraging to hear about the work of other churches around the country. One evening I broke with my own tradition and went to the Celtic worship offered by the Northumbria Community. I found it relaxed and informal, but also with a deep and sincere message.
My favourite moments have to be the excitement of the Big Top' evenings, with great speakers and powerful worship, and also one afternoon, spent with Laura on the beach, paddling in the sea (the water was so cold, my feet hurt!). One message I felt I came away with, was to spend less time working, and more time having fun!
Laura's age meant that she now moved up into the young teen's group, which was called 'Toast'. Here's what she said about it:
In Toast we did Toast Idol (like Pop Idol), Friends like these (a fun game) and The Post Shop (a soap made up by the leaders). I enjoyed going to the fair and swimming at the Splash Pool, which has lots of fun slides and rapids. My favourite moment was going to see The Tribe in concert with my mates - it was excellent! I've already persuaded Mum to let us go again next year - not that she needed much persuading!
Pat and Laura Clayton - May 2002
Soul Survivor (October 2003 edition of the magazine)
Soul Survivor is a Christian
Youth event, which takes place
every year on the Shepton Mallet
Show Ground near Bath. Over 5
days, 11,000 young Christians take
part in Seminars, Work Shops, activities,
sports and large scale worship.
It is an opportunity to meet
with others and of course to meet
with God.
I was a little apprehensive about
going at first, (the thought of camping in a field for a week
without my guitar was a little daunting!) but as the events
rolled on I really “got in to it”.
The seminars I attended were very inspirational, and indeed
life changing. However, the most amazing things happened
during the worship sessions - one in the morning and one in
the evening. The Holy Spirit was evidently present – it was just
so vivid - over 1,000 people were saved, hundreds were forgiven
and healed of illness. Some of the sessions were so intense
things happened that I had never seen before - people
wailing, crying, laughing and screaming - the Holy Spirit just
kept on coming in waves!
I, myself, became aware of how great God really is. He also answered
my prayer - for so long I have been asking the Lord to
reveal what he wants me to do in my life - my calling. In one of
the evening sessions he told me quite definitely that he wants
me to enter music ministry, including leadership and evangelism.
I was also healed emotionally - since my Grandfather
passed away at Easter. I believe it to have been the best week
of my life.
I’d like to thank the members of the St Thomas’s Church for
being so supportive and encouraging.
Hannah Willis
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