Matthew and Kate were part of Christ Church Newcastle for three years before moving to York in 2009 to plant a new church. They have three children, Benjamin, Thomas and Anna. The congregation has grown from an initial thirteen in Matthew and Kate’s living room to a regular group of nearly forty adults who include a group of committed students. Importantly there is also now a core group of non-students who both want to grow themselves and see the church grow.
Their aim is to establish a ‘Christ-centred, Bible-teaching, people-focussed church in York city centre’. Initially the church met in their home, but since May has been meeting in a small community arts centre in the slightly more deprived area of Walmgate in the south-east corner of the city centre. It is remarkably like Christ Church Heaton in having pictures on the wall which change regularly and over which they have no control! It has been a great venue for them, well-located and with all the facilities they need, so please praise God for providing it.

Current prayer requests include:

• For more families and older Christians to join the congregation and for the core group of long term committed adults to grow.
• For the core group to grow in number and to be more committed to evangelism and to serving the church.
• That the group of students going along would maintain their hunger to learn from the Bible and live for Christ.
• For a good number of students to come in September, and the wisdom to know how best to serve them.
• For a bigger venue, as the current one is too small!