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New team as Transforming Norwich looks ahead 

Churches together group Transforming Norwich has elected a new committee and appointed a new chairman at its AGM, held at the St Peter Mancroft Octagon, on Friday June 12. Keith Morris reports.

Rev Mark Fairweather-Tall stood down after two-and-a-half-years as chair. He told the AGM: “Transforming Norwich and this meeting is a celebration of the opportunity that we have to be partners in the Gospel together to impact this city. And what a joy it is that we can share in our different traditions and the different ways that we do things, but be united around the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with good news for a broken and hurting world.
 
“We recognise that we can be stronger together, we all share in God’s grace and together we can help transform this city and the lives of people who live here."
 
Mark reported on a year in which the Ministers Praying Together bi-monthly lunches have been relaunched, thanks to the efforts of Trevor Pimlott of Soul Church. Unite and Prayer for Revival have also become part of Transforming Norwich during the year. Transforming Norwich organised two General Election hustings and a Faith and Politics forum with the Bishop of Norwich and Amelia Abplanalp from the Evangelical Alliance.
 
Most recent was the visit of transformation expert Dr Alistair Petrie to Norwich for a week at the invitation of Transforming Norwich, which was an absolutely fantastic week, said Mark and there is the opportunity for Alistair to return next year.
 
TNAGM15DannyDS450Mark also welcomed new Transforming Norwich chair, Danny Doran-Smith (pictured right) of ENYP and lay pioneer minister at St Elizabeth’s church in West Earlham.
 
“Danny has a real passion for Jesus and is someone who really makes things happen, so Transforming Norwich has an exciting future in his hands,” said Mark
 
Danny said: “I believe that God’s hand is on this city because everywhere I look I see his hands at work, so we need to be encouraged. The unity I see here is much, much different to what I see in many cities across the country.
 
“I believe that God is going to increase our saltiness in the city through five ways complimentary ways,” he said.
 
The five ways are through our presence, through our partnership, through our preaching, through our praying and through our practical service together. There are over 50 different ministries across our area – social action is an important part of the work of Transforming Norwich, said Danny.
 
“Alistair Petrie talked about five things which are really important: humility, holiness, relational unity, integrity and fundamentally it’s about transformation. Those are the five things which are going to be the ingredients of Transforming Norwich and which I believe are going to happen in our city,” said Danny. If we are going to be called Transforming Norwich we had better be doing it.
 
A new executive committee was also elected and comprises:
 
Danny Doran-Smith (Chair) (ENYP)
Trevor Pimlott (Vice Chair) (Soul Church)
Nick Blanch (Norwich Youth For Christ)
Biddy Collyer (St Stephens CofE)
Ian Dyble (St Thomas CofE)
Mark Fairweather-Tall (Norwich Central Baptist Church)
Jill Gower (Call to Prayer)
Keith Morris (Network Norwich & Norfolk)
Toby Skipper (King’s Church)
Simon Stokes (Sprowston Parish)
Phil Thorne (Alive Church)


Pictured top, Mark Fairweather-Tall addresses the AGM and above, new chair Danny Doran-Smith.
 


Published: 18/06/2015


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