New Wine may have been founded in England but its international ministry has been spreading around the globe for many years. Read on for an insight into how New Wine Summer Conferences are impacting people in other countries

International Village at Shepton Mallet

This year 110 delegates joined us in the International Village from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France; from six international English-speaking churches as well as from a French-speaking church and from the Dutch New Wine churches.

God met all of us in significant ways including one woman from Belgium who arrived to serve on a team with severe eye problems and a pile of strong medication which she didn’t have to use after her team members prayed for her healing. One worship leader shared that he had seen worship leading modeled in a way that he could apply back home.

Church members from different ethnic backgrounds appreciated the international scope of the New Wine speakers who referred to mission in their parts of the world. English language resources for our church groups were perused and acquired by those of us in countries where this is unavailable.

Overall, church members and the six international church leaders present were encouraged and inspired to see God’s kingdom grow in their different church situations, strengthening the growing European English-speaking New Wine Network. And we rejoiced in the spiritual overflow we saw in our first services back home as a result of having encouraged so many church members to make the extra effort to share some of their summer holiday in another country with Christians from churches like theirs. One American family, though returning to the States this year, intends to be back at Shepton Mallet next year.

Barbara Noordanus, International Village Host

Scotland

We are always happy to hear the regulars saying ‘the best CLAN ever’ and thanks be to God, this summer there were many of those. It is a marvelous thing to report that we now expect substantial healings and miracles when we come together at CLAN Gathering. Bruce Collins’ exhortation to ‘get the batting average up’, reinforced recently by Bill Johnson’s teaching, has strengthened us to move from ‘hope to expectation’ as we pray for the sick. It was both curious and delightful that a lady from Bill’s church in California came to CLAN and received healing when the ministry team prayed for her!

My favourite story this year was of a lovely, profoundly deaf, young woman who was wheelchair-bound after an accident six months before. Her hands had curled up and she could only use a fist and a thumb to hold things. It grieved her that she could no longer play her guitar. As people prayed for her she started to shriek as her hands opened and regained their full range of movement. Minutes later, when I went to see her, she already felt the strength returning. She held them out to me and as I took them I felt the Lord say, ‘These hands will heal others.’ Jesus had just touched these hands! Someone brought her a guitar and she sang to us through tears of joy. Glory to God!

Rick Hayes, Conference Manager, on behalf of the leadership of CLAN Gathering

Ireland

Over 800 people came from all over Ireland to the Kingdom Come conference in Sligo, and most of them left with a desire to see God’s kingdom come in their own church and community.

Canon John Hughes led the Bible teaching sessions each morning. He looked at different aspects of Joseph’s life and spoke very powerfully. There were lots of challenges from the speakers each evening including Baroness Caroline Cox, Mark Melluish and Mark Russell (Church Army), with powerful times of worship and ministry throughout the week.

A packed seminar programme, a venue for adults with learning difficulties, a 5-a-side football competition, fantastic groups for all ages, a family fun afternoon including a bring-your-own-banquet in the sun, and great late night entertainment all made for the biggest and best conference yet.

Throughout the week there was an opportunity to ‘take to the streets’ with the Causeway Vineyard team, praying for healing, giving away love hearts and sharing God’s kingdom with the people in Sligo.

Paul Jardine, Conference Administrator

New Zealand

This year’s summer conferences in New Zealand have again raised the bar on what is increasingly exciting work around the country. Over three sites, 1,400 people gathered from the length and breadth of New Zealand. New Zealand has geographical challenges which keep the conferences small, but has a thirst for the kingdom of God which keeps our vision big.

We are seeing people’s lives changed, changes that affect them personally, their family situations communally, and ultimately their churches and communities corporately.

The South Island Hanmer Springs event has a specific family focus. One couple wrote, ‘We weren’t going to church regularly and had stopped reading our Bibles and praying. We both made recommitments at New Wine and are now regularly attending church.’ Following the northern event in Matamata, a woman suffering from breast cancer shared this: ‘During the first meeting the speaker gave a prophetic word “There is a lady here who was abused when she was three years old.” This speaker only gave one word of knowledge and it was for me! That was my sign and I had recognised it! God has totally healed me. I am so grateful to him that he loved me enough to put me back together again.’

The Waikanae event, at the bottom of the North Island, involved some social action. After spending the night in Wellington ministering to street people, the lost and the lonely, one man wrote: ‘My experience with Drug Arm at the camp was a total highlight and encouragement in my walk with God. I was touched to see how God cared for every one of his lost lambs. Sneaking into my cabin and laying my head on the pillow I found myself saying, “Thank you God. Thank you God.”

It’s the little things that are heartening, like this comment: ‘The camp helped me to see the work I am currently doing as valuable to the Kingdom. It encouraged me to keep on keeping on.’

Our passion is to see churches equipped, church leaders passionate about what they’ve been called to do, people in the street sharing faith and works, and the nation changed.

Lydia Read, Operations Manager, New Wine New Zealand