633080
The Norfolk and Norwich Christian community website

Ian Savory induction 540AT

New Pastor inducted at Sheringham church

2016: Rev Ian Savory has been inducted as senior pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham at a special service in the church on Saturday March 5.

 
Ian has taken up the post at Lighthouse following the retirement of Rev Bryan Pickard, and started his role at the beginning of this year, having moved to Sheringham with his wife Sue before Christmas.
 
Ian was senior pastor at Kingsgate Community Church in Great Yarmouth until November 2015, and for many years before that pastor at Oak Grove Chapel in Norwich.
 
The Sheringham church was packed for the induction service, which was led by Rev Richard Lewis, Eastern Baptist Association Regional Minister. The afternoon started with Ivor Charsley and Chris Harrison from the church’s leadership team explaining how Ian came to be appointed after Bryan had announced that he was to retire. They recounted how all those involved in the process were convinced that Ian and Sue were God’s choice for Lighthouse.
 
The service continued in a prescribed format with Richard asking Ian, then Lighthouse leadership, to confirm their faith and trust in God. Next he asked the church fellowship, and then the whole congregation, to accept, welcome, and support their new pastor. This was followed by questions from each of the leadership team, asking Ian, and then Sue, to commit to all aspects of the job ahead.
 
This was followed by prayers for Ian and Sue by leaders of Kingsgate and Oak Grove churches, and also by the Senior Police Chaplain of Norfolk Constabulary, as Ian is also police chaplain for North Norfolk, a role which he finds rewarding, and very useful for forming bonds with the local community.
 
The message was given by Mrs Audrey Chipper from Isleham in Cambridgeshire, whom Ian said had been a great source of inspiration and encouragement to him over the years. Audrey spoke of the need to serve, and reminded the congregation that Jesus himself had said in Matthew 20:28 that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve”. She talked about the powerful impact of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the last supper, and pointed out the need to serve and encourage each other in the church as well as blessing and reaching out to the local community.
 
The celebration also included rousing worship, and the afternoon concluded with coffee and cake. 
 
Ian Savory 389CFIan and Sue’s links with the Sheringham church go back at least ten years during which time Ian led a number of meetings, services and training events. They have many friends in the town, including Lighthouse youth pastor, Peter Skivington, who was youth worker at Oak Grove while Ian was there.
 
“We are thrilled to be here,” said Ian, “And I’m committed to seeing what God wants to do in North Norfolk. Even our kids, who are now grown up and married, still come back to Sheringham for their fish and chips!”
 
For more on Ian’s vision for Lighthouse and the local community, click here.
 
For more on the special service back in January when Ian took over from Bryan Pickard, click here:
 
The Lighthouse Community Church is at 62 Cromer Road, Sheringham, NR26 8RT.
Phone 01263 825155

Visit www.lighthousesheringham.org  

The photo at the top is courtesy of gareth Gabriel from http://angelus.media/  



TonyRothe150Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in North Norfolk?  

If so, e-mail tony.rothe@networknorwich.co.uk with details and, if possible a suitable picture. 


11540 views
To submit a story or to publicise an event please email: web@networknorwich.co.uk