Goodbye

Many of you know our family well, you have got to know us, watched our children grow and you have many times been our extended family as well our church family. We have also seen many of your children grow up! You have nurtured us and invested in us, supported and encouraged us. For that we have been beyond blessed and are so grateful for each one of you. I recently had the opportunity to speak with the the lovely bunch of ladies from REAL. We reflected on seasons and how they changed, and as unsettling as those changes can be, they can be the catalyst for new perspectives, new adventure. Even in the seasons where things are unbelievably tough. For each season we prepare, but inevitably stuff happens we didn't exactly plan for and those are the times we need to be rooted in him. God has promised that he can work ALL things together for our good, for those called according to his purpose. With God I've learnt nothing we go through is wasted and, he is the one who directs our steps, even with our many plans and ideas that we present to him. There have been many seasons weathered here whilst at Holy Trinity, and we've known God constant and faithful. Many times the faithfulness of the Father and his love has been shown to us by your faithfulness to him and we are forever grateful for you love and care and encouragement towards us, especially when it's been tough. For us as a family this is a season of change for us, one we have contemplated and prayed about for some time now.

Saying goodbye is never easy, however this is the season we find ourselves in. Many of you will have known us from the start of our time at Holy Trinity, at that time we only had one child who was then, a few weeks old. We had been praying for a church to go to and we said to God, if you mean us to go here, then have someone come up and welcome us. That's exactly what happened and we stayed!

Over the years you have all played a part in nurturing us as as a family, walking our journey together and I've had the privilege of seeing God touch ours and many of your lives, as he has revealed himself to you and brought you closer to himself.

We are now beginning a new journey again, it's always sad to say goodbye, however we are excited and equally apprehensive to see what God has in store for us and see how he will use us in his kingdom. We are joining a new church plant as a family in Leicester. We will still be living in Ashby and still would love to keep in contact for sure.

Thank you for the many times you have prayed for our family, and even our extended family. I'm really happy to report my mum after several re-admissions to hospital is now at home doing really well.

As a family we want to thank you all so much, for your love and friendship and encouragement. Never loose sight of the amazing and awesome God we serve, who loves you and has a plan and purpose for your life, he will change your life and others around you if you let him in.

With all our love,

The Marcus-Smiths... Paul, Sandy... Fionn... Aoibhe and Elias xxxxxx