Sunday August 15th. 2010 was probably the busiest day of the whole year for our minister and members. It was the day of the Skegness Fellowship of Christian Churches annual Gala in Tower Gardens, Skegness, the town park. Our minister, Ian, had been leading the organising committee since early in the year. This year he gained the co-operation of the Skegness Carnival Committee who provided 'market stalls' and refreshments, including a barbecue.

In previous years the event has been run for two hours in the afternoon and has principally involved each member church displaying its work from various stalls Some of the 13 charity stalls using the 'Market' stalls provided by the Carnival Committee. and contributing a musical item or testimony from the bandstand. There has been various entertainment for the young people including puppets and a contribution from members of a visiting Baptist Church who run a Beach Mission in Skegness every year.

However, this year the event was extended to commence at 11 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m. Ian managed to arrange for some 13 different charities to take part in the event which certainly drew the crowds. The whole central area of the park was arranged as a games area for kids and we had a designated area for the Beach Mission.

We also had a Prayer Tent and a team of authorised people, led by the local Methodist Minister, the Rev'd Nigel Clements, who acted as prayer partners. The Olive Tree Christian Resource Centre provided a Christian bookshop on site.

Ian had the task of leading the 'entertainment' from the Bandstand which included the music group from the New Day Fellowship, the Addlethorpe Methodist Church Puppet Ministry, the Beach Mission, and a Keyboard player. At the close Ian was able to bring a Christian message for about 20 minutes which included the use of some secular music and ended with a congregational singing of the worship song, 'Revival'.

The opinion of all involved was that this was the best Gala Day yet, even the weather was in our favour, although it lived up to Skegness' reputation and there was a 'bracing' wind. Ian has already been given the task of organising the Gala for next year!