In action at Spring Harvest

Elim folk were at the heart of delivering Spring Harvest’s teaching, worship and kids programmes in April. Before they set off to Butlins, we found out more from three of those involved

If you’ve been bitten by the Spring Harvest bug, you’ll be one of thousands of Christians packing cars to the rafters and heading off to Butlins this month.

And you’ll be in good company, because several Elimites at the heart of the event will be on their way too.

Among them are Leon Evans, Shirene Agbelusi and Sam Blake, alongside Olivia Omartey, Sarah Whittlestone, Sam Hughes and more.

They were involved in exploring this year’s theme – No Greater Life – and Jesus’ Great Commandments to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength, and to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Worship

Elim Sound and Kensington Temple worship leader Sam Blake was back for “at least the tenth year”, this time at Minehead.

“We’re doing the Big Start, which is the all-age family session,” he says.

“We love serving there – you’re working with amazing theatre companies and it’s full of energy.

“We’re different characters each year, so we’ve done ‘Sam & the school band’, ‘Sam & the litter pickers’. One year everyone dressed up as superheroes.

“Some worship leaders don’t enjoy that, but we’ve always found it’s simply a different way to serve the wider church.”

Sam is also leading worship at The Pursuit, the alternative venue loosely aimed at young adults.

Online hosting

First-timer Shirene Agbelusi, from Coventry Elim, was invited to join the Spring Harvest Home hosting team after speaking at a Care for the Family event.

“Spring Harvest Home is the live online event which broadcasts the programme from Studio 36 in Minehead to subscribers at home and into thousands of prison cells,” she says.

It’s the livestream designed for people who can’t attend in person but still want to join in the worship, teaching and community.

“The hosting team introduces and closes the programme and has guests in the studio for interviews.”

Shirene will also be a panellist, participating in a discussion on habits and spiritual formation.

Speaking

Seasoned Harvester Leon Evans, from Lifecentral in Birmingham, wrote the theme book for 2025 and this year will host The Gathering (the main celebration) in the 2,000-seater Studio 36.

“Olivia and I are also leading the church leadership stream in the morning,” he says, “and I’m speaking at Soul Space too, which is the more reflective venue.”

Leon’s love for Spring Harvest was sparked when it helped his spiritual development as a teenager and young adult. Today, he appreciates its all-age, cross-denominational reach.

“You get lots of different views and thoughts, and see what God is doing in the nation.

“I also like that there’s a big emphasis on evangelism. Many people come who aren’t Christians then go on Alpha courses and a lot of young people make commitments for Jesus.”

This article first appeared in the April edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.