Entrance to the auditorium (Click to enlarge)Traveling for nearly 18 hours by car, plane, and finally—missing turns on “roundabouts” while driving an automobile with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car—Andrew and Jamie, David and Gayle, and me, Stephen Bransford, arrived at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, England. We made the journey for The Grace and Faith Family Camp 2010.


Andrew & Will inspect the youth zone
(Click to enlarge)The sunset was warm and colorful, and the temperature suitable for shirtsleeves. Even though weary from the road, Andrew was not too tired to take a quick tour of the facilities with European Director, Will Graham.  They viewed the main auditorium capable of seating several thousand adults, an adjacent building decorated as the Youth Zone for teens, and another called Messy Church, where younger children will receive ministry tailored to their specific needs.

Entrance to the youth zone (Click to enlarge)“This meeting is a revival of an event Will and I used to hold in the ‘90s,” Andrew said.

“That’s right,” Will added, “we started with about 600 people and grew those crowds to 2,500, even before you were on TV.”

“I remember. I’m hoping a lot of other people will remember and join again this year.”

Will Graham explained, “Think of the Grace and Faith meetings as similar to Colorado’s  Summer Family Bible Conference—only European style.”

Warwick Castle (Click to enlarge) And what a wonderful style that is! Stoneleigh Park  contains comfortable meeting halls, a hotel, camping for tents and campers, with nearby activities such as 4X4 riding, fishing, archery, skeet shooting, boating, kayaking, and a Top Gear British motoring museum. Stratford-Upon-Avon provides world class shopping and restaurants. This ancient village is the celebrated birthplace of William Shakespeare. Britain’s ultimate castle, Warwick Castle is a mere 6 miles distant. The local Stoneleigh Abbey is a great family destination, surrounded by 620 acres of parkland. Other sites include the Redwings Horse Sanctuary, the Butterfly Farm and many other attractions. Each destination is linked by picture-postcard English country roads, which many visitors consider a destination in themselves. Stoneleigh Park is truly a wonderful place to plan a vacation around the Word of God.  

The Grace and Faith meetings will begin Friday night with Andrew speaking at 7pm. We will continue to report on the progress of the meetings as they continue. Andrew will speak a total of five times through a final meeting, which ends on Monday at noon.

Then we will begin our journey to Africa.

Filed Friday, May 28, 2010, 5:45pm, Stoneleigh Park time, AWMI Media Manager, Stephen Bransford