Study-week began very casually around nine years ago. David and Duncan were not long out of university; David was recently married. We had spent some time learning Greek together. So we thought it might be a good idea to spend a few days away somewhere, doing some serious study together. Mark Richards was settling back in Chesham - maybe he’d like to come along? Tim Mills was just down the road in Sale. Why not ask him? But where should we go? Why not the Allmand-Smiths’ holiday home in Llanfairfechan? Maybe Oliver would join us too. And maybe we could persuade Christine to come and cook for us. And so it happened. We spent five days together working through Philippians. We were determined to be very self-disciplined. So we kept our noses at the grindstone for seven and a half hours a day. We worked to understand the meaning of the book; we grappled with its theology; we discussed the way we apply its lessons to today; we drew up sermon outlines; we went through them together. And we went home worn out, but with our minds exploding with new ideas and insights.

A Llanfairfechan study-week became a regular annual event. One year we would tackle an Old Testament book; the following year, we’d move to the New. And other men joined us. Wal Johnston was just round the corner at Chorlton and was my prop in every sort of pastoral problem. He had to come. Alan Thomas was assistant pastor at Accrington and had just returned from a course of study at Westminster Theological Seminary. He threw himself into study-week with huge enthusiasm and frightened us all with his competence at Greek and Hebrew. He came even when his wife Shona was expecting their first child - he had to leave during the early hours of Friday morning when she phoned to say it was on the way. Alan is now a consultant psychiatrist in Newcastle - but still comes when he can. Geoff Thomas asked us if we could make room for his assistant Peter Hughes. Peter went on to pastor a church in Llandrindod Wells and is now with TBS down in London. Martin Grubb left the Anglican Church and came up north. He came and has never stopped coming. Stuart Olyott introduced Gerard Hemmings, pastor in Twickenham, to us. Gerald became one of our regulars and a much-beloved friend.

So we were regularly expecting nine or ten men - about the maximum possible, with our round-the-table, everyone-contributes format. And still there were other men asking if they come. Other young men with potential as preachers were now sitting in the congregation here: men like Carl Williams and Geoff Budgell. So we decided the time had come to start a second study week each year. The half-term week in October had become the normal time for our regular group. We decided to run another week in the first half of the year - initially in May, then annually in February. Spring study-week has now been running for six years. Geoff Thomas has continued to send along each of his assistants in turn - Ken Turner, Alastair Dunbar, most recently Daniel Grimwade (now pastor in Thornhill). Men like Joe Tudor and Andrew Gullett who were students in Manchester and have now moved on, signed up. This year we are expecting ten men including three first-timers; we’re studying 1 Timothy together.

At our first study-week nine years ago, only one man was married. All of our October regulars are now married, and most are in pastorates. The February group is mostly made up of younger men who are not yet in full-time ministry.

Study week has moved from time to time. From Llanfairfechan we moved down to Ty Brasil, a lovely little conference centre thirty miles north of Swansea. From there we moved back up to Llandudno where we use the UBM house - basic hostel accomodation with half a dozen bunks in each of the eight bedrooms. Sometimes we’ve booked a main meal each day at a local guesthouse, sometime the wives have come along to look after us. Christine, Heather, Shona, Wendy, Carol have all played their part at some point. This year three wives are coming: Anne, Carol and Rachel Isherwood.

I believe that these study-weeks, started almost accidentally nine years ago, in the providence of God, have played a key role in the lives of men and of churches. Men testify to the part that study-week has played in equipping them for the work of the gospel; churches throughout the UK benefit from what’s been learned. And a network of fellowship has developed. Men who meet together each year around the study-table learn to understand and trust one another; they pray for one another; grow together in understanding - and they stay in touch with one another throughout the year. Through our study-week circle, we have warm fellowship with churches throughout the country.

So that’s study-week. I’m looking forward to it.

Then next month (March) I’m off on a longer trip: with Anne to New Zealand. We’re going at the invitation of a group of reformed baptist churches. I’m expecting to speak at two family conferences: in Auckland (March 22^nd – 24^th) and in Hamilton (29^th –31^st), both on North Island.

The reformed cause in New Zealand is not strong. The Christian scene is dominated by the charismatic movement. There are perhaps seven reformed baptist churches in a country as large as the UK (though with a tenth of the population).

God bless you all, Stephen

(PS If any of you are interested in the story of how the gospel first came to New Zealand, have a look at William Williams’s book Christianity among the New Zealanders, published by Banner of Truth. It’s a good read.)