Elim Community Church pastor to retire after 29 years in role

Under his leadership Pastor Meyer has seen Elim Community Church, which meets in St Paul's Church, Lonsdale Street, grow from around 140 people to over 400 regular attenders.

After he takes his final service as Senior Pastor on Sunday morning, the Church is holding a retirement party and lunch to which all present and past members are invited.

Alan and his wife Gail, will be making a final Missions visit to the school and Church they have planted in the Philippines in February and then planning a holiday in New Zealand, before returning to the church not as leaders, but simply as church members, at Easter.

David Allen, who has been the Associate Pastor for the past 18 months is taking over as Senior Pastor and his formal induction service is to be held on Sunday, January 14 at 6pm, and Christine Orr who has served on the Pastoral Team for a few months will also be inducted as Assistant Minister.

The new pastor, David Allen and his wife, Esther (Image: f)Speaking of his successor, Pastor Meyer said "David and his wife, Esther, have international experience having planted and grown Churches in Cambodia, as well as developing a Charity rehabilitating girls freed from sexual slavery.

"He has already demonstrated his leadership ability in Carlisle, and I have no doubt he will take the church to a greater level, as he leads the church into its next phase of growth and development."

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Currently the Church is buying new premises to house their growing youth and children's ministries, and this will also provide additional space for their community and social ministries such as the Debt centre and Life Skills courses, run in partnership with Christians against Poverty, as well as their successful food pantry.

Over the next few years, David and the leaders are hoping to move the main congregation into larger premises to enable them to continue to grow and serve the wider community in Carlisle and the surrounding areas.