ABOUT US

Our Story

Cheltenham Elim Church is part of the Elim movement. Elim is the name of an oasis that is mentioned in Exodus 15:27; it is described as a place of refreshment and shelter for the people of God as they travelled through the wilderness:

‘Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water’.

There are over 550 Elim churches in the UK which are part of the worldwide Pentecostal movement; the fastest growing part of the church worldwide. The Elim movement was founded by George Jeffreys in 1915, a pioneering Pentecostal evangelist in the UK. The first Pentecostal church was introduced to Cheltenham in 1943, and in 1948 the Elim Pentecostal Church took over the responsibility of the church. In 1954, the church joined the Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance, the full charity name for Elim Pentecostal Church. By 1962 the church purchased the site on St George’s Road and the first meetings there were held on the ground floor of the house that was on the site. In 1964 the offices of Elim International also decided to locate to Cheltenham; the newly built church and the International Offices were both opened in 1968. The church was extended in 2016 to increase the size of the main auditorium and a balcony was built to increase capacity. Today, at the former site of the Elim International offices the space has been repurposed into a community space dedicated to help people in crisis; the main centre for Cheltenham Foodbank operates out of the building alongside a pregnancy support organisation and a repair café (MeNdit!). We also facilitate a Citizen’s Advice service from our community space, and employ a financial inclusion officer to support those in need of financial and benefit advice. The church offices and the offices of Youth for Christ in Gloucestershire are also to be found in the former Elim International offices.

Our VISION

Cheltenham Elim Church is a vibrant Christ-centred congregation, seeking to honour God and each other. As a creative, prayer-fuelled community our intention is to seek to encounter God’s presence in our times of worship together, and to continually grow in the knowledge of God’s will, word, and character. With a strong sense of our missional mandate, and our belief that church cannot be confined to a meeting, or a building, CEC endeavours to partner with Jesus, and his people, in taking the message of God’s amazing love to the wider community.

LOVING - LIVING - GIVING

We want to be people who LOVE deeply, LIVE abundantly and GIVE wholeheartedly

A Prophetic Note

Whilst we do not dismiss or belittle the past, we recognise that God’s Spirit is prompting us to look forward and embrace a new season in which he is doing a new thing – we sense that God is wanting to develop us into a church with the fresh perspectives necessary for difficult times.

We also believe that God is reminding us that He is at the helm, and that we are called to courageously walk forward together, following as He leads. More specifically we feel God is leading as a church to be a safe, secure space where people are valued; a growth space where the potential of each individual is unlocked and developed; and a welcoming and healing space for those ‘outside’ who may be seeking answers to life’s questions. In short – a church which is clear about its own identity and purpose.

OUR TEAM.

The team are here to help and guide you as you journey with us. We are indebted to our key leaders and volunteers, without whom, none of what we do would be possible.

ROGER WYATT

Lead Minister

Roger has served in Elim Churches for nearly 30 years and was ordained in 2006. Roger pastored the Riverside Church in Hertfordshire, after which he planted a church in Falmouth in 2010. Roger took up the position of Lead Minister at Cheltenham Elim in June 2022, he has four children, Lois, Eli, Abiah and Esmée and is married to Mandy. Roger has a Masters in Theology and enjoys writing, teaching and spending time in the countryside.

Ben Verry

Youth Worker

Ben is the youth worker here at Cheltenham Elim. He is currently studying a BA in Applied Theology (youth ministry track) at Regents college in Malvern. He is passionate about developing our young people into a greater understanding of who they are in God and equipping them so that they have a firm foundation from which to grow in their faith.

DAVE WELLINGTON

Minister

Dave was raised in the Elim Church in Plymouth. After graduating in Chemistry and heading on to teacher training, he then stepped in to become a youth leader which ended in him heading off with Liz and their young family to Bible College. Ordained in 1992, Dave went on to serve as Music Pastor in Kensington Temple, finally leaving London to take on the Leadership Track at Regents Theological College. Whilst there he took on a Masters in Theology and he and Liz became involved in Cheltenham Elim. You’ll see him speaking or supporting the sung worship.

BEAN BAKER

Creative Director

Bean is a worship leader, songwriter and musician. He is passionate about creativity and how it can be used to draw people into God’s presence. Alongside leading the worship and tech team, Bean also heads up our media and creative department.

Bean is married to Sarah and they have 3 children.

Liz WALKER

Centre Manager

Liz joined Cheltenham Elim Church in 1997. She went on missions to Honduras in 1999 for 4 years and then later to Swaziland in 2007. On both occasions she worked with orphans and vulnerable children. She returned to the UK in 2018 with her husband and 3 daughters.

Liz looks after the logistics of admin and buildings, as well as hiring or using the spaces we have available.

CHURCH OFFICERS & TEAM

TUNDE LANSEBE

Finance Director

Liz Walker

Church Secretary

CHURCH ELDERS

Carole WHyborn, MARTIN MORLEY, SIMON PADLEY & Charlene OLAleye

The elders are appointed by membership vote and serve a 4 year term.

Their role, along with the church officers, is to safeguard our church through major decision-making, grievances, financial prudence, spiritual oversight and the appointment of ministers, who will also be ordained by the Elim movement.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

CHELTENHAM FOODBANK

Our foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust’s network of 428 foodbanks, working to tackle food poverty and hunger in our local communities, as well as across the UK.

About

Cheltenham Elim Church is part of a group of churches & one charity: Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance. Tens of thousands attend Elim churches every week. While the congregations range from small groups to some of the largest in the UK and Ireland, all our members share a set of beliefs known as our Foundational Truths.

The Foundational Truths explain our theology and are a statement of faith – they are powerful, non-negotiable and guide all we say and do.