Tim's Update June 2026
Introducing New Staff and New Strategy

Dear friends,

I'm excited to introduce our new Loughborough staff member the Rev. Ogbonna Ongenweaku! Ogbonna has been joining us over the last month or so as he prepares to move to Loughborough from Peterborough. Ogbonna, tell us a bit about yourself...

My name is Ogbonna Onyenweaku, and I am an Anglican Vicar from Nigeria. My family and I moved to the United Kingdom in 2025 in response to God’s leading. Before relocating to the UK, I served as a Chaplain at the University of Calabar, Nigeria, and also taught Theology and Religious Studies for approximately ten years at Ajayi Crowther University, OYO (RIMAD Centre, Calabar).

I am currently serving as a Staff Worker with Friends International at Loughborough. My passion for international student ministry is rooted in my commitment to the Great Commission and shaped by my many years of experience within the university environment. I am hopeful that my contribution to the excellent work already being carried out by Friends International will have a positive impact on the students who come to Loughborough to study and will further advance God’s kingdom through faithful service.

Ogbonna and I headed to Friends International's May Training event in Consett last month. It was a blessed time of fellowship with our colleagues. The main theme of the gatherings revolved around 'lament in Christian leadership'. We can go through different seasons in Christian ministry, some are particularly difficult and trying. Using the biblical practice of lament is one way of processing those challenges, disappointments, and hurts. As part of our time together I gave a talk on Habakkuk and his experience of lament. Habakkuk offers a real insight into what it means to lament. Lament is a kind of prayer in pain that leads to trust. The name, Habakkuk actually means 'to wrestle' or 'embrace' which says a lot about the way in which Habakkuk worked things through with God. Ultimately God responds and comforts Habakkuk, not by providing intellectual answers to the problem of suffering, but through personal encounter. May we seek to be comforted by personal encounter with God, and encourage those to whom we minister to seek and encounter God in Christ in the midst of difficulty.

As summer approaches, many students are returning home. At the same time, postgraduates usually stay on throughout the summer. We're going to be running a few local walks and trips over the summer, so please be praying for those and for fruitful conversations.

Alongside these weekly events in June/July we're also looking ahead to our program in the Autumn. We've been struggling with numbers at International Fridays these last few months, so we'd like to mix things up in the new academic year. Part of this will involve a renewed emphasis on sharing food with international students on a regular basis. Jesus always seemed to be either going to a meal, enjoying a meal, or coming from a meal! Food is also something that students from all nations enjoy, so we're looking to make that a more central feature of our meetings together. We hope that this will lead into Exploring Christianity sessions for those interested once the main meal has finished. We would also like to spend more time in the marketplace and in local parks, meeting with students in the town, and giving out copies of Luke's gospel. In preparation for some of this strategic change we're planning to run more regular prayer gatherings for those passionate about international student ministry.

We'd value your prayers as we work this out more fully over the coming months. Also, if there are folks at your church interested in joining in with local outreach and potentially cooking something simple for our international gathering every so often, do get in touch! We'd love for our ministry to provide opportunities for local Christians to get involved in international student outreach.

Prayer Points:

Pray for B (India) and R (Zimbabwe) who joined us at International Fridays last week. Pray that they would join us regularly, get involved with local churches, and respond to the gospel.
Pray for Tim and Miriam as they continue to balance family life, jobs and church leadership in Long Eaton.
Continue to pray for Ogbonna and a successful result to his visa application. Pray that his family would know God's presence and sustaining power. Pray for Eriadong as she applies for a role in nutrition at Loughborough University.
Continue to pray for us as we strategize about how best to witness to Jesus in this next season, how to extend the work, and where God is leading. Pray for God's provision of new students, new team members, and divine appointments as we encounter students around town.
Pray for the international student BBQ this week and for our local trips in the next few weeks. Pray that many students would join us and that we'd make the most of opportunities to share the good news about Jesus.
Pray for our team as we meet with PhD students and their families in the summer. Pray that this gathering would be used by God as a means to regularly interacting with a new group of students and pointing them to Jesus.
Pray for us and our colleagues around the region as we seek to expand our network of church partnerships, prayer and financial supporters to develop this valuable ministry. Pray especially for Ogbonna as he goes on Mission Partner Development training this month.

Thank you so much for your support and for praying with us as we seek to work with the church to declare his glory among the nations.

"When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Luke 24:30-32

With best wishes in Christ,
Tim, Ogbonna, and the FI Loughborough Team

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 10am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a Welcome lanyard.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits from 10am, before the service begins. It is a great way to meet people, or simply take time to find your bearings. All refreshments are free.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer.

Our Service

The main service begins at 10am with a warm welcome from one of our team members. Then follows a time of sung worship, led by our band. We typically have 2 or 3 songs lasting approximately 20 minutes. Sometimes a person might pray out loud or read a small passage from the bible. Sometimes people share things that they believe God is saying to the whole church family. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church. One of our leaders will then give a sermon that is bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then finish with a final worship song. Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.

images: Services

What about my kids?

We have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

Creche (0 months to 3 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/grown-up at all times.
Livewires (3-7 years)
Encounter (7-11 years)
Katalyst (11-15 years)
Young people (15+ years) Stay in service.

Children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and notices. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the notices someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy. Whilst you are dropping your kids off at their groups, we pause to take time to chat to someone sitting near or next to us, giving folk a chance to come back before the sermon begins.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out Small Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Men's Ministries
Women's Ministries
Night Shelter
Foodbank

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Leader 1		Leader 2
Leader Intro		Leader Intro

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

(Handwritten Signature)