The week after Easter, our family headed down to Torquay for the first ever Rising Lights conference, organised by the FIEC. There were about 16 of us from St Mary’s altogether, alongside Christians from lots of different churches and denominations from around the country.
We’d previously enjoyed Word Alive a few years ago and were disappointed when it came to an end after the venue went out of business, so we were really hoping Rising Lights would successfully fill the gap. I’m pleased to say it absolutely did… and in many ways improved on it.
One of the nice things about Rising Lights was the flexibility. Rather than everybody staying in conference accommodation on site, people could choose where to stay themselves. We found a lovely AirBnB just a few minutes’ walk from the conference centre with everything we needed: separate bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small kitchen and living room, and plenty of cafés, supermarkets and restaurants nearby. Torre Abbey Sands beach was only about ten minutes away too.
And, remarkably for England in April, the weather was glorious. Warm sunshine nearly every day and no rain all week. One afternoon on the beach was actually hotter than the same day in the Algarve!
Torquay itself was also a pleasant surprise. Like many English seaside towns, I expected it to feel a little tired, but it was actually really well maintained and had a lovely atmosphere.
The rhythm of the conference suited us really well too. The mornings and evenings centred around Bible teaching and worship, while the afternoons were completely flexible. We deliberately decided not to overfill the days and instead used the afternoons for family time, relaxing, meals out and conversations with friends. You could easily pack your schedule full if you wanted to, but there was no pressure to do that.
One of the real highlights for us was seeing how much our daughters enjoyed the children’s programme. The activities were tailored well to each age group, with games, crafts and Bible teaching throughout the week, and evening activities for the older children as well. The organisers handled it brilliantly too, with sensible drop-off and collection windows so parents weren’t anxiously clock-watching during the adult sessions.
The biggest endorsement probably came after the very first session when the girls asked if we could come back next year… and then cried when it was time to leave on Friday! As parents, it was so encouraging to see them enjoying Christian friendship and growing in their faith.
The main Bible teaching was led by Paul Mallard, preaching through Philippians. Some people at St Mary’s may remember Nathan and Martha Free from their time with us as ministry trainees; Paul was their pastor when they were in Worcester.
He was warm, funny, pastoral and deeply encouraging. His talks covered joy, humility, perseverance and contentment in the Christian life, but the third talk on perseverance particularly stayed with me.
One line in particular has lingered in my mind ever since: “We’ve never seen an uncursed sunset.”
Paul spoke about how this world is still broken and groaning under the effects of sin, but one day Christ will return, the curse will finally be removed, and even our bodies will be transformed. It was one of those reminders that lifts your eyes above the pressures and frustrations of everyday life and helps you persevere with renewed hope.
Another line that struck me was: “It’s not our grip on him that matters; it’s his grip on us.” That was such a comfort.
There were also excellent seminar tracks running throughout the week. Tarryn and I attended Glen Scrivener’s evangelism seminars, thinking through how to share the message of the 3-2-1 course more naturally with others. Andy Robinson from Living Out and the Ministry Training Course in Oxford also led seminars during the week.
The fellowship was another huge encouragement. Sundays can often feel rushed, with only short conversations before moving onto the next thing, but spending several days together gave space for much deeper conversations about faith, parenting, work, life and struggles. It was also great reconnecting with old friends from other churches and unexpectedly bumping into familiar faces from the wider evangelical world.
One memorable lunchtime most of the St Mary’s contingent shared a meal at the Harvester in Torquay. I would not recommend the food, but the fellowship was excellent. Perhaps we’ll try another venue next year!
There were joyful evening celebrations throughout the week, but there were reflective moments too. One evening hosted by Release International focused on the persecuted church in places like Nigeria and Iran, which was both sobering and inspiring.
What I appreciated most overall was that nobody felt excluded. Whether you were part of a family, retired, single, outgoing or more reserved, there seemed to be space for everyone. You could engage as much or as little as you wanted.
If someone asked me whether they should consider going next year, my answer would definitely be yes. Think of it less as “going to a conference” and more as a family holiday centred around excellent Bible teaching, meaningful fellowship and encouragement in the Christian life.
For us, it really did feel like a little glimpse of heaven.