Early in the year youth from the Voorburg International Seventh-day Adventist church decided on a time of spiritual renewal by planning a visit to the Newcastle church. The plan which would involve a short ferry cruise was received with joy and appreciation from the Newcastle youth. After all the planning and preparations, the trip finally took place on. Early on Monday 21 October Claytina Webster and 28 young and slightly older youth stepped off the ferry, hopped onto a bus and soon entered the Central Newcastle Youth Hostel prior to a short trip to the Newcastle Seventh-day Adventist church for the first part of their 'A Deeper Experience' venture.
North England Conference (NEC) President Pastor Richard Jackson, led out in the first seminar where he showed, very effectively, that God equips people to do God's will. The Stanborough Press, represented through Andrew Sewell, set up a small book display which soon attracted a good number of customers. The second seminar, on how to have a deeper experience with the Holy Spirit, was presented by local church pastor, Peter Jeynes. A healthy evening meal followed, where church Health Ministries leader Audrey Muchenagumbo and her team assured the Dutch young people were well fed.
The Tuesday element of the tour aimed to apply the theory learned on the Monday with practical efforts. Street-witnessing in Newcastle's main shopping centre took the form of singing and giving out good quantities of Christian literature. Thankfully, the excellent English of the visitors allowed for meaningful and excellent communication with the many people they and the young people from Newcastle church met. The evening brought an excellent social and goodbyes to the local members and Dutch visitors.
Seeking a deeper experience also brought opportunities to visit local shops, museums and technological institutions, including the well-known, 'Life Centre'. Elders and Youth leaders from the North-East were soon found talking with the pastor about a return visit to the Dutch church, seeking a 'Deeper Experience' of their own.
