Chris Kelsall

My Journey to Fleetwood

Hi, I’m Chris and I joined Emmanuel Church in 2015.

At the age of 18 I knew God had called me to serve Him in a way that would take my life in a different direction. I had no idea of what or where so I continued to work as a farmer for another 14 years, but I purposed there and then to give myself to serving God and His Church wherever I could.

In 1999, I joined the Free Methodist Church in Garstang as a church worker and followed through to ordination.

In 2004, I read an extract from a book, ‘Apostles of Fylde Methodism’. It tells the story of a young Methodist evangelist who visits the same communities I knew and grew up in. “He prayed that God’s truth might visit in saving power the hills and fells…, that it might come like a mighty river … and find its way to every nook and hamlet of the Fylde.” There followed a season of a powerful move of God’s saving Spirit.

That was over 200 years ago! I have traced the flow of that same river, the River Wyre, from its source not very far from the family farm in the hills, to becoming a pastor in Garstang and then in Great Eccleston, each situated by the River Wyre, and finally to Fleetwood, where the river flows into the Irish Sea!

In 2015, we came to Emmanuel Church. I joined the Church Leadership Team with an emphasis, along with my wife Sue, to ‘restart’ the Lofthouse Way Church as a Missional Community, serving the unchurched of the area.

In June 2017, I became the Senior Minister. I have the privilege of leading and being part of a great team and a wonderful church family, we call Emmanuel Church with its two unique expressions in Fleetwood.

Isaiah 61:1-3, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me…” continues to be a central scripture in my life along with a growing emphasis of vs.4; “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities.”