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End of the road as Living Water closes down
 By Keith Morris
Well-known Norfolk Christian Festival Living Water and the Ashill-based Living Water Trust has been closed down and the festival will not be running again in the future.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Living Water trustees on December 5 and means that after ten years, the biggest Christian Festival in the Eastern region will not be staged again.
The move also means that four part-time employees of the Trust will lose their jobs.
Chair of Trustees, Dave Gardner, said: “It has been difficult for us to cover the cost of the event each year. Keeping the entrance fees as low as possible in order that the festival may be affordable to all, and in line with other similar events, has meant that it has always been necessary for us to take up a substantial offering at the event, for which we have been grateful. Costs have increased as Living Water has grown, but even with steady growth in delegate numbers we have not managed to get anywhere near break-even point.
 “For some time, we have been in discussion with New Wine regarding the possibility of their being able to support the event – perhaps as ‘New Wine East’. These discussions have now finally come to a conclusion. The New Wine leadership has stated that it does not, at this time, want to support an event of this nature in our region.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity that God has given us to work for Him in this region over the last ten years or so.”
Over the last decade the Festival has seen thousands of people converge on the Royal Norfolk Showground at Costessey near Norwich for up to five days to hear from big-name speakers including Jackie Pullinger, Brother Yun, Tony Campolo and Nicky Gumbel.
 Event manager Heather Nunn, said: “This summer we had almost 3,000 people who stayed for the whole event with another 3,000 people attending for a day. A number of initiatives have come from it including Call to Prayer, campaigning organisation Speak and many individuals who have embarked on Christian and missionary work partly because of the Festival.
“The event was intended to be primarily a regional one to equip the church to move forward and the thousands of day visitors were one of the unique things about the festival. But we also attracted visitors from all over the world including Spain, Nigeria and Australia.
“Without a significant partner such as New Wine the trustees felt we could not continue with the event. They also felt that God may be wanting to do a new thing in our region.”
 Trustee Stephen Mawditt, said: “It is as important to hear the Lord say ‘stop’ as it is to motor on through the green lights. Living Water has played its part in helping us experience more of the Kingdom in this area over the past 11 years.
“So many people have faithfully invested in Living Water over this period; there is bound to be disappointment over its loss but let’s first of all celebrate and thank God for all that He has done in drawing many people closer to Jesus and releasing His life into our churches. Then let us focus on the future.
“The Kingdom of God is not static; the pillar of fire moves on; green shoots can only emerge when space is released into which they can grow. Let’s get behind initiatives such as Hope ‘08 and New Wine. Let’s watch this space for the new thing God would seek to do.”
Share your memories and thoughts about Living Water by adding your comments below.
Pictured above are memories from past Living Water Festivals including Brother Yun and Living Water Radio.
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| | | Anthony Goggin (Guest) | 11/12/2006 15:06 | We as a family have always enjoyed LW and the children will always have fond memories of Wavemakers; the music and the T-shirts will live on. May God make all grace abound to all invovled as we work through the disappointment. Within New Frontiers, Stoneleigh was Stopped after 10 years even though it was a successful and solvent event: one of the last messages was about God stirring up the nest since we were meant to fly. He gives and takes away but He is always good. With every blessing to the team.
| | | | Anon (Guest) | 11/12/2006 17:48 | I agree about the Israel comment - you can't make an anti-smetic statement from the platform and expect God to overlook it.
| | | | Alan Cossey (Guest) | 11/12/2006 20:55 | Thank you to everyone who put so much into this. It will be sorely missed. We got a lot from it.
PS I didn't hear anything anti-semitic. Lampstands? Eh? "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave
nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus."
| | | | Roy Forder (Guest) | 11/12/2006 22:34 | In reply to Antony Goggin, the Blue T-shirts will continue to be worn with pride as the WAVEMAKER MINISTRIES will continue to run events next year, you can find out when and were by loggin onto www.wavemakersministries.org this site will be up dated soon with the dates.01638 714455 R Copsey admin
| | | | Wavemakers Ministries (Guest) | 12/12/2006 16:16 | I see from the comments that someone asked that with the closure of Living Water does that mean that the blue t-shirts will disappear.
The answer is No!
Wavemakers is alive and kicking and as Wavemakers Ministries is available to churches for all-age or church family celebrations, parish weekends and teaching days for Sunday school workers etc.
Wavemakers can be contacted by emailing office@wavemakersministries.org or telephoning 01638 714455 we have a website www.wavemakersministries.org which gives more details of the activities currently available.
Having been involved in Living Water since the beginning, been a trustee of Living Water until just before Living Water 06 and involved in setting up and running Wavemakers since its inception during the 3rd year of Living Water. Wavemakers have gained much experience of putting on events that appeal to the whole family and not just the children. We have worked at other camps and with other organisations, so our experience is wide and varied.
One of the things we have seen clearly that is needed is input on a local level, geared to East Anglian people and the local environment whilst not loosing sight of what is happening elsewhere. Most of us come from small churches where congregations of more than 150 are large, whilst it is great going off to large camps for their input, the great difficulty is translating that back into the local environment. That is why we feel that something needs to happen locally for local people.
We have been considering of some time now organising what will be family oriented camps and in the light of this recent development, now seems a good time to put, as it were 'more meat on the bones'. The original idea was formulated the year of the foot and mouth (2001) when Living Water did not happen and we ran a day event in Bury St Edmunds for parents and their families. The day included a time when we worshiped together, did craft and games activities together, yet had separate teaching along the same theme. We are looking at doing something similar but either over a weekend or perhaps longer dependant upon what people would like. We want to look at the event as more of a holiday, with time for families to explore the local environment, spend time on the beach, etc. yet to have the opportunity to meet other Christian families from around the region. To be encouraged that what they experience by being together at a larger event, can be taken back into the local church community.
If we are to do these things then we will need to know that this is what people want, that they will catch the vision for developing something new, that they are prepared to commit themselves and if people are able to commit additional finance so that we can get this off the ground.
We would like to hear back from people as to their thoughts and willingness to help or support this venture.
Wavemakers is putting on a Christmas Extravaganza for children and their parents this coming Friday from 6.30pm until 8.00pm at Great Barton Free Church, Mill Road, Great Barton, Nr Bury St Edmunds. Although this event is primarily focused on the children, everyone is welcome and it would be great to see you all. Cost is £2.00 (£1.50 in advance).
We are sad that things have worked out in this way with Living water, but God knows what the future holds and we will go wherever he leads.
Richard Copsey
Wavemakers Director
| | | | Charles woodward (Guest) | 13/12/2006 12:02 | Perhaps if we began to realise exactly how much our words can spread through someone's life' we may get further with it. One word as the right one can either build or destroy. Are we thinking of God or are we thinking of ourselves. Too many families are destroyed by human thinking or built. How many are YOU going to destroy today? This is from a divorce counsillor who lost sight of God along time ago, but did not want to admit it. Please pray for me and my family, that we will find the way again. That we will learn to trust again, which, I must add, I still not do. My second wife is Jeanette and I put her through much more than I should. We are both Christians and I personally lost my belief and I want it back again. But I know that this may take a whole lifetime. God Bless you all. Glory and honour to the only true and living God. Chas
| | | | tracey illy (Guest) | 13/12/2006 16:19 | My teenage daughter enjoyed two amazing years at Living Water. Thank you for the seeds sown in her life at a time when secular peer pressure often overrides Christian values.
May the lord continue to bless all involved.
| | | | ken hardy | 16/12/2006 17:50 | This site www.networknorwich.co.uk has come just in time, how come we can loose a festival like Living water in this area, once lost its likeyhood of returning is gone
I would suggest that heads get together, the churches get together, that's all of the churches, not just a few, the congregations get together, start phoning people up make it positive, save this Living Water festival. Open your Church building, let people see your alive and well and want people to come and join you.
But do it today, now, this week.
I have no idea of the cost, but the cost, surly has little to do with what the festival is all about, all the churches should be committed to being together, and all should be contributing, all must be active in this else your door will also be shut, now at this time especially so. don't you read the media or do you read it, and dismiss it all.
someone needs to be proactive in this, get funds coming in, lets stop this before we loose it forever and let the Churches dwindle and die, surly that's not an option.
Ken Hardy
Editor CMA Chainlink Magazine
| | | | (Guest) | 17/12/2006 18:04 | "Trustee Stephen Mawditt, said: “It is as important to hear the Lord say ‘stop’ as it is to motor on through the green lights."
| | | | Anon (Guest) | 19/12/2006 08:26 | As a family we have loved everyone of the living Water years. We thank God that our faith has never failed us, we have looked to God and not an event to strengthen us, we thank God for Living Water as a place for many to come together and share love with oneanother, God is in Charge He owned Living Water we are grateful to Him.
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