Dear All,

So we arrive at Sunday after the darkest day and find the tomb empty. Our response can only be: Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!

As Watchmen Nee so aptly said, “As our old history ends with the cross, so our new history begins with the resurrection.”

Praying that the risen Lord blesses you and your church family today.

Happy Easter from us both.

Andrew & Emma Stewart-Darling

Area Pastors, Vineyard East Anglia

We are pleased to announce the landmark provision of an innovative, independent, worldwide, theological training initiative. Following an extensive period of consultation and planning, Vineyard Institute will launch on September 1st 2013.

Vineyard Institute will be a multinational, multicultural and multigenerational working partnership between all Associations of Vineyard Churches; with the aim to move forward and unite existing, recognised and future theological training under one umbrella, in order that leaders can be trained and supported at all levels of church life around the globe.

John Mumford, National Director for the UK & Ireland and member of the VI Board, said:

‘We recognise that there is a need for the Vineyard family globally to unite together to improve our theological training, so with this in mind we are pleased to announce the Vineyard Institute, the first worldwide Vineyard partnership for theological training.

We believe that the Vineyard Institute will provide the highest level of theological training for us as a movement. This will assist us as we pass the baton to future generations and continue to plant churches around the globe.’

Rich Nathan, Senior Pastor of Columbus Vineyard and member of the VI board, added:

‘The Vineyard movement is expanding rapidly into the Majority World, and this presents varying language, cultural and economic challenges. Our aim with VI is not only to raise up leaders at all levels with outstanding Vineyard theology and praxis; but also to make training and equipping readily available to emerging leaders from all over the world, with content translated and contextualised into their own culture, with subsidised tuition in low income and majority countries and regions. Through this we can truly have effective theological training occurring in every country where we have Vineyard churches.’

The Vineyard Institute will draw from the best Vineyard theological resources available, as well as having a heavy emphasis on a two-way flow of content and best practices from local contexts, to provide an ever-evolving sharing from within the International Vineyard family. Derek Morphew has been appoi nted as the VI Academic Dean, where he will oversee a team of the best theologians in the Vineyard movement.

Vineyard Institute is committed to supporting the students of Vineyard Leadership Institute to completion of their certificate. The additional academic resources of VI will provide VLI students many more courses to choose from as they continue in VI.