10 Apr 2025, 07:55Maxine Donovan, Prayer MinistriesTottenham, Haringey, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
Tottenham Lighthouse: Counting Our Many Blessings
Tottenham Lighthouse church building is still under-construction after seven years, and to some this might be considered a source of embarrassment. However, we have come to realise how blessed we are, as we see God’s hands at work in our situation. Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.’ KJV. At Tottenham Lighthouse, we identify ourselves with ‘The Called’, as we recognise that we have become a lighthouse, not just by our name but through our positive impact on the community. As one preacher stated, ‘God’s delay is not His denial.’ So, while we wait for our building to be finished, we are joyfully proclaiming the love of Jesus through our words and actions.
During the COVID pandemic, the church saw the dire need of our local community and decided to do something about it. Under the leadership of Sis Sophia Charles, Community Services Leader and her team, we started a Food Hub. This decision was not taken lightly as there were huge financial implications undertaking such a programme, with already mounting building costs. Yet knowing this, the members agreed for the Food Hub to go ahead, even donating £10,000 in December 2022 to be given to our many visitors to the Food Hub. God rewarded the faithfulness of the members by allowing someone to donate £10,000 to the church some months later. As we were feeding people with the physical food, the church grew spiritually as on the 2 November 2020 the church’s Prayer Ministries Dept, in preparation for Week of Prayer started the 5am Prayer & Praise session, the brainchild of Sis Marion Wadibia.
So that was then, what’s happening now? Visit Tottenham Lighthouse Church on any Sabbath and you will see people of all nationality worshipping with us. The visitors to our Food Hub have found a place of love and friendship, which have resulted in baptisms. The Food Hub is still going strong and we receive donations from many sources including charities such as, Free Food For You, Felix, Fareshare and also from local community residents. Tottenham Lighthouse is now known by the community for its charitable work. The 5am Prayer & Praise group is still going strong with people joining our morning group from all over the world.
About three years ago the building next to the church was purchased by our brothers, the Jews. At first, we were ignored by them, but we continued to show love. We cleaned the driveway that we shared and the front of their supermarket. We have now developed a friendship with our brothers. When the church building was broken into, it was our Jewish brothers who alerted us to the fact. They provided us with CCTV footage, so the persons breaking in could be identified. Now that we have CCTV cameras, we also share with them. On Sabbath, 5 April 2025, Sis Sophia Charles with the support of her assistant Sis Peggy Richards made an announcement. Our Jewish brothers had donated over 300 pairs of brand-new black shoes for men to the church, and also 20 large sacks of potatoes.
On Thursday, 2 March 2023 Tottenham Lighthouse started, Sharing the Love Outreach Centre (STLOC) at the former Lighthouse Church. Opened to the community every Thursday, STLOC has impacted the lives of its visitors, some of whom speak little or no English. One of our visitors who was homeless and a heavy drinker, has stopped drinking for over a year and is now attending college. Another one of our homeless visitors was given a flat in Romford. He and his partner still travel to the centre to seek our support. Recently, his partner, who is not very mobile, wanted a mobility scooter as she was going to have surgery on her leg the following Tuesday. We rang the company, helped her to apply for the mobility scooter, stressing the urgency of the situation. She was told that it would take two weeks, but they would try for her to get it in a week’s time. On Sabbath, I received a photo of her sitting on her scooter – two days after applying for it. With God nothing is impossible. Seeing how God worked in their situation, they travelled from Romford to Tottenham Lighthouse Church on Sabbath, 29 March seeking prayers. Pastor Collette Bell the preacher that Sabbath was happy to pray for them.
We can confidently say that God is blessing Tottenham Lighthouse Church. On Thursday, 3 April when we went to collect bread from Sainsbury for STLOC, there was none. Later that morning, a worker from a local store, Dostlar, wheeled in a trolley full of bread to be distributed to our visitors. We have been blessed by having our first female Head Elder Jacqueline Edwards, who was installed on Sabbath, 22 March 2025 by Pastor Dr Mario Phillip, Leader of the LAAC and Pastor of the Holloway Church. We are blessed in having young people who are active in the church, for example, Elder Fitz Vernon Jr who is only 14, but he is on fire for the Lord. He was our preacher to start the Global Youth Week of Prayer on Sabbath, 15 March. After he presented his spirit-filled message, Pastor Dr Jude Jeanville made an altar call and many flocked to the altar. The Roro Brothers, who are our young musicians, and have appeared on BBC Songs of Praise with Fiona Pacquette, ELSOM. Yes, God is blessing His church spiritually. We have not held an evangelistic series, but on Sabbath, 28 September 2024 we baptised 16 persons, including a Muslim. On Sabbath, 19 April we are having another baptismal service. We are so thankful for how God is leading His Church that this Sabbath, 12 April we will be having a Day of Praise & Worship. As we count our many blessings, we cannot forget the love and togetherness we now experience at Tottenham Lighthouse.
At Tottenham Lighthouse we are following the footsteps of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who went around doing good. Sis White wrote, ‘if we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tender-hearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth, where now there is only one.’ Testimonies for the Church, Vol 9 p.100. God is blessing our efforts for His glory.
Tottenham Lighthouse church building is still under-construction after seven years, and to some this might be considered a source of embarrassment. However, we have come to realise how blessed we are, as we see God’s hands at work in our situation. Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.’ KJV. At Tottenham Lighthouse, we identify ourselves with ‘The Called’, as we recognise that we have become a lighthouse, not just by our name but through our positive impact on the community. As one preacher stated, ‘God’s delay is not His denial.’ So, while we wait for our building to be finished, we are joyfully proclaiming the love of Jesus through our words and actions.
During the COVID pandemic, the church saw the dire need of our local community and decided to do something about it. Under the leadership of Sis Sophia Charles, Community Services Leader and her team, we started a Food Hub. This decision was not taken lightly as there were huge financial implications undertaking such a programme, with already mounting building costs. Yet knowing this, the members agreed for the Food Hub to go ahead, even donating £10,000 in December 2022 to be given to our many visitors to the Food Hub. God rewarded the faithfulness of the members by allowing someone to donate £10,000 to the church some months later. As we were feeding people with the physical food, the church grew spiritually as on the 2 November 2020 the church’s Prayer Ministries Dept, in preparation for Week of Prayer started the 5am Prayer & Praise session, the brainchild of Sis Marion Wadibia.
So that was then, what’s happening now? Visit Tottenham Lighthouse Church on any Sabbath and you will see people of all nationality worshipping with us. The visitors to our Food Hub have found a place of love and friendship, which have resulted in baptisms. The Food Hub is still going strong and we receive donations from many sources including charities such as, Free Food For You, Felix, Fareshare and also from local community residents. Tottenham Lighthouse is now known by the community for its charitable work. The 5am Prayer & Praise group is still going strong with people joining our morning group from all over the world.
About three years ago the building next to the church was purchased by our brothers, the Jews. At first, we were ignored by them, but we continued to show love. We cleaned the driveway that we shared and the front of their supermarket. We have now developed a friendship with our brothers. When the church building was broken into, it was our Jewish brothers who alerted us to the fact. They provided us with CCTV footage, so the persons breaking in could be identified. Now that we have CCTV cameras, we also share with them. On Sabbath, 5 April 2025, Sis Sophia Charles with the support of her assistant Sis Peggy Richards made an announcement. Our Jewish brothers had donated over 300 pairs of brand-new black shoes for men to the church, and also 20 large sacks of potatoes.
On Thursday, 2 March 2023 Tottenham Lighthouse started, Sharing the Love Outreach Centre (STLOC) at the former Lighthouse Church. Opened to the community every Thursday, STLOC has impacted the lives of its visitors, some of whom speak little or no English. One of our visitors who was homeless and a heavy drinker, has stopped drinking for over a year and is now attending college. Another one of our homeless visitors was given a flat in Romford. He and his partner still travel to the centre to seek our support. Recently, his partner, who is not very mobile, wanted a mobility scooter as she was going to have surgery on her leg the following Tuesday. We rang the company, helped her to apply for the mobility scooter, stressing the urgency of the situation. She was told that it would take two weeks, but they would try for her to get it in a week’s time. On Sabbath, I received a photo of her sitting on her scooter – two days after applying for it. With God nothing is impossible. Seeing how God worked in their situation, they travelled from Romford to Tottenham Lighthouse Church on Sabbath, 29 March seeking prayers. Pastor Collette Bell the preacher that Sabbath was happy to pray for them.
We can confidently say that God is blessing Tottenham Lighthouse Church. On Thursday, 3 April when we went to collect bread from Sainsbury for STLOC, there was none. Later that morning, a worker from a local store, Dostlar, wheeled in a trolley full of bread to be distributed to our visitors. We have been blessed by having our first female Head Elder Jacqueline Edwards, who was installed on Sabbath, 22 March 2025 by Pastor Dr Mario Phillip, Leader of the LAAC and Pastor of the Holloway Church. We are blessed in having young people who are active in the church, for example, Elder Fitz Vernon Jr who is only 14, but he is on fire for the Lord. He was our preacher to start the Global Youth Week of Prayer on Sabbath, 15 March. After he presented his spirit-filled message, Pastor Dr Jude Jeanville made an altar call and many flocked to the altar. The Roro Brothers, who are our young musicians, and have appeared on BBC Songs of Praise with Fiona Pacquette, ELSOM. Yes, God is blessing His church spiritually. We have not held an evangelistic series, but on Sabbath, 28 September 2024 we baptised 16 persons, including a Muslim. On Sabbath, 19 April we are having another baptismal service. We are so thankful for how God is leading His Church that this Sabbath, 12 April we will be having a Day of Praise & Worship. As we count our many blessings, we cannot forget the love and togetherness we now experience at Tottenham Lighthouse.
At Tottenham Lighthouse we are following the footsteps of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who went around doing good. Sis White wrote, ‘if we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tender-hearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth, where now there is only one.’ Testimonies for the Church, Vol 9 p.100. God is blessing our efforts for His glory.
