Dear New Wine family
We write with the news that Bishop David Pytches, the co-founder of New Wine, went home to the Lord last night after a sustained period of illness. We are so thankful to David and his wife Mary for starting New Wine in 1989 as they sought to help churches experience renewal in the power of the Spirit and for all that has happened over the years as a result.
We have asked John and Anne Coles, who led New Wine for many years after David and Mary to share the following reflection:
“’Living on the Edge’ is the title David gave to his memoirs, and Anne and I thank God for the way in which David lived like that and showed us and countless others how to do so also. He humbly, lovingly, and courageously pioneered aspects of church life and mission in the power of the Spirit which not only changed his own church and parish, but also became models for hundreds of church leaders and churches around the world. This included his pioneering of New Wine as both a summer gathering inspiring thousands of church members, and a network of church leaders for mutual encouragement in ministry. His love for Jesus and the Bible, his commitment to personal holiness, his persistence in prayer, his personal prophecies, and his willingness to give away everything with which God blessed him were an inspiration to us personally, and we will miss his role in our lives as a true ‘Father in God.’ We pray for Mary and his family in their loss; we rejoice with heaven over his perseverance to the end and his ‘welcome home, good and faithful servant’; and we re-commit ourselves to carry well the baton he passed on to us and all the New Wine family.”
New Wine has had a profound impact on the church in the UK and beyond and continues to be a huge source of support, encouragement and community for so many of us. Over 30 years later there are so many more churches ministering in the power of the Spirit, churches being planted and leaders being raised up. As we look to the future, we are praying for even more of the new wine of God’s Spirit to be poured out!
Please do join us in praying for Mary and the family at this time.
Grace and peace,
Rich Johnson and all the New Wine team