THE Point Church, Burgess Hill, in Chichester diocese, began as a church-plant ten years ago. It was one of the first Fresh Expressions, and started with a few people meeting in the living room of the Priest-in-Charge of the Mid-Sussex Network, the Revd Will Kemp, and his wife, Caroline. With them were the singer-songwriter Matt Redman and his family, and the then Bishop of Horsham, the Rt Revd Lindsay Urwin OGS. The church grew quickly, and now meets in a school hall on Sunday mornings.

"There have been many highlights over the past ten years," Mrs Kemp says. "Some great ones have been 'Pass it on' outreach events, reaching out into the communities around the church, which have run every year; 'Walking the Land', a giant prayer-walk across Mid-Sussex over 24 hours, involving many local churches; starting our 'Church in a Pub' initiative; seeing thousands of people pass through the church doors; and, the biggest of all, seeing many people meeting Jesus for the first time."

The ten-year celebrations included a glittering awards evening for those who had made outstanding contributions, including awards to the Leach family (above); a morning service, with Bishop Urwin as a special guest who "preached with his usual passion on being salt and light in the community"; and, finally, an evening celebration that gathered many friends of The Point from neighbouring churches to celebrate all that God had done through the church in the past ten years.