Pensarn Cottage
Pensarn cottage is Russ and Lesley's home, about 2 miles from the market town of Mold, the leading town in Flintshire.
It is set in the Clwydian Hills above the snow line and has 17 walks (of differing lengths and difficulties) into the surrounding countryside.
Their home is used by them to help people understand and explore the nature of the Apostolic and Prophetic ministry, both in Church life and in the workplace, as well as some activities for Acorn Christian Listeners.
Leaders (as well as others) come here from the U.K. and other nations, and find it a place where they can receive counsel and also hear God for their situations.
Acorn Christian Listeners
Courses include the introductory 'Importance of Listening', general 'Listening for Life' and also more specific modules useful, for example, in many areas of Pastoral Work.
The final course, 'Called to Listen' is for those who feel Listening is a ministry for them and has a final assessment that is recognized by Doctors and other Health Care Professionals.
A new course entitled 'Listening to Church Leaders' has been piloted with experienced and trained Listeners and a spin off from this entitled 'Mind the Gap' is becoming available and will be useful for Churches in an Interregnum.
Lesley runs and coordinates Courses with other qualified tutors.
She also produces a bi-monthly Prayer Diary with another tutor, Angela Bebbington.
Listening skills are very useful in Lesley's work as the chaplain at the Asda superstore in Queensferry.
Previous weekends were as follows:
The Listening to One Another and Listening to God Workshop.
With so much noise and chatter in the world, it is easy to feel that what is going on in you and in your own life does not have the attention it deserves.
Maybe other people you come across feel similar.
This is an opportunity to learn some new skills that will benefit yourself and others.
This weekend offers the opportunity not only to listen horizontally (to others) but also vertically (to God), as listening to God is a vital ingredient for a Christian.
Many people find it hard to hear God and so we hope this weekend will help people in overcoming their difficulties.
This weekend was led by Russ, Lesley and Marion Watts.
The Worship Leading and the Prophetic Workshop.
This new prophetic weekend is intended for worship leaders/lead worshippers and will examine what we have been called by God to do in relation to church services and small groups.
We will explore how the Holy Spirit leads us in preparation for such times and also how we recognise His presence in gatherings and work with Him towards the outcome God is looking for.
Please bring with you the instrument you use for leading.
Russ & Lesley led this together with other invited guest speakers.
The Drama and the prophetic Workshop.
This new prophetic weekend continues our desire to explore the variety of ways in which God speaks to people.
Communication through drama can be an effective way of getting across/expressing to others what you feel inside - the 'acting out' of what you believe you are hearing from God, Ezekiel's 'dramatic ministry' being a good example of this.
This weekend was to be hosted by Russ and Lesley and led by Neil and Julia Maddock.
The Art and the Prophetic Workshop explores the relationship between the creative arts and prophetic expression.
The workshop includes teaching to stimulate ideas and practical sessions given to drawing/painting.
We spend time looking at the 'prophetic' - how it can be expressed creatively, plus a review of how art can and has been used prophetically.
The 'practical' is left to the individual to explore what is 'real' for them at the time.
Russ & Lesley led this together with other invited guest speakers.
The Music and the Prophetic Workshop will look at the clear link found in Scripture between musical expression and prophecy.
The journey will take us through David and his musicians in Chronicles and Paul and his use of Spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians.
We will consider how we can use our instruments and voices to convey what we hear from God both in our own quiet times and in our public worship.
Part of our time will be practical so bring your instruments and voices - whatever your level of skill.
Russ & Lesley led this together with other invited guest speakers.
The Dance and the prophetic Workshop.
This workshop explores another aspect of our creativity and how we develop what we hear from God in movement.
God communicates in a vast number of ways in order to reach people with the good news of Jesus.
This weekend will also have time devoted to practical sessions.
Those who come should preferably have some experience.
This was hosted by Russ and Lesley and led by Joanna Porter.
The Prophetic in the Workplace 2 Workshop.
This workshop considers the expression of the prophetic nature of our relationship in Christ within the context of our workplaces.
The workshop will be based upon the life of Joseph in the Old Testament.
It will explore how vision for our lives is expressed through our place of work and also how God uses disappointment and conflict to still bring to fulfilment His plan for our lives.
To come to this workshop you must have already attended Prophetic in the Workplace 1 and we'll ask you to share how your 'prophetic-ness' has been developing since the last time you visited us.
Russ & Lesley led this together with other invited guest speakers.
The Dreams and the Prophetic Workshop explores a specific aspect of revelation.
God speaking to people in dreams is a common occurrence in the Bible.
On this weekend we will seek to discern where dreams come from & how to interpret them.
We will also explore the different types of dreams spoken of in the Scriptures.
Those who come will be expected to share from their own experiences in their area.
Russ & Lesley led this weekend together with other invited guest speakers.
Russ & Lesley Howell met when Russ was training at South Wales Baptist College and Cardiff University and Lesley was studying music and singing at Cardiff University and the Royal Welsh School of Music and Drama.
She has taught piano, singing and other instruments. Prior to his time at theological College Russ had been to college where he studied Dance/Drama and Art.
Ministry began when Russ was Ordained as a Baptist Minister in 1972 in Mountain Ash.
Russ was called to Hoole Baptist Church in Chester in 1977, where they are still members.
During that time he also worked with leaders and Churches throughout the City.
Lesley worked alongside him leading Prayer Ministry and Worship Teams.
In 1986 they began a wider ministry working with Churches in Hungary and then travelling in East and Western Europe and Sierra Leone.
They have been involved in In-Service training for Clergy and full-time Christian workers and pastoring prophetic teams.
Since 1995 they have worked mostly with Church leaders in Britain, with the occasional trip to Europe.
Since they moved to Pensarn Cottage in 1994 they have developed a 'Retreat' facility and offer weekends for Church Leaderships, worship teams and intercessors as well as running these weekends.
Lesley is an Asda Chaplain and also tutors for Acorn Christian Listeners.
Russ was at one time one of the editorial consultants for the Prophecy Today magazine.