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13 May 2012
I was looking up Val Grieve on the web and came across the Crossbeats
site. My name is Ray Miller and gave my life to Jesus at a Billy Graham film at
the end of February 1967. It was a surprise being interviewed by Val as a new
member of the Catacombs Christian Coffee bar team to find out that he did the
invitation that night and had organised the showing of the
film.
I was soon involved in the committee of the "Cats" and
for a time, prior to going to University, responsible for all the bookings of
groups like Tony Mathias and the Crossbeats (I think from Bootle) and I
remember the group well from those days.
Val was larger than life and
became more than a mentor and I think I was privileged to call him my friend.
His vibrant faith was always a challenge. I have lots of memories of the guy.
Leading Bible studies on a Wednesday night that forced me to think through and
apply my new found faith. Visiting him at home and finding him training his son
for the following days egg and spoon race - by the time I arrived the lawn was
awash with broken eggs (Val wasn't the most practical of men!! He was totally
fearless in preaching etc. but when as a team we needed to curb him we used to
make an alliance with wife Sheila who was really the only one he would finally
listen to!
He was instrumental in launching me into evangelism and
preaching. I went with him to give my testimony at an open brethren church in
the Cheadle area. Val led the worship with is loud voice and in the process
sent the whole congregation off key - to wide grins from most members .... my
introduction was "some folk sing like nightingales but Ray here sings like a
gale in the night!", typical of his self deprecating humour. Highly intelligent
- we often tried to play chess in our heads whilst walking somewhere in
Manchester City centre - I could only do it to move 8 or so! He was also very
sensitive in his own way and incredibly generous - financially to things he
believed in like the Catacombs, O.M. and the City Mission, but also in time and
finding and encouraging new young leaders. As a CU leader in Cardiff Uni he
came to speak brilliantly and never forever complained at our giving him a
mattress on the floor to sleep on but in reality showed his humility in
graciously accepting to stay with us and not go to a local hotel!
He
was instrumental in head hunting me (1974-78) to be the Youth worker at the
Windsor Youth Centre where I eventually replaced Cyril McElhinney - a former
leader at the catacombs and delightful godly Christian man with wife Liz - both
in key ministries in N. Ireland. This was highly formative in my Christian
life. From there I studied at All Nations and I continue to be a missionary
with Latin Link (Peru 1980-94), UK (94-2004) and Costa Rica (from
2004).
I'm involved in training Latin missionaries as Dean of Missions
at a Christian University in San José and latterly with ProMETA
developing online Masters in Missions and undergraduate missions training. We
have ex students serving Jesus all over the world - thanks to the mentoring
that a young working class teenager received from Val Grieve and the studies
that gave me a deep love of the Scriptures and the hands on practical
evangelism that showed me the transforming power of Jesus in messed up lives.
For me Val was a truly great Christian who managed to motivate a team with
people like Alan Godson, Gordon Bailey, Ian Knox and lots of Christian gospel
groups like yourselves. it would be fascinating to see just how many of us went
into effective ministry because of our involvement with Val Grieve esq.
saint.
Blessings,
Ray Miller
Ray Miller & Bridget
Bennett, Costa Rica
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