Alastair's New Pentecost: 'Everything began to change'

Alastair Emblem has led a Parish Prayer Group for 35 years and since 2018 has been the Core Group Leader of ADORE (Alton Day of Renewal, founded in 1975), which now attracts up to 150 attendees at monthly Zoom meetings.

Alastair shared with CHARIS England and Wales how his faith came to life at a time when he was 'sitting on the fence.'

Alastair said: "The major turning point in my faith journey was in late 1983, at the age of 33, when I made the decision to put Jesus at the centre of my life. Having been brought up Catholic, I had a pretty good “head” knowledge of my faith but very little “heart” experience of it. I’d heard and read about people having a personal relationship with Jesus, and having prayers answered. It sounded exciting but it wasn’t something that Catholics talked about, so I was sitting on the fence.

"Then my brother took me to an ecumenical meeting with speakers giving testimonies, and one of them seemed to speak directly to me as he quoted Jesus: 'He who is not with me is against me.' I knew I had to choose for Jesus so I prayed that decision and someone prayed over me. I experienced nothing dramatic at the time, but from then on everything began to change. I wanted to pray and read the Bible and sing praise. I went to confession and for the first time I felt that Jesus had given his life for love of me personally and I wanted to do as much as I could for him in response.

"I felt the inspiration to share the joy of the Good News and gradually opened up to more and more of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as I recognised my need for them. To me, Pentecost is not just a one-off experience, it is an ongoing choice of surrendering my will to the Lord’s and accepting the challenges He leads me into."

Alastair is using his evangelistic skills to lead ADoRE, whose online Pentecost retreat on the Holy Spirit takes place on 23 May 2026, 10.00-1.00, Alastair said: "Please join us for a mini-retreat of spiritual renewal on Zoom. Deepening our understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, His power and His gifts, with guest speaker, Dr. Maria Heath."

Advance registration is needed. Sign up here: bit.ly/ADOREMAY2026