The 2026 Southern VCF Weekend will take place 13th-15th February at the St Cassians Centre, near Hungerford.
We are excited to be returning to St Cassians in Kintbury, Berkshire, for our Southern weekend in February. We welcome Rev Ben Leney, of King’s Gate Church to share with us on 1
Corinthians 16:13, “Are You Firm in the Faith?” Ben holds a Masters in Theology and Education from the Uni
versity of Chichester. After serving as an elder for a number of years at King’s Gate Church in Bognor Regis, an Elim Network church, he took over as church leader in 2017. Ben was accepted as an Elim Network Minister in Training in November 2019, and as an Elim Network Minister in November 2022, and continues his minister in Bognor. We look forward to seeing how God will work through him during the weekend.
St Cassians is a welcoming Lasallian community that lives by five core priciples of faith in the presence of God, respect for all persons, inclusive community, quality education, concern for the poor and social justice. The house has a rich history. Originally a family home (Prime Minister Gladstone’s family once lived there), it later belonged to Oxford University before being bought by the De La Salle Brothers as a training school. In 1975, The brothers established it as a retreat centre. Today, it continues to welcome young people and groups for Christian retreats and reflection.
At this year’s retreat, Ben will guide us through the lives of the kings of Israel and Judah as recorded in 2 Kings. These leaders – both hapless and heroic – provide vivid portraits of what
it means to stand (or fail to stand) firm in faith. Even when the bigger picture appears hopeless, we discover that victories can still be won and foundations relaid. Times of fear and
harsh realities do not have to defeat us; God’s patience and mercy remain available, even when our failings are obvious.
He will help us consider “Where does the foundation for a
strong Christian walk truly come from?“ Henry Scougal once described the Christian life as “the life of God in the soul of man.” Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 10:11, reminds us that
the stories of the Old Testament were given as examples for us. These narratives are not just distant history but mirrors for our own faith journeys today.
Through these studies, we’ll be encouraged to reflect on our own walk with Christ: where we need to stand firm, where God is calling us to rebuild, and how His grace meets us in weakness. It promises to be a time of honest reflection, biblical depth, and renewed courage in faith.