Matt and Ellie Heywood News May 2026

Welcome to our May newsletter! It has been such a blessing to be back in the UK this month. We have really enjoyed visiting churches, catching up with friends and family, and sharing more about what God is doing in the Philippines. We have been so excited to speak with so many of you and share stories of all that God is doing there.

As we travelled and reconnected with lots of you, we were reminded of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 2:17: “But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.” We especially felt this as we visited churches and met with leaders at the Elim Leaders Summit (ELS). We feel incredibly blessed and grateful that so many of you continue to keep us in your prayers, follow our newsletters, and walk alongside us on the journey God has called us to. Even though we might not be near in person, like Paul and the Thessalonians, we feel strongly that we are always close in your thoughts and prayers. As we head back to the Philippines, we feel refreshed, strengthened, and so thankful for each one of you who is partnering with us in this season.

Church Visits

This month we made the journey back to the UK. We had a fantastic time visiting churches, sharing what God is doing in the Philippines, and updating people on how we are settling into life there. It has been so encouraging to reconnect with people we met back in September who have continued following our journey. We have been deeply encouraged by all the conversations, prayers, encouragement, and support we received during our time back.

Elim Leaders Summit

We have been so encouraged by the Elim Leaders Summit. It was Matt’s first time attending as a delegate, and he had a great time. We were really encouraged by the times of worship and the speakers, and it was lovely to spend time with church teams and pastors from across the movement. It was also so nice to see family and friends at the event, and to enjoy a good English breakfast again — a real treat!

Prayer Request

As we head back to the Philippines, we are looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us. Please pray for our teachers and staff as we prepare to welcome 28 new students along with their families into City Gates Academy. We pray that they would feel refreshed, encouraged, and energised for the year ahead.

Please also pray for our outreach programmes as these restart following the summer break. We are excited to see these grow and break new ground over the coming months.