Messenger 2013 Edition 22 - Adventist Church in UK and Ireland

MTTC initiative: Potters
Bar church plant
This is a South England Conference initiative and forms part
of the Mission to the Cities outreach.
otters Bar, Hertfordshire, was chosen
because it is on the periphery of London
and has a community comprising at least
P
ninety percent white British inhabitants.
Knowing how difficult it is to engage this
particular segment of the UK’s population,
the SEC is making a commendable effort to
reach them.
The object is to establish a new church in
this previously unentered community, starting
with a church plant that will be located in a
house that has been bought by the Conference
for this specific purpose.
According to a detailed strategy document
provided by Pastor Jonathan Barrett, one of
our experienced local pastors, the initiative’s
many supporting events will stretch from
September this year to November next year
and beyond. They include regular small-group
gatherings and a variety of interesting spiritual
courses with titles like ‘Christianity Explored’
and ‘Freedom in Christ’.
Another aspect of the initiative is the strong
emphasis being placed on various healthrelated seminars and expos (nutrition, cookery,
bread-making, weight-loss and smoking
cessation), all of which are excellent bridgebuilding activities. Then in September next year
all the accumulated interests will be invited
to attend a twenty-session ‘Share Him’
evangelistic series.
‘Community mingling’
One of the interesting headings on the strategy
document is that of ‘community mingling’.
This does include meeting the local ward
councillors, but it seems that much of this
intentional mingling will initially occur in those
places where the local community hang out.
To quote the document directly, it will involve:
‘ongoing intentional visits to cafes, etc, to get
to know people’.
This is certainly a different form of
outreach to that which we traditionally
conduct. Normally we advertise for people to
meet us in places (churches
and church halls) that are
unfamiliar to them!
Youth focus
The Potters Bar initiative
also seems to have a strong
youth focus, both by our
Adventist volunteers
becoming involved in
acceptable local youth
clubs and activities, and by
arranging events to which
local youth can be invited
(for example, an indoor
football tournament).
In a recent MESSENGER
advert for volunteers to
support the Potters Bar
initiative, applicants were
told that ‘in order to
supplement your
income and make
contacts you will be
encouraged to get a
part-time job in the local
community’. This is
certainly an interesting
requirement, and one
that echoes the selfsustaining efforts of
Paul, Aquila and Priscilla
in the book of Acts.
MTTC Field School of Evangelism
The evangelism being conducted in Potters
Bar will provide one of the practical learning
venues for the MTTC Field School of
Evangelism. This event is being conducted
under the auspices of the Trans-European
Division and runs from 10 to 21 October. It
will draw pastors from all over the Division to
a series of daily seminars on evangelism and
related subjects. Participants will also have the
advantage of being directly involved in case
studies of the various MTTC London initiatives,
which include the programme in Potters
Bar. Each afternoon the pastors will visit the
various sites where evangelism is taking place,
for both observation and participation.
There are needs
As with all evangelistic projects, Potters Bar
has its own unique needs. According to Pastor
Jonathan Barrett the main thing they need –
besides the obvious prayer support and the
presence of the Holy Spirit – is for communityfocused Adventists to move to the town! Yes,
you read that right. They need a core group
of balanced Adventists, who love Jesus
and will mix easily with the local
community. Think about it. This
might be your call to mission!
For more information don’t
hesitate to contact Pastor
Jonathan Barrett at jonathan@
refreshpottersbar.org.
EDITOR
n Barrett
Pastor Jonatha
Health expo at Potters
Bar
editorial
2
Calling all single and
shared-parenting mums
and dads . . .
M
My last editorial was prompted by the sad
events surrounding the Westgate shopping mall
massacre in Nairobi, Kenya. Since then, further
details emerging from the initial chaos and
debris provide more food for thought.
It now appears that the murderous extremists were not the only villains involved in the
shopping mall siege. According to subsequent
reports, the evidence seems to suggest that
members of the security forces were involved
in wide-scale looting and boozing during their
time of exclusive access to the complex. The
New York Times of 3 October put it like this:
‘More and more Kenyans believe that those
soldiers methodically cleaned out the mall, and
that the barrages of gunfire ringing out for days
were being directed not at the last of the militants but at safes and padlocks to blast them
open. Some business leaders even question
whether the Kenyan Army deliberately prolonged the crisis by saying that shooters were
still in the building when they were actually
dead, to give themselves extra time to steal.’1
If proved to be true, these allegations will do
nothing to enhance the reputation of Kenya’s
security forces . . . but that is not the focus of
my thoughts today.
The Loop is an exciting initiative by the New Life church and the
London Youth Federation, launched recently to bring together young
single and shared-parenting mums and dads across London to
learn, share ideas, socialise, network and gain support.
The club meets on the first Sunday of every month from 11am
to 2pm at the New Life church, 8-10 Lennox Road, N4 3NW. Kids
are welcomed to the sessions, and the Loop volunteers (trusted
members of our church and all CRB-checked) will run playtime
and arts and crafts for them.
We also have a chatroom on WhattsApp where parents get to
know each other and talk about everything from teething to the
‘terrible twos’, and everything in between!
Some of the workshops we’ve held so far include: ‘Building
Positive Relationships’; ‘Career Building – Getting Back Into Work’;
‘Planning for the Future’; and ‘Health – Maintaining Physical Health
and Mental & Emotional Well-being’. Over the next two months we’ll
be running the following:
• ‘Building a Happy Home – Effective Discipline & Bonding With
Your Child’ (3 November)
• ‘Money Management – Budgeting, Savings and Financial
Support’ (1 December).
We also have a range of social events such as movie nights,
play dates, Sabbath lunches, and so on. We are planning a big
Christmas bakesale in December and an AYS programme to explore
the issues surrounding single parenting, particularly within a church
environment.
Get in the Loop!
If you would like to get in the Loop, contact the team on
theloopyfc@ gmail.com or find us on Facebook: ‘The Loop Young
Families Club’.
Man flu – is there evidence?
In an interview with Dr Chidi Ngwaba and Pastor Patrick Johnson for the
Faith Talks series on Revelation TV, SEC Communications director Pastor
Kirsten Øster-Lundqvist led a lively debate on men’s health. During this
discussion the subject of ‘man flu’ surfaced, resulting in some friendly
banter around ‘coping mechanisms’ and the gender responses to colds
and flu. Dr Chidi concluded that some research pointed to the existence
of man flu.
Wanting to investigate the claim for myself, I humorously thought my
discovery could provide me with useful information in my roles as
director of Health and Women’s Ministries. But first I needed to establish
whether this was in fact a health issue worthy of focus; whether it could
augment the domestic (pampering) role of women; and whether there
was really evidence that men were more ‘disabled’ by flu than women.
Here’s what I found.
On 24 March 2010 an article in The Telegraph by Richard Alleyne
carried the caption: ‘Man flu is no myth as scientists prove men suffer
more from disease’. According to this article a team of researchers at
the University of Cambridge were examining the possibility that
gender differences could influence our immunity. Dr Olivier Restif
of the University of Cambridge said: ‘In many cases, males tend
to be more prone to get infected or less able to clear infection.’
This, he felt, was due to ‘interference between male hormones and
immunity, as well as risk-taking behaviour’.1
Other studies point to differences between men and women in their
approach to illness. In a survey of 1,000 adults by health brand Potter’s
Herbals it was found that one in six women felt they were more
pro-active at treating flu than men.2
Not all researchers agree with the University of Cambridge findings.
For example, the ‘UK Flusurvey’ revealed overall that women report
more flu-like symptoms than men – 11,200 per 100,000 women
compared with 9,300 per 100,000 men.’3
Getting down to the physiology, Dr Amanda Ellison, neuroscientist at
Durham University, reported that men have more temperature receptors
in the brain, which could cause them to experience flu symptoms more
acutely than women.4
These findings, if taken seriously, might leave some previously
unsympathetic women running for the tissues – not necessarily to
assist their sniffling husbands, but to dry their own tears as they face
up to their vows, ‘. . . in sickness and in health’!
No need for panic, though, for Dr Ellison concludes: ‘There is no
hard evidence that the feelings . . . are worse in males than in females’.
This is a possible cause – but ‘the argument will rage on’.
Good health!
1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7505207/Man-flu-is-no-myth-as-scientistsprove-men-suffer-more-from-disease.html
2
http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/433446/Man-flu-is-real-just-ask-a-man
3
http://news.sky.com/story/1027683/no-evidence-of-man-flu-scientists-say
4
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/man-flu-exists-says-female-1554248
Elliott Prior
Amid all the turmoil of the first hours of the
siege, there is one story that begs to be
commented on: the courage of 4-year-old
Elliott Prior. Elliott, from Windsor in southeast
England, was with his mother and sister when
the slaughter started.
The noise must have been deafening.
People lay dead and dying all around him. His
mother, Amber, had gone down with a bullet to
the thigh and he was at her side, innocently
trying to protect her as best he could.
Then, as an AK47-brandishing ‘gunman
approached him, his mother and his 6-year-old
sister Amelie, he shouted: “You’re a bad man,
let us leave.” ’2
Pause for a moment and let your
imagination recreate that scene. Humanly
speaking, Elliott’s puny 4-year-old resistance
meant nothing. It could have been blown aside
by a single bullet. But the little boy stands his
ground. He knows the difference between right
and wrong, between good and bad, and blurts
out the naked truth: ‘You’re a bad man, let us
leave.’
In doing so, Elliott wields the only weapon
that the honest, innocent, weak and seemingly
powerless of this world can wave in the face of
tyranny: the truth!
In this case, the truth led to the immediate
release of his mother and sister. They were able
to escape and take two other children with
them, ‘including a wounded 12-year-old boy
whose mother had been murdered’.3
Not all pumpkins . . .
Elliott’s story is heart-warming. But life is not
a fairy tale, and we all know that pumpkins
seldom transform themselves into grand
carriages. Nevertheless, his actions do
Truth makes power
uncomfortable
3
Julian Hibbert
Editor
exemplify the dangers associated with one of life’s toughest challenges: having the courage to tell
the truth – to the powerful.
In modern times this has been brought to prominence by the Quakers, who coined the phrase
‘speaking truth to power’ in a 1955 pamphlet entitled Speak Truth to Power: A Quaker Search for
an Alternative to Violence. Essentially it describes the act of ‘speaking out to those in authority’.4
Which is pretty much what little Elliott did.
Unfortunately, speaking the truth to power, although a noble and highly ethical activity, is also
fraught with immense danger. As James O’Toole puts it: ‘Speaking truth to power is perhaps
the oldest and, certainly, one of the most difficult of ethical challenges because to do so entails
personal danger.’5
The prophetic voice
That danger is no better illustrated than in the Bible. Throughout, it is a chronicle of prophetic
voices speaking the truth to power. It also brutally illustrates the reality that power tends to ignore
truth!
Sadly, power doesn’t just ignore truth – it has a propensity to ‘shoot the messenger’! Of
which this gem from Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin is a fitting illustration: ‘Was there ever
a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?’ (Acts 7:52a, NIV.) What he said was so true . . . and
they stoned him, just to prove his point!
Most of us enjoy a position or a relationship that grants us some form of power. Parents
have power; pastors, teachers and elders have power; so do church boards and conference
committees. Perhaps your power lies at work, behind a bigger-than-average desk – or in the
classroom, before rows of impressionable minds.
Whatever the source or format of our power is, it matters little. What matters is how we
exercise that power when faced by the Elliott Priors of this world, armed only with a piece of
uncomfortable truth.
How do you react?
How do you react when your teenage son tells you that you practise double standards? Do you
instinctively appeal to your authority, with comments like: ‘How dare you say that to me? Have you
forgotten that I’m your father?’
Do you seethe with indignation over his ‘precociousness’, the ‘negative influence of his friends’
and the need to ‘take him down a peg or two’ – all the while, avoiding the question that really begs
to be answered: ‘Is what he says true or not?’
How do you react when one of the members objects to the church spending £200 on Bonfire
Night fireworks? Do you just dismiss her as ‘antiquated’ or ‘out of touch’? Do you tell her: ‘It was a
board decision that you have no right to question!’ – or do you take time to quietly ponder whether
she may have a point?
Buck the trend
Some years ago I was present when a
‘You’re a bad
prominent church leader showed a lack of
man, let us
sensitivity for the challenges faced by his key
support staff during a series of important
leave!’
meetings. His demands were unfair and he
could see that I disapproved.
Then he did something that I have seldom seen before.
He approached me privately and asked me to share my concerns with
him. I told him what I felt was wrong and he graciously thanked me for
my frankness. After that, I never saw him make that mistake again, to the
enhancement of his leadership.
His reaction was a beautiful illustration of the fact that
power doesn’t need to fear truth . . . or ‘shoot the
messenger’!
1
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/world/africa/in-kenyan-mall-thieverycomes-after-carnage.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 2Read more: http://world.time.
com/2013/09/24/little-boy-to-kenya-gunman-youre-a-bad-man/#ixzz2hIvEDlLr
3
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/kenya-shopping-mall-attack-fouryearold-british-boyfreed-and-given-mars-bar-after-telling-armed-militant-youre-a-bad-man-8836104.html 4http://www.
urbandictionary. com/define.php?term=speak%20truth%20to%20power 5http://www.scu.edu/ethics/
practicing/focusareas/business/truth-to-power.html
4
devotional
On call
for God
by David Marshall
aul finished one of the greatest passages in the
New Testament with the line: ‘you know that in
the Lord your labor is not in vain’ (1 Corinthians
15:58, NRSV).
We all need to remind ourselves of that from time
to time. Our work has got to mean something. There
is a revolutionary connection between the Christian
faith and the workplace: and we’ve all got to find it.
The skyscape of London we get on TV news
nowadays invariably features the London Eye,
the Shard, the Gherkin, Canary Wharf, assorted
anonymous rectangles – and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Only one of those was already built in the ten-year
period I spent on my postgraduate work in London.
And it’s the only one that, to this day, takes my
breath away!
In the years when Sir Christopher Wren was
directing the building of St Paul’s some of the
workers were asked by a journalist (a new species
then), ‘What are you doing here?’ Just that. The
answers were noted down. The first said, ‘I’m cutting
stone for three shillings a day.’ The second said, ‘I’ll
have you know I’m putting in ten hours a day on this
job!’ The third said, ‘I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren
build the greatest cathedral in Great Britain for the
glory of God.’
It was the third man who had the bigger picture.
He had a sense of vocation in his work. Whatever our
work, we all need that sense.
Martin Luther believed that all human work is
not just a job, but a calling. The Latin word vocare
(the root of ‘vocation’) means ‘to call’. Luther
described all who work as ‘the fingers of God’,
the agents of God’s great enterprise. We all need
to ‘re-appropriate’ the old meaning of ‘vocation’,
P
and to recapture the meaning in our work.
A story about J. R. R. Tolkien illustrates one
aspect of that sense of vocation. During World War
Two he was involved in writing the very great work
which, decades later, would be published in three
volumes as Lord of the Rings. In the war years only a
small circle of his friends – the ‘Inklings’ – knew of
Tolkien’s involvement in that work of genius. Tolkien
himself was very much aware that any stray bomb
could put an end to the enterprise into which he had
poured so much of his life and learning.
The danger of a life cut short was brought
home to him after his return from a short visit. His
neighbour, without seeking his permission, had
chopped down the magnificent tree outside Tolkien’s
home. That led him to write a short story titled
‘Leaf by Niggle’, which was published in The Dublin
Review (18 March 1945).
‘Niggle’ was a man who fussed over unimportant
detail: Tolkien himself. Niggle wanted to paint an
enormous and detailed picture of a glorious tree. The
canvas he bought for the purpose was so large he
needed a ladder to reach the top. First, he drew an
outline of the whole tree. Then he set out to paint the
first leaf. He wanted that leaf to be perfect and spent
a huge amount of time painting it. Not long after he
finished that first leaf, Niggle was called to undertake
a ‘wretched journey’ he had been dreading (Death).
He worked against the clock to finish the picture
before the journey. He worked through many
distractions but had hardly made an impression
on that vast canvas when Death came calling.
Tolkien did not end his story there. Niggle’s
journey took him to a faraway country where God
reigned. As he approached that country, on the
inbox
End Time RAIN
End Time RAIN (Revival And
Intercession Network) is the first
website of the South England
Conference devoted to prayer
and intercession. Launched in
September 2013 with the full
backing of the SEC Ministerial
department, led by Pastor
Emmanuel Osei, www.endtime
rain.org aims to provide an
expanding network of
intercessors willing to deal
with the challenges faced by
people today.
Mindful that revived prayer
revives lives, the website will
support and co-ordinate prayer
co-ordinators and intercessors
within the SEC. For those not on
the internet, the updates will be
in the form of a newsletter. It will
also develop links with Facebook
and Twitter, for younger
intercessors and those who
more readily engage in social
networking. The website will also
feature articles and devotionals
on prayer and related activities.
End Time RAIN invites prayer
requests that will be prayed for
by its network members, and
will share the testimonies of
answered prayer. The website
is overseen by Jean Bohi and
Karen Plumb, who are Prayer
Ministry leaders in London.
If you are a prayer
co-ordinator, or someone who
loves prayer or just wants to
be involved in praying for
others locally, nationally and
internationally, then get in touch
with the End Time RAIN team at
contactus@endtime rain.co.uk –
we’d love to hear from you.
KAREN PLUMB
outskirts, he saw a tree – his tree.
‘Before him stood a Tree, his Tree,
finished; its leaves opening, its
branches growing and bending in
the wind. . . . He gazed at the Tree,
and slowly he lifted his arms and
opened them wide. “It’s a gift!” he
said.’
‘You know that in the Lord your
labour is not in vain.’
Tolkien had a distinctively
Christian understanding of the
meaning of work. God gives us
talents so that He can work in us
and through us. But the finished
work does not appear until we
reach the heavenly country –
where we discover that God has
finished it for us.
No work done for God is ever in
vain.
Dear Editor
Thank you for that great article on the MTTC (MESSENGER 27 September,
pp. 1, 8, 9). Had it not been for that, I don’t think that many people
would have been aware of the level and quality of work that was done
in preparation for the Mission to the Cities project in South London.
One member from Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, read the interview in
the MESSENGER and posted a cheque for £110 to purchase an advert on
the rear panel of one of the London buses. We say: Hallelujah, to God be
the glory! I am going to write to her acknowledging her gift, but it will be
nice to see a little article in the MESSENGER recognising her generosity;
others may follow her example, we never know.
Again, thank you very much for a great interview.
Yours in the Master’s service,
5
Ever had questions about our faith, doctrines or
practice that you want to see resolved? Each week
I’ll be hosting Q&A in an effort to answer them.
Q
Andrew Puckering
PASTOR KEITH BOLDEAU
‘Since the disciples were sleeping while Jesus was in
the Garden of Gethsemane, how do we know of
His agonising prayer, and that He sweated
blood?’ – John Turner
A
Well, the short answer is, ‘Because it says
so in the Bible!’ (Luke 22:42-44) – and, all
Scripture being inspired by God, we can have
complete confidence in it (2 Timothy 3:16). However,
I sense that you’re looking for more here. You wish to know how the
disciples came to know of Jesus’ prayer so as to write it down, since
the fact that they were sleeping seems to preclude an eyewitness report.
Although Luke, who reports Jesus sweating blood, was admittedly
not an eyewitness himself, most of the information in the Gospels,
including Luke’s, does come from eyewitness accounts (Luke 1:1-4; 2
Peter 1:16-18). The apostle John, in particular, went to great lengths to
emphasise the reality of what he’d seen and heard, and knew for a fact
to be true (John 21:24; 1 John 1:1-4). Specifically regarding the prayer
in the Garden, Ellen White states that Jesus’ disciples ‘saw His face
marked with the bloody sweat of agony’ after ‘His presence aroused
them’ from their slumbers.1 Furthermore, although their sorrow made
them sleepy and their eyelids ‘heavy’, their fatigued bodies belied minds
that were keenly intent on obeying Jesus’ instruction to watch and pray:
a fact Jesus acknowledged by saying, ‘The spirit indeed is willing, but
the flesh is weak.’ (Matthew 26:41, 43, NKJV; Luke 22:45.) Since they
were trying to attend carefully, it’s possible that the disciples heard the
first few words of His prayer before they fell asleep, which may have
taken up to an hour (Matthew 26:38-40).
It’s also highly plausible that Jesus Himself, after His resurrection,
told the disciples about His Gethsemane experience – particularly since,
at that moment, there were several other things that He had wanted to
tell them, but which they hadn’t been able to bear (John 16:12). He had
several opportunities to do so later: there was the time He walked with
two of them to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27); a meeting with most of the
disciples, and then again with Thomas (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:24-31);
and a pre-arranged meeting in Galilee (Matthew 28:10, 16-20; John 21).
The apostle Paul gives a list of many such occasions when Jesus
appeared to the apostles after His resurrection, before and even after
His ascension to Heaven – sometimes to more than 500 people at
once, most of whom were still alive when Paul was writing his epistles
(1 Corinthians 15:3-8) – and that isn’t even counting the women to
whom He appeared. On any of these occasions He might have told
His disciples of the agony He had suffered at Gethsemane.
Finally, they might have heard of it through the special inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus to remind them of the things He had
said (John 14:26): to ‘testify of Me’ and ‘guide you into all truth’, and to
‘take of what is Mine and declare it to you’ (John 15:26; 16:13-15,
NKJV). As we have seen, this Spirit inspired the Scriptures. Therefore we
can be sure that there were many opportunities for the disciples to have
known even the darkest moments in Jesus’ life.
1
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, Pacific Press (1898), p. 690.
Do you have a question you’d like to see answered in Q & A? Why not send it
in to us at: [email protected]? If your question doesn’t appear
in the next issue, don’t despair – we will deal with it in due course.
6
AFM report
Abdullah’s story
General Conference Adventist Frontier Mission
director, Pastor Conrad Vine, reports directly from
the danger-fraught frontline of cross-cultural mission.
Hi Pastor Julian,
Greetings from a wet, hot and humid Guinea!
In recent days I have been travelling to some
of our West African projects, visiting with
missionaries, meeting new believers and
helping to develop future AFM outreach plans.
Earlier this week I was in a country that is
very closed to the Gospel, where our only
official presence is an ADRA director who has
to be very cautious about doing overt evangelism. Despite these conditions, however, there
are many Gospel-hungry souls in this country.
We secretly met believers who worship at
the only Adventist congregation in the capital
city, a group about forty strong, consisting
mainly of African immigrants. We also met
someone else, a secret believer who is
making his way to Jesus via a different route.
This is his story . . .
I was in a lean-to shelter on the edge of
the Sahara desert, in this country where
evangelism is very dangerous. Close by was
a mosque where children were being drilled in
Qur’anic memorisation. My colleague and I sat
on a rug with our backs against a low wall,
grateful for the tarp that protected us from the
sun’s scorching heat.
Flies filled the air. Mice scurried here and
there. Veiled women hurried to and fro.
‘But where are the books for us? How can
we find Ellen White?’ The question stunned
me. How did Abdullah,* this brave seeker
after truth who sat before us in the shade,
know about Ellen White?
Seven years earlier, while Abdullah was
praying around midnight, he had a vision. The
heavens opened and Jesus Christ appeared to
him wearing a flowing robe and golden crown.
He spoke directly to Abdullah, saying He
wished to come down and stay with someone
in Africa. The vision then ended abruptly and
Abdullah was left to ponder its meaning. Could
it be that Jesus the Messiah wanted to dwell
with him?
And so the search to know Jesus Christ
began for Abdullah. He recounted to us how
he had gone from westerner to westerner in
the capital, begging for a Bible. All refused.
But finally, after many months of searching,
a foreigner eventually gave him a New
Testament.
As he read it through, the Holy Spirit began
to work a miracle in his heart.
At this time, one of the only foreigners
Abdullah trusted was an AFM missionary who
had prepared some Gospel studies in the local
language. He shared these with Abdullah, who
shared them with his wife, and the couple
were soon captivated by the love of God.
They now find their peace in Christian
prayer. ‘My five daily prayers are as dry as
bones, but my Christian prayers are like the
living marrow in those bones!’ exclaimed
Abdullah.
For the past seven years there has been no
contact between Abdullah and the small group
of foreign Adventists in the capital city – there
is just too much mutual suspicion and fear of
recrimination for this to be possible. Yet,
guided by the Holy Spirit, Abdullah is leading
his family to faith in Jesus Christ. When the
entire family group are ready, he wants to
be the first in his clan to be baptised as a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
We spent half a day with Abdullah and his
family. Yes, they live in poverty, but according
to him, ‘We have nothing, but we want for
nothing!’ They have found the Messiah.
But where does Ellen White fit into all
this? How could Abdullah hope to find any
of her writings in such a Gospel-hostile
environment?
I reflected on my bookshelves at home,
groaning with spiritual riches, while here was
a brother in Christ pleading for just a few
crumbs from that spiritual banquet.
We agreed to send materials to him in a
safe and secret way, and then left under cover
of darkness . . . but not before Abdullah and I
had agreed to be neighbours in our heavenly
home. He clasped our hands as we walked to
the car, and then he was gone.
He is one of many
Around the world, honest seekers after truth
like Abdullah seek for men and women of God
whom they can know personally and trust for
eternity. This requires that Adventist Frontier
Missions place long-term missionaries on the
ground in these Gospel-resistant regions,
where they can mingle, build trust, minister
and invite the seekers to follow Jesus.
We are doing this everywhere that our
limited funds will allow us to, but we wish
we could do more. Our homes are filled with
incredible feasts at this time of year – spiritual,
financial and edible! The Abdullahs of this
world are not asking to sit at those tables with
us – they are just crying out for a few crumbs!
*In the interests of his and his family’s safety, this is not his
real name.
On behalf of Abdullah, and the millions like him who are
seeking truth worldwide, I plead with you to give generously
from the spiritual and material feast that God has blessed you
with, so that there can be enough AFM missionaries to reach
them.
In fact, right now, there is a single, educated, 30-year-old
man with pastoral experience and the sensitivity to work among
Muslims, who is available to work in Abdullah’s country. We
could appoint him tomorrow – all we need is the funding. For
more details about how you can help please contact me at:
[email protected] or visit www.afmonline.org.
God bless.
CORAD VINE
PEACE graduation:
Tokoza Muimo
Qudon Stewart
Darrin Shephard
28 September, Preston Church
by Geraldene Farmer, NEC Communication director
his year thirteen students
from Australia, America,
India, Germany, the
Netherlands, the South England
Conference and the North
England Conference completed
the PEACE four-month training
course, bringing to seventyfour the total number of lay
evangelists produced through
this initiative since its inception in
2010.
NEC president, Pastor Lorance
Johnson, expressed his delight
that ‘group after group’ of brave
individuals have answered the call
of God to prepare for a future of
sharing Christ with others.
During conversations with
some of the graduates it was
evident that all of them had
obstacles to overcome in order
to heed that call.
Jamaican-born Northampton
Central member, Qudon Stewart,
was baptised just a year ago after
having left the church for a while.
He believes that God found him
and drew him out of darkness. ‘I
didn’t want to go back to doing
what I was doing before; I wanted
to serve God. I am taking away
skills to evangelise and be able to
talk to people, something I had
difficulty doing at first.’ Qudon
hopes to help to evangelise
and support the youth in his
church and use his new skills.
He believes that God will make a
way for anyone who is willing
T
to answer the call, just as He
has made a way for him by
rallying the Northampton and
Wellingborough churches, family
and friends to raise funds for his
course.
Darrin Shephard wanted
evangelism training, so he came
all the way from Kentucky, USA
after hearing about PEACE. His
church family raised the funds
to make it possible, and when
he returns to Kentucky he will
immediately conduct his first
evangelistic series.
Del Groves, a retired teacher
living in rural Queensland,
Australia, heard the call to draw
closer to God. She wanted to
know Him better and found the
PEACE school of evangelism by
searching the internet. She has
been blessed, and plans to share,
serve and evangelise when she
gets back home.
So what is PEACE all about?
Beulah Plunkett, associate
director of PEACE, explains:
‘ “PEACE” stands for Practical
Evangelism and Adventist
Christian Education . . . through it
students become acquainted with
the practicalities of becoming an
evangelist – how it’s done. . . .
That means going from door to
door, doing Bible studies, being
involved in developing and
planning a campaign and seeing it
through, even getting to the point
of seeing a new person from the
door through to baptism – the
whole cycle. And then we also
equip students with the skills to
teach, to support others and to
witness, and you get to try that
out – it’s quite full and it’s a very
good deal!’
Students also receive 160
hours of lectures on personal and
public evangelism, how to teach,
how to preach (homiletics),
church planting, AdventistMuslim relations and more. They
develop a clearer understanding
of the Adventist message;
their identity as Seventh-day
Adventists; and our purpose and
mission in this world today.
One young woman who can
attest to the value of attending
the PEACE training is former
graduate, Tokoza Muimo, from
Leeds Central Church. ‘Attending
the PEACE programme was
honestly the best four months of
my life. One of the skills I picked
up as a PEACE student was the
ability to share my faith – to make
the transition between day-to-day
conversations to a conversation
about the Gospel. Also, in my
church I have been able to
conduct Bible studies, teach the
Sabbath School lesson, work with
the youth and work through the
evangelistic cycle, all of which I
would not have been able to do
before. . . . I have learnt how to
pray more effectively and develop
a closer relationship with God. I
The NEC administration and staff wish
to congratulate the following graduates
of the PEACE class of 2013:
Akbar Davamony, Chantal Tomlinson,
Darrin Shephard, Del Groves, Ellen
Schauer, Grace Nkeshimana, Isela
Muzquiz, Jordy Buisman, Marvin Pearce,
Qudon Stewart, Rejoice Dube, Tapiwa
Marawanyika, Tomiwa Elewa.
would highly recommend PEACE
to anyone who wants to witness
more effectively. God will make
a way – don’t be put off by
circumstances.’
According to Rejoice
Kampengele, NEC treasurer: ‘For
years we observed a number of
our young people crossing the
Atlantic to go to schools of
evangelism in the US. We came
to the conclusion that we needed
to make training available to them
within the British context and so
far we have not regretted taking
this leap of faith.’
The PEACE training location is
intentionally moved around the
Conference to whichever area
needs support. For the past
two years it has been based in
Southport, but for the next two it
will be based in Manchester as
part of the NEC Mission to the
Cities endeavour. The course will
once again be led by Adam
Ramdin, Beulah Plunkett and
Craig Gooden.
Adam Ramdin, NEC
director for PEACE, encouraged
prospective students with these
words: ‘PEACE is for everyone. It
is a lay training course, so no
matter what profession or career
path you follow, it will be of value
within that environment as well as
in your church.’
Details of the next PEACE
intake can be found on:
www.necadventist.org.uk.
7
5
1. Tortoiseshell butterfly.
Jovita Bhengra, Sony HDR-CX190E.
2. Close-up of an owl.
Piotr Nikiel.
3. Goslings.
Davina Sly, Panasonic TZ-10.
4. Hummingbird.
Le-Jhel Williams, Canon EOS 5d Mk2.
5. Poppy in a cornfield.
Daniel Johnson, Canon IXUS 115 HS.
6. Garden spider and water droplets.
Marrick Schoonraad, Canon EOS 40d.
Please visit: www.adventistpictures.org.uk/
megapixels for more pictures.
1
Autumn colours!
Spring and summer have come and gone since the last
Megapixel spread, but haven’t September and October been
fab? All the colours of autumn, showing their best against the
bright sunshine and blue skies . . . lovely! If spring is a time of
new life, then autumn is a time for rejuvenation, a time in
the cycle when everything dies off and feeds the ground with
old vegetation, to pave the way for the new life to come again
next year, and so it continues. Now that’s creation at its best!
I must confess, the steady flow of pictures into my inbox
has slowed up a bit: maybe you’ve all been busy enjoying
your summer, and who can blame you! But now it’s chilling
off a bit, maybe it’s time to take stock of your pictures from
this year, and send some in for Megapixels.
If you have enjoyed all these great pictures, how about
sending in yours to: [email protected] – just
remember to keep them ‘hi-res’.
DAVID BELL
2
‘Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and
for days and years . . .” ’
Genesis 1:14 (NKJV)
4
3
6
10
baptisms
A honeymoon
baptism
Left to right: Thabani, Fedilina, Sharon,
Larry, Henry, Amos, Thando, Ahkeel,
Shyleen, Lynn,
Richard, Elizabeth and Pastor Colin Stewa
rt
District baptism in Cambridge
First baptism on Isle
of Wight?
On Sabbath, 28 September, the Isle of Wight church held its first sea
baptism, and possibly its first ever baptism. According to the church
elder, John Hemming: ‘Since we don’t have our own church, our new
members were baptised on the mainland in churches which are
equipped for baptism, and this is probably the first one to take place on
the island itself.’
James Crump was baptised in the sea off the Shanklin Beach Hotel
by Pastor Tihomir Zestic while the members sang ‘Just as I am’ and
curious members of the public looked on. James was supported by his
parents, who are not members.
According to Pastor Zestic, ‘James, being an islander himself, is a
rare asset in the church’s efforts to draw the people of the island to
Bible truth.’
James had found Adventism on the internet and then made contact
with Pastor Robin Lewis in Portsmouth. Being at Portsmouth University,
he began attending that church and received studies from Pastor
Lewis’s successor, Pastor Zestic.
On the same Sabbath, in the afternoon, another baptism took place
at Portsmouth Southsea, but it was of a rather private character.
This Sabbath will be remembered for breaking records by having
two baptisms on the same day and both in the sea. That has never
RUTH HEMMING
happened in the district before.
On 28 September, after months of preparation, three churches united in
celebration as five precious souls were baptised at Cambridge Church.
The service was conducted by Pastor Colin Stewart, the local
pastor, who was assisted by the elders for all three churches.
Two of the candidates, Lynn and Elizabeth, a mother and daughter
originally from South Africa, were welcomed into the Bury St Edmunds
fellowship by first elder Richard Shone. They were well supported by
the rest of their family.
Alongside them was young Shyleen, who was welcomed into the
Haverhill fellowship, a church plant of Cambridge, where she is set to
be a great asset. Her proud parents, Sylvia and Percy, family, and
friends were all there to share her happiness.
Also joining the Haverhill fellowship was 14-year-old Ahkeel. His
confident stroll to the baptismal pool confirmed his confidence in his
decision to make Jesus his Saviour. Ahkeel’s mother and grandmother
were there to rejoice over his decision.
Last to enter the water was Thando, who regularly attends the
Cambridge church. Although his immediate family were not able to
join him, he was supported by the entire Cambridge congregation,
who are now his new family.
The whole event was made even more special when seven serious
youngsters stood up during the appeal, ready to prepare for baptism
one day.
COMMUNICATION TEAM, CAMBRIDGE CHURCH
Pastor Venter and Juliana Keshishian
Chilufya
Pastor Ghioalda baptising Sandie
Sandie’s baptism
Great joy was experienced by the
Dundee church on Sabbath 14
September as 19-year-old Sandie
Chilufya was baptised. She had
shown great interest in her Bible
studies with Pastor Marcel
Ghioalda and they culminated in
this quiet display of allegiance to
Christ. The pastor emphasised
continuing commitment and
steadfastness in his sermon, and
many youngsters gathered round
the baptismal pool to witness the
beautiful service. Sandie will be
moving to Derby, where she will
JOHN WALTON
study law.
Double celebration
Juliana Keshishian was baptised
at the Stanborough Park church
on her birthday, 7 September, by
Pastor Jacques Venter. This wonderful event was the culmination
of a series of studies Juliana received from Pastor Mary Barrett.
She wanted to be baptised because she ‘fully understood God’s
plan of redemption’ and wanted to
make ‘a fresh start with Jesus’.
On her mother’s side she is a
fourth-generation Adventist – on
her father’s side a fifth! Besides
the influence of her family, the
years spent as a pupil at Stanborough Park Primary School have
also been a positive influence in
BRONWEN ATKINSON
her life.
Langley
baptises six
On 28 September the
Langley church
witnessed the baptism
of six new members,
including two married
couples. Asha Henry,
Agnes Henry, Malkito
Kaur, Roop Lal Hans,
Diego Phares and William Henry were baptised by the Langley pastor,
Sohan Masih Gill.
In addition to this the Hans sisters, Jaspreet and Priya, were
dedicated during the same service in which their parents were
baptised.
It was truly a day of great rejoicing, which was appropriately
concluded by a fine fellowship lunch.
ROHEET SUBRAI
Sabbath 10 August was
a day of rejoicing for the
Aberdeen and Inverness
congregations as they
witnessed the baptism of
Joanna Grant. Though
raised in a Christian home
in her native Canada,
Joanna strayed from her
faith. But she tired of this
life and decided to return
to God. It was then that
she met Leonard, who
had moved to Canada
from Scotland. Leonard’s
interest in Joanna was not mutual at
first, but finally, after being friends for
two years, Joanna realised that
Leonard was the man God had
promised her many years before.
Joanna is baptised as Leonard looks on
They married in January this year and
arrived in Inverness for a four-and-ahalf-month honeymoon in April. During their stay Joanna’s faith as a
Seventh-day Adventist was affirmed through Bible studies with Robert
Sullivan, an Inverness member. Following her baptism by Pastor Victor
Harewood, Joanna and Leonard returned to Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories, Canada.
JANICE SAVIZON
Another ‘4-G’ baptism
at Stanborough Park
On Sabbath morning 21 September,
Paul Cooper’s face still beamed long
after the close of his baptismal service
at Stanborough Park Church.
Baptised by his grandfather, Pastor
Peter Cooper, following weekly studies
with the church’s senior minister,
Pastor Jacques Venter, Paul is yet
another of the fourth- and fifthgeneration Adventists who have been
baptised at the church this summer.
His great-grandparents were the late
Henry and Georgina Cooper of Utterby, Lincolnshire, and the late
Ernest and Vera Campion of Torquay, Devon.
Many members of his extended family, including his parents Stephen
and Zeny, were there to witness the joyous event. When asked why he
wanted to be baptised, Paul replied simply that it was because he
wanted to ‘get closer to Jesus’.
His great-uncle and aunt, Pastor John and Ruth Arthur, were unable
to attend but watched the service on Livestream. The family have a
tradition of church service, especially with ADRA, and Paul spent his
early childhood in Kenya and Sri Lanka.
Since arriving in England with his parents in August 2008, Paul has
been a student at Stanborough School, and was supported by several of
JUNE COOMBS
his classmates.
Congratulations
Charlotte Redman of Winchester
Church recently obtained a BA (Hons)
from Portsmouth University in Early
Childhood Studies – well done!
WENDY BRADLEY
news
GBK builds community relations
On Sunday 4 August Great Brickkiln Street Church, Wolverhampton,
joined in the Graisley community police and local council’s Fun Day. The
Community Service leader, Edna Malcolm, and her volunteers didn’t let
the showers dampen their enthusiasm for the day ahead. They set up
their stall and displayed caftons (African/Caribbean dress), traditional
Caribbean cakes and ginger punch in the hope of raising funds for their
community projects. Adventist literature and books were also available
to spread the Gospel.
Although the day was an opportunity to build relations with the other
stall holders and the police, unfortunately the general public stayed
away due to the rain, and only £18 was raised for the projects.
There is a bright side to this story, however. Since hearing about
GBK’s various plans to help the community’s needy – the existing
soup kitchen and food pantry, and the soon-to-open charity shop – the
Graisley community police have donated £1,500 to these projects!
Pictured above is the cheque-handing-over ceremony held at the church
on 27 August, with PC Martin Danher, Edna Malcolm, PC Steven Wales
and Pastor Rainford McIntosh.
PASTOR RAINFORD A. MCINTOSH
Health and fun in Hull
On 1 September Hull Church had its first community health and fun day
at one of the city’s busiest parks. Members of the public had their
weight, height, blood pressure and BMI checked before joining in the
fun. The health team was staffed by Doctors Marinceu and Thomas, and
Nurses Marang and Joy, who also offered health advice to those who
needed it.
There was a variety of games to suit all ages, and free refreshments.
Those members of the public who participated seemed to enjoy
themselves and Hull’s members were pleased to support such a
wonderful community event.
They turned up in force to be part of the event. The fun was not
limited to the youth – Pastor Karbah was enthusiastically involved in
the football game along with 79-year-old Brother Ben! Reaching out to
the community in this way was also a great opportunity to share some
Adventist literature. The Hull members are already planning to do it again
next year – but bigger and better!
MNDIMA FUE
11
12
13
Great Yarmouth’s new club
Exciting things are happening in Great Yarmouth! Just a few years ago
we had no children in the church, but God answered our prayers and
now we have six. Our young minister, Rio Espulgar, started a Pathfinder
club, aided by his wife, Maybelle, and Raviro Kumira, a vibrant young
lady from Zimbabwe.
Our main highlight so far has been a weekend at the ‘Guide and
Scout’ campsite in the beautiful Thetford Forest. Due to the very dry
weather we were unable to have the traditional campfire for safety
reasons; nevertheless, the young Pathfinders enjoyed every minute of
their fun-filled activities.
The camp began with a ‘Trust Walk’, the point of which was to trust
the person guiding them into the forest while they were blindfolded.
Its purpose was to show them the need to trust the guidance of their
parents and mentors, and especially God, when making decisions in
life.
Other activities over the weekend included a three-hour hike into the
beautiful forest, discussions and creative activities, and wall climbing;
and, observed one of the leaders, ‘even dish washing proved to be
popular!’ The Lord blessed them with good weather, lovely surroundings, and a great time with plenty of fun and exercise! This event was a
preparation for next year’s main Pathfinder camporee. Friends were
invited, and as a result two of them are now part of our Pathfinder club.
We now look forward to an investiture that is already being planned.
PASTOR MICHAEL I. WALKER
Brixton takes to the streets
On 31 August the Brixton church took church to the community as a
prelude to their Mission to the Cities series of meetings. The day started
out with a morning service led by Pastor E. Jones-Larty, in which he
prepared the members for their mission – the march to Windrush
Square.
The march started around noon, with the Brixton Church Drum
Corps leading the way from Santley Street to the square, followed by the
congregation, who were singing, holding banners and distributing flyers
to anyone with whom they came in contact. On arrival at the square they
found scores of people from the community already at the church’s
health tent. The music and singing drew more of the public to listen to
Aldray Barwise inviting them to attend the Mission Possible series.
His efforts were supported by numerous members giving out more
than 300 flyers, and the melodious singing of the church’s praise team.
Their music theme was ‘Healing through song’ and they entertained the
KELLEE HALLIBURTON
crowds deep into the afternoon.
‘Unsung women’ honoured
‘If it falls to your lot to be a street sweeper, go out and sweep streets
like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and
Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote
poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the host of Heaven and Earth will
have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his
job well.’ (Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.)1
Former South England Conference president, Humphrey Walters,
used these words as two special ladies were given the ‘This is your life’
treatment for thirty-five years of outstanding service to both church and
community.
Ann Williams and Ruby Merchant, both members of the Hackney
church, on Haggerston Road, were honoured for their tireless work in
Hackney during a special programme on the evening of Saturday, 7
September. Not only were a number of former Hackney pastors present,
but so were Diane Abbott (MP for Stoke Newington and Hackney
North); the Speaker of Hackney Council (Michael Desmond); the
Jamaican High Commissioner (Aloun Ndombet-Assamba); the
Montserratian High Commissioner (Janice Panton); and Detective
Chief Inspector Shabnam Choudhury.
Sister Merchant, 73, who came to Hackney from Jamaica, served as
church clerk for over twenty years, not to mention her work as head
deaconess. She is known for her visitation of nursing homes as well as
the feeding and clothing of the local homeless.
After hearing all the tributes paid to her she said, ‘I am so shocked. I
had no clue this was happening. I can’t believe all my family is here.
I’ve been a part of this church since 1977. I thank the church, my
family and God for bringing me this far.’
Equally surprised was Sister Williams, 83, who came to Hackney
from the island of Montserrat. She is a pioneer and founder member of
the Hackney church and has never shied away from work, having
served as an elder and as the Family Life and Women’s Ministries
leader. In fact she is currently the church’s Sabbath School
superintendent. For many years she kept the children of Hackney safe
during her time as a lollipop lady. She also prepared meals at Great
Ormond Street Hospital, with Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, being
one of many to have enjoyed her meals. It all came as a surprise to her.
‘We didn’t know what was going on,’ she says. ‘We thank you so
much. The Lord has blessed me . . . and I can happily say I’ve not
experienced any sickness and have always been in church and able to
help others.’
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney, called the ladies ‘unsung women
who, as examples of faith, unity and love, have contributed to creating a
thriving and vibrant Hackney community’.
Speaker of Hackney Council, Michael Desmond, who presented the
ladies with special crystal plaques, concluded, ‘We must look to the
past to know how to move forward in the future. These two exemplary
ladies are two fireworks who haven’t fizzled out, and we are all
challenged to do the same. The council is proud of you both and
congratulates you.’
Pastor Emmanuel Osei, in place of SEC president, Pastor Sam Davis,
presented the ladies with a certificate of commendation, after a prayer
of consecration was offered on their behalf.
DARELL PHILIP
1
‘The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life’, sermon delivered at New Covenant Baptist Church,
Chicago, Illinois, 9 April 1967 – andysternberg.com/mlk-street-sweeper-audio/
MOHAP annual
retreat
The annual Ministry of
Healing and Prayer (MOHAP)
retreat was attended by ninety Adventists from across England,
Scotland and Wales – and James. He saw the advert on a poster,
phoned the MOHAP director to enquire if only ‘members of the Seventhday Adventist Church could attend’, and was assured that he would
be welcome. After a weekend spent at Wokefield Park, Mortimer, he
felt comfortable enough to teach the attendees a lovely song called
‘Shabbat Shalom’, and left with these memories: ‘There were words of
warmth and wisdom; singing about our Master’s glorious return; and
fun and fellowship at a deep, Christ-centred level with dear souls.’
From Friday, 30 August to Monday, 2 September 2013, the retreat
speakers delivered a total of thirteen presentations on the theme, ‘Lord,
make me whole’, and covered the spectrum of emotional, physical and
spiritual healing.
Pastor Dennis Smith (USA), author of sixteen books on the Holy
Spirit, presented four deeply provocative devotions on the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, challenging attendees to allow Jesus to live His life in
and through them and to daily seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Pastor
Aris Vontzalidis, SEC Church Growth director, touched by the message,
stated that it needed to be heard throughout the British Isles.
Colin Hone (Australia), international director of Holy Spirit Ministries,
shared how he attended a revival weekend in 2009, conducted by
Pastor Dennis Smith. After completing Pastor Smith’s 40 Days of
Prayer and Devotion he discovered a new spiritual life.
They were joined by Dr Magna Parks (USA), a counselling
GBK summer
programme
Plumstead
International Day
The Great Brickkiln Street church
recently held their summer
programme for children between
the ages of 5 and 15 between 19
and 28 August, which was well
attended.
Not only did they learn about
the whole armour of God each
day, but they enjoyed many
stimulating activities: crafts,
puzzles and games.
One of the programme
highlights was a Heroes and
Heroines adventure trip to
Tamworth Castle.
They came from the north,
south, east and west to join the
Plumstead Community church’s
International Day celebration. The
Pathfinders educated us on the
history of the Seventh-day
Adventist movement in several
countries. The sermon, entitled
‘Praise’, was delivered by Pastor
Kirk Thomas. The fellowship lunch
was culturally diverse and filling.
The afternoon programme
consisted of members singing
and praising God in their mother
tongues. This was truly a ‘One
God, One Nation’ experience.
DELVA CAMPBELL
VALDA E. TAYLOR
psychologist and author,
whose inspirational
presentations focused
on emotional healing and
mental well-being. Dr
Scott Grivas, MD, with
over 40 years of clinical
experience at Wildwood
Seventh-day Adventist
Hospital and Lifestyle
Clinic, focused on the
laws of health and the causes and treatment options for a number of
common diseases, including cancer. His presentation on the role of
botanical medicines (herbs) in the treatment of common diseases
elicited much interest.
Pastor Lloyd Lambert led the outdoor prayer walk each morning,
while the uplifting praise and worship sessions were led by Fen
Braithwaite and Richard Christie. It was Richard’s first time at a MOHAP
retreat and he enjoyed it: ‘I didn’t realise how much I needed to be here,
as many needs have been met and my experience has been truly
life-changing.’
Other retreat activities were: a Sabbath morning panel discussion led
by Pastors Ian Sweeney, BUC president, and Lorance Johnson, NEC
president; a Saturday night celebration with the Croydon Gospel Choir;
a Sunday morning anointing service led by Pastor Michael Hamilton,
TED Prayer Ministries director, and Sam Davis, SEC president; and a
Sunday afternoon of recreational social activities.
Delicious vegan whole foods were also part of the experience,
modelling the Adventist health message and the nutritional element
within the health presentations.
More photos are available at: www.adventist.org.uk/news/gallery/
JANET HAMILTON
gallery-sec/mohap-retreat-2013-wokefield-park.
obituaries
14
Food, glorious
food!
We could all have
sung, ‘Food, glorious food . . .’
on Sunday 15 September in
Newport when the church held
its annual health fair at
Eveswell Primary School, just across the road – and what a happy day it
proved to be.
One visitor, Maureen Baker, accompanied by her daughter Helen, first
came to the event three years ago and returned last year too. Together
they visited each table, doing all the health checks. The outcome was
described by Maureen as ‘very helpful’.
One young woman, a local high school student, dropped in when she
noticed the poster at the school gate. She took an intelligent interest in
all that was offered. An Asian family and friends, who live in a road
close to the church, happily participated and also enjoyed the food.
Certainly there was something for everyone, from the toddlers to
teenagers. The Newport Temperance Society provided an educational
game of Snakes and Ladders aimed at encouraging discussion between
children and parents about the dangers of alcohol.
In addition to the usual range of health checks, Leslie Wood from
Cardiff was on hand to give back-care advice and to do massage. Althea
Collymore of the Welsh Refugee Council provided essential advice,
which was especially appreciated by at least one of the visitors. The
local Samaritans were there too. Sadly the Newport line comes very
high on the list of places where people decide to commit suicide.
Dr Catherine Kanu was a very interesting volunteer. She came to
Britain from Sierra Leone as a refugee and is now working in Cwmbran
prior to deciding on her future specialisation. ‘I’m so glad that Evan
invited me,’ she said. ‘This is the base for medicine. This is what we
need to do, to teach people how to eat well. We take so much of what
we have for granted, but this kind of event is a good opportunity to put
something back into society.’
Good food played a major role in the day and visitors could easily
have come in to enjoy the delicious food and gone away satisfied
without further participation! The initial tasters led on to lunch: a
beautiful vegan lentil soup, salad sandwiches, veggie samosas, cherry
vegan ‘cheesecake’ and wholemeal fruit cake. The day ended with a
‘vegan smoothie-making’ demonstration by Evan Green, Health director
MIRIAM WOOD
of the Newport church and the fair’s organiser.
Women’s Ministries Day
Women’s Ministries Day was celebrated at Great Brickkiln Street
Church, Wolverhampton, on 31 August, and the programme was
co-ordinated by Lesa McIntosh, the local church Women’s Ministries
leader and her team. The theme ‘Women Full of the Spirit’ was reflected
in Sabbath School through the highlighting of a
number of biblical heroines.
During the sermon Geraldene Farmer, NEC
Women’s Ministries director, spoke on the
subject of ‘Christ our Refuge’ – outlining different types of abuse and how to cope with them.
All this was followed by a delicious lunch
and an Adventist afternoon presentation. Youth
programme, ‘The Time of Your Life’, challenged all to be better stewards of the time
God has entrusted in our care. The day was a
great blessing to all. PASTOR RAINFORD A. MCINTOSH
Jennifer Angela
Johnson, MBE
(1962-2013) d. 5
March. On Friday,
22 March, West
Bromwich Church
overflowed as
members, friends
and relatives attended the funeral
service of Jennifer Angela
Johnson, MBE.
It was Jennifer’s wish that
white and red be the colours at
her funeral service. These wishes
were honoured with red and white
flowers, while nature assisted
with a fresh covering of snow.
Jennifer was born on 14
October, 1962, and fell asleep in
the Lord on 5 March this year.
During her illness she did not
complain, even when in much
pain. She took the time to
encourage those who visited and
telephoned her. In her short life
she achieved many things and
was happy with what she had
done, but, as in her own words,
the best thing was finding ‘Jesus’.
Jennifer embraced the
Adventist message after having
Bible studies for about two
years and was baptised into the
fellowship of the West Bromwich
church congregation on Sabbath
10 November, 2012. Her favourite
hymn was ‘Leaning On the
Everlasting Arms’, and it was
sung when church members went
to visit her.
During her working life she
had jobs that didn’t give her the
satisfaction that she got when
working with young people,
mentoring and helping them to
reach their full potential. Because
of her dedication to helping
others, Jennifer was nominated
for and received an MBE in
December 2011.
Jennifer is mourned by her son
Andrew, who, during her last
weeks, took time from his work
to lovingly and tenderly care for
his mother. She also leaves her
parents, other family members,
many friends, colleagues, and a
host of the young people she had
mentored over the years.
The tears will flow when we
remember the times we shared
with Jen, but we have a hope of
meeting her again in the new
Jerusalem.
Her family would like to thank
everyone for their support in their
time of bereavement.
JOY DIXON
Dufton George Burth (19412013) d. 1 July. On Monday 15
July, family and friends of the late
Dufton George Burth gathered at
St Paul’s Church, Smethwick, for
a celebration of his life. Pastors
D. Majaducon, D. Masih and P.
Herbert took part in the service.
Dufton was buried next to his
wife at Rowley Regis Cemetery.
He was born on 2 January,
1941, in Waterworks, Jamaica, to
Muriel and Percival Burth, the
fourth of eleven children. They
lived a strict Christian life and his
siblings remember him fondly as
being funny, compassionate and
hard-working.
Dufton attended Petersfield
School, next to the Petersfield
Adventist church, and then went
on to train as a stonemason.
In 1960, at the age of 19, he
emigrated to England and settled
in the West Midlands, where he
found work with British Rail. His
sisters Lureen and Estilee later
joined him.
While attending Petersfield
Church on a visit back to Jamaica
in 1970, he was captivated by a
young soloist – a local girl by the
name of Brenda Lawrence – and
they were soon married. Dufton
took her back to the UK, where
they were blessed with a son,
Gregory, and a daughter,
Georgina.
Dufton was a gentle, loving
husband and father who always
spent quality time with his family.
They attended West Bromwich
Church, where Dufton held
several positions, including
Pathfinder director, head deacon,
deacon and Personal Ministries
leader. He loved to sing; he often
sang with his wife Brenda, as a
soloist and with the West
Bromwich church choir.
In the mid-70s Dufton worked
as a long-distance lorry driver,
and he often took his children,
nieces and nephews on road trips
to various places in the UK,
which they always enjoyed.
The family was blessed with a
granddaughter, Amelia Jade, in
1998, and they took her to church
with them from an early age.
After thirty years of marriage,
Brenda passed away suddenly,
aged 49. Although he was
devastated by the loss of his
beloved wife, Dufton’s faith in
God helped him cope.
In 2003 his daughter,
Georgina, married Daniel Severo
and settled in Canada, where they
raised two sons, Jaxon and Sloan.
Dufton visited them as often as
he could.
After his retirement, Dufton
worked as a security guard and
continued to play an active role in
the church.
15
In 2012 he was diagnosed with
cancer, passing away on 1 July,
exactly thirteen years to the day
after his wife. He is survived by
his two children, four grandchildren and eight remaining
siblings, as well as numerous
relatives and friends. Although he
will be sadly missed, his family
are comforted that he is at peace
and is awaiting the call of his
Saviour. GEORGINA SEVERO (DAUGHTER)
In memoriam:
This photograph of Sidney Cecil Rose (19182013) was regrettably not included with his
obituary in the MESSENGER of 27 September.
We know how special his family, and
particularly his children, were to him and
we apologise for any distress this may have
caused them.
EDITOR
Baby shower
After another successful vegetarian cooking demo and delectable meal
in the function room of our church in Great Yarmouth, Izabela was called
away with her husband. What she didn’t know was that the church was
planning a big surprise for her! Mike suddenly ‘remembered’ there
was something he’d left in church and as Izabela entered the room
everybody was waiting – and there was a pile of presents!
After she got over the shock, she was given a large ‘Mum to Be’
badge. Since Mike and Izabela were baptised they have been faithful,
supportive and active, hard-working members. Mike is an elder and
Izabela is our Sabbath School superintendent. Their baby is due in
November and we wanted to give them some help with their new arrival
and let them know how much they are appreciated. PASTOR MICHAEL I. WALKER
Rugby played its part
Pastor Milan Gugleta and the members of Rugby Church went out
on Sabbath, 28 September to do their part in the ‘Power of 35,000’
initiative, giving out numbers of Steps to Christ books, Escape
magazines and leaflets with the Adventist message in the local
community. The church Pathfinders also helped to deliver the material
and drew a lot of attention because of their smart uniforms.
ROBERTO DA SILVA
16
back page
October
27 John Loughborough
10am-2pm
November
3 Huddersfield
17 John Loughborough
24 Bedford
10am-2pm
10am-2pm
10am-2pm
ABC Shops
Watford, BUC, Monday-Thursday – 12.30-5pm, Friday – 10am-2pm.
01923 893461
Birmingham, Aston-Newtown, Wednesday – 11am-4pm, Thursday – 4pm-8pm,
Friday – 9am-1pm, Sunday – 11am-3pm.
0121 3286380
Advent Centre, Mondays & Wednesdays – 6.30pm-8.30pm,
Sundays – 11am-3pm, Saturdays – November, December, January: After sunset.
0207 7236849
Orphans benefit from cycle ride
John Cooper and Kish Poddar, trustees of the UKregistered charity STOP International, travelled to
India in August to hand over a cheque to cover the
school fees of the fifty Way To Life children that
the charity will sponsor in the 2013/2014 school
year.
John and Kish completed a 261-mile Londonto-Paris cycle ride in May to raise over £3,000 for the
orphans’ school fees. While on a STOP project at the
Vocational Training Centre in Denkanikotta, India, they
presented a cheque for £2,800 to the director of the
Way To Life orphanage, who told them that the
children prayed for their safety and stamina
during the ride. The children gave a big cheer of
appreciation when the cheque was handed over and
offered a prayer of gratitude which, for the two riders,
was the most rewarding part of the fundraising
event – motivating enough for them to make the
London-to-Paris cycle ride an annual event.
In addition to presenting a cheque for the
orphans’ school fees, Kish and John’s volunteers
laid hundreds of feet of water pipes, and three
hundred metres of cable in trenches to supply the
newly constructed girls’ dormitory with electricity –
and applied whitewash to the two hundred metres of
the orphanage front wall!
There were many memorable events on the
trip, but the highlight was to see the new sewing
machines installed in the vocational training centre
so that the sewing programme for the older children
could begin. When the assembled machines
were displayed to the orphans, they broke out in
spontaneous singing – a fitting start to the
long-awaited programme designed to help them
become self-sufficient.
STOP International organises a humanitarian
trip to India every summer. If you would like to
volunteer on a trip please contact Kish Poddar at
[email protected].
KISH PODDAR
Dedication
Sabbath 24 August was a special
Sabbath for Natalie and Ian Wilson
of Winchester Church: The day
Pastor Viv Llewellyn dedicated
their baby boy Oisin. Ian’s parents
had travelled from Ireland for the
event and Natalie’s parents and
sister were also there.
Pastor Llewellyn told the
congregation that the opportunity
to dedicate Oisin was made even
more special by the fact that,
some twenty-five years earlier, he
had dedicated Natalie when he
was minister of the Southampton
WENDY BRADLEY
church!
Messenger
Volume 118 • 22 – 25 October 2013
Editor: J. G. Hibbert
Design: David Bell
Proof reading: Andrew Puckering
COPY FOR No. 24 – 31 October 2013
Copy should be sent to the Editor, MESSENGER, The
Stanborough Press Limited, Alma Park, Grantham,
Lincolnshire, NG31 9SL. Tel: (01476) 591700.
Fax No: (01476) 577144.
Email: [email protected]
Send high-resolution pictures to:
[email protected]
ABC Sales line: (01476) 539900
Mon-Thurs only, 8am- 5.30pm.
www.stanboroughpress.com
The Editor may alter, clarify, précis or expand
articles sent to him if he thinks it necessary.
Published fortnightly on Fridays by the British Union
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
For general enquiries, email:
[email protected]
Printed in the UK.
Visit the BUC website at: www.adventist.org.uk
ISSN 0309-3654
Masthead photo: Luisa Hulbert
Sunset
Sunset times are reproduced with permission from
data supplied by HM Nautical Almanac Office.
Lond
Oct 25 5.47
Nov 1 4.33
8 4.22
15 4.11
Card
5.59
4.46
4.34
4.23
Nott
5.47
4.33
4.21
4.10
Edin
5.48
4.32
4.18
4.05
Belf
6.02
4.47
4.34
4.22
MESSENGER SUBSCRIPTIONS
Cost £25 per annum for 24 issues.*
*Postage will only be charged for single copy
subscriptions and overseas airmail.