wake me UP when SePtembeR enDS meet the PReSiDent

Transcription

SEPT 2012
wake me up when
september ends
meet the president
daughters of the king
who cares? who cares!
gheda
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D
:
S
U
UP FOC
O
R
G
|
i
bik
PES | na
I
C
E
R
|
12
ting 20
e
e
m
l
nnua
+PLUS a
deaconesses
serving god, the church
and their community
Jenny Clegg
Amanda Cooper
Muriel Cromie
Doreen Draffin
Eleanor Drysdale
Lynda Gibson
Ballycrochan, Bangor
New Row, Coleraine
Belfast City Hospital &
NI Cancer Centre
Whitehouse & NI Hospice
Wellington, Ballymena
Maghaberry Prison
Jean Gwyn Patton
Sharon Heron
Roberta Irvine
Christine Kyle
Phyllis Linton
Amy Magee
Royal Victoria Hospital
Strand, Belfast
Greystone Road, Antrim
Ulster Hospital, Dundonald
West Church, Ballymena
Muckamore
Elizabeth Matthews
Michelle McCauley
Heather McCracken
Sonya McCullagh
Sadie McCullough
Lynda McFaul
Elmwood, Lisburn
Ballygowan &
Second Saintfield
Alexandra, Belfast
Shore Street, Donaghadee
Whiteabbey
First Carrickfergus
Hazel Reid
Margaret Robertson
Carol McRoberts
Carole O’Hara
Jackie O’Neill
Julie Peake
Tullycarnet
Antrim Area Hospital &
Craigavon Area Hospital
Joymount, Carrickfergus
Portrush
(Maternity leave)
First Broughshane
Gardenmore, Larne
www.missionireland.org
Jenny Robinson
Kathleen Spence
Rosemary Spiers
Evelyn Whyte
South Belfast
Friendship House
Scarva Street, Banbridge
First Antrim
First Lisburn
www.presbyterianireland.org/pw
Eileen Black
Joanne Dunlop
Tracey Nicholl
Probationary Deaconess
First Magherafelt
Hillhall, Lisburn
Wider World Magazine Sept 2012
editorial
Once again, September has arrived.
This probably means different things to
different people. Some will welcome the
return to a more structured routine when
children or grandchildren return to school
and our church organisations resume, while
others may have a sense of dread at the
thought of the busy winter ahead.
inside this issue...
4 Wake Me Up When September Ends
6 Annual Meeting 2012
8 Light of The World
10 Meet the President
12 Lead...Who Me?
14 There’s None So Strange as Folk!
16 Who Cares? Who Cares!
18 Group Focus: Drogheda
20 Recipes
22 Everyday Evangelism
24 Fundraising Ideas
25 Daughters of the King
26 Encouraging One Another
27 Caroline Shares...
28 News and Events
30 Nabiki
32 Can We Trust the Bible?
34 Overseas News
If you are feeling the burden of leadership, the article, Lead...Who Me?
uses the book of Jude to speak to us and remind us that “We have
been called to this life, to this place, to the tasks that lie ahead.”
For those facing the anxiety of children leaving home, the article,
Wake Me Up When September Ends, speaks about the pain this
can bring. The author shares her deep pain and the journey she
encountered when three of her four children left home at the same
time. It was a journey that took her to the depths of despair but then
brought her to a place where she could say, “I don’t know what the
next big life change will be but, whatever it may be, God knows about
it already and we will face it together.”
Whatever our feelings, let us commit the future to our Lord and ask
that He will use us in the days that lie ahead.
The article Nabiki shares with us a heart wrenching story which
is typical of the horrendous circumstances faced by many young
girls in various parts of Africa. It also reminds us of the difficult
circumstances which may be faced by PCI mission personnel and our
need to uphold them all in prayer.
Everyday Evangelism acknowledges the difficulty many of us face in
sharing the Gospel with others and encourages us to look at life as
a story. “One of the big reasons we don’t speak out is that we’re not
sure what to say. How do we tell the Good News? Remember, it’s all
about telling a good story, your story, God’s story.”
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this magazine; it is
packed with ideas, thoughts and challenges. May you be blessed as
you read it and hear God speaking into your situation. Once again
the names of some contributors have been withheld to protect their
privacy.
Charlotte
Wider World
Editor:
Contact:
Email:
Website:
Tel:
Charlotte Stevenson
PW Office, Presbyterian Church in Ireland,
Assembly Buildings, 2-10 Fisherwick Place,
Belfast, BT1 6DW
[email protected]
+44 (0)28 9032 2284
Like us on Facebook: Presbyterian Women
Wider World is the magazine of PW and has a readership of
around 18,000.
Published Quarterly: March, June, September & December.
Annual Subscription: £5 (€5.70) / £1.25 (€1.43) per issue.
Each year, an order form will be sent to Wider World agents.
This should be returned, together with payment, to the PW Office.
If required, invoices will be issued upon receipt of the order form.
Cheques should be made payable to ‘The Presbyterian Church
in Ireland’ marked Wider World on the reverse.
Wider World is available on CD for blind and partially sighted
people. For details contact the RNIB Northern Ireland Accessible
Media, 159 Durham Street (1st Floor), Belfast, BT12 4GB. Tel: +44
(0)28 9050 1888
Email: [email protected]
Thanks to Margaret Clarke for helping to co-ordinate this service.
The Editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit contributions.
Opinions expressed in Wider World are not necessarily those of
PCI, PW or the Editor.
Designed by: Break Design Consultancy
Printed by: Impression Print & Design
3
wake me
up when
september
ends
Why Did no one warn me?
In August last year it was
with joy that we received the
news that my son had been
accepted into the university of
his choice in England. A few
days later my eldest daughter
had her offer on her chosen
apartment
accepted
and
another daughter became
engaged to her boyfriend of
five years, who was already
loved and considered part of
our family. The happy couple
also finalised their plans for
an extended post-graduation
trip to Asia and Australia.
The congratulatory greetings
cards were lined up along
every available space and
excitement buzzed in the air.
We were just delighted for
them all.
4
Then September arrived and the
packing began. Boxes, suitcases and
rucksacks were loaded up, airline and
train schedules were studied, journeys
were booked and confirmed and tickets
arrived or were printed out on the ever
busy computer. They were leaving
home to set off on their own great
adventures, fulfilling their ambitions
and dreams, beginning a new chapter
in their lives, doing what they had
planned, saved and studied for over
the past months. They had reached the
stage when they were willing and ready
to take responsibility for themselves, to
put into practice all the skills they had
been taught and to be truly independent
for the first time - all the things parents
want for their children, in fact all the
things we are preparing them for from
the minute they are born. Of course I
was thrilled for them! Wasn’t I?
We waved goodbye to my daughter
and her fiancé as they headed for China
and, a few days later, my husband and
I delivered our son to university, settled
him into a student house, filled his fridge
and, with some last minute instructions
about eating fruit, left him there and
flew home in near silence.
Never has our house felt so quiet and
empty as it did when we arrived home
that day. All the busyness was over and
the mission was accomplished without
drama. Now I could just get on with…
what? I was reminded of an occasion
many years ago when my husband
took our baby girl out to give me a ‘bit
of a break’. I couldn’t think of anything
I really wanted to do with all this free
time and space and I just wanted my
baby back!
I had been given the necessary tutorials
on using Skype and was able to talk
to our son online the next day. I was
reassured that he was fine and we got
a call from China confirming that our
daughter was having a great time.
I had committed them to God in
prayer so now I could relax and enjoy
the peace - except it didn’t feel quite
like that. I continued feeling a bit flat
and tearful and found it very hard to
get used to the lack of activity in our
home.
Our youngest daughter was still at
home, but it was very quiet without
the sound of arguing over TV remotes
and the last biscuit! I know she missed
her brother and sisters too, though she
would fiercely deny this! Although I
was not especially worried about the
children who had left home - I knew
they were settling in well - I just felt
bereft! Part of me always seemed to
be waiting for someone else to come
home at night and initially I continued
to cook enough for six when only three
people sat down for dinner. At least
mealtimes were free from the bickering
about portion sizes, debates about who
needed the car and who needed lifts to
evening activities - and I hated it! What
was I supposed to do now?
I felt no one needed me and no one
cared. The house was quite clean and
tidy and even if it wasn’t, who cared
anyway? Then I slipped into a routine
of only cooking basic meals if I had to
– cooking for three was hardly worth
the effort - and a nap in the afternoon
passed the time nicely. I didn’t really
want to see friends. I was so wrapped
up in my loss that I also failed to notice
that my husband missed the children
too and he had the additional worry
of watching me get more and more
depressed. I know that this sounds
quite melodramatic, but I think it was
partly because I was so unprepared for
these feelings that I really didn’t know
how to deal with this new phase in our
family life. No one had warned me
that I might feel anything but joy when
it came time for my children to leave
home.
But God intervened. He spoke to me
gently through the story of the prophet
Elijah. At a time of famine and drought,
God led Elijah east of the Jordan where
he was sustained by a stream and fed
by ravens. When that stream dried up
he met the widow of Zarephath who
fed him from a continually replenished
supply of flour and oil. Her faith and
obedience in sharing her meagre
resources also resulted in further
blessings for her, which you can read
about in 1 Kings 17.
God tells us that, although our situations
change, He will continue to provide
what we need and His care for us can
never be exhausted. He then went on
to firmly point me in the direction of
different work for me to do for Him,
involving challenges and opportunities
which I could not have taken on before.
After a period of time, and a few false
starts, I was able to change my focus
back to God, to make time to listen to
what He wanted to teach me through
my recent experiences and what He
wanted me to do next.
I still look forward to Skype dates,
Facebook photos & university holidays,
but life goes on in between. In the
case of those of us who have been
given children to bring up and lead into
adulthood, we have to accept that, as
a mark of our success, we will in fact
work ourselves out of a job! We begin
in the starring role as parents and, as
time progresses, we must be prepared
to step aside to become supporting
actors and, ultimately perhaps, part of
the crowd scene and fan base of our
children’s lives.
he has never said that life
will be easy, but there will
be joys and triumphs for his
kingdom if i allow him to use me
as he knows best.
I remembered that God always has
a plan for our lives because He tells
us that in His Word, “‘For I know the
plans I have for you,’ declares the
LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not
to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11). I
suspected it didn’t include me lying in
bed feeling sorry for myself. Changes
in routine can give us the opportunity
to reconnect with Him in a deeper way,
as well as time to review what we have
learned of Him and ourselves, and to
look anew at our skills and how they
can be used in God’s service and for
His glory. That has certainly been the
way God has dealt with me this year. It
has not been an easy time at all. Many
tears have been shed and there has
been much ranting as I have gradually
allowed my parental responsibilities to
be prised from my clenched fists.
God has a purpose for our whole lives.
We read in Ephesians 2:10 that we
are “created for work which God has
prepared beforehand for us.” If we
trust in Him and are obedient to His
call, we can experience “life in all its
fullness” (John 10:10) as we step out
with Him into new territory. I know that,
through many of my past experiences,
God has already equipped me for my
new role and that He will continue to do
so in the future. He has never said that
life will be easy, but there will be joys
and triumphs for His Kingdom if I allow
Him to use me as He knows best. I am
beginning to embrace the next stage of
my life with anticipation. I don’t know
what the next big life change will be but,
whatever it may be, God knows about
it already and we will face it together.
5
6
PW ANNUAL
MEETINGS 2012
Lots of women, shopping bags, smiles and
chatter! That was the scene on Thursday
3rd May, when women from all over Ireland
met in the afternoon for the Annual
Meeting. The scene was repeated on Friday
evening, minus the shopping bags!
The meetings were joyful, challenging
and uplifting times of worship, using
the theme, Light Of The World. We
enjoyed sharing worship together in
an Assembly Hall full to overflowing.
Caroline Hawthorne (PW General
Secretary) welcomed us warmly and
Edna McIlwaine reminded us from
Ephesians 3:20 that God “…is able
to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or think”, as she had experienced
during her year as President.
Using DVD clips, PW members, who
had found light in the darkness of their
lives, shared their experiences;
Margaret Grayson suffered the death
of her husband and five close family
members in a short time and then
discovered she had breast cancer.
When she had to face going to the
City Hall to register her husband’s
death, she felt she could not do it.
That morning, when Margaret opened
the curtains, she saw a rainbow in the
sky and God reminded her that He is
sovereign and she drew her strength
from the Lord.
Valerie Reid spoke of the importance
of the Word of God for direction and
comfort. Recently she knew God’s help
in the difficult/dark days during the loss
of her brother-in-law to cancer. Words of
scripture provided hope, reassurance,
peace and love and reminded her that
God is indeed a light when we are in a
dark place.
Caroline then thanked everyone for
their generous giving to the PW Mission
Fund and showed a short PowerPoint
presentation on how the money is
being used.
Another DVD clip highlighted the work
in Drogheda Presbyterian Church which
we are supporting this year as one of
the special projects.
On Thursday, Jenny Clegg (deaconess),
read from the Gospel of John and
Karen Campbell and band led the
praise. Eileen Black (deaconess) read
the scriptures on Friday with Graham
Hawthorne and band leading the
praise.
Edna introduced Anna Morison as
the new Home Vice-President, while
Elizabeth Moffett enters her second
year as Overseas Vice-President.
Valerie Tweedie was then introduced
as the new President for 2012-2013.
Valerie reminded us that ‘Man’s chief
end is to glorify God and enjoy Him
forever,’ emphasizing that we should
stay close to Christ, our ‘Tower of
refuge and strength’.
Our main speaker, Michele Guinness,
addressed the meeting in a humorous
and challenging way, bringing a
different perspective to the Gospel from
her Jewish background. Both meetings
were lively and stimulating. Once again
we can thank God for blessing us as we
met together in His name. The glory in
all things must go to Him.
Dorothy Marshall
7
light
of the
world
annual meeting 2012
we need his light
with michele guinness
to see through
Michele introduced her talk in an engaging and humorous
the materialism of
way. She described how, in Jewish culture, the light of
God’s presence in the home was illustrated in the Sabbath
our society and to
candles that her grandmother lit every week. “Let there be
were the first words of God in creation (Genesis 1:3).
realise that ‘enough’ light”
We find 260 references to light and 200 to darkness in the
Scriptures. In the beginning there was darkness, disorder
is all we need.
and emptiness, exile and death. Spiritual darkness is
dangerous but, with Jesus, the darkness is never forever.
God dwells in light and overcomes the darkness.
8
Our lives should produce the fruit of
patience and gentleness, and shine so
that people will see our good deeds
and glorify God.
Michele Guinness
When Jesus claimed, “I am the light
of the world” (John 8:12), it was at the
culmination of the Feast of Tabernacles.
This feast was a harvest festival, when
crowds came to Jerusalem to celebrate
God’s provision. For seven nights a
great procession would walk from the
Pool of Siloam to the Temple, where
the priest poured out water taken from
the pool. On the last and greatest day
of the feast, Jesus stood and said, “If
anyone is thirsty let him come to me
and drink.” In a dramatic way He was
claiming that He was the Messiah.
Every night, as the procession arrived
at the top of the hill, there would be
four large torches shining out over
Jerusalem. Each torch had a meaning:
‘Glory of God’, ‘Joy of Victory’, ‘Light
of Eternity’ and ‘An Outburst of Joy’.
The men would dance all night for joy.
While the dancing was going on and
the torches were shining brightly, Jesus
proclaimed, “I am the light of the world.”
He was fulfilling Simeon’s words, “a
light for revelation to the Gentiles and
the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke
2:32). Jesus was claiming that He was
the fulfilment of Malachi’s prophecy that
“the sun of righteousness will rise with
healing in His wings.” (Malachi 4:2).
R.L. Stevenson wrote of the lamplighter,
“There’s a man punching holes in the
darkness.” The New Testament also
speaks of light. With the coming of
Jesus, God is punching holes in the
darkness until no darkness remains.
The first hole is the ‘darkness of dead
religion’, the hypocrisy of the scribes
and Pharisees, the reliance on rules
and regulations.
The second hole is the ‘darkness of
sin’. The wonder of the cross and
God’s forgiveness were brought home
to Michele as she read John’s Gospel
under the bedclothes and then she
went to York with her school to watch
the Passion play. The sound of the nails
being hammered in made her realize
the reality of salvation in Christ. She
remembered Isaiah’s words: “Then
your light will break forth like the dawn.”
(Isaiah 58:8). For Isaiah, God’s light was
centred on justice in society. If we walk
in God’s light, we need to stand against
injustice and the unfair distribution of
wealth. In that way our light will shine.
The third hole is ‘personal darkness’.
God guided His people in the wilderness
by a pillar of fire by night. Sometimes
we have specific guidance but often we
trudge in the darkness. At times God
tests us but He will give us light to keep
us on the path. We need His light to see
through the materialism of our society
and to realise that ‘enough’ is all we
need. He has given us the values of
Christ.
The fourth hole is the ‘darkness of
death’. Death is a human condition
which causes separation and loss.
When we trust Jesus, the light gets
brighter and brighter until we see Him
in His full glory. We go to the eternal
city and dwell with Him in His eternal
light forever.
A Seminar with Michele Guinness
In a break with tradition this year,
we held our Annual Meetings on
two different days and included an
afternoon seminar with our guest
speaker, Michele Guinness. The
one-hour seminar on Friday afternoon
was attended by about three hundred
women and explored the Jewish roots
of the Gospel. The theme of the talk
was Celebration, Jewish Style. When
she first became a Christian, Michele
found our Christian style of worship
alien to her experience as a Jew.
Jewish festivals are very colourful.
The Passover is a glamorous event,
with shining candlesticks, which is
presented in an interactive form. It
is a dramatic retelling of the story
of the exodus from Egypt. Children
take part by asking four questions
and the point of the celebration is
to remember and relive the story of
God’s salvation.
Story-telling plays a large part in
Jewish culture. The purpose of the
stories is to teach people to obey.
Story-telling takes up 87% of the
Scriptures so it is important for
Christians too. It should give children
a sense of wonder. Jewish people
thank God a hundred times a day for
His many blessings.
They give thanks for everything, such
as getting up, seeing a rainbow or
fruit on a tree, even emptying the
bin!
Jesus was sensitive to ordinary
things around Him. He noticed
colour, perfume, music, wind, the fig
tree and sounds in the market place
among other things. We should be
sensitive to ordinary things too and
let our imaginations feed our spirits.
For Jesus, celebration was a way of
life. The Jews would have had six
weeks holiday each year to go to
Jerusalem for the three main feasts.
God commanded His people to
rejoice in His festivals. In the Gospels
there are 30 references to Jesus
eating in celebration. One notable
occasion was when He went to eat
with Zacchaeus. The salvation of one
soul causes the angels to celebrate.
When we open our lives to Jesus, He
promises to come in to our lives and
eat with us (Revelation 3:20).
Celebration acts as a witness to
unbelievers, is an antidote to pain
and loneliness, and a rehearsal for
the royal banquet which is to come.
Dorothy Marshall
9
MEET THE
PRESIDENT
Presbyterian Women
encourages women
to become Disciples
of Christ, and that’s
exactly what the
group I went along
to in Orangefield
Presbyterian Church
did!
10
My first contact with the Presbyterian
Church was as a new mum when I went
along to a Mother and Toddler Group
and it was there I met women who ‘had
something’. At that time I didn’t know
who or what, but I wanted what they
had.
As a child I had been sent to Sunday
School, but as far as I recall I never
heard the Gospel and when I reached
an age to decide for myself whether
to get out of bed or not on Sunday
morning, I chose to have a lie in!
VALERIE TWEEDIE
The women of Orangefield encouraged
me to send my son to Sunday School
and when there were special children’s
services, I went to church and to my
surprise actually enjoyed it. I accepted
an invitation to go to the Young
Women’s Group. One evening, as a
woman taking the meeting played that
famous Charlie Landsborough song
and shared about her Forever Friend,
the ‘penny dropped’ - what the others
had in their life was Jesus.
She encouraged anyone who had never
asked the Lord into their life to do so
and I did. It is the best decision I ever
made.
The words of the worship song, My
Jesus My Saviour, have always been
very special, reminding me that He is
my Comfort, my Shelter, my Tower of
Looking back on my Christian journey
there have been many significant
times. Going to a Bible study group led
by my minister’s wife helped me realise
that I can read the Bible for myself and
that God speaks to me through it. The
Women’s Study Fellowship course at
Belfast Bible College helped me grow in
confidence so much that I swapped my
main job in church of pouring tea, for
leading the Young Women’s Group. At
the time I was the most unlikely person
for the task but, who God calls, He
equips and the words from Philippians
4 “I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me” took on a whole
new meaning.
office bearers
Since answering the call to get involved
with PW centrally, God has turned my
life and the life of my family upside
down. There I met many women who
have become true sisters in Christ, and
aunties to my children!
One of my favourite sayings is, “A ship
is safe in a harbour but that’s not what
it was designed for.” Since embarking
on my journey with PW it hasn’t always
been plain sailing and calm waters, but
my life jacket has been in knowing that
I am where God wants me to be for
“such a time as this”, (Esther 4:14).
I thank Central Committee for the
privilege of representing PW as Home
Vice-President over the past two years
and for all the new experiences gained.
I visited many congregations and was
able to get to know and encourage the
deaconesses whom PW and BMI are
pleased to support together.
Anyone who knows me knows that I
am passionate about PW and women’s
ministry.
As President, two words describe how
I feel - humbled and excited. I can’t
believe the journey God has taken me
on and hope that in the year ahead I
will bring glory to Him in all I do, and
importantly, not let busyness crowd out
the times that He and I spend together,
just enjoying each other’s company.
refuge and strength, and that nothing,
absolutely nothing, compares to the
promise I have in Him.
Daphne Patton
L-R Elizabeth Moffett (Overseas Vice-President),
Caroline Hawthorne (General Secretary),
Valerie Tweedie (President) and
Anna Morison (Home Vice-President).
We wish Daphne God’s Blessing during
her husband’s year as Moderator and look
forward to her sharing with us on Central
Committee.
PW CENTRAL COMMITTEE 2012 - 2013
Presbytery
President (East Belfast)
Home Vice-President (Ballymena)
Overseas Vice-President (Iveagh)
General Secretary Communications & Development Officer
Ards
Armagh
Ballymena
North Belfast
South Belfast
East Belfast
Carrickfergus
Coleraine & Limavady
Derry & Donegal
Down
Dromore
Dublin & Munster
Iveagh
Monaghan
Newry
Omagh
Route
Templepatrick
Tyrone
Moderator’s Wife (Ex Officio)
Name
Mrs Valerie Tweedie
Miss Anna Morison
Mrs Elizabeth Moffett
Mrs Caroline Hawthorne
Mrs Charlotte Stevenson
Mrs Margaret Stevenson
Mrs Edna McIlwaine
Mrs Lynn Murray
Mrs Evelyn Coleman
Dr Jean Shannon
Mrs Margaret Grayson
Mrs Lynda Stothers
Mrs Jean Farlow
Mrs Elaine Crockett
Mrs Sandra Stokes
Mrs Elma Leeburn
Mrs Jean Annett
Mrs Pat Martin
Mrs Pauline Irvine
Mrs Valerie Reid
Mrs Ann Millar
Mrs Edith Holmes
Mrs Anne Thompson
Mrs Daphne Patton
11
lEAD...
WHO
ME?
Some years ago I took my son ice skating. With
all the confidence of a nine year old he took off
on the ice while I clung to the side for dear life!
I so wanted to skate confidently, enjoying the
exhilaration of gliding around the rink, but the
fear of falling and making a fool of myself held
me back. Perhaps a call to leadership can make
us feel this way: we love Jesus and long to serve
Him and so we say “yes” when called to lead.
However, fear and insecurity keep us clinging to
the edge.
The short book of Jude gives some insight to
the challenge of leadership and it’s to that letter
that we turn. These thoughts are drawn from
Walter Wright’s book, Relational Leadership.
Who are we as leaders?
Jude is a straight-talker. He writes to a church
struggling with strong characters who claim to
be leaders but who are actually pointing people
in the wrong direction. He reminds the true
leaders of who they are in Christ and what they
are to do.
“To those who have been called, who are loved
in God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.”
(verse 1).
Meetings
2013 Annual
May, 2pm
Thursday 9th
May, 7.30pm
& Friday 10th
ather Morris
Speaker: He
We are called
We have been called to this life, to this place, to
the tasks that lie ahead.
We are loved
Christian leaders must find their identity rooted
deeply in God’s love. Any valid leadership
we seek to exercise must be grounded in a
permanent, intimate relationship with Jesus.
We are kept
“The heart of leadership is not in mastering the
‘how tos’ but in being mastered by the amazing
grace of God.” Leighton Ford.
12
leadership is about character.
at the core of leadership is the
challenge to live so that what
you say is what you do.
‘Called, loved, kept’ - as Christian
leaders we must allow the Spirit of
God to bring these truths home to us.
Otherwise our motives will be tainted
by insecurity and our leadership will
be driven by the need to make people
like us, rather than by seeking the will
of God and the advancement of His
Kingdom.
To focus our minds on these truths, we
must walk closely with Jesus. We all
know that it’s easy to let prayer slide
and easy to let our relationship with
Jesus grow cold. We know this, but
here’s the truth: it’s simply not enough
to know about it and sympathise with
each other on how hard it is. Jesus
died so that we might know the
joy of a relationship with Him. Let’s
stop messing around with that and
do whatever we need to do to keep
that relationship alive. Maybe that is
getting a prayer partner or joining an
accountability group or a discipleship
group. Whatever it is, do it!
We must trust God with who we are
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I
have summoned you by name; you
are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1). I wonder if,
like me, you are ever tempted to look
around and think, well if I looked like
her I would be able to lead; or if I could
cook like her; or if my family were like
hers; or if I had her gifts. Of course
there is work for God to do in each of
us that will rub off the edges and make
us more like Jesus; God will do this.
If God is calling you to leadership, He
knows what He is doing, so trust Him.
We must have faith
God’s Word tells us we are ‘called,
loved, and kept’. Now will we choose
to believe that or not? Let’s go back
to that outing with my son. As I clung
to the side, David said, “Mum don’t
worry, I’ll hold your hand, you can lean
on me…” If I had fallen I would have
squashed him flat!
As we step out in Christian leadership,
it’s not a child who says, “Hold my
hand, trust me…”, rather it is Jesus,
Son of God, who reaches out, speaks
our name and says, “You are called,
you are loved, you are kept. Now trust
Me.” How will we respond? Do we say,
“Yes I know,” but keep on clinging to
the edge? Or do we say, “Yes!” and
start to skate?
What is leadership about?
False leaders, says Jude, are “shepherds
who feed only themselves.” (verse
12). They use power for their own
benefit and this is not the character
of a godly leader. Christian leaders
serve, recognising that their leadership
is to build up others and to build up
the Kingdom of God - not to build
up themselves. Christian leaders
encourage; they build and serve as
part of teams, sharing power and
responsibility. They see potential in
others and rejoice in, rather than feel
threatened by, the gifts of others. And
they are loyal, not speaking badly of
fellow workers or listening to those who
do so. In short, as Christian leaders
you must “Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit, but in humility
consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your
own interests, but also to the interests
of others.” (Philippians 2:3,4).
Christian leaders deliver on vision or,
perhaps more accurately, Christian
leaders co-operate with God, Father,
Son and Spirit in order that vision
can be delivered. Jude writes that
those leading in wrong directions are
“clouds without rain, blown along by
the wind.” (verse 12) For a farmer in a
hot and dusty climate, the appearance
of a cloud brings hope of rain and
good harvests. But as Jude paints his
picture, the clouds pass by, blown on
by the wind, failing to deliver on their
promise. Jude is accusing the false
leaders of promising a future to the
people which they cannot deliver.
Leaders have vision. It’s one thing to
preach and teach so that the people of
God discern God’s leading - in Jude’s
language that’s allowing the clouds
to form - but there comes a time to
deliver, to make sure that vision and
heart-stirring rhetoric become action.
Nehemiah saw God’s vision for a
re-built Jerusalem, he spoke about it
and then he acted, leading his people
back to rebuild the city walls. Relying
on God, he delivered on the vision
God gave him. Likewise, Moses heard
God’s command to lead His people out
of Egypt. His reluctant leadership is
well known, but still he acted. Relying
on God, he delivered on the vision God
gave him. To deliver on vision means
investing time in people; it means
working to ensure that relationships are
right; it means allowing people to use
their talents and supporting them when
they do; it means delegation; it means
keeping going, even on the difficult
days.
Jude’s third image is of “autumn trees
without fruit, uprooted—twice dead.”
(verse 12). These leaders are twice as
useless – they are not grounded in a
relationship with God which empowers
them to do His work. Consequently
they do not produce growth in their
community. Leadership is about
character. At the core of leadership is
the challenge to live so that what you
say is what you do.
And if all this sounds too daunting
and we begin to think leadership
might not be for us, we turn to Jude’s
closing words, remembering whom we
serve, whose work we do and who will
indeed see His work carried through
to completion! “To Him who is able to
keep you from falling and to present
you before His glorious presence
without fault and with great joy—to the
only God our Saviour be glory, majesty,
power and authority, through Jesus
Christ our Lord, before all ages, now
and forevermore!” (Verse 25).
Rev Dr Heather Morris
13
Recently, while waiting for my
husband, parked in one of our city
streets, I noticed how miserable the
passing people looked as they went
about their daily lives, with drooped
shoulders, downcast eyes and minds
obviously pre-occupied.
We don’t need to look far to find
similar characters who are finding life
burdensome and daily living a strain people who are waiting until hopefully
‘things turn the corner’ or to when the
‘brighter days eventually come’.
What can we do to bring light to their
paths?
Maybe you think that it is only recently
that people are finding life a struggle
but, in Corinthians, Paul urges the
believers or saints (imagine being
known as a saint!) to respond in love.
Not everyone can be called full time to
serve God in the role of church visitor,
pastoral worker, missionary or minister
14
but everyone can be called to the
ministry of ‘bringing comfort’ to people
hurting in so many different ways.
A work colleague, a neighbour, a
relative, a member of our PW Group
who is facing a situation and feels that
they have no hope or no-one to turn
to, need to realise that God is their
comfort, “Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of compassion and the God of
all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). God is
compassionate and, above all, cares
about them personally.
Paul, in his honest straight talking
manner, tells it as it is! He is speaking
from his deep experience of suffering
and grounded in his personal
relationship with his Saviour. If we are
to bring a blessing to others, we need
to rely alone on God’s strength and
guidance - not on our own desire to
help or to make things better.
Has your heart ever gone out to
someone who is suffering? You feel
for them in their pain? Have you a
burden for someone but felt that you, in
yourself, were helpless?
Maybe your response is “I’m too shy”
or “I don’t know them well enough to
get involved.” Or maybe, like Moses,
you plead “Please send someone else
to do it!” (Exodus 4:13).
We don’t need to rely on our human
ability. Christ promised “I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”
(Mathew 28:20). His promise when
sending out his early followers is as
relevant today as it was 2000 years
ago!
Paul knew what it was like to be at the
end of his tether. He realised that his
own ability to cope was of no use. His
self confidence was exchanged for
confidence in his God.
Our second son, Matthew, took
seriously ill at the age of ten months
with a viral infection and as a result, was
left profoundly mentally and physically
handicapped. With
three
other
young demanding children in a busy
household, there were many times that
I struggled with the pressures of even
simple daily tasks, and with feelings of
loneliness and the belief that no one
else really cared about us - yes, even
as very involved members of a thriving
congregation!
we are
called to
be christ’s
messengers in
today’s society
- bringing
real hope and
comfort to
the situations
we and others
face.
We need to ensure that we are in close
relationship with God, who equips us.
Are we listening to His promptings?
Satan is subtle, telling us that we are
‘copers’, that we’re made of strong
stuff, that we don’t need to turn to the
God of all comfort who shares in our
sufferings.
When our Lord left His disciples to face
trials, He gave them a promise that we
also can claim; “Do not let your hearts
be troubled. I will not leave you.” (John
14:1).
How comforting it is to know that we
have a reliable, trustworthy and, most
importantly, compassionate friend who
is beside us in every situation we face,
even in the darkest night when sleep
evades us!
I personally was the recipient of many
blessings from the hands of others over
many years.
Can you imagine what it is like to take
four children Christmas shopping with
one in a wheelchair? Have you ever
wished that someone would mind the
children so that you could get your hair
cut? Have you faced the prospect of
going alone to hospital for test results?
Or have you ever wished that when
someone asked you how you were,
that they actually waited to hear your
truthful answer before hurrying away?
All of these are simple tasks but
so important when people need to
experience comfort and love. People
do care! They are just reluctant to show
it.
Dwight L Moody challenges us when
he states, “Where one man reads the
Bible a hundred will read you and me.”
We are called to be Christ’s messengers
in today’s society - bringing real hope
and comfort to the situations we and
others face. How do we show others
that they are important to us and to
God?
We shouldn’t be offended if well
intentioned offers of help are declined.
It’s the person that matters - not our
sensitive feelings.
Be Practical
Don’t just say, “If there’s anything I
can do...” Chances are that they will
never ask. Be specific when offering
practical help and think about what the
person really needs. A pot of soup or
a complete meal that can be frozen if
not required immediately is much more
acceptable than yet another chocolate
cake! One of the most helpful offers
that I’ve ever received was when a
neighbour offered to walk the dog while
our family was needed at a hospital
bed.
Another friend delivered a box of
groceries when I couldn’t spare the
time to shop.
Don’t Be Pious
Please don’t leave a collection of
‘helpful’ verses or books about the
theology of suffering. People in the
midst of difficult circumstances have
trouble enough focusing on daily
living, let alone on finding time or the
inclination to read books. Maybe later,
when they are questioning what has
happened in their lives.
At a time when our young son was
facing a life and death situation during
his years of illness, a friend gave me
a verbal sermon on the ‘Authority of
God’. All I needed was a hug and a
hankie for my tears!
Be Personal
A card telling them that you are simply
praying for them (and do!) or a gift of
flowers will brighten their day and show
that you do care. A personal gift such as
a bath bomb, a magazine on a favourite
subject, a CD or a scented candle
would also be appreciated. Remember
the old Post Office advertisement?
“I saw this and thought of you!” If the
time is not right for a longer visit just
leave your gift and go quickly.
Be Prayerful
Paul emphasises the power of constant
prayer. Pray for the person at all times
and in all situations, not just when
trouble initially comes but remember
them on dark winter evenings, when
anniversaries loom and when hospital
appointments are scheduled. Very
often, it’s a few weeks later when the
initial feelings of shock, numbness or
fear have subsided that the person
really needs your continued prayers
to help them walk through their valley.
As you do this you are sharing in their
sufferings - supporting and upholding
them, asking God to help them in ways
they may never know!
In a very dark room, even a tiny tea
light brings relief to the vast darkness.
Don’t underestimate how you can be
used by God to bring a little light to the
life of another!
Joan Thompson
15
Being there for each other
“Our churches are filled with people who outwardly look
contented and at peace, but inwardly are crying out for
someone to love them (to care for them) … just as they are
– confused, frustrated, frightened, guilty and often unable to
communicate with their own families.” (Keith Millar)
Ask yourself, honestly, to what extent could these words have
been spoken by someone in your church? Even yourself?
“Many people today find it easier to sit through a finely-tuned
(or not) service and leave to go home without ever having to
open up their lives or care about another person’s journey
(through life…)” (Keith Millar). For them, the reality is often
loneliness, isolation, spiritual poverty and no real growth in,
and experience of, Christ.
Others may be regular attenders, but engage only at a
superficial level. For example, they enjoy a cuppa together
after the service, talk about sport or current affairs or the kids,
or engage in a ‘fine’ conversation – you know the one that
goes, “Hi, how are you?” “Oh, fine, and you?” “Fine thanks.
Do you take sugar in your tea? What a lovely dress!”
16
JESUS DIDN’T TALK ABOUT
‘CHURCH’ AS BEING A PLACE TO
GO, BUT A WAY OF LIVING IN
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND
OTHERs FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT
AND SUPPORT.
Amanda Cooper, Deaconess
New Row, Coleraine
Sharing in fellowship, however, is much
more than this. Some will head home,
inwardly crying out for someone to
really care, with a longing for open,
honest sharing, someone to express
a genuine concern for their health or
spiritual wellbeing.
Yet it can be so easy to care. For
example, when I was on sick leave
some time ago, frustrated by my own
incapacity and unable to be out and
about the Father’s business (or so I
thought), I heard of a member who
was suffering from a severe bout of a
recurrent illness. On one of my better
days (when I had the strength and voice
to speak), I telephoned her and simply
asked how she was. Our conversation
was but a few minutes long, as I
listened to her intently and promised to
keep her close in prayer, and then we
hung up. To my utter amazement the
next day, a beautiful bouquet of flowers
was delivered to my door with a simple
note that read: “Thank you for caring
when sick yourself. It means so much.”
In that moment, the Lord revealed how
easy it really is to communicate love
and to care for someone in need.
I’ve been told by some over the years
that the Sunday service can be the
loneliest place in the world. One woman
shared how she had plucked up the
courage to attend her PW meeting,
looking for friendship, but no-one
talked to her and, with a sense she
didn’t belong, she never returned.
Haven’t we let people go home alone
after a Sunday service to eat a ham
sandwich or boiled egg?
Those diagnosed with terminal illness
or mental health problems, even the
bereaved, have asked me, “Why, when
I hurt the most, or am afraid, does it
seem people scatter into the busyness
of their own lives and priorities or cross
to the other side of the street when they
see me? Don’t I matter? Don’t they
care?”
Ironic, isn’t it, that despite our talk of
‘church families’ and having more ways
to connect today, people in this era
can feel more isolated and lonely, more
disconnected than ever before! And
the greatest tragedy is that sometimes
it is we who are to blame.
Do I hear some of you protest? “But
in our church, we do care. We have a
Practical Care Team, a Pastoral Care
Team, a Prayer Ministry Team and a
Confidential Prayerline. We care through
our PW, GriefShare and DivorceCare
programmes, Senior Citizen groups,
Friendship & Craft Circles, home
groups, Mums & Tots, etc, etc, etc. We
do care!”
Of course, these are great initiatives
and caring vehicles but, permit me
to be provocative here…events and
programmes don’t necessarily mean
that meaningful fellowship (or life in the
body of Christ) is being experienced
and shared. In its absence, real caring,
as our Lord wills it, cannot be realised.
Real caring happens when we recognise
two things:
1. It’s not the meetings that are
important, but the quality of the
relationships we share in them.
2. We are a people who share in the
same journey, knowing and growing in
Jesus together. When we truly care for
and share with one another on the
journey, then we can endure when
it’s our turn to be plunged into the
valleys; the pain of loss, the cloud of
discouragement, the fear of diagnosis
or the frustration of ill-health.
When we live in and out of the resources
that a living relationship with Jesus
supplies, we will treasure any and every
opportunity to intentionally connect
with and care for our fellow travellers.
Moreover, we will not be able to keep
ourselves from sharing with them out
of the overflow of His goodness, mercy
and love, which He pours daily into our
lives. Think about it… She who shares
(what the Lord has given) cares. She
who cares, shares...
Jesus didn’t talk about ‘church’ as
being a place to go, but a way of living
in relationship to Him and others for our
mutual benefit and support. The call of
the Kingdom was never a call to ‘go it
alone’, or a superficial community where
we all get on with our own business
while inwardly crying out for love and
care. No, He wired us for dependence
and relationship – deep dependence
upon Him, authentic relationships with
others.
His divine will is the same today
as it was for the early church: “All
the believers were one in heart and
mind...they shared everything they
had (God-given gifts, time, money,
resources, encouragement, faith)…
there were no needy persons among
them (physically, emotionally, materially
or spiritually)...and what they had was
distributed to anyone as he (or she) had
need.” (Acts 4:32-35).
Now, that’s what ‘being there for each
other’ really looks like!
Amanda Cooper
17
group focus
drogheda
Construction of church
building in progress
It’s that time of the year when we
are ready to start the new session;
having reflected at the end of the
last session on what didn’t work and
what, to our surprise, was a great
success.
We are thankful for the aims of PW to
keep us on track and remind us that
we are here to encourage each other
as disciples of Christ, to mature in our
walk with Him, to deepen our fellowship
together and to keep looking outward
to mission overseas and reaching out
to women ‘on our doorstep’.
18
For many years the PWA, as it was,
had been a faithful group of women
who met once a month on a Monday
morning for fellowship and to plan
things such as the Annual Sale and the
Harvest Supper. But we realised, that if
we continued meeting in the morning,
there was always going to be a limit to
the number who could come, especially
as so many women are now working.
In 2009 we took the decision to move
to a Monday evening meeting. We
planned and printed a programme and
on Sunday morning we stood at the
door and handed one to every woman
in the congregation - five attended the
first meeting!
We are still a relatively small group
made up of all ages – young singles,
mums, working women, grannies - with
many nationalities; Indian, Kenyan,
Lithuanian, Latvian and South African
as well as Irish – so the challenge is
how to plan a programme that will have
something for everyone.
so we are
thankful
to god for
the growing
warmth of
fellowship
among the
women.
To stimulate our own faith we had a
workshop on The Quiet Time. We also
had an evening entitled A Good Read,
an idea borrowed from Donagheady
PW. We read Helen Roseveare’s
latest book Enough - very short and
inexpensive so no excuses! Then we
came together and shared what we
had learned from it, the spin-off being
a monthly Book Club open to the whole
congregation.
We are always looking for ways to
reach out and engage with those not
attached to church or who are just
‘looking in’ on Sundays. We try to
plan at least one event that would be
of practical interest to many. One of
our own members, Marlien, who is
a GP, gave a talk on women’s health.
Joe and Janet Campbell led a seminar
entitled Marriage Matters, to which we
invited the men, luring them with the
promise of supper and, to our surprise,
over forty came along. We’ve also had
talks and videos on various aspects of
Christian parenting.
We are quite isolated from other groups
which makes it more difficult to invite
speakers, but that can be a good thing
as frequently we have to go ‘DIY’ which
often works really well. Our mission
focus this year was ‘India’ to fit in with
the PW project. We looked at the life
of missionary Amy Carmichael from
Millisle through a DVD and quiz. Some
of our Indian women dressed in their
beautiful saris and provided a supper
of authentic Indian food - delicious!
During a My Story evening, members
shared their Christian experience or
simply mentioned a Bible verse, a hymn
or book that had meant a lot to them.
These turned out to be very inspiring
nights.
Another challenge was how to
encourage a sense of fellowship when
we are all so different and only meet
once a month. We have started to
produce a monthly news-sheet, an
idea which came from Newmills PW.
It focuses on a chosen topic, gives
details of upcoming events, personal
news such as babies born or people
in hospital as well as prayer topics for
each other. We sometimes commit to
pray for the person sitting beside us
during the following month. It is a great
ministry and brings us closer to each
other.
As a result of a house-group study in
Galatians thinking about how to ‘carry
one another’s burdens’, we drew up a
list of names and phone numbers of
those willing to help in a time of need
– visiting home or hospital, providing
meals, giving practical help when a
mum is unwell, etc. It was lovely to see
that move into action when unforeseen
crises arose during the year.
We value links with the wider church
through conferences – 22 women
travelled to Kilkeel for the Newry
LINK Day Conference in March and a
car-load enjoyed a day out to Belfast,
taking in the PW rally with Michele
Guinness – it was lovely to sing along
with the Assembly Hall packed with
other women!
The past two years ended on a high
note and, incidentally, a painless and
extremely enjoyable way to raise
money for the PW project - a pot-luck
banquet. There was a wonderful array
of food, a team game and a short
epilogue. Everyone paid their 10 euro
and we raised 200 euro for PW Mission
Fund! Easy!
Our numbers are still relatively small
but we can just about squeeze into a
living room. We are looking forward
to the move to our new church home
with a large meeting room and kitchen
facilities giving space to expand and
scope for doing so much more. It
would be lovely one day to be able to
host our own women’s conference here
in Drogheda!
So we are thankful to God for the
growing warmth of fellowship among
the women, which makes it a pleasure
to be part of our PW and draws others
in.
We also very much appreciate being
part of the wider fellowship and are
grateful to PW for adopting our building
project as part of this year’s Special
Project.
Sandra Woodside
SPECIAL
PROJECT 2012/13
Drogheda Presbyterian Church
The new church building has six
small and separate classrooms
for Sunday School. PW hopes to
provide a substantial donation
towards the constructing and fitting
out of these rooms.
19
Asian Chicken Noodles
Bobotie
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast fillets, about 450g/1lb
350 grams prepared stir-fry vegetables
600 grams straight-to-wok noodles (2 packs)
100 grams stir-fry sauce (black bean, sweet and sour or
Thai soy sauce)
1 large onion and 2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons oil or olive oil
½ teaspoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
Ingredients
1 medium sized onion, chopped
500 grams minced meat
Sunflower oil to braise the onion and mince
1 thick slice soft bread
125 mls milk
2 eggs
1 dessertspoon medium curry powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¾ teaspoon turmeric
15 mls white vinegar or lemon juice
60 grams pitted raisins
2 bay leaves
25 grams mango or sweet chutney
Method
Cut the chicken into strips and marinate with light and
dark soy sauce, sugar and a little oil.
Clean and wash the vegetables, cut the onion, then
stir-fry the garlic and onion in hot oil until brown, then add
and brown the chicken.
Add the noodles and vegetables and mix, then pour in the
sauce and mix again.
Cover and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add
salt if you wish.
Sofia Ramez
Philippines
Method
Chop the onions and fry in a small amount of sunflower oil
until golden colour. Add the mince and brown.
Soak the bread in the milk, drain most of the milk out of the
bread again and keep to the side. Mash the bread with a
fork.
Mix all the ingredients except remaining milk, 1 egg and
the bay leaves.
Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish and gently smooth
out with a fork, (do not press it down into the dish).
Add bay leaves with the stems visible so that they may be
easily removed before serving.
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC or Gas mark 4.
Bake without covering for 45 minutes.
Beat remaining egg and milk and pour over the casserole
30 mins before it has to come out of oven.
Marlien Mienie
South Africa
20
recipes from DROGHEDA PW’s
TASTE AND SEE RECIPE BOOK
Nut Slices
Peach Brulee
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup of icing sugar
1 cup ground nuts
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup oil
½ cup milk
2 eggs
Raisins (optional)
Ingredients
1 tin peaches
1 carton cream
Dark brown muscovado sugar
Method
Mix together flour, sugar, nuts and baking powder.
Add the oil, milk and eggs.
Stir in raisins if required.
Spread the mixture into a large tin which has been
greased and floured.
Preheat oven to 160-180ºC/Gas mark 3-4.
Bake 30-40 minutes.
If desired top with chocolate icing and chopped nuts.
Method
Drain peaches and place in a shallow heat-resistant dish.
Whip cream and spread over fruit.
Sprinkle over a layer of brown sugar.
Place under a hot grill until sugar bubbles and
caramelises to a crispy topping.
Delicious with other fruit such as raspberries.
Sandra Woodside
Drogheda
Julia Hejlova
Czech Republic
21
Everyday
Evangelism
- Telling
Your Story
it’s about a loving
god, utterly rescuing
and renewing people,
through a world
changing historical
event, the cross of
christ.
22
I have two young daughters who are
starting to watch movies. As a movie
fan myself, I have enjoyed introducing
them to some of the classics. They love
Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Near the
end, as Prince Philip (the fictional one!)
battles the evil witch, our three year old
Annie always calls out, “What’s going
to happen?” She’s on the edge of her
seat, cheering as the prince battles to
rescue his true love! She’s excited and
delighted by this tale of romance and
rescue!
Stories like this captivate people of all
ages, in every generation. People love
a good tale of heroics, redemption and
romance. The latest blockbuster movie,
TV shows and classic novels often
contain such adventure.
The Gospel is a love and rescue story,
so good it seems too good to be true.
Maybe if we looked upon the Gospel
like this, we would be more eager to
share it with others. When Jesus is your
Saviour, you are part of a cosmic love
and rescue epic. Listen to the Bible:
“But when the kindness and love of
God our Saviour appeared, He saved
us, not because of righteous things we
had done, but because of His mercy.”
(Titus 3:4-5).
We might have many opportunities to
share the Gospel, but taking them will
depend on us opening our mouths
to speak the Good News. One of the
big reasons we don’t speak out is that
we’re not sure what to say. How do we
tell the Good News? Remember, it’s all
about telling a good story, your story,
God’s story.
Growing up in the church, I felt that my
testimony was poor in comparison to
some of the powerful testimonies that
I’d heard of people saved from drink,
drugs and violence. Mine seemed…
boring, but the Gospel is not simply
about how we are, somehow, improved
by God. It’s about a loving God, utterly
rescuing and renewing people, through
a world changing historical event, the
cross of Christ. The Gospel is a story
worth sharing.
The Big Picture
It is really helpful to grasp the big
picture of the Bible and the Gospel, so
let’s think of the love and rescue story
of the Bible in four parts:
Creation:
We were made in God’s image to reflect
His glory and to love God and others.
Creation gives us identity and tells us
why everything exists.
Rebellion:
We rebelled against God’s perfect
rule, which led to conflict, slavery and
judgement.
Rebellion tells us why the world is the
way it is.
Redemption:
God restored His rule by sending
His Son who paid the price of our
judgement on the cross.
Redemption tells us that our greatest
need is the forgiveness that Jesus
brings.
Restoration:
God will re-create this broken world
when Jesus returns and makes all
things new.
Restoration gives us great hope that
the world will be made new in Christ.
Knowing these four parts helps us to
understand the world around us and
share our story with others. As you
think about these, you can see how
they help us make sense of the world
and our place in it.
Asking yourself questions can help you
shape and tell your own Gospel story;
• Do you remember what you thought your greatest problem was before you realised it was sin?
• When did you realise God’s love for you?
• How does the hope of the new creation and eternity with Jesus help you day to day?
• How might you feel if you were without hope?
the gospel
is a love and
rescue story,
so good it
seems too good
to be true.
Little Pictures
Little pictures are important too. We
look at photos in purses and wallets,
and now on mobile phones, to help tell
others about our family, often revealing
part of the bigger picture of our lives
in the process. The big Bible picture is
helpful in understanding, appreciating
and telling the Good News but it’s good
to have some little picture stories too.
As well as looking at the whole story of
the Bible, it is helpful to take someone
to a particular verse or passage of the
Bible that explains the Gospel clearly
for you. I had been a Christian for many
years, but things became crystal clear
whilst reading the book of Ephesians.
Chapter 2 in particular was key to my
understanding of the Gospel. Here are
some verses that I love sharing with
others:
“As for you, you were dead in your
transgressions and sins...But because
of His great love for us, God, who is rich
in mercy, made us alive with Christ even
when we were dead in transgressions
—it is by grace you have been saved.”
(Ephesians 2:4-5).
When I read these verses with people, I
am reminded of how I felt the first time
I read them - that no matter how alive
I feel, how successful I might become,
or how friendly I am to other people, I
am spiritually dead because of my sins.
This strikes me afresh every time I read
these words and I’m always ready to
hear the Good News that follows. They
are words of love and rescue; words
that remind me of God’s love, mercy
and power and of Christ’s death, burial
and resurrection that rescued me and
gives me life.
Rev Dave Clawson
23
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If you have a novel way of fund raising let us know
[email protected]
24
newry link day conference
Seminar 2
How to Grow Through Life’s Trials was
led by Jill Harshaw, a lecturer in Belfast
Bible College, who referred to her own
life’s experiences.
Seminar 3
On Saturday 31st March 2012
almost 300 women from the PW
Groups within the Presbytery of
Newry gathered with women from
Drogheda PW, Church of Ireland and
Methodist Church for their bi-annual
Ladies Day Conference in Mourne
Presbyterian Church. This was the
culmination of much planning and
preparation by the LINK Planning
Committee.
The women arrived in Kilkeel on a
beautiful spring Saturday morning to
be greeted and provided with name
badges for the day. Tea and scones
were served and enjoyed by all.
Everyone then moved into the church
building for a time of praise led by a
group of musicians and singers directed
by Sandra McCurdy.
In November 2010 the Committee had
met to begin planning the Conference.
After some deliberation it was agreed
that the title should be Daughters of the
King based on 1 John 3:1: “How great is
the Love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called the children of
God! And that is what we are!”
Under the heading of Daughters of the
King, Catherine directed the listeners’
thoughts to how we are adopted into
the family of God:
Catherine Campbell accepted our
invitation to be the main speaker. She
is originally from Belfast and now lives
in Coleraine with her husband, Philip,
who is a Congregational minister. She
is the author of several books.
We were delighted when Rev Albert
Baxter, Jill Harshaw, Rosemary Spiers
and Heather Williamson agreed to
be our seminar speakers, making the
line-up complete.
This worship time was based on the
Psalms and included well known and
contemporary music.
- How we are loved by the Father
- How precious we are to Him
- How we are forgiven
- The open access to Him
- The future inheritance we can have
All too soon the session had ended
and the women split into four seminar
groups to hear their chosen speaker.
Seminar 1
Ideas on Connecting with Unchurched
Ladies was led by Rosemary
Spiers, deaconess from First Antrim
Presbyterian Church, who, from
her own thoughts and experiences,
provided ideas to consider.
Psalms was led by Rev Albert Baxter,
the minister of First Portglenone
Presbyterian Church, who re-awakened
a love for the Psalms.
Seminar 4
God’s Standards In a Changing World
was led by Dr Heather Williamson,
who gave a challenge to live without
compromise in a secular world.
Then it was time for a lovely lunch of
soup and sandwiches followed by tea/
coffee and shortbread provided by
local caterers.
After lunch everyone had time to take
a walk or browse the bookstall where
there was also an opportunity to
purchase a signed copy of Catherine’s
book, God Knows Your Name.
The afternoon session began with the
seminar leaders forming a panel to
answer both serious and humorous
questions. Everyone enjoyed the light
hearted banter and getting to know all
the speakers. This was followed by a
time of praise before Catherine spoke
again.
Then there was just time for a final
cup of tea and scone before leaving
for home, spiritually refreshed and
stimulated, to apply the truths that had
been shared.
Annette McIntyre
25
PW Annual Meetings
Some words to describe ‘light’ are ‘effective’,
‘transparent’ and ‘dazzling’. Michele’s talks at the
PW Annual Meetings and seminar were all of these
and much more. Personally, I found it a stimulating
and fresh challenge, bringing the theme of Jesus
as Light Of The World right up to date for living in
today’s 21st century. We should share hospitality
readily with family, friends and neighbours in our
day to day evangelism. ‘Do it naturally, as Jesus
taught’ was the lasting impression I have taken
away and I am trying to put this profound but
simple strategy into sharing His light with all those
with whom I make contact.
Doreen Draffin
What a privilege to be a member of PW!
I had the joy of being at the General Assembly to
hear the PW report. Yes, I say joy, because as I sat
and listened, I felt how wonderful it is for us, as
women, to have the opportunity to come together,
in our individual congregations to enjoy fellowship.
We have such a band of godly women at the ‘roots’
of PW, whose sincere objective is to glorify God in
all they plan.
The reports given by Valerie Tweedie and Caroline
Hawthorne were so encouraging and the facts
and figures of how PW is able to help in different
spheres of our Church was so uplifting that the
response from the House after the report spoke
volumes of how God is using our organisation in
the building of His Kingdom. Yes I say again, what
a privilege is ours, to be part of PW and I wish that
even more women would come and join with us.
I especially encourage younger women, perhaps
with fresh ideas, to come and get involved in their
congregation’s group.
Betty Kennedy
Jewellery
My thanks to everyone who sent in jewellery
for Orphan Care in Livingstonia, Malawi. I was
overwhelmed by the generosity and unprepared
for the vast amount of jewellery that arrived in PW
Office. I have sent four boxes already and two
more are waiting to be despatched shortly. With
the help of several members of my group we sold
some of the jewellery at the Annual Meetings and
more to several organisations in our own church
in Glengormley. To date we have raised £1,300
which has also been sent to Livingstonia. In an
email recently Una Brownlie wrote, “It was a great
idea to sell some in Northern Ireland. We continue
to sell in the craft shop, so having boxes coming
from time to time is good and keeps renewing our
stocks. Many, many thanks for your love, support
and prayers.”
Dorothy Marshall
26
ENCOURAGING
ONE ANOTHER
Presbyterian Women
Presbyterian Women we represent.
Reaching out in love is our aim and intent.
Everyone within has something she can do;
Serving Christ, keeping His salvation in view,
Bringing care, help, healing, love and peace.
You and I have been called to share God’s salvation and grace,
Taking the Good News of forgiveness that’s free,
Enabling others to go to areas beyond you and me,
Reaching the lonely, the lost and the sad,
Including the helpless and even the bad!
All, Christ included when He died on the tree.
Now He commissions you and me within PW.
Women we are, and well we know
Others out there need this Good News to know.
Many are dying without Christ today;
Each of us has a duty His call to obey.
Now let us all unite and say,
“We will serve Him, come what may.”
Olive Boreland
Board of Mission in Ireland - Panel on Healing
Ministers, Hospital Chaplains, Pastoral Workers, Divine Healing
Agents and Prayer Group Members are invited to attend a
morning seminar:
“The Mystery of Suffering & the Practice of Prayer”
Wednesday 17th October 2012, 9.45am – 1.00pm
Assembly Buildings, Fisherwick Place, Belfast
Speaker: Dr Keith Warrington (Vice-Principal/Director of
Doctoral Studies, Regents Theological College in England)
The event is free, but it is essential to indicate your intention to
attend by informing Mandy Higgins (BMI)
Tel: 028 9032 2284, Email: [email protected]
or Jim Campbell (Organiser) Tel: 028 9070 9113,
Email: [email protected]
CAROLINE
SHARES…
FROM HER
REPORT TO
THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
When I think of PW I think of lots of
women coming together in various
Presbyterian churches throughout
Ireland encouraging each other in
their faith journey and reaching out
to women in their congregations and
community. I also think of groups of
women meeting together to pray for
the mission of our Church which is a
very important part of our work. Our
history is supporting the mission of the
Church and we cannot underestimate
or under value the powerful prayers of
many PW members for the mission of
the Church and their faithful financial
contribution to it.
This past year has been a huge
encouragement to Central Committee
and to me personally. We are beginning
to see the many changes that have
been put in place centrally, take shape
in lots of groups. The removal of the
membership fee in September has
opened up much needed opportunities
for groups to show women they are
valued for themselves rather than
contributing £3. However, many of
these women are now contributing to
the PW Mission Fund which supports
our work – so far we have not seen a
reduction in our giving which is such an
encouragement to us.
There are many thriving groups seeking
to encourage women to become
disciples of Christ but we cannot deny
that some have been more resistant
to the changes we believe God has
wanted us to make and it is our hope
and our prayer that these groups move
forward with us.
we cannot underestimate
or under value the powerful
prayers of many pw members
for the mission of the church
and their faithful financial
contribution to it.
As I visit congregations I can see that
there are different types of groups –
some who seem content to just meet
the needs of the women in it’s own
congregation and others who focus
entirely on the wider mission of the
Church. While each is good in their own
right we need to encourage a balanced
outlook. We have got to be concerned
with the women in our congregation
and think of ways to reach out in our
community but we have also got to
have the bigger picture in mind as we
continue to pray for and financially
support the mission of our Church. I
believe we can have both and I have
seen many groups who do this well.
When congregations have a number of
women’s groups it can cause division –
we have seen this happen and it is one
of the reasons why we amalgamated
PWA and YWG in 2008.
I had a wonderful relationship with
my granny and benefited so much
from her wisdom, knowledge and
sense of humour! Congregations can
benefit from a united women’s ministry
where younger and older women can
learn from each other and share life
together!
Charlotte Stevenson, Communications
& Development Officer for PW, and I
are available to speak to ministers and
women’s groups as congregations seek
to develop women’s ministry through
PW.
The full PW report given to the
General Assembly by Valerie
Tweedie and Caroline is available
on PW Website:
27
NEWS
& EVENTS
First Armagh PW present a cheque for £2400 to Tracey
Muldoon, Regional Marketing Officer, Southern Area Hospice.
The money was raised in memory of their former Secretary
Audrey Blemings, at a recent concert with Portadown Male
Voice Choir.
Donagheady PW at their 60th Anniversary Celebrations with
the founder of the group, Rev John Hume, accompanied by
his wife. Also present were friends from other congregations
and the singing group ‘Justified’.
Upper Cumber PW 50th Anniversary Dinner.
Trinity Boardmills PW 50th Anniversary Celebrations.
L-R Margaret McKee, Angela Patterson (Leader) and
Florence Johnston cutting the cake.
First Derry PW members and Rev David Latimer who led
the service at Torre del Mar Church, Spain during their recent
visit, pictured with Rev Jacqueline Hartsmith-Foy.
Helen’s Bay PW Breakfast.
L-R Mary McAuley, Anne Kirk, Maureen Morrison, Oonagh
Moore, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott (Guest Speaker),
Pat Bullick, Edna Cobain and Sylvia Thompson.
28
Congratulations to the happy couple. Joanne McCourt
(Probationary Deaconess) married Robert Dunlop in
Loanends Presbyterian Church on Friday 1st June 2012.
Clough and Seaforde PW organised a day of fun for their
congregations to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on
Saturday 2nd June. A very enjoyable day was brought to a
close by a short service of thanksgiving and worship.
Photograph by Clive Wasson
Ballylennon and St Johnston PW 70th Anniversary.
Lecumpher PW with a quilt made by members of the
congregation in 1903, consisting of 780 alternate red and
white squares, each one bearing a sewn signature. A
contribution of half a crown (12.5p) was given for each name
and a total of almost £100 was raised which was quite a tidy
sum at that time.
St John’s Newtownbreda PW Service.
L-R Lorna Gray (Outgoing Leader), Phyllis Spence (Speaker),
and Joan Henderson (Incoming Leader).
Myroe PW held an outreach evening Wedding Dresses
through the Ages. Over 40 dresses from 1958-2011 were
modelled and some members managed to fit into their own
dresses! There were also wedding albums, wedding shoes
and other memorabilia on display. The evening closed with
an epilogue and supper.
Woodvale PW 100th Anniversary Celebrations with past
and present members.
29
NABIKI
The silver pieces and white shells on
Nabiki’s head-dress tinkled softly as
she shook with fear. In the quietness of
the early morning she had been briefly
left alone in her mud house. Very soon
the women would come and remove
her head-dress to shave her head in
preparation for her Maasai wedding
later that day.
Just four weeks ago she had undergone
‘the cut’ – the removal of all her
external genitalia, a procedure known
as Female Genital Mutilation. Normally
girls undergoing this would be given a
year to recover before being married,
but Nabiki’s family were poor and, to
survive, they needed the dowry they
would receive for her.
Once the celebrations were over she
would live in her new husband’s village,
far away from her home and family. The
man she was about to marry already
had five wives and was 60 years old.
She started to run – as fast as she could
– through the bush. Soon the villagers
would chase after her, but she managed
to make it to the mission. Mary came
towards her, arms outstretched to hug
the sobbing child. Nabiki could hardly
get the words out, “I don’t want to get
married today…”
Quickly grasping the situation, Mary
called for the gates to be locked.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now. No-one
can harm you.” Gently she helped the
trembling girl into the house. As they
sat close together on the sofa in the
schoolroom, uproar began at the gate.
Nabiki’s mother had arrived demanding
to see her daughter.
In the quietness of the house, Mary
looked directly into young eyes full
of fear. “Do you want to see your
mother?”
Reluctantly, Nabiki nodded. How could
she refuse to see her own mother?
Nabiki was twelve.
30
PHOTOGRAPH AND NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT IDENTITY
As her mother stormed into the house
with baby Simel tied to her back, Nabiki
shrank back into the sofa, afraid of
what was coming.
“It’s not true, she won’t kill herself,”
Mary tried to comfort the distraught
child. “She is just trying to manipulate
you to go back home.”
“What are you thinking?
Are you
trying to shame your whole family?
Everything is prepared for the wedding.
We cannot afford to cancel it now. Your
husband will be embarrassed. How can
we face the rest of the clan? Have you
no shame?”
Even if she did not carry out her suicide
threat, Nabiki knew her mother would be
beaten by her father when she returned
home without her. The mother was
always to blame if a child misbehaved.
Was she right in bringing all this trouble
on everyone? She sat on the sofa and
continued to cry as she thought about
her family. She loved her mother so
much and yet her mother was trying to
force her into this situation. The pain
she felt at being cut off from her family
and her home was almost too much to
bear.
As her mother launched into a diatribe
against her, Nabiki curled up and
sobbed gently.
“Crying is not going to help you. If you
insist on your own way and refuse to
come with me, I am going to leave here
now and kill myself because I can’t face
the shame of what you are doing. How
will you feel then? I will be dead and
you will have to get married anyway.”
Upset by all the shouting, little Simel
began to cry. It was the final straw
for Nabiki, torn between love for her
mother and brother and fears for her
own safety. She did not want to be
separated from her family, but if she
went with them now her husband would
take her away from them later.
“Please get mum to leave,” she cried to
Mary.
“Enough,” Mary stood up to confront
the angry woman. “You are abusing
the child and it cannot be allowed.
You will have to leave.” Shouting and
threatening, Nabiki’s mother was
escorted from the compound, leaving a
weeping Nabiki behind.
we look
beyond present
circumstances
to see god
working
out his plan
through his
people.
As she grew calmer, she realised
that Mary was still there, available to
comfort her.
“What do you want to do?” Mary asked
her.
“I want to go to school where my
cousins are. When I get there, I’ll be
safe and I can try to forget about it. I
know I’m safe in here, but my family are
just outside the gates.”
As she had guessed, her father had also
come to the compound by this stage.
She knew the men from the village
could become violent very quickly.
Gary, however, having been through
this many times before, seemed to
have the situation under control.
Mary explained that Gary had already
contacted the District Children’s Office,
the local Child Protection Agency in
the main town of Narok, to alert them
to the incident. They were on her side
and would sort out the situation with
her family.
Mary helped her out of the rags in which
she had arrived so that she could wash
and get dressed in clothes from a supply
kept for such occasions. As Nabiki sat
down to lunch with the family, admiring
her new clothes, she felt peace settling
like a soft blanket over her bruised spirit.
She felt protected and cared for. So
much had happened in one morning, it
all felt unreal, but perhaps Gary would
be able to sort it out; perhaps things
would work out alright in the end.
The rest of Nabiki’s story can be found
in the book, Journey Of Hope. In June
2011, my husband, Brian, and I set out
on a trip through Malawi and Kenya.
Having previously worked in theological
education in Kenya for eight years
we were interested to return to Africa
and, in particular, to meet local people
who had faced specific challenges in
their lives. We discovered one person
after another confronted by difficult
and sometimes tragic circumstances,
unbowed by their situation, strong in
faith, and determined, with God’s help,
to create a better future for their family
and community.
The story of our journey runs alongside
the life journeys of those we met on our
travels. For both them and us, hope
emerges as the theme, as together we
look beyond present circumstances to
see God working out His plan through
His people.
Jean Gibson
journey of
hope
RRP £8.99
Available from the Mission Overseas
Office, Assembly Buildings for £8.00
plus postage and packaging costs.
Proceeds from sales of this book will
go to support the work of Presbyterian
Mission Overseas.
31
Can we
trust the
Bible?
So far, in these articles, we have
looked at the reliability of the ancient
manuscripts and the testimony of the
Bible writers. Here I want us to think
about ourselves as ‘consumers’
of the Bible text, and the impact of
the Holy Spirit as He seeks to reveal
Himself to us through Scripture.
One of the remarkable things about
the Bible is that even the most familiar
passage has the potential to leap off
the page at any time. Our senses can
become dulled as we encounter familiar
readings in church or in our own home.
32
How can it be that, when we least
expect it, the ‘penny drops’ and we
suddenly find ourselves immersed in a
fresh experience?
I recall vividly during my school
examinations, the steady stream of
people going up to get extra writing
paper because they had filled the book
that they had been given. Not me! I
chewed over every word and was
conscious that my book was still half
empty when the call came to put down
our pens. So, in a way, I can identify
with the Bible writers who strained
over every character as it was
committed to parchment, resulting in
a concentrated and usually profound
style of writing that requires much
teasing out. Major incidents are often
described in a handful of verses:
• The crossing of the Jordan by the entire Israelite company – just 4 verses (Joshua 3:14-17);
• The killing of Goliath and the
Philistines – 14 verses (1 Samuel 17:41-54);
• Elijah’s personal encounter with God – 10 verses (1 Kings 19:9-18)
god’s word is no ordinary
text. it requires us to live as
though our very lives depend
on it and are driven by it. god
uses the bible to speak to us at
a personal level, especially at
those moments when we most
need to hear his reassurance.
We share David’s apprehension when
Saul chooses his cave as a public toilet,
and the tension as Elijah clings to the
rock while God passes by. The Bible
has this exciting capacity to transport
us into the very dust of the event that
is being chronicled. But why do these
words encourage us as Christians while
leaving others completely cold?
The New Testament writers are similarly
economical, with Mark’s Gospel
proceeding at a breathless pace. So it
comes as a surprise when John devotes
an entire chapter to the healing of ‘the
man born blind’ (John 9). The detailed
account of the healing and of the
authorities’ subsequent interrogations
provides us with a ringside seat as the
story unfolds.
It is the Bible’s variety of style and
content that is so special.
Reading is an activity that occupies
us on so many levels: while our eyes
scan the page, our critical faculties
analyse the message and assess its
meaning and impact. And yet, if we
read Scripture with an open heart,
something special happens. Unseen,
the Holy Spirit illuminates the page or
adds power to the voice on the CD. We
should not be surprised at this. God’s
Word is no ordinary text. It requires us
to live as though our very lives depend
on it and are driven by it. God uses the
Bible to speak to us at a personal level,
especially at those moments when we
most need to hear His reassurance.
Some time ago, I was reading the 23rd
Psalm at a church service. The words
were going to be so familiar to the
congregation that I had decided to read
it in the Contemporary English Version,
rather than in the beautiful words of the
King James translation. I came to verse
4: “I may walk through valleys as dark
as death, but I won’t be afraid. You
are with me, and Your shepherd’s rod
makes me feel safe.”
I found myself pausing at the certainty
of the final word, finding comfort, if any
were needed, that none of us travels
life’s journey alone. It is this capacity
for God’s Word to speak to us, at a
higher level to which no other writing
can aspire, that is so special and so
reassuring.
In these days, even for many
church-going people, the Bible is full
of untapped resources and treasure. If
we are to avail of the divine help that is
there for all of us, we need to approach
Scripture in quiet, in reverence and…in
expectation that, through the presence
of the Holy Spirit, we can experience
something special.
Can we depend on the Bible? Yes we
can! But…only if we regularly rest on
its Spirit-filled power and inspiration!
Next time, we will consider how lives
that have been changed by the Bible
can prove life-changing for others.
John Doherty
Bible Society in Northern Ireland
The Board of Mission Overseas
has commended the following
Specialist Service Agencies for
the prayerful and financial support
of local congregations: The Bible
Society in Northern Ireland, FEBA
Radio, National Bible Society of
Ireland, SAT-7, and Wycliffe Bible
Translators.
33
OVERSEAS
NEWS
ffice,
Overseas O
The Mission
and,
,
Church in Irel
erwick Place
Presbyterian
F
gs, 2-10 ish
in
ild
u
B
ly
b
Assem
6DW.
Belfast, BT1
2284
2
Tel: 028 903
ianireland.org
s@presbyter
ea
rs
ve
o
l:
ai
m
E
overseas.org
w.pcimission
Website: ww
Celebration of Global Mission PW Special
The Board of Mission Overseas will be holding Celebration of Global
Project 2012/13
Mission evenings in the autumn, including one in Assembly Buildings,
Belfast on Tuesday 23rd October 2012 at 7.30pm.
For further details: www.pcimissionoverseas.org/events or contact
the Mission Overseas Office.
Personnel News
Peter and Valerie Lockwood and family arrived in Nepal in July and are
settling into life in Kathmandu. Peter and Valerie are spending their first
few months learning Nepali, aiming to build on the language they have
already acquired from previous service in Nepal. Peter will then take
up the post of Programme Advisor with United Mission to Nepal (UMN)
and Valerie a part-time post, teaching English and Business Studies, in
the secondary level at Kathmandu International Study Centre (KISC).
Derek & Jane French are based in Bilbao
in Northern Spain with Grupos Bíblicos
Unídos (GBU). Their work principally involves
evangelism among students and the discipling
of Christian students. Derek is also involved in
writing and translating Bible resources. PW’s
donation will support the Staff Worker Fund
and will go towards their Resources Project.
This project aims to provide study materials on
every book of the Bible.
Volker and JinHyeog Glissmann and family arrived in Ireland in August
and will be engaged in deputation in September and early October.
Linda Roulston will be doing some deputation speaking in early
September.
Derek Roulston plans to return to Ireland in late October to undertake
some other deputation engagements.
Eddie and Mary Dorrans plan to return to Kenya in the autumn to
begin work with WHEAT Foundation International on the construction
of Nanyuki Girls’ Secondary School, near Timau. The secondary school
age girls currently meet in the primary school and the growing number
of students means that a separate building is required.
Neil Kennedy is due in Ireland in mid-October for a few weeks of
deputation speaking.
Ron and Hilary McCartney are hoping to return to teaching at Foreman
Christian College in Lahore in Pakistan this autumn.
Adam McCormick, a member of Greenwell
Street Presbyterian Church in Newtownards,
is hoping to leave for Malawi in the autumn to
serve for one year.
Going under BMO’s ‘Ignite’ programme,
Adam will be based in Mzuzu, where he will
assist the Synod of Livingstonia in the field of
Communication and Information Technology.
His task will be to provide Synod staff with
training in computer maintenance, to install
anti-virus and security software, and to
develop appropriate inventory systems for
each Synod Department.
Books available from the Mission Overseas Office
Journey Of Hope
By Jean Gibson
RRP £8.99
£8 (+P&P)
(See page 30)
34
No Dragons Here
and Other Stories
from Ireland and
Malawi
By Roberta Moore
RRP £7.99
£7.50 (+P&P)
Frederick, The Life
of My Missionary
Grandfather in
Manchuria
By Mark O’Neill
RRP £22
£14 (+P&P)
Information included in Overseas News is supplied by the Mission
Overseas Office. While it is correct at the time of writing, which is normally
some weeks before publication, readers should be aware that some
details may subsequently change. Up-to-date news and information are
available online at: www.pcimissionoverseas.org
MISSION PERSONNEL
Naomi Keefe
c/o Mission Overseas Office
BRAZIL
Barry & Elyse McCroskery
Home Assignment
MALAWI
Diane Cusick
PO Box 112
Mzuzu
MALAWI
INDONESIA
Stephen & Angelina Cowan
PCEA Tuum
PO Box 13
Baragoi
via Maralal 20601
KENYA
Johnny & Lyn Dowds
PO Box 5
Livingstonia
MALAWI
MALAWI
Volker & JinHyeog Glissmann
Home Assignment
KENYA
Naomi & Thomas Leremore
PO Box 23450-00100
Nairobi (GPO)
KENYA
MALAWI
Neil & Sara Kennedy
PO Box 31245
Chichiri
Blantyre
MALAWI
KENYA
Gary & Mary Reid
PO Box 846-20500
Narok
KENYA
MALAWI
Robin & Helen Quinn
PO Box 6
Ekwendeni
Malawi
MALAWI
KENYA
Derek & Linda Roulston
PO Box 64
Timau 10406
KENYA
KENYA
NEPAL
Peter & Valerie Lockwood
UMN
PO Box 126
Kathmandu
Nepal
MALAWI
KENYA
Eddie & Mary Dorrans
Joe & Janet Campbell
Una Brownlie
PO Box 5
Livingstonia
MALAWI
NEPAL
Ron & Hilary McCartney
PAKISTAN
James & Heather Cochrane
Apartado 183
EC Olhão
8700-910
Olhão
Algarve
PORTUGAL
PORTUGAL
Csaba & Ilona Veres
Str Intre Lacuri 43
Cluj Napoca
Jud Cluj
ROMANIA
ROMANIA
Derek & Jane French
Calle Mendibile Ostekoa 12, 2-A
48940 Leioa
SPAIN
SPAIN
Matt Williams
PO Box 6
Ekwendeni
MALAWI
MALAWI
PARTNER CHURCH MISSION PERSONNEL
Christopher & Nivedita
Benjamin
214 Grasmere Avenue
South Kenton
Middlesex
HA9 8TW
ENGLAND
ENGLAND
Edwin & Anne Kibathi
80 Barley Lane
Ilford
Essex
IG3 8XN
ENGLAND
ENGLAND
Jacki Hartsmith-Foy
3.1.4 El Penoncillo
Torrox Costa 29793
Malaga
SPAIN
SPAIN
The new look
Prayer Handbook
is now available
E A fresh new design
E Expanded to cover 52 weeks E Keeping Presbyterians up to date
with the global work of our Church
E Specific and relevant prayer points
for the whole year
To order a copy contact
your Congregational Agent
or the Communications Office
on (028) 9032 2284

wake me UP when SePtembeR enDS meet the PReSiDent

Transcription

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