PDF - Christian Friends of Israel

1st Quarter 2016 • No 186
Christian Friends of Israel UK
For his compassions never fail
they are new every morning
great is your faithfulness
Lamentations 3:23
INSIDE
THE DAY OF THE LORD
SHARON SANDERS UK TOUR - REPORT
HEBRAIC BIBLE STUDY - JOY TO THE WORLD
REPRESENTATIVE PROFILE - TEESIDE
HEBREW WORD STUDY - CLING TO HOPE
RESOURCES
Education • Advocacy • Aid
About us
CFI-UK seeks to bless Israel by
means of practical and moral
support, and to serve the Church in
teaching about God’s purposes for
Israel and the Hebraic heritage
of our faith.
CFI also produces a monthly
Prayer Letter and distributes a
Middle East Update and Haverim
Hebraic teaching CDs/MP3s.
Please send for full details of
projects in Israel and also of the
many teaching resources available.
As an educational charity,
we carry a variety of
resources relevant to our
purpose. We do not
necessarily endorse every
view expressed by our
guest writers or authors
of these resources.
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust
PO Box 2687
Eastbourne
BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810
Fax: 01323 410211
Email: [email protected]
Websites: www.cfi.org.uk
www.keshercourse.org.uk
facebook.com/cfiuk
twitter.com/cfi_uk
Registered Charity
No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House
22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 0498515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
Front Cover Image:
Sunrise in Israel
2 IN TOUCH • 1st Quarter 2016
I
Jacob Vince
The Day
of the Lord
have previously written concerning the importance of recognising all
Scripture as inspired. In doing so, I referred to the closing passage of
Apostle Peter’s second and final recorded letter. I particularly focussed
on the confirmation that the apostolic writings are seen as Scripture in like
manner to the law, prophets and psalms.
I have for some while now preferred
to use the term ‘apostle’s teaching’ (Acts
2:42) for what has, through convention,
become called the New Testament. The
reason for this is partly because of the
unhelpful division between old and new
testaments and partly mixing up these
terms with the word covenant, as in
old and new covenant. In fact the word
testament is derived from testimony, not
covenant, so perhaps better, if one is to
use the word testament, to replace by the
word ‘testimony’. This then becomes
the earlier ‘testimony’ or ‘testimonies’
and then the later ‘testimony’ or
testimonies’. Of course, in a Court of
Law there can be, and often are, several
testimonies, collected over the course
of time which help build up
the fuller picture and are of
equal value in determining
the outcome of the case. So it
is with the Bible, ‘everything’
(Romans 15:4) of which God
caused to be written down,
‘once for all’ (Jude 1:3).
The final chapter of Apostle Peter’s
second letter has, in some Bibles, the
heading ‘the day of the Lord’ presumably
taken from a verse found within the
section itself. This phrase has, like old
and new testament above, similarly
adopted connotations of its own and
indeed speculation galore. However,
when looking at the context of Peter’s
second letter more generally, we find he
himself states that his writing is to act as,
‘reminders to stimulate you to wholesome
thinking’ (2 Peter 3:1) - not speculative!
Peter does this by recalling the words
spoken by the ‘holy prophets’ (2 Peter 3:2)
in the past, the earlier testimonies if you
will, and the command given by our
Lord and Saviour through ‘your apostles’
(2 Peter 3:2), the later testimonies. The
term apostles, we take it, refers to the
eleven/twelve ‘apostle[s] to the Jews’
(Galatians 2:8), whilst we are also made
aware that Peter in his letter recognises
the ‘apostle to the gentiles’, Paul
(Galatians 2:8), whom he refers to later
on as of equal authority. Indeed, it can
be understood in this later reference
that Peter is well acquainted with Paul
and his writings (2 Peter 3:15-16). To
reinforce this, it is worth noting that
Peter refers to his being helped by Silas,
previously Paul’s colleague, in the
writing of his own first letter (1 Peter
5:12).
So here we see the earlier prophetic
words, being linked with the commands
given through ‘your’ apostles (2 Peter
3:2). Hence it is these together, all now
part of the full canon of Scripture, which
are to be the focus of our
attention, not speculation.
to stimulate
you to
wholesome
thinking
Coupled with the attention
given to Scripture itself, is the
instruction raised by Peter
in the form of a question,
‘what kind of people ought you
to be?’ (2 Peter 3:11) To this
he gives the answer, ‘You ought to live
holy and godly lives as you look forward to
the day of God and speed its coming’
(2 Peter 3:11-12). As is always the case
with Scripture we must be doers as
well as listeners (James 1:22), thinking
on these things and putting them into
practice (Philippians 4:8-9). This is always
the challenge. First by meditating on the
Scriptures themselves, seeking to handle
them correctly (2 Timothy 2:15), we
become convinced of their consistency,
particularly concerning God’s covenant
faithfulness to Israel and, in turn to
his Church.
Then the Holy Spirit
who inspired them, having led the
apostles into all truth (John 16:13), can
use them as a whole to transform our
lives in line with this greater clarity of
understanding, enabling us to reflect
God’s glory in Christ Jesus more clearly
to a needy world.
Testimonial
wider family, her friends, those from abroad, those in the village, and
those who were lonely and in need.
ELLEN VINCE 1956–2015
By Rebekah Vince
Daughter
Lord, make me like a butterfly!
Paint the sunset, the burst of a blossom on my wings
And use me Lord, to spread the means of life, your Word,
As I visit here and there, soaring on the wind of your Holy Spirit
Drawn only on the one Light your Son.
Mum wrote out this prayer the year she met Dad in Jerusalem.
I’ve heard the story of how my parents met so many times it’s as
if I was there. A family friend and founder of Christians for Israel,
Oom Karel, had arranged for Mum to study at The Institute of Holy
Land Studies on Mount Zion. One day Dad walked past the windmill
house in Jerusalem where Mum lived and Mum’s house mates
pointed him out as the new personal assistant to Bible teacher Lance
Lambert. When Mum and Dad met properly for the first time it was
the Jewish New Year of 1981 and it was at the Western Wall of the
temple platform. Dad walked Mum home through the Arab quarter
of Jerusalem with some other friends. Sometime later Grandma and
Granddaddy were visiting Dad in Israel and they both thought Mum
was right for him. Mum’s brother Hans also felt Dad was the one for
her. But when Dad proposed to Mum at a balcony overlooking the
Western Wall, it took her by surprise. They did not get engaged but
remained friends. At the end of Mum’s time in Israel, Dad drove her
to the airport in Lance Lambert’s car with the sunroof down and the
Chariots of Fire sound track playing.
A few years later, when Mum came to England to visit her
goddaughter in early 1985, she decided to meet up with Dad, having
kept in contact through writing letters, and they visited Kinmel Hall
together in North Wales. It was when Dad played Chariots of Fire on
the piano in the ballroom that Mum fell in love. Dad came to Holland
at the end of June 1985, proposed again and this time Mum said yes!
They were married by the end of August.
You came into my life when I was least expecting you.
You flew into my garden full of tangled greens and reds and blues.
Sunsoft liquid colour fragments, scattered all around.
My dusty dull day disappeared as I watched you settle on the
ground.
More recently, she began working for Christian Friends of Israel and
soon became friends with her colleagues, while continuing to support
Dad in his role as chief executive. In June of this year, Mum and Dad
went to Israel to celebrate CFI’s 30th anniversary just months before
their 30th Wedding Anniversary in August.
Along with her sense of humour, and spontaneous and hospitable
nature, she was both elegant and refined. Sunday in particular
was a special day for her and our family, a day of rest. We’d come
downstairs to a table set for breakfast - boiled eggs, orange juice and
warm, crusty rolls. One family joke involved disguising an empty egg
shell as the real deal. She’d play along - add salt and pepper - and
look in mock dismay at the empty egg shell and we’d all giggle. Every
now and then we’d laugh until we cried, about silly things.
She spoke to us four in her mother tongue, Dutch, sang us lullabies,
prayed with us every evening when we were little, and encouraged us to
read our Bibles. She cooked us tasty meals, kept us in check, taught
us manners, and to give without expecting anything in return.
She had green fingers, inherited from her father, loved trees,
flowers, birds, gardens, fields. Both Mum and Dad helped with Duke of
Edinburgh walks for five years with the Welcome Church in Heathfield.
Mum loved walking, being in nature, in God’s creation. She’d always
encourage us children to go out for a walk to clear our heads.
Mum was like a butterfly, flitting about, adding a touch of colour
to all she met, beautiful even when fragile. She made do with what
she had and sought to share it with others. She was sensitive and
perceptive, understanding those around her more than anybody could
understand her own struggles towards the end. She’d listen to us as
we crumbled into her arms not knowing she would one day crumble
herself.
A masterpiece of pattern painted in the summer rain.
Your simple beauty puts our ground bound proud computed world
to shame.
And as you spread your wings and flashed away into the sky
You left me ever grateful for the vision left behind my eyes.
We are truly thankful for the love, care, support, flowers, cards and
prayers of family and friends. Mum when she was well and herself
would have loved everyone popping in like they have been.
Mum touched so many lives with her love and we will miss her
terribly, but are thankful to have known such a loving and lovable wife,
mother, daughter, sister, and friend.
After getting married in Holland, Mum moved to her new life with
Dad in the UK, though she always remained a Dutch citizen. Esther
was born within a year of their marriage, followed by Susanna, then
Joshua, and finally me, Rebekah - four children in five years.
After Kinmel Hall, the family lived for a while in an Old Corn Mill in a
Welsh hamlet with Dutch neighbours, who became good friends. Mum
and Dad ran Christian Conference Centres in Wales and East Sussex.
Mum particularly enjoyed getting to know the volunteers from abroad,
making them feel at home in the UK. We moved to Horam in 1997,
where Mum soon became a valued member of the village and church
community. She gave of herself to many, took note of what mattered
to others - their names, their families - so that she could remember to
ask them. Servant-hearted and with a love of children, she helped at
the mothers and toddlers group Jumping Beans for fifteen years, made
teas and coffees at church, helped at the seniors’ Tea Club, went round
with flowers to those struggling or recently bereaved. She truly cared
for others, first and foremost her husband and children, but also her
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1st Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 3
James Whitman
serves as president
of The Centre for
Judaic-Christian
Studies (JCS)
T
Joy to
the world
Life after Christmas - walking with the Light of the World
he custom of setting aside a time for communities of Christians worldwide to celebrate the birth of
Messiah Jesus can aid in spreading the glorious Gospel. It can also deepen our dedication as disciples.
Isaac Watts said it well and memorably...
Joy to the world! The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing.
The Jewish roots of Christianity feed
a healthy biblical worldview, one in
which our covenant forefathers marked
sacred time with festivals dedicated to
rejoicing in YHWH and remembering
His saving work on earth. Some of
these feasts, like Passover, Pentecost,
and Tabernacles, were ordained by the
Holy One. Following that pattern, other
festivals, like Purim and Hanukah, were
established by the faithful to honour
Him. Surely these precedents validate
honest attempts to commemorate the
inauguration of the New Covenant,
proclaimed by angels, “Today your
Saviour is born in the city of David. He is
Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
My purpose is not to discuss the
history, traditions, or cultural practices
related to Christmas. The season has
passed. The goal of this article is to
present a noteworthy idea that can help
you integrate the first coming of Yeshua,
as presented in the birth narratives, into
every facet of daily living.
The sages of Israel identified
a significant principle regarding
festivals, namely, the essential act of
remembering. The Hebrew verb zakar
(remember) is an act of imagination
that recalls the past in ways that lead
to appropriate action in the present. To
remember includes preparing for and
engaging in a biblically inspired feast. It
also means walking out the realities the
festival emphasises long after the season
itself passes.
Zakar, as with all truly noble
thoughts, begins with God Himself. The
saving events of the Exodus open with,
“And God heard their groaning, and God
remembered his covenant with Abraham,
with Isaac, and with Jacob.” (Exodus 2:24).
YHWH emphasises zakar in connection
with the pilgrim festivals, “that all the
days of your life you may remember the day
when you came out of the land of Egypt.”
(Deuteronomy 16:3). Moses practices and
teaches zakar as he prepares the next
generation—and every Israelite after
them—for the Promised Land, “it was
4 IN TOUCH • 1st Quarter 2016
not only our ancestors whom God redeemed
from Egypt. For if God had not redeemed our
ancestors, then we and our children and our
children’s children would still be enslaved
to Pharaoh in Egypt.” (Deuteronomy
6:21). The verbal nature of zakar even
applies to ethics, how covenant people
are to live, “You shall remember that you
were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the
LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I
command you this today.” (Deuteronomy
15:15).
Yeshua grew up in a family that
practiced zakar in the annual festivals
(Luke 2:42). The heart of Joseph and
Mary was that they would all grow in
wisdom and in stature and in favour
with God and man. We can summarise
these aspirations like this; a Biblical
festival, let’s take Passover for instance,
marks God’s saving activity in time. It
is a historical event commemorated
annually by a biblical feast, intended to
stir up and equip the faithful by way of
reminder.
the essential act of
remembering
One could argue that my example
applies more to the cross of Jesus than
his birth. Yes, this approach confirms
our need to rehearse the events of
Messiah’s last week (which interestingly
took place during Passover). Specifically
related to our topic, however, I would
point out that the Jewish Haggadah
begins the story of the Exodus with the
birth of Abraham and continues through
Egypt towards Mount Sinai. Therefore
properly respecting Yeshua’s birth can
and should lead us into every aspect of
Immanuel.
Let’s apply the concept of zakar to
Christmas by using the analogy of gift
giving. Preparing a present requires
imagination, thinking creatively about
the recipient. To receive the present
requires taking it and opening it. But
there is more. The gift only achieves its
intended goal when it is both received
and put to use. Wouldn’t it be odd if the
present, once opened, remained on the
shelf unused or slightly used? We could
say it this way; the gift is a means to an
end. The end being the blessing that
comes to the receiver as they appreciate
and appropriate the gift. What does the
giver desire? Blessing. How does the
receiver experience the blessing over
and over again? Zakar.
The gift is Jesus. “Joseph, son of David,
do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for
that which is conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his
people from their sins” (Matthew 20:-21).
The giver is the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. “The Holy Spirit will
come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you; therefore the
child to be born will be called holy—the Son
of God” (Luke 1:35).
The recipients are the sons of Adam
and daughters of Eve. “Fear not, for
behold, I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
And again, “whereby the sunrise shall visit
us from on high to give light to those who sit
in darkness and in the shadow of death, to
guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke
1:78-79).
During a lecture in Jerusalem, I heard
Claire Pfann of The University of the
Holy Land simply and memorably
illustrate this gift of God in Messiah
Jesus. She said to draw a circle in the
air, starting with your hand at the top.
The Son of God became the Son of Man
(your hand has swept to the bottom
having completed the first 180 degrees).
Why? So that the children of men could
become the children of God (your hand
has finished the circle by returning to
where you started).
All this reminds me of the godly
saint who packed up all the Christmas
decorations except for one. Visitors
would invariably notice and ask why
the ornament was still on display since
the celebration had ended. “Oh!” she
explained, “I need to be reminded that what
began on that day is still growing in my
life and the world.” That, dear friends, is
zakar.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
Joy to the world!
Zionist
Federation
Arieh Miller
Director
Zionist Federation
UK & Ireland
Introducing Arieh Miller
M
iddle of August, I
thought to myself; that
seems like a sensible
time of year to start a new job.
School’s out, everyone’s on
holiday. The perfect opportunity
to ease in, learn the ropes, and get
the blue-and-white flag angled
juuuust right on my new desk.
Slow start? Not a bit of it.
Less than a month into my new role
as director of the ZF, we dealt with
visits from both the Israeli football
team and the Israeli prime minister.
With any other country, these visits
would pass without too much notice.
But, as I know from my previous role
at the Israeli Embassy, Israel isn’t
treated like any other country.
So within weeks of starting, we were
supporting Israel both on the pitch
and on the streets. We brought more
than 100 people with us to Cardiff
to cheer on the boys in blue as they
shocked their hosts with a park-thebus style nil-nil draw. Alongside that,
our solidarity rally celebrated the
most diverse team and country in the
Middle East.
Only a few days later, we were back
out on the streets again. This time,
things were a lot less pleasant. The
imminent arrival of Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu brought out
a braying mob in full force outside
Downing Street, hundreds of antiIsrael demonstrators raging against the
possible presence of a democraticallyelected head of government while
huddling up to Hezbollah and Hamas
flags. There we were – hundreds of
ordinary people, supporting Israel,
standing
shoulder-to-shoulder
against the hate. That would have
been impossible without the amazing
support of our Christian friends, who
came out and stood in solidarity with
Israel.
Those are the twin goals of the ZF
right there – celebrating Israel, and
challenging her enemies. The three
words that encapsulate my vision for
the future of the ZF are: inclusive,
modern and unapologetic.
Inclusive, because we can’t make that
case alone. We have to find a space
for everyone, whether left or right,
religious or secular, Jewish, Christian
or other faiths; we all need to stand
together. Everyone has a part to play.
We are a singular Zionist community
not just a Jewish Zionist community,
or a Christian Zionist community. We
are one community, with different
opinions but one common goal: To
stand up against those who seek to
delegitimise and destroy the only
Jewish country in the world.
Modern, because we have to keep
finding new, better and smarter
ways to engage with both supporters
and the general public. We need to
network, to find the right messages
that work for different audiences, and
to fully capitalise on the potential
of social media. This needs to be
part and parcel of engaging with the
younger side of our community. It
cannot simply be left to the handful of
under 40s who are currently engaging
in their Zionism and defence of Israel.
Unapologetic, because it’s time for
Israel supporters to stop hiding. Israel
is a liberal democracy in a region
ping-ponging between Soviet-style
dictatorship and Dark Ages-inspired
theocracies. Yes, there are many things
you can criticise, but we can’t lose sight
of the fact that our enemies aren’t out
to fix a policy here or redraw a border
there. They oppose the Jewish right
to self-determination altogether – and
we have to stand strong against them,
because no one else will.
The ZF has a huge amount of history.
On his recent visit to the UK, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
took the time to see the original copy of
the Balfour Declaration, the document
that binds our two great countries
together. As the original recipients
and the only named organisation in
the letter, the ZF feels a particular
sense of pride in our place in Zionist
history. We helped bring about the
re-establishment of Israel, which has
already proved in so many ways to be
a light unto the nations. Our goal is
to keep magnifying that light, so that
as many people as possible are aware
of it – and to keep fighting those who
would snuff it out.
LOBBY
SPEAK UP FOR ISRAEL IN PARLIAMENT
JOIN THE ZF/CFI LOBBY DAY, HOUSE OF COMMONS
Wednesday 24th February 2016
Briefing 10am – 12 (noon)
Presentations 2pm – 5pm
To join the Lobby, call Robin Lane at CFI on 01323 410810 or email [email protected]
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1st Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 5
HEBREW WORD STUDY
Melissa Briggs MA,
Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, has been
teaching Hebrew in
the UK for more than
five years.
I
Tikvah
Cling to Hope
‫ִת ְקוָ ה‬
srael’s devotion to hope is truly awe-inspiring. What would a people ravaged by millennia of persecution
and exile choose as their national anthem? What hymn would the Survivors of the Holocaust choose to
sing? No one would have blamed them for lamenting as Ezekiel did:
“our bones are dried up; our hope (tikvah) is lost” (Ezekiel
37:11). But, remarkably, the collective heart song of the
Jewish people instead declares: “Our hope is NOT yet lost, our
hope of two thousand years, to be a free nation in our Land, the
Land of Zion and Jerusalem”.
The words to this anthem, “Ha-Tikvah”, were written
in 1878, seventy years before their long-awaited hope was
finally realised. The hope that the Jewish People had placed
in their faithful God and in His promise to replant them in
their homeland, was a hope firmly planted in truth: “And
there is hope (tikvah) in your end, says the LORD, that your
children shall come again to their own border” (Jeremiah 31:17).
“Ha-Tikvah” means “the hope” in Hebrew. “Tikvah”
is an expectant waiting for a desired outcome. It
derives from the Hebrew verb qavah
which means
to gather together, wait for, hope for, or bind (by twisting)
together. While the idea of hope in English is abstract,
this Hebrew root word for hope offers a
more concrete visual of hope as an everstrengthening rope as fibres are collected
and then twisted together. A thin thread
may be faster and simpler to make than a
shipyard-standard rope, but it certainly
would not hold up under pressure. To
make a durable, useful rope the process
of binding and twisting many threads
together is essential.
‫ִת ְקוָ ה‬
‫ָקוֶ ה‬
perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven
character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love
of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy
Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
In the English language we casually use the word “hope”
with the down-graded meaning of a wishful thought or
desire: “I hope it doesn’t rain this weekend”; “I hope he
makes the football team”; “I hope to see you again soon”.
This can cloud our understanding of Biblical tikvah, which
in contrast, is a guaranteed assurance that if the Lord says it
will come to pass, then it will do so. “Surely there is a future,
and your hope (tikvah) will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18).
Cling to Biblical hope like the sturdy rope that it is!
We may not know the details of how and when, but the
substance of our hope is secure and firm. Hope is summed
up in the person of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. He is
our hope incarnate and He will not fail. But let us steer
away from the dangerous temptation of
offering false hope—to ourselves or to
one another—in the form of unfounded
“assurances” that contradict or go beyond
what the Scriptures say. “My soul, you wait
only upon God; for my expectation (tikvah) is
from him” (Psalm 62:5).
this hope we have
as an anchor of
the soul, both sure
and steadfast
In light of its link to qavah, tikvah also has a secondary,
more literal meaning of a “cord”. In fact, Rahab’s scarlet
cord, a beautiful symbol of the hope of salvation, was called
a tikvah in Hebrew (Joshua 2:18). Another Hebrew word
from the same root is qaveh
which similarly means a
(measuring) cord that can be used for binding (Jeremiah
31:39).
‫ָקוֶ ה‬
As we hope and wait upon the Lord for His direction, His
timing, and His action, our faith and character can be builtup: “But they that hope/wait expectantly (qavah) upon the Lord
shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31).
Our microwave-oven, instant-gratification culture has
taught us that waiting is a waste, but the Hebraic viewpoint
values the process and outcome of expectantly waiting.
Unlike English, “wait” and “hope” are used interchangeably
in Hebrew (see Psalm 130:5-6). The Biblical mind-set views
circumstances that require waiting on the Lord as immensely
valuable. They offer an opportunity to exercise the fruit of
the Spirit and for the Lord to slowly transform and build
our character to become increasingly like Jesus: “… We also
exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about
6 IN TOUCH • 1st Quarter 2016
Hope is a gift that God has given
His children. Hope comforts us in our
sorrows, fills us with courage to face our
daily walk, and envisions us for the future. Hope is freely
available, though it is a choice. It requires the investment
of knowledge and trust. To have true hope is to abide in
Him as we actively await and anticipate the Lord to do
what He has promised to do. We can reject the lies that we
are helpless and hopeless, and choose instead to believe
His truth, to obey His commandments, and to claim His
promises. Then hope has fertile soil in which to grow and
flourish in our lives.
“For you are my hope (tikvah), O LORD God: you are my trust
from my youth” (Psalm 71:5).
May we be like the “prisoners of the tikvah” (Zechariah
9:12) —inseparable from our hope. And may we be like
Abraham who grasped firmly to hope amidst great trials,
even when all the odds seemed stacked against him in
“impossible” situations: “For when God made a promise to
Abraham….after he had patiently endured, he obtained the
promise….[so] we might have strong consolation, who have fled
for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…
(Hebrews 6:13-19 condensed).
David Soakell
85~201
5
30t
19
ear
Chazak Amenu We Stand As One
nniversary Y
hA
Sharon Sanders UK Speaking Tour report
It was such a pleasure meeting
many of you as we toured around the
UK in the recent speaking tour that I
did with CFI Jerusalem’s cofounder
Sharon Sanders. For those of you who
couldn’t make the tour, I hope this
little report blesses you and helps you
to glean a little of what we did.
The tour with Sharon Sanders was
extremely successful and we were
really pleased with the great response
from the people who turned up
throughout the tour.
It all started on Friday 16th October
at Heathfield, a small market town
in East Sussex. This tour was to be
different from the many tours I have
organised in the past. Over the years, I
have toured with many people such as
Chuck Cohen, David Dolan and Kelvin
Crombie. However, as I knew many
people from various backgrounds had
faithfully stood in support of Ray and
Sharon Sanders for the past 30 years,
I really wanted to visit as many of the
supporters as I could, to allow them
time to listen and enjoy what may
well have been Sharon’s final visit
to the UK. As you will know, Stacey
and Kevin Howard have now taken on
the role as Directors of CFI Jerusalem,
and we hope to have them over on
tour at some stage in the not-toodistant future. However, there is no
retirement in the Kingdom of God, and
Sharon certainly has no intention of
retiring. She is hoping to get the time
to write – and even complete a book at
some point. But seeing it was the 30th
anniversary year of Christian Friends
of Israel, I really felt we just had to
have Sharon over one more time – and
it was well worth it. Sadly, my dear
brother in the Lord and Cofounder Ray
Sanders was unable to join Sharon – so
we will just have to go to Jerusalem
and see him!
From Heathfield, the tour went to
Werner Oder’s church in Bournemouth,
and then onto Old Woking. These first
three dates were covered by CFI UK’s
Chief Executive, Jacob Vince, as I had
engagements in Huddersfield and
then Newcastle during this period. I
then picked the tour up in Luton. This
town is of course home of Rob and
Margaret Hearing who co-ordinate the
collection of goods that go to the CFI
Distribution Centre (DC) in Jerusalem.
The Olive Grove Project was of course
faithfully run by the founders Eileen
Alvis and Mary Pinkess who carried
the vision from the early days of CFI
when Derek White birthed CFI UK.
To have a pound sterling for every
banana box that has been sent from
the UK to Israel would make one a
very rich person – how much more
then are these wonderful people
storing up riches in Heaven for all
their faithfulness over the years. Yet
riches are not what any of us desire,
but only to be faithful to the Lord God
we serve. And now Rob and Margaret
Hearing are faithfully serving in this
work – along with the supporters
throughout the nation. To find out
more on this important part of the
work of CFI contact Rob and Margaret
at: [email protected] or phone
01582 520787.
Sharon Sanders did of course share
a great deal on this area and spoke
at length on the vision and work
of Christian Friends of Israel in the
Land from their base in Jerusalem –
getting ‘beneath the soil’ and helping
many people through the projects.
And there are indeed many outreach
projects, including working with
many Holocaust survivors through
Project Forsake Them Not to terrorist
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victims with Project Under His Wings.
The church in Israel is blessed through
Project First Fruits and from our DC
in Jerusalem, CFI provides a very
special service for Jewish Brides & the
Bridegroom. Many families are unable
to afford the expensive weddings
in Israel, so as way of blessing the
Jewish people, we provide, free of
charge, wedding dresses, suits etc. for
the whole family. And of course CFI
Jerusalem’s gates are always open, and
through the Open Gates Project at the
Lighthouse Distribution Centre new
immigrants to Israel (making Aliyah)
are welcomed from a variety of
countries around the world including
Russia,
Ukraine,
Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan,
Germany, Mexico, Columbia, France
and Belarus. Most originally came
from the former Soviet Union but we
also get Jewish people from Europe
and Central and South America.
Those who have been in the Land
over three years may apply for one
time financial assistance if they are
having extreme financial hardship.
A wonderful team of staff assists
new immigrants when they visit the
Open Gates Project at the Distribution
Centre. And we are seeing Scripture
fulfilled before our very eyes. The
prophet Jeremiah states, “See, I will
bring them from the land of the north and
gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the
lame, expectant mothers and women in
labour…” (Jeremiah 31: 8).
These are only some of the projects
that are carried out by CFI Jeruslaem,
and to see how you can help, go to the
help page on our website at https://
www.cfi.org.uk/by-supportingprojects.html
From Luton the tour went to
Blackheath in the West Midlands,
and then on to Preston where Beryl
and Peter Hunter, who are lifetime
supporters of CFI Jerusalem hosted
a meeting. From there we travelled
east to Dewsbury (where we also did
an interview on Branch FM Radio
continued overleaf
1st Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 7
continued from 7
in the afternoon). The weekend that
followed brought a very full schedule
with an excellent turn-out at a full
day’s conference at Beit Yeshua in
Gateshead. The following morning
we had an extra meeting at One Life
Church in Middlesbrough and then
dashed up to Chirnside in the Scottish
Borders for an evening meeting.
Norwich and Brentwood in Essex
concluded the very full tour. However
once Sharon had flown back to Israel,
I then went on to speak at various
venues including one in Liverpool, two
in Sunderland and one in Dewsbury.
Along with speaking on how the
Lord is using CFI to minister to the
Jewish people in the Land of Israel,
Sharon also spoke on the importance
of ‘standing strong’ and never giving
up - no matter what the world may
throw at us. One of the songs we used
was a stirring original English/Hebrew
anthem called Hazak (Chazak)
recorded by over 50 Jewish Musicians
including Abie Rotenberg, Avraham
Fried, Avraham Rosenblum and
many more. Chazak ve nit’chazek! Be
strong, be strong, and let us strengthen
one another. Many were indeed
encouraged by this song and you can
watch the video of the song by going
online to: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=kX-bp_zXGLo
Given the circumstances surrounding Israel’s birth as a nation and the
odds against its survival, Israel should
never have succeeded, nor exist as a
nation today. The reason it does has
to be down to the faithfulness of God
in His promises in the Scriptures. Yet
Israel not only exists, but thrives in
spite of its adversaries and in the face
of circumstances that defy logic. Israel
has survived against all odds and we
cannot attribute their military victories
purely to the brave defence of their
army - the Israeli Defence Force (IDF)
– as it barely existed in 1948. No, it
can only be divine assistance that
Sharon speaking in Heathfiled
caused Israel’s survival through the
turbulent twentieth century, which is
still turbulent today. As Rabbi Lau Israeli’s Chief Rabbi once stated, “It’s
a combination of God’s blessings to the
Jewish People and the grace of a miracle
that we more than survive, we flourish.”
Or as Israel’s first Prime Minister
Ben Gurion said, “If you don’t believe
in miracles, it is not practical to exist in
Israel.”
The Bible is full of proof, promises
and eternal covenants for His people
- the Jewish nation of Israel - so much
so that ‘replacement theology’ simply
cannot be taken seriously. However,
the battle for standing with Israel
remains a battle, a huge battle. So, as
Sharon Sanders stated whilst bringing
a message for my own fellowship at
One Life Church, like the nation and
people of Israel, we too need to stand
strong and never give up - no matter
what the world may throw at us.
Sharon with Rob & Margaret Hearing
Resources www.cfi.org.uk/shop
Sharon Sanders UK Tour
CD Audio Recordings
2 CD Set
£9.50 incl. p&p
NEVER GIVE UP
Disk 1
30 Years of Friendship
Welcome Baptist Church, Heathfield, East Sussex
Disk 2
Your Kingdom Come, the Welcome to Earth
Beit Yeshua Conference, Emmanuel College, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Unveiling the Kingdom of Heaven Dwight A. Pryor
Drawing on over 20 years of research, Dwight Pryor seeks clarity on the
often misunderstood teaching of Yeshua on the good news of the Kingdom of
Heaven. Contains twelve 30 minute in-depth sessions on 4 DVDs and comes
with an accompanying study text book.
SPECIAL OFFER — 50% DISCOUNT
S107 // DVD SET + 175 page Textbook // £23.00 (incl. UK p&p)
B373 // Study Textbook available separately // £6.50 (incl. UK p&p)
8 IN TOUCH • 1st Quarter 2016
Events
The One Enthroned
in Heaven
Strategic
Prayer Conference
17th – 19th March 2016
Residential guests
This time we are going fully residential. Windmill
Farm Conference Centre is where we held and
recorded Desi Maxwell for CFI’s Text and Context
series.
Programmes will be sent out nearer the time, but
the conference will begin with light refreshments
served between 2.30 and 3.00pm on the first
afternoon, and the programme will go through until
lunchtime on the final day, concluding with a meal
after the last session on Saturday 19th.
To include full board overnight accommodation
(breakfast, lunch and evening meal x2), the fee
for the conference this year is £150* per person.
(Psalm 2)
[*For those requiring a single room there is a single
room occupancy surcharge of £30 per person].
Cheques made payable please to: CFI Charitable
Trust.
Day visitors
For those living within closer proximity, there is a
day visitor option for Thursday half day, to include
evening meal £15, Friday all day to include lunch
and evening meal £30, and Saturday, half-day, to
include lunch £15.
Medical, mobility or dietry requirements
If you, or others coming with you, have any special
medical dietary needs or mobility requirements
(both residential and day visitors), please ensure
that these are clearly stated on the Registration
Form included with the brochure. CFI-UK and
the venue hosts will do their best to meet these
requirements, but cannot guarantee to meet all
requests.
We have found these times of great significance and
do hope that you will be able to join us.
Registration closes Friday 29th February
Please ask for additional brochures and
booking forms as required.
BOOK NOW
CALL US ON:
01323 410810
Windmill Farm Conference Centre, Clanfield, Bampton, Oxon, OX18 2SN
Advance Notice: Date for your Diary
We are pleased to announce the date, venue, subject and main speaker for our 31st CFI
Annual Conference. (This will be preceded by a CFI UK Area Representatives’ training day).
Our main guest speaker planned is Revd David Pawson, author of many books including
Israel in the New Testament, plus an additional session with Pastor Werner Oder sharing
his unique testimony as son of a Nazi war criminal becoming a friend of Israel.
The selected conference title is: ‘Israel and the New Covenant’
An exhibition will include the CFI UK bookstall and stalls of other local ministries.
Please put the date in your diary now and look out for the forthcoming brochure.
We look forward to welcoming you and please encourage your friends to attend.
31 CFI UK Annual Conference, Sat 17 September 2016
st
th
Victoria Road Baptist, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Werner Oder
David
Pawson
Speakers: Revd David Pawson; Pastor Werner Oder
NEW TEAM MEMBER
Christian Friends of Israel are pleased to announce that Julia Soakell has joined the CFI team as
a part-time staff member from the beginning of 2016. She takes on the role of Church Liaison
Support and Prayer Encouragement. Julia has already fulfilled much of this role on a voluntarily
level for the past 10 years, alongside her husband David, but now takes on this and specific
responsibility for the recruiting and coordinating of Church Links, Prayer Group Leaders and
Intercessors as well as booking conferences, and travel for the CFI staff and events.
Julia gave her life to the Lord at eleven, as part of a local Anglican church but later both David and Julia helped plant One Life
Church, Eston, in North Yorkshire in 1993 where she still holds various roles. She has previously worked for Boots the Chemist for
over 30 years, and held a variety of posts there that have been useful in many of the tasks she has taken on for CFI over the years.
Mainly this has been with supporting David as CFI Liaison Officer and with the team of Area Reps for the UK, but also in planning
conferences and CFI events and overseeing books and resources too.
Julia feels in her heart that Prayer is the Key. She desires to see the encouragement of all who work and support CFI in the UK
and through the nations, and to uphold the CFI mandate of teaching the Church and blessing the land and people of Israel. She
classes Ray and Sharon Sanders – the former CFI International Directors – as spiritual parents, and is looking forward to working
in this new role with all in the CFI family – here in the UK and beyond, and prayerfully supporting Stacey and Kevin Howard.
Please contact her about any of these areas: [email protected]
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1st Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 9
CFI UK AREA REPRESENTATIVE PROFILE
This first quarter of 2016 In Touch
Magazine continues with the CFI
Area Representative profiles, and
this time David Soakell interviews
our Stockton to Darlington Area
Rep – Julie Archer.
So Julia, do tell us something about
yourself and why you felt you should
become an Area Rep for CFI?
“I am 53 years old, a University
Lecturer and the Mum of three grown
up children. This is my fourth year as
a rep for CFI. I have been a Christian
for 40 years now but it was not until
11 years ago that God brought the
Nation of Israel onto my radar through
a variety of different events. Although
Israel (the nation as it exists today) was
rarely mentioned in my church, I always
remember my Grandma telling me that
the Jews had to return to Israel before
Jesus came back. The slow realisation
that this very thing had happened (and
much of it in my own lifetime) fired
my interest in a subject that has since
become a major part of my life. For ten
years now, I have been studying Middle
Eastern History and Politics and have
been watching events developing across
INTERVIEW by CFI’s David Soakell
the Middle East, specifically in relation to
the Nation of Israel. I became aware of
the ministry of Christian Friends of Israel
through attending a local CFI event and
listening to David Soakell speak. It was
at that point I knew that I wanted to be
involved with CFI, although I was not
sure in what capacity. David suggested
that I become an Area Rep, initially for
the Darlington Area of County Durham–
and so here I am!”
That’s excellent Julie. So can you tell
our readers what does being an Area Rep
involve for you?
“My primary area of service as an Area
Rep is in teaching and helping to promote
an understanding within the Church of
the importance of Israel’s restoration
in God’s Kingdom purposes and to help
them reconnect with the Hebraic roots
of their faith. I do this through speaking,
lecturing, leading small groups and
generally talking to anyone who wants
to listen! I started off doing this in my
own church and as time has gone on, God
has opened more and more doors with
regard to speaking opportunities. I am
also a close neighbour to Julia and David
Soakell and so help to support them in the
ministry when I can. I distribute a variety
of literature, help on the CFI literature
stand/book stall at local conferences
and liaise with several of our local Israel
prayer groups, keeping them up to date
with events in the Middle East so that
they can pray effectively. I also run my
own Middle East Update blog.”
It sounds like the Lord is really blessing
your role, but what would you say are the
highlights of this role and what are the
challenges?
“The real highlight of being an Area
Rep is having the opportunity to serve
God in an area that I believe is very close
CHURCHLINK
Christian Friends of Israel in the UK needs you!
We are developing a unique team of Church Links around the
country to support the CFI vision and to encourage people to
read our literature, sign up to receive updates and pray with
us. We seek to inform the Church of her Hebrew heritage and
continue to bless the people and land of Israel. Age is no barrier
but communication will be mostly via email. You will support your
area CFI Representative promoting exciting forthcoming events
and provide access to up-to-date CFI material by distributing in
your local church, fellowship or meetings (with the blessing of your
leadership). A small but vital role to increase awareness.
Please contact [email protected] to apply.
10 IN TOUCH • 1st Quarter 2016
TEESIDE
to His heart. For too long the Church and
Israel have been ‘estranged brothers’ and I
believe that the time has come to heal the
rift. God is undoubtedly raising the profile
of Israel today in His Church and the
opportunity to step into a role that in any
way assists with this, is both an honour
and a challenge. I am encouraged by
what I see and hear when the opportunity
to speak to people arises. I find that
‘normal church people’ are generally uninformed or misinformed when it comes
to the subject of Israel. It has been truly
amazing to see their response when faced
with the undisputable truth! Many times,
people have asked “why has no-one ever
told us this before?” The real challenge
is actually getting into the churches to
speak! Israel is a difficult subject for
many church leaders and may have in
the past been a divisive one. I do believe
however, that change is in the air and
that the Lord is in the process of opening
doors that were once firmly closed.”
Your highlight of having the opportunity
to serve God is so important, as is your
clear ‘calling’. What would you say to
someone considering being an Area Rep?
“Go for it! If you love God and have
a heart for Israel – and are prepared to
work hard and make a contribution to
the CFI family - then an Area Rep’s role
is for you. The benefits and blessings
far outweigh the difficulties and
discouragements!”
Thanks Julie. These answers really
help and we hope they are a challenge
to our readers. If you are in the NorthEast of England, do get in touch with
Julie at [email protected]
and as Julie has stated, if you feel God
is calling you to fulfil a role in your area
as a CFI Area Rep, do let me know at
[email protected]
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1st Quarter 2016 • IN TOUCH 11
Israel Tour 2016
Bookings Line Open
with Tim Vince
and Jacob Vince
2016
7th - 13th June
020 8931 8811
7th - 13th June
£1,095
Main Tour + Extension £1,475
Main Tour
7th - 15th June
15th - 19th June
7th - 15th June
CFI Conference (T.B.C. * )
Israel Main Tour
Galilee Region:
Mediterranean:
Capernaum
Meggido
Boat ride on Sea of Galilee
Jezreel Valley
Mt. Beatitudes
Atlit Detention Camp
Magdala
Caesarea (Maritima)
First Century Synagogue
Jerusalem:
Nazareth
Basilica of the Annunciation and Mt of Olives
Palm Sunday walk
Mary’s Well
Dominus Flavit (Teardrop Church)
Mt. Precipice
Garden Gethsemane (Oil Press)
Gospel Trail Option
Old City
Caesarea Philipi
W estern Wall
Banias National Park
Davidson Centre
Mt. Bental
Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows)
Hula Valley Nature reserve
Walk thru the Suk (Bazaar)
Mt Zion (Upper Room)
Bethlehem:
St. Peter Galicantu church
Beit Aliqa Christian Centre
Nativity Church,Manger Square Garden Tomb Communion
Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
Shepherd’s Field
Extension Tour
Latrun Museum, Tel Aviv Diaspora Museum, Rehovot Palmach
Factory, Sderot, Ad Halom, KIbbutz Nagba, Beersheva, British &
Australian War Cemeteries, Beit Guvrin Caves, Abraham’s Well,
Ammunition Hill Museum, Mandelbaum Gate
*
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This tour is operated by: TRAVELINK GROUP LTD - ABTA: V7117 and ATOL: 1886
THE PRICE INCLUDES: Return air fare, all airport & local taxes, meeting & assistance on and arrival and departure at Ben Gurion Airport, sharing twin room
half board hotel accomodation with private facilities, private air conditioned coaches for all transfers, licensed guide throughout the tour, and all porterage
in Israel but,
DOES NOT INCLUDE: Tips & Gratuities (£4.50 per person per day), Single Room Supplements @ £235 per person (Main Tour), and £325 per person (Main
Tour + Extension). Petra Carriages. Insurance is available (rates noted on booking form overleaf).