BUC News Edition #699 (3 September 2010) NOW ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER
Email Newsletter of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland
Contents:
WELSH YOUTH TEACH ENGLISH IN SERBIA
FIRST FRUITS FOR KIDDERMINSTER FELLOWSHIP CHURCH
BIRMINGHAM IGNITE 'HEALTH EXPO' TOUCHES HEARTS
SEC FAMILY CAMP CELEBRATES HEROES & HEROINES
FIRST SCOTTISH MISSION POLISH DAY OF FELLOWSHIP
ONE + ONE = 1!
ADRA-UK CHILD FEEDING PROJECT NIGER
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN TELFORD
THIS WEEK ON THE HOPE CHANNEL
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WELSH YOUTH TEACH ENGLISH IN SERBIA [Jeremy Tremeer]
This August the Welsh Mission Youth department sponsored a trip to Serbia. Between 8 – 22 August, twelve volunteers, mostly youth from churches in Wales, paid their own way and gave their time and service to run a School of English in Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia. Working with the local Adventist church school there, the idea was to show God's love in practical ways by making contacts and friendships with people from the community and offering classes in conversational English. Classes were taught throughout the day and in the evenings we spent time developing friendships further as we explored the city together, walking by the River Danube, looking over the city from the fortress, and enjoying ice cream! One of our volunteers, Linroy, summed up his experience: "For my first mission trip it just blew my mind away seeing the enjoyment on the student faces during the lessons and the connections shared with everyone we met."
On our final evening we had a presentation about British life, with a special emphasis on Wales, and also the British Virgin Islands! (One of our youth is from there, and currently studying in Swansea). The presentation ended with refreshments including Welsh cakes and slices of bread with marmite!
Over the ten days we spent in Novi Sad, we had over sixty students, most of whom had no connection with the church. It was such a success – we are already thinking of repeating the trip next summer! Alysha said, "I've made lifelong friends both Welsh and Serbian and have truly found myself changing day by day."
After all our hard work in Novi Sad we explored a bit of the country, first visiting the mountain resort of Zlatibor, and then finally the capital city Belgrade. Linroy extolled that "The weather was great, the food was outstanding and thanks to all those who loved my hair." Anna added, "An incredible experience; really and truly a once in a lifetime change and I loved every single minute of it." Eifion agreed. "The Serbian hosts were real stars and the hard work was so much fun thanks to working and growing as a team."
FIRST FRUITS FOR KIDDERMINSTER FELLOWSHIP CHURCH [Milan Gugleta/BUC News]
Kidderminster is not your ordinary Adventist church. Walk into Sabbath School and you will be invited for breakfast. Maintaining its origins as a house fellowship, the expanding group that meets in the 'Holy Innocents Church Centre' near the centre of Kidderminster believes that good fellowship is important. The Sabbath School lesson gets discussed over tea and toast. There is always lunch at the end of the morning service – and worship is inclusive. It is a warm location where both the churched and the unchurched can feel secure and welcome.
Starting as a small house group organised by Steve and Lisa Winnitt, boosted by a series of praise evenings, 'Kidderminster nights' with strong support from the Leamington and Newbold churches, and a commitment to making a difference in Kidderminster, led to the house group growing into the Kidderminster Fellowship church plant about two and a half years ago.
The first fruits from this plant, Richard and Julia Mullard were baptised on Sabbath, 28 August at Leamington Spa church. This was the climax of a seven year journey when Richard and Julia first came into contact with Steve and Lisa. As the friendship grew the interest in the Bible grew also, and Richard and Julia eventually decided to become a part of the house group regularly meeting in Steve and Lisa's home. As time passed they became fully committed to supporting this new community of faith, through their involvement in services and other activities of the church. Now they have demonstrated their commitment to Christ as both of them, husband and wife, were baptised together. While the first fruits, the Kidderminster family see this as just the beginning and look forward to continued growth and witness in the community.
BIRMINGHAM IGNITE 'HEALTH EXPO' TOUCHES HEARTS [Jacqui Halliday-Bell]
Eighty-five volunteers who attended from as far afield as Manchester and south east London brought their expertise in various areas of health to Birmingham for "Ignite" – a public outreach programme over the Bank Holiday weekend. The Ignite programme included a health expo that covered all of the 8 stations promoting the NEWSTART health initiative (Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunlight, Temperance, Air, Rest and Trust in Divine Power). Over 400 members of the public entered the marquee and took part in a range of enlightening activities.
Neil Blest, the BUC volunteer Health Expo co-ordinator, remarked that this was probably the biggest expo that had been conducted during his time in the role. He worked alongside the local Ignite event team to ensure the professionalism that has become the hallmark of so many expos in the UK. Pastor Malcolm Watson is to be commended for his planning skills and energetic drive.
The setting was beautiful, the weather bright and sunny and the energetic team exemplary. People were flexible and were prepared to change roles where the need arose to ensure the queues did not build up and the delivery was smooth. Students from the LIGHT Health Evangelism programme that is currently running in the North England Conference, some of whom had come from overseas to study on the 4-week programme , boosted the numbers and expertise of the volunteers on the day. Linda and Michael two of the teachers on the course originating from Wildwood, USA, thanked God for the event and prayed that the work in the Birmingham community would be ongoing.
The work has only begun. There is a role now for Personal Ministries, Community Services, Family Life, and Health Ministries departments across the West Midlands to take part in the follow-up programmes that have been identified as areas of need.
One 83-year-old attendee from the community was close to tears in his expression of thanks: "No one has ever done anything like this for me!" he said. Others expressed their determination to stop smoking, take more water to drink and lose weight. Many of those who took a neck and back massage expressed the amazing relief they experienced and the hand of 10 or so trained individuals who barely stopped their work for the duration of the event. A much needed lunch was supplied courtesy of Judith Asare and her team to fuel the workers through the event.
The health expo models Jesus' work on earth: meeting the people wherever they were, learning of their needs and helping them. The many prayers for the success of this event have been answered. A heartfelt thanks is expressed to all those who prayed, contributed funds, gave time, help and expertise to make this event the success it has been. Your continued prayers are sought for the souls who came, saw and heard and participated. It is a blessing that we have scope through BUC News, the Messenger and the Communicator to reach God's people and engage them to participate in this work.
SEC FAMILY CAMP CELEBRATES HEROES & HEROINES [David Bryan]
In a time of talentless celebrity culture, where there is disenchantment with the behaviour of our political classes and the aftermath of the sub-prime disaster, very few things in the world inspire a sense of authenticity. However, this year's SEC Family Camp, 23 – 29 August at Chapel Porth, Cornwall, proved to be an exceptional experience.
The landscape surrounding the campsite is indeed awe inspiring; it is beautiful but at the same time rugged with an atmospheric terrain. Devoid of heavy traffic, television, shopping malls, ASBO candidates, congestion charging and the relentless 24-hour society in general, the camp facilitated true fellowship between the families who attended.
It was my first visit to Chapel Porth and I had eagerly anticipated the trip. On arriving, a fellow camper informed me that once I had sampled the week's events I would want to return for many years as indeed he had done himself.
The worship sessions led by Pastor Les Ackie and his wife, Irma, were both thought-provoking and life-affirming. The theme of the week was Heroes & Heroines. Much time was spent looking at Bible characters in the heroic sense and this was followed by a consideration of issues such as fear, courage, decision-making and personal growth understood through the lens of faith. Personally I found the Sabbath morning service particularly moving and left the main hall with tears in my eyes along with many others.
The camp allowed all of us the time to de-clutter our lives. We had the space to reflect, solidify existing friendships and develop new ones. There were countless impromptu caravan visits from various neighbours who popped in and out for refreshments, laughter and more serious debate.
Children, of course, were another focal point. Every child benefited tremendously through the activities on offer which included visits to the beach, swimming, cycling, badminton, mini-Olympics, table tennis, art lessons and self-invented games. They also loved the freedom of the countryside which meant they could run and play safely.
My first visit to Chapel Porth will remain with me forever. It was a time of reflection on belief, witnessing the selfless devotion of individuals for the good of others and a reconnection with the beauty of God's work. I would like to offer a sincere 'thank you' to the Ackie family, the support staff and all the families who visited, for working together to create a week that my family and I will always remember.
FIRST SCOTTISH MISSION POLISH DAY OF FELLOWSHIP [Bernie Holford]
Sabbath, 14 August was a remarkable day in the history of the Scottish Mission. It was the first Polish Day of Fellowship, held at Crieff church, and it was the first time a couple had been baptised after having cyberspace Bible studies.
Anna Radosh, who lives in Bracknell, conducted Bible studies in Polish via phone and Skype with three Polish people in Edinburgh. "This way, we were able to study the Bible and learn from the Word of God together, despite being separated by 400 miles" she said. Another novelty at this first Scottish Mission Polish Day of Fellowship was that a daughter and father preached during different services at the same event. Anna, who co-ordinates the SEC Polish Ministries, preached in Polish, with her husband Thomas translating to English. The afternoon baptismal service was conducted by her father, Pastor Richard Jankowski, President of the West Polish Conference. "The baptismal service was the best part of the day, it was very moving to hear the testimonies," exclaimed a local Crieff church member. Elizabeth and Slawek Godkowski from Edinburgh were baptised following the lead of their daughter Hanna, who was baptised in May this year.
Bernie Holford, the pastor of the Crieff church said, "this has been such a wonderful day, seeing so many Polish people coming from England and Scotland to celebrate the baptism of these people. We thank God for Anna's ministry, and the way that He is growing the number of Polish church members in our Mission."
A variety of pictures from the day can be seen at:
<http://picasaweb.google.pl/dino074/ZjazdPoloniADSSzkocja#>.
ONE + ONE = 1! [Rubina Arthur]
The President of the Central Ghana Conference turned basic mathematics on its head during a four day family revival series in mid-August.
Speaking at the London Ghana and Lea Valley Adventist churches respectively, Ghana's very own 'Dr Love', Pastor Emmanuel Denteh, said that a "happy successful marriage is possible" and that marriage can be "a way of salvation" if couples adopted the formula, "1 + 1 = 1". Accompanied by his wife of 38 years, Aunty Leticia, Pastor Denteh said that this formula ensures that there's no room for selfishness, but rather results in couples clinging to one another lovingly as God had originally planned.
Pastor Denteh's 'heart2heart' covered a variety of topics including the Missing Dimension, which focused on the importance of God remaining in the marital relationship in order to keep the devil at bay. In addition, attendees of the series heard that Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, depicting the differences between men and women and how these ought to be understood and respected by each spouse, as well as how to enjoy great sex at any age.
London Ghana's Family Ministries' department head, Elder Isaac Botwe, said the reasoning behind the revival taking place now was to "boost a positive morale within families within the church since happy families equates to a happy church".
Several days have passed since Pastor Denteh's tips for marital success were heard by couples at both the London Ghana and Lea Valley churches, and many have voiced their delight about the effectiveness of these tips. Mrs Abena Serwaah has been married for thirteen years. Beaming happily and full of praise, she said, "Ever since Pastor and Mrs Denteh came to speak to us, my husband and I have made more effort to pray together daily, and have included thanking God for the qualities which we both have as individuals. This has truly drawn us close to each other and improved our communication immensely".
Mr Kwadwo Densi also has eight years experience in marriage. "I found Pastor Denteh's seminar to be informative, educative and enjoyable," he said. "Being spiritual and learning to compromise on different issues certainly helps the marriage to stand even when problems arise".
ADRA-UK CHILD FEEDING PROJECT NIGER
A tenner (£10) will feed a hungry child in Niger for two months! A meal of millet porridge for breakfast followed by beans and rice for dinner will be life-savers for over 2,000 school children in famine hit Niger. Starting last week ADRA-UK, with its local partner ADRA Niger, will feed the most vulnerable of the children educated by ADRA in Niger along with their siblings for a period of two months. This will help them through the critical hunger months that are now hitting Niger.
With the current food crisis in Niger children are at high risk of malnutrition. Using one of the two Niamey ADRA schools which is in close proximity to one of the neediest populations, ADRA Niger will provide two meals a day to 2,000 of the most vulnerable children in the Koira Tigi area at the edge of the capital.
The meals will consist of locally available staples. The first meal will be traditional Nigerien breakfast fare, millet porridge and the second meal will provide a balance of protein and carbohydrates incorporating as many vegetables as possible.
By preventing these children from becoming malnourished and ill as they prepare to go back to school not only is their immediate need for food being served, but their continued participation in education is encouraged. The project, valued at £20,000, is funded by money raised by the 25,000 spins London-Paris cycle ride, private donations and memorial funds such as <http://www.justgiving.com/hulbert>. To donate to this project and help children in Niger please visit <http://adra.org.uk>.
INTERNATIONAL DAY IN TELFORD [Clyde Moore]
Under the theme 'Unity in Diversity' the Telford Seventh-day Adventist church hosted an International Day on Sabbath, 28 August. Members and visitors alike were resplendent in their national dress when Sabbath School superintendent Claudette Harris started the day with the hymn, 'Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee'. The church was bedecked in national flags from around the globe and the word 'Welcome' was emblazoned on the rear wall in ten different languages: Filipino, Slovak, English, German, Twi (Ghana), Welsh, Swahili, Hebrew, Polish and French. In his welcome Daniel Afrifa valiantly attempted to pronounce all of them, but was defeated by the Filipino pronunciation.
After a lively Sabbath School discussion the family service followed. Local pastor Clyde Moore, dressed in the national flag of Jamaica, welcomed the congregation by declaring, "We have come from the East, we have come from the West, we have come from the North and South for one purpose: to be one in the Lord as we celebrate our unity in diversity." For the day DIVERSITY stood for Different Individuals Valuing Each other Regardless of Skin, Intellect, Talents or Years. The speaker for the day, Elder Nana Sifa Twum from the London Ghanaian church, was welcomed to the pulpit in his native tongue by Pastor Moore - Akwaaba!
After the opening hymn Pastor Moore gave the congregation an opportunity to listen to the scripture reading, Luke 17:7-10, from the Jamaican patois audio Bible. He then read the same passage from the New King James Version for those who had missed the nuances of the patois dialect! The special item was from the newly formed International Ghanaian Choir who sang a medley of melodious harmony in their natural language - Twi.
Pastor Moore's wife, Anette, who was dressed in a traditional German dirndl dress and braided hair, then gave a bemused congregation the children's story in German! It was a familiar story of Hansel and Gretel, with visual aids, who were lost in the woods and were tempted by the witch into the gingerbread house where they were trapped. The 'children' big and small were reminded that we too are 'lost' and have been tempted by Satan into his 'gingerbread house' and we are in need of rescue. Thank God for Jesus who came to save us.
Elder Twum then delivered his sermon entitled, 'Thou Art My Master'. He reminded us of whom it is that we are serving and the importance of recognizing our duty as Christians. He also pointed out that we shouldn't seek to be rewarded for what we are expected to do. A multicultural fellowship lunch then followed where everyone was fed and enjoyed the different variety of foods. One member said, "I knew that we had different nationalities in our church, but today I really appreciate that our differences are not all that different after all. I have learnt a lot today."
In the afternoon we had a dynamic AYS where the highlight wasn't the Bible quiz created by Pastor Moore, but the reports from the different countries of how 'church' was done 'back home.' We heard from Ghana, Germany, Jamaica, Holland, Zimbabwe and of course England. A visitor commented, "it was really interesting and informative to see and hear how different cultures worship God. It just shows how big our God is, that He can understand not only the different languages, but He appreciates our worship as we worship Him in Spirit and Truth." The day ended with a social at the Carpenter Community Centre where games were played and new found friendships deepened.
75 pictures from the day can be seen on the Welsh Mission website.
THIS WEEK ON THE HOPE CHANNEL
Alexander Douglas doesn't play music to earn a living, he lives to play. Yet as a jazz musician and composer, his style of music and the performing of it in a Christian environment is often at odds with the conservative attitudes of his church. In this thought-provoking interview, Alex sets out his considered and sometimes complex arguments for jazz in a Christian context. He is this week's guest on "In Conversation" on the Hope TV satellite channel and on the web at <www.hopetv.org.uk>.
Friday 3 September: 4:30 am and 8:00 pm: Marjukka Ostrovljanovic
8:30 pm: Faith Development. "How do we know that a person is a Christian?"
Sabbath 4 September: 3:00 pm: Marjukka Ostrovljanovic
3:30 pm: Faith Development. "What is the most important choice in your life?"
Monday 6 September: 3:00 am and 9:00 pm: Alexander Douglas
Wednesday 8 September: 8:00 am and 8:30 pm: Alexander Douglas
Friday 10 September: 4:30 am and 8:00 pm: Alexander Douglas
8:30 pm: Faith Development.
Sabbath 11 September: 3:00 pm: Alexander Douglas
3:30 pm: Faith Development.
New on the <www.hopetv.org.uk> website: Following the delight of Garth Anthony's first "In Conversation", the team were so engaged with his stories that they immediately sat down and conducted an "In Conversation Extra". This second programme has more engaging tales of God's leading in mission fields and in family life.
BUC News is a weekly news bulletin produced by the British Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and edited by the Communication Department. Victor Hulbert, director; Mary Kapon, secretary. Items for inclusion should be sent to <bucnews@adventist.org.uk> and need to be received by 6.00 pm on Wednesday, preferably as simple email text. All unattributed stories written by the editorial team. Coming Events and Small Ads should be kept short and preferably be submitted via the on-line form at: <www.adventist.org.uk>. The editor reserves the right to modify articles received to make them suitable for inclusion. The views expressed by individuals cited in this bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, though we try to ensure that they do. You are free to re-print any portion of this bulletin without the need for special permission. However, we kindly request that you identify BUC News or other sources whenever you publish these materials. Back issues and an RSS feed including photographs are available on our website at <www.adventist.org.uk>.
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