Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Community mingling
One of the interesting headings on the strategy
document is that of community mingling.
This does include meeting the local ward
councillors, but it seems that much of this
intentional mingling will initially occur in those
places where the local community hang out.
To quote the document directly, it will involve:
ongoing intentional visits to cafes, etc, to get
to know people.
This is certainly a different form of
outreach to that which we traditionally
conduct. Normally we advertise for people to
meet us in places (churches
and church halls) that are
unfamiliar to them!
Youth focus
The Potters Bar initiative
also seems to have a strong
youth focus, both by our
Adventist volunteers
becoming involved in
acceptable local youth
clubs and activities, and by
arranging events to which
local youth can be invited
(for example, an indoor
football tournament).
In a recent MESSENGER
advert for volunteers to
support the Potters Bar
initiative, applicants were
told that in order to
supplement your
income and make
contacts you will be
encouraged to get a
part-time job in the local
community. This is
certainly an interesting
requirement, and one
that echoes the selfsustaining efforts of
Paul, Aquila and Priscilla
in the book of Acts.
n Barrett
Pastor Jonatha
editorial
The Loop is an exciting initiative by the New Life church and the
London Youth Federation, launched recently to bring together young
single and shared-parenting mums and dads across London to
learn, share ideas, socialise, network and gain support.
The club meets on the first Sunday of every month from 11am
to 2pm at the New Life church, 8-10 Lennox Road, N4 3NW. Kids
are welcomed to the sessions, and the Loop volunteers (trusted
members of our church and all CRB-checked) will run playtime
and arts and crafts for them.
We also have a chatroom on WhattsApp where parents get to
know each other and talk about everything from teething to the
terrible twos, and everything in between!
Some of the workshops weve held so far include: Building
Positive Relationships; Career Building Getting Back Into Work;
Planning for the Future; and Health Maintaining Physical Health
and Mental & Emotional Well-being. Over the next two months well
be running the following:
Building a Happy Home Effective Discipline & Bonding With
Your Child (3 November)
Money Management Budgeting, Savings and Financial
Support (1 December).
We also have a range of social events such as movie nights,
play dates, Sabbath lunches, and so on. We are planning a big
Christmas bakesale in December and an AYS programme to explore
the issues surrounding single parenting, particularly within a church
environment.
Get in the Loop!
If you would like to get in the Loop, contact the team on
theloopyfc@ gmail.com or find us on Facebook: The Loop Young
Families Club.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7505207/Man-flu-is-no-myth-as-scientistsprove-men-suffer-more-from-disease.html
2
http://www.express.co.uk/news/health/433446/Man-flu-is-real-just-ask-a-man
3
http://news.sky.com/story/1027683/no-evidence-of-man-flu-scientists-say
4
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/science/man-flu-exists-says-female-1554248
Elliott Prior
Amid all the turmoil of the first hours of the
siege, there is one story that begs to be
commented on: the courage of 4-year-old
Elliott Prior. Elliott, from Windsor in southeast
England, was with his mother and sister when
the slaughter started.
The noise must have been deafening.
People lay dead and dying all around him. His
mother, Amber, had gone down with a bullet to
the thigh and he was at her side, innocently
trying to protect her as best he could.
Then, as an AK47-brandishing gunman
approached him, his mother and his 6-year-old
sister Amelie, he shouted: Youre a bad man,
let us leave. 2
Pause for a moment and let your
imagination recreate that scene. Humanly
speaking, Elliotts puny 4-year-old resistance
meant nothing. It could have been blown aside
by a single bullet. But the little boy stands his
ground. He knows the difference between right
and wrong, between good and bad, and blurts
out the naked truth: Youre a bad man, let us
leave.
In doing so, Elliott wields the only weapon
that the honest, innocent, weak and seemingly
powerless of this world can wave in the face of
tyranny: the truth!
In this case, the truth led to the immediate
release of his mother and sister. They were able
to escape and take two other children with
them, including a wounded 12-year-old boy
whose mother had been murdered.3
Not all pumpkins . . .
Elliotts story is heart-warming. But life is not
a fairy tale, and we all know that pumpkins
seldom transform themselves into grand
carriages. Nevertheless, his actions do
Julian Hibbert
Editor
exemplify the dangers associated with one of lifes toughest challenges: having the courage to tell
the truth to the powerful.
In modern times this has been brought to prominence by the Quakers, who coined the phrase
speaking truth to power in a 1955 pamphlet entitled Speak Truth to Power: A Quaker Search for
an Alternative to Violence. Essentially it describes the act of speaking out to those in authority.4
Which is pretty much what little Elliott did.
Unfortunately, speaking the truth to power, although a noble and highly ethical activity, is also
fraught with immense danger. As James OToole puts it: Speaking truth to power is perhaps
the oldest and, certainly, one of the most difficult of ethical challenges because to do so entails
personal danger.5
The prophetic voice
That danger is no better illustrated than in the Bible. Throughout, it is a chronicle of prophetic
voices speaking the truth to power. It also brutally illustrates the reality that power tends to ignore
truth!
Sadly, power doesnt just ignore truth it has a propensity to shoot the messenger! Of
which this gem from Stephens speech before the Sanhedrin is a fitting illustration: Was there ever
a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? (Acts 7:52a, NIV.) What he said was so true . . . and
they stoned him, just to prove his point!
Most of us enjoy a position or a relationship that grants us some form of power. Parents
have power; pastors, teachers and elders have power; so do church boards and conference
committees. Perhaps your power lies at work, behind a bigger-than-average desk or in the
classroom, before rows of impressionable minds.
Whatever the source or format of our power is, it matters little. What matters is how we
exercise that power when faced by the Elliott Priors of this world, armed only with a piece of
uncomfortable truth.
How do you react?
How do you react when your teenage son tells you that you practise double standards? Do you
instinctively appeal to your authority, with comments like: How dare you say that to me? Have you
forgotten that Im your father?
Do you seethe with indignation over his precociousness, the negative influence of his friends
and the need to take him down a peg or two all the while, avoiding the question that really begs
to be answered: Is what he says true or not?
How do you react when one of the members objects to the church spending 200 on Bonfire
Night fireworks? Do you just dismiss her as antiquated or out of touch? Do you tell her: It was a
board decision that you have no right to question! or do you take time to quietly ponder whether
she may have a point?
Buck the trend
Some years ago I was present when a
Youre a bad
prominent church leader showed a lack of
man, let us
sensitivity for the challenges faced by his key
support staff during a series of important
leave!
meetings. His demands were unfair and he
could see that I disapproved.
Then he did something that I have seldom seen before.
He approached me privately and asked me to share my concerns with
him. I told him what I felt was wrong and he graciously thanked me for
my frankness. After that, I never saw him make that mistake again, to the
enhancement of his leadership.
His reaction was a beautiful illustration of the fact that
power doesnt need to fear truth . . . or shoot the
messenger!
1
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/world/africa/in-kenyan-mall-thieverycomes-after-carnage.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 2Read more: http://world.time.
com/2013/09/24/little-boy-to-kenya-gunman-youre-a-bad-man/#ixzz2hIvEDlLr
3
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/kenya-shopping-mall-attack-fouryearold-british-boyfreed-and-given-mars-bar-after-telling-armed-militant-youre-a-bad-man-8836104.html 4http://www.
urbandictionary. com/define.php?term=speak%20truth%20to%20power 5http://www.scu.edu/ethics/
practicing/focusareas/business/truth-to-power.html
devotional
On call
for God
by David Marshall
inbox
End Time RAIN
End Time RAIN (Revival And
Intercession Network) is the first
website of the South England
Conference devoted to prayer
and intercession. Launched in
September 2013 with the full
backing of the SEC Ministerial
department, led by Pastor
Emmanuel Osei, www.endtime
rain.org aims to provide an
expanding network of
intercessors willing to deal
with the challenges faced by
people today.
Mindful that revived prayer
revives lives, the website will
support and co-ordinate prayer
co-ordinators and intercessors
within the SEC. For those not on
the internet, the updates will be
in the form of a newsletter. It will
also develop links with Facebook
and Twitter, for younger
intercessors and those who
more readily engage in social
networking. The website will also
feature articles and devotionals
on prayer and related activities.
End Time RAIN invites prayer
requests that will be prayed for
by its network members, and
will share the testimonies of
answered prayer. The website
is overseen by Jean Bohi and
Karen Plumb, who are Prayer
Ministry leaders in London.
If you are a prayer
co-ordinator, or someone who
loves prayer or just wants to
be involved in praying for
others locally, nationally and
internationally, then get in touch
with the End Time RAIN team at
contactus@endtime rain.co.uk
wed love to hear from you.
KAREN PLUMB
Dear Editor
Thank you for that great article on the MTTC (MESSENGER 27 September,
pp. 1, 8, 9). Had it not been for that, I dont think that many people
would have been aware of the level and quality of work that was done
in preparation for the Mission to the Cities project in South London.
One member from Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire, read the interview in
the MESSENGER and posted a cheque for 110 to purchase an advert on
the rear panel of one of the London buses. We say: Hallelujah, to God be
the glory! I am going to write to her acknowledging her gift, but it will be
nice to see a little article in the MESSENGER recognising her generosity;
others may follow her example, we never know.
Again, thank you very much for a great interview.
Yours in the Masters service,
Andrew Puckering
Do you have a question youd like to see answered in Q & A? Why not send it
in to us at: editor@stanboroughpress.org.uk? If your question doesnt appear
in the next issue, dont despair we will deal with it in due course.
AFM report
Abdullahs story
General Conference Adventist Frontier Mission
director, Pastor Conrad Vine, reports directly from
the danger-fraught frontline of cross-cultural mission.
Hi Pastor Julian,
Greetings from a wet, hot and humid Guinea!
In recent days I have been travelling to some
of our West African projects, visiting with
missionaries, meeting new believers and
helping to develop future AFM outreach plans.
Earlier this week I was in a country that is
very closed to the Gospel, where our only
official presence is an ADRA director who has
to be very cautious about doing overt evangelism. Despite these conditions, however, there
are many Gospel-hungry souls in this country.
We secretly met believers who worship at
the only Adventist congregation in the capital
city, a group about forty strong, consisting
mainly of African immigrants. We also met
someone else, a secret believer who is
making his way to Jesus via a different route.
This is his story . . .
I was in a lean-to shelter on the edge of
the Sahara desert, in this country where
evangelism is very dangerous. Close by was
a mosque where children were being drilled in
Quranic memorisation. My colleague and I sat
on a rug with our backs against a low wall,
grateful for the tarp that protected us from the
suns scorching heat.
Flies filled the air. Mice scurried here and
there. Veiled women hurried to and fro.
But where are the books for us? How can
we find Ellen White? The question stunned
me. How did Abdullah,* this brave seeker
after truth who sat before us in the shade,
know about Ellen White?
Seven years earlier, while Abdullah was
praying around midnight, he had a vision. The
heavens opened and Jesus Christ appeared to
him wearing a flowing robe and golden crown.
He spoke directly to Abdullah, saying He
wished to come down and stay with someone
in Africa. The vision then ended abruptly and
Abdullah was left to ponder its meaning. Could
it be that Jesus the Messiah wanted to dwell
with him?
And so the search to know Jesus Christ
began for Abdullah. He recounted to us how
he had gone from westerner to westerner in
the capital, begging for a Bible. All refused.
But finally, after many months of searching,
a foreigner eventually gave him a New
Testament.
As he read it through, the Holy Spirit began
to work a miracle in his heart.
At this time, one of the only foreigners
PEACE graduation:
Tokoza Muimo
Qudon Stewart
Darrin Shephard
5
1. Tortoiseshell butterfly.
Jovita Bhengra, Sony HDR-CX190E.
2. Close-up of an owl.
Piotr Nikiel.
3. Goslings.
Davina Sly, Panasonic TZ-10.
4. Hummingbird.
Le-Jhel Williams, Canon EOS 5d Mk2.
5. Poppy in a cornfield.
Daniel Johnson, Canon IXUS 115 HS.
6. Garden spider and water droplets.
Marrick Schoonraad, Canon EOS 40d.
Autumn colours!
Spring and summer have come and gone since the last
Megapixel spread, but havent September and October been
fab? All the colours of autumn, showing their best against the
bright sunshine and blue skies . . . lovely! If spring is a time of
new life, then autumn is a time for rejuvenation, a time in
the cycle when everything dies off and feeds the ground with
old vegetation, to pave the way for the new life to come again
next year, and so it continues. Now thats creation at its best!
I must confess, the steady flow of pictures into my inbox
has slowed up a bit: maybe youve all been busy enjoying
your summer, and who can blame you! But now its chilling
off a bit, maybe its time to take stock of your pictures from
this year, and send some in for Megapixels.
If you have enjoyed all these great pictures, how about
sending in yours to: dbell@stanboroughpress.org.uk just
remember to keep them hi-res.
DAVID BELL
Then God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to
divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and
for days and years . . .
Genesis 1:14 (NKJV)
10
baptisms
A honeymoon
baptism
Chilufya
Pastor Ghioalda baptising Sandie
Sandies baptism
Great joy was experienced by the
Dundee church on Sabbath 14
September as 19-year-old Sandie
Chilufya was baptised. She had
shown great interest in her Bible
studies with Pastor Marcel
Ghioalda and they culminated in
this quiet display of allegiance to
Christ. The pastor emphasised
continuing commitment and
steadfastness in his sermon, and
many youngsters gathered round
the baptismal pool to witness the
beautiful service. Sandie will be
moving to Derby, where she will
JOHN WALTON
study law.
Double celebration
Juliana Keshishian was baptised
at the Stanborough Park church
on her birthday, 7 September, by
Pastor Jacques Venter. This wonderful event was the culmination
of a series of studies Juliana received from Pastor Mary Barrett.
She wanted to be baptised because she fully understood Gods
plan of redemption and wanted to
make a fresh start with Jesus.
On her mothers side she is a
fourth-generation Adventist on
her fathers side a fifth! Besides
the influence of her family, the
years spent as a pupil at Stanborough Park Primary School have
also been a positive influence in
BRONWEN ATKINSON
her life.
Langley
baptises six
On 28 September the
Langley church
witnessed the baptism
of six new members,
including two married
couples. Asha Henry,
Agnes Henry, Malkito
Kaur, Roop Lal Hans,
Diego Phares and William Henry were baptised by the Langley pastor,
Sohan Masih Gill.
In addition to this the Hans sisters, Jaspreet and Priya, were
dedicated during the same service in which their parents were
baptised.
It was truly a day of great rejoicing, which was appropriately
concluded by a fine fellowship lunch.
ROHEET SUBRAI
Congratulations
Charlotte Redman of Winchester
Church recently obtained a BA (Hons)
from Portsmouth University in Early
Childhood Studies well done!
WENDY BRADLEY
news
11
12
13
MOHAP annual
retreat
The annual Ministry of
Healing and Prayer (MOHAP)
retreat was attended by ninety Adventists from across England,
Scotland and Wales and James. He saw the advert on a poster,
phoned the MOHAP director to enquire if only members of the Seventhday Adventist Church could attend, and was assured that he would
be welcome. After a weekend spent at Wokefield Park, Mortimer, he
felt comfortable enough to teach the attendees a lovely song called
Shabbat Shalom, and left with these memories: There were words of
warmth and wisdom; singing about our Masters glorious return; and
fun and fellowship at a deep, Christ-centred level with dear souls.
From Friday, 30 August to Monday, 2 September 2013, the retreat
speakers delivered a total of thirteen presentations on the theme, Lord,
make me whole, and covered the spectrum of emotional, physical and
spiritual healing.
Pastor Dennis Smith (USA), author of sixteen books on the Holy
Spirit, presented four deeply provocative devotions on the baptism of
the Holy Spirit, challenging attendees to allow Jesus to live His life in
and through them and to daily seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Pastor
Aris Vontzalidis, SEC Church Growth director, touched by the message,
stated that it needed to be heard throughout the British Isles.
Colin Hone (Australia), international director of Holy Spirit Ministries,
shared how he attended a revival weekend in 2009, conducted by
Pastor Dennis Smith. After completing Pastor Smiths 40 Days of
Prayer and Devotion he discovered a new spiritual life.
They were joined by Dr Magna Parks (USA), a counselling
GBK summer
programme
Plumstead
International Day
DELVA CAMPBELL
VALDA E. TAYLOR
obituaries
14
Food, glorious
food!
We could all have
sung, Food, glorious food . . .
on Sunday 15 September in
Newport when the church held
its annual health fair at
Eveswell Primary School, just across the road and what a happy day it
proved to be.
One visitor, Maureen Baker, accompanied by her daughter Helen, first
came to the event three years ago and returned last year too. Together
they visited each table, doing all the health checks. The outcome was
described by Maureen as very helpful.
One young woman, a local high school student, dropped in when she
noticed the poster at the school gate. She took an intelligent interest in
all that was offered. An Asian family and friends, who live in a road
close to the church, happily participated and also enjoyed the food.
Certainly there was something for everyone, from the toddlers to
teenagers. The Newport Temperance Society provided an educational
game of Snakes and Ladders aimed at encouraging discussion between
children and parents about the dangers of alcohol.
In addition to the usual range of health checks, Leslie Wood from
Cardiff was on hand to give back-care advice and to do massage. Althea
Collymore of the Welsh Refugee Council provided essential advice,
which was especially appreciated by at least one of the visitors. The
local Samaritans were there too. Sadly the Newport line comes very
high on the list of places where people decide to commit suicide.
Dr Catherine Kanu was a very interesting volunteer. She came to
Britain from Sierra Leone as a refugee and is now working in Cwmbran
prior to deciding on her future specialisation. Im so glad that Evan
invited me, she said. This is the base for medicine. This is what we
need to do, to teach people how to eat well. We take so much of what
we have for granted, but this kind of event is a good opportunity to put
something back into society.
Good food played a major role in the day and visitors could easily
have come in to enjoy the delicious food and gone away satisfied
without further participation! The initial tasters led on to lunch: a
beautiful vegan lentil soup, salad sandwiches, veggie samosas, cherry
vegan cheesecake and wholemeal fruit cake. The day ended with a
vegan smoothie-making demonstration by Evan Green, Health director
MIRIAM WOOD
of the Newport church and the fairs organiser.
Jennifer Angela
Johnson, MBE
(1962-2013) d. 5
March. On Friday,
22 March, West
Bromwich Church
overflowed as
members, friends
and relatives attended the funeral
service of Jennifer Angela
Johnson, MBE.
It was Jennifers wish that
white and red be the colours at
her funeral service. These wishes
were honoured with red and white
flowers, while nature assisted
with a fresh covering of snow.
Jennifer was born on 14
October, 1962, and fell asleep in
the Lord on 5 March this year.
During her illness she did not
complain, even when in much
pain. She took the time to
encourage those who visited and
telephoned her. In her short life
she achieved many things and
was happy with what she had
done, but, as in her own words,
the best thing was finding Jesus.
Jennifer embraced the
Adventist message after having
Bible studies for about two
years and was baptised into the
fellowship of the West Bromwich
church congregation on Sabbath
10 November, 2012. Her favourite
hymn was Leaning On the
Everlasting Arms, and it was
sung when church members went
to visit her.
During her working life she
had jobs that didnt give her the
satisfaction that she got when
working with young people,
mentoring and helping them to
reach their full potential. Because
of her dedication to helping
others, Jennifer was nominated
for and received an MBE in
December 2011.
Jennifer is mourned by her son
Andrew, who, during her last
weeks, took time from his work
to lovingly and tenderly care for
his mother. She also leaves her
parents, other family members,
many friends, colleagues, and a
host of the young people she had
mentored over the years.
The tears will flow when we
remember the times we shared
with Jen, but we have a hope of
meeting her again in the new
Jerusalem.
Her family would like to thank
everyone for their support in their
time of bereavement.
JOY DIXON
Dufton George Burth (19412013) d. 1 July. On Monday 15
July, family and friends of the late
Dufton George Burth gathered at
15
In 2012 he was diagnosed with
cancer, passing away on 1 July,
exactly thirteen years to the day
after his wife. He is survived by
his two children, four grandchildren and eight remaining
In memoriam:
This photograph of Sidney Cecil Rose (19182013) was regrettably not included with his
obituary in the MESSENGER of 27 September.
We know how special his family, and
particularly his children, were to him and
we apologise for any distress this may have
caused them.
EDITOR
Baby shower
After another successful vegetarian cooking demo and delectable meal
in the function room of our church in Great Yarmouth, Izabela was called
away with her husband. What she didnt know was that the church was
planning a big surprise for her! Mike suddenly remembered there
was something hed left in church and as Izabela entered the room
everybody was waiting and there was a pile of presents!
After she got over the shock, she was given a large Mum to Be
badge. Since Mike and Izabela were baptised they have been faithful,
supportive and active, hard-working members. Mike is an elder and
Izabela is our Sabbath School superintendent. Their baby is due in
November and we wanted to give them some help with their new arrival
and let them know how much they are appreciated. PASTOR MICHAEL I. WALKER
16
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Dedication
Sabbath 24 August was a special
Sabbath for Natalie and Ian Wilson
of Winchester Church: The day
Pastor Viv Llewellyn dedicated
their baby boy Oisin. Ians parents
had travelled from Ireland for the
event and Natalies parents and
sister were also there.
Pastor Llewellyn told the
congregation that the opportunity
to dedicate Oisin was made even
more special by the fact that,
some twenty-five years earlier, he
had dedicated Natalie when he
was minister of the Southampton
WENDY BRADLEY
church!
Messenger
Volume 118 22 25 October 2013
Editor: J. G. Hibbert
Design: David Bell
Proof reading: Andrew Puckering
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