November 2009

EXTRA SPECIAL YOUTH DAY IN SWANSEA - by Lily Kidwell

Sabbath 14 November was a particularly delightful day for members and friends of the Swansea church because on that day three Welsh Mission young people gave their lives to Jesus through baptism.

The day began with a youth service led by our Afterglow team. During the first half there was a group discussion of certain Bible passages related to baptism. Then our speaker for the day, Filip Bajic, from Newbold College, spoke about the parable of the ten virgins, emphasising just how important it is for us all to be prepared and ready to meet our Saviour. Brother Tihi also inspired us with his music.

We were blessed with a full church of people visiting from different parts of the country. These included friends and family of the baptismal candidates and also other visitors from Newbold. The fellowship lunch was another enjoyable and our special thanks go to Hajdi Adamovic, Val Byrd, and everyone who helped out in the kitchen.

The afternoon programme was built around the baptisms of Eiddon, Kandice and Katie:

Eiddon Paul grew up in Swansea church and is committed to serving God through his music - playing drums as his favourite instrument. I remember asking Eiddon about baptism years ago and his answer was, "I am still waiting for the new church building." Happily, thanks to the love and fellowship of many different people, he made his decision before then and we are all very pleased that he has fully accepted Jesus as his personal Saviour and Friend. Speaking before the baptism Eiddon said that there had been some inspiring spiritual developments in his life recently and he particularly mentioned joining the Street Pastors training and hearing everyone's testimony there. He also mentioned the Afterglow outreach programme and his Bible studies with Pastor Jovan Adamovic.

Kandice Arriola came to Swansea in recent years and, along with her family, joined our fellowship. Kandice had always said she wanted to get baptised and was hoping to have Bible studies at some stage. Going on last summer's Youth Congress trip to Munich, and the tour of Europe with the Welsh Mission youth, helped her to recognise God's presence in her life through Christian friendships and this led to her decision to make a commitment to Jesus. Kandice is one of the singers in the Afterglow team as they continue their ongoing outreach programme in Swansea.

Katie Goodman attends the Lampeter company with her family. She told me about her recent experience of attending the 'Advance' meetings run by the NEC and how she then responded to an appeal made by the minister there. Katie knew then that she really wanted to get baptised and subsequently had Bible studies with Pastor Adamovic. She is blessed to have parents who tutor her at home and she is an active member in her own church. Although she lives a long way from the nearest Adventist church she uses internet social networking to keep in touch with other Adventist young people and friends.

Following the baptisms, Pastor Adamovic presented Eiddon, Kandice and Katie to the congregation so that they could welcome the candidates fully into the church fellowship and pledge their support. Appropriately the day concluded with a special Mini-Glow session which introduced the whole church to the lively Afterglow service style. In particular, the song 'O Happy Day' was perfect for the occasion and really created a feeling of celebration for the three newly baptised members.
 

October 2009

WOMEN'S RETREAT AT NICHOLASTON HOUSE - Lily Kidwell

It was a great privilege to be able to attend this year's women's retreat held near Swansea over the weekend of 23 to 25 October. Personally speaking, it was a very relaxing and spiritually refreshing weekend. Although at the time I myself was not feeling too well, it was comforting to feel God's presence being in company with some friends and members of our church family.

The weekend was a full and interesting programme, combining regular song services, devotionals and worship time. We started on Friday evening by just basically introducing ourselves and exchanging gifts to each other. The giving of gifts experience became more meaningful as we further studied the actual meaning of the word 'Grace' which was the theme of the weekend retreat. Someone said that sometimes we do take the word for granted but as Christians we all know that grace is God's free gift to all of us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, and we respond to Him by accepting Him and believing His promises that are found in the Bible.

On Sabbath the main part of the morning service was spent in worship with a video presentation and discussion about the prodigal son. Who do we relate to, the younger son or the older son? Here is the challenge: How can we be a good elder brother or elder sister? The good thing is that the Father loves both His children - and that is encouraging for us all. After lunch some people went to the beach while others went for a mountain walk and some of us enjoyed a little rest. During the evening Anette Moore did a workshop promoting her crafts, others played board games and others spent just chatting to each other.

Following the morning worship on Sunday we enjoyed some moments of reflection. We were also blessed with special items as well as guitar music by Elva during the worship times. One of my favourite hymns was: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretched like me, I was once lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see."

A special thank you to Jane for organising the weekend and for everyone who participated. We hope that even more women will be able to join in next year. To find out more, contact Jane Wells via Welsh Mission office.

We had great food and excellent hospitality throughout our stay at the house. Some good weather also allowed us to enjoy the nature and the beautiful sea views overlooking Oxwich bay. I would highly recommend this venue for anyone hoping to have a retreat. You can see their website at. www.nicolastonhouse.org. For more pictures from this year's event have a look at our gallery page.

NORTH WALES CELEBRATES THE BAPTISM OF ELA PIECHOCKA

Family and friends joined the congregations of North Wales churches at Rhyl on a beautiful Sabbath morning 10 October, to witness and celebrate the baptism of Mrs Elzbieta Piechocka. "Ela" as she is known to her friends, has been working in the laboratory of the local hospital in Llandudno for the past three years, and was introduced to the Adventist faith by her husband Piotr.

Pastor David Foster discovered that she was a most intelligent and faithful student, who always came up with new searching questions during her baptismal Bible studies.

Originally from the city of Zabrze, South Poland, and from the Catholic tradition, Ela was happy to be joining the Llandudno Junction company as part of the Welsh Mission church. She was welcomed into membership by Welsh Mission Executive Committee member Malcolm Turner, and into the Llandudno company by Pastor Foster. On the following Sabbath, 17 October, she was also welcomed by Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge.

Ela is already proving to be a tremendous asset to the church as God continues to build up His people in the North Wales part of His vineyard.
 

BAPTISM OF GEMMA HARRIES

On Sabbath afternoon 10 October Mrs Gemma Harries was baptised and accepted into membership in the Cardiff Central church. Her journey to full membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been long and winding. Born and raised as an Anglican in Trinidad, West Indies, Gemma first found out about the Sabbath when she was sixteen. "My mother always encouraged me to ask questions and to find the answers for myself," she said. "When I told her that I thought I was keeping all of the ten commandments she asked, 'are you really?' She then told me to read the Bible and find what day the Sabbath actually fell on. It meant reading right from the beginning until I found the answer, but I eventually did and knew from then on that Saturday was the true Sabbath."

Although the question of the Sabbath was at the back of her mind, Gemma joined another Sunday-keeping church and it was not until she came to Wales, around twenty years ago, that she began to think about the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She married a Welshman who she met through her work in Cardiff, but sadly he died after they had spent just ten years together. By this time her mother and older sister had joined the Adventist church back in Trinidad and Gemma now determined that she too would try to find her nearest Adventist church.

Her initial contact was with Pastor Clyde Moore, then serving as the minister of the Cardiff Central church. He came to see her at work and actually took her to see where the church was. Since then Gemma has been a faithful attender - not only at the Sabbath morning services, but also at the mid-week prayer meetings and virtually all of the evangelistic meetings that have been run at the church this year. In fact, following the "New Beginnings" campaign that ran for 26 evenings over the summer, Gemma was awarded a prize for attending every night.

At the baptismal service Pastor Moore spoke of how Gemma had started attending church and he conducted an interview with her on the platform. Although she does not normally enjoy standing up at the front, Gemma was eloquent in telling the congregation of how she had found the Lord and how she had now pledged her life to serving Him. Pastor Jeremy Tremeer, the current Cardiff Central pastor, took her through the baptismal vows, and Pastor John Surridge, Welsh Mission President, performed the baptism itself.

It was a day of joy and celebration for all who attended, but mostly for Gemma herself. "This is where I belong," she said.

Pictures from the baptism can be seen in our gallery section.
 

BABY AMELIA DEDICATED IN THE SWANSEA CHURCH - Lily Kidwell

Sabbath 3 October was another great day at the Swansea church when relatives of Maricon and Ade from Bridgend gathered together from different parts of the country to come and witness the dedication of their baby, Amelia. It was wonderful to see so many people at church and celebrate this occasion.

One of my favourite stories in the Bible is the story of Samuel. His mother prayed for a child and promised to dedicate her child to God. Samuel then grew up in the temple and became close to the Lord.

As it says in the Bible, Jesus said, "Do not hinder the children to come unto me". We are so blessed to have many children in our church and pray that these little ones will continue to stay close to God through their loving parents and with the love and support of our church congregation.
 

September 2009

BAPTISMS IN NEWPORT - by Mike Sammons and David Rancic

"There will be showers of blessings," says the old hymn, and Sabbath 19 September 2009 will be memorable to all present in the Newport Seventh-day Adventist Church as just such an occasion. It had been planned to have a baptismal service first, followed by a communion service, but the combination of a fairly new baptistery and a highly efficient heating system led to the baptismal water being extremely hot at the start of the day! Quick thinking by the Elders led to a change in the order of service and, by delaying the baptism until after the communion service, a comfortable experience was enjoyed by the Elders and baptismal candidates alike.

The church was filled with members and guests - some attending for the first time - who witnessed and celebrated the baptisms of Timothy Hope and Desmond Gordon. Newport Church Elders, Mike Sammons and Evan Green led out in both services with the newly appointed minister, David Rancic, delivering the message. Sharon McKenzie added to the occasion with her beautiful rendition of, "Jesus is all the world to me".

Earlier this year Timothy was invited to join a MicroCHIP course which met on a Sunday in Newport Church's Gallivan LIFEdevelopment Centre. Timothy was so enthusiastic about the course that one week he came a day early by mistake! However, he has attended every Sabbath since then. As well as enjoying the benefits of a healthier lifestyle he learned more about the teachings of the Bible.

Desmond visited many churches in the past and Rodney Williams from the Cardiff Church was able to follow up many years of prayer by introducing him to Even Green, one of the Newport Elders. From this introduction a new friendship began, enriched by Bible study and prayer. In Desmond's own words, "my search for God came to an end."

After Timothy and Desmond were accepted into membership of the Newport Church they both expressed their satisfaction at being finally cleansed of their sins.

Timothy was grateful for the warm greeting he received from Pastor Jan McKenzie, former minister of the Newport church, as well as that received from his replacement, David Rancic. Both Timothy and Desmond gave special thanks to the Green family for welcoming them into their home and the whole church family for their acceptance, kind words, prayers and encouragement.

"This is just the beginning of exciting times for Newport Church," said David Rancic. "The Church Board members are looking at different ways of reaching the community. We are praying that God will help us to find a key to unlock the gate of 'Newport Castle' so that many more will accept Him as their Saviour."
 

AFTERGLOW - NEW OUTREACH SERVICE STARTS IN SWANSEA - by Lily Kidwell

Here in Swansea we are very privileged to have youth with many different musical talents. It may be our Welsh way, or possibly a part of our Christian experience, that we all encourage our children to sing in church from the time we take them to Sabbath School, or get them to join a school choir, or take our take them to music lessons so that they can be able to play any form of musical instrument. Personally I love singing and have enjoyed being a member of a ladies choir in Swansea in the past. I also learned simple guitar strumming as a child but unfortunately never pursued it further.

It is good to see our young people in Swansea church really exercising their gifted talents by praising God through their songs and performing with the use of their chosen instruments. Eiddon Paul plays the drums, Eifion Paul plays the bass guitar, Jon Kidwell plays the acoustic guitar, Chris Kidwell plays the lead guitar, Ffion Kidwell plays the violin, Duane Saunders plays the keyboard, and Kandice Ariola leads the singing with Duane. A new "Afterglow" service is now runing every fortnight in the Swansea Adventist church and features a variety of different items. The service lasts around 45 minutes and consists of congregational song service, videos, readings from Bible passages and short talks lasting no more than five minutes. The idea of the programme is to promote the gospel to the community and to try to bring people to God who may have been put off by some traditional church methods.

The Afterglow team would welcome any ideas for future services as the idea is still new and needs the support of the church in order to grow. There are regular Bible studies during the week that the ‘band’ lead and participate in, and anybody who would like to take part in these Bible studies is welcome to contact a member of the group or Pastor Jovan Adamovic.

Some of us who witnessed the inauguration of the first services were inspired by the performance of our young people and would like to ask everyone to pray for them and support these organized outreach programs.

Afterglow - Upcoming Dates:

Saturday 03 October at 6:00 pm - Swansea Church
Saturday 17 October at 6:00 pm - Swansea Church
Saturday 31 October at 6:00 pm - Swansea Church
 

THE WAY OUT - SEPTEMBER BRECON CAMP

Excellent weather characterised Brecon Camp this September - the third camp in a row now to be held in virtually perfect conditions. There was also a good atmosphere, with first time attenders commenting on how friendly and helpful everyone was.

The speaker for this camp was Richard Down, a teacher currently working as head of the Design and Technology department in a small high school in rural Worcestershire. In his series of talks, entitled "The Way Out", Richard spoke on the theme of grace, pointing out that Jesus not only provided a way out for us but also came back to show us the way.

Despite covering some 'heavy' theological themes - such as perfectionism, righteousness through faith and the perceived conflict between law and grace - Richard used his skills as a teacher and communicator to reduce apparently complex ideas to simple principles. "Perfectionism is a doctrine of hopelessness," he said. "In fact it can lead to the same temptation that Satan used in the Garden of Eden - that of wanting to be exactly like God." Speaking of grace he used the illustration of the woman caught in adultery to show how Jesus managed to find a way out without breaking the law. "This is what grace is all about," he said.

Over the weekend the fifty or so campers, plus a similar number who came to visit at one time or another, got to know Richard and his family a little better. Although they are regulars at the Brecon Camp not many had heard, for example, the story of how Richard and his wife Babi got together. A series of coincidences, including a debilitating injury, a car that needed to be recovered from Hungary, telephones that didn't work, and the need for an interpreter, led to Richard spending a few hours with Babi trying to sort out his various problems. Six months later, following prayer and God's leading, they made contact again and, as Richard said, "the rest is history!"

For many people the best thing about Brecon Camp is meeting other people. Through conversations and shared experiences, new friendships are made and old ones strengthened. Some of the best conversations at this camp took place on the Sabbath afternoon walk up to the triangulation point on the hill which looks out over the camp, and later around the bonfire on the beach by the river. Here the children splashed around in their wellies, grown men competed to see who could saw up logs the quickest (and be bravest in the face of the inevitable injuries), while others discussed the best strategies for staying warm in a tent at night. It was here also that a small group of engineering enthusiasts discovered Richard Down's passion for all things mechanical, particularly diesel engines!

One other memorable moment occurred at around 9.47 pm on the Saturday evening when the International Space Station made a spectacular ascent from the western horizon. In the countryside blackness, which so many never experience, it was literally breathtaking. Although a couple of hundred miles up in the sky the Space Station looked close enough to touch and a voice from the back of the small crowd of viewers called out, "I can see someone waving!"

The Brecon Camp takes place twice a year, in May and September. If you would like to share the experience with us just get in touch with the Camp Director, Pastor Jeremy Tremeer.

More than 90 photos from the camp can be seen in our gallery section.
 

LIFESTYLE CHANGE EXPERT VISITS SOUTH WALES

On Tuesday 1 September Dr Hans Diehl, lifestyle change expert and founder of the Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP), visited the Swansea and Cardiff Seventh-day Adventist churches as part of a whistle-stop tour of the UK and Ireland.

In the morning Dr Diehl, accompanied by BUC National CHIP Coordinator Mrs Gene Kol, attended a typically substantial CHIP breakfast in the Swansea Adventist church, and met up with a number of people who had taken part in a CHIP programme in the spring. He spoke about the difference that CHIP has made to thousands of people's lives and pointed out that, as participants, we need to be more gentle when we try to approach people about following such a healthy lifestyle. Only through love and care will people want to know more about leading a simple lifestyle - hopefully then they will want to try it for themselves. He then asked for the participants' feedback, based on their experiences and the progress they had made during the month-long project and after. In response many spoke of losing weight and reducing cholesterol levels. One participant mentioned that through simply drinking lots of water his eyesight had improved. Now he doesn't need glasses for driving! It was a real pleasure for those who had watched many hours of Dr Diehl's DVD presentations to actually get to meet him. One participant said, "It was great to be there today and see Dr Diehl in person. After all the video lectures we've seen, it felt like meeting an old friend."

In Cardiff, guests enjoyed a healthy, plant-based meal, skilfully prepared by Welsh Mission Health Sponsors Irving and Lil Saunders, before listening to a two-hour talk by Dr Diehl. Approximately fifty people were present, not all of them church members, and many were surprised or even shocked by some of the health statistics presented. One such statistic was the fact that here in the UK we eat ten times more salt than we actually need.

The high salt, high saturated fat diet, which is now the lifestyle norm in the western world, is doing massive damage to public health. Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is occurring at a younger age than ever, leading to an epidemic of premature heart attacks and strokes. The solution, according to Dr Diehl, is to eat simpler food. "Plant-based food, closest to its natural form, is what is best for us," he said. "83% of people taking medication for high blood pressure could be off it in 4-8 weeks simply by making lifestyle changes."

CHIP is being adopted by many Adventist churches throughout the UK, both for the benefit of the members, through the MicroCHIP programme, and for the general public through the full, twenty-session CHIP programme. Although its primary purpose is to promote good health, it is also a powerful evangelistic tool as people come to realise that the health principles taught through CHIP are also the ones first prescribed by our Creator God.

A 13-minute video interview with Dr Diehl in the Cardiff church can be viewed below:

 

July 2009

"LAST CALL" FROM THE BOURNVILLE CHURCH - by Lily Kidwell

Sabbath 25 July was a very special day when a group of members from Bourneville, Birmingham came to Swansea to share a prepared program for the Sabbath day. Brother Solomon Mangeni, originally from Uganda, was the programme coordinator. Solomon used to attend the Bourneville church but moved to Wales last year to study at Swansea University. Solomon is a good singer and is also part of the male voice group.

The Sabbath School service started on time, at 10 in the morning, with lots of special music from 'Last Call' as well as some short talks by Sister Ruth and Brother Timire. The lesson study was facilitated by Brother Emam with some very interesting discussions on walking in the light by keeping God's commandments. In the divine service, Brother Glynn Meredith delivered an inspiring message on faith.

The potluck lunch gave everyone the opportunity to fellowship with one another by sharing each other's special delicacies and allowing people to talk and get to know each other. I had the privilege of getting to know some people from the Philippines who knew some of my family from the Adventist University in the Philippines. It showed how multicultural our church here in the United Kingdom is as many of us come from many different parts of the world. The seven members of 'Last Call' represented Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda and the Philippines alone. It does give us the feeling of what heaven is like when we are all united in our belief and practices as Adventist Christians. During the afternoon programme, there was a time of singspiration, many more songs from 'Last Call', some special items from the children and some songs from a Swansea church singing group involving Solomon, Sam, Jo and Vanessa. A personal testimony and a closing charge was given by Brother Emam which reminded us of making sure that we are led to the Rock which is Jesus.

Of course, a visit to Swansea church would not be complete without seeing some parts of the Gower coast. After the afternoon programme, as it was a very nice, sunny day, people went to Caswell Bay to enjoy the beach and the scenery which made the whole day a wonderful experience for everyone, especially for the children.

Christopher Kidwell who sound engineered the service is in the process of producing selected pieces of music from the day which may become available at a later date. Please contact the 'Last Call' group in the Bourneville church or Brother Solomon via Swansea church.

For more information on what is happening in the Swansea church, check out: http://swansea316.blogspot.com.
 

June 2009

FIRST FULL CHIP PROGRAMME IN WALES - by Lily Kidwell

During the month of May the Swansea church hosted a full CHIP health programme. Although the Welsh Mission has run a couple of MicroCHIP programmes over the past year the ambition has always been to run a full programme. This was finally achieved in Swansea thanks to Welsh Mission Health Ministries sponsors Lil and Irving Saunders, who, along with a number of dedicated church members, gave up their time to support this important evangelistic work of the church. Eight participants committed themselves to the intensive and quite expensive programme which ran for four weeks and included blood test for cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) checks.

There were four programmes each week during which health books were given out and instructional and motivational DVDs shown on subjects such as vegetarian cookery and healthy lifestyle practices. These were backed up with many practical demonstrations by the team members and the tasty and nutritious food was enjoyed by all. A regular programme of exercise was also encouraged and, with the arrival of the summer weather, all participants have been spending more time walking.

On Monday 15 June friends and family of the participants attended the graduation ceremony. Before the more formal part of the programme the graduates shared a meal and spent some time socialising together. They also testified as to how beneficial their experience had been - all would now encourage others to join in a future event.

As the graduates were presented with their certificates they were congratulated and everyone wished them well. At least one of the visitors was very impressed and is considering taking part in the next Swansea CHIP programme, which is planned to begin in October.

Many people contributed to the success of this CHIP programme but the support of members from the Lampeter church was particularly appreciated as they had to travel so far. Their catering skill in providing a wide variety of healthy vegetarian delicacies was second to none.

An alumni meeting is planned for July when participants will be able to reflect on their good work during the course and perhaps help with the planning of future programmes - locally and throughout Wales. The CHIP programme will continue to be run in the Welsh Mission and anyone interested in hosting an event should contact Lil or Irving Saunders on: 01792 549412, or the local minister, Pastor Jovan Adamović. For more information check out the Swansea CHIP website at: <www.swanseachip.net>.

CHIP - the Coronary Health Improvement Project - is a 30 day lifestyle education programme proven to help reverse medical conditions such as diabetes, some types of cancer, atherosclerosis and other health problems like depression. The programme was pioneered in 1988 by Dr Hans Diehl in the United States and has since gained popularity around the world. As people in society are becoming more health conscious it is good to see Adventists leading the world through the health principles they derive from the Bible as well as from the writings of Ellen G White.

Some from the graduation can be seen in the gallery section.
 

THREE MISSIONS FIELD SCHOOL OF EVANGELISM

On Sabbath 30 May Pastor Geoff Youlden, television presenter and Evangelist for the Australian Union Conference, came to Cardiff for the start of a week long Field School of Evangelism. For many years Geoff has had a keen interest in evangelism in the British Isles and when invited to run the school in Cardiff he readily accepted.

In his Sabbath presentations to the Cardiff and district members Geoff focused on the importance of being faithful to our calling as evangelists. "We have a responsibility to share the message we have," he said. "We will be held to account for this. Not everyone will accept it, but plenty will." Regarding the practicalities of public evangelism in the twenty-first century he pointed out that the basic evangelistic strategy of sowing, cultivating and reaping, has not changed since New Testament times. However, "things have changed since the big reaping campaigns of fifty years ago," he said. "Today we need to spend much more time in sowing - through leaflets, personal contacts, health seminars - but primarily through door to door work."

On Monday 1 June twenty-two ministers and lay evangelists from Scotland, Ireland and Wales arrived for the main part of the Field School. Over the next few days, through lectures, practical door-to-door sessions, and evangelistic presentations in front of the whole group, they practiced and developed their existing skills and learnt about new approaches to proclaiming the gospel. In particular they practiced using the "New Beginnings" evangelistic series, which is being made available to all churches within the British Union Conference.

On Tuesday morning 2 June Pastor Larry Laredo, another highly experienced Australian evangelist and a friend and colleague of Geoff Youlden, gave a special presentation. Larry had come to Cardiff with his daughter Jenny and son Grant as part of their vacation in the UK and Europe - a trip they tailored especially to enable them to attend the Field School. Commenting on the need for evangelism in these latter days, and throwing down a challenge to ministers and members with a Laodicean mindset, Larry warned, "The danger is that we're not going to have trouble in the time of trouble because no one knows we're here!" However he went on to give encouragement with the words, "Seeing people come into the kingdom is what revitalises the church."

Larry Laredo has recently been suffering from cancer and, although he is currently in remission, he recognises that every day is now special. In a particularly poignant moment he paused in his lecture and invited Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge to the front. "I have a gift from an elderly couple in my home church," he said. "When they heard that I was coming all the way to Wales to talk about evangelism they gave me this." At which point Larry handed over an envelope containing a thousand Australian dollars - proof of the commitment that so many Adventist members still have to public evangelism.

A key component of the Field School was the test running of two dinners, put on for the public at the Cardiff Centre Holiday Inn. Members were asked to invite as many of their unchurched friends as possible to an evening dinner, which included a special presentation by Geoff Youlden. More than eighty people came on the first night, and just over sixty on the second, and some thirty or so new contacts were made. For his presentations, Geoff gave a brief overview of the Three Angels' Messages, urging people who wanted to know more to attend the forthcoming New Beginnings series in the Cardiff church.

On the final Sabbath of the Field School BUC President Pastor Don McFarlane came to Cardiff to give his support. He explained the rationale behind the current General Conference "Year of "Evangelism" and stressed need for Adventists not to be passive but to go out to the public with the gospel.

In the closing session on Sabbath afternoon the team members spoke of their experiences and Geoff Youlden summarised the lessons that had been learnt during the week. Perhaps the most important lesson learnt was that door to door work can be easy, fun and painless. It can also bear much fruit - in just two sessions of one hour each more than 28 contact names were obtained. "Just imagine what would happen if that was repeated every week in every Adventist church in the UK and Ireland!" Geoff concluded.

More than 160 photos from the Field School can be seen in the gallery section.
 

May 2009

COOKERY DEMO AT NEWPORT - by Mike Sammons

On Sunday 24 May the Newport Gallivan LIFEdevelopment Centre saw the first MicroCHIP course follow up with a cookery demonstration organized by Irving Saunders, one of our Welsh Mission Health Sponsors. He began by placing 10 anonymous items on a table and inviting everyone to name them ... the sweet potato noodles reminded us of the cord used for garden strimmers!

It was good to see most of those who attended our course earlier this year and learn from Irving how to make carrot & chickpea hummus, dosei, mini-wholemeal bread pizza, and also introduce us to sweet potato stir fry noodles, buckwheat noodles, arame sea vegetables,urid & dhana daal, palenta, and lavash wraps.

Ellenor Nesbeth from Cardiff showed us how she makes Tofu from Soya beans and Lorna Green from Newport was able to share her much sought after recipe for Tofu Cheesecake which we were all delighted to sample afterwards, along with Irving's preparations. Lorna also demonstrated how to make Gluten from plain white flour.

The re-union began at 11.00am and ended at about 2.30pm with prayer. Hopefully we will be able to arrange another similar meeting in 2 months time and invite the general public via our very helpful local 'Beanfreak' Store.
 

BAPTISMS AT MAY BRECON CAMP - by Victor Hulbert

The hottest Spring Bank Holiday for many years brought out the crowds for a very special Welsh Mission Family Camp at Aberbran Fach Farm in the stunningly beautiful Brecon Beacons.

The farmer's field was covered in tents and caravans, but on Sabbath, 23 May campers were joined by members of the Ystrad Mynach church and friends from across Wales to witness a Brecon tradition - a baptism in the River Usk.

Martin Walters and Anna Surridge are both 'Brecon devotees' enjoying the camp and the fellowship of families from across the UK whether it is rain or shine. On this occasion they were glad for the 'shine' as they entered the cold waters of the River Usk to demonstrate their decision for Christ.

Martin, the great-nephew of Pastor Brian Phillips started attending the camp four years ago. During that time he has made many friends. Look on his 'Facebook Profile' and a substantial number of his friends were made at Brecon. A statement on his profile also sums up his testimony. "I was Damaged, then Restored, and now Good, thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice".

In baptising him, Pastor Jeremy Tremeer noted that "in the same way that our eyes are opened to the beauty of nature his eyes have been opened to the beauty of God in his life."

Both of the candidates attend the Ystrad Mynach church where Jeremy Tremeer is the pastor, but it was a proud father who led his daughter, Anna, into the water. As Welsh Mission President, Pastor John Surridge shared that there had been some family difficulties in adjusting to the move from Watford to Wales - but it was the love and friendship of the Ystrad Mynach church family that had helped Anna adjust and had led her to a decision for Christ.

It was an appropriate weekend to welcome two Welsh youth into the church as the camp saw more Welsh youth in attendance than ever before - perhaps partly due to the skilled catering efforts of Jane Toft-Bayliss and her sister Metti Toft-Zumbuhl. Once again this year they provided nourishing and inexpensive food for Welsh, Cornish and Newbold youth along with smaller groups from elsewhere. Families meanwhile catered for and swapped food with each other. No one went hungry - even those who neglected to prepare sandwiches for the Sunday hike that many took up past the waterfalls above the Talybont on Usk Reservoir. Others enjoyed the river, nosing around the shops in Brecon or visiting the climbing centre at Llangorse.

Worship is an important part of Brecon Camp. A band of musicians formed from across Wales and England, skilfully led the worshippers in singing under the leadership of St Austell Youth worker, Steven Hulbert. Practical and very interactive messages on the relevance of Christianity and the realities of church life were presented by Rhyl pastor, David Foster. Summing up the messages of the weekend he told campers, "If you don't like the way your church runs, change it! Your pastor will be glad to hear from you." With the help of his daughter, Becky Omar, he also brought the Bible stories to life with a series of duologues and dramas.

Sunday evening was the traditional camp concert. Traditional in its start with the Carmarthen hand bells catching the attention of even the youngest, then moving through a range of music, drama and stories that allowed the whole camp site to participate. A guitar and Cajun duet by Ashley Brooks and Putri Bahrain was especially memorable with its fast moving finger work. Martyn Latchman, a first time camper, illustrated the warmth of the concert - and the whole camp - in the way that he introduced his fellow musicians, Eiddon Paul and Chris Kidwell before their group performance. "These are not just my mates," he said. "These are my best mates."

What memories are left with the generations that have passed through Brecon over the last thirty years or so? The demographics have changed with time, facilities have improved, but the main thing that people remember and come back for is the friendship in a relaxed, Christian atmosphere. Whether on the edge of church or in the centre of spiritual activity, Brecon is a refreshing weekend to energise and charge up the batteries. It is a safe environment to bring your unchurched friends to. With the added bonus of wall-to-wall sunshine this last weekend all the campers could complain about was, "how could it end so soon". No matter, some will be back for a smaller camp the weekend of 12 September. Many more have already fixed it in their diary for May 2010.

More than 200 photos from the weekend can be found in our gallery section and another 100 in the BUC picture gallery.
 

April 2009

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN SWANSEA - by Lily Kidwell

Cytun has been holding meetings throughout Swansea during the Lent period in preparation for Easter. The house meetings usually start about five weeks before Easter and are conducted in people's home by willing hosts. This time my group has been meeting in Sketty which is local for me but unfortunately some people have to travel a long way to get to these meetings. In our group we have someone from the Quakers, the host from St Paul's church, two ladies from the Anglican Church, one lady from the Bible College and now attending the Baptist church, one lady from the United Reformed Church, two people from the Evangelical congregation and some of us from the Seventh-day Adventist church.

It is good that members from the Adventist church in Swansea can regularly join with members from other church denomination and have Bible studies together. Meeting up with other Christian friends has been a really good experience. Reading from the course book is always beneficial because it gives everyone a chance to discuss the topic from their own personal Christian experience. It is encouraging to know that we all have a common understanding of Jesus and His love.

The meetings consist of Bible passage reading and discussions, listening to a recorded message from a DVD, silent prayer and meditation. This is followed by snacks that everyone can share together while they spend time getting to know one another. This year the main theme has been 1 Corinthians 13 - the knowledge of faith, hope and love, the greatest of which is love. How do we practice charity? God gave us the example in the Bible for us to follow.

If anyone would like to get involved with Cytun and the organised Lent meetings every year, contact the Personal Ministries department of your local Adventist church or Pastor Adamovic in our Swansea church. You can also check out the Cytun website for more information.
 

SEVEN GRADUATE FROM NEWPORT MICROCHIP PROGRAMME

In a brief graduation ceremony on the final day of Newport's eight-week MicroCHIP programme, seven students were presented with certificates by Welsh Mission Health Ministries Sponsor Mrs Lil Saunders. Course presenter and qualified nurse Mr Evan Green was presented with a special facilitator's certificate and thanked for the time and commitment he had put into making the programme a success. Although it was his first time presenting a MicroCHIP programme Evan has considerable experience of lecturing and public speaking, both as a health educator and as an elder and lay preacher in the Newport church.

The MicroCHIP programme was held in Newport's LIFEdevelopment centre, a facility constructed in 2007 with money donated by Mrs Joan Gallivan in honour of her late husband Dr Terry Gallivan, who was active in the Newport church in his youth. Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge, who was present at the graduation, commented on the fact that the facility was being used in exactly the way intended. "As a former BUC Health Ministries director Dr Gallivan would have been very pleased to know that the centre is being used in such a way," he said. "CHIP is all about lifestyle change, bringing a better understanding of Seventh-day Adventist health principles both to our members and to the wider public. That's also why the LIFEdevelopment centre was set up here."

Eleven people started the course but due to work and other commitments only seven were able to meet the CHIP graduation requirement of attending at least six of the eight sessions. Those who graduated were: Silverline Chigbo, Timothy Hope, Ellenor Nesbeth, Wendy Sammons, Harvey Scott, Olive Scott and Dothlyn Scott-Mitchell. Three of these, Ellenor, Silverline and Timothy, managed to attend all eight sessions.

All of those who attended are pleased with the results. Some have lost weight and one, who suffers from diabetes, has been able to cut down on her insulin. Mike Sammons, who helped to coordinate the programmes, also points out that it is not an expensive programme to run. "Everyone who came contributed £30 each to cover the cost of food," he said, "and with other donations that have been made it looks as if it won't be costing the church anything."

The Newport MicroCHIP programme is the second one to be run so far in the Welsh Mission under the leadership of Health Ministries Sponsors Lil and Irving Saunders. A full CHIP programme, to which the general public will be invited, is planned for Swansea in May.

More than 30 pictures from the graduation can be seen in our gallery section.
 

March 2009

DEDICATION OF THANDO MASHOKO - by Lily Kidwell

Young Thando Mashoko, the son of Jo and Vanessa Mashoko, was dedicated in the Swansea church on Sabbath 7 March 2009 by Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge. Seventh-day Adventists do not practice infant baptism, preferring to wait until a child is old enough to make his or her own decision for Christ.

The dedication service is an expression of faith on the part of the parents and a demonstration of their willingness to bring up their child in the Christian faith.

Thando is only three but the members of the church hope that when he is older he will follow the example of his parents and make a full committment to Christ for himself. During the service all of the members present indicated that they will support the family in bringing Thando up to know Jesus as his Saviour and Friend.
 

SWANSEA YOUTH KEEP FIT - by Lily Kidwell

These are some of the youth who regularly meet up at some of the leisure centres in the city to keep active and healthy. At times some other friends come along and join in the fun, having a laugh and having a good time playing badminton, basketball, football etc. These activities are usually organised after Sabbath or on Sunday afternoons.

As the weather gets warmer these programs may change to going outdoors - like going to the parks and beaches in the area. In the meantime, since throughout the winter the weather is still cold, the youth continue to stay indoors and we encourage everyone to join in and participate with the keeping fit programme in the gym or at the leisure centre. If you'd like information on future events please contact the church social coordinator.
 

February 2009

DIABETES EMPHASIS IN PORT TALBOT - by Bret Saunders

On Thursday 26 February 2009 the Port Talbot "Healthy Thursday Club" was privilege to have at its monthly meeting, health and diversity representatives from the local area. The main speaker for the evening was Angella Gullan, Practice Nurse and Chair Swansea Bay Racial Equality Council (SBREC), who spoke on the management of diabetes. In this informative presentation we were encouraged to take a balanced approach to our health and to follow the national guidelines on nutrition and exercise.

The audience appreciated the information being offered and had many questions for the speaker and her other representatives. Maruf Ali, Community Engagement Officer (SBREC), then did short presentation on his work within the community.

The Healthy Thursday Club was started by the Health Ministries department and the Port Talbot Church members in 2005, with the aim of improving our health. The interest has been maintained over the years and we regularly have between 14-18 members attending the monthly meetings.

The response of outside agencies to the work we are doing and their willingness to work with us in the future, means that this group has many more years to run.
 

BAPTISM AND EVANGELISM FOR CARDIFF AFRICAN FELLOWSHIP - by Theo Gokah and John Surridge

On Sabbath afternoon, 14 February 2009, Mrs Kestine Mpofu Lusinga was baptised in the Cardiff Central church and welcomed into membership of the Cardiff African Fellowship. Kestine's husband Future, who is already a member, and their son Ryan, were present for the service, along with a large number of friends and supporters.

The baptism coincided with a Children's Day at the Cardiff Central church, and many youngsters were able to witness first hand - right from the edge of the baptistery - what a baptism is really like. Many of them, as well as a number of older people in the congregation, responded to an appeal to follow Kestine's example in giving their hearts to Jesus and pledging to be baptised at some stage in the future.

The Cardiff African Fellowship, known in the community as the South Wales African Adventist Fellowship, or SWAAF, grew out of the Cardiff Central church nearly two years ago with the primary intention of reaching out to members of the African community living in South Wales. Under the leadership of Pastor George Asiamah it has retained its evangelistic emphasis and has grown considerably - to the extent that in May 2008 it was formed into an official company of the Welsh Mission.

An evangelistic campaign held in the autumn of 2008 led to five baptisms, with Kestine bringing the total to six baptisms in less than six months.

The evangelistic emphasis continues. On Sabbath 7 February Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge launched "Evangelism 2009" as part of Adventist World Church's "Year of Evangelism". The evangelistic strategy for the Cardiff African Fellowship will include using DVDs of the Australian Evangelist Pastor Geoff Youlden, as well as a great deal of personal witnessing by the members. The leaders have also adopted a dual theme: "Each One Win One for Christ - Call your Friend".

Pastor Asiamah and the leaders of the Cardiff African Fellowship have introduced a number of other initiatives to help build members' spirituality and capacity to be effective witnesses for Christ. These include a prayer chain programme, where each group prays and fasts on certain days throughout the year. In addition to this, Bible studies, active worship services, and amicable social interactions, all add to the plan for equipping members and building capacity for the task ahead.

Pictures from the baptism can be seen in the gallery section.
 

YOUTH FELLOWSHIP DAY IN SWANSEA - by Lily Kidwell

On Sabbath 31 January 2009 friends and families from Swansea, Carmarthen, Cardiff, Newport, Bristol and Lampeter gathered together in Swansea church to have a special youth fellowship day. Although it was a particularly cold winter's day the atmosphere inside the church was warm and cordial. In a change to the usual pattern of having two separate services, the youth decided to create one long service and to rearrange the seating plan. The service was coordinated by Eifion Paul, the song service by Duane and Lubona, and music was provided by Tihomer, Ffion, Chris and Eiddon.

The focus of the day was on the need to have "silence and time alone" in order to appreciate God's voice talking to us. We were reminded about the importance of prayer and the example that Jesus gave us through the Lord's Prayer. In his inspiring Bible message Welsh Mission Youth Sponsor Pastor Jeremy Tremeer emphasised the need for all of us to be in tune with God and to have a meaningful prayer life.

The morning service was followed by the usual potluck lunch and we would like to thank everyone who helped and took the trouble to prepare special delicacies and treats for the day. After lunch some people headed for a walk in the nearby Singleton Park while others stayed and relaxed at the church.

The afternoon programme was again somewhat different. The youth provided scattered cushions and had us all sitting on the floor for the song service! This was again led by the praise team and was followed Jonathan, Eiddon, Ffion and Lydia giving readings on the need to have Jesus in every part of our homes, and most importantly to invite Him into our hearts. An inspiring by a duet by Tihomer Lazic and Belinda Stojanovic also contributed to the atmosphere of the occasion.

For some the youth day continued into the evening with entertainment at the Singleton Hospital residence hall. Here the young people spent the evening either relaxing and chatting, or watching a film and playing games.

We would like to thank Pastor Jovan Adamović for the work he has been doing with the young people in Swansea. It is really important that we support our youth in all our churches - to help them to achieve their hopes and dreams, but also to help them to use their God given talents in serving the Lord.

Pictures from the event can be seen in the gallery section.
 

January 2009

MBE FOR HUEDEL MORGAN-ISAAC

On Friday 21 November 2008 Mrs Huedel Morgan-Isaac and her family travelled from her home in Cardiff to Buckingham Palace where she was awarded an MBE by Prince Charles. The award was given for Services to Midwifery and Health Care in Wales.

On Sunday 11 January, Huedel, who serves on the Welsh Mission Executive Committee, was congratulated and commended by BUC President Pastor Don McFarlane. Following an extensive discussion with Huedel, Pastor McFarlane praised her work and also commented on the surprising number of Seventh-day Adventist Church members throughout the UK who have received Royal honours for their work in the community.

Huedel has worked as a midwife for twenty-eight years and is currently the Clinical Lead for the Midwifery-led Unit at Llandough Hospital, Cardiff. She was nominated for the award by the managers of the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and the nomination was then approved by the Welsh Assembly.

In 1993 Huedel left her hospital-based midwifery work and took up the challenge of being a Community Midwife. In this new role she became acutely aware of the many difficulties faced by pregnant teenage girls. In 1999 the government introduced their "Sure Start" scheme designed to help vulnerable women and teenagers, and Huedel was appointed lead midwife for teenage pregnancy in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Over the next few years Huedel set up an education programme for teenage mothers in conjunction with the nearby Barry College. This programme ensured that the young mothers, ranging in age from 13 to 18, could continue their education. Funding was obtained, together with a school building, and Huedel found teachers for English, Maths and Computer Skills, while she herself taught Health Education and Parenting. Despite having young children to look after, some of these young mothers subsequently went on to Barry College where they turned their skills into marketable qualifications.

Speaking earlier this week, Huedel said, "We had a case load of about sixty girls per year. Typically the girls would come from dysfunctional families and they would be truants from school - in fact some never went to school! What I realised was that these children needed parenting themselves. They needed to be taught to look after themselves first, before they could look after their new babies. These girls needed basic health education - and to come off drugs, smoking and alcohol. About half of them were already known to the Social Services and I knew that it would be virtually impossible to change their home situations. What we could do though was to change their behaviour and their approach to parenting."

"One approach we used was to give each of the girls a programmable crying doll," Huedel continued. "When asked why they got pregnant in the first place many of the girls simply said that they just wanted something to love. With the crying doll they were brought down to earth very quickly. In fact most of them couldn't cope after a couple of days. However this was a helpful wake up call which motivated the girls to stay with the course. As a result, virtually all of them ended up keeping their babies."

During the presentation ceremony at Buckingham Palace, Prince Charles asked Huedel about the statistics for teenage pregnancies and how her work had made a difference in the community. "He was very personable," said Huedel. "Although 97 awards were given that day he made me feel special, like I was the only person receiving a medal."

As well as serving on the Welsh Mission Executive Committee, Huedel is an active member of the Cardiff church, which she loves dearly. Her official role is Church Clerk, but if you are there on a Sabbath you will find her doing many other things behind the scenes. Although she has received many comments about her new and elevated status as an MBE, she prefers to keep a low profile and can't really see what all the fuss is about. "I just like to get on with my work," she says.
 

ORDINATION OF JEREMY TREMEER AND JAN MCKENZIE

On Sabbath afternoon 10 January 2009, Jeremy Tremeer and Jan McKenzie were ordained to the gospel ministry in a special service at the Cardiff church. The church was filled to capacity for the event, with members travelling from all over Wales to support the ordinands. All of the other serving ministers from the Welsh Mission were also present.

Jeremy Tremeer serves in the Ystrad Mynach, Llandrindod Wells and Hereford district, as well as being the Youth Sponsor for the Welsh Mission, and he has worked in the Mission since September 2002. Jan McKenzie serves in the Cardiff and Newport district and has worked in the Welsh Mission since June 2003. As well as being fellow ordinands and colleagues, they are good friends with a number of interests in common, including counselling and computers.

The ordination candidates were warmly introduced and presented by Pastor Brian Phillips, who had brought them into ministry when he was President of the Welsh Mission. The fact that they were now about to be ordained was testimony both to their commitment and to their calling.

The main ordination address was given by BUC Ministerial Association Secretary Pastor Alan Hodges who pointed out that the ordination service was a way of recognising God's choice to use Jeremy's and Jan's gifts in ministry. He stressed the importance of regular private study of God's word and then used Colossians 1:28,29 to highlight four key aspects of ministry: that the subject of our teaching should be Jesus; our audience should be everyone; our goal should be to help others to reach maturity in Christ; and we should be enabled by the power of God working in our lives.

The ordination prayer and the biblical 'laying on of hands' was led by Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge, who prayed that Jeremy and Jan might be given balance in their ministry - between evangelism and nurture, preaching and study, and prayer and action.

The charge was delivered by BUC President Pastor Don McFarlane, who had earlier preached in the morning service. He emphasised that Pastors Tremeer and McKenzie now had the full ecclesiastical authority of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, within the territory of the British Union Conference, but also worldwide. Expanding on their role as shepherds of the flock he pointed out that "the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" and that self-sacrifice would be needed if they were to be effective pastors.

Mrs Sharon McKenzie, Jan's wife, sang twice during the service - "Sweet Hour of Prayer" and "I am Thine O Lord". She was welcomed into the community of ministers' wives by Mrs Anette Moore, who gave an amusing account of the unrealistic expectations many have of ministers' wives.

In their responses both Jeremy Tremeer and Jan McKenzie referred back to the beginnings of their paths to ministry, and marvelled at God's leading. Jeremy particularly thanked the ministers and leaders who had encouraged him over the years and also the members of his current congregations for their love and respect. Jan said that it was a privilege for him to be ordained at the same time as Jeremy, who he regarded as a good friend. In an oblique reference to his sometimes chequered past he went on to say, "It is only the grace of Christ that has led me here. It's not a cheap grace - it cost God something for me to be here today and I won't take it for granted."

The service concluded with a number of presentations and many people giving their official or personal welcomes to Pastors Tremeer and McKenzie.

After the close of the Sabbath, Paul Hammond, Graham Barham, and Paul Poddar, from the Stanborough Press, held a Book and Food sale in the youth room while members of the church provided refreshments.

Pictures from the event can be seen in the gallery section.