November 2010

WELSH MISSION SESSION REPORT - Cardiff Church - Sunday 21 November 2010

Newly baptised make an impact at Welsh Mission Session - Report by V Hulbert

Timothy Nathanial Hope is special. As a delegate at the Welsh Mission Session he represented 9 percent of the membership in the Welsh Mission. Along with forty-two others he was baptised during the last three years and helped boost the recorded membership in Wales to 523. Timothy gave his testimony during the Health Ministries Report. He told how he had been invited to a CHIP programme by the caretaker of the school over the road from the church, how he had discovered Sabbath worship when the CHIP programme moved to the Newport church, and how he had not missed a Sabbath since. While Mission President, Pastor John Surridge pointed out in his welcome that although Mission Sessions may not be the most exciting meetings, they are very important, Timothy's joy was clear to see. He was delighted to be among the 76 delegates who had registered and were ready for worship at 9:30 am Sunday morning.

That morning worship began with a love story. BUC President, Pastor Don McFarlane used his own experience of being 'grandma's favourite' while his outdoor, sporting cousin was 'grandpa's favourite' to illustrate the story of Jacob and Esau. Looking at the two brothers' reconciliation in Genesis 32 he noted that Jacob became the man he was because, prior to the reconciliation he had spent time alone with God, had wrestled with God, had demanded much more than a token blessing from God and, as the sun rose, had seen God face to face. In today's world, Pastor McFarlane told an attentive congregation, "we see God face to face in the life of Jesus, in prayer, and as we take time to read His words." He then added, "When we see God face to face we cannot be the same again."

Concluding his devotional he emphasized that while all of us may be good people, it is not enough to be good on our journey to heaven. "We need an unforgettable experience with God – an encounter where God deposits His grace within us," he said adding, "I pledge today that I will take time to wrestle with God each day, that I will look into His face."

As worship moved to business under the General Conference theme, "Tell the world, Proclaiming God's grace", Pastor Surridge used a raft of photographs to amply demonstrate how grace is being shared in the Welsh Mission. Photos of evangelism with Jeff Youlden, the establishment of the Cardiff North church, Family Camps, Youth Activities and a selection of the 43 baptisms brought a sense of warmth and purpose to the delegation. While he would have loved for the baptism numbers to be higher he equally noted that this is still significant growth and that each baptism is a big emotional occasion and time of rejoicing for those involved.

The previous three years saw a high turnover of pastoral staff with only Pastors Jeremy Tremeer and Clyde Moore remaining among the others who had retired, relocated elsewhere, or in the case of the much loved Mike Logan, passed away and awaiting the joy of the resurrection. However, the Mission also welcomed new life in the youth and talent of Pastors Jovan Adamović and David Rancic. Several retired pastors also continue to give stalwart voluntary service.

Pastor Surridge also noted how the CHIP and Health Fair programmes have really taken off in Wales building real bridges into the community.

The Secretary-Treasurer's Report noted that a number of church refurbishment projects had taken place including Newport, Hereford, and the expansion of the balcony in Cardiff church. A larger rebuilding project is currently in the planning stages for Swansea. Victor Pilmoor also noted that while there was a decline in total tithe giving during the three year period this was due to those that had been contributing tithe from the 'Welsh Diaspora' and that core giving from those in Wales had actually increased. Part of the following discussion focused around the need for encouraging responsibility in returning tithe and the development of more stewardship programmes. Questions were also asked on why the high level of evangelistic activity in Wales had not translated into more baptisms. There was a suggestion that maybe some new methods needed to be explored and that in some places evangelism is a slower and more difficult process then in others. Commenting on the positive attitude of the Welsh leadership towards evangelism, Mr Pilmoor stated that it would be great to see more results while emphasising that evangelistic responsibility comes to each of us as individual members.

Pastor Clyde Moore presented the Family and Children's Ministries Report noting that along with his wife Anette, they had recently qualified as certified Family Life Educators. Included in the debate over children's issues was the need for training in telling children's stories, the need to share more of the information that they have learnt, and the need for worship to become more family inclusive.

The Nominating Committee reported back to the delegates just minutes before lunch. Pastor McFarlane quipped that this would give people something to chew over during their meal! However, as the delegates were generally happy with the good work that Sponsors had done over the previous three years there were few changes.

Sponsors:

Brecon Camps	Pastor Jeremy Tremeer
Communication	Pastor John Surridge
Family & Children's Ministries	Pastor Clyde & Mrs Anette Moore
Health Ministries	Mr Irving & Mrs Lil Saunders
Stewardship	Mrs Wendy Sammons
Trust Services	Dr Brian Phillips
Women's Ministries	Mrs Jane Wells
Youth Ministries	Pastor Jeremy Tremeer
Youth Ministries Associate	Pastor Jovan Adamović
Pathfinder Ministries	Mr David Rancić

Executive Committee:

Mr Tim Barber
Mrs Veronica Down
Mr Gerrard Fordham
Pastor David Foster
Mr Victor Mbvundula
Miss Tracy Ndiweni
Mrs Lil Saunders

A healthy lunch, with many delegates enjoying the spacious eating area created by the balcony renovation, then led to the afternoon session. Irving and Lil Saunders reported on the success on the CHIP programme in Wales as well as the health fairs. They are currently contacting GPs to enlist support for CHIP.

In the Youth Report Jeremy Tremeer stated that he was impressed by the teens, youth and young adults actively involved in church life. He stated that there are a lot of pressures on young people today, and some of the Welsh youth are quite isolated. Therefore his programme is committed to providing fellowship and social activities alongside building church and community. A discussion ensued on how to balance fun and spirituality. Pastor Tremeer saw the two going hand-in-hand. By illustration he talked about the five-a-side football game at Cardiff the previous week where half the team were non-Adventists, but where he had opportunity for a spiritual discussion with a young boxer.

The business of the day concluded with a look at plans for the next triennium. The outgoing Executive Committee presented general plans in four areas, Evangelism, Training and Development, Church Planting and Growth, and Media Ministry. {available from John Surridge}

In addition delegates sought ideas for supporting students and chaplaincy, an increased emphasis on small group training, and a suggestion that there should be a Personal Ministries Sponsor for the Mission.

In his closing devotional, Pastor Surridge emphasised that we must never be sidetracked from proclaiming God's amazing grace.

Martin Walters, like Timothy Hope, was another special delegate. Baptised in the river at last year's Brecon Family Camp, his association with the church over several years had led to a tremendous transformation in his life. Today he is a vibrant young person, filled with joy and considering studying at Newbold College. He was the last delegate to speak before the end of business. With his life so changed he challenged delegates not to think so much about what the church can do for me, as to consider what each of us can do for the church. That seemed a fitting thought to consider both for the drive home through the stunning Welsh countryside, and for the Mission in the next three years.

Recommendations Committee Report:

Nominating Committee

Pastor Don McFarlane (Chair)
Mr Tim Barber (Cardiff Central)
Mr Gerrard Fordham (Llampeter)
Dr Theophilus Gokah (Cardiff North)
Mrs Claudette Harris (Telford)
Pastor Roger Neal (Welsh Mission)
Mr David Rancic (Newport)
Mrs Lil Saunders (Swansea)
Mrs Geraline Turner ( Rhyl)
Mr Bryan Watkins (Ystrad Mynach)

Credentials and Licences Committee

Pastor Eric Lowe (Chair)
Pastor Brian Phillips
Mr Jon Meredith
Mrs Rosemary Hodgkinson
Mr Stanley Wells
Mrs Erica Cameron

Credentials and Licences Report:

Ordained Minister Credentials

Pastor Jovan Adamović
Pastor George Asiamah
Pastor David Foster
Pastor Clyde Moore
Pastor Jeremy Tremeer

Licensed Minister Credentials

Mr David Rancić

Lay Preacher Credentials

Mr Tim Barber
Mr Duncan Bayliss
Mr Peter Bayliss
Mrs Erica Cameron
Mrs Ina Douglas
Mr John Down
Mrs Veronica Down
Mrs Ruth Frederick
Dr Theophilus Gokah
Mr Monickam Jacob
Miss Sheila Johnston
Mr Solomon Mangeni
Mr Victor Mbvundula
Mr Jon Meredith
Mr Jonathan Nyengani
Mr David Parker
Mrs Joyce Phillips
Mrs Duska Rancić
Mr Leslie Riskowitz
Mrs Wendy Sammons
Mr Irving Saunders
Mrs Lil Saunders
Mr Clifford Tomos
Mr Malcolm Turner
Mrs Jean Watkins
Mrs Catherine Jane Wells
Mr Stanley Wells

Plans for the Triennium:

Evangelism

• Promote the use of various doctrinal evangelistic series, for both evangelism and nurture.
• Have another major Welsh language initiative during the triennium.
• Promote the online FreeBible evangelistic initiative.
• Establish an ADC Bible School in Wales.
• Develop the Afterglow café programmes in Swansea, analyse the results and work on a process of introducing contacts to the church.
• Continue to promote the CHIP health programme and work on a follow-up sequence.

Training and Development

• Promote a positive attitude towards diversity within the church, emphasising the potential that we have to witness and grow within people groups.
• Promote house fellowship meetings, small groups, and youth meetings.
• Organise training events for lay preachers, elders and leaders.

Church Planting and Growth

• Build a new multi-purpose centre for the Swansea Church.
• Develop a strategy to stabilise the current situation in Carmarthen and Lampeter.
• Expand the group in Wrexham into a Company.
• Establish Cardiff North as a regular Church.
• Establish Newtown as a Company.

Media Ministry

• Continue to develop and promote the AdventistWales website, linking in where possible to the local web initiatives that are taking place across the Mission.
• Continue to promote the Hope Channel, focusing on its web availability.

Notes

The above list is not exhaustive but has been condensed and summarised from the ideas that have come in, so as to facilitate easier discussion at the Mission Session. The new Welsh Mission Executive Committee will consider many more plans for the future, including any that come out of the Session discussions. Departmental Sponsors will develop their own plans for the triennium, incorporating as many of the Mission’s wider plans as possible. Once adopted, plans will need to be expanded and developed to include specific goals and action plans.

Additional Plans – Submitted by Post

• Evangelism in the Ammanford area – 12,000 population.  A number of Adventists are now living in the area and may be able to support such a project.
• Promote the facility to return tithe and give offerings via the Welsh Mission website.
• Run a major evangelistic campaign in Wales during 2011. Possibly model it on a campaign run by NEC evangelist Adam Ramdin.
• Run a Health Expo in Wales during 2011.
• Invite more local members, or those with special interests, to attend executive committees so that they can put their requests direct to the committee.

Additional Proposals to Consider

• Chaplaincy – renewed support for students.
• Small group training.
• Programmes to facilitate the introduction of Christianity.
• The appointment of a Personal Ministries sponsor.
• Work for the blind and others in association with the Adventist Special Needs Association.
• Training for street pastors.
• Support for smaller churches.

More pictures from the day can be seen in our gallery section or on the BUC website.

You can also read the report as published in the Messenger.

Facsimile of the Session Report Book: Part 1 (2.1Mb) and Part 2 (628Kb).

Official Session Minutes (61Kb).
 

October 2010

"SWANSEA CELEBRATES PAST AND FUTURE" - Old Swansea Church, Sketty - Sunday 24 October 2010

Due to some problems we have had for awhile with regards to the deterioration of our building, last summer it was decided that we could not continue meeting at our church in Sketty. The search for a new venue for Sabbath services was made. After some negotiations with the community centre association, we were able to hire the local Holy Trinity church on a short term basis for worship as well as doing some evangelistic outreach in the area. As we never had a chance to have the special leaving service, the decision was to hold a day of celebration which would involve everyone who has a connection with the church from the past until the present. It has been a while since the building was used last. The wall cracks appear to be getting worse and other problems with the maintenance continue. Health and safety issues became paramount at this stage. The utility supplies except for the water were discontinued. Unfortunately a special service remained outstanding and it was agreed by the church board that a date be set for reflection and also to finally say goodbye to our old dear Swansea church. It was indeed a very beautiful day of gathering for members and friends of the church during this Sunday morning. Many people turned up despite the cold autumn day, organizers were able to hire the necessary equipment for the occasion. Irving Saunders managed to hire a generator for power and gas heaters. Jackie Jones and Irving Saunders liaised with the members to provide some light refreshments following the service. Eifion Paul (with the help of his father Asu Paul a keen photographer) worked hard organizing all the pictures from the past. Our Afterglow musicians Chris Kidwell, Eiddon Paul and Duane Saunders started the service with some lively congregational singing. Danielle Rees said the opening prayer. Welsh Mission president John Surridge and our Church pastor in the previous years outlined the spiritual history. Erica Cameron shared a ‘Family Portrait’ the Rees family as one of the pioneers of the church. Mary Paul read the memories of Pastor Vine and his family during their time of ministry in Swansea. Steven Marshall played a beautiful rendition of his saxophone. Another special item was given by Eiddon and Eifion as they played Calon Lan with their euphonium and trombone instruments while the congregation joined singing this Welsh favourite song. This was followed by another congregational singing ‘My hope is built on nothing less’ and the music played by Ffion Kidwell on her violin and with Loren Latchman playing the piano. ‘Pastor’s Reflection’ was related by Pastor Tremeer, now Welsh youth sponsor and minister to the South Wales East. He expressed his gratitude during his time in Swansea, Carmarthen and Port Talbot Churches when he came to help Pastor Sammons who were both fresh from Newbold college but did a wonderful work with the young people. The times of regular ‘waffle’ Friday evenings at Ed and Shana and some other church activities that may have led to some baptisms. He recalled the baptism at the Gower beach. There were also some church dedications made. The microphone was then opened to everyone who wanted to talk about the meaning of Swansea life to them. Everyone has their own memories and stories to share but only a few people had the chance to speak due to the limited time on that very cold morning. The Latchman family spoke about their appreciation of being a part of this church family in Swansea. Lily Kidwell also summarised her recollection of church life being like a rollercoaster and thanked God for all the good and not so good times. The church as a group of people meeting together was highlighted and as Christians there is need for a specific place to meet. As Luke Marshall read the scripture reading at the beginning of the service the text from the Bible in Acts 2: 41-47 shows the importance of the meeting place for people to mingle and fellowship with each other and sharing Bible studies and more people learns to know God. I felt we all needed to pay tribute to some people in the past who contributed to the existence of the present church because without their sacrifices this church would not have been possible. There are many to mention if we look at the history of the church. With this in mind I also remember my previous neighbour used to tell me about her grandfather Samuel Freeman who used to be a lay preacher, preaching on the streets of Swansea. The service continued and Kirsten Collier also shared her own brief version of her life in the church during the service, played the piano and sang a lovely song entitled ‘What would Jesus do?’  It was such a beautiful song that provided some background music while some pictures of the past shown on the power point by Eiffion and other organizers. There was also a showing of the surprise video recording from Ed and Shana in their new mission field in California. Pastor Jovan Adamovic gave the conclusion of this special service for the end of an era for Swansea Seventh day Adventist church with ‘Looking into the future’ and humbly admitted self not being a future teller. There is a greater task ahead and with this challenge he considers it being like a car that needs to keep on the road will need its regular maintenance and care. Swansea church to him is a family like his previous ministerial positions and is encouraging everyone to take part in the renewal and rebuilding of this church. The whole congregation praised God by singing ‘How great Thou art’ and Pastor Adamovic also offered the closing prayer. Light refreshment like the usual 'potluck' was again enjoyed by everyone. As usual, it was a very good time to catch up with everyone. It is our hopes and prayers that God will continually bless Swansea church. For more pictures of the day, plus a transcript of the personal message that Lily Kidwell delivered on the day, see our gallery page.

 

"HOLY PEOPLE SCARE ME!" - Welsh Mission Day of Fellowship, Llandrindod Wells - Sabbath 2 October 2010

The annual Welsh Mission Day of Fellowship is held every autumn at the Pavilion in Llandrindod Wells. This excellent venue, situated in beautiful mid-Wales, is in just the right location to allow members from both north and south Wales to get there in a reasonable time.

Our speaker this year was North England Conference President Pastor Ian Sweeney. As the Welsh Mission's nearest neighbour we have always had a good relationship with the North England Conference, regularly benefiting from their lay preachers and enjoying the company of their members when they visit for holidays and the like. However it was a special privilege to have Pastor Sweeney in person and to learn directly from him something of the challenges that the NEC faces as well as the vision that he has for the future of the church.

In his morning sermon, entitled "Holy People Scare Me", Pastor Sweeney told the gritty real-life story of a family that had been torn apart by religious fundamentalism. A woman, who was believed to be denigrating the family religion and its traditions, was murdered by her brother in order to 'preserve God's honour'. "When people strive for holiness they can become very dangerous," Pastor Sweeney said.

Using the Genesis story of Cain and Abel, together with a wide range of personal anecdotes, Pastor Sweeney pointed out that living a holy life is not necessarily a rewarding experience, in fact it can leave you with absolutely nothing. Particularly within the Seventh-day Adventist context, holiness can "leave you without a job, friends, or even a spouse," he said. "Our holiness doesn't obligate God to us in any way."

"Striving for holiness can also lead directly to sin," Pastor Sweeney continued. "Saul killed Christians almost as an act of worship, the Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus because he threatened their religion … and in our own churches we see arguments, strife and division, all over this issue of holiness."

Despite the negatives however, holiness is something that all Christians are to pursue. "Everything is recorded," Pastor Sweeney said. "God knows the truth about every one of us. One day He will intervene and then everyone will know."

Mrs Jennifer Sweeney attended the day with her husband and got the children involved in telling the story of the Good Samaritan. Other participants included: Pastor David Foster, who led out in the Sabbath School; Pastor and Mrs Clyde Moore and their team, who provided innovative activities for the younger children; and Pastors Jeremy Tremeer and Jovan Adamović, who, with the help of the youth, gave an entertaining report of the English Language School project that they ran in Serbia this summer.

Dr Theo Gokah, Elder of the Cardiff North Company, hosted the concluding musical part of the day. Featuring praise and worship songs from the Swansea "Afterglow" team, as well as solos, group items and concert piano pieces, there was something to suit all tastes.

A recording of Pastor Sweeney's sermon can be heard here.

More than 150 pictures from the day can be seen in our gallery section.

 

September 2010

GEOFF SMITH RECOMMENDS APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AT BRECON CAMP - Friday 10 to Sunday 12 September 2010

Appropriate clothing is always important when you go camping and at the Welsh Mission's autumn camp in Brecon this was particularly the case. As the camp began, on Friday 10 September, it began to rain - not unusual for Brecon and something stoically endured, or almost enjoyed, but the more seasoned campers. With wellington boots, umbrellas, cagoules or full waterproofs, the activities continued uninterrupted.

However the waters of the river Usk, which flows immediately adjacent to the tents, rose alarmingly during the evening and night, threatening to flood the whole field. A large bonfire which had been carefully constructed beside the water, ready to be enjoyed on the Saturday night, was completely swept away - kindling, logs, pallets, covering tarpaulin, the lot!

Pastor Geoff Smith and his wife Rose are new to Brecon, though not to camping. As pastor of the Wilmslow and Stockport churches Geoff is regularly involved in the May camp at Aberdaron. Armed with this experience he brought advice on what the Brecon campers should wear. Basing his talks on Colossians 3:12 - "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" - Geoff brought a suitcase full of clothes and extracted them one at a time to illustrate each of the qualities that God's chosen people should strive for. Shoes, and the importance of walking in those belonging to someone else - at least metaphorically - demonstrated compassion. A short blanket illustrated cheerfulness - as cheerful people learn to draw up their knees and thus spend a comfortable night. Trousers with a broken zip served as an example of patience.

Broadening his illustrations somewhat Geoff also talked of the way pyjamas make us think of rest - particularly the rest of a spiritual retreat; how deodorant points to Christians being the "aroma of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:15) ; and that above all, we should put on love (Colossians 3:14).

It was Geoff's sense of humour which helped to make the spiritual messages sink in. Stories of doubtful provenance (such as that of Henry Jones), as well as those from his personal experience (wearing full motorbike gear on a bus for example), certainly did more to increase the campers' cheerfulness than the biblical text alone could do!

By the end of the camp - which seemed to come remarkably quickly - Geoff and Rose were part of the Brecon family. Although our spring camp coincides with theirs at Aberdaron, we hope that they will come back soon.

And the bonfire? Well, thanks to the efforts of Jamie Payne, who brought firewood that had been stored at home ready for the winter, and the kindness of the farmer, who donated several pallets and logs, Sabbath ended with a blisteringly hot fire on the pebble beach.

178 pictures from the weekend can be seen in our gallery section.

 

August 2010

TELFORD INTERNATIONAL DAY - 22 August 2010

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 Eachother 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 and we were blessed to 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 thy 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 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. We give God the thanks and the glory for a successful day and we look forward to the next one next year.

75 pictures from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

WELSH YOUTH RUN ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL IN SERBIA - 8 to 22 August 2010

This summer the Welsh Mission Youth department sponsored a mission trip to Serbia. 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 by 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. We particularly enjoyed walking by the River Danube, looking over the city from the fortress, and eating 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, as one of our young people currently studying in Swansea is originally from there. The presentation ended with refreshments including Welsh cakes and slices of bread with marmite - something of a novelty for the Serbians and very much an acquired taste! During 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! "I've made lifelong friends, both Welsh and Serbian, and have truly found myself changing day by day," said Alysha, who attends our Ystrad Mynach church. 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. It was an experience for us all to remember and cherish and it seems to have made a big impact on our young people: "The weather was great, the food was outstanding and thanks to all those who loved my hair," said Linroy. "It was an incredible experience; really and truly a once in a lifetime change and I loved every single minute of it," said Anna Surridge. One of the helpers, Eifion Paul added, "The Serbian hosts were real stars and the hard work was so much fun thanks to working and growing as a team." The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Wales would like to say a big thank you to Pastor Jeremy Tremeer who was the main organiser of the trip, and to Pastor Jovan Adamovic who made many of the arrangements in Serbia.

 

OUTREACH IN A WELSH CASTLE - 18 August 2010

Wales is not short of castles, but it's pretty rare that you can give out Adventist literature in one. However that's exactly what happened on Wednesday 18 August when five members of the Lampeter company set up a stand inside Margam Castle near Port Talbot.

The opportunity came through a series of connections. This year Jack Rayne, one of the longest standing members of the Lampeter Company, began writing articles about Adventist beliefs in his local Llandovery based newspaper, The Post. With a circulation of around 4,500 Jack was not optimistic about getting much feedback. However, one of the people who did responded was Mrs Valerie Wood-Gaiger MBE, who runs an organisation called "Learn With Grandma". Jack gave Valerie a copy of The Desire of Ages and also showed her some of the other Adventist literature and DVDs that he regularly promotes. In turn she invited him to run a stand at a couple of her events. The first of these events was in the National Botanical Gardens of Wales, on Friday 13 August, and the second in Margam Castle.

Speaking during the event Jack Rayne said, "These days we try to take every opportunity for outreach. A lot of what the church does seems to be focused more on 'inreach' but outreach is what He's put us here for. He gave us this opportunity in Margam Castle and we're going to make the most of it."

Admittedly Margam Castle is not as old as some of the other castles in Wales. In fact it is a 19th century manor built in the Tudor Gothic style - but it's still pretty impressive. Youngest member of the group Ellen Williams (13) seemed to be in her element exploring the dark corridors and other nooks and crannies - as well as helping on the stand of course.

Events at the castle attract thousands of visitors and the Lampeter members were able to make numerous contacts and give away lots of magazines, books, pens and DVDs.
 

WELSH LANGUAGE LITERATURE OUTREACH

This summer more than 10,000 Welsh Language evangelistic books have been distributed throughout Wales. This is believed to be the largest Adventist literature outreach to Welsh speaking people for twenty-five years.

Several years ago the then Welsh Mission President Pastor Brian Phillips secured permission from Mrs Connie Vandeman Jeffery to translate a book written by her late father, evangelist and broadcaster Pastor George Vandeman, into Welsh. The book chosen was his popular work on the Sabbath, "A Day to Remember", or, in Welsh, "Diwrnod I'w Gofio".

First written in the early 1960s "A Day to Remember" targeted a questioning, post-war generation, searching for identity and meaning in the face of conflicting ideologies and moralities. It was printed in vast quantities and distributed around the world from the mid-sixties to the late seventies and established itself as a classic of Seventh-day Adventist literature. More than forty years on it is still regarded with affection within the Church and serves as something of a landmark in the Church's apologetic development. A re-reading of the book reminds members, and explains to other interested parties, the reasons why Seventh-day Adventists are so passionate about the Sabbath.

The initial translation was carried out by Cliff Tomos, a member of the Ystrad Mynach church, and Stanborough Press took a great deal of care to arrange the most economical printing possible. As a result twenty thousand copies were printed, half of which were distributed this summer.

"We printed plenty so that we can give them away freely to our Welsh speaking friends and contacts," says Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge. "Our approach is not so much to launch an attack on their own religious practices but to help them understand why we take the stand that we do on the Sabbath."

The initial distribution was carried out by a mass-mailing company which used a special database to try to target Welsh speakers as effectively as possible. "Obviously with this number of books being sent out we knew that we wouldn't get 100% success in reaching Welsh speakers," Pastor Surridge continues, "and this resulted in a number of interesting telephone conversations and letters! In most cases though we were able to send a copy of Pastor Mark Finlay's 'When God said Remember', as an English language alternative."

"There is a great deal of evangelistic work to be done in the Welsh-speaking community," Pastor Surridge concludes. "It is a growing but almost unreached peoplegroup as far as Adventist Church is concerned. We are grateful for the specialist work of individual Welsh speakers like Kendall Down in North Wales, and also for those who have contributed to our Welsh Language development fund. However, much more needs to be done. If we could get the resources, more books could be translated and this outreach effort could be repeated every year."
 

June 2010

CHARITY CONCERT AT CARMARTHEN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH - 27 JUNE 2010

On Sunday evening 27 June 2010 the Carmarthen Male Voice choir returned for the fourth successive year to perform a charity concert at the Carmarthen Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cwmffrwd near Carmarthen.

The twenty-five strong choir led by Wyn Maskell and accompanied by Meinir Davies sang a number of songs, including some favourites such as "Nkosi Sikeleli Africa" and "Reverend Eli Jenkins Prayer". The soloist Carys Davies also sang four beautiful songs in Welsh for the delight of the very nearly full church. The audience was a mixture of members of the local community and friends and members of the church.

A cheque for £390 is on its way to Calon+, a local charity that supports the work of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit at Glangwilli Hospital.
 

INSPIRIT ON THE LORD'S DAY IN SWANSEA - 12 JUNE 2010

On Sabbath 12 June members of the Swansea church, along with members from other Adventist churches in South Wales and guests from even further afield, were treated to a special concert of worship and praise by the InSpirit Men's Chorus.

InSpirit is a non-profit music ministry comprised of singers from southeast Tennessee and north Georgia. They come from different denominations and professions but are united in Christ and in the determination to spread His love through song.

At home InSpirit comprises 40 plus singers and some 24 of these, together with wives and families, were able to take part in this Spring's European tour. Having sung in Salisbury Cathedral and stayed at Newbold College, the Chorus came to Wales to conclude their tour by singing at a benefit concert with the Morriston RFC Choir on Saturday evening.

With a Sabbath morning free InSpirit generously offered to sing for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Swansea - an offer the members swiftly accepted and made the most of. They hired a community centre, invited friends, and prepared a fellowship lunch for all.

A worship experience in itself, the Chorus's performance replaced the usual morning service. InSpirit's director Gerald Peel, whose father and brother also sing with the Chorus, created a unique programme for the day. Beginning with "Jesus, Yesterday, Today the Same Forever" and concluding with "Who Will be a Witness" the songs led the audience on a journey of spiritual commitment. On the way they explored different cultural styles ranging from "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus", which originated among the Garo hill tribe in north-eastern India, to Spirituals, which originally developed among slave peoples for their own encouragement but are now firmly embedded in general Christian culture. Especially moving was their rendition of "In the Morning When I Rise", arranged by Roland Carter. Welsh culture was of course included, with the inevitable Cwm Rhondda being sung by the entire congregation. This was particularly well performed thanks to Gerald's conducting, which made every member feel a part of the Chorus.

All of the fifteen songs performed had their own unique characteristics. The variety of keys, tempos and styles made each one memorable. However one in particular struck a chord with the Adventist members of the congregation. "The Greatest Want of the World" was a special arrangement of the famous quote from Ellen White's book "Education".

Others in the Chorus who should be mentioned include the soloist Martin Young, and the accompanist Ethan McGrath, whose skills in musical improvisation on the piano managed to bring a truly inferior instrument under at least some measure of control.

In addition to the music there was another touching component to the day when Pastor Jovan Adamovic, his wife Hajdi and their three year old daughter Hana, brought the newest member of their family, baby Masha, to be dedicated. Following the dedicatory prayer Masha was presented with a certificate, card and present, by Mrs Margaret Howells, a much loved mother figure in the church.

More than 130 photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.

Links:

www.facebook.com/pages/inSpirit-The-Mens-Chorus/215693448991
www.inspiritmenschorus.com

 

May 2010

POT LUCK LUNCH WITH A DIFFERENCE - SABBATH 29 MAY 2010 - by Saphira Hacuma

We often hear of churches having pot luck lunch after church service, but this was not the case at the Swansea Seventh-day Adventist church on 29 May. This Sabbath, after the church service, it was announced that lunch was to be served at the Phillips Community Centre for asylum seekers in Swansea town centre. A variety of vegetarian foods were served for all the families and individuals who attend the centre to find refuge. Normally drinks only are served every Saturday for those who attend the community centre but this day there was a variety of food and fruits and we shared our delicious meal with them. Previously the whole church had attended the centre to meet and familiarise themselves with what happens at the centre and out of this came the idea that once every month the church should have its pot luck lunch served there.

True to the words of Jesus, "I was hungry and you fed me", the Community Services department of the Swansea church, led by Irving Sunders, has been involved with the Swansea asylum centre for some time now. Our involvement started as an individual interest in helping out at the centre. Then the community service in trying to reach out to the communities around and within the city (which has been declared a 'City of Refuge') started cooking meals for the two centres for asylum seekers in Swansea. Every last Sabbath of the month the church through the community service department cooks and takes food to the centre. The food which is mainly donated by church members is then prepared and taken to the centre. Clothing and baby toiletries are some of the things that have been collected for those in need within this vulnerable community. Befriending and just sitting to have a chat with those who would rather not talk because of language barrier is also one of the activities that take place at these centres.

Because of our involvement, two weeks ago we had some special visitors from the Refugee Association who spoke highly of the work that is being done by the church in helping out with the meals at the centre. As a result we were presented with a plaque that shows Swansea church as being a City of Refuge supporter. Keith praised our church and said that ours was a different church because of the way that we embrace diversity. The fact that everyone was welcome in our church showed that we accepted people from all over the world as fellow human being and respected them. A video show left everyone wondering how it would feel if we were homeless or an asylum seeker and how we would like to be treated.

The real question is, how would Jesus have treated these people? The Swansea church had the answer on Sabbath 29 May when they took the potluck lunch to Phillips community centre for asylum seekers.

QUESTIONS AT BRECON CAMP - 28 TO 31 MAY 2010

This year's speaker at the Spring Brecon Camp was Pastor Paul Tompkins, Youth Director of the Trans-European Division. Using the theme "Asking the Right Questions" he challenged young and old alike to take a careful look at their current relationship with God. Starting with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Paul re-echoed God's first question to man: "Where are you?" As the weekend progressed he asked more probing questions like, "What kind of a player are you?", "What kind of mark do you leave behind?" and "Who shall we send?"

Paul and Dawn brought their caravan to the camp and the young people in particular appreciated the fact that they were available to talk to, right through the weekend. In his talks Paul also opened up quite a bit about his personal walk with God. He came into the Adventist Church as an adult, but key people had a profound influence on him in his early years, particularly at Stanborough School. He named some of these - Daphne Dorland, Nan Tucker, Maureen Luxton and Doug Sinclair - all people of prayer, Bible study and integrity.

On the last day of the camp Paul used a personal illustration to show that God has a place for each one of us. Not being particularly musical he was never picked for any key roles in the 'orchestra' at school. He was, however, given a triangle to play. But even a triangle has its place and there are times when it becomes the crucial instrument - as Paul later witnessed while attending a classical concert at the Albert Hall.

Time was allowed for testimonies in some of the worship times and the congregation was encouraged and uplifted by the stories of answers to prayer and healing. They were also challenged by the stories of those still needing prayer and waiting on God to answer them.

Those who attend Brecon Camp regularly are keen weather watchers. The archetypal British pastime becomes an obsession when you are sleeping under a film of nylon less than half a millimetre thick. Fortunately it only rained on Sabbath - and that wasn't real rain, just the misty drizzle which endears so many to the general area of the Brecon Beacons.

But it is the fellowship, rather than the rain, that makes a lasting impact. Once again Jane Toft-Bayliss and her sister Metti Toft-Zumbuhl catered for those who came independently of regular family units, and the food tent emitted a constant hum of activity. Altogether more than 200 meals were served and no doubt even more conversations were facilitated. From dawn till dusk, which is quite late at this time of the year, people could be seen chatting with old friends, making new friends, and generally being what a church should be - a living, caring, dynamic community. Even after dusk, particularly following the lighting of a somewhat recalcitrant bonfire, the fellowship continued with mainly the young staying up into the early hours, toasting marshmallows, singing and generally having a good time.

Of all the familiar faces at the camp, none was more welcome than that of Pastor Richard Vine, who attended with his entire family. A former pastor in the Welsh Mission who served for many years as the campmaster of the Brecon Camps, Richard and his family are much loved and appreciated by all. Once again it was good to see their talents being used to good effect - Daniel and Douglas with their musical skills and Richard with his irrepressible sense of humour!

A small task force, led by Pastor Jeremy Tremeer, quietly keeps the Brecon Camp programme running. Though they operate mainly in the background, their work is gratefully acknowledged as being essential to the continuance of this unique experience.

Nearly 200 photos from the camp can be seen in our gallery section.

 

April 2010

THREE MISSIONS YOUTH WEEKEND COMES TO WALES

Over the past few years young people from Scotland, Ireland and Wales have got together each Easter weekend for fellowship and fun as well as inspiration and spiritual renewal. This year the Welsh Mission hosted the event at the Hebron Hall Christian Centre in Dinas Powys, near Cardiff, and approximately 100 people attended.

The main speaker for the weekend was Troy Fitzgerald, Associate Pastor of the Walla Walla University Church, Washington State. A natural with young people, Troy soon made friends of the diverse Three Missions group and was able to speak openly and candidly about many of the issues facing them. In a workshop on "Discovering God's Will" he pointed out that God's will for people's lives is not so much a particular end point but more of a general direction that one's life takes. An illustration of this is the fixation that many young people have with finding the right person to marry, or their "soul mate". Troy explained that for the Christian, "a soul mate is not someone that you find, it's someone that you become."

In his Sabbath morning devotional Troy spoke on the theme of "Making Your Way Home" and asked the question, "Why does life seem to be so anaemic these days, even in the Christian church?" His answer focused on the issues of sin and trust. "These days," Troy said, "we don't like using words such as sin and evil." Like the Patagonian Toothfish which sells better as the 'Chilean Sea Bass'; prunes, which are somehow more palatable as 'dried plums'; and the Chinese Gooseberry, which is now universally known as a 'Kiwi Fruit', we minimise sin and find other ways of talking about it. "Unless we see sin for what it is, we will never see the grace of God for what it is," he continued.

In a final illustration Troy spoke about how the Israelites were reluctant to leave Egypt and head for the promised land. Then, taking a cup of hot water and a teabag he proceeded to show young people from the British Isles how to make a cup of tea! "We've got to choose to start the journey home," he said, dipping the teabag into the water. Immediately withdrawing it he held up an anaemic looking brew before making his final point: "But we've got to stick with it. We have to stay with Jesus long enough for the message of freedom to sink in."

Young people from the Swansea church provided a lively band for each of the main worships, and a number of workshops catered for a variety of interests. David Wright, from the Winchester church spoke on "Chance and Probability", highlighting the incredible "coincidences" that can be found in Bible prophecy. Eifion Paul occupied those with an artistic flare during his workshop on "Creativity", while Duane Saunders led out in a workshop called "The Heart of Worship", dealing with the issues and hype surrounding Christian music. Other workshops included the provocatively titled "Spiritual Sex" by Sam Neves and "Forty Days Wild" by Troy.

Social activities are an integral part of the Three Missions Weekends - this time there were trips to Cardiff Bay as well the National Museum of Wales, set in the beautiful 100-acre parkland of St Fagans Castle. On Sunday evening the ever popular Ceilidh provided the dual benefits of social interaction and an aerobic workout, and those with any energy remaining played board games into the early hours.

Unlike the two Conferences in the British Union Conference, the Missions do not have very many young people and fellowship events are a really important part of the church calendar. Our thanks go to the many volunteers who make the event possible every year, particularly to Pastor Jeremy Tremeer who was the chief organiser this year.

240 pictures from the event can be seen in our gallery section.
 

March 2010

TELFORD CHURCH RAISES FUNDS FOR HAITI - by Clyde Moore

Telford church member Dana Sudworth, along with millions of others, watched as television pictures unfolded the horror story of the Haitian earthquake that has claimed 230,000 lives to date and left millions injured and homeless. It prompted her to say, "We've got to do something!"

That 'something' materialised in the Telford Seventh-day Adventist church members baking cakes, buying good clothing and seedlings, and donating other household goods to be sold at a car boot sale with the proceeds going to the disaster appeal.

Speaking to Donna she said, "I knew that I couldn't just sit there, I had to do something. It was also an opportunity for the community of Telford to know that as a church we care, giving us an opportunity to put our name on the map." The amount raised was £183, which might not seem a great deal in the scale of things, but the church board voted to match what was raised and with further donations a total of £400 was sent to ADRA-UK.

We thank God for those who contributed time, monies and items. We believe one day soon we will know the answers to the big questions which are raised by disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti, but in the meantime we will do our best to help those who are suffering.
 

February 2010

BOUNCY CASTLE COMES TO NEWPORT CHURCH - by David Rancic

When it comes to joy and happiness nothing compare to children’s smiles. That was why Sunday 28 February was so special for members and friends of the Newport church. It was a Children’s Fun Day and the youth hall was filled with smiles, laughter, happy children and youth.

The idea came about when the church board realised that they needed to do something special for the large number of children and youth now attending the Newport church. It was planned that Children’s Fun Days should be part of the long term outreach strategy of the church, but that the first one - a trial run - should be organised just for the children and youth of the Newport church. Of course they brought their friends anyway and at the end there were almost 30 children and youth playing in the youth hall, with the regular attenders explaining to their friends what was going on.

So, what was going on? For the first time in their lives, parents and children saw a bouncy castle actually inside the church building! After recovering from the shock they made good use of it - parents and children like. Another activity was face painting, with Eifion Paul from the Swansea church working solidly for about four hours and doing a great job for the children. Some of youth brought a Wii console and, together with a projector and large screen in the church foyer, it provided several hours of entertainment for the older young people. Other activities included table hockey and table football - the latter being used so enthusiastically that it required periodic maintenance to keep it in working order.

Special thanks go to Sara and Chris Shepherd who helped us to find the right bouncy castle and also worked very hard in the kitchen. Also, big thanks go to the parents who accepted the idea and were happy to help with food and scheduling their duties and responsibilities so that there could be more children playing together. Other members of the church helped with donations or came later to help with the cleaning and tiding up the hall.

Everybody was happy on Sunday 28 February in the Newport church and there is general agreement that this should now be pursued as a significant part of the church's outreach programme. There are lots of children living near to the church and this would provide a great opportunity to reach them.

More than 100 additional photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

NEWPORT PATHFINDER INVESTITURE DAY - by David Rancic

Sabbath 13 February was a great day for the Newport Seventh-day Adventist Church as the many guests and members present witnessed something they hadn't seen for a long time - a Pathfinder Investiture.

Pathfindering has a long history in Newport, but over the last few years the church has not had an operational club. There were children in the church, and there was a need for a Pathfinder Club, but there was no one with the time, experience or skills to run it. That all changed last year when Mrs Chipo and Mr Ndaba Ndebele, along with their two teenage children, moved from London into the Newport area and became members of the church. They gladly accepted the challenge of establishing a club because of the love they felt for children and the experience they had from their previous church.

With a lot of interest from the children, fantastic support by the parents, and backup by the Church Board and Pastor, the club began its activities in late August 2009. The leaders ran intensive courses and children started attending the meetings two or three times each month. They wanted to start the calendar year with an Investiture so that the children could get new enthusiasm for further meetings and achievements.

So Sabbath 13 February had to be special - and it was! The Pathfinders themselves organised both the morning and afternoon services, under the theme: "The Day is Coming". In the morning they sang, took part in a drama presentation, and gave a number of short speeches. They even had the sermon, with Elphine Ndebele and Taryll Viviers, Elphine’s friend and guest from London, reminding the congregation that the day of Christ's Second Coming is very close.

BUC Youth Ministry Director Pastor Des Boldeau was present for the Investiture and he gave out the various certificates, pins and badges that had been earned by the young people He was assisted by Master Guide Jan Penny, who had the joy of seeing her grandson being invested, along with Chipo and Ndaba Ndebele as club leaders.

In the afternoon service the Pathfinders had the chance to demonstrate some of their newly acquired skills. Parents, church members and guests alike enjoyed the colourful and creative presentations on subjects which included knot tying, dogs, and personal hygiene.

The Pathfinders made an impressive sight as they marched in, and later marched out, to the sound of their song, "Onward Christian Soldiers". They were the same children that we knew from last year but a little bit older and with new knowledge, new skills and new awards. It is left to us who are a bit older, to admire their youthful enthusiasm, pray for them, and support them as they mature and grow as Christians in service of the God they love.

More than 100 additional photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

PANCAKES FOR HAITI - David Foster/BUC News

On Saturday evening 13 February members of the Rhyl and Llandudno Junction churches joined together to have a fun social evening and eat pancakes!

The idea was to pay £5 each and eat as much as you liked. Members marvelled at the culinary and juggling skills of elder Malcolm Turner, Mrs Lilleth Davies and Pastor David Foster. Meanwhile, Sandra Foster organised games and quizzes which kept people laughing and sharing a great time together.

However, the most satisfying part of the evening was the £170 raised for the ADRA Haiti appeal, which when added to the £437 previously raised will go to help those in most desperate need.
 

January 2010

FAMILY EMPHASIS DAY IN NORTH WALES - BUC News

On a bright, sunny but bitterly cold morning, Family and Children's Ministries sponsors, Clyde and Anette Moore conducted a Family Emphasis Day in the North Wales district on Sabbath, 20 January. They were accompanied by their grandsons, Jakeda and Jahfari. After a lively Sabbath discussion led by elder Malcolm Turner on faithfulness, Pastor Moore led out in the Family worship service. Anette gave a spirited children's story about communities working together as a unit to rescue sailors stranded off the coast of Whitby in 1881. Pastor Moore delivered his sermon, "Families in Crisis," against the background of the story of Job. "The family unit is under attack from the law-makers, from society and from trends in society," he said. Pastor Moore encouraged each "family member" to remain true to their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ despite whatever life throws at them to jolt them out of their rhythm. Jesus said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 KJV).

After a wonderful fellowship lunch the Moores led out in a seminar on Keeping the Church Family Safe. Firstly Pastor Moore encouraged those who may be praying for errant sons and daughters from the faith, to keep praying for them. They then looked at the role and responsibilities of the Child Safety representative that each congregation in the Welsh Mission is being encouraged to appoint. They spoke about the whole issue surrounding Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks of any church officer that works with children, youth and vulnerable persons. Pastor Moore pointed out why it was important that each congregation create an environment of safety. That is where the Child Safety representative comes in together with the support of the pastor and the pastoral team.

Pastor Moore closed the seminar with a brief look at the issues surrounding the various forms of abuse, giving anecdotal cases emphasising the fact that there are persons in each congregation that may have personal experiences or know of a family member or friend who has been affected. A special prayer was then offered for anyone who may have been affected by the topic and content of the seminar. Sister Moore presented a copy of James Dobson's book, Solid Answers, to the church and in turn she was given a bunch of roses. Pastor Moore promised to return to Rhyl in the summertime so that a walk on the beach can be undertaken.

The Welsh Mission has been divided up into four areas North Wales, Mid-Wales including Shropshire and Herefordshire, South-East Wales and South-West Wales. Each area this year will have a Family Emphasis Day. The next one will take place in the Shropshire and Herefordshire district.