December 2011

CHRISTMAS SHARING TIME IN SWANSEA - Sabbath, 24 December 2011 - by Lily Kidwell

It was another joyous time to be in church and be entertained by our young generation on this special service. Our kids showed us that they too have a very special role to play in our church and it is encouraging to see them coming to church regularly and learning the love of Jesus.

Again, our young children have beautifully presented the Christmas nativity play this year. On the Sabbath of Christmas eve, lead by Shibby, Ian and Hajdi the children have participated greatly with their performance as well as the singing of some carols with the congregation. It showed how hard these leaders have been working with the kids on their Sabbath school class. The small room is actually becoming too crowded for the growing number of children attending every Sabbath.

It is really inspiring to see so many other talents in our church especially with music. This time Trisha gave a special rendition with her violin and played 'O Holy Night'. Another special item was shared by Nina and Eduardo and family who sang a Brazilian hymn to the Lord. Jon and Duane lead out worship songs and Pastor Adamovic gave the message of Christmas story on his sermon.

Around 100 people attended the service including some friends and families of regular members and regular visitors. Some people from the local community were also invited. Following the short service everyone had the opportunity to catch up and greet each other. We had a variety of delicacies served during the potluck lunch which was happily shared by everyone.

On this occasion, we were also inspired to see Ivan, this young little boy in church who shared some gifts to the other children. We are so thankful that God showed us in the Bible the importance of giving and this time of the year many people share by giving Christmas cards and gifts to each other. We praise God for the opportunity to be able to share the Good News to others not only for Christmas but for the whole year through.

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

October 2011

NEWPORT PATHFINDER BANQUET - Sabbath, 15 October 2011 - David Rancic

Although Newport Church enjoyed very busy and happy morning as they were witnessing the baptism of six people, the Sabbath was not over as everyone among the youth was excited waiting for the evening and the Pathfinders Banquet.

An event that was planned as a special day in Newport Pathfinders Club calendar became even more special. The word was spread around churches and the organisers faced a 'Mission Impossible' – catering for about 50 possible attendees of the Banquet. The Welsh Mission stood behind the event and helped the organizers from Newport Pathfinders Club to organize everything to a very high and professional level.

The church building was smelling fantastic like a beautiful restaurant where Randolph Joseph, a friend and guest from the Grays Church, prepared a five-course dinner for about 50 people of whom 32 were young people from Newport, Cardiff and Cardiff North, London, Ystrad Mynach and Llandrindod Wells, and about 15 adults who were serving the dinner, teaching them table manners and taking care of the youth.

The youth were happy as they were able to see each other again after the Welsh Mission Youth Camp organized in August. They looked really smart and behaved well just as one would expect them to be dinning at the posh restaurant.

At the end of the day, everyone was greatly satisfied. The youth express their gratitude to the organizers and the Welsh Mission for providing yet another great occasion for them to socialize and get together.

 

60 photos from this event can be seen in our gallery section.
 

SIX BAPTISED IN NEWPORT CHURCH - Sabbath 15 October 2011 - Duska Rancic

There are probably no words by which all who were present in Newport Church on Sabbath, 15 October 2011, could express their joy and happiness. The reason - a baptism of 6 young people from both Hereford and Newport Churches. The local history lovers had to dig deep into their memory to remember the last time that Newport Church had as many baptismal candidates baptised together.

The church was full. Guests from Hereford, Cardiff, Cardiff North, Ystrad Mynach and even Grays Church came to support the event. Some visitors, who came to Newport Church for the first time, came to support their school friends who were going to be baptised. They experienced a great atmosphere and a friendly welcome and were able to learn about biblical baptism as well.

There were lots of tears of joy when Pastor David Rancic invited the baptismal candidates to share their testimonies. They spoke about their motivation and what inspired them to be baptised and become Seventh-day Adventist Christians.

Benjamin Oboh, 33 years old, said that he came from a Roman Catholic family and that he was baptised as a child; however, he learned about true biblical baptism and wanted to become a true Christian. He said that he had visited several churches in Newport but when his friend invited him to visit the Newport Seventh-day Adventist Church, he knew that this was where he wanted to stay.

Jack Snell, 24, supported by almost all the members of the Hereford Church, told of how he had travelled almost 8000 miles to Malaysia to do some humanitarian and educational work. God's providence led him to a Seventh-day Adventist school where he learned about Jesus and decided to become a Christian. On his return to the UK Jack was delighted to find that his nearest closest Adventist Church was in Hereford, just 20 minutes away from his home.

By the time the last four candidates stood and presented their testimonies the congregation was very emotional. These young people were born into Adventist families, attended Children's Sabbath School, were involved in Youth and Pathfinder Activities, and everyone in Newport Church was pleased to see them make their decisions for Christ and be baptised.

Ashleigh Muza, 17, explained that she was inspired by Matthew 28:19-20 where Jesus invited his disciples to go and teach the world, making them disciples and baptising them as well. She said that she wanted to follow Jesus' invitation and become one of His disciples.

Amanda Ndebele, 14, spoke about one occasion when she was riding on a bus with her mother and several friends. Spontaneously they have started to sing some Christian songs and the passengers enjoyed it. When their stop came, one of the passengers thanked them for singing and this helped Amanda to realise that she wanted to serve God and witness to other people.

Erlston Maison, 15, said that attending a Pathfinder Camp in 2010, which had been organized by Newport Pathfinder Club, influenced him to study his Bible more and learn about God. He said that he met some new friends from Grays Church and that he admired them for knowing their Bibles and being "cool about being Christians." A couple of months later he asked for Bible studies and made his decision to be baptised.

Finally, Elphine Ndebele, 17, Amanda's older brother, spoke about his experience when he was taking his exams and how he realized that God helped him to do them well. He emphasised that he was aware that God was always giving more to him than he gave to God and that by baptism he wanted to start afresh and improve his relationship with God.

Pastor David Rancic said that he felt privileged to study the Bible with such a great group of young people and to help them accept God as their personal Saviour. Elders of both the Hereford and Newport churches, along with all who were present, welcomed the baptismal candidates and expressed their joy and happiness at seeing these young people make their decisions for Christ.

Members of both the Hereford and Newport Churches expressed their wish that the Holy Spirit would inspire many more people to become Christians. They are hoping for many more special Sabbaths like this one to come.

53 photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

FROM THE HEART TO THE HEART: CARMARTHEN CHARITY RECITAL - Pat Eastwood

We hear a great deal about young people in the media today and not much of it positive, but here is some good news to stir the heart. On Sabbath 8th October three teenagers, Katya, Gregory and Misha, and their Mum Tanya Makarchuk, came all the way from the Russian community in Bracknell, an eight hour return journey, to give an hour's performance of their musical skills to an audience of members and local friends at the Carmarthen Seventh-day Adventist Church in aid of our very special local heart rehabilitation charity, Calon Plus. One can just imagine practice time in their house as we were amazed at such a variety of instruments that were included in the afternoon's performance, and each played with a charm and sensitivity that endorsed their dedication and talent in an exceptional way. Pieces by Debussy, Bach, Chopin and Rachmaninov were contrasted with simple hymn tunes, all highly acceptable to a delighted audience.

During the programme we heard from Mr Laurence Richards, a representative from the charity, who expressed gratitude for the on-going support of the Carmarthen Adventist congregation and in particular to the Makarchuk family for giving up their time to make so many of us happy with their performance and also giving a further opportunity to raise funds for this very necessary programme at the local hospital.

Thank you Tanya and family for the selfless way you shared your gifts and talents with us all - and please come back again!
 

WELSH MISSION DAY OF FELLOWSHIP - 1 October 2011

Glorious sunny and warm weather greeted the more than two hundred church members and friends who met on Sabbath 1 October for the annual Welsh Mission Day of Fellowship at the Pavilion in Llandrindod Wells. This is now the fourth year in a row when we have had perfect weather for our Day of Fellowship - some are beginning to say it is miraculous!

It was not only the weather that was warm - many people commented on the warm family atmosphere that surrounded the event. When you consider the diversity of age, culture and background that we have here in the Welsh Mission, this too is miraculous. During Sabbath School I wandered around to take photographs, but also took time to listen to the discussions in the ten or so groups that Pastor David Foster and his team from North Wales had arranged. There were clearly differences of opinion, even different understandings of Adventist theology, yet the spirit remained harmonious.

Guest speaker for the day was Pastor Cedric Vine, Undergraduate Course Director at Newbold College. As a member of the Vine family - much loved and greatly respected in the Welsh Mission - Cedric was guaranteed a warm reception. However the congregation was intrigued by the title of his sermon: "Three Point Five". Was this some new light on Christ's earthly ministry? An expansion on the Trinity perhaps? He kept us guessing for quite a while before revealing that the magic number in fact came from Exodus 34:7 where the Lord "punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." For Cedric the third or fourth generation averages out at about three point five - hence the sermon title - but the point that he really wanted to make was that this number is actually very small when compared with God's "maintaining love to thousands" mentioned in the previous line of the text.

The ratio of 3.5 to 1000 is key to understanding God's attitude towards us, Cedric pointed out. Yes there are acts of justice, discipline and punishment in the Bible, but these are very few when compared with God's overwhelming acts of love towards His children. Seeing this ratio demonstrated in God's character is also a key to how we can get on together as an increasingly diverse church. There are times when we need to confront issues, but there are many more times when we need to be loving, understanding, kind, diplomatic and forgiving.

Many others helped to make the day a success: musicians and singers, Sabbath School teachers and story tellers, deacons and technicians, to name just a few. In the end though, everyone played their part - by the warmth of their conversations, the sharing of their lunches, and the joy in their faces as they caught a glimpse of what it means to be a part of the family of God.

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

September 2011

NEWPORT HEALTH FAIR, Sunday 18 September 2011 - by Victor Mbvundula

Ask most people what the first signs of a heart attack are and if they have any idea about it they will mention the likes of chest pain and shortness of breath? Those who attended the Health Fair organised by Newport church in September now know differently. Apparently the first signs are far less dramatic. Next time you notice someone treating themselves to junk food, depriving themselves of rest or stressing themselves out take pity: you are witnessing the first signs of a heart attack!

This was one of the perspectives shared by Dr Chidi Ngwaba, a GP and orthopaedic surgeon, in a lively and captivating presentation to an attentive audience of about thirty in his short talk during Newport the Health Fair.

The Health Fair is becoming something of an autumn fixture in Newport church's calendar. However, this year it seemed unlikely to take place, due to limited funds. It was only in the summer that a combination of tenacity and faith got the preparations going. Thanks to the resourcefulness of Elder Mike Sammons a generous donation was received from the Felix Memorial Trust another outreach event took place successfully. The Felix Memorial Trust is a successor to the Newport Temperance Society. Two members of the church, Ron Kelly and Vera Machell, both of whom passed away relatively recently once chaired the Society so in a tangible way this year’s fair was part of their enduring legacy of service.

The Welsh Mission has recently set up a Welsh-wide Health team which had a training session on how to run health outreach events only previous week. So even though this was a Newport event some of the desks and stalls were manned by brothers and sisters from Cardiff, Swansea, and Carmarthen. But that's not all; we also had people from Peterborough and the West Midlands.

There was a range of services on offer to the public and church members alike, all aimed at capturing a snapshot of participants' state of health and giving appropriate advice. With cholesterol and blood pressure checks and assessment of emotional intelligence and lifestyle the offer was fairly holistic. There were also cookery demonstrations, and yes, some tasting. Someone had to do it!

A couple days after the Fair, one member of the Newport Church found a letter in the church letterbox. Sue, the lady who signed the letter, expressed her gratitude to the Newport Church for organizing Health Fair - "thank you for doing something for the local community, for raising awareness about the health and for the most delicious meal I had in ... years."

Even though the fair clashed with other events in the local community it was still well patronised. At least one person is known to have established ongoing contact and enquired about cookery classes. Who knows what journey that person will walk between now and Health Fair 2012.

85 photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

August 2011

WELSH MISSION YOUTH CAMP - "JESUS IN MY HEART" - by Jeremy Tremeer

From Thursday 25 to Monday 29 August we had our Welsh Mission Youth Camp near Blackwood in South Wales. Considering this was the first one in a few years, it was great to see over 50 young people come to enjoy a good time worshipping and spending time together at the Islwyn Scout Parc. We all set up tents on the opening Thursday afternoon in pouring rain and hail, but this didn't dampen the spirits as the camp quickly got into full swing. With Andy Ndebele organising activities in the onsite barn and the field, the youth soon got involved in team games and activities, building many new friendships in the process. Everyone was put into one of four teams which competed with each other in a number of team-building activities, from sports and games to learning more practical skills such as building fires and  even chariots!

The worships focused on the theme of "Jesus in My Heart", and everyone was encouraged to think of how amazing Jesus is as our Saviour and how special it is to have him in our lives. Pastors Jeremy Tremeer and David Rancic lead out in these worships, and we were also happy to have Pastor Des Bouldeau, the outgoing BUC Youth Director, speak on the Sabbath. Des also conducted a Pathfinder Investiture during the Sabbath service, as four individuals were invested. Joshua, one young Pathfinder, was invested as a Friend and his parents Mr. & Mrs David, along with their friend Pauline, were each given the Pathfinder Leadership Award. Also taking part in this Investiture was the Newport Pathfinder Club that marched in to the beat of the Pathfinder drum. We have seen a revival of interest in Pathfinders in the Welsh Mission and look forward to more clubs starting up in the near future.

It is fantastic to have young people come along and bring friends with them to an event in which we celebrate the love of Jesus in song and in word, and where they have an opportunity to learn more about the Jesus Who loves them, and make new friendships in the process.

66 photos from the day can be seen in our gallery section.
 

MOMENTUM 2011 - Chris Kidwell

From the 19th to 23rd of August, a group from South Wales went along to a large multi-denominational camp for '20 to 30 somethings' called Momentum. Jon Kidwell, Duane Saunders, Jeremy Tremeer, Eiddon Paul and myself met up at the Bath and West Showground on a sunny Friday afternoon to set up camp amongst around 5-7 thousand other 'mature' campers. We were also thankful to be joined by Loren Latchman for the day on Saturday.

To start off, I'll give a little introduction of what Soul Survivor and Momentum are all about. Soul Survivor is an event pioneered by Mike Pilavachi. He is the pastor at the Soul Survivor church in Watford, which was born out of his concern that more young people were leaving the church than joining. With this passion for youth and around 10 other people with the same vision, a church born in 1993 has grown to the size of 800 members, and a summer camp born in 1993 has grown from 2,000 to 30,000 attendees. The summer camps began from a feeling that with the growth in youth work at Pilavachi's church, something separate would be needed to accommodate the young people. Soul Survivor is an event spread over 3 weekends which is aimed at kids around the secondary school age. In 2004, Momentum was born to continue serving the kids that had attended any of the previous 11 years of Soul Survivor. They wanted to continue serving all the teenagers that had now moved into their early twenties and thirties. And that brings us nicely back onto Momentum 2011.

It's a wonderfully spiritual camp which is constantly encouraging all it's attendees to focus on God - whether that be during the Big Top meetings, seminars, or late night worship. There are two main meetings that take place every day in the morning and evening. The first 30-40 minutes of these meetings are spent worshipping God - the people sing, dance, kneel, pray, close their eyes, look to heaven, raise and clap their hands, and more during this intimate time of praise and worship. It's a wonderful experience being in amongst many thousands of people who all feel so free to worship our Lord and Saviour. God is really real to me, on a personal level, during these worship times. I often found myself with eyes closed and hands high for long periods of time as I really connected and felt God's presence around me. The band do a wonderful job of leading people to worship; it's an unbelievable experience when 6,000 people can stand in silence for minutes at a time as the band encourage us to meet with God by leaving long periods of 'God time' amongst their worship sets. During some of these periods of silence, rousing choral renditions of hymns and spontaneous songs would slowly sweep across the large congregation - I felt so sure about God during these times, it was so clear that He was there with us; we didn't need the band or music, it was just God and his people.

The meeting would then move into a time of Biblical teaching. A variety of speakers from different denominations came and spoke on a number of inspiring topics which aimed to prepare us all to live a life for God - to not just accept Jesus, but to live a life to please God. To be a group of people in this world that is willing to be proactive for God in order to expand his Kingdom here on earth. It has definitely refreshed me to be less secretive and shy when faced with opportunities to share the story of Jesus with friends, work mates or new people. There were a total of 9 'sermons' at Momentum and I've learned too much to list in this article. Feel free to email me for more information on what each talk focussed on.

Finally, we'd finish the meetings by waiting on the Holy Spirit. We would start by praying for any people that had newly decided to follow Jesus, or those who had recommitted themselves. Then we would have a period of 20-30 minutes to just pray intimately to God. You could do it however you wanted, but it was a refreshingly spiritual experience where people were encouraged to respond to the Holy Spirit in whatever way felt natural. Some felt a deep peace, some a great joy, others felt a feeling of sorrow or shame, and some felt nothing at all. It was stressed that there was no 'right way' to feel or respond, and I will testify that throughout the weekend I felt all of the feelings listed above. It was great to have time where you can just speak to God and feel his Spirit. The music was slowly reintroduced and we'd finish each meeting with a few more songs for people to praise our Lord more - while many stayed in deep, prayerful states during this worship.

For me, the Big Top meetings are the main highlight of Soul Survivor/Momentum. They provide time where you get to have fellowship with so many followers of Jesus. You get to praise Jesus in an environment where denomination, segregation, separation, or whatever you want to call it, doesn't matter to anyone - we all stand together in that huge marquee simply as followers of Jesus. Sometimes our church evangelism can seem an impossible task when you look at our church membership and the size of the towns/cities. But going to Momentum has made me realise that there are so many more people willing to give their lives to serving Jesus beyond the walls of our church, and if we could all sing off the same hymn sheet, we could really get the name, story and message of Jesus out into the local communities in a powerful way.

Having used the majority of my self-inflicted word count on the main meetings, I'll wrap this up quickly from here! Momentum also runs 3 seminar sessions per day (9:30, 2:30 and 4:00) where a wide range of speakers from all over the world come to talk on topics ranging from 'community outreach' to 'reading your Bible' to 'sex'. Each session has a selection of 5-7 seminars to choose from with a total of 86 seminars over the course of the camp, ensuring that there was something for everyone to attend. Additionally, the Toolshed is filled with charity stalls, book shops, clothes stalls, and other Christian organisations which you can talk to, sign up for newsletters, donate to, and buy from. And finally, there are plenty of social venues including cafés and music venues where you can meet and network with people.

Overall, I can't recommend this event enough. Having now attended for two years in a row, it has left me feeling spiritually refreshed and invigorated each time, but also feeling closer to God. It hasn't failed to relight my fire for Jesus; and my prayer is that the fire in everyone who attended doesn't burn out. This passion for Christ deep within us will help us to stay true to God and spread the wonderful story of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Duane Saunders
Although we try our best to be on fire for God 24/7, the reality is that our human nature allows us to become side tracked by the on-goings of the world such as work, school, and living for self. Momentum is a chance for 4 days to solely focus upon God. Through inspirational talks and seminars on an array of subjects from 'Overcoming Worry' to 'Dating, Waiting and Mating', I can't think of anything more encouraging than being in a field of 5,000 young people who are passionately and desperately seeking God during worship, an environment where Denomination, Culture and Ethnicity is not a factor - the only focus in Worship is the Cross. Hopefully that focal point continues for the rest of year. Momentum is a Buffet for the Spiritual Soul.

Eiddon Paul
I thoroughly enjoyed my first Momentum. It was such a blessing to attend and to spend time with other Christian youth and see God working in us. What also helped was the great weather that we had - apart from a few hours here and there it was glorious sunshine all weekend. We all went to the morning and evening worships and talks and felt spiritually lifted from each session. In the afternoon we could go to a few seminars too and after the evening sessions there was still time to head into one of the many cafes for a cheeky Hot Chocolate mountain - which I recommend to anyone; keeps you warm on those cold nights. All in all I recommend Momentum to all students and young adults for next year, you won't be sorry.

Jonathan Kidwell
There's something about going to a Christian event that is fulfilling. It may be the fact you're away from home; the habit of distractions left behind. For 5 days we enter the spirit of Soul Survivor: Momentum. After attending last year, I knew what to expect roughly. Lively, open minded worships, directed and relatable talks, and great fellowship! Personally this year I was really moved by the challenging messages about how we can be the change in the world; how God works through us and chose us through the gospel. It was really inspiring to hear new perspectives on the gospel and to really study Paul. If there's one thing that the Soul Survivor team do successfully, it's making God accessible to all. The mix of in depth analysis with personal every day experiences makes the talks really enjoyable while also very informational. Worships are always a meeting with God. You really feel you can sing out to God and feel his presence. A fantastic opportunity for thanksgiving and praise! I really encourage people to attend as it's a great boost in your Christian life. I look forward to next year's festival to recharge for another year of life's challenges!
 

July 2011

BEACH VOLLEYBALL WITNESS IN SWANSEA - July 2011 - report by Lily Kidwell

Swansea is a seaside city, and the members of the Swansea Seventh-day Adventist church not only enjoy the location, they use it in their social and witnessing activities. Encouraged by a visit from Pastor Miroslav and Mrs Esti Pujic, who both work at the Trans-European Division, the members spent one glorious July afternoon on the beach fellowshipping together and playing volleyball. They were joined in this "Beach Ministry" by some other Christian friends and the idea was to get members of the public to join in with the games and get to know Christians as friends. A similar event was held a little later when we had a visit from members of the Coventry church.

At the moment the Swansea church is in transition, with the old church being stripped down ready for demolishing and rebuilding, and the congregation meeting in an Anglican church in the meantime. Under these circumstances the members have to be resourceful in their outreach - and what could be more appropriate that outreach in the great outdoors. Beach witness combines the advantages of fresh air and the beauty of God's creation, and what's more, it's free!

Of course weather does not always permit such activities but July gave us a number of opportunities for such activities and, as a bonus, the young people spent a Sunday in the Oakwood theme park together. Those who are in the know can see a lot of this on FaceBook but we hope this short report has given you a flavour of what is happening in Swansea. If you'd like to get in touch, or get involved, just contact the pastor or one of the Swansea members.

For more pictures from Swansea's busy July, see our gallery page.
 

June 2011

NEWPORT FUN DAY - Sunday 26 June 2011 - report by David Rancic

On Sunday 26 June 2011 the Newport Church organized its second Fun Day. This event is regarded as one of important events in the Children's Department calendar and Jonathan Nyengani, a leader of the Children's Department, expressed his joy that event was organized again this year. Teachers of the Children's Department accompanied by the Youth and Women's Ministry Departments, made an effort that proved to be a winning combination.

More than 70 parents and children enjoyed the great atmosphere - playing board and video games, eating good food, having their faces painted, and especially … playing in the bouncy castle! The bouncy castle became practically the most important part of the event when it was brought to the Youth Hall of Newport Church last year. If you mention to children that on such and such date the Church will organise a Fun Day, everyone will ask, 'Will there be a bouncy castle as well?'

Apart from being a great day for children and youth to play, jump and 'turn the Youth Hall upside down,' this event provides a special occasion when parents and children from the local community can visit the Newport Church and enjoy the atmosphere and hospitality which it is becoming renowned for. Organizers are hoping for more events like this one which will help the Newport Church to become more and more connected with its local community.

For 74 pictures from the Fun Day see our gallery page.
 

May 2011

SITTING, WALKING AND STANDING AT BRECON CAMP - Friday 27 to Monday 31 May 2011 - report by John Surridge

In the shadow of the magnificent Brecon Beacons, where the river Bran meets and is absorbed by the river Usk just four miles west of the town of Brecon itself, lies the tiny gathering of houses and farms that constitute Aberbran. This is the idyllic location that the Welsh Mission has used for its biannual Family Camps for the last 27 years or so. Twice a year campers come from all over the UK to pitch their tents or caravans on the banks of the river and enjoy a physical and spiritual renewal which seems unique to these much loved gatherings.

The speaker for this year's camp was Pastor Adam Keough, currently serving as the pastor of the Belfast church as well as Youth Sponsor for the Irish Mission. Adam brought with him his wife Heather and their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Olivia, and the family were warmly welcomed into the wider Brecon Camp community. Although they suffered a breakdown on their long drive from Northern Ireland, efficient work by the AA meant that they arrived on time and were able to attend all the meetings.

Over the weekend Adam based his talks on the book "Sit, Walk, Stand" by Watchman Nee, which is an exposition of the book of Ephesians. Dividing the book into a first "doctrinal" and a second "practical" section he began by emphasising that our starting point as Christians is sitting at the right hand of God, in the heavenly realms. We didn't get there by ourselves but God raised us up. Knowing where we are with God gives us the power that we need to walk the Christian life and stand firm in our faith.

Adam's sound theology was punctuated with numerous colourful illustrations, and his quirky, highly animated children's stories were particularly well appreciated - by all ages! At the dining tables and round the campfires people could be heard referring back to the falling penguins, turtle kings, and elephants sitting on eggs.

The highlight of the camp was undoubtedly Sabbath afternoon when John Payne took his stand for Jesus by being baptised in the river. Although it had rained in the morning, a beautiful afternoon followed and more than a hundred people were able to watch from the banks as Pastor Jeremy Tremeer lowered John into the water. John and his family have attended several Brecon Camps now and have become very good friends with the regulars. John and his wife Tracey have been particularly helpful in the running of the camp - putting up and taking down the marquee, bringing wood up from their Cardiff home for the obligatory bonfires, and doing many of the essential tasks that make the camp run smoothly. No doubt they will be a part of the Brecon Camp scene for many years to come.

For pictures from the camp and a video of the baptism see our gallery section.

 

NEWTOWN HEALTH DAY - Tuesday 24 May 2011 - report Pastor Roger Neal

On Tuesday 24 May, here in Newtown mid Wales, the 13-strong North England Conference Health Expo team, under the directorship of Mrs Grace Welsh (NEC Heath Ministries director), staged a "Health Expo" community outreach programme together with the members of the Newtown Company.

The local members of Newtown hired an empty charity shop right in the centre of Newtown on the busiest day of the week - Tuesday being the weekly market day where the farming community bring their produce and set up their stalls in the High Street The day was bright and sunny which gave the locals and tourists alike the opportunity to have a health check whilst browsing around the market. Outside the shop the members of the Newtown Company invited the shoppers to have their health checked by the Expo team and at the end of the day some 82 people had passed along the team for health checks.

Those who took the health check were given a questionnaire at the beginning of the process, and then went on to have their height, weight, body fat mass and blood pressure measured. Active therapy consisted of a shoulder massage and personalised advice from a counsellor who discussed with them the various ways they could change their lifestyle according to the health report they had received. Whatever their physical condition each person who came along for a health check went away with a least one piece of literature which gave them hope for the future: Ellen White's "Happiness Digest" (Steps to Christ).

The Expo was scheduled to finish by 4:00 pm, the time when most of the market stalls are dismantled. However as folk were still streaming through the door to have their health checked at that time it was about 5:30 pm when we finally shut up shop.

The feedback from various sources has been tremendous. In the first instance the NEC Team had their lunch arranged by a local restaurant - Brown's of Newtown. When the chef was asked to provide thirteen vegan meals he replied that although he had never had any call for a vegan meal before he would do his best to oblige. He ended up doing an excellent job and was so pleased with compliments he received from the team that he informed the writer that he would now offer a vegan meal on the menu in his restaurant. He enquired as to who we were and was very impressed the hear that it was a church that was promoting the health program.

The Market Hall manager from whom we hired the shop premises informed me when I returned the keys that he had been overwhelmed with the compliments from the folk who had attended for health checks. The kindness, consideration and attention given to their health concerns, had really impressed them. They found it hard to believe that a church could have such concerns for its community. Everyone was made aware that the Health Expo was a community program given free by the Seventh-day Adventist church, and that the local group meets every Saturday morning at the Treowen Community Centre.

Our health work in Newtown has not finished, in fact it is only just beginning. Now we need to keep in touch with the 42 individuals who left their contact details, hopefully through a weekly meeting that combines health and spiritual uplift.

 

SWANSEA CHIP GRADUATION

On Sunday evening 22 May twelve graduates of Swansea's latest Coronary Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) programme were presented with their certificates and badges at a special banquet and awards ceremony. Including friends, family members, guests and CHIP team members, more than fifty people attended the event which featured as it's guest speaker Dr Kunle Adesina, a Consultant Nephrologist (specialist in kidneys) based at Morriston Hospital.

The evening began with a generous buffet meal featuring dishes which the CHIP participants had become used to during their four week course. Guests were initially bewildered by the variety of foods on offer but their "what is it?" questions were soon exchanged for expressions of appreciation as they came to realise that healthy food doesn't have to be boring!

Although the CHIP programme focuses on coronary health Dr Adesina gave a fascinating presentation on the importance of good kidney function and its relation to the health of the heart. Beginning with a general overview of the work of the kidneys Dr Adesina pointed out that each of our kidneys contains about one million tiny filters. If these stop working, even partially, we can get into trouble very quickly and "kidney failure can lead to heart failure".

Major risk factors affecting the kidneys included high blood pressure and diabetes, two conditions which the CHIP programme is renowned for reducing. What's more, he said, "people on dialysis have a ten times greater risk of dying from heart disease than the average population".

The twelve graduates are an outstanding example of what can be achieved through lifestyle change and Wales CHIP director, Mrs Lil Saunders was delighted with their success. Reading from the blood analysis datasheets that were taken at the beginning and the end of the course, she reported that collectively all of the risk factors were down. These included: weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. The level of success varied slightly between the participants and special awards were given to those who had done particularly well. Chris was especially commended for losing over 5kg in weight and Brent was commended for walking or cycling over 700 miles between the start of the CHIP programme and the graduation. Vanessa's cholesterol fell 20% during the course of the programme.

Ken and Marie John were typical of the people who took part. "I enjoyed every minute of it," said Ken, though his wife admitted that she struggled a bit with the food. "It's a complete change from everything that we've ever done," she said, "but we've both lost weight and we're both happy."

The Swansea church is blessed in having a number of doctors and nurses who help to run the CHIP programmes. It is their hard work and dedication that has led to Swansea CHIP becoming one of the most successful CHIP ventures in the UK.

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

Find out more about CHIP Wales.

 

February 2011

SWANSEA UPDATE - Lily Kidwell

Pastor Jovan Adamovic recently introduced a different order to our worship services in the Swansea church by starting the morning with the divine service. It is then followed by song service and the Bible study session, or Sabbath School. This new arrangement takes place on alternate weeks and is intended to give church goers a change from the traditional way of doing things. We are slowly getting used to it, though visitors may be a bit surprised if they attend on one of our "different" Sabbaths. We would like to assure them that we do continue to have our mini potluck fellowship lunch every week, so things are not that different!

Our stay at Holy Trinity church is helping to give us a broader spiritual experience. We are very grateful to this church organization for accommodating us temporarily while we are waiting for our church to be rebuilt, though the limited time we have on Sabbaths does mean that we can't have our usual afternoon programmes. However one positive benefit of this is that our members are using this time to reach out into the community more and we have recently started some outreach programmes. One Sabbath day our young people conducted a 'Kidz Time' programme at the community centre whilst the other members went to sing at a local nursing home. It is really good to be close to the Parkway nursing home because we can now visit the residents more often. It is really inspiring to see the elderly people joining us in singing hymns and even requesting their favourites, like 'Amazing Grace'.

On Sabbath 26 February many of our members went two by two into the community to distribute leaflets whilst others stayed at the church for Bible study, prayer and discussion. During the same day some of our youth joined in with groups from other churches and went to the Liberty stadium to collect money and raise funds for Marie Curie cancer care. Our youth have been involved with young people from other churches since the beginning of the Afterglow programmes. These contemporary meetings vary considerably in style and location, with some being held at the Ty Tawe centre. Sports evenings are arranged during the week ensuring that there are a good variety of activities for the young people. One Sunday 27 February the youth did an organized walk from Mumbles to Langland and along the Gower coastal path. It was a beautiful spring day and everyone who joined the walk had a good time. As the summer is just round the corner there will be more regular outdoor activities like this for everyone to enjoy together.

Another outreach programme that is ongoing is the ministry to 'displaced people' in Swansea. Irving Saunders and others regularly meet up with the people at the centre. Some of us are also raising funds to help a church school in the Philippines which is struggling financially. It is good to be part of this project.

Our health team is intensely preparing for the next CHIP programme and there have been information events held at the community centre and other places to let people know what this liefstyle change programme is all about. On the information days people have had health checks and advice given by the health professionals from the church.

In the past few months we have seen some new additions to our congregation. Some babies were born during the recent months and it is so wonderful to see many more children coming to Sabbath school learning about Jesus and His love. We are also very privileged to have some university students worshipping with us.

There are many more activities planned for the future like the Women's Ministries involvement with 'Race for Life'. Jacqui Jones invites everyone to join in this important charity event, both for fun and fitness purposes.

As I write this short article I remember a preacher who spoke about how we as a church need to be out in the community helping to make a difference in the life of others. Let us hope that the Swansea church will continue to be instrumental in God's work, and let's encourage one another in what we are doing!

 

NEWTOWN ORGANISED AS A COMPANY - Treowen Community Centre - Sabbath 19 February 2011

Pastor Roger Neal, together with his wife Marilyn, have long dreamed of there being a church in Newtown. When a number of members moved into the area from the North England Conference, they began to encourage prayer meetings and then a Sabbath meeting every other week.

Finding a suitable venue was a bit of a challenge, but in the middle of a housing estate the group found the somewhat neglected Treowen Community Centre. A long-term rental was agreed and over the last year they have breathed new life into this building. Every Sabbath it is now a hive of activity and the reputation of the fellowship lunches is such that often a number of youths from the community leave their bikes outside and join in!

In the fourth quarter of 2010 the group took the plunge and decided to go full time. This demonstration of faith and commitment led the Welsh Mission Executive Committee to approve their organisation as an official Company, an event which took place on Sabbath 19 February.

"Newtown is a strategic location here in the Welsh Mission," said Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge, who led the organisation service. "It is right in the heart of mid-Wales and we really need a presence here. We're so pleased that a number of families have found work in this area and have decided to make it their home."

 

January 2011

CARDIFF NORTH CHURCH FORMALLY ORGANISED - Theophilus Gokah/BUC News

An important decision by the Welsh Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to elevate the Cardiff North Seventh-day Adventist company to a full church status was implemented on Sabbath, 5 February 2011.

Friends and regular members of the church gathered to worship and witness the fellowship organise into a fully developed church three years after it was first formed. The officiating minister was Pastor John Surridge, Welsh Mission President, assisted by Pastors Clyde Moore and George Boakye Asiamah.

In a welcome address resident minister, Pastor Asiamah, greeted visitors with joy and reminded the church community of its role in society; aspects of the life of the church and its organisation. The church grew following a 2008 decision by the British Union Conference along with the World Church leadership to provide funding for an evangelistic campaign among emerging minority communities migrating to Cardiff. On 31 May 2008, the Welsh Mission named the South Wales African Adventist Fellowship (SWAAF) as pivotal to a grand evangelistic plan in Cardiff. The first fruit of that plan is the Cardiff North Adventist church.

"Cardiff North church in Wales is just the beginning of a process Jesus started many years ago", stated Pastor Surridge. He drew on various scripture texts to remind the congregation of seven qualities of a true church. Among these qualities were specific criteria that demand the church not to stop learning and talking about Jesus.

There was some coincidence of thought among members of the congregation and that of Pastor Surridge, that is, "where next?" It is suggested that Cardiff North turns its attention to Pontypridd, a town once described as the "Wild West". It is host to the University of Glamorgan with many commercial, industrial and tourism attractions. The presence of a university makes it a natural home for many students from across the world. It is already a home for Adventist students who travel from there to fellowship in Cardiff North church.

For pictures on the church organisation visit the church's revamped website at: www.cardiffnorth.co.uk.