BUC News #436 (1 April 2005)

Email Newsletter of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Contents:

DOOR TO DOOR IN THE RAIN
SRI LANKA ESCAPES EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE
UK WOMEN'S MINISTRIES LEADERS VISIT RWANDA
HARRY WILBY STARTS WORK IN SRI LANKA
IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE AT ABPA SPRING MEETING
ASHFORD COMPANY ORGANISED
ASIAN DAY OF FELLOWSHIP AT OXHILL ROAD CHURCH, BIRMINGHAM
MINISTRY PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SEMINAR STARTS THIS WEEK
SEC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO PRESENT RADIO KENT SERIES
COMING EVENTS
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DOOR TO DOOR IN THE RAIN

Collecting door to door for the ADRA-UK Annual Appeal began across the United Kingdom last weekend. Although the weather has been mostly cool and damp, with some rain, initial reports from collectors are encouraging. Personal Ministries director for the North England Conference Pastor Roy Morgan described the weather in his territory as "quite good", commenting that cooler conditions "help to keep the people in and don't stop us going out!" In the NEC's Annual Appeal bulletin, which was compiled on Wednesday morning, the total collected to date was reported at £6,263, which is about £1,300 up on the same time last year. One collector alone had raised £839 and the fairly small Worcester church had already reported a total of £2,033.

For the South England Conference Pastor Aris Vontzalidis said that, at least subjectively, the appeal seemed to be going well. "I went round the shops on Wednesday and found that people were giving well, despite many of them having given already to various tsunami appeals."

BUC President Pastor Cecil Perry has been collecting most days this week and, together with BUC Personal Ministries director Pastor David Cox, he led a band from the BUC office on Tuesday evening. Despite persistent rain Pastor Perry remained cheerful and positive, encouraging his colleagues with characteristic humour and commenting that it would take more than a little rain to stop him going out.

The ADRA Annual Appeal has more than a week left in most parts of the United Kingdom and two weeks left for those in London. It is hoped that a total of £600,000 can be achieved in this time.


SRI LANKA ESCAPES EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE

There was considerable concern in the ADRA-UK office this week following news of the major earthquake that hit the island of Nias on Monday evening 28 March. With three ADRA-UK workers now stationed in Sri Lanka there were fears of further devastation in the region. Arlene Senior sent in a report on the panic that ensued when the warnings came through. "Just before midnight my phone rang. It was one of the Sri Lankan accountants that I work with and he said that an earthquake had just hit Indonesia and Sri Lanka was at risk. He was concerned for our staff members who are located down in the coastal areas. The phones were all jammed and he couldn't get hold of anyone."

After waking all the ADRA staff Arlene and her colleagues contacted as many people as they could and tried to assess the danger. Eventually television and Internet news reports convinced them that Sri Lanka was not at risk and they were able to stand down from the alert.


UK WOMEN'S MINISTRIES LEADERS VISIT RWANDA

From Tuesday 8 to Tuesday 15 March three Women's Ministries leaders from the UK visited Rwanda in order to support a Women's Counselling Centre which was partially funded from last year's Ingathering campaign. The leaders were: Heather Haworth, BUC Women's Ministries director; Cynthia Joseph-Lewis, from the Lewisham church; and Judith Martin, Scottish Women's Ministries sponsor. The Women's Counselling Centre is located at Kanombe, Kigali, where a dormitory and administration centre are currently under construction. The site also houses a teaching centre, where literacy programmes are being run, and where the women, and one man, are learning sewing skills. The centre had also been running a tailoring project until recently, but unfortunately the money for this particular project ran out.

It is hoped that the skills taught at the counselling centre will encourage women in particular to become self-sufficient and will ultimately help at least half a million people. Funding for the project is being raised by the current Ingathering campaign, from the BUC Women's Ministries department, and from Adventist women in Rwanda, who have been asked to contribute a minimum of 50 Rwandan francs each to the building costs. Extra funding will provide the salary for a full-time counsellor and a woman evangelist, and more immediately, beds and mattresses for the dormitory.

As well as visiting the Women's Counselling Centre the three leaders also visited three Adventist churches, one in Kabeza, a district of Kigali itself, and two in South Rwanda, in Nyanza and Butare.

"What we found," said Judith Martin, "was a vibrant, active church, with large congregations, full of praise for the blessings of the Lord. The women showed us some of the work they do - sewing, embroidery, weaving, making soap and soya bean products - all of which are sold in small enterprise projects. We were inspired by the stories of the way Women's Ministries is changing lives in Rwanda - helping out in the community, through visits to prisons and hospitals, helping people, especially older women, to rebuild their homes, and through women-led crusades, which have resulted in many being brought to Christ. In one area we were told that 50 people had given their lives to Christ and 14 had been baptised as a result of their last crusade."

"On the Sabbath we attended a church of about 5,000 members in one of the suburbs of Kigali. From our position in the front row, the sound of a 5,000-strong 'choir' behind us singing the doxology at the beginning of the service, was very moving. Heather preached the sermon - about how the call can come to people of all ages, and at the end made an altar call, to which a large group of young people and children responded."

"However, we also found a country still bearing the scars of war," Judith continued, "with buildings needing renovation and quite a few on-going building projects, particularly in the capital, Kigali. The Adventist Church - the membership of which is 10% of the total population of 8 million - is actively working to support the government in its reconciliation programme, and in building up the country. Women's Ministries, both in Rwanda and in the UK, is playing an important part in this reconstruction process."


HARRY WILBY STARTS WORK IN SRI LANKA

On Monday 21 March Harry Wilby became the third ADRA-UK worker to arrive in Sri Lanka. "The first day was a bit of a blur," he reports. "When I arrived at 9.00 am the temperature outside was already approaching 40 degrees centigrade. At the ADRA-Sri Lanka office in Colombo, Conrad Vine, the acting ADRA country director, took me through the various protocols and procedures that guide our activities. I was given an identity badge, business cards, a laptop, mobile phone and a list of ADRA staff telephone numbers to save."

"The following day I took the five-hour trip south to the temporary ADRA office at Tangalle for a special ceremony when three tractors, water bowsers, trailers, and water pumps were handed over to representatives of the local communities. The original project called for the provision of 1,000 water tanks, one each to five relocated families, but Julio Paula, the Project Director in this area, negotiated a cheaper price per tank with the manufactures and was able to purchase 1,500. He found that the daily allocation of litres of water per family was actually double the need, so increased to 10 the number of families per tank. Fifteen thousand relocated families will now receive water instead of five thousand, and several communities will be able to use the new tractors and water tank trailers to supply their tanks from the water source. ADRA will supply chlorine for the water, and diesel for the pumps and tractors for the first year, then it is hoped that the government will take o!
ver."

"More projects are due to start soon in neighbouring tsunami regions, and when all victims have access to pure water it is planned to extend the scheme to include these others, particularly in isolated villages. We were also thrilled to hear about another project to follow these. The Tangalle Livelihoods Recovery Project will assist families or individuals to become self-sufficient in farming, fishing, poultry rearing for example."

"After the horror of the tsunami disaster and all the grief and heartache for so many thousands, people are busy repairing, or rebuilding their homes. For those who have nothing left, that is not possible. However, the ADRA water projects, and others to follow will produce a better situation than existed before. The future looks exciting."


IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE AT ABPA SPRING MEETING - Audrey Balderstone

"Lives Less Ordinary" was the theme chosen by Pastor Martin Bell for the Spring weekend meeting of the Adventist Business and Professionals' Association (ABPA), and as members drove up to Latimer House Conference Centre they felt that indeed their lives would be less ordinary - at least for the weekend. Warm spring sunshine and breath-taking views over the Chess Valley greeted those who gathered on the terrace to greet old friends and make some new ones.

Next morning a thought-provoking sermon by Martin followed an innovative and memorable Sabbath School led by Andrew and Eileen Baildam, and gave members plenty to discuss during their energising walk with Edward Hammond after lunch. Gathering to close Sabbath, all were inspired by reports of God's leading in the lives of many in our group. Excellent food and plenty of laughter rounded off a day which was a highlight in the ABPA calendar.

One major highlight was the adoption, for the first time, of a project to be funded by the Association. (Previously projects were run by individual members.) A presentation of the work of STOP International, an Adventist Charity dedicated to working with orphans in India, impressed all present and it was unanimously agreed that providing funds for the Guard House, gate and fencing of the land, as well as the bore well, pump and pump house in this proposed Adventist Village should be our first priority.

Our second major vote was the decision to extend to students in full-time college and university education free membership of the Association. The Youth departments of the North and South England Conferences have welcomed this news. Plans are being formulated for a joint Day of Fellowship between students and members of the ABPA and these will be announced shortly. Members of the ABPA look forward to encouraging aspiring young students to dedicate their talents to God's service right at the beginning of their careers.

Health checks, beauty therapy and information about using the web to enhance business opportunities meant that members left the Conference on Sunday full of energy and committed more fully than ever to 'Witnessing in the Workplace.'

Information about the Adventist Business and Professionals' Association can be obtained from the website <www.abpa.org.uk>.


ASHFORD COMPANY ORGANISED

Easter weekend was a time of celebration for members and friends of the Ashford company. In a little less than two years they have grown from the front room of a Victorian terrace house to a company with 19 core members and an average attendance of more than 35 people.

Adventists have been living in Ashford for almost 30 years but it was the dream of Pastor Fernand Lombard to plant a church there. Together with a small group of members they started to meet, and then, with recent immigration and job moves, a highly motivated company began holding regular worship services at the Kennington Methodist/United Reformed Church on Faversham Road.

During the past two months, Pastor Victor Hulbert worked with the members to help them develop their leadership strategies as well as building their spiritual skills in a mini-evangelistic campaign. This climaxed on Good Friday with a baptism of four candidates, a joyful service hosted by the Canterbury church.

The candidates demonstrate the broad international basis of the Ashford company. Dudley and Georgette Rush hale from Jamaica and Mauritius. Georgette grew up Adventist but drifted away, while Dudley has only recently come into contact with the church. However, he is a man who has learnt to love his Bible. Fortunate comes from Burkina Faso where she married an Adventist. She became convicted during the evangelistic meetings that she should make a full decision to follow Christ and join the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The forth candidate, Vita Martin-Achong, hales from Trinidad and has become a strong and leading member of the new Ashford company.

This is a committed, family friendly, international church where people of every language and background are made welcome in the name of Jesus Christ. Ashford town is a rapid growth area in Kent. Along with the town, members are committed to work towards an equally rapid increase in the development of the Ashford company.


ASIAN DAY OF FELLOWSHIP AT OXHILL ROAD CHURCH, BIRMINGHAM - Wilfred Masih

On Sabbath 26 February, the Oxhill Road church in Birmingham hosted an Asian Day of Fellowship and Praise which consisted of Sabbath Bible Study and Family Worship followed by lunch. In the afternoon a concert of Musical Praise was arranged by the Music Department of the church and hosted by Wilfred Masih. A short drama was also performed in the afternoon which depicted a scene from when the Tsunami wave struck on Boxing Day 2004. A number of people were moved by the drama and made contributions towards the fundraising for this terrible tragedy.

Those attending had travelled from the North and South of England, and were mainly fellow Christians who are resident in the UK but have their origin from the Indian Sub-continent and Pakistan. The event provided an opportunity for meeting friends and worshipping together with those from similar cultural backgrounds.

The afternoon of music provided an opportunity for listening to singing in the various languages of India and Pakistan and proved to be educational for those who had not come across worship and praise in these different languages and styles.

The whole event was organised by the church members with encouragement from ministers, Pastor D Masih and Pastor S Gill, and the elders, Bro P Legah and Bro A Bacchus.

The total amount raised for the Tsunami disaster on the day was over £500 and when this was added to the funds raised by the church in earlier weeks the total came to more than £1,300.

We praise God for the disaster-free life we enjoy in this country and hope that these funds will assist in the relief effort in the disaster struck areas.


MINISTRY PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SEMINAR STARTS THIS WEEK

From 6.00 to 9.30 pm on Tuesday 5 April the Hope Channel will be broadcasting a "Ministry Professional Growth Seminar" for Adventist and other clergy, chaplains, students, lay preachers and administrators. The three-and-a-half hour event will be broadcast live and will include sermons and lectures from some of the world's best preachers. The theme for this year is "Living and Teaching the Word." Check the Hope Channel website <www.hopetv.org.uk> for latest details.


SEC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY TO PRESENT RADIO KENT SERIES

Starting on Sunday 3 April SEC Executive Secretary Pastor Victor Hulbert will be presenting a series of six "Thoughts for the Day" on BBC Radio Kent. The theme for the week will be based around the "Fruits of the Spirit".

The series was set up by Radio Kent Religious Producer Lynn Wallis Eade who interviewed Pastor Hulbert back in January in connection with the "Hope In Hiroshima" programme which was run in the Ashford company. The radio station aired a nine-minute interview in connection with this programme and since then Lynn has expressed a great interest in working with the Adventist churches in her catchment area.

When asked about his hopes for the latest series of programmes Pastor Hulbert replied, "My prayer is that not only will there be a blessing for the listeners at the beginning of each day, but that also they will help to raise the profile of the Adventist Church in Kent."


COMING EVENTS

A full list of coming events is located on the BUC website at: <www.adventist.org.uk>. Only brief details are listed below.

ADRA-UK ANNUAL APPEAL. Continuing until Sunday 10 April, extending to Sunday 17 April in London Metropolitan area. For further information on how you can be a collector contact the Personal Ministries leader or Ingathering Local Agent at your local church.

GEORGIA ADVENTIST ACADEMY CHOIR - WATFORD. 7.30 pm on Friday 1 April at the Stanborough Park church. Entry is free. Expense collection will be taken. Contact: Robert Vine <rvine12345@aol.com>. Phone: 01923 678740.

EDUCATION DAY - GREENWICH. 9.30 am - 6.00 pm on Sabbath 2 April. Dr Keith Burton presents his unique and powerful presentation on "The black presence in the Bible" at the Greenwich church. Also: "Christian Mis-Education and the Bible", "Buffalo Soldiers", "The Bible and Africa". Contact: Shirley Grant <shirley_grant59@hotmail.com>. Phone: 020 8691 9619.

MOORCLOSE NIGHTS. 6.00 pm on Sabbath 2 April at the Newbold Church Centre. Full time children's ministry. Refreshments afterwards. Offering for expenses held. Come as you are. Contact: Geert Tap <tapgeert@hotmail.com>. Phone: 01344 407652.

QUIZ NIGHT - KENNINGTON. 7.00 - 9.00 pm on Saturday 2 April. Mascots and team names desirable. Theme: Cartoons and Caribbean. Free entry. Contact: Karen <bibnobib@yahoo.com>. Phone: 07951 622318.

ADRA SPONSORED HIKE. Sunday 3 April. 20 km of smooth and gently rolling cycle tracks along the full length of the Millennium Coastal Park near Llanelli, in West Wales. Sponsorship forms available from Pastor Ed Sammons <edsammons@hotmail.com>. Phone: 01792 897555.

ASNA RESPITE WEEKEND - KIDDERMINSTER. Friday 8 to Sunday 10 April. ASNA is pleased to announce its fourth respite and training weekend, this time at the Pioneer Centre, Cleobury Mortimer, Kidderminster. The weekend will provide spiritual, social and emotional support for all affected by disability and special needs. We also welcome anyone needing a break from a challenging caring role. Cost: £35 for ANSA members or £40 for non-members. Children under 10 years £20.00. These prices are possibly thanks to a heavy subsidy. Contact: Sophia Nicholls <asna@special1.fsnet.co.uk>. Phone: 01491 833395.

WOMEN OF GOSPEL II - LEICESTER. Saturday 9 April. Following the success of last year's event, Women of Gospel II brings more female gospel artists to the fore. The event takes place at the African Caribbean Centre in Leicester and starts at 7.00 pm. Tickets £6.00 or £5.00 (concessions). Family or group discounts available. Contact: Maxine Chambers <info@kainemanagement.org.uk>. Phone: 01162 616840.

CAREER WORKSHOP. 11.00 am to 2.00 pm on Sunday 10 April at the Advent Centre, London. Hosted by the London Youth Federation with speaker David McQueen. Contact: Ranette Prime <rai118@hotmail.com>. Phone: 07817 713050.

DEVELOPING SELF AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS. Sunday 10 April at Forge Mill Farm near Birmingham. This is a day-long seminar that costs £35.00 (with traditional Caribbean lunch included). All places must be booked in advance. There is a discount of £15.00 (per 5 places) if you book before 28 March. Contact: Joan Saunders <joan.saunders@talk21.com>. Phone: 0121 686 4118.

FREEZINGHOT - HACKNEY YOUTH DAY. 9.30 am to late on Sabbath 16 April. Speaker: Pastor Eglan Brooks. AYS programme and evening social. Food, prizes etc. Contact: Adrian Blake <blake_adrian@hotmail.com>. Phone: 07903 941662.

50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION SERVICE - SHEFFIELD. On Sabbath 16 April the Sheffield Carter Knowle church is celebrating 50 years worshipping in the current building. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress will be joining us for a Celebration Worship Service from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm, then at 4.30 pm we will be having a Celebration Jamboree with music, drama, memory lane slots and much more. Contact: David Bussue <bussue_david@yahoo.co.uk>. Phone: 07903 321144.

HYLAND HOUSE SCHOOL AY AT LEYTONSTONE. At 5.00 pm on Sabbath 16 April the Hyland House School will be hosting a special AY programme at the Leytonstone church. Come and support Christian education. Contact: Donald Yearwood <donald_yearwood@yahoo.com>. Phone: 07947 272999.

WOMEN'S RETREAT - SEC AREAS 1 AND 2. Sabbath 23 April at the Thistle Hotel, Queens Road, Exeter. Theme: "The Essence of Woman". Speaker: Mrs Audrey Balderstone. Cost: £23.00. Subsidy may apply. Contact: Vivienne Evers <vevers@secadventist.org.uk>. Phone: 01923 232728.

BRIDGING THE GAP - TEENS AYS - WILLESDEN. 4.00 to 7.00 pm on Sabbath 23 April. The London Youth Federation present Bridging the Gap - a teens AYS. Dynamic praise and worship and singing. Speakers: Paul Boldeau, Andrew Fuller and Naomi Osei. Contact: Luke Whyte <secretary@londonyouthfed.org.uk>. Phone: 07709 803033.

POSITIVELY HEALTHY - GREENWICH. Every Thursday evening 7:30 pm for four weeks starting 28 April. A series of lectures on reducing health risks. Speaker: Richard J B Willis MA MSc FRSH. Venue: Greenwich church. Terry Messenger <terry_messenger@yahoo.co.uk>. Phone: 07879 454267.

NEC PRAYER WARRIORS 9 CONFERENCE. Friday 29 April at Alton Castle. Youth Prayer and Bible Conference. Speaker: Pastor Ron Halvorsen Senior. Contact: Alan Hush <ahush@necadventist.org.uk>. Phone: 01159 606312.

TED PRAYER GUIDE. For the week commencing 3 April our prayer theme is COMMITMENT. Commitment is a strong word that denotes positive action. Spiritual commitment involves a personal decision to continue to follow the one we are committed to - Jesus Christ our personal Saviour.

This week stop and take time to remember how and when we made our own personal spiritual commitment. Then make time to share your story with someone else. Share how you became a Christian, what led up to your decision, and then what has taken place since. If possible share this story with someone younger in your family or immediate circle of friends. We all have an interesting story to tell that others who know us well would like to hear and our stories are important in the faith sharing process.

Celebrate with anyone you know who has just made a personal decision to follow Jesus, perhaps as a result of the recent Youth Week of Prayer. If a baptism is being planned in your church this week make sure to be there in support of the candidates. The wise man said; "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." (Proverbs 25:11)

Let us also encourage someone to make their own personal spiritual commitment with our words of gold fitly spoken at an opportune time this week. Please pray for the youth of your church this week. [Paul Tompkins, Youth Ministries Director, Trans-European Division]

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SMALL ADS

AU PAIR NEEDED. Full-time, female, experienced au pair needed in the Poole area to help with child care and general housework in an Adventist home. Children aged 4, 2, and 1. Mother is homeschooling the children. Phone: 01202 731517. Email: <darren@hilburn.wanadoo.co.uk>.

ACCOMMODATION AND WORK WANTED. Young male Adventist IT student from Poland would like to visit England from 5 July to mid-September. Willing to do any work in exchange for accommodation and an allowance. Hopes to travel round and visit different churches with a view to learning more about Adventist youth work. Contact: Mateusz at: <mateusz@zaufanie.pl>.

TEACHING VACANCIES. The Eden Seventh-day Adventist School needs KS1/KS3/4 teachers. We are looking for Adventist teachers for September 2005 who are committed to Adventist Christian education, are mission-focused, and are able to teach Year 1/2 or High School subjects in: Science, Maths, French, DT or English. Contact details: Laura Osei. School phone: 020 8568 7756. Mobile: 07930 758341. Email: <lauraaosei@yahoo.co.uk>.

CAN YOUR CHURCH ACCOMMODATE 20 PEOPLE? Teacher from an Adventist school in Zurich, Switzerland, is planning a trip to London in Spring 2006 and is looking for an easily accessible church which can accommodate about 20 people. They don't need any beds, just facilities to cook hot dinners. Contact: Catherine Blaser <blaser.hk@bluewin.ch>. Phone/Fax: 0041 41 250 76 01.

AU PAIR. Klaudia is a 21-year-old Adventist young lady from Poland. She will be graduating shortly with a degree in English Philology and is fluent in English. She also speaks a little French, can cook, is a vegetarian, has a driving licence, and has some experience with children. She would like to come to England to work as a live-in au pair and learn more about the English language and culture. Email: <kfiatek.007@wp.pl>. Phone: 0048 338 545 416.

ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE. Room to let, sharing facilities with another Adventist. Would suit young professional couple or single (male or female). The property is in a very exclusive area close to Harrow with all its facilities. Phone: 0208 422 1671. Email: <kjburke55@hotmail.com>.


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