BUC News is a weekly e-mail newsletter produced by the Communication Department of the British Union Conference. It contains news from around the BUC and other items which will be of interest to those within, or connected with, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Following the partial report of the South England Conference Nominating Committee that we reported last Friday, we are now pleased to be able to give you the full report of Officers and Directors along with the new Executive Committee as voted on Sunday afternoon, 4 September.
Officers:
President: Pastor Sam Davis. (Re-elected)Executive Secretary: Pastor Terry Messenger (Formerly Personal Ministries and Sabbath School Director). Treasurer: Earl Ramharacksingh (Re-elected)
Directors:
Adventist Muslim Relations: Petras Bahadur (0.5 budget) (Re-elected)Children's & Women's Ministries: Mekika Bediako (Re-elected)Church Growth: Aris Vontzalidis (Re-elected)Communication: Kirsten Oster-Lundqvist (0.5 budget) (Formerly Associate pastor, Newbold church)Community & Health Ministries: Elsie Staple (Re-elected)Education: Opal Johnson-Christie (Re-elected)Family Ministries: Pastor Leslie Ackie (Re-elected)Ministerial Association: Pastor Emmanuel Osei (Re-elected)Personal Ministries, Sabbath School: Pastor Kirk Thomas (Formerly Willesden church)Stewardship: Dr Richard de Lisser (0.5 budget) (Re-elected)Youth Ministries Director: Dr Steve Thomas (Formerly Reading churches)Associate Youth (teens): Dejan Stojkavic (Formerly Youth Pastor, Stanborough Park church)Associate Youth (Pathfinders): Kevin Johns (Formerly Plumstead & Welling churches, Prison Ministries coordinator)
NOTE: Those with 0.5 budgets will have other functions added to their role. Functions that will appointed by the new Executive Committee will be: Music Coordinator, Media Coordinator, Prison Ministries, Property Developments Coordinator, Diversity Coordinator, Chaplaincy, Disabilities Coordinator, IT, KCFS, Men's ministries, Prayer Ministries, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Radio, Strategic Planning (President), Trust Services and Volunteer Services (AVS).
Executive Committee:
Sam Davis - PresidentTerry Messenger – Executive SecretaryEarl Ramharacksingh – Treasurer.Steve Thomas – Youth DirectorEmmanuel Osei – Ministerial Association.Ian Lorek - Area 1Ray Morris - Area 2Judith Redman - Area 3Pam Millington - Area 4Victor Barendse - Area 5Dave St Marie - Area 6AAva Walters - Area 6ANathaniel Zaka - - Area 6BKeith Boldeau - Area 6BSuzanne Kirlew - Area 6CBeatrice, Chilomo - Area 6DAudrey Balderstone - Area 7Michael Walker - Retired Pastor, Area 8Edwena McFarquhar - Headteacher, John Loughborough School.
Visit the BUC News Facebook page for comment and photos taken during the Session. Updates are also made on Twitter. A photo gallery will appear on the BUC website in due course.
Loud applause filled the Butterworth Hall at Warwick University as Pastor Sam Davis was asked to serve a second term as President of the South England Conference. He is joined by Pastor Terry Messenger and Mr Earl Ramharacksingh to complete the leadership team.
Pastor Davis led the SEC effectively for the past four years through a turbulent period with difficult economics world-wide and in the church yet at the same time a period when the church in the SEC has grown in real terms. He has always kept a focus on evangelism and nurture.
In accepting the post for a further term Pastor Davis shared his appreciation for the prayers that have been offered on his behalf throughout the last quadrenium and asked that this continues for the coming years.
With that emphasis on evangelism the nominating committee then recommended another man with evangelism in his blood to the position of Executive Secretary. Pastor Terry Messenger has served as Personal Ministries and Sabbath School Director for the past four years. This, he confessed, was a job he loved and that he felt was 'in his comfort zone'. His election to Executive Secretary leads him onto new ground, but with prayer, and the support of the membership he has agreed to serve.
The third officer position, that of treasurer, brought Earl Ramharacksingh back to the platform as he agreed to continue in the role for a further term in what he described as 'servant leadership'. Delegates recognised that his steady hand during a time when the financial world is very troubled has been a blessing to the mission of the SEC.
During Thursday and Friday reports have been given, discussion and heated but positive debate has taken place both inside and outside the hall. A synopsis of that debate will appear in Messenger and in next week's BUC News. As this BUC News update goes to press the nominating committee continues to work looking at the best people to serve the Conference as Department Directors and on the Executive Committee.
Sabbath programmes will be streamed online starting with vespers at 7:30 pm on Friday 2 September and then again at 9:00 am Sabbath morning. Expect stimulating preaching, music and praise, and a special drama celebrating the 400 years of the King James Bible during the Sabbath School period.
The glorious sound of recorders, violins, guitars, keyboards, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments filled the Oxford Adventist church hall during its first Summer Music School held 17 - 19 August 2011.
The Oxford Adventist church Music School, a dream of Sophia Nicholls, saw 24 children from ages 6 - 16 years praising the Lord through music and song. Sophia says "I believe the use of music to be one of the ways we can teach children about the love of God and to help them develop new and long lasting skills which can be used in the service of God in the church and local community." Children from the Oxford church and local community came together to learn the rudiments of music and how to play songs of praise and worship. Many of the children who attended the school had never played an instrument before. It was great to see their happy and joyful faces shine with delight as they realised the new skills they had achieved.
Comments from the children and parents included the following – "We can't wait to go back mummy," "it should have been longer," "it's great to see even the young ones playing along." The summer school culminated in a wonderful mini concert which took place on Sabbath, 20 August where the children played both individual pieces and ensemble pieces arranged by Dr Diana Sinclair, NEC Music director.
The Summer Music School saw the launch of the Oxford Adventist church MAJOR (Make A Joyful nOise to the LoRd) Ensemble and Children's Choir. Children in Oxford church and the surrounding community will be encouraged to sign up to the school to learn new praise and worship songs, take music grades and present their talents to the glory of God.
Thanks go to Dr Diana Sinclair, Yolande Hudson, Vivienne Alexander and Sophia Nicholls – the Music School staff team for their sterling work during the project. For more information about the Oxford church Music School or the MAJOR Ensemble/Choir please contact Sophia Nicholls on 07768 298 297.
He may have recently been voted as President of the Adventist Church in the North of England, but that did not stop Pastor Cyril Sweeney from strapping on the cowboy gear and 'doing his stuff' at the North England Conference Family Camp concert at Aberdaron.
Families gathered from as far afield as Scotland, London, Grantham and the West Midlands and many places in-between to meet up with old friends, make some new ones and simply enjoy the great outdoors and fellowship, 22 – 31 July, in a camp that has been described as 'a resounding success'. Even the weather played along and full advantage was taken of the bright summer sunshine to explore the beautiful coastline and generally get as much fresh air as possible whether playing volleyball, cricket, crab football or simply enjoying group activities alfresco.
Pastor 'cowboy' Sweeney continued in his role as camp master, even with his new responsibilities, and between him and his associate, Tim Clee, they kept things turning over admirably. They were not fazed as they dealt with day to day matters like handling campers' concerns, keeping the camp programme running smoothly, deciding which tables should be fed first, and supervising the seemingly endless group of young bell-ringers eager to wake up campers, or to call them to meals or worship.
Camp Padre, Pastor Clifford Herman, Scottish Mission Family Ministries Sponsor, spent the week reminding campers of the fruit of the spirit and how it should manifest in their lives. There was good worship singing, excellently led by Kristina Hammond and Claire Peacock with George Acquah and others providing piano accompaniment. Adam Ohman did a great job of creatively piecing together the camp drum kit and providing tasteful percussion to complement the lively singing.
Young campers were kept occupied with daily activity groups, arts and crafts, bouncy castle, a sand building competition, treasure hunt, water bomb fight and much more. Special thanks must go to all the camp staff who gave up their time to keep our children occupied and safe. The Thursday afternoon children's party was a colourful event with children dressed up in costumes from around the world. The day ended with a concert compered by Pastor Sweeney, dressed as a cowboy.
The Friday night programme provided a memorable evening of introspection and recommitment to our faith as campers participated in a very creative and moving communion service with beautiful music and well chosen scriptures enhancing the occasion.
No report on this camp would be complete without commenting on the excellent food provided by Fiona Cooper and her helpers who worked tirelessly to keep the many mouths well fed every day. Campers commented daily on the quality and the quantity of the food they were getting as well as the cheerfulness of the kitchen staff.
It is hoped that Family Camp will be bigger and even better next year. Geraldene Farmer, NEC Family Ministries director said, "Judging by the number of enquiries received to date we anticipate a scramble for the limited number of new family tickets which will be available at the end of the summer holidays. Details will be on the Family Ministries web page from 7 September." Next year's Family Camp will be held 22 - 31 July 2012.
A selection of photos from the camp are available in the BUC Picture gallery.
[Geraldene Farmer]
If ten men can move 100,000 books, magazines and pieces of literature, then it should be easy for 32,000 to give out just five pieces each.
That was the conclusion of 'volunteers' conscripted from the BUC office this week to help move pallet loads of literature into the BUC office ready for distribution to churches across the South England Conference. A further 80,000 pieces of literature have been delivered to the North England Conference office, and supplies are also available for Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
'The Power of 32,000' happens on Sabbath, 24 September at a church near you – where individual church members and friends have a chance to share a message of hope with their communities by giving a book, magazine or tract to at least five of their friends, neighbours or others. With an increasing membership size it follows on from the success of 'The Power of 31,000' in 2010. BUC Evangelism director, Pastor Eglan Brooks, was so excited about the way church members caught the vision last year that he insisted it should become an annual event. With supplies now ready and the date just a few weeks away he is already positive about the requests for literature coming in. "Order your supplies quickly," he says. "While we may have unloaded a large lorry full of supplies, they are going to go to the churches very fast – and we don't want anyone to miss out on this opportunity."
Available free resources include: Focus magazines, LIFE.info magazines, Steps to Christ, Reach out for Life, and a variety of Pocket Signs tracts. The Adventist Discovery Centre has a number of ADC cards which local churches can also use for distribution on the day. These can be purchased from the ADC by phoning 01923 672606 to place an order. Alternatively, you can email <adc@advenitst.org.uk>.
To find out more visit the Personal Ministries page of the BUC website.
Following last week's brief highlighting of exam results, we can now bring you a fuller picture of how students in our Secondary Schools are performing.
John Loughborough School
The John Loughborough School is delighted to announce that 68% of students achieved 5 A*-C grades which is higher than their set target of 65%. This was particularly good news for this cohort of students who faced significant changes and challenges during their secondary education.
In the area of Maths 33% was achieved – well below the expected target and thus bringing the overall percentage of students gaining 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths to a very disappointing and unacceptable 29%. This is confirmation of the school's decision to heighten its focus on improving standards in the area of Maths.
The JLS girls continued to achieve well with 81% of them achieving 5 A*-C grades and 42% including English and Maths. The gap between boys' and girls' achievement continues to narrow with the boys achieving 52% 5 A*-C grades. Included in the 5 A*-C results is one male SEN student and several other male students who faced significant external challenges during their GCSE years.
Art, Textiles, Science and ICT continued to produce excellent results. French and Spanish also achieved excellent results this year – 100%. The Humanities including Religious Studies continue to make good progress.
Head teacher, Edwena McFarquhar reports that 60% of the top grades came from Adventist students. The top student, an Adventist, gained 7 A*-A in addition to other passes. The school's Head Girl obtained A*-C passes in 10 subjects and the Head Boy passed 9 subjects. The top students in the school gained up to 9 or 10 GCSE passes – the maximum for this cohort.
Stanborough Secondary School
This year's results at GCSE level were very encouraging, reports Roger Murphy, Head teacher of Stanborough Secondary School in Watford. He notes that 86% of students obtained 5 or more passes at A*-C grades (well above the national average of 55%). 82% of students passed 5+ GCSEs including Mathematics and English. He notes that "the results from our Year 11 cohort brings Stanborough's GCSE average to 84% 5+ A*-C grades over the last 5 years. This is a consistently high level of performance."
Stanborough also runs the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme as an alternative to A-levels. Mr Murphy is absolutely delighted with his students obtaining excellent results with 100% success in the IB diploma (24 points). Students scores ranged from 27 points up to 38 points (equivalent to 567 UCAS points or 4 A* grades at A-level).
The Eden Independent Adventist School
The Eden Independent Adventist School, based in Ealing, achieved 80% 5 A-C passes in the June GCSE examinations. Head teacher, Laura Osei states, "The school gives all the praise to God for His wonderful intervention in the lives of the Eden students," adding, "The Year 10 students who also sat English, Science and Drama exams one year early achieved a whopping 85% pass rate in the exams they sat. This is a huge bonus for the next year's 2012 examinations."
We thank God for the work being done by our teachers in our schools and congratulate all of the students who have been successful in their examinations this year and encourage those who have not to try again. May God continue to bless their efforts and grant them much success!
On the rainy Tuesday evening of 16 August, twenty-three sturdy and faithful souls gathered to hear Bernard Brandstater speak on recent events in the origins debate.
An anaesthetist from Loma Linda University, Dr Brandstater has devoted considerable energy to understanding the origins debate and has presented widely on the topic at academic conferences and churches worldwide. The arguments from popular writers like Dawkins are echoed in print and on television and seem hard to refute. "We need not fear," Brandstater assured us, "because theories such as the Big Bang and Darwin's natural selection are under serious attack these days not from Christians but by other scientists."
Following a survey of important thinkers like Jerry Fodor and Timothy Eastman Brandstater, Dr Brandstater concluded by stating his belief that our Church should reclaim the leadership exhibited by George McCready Price and preach the First Angel's Message of Revelation 14:6-7 which he said was primarily a call for the whole world to acknowledge and worship a Creator God.
Pictured are Pastor Lorance Johnson, Bernard Brandstater and Elder Nigel Emm.
[Johnny Ramirez]
The "Eating Better, Paying Less" vegetarian cookery club recently climaxed its third year of successful programmes with a Vegetarian Barbeque.
The weather on Thursday, 18 August was not the sunny evening we had hoped for, but a very enjoyable spread of food was enjoyed by just over thirty club members. The food was cooked outside but we ate in the comfort and warmth of the church hall.
The club is run by members of the Weston-Super-Mare Adventist church as a community outreach and will start its fourth year of programmes on 6 October. Close on twenty members of the public regularly attend and, with good friendships being built, a number have come to several of our Christmas and Easter programmes, Harvest Festival services and social events. Some are even financially supporting our fundraising for the new church hall soon to be built.
[Cynthia Southcott]
Living in London and interested in part-time studies in theology? This academic year Newbold College is offering a number of modules in theologically-related subjects in London.
Our target market is those who, for work-related reasons, are unable to study full-time but would nevertheless like to develop their understanding of theology further. This academic year two modules are being offered. The module 'Worship and Music' will run in the autumn semester and 'Ellen White and Seventh-day Adventism' in the spring semester.
Worship is integral to the individual and corporate lives of those who love God, and it is our hope that the 'Worship and Music' module will help enhance how we creatively express worship in our respective churches and communities. Pastor Cedric Vine, Newbold's Undergraduate Theology Course Director, calls this "an exciting and practical module that provides a theology for different expressions of worship." Pastor Gifford Rhamie, who has been instrumental in both teaching and promoting Newbold's London offerings, notes that former students have remarked, following attendance at a sample class, that the material has been indispensable for all involved in the worship and music ministry. They specifically liked the idea that they could explore the origin of church and gospel music, how praise and worship has evolved as a musical genre, and how we can account for different styles of worship. 'Worship and Music' aims to contribute to improving the delivery of music and worship leading as students are taught from a variety of guest lecturers with different talents and skills.
The module 'Ellen White and Seventh-day Adventism' addresses the crucial role Ellen White played within the formation of Seventh-day Adventism. It will take into account the cultural context in which Adventism originated, significant points in its development, the prophetic office of Ellen White and options facing the contemporary church in a postmodern world. Furthermore, contemporary developments and pertinent recent issues, such as the role of laity, the role of women, theological diversity and institutionalism will be presented and discussed. Both of these modules are sure to broaden a student's understanding of worship and theology on a real and practical level.
These university accredited modules will run Tuesdays 6:45 – 9:30 pm, 13 September - 13 December. at The Advent Centre, near the Edgware Road Tube station. Newbold is offering these modules at a 50% tuition discount in order to make these a more affordable option for those interested. With other discounts and scholarships available from the BUC, SEC and local churches the price of each module can be reduced to just over £300. For more information about how you can enrol in 'Worship and Music' this September contact Cedric Vine at <cvine@newbold.ac.uk>.
[Nathan Shields]
The 61st Business Session of the South England Conference starts on Thursday, 1 September
with the Keynote Address by Newbold Alumnus and Bermuda Conference President, Dr Jeff Brown being streamed live by SECmedia at 2:00 pm. The President's Report, Devotionals and the Sabbath programme will also be streamed and media updates will be provided on the BUC News Facebook and Twitter feeds during the four day event. Photo galleries will also be available.
The Session will be a new experience for recently elected BUC President, Pastor Ian Sweeney. He says that he is looking forward to the SEC Session as "it is a wonderful opportunity for our largest Conference to prayerfully reflect on how God has led over the past 4 years and in looking to the future, we seek God's continued guidance as to the leadership team that can inspire and challenge our membership to reach the millions who live in our territory with the love of Christ."
Pastor Sweeny is a pragmatist. He recognised that some people find Sessions and indeed local church business meetings and boards somewhat intimidating. However, he has always maintained that meetings such as these are a wonderful opportunity to reveal our true Christian self and afford us an opportunity to grow in Christ. He says, "I would call for all our membership to join with the delegates in praying for a Session that does not merely transact its business, but does so as men and women who are truly Christ's disciples and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church."
Prayers are requested as several vacant positions have to be filled in addition to careful and prayerful work by the Nominating Committee in reviewing all the elected positions. Due to the recent British Union Conference Session, the positions of Executive Secretary and Pathfinder director need to be filled. A full listing of recommended positions is on page 127 of the Session Report book.
I have to speak from the heart. I am proud of our youth! It is very easy to castigate them, to say it wasn't like that when I was young, and to offer all sorts of trite solutions to today's problems. Yet those we condemn are often a minority – albeit ones who make the headlines.
After all, who is interested in reading about six hundred teens having a good time at a Christian camp, or a couple of thousand travelling to a 'Creation Fest' in Cornwall, or the many that involve themselves in youth clubs, community projects, Duke of Edinburgh schemes or the like. I've even discovered, to my bemusement, that those hard nut hoodies who frequent my local park melt under the loving adoration of my collie spaniel dog. The hard faces crack into smiles as they bend down to stroke her. The reality is, those kids just need some attention – and if they can't get it positively they will find other ways.
I am a Seventh-day Adventist – and as such that makes me a minority within this country. It also made my children minorities when they were at school, particularly because they went to church on Saturday (Sabbath) and kept the whole day holy. I could give you a whole Bible study on the subject but that is not the purpose of this column. What it did mean is that my 'minority' children either had to conform to the expectations of their peers – or they needed to influence their peers to something they felt to be positive. My son chose that second route – sharing with his friends at school how much fun he had at church, in youth club, and in the many camps and retreats we used to be involved with. His friends came to those events, came to our home – and discovered life as a positive 'minority' could be fun. Now an adult, he works with disadvantaged youth, playing basketball with them in the local park, taking them surfing, opening his home for a film night – and for some, sharing the spiritual values that shape his behaviour and lifestyle. He works with the kind of kids that might otherwise have been seen looting shops or starting fires in streets across the UK this summer. But these kids have found something that makes a difference.
Part of that difference is rest. Jesus said, "Come unto me all you who are weary and I will give you rest." [Matt 11:28] He said it to the Pharisees struggling with legalistic belief. He said it to the poor, the burdened and oppressed. And in the 21st century I believe His words make a very strong statement to the consumer society. Just take a break! Move your mind away from the latest gadget, the pressure of achieving, the stress of the work-a-day week, the need to climb the ladder, the feeling of being dispossessed – just rest from the pressure around you.
Last week I listened to Rabbi Naftali Brawer on the BBC Radio 4 programme, 'Beyond Belief'. I was intrigued by his interpretation of Levitical law to mean that for him, Sabbath is a technology free day. By sunset Friday the mobile phone, the internet and the computer are all switched off. The evening is spent in a long and leisurely meal with the family and with friends and the Sabbath is a real break from consumerist pressure. It is, for him, an oasis in a high pressure world. Could that be why God instituted it as a day of rest – knowing that we needed a time to turn away from the 'all consuming'?
I rejoice in the many positive youth I meet and work with – but perhaps all of us could learn from Rabbi Brawer that it is good to switch off our consumerist values and spend at least one day a week focused on fellowship, family and worship. Perhaps changing our own attitudes and priorities, finding the joy and celebration of a true day of rest away from the commercial pressure, could actually be one small part of the jigsaw that would help start to build up what many are now calling a 'broken society'. I would like to think so.
[The above article was written by BUC Communication Director, Victor Hulbert, for the regular Christian comment column 'Viewpoint' in the Great Yarmouth Mercury. However, it is reprinted here to provide some thought for BUC News readers within the current national debate.]
As a church community, Sutton Coldfield community church has existed for few years, however, before relocating to Falcon lodge, the church had been based in Banners Gate road. Since 2006 the church moved to it’s current location, and has continued to thrive in the area ever since.
Our membership is made up of people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. But we are united by love for God and one another, and a desire to see the gospel message make a practical difference to people's everyday lives.
We Meet at Falcon Lodge Community Centre in Falcon Lodge,Sutton Coldfield: