Christmas Shoebox Appeal - Adventist News

Just over 1,000 people, including Mayor of Watford
Dorothy Thornhill, attended the Family Fun Day and
open air concert held at the Stanborough Park School
grounds on Sunday 27 August and organised by
Mums in Action.
Activities during the day included a tug-of-war (men
against women – the women won), face-painting, hairbraiding,
and arts and crafts for the children. Janice
Ward of Kingswood Road, Garston, won the strong-man
competition and received a voucher for an all-expenses
paid dinner for two at The Grove in Watford. ‘I certainly
didn’t expect to win anything,’ said Jane, ‘my boyfriend
just won’t believe it.’ Dinner for two at the Hilton,
Watford, was won by Tracy Pamment of Apsley, Herts, for
coming first in the salsa competition.
As well as activities, small community groups were
present introducing their services.
The groups exhibiting were Hope UK
(a national drug awareness charity),
Watford Lions Club, Garston Town
Women’s Guild, The Pump House
Theatre and Love Bums (an organic
project to encourage mums to use
non-disposable nappies), as well
as the local Fire Brigade and
representation from the
Hertfordshire
Constabulary.
Entertainment
during the day
was provided by
Manhattan Quest.
They also performed
in the concert
alongside the
Mambo Dancers,
>8
Photos by John Surridge and David Bell
North American Division president Don Schneider was guest
speaker at The Stanborough Press 40th Anniversary Open
Day on Sunday 3 September, when the crowds were
significantly up on recent years.
Mark and LaDonna Bunney, Leeds Male Voice, and Charles
Ngandwe provided the music, and Andrew Singo, author of IN GOD’S
TIME, and Dr Reinder Bruinsma, author of FAITH STEP BY STEP (a
message book for youth and postmoderns), were present for the
launch of their books. Pastor Richard Daly was also gratified by the
enthusiasm for his new book of healing narratives, TRAGEDY TO
TRIUMPH.
Though 2006 marks the 40th anniversary of The Stanborough
Press’s move to Grantham, the Church publishing house was actually
founded in 1883 fifty miles north-east of Grantham, at Grimsby, and
became a limited company in 1894 in London.
Thanks to a BUC loan, the Press was able to commemorate the
anniversary by having a new roof put in place!
Among the special guests were Pastor Don and Mrs Mary
Top from left to right: Don Schneider, NAD president.
Mark and LaDonna Bunney. Brother Smiley with some
of his passengers.
Main photo: The crowds in the book sale.
McFarlane, Mr Victor
and Mrs Anne
Pilmoor, and
Pastor Eric and
Mrs Margaret Lowe.

New SEC Executive Secretary
by Catherine Anthony Boldeau
At an Executive meeting of the Trustees of
the South England Conference on 23
August, it was voted that Pastor Paul
Lockham should succeed Pastor Victor
Hulbert as Executive secretary. Paul currently
serves as Executive secretary in the North England
Conference, a position he has held since January
2002.
Paul is no stranger to the South England
Conference. In 1983 he began his ministry as an
intern in the Wimbledon, Fulham and New Gallery
(now Advent Centre) churches. He also served in
the Hemel Hempstead and St Albans churches
before accepting a call to serve in Ireland in 1985.
In 1991 he returned to England and served for
a year as the Preceptor of Stanborough Secondary
School in Watford, following which he was called
to the Welsh Mission in 1992 as a minister. His
service in this field lasted for ten years until his
current assignment.
Paul is a gifted and competent individual who
has given outstanding service to the Church. Prior
to entering ministry he was a
research chemist for Kodak.
His hobbies include camping
and photography. Paul is
married to Helen, who is a
head teacher. They have
four children and nine
grandchildren.
‘I’m looking forward to
the new challenges of work
in the SEC, but I will be very
sorry to leave the North,’
said Paul, speaking on the
morning following his
appointment.
Pastor Humphrey Walters,
president of the SEC, commenting
on the appointment,
stated, ‘I thank Victor for his
contribution to the SEC and I
wish him well in his new role
as Communication director of
the BUC. I believe that Paul
will be an asset to the work
of the South England
Conference and a valuable
member of team.’
The hair, the snail and the devil’s dandruff
The hair and the snail of the title
might be a reminder to some
people of the hare and the tortoise
and their famous race, with its
unpredictable result, in Aesop’s
fable. Our hair and snail have a
different connection; they are
linked by drugs.
Seventy-six packets of human
hair were requisitioned by the drug
authorities in Namibia (South West
Africa) and tested positive for
cocaine. The hair extensions are a
new way of smuggling cocaine by
drug traffickers. Cocaine is dissolved
at source and items, such
as the hair, are saturated with the
solution.
2 Messenger
Upon arrival at their destination
the ‘devil’s dandruff’ is washed out
of the hair and recrystallised ready
to be sold on to drug pushers in the
usual way. The presence of cocaine
in the hair-pieces presents new
challenges to drug detection as
traffickers become more innovative
and ingenious with their smuggling
tactics.
The snail in question is the
predatory cone snail – Conus
magus – found in waters off the
Philippines. It has a venomous ‘harpoon’
which it uses to paralyse the
fish that it comes into contact with.
It is this venom that is now to be
used to replace morphine for pain
sufferers who cannot
respond to or tolerate
opiates such as morphine.
Prialt, the name under which the
Japanese pharmaceutical company
Eisai is marketing the product, shuts
down pain pathways by stopping the
nerve cells from sending signals to
the brain. There are side-effects to
Prialt. It can cause dizziness, nausea
and blurred vision. Chronic
pain sufferers may consider these
a small price to pay for pain
relief.
Whether or not the cocaine drug
barons have used routes other
than Namibia to send hair, or other
cocaine-saturated materials to
traffickers, is a matter of speculation.
There is no doubt that every
JOB VACANCY AT ADRA-UK
ADRA-UK is seeking to appoint a Finance
Officer. Key responsibilities include providing
day to day support to ADRA-UK implementing
partners on financial management processes,
financial compliance, and adherence to donor
regulations and ADRA policies. Additionally,
the Finance Officer will be responsible for
supporting the ADRA-UK Executive Director
and Programmes Director in drafting and
revising donor financial reports, preparing
ADRA-UK financial statements, planning
ADRA-UK cash flow and developing project
budgets.
The desired applicant will: hold a solid
Bachelors degree in financial management or
accounting; have at least two years accounting
and financial management experience;
have strong numerical, analytical, verbal and
written communication skills; have a passion
for serving hurting people; be committed to
ADRA’s principles of development and the
SDA Christian beliefs.
Additionally, the desired applicant will
preferably hold a Masters degree in finance,
accounting, international development, or
business administration, have experience of
overseeing financial activities and personnel
with experience in development work or the
charity sector.
ADRA-UK is offering this position in the
first instance as a one-year contract. Salary
will be according to the denominational wage
scale. A full application pack and application
form is available on the ADRA-UK website
www.adra.org.uk, by emailing info@adra.
org.uk, or by writing to ADRA-UK,
Recruitment, Stanborough Park, Watford,
Herts WD25 9JZ.
This position is based in the Watford office
of ADRA-UK. Therefore, applicants should
have the right to work in the UK prior to
submission of the employment application.
The deadline for receipt of applications
is 14 October 2006. Interviews for suitable
candidates will be held in November 2006.
with Richard J. B. Willis
possibility is
and will be
exploited. The
UK government
is set to
allocate an
extra £95M (bringing drug
treatment funding up to £349M
to drug action teams via primary
care trusts) to combat drug
misuse.
Pharmaceutical companies
spend similar amounts to market
new drugs such as Prialt and will
no doubt profit greatly from its
sales. How long will it be before
even Prialt becomes a drug of
abuse or find a ‘recreational’ use?
In the hair and snail race there will
be few winners!
The Second Advent
Is it still on?
David Marshall
If that question sounds familiar it could be
because I asked you it once before. 1 Does it make
you feel the tiniest bit uncomfortable?
While, on the one hand, you are aware that the
name of the Church commits you to belief in the
second advent, and while you would be happy to
watch programmes about it on the Hope Channel
or 3ABN, would you hate – really hate – to have
to discuss the return of Jesus with a neighbour?
Some time ago a Methodist minister asked me,
‘You Adventists don’t seem to have much to say
about [the second coming] these days. You do still
believe in it, don’t you?’
Well, do we? Do you?
When the Adventist pioneers first preached the
return of Jesus in our country it was largely to
people who struggled – often unsuccessfully – to
stay above the breadline. Workhouses menaced
the lives of the majority. The pioneers were
preaching to those who lived in cities comprising
square miles of terraced houses without damp
courses. The people who first heard the blessed
hope in Britain lived lives made perilously uncertain
by killer epidemics and in which the National
Health Service, Sickness Benefit and Old Age
Pensions were unknown. Do you think that an end
to suffering and an event that began a glorious
eternity was more appealing in those days? Easier
to bring up in conversation with the neighbours?
Is there a certain shyness with regard to the
second advent in our outreach these days?
Others have picked up on the same trend.
Interviewed shortly after he was elected Union
president, Pastor McFarlane said, among many
other things, ‘I sense that, to some degree, over
the years, there has been a cooling off on the part
of some of our members with regard to the second
coming of Jesus.’ 2
Of course, I assured the Methodist minister
that Adventists still believe in the Advent! But I
found myself thinking, would they rather that
mention of it be limited to the Hope Channel and
3ABN, with just an occasional mention from the
pulpit? Would they rather it be kept hush-hush, a
sort of in-church secret – just for us, as it were?
Prompted by my Methodist friend’s question, I
resolved to feature the second advent in and on
the cover of the very next issue of our outreach
magazine. This I did under the headline, ‘Signs!
Signs! Signs!’ FOCUS circulation figures vary. But
three weeks away from the end of the currency of
our ‘Signs Special’, it has achieved the lowest circulation
in the twenty-eight-year lifespan of the
magazine. Now then, tell me, when Mr Barham,
our treasurer, comes calling – and he will – and
asks why that particular issue of the magazine
sold only 8,750 copies (whereas others have
reached 100,000), what do I tell him? ‘It’s like
this: This time we covered the second advent’?
Well, I’ve been checking on attitudes towards
the Lord’s return. The question I asked was simply:
‘How prominent should the second coming be
in our evangelism and outreach?’ Here are some
of the answers I’ve been given. You ready?
‘I have never been able to relate to the second
coming.’ (Not sure what that means, but at least
it’s honest.)
‘Two world wars, the Great Depression, the
Swinging Sixties, the affluent 80s and 90s and the
Naughty Naughties have shifted thinking – permanently
– away from the spiritual towards the
material, away from the future to the now.’
‘People have heaven on earth, so what do they
want with heaven above?’ (Where is this heaven
on earth? Nowhere near here!)
‘It’s the Church’s own fault. The message has
been watered down.’
I had variations on that last comment from a
number of people. I believe that what was being
said was that members have misunderstood the
emphasis on the need to present our beliefs to
postmoderns in a new way. They have derived the
impression that more than the presentation of our
beliefs has to be adjusted: that the content has to
be adjusted, too, or at the very least rearranged.
‘Preachers have given/are giving the second
coming a bad name by majoring on the negative –
the time of trouble before Jesus comes. Our people
have come to associate apocalyptic preaching
with attacking other religious groups, especially
one rather large and powerful one.’ This speaker
went on to say: ‘The truth is that Christianity is in
free fall in Britain. Singling out particular groups
for attack is out of order these days. Our thinking
members don’t like it.’
Needed, then: a really, really positive way of
presenting the Blessed Hope to the people.
Before I return to that, I need to make one
thing clear. With the possible exception of the first
speaker, no one came anywhere near indicating
disbelief in the return of Jesus. They were
addressing themselves, in part, to the discomfort
of members in ‘handling’ the second coming and,
in part, to the resistance of the public to that
belief.
Others raised with me the inadvisability of
covering the second advent in a magazine which,
for some, might be the first thing they have read
from an Adventist source. They put the case for
LIFE.info magazine, a case which I fully accept
and applaud. We need to back up and reach people
where they are, ask questions they are asking.
But are we really saying that the second
coming is no longer an appropriate subject to
cover in Adventist outreach? Could not the second
coming be the answer to some of the questions
people ask?
People do seem to be preoccupied with the
increased incidence and scale of natural disasters.
The AIDS pandemic has got to mean something.
Does the prevalence of New Age thinking
which arrived with postmodernism point anywhere?
Today we’re not as preoccupied with the
threat of nuclear war as we were in the 60s, but it
hasn’t gone away. The weapons are still in place,
and soon many other countries will have them –
possibly Iran? North Korea?
The impact of famine, poverty, gross injustice,
false and dangerous religion, political repression:
Should it not come to an end at some stage? If,
that is, history is going to make sense? Assuming,
that is, a God of love, grace and mercy? Assuming
a Redeemer who was himself a victim of injustice
and death, but who died and rose again so that
injustice, death, sin and all that goes with them
will ultimately be destroyed on some Great Day?
Assuming a Holy Spirit who lives among us – and
among the wretched of the Earth – who sees and
feels it all – and groans?
Assuming the inspiration of Scripture, can we
afford to be shy about the one verse in twenty-five
that deals with the Lord’s return? After years of
prophetic preaching – ‘the Beast’, ‘the Image to
the Beast’, remember? – is it wholly appropriate
to go coy in an age when so much power belongs
to men like George W. Bush, Dick Cheyney and
Donald Rumsfeld? When the nations are ruled by
men like Robert Mugabe?
Do you remember those scenes both before
and after the death of Pope John Paul II? Had you
seen anything like them before?
What hope do we have to offer the people in a
world menaced by Al Qaeda terrorism?
I’ve attended too many funerals recently. In the
non-Christian ones the mourners have been left
bereft of all hope: life has been meaningless and
death is, therefore, the door to eternal nothingness.
The Christian funerals have had a hope of a
life beyond death. But the Adventist funerals have
had s-o-o-o much more. Non-Adventist funerals
have finished with a flickering light bulb. But the
Adventist funerals have taken place in the fullspectrum,
full beam of the Blessed Hope.
But is it appropriate only to bring up the return
of Jesus in connection with death?
Surely it is what gives life its meaning and
history its direction.
In the darkness of the world’s midnight let’s
not be shy about turning on the full beam of the
Hope of mankind. Isn’t that what God’s people
were called to do?
Is the return of Jesus still on? It had better be!
Should we not, then, go public with the news?
References:
1
MESSENGER 27 February 2004. 2
MESSENGER 18 August 2006,
page 27.
Editor’s note: The text of the hymn ‘Lord of all Hopefulness’, which
appeared in the 8 September 2006 issue of MESSENGER, was used by
permission of Oxford University Press. The words were by Jan Struther
(1901-53).
Messenger 3

Baptism at Ipswich
The first Sabbath of July was an
exciting day of many blessings for
the members of the Ipswich and
Bury St Edmunds churches.
On the hottest day of the year so
far, seven people accepted Jesus
Christ as their personal Saviour,
confirming their decision through
baptism. The theme of the service
was the love relationship. Tricia
Evelyn and Nicky Saunders sang a
beautiful duet arrangement of ‘Love
Divine, all love excelling’, and the
candidates shared with the congregation
a brief sketch of their lives so
far and how they had grown to love
Jesus and join the church fellowships
in Ipswich and Bury St
Edmunds.
Gary Jaycock is from Bury St
CHURCH MERGER
On 16 September the Eltham Green
and Mottingham Adventist churches
in south-east London merged to
become the Community Fellowship
SDA Church, at the Emmanuel
Pentecostal Church, 374 Lee High
Road, London SE12.
Pastor Aristotle Vontzalidis was
the main speaker at the evening
service and presented an afternoon
programme on innovative methods
of evangelism.
From 23 September the worship
services will continue at the W. G.
Grace Community Centre (where the
Mottingham church currently worships)
on a temporary basis until a
more suitable location is found.
There are no services at the Lionel
Road Community Hall (where the
Eltham Green church has been
meeting) now. PASTOR TERRY MESSENGER
Eight baptised at Manchester South
Eight candidates were baptised on Sabbath 22 July at Manchester South.
Full of joy and determination, each person had an interesting story to tell.
The day was glorious and the church was filled to capacity. The invited
speaker for the occasion was Pastor Jude Jeanville, who gave a rousing
sermon on how to identify with our Leader.
The immersion of the candidates was performed by Pastor Richard Brooks
Parenting Retreat
In association with the
Marriage Enrichment Programme
Got kids? YOU NEED THIS!
Friday 13 to Sunday 15 October
at the Robinson Centre, Wyboston, Bedfordshire
Price reduction: £100 per couple
Sponsored by the
NEC Family Ministries department
For details contact
Pastor Cyril Sweeney 0015 9606312
Edmunds and is married to Caroline
and they have two young children.
Phanuel Mutumburi and Shirley
Mkoba were engaged to be married
in August in Zimbabwe. Paul
Andrews is from the Ipswich area
and works at the BT Research
Centre and came to the church
through his girlfriend Marcia. Kenny
Douglas has recently finished his
GCSE exams, and his experience of
assisted by our elder Hugh Picart.
The eight candidates were Michael
Croke, Grace Kasangila, Mikey
Heaven one of our teenagers,
Jacqueline Morris, Karen Thobekile,
Bernadine Wray, Ron Burgher who
will be a member at our sister church
in Longsight, and Nomsa Mwimbi the
youngest candidate at 8 years.
JANICE SAVIZON
love is through the parental relationship.
Pastor David West emphasised
that these different human love relationships
reflect our individual love
relationship with God.
Three others were baptised at the
SEC Camp Meeting this year and
were welcomed into the Ipswich
church. They were Janet Thompson,
Kathrine Easdon and Juliette
Douglas. Hulda Nsimbi was received
into the fellowship of the Bury St
Edmunds church in absentia, due to
sudden death in the family.
The baptismal candidates (front row), together with Pastor David West and elders from Ipswich
and Bury St Edmunds (back row)
Pathfinder Bible Bowl
Luton Central Pathfinder Club enjoyed another Bible Bowl Quiz Night on
4 March. It was great fun and they were able to display their Bible
knowledge on the book of Judges.
Bible Bowl Quiz was introduced last year by Yvonne Gunter after the
Pathfinders were placed into units. Each unit nominates its own unit
name, captain and scribe. Points are awarded to or subtracted from units
for different things. The unit with the most points receives an award at
Investiture.
The Pathfinders were given the book of Judges to study two months in
advance. They were then asked questions about the book in their units.
Michael Dwyer was the able and very dynamic quiz master. He
compiled the questions, set the rules, and ensured that everything ran
smoothly. The winning unit was The Jamaican Hummingbird, captained by
Matthew Gordon.
EILEEN HUSSEY
Pastor Brooks baptises Nomsa Mwimbi
Sixteen souls after West Yorks
campaign
The Leeds and Huddersfield churches held a joint evangelistic campaign in Leeds from 24
June to 15 July. Those who attended can testify that the Holy Spirit worked in a mighty way.
No one could doubt that the speaker, Pastor A. J. Grant, a native of Canada, raised in
America and currently serving in Australia, had a special mission, especially for the youth,
from the Lord.
His contemporary style of preaching opened the Bible anew to the audiences. Old Bible
stories came alive as he presented the old-time religion to a postmodern generation. During
the three-week period many young and some older people gave their hearts to Christ.
Sixteen precious souls were baptised. There were not many dry eyes in church as each
baptismal candidate reflected answered prayers. IDAH NYAWATA AND DAVID KHONJE
Pastor A J Grant Pastor Sweeney with one of the baptismal candidates
Christmas Shoebox Appeal
Bert Smit, Executive-director, ADRA-UK
ADRA-UK is planning this year to send Christmas packages to Liberia. It is a fun way to
help very poor orphaned children to experience a little joy in their lives. Shoeboxes can
be filled with toys, clothes, toiletry items, cutlery, a plate and cup, school supplies, etc,
and should be nicely wrapped and clearly labelled with the appropriate age and sex.
Please do not include breakable items, food like chocolate (hard sweets are fine),
toys that need batteries, medicines, or war-related items.
All boxes need to be received by 1 December. Boxes can be delivered to ADRA,
Stanborough Park, Watford, WD25 9JZ, during business hours (Mon-Thurs 9-5, and
Friday 9-noon). A poster and flyer can be downloaded from our website:
www.adra.org.uk.
Please help to bring a little happiness to the lives of orphans in Liberia! More
information about the orphans and pictures are available on our website, or call our
office on 01923-681723.
Great Yarmouth’s Love Story
Members of the Great Yarmouth
church, along with members of
churches from Lowestoft, Oulton
Broad and Norwich, gathered on
Sabbath 24 June to witness the baptism
of Mike Clarry and his wife
Izabela who were married at the
Lowestoft church earlier this year.
The church was filled to capacity
and extra seating had to be placed
in the reception area. Among the
guests was a vicar from the Church
of England and his wife who have
been enjoying a series of Daniel and
Revelation videos provided by one of
the Great Yarmouth members to
present at meetings held at the
parish church. The vicar was very
impressed with the service and told
members how much he enjoyed
Pastor Walker’s sermon.
This is a love story and a testimony
of how two people were united
in love for each other even though
they came from countries thousands
of miles apart, and how Jesus Christ
came into their lives and united
them in a loving relationship with
Diamond Wedding
Fred and Betty Schofield reached
their Diamond Wedding Anniversary
in September.
When they met in 1945, Betty
was living with her father on the Isle
of Man. Fred, who was in the Royal
Navy, was stationed there, after
serving for two years in the Middle
East aboard HMS Maidstone, a
submarine depot shop. During this
posting to the Isle of Man he was
in charge of the sick bay attached
him. Mike comes from South Africa
and Izabela from Poland. They first
met at Cambridge while working on
a farm, and became close friends.
Their relationship grew from a
shared bar of chocolate to a wedding
day and, finally, baptism together.
Pastor Walker spoke of how Mike
had talked to his wife Pearl on the
phone and she had invited Mike to
accompany her to church the following
Sabbath . Mike had been brought
up as an Adventist but had drifted
away. His brother is still in the
church and had tried to lead him
back again on numerous occasions.
Mike told the pastor that he had a
Polish girfriend who was a Catholic
and who had made it plain that she
didn’t want to be an Adventist.
However, she did accompany him to
church and also took part in the
Bible studies with him.
Izabela is a care worker at a
home for the elderly in Great
Yarmouth. During the course of her
work, she met a member of the
Lowestoft church who was visiting
to the Royal Marine School of Music.
On promotion to Sick Berth Petty
Officer, he was over-qualified for his
posting to the island, and, on return
to Portsmouth, was advised that he
was to join HMS Colossus, an aircraft
carrier in Columbo, Sri Lanka
(then Ceylon), with responsibility for
the sick bay dispensary. He returned
home having completed four-and-ahalf
years’ service. This qualified
him to sit the exam to be a State
Registered Nurse in twelve months
rather than three years.
He retired after forty
years’ service as Director
of Nursing.
Betty and Fred married
in 1946 after Fred left
the Navy and settled in
Yorkshire, where their son
Mark was born in 1949.
Betty responded to a
campaign conducted by
the home and in the course of conversation
she mentioned that she
had a boyfriend who was an
Adventist. Some time later she was
ill in bed and picked up the book,
Steps to Christ, and started reading
it. There was a complete turn around
and it was then that she decided
that she did want to become a
Seventh-day Adventist.
Things haven’t been easy for
Mike as he has suffered much
ridicule from workmates and his
employers regarding his faith and
his request for Sabbath privileges.
He stood up for his beliefs and has
been richly blessed as he has found
alternative employment with a
company who respect him and his
beliefs. Izabela is currently suffering
the rejection of her parents, but this
young couple have a living faith and
they have placed all their problems
in the Lord’s hands.
On the day of the baptism, the
church was happy also to welcome
two new members with the right
hand of fellowship. Peggy Robinson,
who had originally been baptised in
the Pentecostal Church some years
ago, responded to an advert offering
Bible studies. Peggy is a talented
artist and has a great love for animals.
Ernie Thrower was also baptised
in a Pentecostal church and is
to be congratulated as he has been
able to overcome the use of tobacco.
The church would like to wish these
four new members God’s blessing
and a happy new life with Jesus
Christ at the centre of their lives.
Over a period of months, Pastor
Walker has been holding a series of
Bible Discovery presentations in
Thetford. These meetings have been
readily received and have resulted in
seven people attending Bible study
meetings on a regular basis. Pastor
Walker is planning to have similar
meetings in the Great Yarmouth area
in the near future and it would be
truly wonderful to have the same
response, and even better if it leads
to further baptisms. YVONNE HILL
Pastor John West and was baptised
in 1947.
Moving around the country, due
to Fred’s promotion, the family
attended several Adventist churches,
making many friends.
Fred’s parents came into the
church in Bradford in 1934 following
a campaign by Pastor E. Craven.
Betty and Fred now live in Hampshire
and attend Bournemouth
church. COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT
4 Messenger Messenger 5

Walk with Me:
mentoring young people
by Robert Hines, associate Youth director, SEC
The Extreme Teens Camp is usually so hectic
that one doesn’t get time to relax. On the
first full day of the 2006 camp I woke up
early and decided to take a walk down to
Chapel Porth beach – a moment of tranquillity
before the storm. The beach was deserted except
for two bathers, and the footprints of these hardy
souls were the only ones on the beach. They
reminded me of the story of the man who dreamt
about footprints in the sand; one pair, his footprints,
and the other pair, God’s. As the scenes of
this man’s life flashed across his view, he saw the
footprints and asked God why, when he was going
through difficult times, was there only one set of
prints. Had God abandoned him? God’s response is
memorable. ‘You saw only one set of footprints
then because that was when I carried you.’
Teenagers face many of the problems we faced
when we were growing up: sex, academic pressure,
career choices, family relationships, music, and
peer pressure. They also face Internet pornography.
One of the questions I like to ask is, how many
of the young people brought up in the Church are
still in the Church? The normal response is that 50-
60% have stayed in the Church. To lose one young
person is terrible, to lose two is a tragedy but to
lose 40%, how could we describe that?
Young people leave the Church because it does
not make sense in their lives. This is not a matter
of their being unable to understand the truth or that
they need to know more truth. Rather that they do
not see how this truth relates to the world in which
they live. They want to be saved and go to heaven
and they believe in God; but they don’t know how to
turn theory into practice and still enjoy being a
teen. Refusing to pretend to be Christians, they opt
rather to leave the Church.
So what can we do? Firstly, the Church can
approach the teaching of certain issues differently.
There should be a link between what we believe
and the day-to-day living of that belief. This will
also incorporate the thinking behind why living that
belief will make a significant difference in the life.
Secondly, young people should be taught the
skills of an authentic Christian lifestyle. Thus they
need to be able to: study the Bible for themselves
on a daily basis and be able to hear the voice of
God; pray with power and recognise the ways by
which God answers prayers; meditate and appreciate
the value of silence; fast and develop spiritual
discipline; witness and share their testimony.
The children’s Sabbath School is very good at
teaching Bible stories. Teenagers want to know
what difference those stories can make when
they’re in school or college. They need to continue
to experience the presence of God and thus develop
a relationship with him as opposed to a relationship
with the Church. The South England
Conference’s Prayer & Bible Conferences are
designed to teach these spiritual skills.
The final piece to the solution is Christian men-
6 Messenger
toring; having a spiritually mature Christian walk
with a teen, helping them with the trials and difficulties
that they will encounter. When I was at a
Youth Specialties Conference I heard of Christian
mentoring and the difference that it was making. In
America some churches had adopted this model of
youth work and every young person had a Christian
mentor. In those churches the retention rate was
greater. I was excited by the concept but also
realised that what works in America may not necessarily
work here. So we have piloted mentoring
in the Willesden church. The training material and
curriculum was designed by Maggie Bannis-Royer,
a professional youth worker and trainer.
Sharlene Campbell is mentoring facilitator at
Willesden church, a position she has held since
autumn 2005. She has discovered that: All the
mentees found mentoring beneficial and none of
them has left the programme; They are more positive
about the Church, their relationship with God,
and about life. The parents of the mentees have
found the mentoring programme to have impacted
their children positively.
Sharlene Campbell writes the following about
the mentoring scheme:
‘At the end of 2004 the nominating committee
assembled a group of people to form an AYS
Department for 2005 filled with individuals who
were eager to address the cause of the youth and
were on fire for the Lord.
‘Accordingly, when we heard about the pilot
mentoring scheme that was being launched by the
SEC, we were keen to get involved. We recognised
the benefits that could be gained if our young people
were able to form sustainable relationships
with Christian adults in a confidential arena.
‘My peers and I grew up in church at a time
when we did not feel we could turn to anyone for
advice and support in a confidential setting. As
teenagers we were suspicious of adults and we
were fully aware of the gossip machine
that existed within the church. A number of
us looked outside the church for this kind of
support; others felt disenfranchised and simply left
the church.
‘At Willesden, we aim to address this with our
mentoring scheme. SEC’s Maggie Bannis-Royer has
vigorously trained a number of individuals who are
interested enough in our young people to be mentors.
They listen, support and encourage our young
people. The results so far have been amazing. Our
young people and their parents alike have benefited
and continue to benefit from the scheme. So much
so, that we are now finding it difficult to cope with
the demand from our young people for mentors.
‘With the help of God and the support of the
church, we hope that each of our young people will
be able to have a mentor. We need the support of
our adults; those who have a passion for our youth
and who want to make a difference in their lives.
‘Visit our website for more information:
http://www.youthchurch.org.uk/mentoring.html.’
Only time will tell whether the mentoring
programme has made a significant difference,
and long-term studies will have to be conducted,
but the young people are so pleased with the programme
that they have encouraged their friends to
get involved and Willesden needs more mentors.
This autumn we will be conducting mentoring
training in the Hope Community Adventist church in
Beckingham, South London – a church plant unlike
Willesden which is a mature, traditional church. It
is our desire to have every young person in Hope
Community mentored as the primary way to conduct
youth work; then we hope to mentor young
people from the community. Initial results from this
pilot scheme should be available next year.
It is our intention to set up mentoring
programmes in as many churches as possible. If
you’re interested in becoming a mentor or assisting
us with training, please contact me at SEC Office.
AUBREY JOHNSON
( -2006) d. 18 March.
Aubrey Johnson, a devoted
and active elder at the
GBK church, Wolverhampton,
was diagnosed
with terminal illness in
December 2004. In spite of
that, he continued passionately to witness for
God with the intention of winning souls for
the Kingdom. His missionary activities, supported
by his wife and Seventh-day Adventist
family, continued until March 2006 when he
peacefully passed away, but his spiritual icon
of light shines on. Aubrey’s relentless testimonies
and witnessing for Christ towards the
end of his life had a strong impact on one of
his non-Christian high-profile health carers
who is now undergoing Bible studies in the
hope of becoming affiliated with the
Adventist church at GBK, Wolverhampton, as
a follower of Christ. DELVA M. CAMPBELL
EWEN DUNCAN MAC-
VARISH (1935-2006)
d. 20 June 2006. Ewen
Macvarish was born on 17
July 1935 at Invermorison.
He received a good
Scottish education and
developed skills in carpentry
and metalwork
that he plied to excellent effect in the shipbuilding
industry. In 1956 he was awarded the
Queen’s Medal for his work. By the time Ewen
received his summons to the palace, however,
he had emigrated to Canada. The medal pursued
him there, and now has pride of place in
the home of his elder son, Duncan. In Canada,
Ewen met and fell in love with Joan Connelly.
Ewen’s wit, humour and people skills commended
him to the youth society of those
days, and he and Joan lived the high life.
Joan’s mother was a Seventh-day Adventist
(who had come from Croydon), and her father
was a Rosicrucian. Her mother was concerned
about Joan and Ewen’s lifestyle and
repeatedly phoned Pastor John Howard expressing
her concerns. Pastor Howard visited
the newly-married couple and Ewen, with his
usual grin and twinkle, said, ‘My father taught
me to drink when I was 12 and you’ll never
take the whisky from me!’ Nevertheless, Bible
studies with Joan and Ewen commenced and
it later transpired that Ewen had stopped
drinking after the initial visit from Pastor
Howard. Always present for the Bible studies
was Joan’s Rosicrucian father (who, twenty
years later, would himself be baptised) to put
the opposing viewpoint. Ewen, however, accepted
every position so long as it was based
on Scripture. He was baptised in 1963. Six
weeks following his baptism Ewen announced
that the Lord had called him to be a
literature-evangelist. Aware of the high earnings
that had fuelled the lifestyle of the
Macvarishes, Pastor Howard counselled that
he should hang on to ‘the day job’. In character
for Ewen, however, he had already resigned
from his well-paid job. The Lord
blessed him for his faithfulness with both
sales and souls. Each week his pastor met
him, Ewen had earned more than the week
before. Ewen’s articulate, warm and winning
manner took him to the top of the LE tree in
Canada. Joan and Ewen had four children:
Duncan, Alistair, Deirdre and Cheryl. All are
now married with families of their own. Ewen
was called to be Publishing director first in
British Columbia, then in the Ontario conference.
His practical skills were not permitted to
go to waste. They were often called upon for
the building of pews, stairs and church furniture.
He superintended the building of a number
of church buildings. In 1991 Ewen was
called to serve as Publishing director of the
British Union and, until 1995, was based at
The Stanborough Press. The Macvarishes
missed their family and grandchildren, but
Ewen was able to provide encouragement to
his Scottish mother in her old age. When the
Macvarishes returned to Canada towards the
end of 1995 Ewen took a job as manager of a
construction company. He was able to finish
work on his own house, begun some years
earlier. Sadly, during one of Ewen’s trips to see
his mother in Scotland, Joan died of pneumonia
back in Ontario. Ewen was deeply distressed
and suffered from depression. Joan
died in October 2002. Ewen remarried in 2004
– his second wife was also called Joan – and
enjoyed some very happy months. By 2005 he
was struggling with the cancer that claimed
his life on 20 June 2006. Pastor John Howard,
who had baptised him, conducted his funeral
on 29 June in the Bowmanville church of
which Ewen was elder. ‘Ewen influenced
many for Christ around the world,’ said Pastor
Howard. ‘Among them was Eithne Amos-
Nunez, who pioneered the work in the west of
Ireland.’ Pastor Edgar Nunes (no relation to
Eithne) who assisted Pastor Howard with the
funeral said, ‘Ewen Macvarish was simply the
finest Christian I have ever met.’ Ewen
Macvarish was a character and a fine
Seventh-day Adventist. He loved his Lord and
hoped for his return.
DAVID MARSHALL
MONICA GRACE LACEY
(née Knight) (1921-
2006) d. 22 July.
Monica Lacey was born on
10 December 1921 in Port
of Spain, Trinidad, where
her parents Nelson H. and
Nora Knight had been
called from England to work as missionaries.
After the family returned to England, Monica
did very well in school, earning a scholarship
to Nottingham University. She had hoped to
prepare to become a research scientist, but
circumstances intervened and she went to
‘old Newbold’ instead. Monica met Kenneth
Lacey at Newbold Missionary College in 1937.
After she had completed two years of compulsory
nursing service during World War II, and
after Kenneth had graduated and completed
the two years of successful ministry, then required
before a young minister could marry,
Kenneth and Monica were married on 1 June
1943. They were the first couple to be married
in the Newbold College Chapel after the college
had moved to Packwood. From that point
on, they were a popular and highly successful
pastoral and evangelistic team, holding evangelistic
campaigns which resulted in the establishment
and growth of churches
throughout England and Scotland. They were
also dearly-loved parents, raising four children:
Michael, Robin, Beverley and Stephen.
In 1964 the Lacey family emigrated to Canada
where Kenneth and Monica continued their
evangelistic work in the British Columbia
conference. Four years later they moved
again, this time to the United States, where
they continued the Lord’s work for another
25 years, first for the Montana conference and
then the Southeastern California conference.
Monica also practised nursing in Scotland and
Canada, and taught French at Okanagan
Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia. She
loved music and played the piano, violin and
tenor recorder. She also enjoyed knitting and
crocheting. In 2004 she and Kenneth moved
to Ellensburg, Washington, to be closer to
their children. And it was there that Monica
died in her sleep, while being cared for in the
home of her son, Robin. Until the very last,
Monica sang hymns, actively shared the good
news of the Gospel, and was certain of her
salvation and of her Lord’s soon return.
Monica is survived by her husband Kenneth,
her four children, 14 grandchildren, many
great grandchildren, a sister Beryl Maudsley of
Hayling Island and a brother, Terry Knight of
Guildford. The funeral service on 28 July was
conducted by Pastor David Woodruff with
Pastor Max Torkelsen. Monica was laid to rest
in 100F Cemetery, Ellensburg, Washington.
MICHAEL LACEY
RENE WAY (1924-2006) d. January
2006. Rene was born in East Ham, London –
a cockney! Her early working life was spent at
Midland Bank, where she worked as a head
typist and secretary. She also typed manuscripts
and proof read for several authors.
This may explain how Rene became inspired
to become a writer herself. She wrote scores
of poems and even had two children’s stories
published: Armada Quest and The Crashed
Plane. These are gripping adventure stories
involving Christian families. Rene loved reading
too, and even when her eyesight failed towards
the end of her life she took much
pleasure in listening to audio books and tapes.
Rene also loved music and it was this passion
that led her to Norman, her husband whom
she met at the Royal Festival Hall. They married
in 1961 and really did make beautiful
music together. Rene played the violin and
Norman played and taught the piano. He still
plays the piano in Chelmsford church. Rene
always loved the Lord. After attending the
United Reformed and Methodist churches, she
finally settled in the Chelmsford Adventist
church in 1967, when Des Mowday was the
pastor. The church was immensely blessed by
her input into church programmes, especially
Sabbath School. Rene was a firm believer in
the power of prayer and in the end she prayed
that the Lord would take her. She died peacefully
in her sleep, but we know that this is not
the end for her. The funeral service was conducted
by Pastor Paul Smith. Our heartfelt
condolences go out to daughter Eleanor, son
Peter, four much-loved grandchildren and one
great-grandchild. TIM SAMPSON
KEOUGH-McCORMAC
The wedding of Adam Keough and Heather
McCormac took place on Sunday 11 June in
the Belfast church before over 150 witnesses.
Adam, the only child of Anthony Keough, is
the pastor of the Belfast church, where he has
served for over four years. Heather is the
daughter of Victor and Ethel McCormac.
Although Anthony, Adam’s dad, had served as
pastor in Belfast many years before, it wasn’t
until Adam began his ministry in Belfast as an
intern that he and Heather began their
courtship! Heather is a nurse in the Belfast
City Hospital, and was given away by her
father and escorted into the church by her
friend Julie-Ann and nieces Kari, Shauna,
Shannon, Tara, Emma, Abby and Leah.
Adam’s best man was Darren Bullock. Pastor
Douglas McCormac officiated at the wedding,
and Pastor Nathan Stickland gave a humorous
and very thoughtful message to the newlymarried
couple. Adam will continue to serve
as pastor of the Belfast church and Youth
sponsor to the Irish Mission as he and Heather
begin their new life together. May God bless
them both in their new life and future
ministry. PASTOR DOUGLAS McCORMAC
The principal of the Adventist Discovery Centre (VOP)
acknowledges with sincere thanks two donations of £300
received in July.
JOB VACANCY AT ADRA-SUDAN
A COUNTRY DIRECTOR is required for early 2007. This
responsible administrative officer in charge of day-to-day
operations will need to be an experienced and committed
administrator with a minimum of 3 years’ senior management
experience. Qualities also required are: Basic knowledge
and experience in community development and relief
activities; strong cross-cultural/interpersonal skills; honesty,
initiative, team player; MA tertiary level of education
preferable; loyalty and commitment to ADRA’s parent
body, the Church leadership and entities locally and
internationally; strong organisational, communication
and public speaking skills; visioning and driving the
implementation of strategy, with strong networking
abilities to liaise with ADRA and government offices,
embassies, councils, etc.
Terms of employment and salary in accordance with
denominational IDE package, a summary of which is
available on request.
Letter of application, with current CV and addresses
of two referees, to be sent to: Raafat Kamal
rkamal@ted-Adventist.org, ADRA-Trans-Europe Regional
Director. Deadline for receipt of applications:
31 October 2006.
ADRA-Sudan is also urgently looking for a PRO-
GRAMME DIRECTOR to commence work in
November/December 2006. Qualities required are similar
to above. Please apply to same address, but state
clearly that you are interested in the Programme
Director position.
Full job description available on request.
Deadline for applications: 15 October.
JOB VACANCY AT ADRA-PAKISTAN
The Trans-European Division is seeking to appoint a
Country Director for ADRA-Pakistan commencing in
early 2007. The Country Director is the responsible
administrative officer in charge of the general day-to-day
operations of ADRA-Pakistan. Job description is available
on request. The core competencies of this position are as
follows:
• An experienced and committed administrator with
senior management experience – a minimum of three
years.
• Basic knowledge and experience in community
development and relief activities.
• Strong cross-cultural and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated characteristics of honesty, initiative and
team player.
• Holds a MA tertiary level of education – preferable.
• Loyalty and commitment to work harmoniously with
ADRA’s parent body, the Church leadership and
entities, locally and internationally.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Excellent communication skills – articulate and
comfortable with speaking in public.
• Visioning and driving the implementation of strategy.
• Strong networking abilities to liaise with ADRA offices,
government offices, embassies, councils, etc.
The terms of employment and salary will follow the
denominational IDE package – a summary is available on
request.
A letter of application, together with a current CV and
the addresses of two referees, should be sent to: Raafat
Kamal, rkamal@ted-adventist.org, ADRA Trans-Europe
Regional Director, Trans-European Division Offices, 119 St
Peter’s Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3EY.
Deadline for receipt of applications is 15 October 06.
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