Keep The Faith Issue 107

S ED K’ US INE E U OC AZ TH K-F AG AC H M BL AIT F

www.keepthefaith.co.uk

ISSUE 107

UK’s first MA African Christianity Ah, the joy of Christmas CELEBRATING

30 YEARS

IN MEDIA

What’s in your hair products?

CeCe Winans Something’s Happening

Interview:

JEANETTE YOUNG

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TS CONTE1N 07 ISSUE

Welcome to Issue 107 Welcome to our winter issue of Keep The Faith that celebrates Christmas and welcomes 2019.

Our team is now due a well earned rest, so our 108th issue will be available in February 2019. This will be a special one, as we will be celebrating our 14th year of publishing Keep The Faith. What makes our magazine so special is that it is written by its readers and supporters from around the UK, the USA, and as far afield as South Africa!

This truly makes us a ‘community’ magazine.

One of our goals is to consistently assist where we can, with finding solutions to the problems our youth are experiencing. Whatever reasons, causes or blame is apportioned for the excessively high number of youth stabbings in the capital, it is our responsibility as a community to work towards alleviating the problem.

Be it through church, schools, family projects, mentoring groups, charities and suchlike, we must work together. I encourage you again to look at the feature on the Synergy Network, run by the Ascension Trust, a longstanding 25-year-old Christian organisation that operates Street Pastors, School Pastors, and so many programmes for the benefit of the community.

Don’t work is isolation, though. Be found by like-minded people. Register yourself, your church, project, service or programme in our online directory. Promote yourself for FREE! www.keepthefaithdirectory.co.uk.

I hope you enjoy this issue. It is packed with some great thought-provoking articles.

We have featured some amazing people, and we welcome new contributors. So, if you are considering volunteering, are looking at studying, or ever wondered what’s in your hair products... it’s all here, in this issue of Keep The Faith.

May the Christmas message of hope fill your heart and home, and may the New Year bring you love, joy and peace.

NEWS

07

08 10

22

Every blessing Shirley McGreal and The Keep The Faith Team

04-06 In the news

GOSPEL MUSIC 07 CeCe Winans - Something’s Happening - A Christmas Album

by Milton B Allen 08 Ian Copeland Green launches 3rd album by Marlene Cato 10 Lurine Cato - Chosen to Serve

by Marlene Cato 12 Gospel Goes Classical - South Africa

by Segodi Leshalabe 14 This time of year! by Milton B Allen

FEATURE 18 Ah, the joy of Christmas

by Rev Cassius Francis 20 The Child at Christmas

by Joy Roxborough 22 Interview with Jeanette Young, Fashion Designer by Marcia Dixon 24 Celebrating Marcia Dixon’s 30 years in media and PR 28 Synergy Network 32 Vulnerability and men

by Gary Clayton 34 Singleness at Christmas by Esther Kuku 36 Safeguarding is everyone’s business by Dionne Gravesande 37 Fast-growing resource hub for churches with Later Life Ministries

by Carl Knightly 38 The UK’s first MA African Christianity at Liverpool Hope University

COMMENT 40 What is your Dovetail?

by Deborah Lassiter 42 Food 4 Thought by Marcia Dixon 43 Fasting, fitness and holiness

by Rev Stephen Brooks 44 Good grief in the church

by Pastor Andrew Rashford-Hewitt

LIFESTYLE

KEEP THE FAITH MAGAZINE R

Keep The Faith Ltd keepthefaithteam Suite 48 @keepthefaithmag 88-90 Hatton Garden keepthefaithmagazine London EC1N 8PN keepthefaith.co.uk T: 0845 193 4433 keepthefaithdirectory.co.uk

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Shirley McGreal FCMI Chief Executive Officer: Dr Daniel Tulloch Sub-Editor: Jackie Raymond Design: Becky Wybrow Advertising: Diverse Media Group Limited advertising@diversemediagroup.co.uk T: 0203 868 0664 Marketing: Josie McFarlane Admin & Finance: Nicola Hammond

The Publisher would like to thank Rev Cassius Francis, Marcia Dixon, Milton B Allen, Rev Stephen Brooks, Pastor Andrew Rashford-Hewitt, Gary Clayton, Esther Kuku, Dionne Gravesande, Tayo Fatunla, Grace Gladys Famoriyo, Keno Ogbo, Vanessa Grossett, Shirin Aguiar, Marlene Cato, Joy Roxborough, Carl Knightly, Darren Richards, Deborah Lassiter, Segodi Leshalabe, Diverse Media Group, our supporters and advertisers.

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher.

46 Old City Jerusalem - seeing is also believing by Tayo Fatunla 48 Do you know what’s in your hair products? by Joy Roxborough 49 Bouncing back from life’s hard knocks by Grace Gladys Famoriyo 50 Essentials for Entrepreneurs

by Keno Ogbo 51 Losing my passion

by Vanessa Grossett

MISSION 52 Volunteering on a short-term mission

by Mission Direct 53 With God all things are possible Mercy Ships feature 54 MAF Disaster Response www.keepthefaith.co.uk

04 NEWS

Young authors introducing their generation to Black role models

Octogenarian Icolyn Smith is walking on air

Two ten-year-old children have written books that inspire young Black boys and girls to take pride in themselves and learn about historical Black figures from past and present.

The 87-year-old received a prestigious Pride of Britain award from the Strictly Come Dancing team at a star-studded ceremony in Central London, for her work running the Oxford Community Soup Kitchen (OCSK).

Icolyn, a member of the Church of God of Prophecy, started the OSCK 28 years ago, after seeing a homeless man rummaging through street bins for food in her home town, Oxford.

Moved with compassion, she decided to put her considerable culinary skills to good use and cook meals for the homeless and vulnerable in Oxford.

To date, Icolyn has cooked over 60,000 meals, and OSCK, which is now a charity called The Icolyn Smith Foundation, also distributes sleeping bags, clothes and shoes to the homeless.

Icolyn says she feels “wonderful” being recognised for her work. And she had this advice for retirees: “We might reach a certain age in life, and feel the children have grown up, (but you need to) find something else to do to occupy your time. To just retire and sit down, it does no one any good.”

And she’s also grateful to God for her award. “With all these things that have happened in my life, I give thanks to God. He is the only One who could take me through and give me the strength to go on.”

EastEnders inspires thoughtprovoking single, Stop the Fighting Gospel singer and songwriter, Carol Bertogal, hopes the song she was inspired to write (after watching a moving episode of EastEnders) will play a part in encouraging young people involved in gangs, crime and violence to pursue a positive life path.

Carol, a wife, a mother of two young children, found herself in tears after watching an EastEnders storyline, where a character got caught up in gang crime and ended up being murdered. She recalled: “I was overwhelmed with emotion as I watched the programme, especially as they used real-life mothers, whose children had been killed. The programme also made me think something needs to be done to stop the youth from killing each other.”

Overcome with emotion, Carol went to bed thinking about the episode, and woke up inspired to write a song; Stop the Fighting is the result. It will be released as a single on November 30, and proceeds will be donated to five charities that seek to combat youth crime.

She believes she was inspired by her faith to write Stop the Fighting, and explained: “I didn’t choose this song; I believe God gave it to me to make a difference in the lives of young people.

“It’s my desire for this song to make perpetrators of violence stop and think about what they are doing. We don’t want young people to die needlessly. We want them to live.”

The song will be available on iTunes, Amazon Music and Google Music from November 30, 2018.

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

Written by Romeo Bremmer, son of Juliet Coley (presenter of the renowned People Get Ready show) and Brianna-Kayla Lynch, the granddaughter of gospel legend Bazil Meade MBE, the books entitled ‘Hey, Black Boy!’ and ‘Hey, Black Girl!’ (respectively) feature profiles of inspirational Black people.

Hey, Black Boy! includes Black male role models, such as grime artist, Stormzy; three times Olympic 100 metres champion, Usain Bolt, and civil rights leader, the late Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Women featured in ‘Hey, Black Girl!’ include Michelle Obama; Britain’s first Black female MP, Diane Abbott, and soul singer, the late Aretha Franklin.

Juliet Coley worked alongside her older son, Bailey, to publish both books.

She said: “It’s important to inspire young people to develop pride in themselves and their community, by highlighting well known Black achievers. These books do that, and also encourage readers to see themselves as individuals who can do great things.”

The books have received a great response on social media, and Romeo and Brianna-Kayla are praying that lots of people buy copies to give away as presents at Christmas.

Visit www.blackjacmedia.com to buy a copy (or several!).

Can you help share The First Christmas with children like Alice?

Last year, Alice spent Christmas in hospital.

It was a really tough time but a simple gift brought her hope and joy when she needed it the most.

Thanks to people like you, Alice received a copy of The First Christmas, a beautifully illustrated nativity storybook, and a wonderful introduction to God’s message of love found in Jesus.

This year, through our partners in prisons, food banks and hospitals, we have the opportunity to gift The First Christmas to thousands more disadvantaged children. Can you help support these opportunities?

With your help, Scripture Union is aiming to give over 100,000 children a copy of our new Christmas story book, The First Christmas.

Together we can share God’s message of love and hope with some of the most vulnerable children this Christmas

Please donate today A gift of £10 could share The First Christmas with all the children in a high dependency unit this Christmas.

To donate visit SU.org.uk/christmas or Telephone 01908 856000 Text REAL18£10 to 70070 to donate £10

Registered Charity in England and Wales (number 213422)

06 NEWS

Christian advocacy organisation celebrates 10th anniversary

Forthcoming book aims to help gospel artists succeed Roy Francis, a leading figure in the UK gospel scene, is putting the finishing touches to How To Make Gospel Music Work For You - his first ever book.

Christian Concern, an organisation that provides legal representation for Christians who are treated unfairly because of their faith, recently celebrated their 10th anniversary at a special service at the Emmanuel Centre in Central London.

Up to 600 guests were in attendance, and listened as co-founder and chief executive, Andrea Williams, challenged UK Christians to “build a movement of people passionate to see Jesus at the heart of society.”

Other speakers during the service included co-founder Pastor Ade Omooba and Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali. Speaking after the event, co-founder and chief executive, Andrea Williams, said: “Jesus Christ is the heartbeat of the Christian Concern family. Bringing the life of Jesus to the heart of society is what drives us. We long to see His love, justice, truth, freedom and hope transform the heart of our culture.”

Co-founder and director, Pastor Ade Omooba, stated: “The last ten years have flown by, and so much has happened in that time. It’s been an amazing journey and a remarkable story of God’s sustaining power and goodness, since a small group of Christian leaders from diverse backgrounds decided to take a stand and start Christian Concern. But we’re conscious that this is only the beginning. We’re looking to grow the Christian Concern family, so that we can be even more effective in bringing the good news of Jesus to the heart of society. I pray the Lord grants us great grace and pace for the race ahead.”

Visit www.christianconcern.com for more details.

Documentary to challenge help for the hurting A new Christian production company is looking forward to the screening of their first ever documentary that deals with a subject often talked about privately: being hurt by the Church.

The Recitent Ones Production, the Church Hurt Documentary, is set to be screened in February 2019, and will feature Christians sharing their experiences of being hurt by the Church, and the support - or lack of it - they received.

Samuel Baleera, one of the documentary producers, shared: “This is our first documentary, and has been two years in the making. One of the goals of the documentary is to challenge the Church on how they handle those who have been hurt. As Christians, the most important commandment is to love our neighbour, but we don’t see that enough. When people are hurt, it oftentime ends badly, affecting the individual in ways that shouldn’t be associated with the Church. We all know ‘things happen’ within church, but what happens after that? We want to help restore that balance.”

Recitent Ones Production have already started trailing clips of the production on social media.

Visit Facebook: @Church Hurt – The Reticent Ones; Twitter: @reticentones; Instagram: @reticentones to watch the documentary.

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

Scheduled to be published in 2019, the book will contain useful tips and advice on how UK gospel artists can build a successful music ministry and provide a history of gospel music in Britain and America.

Roy decided to write the book after hearing gospel artists share their frustrations in trying to make headway with their music.

A gospel veteran, Roy has many years’ experience working in the UK gospel scene. In his youth, he was a celebrated keyboardist, and was a teacher working as a TV producer, firstly on groundbreaking gospel music television series ‘People Get Ready’ on Channel 4 in the 1980s, and then on BBC’s ‘Songs of Praise’. He also directed the successful and multi-million selling ‘Donnie McClurkin Live in London’ recording and DVD. He has worked as an agent, promoter and consulter.

He believes it is possible for UK artists to have successful music ministries. He told Keep The Faith: “Any artist desirous to have a successful gospel music ministry has to be intentional and strategic about it. How To Make Gospel Music Work For You gives the reader insights they need to develop a winning strategy. I trust people will find it useful when published.”

Visit www.rfproductions.co.uk for more information.

GOSPEL MUSIC 07

CeCe C Winans Something’s Happening!

A Christmas Album

B ALLEN, B Y M ILT O N IC L IN K US GLOBAL M

eCe Winans’ holiday recording, Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album (Puresprings Gospel/Thirty Tigers) is sure to put you in a reflective yet festive mood, all the while keeping you reminded of the true meaning of the holiday season.

The title song, ‘Something’s Happening’ is one of five songs written by CeCe’s son, Grammy Award winner, Alvin Love III, emphasising that something wonderful happened and continues because Christ was born. CeCe’s heavenly vocals effortlessly pull listeners into the Christmas spirit.

‘This World Will Never Be The Same’ praises the divine event that changed the world and the lives of everyone who would believe in Him. CeCe’s powerful vocals, accompanied by ethereal background singers, invite you into an imaginative musical experience.

When asked what she would like the message of this project to be, CeCe says: “My desire is that, when the world hears this project, they are reminded of the true reason and spirit of Christmas. When Jesus was born, something AMAZING happened that changed the world forever. In the midst of all the celebration, we must not forget to remember and offer to others the best gift of all…

JESUS!”

On the lively ‘Giving Season’, CeCe sings about the joy in thinking of others and the valued treasure that exists, in even a simple smile or hug.

This airy song with delightful orchestration takes on the feel of a holiday musical and can easily lift your spirit.

In the harmonic treat of ‘It’s Christmas’, Winans sings of traffic jams, sweet treats, decorations, and bells ringing, with visions of a fun-filled Christmas Day. Along with the evocative lyrics, the upbeat rhythm reflects the urgency to get it all done during the season, peppered with the blissful sounds of Mark Douthit’s saxophone.

Among the five Christmas classics on the new recording are ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, which CeCe delivers with verve and joy along with, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’, ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’, ‘Feliz Navidad/O Holy Night’ and ‘Silent Night’. The vibrant orchestral arrangements by Tim Akers and Alvin Love III will have listeners nodding and tapping their feet.

The recording offers great music that is a perfect backdrop for gatherings, decorating the tree, cooking up delicious holiday treats and opening presents. The combination of CeCe’s wonderful lead vocals, melodic background singers and full orchestra certainly create a masterful expression of holiday cheer.

Winans is open to branching out musically, and has this to say about the new album: “It’s been a long time. I just felt like I could do something that was better, something that was fresher. It was time to do a new one, and I’m pretty pleased with it. I think it’s fresh and fun. I’m glad I did it.

“We had too much fun recording ‘It’s Christmas’ and all of those original songs,” Winans enthused.

“I like pushing the envelope a little bit. I just wanted the album to be fresh, drawing us back to the real meaning of Christmas.”

Something’s Happening! A Christmas Album is produced by Alvin Love III - the sophomore collaboration between mother and son. Love co-produced CeCe Winans’ ‘Let Them Fall in Love’, which won two Grammy Awards earlier this year.

The album also features the superb Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Tim Akers.

Among the exceptionally talented vocalists featured throughout the recording are: Jerard Woods, Kirk Kirkland, David Wise, Terry White, Melinda Doolittle, Nickie Conley, Debi Selby, Rebecca Gray, Shelley Justice and Emoni Wilkins.

This Christmas offering is executive produced

by Demetrus Alexander.

08 GOSPEL MUSIC

Ian Copeland Green is about to drop a cracking, eclectic, refreshing third album, ‘I Still Believe’. The album is a tremendous follow-up to his first album, ‘Believer’, and his second album, ‘Believer 2’.

Photo Credit: Holly-Marie Cato

The multi-talented producer, musician, singer and songwriter has worked with top artists, including Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Lurine Cato, Pharrell Williams, Matrix 2, Noel Robinson,

Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Fiona Yorke and many more. The album has anthems, like the title track ’I Still Believe‘ and ‘Shout’. However, the highlights are the great collaboration tracks.

Prior to the album release, Green will be releasing a single track off the album called, ‘Stand Up’, with award-winning Noel Robinson.

A funky-soul anthem, inspired by the sounds of the group, Earth, Wind & Fire, that will make you literally stand up, dance and sing. I can literally see the radio light up with this track. ‘Stand Up’ will take you through all those Christmas and New Year events, and straight through to the summer

IAN COPELAND GREEN BY MARLENE CATO

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

of 2019! Needless to say, I predict it will be a hit.

There is a surprising, beautiful and serene, stripped-back duet, ‘Have Your Way’, with the soulful, Jason Nicholson Porter (ITV’s The Voice UK).

Just listen to those heavenly harmonies!

The revamped ‘God is Able’ was the first to be released off the album, reaching Number 1 on AStepFwd UK Christian Charts. This time, the track has the inclusion of Kenny Thomas and Green’s daughter, Yasmin. The track showcases her amazing vocal range; she is certainly one to watch! ‘God is Able’ is most remembered when multi award-winning artist and friend, Lurine Cato, and Green sang it live at the historic open-air memorial service for the victims of the Grenfell Tower Fire disaster. An unplugged acoustic version also reached Number 5 in the UK Christian charts. This song has so much meaning for Green, as he wrote it through a time of serious challenging issues. “’God is Able’ came about from a time in my life when I was facing some serious health, financial and relationship issues. I simply sat at my piano to commune with God and then, 15 minutes later, the whole song was written,” states Green. “In times of darkness, fear and pain, God is able to make a way.”

The album includes another hit, a reggaeinfused upbeat track, ‘Better Than Good’, featuring Gymma which was released as a single in October 2017. It reached Number 1 on UK’s AStepFwd charts, and won Best UK Male Solo Video and Best RnB/Soul Video at the JUMP Video Awards 2017.

Whilst Ian Copeland Green is recognised as a musical genius and producer, who is in much demand, he also has a true heart for God, particularly, as he has been brought back from life-threatening illnesses. When you listen to ‘I’m Healed’, featuring Myracle Holloway, you will feel the poignancy of the words, with music reminiscent of Andraé Crouch & The Disciples.

With stunning lyrics throughout the album, including tracks and unexpected gems, such as ‘Us’ and ‘Speechless’, you can be sure this album will ‘render you speechless’ for all the right reasons. @copelandgreen iancopelandgreen

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10 GOSPEL MUSIC

O

LURINE CATO

Lurine Cato is proving why her track, ‘Chosen To Serve’, is so timely. Being an ambassador; singing at the Grenfell Memorial Service; being vocal coach on ITV Good Morning Britain’s ‘Sing It to Win It!’ competition; working with the B Positive Choir… the multi award-winning gospel singer-songwriter, vocal coach and producer just hasn’t stopped!

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

Photo credit: Nick Redman

Chosen To Serve

ver the years, Lurine Cato has worked consistently with a number of charities and has supported good causes, including working with Love Life Ministries, founded by Bruce Dyer (UK’s first £1m teenage footballer) and his wife, Janine Dyer (Raymond & Co), and The Safety Box Project, with entrepreneur and international speaker, Nathaniel Peat. With both organisations she has been working to change the lives of young people and adults within prisons and remand centres, sharing her testimony and songs.

In May 2017, as an ambassador for the Diana Award, the CEO, Tessy Ojo, asked Lurine to perform at the Inaugural Legacy Award, a new international award as a memorial to Princess Diana’s 20-year anniversary. This event took place at St James’ Palace, where the HRH Princes William and Harry presented the Award to young people from across the globe, including Belize, USA, Canada and India.

Lurine was then asked to be part of the Global Gift Foundation fundraising event, on behalf of the Diana Award, at Earl Spencer’s family home at Althorp, Northamptonshire. “Everyone was up and singing and dancing to ‘Wave it Away’ - a gospel track! I was honoured that my friend, composer and orchestra conductor, Ian Oakley, came to play for me for one of my songs, ‘Keep Fighting’. It was very emotional, and I could see many of the guests wiping tears from their eyes.”

The Grenfell Tower Fire occurred on 14th June 2017 and, sadly, many people lost their lives, leaving a devastating impact on the survivors, families, local residents and the nation. A couple of days later, Jon Sewell (Soul Box Band) and The Message Trust were planning an open-air memorial service for the people of Grenfell, and requested Lurine’s help. The Latymer Christian Church, one of the nearby churches and organisations, had responded to the needs of the residents of Grenfell and the local community, by offering a safe space, counselling, support, food, clothing and aid, and wanted to do something tangible to bring some comfort.

On Sunday 18th June 2017 - just four days after the fire - The Message Trust, Latymer Community Church, Latimer Minister, the Eden Team, opera singers from Kensington Temple, Fresh Manna, Ian Copeland Green, Rachel Kerr and Lurine Cato came together, and Grenfell’s first Open-Air Memorial Service was convened.

“Everybody just pulled together,” said Jamie Sewell, Eden Trust. “The guys who came with the professional PA system drove miles down the motorway, like angels, to support us.”

The worship team was a collaboration of Church of England, Evangelicals, and Pentecostals (and included Lurine’s sisters: Paulette Cato Tyson and Elaine Cato), and the preaching by Frog Orr-Ewing (Latimer Minister) helped those who needed some relief. The constant supply of chairs from the church to the closed-off street finally ran out as more and more people came.

It was the well documented in news reports around the world when the Fire Brigade, who

arrived in their engines, received the first of many resounding applauses. Lurine recalls: “There were so many hurting people, so we spent time talking, hugging and praying for them and wiping their tears. Romans 12:15 says ‘Weep with those who weep’, and I was weeping. Many volunteers were on hand to offer support to so many who were still shell-shocked. You could feel the grief, confusion, anger and heavy sense of loss and uncertainty (over missing loved ones) in the area. I knew it was right for us to be there.”

Lurine was back at Grenfell in June for the ‘Gospel 4 Grenfell’ fundraising open-air concert at the nearby Tabernacle Christian Centre, organised by Christian host and comedian, Anthony ‘Pass Da Mic’ King. The church leaders, Pastors Derrick and Pauline Wilson, together with church members and volunteers, had been working tirelessly since the fire started. King galvanised artists from across the gospel community to lend their support. Lurine was asked to minister in song, alongside fellow artists and musicians, including: Noel Robinson, Natalie Phillips and Volney Morgan & New Ye. The funds were being raised to enable the church to continue financially supporting the families. “Again, it was amazing how everyone cooperated and pulled together,” Lurine commented.

Later that year, Lurine was approached by the NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) Service to support their choir, B Positive Choir, at the MOBO’s pre-event. They sang Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’, and her relationship with B Positive continued when she was contacted again to perform with them at the MOBOs 2017 (Channel 5, also syndicated and shown on BET) alongside performances from Stormzy and X Factor finalist, Tokio Myers. During that time, Lurine received the Honorary UK Entertainment Award for her contribution to gospel music.

The NHSBT had ambitions to raise awareness of blood conditions such as sickle cell anaemia suffered by mainly Black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, and the importance for people of similar backgrounds to give blood.

Photo credit: Nick Redman

GOSPEL MUSIC 11

They needed new, younger donors from across the UK, however, particularly for this campaign, they needed donors who reflected the BAME population of the patients who needed to receive, as this blood would give the receiver a better chance of survival.

To spread the word, B Positive Choir, directed

by Colin Anderson (BBC Choir of the Year winner) and Marsha Crossland (project manager for the NHSBT), decided to audition for Britain’s Got Talent and asked Lurine to join them. After much prayer and getting to know the choir members (who were also sufferers of sickle cell and other blood conditions), Lurine and her team took the decision to postpone working on her new album and going on tour, and concluded that raising awareness and encouraging new blood donors was too important a cause to miss.

The music world must have thought it strange to see Lurine on a talent show, but she received a lot of support, as people understood the ‘Give Blood’ campaign was saving lives, and it was an honour to represent the NHS. It was never about winning BGT; it was, however, a great opportunity to reach the masses with the ‘Give Blood’ message.

The choir’s first appearance on the show was an emotionally tearful one for BGT judge, Amanda Holden, who had received a life-saving blood transfusion during the birth of her child. B Positive Choir and Lurine Cato did well getting through to the semi-finals with Andra Day’s ‘Rise Up’. In the semi-finals, they sang ‘This is Me’ from the hit film, The Showman, and went straight through to the final when judge and producer, Simon Cowell, bestowed the rare wild card. The competition was won by the comedian, Lost Voice Guy. The 70th anniversaries of the birth of the NHS and the arrival of the Empire Windrush to England made it a fortuitous year for B Positive Choir and Lurine Cato, who were invited to sing

at a number of high profile celebration events, including the NHS Celebration at York Cathedral and Windrush celebrations at the Andover British Army Base. The choir suffered deep sadness, however, when Simonne Kerr, one of their members, was murdered. “The impact on us all can still be felt… We will never forget her,” Lurine said.

Her first visit to South Africa led to sell-out concerts and demands for more. Her backing singers’ coaching workshops have featured guest artists, such as reggae artist Janet Kay (Silly Games); Jahméne Douglas (X Factor), and international saxophonist, Joe Leader. Her vocal work has launched many careers within the music industry, which is probably why this year she became the sought-after vocal coach for ITV’s Good Morning Britain’s singing competition, ‘Sing It to Win It!’, hosted by former Girls Aloud band member, Kimberley Walsh.

As well as live performances, Lurine is now back in the studio, creating new songs and recording with her friends and highly talented producers, Mark Qura Rankin (Chris Brown, Usher), Ian Copeland Green (Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Noel Robinson) and Marcus Johnson (Beverley Knight, Kim Burrell, Soul II Soul).

It has been a pivotal year for gospel music nationally, with fellow artists, like Jason Nicholas Porter and Wayne Ellington, doing well on The Voice UK, as well as the deserved respect people like Karen Gibson and Marcia Dixon are receiving for having contributed so much for gospel music within the UK. “Karen Gibson and Kingdom Choir did us proud at the Royal Wedding, and are moving gospel music into new territories.”

Lurine Cato continues to be on a mission to reach everyone - particularly those who are hurting - with a message of faith, hope and love, and certainly has been ‘Chosen to Serve’. @LurineCato

Justice for Grenfell 18 October 2017 Photo credit: M Cato www.keepthefaith.co.uk

12 GOSPEL MUSIC

Gospel Goes Classical South Africa - Africa Worship Edition

Lebo talks to Keep The Faith about performing for the first time in Gospel Goes Classical South Africa, performing with Todd Dulaney in London, faith and the love of God.

O

n an ordinary night, an extraordinary event occurred in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was Gospel Goes Classical – Africa Worship Edition, featuring artists from South Africa, Nigeria, Swaziland, Ghana and the Return of US gospel artist, VaShawn Mitchell. For almost two decades, the Gospel Goes Classical brand has made musical history as one of the most innovative and wonderful syntheses of musical styles that blends gospel and classical - a viral combination that has captured the imagination of the world!

Gospel Goes Classical has featured Juanita Bynum, Jonathan Butler, Donnie McClurkin, Dorinda Clark Cole, Kurt Carr and Richard Smallwood.

Five years ago, South African music lovers were introduced to an event called Gospel Goes Classical (GGC). Although the concept had already been done elsewhere around the world, it was the first of its kind in this country. The event has since continued to grow in size and popularity. Over the years, many musical legends have graced the SA Gospel Goes Classical stage.

These include the likes of Jonathan Butler, Bishop Benjamin Dube, Dr Rebecca Malope, the late Sfiso Ncwane, and many others.

This year’s event took a slight turn; it was, for the first time ever, focused on Africa and its music. It was simply dubbed Gospel Goes Classical - Africa Worship Edition. The line-up was just as impressive as in previous years,

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and included VaShawn Mitchell, Joe Mettle, Ntokozo Mbambo, Yvonne May, and a host of many other talents. Says VaShawn: “Gospel Goes Classical was an amazing experience for me. The opportunity to collaborate with artists from Africa was the highlight of the recording for me. They taught me a song in Zulu as well.

The energy and worship experience in SA is second to none, and will be felt through this DVD recording. Looking forward to the release and working with these amazing artists again.”

The event also took the unusual step of giving several talented up-and-coming artists the platform. Among those on the bill was one of South Africa’s fastest rising gospel stars: Lebohang Kgapola (Lebo). One of her major breakthroughs was when she recorded a single with Todd Dulaney. This also allowed her to join him on stage recently in his first London concert.

We caught up with her to ask her a few questions about her experiences with Gospel Goes Classical and her musical journey in general.

KTF: On the evening, what was the experience like on stage?

Lebo: Being on stage is always a joy for me.

It’s always an outpouring of what I do privately.

It’s an expression of my love to God, of course keeping in mind that now it’s in front of people, so it’s either they join in the feast by singing along, or by sitting back and being ministered to. What makes it more pleasant is when people join in, in this expression of my love to God. KTF: Any advice you can give to any artist who is going to do GGC for the first time?

Lebo: You’re called or brought in because of what is seen in you. Remain confident and comfortable with who you are, your ministry and your art. GGC is a great platform to introduce your music to an audience that possibly could not have known of you, so use the platform well to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the One we profess in our music.

Keep The Faith (KTF): When you first heard you were going to be part of GGC, what was your reaction?

Lebo: I was very excited, but also a bit nervous, as I wondered how it would sound classically, since my musical genre is more of soft rock/ contemporary gospel.

KTF: What did it mean to you to minister at GGCSA? Lebo: It meant that people who don’t know about Lebohang Kgapola (me) and Christ Revealed (my debut album) would now show interest in me and my album, so this (event) will definitely take the gospel of Christ Revealed further. It also meant really sticking to song structure, because this is classical, and everything is arranged. This left very little or no room for free flow or anything of that sort.

KTF: Tell us your experience working with an orchestra for the first time. Were you nervous?

Lebo: Yes, definitely nerve-racking. The orchestra is very intimidating, in the sense that it’s classical: a very disciplined, structured kind of vibe.

KTF: Now, you recorded a single with Todd Dulaney, live in Cape Town, and also got to perform with him in London. This must have been very exciting for you. Please tell us about your experience.

Lebo: Performing with Todd proves how God’s ways are higher than ours. Prior to the recording with Todd, I had opportunities to minister in the States, but my US visa had just been denied twice. So obviously I was disappointed and

GOSPEL MUSIC 13 discouraged, and then the opportunity to feature on the African Edition of Victory Belongs to Jesus with Todd presented itself. So, every time I sing on a stage with Todd, the song becomes so real at how God can turn things around for us. If I can’t go to the US, then He’ll bring the US to me. That’s the God I serve.

‘Remain confident and comfortable with who you are, your ministry and your art.’

KTF: Any touring plans for you now?

Lebo: Yes, I’m starting with my Christ Revealed national tour in November this year. It starts in my home town of Witbank, then goes to our country’s capital city, Pretoria. Other cities will be announced soon thereafter. I also have invitations to perform in London and in Wales in February 2019. In April, I will be joining other SA leading artists for the annual Gospel Cruise.

And I have been considered to perform at SXSW in the US in March. Praying and hoping that one works out too.

KTF: Anything else you may want to share with our readers across the world?

Lebo: There are still platforms that allow for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to continue to be proclaimed through songs. I pray that the Holy

Spirit is the One who influences every decision made concerning GGC. If it’s about God, let everything that’s done on the night of the recording be ordered and inspired by Him.

With Africa not short of musical talent, GGC is set to continue bringing the whole continent together. This year alone, several other African countries were represented in the event, including Nigeria, Ghana and Swaziland. Acclaimed Nigerian singer, Yvonne May, said: “Gospel Goes Classical 2018 was all things heavenly. The orchestra, the choir, were just amazing, and to have my songs played with such a big orchestra just gave me a glimpse of heaven.

The opportunity to share the stage with great artists was overwhelming, and to see hearts of worshippers come together was surreal. I would do this over and over again, whenever given the opportunity.”

As the focus now turns to GGC 2019, one can only expect nothing but the best in music that the world has to offer. Perhaps it could be best summed up by Ghana’s Joe Mettle: “It was an awesome night filled with the power of God. Great atmosphere, exciting audience. We praised, worshipped, danced and celebrated the Lord for His goodness.”

BY SEGODI LESHALABE South Africa Correspondent Global Music Link, South Africa

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14 GOSPEL MUSIC

This Time of Year C O M P I L E D B Y M I LT O N B A L L E N

“2019 marks my 20th year licensing, marketing and distributing gospel music overseas. It’s a funny thing… every year around Christmastime, people ask me about how do folk celebrate Christmas overseas, and the place I get asked most about is London. So, I thought it might a fun story to ask some of my dear friends and colleagues in London, and some of our amazing clients here in the States the question.”

Selene C. Jordan

Dave & Helen Paul Christmas for us starts on December 1st, when the decorations go up. It seems to get earlier each year. Having two young children, it seems only fair to celebrate the whole of December.

Christ is the focus of everything we do, so we try and avoid the Christmas retail madness, and sort out buying gifts in October, and any last-minute ones in November. Dave, however, disappears in late December to pick up any last-minute gifts, and turns his phone off to avoid any clues as to the gifts he’s bought.

So with a mixture of school nativity plays and performances; Helen rehearsing for church carols for Christmas service, and Dave preparing Christmas tributes, programmes and songs on UGN Jamz Radio, it’s a busy time!

Meals out, and meeting up with friends wherever and whenever possible, is a must, as we normally both work right up to Christmas. As it’s a busy time for us, it’s nice to sit down and relax for a couple of days and eat good food with family. This is very important to us and, of course, the children are delighted, as they can spend their time playing with their new toys.

No matter what, we always do a live Christmas morning radio show on UGN Jamz.

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without sharing some quality time with our listeners as well.

At Christmas, we focus on celebrating the birth of Jesus, whether it was at that time in history or not, we celebrate, as in our hearts we appreciate the greatest Gift to mankind: Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Kind regards, Helen Le Paul Helen Le Paul is the CEO/Company Director of UGN Media Limited and presenter on the station.

I come from a large family - Dad, Mum, seven siblings (five brothers and two sisters) and then there are the in laws, nephews and nieces! - and we have a longstanding arrangement, where everyone must get to headquarters (the family home, where Dad and Mum live) before midnight on Christmas Eve. We see midnight/Christmas Day in together, and then stay up playing games and watching movies. Christmas Day is a massive lounge day, with more movies, games, food, opening presents, singing and dancing - including the musicians of the family on our respective instruments (I’m a bass guitarist!) and, unless we have somewhere else to be, ie. the other side of in-laws, we’ll continue until Boxing Day - or even the day after that.

It’s all food, fun and games with the Jordan Family!

Selene C. Jordan is the host of Premier Gospel’s ‘Sunday Morning with Selene’. On your way to church, if you can’t go to church (or won’t go to church), Selene’s show has just what you need to put a smile and huge dose of hope in your day.

D’Mott If I were in London for Christmas this year, I’d invade Croydon to purchase gifts for Brian and Jill Martin; Pastor Chris and First Lady Demetriou; Lawrence Johnson; Dave and Helen Paul at UGN Gospel; Pastor Peter and First Lady Cariss from the ARC Church; Lady T at Premier Gospel, and all the rest of the wonderful pastors and ministers, who made my tour of England a home away from home. Christmas is the best time of year and, maybe one Christmas soon, I will share the best day in the world in the best city in England! Much respect, love and power to all of you across the Pond.

Lovingly yours, Pastor D’Mott D’Mott is an international gospel recording artist, and pastors the Remnant House Outreach Church in Buffalo, NY. He has toured London and France, and will be returning to the United Kingdom in the autumn of 2019.

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GOSPEL MUSIC 15

Anthony Faulkner What I would do if I were in London for Christmas If I were in London for Christmas, I would walk through the streets singing Christmas songs all day long. This time of year allows me to channel the holiday cheer that rings: THE KING IS BORN! The season calls for families to gather and talk about old memories while creating new experiences at the same time. My holiday song, ‘This Time of Year’, talks about forgiving past hurts and calling for unity. Christmas has many meanings to different people, and ‘This Time of Year’ covers a large portion of those expressions.

When I wrote ‘This Time of Year’, I took my personal experiences to inspire others, who may need a boost of joy around this time of year. Christmas promotes joy, peace and happiness due to the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Although the theme of the holiday resonates with festive decorations, songs and conversations, some may experience a challenge due to a loss or hurtful memory. The words of ‘This Time of Year’ were written to uplift and create positive change. If I were in London, I would want to make sure everyone had a chance to hear me sing this uplifting and inspiring song during this time of year!

Anthony Faulkner is a singer, songwriter, international recording artist and world traveller, who has visited six continents.

Sarah Téibo

Christmas movie playing on TV. In recent years, this has been Disney’s ‘Frozen’! Long naps on the sofa in our onesies and Christmas socks come next! Because we lead such busy lives as a family, Christmas is really a time when we hibernate. We spend most of the Christmas holidays indoors, and enjoying our own company. We love hanging out together as a family - just the four of us - and Christmas is our favourite holiday because we get so much time to do just that.

Sarah Téibo is a MOBO-nominated gospel singer/songwriter, who is married with two daughters and lives in London, where she also serves as a worship leader and children’s worker in Kings Church - a New Frontiers church.

Christmas in the Téibo household is full of food, movies and lounging in our onesies.

Because we live in London, most years we don’t have snow, so white Christmases have been literally only a thing to be dreamt about.

We start the day with a prayer, then everyone goes downstairs to check out their gifts.

Our greatest joy, as parents, is watching the excitement and glee on our kids’ faces as they unwrap their presents, leaving piles of wrapping paper in the middle of our living room! This is followed by Christmas breakfast - usually prepared by my husband, Oladimeji - and then we head off to church.

Depending on what I’m cooking for Christmas dinner, I may stay back whilst the family goes to church, so I can carry on with the meal prep. The afternoon sees us sharing our Christmas meal, usually with a classic

Tolu Adepegba The Adepegba Christmas is always busy, chilled, and then comatose with so much food.

We tend to spend Christmas as a family: my mum, two brothers and sister. But that has now been extended, with the addition of a new sister-in-law, brother-in-law and niece. Christmas in Oxford - that’s where I grew up, and where the family home is - is usually wet or cold.

I’m kind of glad we don’t have snow, as it makes getting around difficult. Sometimes we spend it together and, at other times, we have a party when we feel for it.

Our Nigerian heritage is represented on Christmas Day. You have to have jollof rice.

There is no Christmas without jollof rice, beef, plantain and fish. But there are a few things that have to happen, if it’s just us a family. One is, I tend to do the cooking for Christmas - the one time my family will see me in the kitchen for hours. I season the meats Christmas Eve night, and then cook overnight on low heat, ready for serving come Christmas afternoon. One practice I love to do is to season the chicken with Baileys Irish Cream. It sounds odd, but the family love it and look forward to it.

My mum makes THE BEST leek and potato soup; it is a must. From teenagers to adults, we have to have it, otherwise there will be uproar if we don’t! We used to go to service on Christmas Day, when we were younger but, as we’ve gotten older, that has faded just a little. But we do pray in the morning, remembering why we celebrate and give thanks. Remembering and giving thanks to Christ is the real reason we celebrate and come together and fellowship.

Tolu Adepegba, also known as Lady T, is an award-winning radio and TV presenter, who has been blessing London airwaves for almost a decade on Premier Gospel Radio. www.keepthefaith.co.uk

16 GOSPEL MUSIC

Deborah Denise If I were in London during the Christmas holiday, I would begin my Christmas shopping as early as the end of October, all the way through to Thanksgiving Day (in November)! Right after Thanksgiving dinner, I would decorate the outside of the house with colourful flashing lights, brightly coloured Christmas wreaths wrapped in reds, greens and gold, with sparkling reindeers and radiantly lit angles to cover my lawn. Candles positioned in the centre of every window, shining for all the neighbours to see from a distance, representing Christ as the Light of the world.

Christmas music would be incessantly flowing throughout every room of the house.

I’d watch Jesus films at every opportunity, to savour the moment of His birth, His life and His resurrection. With most of my Christmas shopping done, I’d place presents under the Christmas tree day by day, watching the presents and anticipation grow as the days lead to Christmas.

Then on Christmas Eve, I would begin to prepare my Christmas dinner early that evening into the wee hours of the night: apple pies, sweet potato pies, peach pies and cakes, turkey and dressing - with all the fixings - and wake up early Christmas morning to celebrate the time Jesus was born. I’d be looking at all the gifts

under the tree, as a reflection of all the gifts and goodness God has given to me; watching smiles on others’ faces, as they open the gifts you’ve given them. I’d end Christmas Day celebrating with my loved ones in gratitude, unity and love, feasting all to the glory of God. He is the One who ultimately provides all good things, and every good thing about Christmas is provided by Him. Blessings Deborah Denise is an Indigenous American music producer, singer, songwriter and urban gospel artist.

Special thanks to our contributors: Sarah Téibo, Dave and Helen Paul, Anthony Faulkner, Selene C. Jordan, Deborah Denise, Tolu Adepegba and D’Mott.

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18 FEATURE

Ah, the joy of Chr REV CASSIUS FRANCIS

is a minister with the Wesleyan Holiness Church

‘So, here it is, Merry Christmas!

Everybody’s having fun. Look to the future now, it’s only just begun…!’

It is strange to see advertisements for Christmas, decorations and lights earlier and earlier in the calendar year these days. For me, the Christmas season starts to feel real as soon as I hear the dulcet tones of the English rock band, Slade, from Wolverhampton in the Black Country! In all seriousness, it is amazing how the birth of the Child, Jesus, who came and changes the world, has become peripheral to so much of what happens at this festive time of the year.

John 1:14 (New Living Translation) says: ‘So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.’ In other words, the author John - a close disciple, writing between 50 to 85 years after Jesus was on earth - talks about the significance of the fact the Son of God came and lived among us. His love for every one of us enables us to have hope and a future. And yet, we have made Christmas out to be about something else altogether - with the pressure to make sure everyone is happy, Santa Claus, cheesy movies, and the huge pressure to spend money we very often just do not have.

Whether your Christmas is busy, with lots of food, friends or family, or quiet and more intimate, I have learned that the Christmas season can be a difficult time for some people. I discovered how much the suicide rate increases at this time of year; I learned that for some (often because of bereavement or isolation from their family), painful memories mean that Christmas cannot pass quickly enough and then, of course, there are

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the bills that land on the doormat in January, when the reality of the spending kicks in. I wonder if, for some of us, there is the pressure to spend to provide the kind of Christmas we couldn’t have as children…

The average family spends an estimated £800 to pay for the festive season.

For many families, the season of peace and goodwill is wrapped up with guilt, shame and money worries. The average family spends an estimated £800 to pay for the festive season.

It would take enormous resilience to resist the message that you need a generous budget to provide a truly happy family Christmas. “Most of us find it difficult to disentangle our drive to make our children happy, with the need to spend, spend and overspend. The emptiness we feel on Boxing Day, surrounded by discarded wrapping, should be all the evidence we need that stuff doesn’t really matter.” (Melanie Whyatt, Wolverhampton City Credit Union) So what do you do if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of struggling households in the country? Stagnant wages, zero-hour jobs and slashed benefits (including those adversely affected by the switchover to Universal Credit)…

Before I am accused of being Ebenezer Scrooge (‘A Christmas Carol’ is a great movie, by the way), I am not proposing that we ban all fun at Christmas, but may I suggest

some ideas to survive the season in a better financial position?

1. Remember the Reason we have Christmas in the first place: Jesus Christ came to bring hope to us all 2. Have a conversation with those closest to you about what is most important about the Christmas period 3. Set a budget for overall spending – and stick to it 4. Before spending on gifts, ask yourself whether this is something that is really going to be needed and used, or is it likely to be discarded or even ‘re-gifted’ online within a few weeks 5. Share the load with Christmas dinner, so that the financial pressure is not on one person or family 6. Why not gift time and prioritise the importance of connecting and spending time with people, rather than buying gifts?

7. Talk to your children about the importance of saving and working towards something they would like, and the blessing of giving rather than receiving. Be honest about the budget for presents, teaching them to be grateful. You could consider opening a savings account for your child with your local credit union.

8. Try to avoid taking out high interest loans, spending on credit cards, and illegal loan sharks 9. If you are tempted to impulse-buy or get caught up in the hype, stop and consider whether you need to buy now, or can you wait for the January sales.

FEATURE 19

ristmas!

Ask yourself ‘Will I worry about what I have spent this time next week?’ If so, don’t buy it.

10. If you feel as if your debts are out of control, charities like National Debtline, Money Advice Service, Christians Against Poverty, Community Money Advice and local credit unions can help.

You could also try JFF’s new Money First Aid Kit https://www.justfinancefoundation.org.uk/moneyfirstaidkit/debt If you have any more ideas, I would like to hear them, so please drop me an email at cassius.francis@tctogether.org.uk. My day job is all about helping to create a fairer financial system, addressing the issues of financial exclusion, and the distress caused by unmanageable money worries and debt. The Just Finance Foundation exists to help address the needs and interests of low-income households, and we are working in schools to start savings clubs and educate about good financial management, as well as providing courses such as Cash Smart Credit Savvy, which is an introduction to budgeting skills and saving. But there is so much to do.

I pray that you experience amazing joy this Christmas season, and a blessed New Year when it comes!

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20 FEATURE

THE CHILD AT CHRISTMAS JOY ROXBOROUGH

is a creative industries professional, writer and entrepreneur.

Email joyroxborough@yahoo.com

A

fter several decades of being on this planet and seeing - and even performing in - more than a few nativity productions, I might be somewhat guilty of taking the emotional aspects of the story for granted, of distancing myself from the pain and hardships faced by those at the heart of the narrative.

Our productions never usually portray those events in their starkest realities and, I daresay, as we celebrate Christmas surrounded by tinsel and turkey and piles of presents, it is quite easy for any of us to gloss over them in our hearts.

Recently, however, I was made to stop and think, as I heard the latest news of Leah Sharibu, the Nigerian schoolgirl who, along with 110 others, was abducted by Boko Haram in February 2018.

The Islamic terrorist group released all the other girls, but Leah was denied release because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. At the time of writing this article, Leah was still being held, and the latest report was that Boko Haram had threatened to kill her.

With less than 95 days till Christmas (and decreasing) and 150 days since Leah’s abduction (and increasing), I also wondered what Leah’s parents were going through: how they were feeling; how they were actually coping. I cannot really begin to imagine, because I am just not in Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

their shoes. I did, however, feel Leah’s parents must be as distressed as Mary and Joseph must have been, when they had to flee to Egypt because their Son’s life was in danger. They must be as distressed as all the other parents were, whose children Herod had actually killed, and they were no doubt marking this time in a different way than most other people, who were looking forward to Christmas.

If no one else was, surely they were closer, emotionally, to the horrors that surrounded that First Christmas.

Past media reports have spoken of the fact that Leah’s parents felt - for want of a better word - ‘fantastic’ that their daughter had not denied Christ. “[It] makes me feel great,” her father was reported as saying. “I didn’t think that girl could do something like that, because she is young, small, and she doesn’t talk just like that.”

But despite that, the trauma has taken a toll on the family, with her mother reported to have collapsed since discovering her daughter was not among the released girls. She has been unwell ever since.

According to the online resource, Abarim Publications, the name Leah is a biblical Hebrew name that means weary or tired. How ironic, then, that this apparently unassuming 15 year old has shown such solid strength, and not become wearied into abandoning her seven-month-long stance for her Saviour, Jesus.

Press and Public Affairs Team Leader with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Kiri Kankhwende, said: “The latest update is that Saifura Husseini Ahmed and Hauwa Liman, two

of the three humanitarian workers abducted by the al-Barnawi faction of the Boko Haram in May, were executed on Tuesday 18 September and Saturday 27 October respectively. This is the same group holding Leah, and they have threatened to kill the remaining hostages, including Leah, in one month unless the Nigerian government responds to its demands.

“CSW is urging Christians to use the powerful tool of prayer to stand with Leah and her family. In light of the recent threats, we are calling on Christians in the UK to join us in coordinated, focused and intensified prayer, praying through Psalm 27 daily at 5.30pm, which is the time of day when Leah was abducted.

“You can also sign our petition (www.csw. org.uk/prayforleah), calling on Nigeria’s President Buhari to intervene to help Leah, or use our online guide to write a letter to the Nigerian Ambassador.”

Kiri added, “We are in touch with Leah’s family, and they have asked people everywhere to pray for Leah’s release and to do whatever they can to help secure her freedom. We have a range of suggested activities for people to do on our website: www.csw.org.uk/prayforleah.”

Personally, my prayer for Leah’s family is that the peace God spoke at that first Christmas, will pervade their lives and home; that God will be glorified through this situation; that the world will see He is Lord; that He will continue to strengthen this extraordinary teenager, who continues to astound the world with her boldness, and that Christmas may actually find her returned home safely.

NOURISHING THE FLOCK OF GOD IN EAST AFRICA

Pastor John Guya Manyanga left his career in education to become a pastor 17 years ago. He, his wife and twelve children fled South Sudan in 2016. The 65-year-old leads a congregation of 120-300 other refugees in Camp Rhino, Uganda. “For the church, we just pray under a tree. We would love to have some materials so that we can gather properly in a church to pray. We don’t have enough food. The little that we get here can’t last till the end of the month.

There is not enough medication.

We don’t have money for clothes as well. We need help.”

Helping Christian refugees rebuild their lives and restore faith communities | Barnabas Fund

W

hen news of the drought and famine sweeping East Africa broke in early 2017, Barnabas Fund responded rapidly. Just like Joseph in that ancient famine, who God had positioned in exactly the right place, we got life-saving food aid to thousands of the Lord’s people through local churches and Christian ministries.

Barnabas sent hundreds of tonnes of maize, cooking oil, milk-powder – providing 12 million meals in Uganda, South Sudan and Kenya.

And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread … — Genesis 47:12 Barnabas Fund’s Project Joseph aid arrived just in time. Grateful recipient, Mattias said, “When the food reached us we were in critical condition.”

Over 150,000 of the Lord’s people were saved from starvation through Project Joseph in East Africa.

Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese people, mainly Christians who fled the famine and conflicts in their homeland, now live in vast, sprawling refugee camps in Uganda and Kenya. Most are unlikely to be able to go back home for many years. They must settle down where they are, raise crops and build Christian communities – staying strong in the Lord. Barnabas is there to help them do this.

When people are displaced, they cannot farm their land, so fewer crops are grown, and the food crisis gets even worse – it is a vicious cycle. As the years pass, they may forget the agricultural skills they used to have, so even if they get land again they do not know how to make it productive.

Through practical aid including agricultural training, farming tools and sewing machines for small-businesses, Barnabas is helping the Christian refugees rebuild their lives and become economically self-sufficient.

After escaping the horrors of war, hunger, bereavement and sickness, more than ever the refugees also need spiritual nurture. They especially need Christian leaders who will help to develop worshipping communities of believers, well taught in the Scriptures, with a strong and vibrant faith that will sustain them in the midst of their trials.

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. — Hebrews 13:7 But leaders need training and equipping.

In Joseph’s life great adversity ultimately bore good fruit. God enabled him to be a vehicle for His blessing to Israel, His people. They would all have perished in the terrible seven-year famine if Joseph had not been placed exactly where he would be needed most, with the skills and character to match the challenge.

Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them … — Exodus 18:21 Barnabas is helping to raise up a new generation of wise and godly church and community leaders in the camps. We are supporting 46 South Sudanese pastors with their practical needs, including providing bicycles so they can reach their congregations spread across the vast camps.

Barnabas is also equipping pastors with much needed Bibles and Christian literature.

As a top priority, we are providing Christian children in the camp with an education. We

are also improving school buildings and constructing housing for teachers.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. — Galatians 6:9 The immediate danger of famine has passed – praise God. Now Barnabas Fund’s East Africa Hope project is helping Christian refugees in East Africa rebuild their lives and revive their faith, through spiritual sustenance, education and self-sufficiency.

If you would like to help bring hope and healing to God’s people in East Africa you can donate to East Africa Hope online at:

barnabasfund.org/Africa Or contact us: 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX 024 7623 1923 | info@barnabasfund.org Registered charity number 1092935 Company registered in England number 04029536

22 FEATURE

Jeanette Young

The past year has been an amazing one for fashion designer, stylist, speaker and preacher, Jeanette Young, who won rave reviews for styling the Kingdom Choir for the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

She is now the Choir’s resident stylist, and took time out of her busy schedule to speak to Keep The Faith about her work, faith and future.

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

FEATURE 23

KEEP THE FAITH (KTF): You have become the stylist to watch, ever since you styled the Kingdom Choir for the Royal Wedding.

How did you get the gig?

Jeanette Young (JY): Karen Gibson, Director of The Kingdom Choir, got me the gig. I am good friends with Karen; we used to attend the same church, and I have styled Karen for previous events, as well as the choir.

KTF: How did you feel about the world’s response to the Choir’s chic look?

JY: I was quite amazed. I didn’t anticipate the reaction the styling of the Choir would stir, in a positive way. The Choir looked stunning, and what everyone loved was the individuality of the styling, whilst still keeping a cohesive look.

KTF: How has your professional life changed since styling the Choir?

JY: My professional life has changed a lot, but in a good way. As you can imagine, styling thirty-four choir members is a huge task. I have had to drop a few things to accommodate this new season in my life right now.

KTF: What have you enjoyed the most, since becoming the official stylist for the Choir?

JY: Being amongst loving, warm, funny, caring people who love God. What more could you ask for? It makes hard work enjoyable. The fame and the flashing lights mean nothing without that!

KTF: You also have your own fashion label.

How did that come about?

JY: I have always had a passion for fashion and design. Having worked in the fashion industry for over 20 years, I thought to myself that it’s now time to step out in faith and launch my own line, called Jeanette Young London, which is a womenswear online boutique. Jeanette Young London was launched in Feb 2017.

KTF: Few people know that you also present clothing/styling workshops in churches. The church had always had an uneasy relationship with fashion, so how

do you navigate those two worlds?

JY: I don’t see fashion and the church as two worlds. I love fashion and I love God; the two are one. God has given me this gift because He is interested in all areas of our life, and that includes looking good too. This is why I teach on ‘How to dress your body shape’ and many more topics.

We are God’s ambassadors, and we must represent Him in the best way possible. However, what has been an ongoing issue is knowing how to dress appropriately for church or for an occasion.

KTF: What was your childhood like? Who were your parents? Where did you live, and what role did faith play in your life whilst growing up?

JY: I grew up in a one-parent family; I didn’t know my father that well! I met him in my teens, and then he suddenly passed away. My mum loved fashion, and my grandmother was a seamstress, so I think that’s where my flair of fashion came from. I grew up mainly in south London, with my mum and my two younger brothers. My grandmother was a Christian; she was the one who took me to church when I was younger, which I very much enjoyed - especially those coach trips to Southend!

KTF: When did you become a Christian, and how has a relationship with God impacted your life?

JY: Oh wow! I became a Christian in 1996. The road hasn’t always been easy, but God has kept me and continues to keep me. I love the fact that you state ‘relationship’, because that’s exactly what we have. I couldn’t do life without Him. The songwriter wrote: ‘Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.’

KTF: How will you be spending the Christmas season?

JY: This year has been soooo busy. I am really looking forward to spending this time with close family and friends.

KTF: What are your plans, as far as your business is concerned, for 2019?

JY: We are planning on having a fashion show in New York, as a lot of my client base is American.

I want to focus on growing my team, as the business is expanding, and I want to be able to embrace every good opportunity that comes our way. And much more, which will be revealed in good time!

KTF: What brief message of hope would you like to leave with readers of Keep The Faith?

JY: I never imagined that I would attend a Royal Wedding, but my gift made room for me. Never underestimate the gift that God has put inside of you; it will take you places your mind couldn’t even imagine. ‘Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us’ (Ephesians 2:20). ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them’ (Ephesians 2:10).

Visit www.jeanette-young.com for more information, and follow on Instagram @jeanetteyounglondon.

www.keepthefaith.co.uk

24 FEATURE

Contribute to the fight against knife crime - join Synergy According to the BBC, the recent number of homicides in London surpassed last year’s figure of 116*. So far this year, there have been 122 homicides* in London, including 69 fatal stabbings*, 14 shootings*, and a heavily pregnant woman, who was killed by a crossbow whilst washing dishes in her kitchen. 22 teenagers* in the capital have lost their lives.

Fatherless children, violence, so-called ‘county lines’ drug networks, middle-class cocaine users, drill music, cuts to youth services, social media and the recent cases of absent mothers are all being attributed to causes behind the rising level of knife crime. Whatever you may feel is the cause, they are our children, our responsibility, and I believe the only way we, as a community, can work towards alleviating this issue is by working together . . . in synergy.

It takes a whole village to raise a child.

In our last issue, we featured the Synergy Network, an initiative from the Ascension Trust, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, and an organisation that Keep The Faith proudly supports.

Following on from our initial feature about the Synergy Network, an initiative that is a multi-party collaboration between churches, organisations, the police, probation service, experts in their field, and individuals of all faiths and none, we have spoken with a number of leaders, community projects and even individuals, who have signed up as members of the Synergy Network, to find out why they have joined, and what are their hopes and aspirations for becoming members of this initiative. *at time of going to print

JOANNA DALE I am in the beginning stages of pioneering a Systemic Trauma Centre for young people impacted by youth violence. The idea of ‘Healing and Reconciliation’ has really stood out to me, especially in respect to childhood, adolescent and racial trauma. The concept of the Trauma Centre will focus on: Healing and Reconciling with history (trauma related to African ancestry and slavery); Healing and Reconciling with ourselves from the inside out (trauma related to childhood and adolescent experiences), and Healing and Reconciling with each other (related to relationships between young people/families/ Black and Minority Ethnic communities/those of other races). In the form of one-to- one, family therapeutic support, with additional safe spaces for group discussions, the Centre will ultimately provide safe spaces for people to talk openly through their experiences and, with the support of each other and specialist practitioners, to find ways to heal.

Keep The Faith: Can you tell me why you have chosen to join the Synergy Network?

How do you feel it will impact the community?

Joanna Dale: I have chosen to join Synergy Network, as I believe that working together in partnership is the only way forward. Working as a social worker in a borough which has one of the highest number of serious youth violence incidents; the highest number of first-time entrances into the criminal justice systems, and the highest number of Black and ethnic minority entrances into the care system, I have become frustrated at the continued lack of cohesiveness between local partners, statutory and voluntary/ third sectors. The culture of silo working, driven by funding, highest bids and professional ego, has led to such fractured services in what is already a fractured and broken society. This too has extended within faith group organisations, which also lack strategic and joined-up thinking.

However, I have full confidence that the Synergy Network will seek to bring professionals,

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

FEATURE 25

organisations and faith-based groups together, to make a difference to our communities.

One of the largest challenges I continue to see, is the lack of recognition that violence and aggression are adaptive, and developed in response to environments. I often see efforts to try to change the person, without true consideration to what they are growing and developing within.

Therefore, if we were to begin to take into account all forms of violence - including that of prejudice and power - it would aid in us challenging and changing environments, which would allow for our young people to finally thrive instead of simply surviving.

Joanna can be contacted by emailing joannacdale@yahoo.co.uk.

Keep The Faith: Can you tell me why you have chosen to join the Synergy Network?

How do you feel it will impact the community?

Delroy Davis: I like the idea of working together to bring change. I do feel some of the ideas we offer - like leadership development; personal growth; coaching for individuals and groups; speaking skills; workshops, and building positive self-image - can complement some of the contributions that bring change to communities.

During April and October 2017, youth leadership events were hosted all over the world. John Maxwell Team members hosted 465,000 youth at nearly 2,000 events in 52 countries. The youth who attended these events were equipped, inspired and empowered to have a positive self-image; respect themselves and others; be a positive influence, and to fail forward towards success. The events were FREE and open to all children and youth groups, between the ages of 8-18. We can also offer this programme to youth in the UK, with the help of the Synergy Network.

Rev Ronald A Nathan: The Synergy Network presents to my church a viable, stable institution committed to similar ideals as our church. It draws on both practical Christian experience of the Ascension Trust, with current academic research, and works with local organisations to engage the social evils of youth crime in the capital, London. Finally, it believes in working collaboratively, as no one institution can address the problems we are seeking to deal with.

Rev Ronald A Nathan Ransom African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 2A Mallinson Road, London SW11 1BP Tel: 020 7738 2984 / 07342 109794 / 07932 022673 Email: ransomamezchurch@hotmail.com www.ransomamezuk.org Facebook: Ransom Church

For more information about Leadership Steps UK, visit www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/delroydavis, or contact Delroy Davis on 07958 905797 or email delroydavis@johnmaxwellgroup.com.

DELROY DAVIS Leadership Steps (UK) Ltd was founded in 2012

by Delroy Davis, who has a wealth of experience spanning over 15 years, empowering people to fulfil their purpose. He learnt early on that people want to make progress in their lives in some way or another, and this is why Leadership Steps UK was established.

We provide leadership and professional development programmes to companies and individuals, and have successfully delivered training both in the UK (Leeds, Dudley, Stafford, Northampton, Essex, London) and across the globe. For example, in March 2018 we were able to team up with over 250 John Maxwell International coaches in Costa Rica and train over 15,000 people in transformational leadership.

We deliver successful training programmes that have a positive impact on the individual and the organisation. We use proven methods, so you will be investing in the best learning methods. We focus on the right skills, depending on modern requirements and organisational needs, and afterwards we keep in touch with our clients to ensure the training they received is helping them to achieve their desired goals.

REV ALTON BELL

REV RONALD A. NATHAN The Ransom AME Zion Church is a Christian religious institution committed to preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, proclaiming truth, righteous living and justice to all. Our church is engaged in providing services that support our core values. To that end, we are engaged in supporting education, social reform and community empowerment. As a church closely linked to the Black and Minority Ethnic communities, issues of racial and social equality are critically important to us.

Keep The Faith: Can you tell me why you have chosen to join the Synergy Network?

How do you feel it will impact the community?

The Movement for Justice and Reconciliation was born out of a desire to draw public attention to one of the greatest injustices of our time: the legacy of chattel enslavement. Britain transported millions of enslaved Africans to the New World, nearly 13% died on the Trans-Atlantic voyage.

When slavery was abolished in 1833, £20 million was paid to the British Slave owners, which was 40% of the Government expenditure in 1834, the equivalent £17 billion today. This was finally paid off by the British taxpayers in 2015. Conversely, the slaves received not one penny. 200 years of silence and historical amnesia of the facts and effects of enslavement have kept the British public in ignorance. Our aim is to highlight yesterday’s injustices and today’s legacy, by sailing a replica slaveship, ‘The Zong’, around former slave ports of Britain in 2019, to set in motion projects to effect community change.

Keep The Faith: Can you tell me why you have chosen to join the Synergy Network? www.keepthefaith.co.uk

26 FEATURE

How do you feel it will impact the community?

Alton Bell: One of the avowed aims of ‘The Synergy Network’ is to encourage people and organisations to work together. This involves sharing their successes and experiences, which provides longevity for the projects they are promoting, and endeavour that the work they do is sustained so it can grow and develop. Furthermore, by working together, we can avoid the pitfalls of duplication, and enjoy the benefits of being under an ever expansive tent. Being able to pool resources will enable organisations like Movement for Justice and Reconciliation to piggyback off local groups, who are already known in their community, and thus enable societal change to occur at a greater rate.

For more information about the Movement for Justice and Reconciliation, visit www.mir-uk.com or contact Rev Alton Bell, Chair Email: Info@mjr-uk.com Tel: 07935 046642 Facebook: @m4jruk

network of churches in Lewisham. Being part of a larger network, such as Synergy, would be an awesome opportunity for partnership work.

Micah’s current projects: Life Skills and Work Preparation programmes for Young People, 11–18 years • Mindset • Long and short-term goal-setting/planning • Leadership • Building self-esteem and confidence Music and Creative Arts for Young People, 11–14 years • Learning to play a musical instrument • Singing • Poetry and creative words • The art of creativity • Self-discipline • Team Building – performing in ensembles Cheer – Parenting Alone • Supporting lone parents – compassionate • A listening ear – through a dedicated phone line • Providing toys, books and clothes – practical support • Regular social meet-ups – friendship groups • Free Sunday lunches • Free days out for children

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

Most of the work Power The Fight does is with churches, faith groups and community organisations that want to be equipped to engage with youth violence issues in their context. We do this in a number of ways:

Micah is based at 8 Belmont Hill, Lewisham SE13 5BD, and opening times are Tuesday-Friday, 10am to 5pm.

1. Training and workshops At Power the Fight, we have access to the leading thinkers and practitioners from a range of disciplines working in the field of youth violence.

We want to see organisations and communities better trained and equipped to make a difference to young people’s lives.

For more information, visit www.micah.org.uk, telephone 0208 237 5287, or email admin@micah.org.uk Twitter: @micahchurch Facebook: micahcommunitychurch Instagram: micahcommunity

2. Resources At Power The Fight we have developed a collection of resources to help churches, and faith and community groups to better understand the youth violence issue. These include specialist PowerTalks, links to helpful websites and toolkits.

3. Building Connections At Power The Fight we bring community and faith groups together with local authorities, services, and other partners to promote mutuality, improve cohesion and effect change. For more information on how we can serve you, go to Bespoke Programmes.

DENIS WADE Micah Community Church is a contemporary and progressive Christian charity and church.

At the heart of our organisation is a passion to equip and empower communities. This vision drives everything we do. We are active in the community and promote social action, community empowerment and social inclusion.

As a vibrant, growing body of people committed to sharing our faith in action, Micah Church is the lifeblood of our ongoing work to achieve our vision. All of church life is founded on a belief in God’s ability and passion to save and transform the lives of people, and to join forces with other people to help bring about that transformation.

Micah believes in synergy and working together to achieve a common goal, and it is currently part of the Transform Network, a

BEN LINDSAY

If you want to contribute to the fight against youth crime, I would encourage you to find out more about the Synergy Network, by visiting www.ascensiontrust.org.uk or calling 020 8330 2809.

Changing Communities Together

Keep The Faith: Can you tell me why you have chosen to join the Synergy Network?

How do you feel it will impact the community?

Ben Lindsay: Having a collective response to issues such as youth violence can be a positive thing. The idea of great minds and big hearts working together to create a holistic approach to problems that disproportionately impact the Black community and sharing best practice can make a sustained difference.

For information, visit www.powerthefight.org.uk or email hello@powerthefight.org.uk.

Twitter: powerthefightuk, Instagram: powerthefightuk

Fundraise with Keep The Faith magazine in 2019 We’re looking to support more community, faith, and individual projects Register, promote, and fund your project today Visit www.keepthefaith.co.uk/fundraise to register your interest

HOLY SOCKS for Christmas and beyond

The small gift with big impact! www.holysocks.co.uk

28 FEATURE

Celebrating Marcia Dixon’s 30th Anni

I

n August, realising that my 30th anniversary of working in Christian media and PR was approaching, I decided to mention it on my Facebook page. My post generated a lot of positive comments and encouraging words; however, I didn’t realise it would inspire comedian Anthony ‘Pass Da Mic’ King and Paula Powell, founder of Sphere Hospitality, to join forces to organise an appreciation celebration on my behalf.

With a little help from my long-time friends, Juliet Coley (of People, Get Ready fame), Marcia McPherson, leader of the Faithworks Choir, and others, the ‘dream team’ organised a celebration event to remember, which took place at my church, The Arc, in Forest Gate.

Somehow, they were able to get some of the UK’s long-standing gospel artists to perform, so, over the course of the night, I was treated to wonderful performances by IDMC, the UpMass Choir, the London Community Gospel Choir, the Faithworks Choir, Jason Nicholas Porter, Faye Simpson, comedian Bishop Shacklefoot, Lurine Cato, Volney Morgan and New Ye, and The Wade Brothers, who came together to sing in public for the first time in almost two years.

I had to pinch myself, as I sat watching a slide show of photos of myself, and listening to the tributes (in person and via video) from people like Muyiwa, Rev Les Isaac, Paulette Simpson, Bishop Wayne Malcolm, Bishop Michael White, Angie Le Mar, my pastor Peter Nembhard and my mother, Doreen Dixon.

Normally people only gather to honour someone at their funeral, and appreciation services are usually only given for pastors.

It has been an interesting and inspiring journey working in the media, writing predominantly about the Black Christian community. I started at The Voice in 1988.

At the time, it was the UK’s most popular Black newspaper, and had a circulation of 50,000 and readership of 250,000.

My column, Soul Stirrings, was a popular section in the paper, one that Christians would turn to whenever they wanted to find out what was happening within the church and in the gospel music community. I became a figure who was respected - and sometimes feared - due to my no-nonsense approach in speaking my truth, which was and continues to be influenced by my faith in God. I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve interviewed over the years: The Winans, Guvna B, Bishop TD Jakes, James Cone, Pastor Marjorie Esomowei, Hezekiah Walker, Seth Pinnock, Rev Celia Apeagyei-Collins,

Karen Gibson, Muyiwa, and many more.

Whilst writing for The Voice, I also started writing for Keep The Faith soon after it was launched in 2004. Like The Voice, Keep The Faith is a leader in its field, and from 2010 to 2015, publisher Shirley McGreal gave me the opportunity to be its editor. Ten years ago, I started MD Public Relations, as I wanted to work alongside churches, ministries and gospel artists to publicise their initiatives. I organised the GMTV Gospel Challenge, which saw Raymond & Co win a record deal with Integrity Music, and I also organise educational events for women in ministry and for gospel artists.

I have always seen my work - whether as a writer, editor or publicist – as shining a spotlight on what God is doing in people’s lives and in the wider community. I have loved doing this, especially when I’ve helped to raise awareness of an important issue, or brought to the fore the work of a ministry making an impact, or written an interview that has opened up new doors of opportunity for the interviewee.

After 30 years’ experience of working in the media, I am now looking excitedly to the future. It’s my prayer to take my writing to a new level. I’ll continue hosting events for women in ministry and for professional women, and I’ll be seeking opportunities to share some of the wisdom and knowledge I’ve gleaned about working in and running a ministry/church, via speaking engagements, conferences and mentoring.

Marcia Dixon’s anniversary event was amazing.

As I sat in the front row, listening to heartfelt tribute after tribute from people who wanted to be part of this wonderful celebration - in person and via video - I started to reflect on how and why we were there, and I reminisced on the first time I met Marcia Dixon…

It was in 1999, when I worked at The Voice newspaper. I was in the newsroom when a tall, confident and very attractive lady strutted across the newsroom floor towards her desk. She had stopped to chat to a colleague, when suddenly the quietness of the newsroom was drowned out by an almighty roar of infectious laughter.

I remember thinking, Who is THAT? when she turned and walked towards me, and said in a very forceful voice: “Hello, I am Marcia Dixon.

I write the Soul Stirrings page. Who are you?

I haven’t seen you before…” And that was the beginning of our 20-year friendship.

When I left my role as CEO of The Voice Newspaper Group in 2003, I set up my own publishing business, and asked Marcia to contribute to the editorial content of Keep The Faith magazine. Some years later, she became our editor and, over the years, Marcia has been a true asset to the publication.

Here’s to the next 30 years

Marcia Dixon Pastor George and The UpMass Choir

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

FEATURE 29

iversary in Christian Media and PR

L-R Paulette Simpson, Paula Powell and Shirley McGreal

Despite her busy work schedule with her own PR company, Marcia continues to make time for Keep The Faith. We also work together on the very successful Wise Women Awards now in its 15th year - the brainchild of Pastor Marjorie Esomowei of Triumphant Church International in London.

Hardly a day passes without us chatting on the phone. Often our “Just a quick call” extends to “Oh my dayz, have we been on the phone THAT long???” Marcia has been a great friend to Keep The Faith and to me personally. Keep The Faith is like a family, and as such, we have exchanged advice, guidance, fun stories, horror stories… and she has even told me off - many times (but in the nicest way) - and always ending with her infectious laugh.

The musical celebrations rocked the very core of the beautiful 134-year-old church. All the prayers, tributes, well wishes, jokes, laughter - and the excitement of eating some of Shani Lewis’ stunning ‘The Voice front page’ cake – and seeing that nearly 500 of Marcia’s friends had chosen to brave the torrential rain to be part of this auspicious occasion, made me realise just how many people love and appreciate Marcia Dixon.

So, Marcia Dixon… Thank you. We love and appreciate you!

Marcia and I met when she was 15 - I was considerably younger :-) - at Vacation Bible School. She was aloof, stubborn, argumentative and opinionated - not much has changed, eh? – but still a loyal friend, 37 years on. She is godmother to my three children. We talk daily, still disagree and argue, but we’re the best of friends.

I was the Promotions Assistant at The Voice when it moved to Bow Road in east London. Marcia was a broke University student at the time, and when a position came up for a part-time receptionist, she jumped at the chance.

Viv Broughton, one of the backbones at The Voice, started the Soul Stirrings page, and handed it over to me when the newspaper diversified into music management. I then passed it to Hazel Noel, who we’d stolen from the Caribbean Times, when I landed the role as Presenter on C4’s People Get Ready and, when Hazel left, Marcia was asked to step in. That same day, when Val McCalla, the Chairman, heard about this, he sacked Marcia on the spot, so I went into his office and cried - I had an O Level in Drama - and he reinstated her.

So to date, Marcia has been the shortest (1 day) and the longest (30 years) employee The Voice newspaper has ever had!

It was an honour to be part of her 30th Celebration. I don’t get out much these days, but couldn’t say No when I was asked to co-host the event with mad-as-a-hatter Anthony King.

It was a blast being a part of the backroom crew (I don’t miss the constant WhatsApp pings, though!); meeting with the other two angels, Marcia McPherson and Paula Powell, in Waterloo, and pulling apart the running order to ensure the event was amazing.

Love was most certainly the ingredient that pulled this event off. Love from the

artists, who all performed for free; love from Anthony King, who kept booking singers and bands, even when there was no space for them on the programme (!); love from Nicky Brown, who MD’d the event, and echoed what many said: “I’m doing this because it’s Marcia Dixon”, and love from Ayshea Kamara and the stage crew, who had the most difficult job of keeping things together, looking smooth, professional and running to time.

I’m ‘old school’ and, with the audience and artists, I felt right at home.

At the end of the night, when everyone came on stage for a massive group photograph, the energy and atmosphere was electric, and ended up as a selfie fest. I had to grab the mic from David Wade (sorry, David!) and say goodnight to the audience.

As many people have said, it was a fitting tribute to a queen while she is alive.

Well deserved, Marcia, for your faithfulness and consistency, and well done to everyone who made this happen.

Next up, Bazil Meade? Dave P? Dulcie Dixon? Nicky Brown? Juliet Fletcher? John Francis? You decide, and tell Keep The Faith!

Juliet Coley

Shirley McGreal

Host Juliey Coley

Host Anthony King

Lurine Cato

Jason Nicholson Porter www.keepthefaith.co.uk

30 FEATURE

I have had 10 years’ experience putting on various events, and have been part of dynamic teams, yet this Anniversary Evening I was organising for Marcia pushed me no end.

Being nervous was an understatement but, with a great team, I knew we had this. Ayshea Kamara came onboard with her diligent talent.

There was input from Juliet Coley, Anthony King and Marcia McPherson - not forgetting our sponsors: Percy, Tash Pennant Consultancy, The Voice newspaper, Keep The Faith magazine, to name a few. And lastly, the artists and tribute speeches from those on the night. A big shout-out to all those who contributed to make the night such a success, we couldn’t have done it without them all. Too many names to mention, their commitment was unbelievable and very much appreciated.

This celebration evening was well overdue, and will be remembered as one of the key gospel events to date. Marcia is an icon within the gospel world. She has supported and championed a number of artists and churches over the years, and is still going strong. She personally encouraged and supported me, when I battled with where best to position Sphere Hospitality in the marketplace. Our endless conversations, lunches and telephone calls enabled me to make a decision on where I wanted to be. My very first gig was the Orcal Gospel concert in Wembley, London, and Marcia was very instrumental in advising me and supporting me when I was lucky enough to be onboard as a runner within the event itself.

Throughout my journey, I can honestly say Marcia has been part of that journey, quietly behind the scenes, giving me her suggestions and ideas as and when needed.

I am so overwhelmed with all the positive feedback we received about the evening, and the interest we got from individuals wanting to perform on the night was mind-blowing. We would have offered everyone a slot if only we had the time, but that wasn’t to be, unfortunately.

We can’t thank everyone enough for wanting to play a part in honouring Marcia.

Paula Powell

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

In my opinion, Marcia’s 30th anniversary celebration was a success in every sense of the word – the result when talent and hard work meet together. I was astounded by everyone’s effort to make it the success it was. From the caterers, stage management, hosts, artists, security and, of course, how can we forget the driving force behind this? Paula. She was amazing. I was honoured to be part of the steering committee to make sure all the moving parts were jointly fitted together. The effort was well worth it, to see Marcia laughing from ear to ear all evening.

I was absolutely thrilled to see a worthy and well respected lady, befitting the accolade and receiving the recognition she so rightly deserved on the night. Go well, Marcia D! You are a beacon in the Gospel diaspora. Don’t let anyone dim your lights just because it is shining in their eyes.

Marcia McPherson

32 FEATURE

GARY CLAYTON

is Copywriter and Editor at Mission Aviation Fellowship: www.maf-uk.org

Vulnerability and men MAF Copywriter and Editor Gary Clayton wonders whether men should take their cue from Jesus – or Henry Paget.

S

atan, I think, has a number of plans for men. One, of course, revolves around hate. He hates all men, and he particularly hates those who follow Jesus – however imperfectly.

So if he can get one religion, sect, country, creed, colour or race fighting against another, so much the better. It doesn’t matter whether it’s White against Black, Scots versus English, Protestants versus Catholics, rich against poor, North against South, the House of York vs the House of Lancaster, Remainers vs Leavers, Hutu against Tutsi, Nuer against Dinka, or Gentiles against Jews.

But then there’s another ‘plan’ – equally pernicious in its way – for men to live lives as if each one were an island, and their lives as an Englishman’s castle (or dungeon), where one’s hopes, fears, struggles and problems remain locked up, and where men feel they cannot call out or seek help.

– All making for a relentless existence of stiff upper lips and permanent scowls.

A good illustration of this, I think, can be seen in an incident from the life of Henry Paget – an example of a somewhat extreme form of stoicism and restraint. (If it’s possible to have such an antithetical concept as ‘extreme restraint’ or, say, ‘measured panic’.)

Henry Paget – the Marquess of Anglesey – and the Duke of Wellington were sitting on their horses, conversing, while the battle of Waterloo raged on.

When a shot from a French cannon suddenly Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

hit Lord Uxbridge’s right leg, shattering it upon impact, Paget turned to the Iron Duke, and said, ‘By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!’ Wellington turned and replied matter-of-factly, ‘By God, sir, so you have!’

The diagnosis may have been uncannily accurate, but there’s little empathy, sympathy or offer to help!

It’s an approach to life which probably extends to the end-of-service atmosphere of certain 21st century churches in Britain, where the minister stands at the door, asks everyone how they are, and expects them all to respond, “Fine!”

(Unfortunately, in nine cases out of ten, ‘F-i-n-e’ generally stands for ‘Frightened, insecure, neurotic and emotional’!)

When my wife and I first visited our local Bible-believing church, we were feeling pretty vulnerable: we’d lost our jobs; suffered bereavement; had the stress of helping my grieving mother adapt to life without my dad, then experienced ill health – though mercifully, not life-threatening.

Despite not wanting to appear vulnerable, we sought help and friendship (it was that kind of fellowship) and found it, even though it wasn’t the reason we’d joined. But I remember it took a fair bit of courage to open up and admit I was finding things difficult.

But here’s the thing: we think our problems, quirks, sins or foibles make us different from others. That, if only people knew what we’re really like, they’d avoid us, despise us, and think the worst of us. That they’d look down on our

weakness and vulnerability, then look away.

But that’s the enemy’s lie!

We all have our struggles. We’re human, we’re vulnerable. And, as a result, we all need to give and receive help, love and support. To provide, in a phrase borrowed from Mission Aviation Fellowship, ‘help, hope and healing’.

‘We all have our struggles.

We’re human, we’re vulnerable.

And, as a result, we all need to give and receive help, love and support.’

As the late President John F Kennedy famously said, shortly before his life ended and a host of conspiracy theories began: “For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s futures, and we are all mortal.”

So, is being vulnerable bad, or is it part of what makes us human? Was Jesus, in His humanity, vulnerable?

Did Jesus, who started life on this earth as a fragile child and knew danger, exile, thirst, tiredness and hunger, allow His disciples and friends to see His vulnerability?

In John 15:15, He told the disciples: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does

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not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.”

In His humanity, Jesus exposed Himself to deprivation and temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-2), and He faced danger from crowds, who picked up stones to stone Him (John 8:59).

He risked derisive laughter. Matthew 9:23-24 tells us: ‘When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, He said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at Him.’ He risked showing His feelings after His friend Lazarus’ death: ‘When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said: “See how He loved him!” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb’ (John 11:32-38).

We see a similarly non-Wellingtonian response in Luke 19:41-42. ‘As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.”’

But Jesus’ vulnerability doesn’t end there.

He also faced rejection and desertion from His own disciples.

In John 6:66-67, having told the crowd they must ‘eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood’, many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him. “You do not want

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to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the twelve – which is a pretty vulnerable thing to ask!

And of course, at Gethsemane, Jesus faced up to the agony and humiliation of Calvary. ‘Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me”’ (Matthew 26:38). He tells His disciples how He feels.

Of course, apart from the example of Jesus, Scripture provides a number of examples that show the disciples’ own humanity, vulnerability and strong emotions.

So perhaps there’s something in Jesus’ openness, transparency and willingness to be vulnerable that we can learn from.

One of the things I appreciate most about some of my closest friends is their willingness to be open and honest; their ability to be vulnerable – and to allow me to be vulnerable too.

My encouragement to Keep the Faith’s readers, based on Jesus’ example, is to be willing to risk openness – when and where appropriate – yourselves!

Pray about what’s troubling you, seek God’s counsel, then share your burdens, concerns and struggles in an appropriate way with someone you trust – whether it’s a friend, elder, pastor, youth leader or fellow church member.

Look around for someone that God, in His eternal lovingkindness, may have put in your path. Someone who is able – and willing – to pray with you and support you. (In time, as you yourself ‘find your feet’, you will find yourself able to support and assist others.)

It’s something, as I said earlier, that we’ve experienced in our church, and it’s something for which we are profoundly grateful.

It has enabled us to rise from the dirt and stand on our own two legs again – an experience denied to the otherwise unflappable Henry Paget.

Gary Clayton is married to Julie, and father of Christopher (14) and Emma (11). He is Copywriter and Editor at Mission Aviation Fellowship. To learn how MAF’s 128 aircraft help poor and vulnerable people living in Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, visit www.maf-uk.org. www.keepthefaith.co.uk

34 FEATURE

ESTHER KUKU

Journalist and Communications Professional. Love God, love life, love people Twitter: @mew36

singleness and christmas C

hristmas has a way of piling on the pressure, doesn’t it? In particular, it can be a tricky time for single people, both male and female. Many people are very happy with their unmarried marital status; they see Christmas as the perfect opportunity to don their onesies and embrace some essential me-time. Others are not, however, and find Christmas tough. Mariah Carey blaring out in the supermarkets, and hoards of shoppers cramming food into their trolleys, is a stark reminder of the unanswered prayer: “Lord, send me a spouse.”

Prior to meeting my husband, I dreaded Christmas. Even as a person with bags of confidence and lots of social options, for many years I found Christmas incredibly claustrophobic.

I longed to escape from the perennial drudgery of panic-buying and spending a whole day with family you only ever see once a year.

The cultural pressure to go along with tradition was, for some reason, something I felt obligated to do. The reality, though, is that if you forget the cultural pressure - and ignore the insensitive comments from interfering relatives and loved-up friends - Christmas can be the best time of the year for unmarried people.

There’s the financial bonus of not buying gifts for your husband and his massive extended family, and getting the luxury of being completely selfish for the duration of the holidays. I appreciate that selfishness is a negative term for the super Christians reading this, but alone time is truly the greatest gift you can give yourself - ask parents with very young children. And, when you do get married, you will long for those moments of solitude. Remember a spouse is for life, not just for Christmas. They are non-refundable.

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I know it sounds like a cliché, but whether you’re 25 or 50, please make the most of being single. If you desire to get married, you will. Then, when your life does a 360-degree change into married life, you will be so grateful for all the me-time you carved out for yourself. Until then, you get time to reflect on your strengths and abilities, and on the progress you’ve made personally and professionally throughout the year.

The festive season is yours to do whatever you want with.You can watch and eat everything you want without compromise. You can have steamy hot baths every day, without someone reminding you about the gas bill. Yes, Mariah doesn’t sing about these small marital irritations in any of the tracks on her Christmas album.

Please resist the urge to get a ‘for now’ Christmas relationship - and don’t call your ex.

The relationship ended for a reason, and they are unlikely to be who you need. If Santa doesn’t bring you someone special this year, don’t worry, Jesus will and His timing is perfect.

Volunteer or do something you’ve never done before. One of my best Christmases was spent at a homeless shelter, where I met some

amazing people, and the experience brought with it a huge sense of perspective.

It’s not just about unmarried people; the festive season piles on the pressure in all relationships, and that’s because relationships are so important to us. The song, ‘All I want for Christmas is you’, is essentially what we all hope for: peace, happiness and togetherness.

There will be married people, who are going through a difficult patch, and feeling claustrophobic too. There’s so much expectation: the desire for the whole family to get along with each other; for there to be no tensions, and for problems to miraculously disappear… This adds further layers of stress. As Christians, we love God, but we are not exempt from the relational complexities that exist within families - even in the most holy of homes. Christmas also has a way of exposing the cracks in any relationship. There are some married folk, who would swap places with their single friends in a heartbeat.

The most important thing is to consider the importance in one of Joyce Meyer’s well known quotes: “Enjoy where you are, on the way to where you’re going.” Accept that you’re not going to get on amazingly well with everyone in your family this Christmas, and love your people regardless. They are your people. And let the completely unrealistic marketing power of the ‘perfect Christmas’ just go over your head.

Crucially, remember it’s about celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who came to save us and redeem our lives from destruction. That’s definitely something we can all be merry about.

Have a lovely Christmas - from me and my amazingly beautiful (but imperfect) family!

Enjoy reading Keep The Faith? Why not gift a copy to a friend, church or community group?

KTF is reaching out from the pages to the community Our goals for 2019 are to have an additional 5,000 subscribers, which will enable us to expand our print run, so that more people can benefit from having access to Britain’s leading Black and minority ethnic community-focused publication.

Within three years, we plan to be printing 100,000 copies per issue in the UK. We are

also looking at offers to publish Keep The Faith in the USA, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana!

Help us to help you Broadening our national network means we will be able to bridge the gap between the faith and secular communities, by profiling projects and enterprises that will be for all our benefit.

Promoting and supporting unity will help build on some of the amazing work and progress that is being made within our community in the UK and beyond… but on a much larger scale.

Can you help us to continue to inspire, educate, entertain and promote the positivity that is within the burgeoning community that Keep The Faith magazine serves? Because we are dependent on advertising revenue, we need to encourage subscriptions; we want to remain independent and stay rooted within the community we serve. A subscription also ensures that you receive a copy of Keep The Faith and avoids the disappointment of not being able to pick up a copy from our outlets.

Thankfully, for 14 years our income has been entirely derived from advertising revenue - from our very valued customers, who have benefited greatly from advertising in Keep The Faith. Our clients advise that they receive thousands of pounds a year in support and sponsorship from Keep The Faith readers.

Many of our loyal clients continue to do so, year in and year out, but our clients’ budgets are being continually cut. We recognise this and we have supported the community by keeping our rates equitable and fair.

Now we need to ask for need a little help from our friends. How can you help? It’s simple:

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or nearly 14 years Keep The Faith - Britain’s leading Black and minority ethnic community-focused publication that promotes and supports unity, faith and family values - has been providing this community with a voice, highlighting the need for unity, providing inspirational and aspirational news from within the BME church community, and creating a better understanding in an ever-changing environment.

We are the ONLY publication of its kind in the UK, and continue to be independently published - without the assistance of government grants, business loans or subsidies.

Our high quality publication has been produced and distributed FREE OF CHARGE nationwide. It has been made available to MILLIONS of readers over the 14 years, in print and electronically.

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36 FEATURE

Safeguarding is everybody’s business!

DIONNE GRAVESANDE

Global Ecumenical Relations at Christian Aid

I

n the last six months, I have heard about the most appalling cases of violence and abuse happening in UK churches. These cases are too often hidden under the fabric of our mainstream church and society, and it’s time for us to have public conversations within our churches.

I say this not just to point fingers, but to create a platform for us to think, talk and respond better.

I think most people, who describe themselves as Christians, believe we are created in the image of God and, as such, affirm the basic dignity of all humankind. In our churches, our congregations seek to provide safe spaces of welcome and hospitality that encourage the full and equal participation of all. This means we need to be well informed about how we keep congregants (young and old) safe in all sorts of ways, in order to provide safe spaces free from intimidation for all.

Christians are called to be present for one another - especially for those who struggle for their safety, dignity and rights - so when violence, harassment, abuse or intimidation happens, we have a collective duty to deal with it, and there are a few things worth bearing in mind.

1. Our cultural diversity adds to the strength of our community, and is something to be cherished and celebrated. As we encounter one another’s differences, we should be careful not to assume that our way of being and behaving is comfortable for everyone else.

Sometimes our differences of age, gender, culture, spirituality, ability, language, ethnicity and class make it a challenge to understand and communicate effectively with one another.

How can each person be encouraged to take seriously his or her own responsibility to act with care in the multidimensional, cross-cultural

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interactions of the Christian world? What may be considered normal friendliness and sociability to one person can be misinterpreted in a culturally mixed group - and even between individuals of the same culture or background.

This is why we must take extra care and sensitivity with one another in a church environment.

2. Let’s be clear: harassment is an intolerable manifestation of unequal power relations between people, and sexual harassment often also includes discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race or class, causing stress or humiliation to the person being harassed.

This may happen in situations where dominance and abuse of power result in a lack of respect for and mistreatment of people as sexual objects. This ultimately demeans and destroys the dignity of a person.

So, harassment by itself is not an isolated incident or individual problem; rather, it is a problem stemming from wider patterns and dynamics of power in our societies. This includes the Church and its structures too!

3. In the last decade, to overcome violence, there is no doubt churches are playing important roles around addressing institutional and personal violence that women experience, but more could - and should - be done.

Statistics tell us sexual harassment has been identified as the most common expression of such violence and, on a continuum of severity, harassment ranges from wolf whistles and obscene phone calls to sexual assault. Sexual assault includes rape, sexual intercourse without consent, and sexual contact without consent. Several kinds of behaviour with a sexual connotation, if unsolicited and unwanted and especially if repetitive, can be forms of sexual harassment.

Examples are: suggestive looks or comments; teasing or telling of jokes with sexual content;

letters, calls or materials of a sexual nature; imposed touching or closeness; pressure for dates or activities with a sexual overtone, or offers to use influence in return for sexual favours.

The sheer number of sexual harassment and assaults in church has caused some (not all) churches to seek responsible action and policy, leading to many churches, and church-based organisations to introducing institutional or legislative policies and processes to protect those who experience the dehumanising effects of violence and sexual harassment.

We need more sound guidelines and principles that set a positive foundation upon which to build Christian communities marked by love, responsibility and respect. If we don’t, we do nothing to reduce the risks and realities of harmful behaviours, meaning the very structure of church organisation becomes complicit with the behaviours of those who inflict harm.

Through Bible studies and guidelines, we can and should encourage men and women to reflect on their attitudes to one another, and to those who are privileged on the basis of race, class, gender, social status, position of leadership and age. Together we can reflect on the right relationships Christ’s teachings point us towards, as we seek to be a Church of one body, unified by our love of God and each other.

FEATURE 37

Fast-growing resource hub for churches with later life ministries

T

here are now 11.8 million people over the age of 65 in the UK, with nearly every church reporting an increase in the number of older members. And with over 1 million older people saying they always or often feel lonely, and 41% of older people saying they feel out of touch with modern life, there is both an opportunity and urgent need for society to rethink its often misinformed view of the older generation - and an opportunity for those in later life to reflect on what they have to offer to their churches and communities.

Last year, five leading Christian charities, with years of experience of working with older people, teamed up to form a website-based resource which provides literature relating to many different aspects of later life, and helpful guidance and practical advice to anyone starting a work or group in their church or community.

This initiative, Faith in Later Life, was formed by the Salvation Army, London City Mission, the Pilgrims’ Friend Society (with support from the Outlook Trust), Mission Care and Keychange charity, and launched in October 2017. Faith in Later Life provides a library of resources relating to different aspects of later life, with helpful advice and suggestions for churches starting their own activities. The aim is to support churches and Christians in serving and empowering their own older members, as well as providing opportunities to show older people in the wider community - of all faiths or none - the hope, love and community found in the Church and ultimately found in Jesus.

The vision is for Christians to lead the change in our culture, and to see lives changed, with older people knowing their Kingdom value. It starts with individual churches affirming their older members and supporting those where it is needed.

Faith in Later Life is also a networking platform. UK churches run numerous activities for older people, including day centres, special interest groups and lunch clubs, and the website has an interactive map, where a click on a region will reveal the activities taking place in that area.

An enquirer can decide whether to join activities or recommend them to a friend or relative.

Reaching, serving and empowering older people everywhere A great concern in modern-day UK is the loneliness experienced by thousands of older people, whose families may be living in different parts of the country. So a daughter living in Leicester, whose mother lives in another part of the country, can find activities in the region and recommend them to her. She can also contact the church or Christian group involved.

Faith in Later Life was launched at the House of Lords in October last year, so is still relatively new and the website is being continually

populated. But interest is growing. There are around 1,500 visitors to the website each month, and more than 1,000 followers across its social media communities.

Now we are looking for Faith in Later Life Church Champions, who will be a link with the movement and with their own church fellowship.

We already have links with people, who are passionate about serving and empowering older people in their churches and beyond, and would like to see more joining us.

We’re also inviting churches to enter their events for older people onto the directory linked to the interactive map. To view the resources, activities directory, and all that Faith in Later Life has to offer, go to www.faithinlaterlife.org.

Enquirers can also call 0300 303 8405.

Carl Knightly Director, Faith in Later Life

Introducing the UK’s First MA African Christianity at Liverpool Hope University ‘African Christianity’ is a force to be reckoned with.

In Africa, adherence to the religion continues to explode, but in the UK, too, it is African expressions of faith that have now become a major shaping force. In cities such as London, more Africans attend church than native British people, and this is changing Christianity’s public face. Colourful worship services, exuberant singing, flamboyant dancing and loud night vigils, right on British high streets, tell of an exciting phenomenon: that African Christianity has come to stay.

Liverpool Hope University is a Christian foundation, and the only ecumenical University in Europe, and our new Master’s programme, the ‘MA African Christianity’, is one of the ways we have responded to the challenge of understanding the significance of this major shift. Our first students on the course begin their studies in February 2019.

This exciting course will be of great help to African and Caribbean ministers in Britain, and Europeans who work in Africa or with Africans in the Diaspora. It enables them to explore the diverse forms of worship, faith and life of African Christians - both in their historic and contemporary dimensions, and both within Africa and in the African Diaspora. It will also benefit those students, who study World Christianity, world religions, and other subjects related to Africa and Africans, such as African politics, African philosophy, sociology of religion, and anthropology.

The course is unique in five main ways: 1. It is available only at Liverpool Hope University, and is the first of its kind anywhere - either in Europe or North America.

2. It is unique in the breadth and depth being entirely dedicated to the study of African Christianity alone.

3. Students will learn from eminent scholars, like Professor Andrew Walls, whose experience in African Christianity spans over 60 years.

The Programme Leader, Dr Harvey Kwiyani, is an African scholar with vast experience in Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

ministry in Britain. Other key facilitators include Professor Daniel Jeyaraj, Associate Professor Peter McGrail and Dr Andrew Cheatle.

4. Students will have access to the main collections of the Andrew Walls Centre (eg. the Congo, West Africa, South Africa, and the like) and of The Sheppard-Worlock Library.

5. Students can benefit from Hope’s longstanding international partners in Africa. Outstanding among these are the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission, and Culture in Akropong, Ghana, and the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

The MA strikes a delicate balance in its content, giving students an opportunity to explore the expansive world of African Christianity. It is sensitive in bringing together the historic roots of African Christianity and its adaptation to cultures outside of the continent. Thus, students will learn about early North African Christianity (and its relevance to current African Christianity) in one module, and about contemporary African prophetism in another. The programme is designed to give students the best overview of the current situation of Christianity in Africa, while also giving the African minister in Britain the practical tools for cross-cultural ministry.

The programme opens up the possibility of a number of career opportunities, as students

develop their wide range of knowledge, skills and experiences. These could be applied in a variety of contexts, from congregational ministry to mission agencies and diplomatic organisations. Graduates of this programme will also be equipped for further studies at PhD level.

Dr Kwiyani is a leading expert in the field of African Christianity and Theology. His research explores the story of the development of African Christianity, both in Africa and in the African Diaspora. When he is not working on a project to rewrite the history of Christian missions in his native Malawi, he engages in hosting theological conversations between the younger generation of African theologians and the older ones. He also spends time working with African pastors in Europe for effective cross-cultural mission.

As an African mission scholar and practitioner, who has worked in Europe and North America for over fifteen years, Dr Kwiyani helps students explore and understand the practical tools to negotiate the area of their passion - be it academic theology or practical ministry.

This course falls within the remit of the Department of Theology, Philosophy and Religious Studies, which has high quality expertise in African Christianity and Theology. This high-profile department possesses a strong research reputation.

On 8th December 2018, there will be an Open Evening for the MA African Christianity for potential students and for any others who are interested in hearing more about this development. While this is a full ,’s course, options exist to study in smaller blocks, leading to either a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma. The University has decided to make this course of study available at a reduced rate for anyone beginning in February 2019.

Further details will be made available on the dedicated website found at www.hope.ac.uk/africanchristianity.

40 COMMENT

What is your Do I n the Bible, Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. If you didn’t know it, there is a time to weep and there is a time to laugh; a time to tear down and also a time to build up. There is a time to mourn and a time to laugh, and through it all, if you choose to believe in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, He is there with us through every trial and every tribulation. Why? Because He has begun a great work in us all, and perseverance must finish its work so that we are mature and lacking in nothing.

In my own personal journey to find myself, I have often wondered why the Word became flesh, making its dwelling among us. Jesus, the Son of God, who is Spirit, wrapped Himself in a human suit, known as the incarnational union, and then adopted our human nature, called the hypostatic union, in order to give humanity access to the Christological union. In short, God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him will never die but have eternal life, for God didn’t bring His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it through Him (John 3:16-17).

As I write this popular Scripture, I am reminded that God never tells humanity why He so loves the world…He just does. And, as the late Myles Monroe suggested, God never gives a reason, because where there is a reason there is an expectation. I discovered this to be true in my own personal relationship with Christ. He chased after me, upon seeing me in my weakened state of depression, as I struggled with my identity, my self-esteem and my dismal future when trying to cope with my divorce. How did I get here? I asked myself most days. And, with Christ, I was about to discover not only how, but also if my dry bones could rise again, free

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from what was holding them captive.

Jesus, the great Communicator, came to build a relationship, determined to share Himself with me as a teacher, preacher, prophet, evangelist and healer. But He also came to be my Friend; He provided a safe place for me to share the most intimate details of life with Him. He held me through His words, and through those He chose to come into my line of vision, providing a lifeline of hope.

‘ To be courted by God is an experience I will never forget .’

I’d always felt pathetic, helpless, and found it difficult to receive. I was always the giver helping others, but to my surprise, when others wanted to give, I struggled with simply saying Yes to their generosity. What opened my tear-filled eyes was when a friend said to me: “Please allow God to bless you through me…” So, I dried my eyes, and finally became the recipient of God’s unconditional agapé love. To be courted by God is an experience I will never forget.

I worked tirelessly to conform to Christ’s likeness while, in my metamorphosis state, I began to think about how Christ was able to overcome the wiles of the adversary. One thing I noticed about the devil was, as the prince of lies, how committed he is to his cause of killing and destroying God’s people. I came upon the scene in the synoptic gospels, and I read about the clouds parting, and the Holy Spirit resting on Christ like a dove. My heart melted, as He was led (like so many of us) into the wilderness (Mark 1:9-11).

I have discovered, through Christ, how to navigate this fallen world, which is always at odds with anything divine. Not only are we to allow ourselves to be led, groomed, taught, moulded and convicted by God the Spirit, but in return, we can also impart what we’ve learned in our hardships to the millions of others broken and lost, just like we once were, when led solely by our sinful nature.

Prior to giving my heart to the Lord, I struggled with having to change my way of life for Him. I thought God would make me give up my love for things which I felt were unique to my personality: things like fashion, travel, theatre, orchestra and movies. Somehow I thought to serve God meant to become unrecognisable to myself, so I hesitated in coming to Him - for decades. However, I couldn’t have been further

COMMENT 41

ovetale?

By Deborah Lassiter from the truth, because God has never asked me to give up on ME. But, what He has asked me to do is to take Him with me. So now my journey is never isolating my faith or excluding my beliefs as I sit in the orchestra, or write a play, or attend a movie premiere. No, now I write Christian plays, and talk about my faith if it should surface in conversation at the orchestra, or chat about my love for God and fashion - as my passion.

I believe God is everywhere, because the believer is everywhere doing what they love, but also taking God with them everywhere they go.

You see, this is how God can end up on the basketball court, dunking the basket, or at the centre of a blitz attack on the football field. God can handle being on the university campus, in the pews, in the post office, and spending quality time with the elderly, because He has shown up with the One who bears His Name and who has vowed to do the will of the One who sent him or her - Christ. With the Word of God written on the tablets of a believer’s heart, God continues to serve and save the world through those who believe in the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, because they are walking, living proof of the power of Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the Cross.

We must know that, after the Holy Spirit has rested on the believer like a dove, the future is simply a series of Dovetales - tales and testimonies of what one has learned, changed, and done for the Kingdom of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. The believer’s life continues the work of Christ, as we worship Him in spirit and in truth - not only within the four walls of the church, but also outside the four walls of the church. The Word of God is living and active, and the Word became flesh in order to dwell here on earth, actively. So, His words must spill over in our hearts with compassion, as the Church of Christ, helping, guiding, encouraging and inspiring others with our Dovetales, our ups and downs, our bitter and sweet moments, because it’s only Christ who can take what was meant for harm and turn it into good.

My friends, everyone has a story. It might begin with a question like Why? but, like Paul in the Bible, it can also end with: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.”

In Jesus’ mighty Name, Amen…

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42 COMMENT

FOOD 4

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MARCIA DIXON

A leading PR specialist and journalist

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Reversing the Exodus from our churches

I recently read a FB post asking

the question: ‘Church drop-outs,

Let’s get back to pursuing holiness My pastor recently finished a sermon series entitled ‘Pursuit of Holiness’.

Whilst listening to his three sermons, they took me back to my days as a young Christian, when preachers preached hard about holiness - of the inward and outward kind.

Back in the day, Black Pentecostal churches were renowned for being strict when it came to appearance. You had to look holy, so Christian women couldn’t wear make up or jewellery, neither could they wear trousers, short skirts, low-cut clothes or tight dresses.

Men were required to dress soberly, which meant they wore suits. Tight t-shirts, tight trousers and unbuttoned shirts worn with medallions were definitely frowned upon.

Holiness in the ol’ time church was more than just the clothes people wore, though the perception is that it wasn’t. Christians were expected to be disciplined in their spiritual lives, ie. attend church regularly, fast and pray, and live according to biblical directives.

There were no grey areas in the ol’ time church, so there was no sex before marriage; couples were expected to marry for life; divorce was frowned upon - as was remarriage - and believers were expected to forego anything – whether it was work, job, friends, family, education or money – that would keep you away from God. Living for God and being holy was everything. I remember Psalm 51, 1 John 1:8-10 and Isaiah 6 being my go-to Scriptures if I felt I had failed God or sinned in some way.

Others would cry, be especially penitent, or

fast for several days.

It doesn’t seem to be like that anymore.

For the past 15 years or so, there has been an overemphasis on Christians being successful and achieving their dreams. This is kinda understandable. It’s a reaction against the strictness of some churches, which could be condemnatory against those who desired to be successful or wanted to pursue personal ambitions. Though legitimate, these desires were not approved by church leaders.

Marry this overemphasis on success with a Christianity that is very much influenced by contemporary culture, and the result is a lack of interest in being holy. However, we serve a God who calls us to be holy and set apart for His use.

If we want to reach this world for God, and see transformation in our lives and those of others, then we need to pursue holiness.

Without it we won’t see God, nor be as effective in bringing about the change in ourselves and the wider community that we would like to see.

Speak life and prophesy Words are powerful. They can change the course of a nation, encourage, put down, strengthen, weaken, bring peace, cause war, inspire love and much more.

The Bible demonstrates the impact of a spoken prophetic word in Ezekiel 37, where the Lord leads the prophet to a valley of dry bones, and asks him if the bones can live. Ezekiel rightly replies: “Sovereign LORD, You alone know.”

The Lord then tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones, and miraculously they begin joining together to form a human skeleton covered with skin. Ezekiel was then told to speak life to them, and they became a living, vast army.

Now, if the word of prophecy can bring life to dead bones, can you imagine the effect our spoken, spirit-filled words can have on our lives, our ministries, our business, our families, our futures?

Let’s aim to speak words that bring life, hope and love. God created the world through the power of His Word, and we have the power through our words to transform our environments. So let’s just do it.

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

why did you stop going to church?’

The answers were fascinating.

Some reasons were laughable, some understandable, some cringeworthy - and some tragic.

Amongst the many reasons cited were: seeing Christianity as a cult; viewing Christianity as a tool used to oppress Black people; fake Christians and pastors; too many women in church; pastors asking for money too many times during services; judgemental Christians; a seeming lack of concern for important community issues... The list goes on and on.

The ironic thing is that Christians themselves criticise the Church for the same reasons given above, too.

In response to the answers, the Church (lay members and leaders) should ask themselves: ‘What is the Church going to do to address people’s concerns and stop members leaving through the back door?’

Acts 6 records an incident in the early churches, when the Hellenistic Jews complained to the Apostles that, during the distribution of food, their widows were being overlooked in favour of widows from the Hebraic Jewish community. In response, the Apostles appointed seven men to cater for the social needs of the growing church, to bring an end to the partiality being shown towards one particular group.

In today’s PR language, it could be said that the apostles implemented damage limitation control; they dealt with the issue before it became a liability. The modern church could learn from this example.

It’s tragic that the powerful, inspiring, life-transforming message of the Gospel gets obscured by church politics, uncaring believers and hypocrisy.

However, I sincerely believe if church leaders made more of an effort to deal with some of the concerns that cause people to leave church, more people would stay. And more people would be interested in becoming Christian. Selah.

COMMENT 43

Fasting and fitness contribute to personal holiness REV STEPHEN BROOKS New Jerusalem Church, Birmingham

F

asting is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In the Old Testament it often expressed grief or humbling oneself before God. In the New Testament it was a means to grow closer to God. In Matthew 4:1-2, Jesus went to the wilderness and fasted for 40 days. Throughout the New Testament, fasting and prayer are often mentioned together. In Acts 13:3, they fasted and prayed. Following the example of Jesus and the early church believers, we too can draw near to God while fasting.

Fasting is essentially giving up food (or something else) for a period of time, in order to focus your thoughts on God. One of the other by-products is weight loss - an increasing motivation for Christians today.

Your body naturally burns around 2,000 calories a day, so if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will naturally lose weight.

We all know we need to exercise to maintain good all round health; maintaining good health doesn’t necessarily mean continuous exercising.

Most weight loss comes from food proportions and meal choices. Experts say that 80 percent of weight loss is due to what you put into your mouth. If you have ever run on a treadmill at the gym, you will know it’s much easier to keep 500 calories out of your mouth (equivalent of two Snickers chocolate bars or a McDonald’s Big Mac) than to burn it over 45 minutes running.

From personal experience, the Daniel fast (similar to a vegan diet) is a great way to develop self-control. It has been said that transformational

change can be achieved by doing one new thing consistently every day.

Proverbs 25:28 says: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.” Ironically, that verse comes immediately after verse 27: “It is not good to eat much honey…” One of the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit in your life is self-control (Galatians 5:23). Living a disciplined life one day at a time is the key principle for any spiritual discipline.

Like your weight, you didn’t gain a bad habit overnight, so don’t expect your weight to disappear overnight. Accept the process; realistic expectations will help you stay motivated. It’s commonly held that it takes a month for a new habit to form, but then it becomes the new natural. Your brain is rewired; new mental pathways are carved out. Getting on track for the first few weeks can be painful but, once you cross that invisible line, the cravings tend to drop off.

The hardest part of instilling a new personal discipline is staying motivated. The Bible says to bring ‘every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I’m sure you’ve heard the expression: ‘your body is a temple’. Do you not know that ‘your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s’ (1 Corinthians 6:19,20).

The context is about sexual immorality, but there are some principles that have a broad application:

• One, you are the manager of your body, not the owner. You are looking after God’s property, and He calls the shots. Not exercising or eating poorly is `self-harm’ -literally running God’s property into the ground.

• Two, you may notice in this passage that it says you were ‘bought at a price’. This was written in the first century, using the language of purchasing a slave. While we were a slave to sin, Jesus Christ suffered and died for sinners on the cross, paying the price for our freedom in His own blood.

• Third, our bodies are to glorify God. In passionate appreciation, like Jesus at Gethsemane, we need to cry “not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). Paul was “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). He declared, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31), and “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27). His life wasn’t his own. He joyfully denied his own passions and pleasures, so that he could please the One who had saved him. Scripture says: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Just ask yourself if what you are doing truly honours God. It’s a choice to have balance and moderation, so that you can offer your health and wellbeing to God as a sacrifice of worship.

Like losing weight, enjoy life but don’t over indulge.

Overcome temptation and, on a daily basis, keep yourself motivated when you don’t feel like it.

44 COMMENT

GOOD GRIEF IN THE

CHURCH ANDREW RASHFORD-HEWITT is a pastor, trained family therapist, counsellor and author.

F

ollowing the death of a loved one or friend, every person will experience grief and loss. When this happens, our response as a church family is to pray for the person, send a card or text message, or visit and support them. We may ask details about the nature of the loss, and we do all we can to be there for the person.

The funeral comes and we tenderly talk about how we knew the person, how loved they were. Then following the funeral, we might sense those awkward moments when we meet the person who suffered the loss, and we really don’t know what more to say...

Avoidance can be painful A certain brother shared with me following his loss that, as he was coming into church, he noticed that a few folks seemed to take a beeline in the other direction towards the toilet or the kitchen. He shared how it could have been totally coincidental but, somehow, he didn’t think so. I suppose sometimes it seems easier to avoid a potentially awkward conversation.

Sadly, avoiding those who have been bereaved - whether intentionally or unintentionally - can be painful for those who are grieving.

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Talking about death and bereavement doesn’t come easy for anyone!

The truth is, talking about bereavement doesn’t come easy for anyone. Consequently, once we have heard the deceased person was a Christian, we say: “Well, thank God for the blessed hope!” as if to say, because they were a believer there is no need to be sad or to grieve, “so cheer up and move on!”

Sometimes our reference to the hope of the resurrection may be said because we don’t really know what else to say. As a result, we then assume it is our job to make the person feel better (in order to make ourselves feel less uncomfortable), and so we usher them towards the hope of seeing their loved one’s again in God’s Kingdom. Sadly, when we do this, we reinforce a silent message – namely, ‘ignore the feelings associated with grief, and don’t talk about them because it makes others feel awkward.’

Opening a conversation about a deceased loved one helps Now I know that feeling very well. The uncomfortable, speechless and awkward moment, when we really don’t know what to say or do when in the presence of one who is grieving.

That experience is something we would rather not endure but, to use an expression, “It is what it is”. It is just that – uncomfortable!

Therefore, if we can accept that fact with courage, we can then weather the discomfort and become a source of comfort. By choosing to be open and honest, we could say to the bereaved: “I really have no idea how you might be feeling, please tell me if you can, what does it feel like to come to church without your loved one?” Being willing to start a conversation about the deceased person will come as a breath of fresh air.

To grieve or not to grieve In I Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV), it reads: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope”. This means that believers will sorrow, they will grieve.

Therefore, if we try to encourage someone to journey through their grief, we enable them to avoid repressed grief, which can lead to depression and a multitude of problems. Allowing them the time to grieve at their own pace is crucial to their healing.

This was the case of one senior pastor from a certain denomination. A well respected minister, who had served his church at the high levels of administration for many years, had lost his wife of forty-one years to an aggressive form of cancer. Six months had passed, and he was finding things very difficult. Nevertheless, he decided to attend the funeral of a dear friend.

While there, his pain and hurt became evident,

as he shared with me in a quiet moment, how the resurrection “stuff” was all true and he believed it, but he just wasn’t “there yet.” This illustration underscores the point that grieving takes time.

Grief doesn’t only occur after someone has died However, we have to accept that grief doesn’t only arise after someone has died. Grief comes following the loss of something significant to one’s sense of identity, purpose, security and well-being.

Therefore, one may experience grief following a regrettable separation or divorce; the unexpected loss of a job or position in church; the tragic loss of a limb, bodily function or ability. Grief is also recognised as a part of the ageing process as people come to terms with the loss of day-to-day abilities.

COMMENT 45

Creating a safe space and place provides healing Creating a space for people to talk about their experience of grief helps the grieving recover in more holistic ways. When we give permission for others to grieve, we not only allow folks to go thorough grief, but to grow through grief.

Men grieve differently However, it is important to note that men grieve differently than women. Some men will try to occupy themselves with activity as a way to process the grief, by not directly thinking about it. Yet other men may become withdrawn and quiet, while other men may become emotional and very tearful. However, the point is that, while the expression of grief may differ, it is important to allow men to come to terms with their feelings.

As a man comes to terms with those feelings, he will recognise that those feelings are driving his expression of grief.

A certain man had lost his beloved sister to a heart condition. Having ignored pleas to go to the doctor, she suffered a heart attack that later proved fatal. Following the loss, he threw himself into his work, and withdrew from his family and other social activities and, at times, had flash points where he became aggressive in his conservational style. As we spent time together, he shared how he was feeling angry with his sister for having not gone to get checked; how

angry he was with everyone, and how livid he was with God for not healing her. As we identified the anger, we explored how he could own and validate that anger and not feel guilty for being angry. We explored how he could then find ways to express that anger in more helpful ways, such as resuming his sporting activities of jogging, and working out at the gym, as a release for those pent-up energies. Over time his anger abated.

Men grieve far more than they are willing to show or discuss You see, the truth is that men grieve far more than they are willing to show, but often we assume that men don’t really grieve because we don’t see them grieving in the way society or our church might expect them to.

The reality that men grieve in very significant and sometimes painful ways is indicated by Mark Mercer, in his book, ‘What Women Should Know About Male Grief,’ The truth is, all who have suffered a loss grieve, and will grieve differently.

What is important is how to encourage the grieving process that leads to a wholesome Holy Spiritfilled anointed healing for each person, and particularly to be alert to the sometimes less obvious ways a man might take. To this end, the book ‘The Way Men Heal’ written by Tom Golden, offers some meaningful insights for those working in Men’s ministry, and emphasises the need to be intentional in addressing the needs and

feelings men encounter, as they journey through bereavement.

Helping men, women and young people to grieve Helping men, women and young people deal with grief, is by no means easy, but it is one of the best acts of support we can offer to those who may be experiencing the pain of grief.

Developing a programme to empower those who are on that journey can be a powerful way to minister God’s grace to the bereaved. By careful, intentional and prayerful planning that is Holy Spirit-led, we will enable people to experience good grief in the church.

Andrew Rashford-Hewitt is a pastor for the Seventh-Day Adventist churches of Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough.

Andrew is married with two teenage boys and is a trained family therapist, counsellor and an author of two books.

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46 LIFESTYLE

Old City of Jerusalem, wher

BY TAYO FATUNLA

T

he 18th Israeli International Festival for Animation, Comics and Caricature, established in 2001, was held in Tel-Aviv, Israel, last August.

I couldn’t resist travelling to Israel when I was officially invited. I felt very honoured to be invited to the land of biblical proportions.

Proverbs 18:16 says that ‘your gift will make room for you’, so when I was invited as a guest comic artist and cartoonist to the Festival, I used the privilege and opportunity to request a visit to the Old City of Jerusalem and the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum.

The woman with the issue of blood, who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment for her healing; the raising of Lazarus from the dead; Christ’s numerous healings… these events all took place in public, with stories passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth, so I looked forward to seeing with my eyes some of what I have read and been aware of in the Bible.

Arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport and heading to my hotel, one couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Tel Aviv is, with people on electric scooters all over the city, with its Uber-like airconditioned taxis and friendly people.

I requested a visit to Jerusalem and, with my time-tabled schedule on radio, Israel’s cable TV interviews and participation at the Festival, I had a day off to visit Jerusalem, which usually takes over an hour’s drive from Tel Aviv. My chaperone for that day, Ofem, was very good at explaining the history of Jerusalem, as he lives in and

At the Western Wall - prayers written on pieces of paper and slipped into the wall

loves Jerusalem. On our way, he pointed out two images, which remain etched on my mind.

One image was a massive Disney-like mosque, built by a wealthy Chechen national, which was sited on top of a hill, and the second were buildings high above the hills, which are actually burial plot-shaped buildings divided into shaded burial halls, and shafts where vegetation grows under direct sunlight. It had become necessary to bury the dead on different levels above ground.

The hilly Jerusalem looks modern, and I wondered how long it would take to arrive at the biblical and historical parts of the Old City. My first visit was to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. It wasn’t that I hadn’t believed, but being there reiterated the atrocities meted out to human beings.

To deny the Holocaust is like denying slavery.

And onward to the Old City of Jerusalem,

made up of four quarters: namely the Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Muslim Quarter and Armenian Quarter. We entered the City through the Jaffa Gate entrance, located next to the Tower of David (also known as the Jerusalem Citadel). I visited on a Friday, the Muslims’ big day of prayer and, from within the West Bank area, over 20 to 30 thousand people milled through the Roofs Market Promenade stalls and shops, to head towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Dome of the Rock), an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount.

Walking through the market, you can see Christians on pilgrimage and tourists heading towards the Jewish Quarter bask in the experience of the historical Old City. To get to this quarter, with its Western wall and tunnels, where the Orthodox Jews pray, you have to go through airport-style security, where people and their

Jewish Quarter - The Western Wall

LIFESTYLE 47

ere seeing is also believing belongings are scanned before they are allowed access to the Western wall area. Police were everywhere. The Jews at the Western wall were not distracted from their praying by tourists, who had come from all around the world.

There were free white kippahs for male tourists to wear on their heads. Kippahs are generally made of cloth, and are worn at all times by Jewish men in Orthodox communities to fulfil the customary requirement for the head to be covered. Kippahs have become souvenirs, sold in souvenir shops.

We arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter, where two of the most guarded and holiest sites in Christendom are located: the site where Jesus Christ of Nazareth was crucified on the cross, at a place known as Calvary, also known as Golgotha, and Jesus’ empty tomb, where He was buried and resurrected. The atmosphere at the tomb felt very holy. You had to bend to get through a gap to arrive at the tomb. The pillars at the entrance of the church had distinctive etchings on them, which appeared to show that graffiti has been around for over a thousand years. The date etched on

Holy Land

one of the pillars by a visitor was the year 1384.

Pilgrims praying on the surface where Christ’s body was placed at the Holy Sepulchre

One day wasn’t enough to visit other biblical areas, but just seeing the Old City of Jerusalem had made my day.

I was met at the airport by a Jew when I

arrived, and driven back to the airport by a Palestinian taxi driver on the Sabbath day – on a Saturday, a day of rest. I was certainly well looked after by ‘God’s own people’.

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48 LIFESTYLE

Do you know what’s in your hair products?

I

t can be difficult to monitor what’s actually in your hair products, because manufacturers are not obligated to list all the ingredients they use. This is particularly true in the case of Black haircare products. This unnerving reality is evidenced in a study, released in April by the Silent Spring Institute and the Battelle Memorial Institute, which indicated that 80% of haircare products marketed at Black women contained potentially harmful ingredients that were not included on the product labels. While the study was based on products from the US, the impact on Black women in Britain is potentially huge, since a large proportion of haircare products are imported from the US. Discontent with the lid that seems to have been nailed shut onto the coffin of the Black haircare industry, UK-based author, haircare coach and renowned blogger, Tola Okogwu, is putting together a 14-month-long project aimed at raising awareness of the situation, and educating women about how to utilise available data to make more informed choices that will benefit their health.

The main part of the project will be the production of a documentary, ‘My Haircare Nightmare’, that will delve into the issues and seek to answer pertinent questions about the safety of Black haircare products. Tola said: “By bringing the issues into the spotlight, it is hoped that the documentary will encourage more research and demand more from manufacturers.”

Following her appearance in a BBC interview in April, to discuss the dangers of Black haircare products, Tola decided to pursue the documentary project when the interview went viral.

“Thousands of women were rightly shocked and concerned at the revelations,” Tola explained.

“Eighty percent of products tested contained endocrine-disrupting and asthma-causing chemicals. Endocrine disrupters have been linked to hormone-related diseases such as breast cancer, and conditions such as fibroids. The even more worrying issue is that the majority of these products have been formulated based on assumptions about how Caucasian women use haircare products. But Black women’s usage of products is unique, in that they typically use considerably more products and they use them frequently. This has implications in terms of increased exposure to the harmful chemicals contained in these products.

“The Black haircare industry is unregulated, and therein lies the problem. My advice to women is to seek out ethical and transparent product manufacturers, who are committed to the welfare of their customers.”

JOY ROXBOROUGH

is a creative industries professional, writer and entrepreneur. Email joyroxborough@yahoo.com

Tola admitted that unearthing a company’s ethos can sometimes be a tricky business, but Almocado, Root2Tip, Shea Decadence and SuperFoodLX are a few of the companies that came high on her list of recommendations. She favours companies that are willing to engage openly with customers. She said these usually tend to be smaller companies, with a personal story behind their product development, and advises women to contact companies directly if in doubt about any ingredients. “Companies are obliged to answer consumer questions, and good companies will certainly be forthcoming regarding what they are about,” Tola said.

“Consumers can also check for information on ingredients on the Environmental Working Group’s website.” Tola said one of the objectives of the project was to produce a directory of recommended haircare brands.

The projected cost of the ‘My Haircare Nightmare’ documentary is £86,000. Tola and her team have set up an Indiegogo campaign to raise the money, with perks such as books, guides, discounts, credit mentions and hair consultations for supporters.

Tola has collaborated with Lake Health and Wellbeing and award-winning film-maker, Sheila Marshall, to execute the project. “This project is an important venture,” she said, “because Black women spend disproportionately more on haircare products than their racial counterparts, yet they are severely underrepresented and underserved by the industry. Social and economic factors make us vulnerable and, as a double minority, our issues are largely ignored. This documentary is a chance for us to tell our collective stories, and to make a change that will affect generations to come.”

Further information can be obtained from Tola’s website: www.tolaokogwu.com, or connect with Tola on her blog: ‘My Long Hair Journey’.

LIFESTYLE 49

BOUNCING BACK FROM LIFE’S HARD KNOCKS GRACE GLADYS FAMORIYO www.gladysf.com

I

recently watched an episode of Holby City (BBC One) where Sacha Levy, a larger-thanlife, loveable and compassionate consultant, was shown standing on the edge of the hospital roof, contemplating ending his life.

Like many viewers, I was gobsmacked, because this was Sacha, who seemed to be perpetually bounding his way through life, being there for colleagues and patients alike. So what happened?

Thankfully, the episode began to unravel Sacha’s life. It became apparent that Sacha had experienced some life ‘knocks’. Twice divorced; losing patients he’d held dear; having his heart broken a few times; rejection from his children, and a shedload more seemed to have broken this affable man.

With each ‘knock’, Sacha seemed to pick himself up and get back into the race. However, on this particular day, Sacha’s response was different. He wanted to end it all. Thankfully, his colleague, Ric Griffin (another respected consultant), talked him out of it.

Hope – the key to handling life’s unscripted moments When I reflect on the lives of people who have been through tragic or challenging times and came out stronger, I see one common denominator, namely hope. Nelson Mandela had lashings of this. So did Sir Terry Waite and many others who endured hard times. Hope became the glue that kept the spirit, soul and body together.

Though surrounded by darkness, hardship, challenges, pain and suffering, hope kept their eyes and hearts on something higher and greater than what they faced. Hope kept the fires of their hearts stoked when, in real life, the embers around them had been all but snuffed out.

In talking to a mentor/coach of mine recently, I was reminded of the need to keep my gaze heavenward, pinned on God and not the tsunamis in my life. For when I gazed at the situation, I start to sink like Peter (Matthew 14:22-33). However, hope gives us the strength to press on.

Surround yourself with a nurturing community Going back to Sacha’s story, the intervention of Mr Ric Griffin saved Sacha’s life, literally, along with well-meaning colleagues. I am a firm believer that we all need a ‘Ric Griffin’ (or two) in our communities, so now is a good time to reflect on who is in your community.

Experiencing my personal life knock Shortly after watching Sacha’s life unfold, I too experienced my own life ‘knock’ or unscripted moment, as I fondly call it in my book, Bouncing Back! (ISBN: 978-0992619527). My younger sister, Deborah, passed away very suddenly.

It was just eleven years ago when I lost my Dad. Shortly after, I found myself in a chasm of

anger, disappointment and sadness. And yes, I was a Christian with a loving relationship with my heavenly Father. Yet, the blow of Dad’s passing seemed to take the wind out of my sails…pretty much like Sacha.

While walking under a dark cloud, my book, Healing a Discouraged Heart (ISBN: 9780956260635) was written. If the truth were told, it was written for my benefit, as I searched for answers and grappled with grief and loss.

On hindsight, I realised my response was not just to Dad’s passing, but also to a succession of unscripted moments. When care is not taken, we may find ourselves responding in ways we never thought possible. So, this time around, when my sister passed, I purposed to do things differently.

having support in various shapes and forms. I saw the benefit of this with my recent loss. The ongoing prayers, encouragement, cards and phone calls have kept me going - and more so my precious Mum. I am so grateful for this.

Therefore, I cannot overstress the importance of this support. Two, indeed, are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). We all need someone, no matter how strong we think we are. Being able to pour out one’s heart to one who cares is just priceless.

By the way, you may need to include professionals, such as counsellors, in your community - especially if you are struggling or perhaps battling with the likes of depression and suicidal thoughts. Please get help.

Become more self-aware and honest with yourself For me, unscripted moments are akin to tsunamis, where we have to deal with the aftermath.

Refusing to face up to the aftermaths of our unscripted moments is similar to sitting in a pile of rubble after a tsunami or earthquake, while hoping to resume a normal life without a clear-up strategy. It won’t work, as you have to rebuild.

However, for you to rebuild, you have to accept a tsunami happened! Therefore, honesty and a healthy dose of self-awareness are paramount here. Denial or pretending everything is OK won’t get you anywhere, and will begin to affect other areas of your life.

Instead, face up to the realities in your world, cling to hope, get the support you need. Then let God do the rest.

Over the years, I have come to value

Written by Grace Gladys Famoriyo – Speaker and Author of books, including: Overcoming Emotional Baggage; Quit Hiding, Start Living!; Bounce Back! and Healing A Discouraged Heart. www.gladysf.com www.keepthefaith.co.uk

50 LIFESTYLE

VANESSA GROSSETT

www.theauthorscare.co.uk

n o i s s a P y M g n i Los

cracked up to be. However that doesn’t mean you should give up on writing romance, fantasy, young adult fiction, non fiction, whatever it maybe. You just need time to get used to your new success.

Vanessa Grossett Losing my passion Dear Vanessa, I hope you can help me. I recently became a New York Times bestselling author. My genre is romance fiction, and my audiences are mainly women. I have lost my passion for this recently, however, and I am scared to write another genre in case I lose my readership.

I spoke with my agent, and they wouldn’t even let me think about going to another genre. I know they don’t want to lose their income, but how can I keep on writing about something I am not passion about? I waited so long for this to happen and now it’s here I don’t feel excited anymore. I wanted another professional opinion: should I stick with this genre or should I move on? Thank you for your time.

When I first received this email, my initial thoughts were: of course you should stick to writing romance, especially being a New York Times bestselling author. Nevertheless, I had to put myself in the author’s position. Writing is a creative process and, if passion is lost in anything, it will show in the product and could actually work against them - losing their readership rather than gaining more.

Maybe you’re like this author: you have been writing for so long, waiting for your big break, then it comes and now what you yearned for, you no longer want anymore… You have lost your passion. What do you do? This is what I advised this author, and is what I am advising you.

• Look at the root of the situation. Ask yourself, did you always want to write in this particular genre, or was it because you thought it was popular and did it for the sake of doing it?

If you always wanted to write in your chosen genre, it may be because you had to wait so long, and now the dream has arrived it isn’t all it’s

Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

If you were doing it for popularity, then there is a problem. It is important to write on something you love, and not just do it for popularity, as you will lose your creative juices for the topic very quickly. If this is the scenario you are in, you should consider slowly - and I mean slowly - transitioning to a genre you are passionate about, maybe merging the two together, for example romance mixed with fantasy.

• Take a short break from writing, maybe a month or two but no longer than that, as it would be difficult for you to get back into the swings of things. Now as a popular author, you can be busy promoting your book and continue building your credibility. This will give you a chance to rethink and pray about what to do. You may have lost your passion because you have been writing continuously, and haven’t had a break.

You do need this time to reflect and decide. Promoting can be just as busy as writing; it gives you a chance to meet other people, connect with your readership, and it can also help reignite your passion, reminding you why you do what you do. Taking a break can also help with fresh ideas.

• Look back at your goals. Why did you want to write this particular genre in the first place? If your goal was to become a New York Times bestselling author with this genre and, now it has happened, you feel you have no goals left to achieve, this doesn’t mean you have lost your passion, it just means you have to set new goals and continue writing.

• Finally, if you know in your heart that your passion for your chosen genre has really gone, then it is best to transition to write what you are really passionate about, as you will be able to produce your best product, and it could work in your favour. As mentioned in the first point, this would need to be a slow transition, as your audience is used to a particular writing style from you. The good thing about writing is that you can mix elements together without totally losing your audience, as every story has different scenes to it.

Happy writing.

Love Vanessa

LIFESTYLE 51

ESSENTIALS FOR ENTREPRENEURS

I

Getting a successful business idea

recently read a feature in Entreprenuer magazine on successful teenage entrepreneurs in the States.

These were 10 young people below the age of 18, running a business worth over $1million dollars. Impressive as the article was, I was mostly struck by the simplicity of their business ideas.

One idea was to provide exciting and colourful basketball socks, after the founder tried unsuccessfully to buy more interesting basketball socks. Another business was based on tooth-friendly lollipops, after the young entrepreneur could not find a sweet that satisfied her sweet cravings without causing damage to her teeth. Other ideas that created multi-million businesses were fashionable bow-ties and healthy nut butters. The common thread in these ideas was the creators’ ability to spot business opportunities from a gap or problem they experienced.

NOT ROCKET SCIENCE Starting a business does not have to be overly complicated or even difficult. Neither is it a decision that should be agonised over. No two business start-ups are the same, for some entrepreneurs the idea comes first, then they build a business around it; other entrepreneurs decide they want to start a business and then look around for a idea.

It doesn’t matter which approach is taken. The key consideration is that successful businesses are based on viable, well tested ideas. You need an idea to start a business.

approach, or put your own unique stamp on that solution. There are various approaches to doing the same thing ‘differently’. You can create a niche by providing an existing business solution targeted at a specific people group. You can increase the efficiency of an existing product for example, make nut butter healthy or make a lollipop that is tooth friendly. You can add a promise to an existing solution, thereby creating a brand. Opportunities abound for entrepreneurship, all you need to do is open your world.

Here are a few ways to help you.

Open a book There is no substitute for reading. Most entrepreneurs will describe themselves as lifelong learners. Read widely – and not just the authors you know. Pick up magazines; read auto-biographies; read online articles; curate tweets. Just keep reading. Fill your head with information and expand your thinking.

KENO OGBO

is a Digital Consultant, Writer and Entrepreneur www.iamkeno.co.uk

DISCOVERY CORNER A resource to help budding entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses.

Ask everybody. Using online mobile-friendly surveys is a cheap, effective way of finding out if your business matters. There are a number of online survey tools you can use for this purpose. My favourite free tool is Responster (www.responster.com). You can create beautiful surveys with unlimited questions, unlimited respondents and unlimited links. One of the features I love is the ability to use logic in the surveys, thereby improving your analysis for each response.

SOCIAL CORNER Keeping abreast of social media strategies, events and resources for business growth.

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN I always hear wannabe entrepreneurs speak about doing something unique - something new.

There is an incorrect notion that a business idea has to be new in order to be a success. This is not true. The Bible teaches that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). There are only different ways of doing what has been done before. This is called innovation. In today’s entrepreneurship climate, innovation is one of the best routes into starting a business.

Start with the same problem and bring a different solution, or improve the existing solution, or carry out the same solution with a different

Open your eyes One of the most difficult things I learnt as an entrepreneur is that you cannot grow beyond your beliefs. Before you conquer the world, you have to conquer your limiting beliefs and have a vision.

Open your ears Always listen. Engage with what people are saying.

Don’t be too quick to give your own opinions or solutions, always seek to understand. Have conversations with the people who have the problem you wish to solve. What exactly are they asking for? There are millions of solutions in the world to every conceivable problem, but people still complain. Find out why.

Open your mouth Ask questions. Don’t remain mute or, even worse, make assumptions that you know. Ask the right questions of the right people. Always remember that your solutions are about people, not just what people want, but how they want it and why they want it. Asking these questions can help you innovate an existing service or product that provides a successful business.

Who are you following? Social media is as much who you follow, as well as what you say. On some platforms, following and interacting with key business leaders is a way of networking and opening opportunities for future collaboration.

Retweet, Like, Love and comment, listen and respond. Don’t use social media just to receive, practise a lot of giving, and you will be surprised at what comes your way.

Did you find this useful?

Be part of a growing community of entrepreneurs by connecting with Keno: @spiralwebs @keno_ogbo www.keepthefaith.co.uk

52 MISSION

WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

I

don’t know what you’re facing today… but God is bigger. He is able to overcome every obstacle in your life. Jesus said: “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). He didn’t say ‘some’ things; He said ‘ALL’ things.

Docked in West Africa today is the largest, charitable hospital ship in the world: the Africa Mercy. The volunteer crew on board this floating hospital see God do ‘all things’ - all the time.

Mercy Ships provide free, world-class surgeries for the poorest African families, like Baby Paul’s.

“We were so scared, we thought he would die.” Baby Paul’s mother would stay up, rocking her starving son by the light of an oil lamp, desperately trying to comfort him. When we met Baby Paul, his skin was paper-thin, and his tiny frame weighed just over two kilograms. He was born with a double cleft lip and palate. Severely malnourished, Paul was days from death.

Thankfully, Mercy Ships saved Baby Paul’s life. When he was strong enough, our volunteer surgeons operated and repaired Paul’s lip and palate. Today, you would hardly know he was the same child. Paul’s beautiful smile lights up the room.

Tragically, 17 million people a year are dying needlessly. They are dying from diseases that are preventable, curable or treatable. Lack of surgery kills more people than malaria, TB and HIV/Aids combined.

Living in the UK, we have access to world-class surgery and healthcare.

But 2 out of 3 people in the world don’t have access to safe surgery when they need it – that’s 5 billion people. Of these, the poorest billion live in Africa.

Mercy Ships won’t rest until we eradicate the diseases of poverty in Africa. We believe God can do ‘all things’. We believe in bringing hope and healing to Africa’s forgotten poor. And we believe everyone deserves access to surgery.

Baby Paul

Baby Paul with the volunteers who saved his life Find us on Twitter and Facebook: @KeepTheFaithmag

“The crew follow the model of Jesus: we help the blind see, the lame walk and the outcast return home with dignity.”

Patricia Royston volunteered on the Africa Mercy for over 10 years.

If you believe what we believe, let’s work together to save lives in Africa. Download your free MAKE HISTORY pack from www.mercyships.org.uk/church now, or call Mercy Ships on 01438 727 800.

Darren Richards, Church Partnership Manager for Mercy Ships UK

MISSION 53

Volunteering on short-term mission - is it worth it?

T

here are differing opinions when it comes to short-term mission trips, and it’s an issue, which has caused debate in recent years as to whether or not they are actually effective. Arguments, such as ‘They cause more harm than good’ and ‘They just cause dependency’, are frequent in commentary surrounding it. Yet, if you want to make a difference but can’t give up months on end, surely short-term mission has a worthy place?

Mission Direct, a Christian volunteering charity based in the UK, which has taken almost 4,000 volunteers overseas, recently began a new campaign surrounding exactly this issue. They are accepting invitations from churches all over the country to go and speak in morning services on ‘Short-term Mission, Why Bother?’ As a charity, they were established to meet the UK demand for short-term mission, providing two-week trips for volunteers who wanted to impact disadvantaged communities in countries all over the world.

Travelling to destinations, such as Africa, Brazil and the Dominican Republic, their volunteers spend two weeks helping local professionals to build vital facilities needed by the community, such as schools, homes, medical centres and safe houses. They differ from most short-term missionaries in that the charity doesn’t own or run any of the projects – the local communities do.

Mission Direct will seek in-country partners, who are already trying to provide their own communities with something they need – not something a board of Trustees in the UK thinks

they need. They’ll make a long-term commitment to the project, based on the need of what they’re providing (eg. six classrooms over three years), and volunteers then have the opportunity to join the project for two-weeks to help progress it.

Teams work in relay, so what the first team starts, the last team will complete. The charity works to empower these in-country partners, ensuring they are sustainable and able to continue long-term without their support.

“Reviewing the work of our volunteers at the end of each year makes it impossible not to see the impact our trips have on local communities.

And it’s not just about the build,” says Regional Manager, Simone Olagoke. “In the afternoons, volunteers get immersed into the communities to support other projects, such as feeding programmes, drug and alcohol rehab centres, and homes for girls escaping the streets or FGM and forced marriage. The build impacts the community in providing education and medical care, which they wouldn’t have access to otherwise, whilst the afternoon work impacts the volunteers at a heart-and-soul level. We see faith evolve, relationships bond and perspectives change of the volunteers on these trips.”

For many years in the Dominican Republic, Mission Direct supported a project aimed at rehousing families - from living in shacks into safe, secure homes built by local tradespeople with the help of Mission Direct volunteer teams, and have, to date, helped to build 70 new homes for people in need. In 2016, a team of volunteers helped to lay a new waterline, which now serves a community of 120 families who were previously cut off from such utilities. They also support a project which houses abandoned children with severe disabilities, and are currently waiting for the go ahead to help build a new, fit-for-purpose home for them.

In Zimbabwe, the charity has been working since 2012 to build classrooms for a school in Mutare, where infrastructure can’t keep pace with the growing population, and where children attend school in shifts, or not at all. With a longterm commitment to build two classrooms a year, the charity has completed 13 classrooms with a further three planned for 2019/2020. With these

There’s a job for everyone - from building to painting, as shown here in Sierra Leone

long-term commitments come relationship and, speaking to in-country partners, the impact of this is tangible. “When the volunteers come, they come right into the community in which they’ve come to serve, and I have been so blessed by divine interventions, praying, and preaching to the locals through these. People are so interested to learn other cultures and to interact, and their visits leave lasting impressions on the communities they serve – through teamwork, spiritual experiences and the determination to make a difference. With them comes unity of people as one.” Alick Murombo Gudyanga, United Baptist Church, Zimbabwe.

Short-term mission, if done respectfully and with the direction of the communities themselves, can evidently be incredibly worthwhile. Mission Direct’s work demonstrates practical faith in action, ‘sleeves rolled up’ Christianity, which follows Jesus’ instructions in Luke 10:37 to ‘Go and do likewise’, in the story of the Good Samaritan.

Mission Direct also supports projects in Brazil, Cambodia, Moldova, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the UK (which are three-day trips instead of two weeks). Find out more at www.missiondirect.org.

Locals see the love of God through work of the volunteers and, here, prayer is offered to children in Kumi, Uganda

One of the many schools in Sierra Leone that Mission Direct volunteers have helped to build

54 MISSION

MAF DISASTER RESPONSE & JOHN WOODBERRY “When a disaster strikes, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) responds quickly with air transportation, emergency communications, logistics support and experienced personnel. We use our skills to get the right people and the right cargo to the right place at the right time, enabling our partners to respond well in remote, insecure and inhospitable locations. We are the missing piece that enables agencies to bring whatever is needed – medicine, shelter, food – to disaster victims. The end result is that people who have seen devastation can be saved and helped. MAF is a critical partner that allows disaster response to happen.” This is the first-hand experience of MAF’s Global Response Manager John Woodberry, borne out of more than twelve years of responding to disasters around the world.

Following a career in United Airlines, John felt a strong sense of calling to use his gifts and abilities in service to the Lord. He joined MAF in 1993 as a pilot engineer in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Later, he was asked to take on the Global Disaster Response role in 2006 in the aftermath of the Indonesian Tsunami disaster two years before.

Responding to disasters around the world is a key part of MAF’s mission to share God’s love through aviation, so that isolated people may be physically and spiritually transformed. Over many decades, MAF has responded to numerous disasters, from the Ethiopian famine and the Rwandan genocide, to more recent major responses including the Haiti and Nepal earthquakes, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean, and this year the earthquakes in Papua New Guinea and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Most recently, the MAF Disaster Response team were in Sulawesi, Indonesia, responding to the earthquake and tsunami in late September, which claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people and left thousands homeless. The MAF team worked in partnership with Ethnos360 Aviation and Helivida to operate two Kodiak airplanes

and one helicopter, giving them the ability to reach towns and villages that had seen significant destruction, as well as the more remote areas where people were suffering. In response to this disaster, the aircraft have flown over 230 flights, more than 650 passengers, and in excess of 45,000 kg of cargo - including medical equipment, food and other essential supplies - to those desperately in need.

With 70 years of experience, programmes in more than 30 countries, and a fleet of over 125 aircraft, MAF is strategically positioned as a first responder to assist with the urgent transportation and communication needs immediately following a disaster. As the world’s largest humanitarian airline, we offer a global footprint to the 2,000 agencies we serve, and many organisations depend on us as a crucial partner in rapid disaster response.

One of the key services MAF can offer from the outset is aerial assessment and surveys, where a plane will fly around an area of disaster, taking photos with embedded GPS information, which we can then pass on to relief agencies looking to respond. This enables them to assess the scale of the need and make informed decisions as to

the immediate action needed.

John explains more about how MAF gets involved in responding to a disaster. “We pay attention to what’s going on in the news and follow disaster websites. MAF is blessed to have a network of partners across the world who share information from the ground and who we work together with when a disaster happens. If we need to respond we can get people and aircraft moving within 24 hours. Flight, logistic and communication support can then be provided rapidly to agencies preparing to travel to remote areas where there’s a critical need for life-saving operations. “ Faith underpins all that John and the Disaster Response Team do: “The greatest challenge is coming into an unknown situation. You’re in a new environment, with new challenges and new needs. So, the first thing you’re going to do is pray and ask God to give you wisdom. You’re seeing people with urgent needs, and the question on your heart is ‘How can I help these people’?

God give me the strength to love, care and do the right actions in a rapid way.” And this, with God’s help, is what MAF is doing.

Hear more about MAF Disaster Response from John at www.maf-uk.org/magazine

MAF uses planes to transform the lives of the world’s most isolated people, bringing help and hope to those in need.

AF M E E R R F A D EN L A C

A WINDOW ON OUR WORK Combining a stunning array of images with moving Scriptures, this 2019 calendar will transport you through MAF’s life-saving work across the developing world.

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