Britain’s leading Black and multi-ethnic community-focused publication
ISSUE 98
supporting unity, faith and family values
#BLACK LIVES MATTER – ALL LIVES MATTER!
Do churches keep Black women single?
Black history in Britain before Windrush
WHY COPYRIGHT MATTERS
Hezekiah Walker
- ‘Better’ A UNITED KINGDOM
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Later, as General Director of MAF UK, he led the imaginative service which now uses the latest light aircraft to bring life-saving help and God-given hope to isolated communities around the world. Author Stuart King has seen it all happen. As one of MAF’s founders in post-war London, he made the first MAF flight into uncharted territory in Africa.
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Dear Readers Welcome to the autumn issue of Keep The Faith. As always, we have some great articles in this issue, with the key focus for October being Black History Month. Pastor Marcia Clarke PhD acknowledges Black history in Britain before Windrush; Bishop Dr Joe Aldred reflects on his personal history in the UK and questions the effects of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. Conversely, Shirin Aguiar asks church leaders if we need Black Lives Matter, whilst Dionne Gravesande argues Black Lives Matter – All lives matter! The Juicy Ladies are keeping us up to date with all the latest gospel music news, and veteran gospel music commentator Juliet Fletcher explains why gospel music is the greatest music in the world! We have a great interview with multi GRAMMY Award-winning Bishop Hezekiah Walker, and Owen Deacon is in the spotlight. If you use songs, creative works and digital media in church, you need to read Why Copyright Matters to ensure you’re covered! Esther Kuku asks ‘Do churches keep Black Christian women single?’ and reflects on this much-debated topic. Rev Stephen Brooks examines how we can safeguard churches in the UK, following the murder of Father Jacques Hamel, and Funke Oham shares how to find hope after a pregnancy sadly ends. Raj Holness talks about the Breaking the Silence domestic abuse social enterprise in Birmingham and her vision for Grace House, and Roger Panton tells us about the Ellen Pearl Outreach that reaches out to the children of Jamaica who are victims of abuse. We have one more issue for 2016, then we’ll be celebrating our 100th issue in February 2017. Woop Woop! Any ideas on who should grace our front cover for this momentous issue? Let me have your suggestions!
CONTENTS ISSUE 98 NEWS
04 British Youth for Christ appoint new Director of Mission
14
GOSPEL NEWS
06 Keeping it ‘juicy’ with Vinejuice 10 Should we stop calling gospel music gospel music? by Juliet Fletcher
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
12 An audience with Owen Deacon by Alan Springer
INTERVIEW
14 With Hezekiah Walker by Milton Allen
FEATURE
24
16 Acknowledging Black history in Britain before Windrush by Marcia Clarke PhD 18 Black to the future by Bishop Dr Joe Aldred 20 Faith leaders say we need Black Lives Matter by Shirin Aguiar 22 #Black lives matter – All lives matter! by Dionne Gravesande 23 Challenging Stereotypes. Celebrating Success. Creating Futures. by Kay Oldroyd 24 A United Kingdom 27 Why copyright matters by CCLI
COMMENT
38
Enjoy.
28 Do churches keep Black Christian women single? by Esther Kuku 29 Prepared for another Saint-Étienne-duRouvray? by Rev Stephen Brooks
INSPIRATION
32 The other side of temptation by Parker J Cole 33 There is nothing like God’s rest by Deborah Lassiter 34 God can do anything if you say ‘Yes’ by Joy Roxborough
Shirley McGreal Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
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Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Shirley McGreal FCMI Sub-Editor: Jackie Raymond Design: Becky Wybrow Advertising: Anna Davis Josie McFarlane Admin & Accounts: Nicola Hammond All enquiries: admin@keepthefaith.co.uk
The Publisher would like to thank Rev Stephen Brooks, Bishop Dr Joe Aldred, Shirin Aguiar, Dionne Gravesande, Pastor Marcia Clarke PhD, Bishop Wilton Powell OBE, Rev Les Isaac OBE, Dr John Sentamu, Chine McDonald, Evadney Campbell MBE, Lavinia Goddard, Adaeze Chiwoko, Juliet Fletcher, Alan Springer, Milton Allen (USA), Kay Oldroyd, Esther Kuku, Parker J Cole (USA), Deborah Lassiter, Walter James Photography, Joy Roxborough, Gladys Famoriyo, Funke Oham, Rich Burrough, Louise Isaac, Jason Loh, Keno Ogbo, Vanessa Grossett, Roger Panton, Raj Holness, Suzette Richards-Selano and Nicole Harman. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher.
35 Time to pause and take stock by Gladys Famoriyo 36 Finding hope when prgnancy ends sadly by Funke Oham 38 Breaking the silence by Raj Holness 40 Most people love a wedding - especially church folk by Louise Isaac 42 How does your garden grow? by Jason Loh 43 Essentials for entrepreneurs by Keno Ogbo 43 Writing fiction by Vanessa Grossett
MISSION
46 Reaching out to the children of Jamaica who are victims of abuse by Roger Panton www.keepthefaith.co.uk
04 NEWS
British Youth for Christ appoint new Director of Mission Prince Laryea has been appointed as the new Director of Mission at British Youth for Christ. Prince’s pioneering and entrepreneurial dynamic, refined through 10 years of leadership in various mission contexts, will be an invaluable asset to BYFC, as it moves forward in its mission to take the Good News of Jesus relevantly to every young person in Britain. He brings to the role a real passion for authentic mission into the mainstream sphere of the arts, entertainment and sport. Prince founded and led youth charity, Acts 29, and was also one of the founding members and manager of UK hip-hop band, The 29th Chapter. The band toured internationally and released five successful albums during their 10-year tenure. Prince says, “More than ever, young people need a clear relevant voice, communicating the truth and hope which is the Gospel of Jesus. It’s an honour for me to join this organisation of passionate evangelists, missionaries and youth workers. I look forward to making a lasting contribution to this exciting work.”
‘Brent for Jesus’ fundraising single Are the churches doing enough to tackle the growing level of youth crime? As the number of young Black men dying on the streets of the London keeps increasing, many people in the Black community are asking whether the Black churches could or should be doing more to tackle youth crime. Harlesden-born Owen Deacon has been battling with this question. Working with a project in Brent, Brent for Jesus, he has used his singing and musical talent to produce a single, ‘In Jesus’, which he hopes to use to raise well needed funds to support the work of this charity. Britain’s Black churches are the largest organised Black groups in the country, and critics are calling for them to wield their influence to try to tackle this growing problem. So far this year, eight* young people, most of whom are young Black men, have been killed on London streets Brent for Jesus was founded in 1990. It’s a ministry, which comprises a group of churches that have united with one specific agenda: to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the borough. Brent for Jesus is a small project with no government funding, which works towards keeping children off the streets of Brent and, hopefully, out of the clutches of gangs. All monies raised from the sale of this single will be used to fund the project’s work. Owen knows only too well many of issues some of these young people are dealing with, having had a difficult childhood himself. “I was asked to write a song for the cause, and I saw it as an opportunity to make a real contribution to the good work taking place on behalf of the youth in Brent.” Explained, Owen. ‘In Jesus’ is available on iTunes, Rhapsody and all electronics media sites. Owen’s new album, ‘Word & Man,’ is out now and can be downloaded from all major digital platforms. To find out more about Brent For Jesus, visit www.Brent4jesus.org Evadney Campbell MBE (*at time of going to print).
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06 GOSPEL NEWS
Keeping it ‘Juicy’ with Vinejuice!
F
ounded by Adaeze Chiwoko and Lavinia Goddard, aka the ‘Juicy Ladies’, Vinejuice is a media company based in Manchester, the home of the JUICIEST urban/contemporary Christian entertainment news, events and music. Connect with Vinejuice via our website, vinejuice. co.uk, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube), the weekly ‘Juicy Ladies Show’, broadcast live via Facebook Live and Periscope, and Vinejuice Radio for 24/7 of the best urban/contemporary Christian music online.
Natty Joshia announces new music
Fiona Yorke’s new vid ‘Glory Cloud’ has got us rocking New single ‘Glory Cloud’, from the worship leader with r&b swag Fiona Yorke, is dropped early August. Additionally, she dropped a music video for the track, and we’ve been jamming it ever since. The ‘Glory Cloud’ music video contrasts fun with thought. Shot in Fiona’s home city of London, the video works to highlight current social concerns and features the founder of Father2Father, Courtney Brown, who supports, promotes and educates fathers and their families. Produced by Ian Copeland Green, Fiona says that she aims to affirm, remind and encourage listeners to be strong in faith, and trust in God’s presence to provide and lead us in every situation. Fiona stepped into the UK Gospel scene meaning business with her debut EP ‘Live to Worship’ back in 2014. She subsequently bagged herself a couple of awards, including the ‘Black African Women Rock’ award for Best Vocalist and the GXMMA Awards. ‘Glory Cloud’ is available for download now from all digital outlets, and keep an eye out for Fiona Yorke’s album coming soon. Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
Brummy lad (as in ‘young guy hailing from the city of Birmingham’) - and arguably one of the finest gospel r&b singers in the UK - has gotten us all excited with the unveiling of the artwork for his new single, ‘Cloud 9’, which is taken from his highly anticipated album that will be coming soon. Natty Joshia has had a No 1 in the A Step FWD chart with his song ‘Try’. This track brought Natty Joshia critical acclaim and numerous award nominations, including ones from Premier Gospel and Gospel Touch. This young man is set to bring a fresh wave to UK Gospel, and we’re convinced of his ability to do so. Look out for his new music coming soon. Whilst you are waiting, you can hear his song ‘Try’ playlisted at www.vinejuice.co.uk/radio.
GOSPEL NEWS 07
New artist watch: Sarah Téibo
Lauren Daigle and Chris Tomlin leading in the Dove Awards 2016 nominations It’s all eyes on Lauren Daigle at this year’s GMA Dove Awards, with six nominations including Artist of the Year. But she isn’t the only one to have cleaned up on nominations in the 47th Annual Dove Awards. Big guns, such as Hillsong UNITED and Chris Tomlin, garnered five nominations each. Anthony Brown, Jonathan McReynolds, Kirk Franklin and Tasha Cobbs tally four nods each, whilst songwriter Jason Ingram scores seven nods, including Song of the Year. To see the full list of nominees, visit the Dove Awards website. It’s great to see Travis Greene in the category for New Artist of the Year as he had a phenomenal 2015. The hip-hop category looks almost predictable, with artists who we would consider giants in the game. We were surprised that William McDowell wasn’t nominated in the Worship Album of the Year category, with his live recorded album ‘Sounds of Revival’ but hey, maybe next time. The GMA Dove Awards celebrate the contributions of artists from every style of Christian/ gospel music. Nominees are determined by over 1,500 professional members, and winners will be voted on by the entire GMA membership of nearly 2,500. TV channel TBN will exclusively air the Awards show on Sunday 16th October, so watch out for that.
Hats off to Madame Sarah Téibo! Since entering the UK Gospel scene in October 2015, this r&b/gospel singer has hit the ground running, and continues to gather momentum. We were first introduced to Sarah via her upbeat and catchy debut single, ‘Steal My Joy’, last autumn. The track release also came with a fun video directed by Uvi Orogun, which has amassed close to 13k YouTube views so far. The single received UK-wide and international radio airplay, and achieved a No 2 position on the December A Step FWD Charts. Not bad at all for a debut single. Sarah Téibo successfully made her voice heard as an artist of note; this was further reinforced by her receiving Best Newcomer Award nominations at the GXMMAs and Premier Gospel Awards this spring. In summer 2016, Sarah dropped her debut album, ‘Walk With Me’. The album is a blend of Sarah’s favourite genres, including up-tempo afrobeats and mid-tempo neo-soul, mixed in with r&b and gospel for good measure. The album also includes a handful of collaborations with well established and respected UK Gospel artists, including Lurine Cato and Triple O, amongst others. True to the form that Sarah has shown from the start of this journey, she released the album as part of a special headline show she performed for Sunday Gospel Brunch at the iconic 606 Jazz Club in London. Following the May album release, at the end of June Sarah dropped a lyric video for ‘New Day’ - the second single off ‘Walk With Me’. The single is a mid-tempo feel-good track with a neo-soul vibe. In an interview with the Juicy Ladies, Sarah said: “I hope ‘New Day’ will become a theme song for morning shows.” Additionally, Sarah recently co-headlined a concert with none other than US Christian r&b/soul singer, Lisa McClendon. In a very short space of time, Sarah Téibo has firmly established herself as a serious artist and, as we take this walk with her, we look forward to seeing where she goes next. For more music and event info about Sarah Téibo, visit www.sarahteibo.co.uk.
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
08 GOSPEL NEWS
Israel Houghton and Adrienne Bailon engaged!
Footballer Linvoy Primus issues higher calling to ‘We Are Men United’ As the 2016/17 Premier League kicks off, former Portsmouth player, Linvoy Primus, is calling all men to come to Stoke City Stadium for a very different kind of gathering. Linvoy will be one of the main speakers at ‘We Are Men United’ at the home of Stoke City FC on 27th May 2017, when he’ll share his story of how he discovered Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, while playing for Portsmouth FC. The aim of the event is to gather, equip and inspire a nation of men to live for God’s glory with fearless faith. The day will also feature inspirational talks from world champion boxer, Nigel Benn, and evangelist Andrew Palau; worship from Noel Robinson and Martin Smith, and faith-building preaching from Pastor Agu Irukwu, Paul Scanlon, Paul Lloyd and Anthony Bostock. They’re bringing men from all walks of life together in the stadium to lift the Name of Jesus high. Linvoy, who is the joint founder of Christian
Noel Robinson Find us on Twitter: @KeepTheFaithmag
charity, Faith and Football, says he’s extremely excited to be part of an event of such importance. The event will gather, inspire and equip a nation of men to live for God’s glory. Linvoy is also excited at the impact ‘We Are Men United’ will have on those who wouldn’t typically go to church. He said: “People who would normally view church in one particular way are going to see something totally different at ‘We Are Men United’. Being with thousands of men who are passionate for Christ will be life-changing. Church isn’t about a building; it’s about the Person of Jesus, who has done everything for us. Get yourself along to something that will be unique. I think it’s going to be the launch of many around the country - even around the world - and to be part of something in its early days is something special.” To find out more and to register for this event, visit www.wearemenunited.co.uk.
Pastor Agu Irukwu
Paul Scanlon
The couple that all eyes have been on since they announced their relationship back in May have taken the next step and got engaged. Whilst on a trip to the world’s city of romance, Paris, Grammy Award-winning worshipper Israel Houghton popped the question to Adrienne Bailon and she said “YES!” True to form, the couple took to Instagram to show off the ridiculously gorgeous ring and to announce their engagement. Israel said this: “I have seen and felt the essence of God’s grace through the life, the kindness and the courage of this woman. I’ve seen her attacked, lied about, wrongfully accused, mocked, laughed at and misunderstood. But I’ve also seen the shining example of the eagle she is that rises above the cacophony of the noise of ignorants. I’m learning from her example. She loves Jesus. She loves her family. She loves people - even the ones that don’t love her back. I pray God give me that same grace in my life. I’ve taken a giant leap of faith in asking her to share life with me forever, and to give me a shot at getting it right this time… She has graciously granted my request… She said ‘Yes’. Thanks be to God. Thank You for graciously loving me.” This will be Houghton’s second marriage, following his divorce from Meleasa Houghton. Bailon was engaged to Lenny Santiago, but they broke off the engagement and announced their split back in 2015. After everything this couple have been through this year, it looks like this story is heading for a happy ending…and that’s always a good thing. Congratulations, Israel and Adrienne.
GOSPEL NEWS 09
Erica Campbell kicks off at Christian Post for Donnie engagement confusion
Friend of Pastor Donnie McClurkin and fellow gospel music superstar, Erica Campbell, kicked off at popular Christian news website ‘Christian Post’ for instigating the story that Donnie McClurkin had announced his engagement to Nicole C Mullen during his appearance on the TBN show ‘Praise the Lord’. Erica said that she had been subject to false stories by the website in the past, and accused them of “twisting pieces of truth to get more views on their site.” Christian Post was the first to publish about Donnie McClurkin’s ‘engagement announcement’, but it was actually TBN’s ‘Praise The Lord’ show host who first made an excited declaration to the audience shouting: “Donnie McClurkin’s getting married! Come on!” Although Donnie looked taken aback by the announcement, he did confirm the news to the audience, and went on to explain why he was excited to be marrying Nicole C Mullen. However, the word ‘engagement’ never actually came up. Erica Campbell, in defence of her friend, said this on her social media: “I hate misleading bloggers who take pieces of truth and twist it so they can get more views on their site. ChristianPost.com has done this to me quite a few times so I’m not surprised, but I am very disappointed in this. Yes, Pastor Donnie is in a relationship, but he hasn’t made any announcement. No one should steal the joy of making a wonderful announcement like this.” Well, that’s Christian Post - and all of us that jumped on the story - officially TOLD! Read more details about this story at www.vinejuice.co.uk/news.
Erica Campbell
New Music: ‘Let me see those hands’ by Ni-Cola The Northern songstress with the big vocals is back with a new jam ‘Let Me See Those Hands’ and we love it! Ni-Cola dropped this single on 5th August, following her joint show at the iconic Band on the Wall in Manchester with DavidB, where she gave fans a snippet of the new track. This is the gospel r&b singer/songwriter’s first track of 2016, and comes after her previous single ‘Breakthrough’ (released in 2015). ‘Let Me See Those Hands’ was produced by one of the UK’s finest producers, ‘Giant Killer’, and mixed/ mastered by the legendary Nicky Brown. The song showcases Ni-Cola’s versatility as a songwriter and colourfully presents her vocals. The single is set to be a huge summer anthem. Ni-Cola said this about the song: “I’m excited about releasing this to my fans, and I hope it will inspire us to continually shout about what God has done in our lives.” ‘Let Me See Those Hands’ is available on iTunes and other digital outlets. Ni-Cola also recently started a Kickstarter campaign to help her raise funds to produce a music video for the single. Support Ni-Cola’s campaign by visiting www.kickstarter.com and searching ‘Ni-Cola’.
Donnie McClurkin www.keepthefaith.co.uk
10 GOSPEL NEWS
Should we stop calling gospel music gospel music? JULIET FLETCHER
is a former BBC Producer and funding Executive of the GMIA
I
’m not trying to be provocative. I’m asking a genuine question: What would happen if from tomorrow we decided NOT to call the music, which has evidentially emerged from the Black Christian faith-based churches, by its widely known and established name gospel music? Let me say here that this is a UK and not a US discussion point, which has been bubbling behind the scenes at various degrees of heated argument for some time. It normally raises its head at times of key change, and I think we are approaching a new season. Therefore an attempt to give some clarity on the matter might help. I’ll admit right now, I’m NOT for the idea, so I know I’m probably going to do a shoddy job of stating the case for a change. But I will try to be fair, and you can be the judge. Right?
Why a change in the name? The case for the change, from what I’m told, reasons that: 1. Gospel music has ‘progressed’ to the point that it no longer reflects the SINGULAR SOUND from the earliest days up to the end of the 1980s when, after this time, a significant contemporary musical transformation took place. (See my comments below for an explanation.) 2. Identifying gospel music, with its race- distinctive ‘Black’ reference, is both counterproductive and culturally backward in the Christian environment of ‘Kingdom’ mentality: ONE in CHRIST. 3. In some ways similar to the above, a different slant is that the term ‘gospel music’ puts the music of the Black Church into an enclave, a cul-de-sac and, some would go as far as saying, ‘ghettoises’ it. [We’ll stop at these three for the sake of space in this article. Let’s pick up further comments on Keep The Faith and my Facebook page.] Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
WARNING: Do not destroy There are some elements of truth in all three of the above points. Please don’t take offence at this: they say every lie must have an element of truth for the lie to be believable. I’m not saying these views are lies, but they are views that ‘muddy the water’. My WARNING is that any attempt to ‘throw out the bath water’ in this way will result in ‘throwing out the baby’ too! I truly believe we will destroy a distinctiveness that God Himself has permitted for us to be in the Body of Christ. Let me explain a little backdrop to support my argument… Firstly, when Thomas E Dorsey, pictured below, who is recognised as the ‘Father of Black Gospel Music’ popularised the phrase ‘gospel music’ back in his heyday of the 1940s, little did he know what he had inadvertently set in motion. Gospel music became the preferred and accepted phrase for describing the sound, which was birthed in the churches of Black America. No one denied it, refuted it or has tried to destroy it, but rather, on the contrary, to
GOSPEL NEWS 11
Kirk Franklin
uphold its virtues and to ensure it is enshrined and acknowledged by each successive generation of forefront artists. Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, KiKi Sheard, Deitrick Haddon, J Moss, among others, may all be considered contemporary, but listen again to their music - the gospel sound is there. In the annals of American cultural institutions, and at the White House by presidents, gospel - just as with jazz and blues - holds its highly deserving place of honour. I mean, can you imagine ANYONE in America saying JAZZ or BLUES should NOT be called jazz or blues? In the Black churches of the 90s and onwards, we began to realise we had excelling songwriters and composers of our own. It wasn’t about mimicking our worthy US counterparts, but describing the worthwhile and real experiences of our faith walk with God, and interpreting them with the influences of our past and what we drew from around us. Enter Howard Francis, Mark Beswick, Noel Robinson, Lavine Hudson, John Francis and David Daniel… A British Gospel sound was taking recognisable form. While this was happening, individuals who had been genre-specific artists in the world reggae and then hip-hop in particular - got saved in droves: reggae female artist Ann Swinton; rap artist The Gifted, and the Ugandan afro-funk male vocal group Limit X, number among the early pioneers of change. It seemed like the Holy Spirit had cast a net that trawled these fishes in particular. He knew, of course - more than those who moaned and groaned about 'worldliness' - that there was a generation to capture from the madness that was to come in our current time, namely gun/knife and gang culture. He knew that some of our own children would be caught up in it, and He sent ‘musical messengers’ in these genres to speak at the sonic level this generation could hear. Because these musical forms were ‘raw and real’ at the time, the only way ‘we’ could allow them to be sung in church or by young people of the church was to justify it by declaring it gospel music because of the lyrical content NOT because of the music form.
Mary Mary
And so the divisive theory developed with the statement: Gospel music is only the lyrics. Factual reply: No, it is not! Ask any ethnomusicologist! Ask a music historian! Too much water has passed under the bridge to change the tide of time. We adopted the phrase ‘gospel music’ here as an integral part of the formation of our Caribbean and African Church persona, as it were. Whether we realise it or not, it is part of our protective socio-political armour: our right to preserve, express and define who we are as a people who make up a significant part of the faith community in Britain. To destroy it is to dismantle one of the most important pillars of our grounding. We don’t need ANYTHING that erodes any aspect of our distinctiveness on the landscape of our society. Too much has already been eroded in our family and community structures as it stands. This idea, that we need to call it ‘another name’, seeks to rob us of our spoken musical history; to take away reference to what is an extremely rich heritage and legacy that is rooted in our spiritual experiences, our social struggles and our cultural distinctiveness. The factors are critically central to who we are and to where we have come from - even specifically within the Body of Christ. May I use this analogy for my second point: When, in the 1960s, Britain was at one of its most prevalent stages of moral decline, and the indigenous churches were fast losing ground under the weight of the spiritual onslaught, the Lord sent some ‘white blood cells’ - in the form of the Black churches - to join forces and strengthen Christian witness and spirituality. Gospel music was often the door-opener forming these necessary bonds. It did a lot of healing and renewing. Many church leaders of different denominations testify of it; church leadership engagement today trace their current relationships across denominational, race and cultural barriers through it. Rev Joel Edwards, who is considered one of the great churchmen of our times, wrote a book entitled, ‘Lord, Make Us One But Not All
Noel Robinson
The Same’. It's a book about unity and diversity in Christ, and charts his own journey from being a member/pastor in the New Testament Church of God to becoming the General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, representing over a million Christians of every hue and background. I don’t know whether he thought it up, but the title certainly sums up my feelings about retaining ‘gospel music’ as a valid term. Who has a valid alternative name, anyway?
Gospel music - a sound and a cause Thirdly, gospel music is GLOBAL and has been that way for a long time. It isn’t true that it resides within a cul-de-sac. Only those with illwill speak of it as ‘ghettoised’. Like all music forms, its continuance is assured where it is held at its highest place of esteem and sacred purity, a safe place where it nurtures its inheritors - the Church. Let us become fully cognisant of the need to respond proactively to the potential and power of gospel music - both as a distinctive sound and a distinctive cause; to practise holding these two key elements in beautiful tension; to use wisely every aspect to a godly advantage. Further, let us not ask anyone to choose between sound and cause. Let’s be mature in our artistic outlook. There is no doubt that Black Music has impacted the world since the end of the 18th century. In view of all the adversity and injustice of the past and the challenges of the future, let us be glad that God has preserved for us a place to be a distinctive light; to say GOSPEL MUSIC, to sing GOSPEL MUSIC, to create GOSPEL MUSIC. Gospel music is the greatest music in the world; the only music that can entertain while helping you into heaven. We are echoing the voices of the past and heralding our own voices; to give future vocal empowerment to ministers and performers sure solid ground on which to stand for Christ’s sake. www.keepthefaith.co.uk
12 IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Owen Deacon an audience with
A
n audience with Owen Deacon is indeed an experience, sweeping listeners and onlookers off their feet with the dynamism of his delivery, the intricacy of his compositions, and the poetic evangelism of his lyrics, due to a background rich in musical and biblical education. And yet, for all his talent, he remains a man of great humility. His musical journey began in secondary school, where he spent two years as a trombonist in the Brent Youth Orchestra. Owen then further honed his skills at Goldsmith College in south east London, where he studied composition, music theory and vocals. What followed is a walk along a path of musical growth, from gigging lovers rock band Classic Black and jazz band Sound Affair, to supporting artists such as Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson and Loose Ends. Among his long list of achievements are also recordings with Caron Wheeler (lead singer of Soul II Soul), Noel McKoy (from the group McKoy) and Steve Hillage. It was somewhere after this time that Owen Deacon sought to know more about the Word, and went through two years of Bible study, which led to his salvation through Christ and gave way to his gospel artistry. Needless to say, his music continued on, including performances with reggae’s top guns, such as Luciano and Gregory Isaacs in 2003. Revealing a unique vocal style, it is hardly surprising that he has been inspired by, and often compared to, great vocalists such as Bill Withers, Frankie Beverley, Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley. Owen is also equally at home in the studio as he is doing live performances. In 2000, he marked the New Millenium with the soulful vulnerability of My God Mon Ami, which prepared the ground for the triumphant sounding and versatile album Crossover. The album was showcased in March this year in London, with well known artists, such as Noel McKoy and UK gospel artists Donna Gardier and Charmain, and has its own film in the works. Since giving his life to Christ, Owen’s love for God and willingness to be a servant have led him to a variety of work for the church as youth worker, praise and worship leader and men’s fellowship organiser. In music, he now performs at churches up and down the country, either to support fundraising activities or to minister in praise and worship. Among his appearances include those with Bazil Meade and Bishop John Francis, and another with members of Sounds of Blackness as backing vocalists. Alan Springer Find us on Twitter: @KeepTheFaithmag
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14 INTERVIEW
H ezekiah Walker ‘Better’ - The new anthem of hope for the world...
U
ndeniably, Bishop Hezekiah Walker’s signature sound has set an international standard in gospel music. Walker, the multi GRAMMY® Award-winning, newly inducted Gospel Music Hall of Famer, continues to uplift the masses from across the globe with inspirational songs that focus on maintaining faith and overcoming life’s daunting moments through his new release, ‘Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better’. “It’s been an amazing journey thus far in my music career,” says Bishop Walker. “I feel honoured and blessed to be able to remain relevant and put music out that reaches the heart and moves the soul. Certainly God has favoured me.” ‘Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better’, the 15th album of his career, has a relevant fresh feel that showcases impeccable tracks produced by Walker and the multi award-winning Donald Lawrence. Bishop Walker presents the Azusa Choir, along with musicians from around the world. ‘Better’, the first single from the release, is a motivating and inspiring song that has impacted music lovers from London to Johannesburg, and from Tokyo to New York City. Bishop Walker felt compelled to record the song after he found an impactful Scripture in Ecclesiastes 7:8 that helped him overcome moments of uncertainty and feel comfortable about his present situation, knowing that the end of the bad times is near and ‘Better’ is coming. Once recorded, the uplifting and inspirational song compelled Bishop Walker to spread this message across the world. He travelled from
his home base of New York, across the Atlantic to film the video for ‘Better’ in Italy, France, South Africa and Japan in one week! No matter the country, city, state or province, Bishop Walker is breaking through racial, cultural and language barriers in an aggressive endeavour to communicate inspiration and a celebration of faithful endurance. According to Bishop Walker: “‘Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better’ is another expression of how I feel about my heritage that dates back to the 1906 Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California. Not only do some of our greatest premier preachers of today stake their claim to fame back to that revival, but many of our greatest gospel artists and musicians have linked the stability and fame of gospel music back to this same Azusa Street Revival.” ‘Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better’ is infused with an urban contemporary sound, mixed with a down home gospel feel. In each song, Bishop Walker strives to inject a message of hope into humanity. He not only wants to inspire churchgoers, but also non-believers in the song ‘God Is For Me’, featuring Patrick Dobson. “A lot of people feel like God doesn’t love them or hates them or isn’t concerned about them,” Bishop Walker said. “You’ll be surprised by the people who are afraid to come to church, because they feel like the church is going to burn up and fall down if they do. But I want to show that God is for you.” In ministering to the millennial generation, Bishop Walker puts the focus on another life - the afterlife. Instead of solely pursuing a fruitful life on earth, he reminds listeners on ‘Living to Live Again’ that the end goal is to ultimately reach Heaven. “We’re so busy living for today, but we have forgotten that there is a tomorrow,” he said. “We are living to live again. We’re not going to church just to be better people. We’re not turning our lives over to Christ to live a fabulous life on earth. But there is life after death. We believe in Heaven. We believe that one day we are going where Jesus is. I wanted to put that back into the hearts and minds of people.” The song ‘Holding On’, featuring Carl Thomas, encourages the listener to ‘hold on’ and fight through the trials and tribulations of life in the 21st century. “I could have turned to a life of crime, drugs or whatever,” he said. “But I remembered what my mom told me. She said
‘Make sure you hold on to your faith! People may leave you but God will never leave you.’ I held on to those words and, after all these years, He has never forsaken me nor has He ever turned His back on me. That’s my encouragement to everyone: hold on because it will get ‘BETTER’.” 2016 marks 30 years in the music industry for Bishop Walker. He has earned multiple music awards and two GRAMMYS® for Best Gospel Album for ‘Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College’ in 1994 and ‘Love is Live!’ in 2001. Walker was recently inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame. “It’s a major accomplishment,” said Bishop Walker, who is also known as ‘Hez’ to friends and family. “This album is infused with the foundation of the past and the relevancy of the present. The sound that you will hear on this album is no different from the sound that they heard back on Azusa Street. My prayer is that it sparks the same kind of revival throughout the world, as many hear and listen to the songs of ‘Azusa The Next Generation 2 – Better’,” says Bishop Walker.
Bishop Hezekiah Walker is the visionary, founder and Senior Pastor of the Love Fellowship Tabernacle Churches in Brooklyn, New York and Bensalem, Pennsylvania USA.
BY MILTON ALLEN, GLOBAL MUSIC LINK
INTERVIEW 15
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16 FEATURE
Acknowledging Black history in Britain before Windrush PASTOR MARCIA CLARKE PhD
is co-pastor of Restoration Christian Fellowship and Assistant Director at Regent University
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FEATURE 17
C
elebrations in 1998 and beyond, which commemorated the docking of the SS Empire Windrush, perhaps inadvertently associate the initial arrival of Black people in Britain with that post-war era. Although the Windrush did not bring the first Black people to Britain, the ship’s arrival can be used to mark the beginning of a specific period of immigration and history1. However, Black people were in England during the Roman rule of England and perhaps before. During British rule, there was no Act of Parliament, which enshrined discrimination in law – unlike the United States – therefore official documentation was not required to record race. It is estimated that between 1500 and 1807 there were anywhere between ten to twenty thousand Black people in Britain. Sadly, we do not know the exact number, nor do we know what their lives were like. It is even more challenging to find information about Black women; prior to 1750 there are few official records attesting to the presence of Black women in Britain, most of the information is gleaned largely from passing statements, such as the examples cited below. Perhaps the earliest evidence of Black female presence in Britain is the skull of a young Black girl found in a tenth-century Anglo-Saxon burial ground in North Elmham, Norfolk2, with possibly the earliest record of a Black Christian woman being a baptismal record dated 11 December 1504; the woman was attached to the court of King James IV of Scotland.3 Records from the 1500s provide evidence that enslaved Black women were brought to Britain, where they were made to work in various capacities. Evidence for the presence of Ellen (or Helena) Moore and Margery Lindsay, two Black women, can be found in the account books of the Scottish court in Holyrood from the 1500s. These documents record payments and requests made by the Scottish king for the transportation of Ellen and Margery. They also show orders for the purchase of expensive gowns, slippers and gloves for both them and their maidservants4. In England, from Devon through to Kent, a handful of Black laundry maids and pages could be found, young people who lived in noble mansions as household servants.5 In 1726 Black women were documented as being present at a christening, along
with the two godmothers and their attendants; the newspaper report described them as being “well drest” [sic].6 In 1764 a British newspaper reported that Black women ‘supped and drank’ at a public house in Fleet Street, London, until four in the morning7. From 1750 there are works of self-expression, ‘autobiography, political protest, journalism and other published writing by Africans who lived in or visited England and wrote in English8’. We find examples in the writings of Phyllis Wheatley (1753–1784), Mary Prince (1788–c1833), Mary Seacole (1805–1881) and Amanda Smith (1837–1925).9 The work of Mary Prince and Phyllis Wheatley attest to their Christian faith. It would stand to reason that there were other Black people who also wrote and who lived ordinary and extraordinary lives. However, to our disadvantage, our understanding and knowledge of Black British history has been submerged beneath the detection and illumination of ‘racial prejudice, the British slave trade, slavery itself or abolition. A great deal has been written on these areas of history and in most the focus has been on how White people perceived Blacks.’10 Whilst not dismissing the Atlantic Slave Trade and its effect as unimportant, the role of victim does little to show what Black people have done! Can we claim as our history the presence of Black nurses? Women (and men) who, like Mary Seacole, believed in themselves and contributed to the making of a national health service that is the envy of many countries. Can we claim as our history the Black servicemen and women, like George Powe who, in 1943 aged 17, joined the Royal Airforce?11 How about the members of the West African Christian Union, the African Progress Union and the West Indian Students Union (WISU) formed in 1945 – perhaps even as early as 1924? A number of Caribbean Heads of State, the judiciary and academics were leaders of WISU. Can we claim the three West Indians who, before 1955, were presidents of Oxford University Student Union? 12 How about Thomas Kwame Brem-Wilson, a Ghanaian who pastored a Pentecostal congregation in London around 1907? Eulogising the system of slavery and its effects diverts attention from the resilience, tenacity, achievements and history of the thousands of Black British people who were just here!
It is estimated that between 1500 and 1807 there were anywhere between ten to twenty thousand Black people in Britain.
Mary Seacole
George Powe Barnor Hesse, ‘Diasporicity: Black British Post-Colonial Formations,’ in Un/Settled Multiculturalisms: Diasporas, Entanglements, Transruptions, ed. Barnor Hesse (Zed: London, 2001), 97-99. 2 Paul Edwards, ‘The History of Blacks in Britain’ History Today 31 no. 9 (August 1981): 33. 3 Peter Fryer, Staying Power, 3. 4 Paul Edwards, ‘The History of Blacks in Britain,’ History Today 31, no. 9 (August 1981): 33; Fryer, Staying Power, 2-4. 5 Peter Fryer, Staying Power, 75. 6 Peter Fryer, Staying Power, 19. 7 National Archive ‘Blacks Only’ Party British Library, Burney 5276b, London Chronicle, 16-18 February 1764 http://www. nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/ blackhistory/work_community/relationships. htm (accessed February 12 2012) 8 Peter Fryer, Staying Power, 67 9 Mary Prince, The History of Mary Prince ed. Sarah Salih. (London: Penguin Books, 2000); Ron Ramdin, Reimaging Britain, 34-35. 10 Kathleen Chater, Black British History http://www.history.ac.uk/makinghistory/ resources/articles/black_history.html#1 11 Norma Gregory, Jamaicans in Nottingham: Narratives and Reflections (Hansib, 2005) 12 David Clover, Dispersed or Destroyed: Archives, The West Indian Student’s Union, and Public Memory, 4 1
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18 FEATURE
BLACK
TO THE
FUTURE
BISHOP DR JOE ALDRED
is a Broadcaster, Ecumenist, Speaker and Writer
I
love October. Not only is it Black History Month in Britain; it is my birth month also. My personal history is that in September 1968 I arrived in England from Jamaica as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 15-year-old, and 48 years later, on 24 October this year, I will have reached the grand old age of 64! Just where did those years go? No wonder the Psalmist says to God, ‘You have made my days a mere handbreadth.’ Unless I live to a record-breaking age, most of my lifetime is now behind me. So, as I approach my twilight years – a slightly older friend once described this phase of life as ‘sitting in the departure lounge’ – my attention turns to the question of how I can bequeath a good future to my children, grandchildren and the society I will inevitably leave behind. No, I am not trying to sound morbid, just facing the reality of my mortality. The majority of my life so far has seen me domiciled in Britain, a country that, in spite of all its supposed values of democracy, rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance, has seen people who look like me suffer racial discrimination and disadvantage on a massive scale. From outright in-your-face personal to structural and institutional racism. From overrepresentation in poor education outcomes to overrepresentation in the criminal justice system – there are proportionately more Black people in British prisons than in American ones. From disproportionally poor health outcomes to disproportionally absent from the boardrooms, councils, parliament and wherever social, economic and political power is wielded. Neither is disproportionality a new phenomenon. This can be traced back to several points of departure. The one I choose is the forced capture, displacement, chattel enslavement, slave trade abuse and usury of my African ancestors over hundreds of years. The disadvantage perpetuated when, in 1834, forced to bring slavery to an end in British occupied territories, Britain with Rothschild money paid slave owners £20 million, and not only compensated the enslaved nothing, but made them work a further four years of unpaid apprenticeship for their slave masters and slave mistresses. Slave owners got richer, the enslaved got poorer, if that were possible. And, when Britain and Europe tried to reconcile themselves to their loss of enslaved human resources, they carved up Africa between themselves to the further detriment of African people and place. And, as if to rub salt into open wounds,
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Professor Beckles in his book, Britain’s Black Debt – Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and Native Genocide, describes how in 2001, at the UN World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa, Britain and other European-complicit allies argued successfully that, although slavery and slave trading should have been a crime when it was practised by them, it wasn’t and therefore they are not liable for settling reparative justice for the descendants of those they enslaved and traded. What a travesty! The result of course is to widen the gulf between the descendants of slave owners and the enslaved. Such is the chasm that recently, when I was in Jamaica on a sabbatical, I realised that my birth-island in trying to keep pace in postindependence has had to be paying up to 70% of its annual income in debt repayment. Former Prime Minister, the late Michael Manley, described the scenario as Jamaica trying to get to the second floor of international economic development on a down escalator! Such is the impossible task of playing catch-up, when the powers have stolen your wealth and then lent it back to you at rates that mean you can never keep pace with their economic, scientific, infrastructural and other advancement. I learned that while some Jamaicans do very well indeed, almost half my birth island’s young population (almost 50% under 25 years of age) live below the UN’s definition of the poverty line, and almost half its young people are unemployed; health services are limited, and that’s despite there being in Jamaica some of the smartest
people on the planet. Disadvantage is entrenched nationally and internationally. Indeed, entrenched disadvantage is not just a British and Caribbean problem. We see similar challenges wherever in the world people have been enslaved, colonised and inferiorised. To add insult to injury, African peoples have been pressganged and coaxed into fighting each other for the colonial masters in two World Wars, losing thousands if not millions of lives; and that is quite apart from tearing themselves asunder, having been thrust together across ethnic, language and cultural divides that had existed for thousands of years before being ‘discovered’ by Europeans. The cheapening of Black humanity in the mind and eyes of the European has had a strange effect upon many people of African descent. Many dislike self - history, colour, culture - and have fallen in love with the other, needing their acceptance even greater the more the rejection. Some of us in theology have done what Victor Anderson, in his book Beyond Ontological Blackness, calls ‘embracing the Blackness Whiteness created’. One defined by opposition to White privilege and White racism; Blackness defined by oppression, suffering and survival; what Anderson calls ‘ontological Blackness’. Anderson insists going beyond ontological Blackness. Let me be clear. I love all people, because I believe all are created in the image and likeness of the Creator God. None, therefore, is superior to me. And, what’s more, where historic or contemporary wrongs have been committed that have blighted the life chances of God’s children, reparations are called for. Restitution
FEATURE 19
is needed where you have taken someone else’s ‘property’ and continue to benefit from it. We can’t walk together on the road of unity, justice and peace, while I am naked and you wear my clothes; your belly is full, while I suffer from malnutrition; you have house, land and all the creature comforts, while I walk the stony road barefooted. Justice and peace will kiss each other when peace is sought and made through restitution, reparations. Some have responded in recent times by launching reparation initiatives of various sorts, with the intention of taking Britain and others to the United Nations Court. Some see the disproportionate use of firearms by the police to kill Black people in America as a sign of the insignificance some others attach to Black people’s lives. Here in Britain there is a growing phenomenon of disproportionate Black deaths in police custody. Little wonder, then, that there have been the more than occasional riot and the recent importation from America of the Black Lives Matter campaign. What is not clear to me is at whom the proponents of Black Lives Matter are aiming their campaign. The same people and systems to whom Black lives have not mattered for the past hundreds of years? Why should Black lives matter to racist individuals and systems now? Because you chain yourselves to concrete, block traffic and inconvenience some people? I doubt that very much. The attention from the press may be intoxicating, but the effects of Black Lives Matter are likely to be limited. As someone has pointed out, Black lives hardly matter to Black people. Some of us have believed the lie that Black lives don’t matter, and we may need to convince ourselves first before we try to convince an unbelieving world. Why is it, for example, that some Black people won’t, can’t date - let alone marry - anyone who looks like themselves? Self-hate? In a recent speech, Nation of Islam Minister, Louis Farrakhan, said the reason Britain and other European countries were able to tell those making a case in Durban in 2001 for reparations for slavery, the slave trade and genocide in the Caribbean and the Americas to ‘go to hell’ was because the descendants of enslaved Africans pose little or no threat to their powerful interests. Power recognises power. Power does not recognise and react to weakness, except to exploit it. So during this October Black History Month, as I look forward, I am looking forward in the spirit of Jesus’ teaching that kingdoms are taken by force; by Marcus Garvey’s teaching that the only determination that earns respect is selfdetermination, and by the truism that power among humans is never given, it is only ever taken. I want my children and grandchildren to know that God helps those who help themselves. That liberation takes place first in the mind, before it can be externalised. That Bob Marley and Garvey tell us to ‘emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds’. Having said all this, my Black to the Future message is quite simple: We must now make our own history. We must
stop begging others to respect us. Stop it. Stop telling others that Black lives matter, and make Black lives matter. When Black lives matter, it will matter not just to Black people but to others. When Black lives matter, others will listen to what Black people have to say because they will know that if they don’t, they will be harming their own interests that are in Black hands. This already exists in miniature, but must become metapraxis. I am totally committed to reparations as repair and compensation, but not as something to beg for. To get your stuff from the guy who stole it you’ve got to be strong. So, to my children and grandchildren, I say become strong in four key areas if you want your stuff back. First, become strong socially, especially in academic, cultural and vocational education. Second, become strong economically, especially in business, spend less than you earn, save and invest. Third, become strong politically, especially
national government. Fourthly, become strong spiritually, especially by throwing off the forms of religiosity that discourage thinking – and this does not mean rejecting Christianity, because Christianity was in Africa long before some others that claim the opposite. When Black people, Africandescended people, become strong socially, economically, politically and spiritually, we will attain reparations through strength not by begging for pity or love. God has already placed all humanity at the table of divine love and favour; Black people must sit and play our part. Let’s build a future on strength, in community with others, always making Black presence felt within police forces, for example, and everywhere else. God’s multicultural future for humanity includes a strong Black presence. Let’s take Black to the future!
Bishop Dr Joe Aldred is the author of several books and articles, including ‘From Top Mountain – An Autobiography’, published by Hansib www.drjoealdred.info
Image courtesy of Walter James Photography
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20 FEATURE
Faith leaders say we need Black Lives Matter, UK chapter holds first UK day of action SHIRIN AGUIAR
is a Journalist and Researcher
A
s the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement spilled over into the UK, with a day of action on 5 August, church leaders tell Keep The Faith we need the movement, and call for dialogue and finding common ground. The US movement has grown in the past three years in protest at the string of police killings of African Americans including, at the time of going to print, 18-year-old Paul O’Neal who was shot in the back by police in Chicago on 28 July. This was followed by police shooting young mother Korryn Gaines while at home with her five-yearold son in Randallstown, Maryland, on 1 August. Meanwhile in the UK, 18-year-old Mzee Mohammed died in police custody in Liverpool, bringing to 1563 the number of deaths in custody in England and Wales since 1990, according to Inquest. Of these, 156 were BME, but Inquest says this is a disproportionate number and institutional racism is a contributory factor. The teenager’s death sparked countrywide protests, with Black Lives Matter UK activists blockading some of Europe’s busiest roads, including the M4 near Heathrow Airport, the A45 near Birmingham Airport and tramlines in Nottingham. Rallies were held that evening in London. Church leaders say we need the movement. Reverend Les Isaac, founder and director of the iconic Street Pastors, told Keep The Faith: “We do need a movement like this because it is highlighting a very serious concern that not only
the Black community has, but also the wider society in America: Black, White and Hispanic.” There was a ‘global’ concern, he said, over killings of African Americans by police, whose job it is to protect every citizen, “not there to harass or kill citizens”. He acknowledged that while the police have a “very difficult” task, it was important for them to have the confidence of all American citizens: “People watching from outside need to have the confidence that, if they go to America, especially being Black, there’s not a possibility that they will be shot or some injustice done against them.” Calling for a major inquiry into African Caribbean deaths in custody in Britain, Rev Isaac, whose Street Pastors volunteers are respected by the public, local authorities and the police across the UK, said the Church should not be “silent on the periphery”, but be a voice for the voiceless, adding: “I would like to believe that the Church would seek to play a significant role in adjusting this issue.” He called for meetings with members of BLM, describing it as having a moral and a spiritual voice, and calling for the Church to be involved: “I’m saying the Church needs to be there at this point, at the start of it. The train is moving. We need to get on board before it picks up full speed, because what will happen as we see in history, whilst the Church has prayed, it has not been quick to bring in its wisdom and bring in the grace of God within these contexts.” In a statement on BLM for Keep The Faith, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said those being persecuted because of the colour of their skin or personality or politics had something in common with Jesus Christ: “He was simultaneously despised, hated and feared by those who crucified Him. Today we look to Him as the Saviour of the human race and His persecutors as archetypal enemies of the human race. Let this be a warning to anyone who is tempted to commit a racist crime: history will judge you unless you stop right now, and see in every other person the figure of Christ.” According to The Guardian, statistics show an alarming gulf between the experiences of Black and White people in Britain – in education, in the justice and prison systems and in employment. Stop and search is heavily targeted at young Black men – who are four times more likely to be stopped by police than young White men – while people from BME minorities are far more likely to go to prison than a White person committing a similar offence. In 2014, Blacks made up 10 per cent of the
total prison population, while making up 3.5 per cent of the UK’s total population, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. There is a greater disparity between the proportion of Black people in prison and in the general population here in the UK than there is in the US.
FEATURE 21
Bishop Wilton Powell OBE:
“There is scant regard for Black lives” Critics of BLM say all lives matter, and accuse the UK chapter of jumping on the bandwagon. However, Bishop Wilton Powell, overseer of the UK Church of God of Prophecy, said the treatment of Black people in society needs “clear attention”. He told Keep The Faith: “The killing and the exclusion we are seeing on television suggest that there is scant regard for Black lives. There is a consciousness that there is a need for such a movement, but at the same time, as Christians, we must be careful not to be seen to distinguish between lives.” He said the Church can bring the grace of God, pointing to Dr Cedric L Alexander’s book, The New Guardians, which stresses the need for communication with all parties law enforcement agencies, the
Church and all the other instruments within society. He said: “We need to bring the common ground, those values that we all hold dear to ourselves. So it’s not about separating but bringing
people together, and this is where the Church needs to be stressing the point that we ought to be coming together to identify areas, identify officers who need to be corrected, identify people within our communities who need to be respectful to the officers. And all of those are agents who need to be brought to the common ground.” Bishop Powell, who recently contributed to a Radio 4 discussion on the use of tasers, added: “We need heat but also light in our conversation; in other words, revelation that leads forward and aims towards resolution, rather than just create heat. We need that sense of hope and sense of development, because we have got issues in our society and we need problem-solvers, and I wish to be on the problem-solving side.”
Evangelical Alliance:
“We are heartbroken at the overt prejudice and pain highlighted by Black Lives Matter”
Chine McDonald, Director of Communications and Membership at the Evangelical Alliance, said the Church must never be a place that allows racism within its midst or accepts racism in any form outside its doors – whether in the UK or abroad. In a statement for Keep The Faith, she added: “We are heartbroken when
we see examples of the overt prejudice and pain, as highlighted by the Black Lives Matter campaign, flaring up in communities here and abroad. The Church, no matter where it is situated, should be a place that offers hope and life in our broken world.” A spokesperson for BLM also told Keep The Faith: “Black Lives Matter UK is a group of people who think that Black lives matter. All Black lives. Black lives in detention, in prison, in police custody, between borders. Since Brexit, reported racist hate crimes have risen by 57%. Love thy neighbour is a particularly radical commandment now in the UK, when a whole referendum has centred around the protection of British borders; when human rights organisations find that the EU-Turkey refugee agreement exceeds what is permissible under international law, and when over 3,000 refugees have died this year in the Mediterranean, trying
to reach safety on European shores. “It is a radical concept when so many families are fighting for justice for their loved ones killed in police custody, whilst being detained or deported, whilst restrained by guards in prison. We will fight until saying ‘Black lives matter’ is no longer radical. We organise from a place of love and necessity. Our love comes from believing in better and holding a just vision for the future.” Rev David Shosanya added: “A failure to lift our heads above the parapet, to ‘sound the trumpet’ and ‘cry aloud’ means, whether we like it or not, we are indifferent to the loss of Black lives, and regard the loss as unfortunate happenings or as ‘accidents’ of personal brutality by rogue individuals, rather than as an expression of institutional violence, sometimes by instruments of the state, in the form of unlawful acts and social injustices.”
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
22 FEATURE
#Black lives matter – All lives matter! DIONNE GRAVESANDE
is Head of Church Advocacy at Christian Aid
1
st August 2016, Emancipation Day, found me on the beautiful island of Trinidad, where I had the opportunity to attend the island’s remembrance of the millions of enslaved African men, women and children who survived the Middle Passage from Africa to the so-called ‘West Indies’. Here I heard a passionate address delivered by the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who spoke about the brutal conditions of forced labour, how Africans found themselves treated as commercial property - part of a systematic oppressive western economic operation. Dr Rowley narrated the story of how, despite enduring a life of misery, they had faith in a God who hears the cries of the downtrodden and rescues the oppressed. Eventually the systemic operation of slavery was deemed morally wrong and the system was dismantled. There was an acknowledgment that compensation was due, but astonishingly not for those who were enslaved and oppressed, but to the slave owners and those who could no longer generate huge profit based on free labour. It was an incredibly moving address, and I think that history is worth remembering and worth our collective reflection. Weaving the history then with our present-day history, it is no surprise that the 2016 event also carried the hash tag #Black lives matter. Retelling the story is important for the Caribbean islands because it is part of their living history, and it teaches children that Africans had a history and an identity before the 200 years of transatlantic slavery. This particular history of Black peoples tells of their resilience as a nation, and it reminds the collective that freedom is never given but it is won by ‘the people’ - often with great sacrifice. When human lives are involved, there is always a moral narrative that needs to be written, and told by the courageous. The purpose of my visit to Trinidad was to
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attend and participate in the 2016 Transatlantic Roundtable Conference on Religion and Race: a collection of clergy, academics, community activists, FBO practitioners and theological students who come together to wrestle with social justice issues affecting minority and marginalised communities. Together we unpack the analysis and our experience to build a shared aspiration and vision of peace and justice. The analysis is clear: African-descended communities across the globe are suffering the effects of political, economic and social inequities, whose consequences include alarming levels of poverty, disease, unemployment, incarceration and systemic violence. It’s worth just pausing for a moment to understand a few aspects of ‘Black History’ in 2016. This year is: • 60 years after the watershed election in Trinidad that consolidated Black political empowerment and charted the course for the nation’s 1962 independence, and 50 years after the independence of its southern Caribbean neighbours, Barbados and Guyana; • 60 years after the launch of a wave of independence in Africa that, from Sudan’s independence in 1956 to Lesotho’s in 1966, included 30 sub-Saharan African countries; • 60 years after the successful conclusion of the Montgomery Bus Boycott which helped mobilise the Civil Rights Movement in the USA; • 70 years since the post-World War II beginnings of mass migration from Africa, the Caribbean and Asia to the UK. The growing response to Black History Month has become ‘Black Lives Matter’ and, in response, some have felt compelled to reply ‘All Lives Matter’. The issue, however, is not that anyone is proposing that other people’s lives do not matter. Of course, everyone’s lives matter. In the US, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ slogan draws attention to the fact that, in the USA, people of colour – and, in particular, Black males - are systematically treated as if their lives do not matter. In the UK, we have had many community-led campaigns speaking of
the growing gap of inequality and how this plays out across race and class. The recently published Race report, ‘Healing a divided Britain’, is the Equality and Human Rights Commission report, which looks at existing evidence and outlines a worrying picture of race equality in the UK today, a case the National Church Leaders Forum (NCLF) have taken up. In a post-Brexit world, race relations will remain on the UK agenda for some time to come. So what might be a Christian response? A recent Sojourners article makes the point well: ‘As Christians, we should recognise the language of Black Lives Matter. After all, Jesus did not say “Blessed is everyone”, but “Blessed are the poor” (Luke 6:20). He did not say “As you do it unto everyone, you do it unto Me”, but “As you do it unto the least” (Matthew 25:40). Jesus did not say “Love everyone”, but “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). Continually Jesus drew our attention not to loving people ‘in general’ but to specifically caring for those we would tend to discount or condemn. ‘Black lives matter’ is exactly the kind of thing I think Jesus would say.’ So why did Jesus emphasise this then, and why should we do so today? Because the heart of Jesus’ mission was to focus on those who were on the fringe, on the outskirts of society, on people who had been marginalised and condemned. Likewise, He wants us to focus on the ‘least of these’, on those who are all too easily discounted and left unheard. When they share their experiences of being mistreated, and say they ‘can’t breathe’ – both metaphorically and, all too often, literally - we who are part of the privileged class should learn to listen and be ready to believe them. Looking at how Jesus told us to care for the poor, the least and, indeed, how He told us to “Love our neighbours”, I have no doubt that He would also most certainly declare Black lives matter. If we claim to follow Christ, and can say “Blessed are the poor” even if we are not poor, we should also be able to say “Black lives matter” even if we are not Black.
FEATURE 23 Naomi Francis, BYA Performing Arts Award winner 2010; Tony Harrison, BYA Awards; BYA Awards Patrons, Rough Copy; & front Jordan Benjamin, BYA Performing Arts Award winner 2014.
Challenging Stereotypes. Celebrating Success. Creating Futures.
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he UK’s only national celebration of accomplishments by Black and mixed heritage young people will make its way to The CEME Conference Centre in Rainham, Essex on Saturday 26 November, when the 6th National Black Youth Achievement Awards (BYA) will highlight excellence within the community once again. The first event took place at the Bernie Grant Arts Centre in November 2009, followed by the Camden Centre in 2010; Jury’s Inn in 2011; The Tabernacle in 2012 and Waltham Forest Town Hall in 2014. To date, over 300 individuals have been recognised for their accomplishments, and more than 300,000 people around the world have been able to read about UK youth in a positive light. Founder Kay Oldroyd said: “Whilst we are still faced with the reality of prejudice and racism in our communities as well as ageism, it is crucial that we continue to uplift and motivate our young people to excel in all that they do, and publicly celebrate them whilst challenging stereotypes and negativity. “Young Black and mixed heritage people are still more likely to be excluded from mainstream education, face barriers to employment, refused access to opportunities, be disproportionately represented in the criminal justice and mental health systems, and have limited positive visual images in mainstream media to look up to. “However, there is an abundance of unrecognised talent, leadership and excellence that lies throughout the younger generations, and we take great pride in being able to highlight and promote that through the BYA Awards, as well as creating vibrant, positive role models to impact and influence future generations in the right way. There were 11 categories open to the under 25s: Literary, Performing and Visual Arts; Education; Sports; Business & Enterprise; Community; Resilience (those in care/care leavers); International Champion; Choices
and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths), as well as three categories - open for any age group - championing the Mother, Father and Youth Organisation of the Year. Nominations were taken via the website www.bya-awards.com and closed on Friday 16th September. Category finalists have now been short-listed, with 14 winners announced on the night. Children’s charity Barnardo’s is supporting this year’s awards as Headline Sponsor and as sponsor of the ‘Resilience’ category. Barnardo’s Chief Executive Javed Khan said: “We’re really proud to help recognise the successes of Black and mixed heritage young people through our support for the BYA Awards. Every day, Barnardo’s supports a diverse range of children, young people and families, and we continually witness those young people achieving great things despite the many barriers that may be placed in front of them. There are so many inspiring stories out there, and I’d encourage people to attend and hear those stories at the awards ceremony in November.” “In this day and age, we as adults, parents and members of society need to stop complaining about how younger generations are underachieving. We must nurture them and fill them with promises and hope that life is more than just what they see on social media and within this broken society. The BYA Awards play a pivotal role in making sure the youth are supported and nurtured into becoming active and engaged citizens with an empowered sense of self and strong, balanced minds. I am a living testimony to their great works.” – BYA Finalist & Ambassador, Kazeem Tunde of UK RnB group Rough Copy. For more information about the awards, to support or to buy tickets for this premier event, visit www.bya-awards.com or contact Kay Oldroyd: info@bya-awards.com or 07415 874 770.
Morvialee Omoyinmi, BYA Mother of the Year Award winner 2012 with her son and friends
Joshua Beckford, BYA Education Award winner 2012; left Prof Robert Livingston; right Adam Deacon
Dr Chidi Amadi, BYA Education Award winner 2014
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
24 FEATURE
A UNITED KINGDOM British-born BAFTA Award-winning writer/director Amma Asante’s latest film, ‘A United Kingdom’, is an extraordinary true story about a remarkable young couple who meet, fall in love and resolve to marry – even though their decision puts them at the centre of a raging international controversy. Seretse Khama, a brilliant young African law student, met Ruth Williams, a young White London office worker from a modest English working-class family, at a Missionary Society dance in London in 1947. They both liked jazz. They shared a sense of humour. It was love at first sight. He proposed to her a few weeks later, and she immediately agreed. But it wasn’t that easy. Seretse was an African prince, studying law to prepare for his responsibilities as king of the Bangwato nation in his native Bechuanaland (present-day Botswana). And bringing home a White wife, who would become his queen, flew in the face of his people’s traditions. Even his beloved uncle, Tshekedi, who had been acting as regent since Seretse’s father died, was firmly against the idea. The couple’s marriage plans caused disruption in Ruth’s family too. Following her experiences in the War, Ruth was in the vanguard of women who felt liberated to seek a larger role in the world. It set her in conflict with her father, who disapproved of the interracial match; he threatened to throw her out of his house. Their problems became even more complicated. The British government (via the Bishop of London) moved to prevent the couple getting married in church. They went to a registry office instead, but the government continued to oppose them, fearful of the destabilising effect their marriage might have in the colonies of its Empire. In South Africa, which shared a border with Bechuanaland and where the infamous
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apartheid racial segregation laws were about to be introduced, the reaction was furious; its government threatened to withhold access to its gold and uranium from Britain. Even when the couple reached Bechuanaland, the reception was chilly. Tshekedi could not disguise his displeasure with Seretse, and Ruth was received with cool hostility by his wife and Seretse’s sister, Naledi. Negotiations continued about whether Seretse was fit to be king. The couple endured forced separations; ironically, at one point, Seretse was alone in London, arguing his case with the British government, while Ruth was alone in Bechuanaland. But the couple never faltered in their resolve to live as man and wife in a country of their choosing. And gradually Ruth’s steadfast support of Seretse, in the face of overwhelming opposition to his rule, and her persistent efforts to engage with her new community, won over the Bangwato, while Seretse’s principled stand earned him the respect of both the British and his own people - including his uncle. Over the years, and with Ruth by his side, Seretse transformed his nation, leading it from being one of the poorest countries in the world to one of its more prosperous, from being a monarchy to a democracy. In 1966, Bechuanaland finally achieved independence as the Republic of Botswana. By believing in the power of their love, Ruth and Seretse transformed their nation, paved the road to change in modern Africa and inspired the world.
Amma Asante
‘A UNITED KINGDOM’ premieres at the 60th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival, which runs from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 16 October 2016, and will be in UK cinemas on 25 November.
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FEATURE 27
WHY COPYRIGHT MATTERS Is your church setting a moral and legal example in its use of copyright material? We look at the options available to help ensure you’re covered
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ith churches increasingly using multimedia technology such as computer projection in their worship, and music and video in their outreach and social activities, understanding the copyright implications can be a significant challenge. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 provides copyright owners with economic and moral rights in their work. These protect them against unauthorised changes and means they are entitled to be paid when their work is used by others. There is the potential for heavy fines for copyright infringement as a church in the UK recently discovered when they published a poem online without permission from the publisher.
musicians and singers (e.g. by email, using apps such as DropBox or via a network of screens). Playing and performing music Music played or performed within Acts of Worship (e.g. regular services) or weddings/ funerals does not currently require the cover of a performance licence. However, playing music for entertainment or ambiance in activities such as youth clubs, coffee mornings, socials and outreach events does require permission. As an agent for PRS for Music and PPL, CCLI offers two licences that permit music to be played on church premises.
Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) exists to support the Church in this area, providing licences tailored for churches on behalf of song owners and other copyright agencies. Where CCLI can’t help, they usually know who can. With their help we’ve looked at the common areas of church life where copyright should be a consideration.
Understanding copyright in church can be a significant challenge
Projecting or Reproducing Song words Many churches now project song words or create their own service sheets. The Church Copyright Licence (CCL) from CCLI permits you to legally reproduce/project the words and music to most hymns and worship songs. This licence also allows you to audio/video record services as a keepsake or for those unable to attend. A supplement to the CCL, the Music Reproduction Licence (MRL) permits churches to photocopy or scan from music-publications, or distribute digital sheet music files to
The PRS for Music Church Licence allows you to hold up to six live concerts/recitals per year. When playing commercial music recordings (such as CDs or MP3s), both a PRS for Music Church Licence and the PPL Church Licence are required as each licence covers different rights within a recorded work. If you record services during which music recordings are played (known as dubbing), or if you wish to record and distribute copies of a wedding or concert, you may require a Limited Manufacture Licence directly from PRS for Music: prsformusic.com/lm.
Showing films and TV programmes Showing films is a great way to bring teaching to life or to engage with those outside the church in a culturally relevant way. With CCLI’s Church Video Licence (CVL) you can show films from most of the top studios/producers. You’ll also require a PRS for Music licence to cover the soundtrack for films shown outside of Acts of Worship. To show a TV broadcast you’ll need a standard TV Licence plus both the PRS for Music and PPL licences. Photocopying The CLA Church Licence from CCLI permits you to photocopy non-music publications such as magazines, study guides and children’s activity books. To photocopy from newspapers you’ll require a licence directly from the Newspaper Licensing Agency: nlamediaaccess.com. Websites and social media Before publishing images, songs, videos and other creative works on a website or social media page you should always obtain permission from the owners. If you stream services or create podcasts, you may require a Limited Online Music Licence directly from PRS for Music: www.prsformusic.com/loml. You should also ask the permission of all speakers and musicians etc. before recording their ‘performance’.
Get a copyright review You’ll find lots more information on CCLI’s website: ccli.com. However, because every church is different, we recommend contacting CCLI to check you’re correctly covered. Call 01323 436100 or email: uk@ccli.com
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
28 COMMENT
ESTHER KUKU
is presenter of Premier Gospel’s Family Hour, which airs every Saturday from 11am-12pm
Do churches keep Black Christian women single? It's worth reflecting on this much-debated topic as we focus on Black History Month
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iscussions around the reason people ‘remain’ single for a long time are fascinating. I have said it here before: my desire was to get married at 25 and have four children. When I was 25, my husband was married to someone else and not saved, so that wasn’t going to happen. It was not God’s plan for me to be married in my twenties. For some, God has ordained marriage and motherhood early. For others, the gift of marriage and the blessing of children will come later. Historically, there have always been more women in church than men, so there are challenges. Plus, I have spoken to many Black women, who feel that some churches preach the message: ‘Serve God in His house and your husband will find you’. They served faithfully, waited and waited - but didn't necessarily do anything to help themselves while waiting. Now they feel like the gift of marriage and children has passed them by. But can we blame the Church for this? I have also come across some interesting doctrines over the years that have women dressed in unflattering clothes, no make-up, and hair that could do with a makeover. This could actually make you less attractive and less approachable. Don’t blame church if you’re unwittingly making yourself invisible on a Sunday morning. Can church really keep an individual single, when it is not the responsibility of a pastor to ensure that we get married? The church is not matchdot.com. The real question is: What exactly are you attending church for? To get stuff or to grow spiritually? It’s the responsibility of a minister to preach the Word of God without compromise. It is our responsibility to practise what we have heard and, more importantly, study the Word for ourselves. It’s our actions and the decisions we make that will determine the course of our love lives. Single women need to look like royalty, pray, and then wait on His timing. In addition to this, enjoy life - go out and practically position yourself to be ‘found’. What the church can do is help to make women ready for marriage with practical teaching. It’s amazing how many women expect to meet their husband in the church they attend. The Find us on Twitter: @KeepTheFaithmag
reality is you could meet your spouse anywhere. Don’t limit God. We need to hear this more. There are a lot of women’s conferences, but the Church could help by focusing more on male discipleship. If you have lots of women who are all fired up for God, and the men don’t share that same zeal, we have an imbalance in church: the knock-on affect will be fewer men wanting to commit to marriage, simply because they don’t understand what true commitment is. In some cultures, marriage is a priority. Asian communities, for example, don’t delay in starting families. In fact, while their children are studying, the parents are busy liaising with suitable families in order to find an appropriate match for their children. This is not old fashioned; it is a recognition of the investment they have made as parents. They have no intention of seeing that investment squandered by the potential poor choices of their children who ‘think they’re in love’. Young Asian women today are not forced to accept their parents’ choice, but the wise ones will be guided by them. African communities place a similar priority on marriage and family. As a result, these men are more likely to proactively search for a wife.
'It’s our actions and the decisions we make that will determine the course of our love lives' Am I advocating arranged marriage? No, but I am suggesting ‘strategic intentionality’. I see many more Asian and African women married in their twenties than I do Caribbean women. And, being West Indian myself, I know that intentionality is lacking in our community. The desire is there but the assumption is it will just happen. Nothing ‘just happens’. That’s why some women, sadly, feel they have been left with nothing. They did ‘nothing’ other than pray and be overly prescriptive about the type of man they want - meaning that any man who was right for them, but
didn’t fit their ‘ideal’, didn’t stand a chance. As godly Black women and men raising the next generation, we need to focus on changing this rather than blaming the church. Having said all this, nothing can alter God’s plan. If you desire to get married it can happen for you. It doesn’t matter whether you are 25 or 50 - and the colour of your skin is irrelevant. He is the God who said in Genesis 2:18 that ‘it is not good for man to live alone’. He is the God who provided a husband for Ruth, a foreign widow in Israel. He is the same God; He has not forgotten you. Nothing is too hard for Him. Get out of your comfort zone and meet people, be intentional. Get rid of the carnal mindset that says, “I am from here, so my husband has to come from this part of the world too.” I am West Indian and my husband is Nigerian; it works because God is a perfect matchmaker. The devil knows the power that two people have when they get married. He will try to derail us with excuses and debates that lead us nowhere, except to feelings of disappointment and resentment. Let’s commit to being history changers and reverse the statistics. If you’re married, and your brother or sister isn’t, keep your eyes open and be intentional about practically supporting them to find their spouse. Arrange dinner parties, attend events with them, be relaxed about it, and then allow God to do the rest. God bless you. love God, love life, love people. Twitter: @mew36
COMMENT 29
Prepared for another Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray or are we just hiding under the bedclothes? REV STEPHEN BROOKS
National Development Manager for Excell 3 www.excell3.com
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he UK Government recently allocated £2.4m for safeguarding churches, as a result of the Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray attack. However, this only covers physical and technical aspects of security, and will go a very short way when spread across all of the churches in England and Wales. Consequently, there is a greater need for self-funded behavioural planning and training rather than for physical or technical improvements. Behavioural improvements are key, as they are unobtrusive and reflect the desire for a more open and welcoming church atmosphere (so less CCTV, fewer fences, locks, etc).
Father Jacques Hamel
Mark Rowley, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations, gives clear guidance on responding to an incident involving a terrorist or disturbed individual who wants to commit harm to the public: “Run as far away as possible and, when you can’t run any further, hide, and then call the police, because we’ve got the people, the resources, the firearms to deal with it.” Being able to recognise a threat is as important as responding to that threat. Only with proper and frequent training can a church security team be truly effective. A good security team needs to plan and prepare to deal with issues, such as an armed individual under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and/or having mental illness issues, unruly demonstrators, necessary evacuations or medical emergencies, as well as any other potential threats. Dealing with disruptive behaviour, such as shouting, cursing or trying to take control of services, must be dealt with quickly and with as little disruption as possible. A security team must train and practise in advance for such events. Car park security is as important to prepare and train for as inside security. Visitors to our churches need to feel confident that they will be safe and secure while attending church. The car park security
staff ideally would be the first to observe any potential threats entering the church grounds. Other responsibilities for a security team can include protection and monitoring of any children and youth areas, maintenance of first aid kits and emergency equipment, as well as providing security for special events. Self-determined actions are key, as it could prove to be fatal if expecting that the emergency services will be present straightaway - they may take some time to arrive; not being sufficiently equipped initially to deal with an armed threat; having to undertake initial incident scoping, and forming multi-agency command teams to agree a response. A comprehensive behavioural plan will also facilitate preparation for difficult issues as: • isolated parishioners at risk from the intruder • the need to shelter from the intruder who has appeared in the grounds • the necessity to evacuate the premises and grounds, to place distance between the threat and potential victims The acid test of any counter-intruder response plan to deal with an active shooter or a Marauding Terrorist Firearms Attack (MTFA) is: Has it been written from the basis of what the attacker would do, why they would do it, and how they would do it? If not, then it has been written from the perspective of what the author would wish or expect to achieve, and that poses a serious problem, as anyone who has dealt with a situation involving an aggressor knows that the perpetrator has a vote in the outcome, too. Indeed, plans often do not specify what is to be physically done if an intruder actually attacks staff and parishioners, causing casualties, and isolates people from places of potential safety. Of course, plans talk in general terms about Run, Hide and Tell, but that does not help when you are stuck in a church trying to find a way out with your fellow parishioners, and are being attacked by an armed intruder (BWM Consulting Ltd). It can be difficult to convince church leaders to invest in church security. It has been said: “Surely God will protect us in His house? Why not just rely on local police and medical response teams in case of an emergency?” I believe that God expects us to be prepared and protect ourselves. Throughout the Old Testament, God depended on His warriors to fight the
battles and protect the people (Nehemiah 4:9). So, what can be done? Whilst the odds of an incident affecting a particular site amongst the 50,000 churches in the UK is extremely low, it is possible, and therefore it should be appreciated that the most cost-effective enhancement is based in an accurate plan and sufficient training. As it takes years to gain the skills, knowledge and, most importantly, the experience to plan and train an effective counter-intruder response, together with the ability to think like an intruder, it is pointless to try to get church staff to try to write such detailed plans. Therefore, the only realistic option is to engage a professional with the above qualities to assist with the formulation of the counter-intruder plan, and to deliver the subsequent training. Experience has shown that companies, such as BWM Consulting Ltd, provide such products.
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Why choose East Sussex Country Council’s Adoption Service? “From the original caseworkers through to our final social worker, adopting with East Sussex was a really positive experience.” Kes and Lee, Eastbourne
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• • • • • •
East Sussex offers a welcoming, supportive, efficient service, which is rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. We welcome all would be adopters within 30 minutes of our border We always consider East Sussex approved adopters first when finding families for our children. We help our approved adopters to match with children from anywhere in the country. East Sussex has built up strong links with other Adoption Agencies across the region so that we can link our children and adopters more quickly. We offer an excellent range of post adoption support services.
“By adopting, you are giving a child hope of a fantastic future – a better future maybe than they could have expected.” Barrie, Uckfield Come and speak to us to find out more at our Adoption Week Information Event on the 22nd October Visit our website eastsussex.gov.uk/adoption Email registertoadopt@eastsussex.gov.uk call 0300 330 9470
Adopt a child today and change tomorrow At Adopters for Adoption our straight forward process ensures that you’re well prepared and fully supported throughout your adoption journey. Why Adopters for Adoption?
Who can adopt a child?
We were set up by people with first-hand experience of adoption and understand exactly what it’s like to go through the process.
We’re committed to seeing the potential in all applicants and actively encourage enquiries from a diverse range of people.
T: 0800 5877 791 E: contactus@adoptersforadoption.com www.adoptersforadoption.com Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
Work from home - be a foster carer Foster carer Suzette Richards-Selano has been doing the job for 11 years, but she is the first to admit that she is still learning – and still loving every minute of it. Suzette cares for children aged five to 18 years old on a respite basis, which means she looks after youngsters - usually over a weekend to give the rest of the family a break, and to allow them to catch up on family life. She has supported other foster carers with difficult placements; supported school pick-ups as a back-up carer, and has had mother-andbaby placements. While Suzette does not have overnight stays, she does act as an advocate for the child or young person. When Suzette is asked to help a family, a plan is put in place that is designed to help the young person with the difficulties they are experiencing while, at the same time, providing respite for the parents. “The idea is to ensure that when the young person returns home there is more understanding in place,” she explained. Where the family relationship breaks down, Suzette’s role is to minimise any long-term damage, and to try to prevent it becoming a total breakdown with the person going into care. On a Saturday or Sunday, they choose an
activity and spend time with Suzette at her home. Suzette has a passion for fashion; she completed her degree as an award winner, and now has her own label. It’s a love that Suzette has shared with the people who have spent time with her. “I love to share my creative passions with the young people I help, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to hear that they have decided to pursue fashion, either just as an interest or in their GCSE or A-level studies,” she commented. The younger of Suzette’s two sons was six years old when she started fostering and is now 17, so he has grown accustomed to people coming into the house for support. “Now that he is older, he is interested in trying to help and support the children or young people who visit the house,” Suzette explained. “He has lived with it, so it comes naturally to him. “The rest of my family are the same - always supportive and asking after the people they have met in the past.” As well as fashion, Suzette loves keeping fit, and enjoys long walks with friends as well as reading. She explained: “The best thing about being a foster carer is walking down the street, hearing My name is
Follow one of our carers, Hanora, Follow onetrack of our on the fast carers, Hanora, to fostering on the fast track to fostering
Hanora McCool.
a young person shout my name, and seeing the smile on their face as they run up and chat to me. “More than anything else, I love knowing that what I did counted, and that I had the opportunity to be an influence in their life. “I also love it when they come back to visit. They put their foot inside the threshold of the door but generally they don’t say too much; they just come into the house. It is as if nothing needs to be said, and that they just need some time to catch up and recharge their emotional batteries. “Then they leave and continue on their way.” To find out more about fostering, along with the support and training the Council can offer, visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/fostering or call 020 8753 1057 or 0800 169 3497. Work from home.
I am 61 years old and a mother of five children My name is and six grandchildren aged Hanora McCool. from six to 21 years I am 61 years old and with two more on and a mother of the way. five children and six Igrandchildren have been a Foster Carer for 28 aged years and have fostered 194 children. from six to 21 years I have been approved to care for and with two more on three children from 0 to 11 years. the way. It is the most rewarding job I have I havedone, beenand a Foster forit28 ever even Carer though can years and haveand fostered children. be hard work often 194 challenging, II have been approved to care for couldn’t imagine doing any other three children from 0 to 11 years. job. It is theattended most rewarding job I have I have many training ever done, even though itmy can courses andand have completed be hard work and challenging, Level 3 Diploma inoften Childcare. I have Ialso couldn’t imagine doing any other received excellent support from job. my supervising social worker and my extended family.many I would say that I have attended training having good support network coursesaand have completed my is essential. Level 3 Diploma in Childcare. I have also received excellent support from my supervising social worker and my extended family. I would say that having a good support network is essential.
Freephone 0800 169 3497
Telephone 020 8753 1057
Fostering information morning 13 October 2016 Thursday 10am–12noon Kensington Town Hall Hornton Street, London W8 7NX
Fostering information evening 10 November 2016 Thursday 6pm–8pm Westminster City Hall Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP
For more events visit www.lbhf.gov.uk /fostering www.rbkc.gov.uk/fostering www.westminster.gov.uk/fostering /adoptionandfostering
Fostering information evening 15 September 2016 Thursday 6pm–8pm Westminster City Hall Victoria Street,
Fostering information morning 13 October 2016 Thursday 10am–12noon Kensington Town Hall Hornton Street,
Fostering information evening 10 November 2016 Thursday 6pm–8pm Westminster City Hall Victoria Street,
For more events visit www.lbhf.gov.uk /fostering www.rbkc.gov.uk/fostering www.westminster.gov.uk/fostering /adoptionandfostering
Telephone 020 8753 1057
• A network of fostering peers and professionals is always there to help and advise you.
Work from home. • Free training in fostering skills and higher qualifications is Be arelated foster carer. ongoing. • A network of fostering peers and • You are paid aisweekly professionals alwaysfinancial there to help allowance the child(ren), plus a and advisefor you. fee for yourself. • Free training in fostering skills and • You need a spare room in your higher related qualifications is home, and parenting or childcare ongoing. experience. • You are paid a weekly financial allowance for the child(ren), The London Borough ofplus a fee for yourself. & Fulham, the Hammersmith
Royal of Kensington • You needBorough a spare room in your and Chelsea and Westminster home, and parenting or childcare City Council have agreed to experience. offer a council tax grant as an whoofbecome incentive to those The London Borough foster carers and who arethe Hammersmith & Fulham, living in one of of theKensington three Royal Borough boroughs. and Chelsea and Westminster City Council have agreed to Foster play vital role offer acarers council taxagrant as an in our communities providing become incentive to those who loving and supportive homes foster carers and who are for ourinchildren andthree young living one of the people. boroughs. Foster carers play a vital role in our communities providing loving and supportive homes for our children and young people.
fostering@rbkc.gov.uk
Fostering information evening 15 September 2016 Thursday 6pm–8pm Westminster City Hall Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP
Freephone 0800 169 3497
Be a foster carer.
fostering@rbkc.gov.uk www.keepthefaith.co.uk
32 INSPIRATION
PARKER J COLE
is an International bestselling author. For more information visit her website www.parkerjcole.com
The other side of
temptation Recently, I heard I song by Kevin LeVar called ‘Your Destiny’. It is a wonderful, yet powerful song about how one’s destiny, as ordained by God, is too important to give up for anything. The song is an example of a sermon to a catchy beat I’m sure every one of us can relate to. There’s a lyric to the song that resonates within me. It’s a simple verse that says, “Waiting on the other side of temptation…” That simple lyric got me thinking hard. What is ‘waiting on the other side of temptation’? After all, temptation lures us because we want it so bad. Whether it’s another man, another woman, money, drugs, a euphoric high from some addictive bad habit… We want that because of the pleasure we receive from it. Temptations are more or less temporary pleasures rooted in our sinful nature. For myself, I’ll never be tempted to drink alcohol because that is something that won’t give me pleasure; however, if you set a nice, soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie in front of me, I’ll succumb. If you set twelve of them in front of me, I may eat the whole pack. Simply put, the lures are something individually catered to who we are. It could be drug addiction, porn addiction, fornication, sexual deviance, adultery, gluttony (greediness), the love of money, the love of power and control. Whatever it is, there are events and devices that will tempt us to partake of the glowing, flashy, rotted fruit. Yet, on the other side of temptation, that’s the real reward. On the other side of drug addiction is the freedom to be your own person, not controlled by a substance. On the other side of porn addiction, is a spouse God has given you to delve into, to become ‘one flesh’ unencumbered by a computer screen. On the other side of fornication is self-control. On the other side of sexual deviance is a wholesome relationship blessed by God. On the other side of adultery is faithfulness. On the other side of gluttony is generosity. On the other side of control is service. On the other side of temptation is the true reward God has for you – a life abundantly blessed through obedience to Him. In my books, I deal with topics a lot of church people feel uncomfortable about – possibly because many of us among the saints have thoughts and desires that relate to these things. Perhaps we’ve even taken a bite of that rotted fruit that shines so brightly. Thankfully, God gave us a way out. Even if we succumb, on the other side of temptation is redemption through Christ Jesus. In other words, we don’t have to stay on this side of temptation. The glorious reward is on the other side of it. I’ll leave with the lyric from an old, but familiar hymn. Be blessed. “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. Each victory will help you, some other to win.”
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INSPIRATION 33
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE GOD’S REST
BY DEBORAH LASSITER
W
hen you’ve had enough with life, who do you run to when you are feeling discouraged, frustrated or trapped? Prior to me having a personal relationship with God, I have to admit I ran to every friend, every family member and every church member that would listen to me, in the hope of finding some kind of relief for my woes. Unfortunately, the lament that I often poured out onto loved ones was one-sided and, frankly, however I remembered the situation I was going through, any advice provided to me never really seemed to help or give me peace. The restless nights, combined with the early morning stress, took their toll on me, leaving me depleted in physical strength and mental exhaustion. I will never forget when I needed to speak to my sister and, due to her needing to spend more time with her daughter, she could not talk to me as much that day. I nearly collapsed on the floor! What was I going to do without my daily source of conversation which I leaned on for encouragement? My sister had often poured into me while she built me up and encouraged me, and now it appeared as if I was not going to have that or, worse, I would have to wait. What do you do when the things and people you have leaned on to make it through the day, can no longer be there for you, or play the role you have designed for them to play in your life? Who do you look to for replenishment and renewal of mind and spirit, so that you too can function without the tsunami of emotions threatening to take you down on a daily basis? I had no choice but to really lean on the triune God for guidance and strength, rather than rely on the smoke-and-mirror commitment I had offered to God previously. You know the kind of relationship: where you have one foot in and the other foot out, and you’re ready to dash back to your old life at a moment’s notice if God makes a ‘false move’ or doesn’t do what you want Him to do. It is funny the rules and terms we place on God, attempting to coerce,
manipulate, or force Him to follow through on our requests: ‘He had better quickly resolve our situations, or else we won’t follow Him nor believe in Him anymore.’ I have to ask, how is that genie in a lamp working out for you? Has he appeared yet? Probably not… I didn’t know it then, but when my sister could not speak to me that day, it was an opportunity for God to be the King of my life. It was an opportunity for God and me to start afresh and, because I was in need emotionally, spiritually and physically, God actually had my full attention and He could teach me, mould me and guide me as He had been longing to do. What do you do when you have occupied every waking moment with stuff - like texting, working, stress, doubt, school events, play dates, friends, travelling, arguing and fighting - that you have left little to no room to talk to God? What do you do when you look back over your life, and discover that you never asked God for His thoughts about any of the choices you made, but you were all too eager to blame Him for the outcome of all that has gone wrong? It is no wonder, as people, that we find ourselves depleted and exhausted, like I had been, for we have filled our lives with places and faces, and not enough devotion, reverence and obedience to God. For Jesus said, “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). When I discovered this Scripture in a consignment shop (similar to second-hand shop/pawn brokers here), all I could do was purchase it and cry as I placed it on a wall in my home. In the past, I had run to everyone but Jesus for peace, tranquility and reassurance, but Jesus said to come to Him, something I
was not always doing nor trusting. Who are you going to and applying pressure on, begging to save you when they are no saviour? Who are you running to, hoping to heal you, instead of going to the One who died for you and was born to save you? This Scripture continues to bring comfort to me, because it is only He who can calm your nerves; it is only He who can make it better; it is only He who knows the full story, and it is only He who can cradle you, kiss your forehead, and carry you in the eye of the storm. Jesus promises that He will give you rest, and the only thing you need to do is believe and trust in Him.
...it is because of Jesus that I am no longer burdened nor weary, neither lost nor in need of the various opinions and advice to make it through the day. I ran to Jesus that day and I have never looked back. I ran to Him and rested at His feet; He picked me up and held me, loved me and told me it was all going to be okay. For it is because of Jesus that I am no longer burdened nor weary, neither lost nor in need of the various opinions and advice to make it through the day. All I can do is bow my head and praise God, for His promises are as solid as rock, and His words are the lamp unto my feet. Thank You, Jesus, for showing me, in Your arms, that there is nothing like God’s rest.
Deborah Lassiter is Founder of DCL Ministries www.dclministries.com Facebook: beyondthefaceofthemovies Dovetales Radio show host: www.blogtalkradio.com/pjcmedia Twitter: @DCLMinistries Google+: D.C.Lassiter
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
34 INSPIRATION
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING IF YOU SAY ‘YES’ JOY ROXBOROUGH
is a creative industries professional, writer and entrepreneur. Email joyroxborough@yahoo.com
W
hen Olivia Amartey was 16 years old, her friend from school invited her to a church service – one of those good ol’ time Gospel crusades. Olivia went and that’s when it all began… On the first night, when the altar call was given, Olivia – out of curiosity, she admits now – went forward. “I don’t even know why I went,” she said. “I just went, but the experience was amazing! Right there, that night, I was sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. Looking back at it now, I can only say it must have been like Paul’s conversion experience. It felt as if someone had flicked the switch on and let the light flood my entire being.” Olivia spent the rest of her teenage years and early adulthood serving in a number of church ministries with the Church of God of Prophecy: youth leadership, women’s ministry, teaching and preaching. Fast forward to 2012. Olivia had achieved a lot in both her personal and spiritual life. She was a rising professional in the NHS; she was active in her local church, and she had founded a charity - Martha’s Oasis - that was successfully working to build self-esteem among vulnerable teenaged girls who were at risk of dropping out of school or becoming pregnant. Despite all this, Olivia had had a difficult year and felt herself at a crossroad. “What do I want to do?” she asked herself, as well as the Lord. Olivia had always felt that there was a call from God on her life, but she was uncertain of what that entailed. She surmised that it could probably mean something in the business field or para-church work. With the uncertainty mounting, she spent the next few months praying for direction, during which she told God that she would do whatever He wanted her to do. She would even go into the ministry if that’s what He wanted but, even though Olivia knew she had a gift for leading people, and even though she was uncertain of which path to take, she knew that she did not want to be a pastor. At the end of her months of prayer, Olivia decided that she would honour God by working hard to reach the top of her field in the NHS, and that she would relaunch Martha’s Oasis. But God had other plans. One day, Mark Ryan, Senior Pastor at Birmingham City Church, where Olivia was a member and church elder, said to her, “I think
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Olivia pictured with Rev Chris Cartwright, General Superintendent of Elim Pentecostal Churches
you ought to think about going into the ministry. My door is open. Come and talk to me about it?” “What?” Olivia thought. “I’m almost 50. That’s a bit too old to seriously be thinking about ministerial studies, isn’t it?” Nevertheless, Olivia discussed it with her Pastor, and also tested the thoughts with other godly individuals. However, it was when Bishop Wilton Powell, from her former Church of God of Prophecy, approached her one day and said, “I don’t understand why you are not in ministry. What are you waiting for?” that Olivia finally thought there might be something to this after all. Excitement tinged Olivia’s voice as she said, “The rest is history.” After three gruelling years of study, alongside full-time work, the responsibilities of being a single mother and pioneering a church in her third year of study, Pastor Olivia Amartey emerged, earlier this year, as a fully fledged minister from the Elim Regents Theological Bible College. “God has been so faithful all the way,” Olivia said. “He has sent confirmations, opened doors, provided people to mentor and encourage me, and has unfolded His plan. It is not my doing. “It was especially nerve wracking for me to even consider the possibility of pioneering a church during my studies. As an experienced project manager, I had to have all the steps planned out, all the resources in place, but this was not the case where the church plant project was concerned. Yet, the sense of calling to do it at that time just would not leave.”
Olivia explained that she prayed about it and discussed it with a trusted friend, and finally shelved the idea. But then, a few days later, Pastor Nigel Tween telephoned her and asked, “Have you thought about planting a church?” He offered to support her on it, but it wasn’t until his third phone call that Olivia realised she could not allow fear to stop her from taking the plunge. “So many significant things happened along the way,” Olivia said. “We could not even find a suitable venue, but when we approached the school governors at Q3 Academy in Great Barr, we were told that they had been praying for years for a church to be planted in the school! “Crosspoint Church was planted in May 2015, and it is amazing to see how far God has brought us in one year. We have grown from 10 people to between 60 and 70, with 15 children, on a typical Sunday. We’ve had weddings, christenings, baptisms and have even sent someone to Kenya to scope the field in preparation for sending out our first short-term missionaries next year. “And we are about to launch the Crosspoint Hub in the Scott Arms Shopping Centre, right in the heart of Great Barr – in between two betting shops! It will be an excellent venue to host community events with the aim of reaching even more people.” Pastor Amartey added, “It is my passion to see people come to Jesus. I could have missed a great opportunity to see lives changed if I had not said ‘Yes’. God can take you at your most vulnerable, and use you to create fabulous things if you lay aside fear and simply say ‘Yes’.”
LIFESTYLE 35
Time to pause and take stock BY GLADYS FAMORIYO
www.gladysf.com
R
ecently, I was recounting to someone how Father had asked me to pull back and be still for a while. The person’s response was, “If you are in a position to do that, fine!” As I tried to explain, it became apparent that the person did not ‘get’ the notion of stepping back, much less waiting on God to see what He had to say. I walked away from the conversation, feeling like the person thought perhaps I had lost the plot. Worst still, that the notion of pausing and being still was simply a luxury one could not afford in this day and time, especially with our bulging to-do lists, roles and responsibilities, distractions, etc – all which would seem to keep us busy for eternity.
The busy-driven life
The conversation got me thinking about our journeys as Christians. Life is so fast-paced, even in some of our churches (dare I say) that there is no thinking space, much less time to pause. I remember speaking to a group of ladies about the notion of the ‘Sabbath rest’ and they just fell to pieces laughing at me. Judging by their reaction, I was convinced they thought I was from another planet, because they looked at me in bewilderment and said, “What about church?” By that, they were not referring to the attendance of church but ‘running church’, as they were all very much involved in one way or another. All the responses I have mentioned so far don’t surprise me, however, as this seems to be the norm or status quo. The work/life/church balance for many of us is out of whack! If we are not exhausted, running ragged, running on empty, disillusioned, stressed out, falling apart at the seems, perhaps we think we need to be working harder. We are just simply too busy living and serving God that there seems to be no room to check in with the One we claim to love, serve and follow. Ask me, how do I know this?
Benefits of pausing
Notwithstanding, I am an avid proponent of walking in step with God, like two close friends.
For this to happen, we need to slow down, press pause and sit at His feet. This in itself has a two-fold benefit. One is that we get to experience Matthew 11:28-30 firsthand, by taking our cues from Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Secondly, we get the much-needed guidance and instructions for the next phase of our journey – be it for our Christian walk, our professional or personal lives. As an advocate and regular participant of pausing and being still, I know only too well the benefits this brings. Without this, we run the risk of running ourselves ragged, missing out on the wonderful benefits of Matthew 11:28-30 and on the joys of the John 10:10 life. Worst still, we run the risk of relying on our own strength, wisdom and understanding whilst (foolishly) trying to navigate the journeys of our lives, when in actual fact, God is the One who needs to be at the helm of our ships, navigating us through the high seas, stormy seasons and everything thing else life throws at us.
Questions to ask yourself
God has a route and pathway for our lives, and it is down to us to seek it out by remaining close enough to Him. So let us not think we have all the answers, because our greatest illuminations pale into insignificance when compared to God’s own wisdom (Isaiah 50:10-11). We need to remain in Him to grow and be effective (John 15). Better still, our salvation and strength only come when we return to Him, rest in Him, and confidently trust Him (Isaiah 30:15-16). Brother/sister, it’s the only way! So, take some time out to stop, pause and ask for directions for the way ahead. You don’t have the answers. Listen out for the voice of your Teacher, and He will direct your ways (Isaiah 30:21).
So my questions to you are as follows: • When last did you take the time to pause and listen for His Voice? Just in case you are wondering, He still speaks! • If our Father were to speak to you now, would you recognise His voice? (PS: God has 101 ways - and that’s being modest - of communicating with us, in addition to dreams, visions, nature, songs, movies, etc.) • And here is the biggie: What if Father were to tell you to pause, come aside or change direction, right at the height/peak of whatever it is you are doing. Would you drop it all in answer to His bidding? You may want to prayerfully reflect on your responses, as there is a chance He may have been trying to catch your attention. Also, your responses give an indication of the true state of your heart.
'Life is so fast-paced, even in some of our churches (dare I say) that there is no thinking space, much less time to pause.' In closing…
I encourage you not to fall into the trap Judah did, when God warned them in Jeremiah 6:16-17, which says: “Go stand at the crossroads and look around. Ask for directions to the old road, The tried-and-true road. Then take it. Discover the right route for your souls. But they said, ‘Nothing doing. We aren’t going that way.’” (MSG)
By Gladys Famoriyo - Speaker and Author of ‘Bounce Back!’, ‘Quit Hiding, Start Living!’, ‘Healing A Discouraged Heart’ and ‘Overcoming Emotional Baggage’.
36 LIFESTYLE
FINDING HOPE WHEN PREGNANCY ENDS SADLY BY FUNKE OHAM
I
opened my eyes to a room full of medics, and heard the Registrar telling me, “There is no heartbeat”. Nothing prepared me for this. How could I walk into hospital a few hours before, under monitoring, and my first baby pass away just like that? As the days, weeks and months progressed, I posed a lot of questions to the hospital, myself and to God. I was informed I had experienced sudden pre-eclampsia, leading to a placental abruption and then a stillbirth. Not once did it cross my mind that some pregnancies never end happily. It was difficult to comprehend, as it had taken me sixteen months to conceive; my family and friends were all waiting for this baby. The hardest part was having to break the news over and over again to different people. A few months later, we decided to try for another baby. We were over the moon when I conceived quickly. I decided not to tell anyone till I had gone past the halfway mark. Around the time I was 22 weeks pregnant, I called my parents and informed them. They were so happy. My husband and I decided I would stop work at six months, and rest at home to ensure a safe delivery of our daughter. In my 23rd week, one day whilst at work, I started to feel an intermittent pain. By 8pm that evening the pain was unbearable, and I began to suspect labour. The midwife dismissed my claim when we got to the hospital. On checking, I was informed I was fully dilated. By 11.23pm that night, our daughter Faith was born. Could someone pinch me and tell me this was not happening? Despite this, I had faith
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she would live. By 8am the following morning, I was told we should hold her as she was slipping away. She had suffered a brain haemorrhage and was in too much pain. I told my husband, “I can’t do this anymore”. But God in His faithfulness changed our story. That same year (December 24 at 10.30am) our son Jeremiah was born full term. Three years and 13 weeks later we were blessed with another son, Isaiah.
I would like to share with you some things that kept me sane, hopeful and trusting, despite what I went through. Through reflection, the Word of God and a particular message, I realised God was not my problem. I had to repent of my belief that God had let me down. I realised God loved me so much and He is good (Psalm 100:5, Psalm 119:68, Mark 10:18). Secondly, His Word never lies - no matter what I see in the natural.
Jeremiah 29:11 was a word He gave me on my 17th birthday. Another Scripture He gave me was Isaiah 41:10 - a week after my first loss. So those Scriptures became a reality. God reassured me I was not alone, and made it evident in many ways through these Bible verses: Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 43:2, Hebrews 13:5 and Psalm 86:7. He also brought us the right consultant after our experience and it made a difference. Hearing specifically from God regarding my future (through a rhema word) was very vital to building my faith and hope in God. While I was waiting I praised - even if it meant with tears. I prayed, supported others with children, and continued to serve in church. Research in the UK shows around 1 in 7 couples may have difficulties in conceiving (NHS). Eleven babies are stillborn every day in the UK (SANDS). I realised God wanted to turn my pain into purpose, and to support others through their journey (2 Corinthians 1:4). Through my journey, I have come to accept life as a Christian is not a bed of roses. Challenges will take different forms but in all things we are more than conquerors. It is important we don’t lose our praise and faith when the storm comes, and remember that there is indeed purpose in pain. Poh Fang Chia wrote: ‘In moments when we don’t understand God’s ways, we need to trust His unchanging character’. We should look at our circumstances from the framework of God’s character, instead of looking at God’s character from the context of our own circumstances.
LIFESTYLE 37
Each year, the 9th-15th October is Baby Loss Awareness Week, whereby bereaved parents, family members and friends can commemorate the all-too-brief lives of their babies, knowing that thousands of other families elsewhere in the world will be doing the same. Funke has organised the Baby Conference on 8th October,
which is being held at Woodford Green - All Saints Church, Inmans Row, Woodford Green, IG8 0NH. The event will bring together women and men, who have experienced baby loss, are trying to conceive or trying again for a baby. It will be an interactive afternoon of sharing stories, discussions and presentations from organisations addressing these issues, and a Q & A session chaired by fertility experts and consultants. There will also be a time for worship and prayer. The aim is that you can connect with others who have walked in your shoes, share what’s on your mind, and get advice, support and encouragement. Come along, tell others who have been there or are there, and let us walk this road together! For more information, visit www.thebabyconference. eventbrite.co.uk or email alwaysamum@gmail.com.
www.keepthefaith.co.uk
38 LIFESTYLE
RAJ HOLNESS
is Director of Breaking the Silence (BTSUK) Ltd. Visit www.btsuk.org for more information
Breaking the Silence T
wo women are killed every week as a result of domestic violence. Raj Holness, recipient of the 2016 West Midlands Community Champion Asian Business Award, came close on several occasions to being included in those statistics. But, three months shy of her 21st birthday, Raj made the life-changing decision to walk away. She went on to pioneering work that helped other women to do the same and, 18 years on, in addition to supporting women to overcome the devastation of domestic abuse through her social enterprise, ‘Breaking the Silence’, she is about to open a retreat house in Birmingham to further that work. Raj, who was brought up as a Sikh and who experienced abuse from the age of five, said that as life-changing as her decision was to leave her home, the real change came when her former partner introduced her to a Christian family. Raj subsequently became a Christian and said, “That is when my whole life changed. Regarding the traumas I had suffered, I stopped asking, ‘Why me?’ and I started asking God, ‘What is my purpose in life?’” As she devoted herself to the Lord, Raj later had a vision where she saw broken women from all walks of life going towards a house, and she kept hearing a voice saying, ‘Grace House’. Raj wrote the vision down, but she also felt that the Lord was saying that she was not ready to launch it. She continued to spend several years helping other women through their situations of domestic abuse, human trafficking and arranged marriages. Fourteen years later, Raj felt that God was asking her to launch the vision. So, in 2013, the social enterprise, ‘Breaking the Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
Silence’, was birthed. Raj said the organisation’s goal was to be self-reliant, because she had seen the flaws that had hampered funding-reliant organisations in the delivery of their mission. Despite the excellent work that Breaking the Silence was doing among vulnerable women, Raj still had the vision of Grace House looming in her mind - the vision that she had received 18 years ago. “At the end of last year,” Raj said, “I said to the Lord, ‘You have to move on our behalf now, please.’”
‘Our mission is to break the silence, so that these oncebroken women can find grace and hope to move on with their lives as whole people.’ As she continued to pray, the opportunity came up to consider a few houses. “I was excited about the first two,” Raj said, “but I also knew there was no scope with these for the kind of expansion that I knew was vital to build dignity into the lives of the women we are working with. “I went to see the third but, at the back of my mind, I had the prior feeling that the area was unsuitable. However, when I turned my car into the street where the house was, I immediately felt a change in the atmosphere, and I knew that this was the right place. The house itself also fitted the bill for the things we wanted to provide for our residents. “On separate occasions, two other members of our management team subsequently visited
the premises, and they both said the same thing: ‘This is Grace House!’” A crowd-funding campaign was recently launched on Indiegogo to raise the £700,000 needed to finalise the purchase of Grace House and to carry out the renovations. Members of the public are invited to participate by logging onto https://igg.me/at/Grace-House. In recognition of the 10th anniversary of Raj’s work with vulnerable women, and of her speaking out the truth about abuse, there will also be a fundraising and celebration event on Saturday 26 November at the Birmingham Town Hall, dubbed ‘An Evening of Honour 2016’. Proceeds will go towards Grace House. Further information can be found on the Breaking the Silence website (www.btsuk. org/services/events). Raj said, “Grace House will take a holistic approach to helping our women to rebuild their lives. Among other things, we are partnering with local organisations to equip the women with basic skills and jobs. There will be a day care centre for children while new schools are being found, and we will work with the women so that they will leave as different women from when they came in. Our mission is to break the silence, so that these once-broken women can find grace and hope to move on with their lives as whole people. We hope to open the retreat next year.”
Raj Holness, recipient of the West Midlands Community Champion Asian Business Award 2016, West Midlands Woman of the Year 2015 and West Midlands Most Inspirational Woman 2015.
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40 LIFESTYLE
Most people love a wedding - especially church folk
P
reparing for a wedding takes couples on a time-consuming, roller-coaster ride of emotions and experiences, as they draw people together to plan and execute their Big Day. Meticulous planning goes into the detail of the day, but this contrasts sharply with the low level of attention and forward thinking that goes into preparing for the possibilities of the marriage journey itself. Parents, pastors and well-wishers are quietly confident that the months and years following the wedding will be good and, on the whole, harmonious. So little is said or done by this hopeful crowd. The happy couple assume that the ensuing married relationship will take care of itself once the wedding day is over. Such complacency and assurance are fuelled by the positive emotions of the moment and, sadly, by the observation of the marriage ‘facades’ of other couples around them, especially in their churches. The soon-to-be-wed couple are often unaware of the truth that the length and
appearance of a marriage are no indicator of its quality or health. I have observed several disturbing and interrelated happenings in church circles – some of which have been long established and others that are gaining momentum. A culture of silence When a couple experience marital difficulties, these difficulties develop over time and begin to seriously compromise the marriage relationship. The husband and wife don’t talk to anyone about this, primarily because they’re not sure that they should. They have observed other couples in the church, and they all appear to be doing fine and they don't talk about any difficulties. A fear of judgmental attitudes Another reason that a couple stay silent is because they don’t want others to judge them. A couple’s silence is enforced further by the fact that they don’t know who to talk to, or at what stage of difficulty they should be seeking help. The unspoken rule seems to be ‘You don't talk about marriage problems in church’. A lack of marriage support structures A culture of silence coupled with a significant lack of marriage support structures in churches has contributed to the increased incidence of marriage breakdown and divorce in the church. The occasional ‘marriage retreat’ is not enough to support marriages. Church leadership teams need to become more intentional and proactive about supporting marriages beyond their premarital counselling provision. How can churches be proactive in supporting marriages? Marriage mentors, marriage ‘health check’ courses, peer-couples support groups, marriage preparation courses, regular Bible teaching on marriage and prayer groups – these are some of the possibilities that a church or group of churches could provide for their married couples. Married couples need church forums in which they can find support plus strengthening and enriching opportunities, as well as personal help and counselling for their relationships. Christian marriages have a diabolical opponent, which church leaders need to address by putting in place structures to counter such undermining forces. (Church leaders’ marriages, too, have a unique blend of opposing forces which must also be dealt with head-on… but that’s a discussion for another day.) Prevention, they say, is better than cure. The Church’s challenge is to make preventative and enrichment structures available for married couples to tap into regularly, as well as personal
marriage support and counselling. The aim should be to challenge the culture of silence, and to stem the tide of bankrupt Christian marriage relationships. Newly-weds will have a brighter future, when they can foresee support and marriage enrichment opportunities provided by a caring church as an integral part of their marriage journey. Louise Isaac partners with her husband Les to produce and facilitate marriage courses for churches. They have a passion for enabling long, healthy marriages, and will be running a weekend Marriage Preparation Course in London in January 2017. More about the course... Facilitators Les and Louise Isaac have been married for over 35 years. They will share from their own experience of successes and challenges, making the course dynamic, reflective and reality-based, with a Christian emphasis. The course will include: • Couples’ exercises • Videos and case studies • Single-gender group discussion • Couples’ reflection and prayer time • Workbooks will be provided Topics include: • Establishing good foundations • Managing conflict • Intimacy in marriage • Marriage phases, and much more This is a two-day weekend course, running from Saturday 10:00am to Sunday 5:00pm. Tea, coffee and lunch will be provided. Registration is required, and bookings close by midnight on Thursday 19th January 2017. Spaces are limited, so for more information, visit https://2gether1.eventbrite.co.uk/ or email marriage.together@yahoo.com. www.keepthefaith.co.uk
Study Theology at Luther King House, in Manchester! • Flexible and affordable study • Full-time, part time and weekend theology courses • BA & MA degrees, validated by the University of Manchester • Short courses to equip you for mission and ministry • Open, welcoming and inclusive learning community
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42 LIFESTYLE
How does your garden grow?
The nature of business
T
here was a lot of interest in the Media about the referendum, whether Britain should remain in Europe or leave – ‘Bremain’ vs ‘Brexit’. High profile businessmen like Lord Sugar took to YouTube with gusto; politicians warned of dire consequences, which have continued now that the decision has been made to leave. In God’s economy however, things work differently. I believe that we can learn a lot about this, simply by looking at how God has ordained life and by drawing upon biblical references to agriculture and botany.
DNA
A while ago, I attended a seminar where the speaker was talking about the life cycle of businesses, and how they invest in marketing strategies, in order to gain clients and increase awareness of their service or product. Successful businesses will start to reinvent themselves or provide new offerings before they reach their peak, thereby extending the life of the business. The speaker showed a graph, which I thought resembled the DNA double helix. At that moment, I realised that a third strand was missing: Jesus. ‘A cord of three is not easily broken’ (Ecclesiastes 4:12) and, if we make Jesus the life of our businesses, it will change everything about our business life cycle. But what does
this look like? I think it will look something like this for you: • Vision: to see what God is doing • Courage: to plant • Discipline/habits: to accomplish God’s assignment • Endurance: to carry on, when it seems so much easier to go your own way and throw in the towel • Love: to hold the business/family together; love that is tender, tough, sacrificial, radical
Weather watching
In every area of our life, we need eyes that see and hearts that have the capacity to capture God’s vision. God says that He has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11), and we have the potential for truly great things when we walk with Him. It is not about the amount of faith you have (even if just the size of a mustard seed), but in Whom you are placing your trust. Abram left Haran simply because God said so (Genesis 12:1-7). This happened at age 75, taking with him all his family, household, accumulated wealth and livestock. Everything. On God’s word. Often, God reveals things along the way as we take that first step of obedience. After all, farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant, and if they watch every cloud, they never harvest (Ecclesiastes 11:1-4).
ABOUT THE WRITER Jason, originally from Singapore, founded Jason Loh Designs Ltd (www.jasonloh.co.uk), a professional RHS multi award-winning garden design practice. They are based in Bristol, but accept commissions from residential and commercial clients nationally. Ring 0117 325 8600 or e-mail design@ jasonloh.co.uk if you would like an outdoor space that inspires and refreshes the soul.
Something to think about In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about seeds falling on different kinds of soil. Exactly the same type of seed, but producing different results because of the environment in which they are planted. Within a similar period of time, some plants appear to grow a lot faster than the others. But fast growth is not necessarily a good thing, especially when the root system has not developed sufficiently to support the growth. To put this in the context of businesses, imagine a meteoric rise in reputation and renown, but without proper HR support or robust and efficient administrative systems in place. If something is to produce fruit, it must have strong roots and be planted in a good soil. Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
JASON LOH
worked as a property solicitor before training in landscape and garden design www.jasonloh.co.uk
Plants with shallow roots In the natural world, though, it is sometimes desirable for plants to have a shallow root system. Indeed, some less reputable developers of new-build properties appreciate the fact that lawns cover a multitude of things. Besides the plants you would typically find in an alpine garden (e.g. sedums, heathers), these days there is much interest in roof gardens and green roofs. Plants for these types of locations will require a shallow root system and will generally be installed in free-draining soil. The relatively fast-draining growing medium enables the nutrients not to be retained in the soil for too long, which is a good thing for these plants.
Most grasses have shallow roots. Ornamental grasses, like Stipa tenuissima, look great alongside the long-flowering pink flowers of Astrantia major ‘Roma’. The latter are quite fast growing, but won’t self-seed like other cultivars. For really thin soil, the mystical spheres of Acaena microphylla grow into a lovely mat of finely cut, coppery grey leaves. The ‘Kupferteppich’ variety has tiny white globes of flowers that turn into spiky red burrs through to autumn, aptly named ‘Copper Carpet’. Contrast this with the golden button flowers of Cotula hispida, which have fine silver feathery foliage.
LIFESTYLE 43
ESSENTIALS FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Six strategies to being heard
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.
L
anguage is not merely spoken word and gestures that happen between people. It is also about the initial ‘voice’ in your head. We learn to speak within ourselves, long before we utter any audible words. One of the leading intellectuals of the last three decades, Noam Chomsky, in his study of linguistics, claimed something incredible: “About 95% of language is internal.”.Your thoughts are more important than anything you utter and, if you learn to focus your thoughts, then your external communication will be more effective. Let’s learn five key steps to ensure you get heard when communicating.
Meet Edgar (www.meetedgar.com) Entrepreneurs are busy people and, if you are just starting out, chances are you have a million things to do and you neglect your social media. Well, meet Edgar. It uses updates saved in your library to create a queue to post when you run out of new posts. Get your invitation.
Speak to yourself first Take some time to deliberately think positive and empowering thoughts. Ancient wisdom alludes to ‘positive thinking’ with statements such as: ‘Give the universe positivity and receive positivity’; ‘Speak to existence’, and so forth. It is easy to doubt such claims as ‘nonsense’ or ‘non-scientific’ but, after some reflection, discussions and research, it is evident that these claims have some validity. Your thoughts do affect your outlook and your behaviour. As an entrepreneur, tap into thinking right, and allow your language to flow naturally in that vein. Remind yourself of God’s gifts and talents in you before you see a potential client or make that pitch.
Manage your feelings Every entrepreneur must learn to manage feelings, yours as well as everyone’s around you. This is especially important with your facial expressions and body language. If you had a job as an undertaker, providing a service at funerals, it would be quite odd to be openly excited, grinning uncontrollably each time you approach the hearse. While this is an extreme example, a lot of entrepreneurs commit similar blunders daily. Be conscious of your expressions and body language,
and don’t wear your feelings on your face. What you feel may not be appropriate for the situation.
Adopt inspirational words As an entrepreneur, it is important to use language to inspire those around you. A successful leader does not merely instruct but taps into desires and emotions that inspire people to do their best. Key relationships propel you beyond your competition, and their power must never be understated. International referral organisations, such as BNI, are based on this fundamental principle: Don’t be a cold communicator, be inspirational.
SOCIAL CORNER Keeping abreast of social media strategies, events and resources for business growth.
Be deliberate Business intellect is necessary in communication. CEOs and politicians dish out thousands of pounds on communication managers for this key reason. Thankfully, this is the new world; the Internet and books are laden with information that can transform your communication skills. Invest in feeding your mind with these key skills.
Speak with purpose It is of utmost necessity to mean what you say and do away with careless words. People are ruled by perception and, when they perceive a lack of confidence or authenticity, your ‘talk’ means little. People with ‘natural charisma’ are blessed with natural skills but, as the parable of the talents teaches us, if you do not work on your talents you will lose them. As a budding entrepreneur, you have been entrusted with the great talent of ambition and, if you work at it, you will obtain the talent of charisma. Remember, top CEOs are not necessarily the best at their craft, but they rise to the top because of language (internal and external). Chances are you will be more successful if you hone your communication skills.
‘More leads, More results, More business’ is a social media event taking place on 27th September in central London. The aim of this day is to help you stand out from your competitors online, learn how to get more targeted leads, improve sales and increase your ROI. You will leave with practical and quick-win ideas that have been proven to give success, together with easy-to-use and refer-to guides on how to implement your learnings from the day. Call for more details: 07958 004 739
Did you find this useful? Be part of a growing community of entrepreneurs by connecting with Keno: @spiralwebs @keno_ogbo www.keepthefaith.co.uk
44 LIFESTYLE
VANESSA GROSSETT
www.theauthorscare.co.uk
n o i t c fi g n i Wr it T
here are two types of writing styles as far as the book industry is concerned: fiction and non-fiction. Many people think that writing for the two styles is the same, that there are no techniques to writing, you just pick up a pen and write. However this couldn’t be further from the truth. With fiction writing, there are techniques that every author should pay attention to. Writing fiction is the most complex of the two, yet it contains the most fun and creativity. When you are writing fiction, your creative juices have to be constantly flowing, in order to produce a great enjoyable story. You need to use adjectives more than nouns. If you want to write fiction, here are five vital components to producing a great story that publishers look for, and that readers can enjoy.
Show and not tell: Showing is very important in fiction writing, and this is the first thing that publishers seek when they consider a fiction manuscript for publication. Publishers have turned down manuscripts simply because they was no ‘showing’. What do I mean by this? Well, here are some examples: ‘Her hair was black’ would not be acceptable in fiction writing, as you are ‘telling’. Instead, you would write ‘Her ebony strands were curly’. This is ‘showing’ – not only are you describing the colour, but you’ve gone a step further by describing the type of hair. ‘He wanted to sleep’ would again not be acceptable in fiction writing, as this is telling. Instead, you would write, ‘His eyelids drooped until his eyes were shut’. ‘She was crying’ is telling, and this noun is commonly used in fiction writing. To show this, you would write ‘Water streamed down her rosy cheeks’. Get the idea? I know this can seem long-winded; however the whole idea with fiction writing is to get the reader to use their imagination. This is why showing and not telling is important, and makes the difference into getting your book published. Character Building and Scenery Description: It is important when you are writing fiction that you build your characters, making them as real as possible. I have read manuscripts where I felt like I didn’t know the character at all; I couldn’t even relate to them. Find us on Twitter: @KeepTheFaithmag
Authors, who struggle with this concept, don’t view their characters as human beings. They have the viewpoint of ‘It doesn’t matter if the reader doesn’t know their age or date of birth, they are not real’. Believe it or not, to the reader it does matter. People read fiction as a way of escapism from their own reality, as well as for enjoyment. They want to read about characters they can relate to; they want to read characters that can make them laugh, smile, cry or even angry. I know this sounds surreal, but it is the truth. If you are struggling with character building, the best thing for you to do is firstly look at the character as a real-life person. Write a list of descriptions concerning them; for example, their height, hair, skin colour; their likes and dislikes; their relationship status; what job they do, etc, and then you can build on your character further from these bases. It is also important to describe scenery; many manuscripts that I have read have lacked scenic descriptions. It’s no good just writing ‘They went to the cafe’. The reader wants to know what cafe they went to, what was the weather like, what day was it, was the cafe full or empty, what was the interior like, etc. Though the characters and scenery are fiction, as the author it is your job to make them as real as possible. You do not want to leave your readers wondering what the character and scenery were like; you have to bring the story to the reader. If you get stuck, remember to answer the five important questions: who, what, where, why and how.
LIFESTYLE 45 Realism: This is a pretty simple one, but I have seen manuscripts that have been over exaggerated. Though your work is fiction, you have to be realistic. I once came across a sentence that read ‘The car humbly sat on the driveway’. A car is a machine; it doesn’t know about being humble. It is better to write ‘The car sat on the driveway’, this is more realistic to the reader. Yes, you must describe, but don’t over exaggerate. It is better to use a tell word - ‘parked’, for example - than to over exaggerate.
Good transition: Your story needs to flow correctly. Readers don’t want to be confused. I have read manuscripts, where I was wondering if I was still on the same scene or in another one. Readers need a good transition from one scene to the next. Some authors think that creating a new chapter is a good transition onto the next scene, but this doesn’t have to be the case. You can move onto the next scene within the same chapter smoothly and without causing confusion. The most common way that my authors do this is by writing a different day or time, or by leaving quite a big space between the last sentence and new scene. Example one: ‘Rose slipped under her white soft duvet, her eyelids closed’. ‘It was a wet Tuesday at 6:00am, the buzz noise pierced Rose’s ear. Her oval-shaped lids unfolded. She yawned and stretched her arms’. Example two: ‘Rose slipped under her white soft duvet, her eyelids closed.’ ‘Ding dong, Jimmy rushed to the door’. Example one is starting a different day to move onto the next scene, and example two is leaving a space between the last sentence and new scene. No new chapter is needed, as the transition is clear for the reader.
Quotation: It needs to be clear which character is speaking. I have read many manuscripts where I was unsure who was speaking. Most authors overcome this hurdle by adding the character name at the end of each
quote, but this is not always necessary; the dialogues can be written in a way where it is clear to the reader who is speaking. Example: “Hello, Peter. It’s been a long time!” “Hey, Rose, you’re looking good. What have you been up to?” “I’m well. Just been working, moving house. What about you?” With this example, no names were added at the end of each quotation; it was clear which character was speaking. However, if you feel more comfortable adding names, it can be written like this: “Hello, Peter. It’s been a long time!” Rose said. “You’re looking good. What have you been up to?” “I’m well. Just been working, moving house. What about you?” Rose answered. Whichever method you decide to use, with both quotes it is clear to see who’s speaking. There you have it, five vital ingredients to writing fiction. Once you have these bases covered, everything else will fall into place. Remember to show and not tell; do not over exaggerate; describe, and build your characters. Happy fiction writing.
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46 MISSION
BY ROGER PANTON E: info@epocc.org.uk www.epocc.org T: 020 8360 6753 M: 07761010304 Ellen Pearl Outreach Children’s Charity (EPOCC) Reg No1164512
Reaching out to the children of Jamaica who are victims of abuse
T
he Ellen Pearl Outreach Children’s Charity (EPOCC) is a UK-based charity, launched in October 2015. The aim of the charity is to provide a national free 24-hour ChildLine service in Jamaica, manned by fully trained counsellors to listen to children who currently have no one to talk to about the abuses they are suffering. The Jamaican branch of EPOCC was launched in May 2016 in Montego Bay, where the keynote speaker was Mrs Juliet Holness MP, wife of Prime Minister Andrew Holness. In the changing face of the world, we know that children are our future, and what better way to outreach to the children of Jamaica than to listen to them. Children are said to be 'seen and not heard’, but we must now listen and give children a means by which they can speak confidentially, non-judgementally and offer counselling and other support on any subject they may choose to discuss. In the long term, EPOCC aims to have other provisions, including a service that provides visits to schools, youth clubs and churches to inform on abuse awareness, and to empower children to say ‘No’ and/or to report abuse. Credit for the launch of the project must be given to Sir Patrick Allen who, at the Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in June 2015, drew attention to the abuse children in Jamaica were suffering, and made a plea for national collaboration at all levels to end the abuse. “One of the many social ills confronting the nation at this time, and threatening to undermine the very resilience for which our people are known, is the abuse of our children ... I shared my concerns for the safety and security of our children and young people, and call for national collaboration at all levels to end the abuse which has left so many victims in its wake. I encourage support for community projects that would positively impact their lives and give them a brighter future.” (Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference 13-18 June 2015.) It prompted Beverley Chung, EPOCC’s Find us on Facebook: KEEP THE FAITH Magazine
Founder and Chair of Trustees, to take up Sir Patrick Allen’s challenge, and she got a team of volunteers together to launch EPOCC. Thanks to the proliferation of mobile phones in Jamaica, the ChildLine will be available island-wide via a freephone number. The children will therefore be able to make safe, secure and confidential contact with the telephone counsellors. The project has the backing of the UK NSPCC ChildLine, and one of their first acts was to send a trainer to Jamaica in July 2016 to train the trainers of the volunteer telephone counsellors. The Jamaican trainers are then to train the telephone counsellors from their base in Montego Bay. The telephone system is being provided by the telecom company, Flow, and the project also has the support of the Jamaican Government. EPOCC has a very capable and varied board of trustees that have experience both in the UK and in Jamaica, and has an ideal ChildLine project manager in Dr Pearnel Bell, a child psychologist. The recruitment of the volunteers has begun, and we are pleased to say that the first group of trainees have been trained. It’s very pleasing that the Office of the Children’s Advocate sent one of their officers to address the trainees about the roles and functions of the OCA and how the project fits in with their work. Also, with modern day technology, the UK NSPCC ChildLine has continued to support the training of the telephone counsellors. We have so far spent most of our time and expenditure on preparing the rented premises. We have installed a soundproofed area and air-conditioning, and there is an administrative office. We are awaiting the telephone booths. Our running costs will be mainly rental, administrator’s salary, on-going training, administration and security. A shipping organisation, Transpakship, has already shipped down to Montego Bay for us free of cost, and has donated office equipment and furniture. Although based in north London, we are appealing to Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica
everywhere for their support. There are many ways that you can support us. First, it would be helpful if Jamaicans here would share the message about the EPOCC ChildLine with their grandchildren and other young relatives in Jamaica. Knowing that they have at least a small measure of support from an adult, irrespective that the person may be far away, could save many young lives from being destroyed by those who might seek to take advantage of them. You can support us with a regular direct debit donation of just £5 - £20 per month, that would be of great help in meeting our monthly expenditure. We also run fundraising events, the most recent one being a Curry & Quiz Night hosted by Shaun Wallace, Mastermind Champion and ‘The Chase’ quizmaster – dubbed ‘The Dark Destroyer’. Shaun gave his time free of charge, as well as providing the medals and wonderful Ellen Pearl Trophy. We’ll now be making this an annual event. Our next scheduled event is a Salsa Dine and Dance Night on 15 October, which will commemorate our first anniversary. We’d welcome financial support and fundraising ideas, including links to celebrities in the media and public life, who we may contact for their support for the Jamaica ChildLine. For more information about our trustees, our project and ways you can support us, please contact Mrs Beverley Chung, Founder & Chair of Trustees or Roger Panton, Vice-Chair of Trustees.
SEC MUSIC & NUMBER SEVEN PROMOTIONS
... presents a ...
SATURDAY
DEC 3
RD 2016
DOORS: 6:30PM SHOW: 7:30PM
THE GAUMONT STATE THEATRE 197-199 KILBURN HIGH ROAD LONDON NW6 7HY
Margie Richardson
GOSPEL
CONCERT
Janice Chandler-Eteme
Marquita Richardson
Accompanied by:
OSP (the Orchestra of St Paul’s) Ben Palmer (conductor)
Tickets:
Standard £10 Premium £20 Book online at www.galagospel.com or see your agent Contact Mike Johnson: 07757 816 316 Email: music@secadventist.org.uk
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