Poland by Tangerine Dream (interesting cover)

Lord's Day February 14 2021

Way behind here but last Lord's Day we had a surprisingly good number (for these times) in the chapel, just creeping into double figures, despite some regulars being absent. I decided to do a one off from Matthew 6 - Eight reasons not to worry. I had been thinking it through for someone I know and thought we could all benefit at this time. I managed to come up with eight Ps that should remind you of the salient points with some facility. In the evening, it was zoom only, carrying on in Luke with Luke 5:12-16. We also had a virtual visit from our friend Andrzej Kempcinski in Legionowo, Poland, which was good.

GBM Annual Meetings 2019

It was good last Saturday to be at the GBM Annual Meetings in the Friends Meeting House once again. Things appear to be on a  better financial footing in some ways than the last time I was present thanks to some hard decisions and sacrifices. Communications man Jim Sayers leaves at the end if the year and no replacement has been found which is also a matter of concern. After the delegates meeting and some lunch I attended first a session with Theo and Sonia Donner. Theo continues to lecture at the seminary in Medellin and is currently in the process of getting a large book on hermeneutics in Spanish published. This was followed by a session with Andrzej Kampcinski who works pastoring a small church in Legionowo just outside Warsaw, Poland. This was led by Graham Field the current president.

I then attended a very full session that featured the new work the Murfitts plan to do in Madeira, the ongoing work of James Hammond in Bordeaux and the seminary in Zambia, something about the radio work and envision teams and a local church feature on giving and evangelising ethnically diverse neighbours.

By this time my brain was bursting so I decideed to skip the final session where Theo Donner was preaching and no doubt more info was shared by people from W Africa, Peru,, etc.

The sheer size and diversity of what is going on is striking. One inevitably wonders about some things but this does seem a much better way of doing mission than much that is onoffer

Great to see many familiar faces and one or two new ones.

10 Continental Reformed Pastors/Theologians who lived in England

1. Martin Bucer, German Reformer 1491-1551 (1549-1551)
2. Peter Martyr Vermigli, Italian Reformer 1499-1562 (1547-1553)
3. John Laski, Polish Reformer 1499-1560 (1550-1556)
4. Paul Fagius, German Hebraist 1504-1549 (1549)
5. Valerand Poullain, French Calvinist minister 1509?-1557 (1547-1553)
6. Immanuel Tremellius, Italian Jewish Hebraist 1510-1580 (1547-1553)
7. Francisco de Enzinas, Spanish scholar and apologist 1518?-1552 (1548, 1549)
8. Casiodoro de Reina,  Spanish Lutheran Theologian 1520-1594 (1533-1563)
9. Robert La Fontaine, French Calvinist minister 1535-1611 1572-1611
10. Pierre Alexandre, French Calvinist minister Dates unknown (1548-1553, 1559-1563)

10 European Bible Translators

1. Martin Luther (German)
2. William Tyndale (English)
3. Robert Olivetan (French)
4. Jan Blahoslav (Czech)
5. Francysk Skaryna (Russian)
6. Giovanni Diodati (Italian)
7. Casiodoro de Reina (Spanish)
8. Jan Seklucjan (Polish)
9. Laurentius Andreae (Swedish)
10. William Morgan (Welsh)

GBM Annual meetings

I decided this year to skip the delegates meeting and try some of the sessions so I started by listening to Andrzje and Monika Kampcenski talking about the work in Legionowo, Poland then Graham and Sally Jones of Kisumu, Kenya. I finished off with Maciek (see above) and Mary Stolarski giving a brief history of the literature work and introducing Kester Putman who is to carry on the work. I had to leave at that point and so missed the other sessions but it was good to hear what I did and to meet various people albeit briefly. I haven't been able to attend GBM's annual meetings for awhile so it was good to be there again.