GBA 2012 06 Business/News

This afternoon we had our brief business meeting. Then at 5 pm we had a reports session. Seven people spoke, two regarding overseas work and the rest on work in this country.

1. Les Beard on a family conference in Kisumu, Kenya, last December

2. Oliver Allmand-Smith from Ramsbottom on the work there

3. John Field from Eden, Cambridge on the work there

4. Noel Ramsay from the church in Leyburn, Wensleydale in Yorkshire

5. Graham Trice talking about involvement in Health Watch

6. Peter Cordell from Lower Ford Street, Coventry on that situation

7. Jeykanth based in South London but regularly travelling back to Sri Lanka

Grace Assembly 2010 News

We had a business session this afternoon which went well. We also had a photo opportunity at tea time. Then we had a news session featuring various items under the chairmanship of Stephen Rees.
We began with Pastor Ismael Montejo being interviewed by Matt Gamston. Pastor Ismael is a pastor in the church in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines where I was last year. He is a fascinating fellow as he was converted while working as a young man in Saudi Arabia at a Filipino underground church. He spoke about the church there briefly and its various important ministries. Jim Sayers prayed.
We also had another opportunity to hear from Jeyakanth Selverajah who is currently in the UK because of the uncertain situation in Sri Lanka. This was supplemented by an introduction to Lanka Evangelical Fellowship by Barry Owen. John Hall prayed.
Then there was an encouraging report by Alec Taylor on the growing work with Pilgrim Bible Notes. There were also reports on the need for more room in Lower Ford Street in Coventry by Peter Cordle and the Open Air Mission by Geoff Cox. Jack Jenner closed the session in prayer. After he had done so Stephen was prompted to ask about Ulverston, where there is great need at present.

Grace Assembly 08 Day 2

Our second day of assembly, our only full day, began with a well attended prayer meeting led by Mark Richards from Chesham.
We spent the morning on the perennial matter of Christian unity. Before coffee Daniel Webber from the EMF laid before us four important principles
1. Belief in the essential unity of all true Christians and churches
2. The need for all Christians and churches to do what they can to give expression to the unity they have in Christ
3. In a fallen world all visible expressions of unity are subject to certain limitations
4. The use of a sliding scale approach to visible Christian unity – the more we have in common with others the greater the measure of co-operation that is possible
He then showed how these principles may be applied on the individual, church and church leadership levels.
After coffee we looked at a series of questions that arise in this area, such as how we express our unity with other churches. We talked specifically about Gospel Partnerships and Affinity as well as more general matters. John Harris chaired with a panel made up of Jack Jenner, Dr Robert Oliver, Daniel Webber and Tom Forryan from Watford. Contributions were also made from the floor. It was a decent time.
After lunch I bought some Thorntons chocolate and had a group photo on the lawn. The weather here has been quite pleasant. I then chaired the business session, which we got through okay with one or two important decisions, especially to meet again next year at High Leigh Conference Centre in Hoddesdon, May 19-21.

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We recommenced at 5 pm with a reports session with Selveraj Jeyekanth who was introduced by Gerard Hemmings from Amyand Park. Selveraj is a converted Hindu who has known quite a ministry in Sri Lanka, being used to plant a large number of churches among the poor of that war torn and tsunami scarred island.
After supper Nick Needham gave his second paper – this time on heaven. Again very fresh he turned us to 1 Corinthians 13, expounded it and then focussed our minds, firstly, as a real place and the goal of the Christian life. Such a realisation would wean us from worldliness and the fear of death. Secondly, it is a world of perfect knowledge and love. He closed with a chiefly evangelistic application. The message was laced with quotes from Chrysostom, Gregory the Great, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, C S Lewis, A W Pink, etc.
The evening closed with a question panel. We looked at Christian education, new frontiers, etc. A good day indeed.