Opening night of Bible Week 2017
The opening night at Bible Week was a wonderful mix of worship, teaching, fellowship and a special reunion for several former missionaries who had served in South America with our speaker, Bishop Greg Venables and his wife Sylvia.
Pictured above right with Bishop Greg, Beryl Whitehead and Eileen Murphy (former SAMS).
Greg is both Bishop of Argentina and Primate of South America, and a close friend of our host for the evening, Bishop Ken Clarke, Director of SAMS UK and Ireland.
In his welcome, Bishop Harold introduced Greg and his wife Sylvia as ”two very special people” and Greg as, “a very important leader in the Anglican Communion” whose ministry is greatly valued.
The simple title for Bishop Greg’s teaching in Romans 5 was Secure and he unpacked the truth that we are secure in Christ and at peace with God now. His challenge was to live in the reality of that in all situations, even in suffering.
Towards the end of his address, Bishop Greg illustrated that security by inviting Sylvia to share the experience of being robbed in their home in Buenos Aires in 2014.
She was confronted by a man with a knife and knocked to the ground and Greg was also assaulted. Sylvia, once a nervous and insecure young woman, displayed tremendous calm throughout. Greg pointed out that, even though her temperament is unchanged, Sylvia has been transformed by the knowledge that she is ‘In Christ’. He reminded us that “God is in you and you are in him and it changes everything.”
Listen to a clip of Sylvia and Greg telling the story of the robbery.
At the end of the evening, Nicola Brown led us in singing ‘When Peace Like a River’ and all were invited to respond to what God has done for us in Christ with a “Yes” and a willingness to follow.
Leadership
A feature of the first 3 evenings of Bible Week is a focus on leadership in the diocese. First up, Diocesan Development Officer, Andrew Brannigan, interviewed Susan McFarland, leader of the Braniel church plant.
Susan began to establish this new work in the Braniel Estate in 2014 and she shared both the encouragements and the challenges of the past 3 years. Here are some of the blessings:
“When we started we were lacking in a lot of things – resources, a building and a team. But what has been personally so encouraging to me is the massively supportive team that God has brought alongside me. Also, the other local churches and community groups have been so amazing and so welcoming and its meant we’ve been able to partner in God’s work in the community.
“We’ve been so encouraged by the 40 young people that come along to us every week. It’s been a privilege to journey with them and teach them from the Bible and this year several of them have made the commitment to follow Jesus.”
View a photo gallery of Tuesday evening here.
Please join us on Wednesday 30 August as we continue with, Romans 6 – Renewed.
The Bible Week is four nights of Bible teaching, worship, ministry and encouragement for the Diocese of Down and Dromore but anyone is welcome to come along.
Sylvia shares