Forging Ahead

FORGING AHEAD

THE JESUS HOUSE ANNUAL REPORT 201420TH Anniversary Edition 1994 – 2014

Note: RCCG Logo is to be given prominence on the front cover, alongside JH logoCould we also feature the 20th Anniversary logo at key positions throughout the report please.

20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 1994-2014

MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR PASTOR

WHO WE AREWhat we are about

IN PURSUIT OF GODA house of prayer for all nations Building a people of prayer The Pursuit of God Conference 20-day Praise-a-thon21 days of High Praise

OUR STRUCTURE, LEADERSHIP & PEOPLEThe Pastoral CouncilThe Church OfficeVolunteeringMinistries

BUILDING OUR COMMUNITYThe Colindale Foodbank ACTS (A Call To Serve) weekendSpreading Christmas CheerChristmas Lunch on JesusChristians Against Poverty (CAP)The Jesus House Prison Ministry (sponsoring the Angel

Tree Project)

OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITYThe Jesus House healthcare team in Kenya Kangu (Mother’s Day)Social Awareness Sunday Our response to the Ebola Crisis20 days sacrifice of praise grant The Ifeyinwa Alison Irukwu Education FundRwandaBrazil

PARTNERSHIPSThe One-People CommissionChristian Aid – Partnership for Change Award

THE NEXT GENERATIONInspiring Future DoctorsKidz First our children’s ministry supports Mission ParaguayThe Football AcademyThe Youth Summer RetreatThe Music School

BEYOND OUR WALLSITV visit to Jesus House: Is Britain Still Christian?

The Festival of LifeLove Beyond – The MusicalHouse of Lords 20th Anniversary DinnerSilent Night at the Saracens GroundBring Back Our Girls

2014 EVENTS AND CONFERENCESThe Watch Night ServiceThe Uncommon Woman ConferenceJesus House FrancophonieCelebrating LifeIn support of the institution of marriage: The Marriage RevolutionChurch in the ParkRedundo: The Musical Journey

Creative Ministries The Tribe of JudahSynergy – the dance ministry The Drama ministry The Multimedia team

FINANCIAL INFORMATIONFinance Summary

Report of the Trustees

20 YEARS OF JESUS HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS & PICTURES

CONTENTS

The Jesus House Annual Review 2014 | 3

4

56

7

11

14

19

25

27

31

36

44

50

Message from the Senior Pastor

Welcome to this special anniversary edition of our annual report.

2014 marked a milestone in our life as a church as we celebrated our 20th anniversary. The year was a time to reflect on the faithfulness of God in bringing us thus far – from our first gathering in February 1994, attended by 33 people, to our present 3000+ strong congregation. It was also an opportunity to take stock and prepare for the future.

There is a clear indication of God’s faithfulness in the growth of the church, which now has 52 departments, 650 volunteers and 50 full time staff. It is also evident in the numerous projects that we are involved in such as the Colindale Food bank, the partnership with Compassion UK - which resulted in our support of 462 children, the successful outreaches like the Christmas Lunch on Jesus, the outreaches to the elderly in our local community, the Uncommon Woman Conference and our support for the Mandate Men’s Conference.

We are passionate about the local church and we consequently give our time and energy in serving other churches in order to equip and resource the body of Christ. One of the most fulfilling expressions of this service is our ‘Heart and Soul Conference’ which provides the forum to interact with other churches – enabling them to learn from our experiences as we learn from theirs.

2014 marked a critical and pivotal phase of our church re-engineering process. This quest to build ‘a church for the future’ promises to be the most significant and far-reaching re-engineering that we have done in our 20 year history.

Your support has been instrumental in enabling us to be who we are, to do what we do and to reach far beyond the walls of our premises. Through your prayers, generosity in giving and the numerous volunteer hours donated we have been able to reach our local and international communities with the love of Christ.

I am very excited about the future and I thank you for joining us on this journey. May God bless and keep you.

If you would like additional information on our activities, please contact us at [email protected]

Agu IrukwuSenior PastorJesus House for all the nations

FORGING AHEAD

4 | Forging Ahead

WHO WE AREIntroduction

People MatterWe exist to show the love of Jesus Christ to a world in need.

Our primary focus is the pursuit of a deeper knowledge of God and a closer relationship with Him as a result of which we forge closer relationships with one another. We are motivated by the awareness that people are important to God and as a direct consequence people are at the heart of everything we do.

We understand that our gifts, time and resources take on added value and meaning when they are applied for the benefit of someone else. We believe that individually and collectively, we are expected to make a difference in the lives of the people with whom we come into contact.

We recognise that no one is insignificant. We were all created for specific purposes and must be encouraged to identify our gifts and maximise our latent possibilities. When exercised to their fullest potential, these gifts can significantly affect the lives of those around us – particularly those less fortunate.

Our passion for the growth and development of the individual is reflected in the vision of the Church and we are committed to making a positive impact in our local and international communities.

We are: In Pursuit of God, discovering purpose, maximising potential and impacting lives as a result.


What we are about…In Pursuit of GodOur relationship with God forms the bedrock of our faith and our response to His love is a heartfelt pursuit of greater intimacy with Him.

Discovering PurposeWe believe that each person was created by God for a specific purpose. We recognise our role in helping individuals along their path of discovery, with the expectation that, in pursuing God, they will discover the reason for their existence and live meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Maximising PotentialWe seek to create an environment in which people are enabled to live out their purpose to the full and facilitate this by creating opportunities for development, thereby helping them cultivate and maximise their core skills and potential.

Impacting LivesThrough this ‘pursuit’, ‘discovery’ and ‘maximised potential’, we aim to develop a generation of Christians who live out a faith that extends beyond themselves and the confines of a building and who express the love of Jesus Christ to all people without discrimination.

6 | Forging Ahead

Our Approach and Aims Jesus House works to spread the GOSPEL MESSAGE OF LOVE. We work IN PARTNERSHIP with others at COMMUNITY, NATIONAL and GLOBAL levels.

IN PURSUIT OF GOD…Developing a lifestyle that is devoted to the passionate pursuit of God.


‘A house of prayer for all nations’

Prayer is one of the most potent forces made available to humanity. It gives us access to God and the unlimited power available in Him. Jesus

House was founded on a platform of prayer. It is through prayer and communication with God that we discern the direction for our individual and corporate lives. We are well aware that we can do nothing of eternal value separate from Him.

As the year began Jesus House joined the rest of the Redeemed Christian Church of God worldwide for a season of prayer and fasting which lasted 100 days.

BUILDING A PEOPLE OF PRAYERPrayer must become an essential part of a Christian’s existence if we are to live the victorious life purchased on the cross by the blood of Jesus. It is an invitation to commune with our heavenly Father whose ears are attentive to our cries and who wants the best for His children.

In the course of the year, Pastor Agu began a series on prayer, dealing with topics such as ‘the Necessity of Prayer’, ‘Prayer and the Holy Spirit’, ‘The Benefit of Speaking in Tongues’ and ‘The Power of Prayer.

8 | Forging Ahead

THE PURSUIT OF GOD CONFERENCE - UNLEASHING THE POWER OF PRAYER ‘What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use -- men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men - men of prayer.’ E M Bounds

The annual Pursuit of God conference, which dates back to 2002, was born out of a vision to facilitate a gathering of people who hunger for deeper

intimacy with God and greater depths of worship. The conference theme in 2014 was ‘Unleashing the Power of Prayer.’ From 1st to 30th June we were privileged to have with us various spirit-filled speakers who shared their knowledge and insight on the power of prayer. Reverend Joe Olaiya, president and founder of Living Faith Foundation, opened the conference with a teaching on the effectiveness of prayer. Following on, Pete Grieg, founder and director of the 24-7 Prayer movement, an NGO working in more than 100 countries taught on the Lord’s Prayer as the ‘backbone for our intercession’; Steve Uppal, Senior Leader at All Nations Christian Centre, Wolverhampton, defined prayer in the context of a loving relationship with a Father who loves His children; Pastor Sola Olowokere,

senior pastor of Strong Tower parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, spoke on praise as an instrument of prayer. Reverend Kate Jinadu, associate pastor of the New Covenant group of churches, spoke about the ‘passionate, protective and adoring’ love of God. Pastor Leke Sanusi, senior pastor of Victory House RCCG, London, spoke of the God of all flesh to whom nothing is impossible. Michael Puffett, senior leader of Jubilee Church in Maidstone, Kent UK talked about the transformational power of the gospel; Pastor Paul Adefarasin, founder and senior pastor of the House on the Rock Churches headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria taught on the power of confession and declaration in prayer. Manoj Raithatha, leader of the Evangelical Alliance’s South Asian Forum, highlighted the need for authenticity in our relationship with God, and Dr Okey Onuzo, consultant nephrologist and associate pastor of the national headquarters’ church of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, focused on the importance of pre-emptive prayers.

Worship was led by Muyiwa Olarewaju, one of Britain’s biggest gospel singer-songwriters; Caleb Alalade, psalmist and host of the Worship Encounter programme on Trinity Broadcasting Network Europe; Gabriel Eziashi, worship leader and vocalist and the Jesus House choir, the Tribe of Judah.

IN PU

RSUIT O

F GO

D


20-DAY PRAISE-A-THON

To celebrate our 20th anniversary and in acknowledgement of the grace of God that has seen us through this 20 year journey, the

church embarked on a 20-day non-stop period of worship from 2nd to 22nd February, culminating in a thanksgiving service on Sunday 23rd February. Members of the congregation pitched in to help keep the praise cycle going by covering two hourly slots. The unbroken sound of various expressions of praise resounded over 20 days. The ‘praise party’ went on for a total of 480 hours.

All the offering contributed during this period, a total of £36,000, was donated to support the work of various charities. This was done as an expression of gratitude for God’s faithful provision and in demonstration of

our commitment of support to others who are working to alleviate the plight of the disadvantaged.

In total 13 charities were recipients of our praise-a-thon grant allocation.

21 DAYS OF HIGH PRAISE‘Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand…’ (Psalm 149.6)

In October the church began 21 days of ‘High Praise,’ which is a praise form that is intense in its expression and characterised by unrestricted,

exuberant, often spontaneous outpouring of worship to our God. For two hours each evening over 21 days the Church was engaged in this demonstration of love and devotion to God.

10 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

OUR STRUCTURE, LEADERSHIP & PEOPLE

‘So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one

another].’ (Romans 12.5 AMP)


The Drivers

Through the delegated authority of the 5-person board of Trustees and with the assistance of the pastoral council, Pastor Agu Irukwu is

responsible for spiritual oversight and leadership of the church.

THE PASTORAL COUNCILEighteen pastors serve on the pastoral council and are each responsible for overseeing specific areas of church life. With backgrounds in a range of disciplines and industries including medicine, IT, business, fashion, sales, marketing, pharmacy, law and music, they bring a wealth of experience and skills to their roles.

THE CHURCH OFFICEThe Jesus House office functions as the administrative hub of the organisation and supports the work of the charity. In 2014 there were 50 full time members of staff employed in various roles across the organisation in areas which include: Finance, Human Resources and Administration, IT, Community Action, Church Social Responsibility, Pastoral Care, Facilities, Events and Conferencing, Strategy and Implementation, Media Production, Missions, Communications and Member Services.

Particular care and attention have been focused on creating an environment that nurtures and develops people with an emphasis on building and strengthening relationships, improving skills and engendering a culture of selfless service. A number of activities took place during the year to achieve these objectives including a communications and media training day and a fun day out.

VOLUNTEERING - TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE‘A focus on loving God which translates to having a heart for people and results in giving’

We believe that strong core values are foundational to creating a successful environment that has far-reaching benefits. We promote the value of selfless service and provide opportunities that encourage the involvement and participation of our members in church life. To this end, we are grateful for a strong culture of volunteering which undergirds our work.

In March 2014, 278 members of the congregation stepped in to help run the church whilst our regular volunteers took a well-deserved four week break.

12 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

MINISTRIES‘…Serving one another’

‘Ministries’ is the collective term that describes teams of volunteers that serve in various capacities within the church.

Jesus House is able to achieve its goals largely due to the commitment of these volunteers, in excess of 650, who donate their time selflessly.

Our volunteer scheme is designed to create opportunities for members of the church to serve in a variety of areas and in roles which utilise their talents and skills for the benefit of the church community. It also provides opportunities for relationship-building, which ultimately fosters a sense of belonging within what is a relatively large church. One of its successes is in offering an environment that is conducive to self-discovery in line with our mission statement to help individuals discover their purpose and maximise their God-given potential.

The Jesus House ministries are:Abigail’s Court (caring for senior citizens)Blossom (for expectant mothers)The Brook CaféCommunity ActionCounsellingCSR (Church Social Responsibility)

InternationalDrama Esthers (Women’s ministry) Evangelism Follow-up Front of HouseHealthcareHospitality

I.T (Information Technology) Jesus House Academy (Teaching) Jesus House Francophonie Jesus House RadioKidz First (Children)Kingdom Treasurers Legal Team Life GroupsMarketplace ministryMarshalsMen’s MinistryMultimediaOasis Network (Lone parents) Pages bookshop Parenting Prayer Prisons ministry Protocol PublicationsReConnect (Young Adults)Raised Up in Christ (RUC Squad) – Youth

(ages 16 – 21 years) SALT (Political Awareness) Senior Pastor’s Office Service Management SHERR (Couples experiencing difficulties in

childbearing) Synergy (Dance)Temple KeepersTightknots (Marriage)TM4:12 (ages 13 – 15 years)TransportTreasuryTribe of Judah (music ministry)UsheringWelfare

OU

R STRUC

TURE, LEA

DERSH

IP & PEO

PLE


BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY

“If we all work together we can change the world, one person at a time.” (Sola Irukwu, Head of Church Social Responsibility)

14 | Forging Ahead


We are committed to providing practical support to the poor, disadvantaged and the underprivileged. Through diverse

initiatives that transform lives at home and further afield our Church Social Responsibility ministries create opportunities for us to reach far beyond our church walls with the gospel message of love.

Our Local CommunityThrough our Community Action Team we continued to work to improve the lives of those members of our local community who are vulnerable, experiencing disadvantage or in need of support.

COLINDALE FOODBANK “Every week we serve different people and each one has a story; these are not numbers, these are people who for whatever reason are finding it tough just now.” (A volunteer at the Foodbank)

The Colindale Foodbank began life in 2006 as the Manna Project, an emergency food provision service to support people in desperate need in the London Borough of Barnet. In 2012 it was relaunched as the Colindale Foodbank under the Trussell Trust (which co-ordinates a network of food banks within the UK) and continues to provide much needed relief to members of our community. It has helped us build relationships with various churches, groups and people within the community from different backgrounds and faiths. We receive regular donations of food from grocery stores in Barnet, local schools and churches

(including the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart and Mary Immaculate, Mill Hill; Hampstead Garden Suburb Free Church, Hendon United Reformed Church and Haringey Gospel Trust).

The Foodbank serves as a door to engage with people in our community. We also provide signposting to agencies or groups that can offer long term solutions to underlying problems.

These are the stories of some of the people we have been able to support in 2014:

H came late at night, banging on the door, desperate for food. It was quite by chance that we were there. We watched in horror as he, in his hunger, attempted to open a can of beans with his bare hands. He used to be a manager of one of the supermarket chains.

B had his benefits stopped because he had got a job but he wasn’t going to be paid for four weeks.

There are people who walk miles across the borough to get to us. One lady was thrown off a bus with her child and buggy because she did not have the fare for the bus ride. She had no food at home for the baby…. She walked miles to get to us.

A total of 1,027 adults and 706 children were fed by the Colindale Food bank in 2014. On Sunday 28th September 2014, the Jesus House congregation donated £16,002.69 for the purchase of a dedicated van for the food bank.

................................................................

We are committed to providing practical support to the poor, disadvantaged and the underprivileged. Through diverse

initiatives that transform lives at home and further afield our Church Social Responsibility ministries create opportunities for us to reach far beyond our church walls with the gospel message of love.

A CALL TO SERVE (ACTS WEEKEND)The summer of 2011 saw the country experience the biggest display of civil disorder in several decades. Prime Minister, David Cameron, declared the ‘moral collapse’ of society and denounced the unprecedented displays of wanton destruction seen in many communities across the UK. A Call to Serve (ACTS) week is rooted in the biblical commandment to ‘love thy neighbour,’ and was initiated to encourage Christ-like love and service in the community in the aftermath of the 2011 riots in London. With a focus on the vulnerable members of our community, or those with a particular need, (including the elderly or disabled or lone parents), the week-long scheme sees volunteers from Jesus House donating their time to provide a much-needed service. During the 2014 ACTS week (3rd to 9th August 2014), 110 volunteers signed up to clean, clear out, jet wash and paint 32 homes in the Barnet area. Over 500 volunteer hours were recorded and over 700kg of household waste was collected.

SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEERSpreading Christmas Cheer is an outreach programme which provides an opportunity to show love to our neighbours and commuters at train stations within the borough of Barnet by providing commuters with free hot drinks and pastries during Christmas week. It is an opportunity for conversations with members of our community; these conversations have on occasion led to people establishing a relationship with Jesus.

................................................................

In the 10 years since it began, the Spreading Christmas Cheer project has spread to 13 train stations in Barnet and now involves 33 local churches.

Through the love and generosity of the programme volunteers, seven commuters at Brent Cross station accepted an invitation to come to Jesus Christ during the Spreading Christmas Cheer initiative.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH ON JESUS‘Christmas is the season of love and goodwill. As Christians, we don’t just want to speak about Jesus’ love, we also want to show it by our actions. Our hope is that through these hampers people will see that love is more than a word – true love is best expressed by giving.’ (Helen Shannon, St Barnabas Church Finchley)

Since 2007, the Christmas Lunch on Jesus initiative has provided Christmas hampers for members of the community who are in desperate need during the festive season. In the years since, more than 12,000 hampers have been distributed to residents across Barnet. Over 33 churches and more than 300 volunteers are involved in the project. In recognition of this work, 50 community volunteers (aged 15 to 72 years) from Jesus House were hosted at a reception, on Monday 20th January 2014, at the Palace of Westminster by Mike Freer, MP for Finchley and Golders Green who expressed his gratitude for seven years of dedicated service to the community.

“I am delighted to welcome volunteers from Jesus House to the House of Commons for a thank you reception. The Christmas Hamper initiative helps so many local people and it is only right that the excellent work of the Church and the volunteers is recognised.” (Mike Freer MP)

The total number of hours donated by volunteers on the CLOJ project in 2014 was 1,895 hours. 140 volunteers packed the hampers and 147 volunteers delivered to 1500 households.

CHRISTIANS AGAINST POVERTYChristians Against Poverty (CAP) exists to help free UK residents from the grip of debt, poverty and its causes. Working with the Church it offers hope and practical support through its debt counselling advice and assistance service to individuals in financial need. Each year in the UK, CAP supports at least 38,000 people through its free debt help, money courses and job clubs.

In 2014 the Barnet South CAP centre, a Jesus House and Trinity Church (formerly Northwest Church) partnership, continued to help families and individuals out of unmanageable debt.

In July CAP held its first CAP Money for Youth course. 57 children were taught to budget, save and spend responsibly.

BUILD

ING

OU

R CO

MM

UN

ITY


................................................................

................................................................

THE JESUS HOUSE PRISON MINISTRY (SPONSORING THE ANGEL TREE PROJECT)The church’s involvement in prisons dates back to 2004 when a team of volunteers began supporting the work of the chaplaincy at HMP Bronzefield, soon after it opened as a top security prison for women. The prison’s ministry has since expanded its work of support to HMP Aylesbury, a young-offenders institution for long-term male inmates between the ages of 17 and 21 years and the Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre.

Since 2011 the Jesus House prison ministry has been working with Prison Fellowship UK as sponsors of the Angel Tree Project (which comes alongside prison inmates across the UK with a mission to see lives restored by breaking the cycle of reoffending). Angel Tree supports prisoners in their family relationships by enabling them to give Christmas presents to their children. The Jesus House prison ministry managed the process of collecting, preparing and distributing gifts to the children of inmates at HMP Pentonville, London, which was the designated prison in 2014. 120

gifts were sent out on behalf of incarcerated parents to their children.

Some responses received by Prison Fellowship UK about the Angel Tree Project: “I am sending you this card to say a big thank you for sending my four children a Christmas present on my behalf. They all loved their presents and it made their Christmas. Thank you…” Wife of a prisoner

“Today is Mothering Sunday and this morning I opened a lovely card from my 16 year-old son who is unfortunately serving 6 months in prison…This is a very difficult time for us and receiving this card was just so lovely. Thank you so much.” Cara, a mother

“She was at home when the parcel arrived and so was very excited. She saw the word ‘prison’ and her face just lit up. She ran around hugging the parcel shouting ‘It’s from my Daddy!’ The present itself was just what she wanted. However the look on her face and sheer joy I will never forget.” A mother

18 | Forging Ahead

OUR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these

brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25.37 – 40 NIV)


THE JESUS HOUSE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN KENYA The Jesus House healthcare team embarked on a mission trip to the Narok County of the Masai Mara region of Kenya between 5th and 12th December 2014. Partnering with Action in Focus, a Kenyan-based charity which organises medical camps to provide healthcare to disadvantaged people in rural areas, the team included midwives, doctors, dentists and other support staff.

The team set up and saw patients in 4 medical camps in different settlements that were run simultaneously in the Mara over 2 days. A total of 1755 people were seen over two days; 764 on day one and 991 on day.

The team also visited two children’s homes, presenting toys, clothes and providing medical assistance to some of the children. The first home that was visited was the Agape Hope Children Centre, a home for 120 orphaned, abused and abandoned children and a secondary school set up in 2002 by Olivier and Margaret Chigunzi.

The Morgra Rescue Centre was the second children’s home that was visited. Set up in 1998, the Centre looks after children from birth to 22 years. Highlights of the visit included the birth of a baby girl who was aptly named ‘Blessed’.

KANGU (MOTHERS’ DAY)On Mothers’ Day, a day when mothers all around the world are appreciated, Jesus House adopted Kangu, a charity founded to make life-saving services available to pregnant women by ‘crowd-funding’ safe births.

Each day, 800 women and 8000 newborns around the globe die from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications because of a lack of access to basic healthcare services before, during, or after childbirth. Mothering Sunday was an opportunity for the women at Jesus House to come together and give a gift of life to mothers and mothers-to-be in developing countries with the highest maternal mortality rates.

The church raised £8,904.84 and to date we are sponsoring 44 mothers in Nepal and Uganda.

“I found that people were increasingly aware of the issue of preventable maternal mortality, but an easy way to be a part of the solution hadn’t been presented… Kangu’s crowdfunding technology allows people concerned about the issue to take simple, concrete and affordable action.” (Casey Santiago, founder of Kangu.org)

20 | Forging Ahead


SOCIAL AWARENESS SUNDAY: PROFILING INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION (IJM)On 16th November 2014, the International Justice Mission returned to Jesus House on our Social Awareness Sunday (a dedicated day during which we highlight a charity that plays a key role in the fight against social injustice in our local or global community). The work of the International Justice Mission is focused on securing justice for victims of violent oppression in its various forms in developing countries.

Terry Tennens, Chief Executive of IJM, UK, spoke to the congregation about the ways in which the church could play an important role in the effort to bring freedom and restoration to people in desperate need.

Speaking of her recent internship with IJM, Vanessa Opoku, a member of Jesus House said: “It has been a life-changing experience that opens one’s eyes to the level of violence against those in poverty in the world”.

The response of the church was overwhelming and £11,673.96 was raised to support the life-transforming work of IJM. Several people also signed up to form a ‘Mission: Freedom Group’ at Jesus House. Mission: Freedom Groups are groups of IJM supporters around the UK who work together to bring freedom to victims of violent oppression around the world, providing supporters with practical ways to seek justice for the poor and vulnerable around the world. The group meets regularly to pray, raise awareness, fundraise and get involved in current IJM advocacy campaigns.

‘We thank God for your heart for justice and your congregation’s incredible generosity to support the work.’ (Terry Tennens, Chief Executive, IJM UK)

EBOLA CRISIS RESPONSEIn 2014, the deadly Ebola virus ravaged countries in West and Central Africa, the largest Ebola epidemic in history, claiming thousands of lives.

In response to this, on Sunday 24th August 2014, the Jesus House congregation raised £11,695.66 to support the work of international and local non-governmental organisations working in areas most affected by the Ebola outbreak.

Several charities were selected for their commitment towards tackling the deadly outbreak including; Médecins Sans Frontières and the World Food Programme working in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo; Samaritan’s Purse International in Liberia and Christian Aid for their work in Congo.

Samaritan’s Purse International Relief‘It is a sobering privilege to be positioned by God such that we are able to fight this current battle with Ebola in Liberia in a way that not only makes a physical difference but that offers spiritual hope also’ (Chris Blackham, Head of Programmes and Projects, Samaritan’s Purse Inernational)

Samaritan’s Purse is an international relief organisation which provides physical and spiritual aid to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine.

Jesus House has had a working relationship with Samaritan’s Purse since 2010. One of the areas badly affected by the outbreak was the Foya region in Liberia which was visited in 2013 by representatives from Jesus House who travelled to the region to deliver the 8,117 gift-filled shoeboxes that had been sponsored by the Jesus House congregation as part of Samaritan

................................................................

Purse’s Operation Christmas Child appeal.

A donation of £3,000 was made to Samaritan’s Purse’s Disaster Response Fund to help support the efforts of their medical and non-medical staff in Liberia in the fight against Ebola. Their relief activity included training on infection prevention and the provision of control kits to affected communities and establishing interim community care centres which provided supportive treatment to affected individuals prior to their transfer to Ebola treatment units.

The World Food Programme The Ebola pandemic resulted in the disruption of food trade in the countries most affected by the outbreak with large communities seeing their livelihood affected.

The World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger, supported the medical response to the Ebola emergency by providing food to affected families and communities in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

From April 2014 when the outbreak first started, WFP distributed food to 1.1million people in these three countries.

A £2,000 donation from Jesus House was made to the World Food Programme to support their unrelenting work in preventing the Ebola crisis from becoming a food crisis.

Médecins Sans Frontières(Doctors Without Borders)Guided by the founding concept to ‘go where the patient is’, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has for over four decades, delivered emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare in areas with the greatest needs.

Jesus House made a grant allocation of £3,000 to support the work of MSF in fighting the Ebola Epidemic in Sierra Leone.

Christian Aid Christian Aid believes that ‘the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.’ At the heart of the organisation’s work is the support of the poorest communities, in over 42 countries, which do not have the means to change their circumstances and plight. Christian Aid is also a disaster relief organisation that is working alongside other charities in the fight against the spread of the Ebola virus.

With partners on the ground, they have provided disposable gloves, powdered chlorine for health centres and medical teams. They have also reached 1.2 million people through their campaigns on how to avoid contacting Ebola.

22 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

.....................................

Jesus House donated £1,000 to support the work of Christian Aid in their fight against the Ebola epidemic in Congo.

20 DAYS SACRIFICE OF PRAISE The offerings received from the congregation during the 20 days of non-stop thanksgiving to mark our 20th anniversary were donated to 13 charities including the following:

Mercy Ships – Hope on the Horizon£5,000 was donated to Mercy Ships, an international faith-based organisation with a mission to make healthcare accessible to all.

Through the deployment of the world’s largest charity hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, Mercy Ships works with host nations to help fill gaps in health care systems, providing training opportunities for medical professionals, along with curative surgical interventions.

They also administer community development projects focusing on water and sanitation, education, infrastructure development and agriculture.

“…thank you for your generous donation of £5000 for the work of Mercy Ships, following your 20 days of non-stop thanksgiving, to mark your 20th Anniversary. What a celebration, and a gift of healing you have given! Please pass on our thanks to all your members who supported Mercy Ships so generously.” (Jane Palmer, Mercy Ships)

Anu Dosekun Healthcare FoundationThe Anu Dosekun Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to reduce the mortality and morbidity rates of children and indigents in Nigeria. Partnering with the private and public sectors, they provide medical services in poor neighbourhoods and engage in programmes that raise the level of health and disease awareness in local communities. £2,000 was donated to support the work of the Foundation.

The Extra Mile“It was such a wonderful surprise to discover your amazing gift of £2,000 for the work and mission of Extra Mile…Thanks to the incredible generosity of the members of your church, we will be able to set a concrete roof on the first classroom, albeit at this late stage of the ‘wet season’.” (Mr M Fielding, UK Director)The Extra Mile is a charity helping to bring education to the street children of Sierra Leone. It has a ten-year mission to recruit volunteers in English speaking schools, train teachers and to open its own free school. Jesus House contributed £2,000 towards the building

of the free school and library in Ober Funkia, Goderich, Sierra Leone.

Simbarashe ZimkidsZimkids is a charity working in Zimbabwe to provide support for vulnerable children and their families. They invest in communities providing food, education and medical care giving families in crisis a hope and a future. Jesus House donated £2,000 in support of their work.

The following additional charities benefited from the 20 days of praise grant allocation,

• Domestic Violence UK (which is concerned with raising awareness on issues relating to domestic and emotional abuse, providing information on and support to sufferers of abuse)

• Community Souls (which helps disadvantaged and vulnerable youth improve their lives and communities through positive programmes and activities and employment opportunities)

• Christians Against Poverty (which helps to free people from the prison of debt)

• Daniel’s Den (a local parent and toddler group which is committed to building stronger communities by encouraging and enriching family life)

• Hope UK (which educates children and young people about the impact of drug and alcohol abuse)

• Bobath Centre (which provides support for children with cerebral palsy and adults with neurological disability)

• Starlight Children’s Foundation (which seeks to improve hospital experiences for chronically ill children and teenagers)

• Prison Fellowship UK (which provides support to prisoners and their families through prayer and practical help)

• Emmaus Barnet (which is committed to ending homelessness by providing a family and work environment to move people away from homelessness)

IFEYINWA ALISON IRUKWU EDUCATION FUNDThe Ifeyinwa Alison Irukwu Trust Fund, set up in memory of late Pastor Ify Irukwu (1966 – 2007), continues to sponsor the education of disadvantaged children in developing countries. The fund is accessible to all children within school age irrespective of race, religion or gender, who otherwise would never be educated. The goal is to sponsor children in every developing country. Presently, five children are being sponsored in Malawi, five in Rwanda and one in Nigeria.

OU

R INTERN

ATION

AL C

OM

MU

NITY


................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

A total of £1,892 was paid towards their academic tuition for 2014/15 with all but one of the children passing their exams and progressing to the next academic year.

RWANDA Solace Ministries, a religious and non-governmental organisation, was set up in 1995, a year after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda to ensure that those who survived the genocide would be supported morally, spiritually, and also in their livelihood.

Through our ongoing work with Solace Ministries in Rwanda over the years, we have been able to provide 271 members of the Kaduha community with pigs, goats and cows. Reports from the organisation state that as a result of support from Jesus House, beneficiaries have been moved ‘from being lonely and abandoned, to improving their self-esteem to the point that some of them have gone back to school, whilst others are now able to engage in businesses like commerce and agriculture.’

The computer school, set up by our young adults’ group ‘Reconnect,’ has achieved notable success with the students noticing ‘a visible and productive impact.’ The students also expressed hopes that ‘the knowledge will be resourceful to them’.

BRAZILJesus House continues to impact lives across the globe by partnering with the Londrina State Penitentiary (PEL) in Brazil to help change the lives of its inmate population.

In December 2014, Deacon Wes Skau, who has led the outreach programme to his home country since its inception, returned to Brazil’s Parana region to distribute Christmas hampers and to show the love of Christ to families of ex- offenders and those incarcerated in the Brazilian justice system. Young adults from the local community who witnessed first-hand the impact that the church-sponsored hampers had on families in previous years volunteered their time to help with the present distribution. They teamed up with a significant number of ex-inmates who had benefited from the support they had received whilst in prison and wanted to give something back to their community as a result. This gesture was a testimony to the transformation that had occurred in their lives and served as an encouragement to families whose sons were still incarcerated.

Marcelo Pereira, one of the ex-inmates who had been estranged from his family, had an opportunity to rebuild his relationship with his family. A surprise visit to his family with other rehabilitated inmates during the distribution drive allowed Marcelo’s mother to see the change in her son’s life and led to a reconciliation with the family. He has since been welcomed home.Jesus House also supported two families through healthcare challenges.

................................................................

24 | Forging Ahead

PARTNERSHIPS“Two are better than one, because they have a good

reward for their labour.” (Ecclesiastes 4.9)


THE ONE PEOPLE COMMISSIONThe One People Commission is a body of the Evangelical Alliance made up of key national church leaders, committed to celebrating ethnicity, while promoting unity within the UK evangelical Church. Jesus House plays an active role in advancing the work of the Commission and hosts its meetings, drawing together UK-based leaders from diverse backgrounds including India, Sri Lanka, China, South Korea, Latin America, the Caribbean, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia and Britain. In December 2014 more than 30 leaders gathered in the Jesus House Chapel, to discuss future collaborative work, to examine the results of the Commission’s research into how future generations are engaging with Church, to pray for the Persecuted Church worldwide and for the UK General Election in May 2015.

“The UK evangelical Church is blessed with a vibrant tapestry of people from all walks of life, backgrounds and ethnicities. We celebrate the texture that these expressions of our faith bring and are sensitive to ways of ‘doing church’ which reflect the variety of ethnic backgrounds that we come from. But ultimately we are one people, with one voice and one hope. While we affirm this diversity, we long to see the Church united as one. So we are passionate

about building relationships and forming friendships between national leaders from across denominations, of representing the diversity of the evangelical Church in the UK and speaking on its behalf to government and the media. Because we believe that we, the wonderfully vibrant Church, are better together.” (Steve Clifford, general director, Evangelical Alliance)

CHRISTIAN AID – PARTNERSHIP FOR CHANGE AWARDChristian Aid seeks to achieve its objectives of worldwide poverty alleviation through partnerships with governments, agencies, businesses, churches, faith groups and individuals. Through its Partnership for Change scheme, which calls for the combined efforts of countless people, it hopes to bring about a global movement focused on ending poverty and social injustice. Working in partnership, Christian Aid believes that it is possible to end poverty world-wide in the 21st Century. For several years Jesus House has partnered with Christian Aid and has raised awareness for its work and supported the organisation through prayer and financial grants. In recognition of this partnership, Jesus House was presented with the Partnership for Change Award on Sunday 11th May 2014 at the start of Christian Aid Week. Mark Sturge, Christian Aid Head of London Region made the presentation to Pastor Shola Adeaga.

................................................................

26 | Forging Ahead

THE NEXT GENERATION‘Successful young people are never an accident.’

(Bajo Akisanya, Director of Youth Ministries)


We are committed champions of the youth. In the 20 years since Jesus House began, we have been privileged to play a part in the

development and progression of many children and young people. Each stage in the development process is significant and we work passionately to meet the different needs of specific age groups. Our church and community-based programmes and activities provide tailored support and encouragement for our young people on their individual journeys of discovery, maximising potential and impacting the lives of others.

INSPIRING FUTURE DOCTORSOrganised by the Jesus House healthcare team in collaboration with Christ Ambassadors Limited, which provides evangelism training and discipleship for Christian students aged between 16 and 25 years old, the ‘Inspiring Future Doctors’ event, from 28th July to 1st August, was part of Christ Ambassadors mentoring programme. The Programme was designed to provide encouragement and practical guidance to aspiring doctors. 25 young people aged 16-18 years attended and were given guidance by practising medical professionals on the medical application process, entrance examinations and interviews. The

programme included a medical simulation day course based, and delivered by a training team of doctors, at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University – similar to that used in training medical doctors of all grades.

28 | Forging Ahead

KIDZ FIRST, OUR CHILDREN’S MINISTRY, SUPPORTS MISSION PARAGUAYMission Paraguay is a non-governmental organisation that provides for and meets the needs of disadvantaged children in Paraguay. Our children in the junior church, Kidz First, adopted ‘Mission Paraguay’ as part of their 2014 social responsibility drive. To raise funds for the charity, the children made and sold loom wristbands raising a total of £716.59

CSR International committed additional funds, on behalf of Jesus House, to boost what the children raised from their sales bringing to £2500 the total funds donated to Mission Paraguay.

THE FOOTBALL ACADEMY The annual Jesus House Football Academy is enabling an increased number of local youngsters (aged between 9 and 19 years old) to benefit from the tutelage of FA-qualified football coaches. The youth are not just encouraged to build their football skills, the programme focuses on developing life skills including respect for others, time management and good communication skills.

This year the academy ran from 11th - 22nd August at Whitefields School, Barnet, with a coaching team led by head coach Paul Sevier, who also coaches at Arsenal Football Club. Each participant was awarded a certificate and medal based on their active participation and display of good character at the end of the two weeks.

Coach Sevier said: “This was a special year for the football academy because it is also the world cup year. All the kids could talk about was the Brazilian footballer, Neymar, and how they all want to play football like him. However, by the end of the first week it was clear that the skills obtained off the pitch helped them to gain a more positive attitude and character - especially towards each other.”

Commenting on the programme, Ayo Adedoyin, Head of Community Action said: “Every year we have so many gifted children come through and at the end of the programme there is a real transformation.”

The academy aims to encourage young people to actively participate in sports, particularly those


THE N

EXT GEN

ERATION

................................................................

from underprivileged communities who are often neglected or deprived as a result of their lack of access to information and opportunities. Tuition for the academy is subsidised for young people from low income homes.

THE YOUTH RETREATFrom 29th July to 3rd August 2014, the Jesus House youth ministry incorporating TM4.12 for ages 13 – 16 years, which derives its name from 1 Timothy 4.12 and RUC Squad (Raised Up in Christ) for ages 17 – 21 years came together for their annual summer retreat at Whitemoor Lakes Activity Centre, Staffordshire. Themed ‘Discovery,’ the focus was on relationships – discovering who God is and who the young people are in Christ.

THE SUMMER MUSIC SCHOOLThe Jesus House Music Academy is a two-week programme which is focused on developing new and existing musical skills in young people during the summer holidays. It is open to children between the ages of 5 and 15 years who have previous or

no experience of a musical instrument. The only qualification necessary is an interest in learning. Speaking of the vision behind the academy, David Levy-Beard, the organiser, facilitator and member of the music ministry, said that it was set up to: ‘teach music from a scriptural viewpoint while exposing students to a wide range of instruments.’ The instruments taught included the drums, piano, bass guitar and saxophone.

The academy opened up on the 11th of August 2014 with four confirmed students but within a few days the number had increased to 43. The children were encouraged to develop their understanding and knowledge of various instruments and develop their musical skills in a worship setting. The fortnight concluded with a mini concert to which parents and carers were invited and following which the students were awarded with certificates of attendance.

One parent said: ‘The Music Academy was a life-changing experience for me and my daughter. I didn’t know she could sing like that and she has now joined her school choir. We can’t wait for next year!’

30 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

................................................................

BEYOND OUR WALLS“Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the

Message of God’s good news to one and all.” (Mark 16.15 MSG)


IS BRITAIN STILL CHRISTIAN?On 29th June 2014 Jesus House opened its doors to a film crew from ITV as part of filming of a programme in its current affairs ‘Tonight’ series which asked the question: Is Britain Still Christian? This was an exploration of contemporary Christianity in the UK partly sparked by Prime Minister David Cameron’s statement that Britain is a Christian country and contrary views that suggest that Britain is a nation transitioning from its Christian roots to one in which the majority identity is not Christian. Jesus House was featured as a congregation that is thriving notwithstanding statistics that point to an overall drop in church attendance across the UK.

Speaking on the issue of church growth Pastor Agu Irukwu said: “There are churches that are growing up and down the land. And I think what you will find with churches that are growing is that those churches are relevant. It’s not just a service; it’s what you have in addition to the service, so people come here for fellowship, people come here for community.”

The programme was aired on 24th July 2014.

THE FESTIVAL OF LIFE‘Irrespective of divide, the Church in this land will come together as revival begins’ (Agu Irukwu)

This statement gathered pace on the evening of Friday 17th October 2014 as the Redeemed Christian Church of God, with Hope Together UK (an initiative that brings churches together to transform communities), hosted the Most Revd Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife Caroline at the Crowne Plaza hotel, London Docklands prior to their attendance at the Festival of Life event at ExCel London.

The Festival of Life is an all-night programme of prayer, worship and teaching which brings together people of diverse backgrounds and denominations united by a common desire to pray for the nation, the government and the family. Organized by the Redeemed Christian Church of God and hosted by its General Overseer Pastor E A Adeboye, the first Festival of Life was held in London in April 1996. It has since become one of the largest non-denominational gatherings of its kind in the UK, with over 40,000 adults in attendance.

32 | Forging Ahead

The Archbishop who was the special guest at the event was described as a ‘man of remarkable humility’ and received with a standing ovation. Commending the Church’s commitment to prayer, he stated that: ‘no force can resist the Church of prayer.’ In a moving demonstration of humility, he asked forgiveness of those present for ‘turning our backs on you in the 50s’ as he prayed for the congregation and black majority churches in the UK. He then joined hands with the General Overseer of RCCG worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, in a demonstration of unity, as the congregation prayed for them in turn. Also in attendance were Pastor Osh Ong (Head of Chinese Church UK), Billy Kennedy (Head of

New Frontier Church and President of Churches Together in England), Andy Frost (CEO of Share Jesus International), and Roy Crowne (Executive Director of HOPE Together).

Following on from the success of the London event, the Festival of Life has now been taken to the regions. In 2014, there were two events in London, one in Wales and another in Scotland.

LOVE BEYOND – THE MUSICAL“Love Beyond the Musical takes you on a journey beginning with the joy of creation and life, travelling through the darkness of loss and despair, and finally


BEYON

D O

UR W

ALLS

................................................................

arriving at a place of new hope and life renewed.” (Love Beyond the Musical)

With a multi-talented cast of actors, dancers and singers, the story of the Bible is told in a contemporary way that appeals to a generation that is not fully accessing the gospel message through the traditional methods of dissemination. Taking the musical out of Brighton, where it held its premiere performance in 2013, the producer and selected cast members attended services at Jesus House on Sunday 24th August to invite the congregation to the London showings of the musical at Wembley Arena on 1st and 2nd October 2014.

Jesus House pledged £5000 in support of the vision to introduce Londoners to the Christian message of love in an entertaining and accessible form.

DINNER AT THE HOUSE OF LORDSOn Tuesday 20th May 2014, Jesus House was hosted to a dinner reception at the House of Lords by the Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose celebrating twenty years of Jesus House for All the Nations. The

dinner was given by Stewardship, a leading UK charity which promotes generous and tax effective giving.

Attending were the CEO of Stewardship Mike O’Neill, together with his wife Donna and Chair of Trustees, David Vardy. Pastor Agu Irukwu led a delegation of the Jesus House leadership which included pastor Sola Irukwu, pastors Shola and Funke Adeaga, Bajo and Chizor Akisanya and Ayo Adedoyin. Other church leaders with whom Jesus House had forged strong relationships in its 20 year journey were also present including: Reverend Nicky and Pippa Gumbel of Holy Trinity Brompton, Rob Parsons, Executive Director of Care for the Family and his wife Dianne; Roy Crowne, Executive Director for HOPE Together and his wife Flossie; Steve Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance and his wife Ann, and Pastor Kofi Banful, Senior Pastor of Praise Christian Centre, North west London. Jesus House trustee and Chief Executive of the Peace Alliance, Reverend Nims Obunge MBE, Chibundu Onuzo, who won widespread recognition as Faber and Faber’s youngest-ever signing for her debut novel, ‘The Spider King’s Daughter’ and her mother, Dr Miriam Onuzo, were also at the dinner.

34 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

‘Love Beyond’ photographs by Hazel Thompson, Sam Bush and Simon Jay Price.

SILENT NIGHT AT THE SARACENS GROUND On 11th December 2014, in remembrance of the historic moment when enemies laid aside their weapons during the famous Christmas Day truce 100 years ago, Barnet residents gathered at the Saracens Rugby Club in London for a special carol concert. The Tribe of Judah joined in to pay special tribute to those lost during the Great War. Their soulful rendition of Silent Night at the Allianz Park Stadium, Mill Hill, warmed up the air on a bitterly cold winter’s night. Other acts at the event, which was organised by Christian mission movement HOPE Together, included the Hendon band of the Salvation Army, local school choirs as well as staff and players from Saracens Club.

Visiting the United Kingdom with a message of hope and reconciliation, Prussian prince, Prince Phillip Kiril apologised for the role his great great grandfather, Kaiser Wilhelm II (the last German Emperor and King of Prussia) played in failing to stop the war.

#BRINGBACKOURGIRLS On 14th April 2014 on a regular school day, 276 students at the Chibok Secondary School in Northeastern Nigeria were kidnapped from their school by Boko Haram militants leading to a global outcry of an unprecedented level and a social media

campaign during which millions, from celebrities to world leaders and ordinary people, demanded their safe return.

In an interview with Sky News in Abuja, Nigeria, Pastor Agu Irukwu said: “This is probably the saddest thing that has happened to us as a nation. I have a 17-year-old daughter so I can only feel the pain of the parents. The first thing we will do, as a praying community, is that we will pray and we have been praying non-stop. The second thing we want to do is to engage with those here in Nigeria in a practical way to offer help. The third thing we want to do is to be a voice for the people who, in a sense, are voiceless and speak on their behalf, to say this isn’t just a Nigerian problem or a West African problem. This has the potential to become a problem for the world. Our hearts and prayers are with the parents and we are hopeful that they can be brought back home.”


................................................................

EVENTS & CONFERENCESTouching our world with God’s love

36 | Forging Ahead

THE WATCH NIGHT SERVICEThe New Year’s Eve Watchnight service is one of biggest events in the church calendar with over 3000 people in attendance. It serves as an opportunity for us as a church to worship and thank God for the outgoing year and to offer up prayers for the coming one. We celebrated the end of 2014 in an unprecedented way with independent services holding across three locations (the Jesus House main auditorium and two marquees) and each unit coming together for key portions of the programme, thereby bringing a new dimension to the worship experience. The Tribe of Judah ushered the congregation into His presence with heartfelt worship and our dance group, Synergy, offered a new and exciting dimension to worship with another first-rate performance.

Pastor Agu delivered a stirring message which centred on the glory and faithfulness of Jesus and the importance of having Him as the cornerstone of our lives. 24 people, most of whom were aged between 16 and 23 years old, responded to his invitation to start a relationship with Jesus.


REDUNDO…Overflowing with worship to our King Jesus House held its first-ever concert themed Redundo, which is a Latin word meaning ‘to overflow’ or ‘stream over.’ It was a celebration of diverse genres of music and featured a memorable line-up of outstanding artists unified by one common thread – a passion for deep, heartfelt worship of God. The night featured jazz legend Kirk Whalum; world-acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist Jonathan Butler; Terry MacAlmon, award-winning pianist, song-writer and worship leader; Chevelle Franklyn, world-renowned gospel reggae singer; Otty Warman, up-and-coming artist and member of Jesus House; psalmist and classical/gospel singer Caleb Alalade; Alabaster Box, the award-winning all male gospel acapella group from Ghana, home-grown choir ‘The Tribe of Judah’ and the dance ministry – ‘Synergy.’ The host of the day, himself one of Britain’s biggest gospel singer-songwriter’s who, together with his group Riversongz, has enjoyed record-breaking success, was presenter and broadcaster Muyiwa Olarewaju.

Unparalleled teamwork and collaboration between the Jesus House creative ministries, comprising music,

dance, drama and multimedia contributed to the success of the night.

Here we profile a section of the Jesus House creative ministries.

The Tribe of Judah…. A life of worshipTotally reliant on the Lord for grace and direction, the Tribe offers worship that is distinctive, fresh, contemporary, innovative and transforming.

The Tribe of Judah, or ‘the Tribe’ as they are commonly known, is made up of an exciting mix of outstanding singers and instrumentalists whose hearts are committed to pursuing the presence of God in worship. The name ‘Judah’ means ‘praise’ and reflects the group’s mandate.

For 20 years the Tribe of Judah has enriched the offering of worship at our services and events through a varied and eclectic mix of song styles.

The individuals that make up the Tribe are united in their passionate and heartfelt worship of God. Without

38 | Forging Ahead

................................................................

exception, they are all motivated by a desire to employ their gifts in honouring God, serving the congregation and the wider Christian community.

The Drama ministryBringing the gospel to lifeDrama is one of the most effective ways to tell a story. At Jesus House it is much more than just entertainment, a commitment to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ lies at the heart of our drama ministry. The team is made up of a varied mix of talented individuals passionate about the arts and motivated by a desire to spread the timeless message of love through exciting and contemporary sketches. Over the years the ministry has arrested the attention of the congregation and guests to Jesus House with powerful sketches that introduce Jesus to those who do not know Him and challenge the faith of those who do.

Synergy – the dance ministryEnhancing praise and worship and helping to usher in the presence of God.Formed in 2010, Synergy is made up of individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds who are passionate about dance and committed to worshipping God

through the medium.

Through a range of dance styles characterised by creativity, innovation and boldness, Synergy delivers quality performances of a depth and richness that confirms their commitment to excellence in worship.

Although it is one of the youngest ministries in Jesus House, Synergy has fast become one of the most dynamic expressions of a people committed to the pursuit of God and presenting the gospel through an exciting and impactful medium that reaches out beyond the walls of the church.

The Jesus House Multimedia Department (JHMMD) Enhancing your worship experience:The 70-person multimedia team, staffed mostly by volunteers, is divided into six arms: sound engineering (live audio mixing, recording and production); visual projection (creation and display of graphics and video content); television ministry (video capture, editing and post-production); lighting and stage (mood and effects lighting and stage management); word mill (audio, video and online distribution of the Word);


EVENTS &

CO

NFEREN

CES

................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

and general operations (production management and team co-ordination).

JHMMD constantly strives to be a leading-edge ministry as it presents the message of the gospel using advances in media and communications technology to further its objectives. In recent years it has acted as something of a ‘melting pot’ of creative ideas in collaboration with the creative arms of the church. The result is that JHMMD has become one of the key custodians of the creative and production experience that the church offers its members.

The department’s focus extends beyond the church’s walls. Its vision encompasses the aim of becoming a ‘centre of excellence’ amongst multimedia teams in churches and a provider of training and expertise for other churches with a view to raising the standard of multimedia use in churches. The ultimate goal is the creative delivery of the timeless message of the gospel in a refined, refreshing and relevant format that is appealing in our rapidly changing world.

THE UNCOMMON WOMAN CONFERENCEIn a world where we are constantly assailed by things that cause us to question our worth, the Uncommon Woman Conference, Jesus House’s annual conference for women, was a timely reminder of where true value lies – in the price that was paid for us through Jesus’ death on the cross. Aptly themed ‘Priceless…worth more than rubies’, the two-day conference on 4th and 5th of July, was a wonderful opportunity for fellowship, relationship building and learning.

With a group of diverse speakers who contributed great insight and humour, the conference built on the successes of the previous years since it began in 2012. Speaking this year were Charlotte Gambill, co-pastor at Life Church, Bradford, Jayne Banful, life coach and associate pastor of Praise Christian Centre London, Bimbo Fola-Alade, Family life pastor at Trinity Chapel, London and Barbara Kasunmu, CEO and co-founder of Elevation Networks, an award winning social enterprise that provides training and mentoring

40 | Forging Ahead

opportunities for young people.

Guest artists were MOBO (Music of Black Origin) award winner Rachel Kerr and Arinola, whose debut album ‘The Secret Place’ has been described as one of the best gospel albums in the UK in recent times. The Tribe of Judah, the Jesus House choir, and Synergy, the dance team also ministered over the two days.

Mercy Ministries UK, which supports young women with life controlling challenges such as self-harm, eating disorders and depression, was adopted as the 2014 conference charity. Executive Director Arianna Walker introduced their work to the ladies.

JESUS HOUSE FRANCOPHONIEThrough the leadership of Pastors Mark and Marceline Menda, the Francophonie Church is able to extend the Jesus House vision to French-speaking residents in and around the North London region. Approximately 100 people attend the weekly services at Jesus House Francophonie. The nations represented include:

Ivory Coast, Mauritius, the Republic of Congo, Italy, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), France, Burundi, Madagascar and Scotland. In 2014 the church held a variety of activities and events including a women’s conference.

The Women’s conferenceOn 1st November the church held its women’s conference which was themed ‘Un Sacrifice Agréable à Dieu (A Sacrifice Pleasing to God)’. Guest speaker was Pastor Mamie Lumande of Parole du Salut (Word of Salvation), Paris, France, who spoke on the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God. 45 women of varying ages attended the one-day event.

CELEBRATING THE LIVES OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENSFor the 9th consecutive year, Jesus House hosted the annual ‘Celebrating Life’ banquet in honour of the elderly citizens of the boroughs of Barnet and Brent. On Saturday 2nd August 2014, 455 residents of 40 care


................................................................

................................................................

................................................................

homes in the borough, along with their carers, were treated to an afternoon of music and dancing and a much loved walk along memory lane.

Special guests were His Worshipful, the Mayor, Councillor Hugh Rayner, Mayor of Barnet, and his wife Mayoress Susan Rayner. He expressed his pleasure at the presence of so many elderly residents of different care homes across the borough of Barnet and thanked Jesus House for its work in the community. Also expressing his gratitude to the church for its support of the elderly in the community, the Mayor of Brent, His Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Kana Naheerathan joined with Councillor Rayner to present birthday cards to and oversee the cake-cutting for residents who celebrated birthdays recently. Labour Councillor Agnes Slocombe, representing West Hendon was also in attendance.

‘Celebrating Life’ is organised by Abigail’s Court, a dedicated team at Jesus House, committed to caring for the elderly in Barnet and Brent through weekly visits to care homes.

IN SUPPORT OF THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE - THE MARRIAGE REVOLUTIONOn Saturday 29th November 2014 the Jesus House main auditorium was transformed into a venue fit for a ‘date with your spouse’ in preparation for the end of year Marriage Revolution event organised by Tightknots, the Jesus House marriage ministry. Doors opened up before expectant couples to reveal a live jazz band, atmospheric lighting and smiling waiters offering cocktails and canapés as a prelude to: ‘Love and Marriage: An evening of cocktails, canapés and cupcakes with Nicky and Sila Lee.’ With close to 40 years of marriage to their credit, Nicky Lee, associate vicar at Holy Trinity Brompton, and his wife Sila have shared their experiences and insight on marriage, family life and parenting with thousands of people. Authors of the highly successful Marriage Book, the Lees dealt with some of the sticky issues of marriage with candour and lots of humour. They answered several questions that couples grapple with daily, such as: How can we be happily married to one person for the whole of our lives? How do we resolve conflict?

42 | Forging Ahead

How can we discover and rediscover sexual intimacy? In a follow-on interview, Pastor Agu asked specific questions on their marriage journey and the discussion that ensued was a relationship masterclass for anyone keen to experience the best that marriage has to offer.

The event was organised by Tightknots, the Jesus House marriage ministry which is committed to supporting and building wholesome marriages. The Marriage Revolution is aimed at equipping married couples with Godly principles and practical tools for enriching and strengthening their marriages.

Earlier on in the year, between 2nd and 5th May, the ministry hosted the Couples’ Weekend Away at Alexandra House in Swindon, Southwest England themed ‘Secrets to a great marriage.’

CHURCH IN THE PARKThe arrival of ex-hurricane Bertha on Sunday 10th

August 2014 brought heavy showers and wind speeds of up to 50 mph but this did little to dampen spirits during the annual Jesus House church picnic. Over 1,500 people braved the inclement weather conditions to attend the Church in the Park at the Clitterhouse Playing Fields, northwest London with one guest commenting that ‘the rain could not spoil it’. The day was filled with rousing performances given by artists from the UK urban gospel scene including Dwayne Tryumf, XoP, Commission, A-Star, Triple O, SO as well as emerging talent and long-standing church member, Otty Warman and the Jesus House music ministry, the Tribe of Judah. With improved facilities, many more rides, and lots of food on offer, one first time visitor said: ‘Can’t complain. Will definitely be back!’ The day was also an opportunity to share the message of Christ’s love for us with our guests and as a result nine people made the decision to enter into a relationship with Jesus.


................................................................

finance summaryREPORT OF THE TRUSTEES The Trustees, who are also Directors for the purposes of Company Law, are pleased to present the annual report for the purposes of Section 45 of the Charities Act 1993 and sections 415 to 419 of the Companies Act 2006, together with the accounts for the period ended 31st December 2014. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in March 2005, in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the Charity.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Jesus House is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 4 August 2000 and registered as a charity on 27 September 2001. It has a non-charitable subsidiary company, New Dimensions Trading Limited.

It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association and is managed by a Board of Trustees. Decisions are determined by a simple majority vote by the Trustees who set the strategic direction of the Charity. Delegated authority has been given to the Pastoral Board and Management Team for the day-to-day running of the operations of the Charity.

Trustees are selected on the basis of the contribution that they will make to the governance of the organisation and the skills that they will contribute. They are provided with copies of the Charity Commission’s Guidance to Trustees and are also provided with training as and when required.

Jesus House is a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God – a network comprised of churches all over the world. There is an Agreement for Common Purposes entered into by Jesus House with the Redeemed Christian Church of God which documents this relationship.

The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, in particular those relating to the specific operational areas of the Charity and its finances. The Trustees believe that by monitoring reserve levels, by ensuring controls exist over key financial systems and by examining the operational and business risks faced by the Charity, they have established effective systems to mitigate those risks.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The Charity’s objects are:

“The advancement of the Christian religion worldwide;”

“The relief of poverty worldwide.”

These objects are charitable and operate for the public benefit. It pursues these objects by the operation of a centre for Christian worship at its premises in Brent Terrace, Brent Cross, London and a community centre based in Graeme Park, Colindale, London. Church Social Responsibility and Community Action are two units within Jesus House that focus purely on helping the disadvantaged and less privileged within its local community and overseas, all of the services offered through the community- centred projects are available to the public.

In determining how best to pursue these objects the Trustees have given regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

The Charity’s main objective for the year was: • Strengthening and expanding the reach and

impact of its charitable activities under the Church Social Responsibility (CSR) umbrella to help the underprivileged and disadvantaged both locally and internationally.

STRATEGIES The Charity’s strategies for achieving these objectives were: • Building strategic alliances with partner

organisations to execute its CSR agenda both locally and internationally.

• Active fundraising to help achieve these objectives.

Significant activities that contributed to the achievement of these objectives were: • Events and activities organised during the year to

promote the Christian faith and to help engage with the local community included the ACTS Week of Serving; the Uncommon Woman Conference; local youth Football Academy; the ‘Spreading Christmas Cheer’ outreach which provided free hot drinks and mince pies to commuters at local tube stations and The Christmas Lunch on Jesus which is an annual community-centred project that provides people in need in the borough with a Christmas hamper.

With over 650 volunteers who support and make an invaluable contribution to the operations of the charity, some of the major departments include: • Youth Ministry • Multimedia • Facilities • Kidz First Junior Church • Tribe of Judah (Music department) • Community Action • Prayer • Publications • Corporate Social Responsibility • Welfare • Mandate Mens’ Ministry • Esthers’ Women’s’ Ministry

44 | Forging Ahead

..................................................................

..................................................................

..................................................................

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT • The Charity, through the departments mentioned

above organises events and meetings to promote its objects.

• The Charity continues to provide invaluable financial and administrative support to the Festival of Life prayer event held bi-annually.

• The Charity continues to provide substantial financial support to other charities (locally, nationally and internationally) operating within its objects. Grant allocation for each year is approved by the Board of Trustees and disbursement to various charities is approved by the Management Team.

• The Charity continues to impact lives across the globe by partnering with the Londrina State Penitentiary (PEL) Brazil to help change the lives of some of its inmates.

• The Colindale FoodBank (part of The Trussell Trust), a food distribution service set up for those in need within the borough and operating out of the Novo Centre.

• Monthly sponsorship of the Good Shepherd Homes in India.

• The Novo Centre is a Jesus House community development centre. It continues to expand the work it does in the Grahame Park Estate in Colindale and provides a wide range of services targeted at the different groups of people who live on the estate, ranging from children, single mothers, and the elderly. It operates as a community centre in the first half of the day, offering activities, such as a job club, ESOL courses and counselling services, and functions as a youth club during the second half of the day.

• A week long programme for ages 16 -18 years titled ‘Inspiring Future Doctors’ during which young people looking to study medicine at University got the chance to work with adults in the medical field.

RISK MANAGEMENT The Trustees have conducted a review of the major risks to which the Charity is exposed. A risk register has been established which identifies the major risks by area of activity, the nature of those risks, the likelihood of the risks happening and the measure taken to manage them. The Trustees review the risk register regularly at their meetings and are satisfied that systems are in place to manage the risks that have been identified. In particular, insurance cover is in place and the finances of the Charity are kept under review. Appropriate Disclosure & Barring Service checks (DBS), supported by regularly reviewed policies, are completed for all those who work with children or other vulnerable groups within the Charity. Where appropriate, systems have been established to mitigate the risks the Charity faces. Significant external risks to funding have led to the development of a strategic plan which will allow for the diversification of funding and activities. Internal control risks are minimised by

the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements concerning staff, volunteers, clients and visitors to the Charity.

FINANCIAL REVIEW The Trustees consider that the Charity needs to hold reserves equivalent to half a month’s expenditure (approximately £150,000) in order to ensure the ongoing delivery of its charitable objects during an unforeseen downturn in income.

The Charity’s principal funding source continues to be the individuals who attend services and make contributions in the form of freewill offerings, tithes and other donations.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS The Charity continues to explore ways of furthering its charitable objectives in an effective manner by ensuring there is awareness of its services and proactively seeking opportunities to be more involved in the community. The Charity seeks to provide services and activities that meet the needs of people and contribute to a positive change in the moral and spiritual climate of the local borough, this reflects its Christian ethos and beliefs.

TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES The Trustees (who are also Directors for the purposes of Company Law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report and the Financial Statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the Directors, who are Trustees for the purposes of Charity law, to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the company and the group and of the results of the group for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to: • select suitable accounting policies and then apply

them consistently • make judgements and estimates that are reasonable

and prudent • prepare the financial statements on the going

concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice)

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable


..................................................................

..................................................................

..................................................................

accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and the group and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware: • there is no relevant audit information of which the

company’s auditors are unaware; and • the Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to

have to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS A resolution proposing Blue Spire South LLP be reappointed will be put forward at the Board Meeting of the Charity.

Approved by the Board and signed on its behalf.

Trustee – Dr O Adeaga

2014 in Figures Where did the money come from?Top 6 income sources for 2014

Budget Actual

Tithes £2,520,608.00 £2,947,736.00Offering £956,074.00 £934,774.00Thanksgiving £264,671.00 £221,655.00Honorarium Donations £90,000.00 £89,790.07Welfare £50,000.00 £48,770.52CSR £40,000.00 £31,803.46

Where did the money go?Top 6 expenditure items for 2014

Budget ActualStaff Salaries (Admin and Ministry staff) £1,300,000.00 £1,379,528.13Ministry Outreach and Expenses £500,000.00 £399,106.00Rent Expenses £600,000.00 £495,398.00Facilities Expenses £500,000.00 £508,014.00Charitable Grants £400,000.00 £392,040.00CSR Expenses £100,000.00 £111,739.57

46 | Forging Ahead

..................................................................

The Welfare Scheme“Thinking of Others” The Jesus House welfare scheme aims to fulfil Christ’s command to “love one another” (John 13:34) and to “help the least of these my brethren” (Matthew 25:31-46).

The welfare process is deemed as the “hands” and “feet” of Jesus to members of the church who are hurting or who may be going through difficult times either due to illness, bereavement, unemployment and the pressures of life.

The scheme has at its heart, the alleviation of poverty. The scheme seeks to ensure that no member of Jesus House is in a position where he/she cannot afford the basic necessities of life i.e. food, shelter and clothing.

Although the principal beneficiaries of the scheme are Jesus House members, non-members may also benefit from the scheme in exceptional circumstances.

2014 Welfare Scheme at a glance Income Budget ActualWelfare £50,000.00 £48,770.52

ExpenditureWelfare - Relocation £5,000.00 £9,440.62Welfare - General £25,000.00 £29,604.88Welfare - Educational £22,000.00 £25,913.43Welfare - Bereavement £18,000.00 £17,482.05Welfare - Medical £5,000.00 £1,436.02Welfare - Widow’s Fund £5,000.00 £3,450.00Total Welfare Expenditure £80,000.00 £87,327.00

The welfare scheme: 1. Helped 11 individuals with relocation expenses 2. Helped 35 people with basic feeding and transport

expenses 3. Helped eight individuals with education costs 4. Gave financial assistance to 26 individuals to help

with bereavement circumstances 5. Helped two individuals through medical

circumstances 6. Supported seven widows through Christmas

GRANTS UK - In addition to giving 20% of our income to the World Evangelism Mission and supporting the RCCG Central Office on a monthly basis, Jesus House supported 33 other charities in the UK by way of giving charitable grants to help with the fulfilment of their charitable objectives. Of these 33, 13 were recipients of our 20th Anniversary “20 days of praise” grant allocation where all of the offerings collected over our 20 days of praise was given to identified charities in a bid to help them extend their reach within their communities.

OVERSEAS – Jesus House also supported charities in various countries including India, Austria, USA and Nigeria.


..................................................................

1994 – 2014• There were 33 people attending the first

service in February 1994 at the Warner Brothers Cinema in Leicester Square, Central London

• Pastor Agu Irukwu took over as senior pastor of Jesus House in April 1994

• The first Jesus House publication was a four-page editorial called ‘The Jesus House Chronicle’

• The first Jesus House magazine was ForeFront and it was launched in 1996 at the inaugural Holy Ghost Festival of Life gathering.

• Outflow magazine, the Jesus House quarterly magazine, was launched in March 2002

• Some of the venues in London that have housed Jesus House in its 20 year history are: Warner Brothers Cinema in Leicester Square, City Temple, New Connaught Rooms in Holborn, Fulham Town Hall, Kensington Town Hall, a warehouse in North Acton and the Regents Banqueting Suites, Finchley

• The church moved to Brent Terrace (our present location) in April 2004

• The longest serving member of staff is Mrs Tinuke Aderemi, who has held a range of roles including Church Administrator and PA to the senior pastor.

2014Membership and new guests at Jesus House in 2014

• There were 248 new guests attending services at Jesus House in 2014. 76 people decided to become members of the church.

Donations to charities in 2014:• World Evangelical Mission: £200,020.75• UK based charities: £75,085.00• Charities outside UK: £74,763.91

Watch Night Service 2014• 2900 people, including 494 children,

attended our Watch Night Service on 31st December 2014

• 24 young people aged 16–23 years committed their lives to Jesus Christ at the Watch Night Service

Church in the Park 2014• Notwithstanding driving rain and wind,

1522 people, including 382 children, attended the church picnic on Sunday 10th August 2014

Spreading Christmas Cheer 2014• In the 10 years since it began, the

Spreading Christmas Cheer project (during which commuters are provided with free hot drinks and a pastry during Christmas week) has spread to 13 train stations in Barnet and now involves 33 local churches.

• Through the love and generosity of the volunteers, seven commuters at Brent Cross station accepted an invitation to come to Jesus Christ during the Spreading Christmas Cheer initiative

48 | Forging Ahead

20 Years (1994-2014) of jesus housefacts, figures & trivia

Christmas Lunch on Jesus (CLOJ) 2014• The total number of hours donated by

volunteers on the CLOJ project was 1,895.

• 140 volunteers packed the hampers and 147 volunteers delivered to 1500 households.

ACTS week 2014• During ACTS (A Call To Serve) week

between 3rd to 9th August 2014 110 volunteers signed up to clean, jet wash and paint 32 homes in the Barnet area.

The Colindale Food bank in 2014• In September 2014, the Jesus House

congregation donated £16,002.69 for the purchase of a dedicated van for the food bank.

• In the years since its inception, the foodbank has distributed over 25,600kg of food, providing 2,800 meals to struggling individuals and families.

• The Colindale Foodbank fed 1,027 adults and 706 children in 2014.

Women• On Mothering Sunday the women

of Jesus House pledged their support to Kangu, a charity which provides healthcare for pregnant women in developing countries. £8,904.84 was raised which funded the care of 44 mothers in Nepal and Uganda.

• The women’s ministry, Esthers, selected Mercy Ministries UK as its conference charity during the Uncommon Woman Conference 2014. Mercy Ministries provides ‘opportunities for women to experience God’s unconditional love,

forgiveness and life-transforming power in partnership with her local church’. A donation of £1000 was made in support of the transformational work of the charity.

Youth• Kidz First raised £716.59 through the

sale of loom bands made by the children in support of the work of Mission Paraguay, which provides for the needs of disadvantaged children in Paraguay.

Barnet South Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Debt Centre

• In August 2014, two years after his initial involvement with CAP, the Centre’s first client reported that he was in the process of buying a new house. He stated: ‘I just wanted to let you know that even though I didn’t work with you for very long, you gave me the confidence to take the next steps in my life and want to say thank you to everyone at CAP and the church.’

• In July CAP (Christians Against Poverty) held its first CAP Money for Youth course. 57 children were taught to budget, save and spend responsibly.

Volunteering• 278 members of the congregation

stepped in to help run the church in February 2014 whilst the regular volunteer team went on a four-week break.

Social media• By 31 July 2014, Jesus House had 5032

followers on Twitter


THE YEARS IN PICTURES (1994 – 2014)HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME KEY EVENTS IN OUR HISTORY

Key moments in Jesus House’s history• First ever service in February 1994• The London Holy Ghost Festival of Life

launched in 1996• The first Mandate Men’s Conference held

in 2000• The first Pursuit of God Conference held at

the Wembley Conference Centre in 2002• The first Heart and Soul of the Church

Conference held in London in 2005 • ‘Christianity or the Occult? Emerging

Trends in the African Diaspora’ at Central Hall Westminster on 22nd May 2006

• The home going service of Pastor Ify Irukwu (15th June 1966 - 4th June 2007) on 12th June 2007

• The visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on 15th November 2007. Prince Charles marked his 59th birthday with the visit, choosing to recognise the impact of black majority churches in the UK

• Tearfund Celebrates 40th Anniversary at Jesus House on Saturday 6th September 2008. Themed “Who is My Neighbour?” the guest speaker was Archbishop Desmond Tutu

• Mission to East Africa, Pader, Northern Uganda, 7th–14th September 2008

• The Heart and Soul of the Church Conference, Amsterdam in 2009

50 | Forging Ahead

1. Pastor Agu preaching at Queen Elizabeth II conference centre; 2. Pastors Bajo Akisanya, Tony Rapu, Agu Irukwu and Sola Fola-Alade; 3. Pastoral ordination of Pastors Shola Adeaga, Tunde Balogun and Vera Omonedo; 4. Pastor Bolanle Ojeh (r) with Kayode Ajayi; 5. Pastors Chizor Akisanya (far left), Ify Irukwu (with buggy) and Sola Irukwu (far right); 6. Jesus House’s first birthday cake; 7. Pastor Agu with the General Overseer at City Temple; 8. The Tribe of Judah at Queen Elizabeth II conference centre; 9. Pastor Sola Irukwu leading worship at City Temple; 10. Pastors Denrele Runsewe (l) and Funke Adeaga (r) with Mrs Titi Balogun (c); 11. The Word & Sound department; 12. Pastor Agu and Vinuyon Ramos at the London Carnival; 13. Pastors Tony and Agu; 14. Jesus House Sunday service at Mecca Bingo Hall, Kilburn; 15. Debola Israel-Bolarinwa and Vinuyon Ramos; 16. Pastor Bajo in the church office at Canfield Place; 17. Pastor Chizor with Nkiru Asika Oluwasanmi; 18. Junior Church; 19. Pastor Agu preaching at City Temple; Jesus House picnic at Ashburnham.

1 2

6 7

11

1716


3 4 5

8 9 10

12 13 14 15

201918

52 | Forging Ahead

21

25 26

29 30

• 2009: Jesus House Radio is birthed• 2009: The Manna Project is launched• 2009: Adivah, the magazine of the Esthers’

Women’s ministry was birthed.• 9th December 2009: Boris Johnson, Mayor

of London attends the Jesus House carol service

• The Esthers’ Mentoring Scheme birthed in January 2010

• March 2010: Jesus House hosted the ‘UK Bible Society Night of Worship’

• April 2010: The Sierra Leonean High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr Edward M Turay visits Jesus House

• June 2010: Prayers for Congo in celebration of her 50th anniversary of independence.

• 19th September 2010: The launch of Impact, the newsletter documenting the work of the Church Social Responsibility department on CSR Awareness Day

• 10th October 2010: The Micah Project at Jesus House on ‘Micah Sunday’

• Sunday 23rd of January 2011 was a remarkable day at Jesus House as the church hosted Mr Jose Henriquez, the 24th miner rescued from the Chilean mine

• 2011 Pastor Agu voted ‘Britain’s Most Inspirational Black Person’

• On 1st May 2011 the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God Pastor E.A. Adeboye formally commissioned and dedicated the new worship centre to God

• Pastor Agu Irukwu prayed at the ‘National Prayer Breakfast’ at Westminster Hall


FORGING AHEAD: 20 YEARS OF JESUS HOUSE

21. Tribe of Judah mass choir at North Acton; 22. The Jesus House café at North Acton; 23. Baptism at North Acton; Shade Olutobi and Nkem Ivara entering song lyrics at the Multimedia platform; 25. The Tribe of Judah (including Pastor Shola Adeaga, 2nd from left) at Kensington Town Hall; 26. The Tribe of Judah; 27. Service at North Acton; 28. Deacon Ifechukwu Nnatuanya taking offering at the Evening Service; 29. The Tribe of Judah in prayer and worship before a service at North Acton; 30. The Tribe of Judah at the Pursuit of God conference; 31. Arinola Nnatuanya and Deaconess Funmi Gibson-White of the Tribe of Judah; Deacon Ayobami Olunloyo and Lanre Iroche at the Multimedia desk.

22

23 24

27 28

31 32

on June 2011 (themed “Raising Young People’s Aspirations”)

• On Sunday 7th August 2011, the congregation at Jesus House’s Thanksgiving Service enjoyed the special privilege of witnessing multi-Grammy, Dove and Stellar Award-winning gospel singer CeCe Winans worship live in the church’s main auditorium

• Pastor Agu Irukwu at Westminster Abbey for the ‘Wilberforce Address’ re: slave trade abolition

• 2011: Pastors Agu and Sola Irukwu’s visit to Ethiopia to see the work of Compassion International firsthand, following which Jesus House members began sponsoring 464 underprivileged children

• 2012 ‘Operation Christmas Child “Love in a Shoebox” Appeal’: Jesus House members send 8117 gift-filled shoeboxes to Liberia

• A four-person team from Jesus House travelled to Liberia with Samaritan’s Purse between 2nd and 7th March 2013 to distribute the shoeboxes to the children.

• The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Bernard Hogan Howe, attended a Sunday service in May 2012

• Pastor Sola Irukwu ran the 2012 London Marathon to raise funds for ‘Bright Futures for African Children’

• Reception at Jesus House for the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams, in November 2012. Held in conjunction with the Faith in Britain organisation to celebrate the

54 | Forging Ahead


33. The worship auditorium at North Acton; 34. Workers’ Dinner at North Acton; 35 & 36. Service at North Acton; 37. The RUC Squad choir and dance ministry; 38. Promotional photo for sEkNd cHANCE, made up of former members of the RUC Squad choir, Jesus House’s first music project; 39. Vision Youth Retreat; 40-46. The Heart & Soul of The Church conference (including Registration desk, Pastor Agu Irukwu, Pastor Ify Irukwu, Ministers’ Registration, Deaconess Laide Olunloyo, Deacon Ayobami Olunloyo and Pastor Shola Adeaga); 47. Oto Otuokon, Ola Irukwu, Abisola Balogun and Deaconess Tinuke Aderemi at the Mandate registration desk; 48 & 49. Pursuit of God conference registration desks.

33

37

40 41

45 46


34 35 36

38 39

42 43 44

47 48 49

56 | Forging Ahead

50 51

54 55 56

59 60 61

64 65 66

52

decade-long service of the outgoing Archbishop.

• May 2014: 20th Anniversary dinner at the House of Lords sponsored by Stewardship and hosted by Baroness Berridge of the Vale of Catmose

• General Yakubu Gowon’s (former Head of State of Nigeria) visit for ‘Nigeria Prays’

• Pastors Sola and Agu Irukwu’s mission to Ethiopia with Compassion

• Screening of the first feature length movie, Halima, to be created by members of Jesus House church in Brent Cross, London

• Three Churches unite for Pentecost: Holy Trinity Brompton, Jesus House London and Hillsong co-hosted a historic night of live worship and prayer at the Hammersmith Apollo, London as part of the year’s Pentecost Festival in May 2010

• Anne Widdicombe’s BBC interview with Pastor Agu Irukwu (Does Christianity have a future?) filmed during a visit to Jesus House in March 2011

• Sky News interviewed Pastor Agu on the kidnapped Chibok girls in May 2014



50-52. The Pursuit of God conference (The Tribe of Judah; Dr Okey Onuzo; Pastors Ify Irukwu and Shola Adeaga); 53. Service at Brent Terrace with Pastors Sola Oludoyi and Agbo Oni-Orisan; 54-56. Royal visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to Brent Terrace, alongside the Bishop of London, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable Richard Chartres; 57. General Yakubu Gowon speaking at the ‘Nigeria Prays’ event; 58. Pastor Agu with Archbishop Desmond Tutu after a Tearfund event at Jesus House; 59. Pastor Agu and Rev Yemi Adedeji with the former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Rowan Williams; 60. Pastor Agu at the at the Methodist Central Hall alongside Bishop Wayne Malcolm and Prime Minister David Cameron; 61. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, speaks at the Jesus House carol service; 62. Pastor Agu interviews Mr Jose Henriquez, the 24th miner rescued from the collapsed Chilean mine, during a Sunday service; 63: Pastor Agu shows former Conservative Party MP Ann Widdecombe around the Brent Terrace expansion site during the ‘Does Christianity have a future?’ film shoot; 64-66. Pentecost: Three Churches Unite; 67. CeCe Winans ministers at Jesus House; 68. Pastor Agu with Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Bernard Hogan Howe, and Care for the Family’s Rob Parsons.

53

57 58

62 63

67 68

58 | Forging Ahead

69. The Esther’s Experience 2006 (l-r back row: Nwamaka Onyiuke, Gbemi Odupitan, Deaconesses Lola Ajayi and Tinuke Aderemi, Tayo Salami, Lydia Felix; front row: Pastors Chizor Akisanya, Funke Adeaga, Ify Irukwu and Denrele Runsewe, and Deaconess Zion Ekundare); 70. Putting together the ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoeboxes; 71. Pastor Sola Irukwu distributing the shoeboxes to children in Nimba, Liberia; 72. Pastor Sola having completed the 2012 London Marathon; 73. Pastors Agu and Sola’s Compassion visit to Ethiopia; 74. ReConnect’s CSR trip to Rwanda; 75. Launch of the Manna Project; 76. Healthcare Mission to Kenya in 2009; 77. Pastor Agu voted ‘Britain’s Most Inspirational Black Person’; 78. Jesus House men’s ministry’s Habitat for Humanity homebuilding project in Romania; 79. Main cast list for ‘Halima’; 80. Snapshot from one of several Kidz First Sundays over the past years.

70

69

71

72 73 74

75 76 77

78

79

80

JESUS HOUSE FOR ALL THE NATIONS112 Brent Terrace, Brent Cross, London NW2 1LT

T: 020 8438 8285 F: 020 8438 [email protected] | www.jesushouse.org.uk

Documents

Forging Ahead