The Voice Autumn 2018, No. 413

Bureh town church greeting visitors (even though it wasn’t a Sunday!)

The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion

and the Sierra Leone Mission

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 2

Contents Autumn 2018

Letter from the Editor 3.

Caption Contest 4.

Bible Study Mark 11v11-21 5.

Future Dates 6.

SLM Golf Day 7.

Notes from the Mission Network Summer Gathering 8.

Presidential Travel to.. 9.

The Challenge to be Outward Facing 12.

Bolney Away day 14.

Sierra Leone Shoebags 15.

Ely Trip to Sierra Leone 16.

From Your Foreign Correspondent 17.

Focus on Bureh Town 19.

Help for Manallo 23.

Mortimer West End 25th Anniversary 24.

Bethesda and Containers 25.

Shoebag Suggested Contents 27.

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 3

Letter from the Editor

Hello and welcome to this edition of Voice! As I write this we are coming to

the end of a gloriously sunny and warm summer here in the UK. The leaves

are firmly still on the trees, but with September around the corner, Autumn

will soon be upon us.

There’s lots to enjoy—as ever—in this edition of Voice. Check out some

brilliant contributions to the caption contest, perhaps Ben or Gordon ought to

be in charge of judging the best of the excellent suggestions! (or alternatively

telling us the real story behind the photo..). There are some great articles

about church days away, fantastic shoebag production, and the travelling our

President has been up to recently.

Don’t miss this edition’s Bible study and reflexion kindly provided this time by

Misha Droniuk, from New Connexions Free church, Ely. This edition we’re

also focusing on Bureh Town in Sierra Leone as part of our ‘Focus On’ series.

Please do use the information you read in this article, and all of the articles to

prompt your prayers for fellowships across the UK and Sierra Leone.

Please do continue to send articles in for Voice; it’s really

encouraging to hear news from many in our family, from

churches in the connexion both in the UK and Sierra Leone.

May I please remind everyone who wants to send an article

in for Voice that the cut-off date for articles is: 2nd November

2018. Please send articles to sarahwaters@outlook.com.

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Caption Contest Results!

There were a number of excellent entries for captioning this photo and here

are a few of the offerings for you all to enjoy, but which do you think fits

best?!

“And this is how you origami a hat Gordon, quite simple.”

Sierra Leone meets the manager of Fawlty Towers.

“Waiter, waiter, where is the English breakfast tea we ordered?”

“Sir, I’m a bit concerned, my blue Austin Reed shirt has not returned from the

dry cleaners..”

“My sister’s got a table cloth like this in her dinette..”

“Thanks so much for washing my shirt, though it seems to have shrunk!”

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 5

Bible Study: Mark 11v11-21

The scripture reading here from the gospel of Mark has much to say about the

prophetic significance for Israel concerning the destruction of the Temple in

A.D. 70. This is explained in Mark 13v2 and Matthew 24 v2. The cleansing of

the temple by Jesus and the cursing of the fig tree ties in with this fulfilment.

The cleansing of the temple area by Jesus was a judgement on the corruption

and the spiritual condition of the religious leadership at that time. We see

Jesus clearing the temple of merchants who were selling sacrifices to pilgrims

and charging a high rate for the animals. A half shekel coin had to be

exchanged for Roman coinage to purchase sacrificial animals. Roman

currency was considered idolatrous as it bore the head of Caesar and often the

money changers could make a profit by short changing worshipers. After

Jesus had driven them out He taught freely in the temple and many gladly

received Him.

Prior to this visit to the temple Jesus, being hungry, had cursed the fig tree

because He saw no fruit but only leaves on the tree. On the next day, to the

disciple’s amazement, the tree had withered and died from the roots up. This

act wasn’t Jesus just being annoyed because He was hungry and felt agitated

by the fact. Nor was it just that Jesus had performed a miracle by taking

authority over nature which excited the disciples. The point here was that

Jesus had ministered for three plus years and He had not been received in

general by His own people. In scripture the fig tree often speaks of Israel and

its people. The fig tree bore no fruit, just as the people of Israel, and especially

the spiritual leaders of that time, were not fruitful.

Although a judgement was proclaimed by Jesus on Israel at this time (the

destruction of the temple and their eventual expulsion in AD135) it’s

important to note that God has a prophetic purpose for His covenant people.

The redemption that we, as the Gentile church, have received will be visited

upon the Jewish nation in the final days. Read Romans chapters 9 to 11 and

Zechariah 12 amongst others which give some wonderful promises to Israel,

including their receiving of the Messiah.

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Finally let us endeavour to be fruitful in our lives showing the aroma of Christ

in a dying world. Unlike the cursed tree let us bear fruit in season (read

Galatians 5 v22-23) being nurtured by The Holy Spirit, His word and the

fellowship of all believers. Then the world will see the likeness of Christ in us

as we reflect the Father’s glory.

Maranatha.

Many thanks to Misha Droniuk from New Connexions Free church for kindly

writing this study in Mark for this edition of Voice, please do use it, and have

a look at the other passages he mentions too, and share it with others. Please

do get in touch if you would like to provide the bible study section for the next

edition of Voice, whether it is based on a sermon series, something you have

been doing in home groups or a passage from a prayer meeting, all

contributions very welcome!

Future Dates

21st September 2018 SLM Golf Day, Redhill and Reigate Golf Club

6th October 2018 Trustees Meeting

7th October 2018 25th Anniversary of the restoration and rededication of

Mortimer West End Chapel

13th October 2018 SLM Day, Ote Hall Chapel, 12pm. All welcome

20th October 2018 SLM Committee Meeting, Evangelical Library

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Please note: Change of venue

Due to work needed to be done at our usual course, the course is

closed on 21st September, so we have a new course, see below, and

just an 18 hole competition

The 14th annual

S.L.M. Charity Golf Day

21st September 2018

Bacon sandwich and coffee/tea

18 hole Stableford

2 Course buffet, cost £47

Redhill & Reigate Golf Club, Clarence Lodge, Pendleton

Road, Redhill RH1 6LB: Telephone: 01737 240777

Speak to Gordon Hamilton if interested

01293 537275

Or email gordonhamilton@talktalk.net

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 8

Notes from the Mission Network Summer

Gathering

Once a year the MNSG draws together about

100 missioners and evangelists for two days of

inspirational teaching and encouragement. This

year we gathered in May at the Imperial Hotel in

Blackpool, once host to the likes of Charles

Dickens and Prime Ministers of the day, but

now more usually home to competitors of international dance competitions!

One of the keynote speakers this year was Mike Moynagh who leads Fresh

Expressions for the Church of England and is an expert in the field of church

and mission. His challenge to us, and to the church at large, was to discover a

new way of making disciples that is fit for the 21st century. By and large our

focus in mission has been on drawing people into an already existing

community; even church plants often end up simply drawing in Christians

from the local area and Fresh Expressions often end up as churches that revert

to a model of ‘drawing in.’

Of course, belonging to a Christian community is essential, but for the

purposes of mission Christians need to find ways of taking their faith into the

places where they live and sharing it with ones and twos, thereby creating new

Christian communities. Mike outlined a five-fold strategy for doing this:

1. Find another Christian to go with you – it is much easier and much

more fun to represent Jesus with another person by your side.

2. Find simple ways to love those you are in touch with.

3. Build relationships

4. Share your faith

5. Encourage a new Christian community

Sometimes churches are good at 1, 2 and 3 above but stumble with 4 and 5,

but it’s not as difficult as we sometimes think. One idea Mike suggested was

to meet for coffee with a couple of friends, read a Bible story together and

then ask the question, ‘If this story happened today what would it look like?’

Meet again the next week, read the same Bible story and ask, ‘What does this

story say to me?’ Then on successive weeks do the same but ask the

questions, ‘How could this story make a difference to my life?’ and then ‘Did

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this story make a difference to my life?’ This approach generates easy

conversations and discussion around Scripture and lets the Bible do the

talking!

Later in the conference Rob Crowne, Director of Hope UK,

gave an update on ‘Talking Jesus’ which came out of a

survey of UK attitudes to faith and the church conducted

in 2015. Amongst other things the survey highlighted

that 67% of people know a practising Christian, 43% of

people believe in Jesus’ resurrection and 20% of the people

we talk to want to find out more. The challenge is for Christians

to become more confident in ‘talking Jesus’. To this end Talking Jesus have

produced a 6-week video-based course designed to help Christians talk about

their faith. You can find all the full results of the 2015 survey and information

about the course by going to http://talkingjesus.org.

- Rev Simon Allaby, Bolney

Presidential Travel to … I am amazed by how God answers prayer. I shouldn’t be I know. At one of our

teaching sessions at Conference we were invited by Gareth Lloyd-Jones to

seek prayer for healing. I have been diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic for

something like 10 years but felt I wanted to pray for healing. One or two

friends gathered round to pray for me without knowing specifically what was

on my mind. I didn’t have any great expectations then.

I didn’t think much more about this until out of the blue in June my son Andy

suggested I watch a TV programme “The truth about Carbs.” in which I

discovered that several people had been able to come off their diabetic

medicine after following a particular diet. A few days later I happened to have

my annual diabetic review and I checked at my surgery that it was OK for me

to go on this diet too. I know diets are extremely boring so cutting a long story

very short and 4 weeks later and 14 lbs lighter already I’m going back to the

surgery soon to discuss progress. Way to go, and probably a bit silly to even

mention it, but I just feel excited about what the Lord might be doing in

answer to my prayer.

Soon after Conference, on Sunday 22nd April, Phyl and I were invited to

Copthorne to preach. Having looked at Thessalonians as our theme book at

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High Leigh I was keen to preach from 1 Thessalonians Ch. 2 where Paul

describes himself as a trustee (or steward), a mother, a father and a preacher

(or herald) of the word of God. We see in that chapter Paul’s pastoral heart.

Thinking about May, a number of folk from South Street Free Church support

Bible by the Beach, a Bible Teaching Conference for all the family over the

first Bank Holiday Week-End in May. People come from all over the country

and you’d be most welcome to join our church group which would give you a

discounted entry. Details are on the internet.

We had a brilliant time with Clive and Sandra Dale at Ebley on 18-20th May,

the week-end Prince Harry married Meghan. I preached from John Ch. 2,

where Jesus turned water to wine at the wedding feast. Jesus’ glory in

performing such a miracle and in being God’s heavenly king far exceeds the

pomp of any of the UK’s royal weddings and we were encouraged to put our

faith in him. The fellowship made us very welcome and it was good to meet

with the Lord’s people in such beautiful surroundings. Ken and Marion Hart

came over from Cradley on the Sunday and had lunch with Clive and Sandra

too.

At Shoreham on 27th May we were in Jeremiah Chapter 1 and thinking about

the role of the prophets. I talked about their study series last issue.

We spent the first week-end of June with Joe and Elisabeth Gregory on the

Isle of Sheppey. We had a great time exploring the Island with them. On

Sunday I spoke from Luke 10, the story of the Good Samaritan. The Lord had

been speaking to one young man during the week and prompted him to buy a

Bible and come to church for the first time. Another family also came for the

first time. It was good to see the Lord at work in a lively friendly fellowship.

Bolney on 24th June is always home from home. The fellowship is growing

such that they have had to rearrange their seating to make space. Simon

Allaby has started a series preaching through the book of Joshua and I was

given the passage in Chapter 3 where they cross the Jordon. The Lord dried

up the Jordan just like he did the Red Sea so that the nations might know that

he is powerful and so that his people would trust in him.

A week later on 1st August we were back amongst old friends at Turners Hill. I

spoke from Mark 5 v 21-43 being the point Geoff Chapman had reached in his

preaching cycle. Here Jesus carries out two miracles for two completely

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different women in different circumstances. In doing so he teaches what true

faith is, a complete dependence on Jesus. In both these stories there is fear.

The sick woman is trembling in fear, maybe thinking she would be punished

for making others unclean. Jairus is fearful that his daughter is dead beyond

help. Jesus reassures the woman that her faith (in Jesus) is the key to her

healing and she can go in peace knowing that her healing is permanent.

Jairus is told not to fear, just believe! Yet again the Lord graciously brought

people to the service for the first time, one being a lady struggling with

agoraphobia. She said the Lord had really spoken to her about her fears.

Almost last but certainly not least is our visit to Broad Oak on 15th July. Pat

Adlam and Linda Miller came with us from Eastbourne and after preaching

from Luke 10 (Good Samaritan again) the whole fellowship had arranged to

have a superb buffet lunch together. This gave us a chance to chat with

various people we hadn’t met before.

A number of the churches I visit, Copthorne, Broad Oak, Shoreham by Sea

and Wivelsfield do not have a paid minister at present but are looking to the

Lord to provide leadership. Let us pray for each other and the Lord’s answer

to our prayers.

We popped back to Bolney again on 29th July, not to preach but to witness

Vicky and Keith being baptised. The joy for Phyl and me in this was that Vicky

first started coming to the chapel with her daughter Florrie and son Jack

when Phyl and Val Rogers ran a Mum and Toddler Group. To hear her

testimony of how she had come to realise that Jesus had died for her and loved

her unconditionally was a thrill and another example of how our Lord

answers our prayers.

My next planned visits are:

Bolney - 19th August

Wivelsfield - 26th August

Mortimer West End – Anniversary - 7th October

Shoreham - 28th October

St Ives – 357th Anniversary - 9-10th March 2019

Thank you for your prayers and God bless. Dave Sweetman, President of the

Connexion

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The Challenge to be Outward Facing – A personal

Testimony

The Connexion conference is where we combine the necessary business

matters of the Connexion and the Sierra Leone Mission whilst the Youth meet

and others enjoy good fellowship. Delegates from each church have the

opportunity to vote for current Connexion issues and everyone hears from key

speakers. This year’s Conference also included a very enjoyable Barn Dance.

The speakers this year talked refreshingly concerning our mission as believers

and, in particular, Sam Ward spoke on reaching the lost and what this really

means in practice in one of the most deprived areas of Manchester.

Reaching the lost can cost us personally. It can upset the status quo of a

comfortable life and people may end up thinking that we are extreme.

Nevertheless, when we go back into our own Connexion roots we would have

been categorized extreme anyway!

Since my early years as a Christian, and after experiencing the filling of the

Holy Spirit, I have received pictures, impressions and words of a prophetic

nature related to a situation or as a personal word for someone. (That is always

with the caveat that such pictures or words need checking out to confirm

relevance and following scriptural principle). As time has passed I have

become more familiar with God’s quiet word and prompting. Often the release

to share what I have received is only when others have spoken something

similar and confirms that picture or word.

During the conference I was aware of a picture and strong word regarding the

Connexion and I shared the picture first with others and then with all at the

end of the conference.

The picture was of a church with a graveyard beside it. Very similar to

Copthorne Chapel’s layout if you know it. People were walking casually

around the graveyard and a speaker was preaching in the direction of the

graveyard. The people there, walking around the stones represented those who

were saved and who had no need of the message of salvation. Those who were

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 13

named on the stones did not need to hear the word as the opportunity for them

had gone – all that remains are words on stone, perhaps a testimony that is true

or just empty words written out of kindness.

The word was strong – “Turn around and speak words of life to those who are

dead (not knowing Christ). Courage Courage Courage”!

We need to be outward focused! Yes, it’s good to have “nice” services. Yes,

it’s good to have the word well taught and to be receiving and applying it to

our hearts and lives. Yes, it’s good to be fellowshipping with one another in

study groups and other ways. Yet, many of the programs and activities we

have in our churches seem to be good but have a self-perpetuating life of their

own beyond the original intention or need for them: there is a danger they can

become self-serving. The point is that we can be so focused on ourselves that

we forget what we were called to do.

If you are saved, it is because people prayed for you and by the work of the

holy Spirit you have been born again and can declare Jesus is Lord! But no

preaching to ourselves in our own walls will save the lost that are around us

everywhere – in our workplaces, our communities – our friends, neighbours,

members of our families – the people that sell the Big Issue – the person at the

checkout in the supermarket.

However uncomfortable it may be, we have to spread the Gospel to those who

are perishing – and I mean perishing; hopeless and destined for darkness! In

these days we have somehow been convinced by the spirit of this age that no

one really wants to hear about Jesus, and that if we offered to pray for

someone we would be rejected!

As the Connexion moves back to its missional roots, take Courage my dear

friends! People DO want to hear the Good News that Jesus died for them and

they can be changed. You will be surprised what happens when you offer to

pray for someone who is struggling with a physical ailment! Courage,

Courage, Courage!

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1 Peter 3 v 15 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be

prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks you to give the reason for the

hope that you have.”

- Glynn Phillips, Turner’s Hill

Bolney Village Chapel Away Day

The 4th August saw a group from Bolney Chapel enjoy a most agreeable

church away day to Eastbourne where we were welcomed with coffee served

by Barista Phyl Sweetman. President Sweetman led us in a profitable

meditation, teaching and discussion based around themes from Rev Vaughan

Robert's book entitled Friendship. Following a time of prayer we adjourned to

a hostelry conveniently situated immediately opposite South Street Free

Church, for a hearty lunch.

No time for siesta, so straight on with a healthy walk to the seafront and beach

for some retail therapy, fresh air and ice-cream. Tea at the Holy Trinity Hub

concluded a very happy time of fellowship together with Dave & Phyl

Sweetman and a welcome day off for Pastor Simon thrown in!

- Ian Denyer, Bolney

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Sierra Leone Shoe Bags 2018. So it’s that time of

year again.

In May we made an appeal for people to contribute £5.00 per bag to the shoe

bag appeal as we had decided that this year we would increase our

contribution from 160 bags to 200 bags. On two consecutive Sundays we

asked for contributions, at the end of the 2nd week we had £1,000 plus a little

extra!! God is good, all the time God is good.!

The task of shopping then begins! An amazing lady Jennie Paige who lives in

nearby West Hoathly had undertaken the mammoth task of making 200 bright

material shoe bags and 200 pencil cases ! What a serving heart and a deep love

she has for the people of Sierra Leone. Sheila buys the T-shirts in all the

various sizes, Philippa the pants/knickers, Lucy the toys - such fun, Kwai the

water bottles, Malcolm and Jeanne buy the coloured pencils, Peter & Jackie

the stationary, and the toiletries. Boxes have been acquired from a nearby

removal company. All ready for the big day !

The big day for packing comes quickly. The

tables have all been assembled in the hall,

the items set out like a large warehouse with

conveyor belt (not literally). All helpers are

gathered.

We begin. Please everyone take a shoe bag,

and pick up one of each item , fill your shoe

bag, hand it to Peter, Malcolm, Jeanne and Jo who will tie it and put the

relevant labels on and put it in the large removal box. Mostly all goes to plan,

putting out the relevant age for each item and the number of extras required

for each age range. Just occasionally we get to the end of the round for an age

group and find we have 1 toy/water bottle left. Back to the beginning to search

out the bag that has missing items! All done with good spirit and a sense of

purpose for where the end result will be received.

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After a hard but fun mornings work, we pray for the safe delivery of the shoe

bags and think of what they mean to the children who receive them. We

acknowledge our contribution is but a drop in the ocean of need but recognise

we are required to work where we can.

Exhausted but happy we all sit down to have

lunch together and share in the reality of

being workers in the Lords vineyard,

praying for the harvest.

On the 20th September Peter & Brenda

Riddle arrive with his band of helpers and

the boxes begin their journey to the children of Sierra Leone.

We hope to be able and willing to start again next year!

- Jackie Lake, Turners Hill Free Church

Ely Trip to Sierra Leone

Last time we shared about some of our

Sierra Leone experiences. Here is

some more info. Fish! If you don't like

fish, Sierra leone is probably not

the best country to visit! We had rather a

lot. Karl is not keen, so when it

turned up and two meals for his birthday

and for breakfast the next day he

was not thrilled!

We did get him a cake but everyone was so shocked at the Roman Candle on

the top, (and wondering if he would have any eyesight left), that no pictures

were taken! However for his birthday treat we all went to the Freetown

railway museum and other fun stuff!

Another interesting thing was the election. We had previously been warned

not to wear the political colours of red and green. On the Wednesday night

the election results were promised to be announced. We had all gone to bed

by 10pm and suddenly the whole of Freetown went ballistic! Horns

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tooting, screaming and shouting. Eventually we found

out that the “Green” candidate Julius Maada Bio had

been elected President. The picture shows

celebrations the next day with groups in green

parading up and down the street. (Notice our

bodyguard Jack!)

And finally, we went to refurb a school. Saio School

was near the mud-slide that killed a thousand people

last year. We are helping to prevent its closure. So we

painted walls, prepared wood for ceilings, dug a

trench, cast a concrete slab, painted windows, measured windows for

glass and drank a lot of sprite!

The pupils should be able to go

back in September and will

have five classrooms. Two

more classrooms are planned

for this Autumn to be built by

Mission Direct volunteers.

- Karen Relton, Ely

From Your Foreign Correspondent (This is written by a ghost writer but all the incidents are true, although some names

have been changed).

Hello. Good Morning. It’s me again. I am gladi, gladi, gladi. Can you guess

why? I was jumping and leaping and dancing and also my two friends Joseph

and Mo.

Yesterday we heard news that we passed our exam. So now all three of us can

go to secondary school. We go to the Junior Secondary School 2 miles from

here. We start in September.

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There are plenti, plenti things to do before September. Mama will make shirts

for me, shirts for Joseph and shirts for Mo. They will be blue shirts with a

badge and then Mama will make trousers in dark blue for the three of us.

Joseph’s mama and Mo’s papa will pay my Mama to do the sewing.

Then one day we will all go to Freetown. We have a list of books that we must

buy for our studies in our new school. We may not have enough money to buy

all the books. Maybe they will not have all the books in the shop. We will

share books if we can but sometimes there are no books to help us to learn, so

we learn everything from the blackboard and from listening to teacher.

We must buy exercise books and pens and pencils so that we can write down

from the blackboard. We filled the exercise books that you sent to us in our

shoe bags. We did so much writing and studying for our exam. But it was

worth it!

We are glad -(teacher says that I must not write Krio in the secondary school

if I want to be an international journalist so I will not write gladi again) - we

are glad we can go to Junior Secondary School.

I wonder oh I wonder, are there wonderful books to borrow from a library at

my new school. I want to learn so much and at my primary school I learned so

many things from the special books you sent to my school. Thank you very

much, and I laughed plenty too because some of the books had funny stories in

them. Maybe one day I can write funny stories but I want to tell true stories

also, so that many people will know about how we live in Salone.

I must tell you about Reverend’s friend. He had a very bad leg. The medicine

is helping him. He is beginning to get better. His leg is not so big and there

are less sores than there were before. Thank you for helping us all. We thank

Jesus that He helps us.

Oh my - I think I am plenty fearful about my new school. I think we three must

be brave all together. If you are fearful we pray Jesus will help you. We pray

He will help Mama with our uniforms and we pray He will help us also. Next

time I hope to tell you about my new school.

Best wishes and God bless you from Joseph, Mo and me.

Sorie Olufemi Sesay - SOS

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 19

Focus on Bureh Town

The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion had a church at Bureh Town in the

early 1960s. We do not know when or how the church fellowship was lost

there, but oral tradition in the Connexion confirms that there was a church

there. (NB, Ros Smith, nee DeAth, has confirmed that she visited the church

there during her two years in Sierra Leone from 1962-1964). However the

passion to revive the Bureh Town ministry remained alive though it was not

until September 2002 that conscious steps were taken to re-start the work.

Magnus Bendu was a student pastor at the Evangelical College of Theology.

He was assigned to do a feasibility study and if possible revive a mission

station. It was a successful mission and the Superintendent Minister for the

Peninsular Circuit, who was at that time Alex Dixon, approved that Magnus

begin a Fellowship at Bureh Town.

By the end of 2003, a Fellowship was started in the house of the late Mr.

Osman Kargbo. The Fellowship grew very slowly as there were challenges

with the nearby West African Methodist Church leaders, who were clearly not

happy with the new Fellowship, thinking that it would render their own work

dry.

But Magnus initiated a new type of partnership that strengthened both

fellowships as they all realised that they were on the same mission doing

God’s work. The Countess of Huntingdon’s Fellowship therefore focused

mainly on children and Muslims.

What also helped the partnership was that the Headman of the village at that

time, Mr Small, and the Pastor of the Methodist Church, Revd Dixon, now

deceased, were both beneficiaries of the Connexion through the support of

British missionary Tom Rowley, who took both of them to Jui and helped

them to have an education at the Huntingdon Secondary School there.

By September 2003, a Pastor, (Revd. Jacob Dove), was officially posted to

take care of the church. At these developments, the UK Connexion grew

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 20

interested and Bolney Village Church UK twinned with Bureh Town and

started supporting the ministry there.

The above was sent to us from Sierra Leone. Ian Denyer now takes up the

narrative.

The demolition of the former corrugated iron and timber chapel at Bolney in

the UK, in 2003 and the rebuilding and opening of the new chapel in 2005 led

to the seed-thought that something similar should be done for our brothers and

sisters in Sierra Leone. After prayerful consideration with the SLM it was

agreed that Bolney Village Chapel should twin with the little church in Bureh

Town.

It was around 60 years ago that Roger Grundy, a missionary with close

associations with the SLM, established the first church building and it was

boys from Bureh Town and the surrounding area, who formed the first school

in Jui.

Bureh Town is a small fishing village

situated near the end of the Peninsula road

over an hour’s drive from Freetown. The

population live in traditional round, thatched

houses clustered together. The village boasts

long and stunningly beautiful beaches, a

school and a keen if fairly small, population

of mainly Christian people whose native and most widely spoken language is

Creole, (Krio). The long sandy beaches

have in recent years, attracted a significant

degree of tourism which is beginning to

stimulate the economy with surfing clubs

springing up and a restaurant serving

freshly caught local fish delicacies.

After some years of delays and much patience the news came through in 2011

that the building of a new church at Bureh Town could proceed. The faithful

band of believers had been meeting in a very dilapidated building of thatched

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 21

construction, and then another of corrugated iron, for many years and the

Fellowship at Bolney were delighted that

at last the money they had set aside could

be put to use. With the acquisition and

registration of the land secured,

construction could begin. The new

church, beautifully built by Francis

Charley, was eventually completed with

support from the Friends of Sierra

Leone, and so Dave Sweetman and Ian Denyer flew to SL for the formal

opening and dedication in December 2011 in the presence of the Muslim

Deputy Speaker of the SL Parliament; the General Superintendent of the

Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion in Sierra Leone and a very large

contingent of ministers from all the local churches in SL.

Once the new church was opened, the Fellowship at Bolney were keen to

build a manse for the part time Pastor who leads the congregation at Bureh

Town. More delays ensued following the outbreak of Ebola which curtailed

travel to, and delivery of building materials to the site. However with the

expert assistance and oversight of Magnus, the construction of the manse was

completed and the keys formally handed over by Janet O’Shea and Peter

Riddle during their visit in the Summer of last year.

It was during this time that the believers at Bureh Town requested that, in

recognition of the extensive help and support of Bolney Village Chapel, their

new church should be renamed “Bolney Church Bureh Town”. New signage

was therefore commissioned and underwritten by Bolney Chapel.

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 22

Today the new church and manse

at Bureh Town stand as a

testimony to the wonderful

provision and goodness of our

gracious Lord. The present Pastor

is Revd. Theophilus Bindi. The

church’s current membership is 63

with 28 adults and 35 children.

Please continue to pray with us for this small community of God’s people in

this remote and rural corner of Sierra Leone.

Can you spot Bureh Town on the map?

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 23

Help for Manallo

During the recent elections in Sierra Leone, though generally peaceful, there

were minor disturbances in some areas. We don’t know full details but four

homes were completely burnt out in Manallo. Some of you may remember we

heard about this at conference.

Other churches do brilliant things for SL, so Mortimer West thought this was

something they could take on. We asked Magnus how much it would cost to

rebuild the houses, and the total bill was estimated at about £3,000. We gulped

a bit but, with the help of some particularly generous donations, we raised a

total of £3,500 over about three weeks.

Magnus was kind enough to send us

some photos of the rebuilt houses,

which he says

are now much

better than

they were

before. Not

many homes

in rural areas would have the external walls plastered

and painted and the doors fixed! He also gave us some

details of the folk affected. These included a teacher

and his wife who is a petty trader; a farmer and

widower; and a lady who is a single parent. Not all are

Christian, some are Muslim, including one astonished

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 24

Muslim; who could not quite get his head around the fact that it was Christians

who were helping him when others were not. So that was quite a witness!

We are very indebted to Magnus for all his hard work in organising this,

including some new furniture for everyone affected. We pray God’s blessing

on Manallo and for a rich spiritual harvest in that place.

Now Mortimer hopes to participate in the Reading Festival salvage again,

under the leadership of Janet O’Shea and her St Ives team, and send another

consignment of sleeping bags, left over clothes, and wellies out to Salone. And

we are already thinking about filling shoebags for Christmas. Is it that time

already?

- Brenda Baldwin, Mortimer West End

Mortimer West 25th Anniversary of its Rebuilding

and Rededication

The church will celebrate the anniversary of its rededication on Sunday 7th

October. Our President, Dave Sweetman and Phyl, will attend and give a

message, along with other contributions. Mortimer West was founded at the

height of the 18th century evangelical revival; but had fallen into ruin by the

1960s with only a faithful few meeting in the schoolroom. Since then, with the

help of folk from Goring and financial assistance from English Heritage, the

chapel has been completely rebuilt and its witness restored.

Mortimer would be delighted if you are able to join us on this occasion. Light

refreshments will follow the morning’s event, starting at 10.30am.

The chapel is at RG7 4QE. Inquiries to Brian Baldwin, 0118 9332569

brianbrendabaldwin@talk21.com

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 25

Bethesda and Containers

In the summer edition of Voice I wrote about the burden that Magnus has for

the older children living at Bethesda. I also wrote about purchasing a

container to send to Sierra Leone that could be turned into ‘Independent living

quarters’ for the older children to use as they transition into adults. Since

writing the article God has blessed this project in unimaginable ways.

At Zion, once a month we pray through the S.L.M. prayer requests as part of

our service. During May we prayed and also asked for guidance for the

purchasing of a container. After the service a visiting lady asked how much a

container would cost. At that point we were thinking about a 40 foot used

container and the price quoted had been in the region of £3,000. “I will buy

the container,” she said, “Just let me know where to send the money.”

The following week Tim, Steve

and I set off to Exeter to view

containers. It was quite an

education! We spent the morning

listening, discussing, viewing and

praying. The 40 foot used

containers were ‘well used,’ I

soon realised that they would not

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 26

be able to transport it into Bethesda because of the length and the turning

room inside the gates. We turned our attention to 20 foot containers; again

they were well used so we looked at ‘New’ ones. What a difference. By the

end of our visit we had purchased a green 20 foot new container and the kind

lady’s gift covered the cost. We also ordered a blue 20 foot container to be

delivered in August.

The green container arrived

the following week and we

started to fill it with the

boxes that had been stored at

Zion We were given bunk

beds, chests of drawers, even

doors to be fitted in the

container; it is almost full.

Since May I have given several talks to W.I. groups, churches, folk living in

sheltered accommodation etc. I never ask for money but when I tell them

about our work in Sierra Leone they want to help and I have received many

donations. I also received a donation following the last edition of Voice and

we have been selling tents and pickled onions……don’t ask! We now have

enough money to purchase the blue container which is being delivered this

week, Praise God.

We have a Christian Bookshop at Zion, it is non-profit making. Each month

we deposit an amount and that money is used to help different Christian

charities. This year the whole of the deposit is going towards the shipping

costs of the containers £4,000. This will not completely cover the cost or the

duties at the port (S.L.) but we are trusting God for His provision.

I have found my involvement with S.L.M. to be an amazing journey of trust

and fulfilment. To see God’s overshadowing of His people in Sierra Leone

has brought many blessings. Bethesda stands as a testament of God’s

provision for His people.

- Janet O’Shea, St Ives

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 27

Shoebag Suggested Contents

2 bars of soap

1 flannel

1 toothbrush

2 tubes of toothpaste

Exercise book

Rubber, ruler and pencil sharpener

Colouring pencils

Writing pencils and pens

1 water bottle

2 toys

Shorts and t-shirt or vest and pants

* Please do label boy or girl and age.

Voice Autumn 2018 - page 28

The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion

Chairman and Secretary of the Trustees: Noel Vallely

21 Lyttons Way, Hoddesdon, Herts EN11 9NH

(01992 461766)

Honorary Treasurer: Mr Graham Squibbs

15 Springfield Road, Middleton M24 5DL

(0161 6537401)

Sierra Leone Mission donations to: Mrs Janet Foord

2 Cheyne Close, Church Milton, Sittingbourne,

Kent ME10 2SQ (01795) 437358

Connexional website: www.cofhconnexion.org.uk

The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion, Sierra Leone

Chairman & General Superintendent: Rev. Theophilus Nicol

Assistant Chairman and General Superintendent: Rev. Alex Dixon

Agent for the Sierra Leone Mission: Rev. Daniel Koroma

S.L.M. Website: www.sierraleonemission.org.uk

Voice Editor: Sarah Waters

92 Oxford Road, Old Marston, Oxford,

Oxon OX3 0RD (07706449939)

E-mail: sarahwaters@outlook.com

Distribution: Brian & Ann Mitchell

25 Debden Green, Ely, Cambridgeshire

CB6 3BS (01353) 610525

E-mail: brian_ann.mitchell77@ntlworld.com

The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion Registered Charity No. 232674