6 mins
Giving their all at GoMAD
IT has been said that the mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity.
Twentieth-century Seaside/Summer Mission/Impact began in the Church of Scotland in 1934. In the twenty-first century, we moved from sand pulpits on the beach to holiday clubs in church halls, schools and parks all over our land. Great and imaginative work is done, and thousands of children hear about Jesus in an upbeat and fun way.
So what about 2020? Many churches took up the challenge of online evangelism. This is the story of one such event – an ecumenical one – which took place in Milton of Campsie, Glasgow, where the Rev Julie Moody is minister and Fr John Deighan is parish priest.
GoMAD was a large team – 34 people in all, the majority of whom are in their teens or early twenties. 15 are local; the others from as far north as Dairsie and as far south as London. Usually, non-locals would be welcomed into the homes of church members. This year was different. We were in lockdown. Enter Facebook, Twitter, Livestream, Zoom and YouTube.
After eight meetings on Zoom, much planning, prayer, preparation, strenuous video-editing, and lots of help from Jesus, the Bible and Star Wars, we were ready to roll with ten Holiday Club sessions, seven Sundowns, two Sunday Services, nine 7-UPs, four Quizzes and five Bits of a Sing.
‘Starkids’ Holiday Club lasted about 20 minutes each day, using Star Wars music, two lovable animated characters and a Star Wars character to set the scene. Choruses, a Bible story, drama, a fun quiz, a simple craft and aerobics were all led by the young people.
Sundown services each evening lasted about 15 minutes and featured a virtual choir, Bible reading, prayer, hymn and a short reflection bringing out Biblical truths embedded in the fascinating story of a galaxy far, far away. This unique worship experience was preceded by livestream “A Bit of a Sing for All” coming from London – a very popular 15 minute opportunity to “gie it laldie” on our favourite hymns.
Our posts were shared all over the world, and the number of ‘views’ was staggering.
The climax, at the end of two weeks, was an online concert. This featured all members of the Team in music, art and drama. Seaside Mission ‘veterans’ formed an emotional virtual choir, and four local clergy made a brief but tuneful appearance. A juggler, instrumentalists, soloists and actors celebrated and shared the real Force who is Jesus.
GoMAD was a large team – 34 people in all, the majority of whom are in their teens or early twenties.
As a thank-offering for GoMAD, people were asked to make a difference with an online donation. Over £2500 was raised and divided among four charities – Christian Aid, Breast Cancer Now, Scottish Bible Society and Strathcarron Hospice.
The congregation’s Mission Statement is All for Jesus. Many people gave their all during GoMAD. We share our story because we believe that sending is more important than seating, and in the humble hope that it will inspire others.
BEIRUT APPEAL
The Middle East Council of Churches has issued an appeal in response to the explosion in Beirut that took at least 200 lives.
“Hundreds of buildings including grain silos storing around 85 percent of the country’s grain, and numerous residential places have also been damaged or completely destroyed,” reads the appeal. “Three Christian hospitals in the Beirut area, which welcome both Christian and Muslim patients, were severely damaged.”
The appeal also notes that many historical church-related schools in Gemmayzeh, Mar Mikhael and Achrafieh were badly affected just before the coming academic year in September. “The Christian quarter of Beirut is totally devastated and at least ten churches have been destroyed,” the appeal reads.
“Adding to that the Covid-19 transmission which is straining the country’s health system.”
The appeal reflects that the explosion went beyond anything the Lebanese people could have imagined. “The explosion reduced large parts of the capital to rubble and made all Lebanese people lose their hopes for a better life,” reads the appeal. “Monasteries and schools were opened to host people who have been left without a roof and daily food is served to people in need.”
The Middle East Council of Churches reiterates its belief that standing with vulnerable people is not just a social duty but a Christian responsibility. “In fact, one of its main strategic objectives is to uphold human dignity in times of conflicts and during all kinds of disasters,” reads the appeal. “Lebanon is expecting a strong stand from the international community and international organisations to lend a helping hand in such difficult times.”
The Middle East Council of Churches urges churches and all people of good will to show solidarity with Lebanon. “Thus, we call upon all our partners and friends, to answer our call and aid us in easing the huge burden on churches and in rolling away the stone of suffering, terror and despair from the hearts of vulnerable citizens and families affected by this unprecedented catastrophe.”
(WCC)
TURKEY EXPULSIONS
An American mother-of-three has been told she has to leave Turkey, one of the latest incidents in a series of expulsions of Christian expatriates from the country.
Joy Anna Crow Subasigüller, originally from Florida, USA, and her Turkish husband Lütfü were married seven years ago. They settled and started a family in Turkey. Lütfü Subasigüller works as a Protestant pastor in Ankara; Joy has been looking after the couple’s three children who were all born in Turkey.
Their settled, peaceful life as a family changed on June 5 when Joy was told by the Turkish migration department to prepare for deportation with apparently no reason given. “This decision makes me very sad — I love Turkey and the Turkish people,” she told Deutsche Welle (DW): “I have lived here for ten years, they were the best years of my life.”
For the couple, it is impossible to see how Joy could pose a security threat to the state of Turkey, which seems to be the reason for her deportation. She is a stay-at-home-mother with three children, the youngest an infant who still needs breastfeeding. Also, said her husband, “I am a Turkish citizen and so are my three children”. The couple are challenging the decision in court, in the hope they might find out the real reason for banning Joy from staying in Turkey.
Joy is among the more than 50 expatriate Protestant Christian workers who have been denied residence visas or re-entry permits in the past 18 months.
In September last year, 58-year-old Hans-Jurgen Louven heard that the renewal of his long-term residency permit had been denied and that he had to leave the country within ten days. As his wife was in Austria at the time, he had to leave behind their daughter who was in her final year at university. The Christian Louven family, originally from Germany, had been living in Turkey for more than 20 years, working in the tourism industry, and was planning to stay there permanently.
There was a little break due to the Covid-19 virus outbreak but expulsions have now started again, said Timur Topuz, chair of the Istanbul Protestant Church Foundation, in an interview with the Turkish news site Bianet.
On June 24 American pastor Zach Balon was about to fly from Istanbul airport with his family when he was told he would not be allowed to re-enter Turkey. Balon decided not to travel and appeal the decision.
“We are faced with a systematic pressure targeting Protestant churches,” said Topuz.
(World Watch Monitor)
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This article appears in the October 2020 Issue of Life and Work
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