Worcester Celebrates Again!

Doris J. Lack - Worcester Communications

Sabbath, 12th June 2010 was another very special and joyous day for the celebration of the one hundred years since the beginning of the Worcester SDA Church. Invitations had been sent to the local Mayor, Mr Mike Layland, and his wife, as well as to the NEC President, Pastor Ian Sweeney, and happily they joined us for the Anniversary Service. The Mayor offered his congratulations to all those present, and expressed the pleasure he had at being with us for our special day and he also remarked on the warm and friendly atmosphere he felt by being in our Church with us! He and his wife stayed for the first part of the Divine Service, and stated that he would like to visit us again.

The Sabbath school programme which was arranged by Ileen Clarke saw a goodly number of visitors, from far and near, in attendance at 10 o’clock. The Sabbath School Bible Study was ably conducted by Pastor Clyde Potot, a brother from the Philippines who now regularly worships in Worcester.

There were several different musical items rendered throughout the day, by local and visiting groups, such as the Commissioned, from the Dudley SDA Church. It was also a very special day for Parveen and Augustine Benny, members originally from India, as they brought their second baby daughter, Rosilind to be dedicated. It was lovely to include in the ceremony her “big” (2 year old!) sister, Benita, and their “Auntie” Elizabeth who is soon to return to India. Their gratitude was given to God for another beautiful baby girl, and all asked for God to bless their family, and for their second precious “gift”, as she has commenced her new life them.

The divine service was led by Pastor Ian Sweeney NEC president who preached a stirring Message based on Jonah chap 4, illustrating how God controls our lives as He did with Jonah’s life, but sadly, his story did not have a happy ending!

Judy Wade and her deaconesses prepared a bountiful Lunch for all who could remain for the afternoon program. She also supplied a lovely, suitably decorated “birthday cake”! The variety of dishes was greatly appreciated and everyone had a “feast of good things”!

During the afternoon, the “history of Worcester Church” was given, in a little more detail than that was given in the March celebration day. It was divided into two parts, (by Doris Lack), the first giving some interesting facts and figures of how the Worcester Church grew considerably back at its start. At least 80-90 people were baptised in the first few years as God gave wonderful success to the efforts of the Pastors, Bible workers and the membership. Two of the young men baptised in those very early years (1921 and ‘23), were helped financially to go and study at “Stanboro’ Park College”. They were Pastors Harry Smith and Frank Stokes, who are still fondly remembered by many members today!

The second part of the “history” very briefly compared the days of 1910, and what people “did not have” with what we have today in the early 21st century and is  just taken for granted by us today. After a break for some lovely singing, the second part continued with “what they had” that we do not have to suffer, e.g. deadly diseases; pitiful slums and poverty; primitive Medical/Nursing care people had in the “Infirmaries” and “Asylums”, (the list is endless!). However, our God never changes, nor His saving Gospel. All through these details, pictures were shown on a screen, showing what life was like back at the beginning of the 20th century. It illustrated how our “spiritual ancestors” lived, worked and travelled, and illustrated the very poor “social” conditions existing at that time. Some very old pictures of Worcester were shown of the streets around our Church, just as our previous members would have seen the area in their day. Many of the Adventists, who started the Church in UK back at that time, were also in the slide show, including the Conference and Union Ministers and Leaders. It was very interesting to see photographic illustrations of life as it was one hundred years ago. The audio visual presentation was put together by our Elder, Charles Lamont, and grateful thanks for his preparing and assistance for the afternoon programme was expressed to him at the end of the presentation.

The Sabbath celebration ended with a short message of encouragement from Pastor Sweeny, challenging all to continue labouring for the Lord; to help spread the Love of God and His Truth for these last days of earth’s history. The Members of the Worcester Church will always be grateful to God for their Church, and for all those who were faithful down through the years – both members and Ministerial workers and they will never forget this happy occasion and being part of it.

Footnotes: The members at Worcester would like to thank all those who visited us on 12th June, including Pastor Sweeny. It was so good to see our little Church so full and over-flowing!

Following the service the Worcester church has been in the NEWS! - in two local Newspapers, with a lovely picture of the Mayor, and the two Pastors outside our Church, including a brief write-up for the reason for the photo. Also, quite recently, BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester invited Pastor Adrian Broome to go “on air”, to relate, to the listeners about our Church, and Adventists and to explain our beliefs. We are very grateful to God for the opportunity to spread a little of ‘who’ and ‘what’ we are, and that Worcester Church has been in the News – it all being just what we had prayed for at the start of this year!