SAT-7 Bringing joy to the Middle East and North Africa. Conflict. Poverty. Persecution. This is what comes to mind when most of us think about the Middle East and North Africa. But there is another story being told. A story of faith strengthened, love shown and joy brought – to millions across the region. Through powerful, faith-filled television programmes and digital media, SAT-7 is bringing joy straight into the heart of the family home. Based mainly in the Middle East, SAT-7 broadcasts in three languages, Arabic, Farsi and Turkish, and their viewer support teams respond to hundreds of people who contact them every week. The violence in Iran earlier this year following the protests and the subsequent war has brought distress and uncertainty to the whole region. But the courage and faith of Christians continues to shine like a light in the darkness. One 11yr old girl called Maretta, a refugee from southern Lebanon, reached out to SAT-7 to testify to how God’s word had brought her comfort. She said: “In the Bible, the words ‘Fear Not’ are mentioned 365 times for all the days of the year. Jesus knew we would fear and reminds us not to fear despite all that we face. His message for us is to be strong and not fear but to pray.” Come to Cafe Church in the Winn Hall on Sunday, starting at 9.45am with continental breakfast, and hear John Harrison, a SAT-7 Ambassador, who will be talking about SAT-7’s ministry and encouraging prayer and support for the people of the Middle East at this turbulent time. Retired from a career mainly in the IT industry John is now delighted to be able to volunteer and share about the work of SAT-7 with different churches. He is an active member of Hope Chapel, a small but growing church plant in Haslemere. John’s interest in SAT-7 began way back in the 1990s when he heard about the launch of a new initiative seeking to reach into the Middle East with Christian programming using Satellite TV. A highlight of his preparation for this role was a visit to the SAT-7 Persian studio in London where he was able to witness the recording and transmission of a live program over satellite into the Farsi-speaking world. You can find out more at: https://www.sat7uk.org/
Jane Wright, our new lay visitor, was formally appointed last weekend via a service at Guildford Cathedral and an official welcome from Fr Shane.Bishop Paul Davies, the acting Bishop of Guildford, presided over the service and was delighted to reveal that there are more lay people already involved or training for roles, than in any other Church of England diocese. You’ll see in our photo a happy band of Dunsfold pilgrims with Fr Shane and Jacquie being joined by Jane and Pam Walker from our lay parish visiting team.
Bishop Andrew Watson was a great friend of our parish. A regular visitor and in his final days, following his diagnosis of terminal cancer, he was still sending video and text messages of support to our growing pub ministry.<br>Now the Bible Reading Fellowship have published Bishop Andrew’s final written work. <br>In the weeks before his death, Bishop Andrew collated a decade’s worth of his Chrism sermons at Guildford Cathedral, including “four last songs”; his final writings after receiving his terminal cancer diagnosis. <br>The deeply personal and profound collection, entitled Maundy: Leadership and identity in life and death, includes a foreword from the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, and, of course, an introduction from Bishop Andrew in which he shared that working on this project helped to focus his mind on “some of the key attributes of what it means to be a Christian disciple and minister through testing times.”<br><br>As the BRF’s acting CEO Jules Morgan writes in her introduction: “We do so with gratitude, affection, and a deep sense of honour because this is not simply a book we have chosen to publish, but one that Andrew himself asked us to bring into being in the closing weeks of his life.”<br>With a touching Foreword by Stephen Cottrell, archbishop of York, it also comprises the sermon Andrew preached at his installation as bishop of Guildford. <br><br>More information can be found on <a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fus.list-manage.com%2F9EG21NBVCgP%3Fe%3D5a0985b6f7%26c2id%3D2bdd87578fd80ddbd6a8aed1368b1f63&data=05%7C02%7C%7C53a9ad7fc8274f36012308decbba1cde%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639172197355205272%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Vr0a3DXZKpxE3pYQKDJF4JbT1aysTiMDrP3jZt1fhec%3D&reserved=0">BRF Resources website.</a>
Join us at Dunsfold Church this Sunday when our Funday@4 team will be taking a fresh look at the Joshua story.There’s lots to learn from what happened to Joshua - whatever our age now. And as well as the great Bible story there’ll be singing, prayers, craft work and a light tea.Obviously this is aimed primarily at children and families but we welcome all ages. So please come along for our 4pm start at Dunsfold Church.
