Ablaze Magazine Issue 1 by House On The Rock

A PUBLICATION OF HOUSE ON THE ROCK, LONDON LIGHTHOUSE

Forging

Ah Ahead Hill City Mass Choir Harmonious voices, coordinated uniforms and an overall aura of glitz and glamour, you’ll know these guys are anointed

HOTR - Pressing into the Future Leaders are being raised within the church and are equipped to go out and create change, one soul at a time.

Teaching our Children about Money The most important step in raising a money-wise child is for the parents to be smart with money themselves

Youth Violence Let’s put God back into schools and communities and see if things won’t change

contents 11

Regulars 07 The Souls Behind The Service

Ignite Young, strong and making a difference they are the faces of the future.

In Focus Meet Our Pastors; Pastor Paul & Pastor O.

Money Matters Teaching your children about money is one of the best legacies you can give

Reﬂections Winning by Jack Welch; Soulful Rhythms from T D Jakes

Bovvered? Youth Violence – Who is to blame?

The Lord’s Heritage They may be young, but they’ve got hearts of gold!

Business Want to get onto the property ladder fast? Here are a few tips

Harmonious sounds, coordinated uniforms, it’s the Hill City Mass Choir

www.hotr.org.uk

Ablaze

Issue 1 / Volume 1 / 2007 Publisher House on the Rock London Lighthouse

From Our Hearts To Yours Dear Readers,

We have forged ahead and with this opening, we say welcome.

Executive Editor Omawumi Michael Efueye

Thank you for all your support, ideas and contributions. In bringing forth a baby, there is a preparation for the birth. In this instance, a word a day, a sentence, a paragraph, a page.

Managing Editors Alistair Frimpong Laolu Opebiyi Creative Director Tosin Lanipekun Editor Monica Omobola Bello Editorial Team Anita Amaefuna Ndidi Okezie Nonye Chidomere Admin Manager Gabbie Okiwelu Production Manager Terry Thomas Project Manager Funke Adenaike

Many thanks to our contributors Adeshina Oduola Banke Adelano Dr. Chima Oti Keno Ogbo Olabimpe Oyadare

Welcome to Ablaze. It’s a new beginning and a new day! It is our desire and hope that Ablaze will ignite your hearts and minister to you. Our vision is to create a forum that would challenge our readers to observe and reflect on the issues of today’s society whilst finding a balance within our faith. The mission of Ablaze is to bring awareness, to give our readers a deep and true understanding of various elements of the life we have and the world we live in. The aim is for Ablaze to feature articles that are informative as well as educative. There are some mind blowing poems that will really touch your heart, don’t miss them! We want to take you on a journey of discovery and familiarise you with some aspects of House on The Rock such as Touching the Community. Want to know more about HOTR Leaders? Please read their profiles. There is something in here for everyone and we hope you enjoy this issue. Our message is simply this: to light up the world, to give hope through words.

Monica Omobola Bello

Ablaze Magazine is published by House on the Rock, London Lighthouse. ©2007 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. This work is also licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. For more information and to order call +44 (0) 208 782 8778.

Lifestyle

In This Issue

No Time For Breakfast Berries? Yes berries. Believe it, smoothies are good for you. nuff said.

This Child Is Beloved Eloquent poetry. The story of a man, a message to all men

Pregnancy Without Tears Having nightmares about labour pains? Worry not, a doctor’s at hand

House On The Rock Pressing into the future – A snapshot of progress

Notes From A Cyber Diary efreeko.co.uk - reuse & recycle; projectrebirth.org - Surviving 9/11

Touching The Community St. George’s, Tufnell Park, Islington: Making a difference in the community

Solomon’s Corner I just can’t let him go! Listen sweetheart, you need a detox!

Or write to:

House On The Rock London Lighthouse Trinity House, Heather Park Drive, Wembley, London HA0 1SU, UK. Email: ablaze@hotr.org.uk

issue 1 / volume 1 2

In Focus

Paul Adefarasin

Certain men are called to change the destiny of nations… this is the spiritual mandate upon the life of Pastor Paul” Pastor Marvin L. Winans

Paul Adefarasin is the founder and Senior Pastor of the fastgrowing HOUSE ON THE ROCK, Lagos - a multi-racial, multi-tribal and multi-faceted church with 35 branches and several ministries in Europe and Africa. He is also the President of THE ROCK FOUNDATION, a ministry committed to restoring hope and healing the hurting in our generation. In great demand globally as a conference speaker, Paul Adefarasin’s message of hope, restoration and true worship cuts across a wide spectrum of human need catapulting his listeners into their God ordained destiny. His television programme ‘SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN’ is a favourite in Nigeria and London and reaches into millions of homes. He is happily married to Ifeanyi and together they have three lovely children, Hilda, Alvin and Alexander.

www.hotr.org.uk

His words: “In a world full of hurting people, lost causes and broken dreams, we recognize the need for a real connection with God. At House On The Rock, we believe in the powerful prayer-based delivery of God’s Word. With a peculiar anointing to bring hope to the despairing, healing to the broken and strength to the weary, our mission is to position the unexpected and the unlikely for the proliﬁc move of God at the commencement of the 21st Century and beyond. We are resolved to taking the infallible Word of God with a lot of dedication and ministering to your need, but beyond that, we are committed to ministering to your destiny; to assist you through the Word and covenant relationships to become all that God has called you to become and to do all that He has called you to do. You have a destiny in God.”

Ablaze

My Declaration

God has taken me out of bondage, slavery, sin and strife such that I have become onto Him a person adopted into the Kingdom of Priests and a Holy nation.

The power of God’s deliverance is such that the oceans in my life see and know, therefore they ﬂee. The Jordan river is driven back, what God has brought me through cannot return to me because I have been given Victory and I am an overcomer in everyway. Big mountains, small hills- troubles in my life have no staying power because of the awesome Presence of God.

His deliverance and freedom given to me has qualified me to be His Sanctuary, His Temple, His Tabernacle. In which my life must constantly be on the altar as a burnt offering and a living sacrifice, my flesh to be constantly consumed such that only the Spirit man should remain. He therefore has dominion over me and rules in me. Nothing else has power over me. God has turned the rocks in my life into a pool of refreshing and sustaining life. This is my perpetual declaration. To God be the Glory Selah.

Events LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE Lighthouse Challenge, HOTR’s annual sports competition took place on the 26th and 27th of August. Here are a few highlights from Day One. Clockwise from top: Willesden Sports Centre, the venue of the event; Table Tennis, Yellow House vs. Blue House; Green House cheerleaders; Green House celebrating their victory in the Badminton ﬁnals; Blue House cheerleaders Watch out for a full review in the next issue of the magazine.

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In Focus

Omawumi Michael Efueye Having enjoyed a successful career as an actor and accomplished banker, Omawumi Efueye accepted the call into full-time ministry as a minister of the Gospel in 1996. In the same year, he was commissioned by the House on the Rock headquarters church in Lagos to pioneer its first parish outside the African continent to be known as the London Lighthouse. Virtually leaving the “known” for the unknown, he moved his family over to England to start this great work. With membership of about 25 people at the time, he set about his task. . The London Lighthouse since that time has grown tremendously from strength to strength and currently has a congregational strength of about 650 regular worshippers who love the Lord. Pastor O., as all at the Lighthouse fondly call him, is a Pastor at heart, a natural father and uncompromisingly addicted to teaching the word of God. He believes in preaching the Gospel without hypocrisy and dissimulation. His undying passion is that God’s people should behold God’s glory through the undiluted ministry of His word and as they do so, they in turn might become transformed to that same image. His Life, humble persona and outlook epitomise that of a true servant of the Most High God. Omawumi is happily married to Carol and together they have two children Dede and Marcel. He is also a great writer and poet and he has the ability to affect people with his words. The concept of beauty in itself is an individual preference. Yet, if a poem touches, moves or brings you to emotion, if it inspires a state of beauty in you, then it is like a beautiful photograph. Enjoy the poem on the right. This particular poem was inspired by the fact that he was an unplanned pregnancy that great efforts were made to terminate.

www.hotr.org.uk

Ablaze

Omawumi

This Child Is Beloved I They were both students and happily wed, “No child for now”, the man sternly said. But they had sex without contraception And reaped what they sowed-the wife’s conception. The verdict was swift, it was to abort But such decisions with perils are fraught. Those who “cared” proﬀered many suggestions “Try this, that or a lethal injection!” But the more they tried, the more the child grew Till in despair, they knew not what to do. So, at last, oﬀ to their doctor they went, Who warned them of the end of their intent (Abortions were illegal at that time Unlike today when life’s not worth a dime!) To cut a long story short, I was that boy Who, from the womb, Satan tried to destroy.

III Your deepest need which you got from Adam Is self-worth from knowing the Great I Am His care , provision, but most of all love Revealed by sending His son from above, So your self-worth springs from identityYou’re not failure, fraud or nonentity; As crises, trials and tests will proclaim Your claim to fame is not disgrace and shame. From our mothers do we get our nurture, And society teaches us culture. Good education develops your mind While sound etiquette will make you reﬁned. But the crunch is you’re made in God’s image So be conformed beholding His visage Others may not see you as shining Star But friend, never forget whose son you are!

II Someone once said, “you must feel vulnerable, To be unwanted must be terrible!” But being foreknown by the God on the throne Reject block is now the cornerstone From the day I was born the tide’s flow changedMy father from his old thoughts was estranged When asked by all, what the child’s name would be He joyfully said “It’s Omawumi.” So I grew up, knowing I was precious This keeps one safe, when foes try to thresh us. Yet none can give all the love that you need Problems will your insecurities feed. Some become macho, their muscles they flex Others find refuge in lewdness and sex. Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll: it’s all futile Life without Christ is null, void and sterile.

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The Souls Behind The Service

Hill City Mass Choir Ndidi Okezie

Harmonious sounds, coordinated uniforms and an overall aura of glitz and glamour, it can be no other department than the indisputably anointed Hill City Mass Choir. After very humble beginnings, with a handful of members, the choir now boasts a total member tally of sixty ﬁve.

We see them week in week out, standing behind our Pastors for what can literally be hours. Their sound is infectious; this group of people are always smiling, always ready with a song and consistently able to tap into the spirit and lead the church into praise and worship.

www.hotr.org.uk

Hill City Mass Choir was formed at the inception of The London Lighthouse; as the worship leaders of House on the Rock – the London Lighthouse. After a very humble beginning of a handful of members; the choir now boasts a total member tally of 65. But don’t think they plan to stop there, the prophetic name includes the word “mass” and with auditions taking place on a regular basis, growth seems to be still firmly on the agenda. The choir –like most other departments – is very heavily weighted on the female side with a ratio of almost 6 to 1 They rehearse twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. They also minister twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. So in a typical week, a choir member will only have Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings to themselves. (Unless of course there’s a wedding; if so ...oops there goes your Saturday. With a 12 week probation period before you’re even allowed on stage and regular night vigils - this commitment is clearly not for the fainthearted. Although very public – Hill City has still managed to create an extremely private persona and as such, not much is known of what happens off stage; that is until now. Ablaze magazine were fortunate to be allowed access to not only their mid week rehearsals but also to the members themselves – who it turns out were more than willing to tell all. The question that intrigued us the most was - who are the people behind this frontline department? Join me as we journey behind the scenes and get to know two Hill city members in greater detail. Seun Odejide is the definition of a tender soul. This beautiful lady gives off a vibe that immediately warms you to her. Her off stage demeanour is very similar to the anointing she operates under when she sings. We are drawn into the depth of her heart, feeling what she feels and easily trusting that her worship is as pure as the alto based notes she sings. When asked how she balanced the choirs hectic schedule with her ‘day job’?

Lifestyle

No Time For

Breakfast

Smoothies help ﬁght cellulite. Berries are great as they are packed with cellulite-ﬁghting enzymes.

Terry Thomas

Beep...beep...beep, your alarm wails at you incessantly (Thank God for the Snooze button). Another 5 mins…beep...beep…beep, Snooze… another 5 mins. Then before you know it, panic sets in as you maniacally get yourself together, bolting out the door like a bull through a china shop to go to that oh so important job that you don’t really like anyhow…I ask you, who has time for breakfast?

We all know that eating fruit is extremely beneficial to our health and well being. However, finding the time to eat enough fruit per day can be difficult not everyone is a fitness freak. Let’s face it how many of us have got time to be fumbling about with Mangoes and Oranges on the Tube, or while zooming round London’s mobile car park (the M25). This can lead to a rather messy affair.

Yes, it is said that it is the most important meal of the day but regardless of what people may tell you, mankind cannot live on espresso coﬀee

There are some people who have real diﬃculty in swallowing fruits, so smoothies are a way to eat healthy foods in a combination that’s not boring, especially for people on the go.

alone. But fear not, this is the age of the smoothie….

So Just What Is A Smoothie? Smoothies are blended drinks made from 100% fruit and are a healthy alternative to other soft fruit drinks. Wikipedia describes it as: - “a smoothie is a blended, chilled, sweet beverage made from fresh fruit and fruit juices which is blended with crushed ice, frozen fruit, or frozen yoghurt”. Sounds yummy, but what is wrong with one just buying a fruit juice down the local supermarket or corner shop. Lord knows we do not always have the time to be blending juices first thing in the morning. Well the truth is that Fruit drinks contain only the fruit extracts, along with a zillion Enumbers, additives & preservatives, whereas a smoothie is the entire fruit. I won’t go into great details about the nutritional contents of smoothie, that I will leave to the nutritional experts, suffice to say that a real smoothie does not contain dairy products, preservatives, colourings, additives or sugar. Ok then… let’s go into a little detail… Smoothies with Berries contain anti-oxidants needed for proper immune function. Berries have also been found to help the brain. Apricots are a great source of beta-carotene also needed by the immune system and to protect the skin against the cold weather. Pears are great for detoxification and bowel health. The juice of one Orange will provide the vitamin C, which has immune boosting and anti-microbial properties. Great smoothies help fight ageing. Yellow fruits are particularly high in anti-oxidants. Make a smoothie full of Peaches, Mangoes and Pears or, a smoothie with peaches, bananas and passion fruits is a great alternative.

www.hotr.org.uk

A real beneﬁt from making your own smoothies is that you will know exactly what is in them. No funny business. No long-winded unpronounceable jargon on the side of the carton label. You can use a good ole trusty blender, or if you wish, purchase a smoothie maker (look’s like a blender with a tap on the front) You can use whatever fruits you feel like. Bananas, Mangoes and Strawberry smoothies are popular but you can use any combination of soft fruits that are available locally. Some harder fruits such as Apples, and Grapefruits will take longer to break down and may leave your smoothie lumpy, so you may need to use a food processor to blend it to a pulp. There is no right way or wrong way to make a smoothie. Remember the whole point is take in nutritional content into your body. Smoothies are also a great way of getting kids to digest vegetables, as it can be a challenge for parents to regularly come up with diﬀerent ways to entice children to eat healthily. After all, how many Peanut butter or Marmite sandwiches can a parent make? So they’re perfect for a lunch box or break time snack, with tastes and textures that they will try and like. You can freeze a smoothie and thaw it out when you want it. You’ll need to allow some space in the container because your smoothie will likely expand when freezing. For a thick, dense smoothie, add an extra handful of frozen fruit, crushed ice, or frozen yoghurt or sorbet. However let’s not go down the road of diets, calorie counting, points systems and being a mathematician to know what to eat. This can make you obsessive with food. What you need to worry about is what kind of person you are. Your body should be a temple, not a rubbish dump. It’s not just what you put into your body, it’s your whole lifestyle and the way you think.”

Ablaze

Pregnancy

Without Tears

Dr. Chima Oti

Hello All. I am writing the first of what I hope will be a series of correspondence to you. I intend to build an intellectual relationship with all the readers out there. So then the big question was what would be my inaugural topic. I decided to show respect to all the women reading this by raising an issue that most would have or will one day have to consider. My wife is pregnant with our second child. She is due in late October and she passed a comment the other day after dinner... Without any provocation, she said ‘maybe I will opt for an epidural with this pregnancy’. This got me thinking, and so I picked this issue as my first. Those who have experienced childbirth will confirm that it can be distressing especially the first time around. A lot of pregnant women rely on the experiences of others and do not actually take time to think about pain relief in labour. The source of information range from their fellow students at the antenatal class, friends, mothers and other members of the family to the hairdresser. Once in the delivery suite after labour has started simple painkillers like paracetamol, gas and air (entonox) would be the first options and a good number of women will deliver safely with these. However a significant number will need more pain relief and a stronger drug can be given at this stage. Pethidine injection is an option, and the midwife can give this without a doctor’s prescription. If that does not do the trick, the option of epidural analgesia is likely to be brought up.

As someone who has worked in a delivery suite and administered epidural analgesia, I can tell you that it does work very well. Pregnant women have quickly become very grateful after the epidural has kicked in and taken away the pain of the ever increasing contractions. Most fall asleep at this stage as they finally get some rest from a painful experience that might have started some hours prior to my intervention. It does come with some risks which we are compelled to discuss with the patient first. These risks which include headache, feeling sick and transient numbness in the legs are reasonably low and are by far outweighed by the benefits if it works well. My advice would be to keep an open mind and if in any doubt, ask to speak to the anaesthetist. I suggest this is done well before labour commences when one is in a good position to make an informed decision about the various options of labour analgesia. The experience of labour can indeed be distressing and preparing one’s mind could go a long way to reduce this. The outcome of the experience is a joyful one as a mother holds her baby in her arms and perhaps rethinks her earlier discussion with the baby’s father that she would not go through this again. I wonder what I will tell my wife when she brings up the topic again. Dr Chima. A. Oti

If you will like to discuss any of the issues raised here please feel free to contact me via e-mail at ablaze@hotr.org.uk or chomaoti@doctors.org.uk Dr Chima. A. Oti is a specialist Registrar in Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine in London issue 1 / volume 1 10

Rendered stills of the Rock Tower

House on the Rock Pressing into the Future Tosin Lanipekun

“Something is about to happen!” The words rang and reverberated oﬀ the walls of the Shell Hall at the Muson Centre, on a fresh and bright Sunday morning in the heart of the tropical city of Lagos, Nigeria on the West African Coast.

I ﬁnally left the venue at the end of the service with an ambient, overwhelming tinge of excitement and a smile on my face. That was many years ago. The church has grown even bigger and stronger since those days. I now live in the UK and attend the London Lighthouse, pastored by Omawumi Efueye, his hallmark also being a very eﬀervescent energy and vibrancy that quite easily breaks down barriers and incites a lively worship experience.

As I listened to Pastor Paul Adefarasin, senior pastor of House on the Rock, I couldn’t help but be drawn into the celebratory atmosphere.

How it all started

For a few moments I was transported to a wonderful place, where nothing else mattered but being in God’s awesome presence; from the energetic and masterful tunes of Chosen Treasure, the choir, that had my pulse racing, to the carefully prepared, multi-layered message that steadily permeated my senses, it all came together in a crescendo of worship. 11 www.hotr.org.uk

House on the Rock sprung from very humble beginnings. 1994 was the year it all started in Lagos. Pastor Paul began a church with a handful of people – less than ten, in his parents’ home. But he burned with zeal and experience, having previously led a church in England. In his heart he was convinced that from this modest start would spring up a colossus. A church that would be relevant to his environment, his generation, whose reach and impact would spread across the cities of the World. As the ﬂedgling church grew, they needed more space, so they moved to a nightclub and from there to Olatunji House. Membership numbers grew steadily to 50 and subsequently to over 250 dedicated members. The church went from one to two services as it became apparent that the growth spurt was not abating. Then came the move to Muson Hall.

Now, the Lagos church holds four services and the congregation has grown to 7,000 members.

The London Lighthouse has acquired a piece of prime property at Tufnell Park – a listed building requiring careful restoration according to strict building codes and guidelines. The work is in progress and also nearing completion.

Pastor Omawumi (Pastor O., we fondly call him) was one of the founding members. He rose to become the assistant pastor in Lagos, but about ten years ago, he had to hand over the reins and take up the call to start oﬀ a new project - the London church. HOTR has an established presence in several other countries and cities; in Nigeria there are branches in Abuja (the Refuge), Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Kaduna, Jos and Enugu; other countries where the church has a presence include the Congo, Ireland and Holland. In total, there are now 35 branches, ministries and aﬃliates all over the world.

The church’s approach HOTR is a community-oriented church, positioned to reach out to the hurt and needy in our society. The Lagos church is doing this by taking the gospel to the streets, reaching out to the “area boys”, its legal team is also involved in providing pro bono services; taking up cases of individuals in the society without legal aid. (continued next page)

issue 1 / volume 1 12

HOTR - Pressing into the Future

Rendered stills of the Rock Tower

Sunday services held in Lagos have increased speciﬁcally so that the fourth service is held among the people, in the streets. This approach is paying dividends. Daily, through the initiatives of the church, people are coming to the knowledge of Christ who hitherto had no hope of doing so. They literally walk into the halls on any given Sunday straight from their sordid existence on the streets. Then the switch takes place; they are cared for, re-housed, and welcomed into a loving atmosphere with open arms in all the locations of HOTR around the world. At the Lagos Experience concert in 2006, security was not an issue, as the “area boys” took on the role of security guards for the event, having been won over by their interaction with the church. The church is bent on charting a new standard of excellence in ministry.

Growth and development All over the world, the church is growing, building. In Lagos, the Millennium Temple is under construction in the Lekki Peninsula. The six storey church cum oﬃce complex has been in progress for a number of years and is now nearing completion. The London Lighthouse has acquired a piece of prime property at Tufnell Park – a listed building requiring careful restoration according to strict building codes and guidelines. The work is in progress and also nearing completion. The work is in progress and also nearing completion. The same is true in other locations around the world.

13 www.hotr.org.uk

The London Lighthouse has a strong bond with its mother church, HOTR Lagos. Pastor Omawumi has always enjoyed a very cordial relationship with Pastor Paul. This has enhanced the working relationship between the two churches. There’s also a lot of interaction at the operational level. All branches are required to submit periodic progress reports to the Lagos church. Also, pastors from all branches come together to plan, strategise and receive direction for the ministry. Programmes to look forward to in 2007 include the Experience, a concert started last year by HOTR Lagos. It will feature a blend of the most notable contemporary and internationally acclaimed Christian artistes and the best of local talent and will hold in Lagos, Nigeria. In London, there is the Lighthouse Challenge a series of engaging sports designed to bring church members closer and provide some healthy summer fun. Also the annual Christmas Concert comes up in December.

The future is bright Thirteen years on, HOTR’s message of restoration and hope is beamed out as a clarion call across all the major cities of the world. The church is pressing into the future. The future is bright. HOTR’s calling is to raise a generation of pacesetters – setting the standards of excellence and perfection in ministry and empowering people. The church will continue to reach out to the needy and the helpless in our society. Leaders are being raised within the church to go out and make a diﬀerence in their communities and in their nations, one soul at a time.

Ablaze

Sound Bytes Nonye Chidomere

Book Review Tosin Lanipekun

Winning by Jack Welch

“A crash course on how to succeed in business, for everyone from young people fresh out of college to CEOs”

It was his singular goal to make his company “the world’s most competitive enterprise”. This dream led Jack Welch on a journey of discovery and along the way, he perfected principles that have now been embraced by a wide range of entities - from individuals and start-ups to large corporations all over the world.

. Jakes The Best of T. D kes Bishop T. D. Ja ongst other d musician am an or th au , or st at Renowned pa es to the fact th ip album testiﬁ sh or rough w th is od th , G gs thin e heart of th es iﬁ pl em ex kes Bishop T.D. Ja y. his ministr ude Vickie iends who incl fr w fe a h it w album an He joins forces ks to make this ee -W um yn B a y God We Winans, Juanit r What A Might fo t ou k oo L . . e soul In All The Earth essential for th anks and High Th e iv G y, ar tu Serve, Sanc

Several years ago, he found himself at the helm of General Electric, a company in desperate need of a new corporate direction. Welch felt it was time for a revolution and he began inventing techniques and concepts to transform his company from top to bottom. Pearls of wisdom

Jack’s incisive style and edgy sense of humour make this a compelling read. But underneath the funny experiences, witty anecdotes and moral platitudes lie a more solid and grounded wealth of experience. He focuses on weighty issues such as leadership, change and crisis management while balancing it out with an analysis of corporate mantras like strategy, budgeting and change. In this book, he speaks at once to the individual and to the corporation. He keeps it generic and wide-ranging while managing to wedge in vast nuggets of knowledge speciﬁc to the individual. For instance, he plumbs the depths regarding building a viable career, maintaining work-life balance and getting promoted. He takes no prisoners and his tone, while immediately endearing and aﬀectionate is also very real and down to earth. Bringing it all together

Jack Welch is passionate about people and even more so about success in every ﬁeld of endeavour. Winning is a kaleidoscope of his experiences as a leader, a teacher and a coach. The book captures decades of experience in a few pages and seeks to answer an age old question “what does it take to win”?

Day by Day

Yolanda Adams

to s is no stranger Yolanda Adam r, ne in W d ar in Grammy Aw album released scene and this ic us skills m al el ic sp us go the e veteran m th s se ca ow sh ch d Mar y Mar y, May 2005 whi e McClurkin an ni on D , in kl an ection and of Kirk Fr od for His prot G to e ud it at expresses gr ing situations. ally in challeng ci pe es , ce an er deliv she won ictory(for which V e ud cl in ks trac Tonight Recommended performance), el sp go st be r year fo uring Donnie a Grammy this ift Him Up feat L , in kl an Fr k e, Be Blessed featuring Kir It ’s Gon Be Nic y, ar M y ar M d McClurkin an e M ow and Sh

issue 1 / volume 1 14

Lifestyle The Lord’s Heritage

Lord’s Heritage

The

Adeshina Oduola

No Time For Breakfast

The Word of God says that children are the heritage of the Lord and The Lord’s Heritage is a unique the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a opportunity to interact, empower, mighty man, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man enlighten and spiritually raise the whose quiver is full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they Terry Thomas shall speak with the enemies at the gate. Psalm 127: 3-5. children in House on the Rock – London Lighthouse, knowing thatsum Ercillaorem vulluptat in vel el ut lutpat wisit acidunt nos nulluptat Modipis dolorti onsequat. Ut nullummolore minci blaor God’s plan is that we reproduce, multiply, replenish and have iuscip ex eraesequat luptatummy nit augait lamconsequat ullam vel voloborem iusci tate ea feugiam, cons ad eum quat incincil ilit we are working towards building dominion over all things. Our desire as teachers is to ensure that the duissit lut iliquam in vel dit nisisit nos adit nulla facipit ut vercil nullaorpero ea at, sendiatem ing eum qui erat landipit et iurem children are brought up in the ways of the Lord and with the fear God’s Kingdom. Nothing makes doloreetum zzrilis augait euisi exerit irit utpat, si ex ea facinit nostion sequamc ortionsenibh enismodit, sustrud eu faccum of God so that they are fully grounded in the scriptures as they walk us happier at Th e Lord’s Heritage zzriure consendrem ip eu faccummolent acin henit aut nonullamet inim zzrit am, velisit duisit vendrem autat. Nonsed miniame tuerit through life. wis nonse dolum luptat the adit children nos dio conmature ut ad ming acin vel dolore dolore dolor sismoloborem vel exerit nostie ming thanipit seeing inero dolutpa tiscin volorercil ex endit lorpera essequipis acing enibh exerostrud tate teaches feugait, the venibh euis dolutpat. Ut by lumreading incilis and TheexLord’s Heritage children God’s word the fullness of Christ our Lord. euipit ea faccum qui exer summolore magna feu faci essi blan venisl ipit nonullum zzriuscilis delendr eetumsan estio estrud moluptat aut dolor sim dolorper se veniat. Ut il ulput luptat. Ut verostrud minciduipisl dolesequat augiam dolorpe rciduissent wissequate tet ip ese doloreet aci blaore magna commodolore dit autpat niatue magniate vulluptatin ullandi amcore molenibh estrud dolore conum alisl init ad te veliquamet ipsum aut vero eui tatum ea consequat ilit wissequisi.

15 www.hotr.org.uk

diamcommodo velentpractical ilis nos exercises. ationsequam, vero Bible dolortie studying the Bible odolum and through Through del do ex are endre diatinisl eugait et, vel alis stories, they taught the kind ofnullamIbh love God has for enim us andvent what exercil dipit. God expects from them as children and individuals. Knowing that we will be answerable to God concerning our children’s spiritual lives, Allaorpero el exero euisit nostie tat nummy nis doloborem nonse they are our future and evangelical assets. The Lord’s Heritage has exercil delessit, venibh eniamet nullam vulput lore esto conum been blessed with teachers who volunteer their time, eﬀort and are iusto exero euip eros dolore tem do delessequam, con volessed ea committed and dedicated enough to want to see our children walk in facipit lumsan henisci bla augait venibh elesenim zzriure mod . faith and become more Christ-like as they grow through life.

Ablaze

How I See Jesus

Making me smile and happy, I see Jesus as my joy. Comforting me when I’m down, I see Jesus as my parents. Having someone to talk to anytime, I see Jesus as my friend. Knowing how I feel, I see Jesus as my soul. Healing me when I’m ill, I see Jesus as my Healer. Passing exams and achieving goals, I see Jesus as my success. Being wonderfully and beautifully made, I see Jesus as my creator. Being safe and cared for, I see Jesus as my bodyguard. When I’m confused & distressed, I see Jesus as my path ﬁnder And waking up in the morning well & alive, I see Jesus as the source of my life

My Testimony By Rovie

I am sitting in a meeting and have just been told that I have to write this testimony. So here I am writing……well not writing, talking and someone is writing……..I have been in The Lord’s Heritage for about 6-7 years and it has been wonderful. There is nothing as fulﬁlling and rewarding as working with children and I am sure God loves it too. It requires commitment, dedication and most importantly a heart that loves children and loves playing and seeing children grow. Every thing else falls into place... The place to be is The Lord’s Heritage. If you would like to join us as a Teacher or Volunteer, please contact Rovie at edabugo@yahoo.co.uk

By Rachel - Aged 12 issue 1 / volume 1 16

Ignite

in the Pastor s i a n i y e k Chidozie I ch, Ignite. r u h c e g a n ee it charge of T self, I know y m t n e r a t Being a p ommitmen c f o l e v le h , takes a hig ponsibility s e r , n o i t a and dedic nd a God a e v lo , y t li accountabi raise, teach lp e h o t ren so that t ld n i h le c a e t g n a e een giv n r people’s t e h t o em to be. O t c h t a p d e ll a c s and im ha e, a BIG ll that God a m o e c b o t n s a t c n y e ar the ents and p r a p ll a f o behalf his team. d n a o d i h to C thank you

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17 www.hotr.org.uk

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Ablaze

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youth. for today ’s le g g ru st . One as a e identity ut to them o se g I , in te ll o a c n ng serious roups. ia that are mired alo On a more erent age g in the med e to be ad iff s e d m f ic fa o o d v p n s u a u e r d e ad vario together ld be love and anoth Ignite is m There are ork closely oney shou w of excess, e m le t it y a n st g th I s fe s f li e o rd h a gh ous voice teac ll members apathy tow ther. Throu d a gratuit A o t, n n a ch le y a y e ta it r , t e il r v b se o e u b onsi and supp oices can , sex, drug with irresp ers learn s a family d. These v a t violence e a e th n y r the teenag m it u e n o s, y u th p o ll s m a ll sh m is k te o r c e o st l ic a ter, sw vo loc er y fa w to minis the variou rist is o wing up v nd in their h h a ro l, C g le o f p d o o n m h e a a sc ic o at Christ ills for ex son, the v layed out different sk oice of rea re often p v a nd act. e d th n a t u d b u lo ng, dance a peers, ears. si , d ir y e n a a r th s p d , in n frie preach nd loudest eir with their with the ring true a blinker th t to a s th a s h ork closely t si a a w b e th y it e a n n s, d g o ie I e to c f n th ay so ls, talents ge pregna see on a d The leader g their skil h as teena ages they c in re su fy im d s ti o n e n g u ls e a a d id n . Im There are their full mothers, a onfidence teenagers in to achieve ing couraged nd their c is m a d rm e , lf fo th rs se e f in lp e l o th be. dh e fa erfu view ed them to gifting an ll quite pow es, absente e ca m v s o e a ro h h p th d d n n te o a e c ft what G fragmen There is o their peers potential in doned ey can be. n t amongst a th n b e t a a s m h a e v w h ie eated od and ach ome and tr and even G lc s ho they are e d e w e w g f il a o is fa e im n e r v d e io on an ty ha an opin ver y one th asis placed tive voices E h a p g y and socie e il m n e m d e n fa n a th a t a t ll a d to ct. There is vercome a thought th speaks gre is Love an with respe nge is to o d od which e o ll G G a f h o is se c u it e rd y o ca them! Th other be rmative w . I often sa on the affi re in Him loving each us be tu te t a le fu it ’ d so rs e e , v d m e o o and t the beli ly. r God is g ings abou love is god r good, fo fo p u d n amazing th a d to st e good an good to b at is right. d families r doing wh children an f fo o d le g re e g b u r e st remem re aware ledging th ality. We a to acknow re e y it iv d ct li u a v tr tal task des me There is so developmen n be a ver y ca te ia es r p su is ro p p identity Equally, y the age-a for whom ative light. allenged b eg ch n is r t o e en v sc ole to assert positi that an ad eople begin hether in a p w g n ty u ti o y en s an id of life when m the basi of forming at will for rtant time o th p s n im io n is a ec is achers and personal d adolescence and make s parents, te ce a y en d la lay that p en to ep ren. Lets p e a role d v their ind a il h ch ll r a u e o aviour. W thority over of adult beh n put in au ee b e v a h o ls wh individua role! issue 1•volume 1 18

Money Matters

Raising Our Children to be Financially Fit Adults Monica Omobola Bello

Dear Reader, Welcome to Money Matters! How do you raise your children to be ďŹ nancially ďŹ t adults? The single most important step in raising a money-wise child is simply for parents to be money-wise adults themselves. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where so many well-intentioned mums and dads drop the ball...

19 www.hotr.org.uk

Ablaze

Children who see parents ring up huge credit card bills buying goodies and vacations they can’t afford tend to dig the same financial holes themselves as adults. Whatever you may say to the contrary, a child who sees bills pile up unpaid is getting a damaging lesson in managing money - one they may struggle all their lives to overcome. Harsh but true. There are parents who have a good grip on their personal finances but they still get it wrong if they spoil the children. Many people seem to have convinced themselves that showering children with everything they want is good parenting. This is quite common with divorced families; both parents are so guilt-ridden they lose the ability to say no to anything their child asks for. Then when that child is out in the real world on a low starting salary, he or she has no sense at all of financial restraint and thinks they still have to have everything right now. As parents, the first focus, should be on raising a child who has a strong sense of self-worth that has nothing to do with material possessions. That’s a child who is going to have what it takes to thrive as an adult. Make no mistake, an important component of that effort is how you deal with money when they are young. If money is used around your house to confer worth or value - for example, as a means for you or your child to feel “popular” or “hip” - then your child will be that much more likely to develop a very poor sense of self-esteem and inner strength. The child will grow up thinking that they have to buy their happiness and popularity. Let’s look at areas where we can help children. Mobile Phones: when you decide to give your child one, don’t pass up the opportunity for a great financial lesson. Even if you are simply adding a child to an existing plan, let them know what their “share” of the bill is. Suggest increasing their chores and responsibilities around the house to offset the cost of their phone. This way you teach them that nothing is free and any excess minutes they run up comes out of their own allowance, or must be worked off with extra jobs around the house. Teach them the mechanics of managing money. Let them begin to learn by “helping out” when you pay your bills. When a child is a pre-teen or young teen, let him or her even write out a few cheques for you to sign. Your goal is not to make your child feel the weight of all your financial responsibilities. But it’s a good first step in showing them what it takes to live.

A child who sees bills pile up unpaid is getting a damaging lesson in managing money, one they may struggle all their lives to overcome Remember the following: part-time jobs (for teens) are crucial money management lessons for children; an allowance is your ﬁrst opportunity to teach your children to respect money - to teach them that money is something that must be earned; teach your children the concept of earning money from work.

Here are some guidelines to help you think through an allowance strategy: The work determines the allowance. Don’t tell your child what the allowance is before they do the job. Sit down and discuss what the child thinks his/her allowance should be based on the work they actually did. It gives you both a chance to talk about what they did well and what could be better. When you have a teenager you might also use the salary/chore conversation as an opportunity to introduce the concept of taxation. You can agree to pay more for their work, but you will also ask them to repay you 10 percent of their earnings to cover basic livings costs. Now of course 10 percent of their salary isn’t really going to cover much, but the idea here is to teach them what the real world is like. Lengthen the payout period for teenagers. When your child hits 13 or 14, extend the payment period to once every two weeks. At 16 or so, switch to a monthly pay period. This requires your child to start managing their money over progressively longer time spans. The goal is to get them comfortable with budgeting over a month and living within their means. Encourage employment. When a 15-year old wants more and more money to feed a video game or high-fashion habit, the answer is not to increase their allowance/salary. It’s time for them to get a job. You will still keep paying them for the work they do around the house but if they want more, they have to earn more.

issue 1•volume 1 20

Bovvered?

Bovv ered?

Beaming a spotlight on controversial issues in our society Anita Amaefuna

Youth Violence Who is to Blame?

Pictures of police tape cordoning oﬀ a murder scene are becoming the norm for many people. What used to be an inner city problem is now spreading widely to other parts of the UK.

“It’s quite easy to blame a child’s upbringing but I would like to ask if the government has some responsibilities in the subject matter, especially in this liberated society we live in?” “The reality is that most black fathers are absent. The majority of our young people are being raised in homes without their fathers present. Considering that we know that was not the Kingdom plan - this fact clearly has a signiﬁcantly negative impact on the fabric of our society.” “They don’t need our pity parties, excuses, analysis or even a qualiﬁed, professional inquiry of why they are the way they are. I’m honestly tired of people making out that we blacks are some sort of disability group or vulnerable group or implying that we need special attention and care. I am not a vulnerable person. I am who God says I am; created in His image and called to be a son via Christ.” Recently, I engaged in a very interesting online discussion about the violence which seems to be prevalent amongst our young people. I say interesting because many viewpoints were aired some controversial, others thought-provoking. Some people think that young people are just making excuses and have chosen their particular way of life whilst others believe society has in some way failed our children. Then you have the school of thought which sees young people as merely an inconvenience and believe the best thing for the troublemakers is to be locked up!

21 www.hotr.org.uk

Reports suggest that gun and knife crime is not escalating but rather is just generating more publicity. Be that as it may, something needs to be done to bring an end to the nonchalant attitude and complete disregard for human life. Whilst it is true that young people need to assume responsibility for their actions in a society where excuses for unacceptable behaviour are rife, positive action is required from all facets of society to tackle the root cause of the symptoms displayed in communities today. The government, churches, schools, businesses, etc.. all have to work together to counteract the alarming rate at which young people are giving up on education and themselves. More role models outside the ﬁelds of sport and music are required but more importantly Christian principles must be re-introduced into schools. I believe the moral degradation of society which is evident today, is a result of trying to remove all traces of God from education and society. Family values, integrity, moral values, respect for property and people has been replaced with an attitude of “if it feels good, do it”. The Christian principles on which this country was founded have been discarded for the pleasures of the world. If those charged with the responsibility of guiding and directing the youth are too busy satisfying their own lusts and desires, why are young people being expected to behave more maturely and with understanding? I do not believe anyone deliberately wants to fail at life or throw away their future but something is fundamentally wrong if a young person’s idea of respect is found at the end of a riﬂe or 12-inch blade! To be continued... Thought provoking? Controversial? Heart-wrenching? If you think the points raised in this article are wholly untrue or you just want to respond to some of the points raised, Have your say!

Wedding Centrepieces he centrepiece helps to tie together the look of the entire table setting. Centrepieces not only enhance the festive spirit of the wedding, but also provide a unique way for brides & grooms to express their creativity. Traditionally, floral arrangements are used at weddings, but we all know that flowers cost a lot of money especially when it comes to fresh flowers. You can really get creative with your centrepiece and give your guests something to talk about or something that can be eaten when its job is done. When deciding on centrepieces, there are certain things to bear in mind. The first and most important thing to consider is the budget. If you are working on a tight budget, it might be a good idea to get your centrepieces to double up as flavours as well so that both budgets can be merged. For this, you can have cake or chocolate boxes arranged exquisitely in the middle of the table for guests. The sizes of the centrepieces are also important because if these are large, the table would look overcrowded and if too tiny, might get overlooked so balance is of the essence here.

Advertorial

Table fountains are suitable lavish centrepieces but if on a tight budget, vases filled with water and some flower petals floating on the tops are equally pretty. Floating candles can also be added if the reception is in the evening. There are some vases available in Tesco or Ikea that cost as little as £2.99. These would do very well with pebbles or coloured sand with tealights (also available in Tesco/Ikea). You could also use fruits depending on your colour scheme. If your colour scheme is wine, you could fill jars with red delicious apples, red plums & nectarines. Frankly speaking, there is no reason why every centrepiece in the wedding has to be exactly the same especially if you have a lot of guests and you have about fifteen to twenty tables. It might be a good idea to have two or three arrangements and vary these from table to table. In conclusion, you don’t really need a big budget for your centrepieces, all you need is great imagination. Catherine Eluwa

Catherine@seml.co.uk www.seml.co.uk

issue 1 / volume 1 22

Touching The Community

Touching the

Community

The Vision

These strategies and themes are still subject to further screening/review/consultation with the board members of HOTR & St George’s ward steering group. Once approved, plans will be put in place to initiate these themes.

The strategies/ themes TTC will have in place are as follows: Below are the strategies & themes TTC will have in place. The six key themes being: • Children, Young People & Education

• Community Development (incorporating facilities & services) • Health & Fitness • Citizenship

• Family restoration

• Community Safety

23 www.hotr.org.uk

The initial outcome of the research and consultation has culminated in the production of a challenging 10 year strategy initiative called Touching The Community (TTC) which aims at providing services which will ultimately beneﬁt the residents of St George’s Ward and the wider Islington Community as a whole.

In 2001, HOTR carried out a survey to provide insight into the demographics of the Islington de Borough. Recently, a Steering Committee was Ad e, i sa ar g - Pa s t or i n ch formed with local councillors and Tufnell Park Key Targets for TTC residents to identify what the key local issues and priorities were prevalent within the St George’s Ward area/ All projects within the plan will contribute to important wider community to which House on The Rock (HOTR) – London local & national targets: Lighthouse was moving to once restoration works on the Rock • Local priorities, as identiﬁed through Baseline Survey’s and Tower was completed.

ongoing consultation with local residents

• Islington Borough performance indicators • National Government targets • Equalities Impact Assessment

Local Priorities

Some of these have already been identiﬁed through ongoing consultation with the Steering Group. The consultation will continue via monthly forum meetings, annual/mid-term review of events and various other community meetings. Alongside this qualitative information, the TTC team will also gather relevant statistical data on the area from local service providers so that any projects initiated would make a real diﬀerence to the lives of local residents. Touching The Community is committed to increasing the awareness and participation of individuals and organizations in actions that have positive impact on children, youth, families and the community.

Ablaze

The Phases Once the main restorative works had been completed, HOTR hired Paul Davis and Partners (Architects) to aid with the refurbishment plans for The Rock Tower. These works were divided into 2 phases: the ﬁrst being the refurbishment of the existing building and the second being to design a contemporary extension which would preserve and enhance the current building. The ﬁrst phase is now completed and the second phase is due to start late summer 2007.

Tufnell Park – Word on the Street Reactions from the public about the new church development

An Interview with Michael, an OAP* and a resident of the area. What do you think of churches in general? I’m a ‘church man’ myself, I attend the Catholic Church. Which One? St. James up at Highgate.

Transforming No.49 Olabimpe Oyadare St. George’s Theatre, Tufnell Park...

Now known as “The Rock Tower” - was acquired by House on the Rock in the summer of 2003. The building had remained unused for a number of years and it was immediately evident that it was going to require a huge amount of love and care. Internal clearing began with members of HOTR volunteering their time and efforts to assist with the general de-cluttering which needed to take place in order to commence restorative works. In order to remain in line with The Rock Tower’s antique and rich cultural heritage, HOTR recruited the efforts of Payestone Ltd, a company renowned for its dedication to restoring historic buildings. The company’s main role was to aid HOTR with extensive repairs which included re-roofing the tower and the reinstatement of the original stained glassed windows. Despite the original intention for work to commence in August 2004, the works were halted due to the temporary invasion of local squatters. What followed was a 13-month long battle of legal proceedings which eventually allowed work to begin in January 2006. Once this issue had been resolved, Payestone was able to proceed with the work which was completed at the end of last year.

Do you think that there is a need for ‘another church’ here? Yes! There are enough people to attend, aren’t there? There must be! But a lot of people do not go to these places anymore. That’s the problem. They don’t drift away from religion, but they don’t go to church. [I even went to church in Whittington Hospital (when admitted there) – they usually have a mass for people who are sick.] You said that people don’t go to church anymore, how do you think that people could be encouraged to go back to church? I don’t know, I wouldn’t interfere. I don’t think it is my place to tell people who do not want to go to church to do so. A lot of people say it’s up to themselves to go. That’s kind of what I believe: because you can’t force anyone to go. Were you familiar with St. George’s before it was bought over? And did the people in the community go there? In other words, was it a key part of the community? I did not really see that many people going there, but now that it’s being done up, it may attract more people to visit. Will it be open everyday? That’s part of what we are trying to ﬁnd out - we’re hoping to feel the pulse of the people so we can adequately provide services that will beneﬁt the community. Thank you for your time. More to come in the next issue... * The term ‘OAP ‘ is an acronym for Old Age Pensioner and is widely used in the UK. More recently, it’s also used to denote Older Active People. issue 1 / volume 1 24

Business

Getting on the

Property Ladder

Guarantor mortgages

Over the past three years, two out of five first-time buyers under 30 have received ‘financial assistance’ from their parents in order to buy a property, with some estimating the average hand-out at over £17,000.

What are your options if you are a young first-time buyer with a small income, no savings and no funding from the Bank of Mum and Dad? Ok, to some extent, the chances of you getting on the property ladder soon probably look pretty slim. House prices are rising, competition from buy to let investors is increasing and interest rates are going up. But let’s look on the bright side. Yes, interest rates are rising, but historically, they are relatively low right now. Plus, the mortgage industry is much more competitive today than it used to be. This means that there is a wider choice of mortgage products available, many of them specifically designed to help struggling first-time buyers onto the property ladder.

No deposit necessary

If you haven’t got a deposit, then you may wish to consider a 100% or 100%+ mortgage from lenders like Birmingham Midshires, Coventry Building Society or Northern Rock. As the name implies, these lenders will allow you to borrow 100% of the property’s value. You may even be able to borrow a further 25% on top. The catch: If house prices crash, you may be left in negative equity. In other words, you will owe the lender more than your property is worth and so you will not be able to move until prices scramble back up again. Furthermore, rates are usually higher on these products and it will probably take a long time before you can remortgage onto a cheaper rate. Alternative: Save up for a deposit. 25 www.hotr.org.uk

If your parents aren’t about to oﬀer you oodles (or wads) of cash, there is another option: they could guarantee your mortgage. This will allow you to borrow a larger sum than you would have been able to on your income alone. The catch: If you fail to meet your mortgage payments, the lender will expect your parents to pay the bill -- or lose their home. Alternative: Borrow a smaller sum, based on your income alone.

Professional mortgages If you’re a certain type of professional at the start of your career, such as an accountant or a solicitor, some mortgage lenders will ‘recognise your future earnings potential’. In other words, they see you and think ‘Ka-ching!’, and will oﬀer you a special ‘professional mortgage’ deal. These deals enable borrowers in certain professions (chosen by the lender) who have a small deposit -- or even no deposit at all -- access to cheap rates. It’s really as simple, and as biased, as that. The catch: Before all you accountants and solicitors out there start singing ‘ner ner na ner ner’ at the rest of us lowly mortals, remember: you cannot work in these professions if you are declared bankrupt. So, if you fail to meet your mortgage payments, you not only stand to lose your home - you also stand to lose your job. No wonder mortgage lenders see you as a safe bet. Alternative: Unless you are prepared to change careers, there is no alternative. Just make sure you don’t overstretch yourself and your payments are aﬀordable.

Written by Donna Werbner Deputy Editor of Your Mortgage magazine Used with permission of Motley Fool, www.fool.co.uk

Ablaze

www.pﬁ.org

Notes from a

Cyber-Diary Keno Ogbo

There is probably no set of people that need a new life more than those affected by crime and its consequences. The Prison Fellowship International (PFI) is the world’s most extensive criminal justice support network with over 100,000 volunteers in 100 countries. PFI was founded by Charles Colson, a former prisoner himself, but now changed by faith in Jesus Christ. The website gives insight to the valuable work that is done with prisoners, ex-prisoners, victims and families. You can watch inspiring videos, read latest news items and find out how you can get involved. It also includes information on programmes and links to affiliated organizations.

www.projectrebirth.org

Progress in life is vital, and after many years and experiences, I have learnt that sometimes going back is necessary for moving forward. Most times, a rebirth is necessary. Take the age-long problem of man, sin.

9/11 is an unforgettable day in world history. That September morning in 2001, we watched the destruction of the World Trade Centre (WTC) and the death of over 800 people live on TV. Alongside the rest of the world, we witnessed the grief and strength of a nation as they came to terms with the impact of this catastrophic event. Project Rebirth is a ﬁlm/web documentary following the rebuilding of the WTC memorial centre. This inspirational website charts the stories behind the Twin Towers and takes you along on the journey, capturing every hour every day as New York delivers a 10 year programme preparing its monument to a new generation and paying homage to the previous one.

Choice site

By being able to recycle unwanted items you are helping reduce your carbon footprint and helping others out there.

The solution to getting rid of sin is not to work harder, or to meditate more or even to cope with it, but a total rebirth is needed, a journey back to the cross. As I share entries from my cyber diary, I thought it would be appropriate to introduce two websites that deal with the subject of rebirth and moving on. Enjoy surﬁng.

www.efreeko.co.uk Launched by Jo Passmore and Matt Argyle, efreeko is a web resource making it easier for all of us to recycle more by giving away things we no longer use. The website is easy and free to use. You can see what is available and also receive items by post from somebody outside of the local area. By being able to recycle unwanted items you are helping reduce your carbon footprint and you are helping others out there. So a visit to this website is well worth your time if you have things you no longer need. Keno Ogbo is the founder of spiraluniverse.org, a unique online directory and networking forum for Christians. In creating the site, she found herself spending well over 20 hours a week on the internet and believes that the internet presents a ‘parallel world’ that can inform and aﬀect every area of our everyday life.

issue 1 / volume 1 26

Did You Know? There is now what is called ‘keeping in touch days’. This means that a woman on maternity leave can come back into the oﬃce or place of work for up to 10 days to keep abreast of what is going on at work or deal with any matters arising whilst on leave. This may be relevant for those in management. Coming in on those days will not aﬀect statutory maternity pay or cut short the maternity leave. The option is there but I suspect many will prefer to forget about work for as long as possible!

Family Friendliness

in the Workplace Banke Adelano

The work environment is increasingly becoming a more family-friendly place. If yours is not, then maybe you should know what your rights are and seek to have them enforced. Major changes have taken place in recent months in key legislations covering maternity rights and the right to request ﬂexible working...

Maternity Rights As from October 2006, women who will be expecting their babies after 1st April 2007 will now have 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay; this was previously only up to 26 weeks. More good news! Mothers who wish to take further maternity leave for up to 12 months in total, will be able to do so regardless of how long they have worked for their employers. Previously to have additional maternity leave, the woman had to have been in continuous employment with her employer for at least 6 months. However ladies, take note that if you wish to return to work earlier from your statutory maternity leave, you now need to give your employers 8 weeks’ notice in advance. So make sure you plan well!

27 www.hotr.org.uk

Watch out though! Employers now have the right to make reasonable contact with employees whilst on maternity leave so you may not be able to completely forget about work after all!

Right to request Flexible Working This allows employees with caring responsibilities for either children or adults to request flexible working patterns from their employers to help with their caring responsibilities. An employee can ask for changes in their hours of work, times when they are required to work or request that they be allowed to work from home. You must have worked with your employer for at least 6 months continuously before you can make a request. Children must be under 6 years old or 18 years old for disabled children. Adults needing to be cared for can either be spouses/partners, near relatives or some other person that lives at the same address. This may be handy for those of us who live with elderly parents that need care. As always, there are some conditions to this right: The request for flexible working can be refused by the employer for objective and business reasons. For example, if it affects the delivery of service, changes would be an additional financial burden or have adverse staffing implications. Changes to ways of working are permanent and there is always the risk that reverting to old working conditions may no longer be available. For example, an employee who wishes to work 3 days a week instead of 5 days to look after their sick parent, may not be able to change back to a 5 days a week if the employer has taken extra staff to cover the other 2 days. In other words, there is no automatic right to revert to your old working hours. Therefore requests must be well thought out and there should be consultations with employers to discuss options of reverting to old working commitments once caring responsibilities have extinguished. For more details check out the ACAS website (www.acas.gov.uk) which is great for general employment issues.

Ablaze

Solomon’s Corner Wisdom is the principal thing...

I Just Can’t Let Him Go! I’ve been seeing this guy on and off for four years now, he is a ‘Christian’ but to tell you the truth it’s in name only. (I feel so bad saying that, like – who am I to judge?) My head knows that this relationship is all wrong for me – he makes me feel really stupid, he pressures me to have sex all the time, he doesn’t support the work I do – my head knows this isn’t right … but my heart … my heart is devoted to him, to us. I just can’t seem to walk away and stay away. I love him.. please tell me what I can do to make him love me back? Wow! Sweetheart, your email hurts my heart, mainly because I relate so much to the words you’ve written. Let me start off by saying this is more common than you think, I know many people would have read your letter and said “uh huh .. yep I know what that’s like”. But I can also predict that they remember what that was like as opposed to being able to relate with you in their now experience. Hopefully they - like I – managed to break free from this oppressive way of living. Let me try and break this down for you: 1. You are gripped by the idealistic notion that this man can and will change. Suddenly metamorphosing into the man you want him to be. That is NOT going to happen; for one simple reason. He has no reason to. You are 100% his for the taking. You’ve taught him that he can disrespect you and still have you! He has no reason to want things to be better. In fact this is his idea of perfect. 2. Forgetting him for the moment – at what point do you give yourself permission to deserve better? God sacrificed his son for your life. Jesus faced death for your life. Yet you don’t seem to place any value on your own self. This is all about you. The moment you realise and recognise your own worth – you immediately see that certain associations have to be removed and altered, because they devalue the core of who you are. 3. Practical ways to break free – you have to cut off all ties. This isn’t a game; you cannot allow any communication with this man.

No phone calls, texts, emails, drop by visits etc. This man knows you. He knows what to say and how to say it. You need to detox. Take time – in isolation and get back to the heart of you. Let God remind you what your hopes and dreams were prior to meeting this man. 4. Last but not least .. girl you’ve got to PRAY! You cannot do this by yourself. It is not by might or by power, but by His Spirit. You need his grace to stand; I’m not exaggerating when I say you must do this or you will not survive. You’ve sacriﬁced enough time, energy, and tears to the ‘save him’ foundation .. it’s now time to move on.

Exams ﬁnished.. Now What?? I’ve just taken my last exams and I’ve suddenly started panicking like you wouldn’t believe. What do I do now? What if I don’t get a job? What if I can’t do the job I get? What if I can never pay back all those student loans? This is really stressful. Can I turn back the clock and just go back to school please? Well.. technically you could go back to school, but you would be exactly where you are now in a very short time, so I think it’s best to just deal with this now. Many times we don’t realise we’re hiding behind something, until it’s yanked away from us and we are left feeling exposed and vulnerable. A beautiful fact that you are not focusing on right now, is that you have a God who knows all the answers to those questions and you are hidden in him. Stop worrying about tomorrow, celebrate the victory of today. You ﬁnished, many people don’t have that testimony. Now all that lies before you has the evidence of success behind it. God has brought you this far and he will not leave you now. Pray for guidance and direction, your future is bright; your future is orchestrated by God. Please write to Solomons Corner with any burning questions or issues you want advice on. Send your questions to ablaze@hotr.org.uk issue 1 / volume 1 28

Lifestyle

Stop, Look and Listen Jesus Lord, God’s right hand man, our guide Master, King and friend I am the Good Shepherd, He says To lead you through life’s thorny ways To calm the storms you sometimes face The doubts threatening to slow your pace I am with you always Yea, even to the end of days Oh, why don’t you stop! look! and listen! Jesus Lily of the valley, Bright and Morning Star Rose of Sharon, Emmanuel, Ebenezer He lives and reigns evermore Walking us through the waters on to the shore Though long the night may be, and glum With dawn comes joy anew, a soothing balm Just this morning, I heard Him again say Dear Child, I will be with you all through this day Oh, if we could only stop! look! and listen! Gabbie Okiwelu © 2005

29 www.hotr.org.uk

Meet the

Publicity Team Top Tosin Lanipekun Monica Omobola Bello Terry Thomas Gabbie Okiwelu

Bottom Anita Amaefuna Funke Adenaike Nonye Chidomere Ndidi Okezie

Unleash Your

Potential!

Join the Publicity Department Have you got skills in the following areas? Graphic Design Photography Creative Writing Proof Reading Marketing Business Administration

Then this is the place for you. Email: publicity@hotr.org.uk or call Tosin on 07825 178 224

Ablaze

Seun had this to say: “It’s all a matter of balance; you just accept that Mondays and Thursdays are your only free nights so you have to reorganise and re-prioritise things”.

challenged to do better. His charisma and authenticity is irrefutable. It is clear that this is a man with a mandate from God who plans to not only fulﬁl his purpose but also enjoy the journey to the fullest.

Seun is a registered Pharmacist working at a mainstream London hospital. She has been a member of the choir since 2003 and is completely sold out to the ministry of song. Clearly a dedicated member I challenged her to drop the mic and tell us all…

Ablaze readers please meet Tolu Okeowo.

Ablaze readers please meet Seun Odejide. Q: How did you first know you had a passion for music? A: I can’t imagine not singing, for most of my life, I’ve been in one choir or another. I sometimes wonder what other areas I could serve in, and I’m sure there are things out there I could be effective in, but nothing compares to being able to worship God as a service. Q: What makes Hill City so special? A: Hill City is much more than a group of people that just get together to sing. You really connect with people and as such we may have our disagreements and squabbles but you really know people are there for you. We have a strong sense of togetherness, -laughter, tears, growth – it’s family. Q; We see Hill City as being very glitzy and glamorous, is that the truth? A: NO! it’s really hard work. People may see the matching suits and the end product, but they don’t see the incredibly long hours. It really is one of the hardest things I do. I love singing, but I don’t always feel like going to rehearsals, that’s where the commitment kicks in Q: What’s your marital status? A: I’m single Q: Are you single & attached – looking - content and not thinking about it? A: I’m single and looking. My dreams for the next five years include being married to a man that I wake up to everyday and just say thank you! Lord. My parents are in their 60s and are still very much in love. That’s the example I have set before me and I want at the least the same if not more. Q: What is something that people would be surprised to know about you? A: People have misconceptions about me being quiet, therefore reserved and always in control. I am a very expressive person, and although it may take me time, I am actually quite unguarded with people I know. Tolu Okeowo is a man of many dimensions, his carefree manner and light-hearted smile can easily lead you to believe he is relaxed about most things in life. But don’t get it twisted; this is one Choir Director that takes no prisoners in his absolute demand for excellence. Many Hill City members echoed the same sentiment; that when it comes to music, Tolu doesn’t play. You’re either in it to deliver 100% or you’re not in it at all. With this non-flinching standard, it would be easy to write Tolu off as a tyrant, but again that would be a big mistake. In a manner very similar to our own Senior Pastor, Tolu manages to chastise and encourage you, all in the same sentence. The result is that you feel

Q: How did you become director of Hill City? A: I received a call from Pastor Dolapo telling me that the leadership had chosen me to take over. I was shocked. I wasn’t even in a leadership role in church. But one thing I completely respect is authority, it was a case of humbling myself to their direction. I knew that if I was meant to be there, then I could handle it. Q: When did you first discover you had a passion for music? A: I’ve been playing the piano since I was four; it’s something I’ve always been connected to. I also play the drums, base and the saxophone. Music is something I am physically, spiritually and eternally connected to. Q: What makes Hill City so special? A: It’s the heart of worship that the members have. They all have a zeal for God that is infectious. We go through everything together. It’s a real family atmosphere. Hill City has a directive from God. It’s bigger than us, bigger than HOTR even; we are called for a purpose in this land. We aim to be God’s purpose fulfilled. Ultimately Hill City is all about service, we take it very seriously. Which is why the commitment required is so intense. Q: What things would you like to see improved in choir/church? A: It would be great if people as a rule were more receptive. Sometimes it seems as if we have to work hard to stir people up. Pulling and tugging them to be in the right frame of mind to worship and praise. That shouldn’t be the case. We are all Christians, the congregation are not being entertained by us; we should all meet at a certain level and together go higher. Q: Who inspires you? A: I’m inspired by many things and many people. Wherever I see excellence I’m inspired to do better myself. Academics – I have a Bsc and Masters in Law and even as I’m doing my Phd and meeting many admirable people, one of my old colleagues in Nigeria is someone that continues to inspire me up till now. My musical inspirations are Bob James and Earl Klughs. Financially I learn from Bill Gates and Richard Branson. In terms of Leadership – Pastor O is the quintessential example of Gods leadership in motion. Q: What is the hardest test you’ve been through to date? A: I think it’s just the constant battle of flesh. Not allowing flesh to rule my actions and decisions. I’m a leader, and it’s really important that I remember that I should always set an example and demonstrate what I advocate. Q; Where will you be in the next 5 years A: I’ll have a growing property portfolio and various other business initiatives. I’ll be married with 2 or 3 children. I’m a romantic and to be honest, I just can’t wait to pour out all my love and affection on one woman for the rest of our lives. The woman I marry will have a heart for God. I believe there is one woman for me that God will direct me to. Although there is no one on the scene at present I’m waiting for instruction from God and then… well it’s on. issue 1 / volume 1 8

a bridge

to the nations

Join us for sessions of anointed worship led by the Hill City Mass Choir and a word in season to change your soul Pastor Michael Omawumi Efueye (Resident Pastor)

House On The Rock London Lighthouse

Sundays Two Services 9.00am, 11.00am Wednesdays 7.00pm Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Email admin@hotr.org.uk Tel 020 8782 8778 Fax 020 8782 8777 Web www.hotr.org.uk