Wider World Summer 2021

Summer: June - August 2021

WIDER WORLD

Together Apart With Deaconess Heidi England

Breakfast on the beach Devotional by Katrina McCullough

Special Overseas Project Update Maternal Waiting Home in Nepal

A word from the PW Home Vice President

Esther Parker “Let us plan the route ahead in a way that encourages women to become, and to live as, disciples of Jesus.”

As I write, things are beginning to change; we are just beginning to move out of lockdown. In March 2020 we were forced into major change very rapidly without time to think about it but, since then, we have had time and opportunity to find new ways of doing things, to reflect on what we had been filling our lives with, and to assess our priorities. Perhaps, looking back over the months since March 2020, there are things you wish you had done but you didn’t take the opportunity, and perhaps there are other things you are glad you did get around to; you may have welcomed the break from activities and meetings, or you may have enthusiastically replaced them all with digital or socially distanced versions.

As we continue, God willing, to move towards a more familiar way of life with the possibility of being able to meet again in person in groups, it would be a good time to pause and reflect on the road we have travelled in recent days. We have learned that it is possible, and sometimes better, to do things differently. How do we map out the way ahead from where we are now?

On one level, we need to understand what our aims are and to ask ourselves how we can best achieve them, taking into account what we have learnt. However, in thinking through these things, let us not rely primarily on our own understanding but, in all our ways, let us know, recognise, acknowledge and submit to the Lord (Proverbs 3:5 & 6).

As our circumstances change once again, let us take the opportunity to prayerfully calibrate our compass according to God’s Word as individuals and as groups. Let us plan the route ahead in a way that encourages women to become, and to live as, disciples of Jesus. Above all, let us determine to glorify God in everything we plan and organise.

Change is not easy, but the refining of our plans and programmes is in his hands and, as we submit to his leading, we will bring more glory to him. God is in control, just as he was during the pandemic.

May we boldly step into our next new normal, whatever that looks like, determined to follow his route map in all we do.

Keep in touch For more information Tel: +44 (0)28 9041 7256 Email: pw@presbyterianireland.org Web: www.presbyterianireland.org/pw Like us on Facebook: Presbyterian Women

Contact: Presbyterian Women, Congregational Life & Witness Department, Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Assembly Buildings, 2-10 Fisherwick Place, Belfast, BT1 6DW.

READ: John 21:1-19

Breakfast on the beach

By Katrina McCullough

John’s account of Jesus’ resurrection appearance takes us to the shores of Lake Galilee where Jesus appears again to the disciples and has some unfinished business with one in particular – Peter.

He’s a character that bursts from the pages of the gospels. We can often identify with his exuberance, his impetuous nature and his willingness to say what others might be thinking. I love Peter’s enthusiasm for life and how he was the first to leave his nets and follow Jesus in order to catch men (Luke 5:1-11). If we were to list his ‘best bits’ with Jesus, they were indeed epic: asking Jesus to invite him to walk on water (Matthew 14:28), his elaborate plans to host Moses, Elijah and the transfigured Christ (Matthew 17:4), and of course his spirited protest to Christ’s arrest which led to violence in Gethsemane (John 18:10). He is the one who claimed: “I will never fall away”, (Matthew 26:33), the colourful and outspoken disciple who never shied away from speaking up and speaking out. But the Peter that I can relate to most of all is in his quieter, perhaps whispered, words of denial in a darkened courtyard, and, of course, his immediate remorse. Perhaps you can relate to Peter’s bitter tears like those of us who have grand plans to follow Jesus faithfully but know that our words and actions at times tell another story. Or is it just me who so often feels like a spiritual fraud? Then take heart from this flawed disciple, as his life is turned around by his encounter with the risen Lord.

1. Jesus pursues Peter We find Peter smarting under his sense of failure, returned to his old life, where he consoles himself by doing what he was good at. Can you identify with his response whenever you let God down? Perhaps it’s another great Bible reading plan woefully forgotten, or avoiding eye contact with ‘her’ as your harsh exchange of words has never been resolved. The shame of past mistakes run through our minds as we, like Peter, throw ourselves into what we know. Jesus isn’t surprised by Peter’s failure and neither is he with ours. Instead, Jesus responds without anger or frustration, but he seeks Peter out in love. He even teaches Peter again through a fruitless night of fishing that he is Lord, and we are always better to do things his way, such is our powerlessness to be useful without him. Jesus does the same with us – he seeks us out in love when we have let him down, when we struggle with prayerless days choosing instead to worry, when we find our hearts gripped by that sinful comparison to others who seem so content, so gifted, so together. Jesus pursues us.

Ed Welch reminds us in his book entitled Side by Side that “Seeing the weight of our sin brings humility and drives us to Jesus” (p.44). Take some time to ask God to help you feel the weight of your hidden sin which you need to bring to Jesus.

Where do you run to when you’ve let God down? Reflect on Psalm 32 which reminds us that God pursues us.

2. Jesus restores Peter To restore Peter to ministry Jesus takes him all the way back to the first things, his first loves, asking him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (v15). Jesus’ invitation gently welcomes Peter to be restored. How we need to run to the one who has the power to forgive our sin and restore us again. I’ve wondered what ‘these’ refers to in this verse. Was Jesus pointing to his friends? His catch of fish? His future plans for a fishing empire? What about us? What would ‘these’ refer to with us?

Then Jesus calls Peter not to more words of commitment but to action. He’s called not just to say but to do as Jesus commands him. In the repeated commands of “feed my sheep” and then, “follow me!” Peter was tasked to demonstrate his love for Jesus by loving others for his sake, always keeping his eyes fixed on him.

Is Jesus asking you: “Do you love me more than…? “What are the things in your life that keep you from wholehearted trust in Jesus? The worry that you love to ruminate over? Your kids? Your failing relationships? That job? The opinions of others? Spend some time bringing this to God and asking him to re-orientate your heart to its first love.

3. Jesus equips Peter Christ not only forgives Peter but equips him to serve and care for his followers. He also explains to Peter just how unique and costly his path for following Jesus was going to be. Just as Peter faithfully obeyed, we too, who have felt the weight of our failure and sinfulness, can be used in walking alongside other saints, sinners and sufferers. We can trace Peter’s faithfulness in this as an older wiser Peter writes to the elders in the suffering church in modern day Turkey. He encourages them to ‘be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them’ (1 Peter 5:2) having spent years modelling this before them as a faithful shepherd to the Chief Shepherd. Just as Peter’s story encourages ordinary sinners like us that failure is never the end with him, so too our stories of failure and God’s grace in our lives can encourage others to run to him with their failure, the only one who can change and restore.

How can your story of Christ’s forgiveness and restoration encourage someone else who feels like they are struggling?

Who might Jesus be asking you to demonstrate his love in action to this week and how might you help point them to Christ who can restore and change them?

03

Together Apart

by Heidi England

Heidi England is Deaconess in Railway Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn. Before that she worked in hospital and prison chaplaincy as a probationary Deaconess.

“Every day [the believers] continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47 These verses are very special to me because they encapsulate some of the core elements of living together as God’s people – regular gatherings for fellowship and worship; love and hospitality at the heart of our daily interactions with one another; and the organic growth of the church. Unbelievers are drawn to Christ by the witness of God’s people living authentically, side by side, for the sake of the gospel. There’s something holy and precious about that kind of believing community. It’s raw and honest – mundane yet beautiful.

Sadly, I haven’t experienced much close community life in my ministry as a Deaconess so far. The hospital patients and prisoners amongst whom I worked were far removed from their home communities. They weren’t free to pop around to their friends’ homes for a take-away and some banter. Many had little or no church connection at all. So, particularly in hospital and prison settings, it’s important that God’s people support those who are far from home and possibly far from God. It was always a joy to welcome people to the Sunday services in the hospital or prison chapel. For some it was an opportunity to continue their regular devotional habits, for some it signified the first tentative steps of a prodigal’s homecoming, and for others it was simply an opportunity to explore ‘church’.

Congregations usually cater well for the devout regulars. What struck me in chaplaincy work, however, is that God is already at work in surprising ways in the hearts of prodigals and unbelievers. Often, I’d approach someone in my role as chaplain and be amazed at how God was speaking to them, perhaps through a friend inviting them to church, or through their own growing curiosity about God, or even through a yearning for forgiveness and grace. I’m reminded of the story of Philip meeting the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. I’m sure if Philip had been looking for someone with whom it’d be easy to share the gospel, he probably wouldn’t have chosen this foreign dignitary who knew nothing about Jewish culture or the scriptures. But God had already prepared this man’s heart. Gospel ministry is God’s work, and we are immensely privileged when he places us alongside someone who’s searching for him.

When I was called to Railway Street, I was so much looking forward to being a part of that ‘side by side’ fellowship described in Acts 2. But like other congregations, we were, for many months, prevented from gathering in our meeting house and from having fellowship in one another’s homes. As I visited on doorsteps, people were most apologetic that they couldn’t invite me in for a cup of tea. Good Friday 2021 was the first time since my appointment that our congregation celebrated the Lord’s Supper in person. It was one of the many aspects of our community life that had fallen away with the prohibitions on in-person meetings.

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And yet, the church isn’t a building. It’s the body of believers, united in Christ. We had to adapt, and learn new and imperfect ways of expressing our fellowship – like Zoom coffee times after church.

The PW worked hard to keep community alive. In September they organised a walk in Wallace Park, where I was pleased to be introduced to many ladies for the first time. A later meeting, which we’d optimistically planned, had to be cancelled, so we distributed devotional notes to those who’d normally have been there. At Christmas we held a drive-through event for our ladies to collect gift bags, with materials for a modest craft project, some Christmas treats, and a beautiful card hand-painted by one of our members. Although the encounters were brief and distanced, it was good to reconnect. Recently we circulated a newsletter including photos of women’s lockdown projects and hobbies. One family had been making pizza together. Others shared recipes and pictures of their handicrafts. Each woman received a notebook to record scripture verses that were of personal significance for her. Perhaps, when we’re gathered together again, we’ll share these precious thoughts with one another.

In speaking with some of our members, I realised they were missing their times together around God’s Word. When it became clear that in-person meetings were still a long way off, I agreed to lead a ladies’ Bible study on Zoom. So nine of us have been meeting fortnightly, on a trial basis, to study the life of Gideon. Despite the drawbacks of meeting virtually, we’ve found it profitable and have decided to continue our studies. The past year has taught me how precious it is to be together physically and how important it is for us to gather in person as believers. I long for the day when we can express our community as God’s people in the flesh and meet face to face for Bible study and prayer. And I can’t wait to cash in on all those promises of a cup of tea! We all look forward to a time when our virtual fellowship becomes real and tangible again. And yet, wonderful as that will be, it’s still only a shadow of the ultimate congregational experience that awaits the believers of all the ages, when we’re gathered in the new heavens and the new earth to worship our redeemer face to face, and to enjoy embodied fellowship with him and with one another for all eternity. In the meantime, let’s be the kind of people that draw others to the Saviour through the way we live together as a church community now.

Group Focus

Sligo PW Over the last year on the PW Facebook page we have been sharing different group stories of how they have responded to God’s call to come alongside each other to encourage and build one another up in faith. It has been a real source of inspiration to many groups who have struggled in these months of separation. In this article we hear from the women in Sligo PW Group who have really embraced the challenges and with God’s help they have reached out to many in their church family and community.

When lockdown was first announced and our ladies’ group (PW) programme for the remainder of the season was cancelled we went through a range of emotions from sadness at not meeting to relishing time to rest. But that didn’t last long! We soon missed each other, we missed serving, and we missed the tea and sweet treats too! As our wayward emotions evaporated, we swung into action! A few weeks were spent taking refuge in him as our planning team prayed for guidance and direction. We then, as a group, embarked on an unknown journey with a known God by our side.

We quickly realised that many of our ladies were now known as ‘frontline workers’ and our initial focus was on praying for, supporting and encouraging them. WhatsApp groups were established where ladies sent Scripture verses, worship songs, words of encouragement, prayer requests and of course some light-hearted jokes to keep us all smiling. We shared favourite worship songs on the church Facebook page to comfort and encourage others too. For those not using social media/ technology, phone calls, letters and cards have been widely used. Any method of contact is good! Everyone was encouraged to join the weekly church Bible study on Zoom and during these months we saw friendships deepen and spiritual growth develop.

By autumn, we were ready to venture into unknown territory and create a video. When the idea was floated many of our women were willing to contribute. Some who, for work or family commitments generally wouldn’t be free

to attend physical meetings, came on board to take part. It was an opportunity to participate that they didn’t have before.

For our first video we chose a harvest theme and ended with a cookery demonstration. At Christmas we did another one, this time with a Christmas theme and a flower arranging demonstration at the end. Our third and latest video was based on finding contentment in the present and we had a healthy eating presentation to close.

We’ve enjoyed creating these videos and we appreciate the support and help of our minister in getting them ready for distribution.

Working as a team, albeit from the comfort of our own homes, has brought us closer together as a group and has helped us use our individual gifts to develop something for the benefit of everyone. We have reached more people through our videos than we ever would have attend a physical meeting and have found that social media has been a blessing for sharing the gospel with others.

Aside from working on videos, the mundane chores of weeding, picking up litter, providing flowers and cleaning has been continued by those ladies living in close proximity to the church and we are grateful for this practical contribution.

Although physically apart we are still serving where we can in our community. Visits to Globe House, our local direct provision centre, have been suspended until further notice. However, the residents there can avail of wifi so we have been using WhatsApp and Messenger as a means of contact with

“Working as a team, albeit from the comfort of our own homes, has brought us closer together as a group.”

ladies there. It’s not the same as a visit but at least we can still communicate with each other. At Christmas, one of our ladies suggested donating a ‘care pack’ of essential toiletries and treats to the ladies that we had contact with in Globe House throughout the year.

These ladies were very grateful to be remembered at Christmas. Such was the response to her suggestion, we also were able to distribute ‘care packs’ to those ladies from the church that were carers in the local community.

Some of our ladies interested in crafts supported our Youth Group by helping to make handmade Christmas cards for all the residents in our local nursing home. It was a lovely intergenerational project and 66 cards were produced!

We’ve shared in joyful occasions by celebrating births, and even attending a marriage virtually! But in sadness too, as we mourned the loss of loved ones and shared in their families’ sorrow.

We’ve journeyed with each other side by side throughout this pandemic but most importantly our Saviour has journeyed side by side with us and for that we are forever thankful.

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Special Overseas Project Update Maternal Waiting Home in Nepal When Presbyterian Women chose its Special Projects for 2020, none of us ever expected that we would extend our focus on them until 2022. We are grateful to the Lord for guiding us at that time and so thankful for the connections made on the ground when Karen Craig (then PW President) was able to visit Nepal and spend time at the Okhaldhunga Maternal Waiting Home. So much has happened since that time and, in this article, Karen gives us the most recent news from Nepal on the progress made with their renovations using the generous funding from Presbyterian Women. Karen writes:

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with many challenges - none more so than our own vulnerability and the fragility of life.

Every country, to a greater or lesser degree, has been affected. The staff in Okhaldhunga Community Hospital in Nepal have had to face the challenges of working through the pandemic and continuing to provide the medical support and expertise to the surrounding districts.

April 2020 brought changes to the running of the hospital. The TB unit became a COVID ward, elective surgery was cancelled, the student nurses’ course was suspended, more PPE etc. had to be acquired, hand washing stations were set up around the hospital complex and people encouraged to use them as much as possible. The staff continued working and supporting the surrounding districts to the best of their ability as the “stay at home” message was encouraged by the Government.

As summer progressed the decision was taken not to bring any more mothers-to-be into the Home. This was a very difficult decision for the staff as they knew some women would have little or no support; but at least they would still be able to come to the hospital for the delivery.

January 2021 saw light at the end of the tunnel for Nepal, as India had gifted a large number of vaccines. The hospital was selected as a vaccination centre and the Home became the premises from which this would take place. This was a significant step forward in allowing the hospital to start getting back to doing all that it had been doing before the pandemic. It was also a time when the relationship between the Provincial Government and the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) was strengthened and a new five-year agreement was secured. For the director, Yubraj Acharya, this was an opportunity to build up the relationship as he has only been in the position for two years and in Nepal it takes a long time for these to develop. As a result the local Government has been able to see the reliability of the staff and the hospital and so confidence between them has been strengthened.

The hospital slowly returned to opening up for surgery, outpatients etc. and the director, Yubraj, along with the management, decided it would be a good time to do some of the work required on the Maternal Waiting Home. Thanks to the generosity of Presbyterian Women in Ireland, funding was forwarded to the hospital and plans were laid for the repainting and refurbishing of the building.

March 2021 saw the beginning of the work. The outside of the building was repainted and outstanding repairs to the roof, guttering etc. were completed.

On the inside, all of the rooms were repainted. In addition, tiles and sinks were repaired in the bathrooms, and, along with new flooring, electrical repairs were carried out in the kitchen.

UMN outgoing executive director, Joel Hafvenstein, and Dhana Lama, his successor, paid a visit to the hospital and were able to see the upgrading of the Home.

The staff in the Home and Nirmala Shrestha, who is the head midwife, are so pleased with the improvements that have been made but, more significantly, the fact that in April of this year they were able to welcome the first five new mothers-to-be and their partners into the Home. After giving thanks to God they all enjoyed a meal which Nirmala had cooked for them.

This is the beginning of the next chapter in the work of UMN through the hospital but particularly for the work of the Maternal Waiting Home which has played a significant role in the life and witness of the Christian staff to the surrounding districts. Your continued prayers are appreciated for the Home, for the mothers who come, and the help and support they receive from Nirmala and her staff.

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Presbyterian Women’s

First 5 women checked in

Bamboo scaffolding, sure-footed!

MWH freshly painted

Annual Conference goes Online Saturday 11th September 2021 Guest Speaker | Sophie de Witt Praise and worship led by Erin McBride & Emma Smyth

Sophie de Witt and her husband, Chris, have three children and minister at The Message Church, Cape Town, in South Africa. Sophie is the author of two books, One to One and Compared to Her. Sophie is passionate about one to one discipleship across the generations and she says, “it has a multiplication effect that God can use powerfully for His purposes and glory. I am praying that the women will be built up and encouraged in their faith and indeed become an army of disciplers...and that this ministry will have ripple effects for the kingdom in the many communities and even beyond!”

MWH old kitchen New kitchen Nirmala cooking first meal

This event is open to all women and is an opportunity to join with women from across Ireland as we come together online to worship and celebrate all that God is doing in our lives and through his church. We come expectant to encounter him afresh and take his blessing back to our local churches and communities.

For more information go to www.presbyterianireland.org/pw and follow us on Facebook @Presbyterian women

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Sophie De Witt The PW Annual Conference

As we look forward to our PW Annual Conference being held on-line for the first time in September, we are delighted that Sophie De Witt will be our guest speaker.

Sophie is the author of, “Compared to her” and “One-to-One”, and is a popular conference speaker. She grew up in Cornwall and worked in international development, based in London, before moving to Cape Town, South Africa where she lives and works alongside her husband Chris who is a pastor, and their three children. Here she gives us a little taste of what she will be speaking on later in the year.

Well, you must be tired by now of hearing the phrase, ‘what a year it’s been!’’ or the words, ‘unprecedented’, ‘difficult’ and ‘testing’. But what else can one say? That has been a question I’ve pondered for a while. What does the Christian say about the past year? It has involved huge upheaval, stress and trauma for so many. And yet, we know that God is still on the throne, ruling his world. God is still in control, still good, still loving, wise and faithful, and his story hasn’t changed. He is still in the business of redemption. This is the truth that has been increasingly on my heart in recent months, the theme of God’s redemption – of individuals, of a people for himself, of the world he made.

I love watching those videos that occasionally crop up on my Facebook feed of animals of all kinds that get found in a truly miserable state and then rescued by some very kind, dedicated person who cleans, feeds, nurtures, and trains them. You then see this steady transformation of the animal over time into a different looking creature, full of joy and life and affection.

It strikes me that God’s redemption of us is a bit like that. It doesn’t always look so dramatic in terms of appearance, but the transformation he is working is turning self-centred, anxious, proud individuals who don’t have him at the centre of their lives as they should, into those who increasingly come to resemble his son, Jesus. If we are one of his children, he is busy transforming us from one degree of glory into another as the Holy Spirit uses all God’s means of grace to soften our hearts, grow our faith and change our values and consequent choices.

If we ask what those ‘means of grace’ for transformation are, I think we would all say God’s Word, prayer, time gathered with his people for worship and teaching, and many might also include trials. But do we register how much living out the New Testament’s ‘one another’ commands play a role in our maturation – individual and corporate? The epistles have a liberal scattering of these commands and the writers’ expectation was that followers of the Way should all be ministering to one another, ‘speaking the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15) for authentic maturity to be attained. But we often balk at it, don’t we? We balk at going the extra mile to help someone grow; we balk at challenging someone when they are going astray; we balk at the idea of feeling at all responsible for someone else’ spiritual health. I don’t know about you, but right now, I do feel a bit ‘weary of doing good’ because my focus has been on my own coping.

My sense is that the Lord wants to lift our sights beyond our immediate struggles and challenges as we emerge from this pandemic and revive our hearts with his big story and the part he wants us to play in it.

This is how the Lord is truly glorified: transforming selfish, greedy, deceitful, weak-willed, rebellious humans, into children in his family who trust, seek after, worship, and enjoy their Heavenly Father; who strive side-by side to live for his purposes and priorities and not their own; and who seek to spend their lives helping others to also follow the challenging, but joyous narrow path to the end.

We need to see the needs of others, to come alongside, to bring God’s Word to bear on each other’s lives, to pray for one another, and practically help. This is the vision of one-to-one ministry, both in its more informal form and its more formalised, focused strategic form. If watching a three-minute video story of a stray kitty being rescued and restored to health can be moving and inspiring, then imagine what our redemption stories can be as we share them with one another, and as we play a part in one another’s stories, under our Heavenly Father’s hand!

“We need to see the needs of others, to come alongside, to bring God’s Word to bear on each other’s lives, to pray for one another, and practically help. ”