On Sunday 18th September, we welcomed Heather Clements from the Bible Society to be our visiting speaker.
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This weekend, we will undoubtedly be thinking of Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty was Patron of the Bible Society from 1952 when she acceded to the throne. She attended church every week, prayed daily and read the Bible, quoting Scripture extensively in speeches and addresses. Her life was rooted in the Bible.
The Bible Society is, of course, one of the Missions we support and we look forward to hearing Heather speak about some of the varied projects undertaken across the world. Working in over 200 countries, the Bible Society is a charity on a global mission to bring the Bible to life for everyone, believing that when people engage with the Bible, lives can change for good
For example, since the war in Ukraine began, the Bible Society has been working round the clock, delivering not only Bibles but practical items, bread, first aid, medication, and torches. Over half a million Bibles, New Testaments or booklets in Ukrainian and Russian have been delivered to people fleeing or living through the conflict, bringing words of hope and comfort to people living in unbelievably harrowing circumstances. Bibles have also been delivered to Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, as well as to Ukrainian refugees here in the UK.
A very different example is the Bible Society’s work in the Gulf. Prior to the Quatar World Cup finals in November, you may well have read reports highlighting the plight of migrant workers living and working in dreadful conditions. A growing number of people are now rediscovering hope through the Gospel. With help from Bible Society supporters, churches have been flourishing in the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Importantly, the Bible Society supports the church in China where there are many challenges, and nobody knows what the future holds. More than a million new believers come to faith in China every year. Churches are so full, congregants spill out on the pavement. Christians in rural areas walk for hours to attend a service, while more and more city-dwellers can be found in churches on a Sunday morning. The Bible Society is a vital support, providing Bibles and Bible study materials, and running training classes to help trainee pastors in their local churches
I’m sure Heather will give us lots more examples of the Bible Society’s excellent work, so please don’t miss her visit, and a chance to chat to her after the service. We will have plenty of information leaflets and magazines for you to take away.
Veronica Burgess.
Bible Society representative, Missions Committee
