Cpisftit from nslant

... A report from ministries clialienging a post-Christian nation with the claims of Christ.

VOL. 14

NO. 4

FEBBOARY 1987

FOOD, GLORIOUS POOD

The transition from one culture to another requires fundamental adjustment

at one absolutely vital level: FOOD. I know almost nothing dx)ut cooking, so please forgive ray less-than-precise description. However, as my bathroom scales will testify, I know a lot about eating. So here is iny introduction to
foods peculiar to Britainor perhaps that should be 'peculiar British foods'!

Let's start with that nost famous of all British culinary delights; fish and
chips. For the record, neither Arthur Treacher nor Long John Silver have a clue when it comes to preparing proper fish and chips. Their offerings have, unfortunately, been Americanized beyond all recognition. British chips are nothing at all like American french fries nor are those wedge-shaped potato slices that some establishments serve. British chips are properly thick, fat, greasy and covered with salt and malt vinegar. They may, on occasion, be dipped in tomato sauce (ketchup) or even smeared in "Daddy's" sauce (a browncolored concoction made of fruit and vinegar). But by far the most creative use of these delicacies is to cram them into a buttered bsq) (hamburger bun) and enjoy a chip butty (sandwich). Fish, at least as it is served in Leicester shire, is battered and deep-fried cod, haddock, or plaice and usually measures at least ten to twelve inches in length. That whole lot can be purchased for about 1.30 ($2.00). Dare 1 mention faggots? These are balls of minced meat mixed with a spice filling and covered with gravy. Faggots are consumed either with b^ed beans or, better still, mushy peassoft, fat peas ground to a kind of lumpy paste. And how about black or blood pudding? There's a flavor the people at Royal have yet to develop. Blood pudding is, in fact, what its name implies. It is made of blood and fat jammed into a sausage skin and is often cut into slices
and fried.

Shall I go on? Actually I'll finish with the besttrifle. This is a dessert which no self-respecting buffet or dinner party would be without. Trifle is a layer of cake sodced in jello (and sometimes sherry), covered by a layer of vanilla pudding, covered by a layer of fresh whipped cream and then
decorated with chocolate bits or fruit.

If you haven't guessed by now, Britain is reported to have one of the highest heart disease rates in the world. With a diet like this, one can understand why. On the other hand, I must confess to enjoying most of the foods I've described. There are many more (most much healthier), and althougji I do make the odd trip to Leicester's McDonalds, I find that, on the whole,
British food is, to use a British expression, "lovely". BOB HABTMAN

WIGSTON REPORT

Christmas Joy
fe

mliBkk Mli^

November when Tim Sketchley was baptized. He has been attending evening service for over a year and has accompanied us on the

with joy for us personally and for congregation. It began in late

The Christmas season was filled

Hl^
J

guitar.

he has also done some

.^Sk

Bible study with Bob and has been attending the Wednesday night

Growth Group.

Bob and Sue Hartman

early December we had our

toys, books and from the children and given to a local hospital. This pantomime of Jesus' parable of the Great Feast which teen group. We had the usual Christmas caroling and

Kari and Christopher Kari and

Christmas Harvest service when

games are collected year we also saw a featured our young parties. This year

Kari's school caroled for a local home for the mentally disabled.
Chris had some breathing problems but we are thankful that his chest xrays were clear and that it never progressed into an attack.

On Dec. 21st we had our carol service and the Sunday School children did a nativity play. This year Mary and Joseph actually got married as so
many of the children were quite young and we wanted to fill in the details to help their understanding. Kari was an angel and Chris a wise man. We had a Christmas Eve candlelight service where Bob and Mike Bennett spoke. Bob also preached at the village Christmas morning service. Alan and Rene Robinson hosted a Church New Year's Eve party which went
well.

We had a few visitors and contacts visit the special services this year
and at least one has come since January. We also passed out church Christmas cards (one thousand) to a new

housing estate in the village and then to houses which various people pass by regularly. We hope to continue leafletting these houses during 1987.
On a more personal level, we had a lovely, but busy Christmas. The Schade, Dahlman and Rose families spent Christmas Day with us as did Peggie Baker, one of the widows in the church. The Schades and Dahlmans then stayed on until Saturday. And all of the kids played and slept nicely! Our 1987 Growth Groups began the first week in January and this term we are studying Christian Marriage, The Life of Jesus and Living as

Christians in the World.

for that contact.

One very exciting thing about this is that Terry

Praise God
SUE

and Lauren Fretter are hosting the latter one in their home!

PLATT BRIDGE REPORT

When You Prayed
This is the sort of column I

love writing. We received No vember's Epistle in this morning's post (it's early January; no doubt
the Christmas season slowed down

the post), when our report was called "When You Pray". We rattled off a list of prayer requests for various people and needs in the Melissa and Jim Dahlman church. Now comes the fun part: to tell you how the Lord has answered Sarah some of your prayers so far. First, Gill Collier has settled in very well in Birmingham, studying

full-time at Springdale College, part-time at a local business college, and working ten hours a week in the Springdale office. All the reports we
getincluding from herare favorable. And her mother, Margaret, con tinues to learn and grow in her new faith. Praise to the Lord. Next, Janet Riley, as we reported in the last Epistle, was baptized into
Christ on October 19. Praise to the Lord.

Third, our evening service has grown both in its energy and attendance nothing spectacular, but the signs are encouraging, and two new couples have begun attending.
Sadly, the teen group has not endured well and we are won dering if we should "let it go". But even here is a hopeful sign: one of the group's more mischievous girls, Carol, has kept coming to the evening serviceseven when there was no teen group to follow. She seems suddenly interested. Please pray for Carol's continued growth, no matter what happens with the group. Still more good news. Our church secretary. Bill Robinson, who was
under so much pressure at his job in Liverpool, found a new position with a Manchester building firm, where he started in early January. Inciden

tally, after giving in his notice, most of his colleagues told him in
private how much he would be missed. He had had an obvious effect on the

people of his former job.

the Lord.

For that and his new and better job, praise to

We also asked you to pray for several needs which surround our leaving Platt Bridge. We still need to sell the house, but on the other end, various possibilities of future work seem to be slowly emerging. And the need for a new minister for the church here is becoming a focus of the congregation's prayer life, so the elders hope it not only brings a new minister but also a new vitality to the church's spiritual life. Praise
to the Lord. JIM

If you aire a faithful reader of the Epistle and no other newsletter from England, it might be easy to think that very little else is going on
in this country among the Churches of Christ. That would be a false impression and one which I would like to help correct now. The British situation is still very much dependent upon outside help, but that picture is changing all the time. For instance, a mere five years ago the number of British ministers could be counted on one hand. Today, when the ministers get together for a fraternal, you don't hear near as many American accents. Or perhaps it would be better to say
that the British accent is much more noticeable. In

fact, one British minister is now laying the groundwork for the starting of a new church. And then there is the Bible College, Springdale. Under the capable direction of Dr. Robert Wetzel, the college has gone from strength to strength. A number of young people have come forward to be trained in faith that, when they graduate, there will be a church who can support
them. I am convinced that God will honor such faith.

The goal of self-supporting British churches is still some time off perhaps even the turn of the century. It will not be an easy road to
walk. But we are confident that God wants a strong church in Britain and we look forward to the day when we will see that prayer answered. Of course, your part in this has been helpful and necessary. For the

dollars you have sent, the prayers you have offered up, the concern you have shown we want to say THANK TOO. CURT NORDHESIM

Jpiatle fcm
200 E. Jetteison Jim S Melissa Dahlman
4 Ruskin Crescent
IL 6IS71

BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID

PERMIT NO. 61
Bob S Sue Hartman 46 Ashboume Road

WASHINGTON. IL 61571

Abttm, Wigan
tines. IVW2 5PX
Dick S Yvonne Stitt 21 Duko Street
Mceithln-Fumess

WIgsUn, Leicester
LE8 IFE Janet Balnes 3 Edward St.

HInckloy. LE10 ODH

LEtO 1RB
Curt a Linda Nordhielm

Cumbria LAIS 7A0

ftts A Jan Bowen

25 Oxford Road

13 St. James Park

Mission Services
P 0 Box 2427

West Broimrich. Sandwell

West Midlands

Tunbridge Wells
Kent TNI 2LQ
Gail Bums i Rita Ide 20 Cutverdon Park Road

Den S Amy Vtunell

101 Redstone Close

Knoxville TN 37901

Church HUI North

Titnbridffe Wells
Kent TN4 9CV

Radditch. Mtorcs.
BSaSMF

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS:
Mr. S Mrs. B.C Notdhielm 200 E. JeMersoa

Washington. IL 81571
USA

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

FURNESS REPORT

A MderStrategy
9

M^>9II9h
HI

which God uses our troublesour

sufferingsto teach us.
From our difficulties in finding

reminded often of ways in

^ home here came the strategy for

growth we are putting into effect.

\
'

,v
'(jpltm
^
rv-^i I o*!** Dick and Yvonne Stitt

houses are available, none

Askam-in-Fumess, some five miles from the church in Kirkby-in Fumess. (Fumess, pronounced like

July we made an offer on a house in

affordable for us in Kirkby.

In

furnace, is from an ancient Roman word for pennisula.) Not far, five miles? Psychologically, yes, in an area of small villages which are quite parochial. An early September occupancy was agreed and we shoehorned ourselves into a holiday mobile home to wait. The occupancy date got later and later, into October. In that month, a house in Kirkby, only half-a-mile from the church became available, thougl at a higher price. It needed a lot of work and was admittedly appealing emotionally. It was built in 1611 and full of authentic character. We agonized about and sought advice on the witness effect of withdrawing our offer to the people in Askam; legally there is no commitment here until contracts are exchanged at or about the time of occupancy. Until then, either party can withdraw. Our seller had considered withdrawing as his builder got later and later. But we also 'did our sums*, as elder Fred Clampitt calls it. It is unlikely that we could build a viable, self-supporting congregation from
the twelve hundred or so folk who are scattered across Kirkby, with its four churches. But what about pastoral care? A close look at the membership was startling: these folk live in Kirkby, Dalton, Askam and Ulverston. Askam is better located to reach them than Kirkby. That was a persuasive pastoral answer. We moved to Askam in late October with a new
church-building strategy.

Kirkby is to become a 'planting church' in an effort to revive parts of the old Church of Christ district. Most villages around had Churches of Christ at one time. We will start the process by weekly home growth groups, Bible study and fellowship in each village with all joining in worship at Kirkby on Sundays. Sufficient growth in future years could lead to transplanting Dalton house groups, for example, into a Dalton church. Dick will lead each group, but only if a leader in training is committed from the first meeting. Happily we baptized five in December: two men in their forties, a seventeen year old and two eleven year old lads. Interestingly, one is from Kirkby; four are from Ulverston. DICK & TVONMfi

TUNBRIDGE WELLS REPORT

Foundations
Since the last time we had an

School

and club children have done

'

sponsored walk for the Help the Handicapped Holiday Fund, toured

Gatwick airport, begun a drama club

choir (The Warblers), practiced
hours and hours for the children's

Christmas program at the church and at retirement home, caroled in

the town center for the Save the

Curt, Linda, &DonnettaNordheilm

Gail Burns & Rita Idle

o -

*x M

_ii. -I

Carol Service and enjoyed several

parties.
November

Children Fund, taken part in the

A lot of activities for
and December. activities' But sake. not

activities for

Do you know how whispers of an idea or a thought rambles around your mind but you just don't realize it until all of a sudden you find yourself
mouthing the words of the culmination of those thoughts? I was at a committee meeting in Birmingham and was chatting with friends afterwards when out came a Culmination of Thoughts!
In essence it was: our youth activities are not just for activities' sake, but a way of being with these children who have no other Christian influence. With the exception of Donnetta, not one child that we work with is from a 'churched' family. Not one has had con tinual influence from a close family member who
is a Christian. Think about that for a minute.

We are talking about over fifty children. Church-going isn't all that socially acceptable in Britain and our congregation does not have any young families within it (not unusual for

British churches).

We are, quite literally, nurturing the next generation

through these activities.

In teaching attitudes, facts, reasonings and

to make Jesus Christ real to them and not

responses to touch their lives,

just another good guy like E.T., Superman, and He-mansomeone they grow out of (traditionally in Britain when children reach the age of twelve or thirteen they drop out of Sunday School; they have outgrown it), we
endeavor to continually point the children to the REAL Jesus Christ and

pray that they turn where we point. We realize, though, that if they do decide to become Christians, they probably won't have their families'
support, nor, most likely, their friends'. Puts a whole new outlook on youth activities, doesn't it?
be with our kids!

We need to
GAIL

r.'j

Cpigtlc from Cnglanb

... A report from ministries challenging a post-Christian nation with the claims of Christ.

.Al.i"~i.riM-jr.rT..-

VOL. 14

NO. 5

MARCH 1987

iS
Relat:ively speaking, Tunbridge Wells is a new town. Dudley, Lord North <liscovered a natural chalybeate (iron impregnated) spring in 1606 just

south of the old town of Tunbridge (now spelled To^nbridge), as he was on

his way from London to Brighton. By 1700 a thriving town had begun to build up around the Spring and along the London Road. The Pantiles, a long colonade and promenade, adjoined the Springs and gave accommodation for those "taking the water". The waters were taken for many ailments, and as most of who partook were of the nobility, many entertainments were soon devised to keep the visitors happy and occupied; such as: concerts,

mm
longer hotels or single family homes
but have become office buildings or

mn
Kip's famcui mgraHngoj Turil^iJge TwtbriJge hciJj, Kps famcus mgranngof hciJj, 1719 1719

tecture that is Tunbridge Wells. The Chalybeate Spring still gives

browse about the modern shops.

out its water and the Pantiles is still a pleasant place to walk and

Around Tunbridge Wells is a wealth of history: Canterbury Cathedral, Hever Castle (home of Anne Bolyn, Henry VIII's second wife), medieval manors and towns, ancient ports, Roman antiquities and a bevy of castles,
abbeys and gardens.

Kent is called the Garden of England. That being the case, Tunbridge Wells is bound to be the pavillion that sits at the top of it! GAIL With this article, we begin a short series on the history of the
different towns or cities in which we minister.
which we work.

We hope this

enlarges your understanding and appreciation of the culture in

WIGSTON REPORT

STinW

mm-1

Okay, so maybe it sounds corny, but

we felt we needed some kind of speci*

jm

fic evangelistic goal this year.

Not

eighty-seven new members, mind you; ^ membership of eighty-seven by the end of this year. That would

dozen

mean adding roughly another three

members in the next twelve

months, a goal that is not beyond the

ii^Ti 1^^^ .^^8 Bob and Sue Hartman

/-.u X u Kan and Christopher

realized? A number of things. In conjuctlon with Orrell Battersby, I am

realms of possibility. T

preparing a series of evangelistic leaflets to be distributed around our community on a monthly basis. We are starting with Wigston's newest housing estate and also in the neighborhoods where our people already live, with a view to expanding our distribution as more volunteers come forward. Alan Robinson, one of our deacons, and Fred Jennings, one of our newest and most enthusiastic members, are coordinating the distribution. During the summer there is also the possibility that we will be having a team of students from Springdale College come and help us visit some of
the homes we have been leafleting, both to determine the effectiveness of

the leaflets and to see if there is any interest in the church. We hope that Mike Bennett, our Timothy at Springdale, will be part of that team. We are also planning nine special evangelistic meetings throughout the year. Finally, and most importantly, we are creating a prayer team spe cifically for evangelism. This team will pray regularly for the conver
sion of individuals whose names have been submitted by our congregation.

We need your prayers in this matter, as well. As John Wesley said, "God does nothing but in answer to prayer." So pray for us please. We want 1987 to be a year of growth and outreach in the Church of Christ in
Wigston Magna.
OTHER FBAYER NEEDS

BOB

-Miss Lewie Tyrell has recently suffered a stroke.

-Paul Derry and Sonja Jennings are seriously considering making a

decision for Christ.

-Andy Mason leaves for a three month trip to India, China and Russia at the beginning of March. Please pray for a safe trip. -Lynne Conroy is expecting her third child in March.
-Those of our members who are married to non-Christians and who must

continue to witness and be patient.

SUE

PLATT BRIDGE REPORT

Hi

Growing
Uneasily
It sounds silly to talk about
growth during an attendance slump,

but the Platt Bridge Church seems

to be growing in less visible ways. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that God is preparing the ground for more growth. Time will tell, but here are two encouraging signs. Melissa and Jim Dahlman Our weekly home Bible groupis Sarah studying the Corinthian letters, and many of the issues which Paul raised are on the minds of our newer

Christians. But the real encouragement is that a couple of them had the chance to put the letter into practice. There was a severe misunder standing between the two of them which could have driven one or both away from the church. But by honest talking, partly with the elders' help, the problems were resolved and the two remain good friends. The Bible proved not only inspirational, but also practical. Towards the end of the recon ciliation process, one of the parties said cheerfully, "I feel like we (the church) have really grown this week." Also in January,a married couple who had begun visiting our evening
services almost started divorce proceedings. Bitter ness and recrimination ruled the day (and some late nights). A few of our church members knew what was happening, and even though Melissa and I spent many hours with the couple, we all felt helpless as we watched a marriage hurtle towards destruction. Those who knew the situation prayed specifically for our

friends' marriage, and the whole church was asked to pray for their "needs". And just as it seemed to pass the point of no return, the couple phoned to say they had decided to try again. Apologies and confessions were offered and suddenly the marriage was alive. No human effort could be credited. We must believe that God simply answered our prayers. Lesson: even when our best efforts look set to fail, God can still work with faith-filled prayer. Seeing God answer prayer so dramatically has encour aged the faith of many, and reminded us of how well he works. (I just wonder why we have to keep learning that over and over again.) January ended much happier than seemed possible at its start. God taught us much through this difficult time, and I am more convinced than ever, by Scripture and experience, that it is in uneasy situations that he teaches us best what faith is all about. It is our best soil for growing.
JIM

JOY ir
Being in the ministry can give
you a real look into the torment of

peoples' lives. Just before Christ mas a young lad I know tried to commit suicide. His three year

relationship with his girlfriend had fallen apart. He doesn't believe in God and so sharing with him the love and healing God brings seems to fall
on deaf ears. The ache inside him

and the loathing he feels for him self is heart-breaking.

Then at the end of January a

j.b;s jottings rid of her problems. young mother suffering severe head

aches set her house on fire to get

She believes in God but hasn't learned to submit to

him. She has spent a few days in prison, has been in and out of court and is desperate for help. At present she is staying with me on ball until

she goes to court.

The church has really been able to encourage and help

and this has been a real witness to her and her husband.

The brother of two of our members put himself into psychiatric care. He was seeing people that no one else could see. After much counselling

and prayer, he found that Jesus could free him from his occultic past.
Jesus did and Alan is to be baptized. REJOICE! Adraist the torment we see

that Jesus can act to bring the new life he promises.

for these people and our ministry to them.

Please be in prayer
JANET
BULK RATB

^ptstle from
200 E. Jftterson.'Washinglon. IL 6IS7J
J'fT) S MbIissb Dahlman S Sue Hartman

U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 61

WASHINGTON. IL 61571

4 Hu$kin Ciesceni

46 AshOoarne Road

Atram. Wigan
Lanes. WNZ 5PX
Dick S Yvonne Slill

Wigston. Leicester
L6 IFE

Janet Baines

21 Duke Street
Askam-ln-Fume$s

3 Ed-ard St.

Hmckley, LEW ODH

LEIO IRB

Cumbria LAJS 7A0

Pete i Jan Benen

Cun S LinOa Nordnielm

25 Otfon) Baao

Wes! Bmmwich. Sandwell

Ws UMilanJs

nil
9 9

t3 St James Park

Turtbndge Wells
Kent TNt 2LG Gail Burns S Rita Ida 20 Culverdon Park Rot

Dan S Amy Yainell

W1 fleOstone Close Chutcn Hill North Reddltch. WtorCJ.
B9e 9AF

jf

Mi ssi on Servi ces 0 Box 2427

Tunbridge Wells
Kent TNI 9QY

Knoxville TN 37901

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS: Mr. 5 Mrs. B. C. Nordtiielm

200 E. Jeerson

Wasmngton. IL 61571

ADDRESS CORRECTTION REQUESTED

FURNESS REPORT

Resistance
Insularity,

To Change set-apartness
B r i t i s h Churches

and

V kjf

'ownership' of the Lord's church by

ance

Ir

commendable trait of perseverseem all too often to characthe of

terize

ii '7rP%'^/
iW.),
J S: L.l

/ 'i '

Christ.

couple can at one and the same time

commend the

While an American ministerial

leaders of the 'rem-

Dlck and Yvonne stitt

nant' churches for their faithful

ness and chide them for their paro

chialism, a deeply-ingrained resistance to change can frustrate,

even prevent, any meaningful church growth.

perhaps

These factors seem all the more entrenched in this relatively remote region of England. Andrew Parish and his wife, Edith, have been and are 'pillars' of the church. Andrew, now sixty-five, has been church
secretary, traditionally the most powerful position, for more than forty years. It is more than a reasonable assumption to say that without their

day-to-day commitmentand actionthe Kirkby Church of Christ would long

since have closed its doors.

The apostle Paul claims that perseverance in the faith brings character. In singular devotion to a church, it can bring an intervening pride, as well as a sense of proprietorship. This is so when the 'leading family' can trace itself back to the founding of the church one hundred and sixty years ago. Edith Tyson Parish is a strong daughter of Richard Tyson, leader, with his brother, of the church for many years before sonin-law Andrew became secretary. Most long-timers in Kirkby still know the church as 'Tyson's Chapel'. Such perseverance can bring entrenchment. We hear at one and the same time highly vocal commitment to church growth and equally vigorous resistance to changes that will make it possible. When such long time leadership is perceived as aloofness as well, it is
going to take time to become, much less be seen, as a caring church. It is astonishing to us that while most of the 'core' of the members have been together for thirty years or more, many have never been in each

other's homes. They have little contact between Sundays. When Dick's mother died two days after Christmas, expressions of sympathy came from many outside of Kirkby. In Kirkby, one eleven year old boy expressed his
concern. His love for us was all the more memorable because he was the

only one, apart from Andrew's visit, from Kirkby to show sympathy. It needs to be emphasized: strong commitment to the church, even if rigid, is far, far better than the prevailing social sense of no
commitDent at all. DICK & YVONNE

REDDITCH REPORT

ENCOURAGED
jBfpQPHjjjjjjjj^^
jF "f 1

must get the impression that all we

are facing are problems. It is no small exaggeration that our work

entails much time with difficult situations and resistant people,

but we cannot afford to overlook

contribution of those who are

(L to R) Amy, Joshua, Dan and

n r^ YarnGll V II David

f f

given us* atime to reflect upon

Spirit this year, and whatwho he continues topast do through those

through his Holy

are growing in Christ. Let me share a few examples with you. Loretta King is our church secretary. She is also a converted Jewess. Her family has rarely been supportive of her in life and especially when she became a Christian two years ago. Her husband Dave and oldest daughter Rachael have both become Christians due to her influence. They continue to have their struggles, especially Dave, but God has brought them a long way in their faith. They are an encouragement to us in our work. Lettie is a solid encouragement for us and we are grateful for her. Peter, our deacon, is a single man in his late twenties. He grew up as a Christian believer, his father being a minister and evangelist. He has been both a friend and an encourager to us when the difficulties have come. He has faced a new job change, a loss of his brother through suicide and many other changes; but his love for Christ and his consistency has offered us inspiration. My last example is Tony Randall. After having initiated the church, his wife left him and he stepped down from church leadership. He also fell way from Christ. However, he has come back to Christ and continues to face the struggles of being a single-parent. He's come a long way from his teen days as a drug addict and hippie. He has a long way to go in his pilgrimmage. But he is a good friend, always willing to listen and sup
port us in our work.

We continue to face the difficulties of ministry. But with these precious gifts from God to offer us encouragement and hope, along with a helping hand in our work, we press on. Please pray with us in thanks for these lives and pray for them as they continue in their walk of faith and growth in Christ. DAN

Cptsitle {torn Cnglanb

... A report from ministries challenging a post-Christian nation with the claims of Christ.
VOL. 14 NO. 6 APRIL 1987

IS IT mum 22 CENTS?
The bane of any newsletter must be the constant need for updating the mailing list. This is especially true in our case since we have so many different ministries reporting. Our mailing list contains over thirteen hundred names and we send out nearly eighteen hundred copies every month. Despite constant attention, the list is never completely up-todate.

Indeed, this problem is going to be greatly exasperated in the near future by the departure of the DAHLMAN's and NORDHIELM's. For instance, when the Dahlman's joined the Epistle they brought with them a list of people who wanted to receive the Epistle. But now that they are leaving, is it fair just to delete all of these names from the list?

Hopefully those v/ho started reading because of their interest in Jim and
Melissa, have now become interested in the other ministries. Just to

take every name off the list which the Dahlman's added might alienate
those who are genuinely interested in the field of England. YOUR COMMITMENT TO USSo, what do we do? After a great deal of

thought, we have decided to adopt a method which is being increasingly used by those who send out newsletters. This is not an attempt to make
anyone stop receiving the Epistle. If you genuinely want it, we genu inely want you to receive it. In this issue there is a form for you to fill out and return to our American Correspondents (address on the back) if you want to continue to receive it. Or, even better, cut off the address label, tape it to the form and return it. (This applies only to individuals who receive the Epistle in the mail; It does not apply to churches, agencies, Bible Colleges or individuals who receive their copy at their church. Nor does it apply to any foreign address. Likewise, for those of you who just received a personal letter from Roger

Edrington and responded by sending back the form, you do not need to
respond.) If you do not want it any more, there is no need to return the form. Because this is a new procedure, we will not delete anyone's name until mid-June. (By that time, both the Dahlman's and Nordhielm's will
have concluded their ministries.) There will a reminder in the next issue of the Epistle. We are sorry we have had to adopt this proce

dure, but tight finances have made it necessary.

to send the Epistle and we have it printed

(It costs $140/month

charge to us as
(Con't. on last page)

free of

WIGSTON REPORT

Newsy ITews
E This month we decided that

M-fc

Wf r9ll^ f m i i ^
H 1^

little happenings. We have had two baptisms recently. In

January ALAN was baptized and February. Alan has been

we would deal with a lot of

BWjt 'TA
UTIWawTi

K5I

plays the guitar at our

his mid-fifties.
evening services. He is in

attending for about a year and

Sonja has

Bob and Sue Hartman

been attending for about two

our singing group.

Kari and Christopher

them attend one of our Growth Groups.

years and plays the flute for Both of

Sonja has also been attending

our young teen group since its inception this past autumn.

We said goodbye, temporarily, to ANDY on March 1. Andy has left for a three month visit of some third world countries, which include India and China. He feels drawn to a future calling in overseas work and we hope that this visit will help him to clarify how and when he
should begin.

On a more personal level, we have just enjoyed a two week visit

with TIM and DIANA HARTMAN, BOB's brother and sister-in-law. It was

great to be able to take them around the country and it was nice for our folk as they were able to participate in the services on the

Sunday they were here.

tea held afterwards.

They also attended Sonja's baptism and the

KARI has her first wobbly tooth and is anxiously awaiting its departure. (She keeps asking if there is a tooth fairy!) I've begun helping with the cooking at Kari*s school. On alternate Fridays I teach four six year olds how to make cupcakes.
It is a nice way to meet the teachers and Kari's classmates. And it

is especially nice because CHRIS has been invited to spend my cooking

time in the first year class which he will be in next autumn. LEWIS and KERRY are to be married later this month and we would

ask you to keep them in your prayers.

Their courtship has not been a

smooth one as they are the first of our young adults to form a

serious commitment and they had many facets of their relationship to work out. Lewis* parents divorced when he was quite young and so he has no memories of a two-parent family and they are planning to begin a family fairly soon. Kerry has not yet made a commitment to Christ, but she has regularly attended the evening services and a Growth
Group since they began dating. SUE

PLATT BRIDGE REPORT

5 ^SsHSv ~

Walking thc Strccts

head down Ribble Road, a winding street which cuts through the heart of one of the largest and most

sight of barbed wire jolts ^ turn off Millers Lane and

r.^

troubled of Wigan's "council es-

I^B
Melissa and Jim Dahlman q__QU

The fence surrounds a

building which contained flats (apartments) until it was torched a

couple of years ago. Now the council is turning it into an area

office for Platt Bridge, but until

the work is finished, high fences with curled barbed wire and patrolling guard dogs give the place a prison camp feel. Vacant looks in many resi
dents' eyes only makes it worse.

Our small chapel is on the border of the "Millers Lane Estate", where
unemployment is officially thirty-seven percent, but local wisdom doubles that figure. The Government has pumped 2.5 ($3.75) million into the estate for long-overdue improvements, and much of the work will be done by

locals (including David Campbell, one of our members, who will work as a security guard). The architects' plans look good and people have high
hopes for the renaissance of the estate. At the same time, there is an uneasiness: folk seem to sense that the

estate's problems will not be over when the last coat of paint is dry.
They instinctively know that the problems run deeper than any saw can cut. Many fear that today's improvements may just be new targets of vandalism and theft. They would not say it this way, but the problem is a spiritual one. As one man said, "It's not only the roofs that need fixin*; it's
them that live under 'em."

So the church still has a lot of work to do to bring the gospel to darkest Platt Bridge. But the one necessary step in the right direction is prayer. So (stealing an idea from the local Anglican church), we are beginning a prayer cycle for Platt Bridge. Each week, we will pr^ for two streets in the village and some of us will walk down those streets, talk ing with the people who live there and simply letting them know we care. But more significantly, we think God will work to bring the gospel of reconciliation and hope to the people of our community. Please join us in
prayer for Platt Bridge. Fourth-Comine News: EMILY RACHAEL DAHLMAN was bom on March 6, all 8 lbs., 7 oz. of her. All are healthy, and Sarah adores her
little sister. Rejoice and thank God with us! JIM, MELISSA AND SASAE

JIM

(Con't. from front page)

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Editor

For the July issue there will be a new (Dan Yarnell) and we hope a new format produced by an exciting computer software developmentdesktop publishing. This will allow a greater degree of flexibility and should help improve our quality. We thank you for your time and ask that if you desire to continue to receive the Epistle that you fill out the form now and return it. EDITOR
want to make i t even better.

Michael Green, speaking of the denial of God's judgment, said: "Today, in many circles the question is not so much that of calling the prodigal home as of trying to make him comfortable in his pigsty, whilst he remains still far away from home and cut off from the only person who really loves and cares."

^rrtsille horn ^ 200 E. MlenonrWashin^. IL 61571

Jim S UoUas* OalUman
4 Ruskin CmsconI
Bob & Sue Hartman

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21 Ouko Stmot
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Cumbria LAIS 7AD PatB S Jan Botmn

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13

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20 Culverdon Park Road

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS REPORT

Foundational
is hard to believe that in

Br^iHP6$y,
:'

of ministry in England will come to

3 close.

just over three months, nine years

Linda and 1 have been in

England since I graduated from Seminary. We have seen our two children born here and as they were cutting their teeth, I was cutting teeth in the ministry.
over those nine

Curt Nordheilm

years of ministry, I see quite a number of changesboth in the

Allow me to share with you three of those changes. When we arrived in England, the Churches of Christ were in the midst of

Gall Burns

churches I know best and in myself.

a heated debate over whether they should join the United Reform Church. Some decided not to and from a small group of about twenty churches, the Fellowship of Churches of Christ was formed. Very small beginnings and to this day we remain small. It will take at least a generation before we begin to see any dramatic change in the picture. But I am glad that I was in on the foundation-building. Such work is hard work, but necessary

work.

Hopefully, one day, there will be a grand and glorious building on

that foundation which gives glory to God.

More specifically, here in Tunbridge Wells, foundation-building was also necessary. Both the church and the building had rot at their bases. The rot in the church building took a year to correct and now the building is warm, comfortable and inviting. The rot in the church has taken longer
to correct, but I believe we now have a strong basis upon which to grow. Would you please pray that the congregation find someone to replace me so that the church can grow in strength. And what of me? People never remain the same (thank God that he does) and that is particularly true of those who live in a foreign culture. I

desperately want to bring back in my luggage some of the positive aspects of both the British culture (like time for family and friends) and of the
British expression of Christianity (like communion). aspects that I will definitely leave behind!) (There are some
It On the day we leave, I am sure that I will have mixed emotions.

will be hard to leave a country and people I love, but that sadness will not be pure for I will be eager to return to my roots, my first home and to a new ministry. For the children, however, they will not be going

"home", but to a foreign culture where they too will change and grow.

REDDITCH REPORT
jBpji^SHjjjM

Hope vrHapdcss?
cold breath and spring is on the way
weather people tell us). With it comes a sigh of relief, a ray of

,,

^ W i n t e r has finally breathed its last

" m e l t e d , the dark clouds are broken by

^ope and an expectation of new and

Just as In nature, so in the lives

^
'-" Mf

shafts of light and the flowers of

of most people, the feelings of letharhopelessness are being transformed

(LtoR)m,

David Yarnell

D.aa

already experiencing the foretaste of

snsil

this miracle in a variety of ways.

One family awaits tiie birth of their second child (their first died just over a year ago). Some strained relationships and broken lives are being resurrected
into something new. Hope has come.

But often diis hope seems short-lived. With so uuch effort and resources being given, does it not seem that the reality is that this church, along with most all of the churches in Britain (and not only the Churches of Christ) are really
hopeless?

It is true that with the ministry of Billy Graham, Luis Pallau and a host of others, along with a few growing churches in the UK, the signs of hope are evi dent. But they are isolated Incidents and in many w^s the situation seems just
as hopeless as before.

There is no denying that along with the Redditch church, many others in the Fellowship of Churches of Christ (and other churches as well) have experienced some growth. But it seems so small compared to the great need around us. When the average attendance is between two and ten percent of the population, when cult groups, Eastern religions and the oocult occupy a stronger appearance and have better support than the church and when materialism and a host of other ideologies
vie for the place of God in worship, all can seem lost.

Hopeless? It seems so at times. A Messiah who hung from a tree as a political prisoner wasn't exactly everybody's idea of hope either. But he didn't remain on the cross and the church does not need to be hopeless. Though it looks like a long cold winter, spring is coming. And whether it be the church in Redditch or wherever in this world, hope in the Christ, the Lord of the church will never lead to the despair of winter. There is hope for the church. The resurrection estab lishes it, the church proclaims it and lives it by faith and the Holy Spirit
confirms it in worship aid in truth. D&N

oo

pistk from Cnglanb

... A report from ministries cliallenging a post-Christian nation with the claims of Christ.
VOL. 14 NO. 7 MAY 1987

COAL AND COTTON

(EDITOR'S NOTE: DESPITE THE IMMINENT DEPARTURE OF THE DAHLMAN'S, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GIVE YOU THIS aiMPSE OF WIGAN.) Here's a question for your U.K. edition of Trivial Pursuit: Which of these towns was largest in the middle ages: Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, or Wigan? If you said Wigan, collect your colored wedge! Most Americans have not even heard of Wigan unless they are rugby fanatics or George "1984" Orwell enthusiasts. (The town has the world's most famous rugby league teamfor whatever that is worthand it served as Orwell's typical view of 1930s industrial Britain in his "Road to Wigan Pier".) But Wigan has a long and interesting history, starting when the Romans built an outpost here on the main road north to Hadrian's Wall and called it "Coccium". The town grew wealthy on brass and pewter, almost became a "spa" resort town (a la Tunbridge Wells), but the Industrial Revolution ensured Wigan's future as a major coal
mining area.

In the early 1900s, Wigan town center alone was dotted with seven collieries. A century ago, Platt Bridge and neighboring Abram were transformed from sleepy

farming villages into a busy coal center: a dozen pits were digging within a one mile radius. This prompted Wigan's Rodney Street Church of Christ, the focal point of an area then rich in Churches of Christ, to send a few of its
families to Platt Bridge to start a church. Our church. Cotton was King Coal's Queen: northwest England has the perfect weather (damp) for working the fibre. Mills grew between the mines, and the Leeds-to-

Liverpool canal was dug through Wigan to enable American and Asian cotton to be shipped cheaply from Liverpool, and Wigan "cannel" coal to be shipped back. This canalside exchange point, lined with barges and warehouses, came to be known as "Wigan Pier", a two-edged barb which poked fun at the seaside resorts'
entertainment piers, such as at nearby Bl^kpool, and also struck at Wigan's contrasting ima^ of soot, grime and smokestacks. Even though almost all of the mines and mills are closed now, the image remains, largely because of chronic higfi unemployment. But recent developments, such as the award-winning Wigan Pier complex, with its living heritage museum and tourist attractionincluding a pub called "The Orwell"is attracting thousands of visitors (including the Queen) and new investment. The economic prospects for the town are the best for a generation. But greater prospects await the folk of this old town were they to invest their lives in him who went to a Roman cross not long before the Romans came to
Coccium. JIM DAHLMAN

Please remember that if you wish to continue to receive the Epistle after this edition, you must send your name and address to our American Correspondents by June 15.

WIGSTON REPORT

9^(16 LAntof, ^ging

In the introduction to her very interesting analysis of contempor ary American culture, author
FRANCES FITZGERALD described "Sun

City', a Florida retirement commun ity, in the following way: "In much the same way Sun Citians were now evolving a distinct culture at the other end of the age spectrum. Belonging to the first generation to reach old age en masse, in good health, and with the resources to Bob and Sue Hartman live independently of their Kari and Christopher children, they were people for whom society had as yet no set of expectations and no vision. They were people who had to invent, and along with others of their generation, they were creating a conception of how their stage in life should be led. They were, I thought, pioneers on the frontier of age." "Pioneers on the frontier of age." What a stimulating and challenging way to describe the process of growing old. I realize that this is not the experience of all of America's elderly, but it is probably fair to suggest that an increasingly significant proportion do fall into this category. That is not the case in Britain. Yes, there are some communi ties, notably those on the south coast, where one can find a higher proportion of older people among the population. But, by and large, the changing attitude of Americans toward the aging and its consequent benefit to the aged, has not washed across the Atlantic. We watch "Golden Girls" on our television screens, but it is most definitely an American import,

with few equivalents within this society. For far too many "pensioners", as they are called here, old age is still an unappetizing menu of low
social esteem, poverty, illness and loneliness. Within the church, the situation is not much better. In our congregation, we have left the traditional morning service largely unchanged so that our older members might continue to "feel at home" with our worship. But they know as well as our younger members that it is the very non-traditional evening service which attracts the larger congrega tions and which has been the vehicle through which most converts have come. Some of them resent that, I know, and feel that the church, along with society, has conspired to leave them behind. So what do I do? I visit them and attempt to involve them and encour age other members to do the same, but I am still left with an uneasiness about my inability to balance respect for their security and status, on the one hand, with the congregation's need to adapt and speak to a rapidly changing British society on the other hand. BOB

PLATT BRIDGE REPORT

THE

Sl^iS iA

LAST WORD
This is our last Epistle arti cle. As strange as that seems, it doesn't compare with the thought of leaving our English home on May 20. We owe you a few statistics, if only because they are the first

rv 1^1 Melissa and Jim Dahlman

step in evaluating success. When we

arrived in February 1982, the average attendance for morning com

munion was twenty-nine; now it is

Sarah

thirty-four. The evening still averages twenty-four after some ups and downs (mostly downs). We have had fifteen baptisms and four people trans
fer in.

Some folk may be wondering what we've been doing all this time. I have to admit the numbers are not impressive. But they do not show the impos sible situation: one hundred years of traditional church life in a very tradition-loving part of Britain; a congregation which had been steadily declining for twenty-five years; our being the first full-time workers in the church's history (and so young, we now see!); the fierce loyalty to old church ties (mainly Anglican and Roman Catholic here), even when peo ple do not attend; a depressed community battling hopelessness; a pagan culture which has rejected organized religion (partly the churches' own fault), thinking it useless in the harsh realities of life. And the numbers do not show the good news: younger people joining, men joining, the church re-instituting elders and deacons, forming the first

budget, seeing more members get involved in active service and evangelism.
In short, God is doing the impossible in an impossible situation. Thankfully then, numbers begin but do not end the story. We, in our church, have grown. Still, it has taken more than five years to see a steady bumper harvest. But we see that God sent us here as a groundbreak ing ministry, to prepare for future growth. The future is here, and so time for us to move on. But not without first thanking you for your constant support in prayer, in funds and in friendship (particularly to our living link. First Christian Church in Tarpon Springs, FL.). And we thank the Platt Bridge Church for making us part of their family. Most of

all, we thank God for the privileges of working here and seeing lives
changed. May he continue to bless the Platt Bridge Church of Christand you. May he be praised in all. JIM, MELISSA, SARAH AND NEW-BORN RACHAEL

(If you would like a financial summary of our work, write to: Kingdom Ministries, 6306 Dogwood Drive South, New Port Richey, FL 33553.)

WEST BROMWICH REPORT

nr^vi

^rmv

\IS
others. Our

One of the exciting things to see in the church is the way some of our people are using their gifts
to serve God and

worship is being helped by several

of our teens who are developing their skills with the guitar. KIM regularly plays in our morning worship. TONY is an art college

, j X Jan and Pete Bowen

Gareth and David

student specializing in graphics.

He has put his talent to use in making posters to advertise events and recently produced a small church newsletter (the first of many we hope). He asked for articles from others, typed it all himself and did all the artwork making a very attractive product. VAL, who spent many years caring for her elderly mother, has a real concern for old people. At
Christmas she organized the distribution of some food to about fourteen needy old folk. Not wanting this to be a Christmas only event, she has taken responsibility for staying in touch with some of them and for col lecting food for distribution at other times of the year.
There are, of course, more serving than this, but I share these as an encouragement to us all to consider what we can do to be playing our part in the work of the whole Body of Christ. PETE

from ^nglattb
200 E. JeHerson. nesltinglon. IL 61571
Jim S Mal/SU Di/rlman

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PAID PERMIT NO. 61

Bob S Sue Hartman

46 Asnboume Road

IVASH/WGTDN, IL 61571

Rushin Craacam

Abram. Wigtn
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Dick S Yvonna SUH

Wigsion. Leicester
LEB 1FE
Janel Baines

21 Duke Siroet
Ask3tn-inFurnes$

3 Bdward 5r.

Hmckley. LSlOOOH
LEW tRB

Cumbria LA IS TAD
Pete S Jan Bowen

Curt S Linda Nordhialm 13 Si. James Park

25 Odora floed

Mission Services p O Box 2427

West Bmmwlcti, Sandtrell

West Midlands

Tunbridge Wells
Wm TNI ZLG Gail Burns i Rila Ide X Culverdon Park Road

KnrjKviile TN 37901

Dan t Amy Yamell

lot Redsione Close cnuKfi Hill Nonn

Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN4 90V

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS REPORT

MEETINGS
Looking back to February or March, I was surprised to see how many "extra" meetings I'd been to:
Churches of Christ ministers* fra

ternal, Tunbridge Wells ministers' fraternals, Youth Action Committee, Youth for Christ and Epistle from England. Fellowship was a part of all the meetings (except the YFC);
business was the main reason for

three and information/edification Curt Nordheilm

Gail Burns
the central aim of the fraternals.

I realized the other day that there were specific things I

associated with all of these

different meetings.

The fraternals are enjoyable and I look forward to

being in the company of others who are in the "professional ministry".

also found how much I miss being in an academic atmosphere. The business meetings have shown that business can be discussed equitably even if disagreements occur because in Christ we all respect one another and know
God is present in our meetings.

And I also found, again, that it is quite alright to say "no" to being
on a committee. I went to the Youth for Christ meeting for the first time

and knew that I wasn't cut out for that committee, though I support them
in their ministry.

Meetings are necessarya part of life for usand can be a source of

fellowship, learning and giving.

to me.
new about one's self.

They can also be a bore and hard slog.

GAIL

Generally speaking, however, I rather enjoy themwhich came as a surprise

It seems one can never come to the end of finding out something

When Do You Baptize?

LINDA eagerly desires to be baptized. Every week in our Bible study

she asks when will it take place. And every week I must gently, but firmly, say that she needs to fully understand what is taking place in her baptism. For LINDA, baptism is a magic ritual to go through to avoid problems; it is a certificate to hang on her wall to say that she has
accomplished something. It is not, at least at the minute for LINDA, a
She does not understand the full new birth with a new life to follow.

implications of being born again and showing the fruit of repentence.

Would you please pray that the truth of God's Word would touch her and

clear the fog from her mind so that when (if) her baptism does take place
it will happen for the right reasons. CURT

FURNESS REPORT

Ecumenical Life
overdue.

IS

touching its toes gingerly in Kirkby. In our view, it is long

The reason is simple: there are so few Christians of any descrip tion in the village, indeed in the

whole area, that they are nearly

invisible when sticking only
'their own'.
to understand and be able

to

It remains important
to ex

press the reason for one's own belief, but it is far past time when a tiny minority can afford to concen
trate on their differences rather than on the great themes of salvation

Dick and Yvonne Stitt

which proclaim them part of the body of Christ. Under the leadership of the village vicar, GWYN MURPHET, three repre sentatives each from the Church of England, Church of Christ and Methodist Church met together for the first time recently. Out of that first meet

ing alone came common worship services for Easter: all three joined in a
five-week Lenten course at the Church of Christ; Dick presided at the

Church of Christ on Maundy Thursday evening, when MR. MURPHET gave the message; on Good Friday, Dick gave the sermon at the service at the
Methodist Church.

All three churches conducted their own Easter services.

Also agreed

are a combined Pentecost walk in the village ending in a joint service at the Church of Christ. More such projects are planned, including a May fund
drive door-to-door for Christian Aid.

Joint effort has a longer history in Ulverston, the nearest large town.

As a participant, Dick preached the Easter Sunrise service for about two
hundred faithful on a moor near the town.

Yvonne has been ecumenical as well.

She led the centenary Woman's Day

of Prayer before a full church (over one hundredwhat a sight that was!) and has spoken twice before the many-village Christian Women's Fellowship.
From that came invitations to speak elsewhere, including the Methodist

Ladies of Dalton in April.

the closet.'

Ecumenism may help bring Christianity 'out of

DICK and YVONNE

SPECIAL PRAYER NEED: We started a weekly village Youth Club

for eight to eleven year olds on April 23rd This Is not our

strength.

But it ^

the great gift of PATT HOOSER, trying to

Please pray for her success,

raise support to join us soon.

and encourage her with letters as well at RR 4, Box 127,

Wetseka, IL 60970. She Is much needed here!

^/do

Cpigtic from Cnglanb

... A report from ministries challenging a

post-Christian nation with the claims of Christ

VOL. 14 NO. 8 JUNE 1987

Kirkby is one of the most scattered villages in the beautiful Fumess area of England. Its eight hamlets spread from the moors to the shore of the estuary leading to the Irish Sea. The man-made scars of its history are highly visible from a distance. They are the slag heaps of slate mined for centuries, which brood over the village and are a metaphor for the hardiness and endurance of the people. But there are views, magnificent views of green moors, grazed by sheep. To the north are the mountains of the Lake District, whilst the sea sparkles to the south. Incomparable! Beckside, with its ancient cottages, church and watermill,
huddles on the rise of the moor

and is thought by visitors to be

Kirkby. But there are Sandside by the shore, Wall End (where
the Church of Christ has been

since 1876), and Soutergate equally steeped in antiquity un der the hulking moor deflecting some of the easterly winds. Yvonne and 'Tlaothy' on Bank Marshside, Marsh Garth, Ghyll House Boor overlooking part of End, Chapels are other hamlets. Kirkby once thrived; miniKirkby and, beyond, the Lakes. department store, bakehouses, farms. Now it is a relaxed dormitory village: people who work go elsewhere. One tiny shop and a service station serve the twelve hundred people. Kirkby folk are vividly aware of their long history. A man who has

lived there fifty years regards himself a newcomer. Even the 'morning'
worship at the Church of Christ only recently was moved to 10:45 A.M. from 1:30 P.M., a remnant from ancient days when folk walked eight miles to church every Sunday. The slate-hard ground has become synonymous in the minds of clergy and a few growth-commited church leaders with the spiritual and even social receptivity of the people, not only in Kirkby, but in the Northwest. It is hard ground indeed. DIOC

WIGSTON REPORT

Spring Harvest
(Editor's note: Both the Hartman's and

Yarnell's went to Spring Harvest. In Bob's article he explains what it is all about. Dan shares the encouragement he and his family received through it and the impact it
had upon his ministry.)

"Who are these people?

from?
were three Questions asked

Where do they come

Those
recently on BBC's

How can I join in with them?"

"Points of view", a program which gives view

Bob and Sue Hartman

Kari and Christopher

Palm Sunday Praise'"! And

women of all ages who had come together for Spring Harvestan Eastertime
attracted over forty thousand this year. They are Christians looking for

no wonder, for on that evening people all across Britain saw and were pleasantly su'prised by a crowd of thousands, packed into a big blue tent, joyful and excited in their worship of the living God. So, to answer the question "Who are these people?" They are men aid

edition of the BBC's weekly worship program "Soundls of

ers a chance to respond to what they see on the screen. These questions were concerned, not with a major new drama series, nor with an alternative comedy show, nor with some sporting event but with, of all things, the

Christian Holid^ week which began in 1979 witn three thousand campers and
a family holiday setting where they can relax and discover more about the

Lord, snare with other Christians and join together in worship.

"Where do they come from?" From many different denominations and parts of the country and many different age groups. Essentially, the week is evangelical in its orientation, with Anglicans and Baptists making up the largest percentage, but there are representatives from most Christian

groups. What is so great about Sprinj; Harvest, though, is that one's

large Christian group is marvellous.
together.

enomination is not really an issue. Tne question is hardly ever asked. We are just Christians, snaring and enjoying ourselves and worshipping

The sense of unity and the encouragement of being in such a

What happens?" Flexibility is the key to Spring Harvest. You don't have to do anything but enjoy the beach, sun and excellent facilities. But if you vant, there are superb activites provided for every age and for all levels of Christian interests, concern and maturity. This year's theme, "Where Truth and Justice Meet", looked at the church's mission both to the individual and to society. Every night there is the celebration in the Big Top. What? Church every night? How boring some might say. All
saw on TV wasn't put on for the cameras. It is night. In fact, the evening celebrations are so line up well ahead of time to be sure of getting Our word 'holiday' comes originally from two

I can say is this: Sue and I have been to Spring Harvest witn the family for two years and we can testify that the joy 'Songs of Praise" viewers
a seat. wordsholy and day.

for real and there every popular that you have to

seems to me that Spring Harvest successfully combines both meanings into a single event. It provides a week for individuals and families to enjoy

It

themselves and rest together and also gives us a special time together with the Holy One. Our family has found it is just the kind of vacation we need. To this point only ourselves, NORMAN and the JENNINGS' family have attended this event. We are now taking steps to encourage other members of our congregation to go in 1988. We ask you to pray that some (Con't. on the bottom of the next page)

FURNESS REPORT

TAMWORTH REVISITED

It Is good we don't need to understand how God works through

his people, only that we do^ under

stand that he does* were shattered Yvonne and I

(British

for crushed, defeated) in

months' work

1985 after fourteen

in Tamworth. The fellowship's foun der had stated flatly that her feelings were of greater authority Dick and Yvonne Stitt than scripture. We reluctantly and prayerfully decided we had no recourse but to re sign. We felt terrible about leaving people we had come to love. No matter how we tried to understand (or rationalize) the experience, and even with loving advice and counsel, we frankly felt failures. We may have felt we failed, but God didn't fail. A recent visit to Tamworth showed that in ways we cannot begin to fathom, God worked on lives through us and unknown
to us.

The telephone calls from Tamworth started coming in November.

A family

rang to tell us that after a year the^had decided they couldn't bring the fellowship to a scriptural base. The day" they rang, they had just quit, after telling the pe'ople exactly why. A lady who had left when we did
rang us next. Should.she go back? We listened until she answered her own question: no. A concerned man rang; to fill a need, he started a home

Bible study. Most former members attend that mid-week Bible study and go
to other churches.

When we were able to revisit Tamworth for the first time, the warmth and depth of our welcome astounded us. We were hugged by tearful people
as though we were relatives lost for decades. One said, "It seems a year since I've seen you, but we carry on in

conversation as though it were yesterday.

The only person I've felt that

At the close of our

comfortable with before was my (late) brother."

visit, she said, almost shyly, but firmly, "Now I'm ready to go back to (a different) church." We had urged that for a year. Another lady dried her tears and waited until her children had hugged us. Then she told us she had left the fellowship the Sunday before, giving them her reasons. Now all but one of those we thought truly committed to a Christian walk have left. The one remaining still hopes to help others come to a biblical
foundation.

The letters, the telephone calls, the effusive welcomes, all by people who had to surmount close, longtime personal ties to make decisions for Christianity, demonstrate once again that we do nothing by our own plans and power, but by his plan. DICK & YVONNE

HI

IS (ilO(M)
THE BAD NEWS: heart attack and surgery.

My nram having a triple by-pass

God has cer

THE GOOD NEWS:

tainly been with her throughout all and she slowly is on the mend.
HALLELUJAH!

J.B.'S JOTTINGS

THE BAD NEWS: Having to leave my folks and family after a seven week visit to help nurse my mom. THE GOOD NEWS: The joyful wel come of the people here on my re turn. . . The baptism of nineteen
year old JANE with whom I have been

studying. . . The settling of CHRIS and PAT SEWELL and family, our full-time minister, in their home here in
Hinckleyfinally!

open our eyes to see it. The gooa n^w^^^^^Js^mfort j-omo and eppQu^pR^
me to trust God when things aren*t ^ is

God always seem to outweigh.^yahed,,jiiAth his goodness If we wil_l_only

^ntalle from

as. POSTAGE

61571 200 .Je/fe'Son.'TVMningion, IL 6!Si

PAID
PERMIT NO. 61

6o0 S Sue Hsflman 46 Ashtyourne Road

WASHINGTON. IL 61571

Wigsion, LeicBSler
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21 Duke StrMt Janei Bainea 3 EOwara SI.

Askam-in^Furnsss
CumOria LA'S 7AD

Hinckley. LEW ODH

LEW IRB Curt S Linda No'Mielm 13 Si- James Park

Pete i

Jan Boiren

25 O'fora Hoaa

Was erontmcA. Sandwell

West WKffantfs

TunbriOge Wella
Kent TNI 2LO

Dan A Amy Yarnell

101 fledslone Close Cftorc/i Hill North

OaH Burr\s S nia Idt 20 Culverdon Park Hoed

TunbiiOge wells
Kent TN4 SOY

RaMiKh, WofC^.
BSaSAF

Mission Services P Bon 2427

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Knoxville TN 37901

wa^ngwi. IL 61571
USA

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REDD ITCH REPORT'

Harvest
We came back much encouraged after sharing with thousands of
other believers. We also came back

challenged to the task of relating

the gospel to the twentieth century

and the needs of the world.

Renewal and new life also gave way to a harvest in another way. We celebrated the baptism of TRACEY, the youngest daughter of
DAVE and LETTIE. This now com

pletes the KING family's

coming
TRACEY

(Lto R) Amy, Joshua, Dan and

David Yarnell

into Christ and his church.

a series

and I had been sharing together in

of studies which lead her

into accepting Christ as Lord.

Another way which brought a harvest in spring was in the birth of NATHAN. His parents, DAVE and DENISE, have faced many difficulties over the past two years, including the loss of Nathan's older brother PHILLIP in a cot death. The birth of NATHAN has brought much joy and happiness into the lives of his parents, and the Lord has also strengthened them in
their faith and commitment to him and each other.

Finally, we had our annual TEAR Fund Sunday as a church. TEAR Fund is an expression of evangelical Christians to meet the spiritual and social needs of people in underdeveloped and developing countries. We focused on the needs of Nepal, learning of the Christians and the challenges to their

faith (usually involving imprisonment for a year), the daily struggles for
food, water which is safe to drink, and work. We were encouraged that we could assist through our continued prayer support and gifts. In all these ways, we have found a harvest of blessings in springtime. Please give thanks to God with us for his wonderful provisions. DAN

(Con*t. from previous page) of them will respond. Too often we tend to emphasize the weakness of the church in Britain and overlook the great things that the Lord is doing. Spring Harvest is one of them. Because of this event, thousands of Chris tians, many from small congregations, can see for themselves that they are not alone in their faith, experience the excitement of a large worship session, and be encouraged to press on and pray for the revival this
country so desperately needs. . BOB

TUNBRIDGE WELLS REPORT

Mutual Ministry
One of the historical strengths
and weaknesses
Churches of

of

the
has

British
been the

Christ

'mutual ministry*. This is a term describing the ministry of every believer. It is an attempt to have every member involved in some way
in the work of the church. So far

so good.

To the extent that that

goal has been attained, it is a strength. Every Christian does

Curt, Linda, & Donnetta Nordheilm

Gail Burns & Rita idle

have a place in God's work. Unfortunately, the mutual ministry has failed miserably. Far too often ministry has been defined

as "that which takes place on Sunday morning during worship." This has led, unconsciously in many cases, to the grossly mistaken idea that if one isn't involved in a position of leadership on a Sunday morning (like preaching or leading the worship service) one isn't ministering. A further consequence of this mistaken idea is that many who think they can preach, can't. The content of many sermons owe their origin more to

homespun philosophy than to solid biblical thinking. The result is anemic

Christians with very little foundation for their faith.

GLYN is a young man in our congregation who has recently started to preach. So far he has preached two sermons, but after my departure at the end of June, he will be asked to preach much more. How he prepares for
his sermons will be of the utmost importance to the church for it is from

him and a few others (most of which have not been educated at a Bible
college) that the church will be fed.

I do not mean to imply a need for a professional clergy with all of the trappings. However, I do see a need for those who do preach to know how
to handle the truth of God and know how to communicate it effectively.

Though God can and has taken hold of people without such skills and used
them for proclaiming his word, it appears to be the exception instead of the rule. Would you please pray for GLYN and the other men who will have the awesome responsibility of preaching? CORT
This will be the last Epistle article that I will be writing.

My family and I fly out June 27th. Our biggest prayer, and one which I would ask you to share in, is that the church find someone to replace me as minister. Do you know of anyone who might be interested? Are you? If so, write to our American Correspondents and I will be in touchquickly!

Cpisitlc from Cnglanb

... A report from ministries challenging a

post>Christian nation with the claims of Christ.

VOL. 14 No. 9 JULY 1987

0oucfi

^omG

If you had been a traveller in the eastern part of this country 'round about the fifth or sixth century, you might have visited a small Danish

settlement with the appropriate name, "Vikings Town". It stood on a slightly elevated position about five miles south of the old Roman town of Ratae. Today that town is the City of Leicester, still reached by follow ing the Roman "Fosse Way" from Bath. "Vikings Town" has since outgrown its village status. Wigston has become a growing suburb now known, through a slip of the tongue and a mashing of the vowels, as Wigston. With two adjoining villages, South Wigston and

Oadby, Wigston makes up the smallest of Leicestershire's (Leicester County)

nine districts. Population is about fifty seven thousand people in a large ly a residential area, with light industry. More than some places, Wigston retains a sense of its village character and identity, due more to its people than physical makeup. It has changed over the past twenty years to accommodate its growing popula tion. But Wigston people maintain a proud sense of their heritage. They will tell you, for example, that Wigston is the only village for many miles to
boast two Parish churches. These two medieval build

ings, All Saints and St. Wistan's, once earned the village the nickname of "Wigston Two Steeples," a

feature depicted in the Borough coat of arms (right). They will also, if you have the time, gladly take you on a tour of "the
Lanes"a network of old footpaths that run through the village center and which have been preserved at the insistence of the local community. In deed,, one such lane, Bell Jetty, finishes at the side of our church build ing. Built in 1850, the church is probably one of the oldest buildings still standing in the village. We do not intend to let the building stand as just one more reminder of Wigston's past. It is rather our prayer that the Lord use the people who meet weekly in that building to affect the future of Wigston and to call its people to a new-found sense of the reality and power of God.
BOB HARTMAN

WIGSTON REPORT

The Phone's

Ringing

Are you one of those who hang up if it

hasn't been answered after four or five

How long do you let the phone ring?

ringis, or do you let it go on and on in

Or perhaps it depends upon the situation. You let it ring if they owe you ten bucks
and hang up quick if it's you that owes. If my own growth in Christ is anything
to go by,

the nopes that someone will pick it up?

ring" type, for there are some areas of my ministry, in particular, where it has taken me a long, long time to pick up the

the Lord

must

be

"let

it

receiver.

Bob and Sue Hartman

the sharing of ministerial responsibili

One of these has

to do with

Karl and Christopher

ties. Early in April, ALAN (a church leader) and I attended a week-end church

Society. Throughout the course, we were encouraged to evaluate our con gregation on the basis of the growth principles we were learning. In some Membership Mobilization left us both challenged to involve a larger per centage of the congregation in the church's ministry. Two weeks later I attended the Leadership Seminar at Spring Harvest (see last month's issue)
and received a second and stronger dose of the same material.
the phone.

growth seminar, sponsored by the Bible

areas we were quite pleasantly surprised by what we saw; but the matter of

ringing everywhere and on my return I took my first steps toward answering

Bells were

up out of their seat), but it was an encouraging start. LAUREN for example, who is presently typing this article Ctype something Lauren: Hello there. This job will be all right as soon as I can read BOB's scrawl!) offered to co-ordinate and organize the administrative side of my

gifts alone."

I preached what some considered (jokingly, I hope!) my most honest sermon to date: "What Your Minister Cannot Do". I tried to play the piano. I attempted to do a flower arrangement. I described the condition of the top of my desk. And in conclusion I said, "Help! If this church's ministry is going to be complete, it will take more than my talents and

The response to that plea was not overwhelming (no one got

work. For the past few weeks now she has has been typing old seminars, helping me with my correspondence, and showing me hitherto unexplored
possibilities for the efficient running of my work. I am impressed, amazed and grateful for this administrative gift with which the Lord has

blessed her. In another area DAWN has taken from SUE the oversight of our Young Adult Growth Group. SUE desperately needed relief from this respon

ness meeting we will be pr<y)osing a major administrative program to the church which, if adopted, will greatly expand the leadership team and even
more widely distribute responsiDilities.

sibility and DAWN is doing a superb job of working with these young Christians. With a view towards continuing this developing trend, we are now including a "Job Center" item in our cnurch magazine where we adver tize those tasks that need doing. What is more, at our next church busi

having answered the phone, we won't put it down till the Lord has had his
say.

where tne Lord is trying to get my attention. But as far as Membership Mobilization is concerned, he has got it. Will you pray for us, that
BOB

The phone has not stopped ringing.

There are still plenty of areas

FURNESS REPORT

Unexpected
YVONNE noticed in the kitchen

an odd

sense

of

reverse

"deja

vu." It gave us a laugh. We had

eight British houseguests. At the breakfast table they were natter ing happily away. "What is this?" YVONNE thought, recalling particularly our now-dear friends, HUGH and CAROLE, whose B&B (bed and breakfast) we love
to v i s i t in York. With a flour

Dick and Yvonne Stitt

ish and

southern English-layered

Yorkshire accented attempt at French, our good host in a hearty voice gives us "bon apetite" and an even heartier breakfast. "Hearing all those British voices made me feel as though I were Carole," Yvonne said, "The British accents were coming from the table,
and I had my American accent in the kitchen. It was like a B&B in reverse." (A wag will point out that a B&B in reverse...is still a B&B.) We are experiencing this more and more (except there is no charge for it). Unplanned, and largely as a result of our ageour "experience" at livingwe have a busy ministry to ministers and other folk who may simply need a holiday, a break from very busy lives, distance in which to consider life-changing decisions, or counsel on specific problems.

The serenity of the beautiful Lake District nearby helps and, as someone told us: "It is so peaceful with you; you don't have any childrenl" By count, we have had better than one overnight visitor every night

this year as an average.

(We d^ have nights to ourselves; most often

people come in family groups of two to six people, from which the "average" is derived.) Of these, sixty-five percent are British, the others American. By recollection rather than count, most come to us "shattered" (British for erfiausted). From our time together has evolved a 3-R sanctuary: Rest, Relaxation and Restoration. And it goes two ways, of course; it certainly mitigates the feeling of isolation we
might otherwise have.

Bob Hart man first got us to see this as a "ministry". Others agree. We've had a further idea: adding an "orientation center" for American ministers when they first arrive. Nearly three years of visiting with
other ministers makes it clear that part of the problem we all have comes from a lack of real understanding about what the job entails in a "First World" which is not ignorant of the gospel but chooses Instead to reject or ignore it. Our self-expectations are unrealistic. As we check out the need and value for this, we need your advice and counsel.
DICK and YVOHHK

WEST BROMWICH REPORT

EASTER JOY
Easter this year was a different one for me. I spent two weeks in the hospital for surgery to remove a kidney stone. Though it was different, Easter was particularly meaningful for me. After the operation I was feel ing very low for several days. A few complications together with the various tubes sticking out of me did nothing to encourage me! The
ward I was in was not the one usu

Jan and Pete Bowen

Gareth and David

ally used for recovery after this kind of surgery. For some reason the atmosphere, particularly from the staff, was really heavy. I felt oppressed. Good Friday was my lowest day. It seemed as though the powers of darkness were doing their worst.
Late that afternoon I was moved into the correct

ward. I began to experience peace. My quiet time on Easter Sunday was very special. I was uplifted with the sense of Christ's victory over sin and death, over the devil and all his works. I knew I was on my way to recovery when I read from Scripture: "I will restore your health and heal your wounds." PETE

epistle from ^nnlanh

SOOE. Jeltarson.lVasnin&on, IL 61S71
Boo S Sue Hartinan 48 Aahbourne Road

BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 61

WASHINGTON, IL 61571

Wigsron. Laiceater
LEe 1FE Dick S Wonne StS. 21 Duke SireBl Askam-ln-Furness
Cumbria LAie 7AD Jane! Bamea

3 Bawarti SI.

Hinckley. LEW ODH

LEIO TRS

Pale S Jan Bowen

Cut i Linaa Nontnialm

13 St. James Park

PS OttonJ ftoad

Weal Brommch, SanchteH

Wea MiOtands

Tuno'iOge Walla
KerM TNI ZLG Gail Bums A R/ta Ide 20 CulwrcKm Park Amk)

Dan S Amy nmell

101 PMtona aose Church Hill North

Tur\btiOg Welli
Ken TN4 90V

Reddileh, WOrcs.
B9a9AF

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200 E. Jellarsor\

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REDDITCH REPORT

Single
Obedience
There are many single parents in
our congregation. SUE is one of

these.

Like all the others, she

has had a very hard life from the . beginning. She was an unwanted and
abused child as well as an abused wife. Her husband left her to care

for two young children (aged four and five), as well as an unwanted
pregnancy on her own. In the midst

(L to R) Amy, Joshua, Dan and

David Yarnell

of

all this hurt

and pain she

became a Christian.

We have been quite involved with Sue and her three girls the past four years of ministry. We have seen her struggle in her relationship with the Lord and with other people.

She finds it difficult to trust and open up because of all the pain she
has encountered and experienced. Her growth has been slow and full of

struggles, but it has been a joy to see her learn to ask for help and to see God's healing begin in her life.
As an encouragement to all of us, I'd like to share a recent event in SUE's life where she chose to do what is right [despite her feeling of being hurt and angry. Sue is finding her middle child particularly difficult at
this time. The child has reached adolescence with

ffiAQiinp

SHotiWeo..reassurance.
a child.

w WAV HF

all its
child.

joys and struggles for both parent

and

Added to this is the child's hurt from her

father, which is being demonstrated by much anger and frustration. Much of the child's anger is taken out on SUE and naturally she finds it difficult to
manage.

However one night, after two explosions of anger, SUE went against all of her own feelings to reach out to her child in love, affection and

This has been a real victory for SUE and a step forward to

express love despite her own hurts and lack of love demonstrated to her as

Please pray for SUE and her family.

Pray that she and her daughters

would be open to the Lord and allow him to meet them in their needs. But also give thanks for this step forward in being obedient to the Lord. Finally, please pray for the many other single parents in our congregation and for our ability to minister to them. AMf

TUNBRIDGE WELLS REPORT

BEING A SERVANT
Blessings to all people who do
the work behind the

who

service

scenes! Those ensures the smooth

Curt, Linda, & Donnetta Nordheilm

Gall Burns & Rita Idle

running of a program, a service, a party, a club or whatever. The trouble is that we seldom (or even partially) realize just how much these quiet servants do and just how much we rely upon them until they go on vacation, retire or become ill, etc. TARA and TRACY used to help me with Children's Hour (a club for

three to six year olds). They would take charge of keeping the

children occupied with coloring while I spoke with the mothers of the

children or dealt with major crises ("Gail, I broke a crayon"), along with tidying up after the games and helping during the games. But they have had to stop helping because of new commitments in their young lives. And
oh, how I miss them!

RITA went to the States for her once-every-three-years furlough. Oh boy! What a hustle and scramble I had to make time upon many times while
she was gone. Though we share the same apartment and know what one another do, I was still off-balance those four weeks because I just did not realize nor appreciate all RITA did behind the scenes to make my
ministry run smoothly.

When CYNTHIA,

our piano player,

is ill and cannot be at worship

services, we really miss herespecially if the person who selects the

hymns picks some real doozies!and we have to sing "a cappella".

Those who serve behind the scenes. . . those who have the socalled

menial jobs. . . those who are faithful in their attendance (even if they
do sit on the back row)all are important.

'Blessed and used of God" does not belong exclusively to the leaders and to those who have taken on the harried, busy schedule of youth sponsor (resembling the chicken with its head cut off) and those we see up front
of us on Sundays. It belongs to all who serve no matter what that service might be. God honors all who give him honor in their lives. ALL

"There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service. The Spirit's presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of all" (I Cor. 12:5-7). All are of value to God. We need to stop and look around and consider
what God is doing under our very noses and with whom! flATT.