Annual Bilingual ConferenceWomen’s MissionaryAuxiliary (Zenana) Wales
University of Wales, Lampeter
4-6 September, 2012
Theme
Who are today's Prophets
(Jeremiah 1:5)
Gillian Davies and Eleri Lloyd Jones with the missionary Carol Turner
Gillian and Eleri gave updates from BMS
The Revd Mary Davies presented the Bible Studies
The conference was prayerfully led by the President, Bernice Davies, Caerphilly. This year’s conference was different as it was shorter and we missed the presence of three important people, Malcolm and Pauline Edwards, secretary, and Delyth Wyn Davies, BMS Co-coordinator. Thirty two delegates were residential with others attending daily.
President’s Evening
Bernice welcomed us to the conference and prayed that God would richly bless and encourage us. A tribute was given to Pauline Edwards, by Carys M.Jones. “She was a gifted, inspirational, prayerful lady deeply committed to BMS, its work and workers.” The BMS guest speaker was introduced. She was a retired midwife who had worked abroad with different agencies. A blessed time followed when Lydia Williams, Enyd Carroll and the President spoke about hymns which had influenced them before we sang the hymn. The evening ended with an epilogue given by Ann Morgan.
Morning Devotions
Each morning began with a hymn, prayer and short message. Sian Arwel Davies asked us to think about the conference theme, “Who are today’s prophets ?”God asks people to do unexpected things. Are we ready to listen and do unexpected things? Patricia Rogers, Vice President, asked us to when was the last time we had said, “God loves you” to someone or someone said it to us. The BMS prayer guide was used to pray for Action Teams, Church Teams and individuals.
Bible Studies and Groups
The Rev Mary Davies had prepared excellent study notes and discussion questions on the theme “Who are todays Prophets?” Jeremiah 1. 5.She presented her studies in a simple clear way leaving us wanting to go deeper into the subject. Small groups gave us time to think about the subject, pray and discuss the questions,
eg 1. Do we believe God still calls people to serve Him? If so, who does He call and how does He call them? Are we aware that God has called us to some particular task in the church or outside it?
2.What was Jeremiah’s attitude to idols? Are there idols in society today? How can we avoid becoming involved with them?
BMS Report
Eleri Lloyd Jones gave us the latest BMS news with information on people, projects and prayer needs. Gillian Davies updated us on Judy Cook’s work in Thailand. It was good to see how the children had grown.
Guest Speaker
She talked about Projects people had been able to join. Attending a Business Development Project had helped people to become literate and learn how to make and sell crafts. A Community Project resulted in people having toilets, clean water and special flour for malnourished children. During a Clinic Project people received advice on family planning, antenatal care and vaccinations. As a result of these projects people are becoming more confident, skillful, healthier and able to have an income.
Prayer Points
Protection for workers, patience in frustrating times and people who are prepared to help with projects. People need to be Jesus in the community, living out their faith, showing love in action.
Communion Service
The Communion Service was led by
Rev Alistair Swinford, Pontypridd, the President’s cousin. This was a truly blessed time with an excellent message. A collection was taken for BMS.
Open Forum
Hazel Williams Jones was congratulated on becoming President of the Baptist Union of Wales. Delegates were able to discuss relevant business matters.
Closing Session
Mary Wynne Jones, Bonni Davies and Marlene Jenkins closed the conference with Isaiah 41.10 “So do not fear, for I am with you, Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will up hold you with my righteous right hand”.
Stalls
Fair Trade produce and BMS cards were on sale.
Many people helped to make the conference a blessed, challenging, time through praying, lending us Communion items, hymnbooks and technical items. Thank you.
Come and join us at next year’s conference Sept 3rd- Sept 5th .
Carys M. Jones
.
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Annual Meeting Women’s Missionary AuxiliarySenana Cymru
Mount Carmel, Caerphilly 9.5.2012
Over a hundred people travelled from all parts of Wales to attend Senana Cymru’s annual meeting.
AFTERNOON SERVICE-The service began with a welcome greeting from Rev.Howard Jones, minister of Carmel Chapel. Miss. Carys M.Jones,President, opened the service with a prayer,followed by a tribute to Mrs.Pauline Edwards,Senana secretary for many years.
INDUCTION OF NEW PRESIDENT Mrs. Wendy Angove, Bethel introduced the new President, Mrs.Bernice Davies, Bethel, Caerphilly telling of her involvement in the church and her passion for mission.A Bible reading was given by Miss Elizabeth Russell-Jones,Bethel followed by a prayer by Mrs.Daphne Taviner, Ebenezer.
Miss Carys M.Jones said it was a great honour to induct Bernice. God would guide,encourage and help her as she carried out her duties.
Phil.4 v 13-“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
The congregation stood as Bernice signed the President’s Bible. After being presented with the President’s brooch a prayer was given by the retiring President.
Mrs. Bernice Davies began her presidency by giving apologies for absence. A letter from Mr. Glyndwr Prideaux was read by Mrs.Hazel Williams -Jones.The new Vice President, Mrs Patricia Rogers, Hayscastle, Pembrokeshire was welcomed. She thanked everyone for the honour of being Vice President and welcomed us to next years meetings. During the afternoon service four hymns were sung, accompanied by a talented young man Owen Ralph.
Come let us sing of a wonderful love tender and true.
Dyma gariad fel y moroedd, tosturiaethau fel y lli.
The Lords my shepherd,I’ll not want. He makes me lie in pastures green.
Mawr oedd Crist yn nhragwyddoldeb, mawr yn gwisgo natur dyn.
After the collection for BMS, Mrs Meriel Marsh prayed. Bernice thanked Mrs.Delyth Wyn Davies, BMS co -ordinator for the work she has done through out Wales to promote BMS and wished her well for the future. Delyth then gave a BMS report. BMS meets the needs of people in 35 countries, helping, inspiring and equipping the Church through different projects. People from Wales are involved with BMS in the UK and abroad. Information leaflets were available on the BMS table.
Mrs Rhianwen Huws Roberts, President of Mudiad y Chwiorydd, welcomed Bernice to the Presidency.
Two members of Bethel presented a short drama demonstrating the fact that God is always with us, in the good and bad times.
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
The theme was Mountains and Valleys. On a clear day mountain top views are wonderful,often different from the valley view.
Sometimes we feel we would like to remain on the mountain top to avoid difficult situations in the valley. When we spend time in prayer God gives us the mountain top experiences to enable us to cope with the valley experience.
David said in Psalm 55 “Oh that I had the wings of a dove and would fly away and be at rest but in verse 23 we read as for me I can trust in you.”
The afternoon meeting ended with the blessing by Rev Rosa Hunt - Bethel.
EVENING SERVICE After a wonderful tea prepared by friends and family the evening service commenced. Readings and prayers were led by Mrs.Louise Kirton,Bethel, Mrs Myra Bennett, Carmel, and Mrs.Barbara Evans,Ton y Felin. Hymns sung were-,
Spirit of the living God,
Glan gerwbiaid a seraffiad fyrdd o glych yr orsedd fry,
There is a redeemer, Jesus, Gods own Son.
You did this mighty deed,O Christ, Gods Son,You gave me joy, anew the race to run.
They were accompanied by Owen Ralph.
Caerphilly Ladies Choir sang five songs including John Rutter’s The Lord bless you and keep you. Natalie, Michael and Gethin, young children of the Pastor of Bethel sang songs they had learnt at Spring Harvest.
Rev.Margaret Gibbs, BMS was the guest speaker.She spoke of life at a clinic in Nepal. Patients need to want to have a different lifestyle because the treatment is long and arduous. They are accompanied by a relative to help with treatment. Home visits are made to adapt homes and wheelchairs. The smiling face of a man treated at this clinic was on the on the cover of the BMS Spring prayer guide.To see people smile after treatment is stimulating for staff,family and friends.Through BMS involvement lives are being changed.
Coming away from the meetings everyone had been encouraged, revived, blessed, and challenged. We need to make time to be still, to listen to God and remember that God is with us where ever we are, however we feel.
Through prayer, giving and involvement we can become more involved in the work of BMS.
Isaiah 2 v3.“Come,let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.”
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Carys M.Jones,Pandy,Glynceiriog
A Tribute to Mrs Pauline Edwards from Miss Carys Jones
(Presented in the Annual Meeting at Caerphilly)
Pauline was a very special person who showed the love of Jesus in everything she said and did.
She was a very gifted, inspirational lady, deeply committed to BMS, its work and workers.
She was always willing to help, guide and listen. She was available at the end of the telephone, providing a listening ear, offering advice. E-mails were replied immediately. Most importantly, Pauline was prayerful.
Those of us who have been President are grateful for the love, encouragement and guidance she gave us. She was more than willing to help and spent many hours translating and writing reports. Everything was well done to a high standard.
When I first attended a Senana Conference, I was so impressed by her commitment, care and understanding of BMS activities that it made me want to return the following year.
Pauline and Malcolm worked fantastically as a team, with great organizational and administrative skills. Future meetings and conferences will be strange without their leadership and guidance, but we MUSWT continue the work with the same enthusiasm, care and prayer.
Pauline was President of Senana in 2006 when she quoted Ephesians 5, verses 1 and 2. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Pauline WAS an imitator of God living a life of love, showing love in action in everything she did.
Let us remember her quiet words of wisdom, her prayerfulness, and devotion to Jesus, BMS and its work.
It has been an honour and privilege to have known and worked with Pauline.
We thank Malcolm, his family and friends for their very generous donation to Senana Cymru.
We thank God for her life and involvement with Senana Cymru.
