“2029----WRITING
OUR FUTURE NOW”
SOMA SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE
JULY 5—8-—2004 AT CANTERBURY
ENGLAND:
S.O.M.A.
- SHARING OF MINISTRY ABROAD, Celebrated 25 years of service to
ALMIGHTY GOD in July of this year with a Silver Jubilee conference at
Canterbury.
410 delegates attended, from 37 different countries including three from
Wales. (i.e. Glenys Williams from Swansea; Brian and June Waters from Newport.)
A.R.M. (Wales) started its contact with S.O.M.A in 1990 when Revd Michael
Harper spoke at our annual conference.
And in 1991, I represented A.R.M. (Wales) at an International conference
in Brighton.
Since then our work with S.O.M.A has been steady and varied. ( S.O.M.A
teams and conferences etc.)
S.O.M.A.
now has national bodies in 9 different countries.
Missions have been carried out by S.O.M.A. in 60 different countries,
with an impact on the world wide church that is constantly growing.
Many conference members funded their own costs.
Some were sponsored by parishes.
Numbers attending would have been higher, but some delegates had
difficulty over their visas.
The
conference was held on the campus of the University of Kent, at Canterbury.
Greetings were extended to the conference from the Archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams, well known to us in A.R.M. (Wales).
Lord George Carey, retired Archbishop of Canterbury was one of the main
speakers; another of our speakers well known in Wales was Revd Mrs Elizabeth
Kamau, from Kenya.
Morning Bible study was led by Revd Canon Dr Stephen Noll from MUKONO UGANDA. Subjects for the main addresses included the following:
1)
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE 21st CENTURY
- Lord George Carey
2)
THE
BEST IS YET TO BE
- Revd David Harper
3)
TRANSFORMATION
INTO AFRICA. -
Revd Canon Stephen Noll
4)
GLOBAL SHIFTS IMPACTING THE 21st CENTURY CHURCH - Revd Professor
Alister McGrath
5) TOUCHING HEAVEN, CHANGING EARTH. - Revd Elizabeth Kamau
6) EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING THE 21st CENTURY CHURCH - Rt.Revd James Tengatenga.
Plus
workshops on a variety of topics, on Tuesday afternoon.
There was plenty of time for socialising; and meeting old friends.
The purpose of the conference was twofold.
1 To give thanks to Almighty God,
for the vision for S.O.M.A. given to a group of delegates at the
1978 Lambeth Conference. And
for bringing forward leaders to see that the vision was brought
alive in such a wonderful way.
2 To project the vision forward over the next
25 years, to give the vision a realistic direction to
follow. Hence the title of the conference “2029—WRITING OUR FUTURE NOW”
A
few of the original founder members of S.O.M.A were present, and due respect was
paid to them. Thanks were
also expressed to those who organised this Silver Jubilee event.
Particularly Don Brewin S.O.M.A. U.K.
director, and all at the SOMA U.K office.
They can now take a much needed rest.
We
at A.R.M (Wales) must seriously consider who is to be nominated to continue our
membership of the S.O.M.A (U.K) council. It
is critical that we maintain our link with this growing, charismatic mission
movement.
Brian
Waters
Advance
Notice
15th
May 2005 is to be a WORLD DAY of PRAYER.
Every country is invited to take part in this God-centred prayer day.
In May 2004 millions of people in Africa took part in an African Day of
Prayer for their continent.
(SEE THE TRANSFORMATION VIDEO)