Celebration for the Nations Update May 2011
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations (Psalm 67:1-2).
When God’s grace and his shining face are towards his people, the nations know his saving power. The Lord is longing to pour out his grace to us. He is asking us to seek his face, so that we too may shine with that light that is in him. When John saw his face he said that it blazed like the sun in all its brilliance. The result was a revelation that is still unfolding 2000 years later. It is a blessing to every nation.
Moses spoke with God face to face, and his own face shone. He received the law that is still the basis of civilisation today. It has blessed every nation.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
We too have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Just as in the original creation, light was the first thing created (even before the Sun .....maybe this light is more to do with revelation than earthly vision?) so in the new creation, the Lord explodes light into our hearts as he shows us who Jesus truly is.
What do we do with that light? Do we hide it, or do we let in shine as we give our lives daily to do God’s will?
The water I saw in my vision had this heavenly light inside it. The water of life is within us. Let’s be clay jars, longing that the Lord breaks us to show his glory.
Celebration for the Nations Cardiff
20th May we will meet in Wales’ capital city to worship the Lord and pray for breakout there. Tribe (youth ministry from Swansea) will join us. They are regularly seeing young Welsh people saved. We have heard that there are some good things happening in some of the churches in Cardiff at the moment.
Burry Port Male Voice Choir
Thank you for praying with us for a Welsh Choir to take part in the Cymanfa Ganu (Welsh Singing Festival) which we are holding in a Welsh Chapel called Bethel on Saturday evening 23rd July. The Burry Port Male Voice Choir say that they are delighted to join us. The conductor of the choir, Ryan Lee (sounds Korean doesn’t he, but he is Welsh!) has also agreed to conduct the congregation for some of the meeting. That will mean that we can invite many local people to become part of a congregational choir for a Cymanfa Ganu. Our hope is that many who love singing, but maybe do not yet really know the Lord, will come into an atmosphere of worship.
We are hoping put invitations through local people’s doors, and have a practice meeting as well as the main event. This will also allow us to build up relationships. Pray that people who come to the Cymanfa Ganu will then come and join the rest of the Celebration.
Please pray also for a Korean choir to be part of things, singing some of the old Welsh Hymns in Korean as well as newer songs.
Rap
Sunday night of the Celebration is going to have a youth emphasis. We have managed to get a Christian rap singer for that night as well as other groups. Our hope is to go to the beach on Sunday afternoon and let him do some rap, then invite young people to the evening.
Accommodation
We have now been told that someone else’s offer has been accepted on St Elli, the old nursing home that Nations Trust are wanting to buy. We understood that the vendors had said they would accept our offer if we could complete within 28 days, which we could. They then did not get back to us. A few days ago we found out that, unknown to us and the local estate agents, they had been dealing with another party. Still we feel this place if for us, and continue to pray in faith. We have received the offer of another £30,000 interest-free loan, which is encouraging! However it looks unlikely that the building will be ready for this year’s Celebration. Pray as we look for other accommodation. Please pray for families that are coming, that they will be able to find appropriate accommodation.
Ireland
The Celebration Mobile Team had a fantastic time in both the North and South of Ireland. Many relationships were forged. Celebration has been invited to Derry which will be the European City of Culture in 2013. This city suffered terribly in the Irish troubles. Suk Kwang will be writing a full report with photos and video. Look out for it on the website!
Inspiring History
The Hmar Tribe from Northern India were infamous head hunters, but were powerfully impacted by a solitary Welsh missionary.
Watkin Roberts visited the Hmars -- armed only with a copy of John’s gospel. He himself had been overwhelmed by the events of the 1904 Welsh Revival.
And now, 100 years later, the Hmars have come to Wales to celebrate the 1904 revival and say thank you to the people of this nation. They are taking part in the 1904 centenary events in Cardiff’s ‘04theCity’ celebration, a series of special events at the Cardiff International Arena, to mark the centenary of the 1904 Welsh Revival.
A hundred years ago the British branded the Hmar tribe as North East India’s “worst head-hunters.” But in 1910, Welsh missionary Watkin Roberts brought a Gospel of John to the Hmars, changing the course of their history.
Soon, the British expelled Roberts from India and he returned home, his hopes and dreams shattered. But little did he know what would come of the seed he had planted.
Now, one hundred years later, 98 percent of the Hmar tribe -- former head hunters -- have become Christians. They total more than 1 million people.(from www.sermonindex.net)
Artists
Last year we started encouraging Christian artists to express their worship by painting etc. within the worship times. We would like to continue that this year. It was greatly encouraging to visit Korean Christian Artists who had come to Cardiff over Easter, and see their work. Shin-il Park, who was one of the organisers has left some of his amazing artwork with us, so that we can display it in the Celebration. (Warm thanks to Pastor Jacob Park and Stephen and Stella Price for all their organisation and love for Wales and North and South Korea). Our hope is that by many mediums people will be drawn to the Lord.
Christine
Praise God for Christine Bae who will arrive on 22nd May to help with the administration of Celebration!! Please pray for her as she enters the country and that she adjusts quickly to team life here.
Just two months to go before we see you all, and worship before the Throne together! Oh, let us be sensitive to the wonderful Holy Spirit as he prepares our hearts and minds.
With love in Christ
Gail for the Celebration Team
NB: If you wish to contact the Gail of the Celebration Team please write to:- This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
