Month: February 2016

Tickets

Flyer front.001.jpegOn Mondays we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention.  This week we are excited to announce that tickets for the Convention will go on sale this weekend at the super early bird price of £6!  Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here – tinyurl.com/swc16tix

This super early bird price of £6 will be available until the end of April.  From May until July tickets will be available at the price of £8 and then from August until on the day tickets will be £10.  So get them now!  It will be totally worth it!

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Speaker – Hebrews 12

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On Monday’s we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention. We asked our speaker Carrie Sandom to share more about what she will be speaking on.  Carrie will also be running a seminar “Reading and understanding the Old Testament”.

What are you speaking about at the Scottish Women’s Convention and why?Run the Race Design

We will be looking at Hebrews 12 together under the title “Run the Race”! The longer I have been a Christian and the longer I have been in Christian ministry the more I can see that we need encouragement to keep going in the race of faith. The writer to the Hebrews knew this too and wrote to encourage his readers to fix their eyes on Jesus. We will be looking at what this means in practice and how the Lord can use even the hardest of times to spur us on.

What is the title of your seminar at the Scottish Women’s Convention?  What is it about?

“Reading and understanding the Old Testament”

How can the Old Testament scriptures, written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, have any relevance for us living in the 21st century? And what do we need to bear in mind if we are going to understand them properly and then apply them today?

Why is this seminar topic important?

Many Christians find reading the Old Testament difficult and can’t see how it relates to Jesus and the New Testament, let alone how it relates to us today. But the OT is crucial to our understanding of who God is and what His purposes are throughout history. If we are to grow in our understanding of all that Jesus has done in the New Testament then we need to understand the Old Testament better. This seminar seeks to help us do just that.

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent them a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

DSCN3406 (2)Meet Karen…Karen lives in East Kilbride with her husband Sam and two children Ryan (9) and Lucy (6).

How did you become a Christian?

I was brought up in a Christian home, so always went to church and was taught from an early age about God and what it was to be a Christian.  In my early teenage years attended many SU camps and youth events, where a few key leaders really drew alongside me and were a huge encouragement and influence on my life.  At the age of 14 I made a commitment and was baptised.  Since then it has been a journey full of ups and downs and I am continually learning more and more of what it really means to follow Jesus – a work in progress.

How do you serve within your church?

I work for the church as their Community Care Worker, as part of my role I have the privilege of serving in the EK Community Food Bank, Harvest Store, CAP Jobs Club and CAP money courses.

I also serve in the Sunday Club teaching P5-P7, help arrange Women’s events and play the flute in the worship band.

What are you usually doing at 2pm on a Wednesday?

Usually tidying up after Harvest Store, which we hold at Calderwood Baptist Church every Wednesday.  Harvest Store is there to support individuals and families in our community on low incomes by providing a range of goods (including fruit & veg, clothes, baby items etc.) at affordable prices. If I’m lucky there is just enough time to grab a quick cuppa with my friend before collecting the kids from school. ☺

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?

That we can’t and don’t have to face what life throws at us on our own.  We have to fully release everything to God and He will sustain us through. God has used the following quote and bible verse to really speak to me recently

“We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, braver than we feel and loved more than we can even imagine…”  Holley Gerth Inspired by Romans 8:31-39. 

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

How did you get involved in planning the Scottish Women’s Convention?

Agnes contacted my minister as we are part of the West of Scotland Gospel Partnership.  John then approached me and asked if I would like to be involved as I am part of the team that organises women’s events and conferences in our church.  I am very excited to be involved as I love it when women get together to equip, encourage and share with one another. 

What thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

Not sure I can narrow it down to one thing but being able to take time out of a very busy schedule to spend time with sisters in Christ and be fed and encouraged through Gods word, building on current friendships and hopefully making new friends along the way. 

Seminar – The joy set before us

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On Monday’s we like to draw your attention to certain aspects of the Scottish Women’s Convention. For the next few weeks we’ll be telling you a bit more about the range of Seminars that are on offer.

Name – Agnes BroughIMG_1307

Lives – Glasgow

What is the title of your seminar at the Scottish Women’s Convention?

The Joy Set Before Us

What is the seminar about?

The seminar will help us to look forward to the new creation – filling our minds and hearts with the joy set before us to strengthen us to run the race before us. 

Who is the seminar for?

Everyone.  Really, everyone.  Young and old. 

Why is this area important?

I think we deprive ourselves of comfort and help when we avoid thinking about death and eternity.  Christians have nothing to fear and MUCH to look forward to – so let’s do our souls good and dig into the encouragement of Scripture and look up and look ahead.   

Besides your seminar, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

My prayer is that the day will fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus – and that we will all grow in our confidence that God speaks through what He has spoken. 

Thursday Spotlight

On Thursday’s we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

We sent various people a questionnaire asking them to give us a taste of what they do, the challenges they face and what they are looking forward to about the Scottish Women’s Convention.

Carrie SandomMeet Carrie, our speaker…Carrie is Associate Minister for Women and Pastoral Care at St John Church, Tunbridge Wells, UK.   She also works part-time as the Director of Women’s Ministry at Cornhill in London.  She has served in women’s and student ministry for almost 20 years.

What area of ministry do you work in?

I’m involved in women’s ministry at St John’s Tunbridge Wells (small group Bible studies, CE course, one to ones etc…) and also on the staff at the Proclamation Trust (2 days a week) where I teach and tutor women at Cornhill and run a variety of conferences for women in ministry.

How did you come to work in this particular area of ministry?

I was a secondary Maths teacher for several years but then went to Bible College, having been encouraged by the pastor of the church I was attending. The plan was to study theology and then go back to school teaching. Needless to say the Lord had other plans and for the last 20 years or so I have worked in local church ministry – first with students and then young professions and now with women of all ages and stages of life.

My previous job was in London but when the funding for that role dried up, I moved down to Tunbridge Wells and have been based at St John’s since 2011.

Give one great challenge and one great joy of working in gospel ministry?

Joy – seeing the Lord at work in the women I work with, some of whom are very new Christians, as well as encouraging the older women to teach, train and model the Christian life to younger women.

Challenge – my own weakness and sin, which makes me feel inadequate for the task. It is also hard to see women walk away from the Lord when living as a Christian becomes too difficult or too costly.

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?

That it’s when I am weak and fully dependent on Him that He really is strong! I’m learning to gain from His strength when I am feeling weak/inadequate/daunted.

I’m a bit of a perfectionist and so have to trust that He gives me the time to do what’s needed – even if it’s not as polished as I would like!

Besides speaking and your seminar, what one thing about the Scottish Women’s Convention are you looking forward to and why?

It will be thrilling to meet together around God’s Word and to listen to Him speak. I am praying that the Lord will use this day to spur the women on in their love and service of the Lord Jesus and that this would have an impact in their families and their churches all across Scotland.