Overseas Missions
See a video interview with Brian on utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwAdhU7jgYU
Brian Jennings: “I was born in London in 1955 and educated in various local authority residential schools because of my asthmatic condition. I became a Christian at the age of 16 in 1972 through the influence of a Christian house father at a school where I was a pupil. In 1979 I graduated with a B.A. (Hons) in Philosophy from the University of Nottingham and went on to train as a teacher.
1980 saw me in Birmingham where I began my short career as an R.E. teacher in Birmingham schools. After involvement in different Christian groups I became a member of Trinity Church of Christ in 1983. After completing my Master of Philosophy in Religious Studies with the Open University in 1989 I began my missionary service as a lecturer at Ghana Christian College and Seminary (now Ghana Christian University College). I gained my my doctorate on cross-cultural ethics in 2007. I am currently the Quality Assurance and Research Coordinator for the University College which means that I work with colleagues to enhance the quality of our to the education and service we offer to our students and that I assist students and staff in developing their research projects. ”
To find out more about Ghana Christian University College please visit the African Mission Evangelism website by clicking here.
Brian’s BULLETIN OCTOBER/November 2009
Monthly Bulletin of Brian Jennings, Missionary of the Fellowship of Churches of Christ to Ghana serving with Ghana Christian University College, Accra, Ghana, West Africa.
Dear Friends,
From Attalia they [Paul and Barnabas] sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:26-27
THE LIFE OF BRIAN
I’ve been very busy over the last two months travelling up and down the country visiting supporting Churches. I’ve been having a great time catching up with friends old and new.
The beginning of October saw me in Buckie where I stayed with Tom Hemlick, the new minister of the Buckie Church and visited a new church plant and Findochty, just along the Murray coast from Buckie. It was good to spend time with Tom and to appreciate his pastor’s heart for the people.
On the second weekend in October (11th-12th) I was with Charles Acolatse and Alan Robinson at Ilford speaking to a truly multicultural congregation with people from all over the world, including Ghana, like Charles and his family. Charles stood me to a fine Chinese supper and I hope to return the favour when he next visits Ghana! (Yes, we do have Chinese restaurants in Accra! – Just in case you are thinking of visiting!)
The following weekend (17th-18th)I travelled even further south to visit the congregation in Tunbridge Wells where I was dragooned into a quiz at the local Baptist Church on Saturday night. Cliff Allen (the minister of the Tunbridge Wells Church of Christ) and I discovered how much we didn’t know about contemporary popular music. We lost. We were both disgusted! However, the fellowship with the Church the following day more than made up for the disappointment, especially the portraits the children made of me. I never realised that my little remaining hair was bright green!
On October 25th, the last Sunday of October, I had the privilege of preaching at my home Church in the UK – the Pavilion Christian Community in Bournville on 2 Timothy 4:6-8 in which Paul talks about his readiness to die and enter the presence of the Lord. This proved to be a poignant message as Cynthia Field, one of our longstanding and much beloved members, had died the previous week. For many years Cynthia served on the Fellowship’s Missionary Committee and had been a constant source of support and encouragement down the years.
During November I’ve concentrated on Churches in the Midlands. I had a rare midweek meeting on Wednesday the 4th with old friends in Erdington who continue to engage with their local community through the Trinity Lane Christian Centre. The 7th-8th November saw me in Northampton visiting the Christian Celebration. The Celebration also has a new minister – Tony Maskell and a new location – a worship and community centre kindly provided by the local Methodist circuit in one of the suburbs of Northampton. This gives the congregation an opportunity to engage with a growing local community as new housing estates are going up all around their site. Two weeks later I was catching up with old friends in the Wigstone Church. I was presented with more portraits by the children. This time I had red hair and a blue beard. But one young sister produced a great picture in which I look friendly and jolly – a great likeness I thought!
Finally, just yesterday as I write this, I spoke at the Great Francis Street Church who have been staunch supporters and prayer warriors for the Ghana work down the years. Lastly, I’ve even had the chance to make a presentation to the Castle Hill Church in Sidney, where Rick Lewis (a former minister of Pavilion Christian Community) is now senior minister through a video which you can find here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RakzLFN2xps
There’s just one more visit to make now, to the folk in Workington on the 12th and 13th of December. The leaders of the Working Church, Ernie Thorpe and John Wilkerson are very keen that I should visit despite the floods that have ravaged their town.
When not travelling I’ve been working on a dissertation to complete my MA in Education with the University of Derby. So all in all a very busy time!
NEWS ABOUT GHANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Colleagues in Ghana have also been very busy as we now have over 200 students in our programmes – a record for us! We also have new hands to help in the task as we have recruited five new Ghanaian academic staff to teach in the School of Community Development. There’s a lot of work waiting for me when I return to Ghana!
PRAYER POINTS
Thanksgiving:
Safe travel up and down the UK!
Encouraging reception from supporting Churches
Please pray for:
Tom Helmick and Tony Maskell as they begin ministries in new Churches
New staff and students and Ghana Christian University College
For the congregation in Workington and the community it serves.
My UK contact details are: 153 Northfield Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 1EA
Tel.: 01214511854; Mobile: 07887914916; email: bkjennings@ghanacu.org
All contributions should be make out to the Fellowship of Churches of Christ and sent to Tim Herbert, 174 Redland Road, Bristol BS6 6YG,
email: herbsgardens@googlemail.com
God bless,
Brian