The Grapevine Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)
Welcome ..………………….…………….....................4 A Picture Paints a 1000 Words………………….......5 Cash for Kids South Wales ......……………………..6 From Crisis to Calling…………….....……................8 #whatisgoddoinginwales?………….……...............10 A Prayer for Mental Health …....……………..........12 From Nicaea to Now..………….……………….........14 Harvest and Hope …….…......……………………….15 It’s a Kind of Magic? ...………………………...........16 On Parting with a Dear Friend ….........................18 Calling All: Shine Your Light! ….…………………..19 Faith Hope & Love “I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:5)
light on the Church in the st Century 21 - see last article and event on 13th Dec EDITORIAL TEAM: General contact & news stories: grapevinepublication@gmail.com Editor: Phil Burkhard philipburkhard63@gmail.com Christ The King: Justin McCarthy jpmccarthy@btinternet.com St. Brigid’s: vacant St. Paul’s: Madeleine Jeremy mj@madeleinejeremy.com Youth: Tom Hobbs ThomasHuwHobbs26@gmail.com Community: Emelyne Burkhard emelyne@hotmail.co.uk
Everyone Welcome to the 7th issue of The Grapevine! This is produced by the 3 Churches in North Cardiff with contributors and an audience from the wider Christian community – both near and far. The content reflects ‘faith, hope and love’, in the 21st century. Church is more than a building; it’s a community & it’s people. One body in Christ. There is growing evidence of people seeking God and churches working together as part of a Revival in Wales, UK and globally. This issue includes calls to get involved and how people, schools and churches put faith into practice. Contact us: grapevinepublication@gmail.com Prior issues are on: www.3churches.org or enjoy reading and sharing via the QR code. Get involved! On 5 November construction began on the Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer. This opens in 2028 and will be 2.5 times the size of the Angel of the North. A picture containing icon See www.eternalwall.org.uk to find out more, add your prayer, donate or volunteer to ‘make hope visible’ e.g. 150,000 answered prayers from 126 countries to-date! Add yours! Description automatically generated
Cartoons, sketches and paintings often 1 tell a story. How do these images speak to you? Let us know and we will publish the responses in the next issue… 2 Caitlin Dempsey using Natural Earth data 3 4 5 6 Let us know what these images stir in you! We will publish comments anonymously. Please contact us at: grapevinepublication@gmail.com
(Christmas and Beyond) If a picture paints a 1000 words then so “Our promise is simple: what’s raised do these images, on the next two pages, locally, stays local. With Bauer covering kindly supplied by Laura Tucker (Charity our running costs, at least 80p of every £1 Manager, Cash for Kids South Wales). goes directly to children who need it most, right here in South Wales”, says Laura. Cash for Kids, the official charity of Bauer Media, is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK up to the age of 18 – those affected by poverty, illness, neglect or additional needs. The Need is Close to Home: For many children, Christmas morning would mean no gift at all if it weren’t for the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas campaign. Last year, thanks to the generosity of local people and At the heart of the Christmas story is the organisations, 1,800 children had spirit of giving – the call to reach out in something to open on Christmas Day. But love to those most in need. As well as the need continues to grow – around fundraising, Cash for Kids provide grants 62,825 children (30%) in South Wales to support individuals, schools and are currently living in poverty. Some of community groups. “It is more blessed them may well be in our own to give than receive” Acts 20:35. communities… “
(Christmas and Beyond) How can You Help this Christmas? Parish communities can join with Cash for Kids and can help in many ways… Fundraise: See the video at Mission Christmas | Cash for Kids. Choose South Wales as your region, and you’ll automatically receive a full pack of resources for collecting donations. Laura adds: “Every penny counts, and when you donate cash instead of gifts, we can triple the value.” Online Gift List: How can You Help or Benefit Anytime? The infographic above shows how much is raised and how many children across the UK are helped. For the latest Cash for Kids news and campaigns, including how to make a donation or apply for a grant, please visit cashforkids.org.uk. Simply browse, choose a gift, and it will be sent directly to Mission HQ. You can “We’re so grateful to The Grapevine find the link here: Cash for Kids Gift List. readers and parish communities for their Physical Donations: Cash for Kids can supply donation boxes for new, unwrapped toys and gifts. These can be dropped at the warehouse continued support”, says Laura. As it says in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” in Swansea — and they’re working hard For more information, visit the website to secure a Cardiff location too. above or contact Laura Tucker, Charity Depending on the volume collected, they Manager for Cash for Kids South Wales, may also be able to arrange collection. at laura.tucker@bauermedia.co.uk.
Emmanuel Alli is a House Fellowship When I called for an ambulance, the Leader at The Warehouse Church in operator calmly informed me that the Newport and a volunteer with the wait time would be around four hours. I Evangelism & Outreach Group, helping remembered staring at the phone in to share the gospel and build community disbelief, the weight of those words connections. Together, Emmanuel and sinking in. There was no time to wait. his wife, Mercy, are co-founders of Care Managers Ltd., where their shared faith and professional experience meet in mission to bring care, dignity and Christ’s love into homes and communities. This is With adrenaline and prayer coursing through me, I lifted Mercy into the car and drove her to the hospital myself. Looking back now, that desperate decision contributed to saving her life. their story of how their lives changed in February 2022 – forever… She was transferred to Cardiff Hospital for urgent operations. Once there, Mercy underwent three major brain operations. The doctors told us her chances were only 50:50. For six long weeks, she lay in the Intensive Care Unit, suspended between life and death. Each day was a battle. Each night was filled with prayer. It began as an ordinary day, but in a I remember standing by her bedside, single moment, everything shifted. Mercy whispering Psalms, speaking life over suddenly collapsed, gripped by a pain her, and believing that God would bring and confusion that neither of us her back to us. Family, friends, and understood. The diagnosis would later members of our church joined in prayer, reveal a brain aneurysm—a condition holding on to faith. And then - God that often proves immediately fatal. answered.
Slowly, Mercy began to respond. One This was no longer just a business—it eye opened, then the other. Her hands became a ministry of compassion. began to move and she started Care Managers Ltd now provides learning to walk again through the domiciliary care, supported living, and support of our son, a physiotherapist. nurse staffing services but now there’s The day she whispered her first words a spiritual heartbeat to the work. after weeks of silence, tears filled the room. The doctors called it “remarkable.” We called it a miracle. But Mercy’s story didn’t end with survival—it began there… As she recovered, she often reflected Mercy believes that care is a calling. on the kindness, patience, and Recently, she launched a faith-based compassion shown by the nurses, home care package for elderly doctors, and carers who had supported Christians. Through partnerships with her through her darkest days. Having local churches, this initiative provides faced the fragility of life firsthand, she personal care, companionship, Bible felt a new sense of calling—one that study, worship assistance and went beyond gratitude. She felt God transportation to church services. asking her to give back and become a vessel of the care she had received. Together, we decided to transform our small business, Care Managers Ltd, Sometimes, God uses crisis to awaken which had started as a healthcare job our calling. What began as tragedy portal, into a provider of home care has become testimony which we and supported living. hope inspires all to trust in God’s care.
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