SWAAF Anniversary and Company Organisation, Sabbath 31 May 2008
Photos by Theo Gokah and Clive Smith
SWAAF Anniversary and Company Organisation, Sabbath 31 May 2008
by Theophilus Gokah and John Surridge
On Sabbath 31 May 2008 around eighty people attended a day of celebration for members and friends of the South Wales African Adventist Fellowship (SWAAF). The event celebrated the first anniversary of the inauguration of the group but was also the occasion of its organisation into an official Company of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Welsh Mission President Pastor John Surridge officiated at the service, assisted by Pastor George Boakye Asiamah, who is currently serving as the minister for the Barry and Port Talbot churches as well as the South Wales African Adventist Fellowship. Friends, families and well-wishers came from the Cardiff and Newport churches, and even from the Telford church, some 130 miles away.
SWAAF was instituted by the Welsh Mission primarily as an attempt to reach out more effectively to the African community in Cardiff. However its role has grown and developed over the past year, as pointed out by Dr Theophilus Gokah, one of the prime movers in the group, in his introductory talk on the history of SWAAF. Early on in its campaign to reach out to the surrounding community, the group adopted the title "SWAAF For All Nations", and it has certainly tried hard to live up to this challenge. Today the friendship circle of SWAAF encompasses people from many different cultural, linguistic and national backgrounds, not all of which are African.
Following Dr Gokah's talk a lively video presentation summarised in pictures the many events that SWAAF has run over the last year - and generated a spontaneous round of applause, both for the memories and for the technical expertise of those who had prepared it.
In his welcome address, Pastor Asiamah, echoed the comments of Dr Gokah as he set forth his vision for bringing together African and Caribbean Christians from all over South Wales for praise and worship, fellowship and friendship. He urged members and supporters of the fellowship to let SWAAF, with its rich traditions and beliefs, develop and grow naturally from generation to generation.
In his children's story Pastor John Surridge warned old and young alike that living the Christian life will inevitably attract opposition. This is particularly the case for churches that stand out, like the Seventh-day Adventist church, and for groups that try to do something a bit different, like SWAAF. However he urged them to shake off the insults and criticism, and rise above them in order to achieve the full potential that currently only God can see.
In his sermon Pastor Surridge pointed out the differences between a club, a community and a church. "Many people," he said, "see the church as nothing more than a club or a community, but in reality it is much more than these things… Clubs and communities exist for the benefit of their members, but a church exists to serve the world - to bring the gospel to every nation, tribe and peoplegroup."
Following the fellowship lunch - which is very much a part of the SWAAF tradition - there was a sacred concert in which inspirational songs were provided by EVE (from Cardiff), Inspirers (Telford), the Chigbo Sisters (Newport), and Sister Noreen from the Swansea church. The SWAAF Fellowship Choir, which made its debut at the Welsh Mission Day of Fellowship at Llandrindod Wells last autumn, also thrilled the congregation.
Twelve members currently make up the core of new SWAAF company. There are a further seven who are awaiting confirmation of membership transfers, and eight more who are scheduled for baptism or acceptance by profession of faith. Fifteen children and eleven regular visitors help to make up a sizable weekly congregation, but the company has much greater ambitions than this. The next step will be organisation as a church - hopefully in the near future - and after that it is hoped that further expansion may lead to other church plants.
If you would like to follow future developments and see how God is leading the SWAAF Company, keep checking their website at: <www.swaaf.org.uk>. More than fifty photos from the day can be seen in the gallery section of this site.