Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

Barnsley minister called by skype 

The world is certainly getting smaller and distance is proving to be no barrier in the calling of new ministers - as Barnsley Baptist Church can testify


Skype Ken Brenda JeffersonIts new minister the Revd Ken Jefferson was called after preaching to the church by Skype from Swaziland where he was working with the charity the charity the Claypotts Trust.

Terry Foers, secretary at Barnsley Baptist Church, takes up the story: 'We are very excited to let everyone know that Barnsley Baptist has called a new minister. He is the Revd Ken Jefferson, originally from Scotland but working in Swaziland at this present time.

'We believe that the call might be unique because he ‘preached with a view’ via Skype, on Sunday 15 June. At a special fellowship meeting after the service on Sunday 22 June it was unanimously agreed that we invite Ken and his wife Brenda to the pastorate in Barnsley. This has been accepted.

'We are still in awe of the fact that we were able to link with Swaziland, 6,000 miles away and that Ken and Brenda were able to join in our service. We rejoice in this appointment and ask you to remember us as we prepare for Ken and Brenda’s arrival in the New Year.'

Terry's 15-year-old granddaughter helped him set up the link and made a video recording.

Terry tells how the calling came about: 'Shortly after our minister retired in November 2012 mutual friends told us that the Revd Ken Jefferson, a Scottish Baptist Minister and his wife Brenda, might be coming back to England from Swaziland and might be interested in coming to us.

Skype250'In the summer of 2013 it was decided that they would come back for a few weeks' sabbatical in March of this year. The planned sabbatical was intended as part of the process of seeking God's will for them for the future. It was agreed that he would help us during that time. In the end this didn’t happen due to family illness, but towards the end of March Ken was able to make a short visit on business and spoke to us one Sunday morning about his work in Swaziland.

'During the next few weeks Ken told us that it was their intention to come back to England in about six months' time. This seemed to be an opportunity not to be missed and after much discussion the church decided to ask him to speak to the fellowship.

"We were able to do this through Skype with Ken and Brenda watching the service from 6,000 miles away - and then Ken spoke to the congregation for about 20 minutes and remained watching while we sat around the Lord's table sharing communion with one another."

The couple, who have more than 10 years experience in Southern Africa, are directors of the charity the Claypotts Trust, which supports compassionate Christian ministry in Swaziland, the smallest kingdom in Africa with the highest incidence of HIV / AIDS on the continent.

Ken is currently pastor of Mbabane Chapel, a young  interdenominational and international church in the capital city of Mbabane. 

He said, 'Although we are in a third world country, the Kingdom of Swaziland has a reasonable internet connection. The head of the Post and Telecommuncations is one of my elders, so he looks after us and we have good access to Skype. We use it regularly for family and business connections, but this was a first in terms of preaching, and well done to the Baptist Barnsley Baptist Church who, with family help, set it all up.

'I had known that Barnsley Baptist Church needed some pastoral help and originally had been going to join them for a sabbatical as Terry says in his comments.

'Although I have served  as a senior pastor in some large situations, my real privilege has been in working in churches that have hard times, and through applied pastoral care, and biblical teaching, I have seen them come from yesterday towards a new tomorrow and there no challenge quite like this. I do believe that a tide can be turned - not by me of course.

'I say these things as a realist who has a streak of optimism running through his veins.  And then Barnsley, with Geoff Boycott, Dickie Bird, Michael Parkinson, Michael Vaughan..... and the oldest living resident in UK - what's not to go for!'
 

This story first appeared on teh website of the Yorkshire Baptist Association and is used with permission



 
Baptist Times, 01/10/2014
    Post     Tweet
YBA Home Mission Stories
Examples of how Home Mission funds are being used in the Yorkshire Baptist Association
SubArticleD2019
'It creates space to understand the powerful emotions we all feel when someone close dies' 
Oakes Baptist Church in Huddersfield has run the Bereavement Journey five times. Trustee Richard Waller explains more
‘You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew’ 
The story of how Skipton Baptist Church in Yorkshire transformed an empty row of Victorian cottages next door, which has given the church more capacity to meet growing community needs and be more missional
Baptist church hosts pop-up opera 
Shipley Baptist Church hosted a pop-up opera as part of the Shipley Town Centre Christmas Lights switch-on
Stop and Pray for Yorkshire - SPY   
The Yorkshire Baptist Association (YBA) is inviting members of the Baptist family to join in seeking God together in prayer over the 50 days between Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. Regional minister Nike Adebajo explains more
'Daniel has much to bring to our shared task of re-gospelling the north of England'  
The Trustees of St Hild College have announced the appointment of Dr Daniel McGinnis as the college's next Principal
'It brings us great joy to introduce you to Ukrainian cuisine' 
Ukrainian families attending Shipley Baptist Church marked the first anniversary of the invasion by Russia with a Ukrainian meal - and shared their thoughts on how the war 'has changed everything'
ukrainecrisis
     Regional News 
    Posted: 05/04/2022
    Posted: 06/01/2022
    Posted: 07/09/2020
    Posted: 09/04/2020
    Posted: 18/12/2019
    Posted: 01/11/2018
    Posted: 31/10/2018
    Posted: 31/01/2018
    Posted: 28/06/2017
    Posted: 21/02/2017