Tottenham Lighthouse Church on Sabbath, 11 March 2023 joined many Seventh-day Adventist Churches around the world celebrating International Women’s Day. The Family Life Dept under the leadership of Bro & Sis Simmons organised a special programme for the day. Councillor Michelle Simmons-Safo, Chair of the Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny Panel - a politician, a woman’s rights campaigner but more importantly a woman of God, was invited to address the Church on this important day of Prayer for Women.
This was not the only high point of the day. The Church rejoiced when they were informed by our Pastor Dr Jude Jeanville that on Sunday, 5 March Sis Sophia Charles, the Community Services Leader was honoured at a special ceremony. She received the Mayor of Haringey’s Heroes Award in recognition of the sacrifice that she has made with her team to meet the needs of the public by initiating and sustaining a twice weekly Food Hub since August 2020. This award further raised the profile of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and God’s name was glorified. This honour was in addition to the prestigious status of Centre of Influence conferred by the British Union Conference upon the Tottenham Lighthouse Church on Sabbath, 25 February.
The Family Life Department ensured that all the women in Church were given a copy of a poem, ‘The Value of Women’ written in 1992 by Sis Sharon Platt-McDonald, BUC Director for Health, Adventist Community Services & Women’s Ministries. In addition, Councillor Simmons-Safo was asked to present the beautifully designed and thoughtfully worded Certificates of Appreciation to the matriarchs and patriarchs of the Church who were 70 years and older for their ‘faithfulness to Christ, courage and longstanding commitment to the Tottenham Lighthouse Church.’
Dr Jude Jeanville, in his message before Councillor Simmons-Safo took the podium, used the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy to show that Jesus went against the convention of His day to liberate and elevate women. We were enlightened when he explained that when God made a ‘help meet’ for Adam (Genesis 2:18), it was not just as an assistant for him. The Hebrew word translated as ‘help meet’ is ezer, which means ‘face to face’ (same level/same height) and ‘equal’.
Councillor Michelle Simmons-Safo lauded the leadership team of Tottenham Lighthouse for having a vision and mission for the community to be the salt of the earth. She reminded us that when we give to the poor we lend to God (Proverbs 19:17).She also commended the Adventist Church for their talent of being organised and putting things together with very little resources. It was her desire to see the mission planted at Tottenham Lighthouse Church, be a light to all around – all denominations, religions, races and creeds.
The Councillor ’kept it real’ and used examples of her life to explain how the prayers of her mother steered her to the foot of the cross. She encouraged the women of the Church to be bold, strong, vivacious, fearless, unique, authentic and victorious. However, to truly attain these qualities they needed to put their trust in God by seeking Him and His Kingdom first. She pleaded with mothers to travail for their children, for God answers prayers and He is able to usher them from ‘grass to grace’. She also begged parents to celebrate their daughters and not to put a limit on what they can achieve.
Councillor Simmons-Safo was accompanied by her mother and daughter. The Councillor and her mother were each presented with a bouquet of flowers. Her mother expressed delight with the service and the blessings she had received from fellowshipping with us.
Although Tottenham Lighthouse Church building is still ’under-construction’, we have chosen to honour God by focusing on the mission He has commanded us all to do. God who is faithful promised, ‘... for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.’ (1 Samuel 2:30)
