BUC Releases New Resources for 2024 Stewardship Revival Week
By Catherine Anthony Boldeau, BUC Stewardship Director
The British Union Conference (BUC) Stewardship Working Group, comprised of directors and sponsors from across the territory, has released a suite of new resources as part of the 2024 Stewardship Revival Week celebrations.
Embracing the theme of ‘God First: My Lifestyle’ as given by the General Conference, the resources are a diverse collection. They include 13 TV interviews, a set of 8 Promise cards, the latest Focus magazine in collaboration with the Stanborough Press, and a commissioned song, ‘…and I choose God First’ by singer/songwriter, Emmanuel Dadey from the Parkside Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship.
Interviews
The 13 interviews are centred around the theme of lifestyle management and are hosted by Pastor Alex Marenuic (South England Conference Stewardship Director) and Crystal Knight (Welsh Mission Stewardship Sponsor). Guests speak out about their experiences surrounding topics such as health (both physical and mental health), family life, time management, talent development, administration and finances. These interviews will be released every week, and the first one features Dr Chidi Ngwaba, a renowned lifestyle doctor, speaking about the need to care for our ‘beautiful bodies’. https://youtu.be/ui8CJw5PQqY
Promise Cards
At the heart of the stewardship theme is the need for personal, community, and corporate accountability. The Promise cards are a tool for members to personally commit to positive changes in various aspects of their lives, because “Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children.”1
Focus Magazine – Living a Satisfying Life
The 2024/2025 winter edition of Focus, a BUC outreach tool, features the topic of stewardship. The leading article, Generosity: The Heart of Christmas, by Pastor Jimmy Botha (Scottish Mission President and Stewardship Sponsor), reminds us that “For Christians, Christmas is a reminder of God’s incredible generosity in sending Jesus to the world, not as a distant figure, but as someone who walked among us, shared our struggles, and gave us hope.” Michelle Bahadur Barham invites us to ‘Pursue Joy’, Pastor Alex Marenuic argues that time management can transform your life, while Pastors Dee Edwards and Samuel Semakula encourage changing attitudes about Creation care.
‘…and I choose God First’ Single on Spotify
“I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music” – Johann Sebastian Bach.
Some of the most powerful sermons are found in the hymns we sing. Emmanuel Dadey, an Adventist singer/songwriter, was commissioned to create a contemporary worship song based on the ‘God First’ theme. He shared, “I believe that I must choose God over and over, every day until He is fully integrated into my lifestyle.” After prayerful writing, he used Isaiah 40:31 as the basis for the track because “God has made us a promise that if we choose Him first, we will mount up on wings of an eagle and we will run and not get weary.” The song will be available on Spotify on Sabbath 7 December, and we can’t wait for you to hear it.
Reflecting on the release of these resources, Catherine Anthony Boldeau, BUC Stewardship Director, praised the collaborative effort of the BUC Stewardship Working Group. Their dedication and support over the past six months have been instrumental in producing these resources. She expressed gratitude for the help and support of the Stanborough Press, in particular, Editor Dusanka Rancic, Kofi Osei-Owusu, BUC Creative Manager (Media), and Pastor Heli Otamo-Csizmadia, Trans-European Division Stewardship Director. She emphasised that ‘God First’ is a theme that is at the heart of stewardship and should be the motto of each Seventh-day Adventist in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
First week video with Dr Chidi - https://youtu.be/ui8CJw5PQqY
