ACFA News - Chairman's Newsletter

Chairmans Newsletter Advent 2011

2011 has been a good year for ACFA and the promotion of biblical principles to a skeptical public. The current crises shows what happens greed replaces generosity, individual advancement trumps community, and debt mountains replace thrift. I do believe that God is giving us a ‘voice’ in these ‘squeezed’ times.

We have recently put forward sensible view points on BBC local radio (11 stations) regarding the public sector day of action on pensions, debating with the GMB union, with an open invitation to return. Robin Stamp wrote a wonderful piece on Debt picked up by 2 Christian radio stations, Christianity Today and Inspire Magazine. Arwyn Bailey has a few things lined up already for 2012, including a discussion program on Revelation TV. I have a feeling there are lots of ACFA members who have a passion about Money, Possessions and Justice- these issues, like the protestors around St Paul’s, won’t go away easily- contributions please!

Can I leave you a short thought if I may for 2012- stay generous, even if it hurts! Pleasingly, David Cameron wants a Big Society and a return to Christian values which surely includes generosity at the heart of this. Generosity comes naturally to many when there is a need that you can see in front of you (for instance caring for a sick or elderly relative) but the level of generosity that Jesus taught about goes much further than that - to those you can’t see and maybe to include your enemies as well. So, if you have not already started why not look at biblical levels of giving? What’s that, when God owns everything? Trust God to keep your monetary giving at the same level, even if profits have slumped? What we sow, shall we not also surely reap? This is a journey for us all. Just today, 19th December, via a friend I am now buying two pigs for a flood hit family in Cagayan do Oro, Mindanao!!

Lots of ‘thank you s’ to give. Behind ‘every great committee is a great administrator’ - thanks again to Cathy Cleveland. We say goodbye to Mark Crofts who has done so much for the committee over the last 4 years- aside from being ‘chair’ I am so grateful for Mark’s gift of listening to God, the themes of the last 2 conferences have arisen from this gift. It is interesting that ‘justice’ across our society is increasingly being picked up upon- (cf what are we as Christian business men and women doing practically about the heartbreaking unemployment amongst our 16-24 year olds?) In the background we have Andrew Boyd on PR fantastic. Thanks again to all that pitched in to help at the summer conferences.

Next year, the committee will be stronger and Derek Williams, wise strategist and author of the ‘New Vision’ document, has a whole host of developments to announce. Please continue to pray for him and the Committee.

Holiday Suggestion: Re-read Mark Lloydbottom’s ‘The Money Devotional’

May I pray God’s richest blessing on you, your family, your business and your church for 2012.

Aidan Vaughan
2011 Chair