500 people attend Mission Real Lives in the Lagan Valley Island

About 500 people packed the Lagan Valley Island on Sunday 26^th March 2006 for the opening night of Mission Real Lives, with about 50 people unable to be seated in the main auditorium.  Organised by Lisburn and Emmanuel Baptist Churches, the service was led by Pastor Robert Murdock of Emmanuel Baptist Church and the guest speaker was Roger Carswell.  Sharon Baird, Paula Coulter and a choir comprising of members from Lisburn and Emmanuel Baptist Churches led the hearty praise and the soloist was Julie Larmour.

In an emotional interview conducted by Roger Carswell, local businessman Andy Cardy spoke about the tragic loss of his nine-year old daughter Jennifer.  He recalled how he went hand-in-hand with her to buy a new bicycle at a shop near the family home and of the time when she rode off on the new bike - the last time he seen her alive.  Andy spoke of the exhaustive search that ensued that day at farmhouses and how as the night went on he said, �They knew they were in trouble�.  The Police and the army, with many of his friends taking time off work, joined in the search for Jennifer.  The new bicycle was found over a hedge and a week later fishermen found Jennifer�s body in a dam about half way between Hillsborough and Dromore.  Andy went on to explain the impact of Jennifer�s death on him spiritually and recalled that the Rev. William Beattie ran meetings in the family home every night and how as a result of these meetings he was convicted of the dread of dying without Christ and spoke of his conversion a few weeks later, following a Gospel Mission.

He said that, �He knew Jennifer was with Christ, and would not want to come back even if she could� and went on to speak about his assurance of the joy of seeing her in Heaven.  Asked, �who are you looking forward to seeing the most - Christ or Jennifer? Andy replied, yes, he was looking forward to seeing Christ, but he was also looking forward to seeing his daughter Jennifer.  In conclusion Andy spoke about the number of people who had heard the Gospel through Jennifer.

Following the interview, Roger Carswell in his address spoke of four different ways in which people came to faith: Through a sermon; because they have a relative; a specific call from God; and because they have a friend.  He invited the 500 strong crowd to �Come and See Jesus�.  Come and see him:

• Lying in the manger.
• As a young boy, beginning his ministry.
• Stripped of his garments and crowned with thorns.
• Dying for our sins on the cross.
• Taken from the cross and put in the tomb.
• Risen and ALIVE.
• Ascend into heaven.

He concluded by saying that one day Jesus will come again and asked the question, �Will we see him there?�

Pictured at the opening night of Mission Real Lives in Lagan Valley Island on Sunday 26th March 2006 are (seated) guest speaker Roger Carswell and local businessman Andy Cardy. Also included is L to R: (back row) Leaders from Lisburn and Emmanuel Baptist Churches - Pastor Robert Murdock, Noel Spence, Stephen Aicken, Allistair Magill and Alistair Quigley.	Julie Larmour - Soloist from Emmanuel Baptist Church singing �I give you Jesus� at the opening night of �Mission Real Lives� in the Lagan Valley Island on Sunday 26th March 2006. Also included is the combined choir comprising of members from Lisburn and Emmanuel Baptist Churches.

On Wednesday evening, Roger Carswell conducted an emotional interview with John Mosey about losing his daughter in the Lockerbie Air Disaster.

John Mosey spoke of his daughter Helga as being a lovely energetic lively child with whom he had a nice relationship; she loved music and led the worship in their church. Helga took a year out from University working as a nanny in the U.S.A. and came home for a week prior to Christmas 1988. John explained that he acted as her taxi driver for the whole week driving to various places to meet friends. On 21st December 1988, John drove Helga to Heathrow Airport to catch her flight to America where she was to sing in a Christmas Concert. Before the flight was called he asked Helga to ring her mother Lisa and as spoke the flight was called. Helga ended the conversation saying to her mother, �They are calling my flight, I will have to go�. John was unclear about most of his last conversation with Helga but can remember saying to her before she left, �Helga, I love you.�

The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Lisburn, Councillor Jonathan Craig, pictured with John and Lisa Mosey at �Mission Real Lives� in the Lagan Valley Island on Tuesday 28th March 2006. In an interview with guest speaker Roger Carswell, John spoke about losing his 19 year-old daughter Helga in the Lockerbie Air Disaster on 21st December 1988.

He travelled back home and someone rang to ask, �Did Helga get away� and went on to explain that there had been a plane crash over Scotland. They switched on the TV and a newsflash came on showing the disaster scene at Lockerbie and John recalled thinking how awful it was for the people involved. Then the flight number came on the screen - Pan Am 103. Even thought he had helped her check in her bags at the airport, the flight number did not register. The suddenly it did, Helga�s brother Marcus, who was 3 years younger than Helga, started screaming, �No, No, No.�

That evening about 40 visitors from the church came to the family home, some prayed, some wept and some just sat silently. John explained that as a Pastor he was used to dealing with bereavement and said that now, the �tables were turned�. Roger asked, �Has this destroyed you faith?� John replied, �We have preached most of our lives � this is when we test our faith and explained that not a hour has passed that Helga was not in his thoughts. He spoke of the uncanny peace or as he put it - �The peace of God, that doesn�t make sense.�

Roger asked, �Why did God allow this to happen?� to which John said, �God did not create the world that we live in today, it was sin that made it like that�. Roger enquired, �Have you ever regretted becoming a Christian at the age of 13?� John quickly replied, �Never� and concluded the interview by saying that he loves and enjoys life but focuses on the big things and spoke of the wondrous assurance that he will see his daughter Helga when he gets to Heaven.

Andy Cardy One of the guest speakers at Mission Real Lives	Pan Am Flight Wreckage

Programme of events:

Sunday 26^th March at 8.00pm Main meeting - Andy Cardy - �Losing a child�

Monday 27^th March at 8.00pm Main meeting - Mike Mellor - �A Journalist who over came Alcohol abuse�

Tuesday 28^th March 10.30am - 12.00pm: Ladies Coffee Morning

• 8.00pm:  Main meeting - John Mosey Losing a daughter in the �Lockerbie Air Disaster�

Wednesday 29^th March - International Day
Struggling to meet people and make friends in this strange country?
Please come and meet some friendly faces at our International friendship day.

• 10.00am - 11.00am:  Coffee and Chat

• 1.00pm - 2.00pm:  Book Table - items in many languages.  (Most will be free).

• 4.00pm - 6.00pm:  Coffee and chat

• 7.00pm:  Book table - items in many languages (Most will be free).

• 8.00pm:  Main meeting - Professor Andy McIntosh (Leeds University)

Thursday 30^th March - Creation Day

• Is Creationism a Scandal? - Two lectures by Professor Andy McIntosh.
  Professor Andy McIntosh (Leeds University) is one of the highest-ranking intellectuals in Britain and is committed to the belief that God created the world in 6 days. Come and hear why he believes what he believes.

• 2.00pm:  �The Intricacies of Flight� 

• 3.45pm:  �Genesis, Babel and the Nations�

• 8.00pm:  Main meeting - Albert McDonald - �Business and alcohol�