Sonia writes - I am now 70.
I knew that God was calling me to full-time work for God when I was 14 .... and I made a commitment of giving my whole life to God at an Easter Conference when there was a call to go anywhere, at any time, at any cost!
A hymn that comes to mind is very meaningful
All the way my Saviour leads me what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His faithful mercies?
Who through life has been my guide
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort ere by faith in Him to dwell
For I know whate'er fall me Jesus doeth all things well
I shared this sense of calling with my minister, Rev Alun MacNab. I remember his patient understanding and encouragement in those early days... he treated my calling with great respect. We both interpreted that calling to be as a 'missionary' and he fed me with missionary biographies and bible studies of God's Story.
I had no understanding of women in 'ministry' as that wasn't our experience, although, on reflection, the town where I lived, Bacup was where Rev Nancy Thomas was the Baptist minister a few years later.
I went to London Bible College at 18... where I met and married David - who was my Greek tutor! We sought God's leading on our life together. I trained as a teacher at London Institute and we moved on from LST in 1975 looking for God to guide us… We had no real sense of direction for quite some time but decided to live out our calling wherever we were and to work as 'tent makers' in Gods kingdom.
Whilst David was working full-time in industry in Rossendale and also pastoring a Baptist Church in Weir, Bacup, I was completely immersed being a mother to our growing family of five, helping in children / youth work, and in evangelism mainly amongst women in the Weir village and the surrounding community, as well as supply teaching when I could.
We joined BMS in 1985 and altogether we served over 20 years... in Brazil, Church planting and theological education (until 1997), Sri Lanka until (1999) and then at IMC in Selly Oak.(2000-2006). Whilst with BMS I felt very privileged and blessed to travel and visit many other places in Asia (including China, Thailand and Nepal), in Europe (including Bulgaria, Hungary, France and Spain), the Middle East (Lebanon), Africa (South Africa and Angola) as well as Brazil and Sri Lanka. This has created in me a love for the nations and smaller tribal groups around the world... people that God loves and calls to be His children - our brothers & sisters in Christ.
I eventually followed my sense of calling to become an ordained minister in order to 'fulfil the ministry that God had called me to do' and was ordained as a Baptist minister in UK in 1996 during a Home Assignment and returned to Brazil to continue my work as Director of Pastoral Ministry training in FTBB (Faculdade Teológica Batista de Brasília) and Director of Evangelism in the 3rd Baptist Church in Brasilia, working in the Youth prison, as well as in 3 Church plants. Interestingly this Church in Brazil recognised my calling and ordination even though the Baptist Junta (Union) in Brazil did not recognise women in ministry at that time.
When we moved to work in Sri Lanka to re-establish the William Carey Institute... we worked with young pastors to train and encourage them in their ministries. The Baptist Sangamaya (union) in Sri Lanka, did not recognise my ordination or calling. I remember letters/reports being written about 'the work of the Rev David Jackson and his wife'. But, at that time that gave me a freedom to become involved with all kinds of work in SL like the Colombo Theological Seminary (an evangelical, ecumenical college) - I was able to teach there and help them in the development of their degree programme.
Returning to U.K. was a big decision but working as manager for mission training at BMS, IMC in Birmingham was another exciting time as we transformed the buildings to become a centre for global mission training and became instrumental in the lives of so many people through regular preparation for cross cultural mission overseas and in UK. In the 6 years I was at IMC we had more than 2000 people go through some kind of training... from Church teams, ministers' teams, summer teams, action teams, short termers, mid-termers and long term MIFTs!
When the ad for Director of Training and tutor in Applied Theology at LST came on my desk it was another of those moments when God stops you in your tracks and you just know in your heart that this is from Him. We moved to the Northwood campus in 2006 ... this was where we had got married in 1970! I loved my work there with all the students but found that my first passion for meeting people and sharing the gospel in its simplicity never quite fit with academia.
We asked the London Baptist Association if there was a small Church in the area where we could work in part-time ministry as so many churches seemed in need and we wanted to be involved. So, ironically, we found that we were asked to work in what is possibly the largest 'congregation' in the world as I worked with David in a Home Mission role as Chaplains at Heathrow (as part of the ecumenical team).
In retirement we continued for a while as Chaplains at Heathrow and accepted a call to a retirement position to minister in Stoke Row Chapel in South Oxfordshire near Henley on Thames. (2010-2016) Another full Chapter of God's love and care for so many... including us and our family. What was a part-time, job share for retirement took on a life of its own as we shared our lives with the community and they with us. We became involved not only at the Chapel, but also in teaching arts and crafts - having mum's and toddlers again, children's clubs as well as becoming a School Governor. We looked for ways of serving so that we could be in places where Christ needed to be.
As we became older our hearts turned to what God had for us in our latter years as David turned 70 then 75 and now 80... We decided to move nearer to some of our family in Birmingham, sure that this was where we should be and although we still wanted to be 'useful' in the Lord's work we knew that the responsibilities of full-time Church life and work was becoming too much for us.
So we settled for a quieter life and planned our move to a Residential Retirement Village which was still in the building process. It was to have all kinds of wonderful facilities for use by residents and the local community alike. Our thoughts were that 'maybe' we could have a small house-group, or something similar there. We joined up with a group of Church leaders working together as 'God's Heart for Longbridge'.
I knew that I wasn't ready to 'retire' and began working for HEBA in a new role as an administrator for Safeguarding. A story in itself of God's hand in the development of that programme of training throughout the Association.
The new housing complex was opening up in Longbridge ... and we moved in on the very first day it opened... Monday July 10th 2017. The next day we were approached and asked to start a Christian Fellowship for the new residents - and so the very first Sunday of being opened began the Longbridge Village Christian Fellowship. Those present were the two of us and one RC lady, Yvonne, a retired music teacher. We have been meeting every Sunday since then... One year on we were regularly 30 people gathered together around the piano in the Bistro, two years on 45 and the beginning of this year 2020 we usually number between 50-60 to together worship in an informal setting. So began yet another new Chapter in our ministry... which we had thought was over! This ministry is different .... no walls, no traditions, no rules, no leadership team, no hierarchy.... freedom to be Christ's people in this community, in this place to love and serve in Jesus name... listening to God and following Him.
Now we are in lockdown ... literally with Coronavírus and although we are not meeting we are still God's people in this place. Working now, with a group of people using the telephone as a tool for ministry.
Today, after more than 3 weeks of struggling through this virus and holding firm, knowing I am in my Father's arms... being blessed through my friends and family; praying for me and with using technology to encourage and support us both as David has cared for me.... I thank God for His grace and peace as well as the deep-rooted joy He has given us as we abide in Him... who is our Saviour. This has given me much time for reflection on the CHESED love ... the Hebrew word for the steadfast, unmerited, eternal love that God has for his people... and the wonder that He has shown this love to me in so many ways.
Longbridge Baptist Church has given us a place to be refreshed during these last few years and the minister, Stephen Harris has been a supportive, encouragement along this journey and we thank God for him.
What is next? Each one of us look to Him... so that will continue to be... but maybe many things will change... we wait and we will follow where He leads.
My sense of calling has always been centred on Romans 12: 1-3.
Interpreting what that meant for me/us has taken us on a fantastic adventure with God. A life filled with so many ordinary everyday ups and downs but with the sure foundation that Christ is our HOPE and in Him we live and move and have our being. The Spirit of God has comforted, guided, empowered us along the way and we trust Him for each new day. We are living sacrifices offered to our Father in response to His great mercy.
"Take up thy cross and follow Me, "
I heard my Master say; "I gave My life to ransom thee, surrender your all today."
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, wherever He leads I'll go.
He drew me closer to His side, I sought His will to know,
And in that will I now abide, Wherever He leads I'll go.
Wherever He leads I'll go, Wherever He leads I'll go,
I'll follow my Christ who loves me so, wherever He leads I'll go.
My heart, my life, my all I bring to Christ who loves me so;
He is my Master, Lord, and King, wherever He leads I'll go,
wherever He leads I'll go, I'll follow my Christ who loves me so,
wherever He leads I'll go. Wherever He leads I'll go,
In Christ, I am His and He is mine - Sonia Jackson
p.s. A big thanks to Sonia for sharing with us her testimony to God’s faithfulness when we step out and follow him. Perhaps listen on you tube to ‘Sister Act - I will follow him’ I will be writing to you as usual on Sunday - Stephen