Wood Green reopens for service 2021

Closed for nearly eighteen months, Wood Green Community Church separated from its sister church, Hackney, and reopened its doors on 14 August 2021. Wood Green then set its course for the rest of the year by starting as it meant to go on.

On 4 September Wood Green held its annual Harvest Thanksgiving Service. This was well attended by members and the community. The children from Junior Sabbath School were stars of the show; they brought produce to the church from their visit to the pick-your-own farm, an adventure laid on by the Family Life Department, supported by members of other departments. Apart from contributing to the harvest display, the children also donated a portion of their farm produce to the Community Food Bank. The afternoon programme was used to relaunch the Pathfinders’ Department at Wood Green.

Continuing in the harvest ingathering theme, Wood Green had its first baptismal service for 2021. Christina Landi publicly declared her love for the Lord by being baptised into the family of Christ at Wood Green Community Church on 25 September 2021.

Wood Green continued its comeback with a Religious Liberty Day on 16 October 2021. The theme for the day was ‘Prophecy Countdown’. Leading presenters for the day were an international speaker, Elder Tristan Cuniah, and Dr Brighton Kavaloh, who conducted an excellent afternoon programme: ‘No Jab – No Job’, followed by a Q&A session.

Wood Green then went on to challenge the creeping compromise of Hallowe’en celebrations. The Family Life Department hosted a multi-faceted programme on 30 October 2021. The theme for the morning programme was ‘The Glorious Dawning’ with guest speaker Pastor Ray Patrick. The afternoon programme, ‘Light in the Darkness’, highlighted the hidden Hallowe’en satanic dangers for Christian adults, their children, and the impact on the unchurched community. The programme took the form of a radio broadcast for a wider audience. It was well attended by the local community, as well as members from other local Seventh-day Adventist churches. The finale involved releasing balloons with spiritual messages to counteract the normal ‘trick or treat’ activities on the final day of October.

The events just kept on coming. The month of November was packed with special services, ranging from the ordination of Elder Daniel Cudjoe and a baby dedication to the wedding of Ike and Nadina on Sunday 7 November.

Wood Green continues its Zoom relationship with Hackney Church by collaborating on the hugely successful daily Prayer Line, the nightly Bible studies, the Wednesday prayer meeting, and Friday night vespers.

Who would have thought at the onset of COVID-19 that an amazing spiritual relationship would develop between the Wood Green and Hackney churches? But, with the help of Zoom technology, here we are, two years later, going from strength to strength. Wood Green hosted a baptism service for Hackney on 27 November, when three new saints joined the family of God. Wood Green and Hackney have also enjoyed several fellowship lunches, which have served to strengthen the relationship between the two churches. This was made possible at the initiative of Pastor Joojo Bonnie, who, guided by the Holy Spirit, brought out the best in both churches. To God be the glory.

In 2022 Wood Green continues its bounce back, and on 26 March hosted a ‘Mothers, you have greatness within you’ agape feast, attended by members from the community and also from our neighbouring Adventist churches.