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Smart Love Seminar: Area 5

The Seventh-day Adventists Camphill church in Birmingham hosted two weekends of ‘Smart Love Seminars. Fashioned after the book by Nancy Van Pelt, the NEC Children’s Ministries Smart Love Seminar seeks to equip young people with the tools to enter into a Jesus filled, God ordained dating life. A fourteen year old attendee of the seminar said, "the experience of smart love was very...

Lungani Sibanda & Pastor Patricia Douglas

The Camphill Seventh-day Adventist church was a hive of activity for two weekends in November 2019. The Children’s Ministries Department under the leadership of Pastor Patricia Douglas conducted the Area 5 Smart Love Seminar there. Pastor Joseph Philpot, a young charismatic speaker and his wife Nordia Philpot were the guest presenters, whilst the children’s ministries core team were on hand to support. For two weekends the church youth hall was transformed into a cosy lounge where easy conversation could take place in a safe environment. The seminars  were synonymous with peels of spontaneous laughter and squels of joy. This was a safe space where straight talk was required and indeed expected. Topics such as how to make friends with yourself, tackling issues of self-esteem and the importance of loving yourself, made all the easier when we embrace Gods transforming love. Followed by exploring the nitty-gritty of dating and also on spotting the signs that it’s time to break-up, there was so much to consider not to mention sexually transmitted diseases which 'grossed out' the young attendees.. This was indeed a most comprehensive course on dating Gods way!

The Seminar culminated in a Graduation Ceremony and Banquet, Pastor Cyril Sweeney and Pastor Gina Miller gave the prayers of consecration, this was a time to celebrate and affirm our children, who came in suits and prom gowns, to enjoy an evening which we pray they will never forget.