24 Apr 2025, 11:09Charlene Brown
Celebrate Our Family: Strengthening Relationships Through Marriage, Creation and Sabbath
This year’s Christian Home and Marriage Week (8 February to Sabbath 15 February 2025) was celebrated at Windsor Street Seventh-day Adventist Church in Birmingham under the theme “Celebrating Families”—a timely focus, as families across the country face growing pressures due to rising living costs and increasing demands on daily life. In these challenging times, it is vital to strengthen and fortify our homes under the grace of God and the guidance of His Word. We looked at family restoration through celebrating our families—specifically through the pillars of marriage, creation, and Sabbath.
Scripture provides clear guidance on navigating relationships, whether in marriage, parenthood, or friendship. This year’s theme aimed to take the church on a journey of rediscovering God, ourselves, and our families, encouraging members to realign their homes with heaven’s design.
The programme began with Pastor John Francis, NEC Family Ministries and Safeguarding Director, who welcomed attendees and expressed gratitude to the diverse group of speakers from across the British Union Conference (BUC) and the General Conference (GC). While past years have focused on themes such as mental health, family protection, and resilience, this year centred on celebrating the goodness of God and restoring family relationships.
Each evening began with a health spotlight, reminding attendees that God is concerned with our complete well-being—physical, emotional, and mental. Lucille Fyfield, a director at The Manna House Health Education and Wellness, spoke powerfully on the will and its role in positive lifestyle change. Other topics included anxiety, men’s health, the lymphatic system, nutrition, and mental health within the family.
One attendee noted, “The health nuggets were in-depth, well-organised, and very timely. These subjects frequently appear in the news, which shows just how much guidance and support is needed.”
Pastor Francis also highlighted the NEC’s Counselling Service, which connects individuals and families with trained counsellors in a confidential setting—another example of the Conference’s commitment to supporting families in practical ways.
The opening sermon, Let’s Celebrate the Family, delivered by Pastor Francis, set a heartfelt tone for the week. He urged families to reconnect, rekindle relationships, and nurture spiritual and emotional growth. This was followed by Dr Les Ackie, BUC Family Ministries and Safeguarding Director, whose message Experiencing the Joy reminded listeners that joy is a spiritual practice—a choice rooted in gratitude and nurtured through relationships. He also shared practical tools for cultivating joy, including singing, Bible study, exercise, and rest—all consistent with the evening health segments.
On Sunday evening, Dr Kirk Thomas, President of the South England Conference (SEC), shared an empowering message titled Being Image Bearers, encouraging participants to reflect the image of God to the next generation. Dr Beatrice Kastrati followed with a live demonstration on communication, using a young couple to show how meaningful conversations strengthen intimacy.
Pastor Winsome Baadjes presented The Seven Secrets of Storm-Resilient Family Relationships, addressing challenges in marriages and friendships alike. Dr Jeff Brown offered the seminar Love on a Two-Way Street, exploring both the joys of singleness and the blessings of marriage, and encouraging everyone to consider how they “show up” in their relationships.
A special Q&A session for young people was hosted by Elder Clarence Jackson, following his relevant and insightful talk, What’s Love Got to Do with It?. He offered practical advice on understanding love and safeguarding oneself and others in all kinds of relationships.
The final Sabbath was devoted to the theme of parenting. Pastor Gina Miller led Sabbath School, Pastor Ian Sweeney presented Parenting Boys, and Dr Jeff Brown delivered the closing sermon, Let’s Stay Together.
This was our fourth and most impactful year yet, with nightly attendance exceeding 400 participants—both in-person and online—and a total attendance of over 2,800, despite Thursday being a rest night. Reflecting on the event, Pastor Francis shared, “I love to see families change. When we partner with God, great things can happen.”
The theme text for the week, Romans 12:10—"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another"—captured the spirit of the entire event: a heartfelt call to reflect God's love within our homes and to pursue harmony, restoration, and joy in every family relationship.
You can view and download images from this year's Christian Home & Marriage Week by clicking here.
This year’s Christian Home and Marriage Week (8 February to Sabbath 15 February 2025) was celebrated at Windsor Street Seventh-day Adventist Church in Birmingham under the theme “Celebrating Families”—a timely focus, as families across the country face growing pressures due to rising living costs and increasing demands on daily life. In these challenging times, it is vital to strengthen and fortify our homes under the grace of God and the guidance of His Word. We looked at family restoration through celebrating our families—specifically through the pillars of marriage, creation, and Sabbath.
Scripture provides clear guidance on navigating relationships, whether in marriage, parenthood, or friendship. This year’s theme aimed to take the church on a journey of rediscovering God, ourselves, and our families, encouraging members to realign their homes with heaven’s design.
The programme began with Pastor John Francis, NEC Family Ministries and Safeguarding Director, who welcomed attendees and expressed gratitude to the diverse group of speakers from across the British Union Conference (BUC) and the General Conference (GC). While past years have focused on themes such as mental health, family protection, and resilience, this year centred on celebrating the goodness of God and restoring family relationships.
Each evening began with a health spotlight, reminding attendees that God is concerned with our complete well-being—physical, emotional, and mental. Lucille Fyfield, a director at The Manna House Health Education and Wellness, spoke powerfully on the will and its role in positive lifestyle change. Other topics included anxiety, men’s health, the lymphatic system, nutrition, and mental health within the family.
One attendee noted, “The health nuggets were in-depth, well-organised, and very timely. These subjects frequently appear in the news, which shows just how much guidance and support is needed.”
Pastor Francis also highlighted the NEC’s Counselling Service, which connects individuals and families with trained counsellors in a confidential setting—another example of the Conference’s commitment to supporting families in practical ways.
The opening sermon, Let’s Celebrate the Family, delivered by Pastor Francis, set a heartfelt tone for the week. He urged families to reconnect, rekindle relationships, and nurture spiritual and emotional growth. This was followed by Dr Les Ackie, BUC Family Ministries and Safeguarding Director, whose message Experiencing the Joy reminded listeners that joy is a spiritual practice—a choice rooted in gratitude and nurtured through relationships. He also shared practical tools for cultivating joy, including singing, Bible study, exercise, and rest—all consistent with the evening health segments.
On Sunday evening, Dr Kirk Thomas, President of the South England Conference (SEC), shared an empowering message titled Being Image Bearers, encouraging participants to reflect the image of God to the next generation. Dr Beatrice Kastrati followed with a live demonstration on communication, using a young couple to show how meaningful conversations strengthen intimacy.
Pastor Winsome Baadjes presented The Seven Secrets of Storm-Resilient Family Relationships, addressing challenges in marriages and friendships alike. Dr Jeff Brown offered the seminar Love on a Two-Way Street, exploring both the joys of singleness and the blessings of marriage, and encouraging everyone to consider how they “show up” in their relationships.
A special Q&A session for young people was hosted by Elder Clarence Jackson, following his relevant and insightful talk, What’s Love Got to Do with It?. He offered practical advice on understanding love and safeguarding oneself and others in all kinds of relationships.
The final Sabbath was devoted to the theme of parenting. Pastor Gina Miller led Sabbath School, Pastor Ian Sweeney presented Parenting Boys, and Dr Jeff Brown delivered the closing sermon, Let’s Stay Together.
This was our fourth and most impactful year yet, with nightly attendance exceeding 400 participants—both in-person and online—and a total attendance of over 2,800, despite Thursday being a rest night. Reflecting on the event, Pastor Francis shared, “I love to see families change. When we partner with God, great things can happen.”
The theme text for the week, Romans 12:10—"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another"—captured the spirit of the entire event: a heartfelt call to reflect God's love within our homes and to pursue harmony, restoration, and joy in every family relationship.
You can view and download images from this year's Christian Home & Marriage Week by clicking here.
