Network Norwich: Eric to spend 90th birthday in prayer marathon

A Norwich Christian is planning a very special way to celebrate his 90th birthday – he will spend 12 hours in a prayer marathon and he is inviting other people to join him.

Eric Saunders, who is a member of New Hope Christian Centre in Lakenham, Norwich, and registered blind, said: “In recognition, in a small way, of the wonderful blessings my Father God has bestowed upon me over the past 90 years, I am planning, on my birthday on April 24, to spend 12 hours of that day in prayer and thanksgiving. I am thinking of praying from 6am onwards."

"Prayer is the centre of my life activity, a great deal of my time is spent with the Street Pastors, for whom I am a prayer pastor,” said Eric.

“Some three years ago I became registered with severe sight impairment. From that time I have receive tremendous help from associations caring for the blind and particularly from my local friends, the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind (NNAB).

“I am inviting people to share in my prayer marathon. It will be of tremendous joy to me were they to do so in a couple of ways. Most importantly, to supply me with prayer requests for people or events, close to their hearts, which they would wish me to include in my prayers. Please bring them in person and join me for a few moments in prayer, by all means or send them to me by post or e-mail. They will be warmly welcomed.

“Secondly, please sponsor me in my marathon by making a donation to that wonderful charity organisation the NNAB."

You can contact Eric by e-mail at eric@shewensaunders.freeserve.co.uk

You can find out more about NNAB and donate online at www.nnab.org.uk

To read the full text of this article on Network Norwich by clicking here

David's commentary helps blind canaries fans

Football-mad David Davenport (shown above) is so keen on helping others enjoy the beautiful game, that as well as helping to referee and run the Norfolk Christian Football League, David spends most Norwich City home games commentating on the latest fortunes of the team for blind supporters.

David is one of Norwich City's five volunteer Soccer Sight commentators who aim to give an unbiased kick-by-kick account of the home matches.

David's commentary is broadcast through radio transmission equipment and headsets provided by the Soccer Sight project to ensure that blind and partially sighted supporters have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful game and enjoy the atmosphere, in the stadium, as it happens.

David says the main difference between normal radio commentary and the Soccer Sight commentary is that they have to try and be very zonal.

During the match David describes the tackles, the behaviour of the referee, the appearance of some of the players and why the crowd were reacting in different ways.

"You can't go off and have a chat about what the players had for breakfast, because while details like that might be interesting for a sighted person, the blind people listening have come for the game - they want to know where the ball is, not about the manager's car having broken down on the way."

Soccer Sight aims to bring quality football commentary to blind and partially sighted people at every professional football club in the UK. The project, run by Action for Blind People, recruits and trains commentators who improve access to football for thousands of fans every year.

For information on Soccer Sight, contact Susan Neale on 01792 366756 or email susan.neale@actionforblindpeople.org.uk

Story reproduced with permission from Network Norwich and Norfolk, your local source of Christian news.

National celebration weekend concludes 50th anniversary year

Market Harborough Saturday 28th November 2009 2.30PM

Mervyn Ivany, the chairman of Norwich TFG and the blogger travelled to Market Harborough to join over 400 other Torch supporters in a special 50th Anniversary Thanksgiving service held in the town's Leisure Centre on Saturday 28th November 2009.

Staff, Trustees, representatives from 40 UK based Fellowship Groups and guests from other countries were identified and welcomed during the Roll Call led by Carol Noakes, one of the Regional Liaison team.

Contributors to the anniversary book "50 Steps Forward" were introduced and the book formally launched simultaneously in braille, giant print,DAISY audio and print. Every day starts with prayer at Torch HQ and the book has been compiled to encourage others to do the same.

Mike Townsend gave a tribute to Stella Heath, the co-founder of the Torch Trust who died recently.

Marilyn Baker introduced and taught us the Torch Family Song which she had been asked to compose especially for the anniversary and everyone joined in the repeat.

The words and music to the song will be published shortly.

Various people were invited onto the stage to talk about different aspects of Torch's activities:

• how the first Torch fellowship group started in a house in Birmingham and how this number has grown to 125 around the country with new locations planned,
• how the lack of accessible Christian material for the visually impaired prompted the Heaths to learn to braille and to start recording Christian books onto tape,
• how the library service has now grown to offer more than 3,500 titles to readers in over 100 countries in several languages (one lady said told that she was so happy to find Christian books when she visited Torch that she sat on the floor in the library and just "devoured" book after book),
• others gave a flavour of the holidays they had enjoyed both at Torch's own Holiday and Retreat Centre and elsewhere and
• Janet Stafford who leads the international ministry talked of how the work of helping to fulfil the practical and spiritual needs of visually impaired in third world countries had led to Torch establishing a production unit to serve Africa in Malawi.

Gordon Temple, the CEO of the Torch Trust, concluded the proceedings by presenting the Torch Trust's ambitions for the future – that no blind or partially sighted person should be denied the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel message, to grow in their faith, or to become a fully valued member of a local church community.

Refreshments were available afterwards and we took the opportunity to visit Torch House, which is nearby, to view the displays of equipment, literature and images like the photo montages of each decade shown above and to meet up with the staff.

We also had some interesting conversations with other Torch volunteers from Birmingham, Nottingham, Northern Ireland and Macedonia.

A recording of the service is available on loan from the Torch Library to registered borrowers.

About 90 people stayed at nearby Hothorpe Hall for a full weekend programme of anniversary events. ‘There was a great sense of reunion throughout the whole weekend,’ said Gordon Temple (pictured above with Mervyn Ivany). ‘People who had been associated with Torch throughout its half century came together to reinvigorate old friendships and make new ones.’

Thanks to Lin Ball of Torch for help in compiling this report

Just released and coming to a screen near you!

Torch has produced this five minute video for use in churches to help them identify the challenges that blind and partially sighted people often experience in church life. It concludes with an introduction to Torch's Foursight for the Church initiative that offers churches helpful guidance and resources.

Why not request a copy of the DVD to show to your church or group. The points raised in the video could be used as a discussion starter at a house group, deacons meeting or youth club.

You can register at www.torch-foursight.org to get a copy of the Foursight church pack which includes the DVD