10 Jan 2025, 14:03Adina Lupu / SM CommunicationsGlasgow City
Shifting Perceptions Through Community Partnership
The article highlights the partnership between the Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church and Beatson Cancer Charity, aimed at improving perceptions of Adventists. Through initiatives like the Glasgow Adventist Gospel Choir’s carol performances to raise funds, the church seeks to demonstrate its broad, compassionate perspective on community needs and establish itself as a positive, stable force in Glasgow.
During the Advent Season, with gratitude for the opportunity, youth and adults from Glasgow Church united with the Beatson Cancer Charity to support their fundraising efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of those affected by cancer.
“Joy to the World” encapsulated the message shared through songs by the Adventist Gospel Choir and Adventist Melodies Choir as they performed at Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Airport on 14th and 21st December. Many passers-by paused to listen to the inspiring music, which reminded all of God’s love and the precious gift of Jesus to humanity. The public occasionally joined in, drawn by the familiar tunes celebrating the birth of our Saviour.
The Glasgow Adventist Melodies Choir, a newly formed youth music group, was created under the mentorship of student missionary Pastor Allan Zukowski, who joined the Scottish Mission in May 2024. The teens embraced the idea of forming a choir, dedicating time to rehearsals in preparation to serve the community and minister within the church through their musical talents.
The Glasgow Adventist Gospel Choir also took shape in 2024 as part of the Impact Glasgow outreach project. This initiative included a four-day Health Expo in the Botanic Gardens, a Day of Fellowship, and a Gospel Music Concert at the Royal Concert Hall. The choir has flourished under the direction of Maestro Samuel Cabral, who supported the initiative by making numerous trips from Portugal in 2024 and is looking forward to returning in 2025 to help advance the group's progress. The choir’s mission is to serve as an evangelistic tool, introducing the gospel to the local community in innovative ways.
During Impact Glasgow, the Beatson Cancer Charity accepted Glasgow Church's invitation to participate in the Health Expo, where they shared information about their services for cancer patients and their upcoming projects. The Gospel Concert in July 2024 was dedicated to raising funds for Beatson, with all donations directed towards the charity.
The opportunity to partner with the charity this Advent Season and provide music for several of their fundraising events served as a foundational step in strengthening the relationship with Beatson, with a more fruitful partnership in 2025 being a key strategic objective for Glasgow Church.
Blandine Damtse, who participated in the fundraising with her two sons, described the Beatson fundraising events as powerful experiences of "faith in action." Through song, they shared messages of love, peace, and hope. By singing familiar Christian carols, they encouraged enthusiastic participation from the public at both the airport and Central Station, all while raising funds to provide support to cancer patients. Blandine expressed her honour in being a representative of Jesus, striving to follow His example of love and kindness. Blandine also valued the opportunity for the teens' choir to use their God-given talents to serve others. She hopes the events not only strengthened the faith of those involved but also touched the hearts of everyone who heard the songs.
Beavon Sanderson, church elder and Personal Ministries Leader at Glasgow Church, shared her delight in the new outreach opportunities made possible by the Glasgow Church Choirs. She expressed confidence that the enthusiasm and dedication of church members, the active involvement of children, and the responsiveness of the public are powerful signs of God’s work in the community. Beavon is convinced that this is just the beginning of even greater things to come.
On December 22nd, the Gospel Choir visited the Beatson Wellbeing Centre, sharing the joy of the season with patients, visitors, and staff through carol singing. Choir members found it uplifting to hear the staff at the Wellbeing Centre describe the afternoon as wonderful, noting how heart-warming it was to see patients joining in and singing along with the group. They were also touched by the Beatson Fundraising Manager’s deep gratitude for their support during the festive season and the appreciation expressed for meeting the choir members.
Pastor Claudiu Popescu, who initiated the partnership with Beatson Cancer Charity, shared his insights into the motivation behind the collaboration and the challenges faced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church community, particularly in terms of public perception.
He noted that Seventh-day Adventists can sometimes appear insular, focusing on their own group and creating an image of being distant or elusive. He believes these misconceptions arise from a failure to communicate the church’s values in a way that resonates with the wider public.
Pastor Popescu hopes that the partnership between Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church and Beatson Cancer Charity, which supports the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre — the second-largest cancer treatment unit in the UK — will help shift this perception. The partnership aims to demonstrate that Adventists are not narrow-minded or reclusive, but rather a group with a broad perspective on community needs and challenges. Through this collaboration, he hopes the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Glasgow will be recognised as a stable and positive force in the local community.
In today's world, shaped by individualism and digital technology, Pastor Popescu stresses the need for the church to remain relevant and engaged. He believes the church must “take firm steps to remain relevant and engaged with the community, encouraging one another, meeting people’s needs, sharing the Gospel, and influencing where possible the culture of society.” Pastor Popescu concluded his thoughts by referencing a quote from Testimonies, vol. 4 by E G White, stating, “Those who seclude themselves from the people are in no condition to help them.”
The article highlights the partnership between the Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church and Beatson Cancer Charity, aimed at improving perceptions of Adventists. Through initiatives like the Glasgow Adventist Gospel Choir’s carol performances to raise funds, the church seeks to demonstrate its broad, compassionate perspective on community needs and establish itself as a positive, stable force in Glasgow.
During the Advent Season, with gratitude for the opportunity, youth and adults from Glasgow Church united with the Beatson Cancer Charity to support their fundraising efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of those affected by cancer.
“Joy to the World” encapsulated the message shared through songs by the Adventist Gospel Choir and Adventist Melodies Choir as they performed at Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Airport on 14th and 21st December. Many passers-by paused to listen to the inspiring music, which reminded all of God’s love and the precious gift of Jesus to humanity. The public occasionally joined in, drawn by the familiar tunes celebrating the birth of our Saviour.
The Glasgow Adventist Melodies Choir, a newly formed youth music group, was created under the mentorship of student missionary Pastor Allan Zukowski, who joined the Scottish Mission in May 2024. The teens embraced the idea of forming a choir, dedicating time to rehearsals in preparation to serve the community and minister within the church through their musical talents.
The Glasgow Adventist Gospel Choir also took shape in 2024 as part of the Impact Glasgow outreach project. This initiative included a four-day Health Expo in the Botanic Gardens, a Day of Fellowship, and a Gospel Music Concert at the Royal Concert Hall. The choir has flourished under the direction of Maestro Samuel Cabral, who supported the initiative by making numerous trips from Portugal in 2024 and is looking forward to returning in 2025 to help advance the group's progress. The choir’s mission is to serve as an evangelistic tool, introducing the gospel to the local community in innovative ways.
During Impact Glasgow, the Beatson Cancer Charity accepted Glasgow Church's invitation to participate in the Health Expo, where they shared information about their services for cancer patients and their upcoming projects. The Gospel Concert in July 2024 was dedicated to raising funds for Beatson, with all donations directed towards the charity.
The opportunity to partner with the charity this Advent Season and provide music for several of their fundraising events served as a foundational step in strengthening the relationship with Beatson, with a more fruitful partnership in 2025 being a key strategic objective for Glasgow Church.
Blandine Damtse, who participated in the fundraising with her two sons, described the Beatson fundraising events as powerful experiences of "faith in action." Through song, they shared messages of love, peace, and hope. By singing familiar Christian carols, they encouraged enthusiastic participation from the public at both the airport and Central Station, all while raising funds to provide support to cancer patients. Blandine expressed her honour in being a representative of Jesus, striving to follow His example of love and kindness. Blandine also valued the opportunity for the teens' choir to use their God-given talents to serve others. She hopes the events not only strengthened the faith of those involved but also touched the hearts of everyone who heard the songs.
Beavon Sanderson, church elder and Personal Ministries Leader at Glasgow Church, shared her delight in the new outreach opportunities made possible by the Glasgow Church Choirs. She expressed confidence that the enthusiasm and dedication of church members, the active involvement of children, and the responsiveness of the public are powerful signs of God’s work in the community. Beavon is convinced that this is just the beginning of even greater things to come.
On December 22nd, the Gospel Choir visited the Beatson Wellbeing Centre, sharing the joy of the season with patients, visitors, and staff through carol singing. Choir members found it uplifting to hear the staff at the Wellbeing Centre describe the afternoon as wonderful, noting how heart-warming it was to see patients joining in and singing along with the group. They were also touched by the Beatson Fundraising Manager’s deep gratitude for their support during the festive season and the appreciation expressed for meeting the choir members.
Pastor Claudiu Popescu, who initiated the partnership with Beatson Cancer Charity, shared his insights into the motivation behind the collaboration and the challenges faced by the Seventh-day Adventist Church community, particularly in terms of public perception.
He noted that Seventh-day Adventists can sometimes appear insular, focusing on their own group and creating an image of being distant or elusive. He believes these misconceptions arise from a failure to communicate the church’s values in a way that resonates with the wider public.
Pastor Popescu hopes that the partnership between Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church and Beatson Cancer Charity, which supports the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre — the second-largest cancer treatment unit in the UK — will help shift this perception. The partnership aims to demonstrate that Adventists are not narrow-minded or reclusive, but rather a group with a broad perspective on community needs and challenges. Through this collaboration, he hopes the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Glasgow will be recognised as a stable and positive force in the local community.
In today's world, shaped by individualism and digital technology, Pastor Popescu stresses the need for the church to remain relevant and engaged. He believes the church must “take firm steps to remain relevant and engaged with the community, encouraging one another, meeting people’s needs, sharing the Gospel, and influencing where possible the culture of society.” Pastor Popescu concluded his thoughts by referencing a quote from Testimonies, vol. 4 by E G White, stating, “Those who seclude themselves from the people are in no condition to help them.”
