Missionary Focus - 3rd December 2025

Paul Somerville of SASRA (Soldiers & Aviators Scripture Readers Association) was our guest speaker at our Missionary Focus night. It was good to renew fellowship with Paul.

He began by turning our thoughts to 1st Timothy 6 v 6-12: “But godliness with contentment is great gain”

Verse 6 BE AWARE, BE CAREFUL, BE WATCHFUL,

The trap of worldliness Verses 9-10 Flee from these things.

The 6 standards of Godliness Verse 11: Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience & Meekness. These are the core values of our Christian Faith.

“Fight the good fight of faith” Verse 12: For how long? Well, Verse 14 gives us the answer, “Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Paul reminded us that he was saved at the age of 21 and joined the Army Scripture Readers Association in 1992. He is currently serving “Behind the wire” at Thiepval Army Barracks.

At present there are 75000 soldiers & 35000 aviators with a further 10000 new recruits in training. This presents a great opportunity for the 21 Army Scripture Readers stationed around various barracks in the UK and abroad. SASRA hope to recruit 3 more ASR personnel by 2030 to cope with the demand from RAF chaplains who want Scripture Readers on all air bases.

One of Paul’s associate SRs at Kettering barracks is currently helping three young soldiers who have expressed an interest in learning the truth of the gospel. Please remember Ben, Thomas & Harrison as they meet for Bible study.

Paul met Drew at Thiepval, he wanted to be good and was searching how he could be a better person. He spent 40 minutes with him introducing him to God’s way of salvation, which can change a person’s life. He accepted a New Testament. Pray that the light of the gospel will shine into his heart.

Colchester barracks is the prison venue for those who are guilty of misconduct in the forces. There are currently 350 offenders housed in “The Glass House” prison. Here there is a Scripture Reader who conducts a Bible study attended by seven of the 350 inmates.

In February 2024 Paul met a Sergeant Major at Thiepval who asked him what an ASR was. This was a great opening for Paul, and he took full opportunity of sharing the gospel with him and giving him a New Testament. He met him again in November 2024 and the RSM remembered him. He told Paul that back home in England one evening he was feeling rather perturbed and started reading his little New Testament, as he read someone delivered a gospel tract through his front porch. It was an invitation to a mission in an evangelical church close by that night. He went to that meeting and got saved at the end of the service. What a wonderful blessing it is to share the gospel with fellow service personnel.

Paul is planning a Hope Explored Course starting soon in Thiepval. Pray that this will arouse much interest among many of the young people in the barracks, who have absolutely no knowledge of God, or of what the scriptures say about our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Please continue to Pray, Give, Volunteer.