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Focus
Tottenham Baptist Church Magazine
February/March 2004
Dear Friends,
The Church Meeting in January made a very important decision. They agreed to put in hand the refurbishment of the area between the sanctuary and the hall. I have written separately about this project. Read about it. Pray about it. Consider your giving in the light of it. I believe there are exciting days ahead.
Above all, make sure that God has the Glory each step of the way though 2004.
In Christian love,
Roger Collins
Mrs Norma Hernandez recently lost her third sibling within a year: her sister. Many hearts are going out to you Norma – we’ll be praying for you and your family!
The church was also faced with other sad starts for the year, as Mrs Hilda Gosling passed away on December 27th. She was well loved, with her outgoing personality helping to ensure that both newcomers and those going through hard times were not neglected to be given love and attention. She had been a member of neighbouring Woodberry Down Baptist from early years and new accommodation arrangements in her senior years made it sensible to join our fellowship. She had been very active in the Ladies’ groups at Woodberry Down and had served as a deacon there. She married into the Gosling family, known locally for their dedication to the propagation of the gospel; Peter Gosling, her husband, had been very active in the London City Mission and brother-in-law David was a Wycliffe Bible translator. The joy of the Lord was displayed in her liveliness in younger year and was known in our congregation also as a dedicated prayer warrior.
Many in our congregation will know Mrs Shirley Peart and that she will be going through some hard times in courts seeking justice for her late daughter. Surely many will be remembering her in moral and prayerful support these days.
Janette Whitehead’s nan and Hazel’s mum, Mrs Eleanor Potter, passed away in December. She had been largely homebound in latter years, with both Hazel and Janette giving her care. Please hold up the family in prayer, as well as Bill & Grace Tyzack, as his sister also departed recently.
On a happier note, we receive condolences from Augustine Niamnshi and family from Yaounde, Cameroon, on the passing away of Hilda: he recalls from her attentions that ‘I knew that I had a family of God’s people i.e. TBC had leaders that really cared and that made my stay a memorable one.’ He concludes: ‘One thing I request of you, TBC, is that you should continue to “CARE’ about all those who step through the door of your Church for we know when you welcome strangers you welcome angels.’ As announced in Roger’s moderator letter, a step has been taken to help carry out the Lord’s mission better: the church has decided to get back rooms in shape – everything geared to reach out to the lost!
Congratulations go to Ian Lee, father of Ebony, born Sunday January 18th, and to first-time grandma Clare Lee – God bless you all! It’s also good to have Hazel joining us now. Word has arrived that David Bennett, the son of Janis and drummer Allan, has just returned from an extended holiday in America.
Another piece of good news for our fellowship is the start of another series of Bible studies conducted by our moderator, Mr Roger Collins, teaching from the Book of Haggai about dedication to God’s plan for worship and its benefits for our life. Don’t miss out!
Our Pastoral Care Team is available to help and any member of the Team would be glad to know of anyone in the fellowship who needs a visit or prayer or spiritual encouragement. They are:
Thornton & Leola Reid
George Wheeler
Grace Tyzack
Clare Lee
Margaret McGlynn
Gloria Bipta
’’’’’’’’
This magazine is your magazine! Help shape TBC whichever way the Lord leads you. Write, tell, e-mail or dictate to the editor any articles, news about new arrivals, graduations, anniversaries – with pictures if you wish! – prayers, poems, quips, etc. that you want to share, or speak to him about any issues you would want in these pages!
Jose Jurado Aranda
E-mail: mailto:jjuradoaranda@hotmail.com
You can also read Focus online at:
http://freespace.virgin.net/jamesimac.mcglynn/tbc.htm
Sunday School Prayer Meetings
Reach out to help our Sunday School teachers and youth workers in prayer in these meetings, as well as to ask for the Lord’s direction to our young ones. Stay posted for times and dates.
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Women’s World Day of Prayer
Ladies in Tottenham are holding their annual prayer services in our church on Friday 6th March at 2:30pm and 7:30 pm. The Women’s World Day of Prayer movement of women from numerous Christian backgrounds traces its roots to 1887, when Mary Ellen James, President of the Women’s Board of Home Missions in the Presbyterian Church of America, took action. She was appalled by the slums in which so many women she saw around her were living in, and the lack of job opportunities and health care for them and their families - especially immigrants. Four years later, two Baptist missionary women appealed for another day of prayer for missionary work being undertaken in other countries. These two prayer days were held on separate days until combined in 1919 under WWDP. For further info please see Mrs Grace Tyzack. Everyone, regardless of gender, is encouraged to attend the services!
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Members Meeting – 16th March at 8 pm
This is a great chance for you to propose a new initiative that the Lord has laid on your heart – why not suggest it to a deacon beforehand to speed up the process? Let’s spread our wings and consider how best to use what we have to introduce people to the Lord!
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Thanks Mum! - Mothering Sunday
On 21st March, give particular thought to your mum. In olden days in England, servants would have some time off and bring GIFts with gratitude to their mothers in their hometown. At the 11 am service, conducted by Mrs Richardson, give thanks for having them look out for us and for bringing us into this world to be blessed by the Lord!
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Get our building ready – Spring Cleaning Day
Let’s shape up our church building for everyone seeking God’s grace. Put on your cleaning clothes, roll up your sleeves and head out on Saturday 3rd April from 9 am till noon. All able hands – men and women, young and not so young – turn up for the fellowship and fun, good exercise …and usefulness! We’ll take a break part way through, with refreshments provided.
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Message from May Richards
If a member of the church wants to become involved with Christians Together in Tottenham it would be nice. Not that I have any plans of leaving – it is possible to have several members from one church… This way, the community of Christians in Tottenham can continue to grow from strength to strength in unity!
John & Maria Dyer
A very big ‘Thank you’ to those in the Fellowship who gave throughout the year to the gift for John and Maria Dyer our ‘Link’ Missionaries in Brazil!
On the 31st December we have been able to send them a cheque for £500.00.
Les Paskell
Thank you so much
We would just like to say a tremendous “Thank you’ to everybody for all their kindness and caring these past weeks since our dear Mum / Nan – Eleanor Potter - passed away. Your cards, words of sympathy, contributions and, especially, your prayers have been greatly appreciated. God has answered prayers and has given us (and is still giving us) the strength to get through such a sad and difficult time. We have felt supported and encouraged by such care which, along with God’s love and faithfulness, have helped to uphold us all. We know our Mum / Nan is now with Jesus Christ, in the best place of all, and we thank God that He blessed us and our family with her life and love for ninety-nine years.
Hazel Whitehead, Elaine and Janette
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Coupon and Tea Money
Another year has gone and I would like to thank all those kind friends who have given me ‘money off ‘ coupons, which I have been able to exchange for cash and also for ‘cash refunds’.
If you don’t know or are not sure what these are, just see me and I would be pleased to explain them to you.
This money, together with the Sunday morning ‘tea money’, amounted to £139.50, which I have given to Mr Paskell for our ‘Building Fund’. Also many thanks to the kind friends who have given tea bags and coffee etc towards the many cups of tea and coffee served throughout the year.
Val Paskell
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Sunday Preachers to be announced
BMS Birthday Scheme
FEBRUARY
MISS LAUREN ELIZABETH KING-SPARKE 6th
MISS HOLLY ANN KING-SPARKE 8th
MRS GRACE TYZACK 14th
MASTER MICHAEL GEORGE HATCHETT 17th
MRS VAL PASKELL 26th
MARCH
MRS EDNA BENTLEY 30th
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Rise in BMS Support Workers
Over this year, BMS World Mission will increase the number of personnel it supports to do mission in their own or neighbouring countries by 47 per cent.
The total number of BMS supported partner workers (SPWs) is set to reach 132 during 2003/04 – well on course to reach the target of 140 such workers by November 2005. The significant increase is due largely to new initiatives being formed at this time by BMS partners in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Bulgaria and Bangladesh.
Most BMS supported partner workers are nationals, which gives them a significant advantage over UK-sent workers who may have to prepare for years to learn language and gain cultural understanding before becoming fully effective. Some SPWs are based in a neighbouring nation and a few have left their home countries to work in cross-cultural situations.
Naji Daoud (right) is a SPW working as Business Manager for SAT-7 in Lebanon. As a Lebanese national familiar with Middle Eastern language and culture, Naji is in the perfect position to help extend SAT-7’s satellite television ministry to Christians in the region.
BMS financially backs SPWs working with around 60 partner organisations worldwide. There are about 40 BMS supported partner workers across Europe, including the general secretaries of the Baptist Unions in Bosnia, Croatia and Belgium. BMS also supports the work of four couples from D R Congo who are working as church planters in Belgium. Other countries with a considerable number of supported partner workers are Brazil, with 18 due to be in place by the end of 2004, and Thailand, where BMS supports seven women assisting in outreach to tribal groups. David McLellan, BMS Manager for Mission Partnerships, says, “The terms and durations of BMS’s support varies from case to case. However, a common theme is that supported partner workers, together with our more ‘traditional’ mission workers from the UK, are playing a key role with BMS in changing lives, and they value our prayers.’
The total number of fully-supported BMS long-term mission personnel also rose to 142 in November 2003 (from 137 the same time last year). Throughout 2003, around 180 people went on short-term programmes with BMS – the most ever in a single year.
* * *
Operation Mobilisation preceded by miracle
A Croatian woman who had been blind in one eye for over ten years had a truly miraculous Christmas.
Angela is a member of a church planted in Dubrovnik by BMS World Mission workers Katie and Reuben Martin. Reuben says, “Ten years ago Angela was involved in a car accident that left her blind in one eye. The doctors said that she would never be able to see through that eye again. A few days ago Angela was miraculously healed and now has perfect vision in that eye! Now we can't stop Angela from witnessing to her friends and to people she meets about what God has done in her life.’
The special news about Angela has capped a busy and exciting year for Reuben, Katie and their church. Throughout 2003 they have run an Alpha course, started up house groups, a women’s group, an English speaking course and have organised evangelistic outreach events.
Their plans for 2004 are set to continue similarly: Reuben says, “We have felt a desire to evangelise the villages in our region and we have loaned some film equipment which will enable us to go to these villages and show The Jesus Film. These villages are fairly rural, none of them will have a cinema and most of the people will never have met evangelical Christians, so we are hoping many will come to see the film. There are probably more than 200 villages in the region so showing the film will involve two days work a week for a few years.’
Also In March 2004 the Operation Mobilisation ship 'Doulos' will visit Dubrovnik. There will be a team of 300 multinational Christians who will co-ordinate a variety of evangelistic events for the local population. “This is a massive event for Dubrovnik and for the two evangelical churches in the town,’ says Reuben. “Never before will there have been so many evangelical Christians in Dubrovnik. Last year Doulos visited the northern Croatian port of Rijeka. If Dubrovnik follows a similar pattern to Rijeka, many thousands of people will visit the boat and will hear a presentation of the Gospel for the first time.’
Katie and Reuben live in the capital, Dubrovnik, along with their two daughters, Naomi and Rebekah. They have been based there church planting with BMS since 1999. Their home church is Leigh Road Baptist Church, Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.
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Crisis deepens in Uganda
Mark Barrell (below), a BMS mission worker in Uganda, is urging UK Christians to take action and pray because of the worsening violence in the north of the country. Described as “a situation worse than that of Iraq and Palestine’ by the UN Envoy for Humanitarian Aid, the conflict in Uganda is forgotten by the world and overshadowed by other situations in the Middle East. As reported previously, almost two decades of fighting between Ugandan government forces and the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels (LRA) has created a humanitarian disaster in northern Uganda.
Mark, a lawyer based in Kampala with his wife Susanna and their children, gets regular, first-hand reports of the latest atrocities in the north of the country. Writing in November 2003, he said: “In the north, tens of thousands of people are starving and are in fear of being killed. The killings occur everyday. Fifty people died last weekend in one place.’
BMS has given £29,800 in Relief Fund grants to supply food and clothing to refugees via a BUU programme. Pat Crook (right), a BMS nurse in Uganda, helped distribute aid to displaced people in Soroti. “These people have literally lost everything; their homes, livelihood and all their belongings. There will be a lack of food, which will have a devastating effect on them. I have learnt so much from them in my walk with the Lord – they have taught me the true meaning of the word ‘trust’’.
Mark adds, “Please pray and think of ways to urge governments and humanitarian groups to help and get some aid coming in. The Baptist Union of Uganda (BUU), who we are working in partnership with, have had pastors coming back from places like Lira, Gulu and Kitgum crying out for help.’
This is my tribute towards Mrs Hilda Gosling.
After getting to know Hilda we became friends.
It was a pleasure knowing her.
She was a woman of God,
full of love, very caring and very compassionate.
Whenever we got into a conversation
it would get so spiritual, it became so inspiring
just talking about the love of God…
She will be missed by us all.
May she rest in peace.
Muriel Grant
Reaching for Healing & Resurrection
In November we visited Lichfield Cathedral, the only cathedral in the country with three spires – a truly wonderful building.
We were intrigued to see the sculpture called ‘The Hands of Life’: it was carved from one yew tree trunk by hand.
It was two metres high, depicting from the base a pair of human hands showing the initial anxiety and pain of cancer, rising hand by hand through the hope from treatment to the belief in cure or to the resurrection.
Anne and Jim Tarrier
A Tribute to My Late Husband Dairam Bipta
You were my destiny
When you first came into my life, it was exciting
and new to me, and I wanted so much to be with you
every minute that I could.
You were almost too good to be true. Like a dream, you are
deep inside my thoughts.
Suddenly you were a very important part of my future, and I wanted you there.
Then you were a part of my soul.
I love you deeply, and I can’t ever remember you not
being there, or me feeling any other way.
You were my destiny.
You are what was meant to be and you made me so happy.
You were my true love, and I thank my lucky stars above
F or bringing you to me.
I am glad you came into my life, and I am so very,
very happy you stayed.
Yesterday you were here, today you are gone, gone away
From me, but my feelings for you will never sway.
Thank you
My family and I wish to say a big thank you to all who supported me in my bereavement. The pain I am feeling is indescribable and hard to explain to anyone but my heavenly Father.
Thank you for all your support and continuing prayers.
Gloria Bipta
For really young ones – Care from Jesus
Do you ever wish some people at school or in your neighbourhood wouldn’t tease you as much about anything? Do some kids try to become friends only when someone popular does? See what the Lord Jesus did when He left the city of Jericho:
‘…As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!’
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.’
“Go,’ said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.’ (from the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 10, verses 46-52)
There’s a puzzle next page. Try working out the blanks using the tips below! If you do, a key word will appear in the rectangle below that describes a thing that Jesus gave this man!
Tips
1. The man sitting by the roadside was called
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
2. What did he start to do when he heard that Jesus was going by? He began to __ __ __ __ _T_.
3. Many rebuked him and told him to be __ _U_ __ __ __.
4. 
The man didn’t go quiet when those around him wanted him to. He shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on __ __!’
5. Bartimaeus called out to Jesus to be cured from his
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
6. But did Jesus say that He healed him or that his faith healed him? Jesus said, “your __ __ __ __ __ has healed you.’
7.How quickly did Bartimaeus receive his sight?
_ I_ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
8.
What did the man by the roadside do when he received his sight? He __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Jesus along the road.
9.Jesus had been interested in him while many in the crowd weren’t: He stopped and asked him, “What do you __ __ __ __ me to do for you?’
| | | 1. | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2. | | | | | T | | | | | | | | | | |
3. | | U | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | 4. | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7. | I | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | 8. | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | 9. | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Did you do OK? Check out the solution over the next page!
For 11 year olds and up – Your reliable New Testament text
Many university professors who study the Bible have looked at copies of New Testament writings (or ‘manuscripts’) and have discussed how well the Bible has been passed on from generation to generation. Professor Ron Rhodes writes below how little we need to be concerned about the variations (or ‘variants’) between the manuscripts!
There are more than 24,000 partial and complete manuscript copies of the New Testament. These manuscript copies are very ancient and they are available for inspection now. There are also some 86,000 quotations from the early church fathers and several thousand Lectionaries (church-service books used in the early centuries of Christianity).
Bottom line: the New Testament has an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting its reliability.
In the many thousands of manuscript copies we possess of the New Testament, scholars have discovered that there are some 150,000 ‘variants.’ This may seem like a staggering figure to the uninformed mind. But to those who study the issue, the numbers are not so damning as it may initially appear. Indeed, a look at the hard evidence shows that the New Testament manuscripts are amazingly accurate and trustworthy.
To begin, we must emphasize that out of these 150,000 variants, 99 percent hold virtually no significance whatsoever. Many of these variants simply involve a missing letter in a word; some involve reversing the order of two words (such as "Christ Jesus" instead of "Jesus Christ"); some may involve the absence of one or more insignificant words.
Really, when all the facts are put on the table, only about 50 of the variants have any real significance – and even then, no doctrine of the Christian faith or any moral commandment is affected by them.
For more than ninety-nine percent of the cases the original text can be reconstructed to a practical certainty.
Thus, in the Bible as we have it (and as it is conveyed to us through faithful translations) we do have for practical purposes the very Word of God, inasmuch as the manuscripts do convey to us the complete vital truth of the originals.
Let us suppose we have five manuscript copies of an original document that no longer exists. Each of the manuscript copies is different. Our goal is to compare the manuscript copies and ascertain what the original must have said. Here are the five copies:
Manuscript #1: Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the whole worl.
Manuscript #2: Christ Jesus is the Saviour of the whole world.
Manuscript #3: Jesus Christ s the Saviour of the whole world.
Manuscript #4: Jesus Christ is th Saviour of the whle world.
Manuscript #5: Jesus Christ is the Savour of the whole wrld.
Could you, by comparing the manuscript copies, ascertain what the original document said with a high degree of certainty that you are correct? Of course you could. This illustration may be extremely simplistic, but a great majority of the 150,000 variants are solved by the above methodology.
By comparing the various manuscripts, all of which contain very minor differences like the above, it becomes fairly clear what the original must have said. Most of the manuscript variations concern matters of spelling, word order, tenses, and the like; no single doctrine is affected by them in any way.
The New Testament Versus Other Ancient Books
By comparing the manuscript support for the Bible with manuscript support for other ancient documents and books, it becomes overwhelmingly clear that no other ancient piece of literature can stand up to the Bible. Manuscript support for the Bible is unparalleled!
There are more [New Testament] manuscripts copied with greater accuracy and earlier dating than for any secular classic from antiquity. Rene Pache adds, "The historical books of antiquity have a documentation infinitely less solid."
Norman Geisler makes several key observations for our consideration:
Solution – Care from Jesus: | |||||||||||||||
| | | 1. | B | A | R | T | I | M | A | E | U | S | | |
2. | S | H | O | U | T | | | | | | | | | | |
3. | Q | U | I | E | T | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | 4. | M | E | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5. | B | L | I | N | D | N | E | S | S | | | | | |
| 6. | F | A | I | T | H | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7. | I | M | M | E | D | I | A | T | E | L | Y |
| | | 8. | F | O | L | L | O | W | E | D | | | | |
| | 9. | W | A | N | T | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
No other book is even a close second to the Bible on either the number or early dating of the copies. The average secular work from antiquity survives on only a handful of manuscripts; the New Testament boasts thousands.
The average gap between the original composition and the earliest copy is over 1,000 years for other books.
The New Testament, however, has a fragment within one generation from its original composition, whole books within about 100 years from the time of the autograph [original manuscript], most of the New Testament in less than 200 years, and the entire New Testament within 250 years from the date of its completion.
The degree of accuracy of the copies is greater for the New Testament than for other books that can be compared. Most books do not survive with enough manuscripts that make comparison possible.
From this documentary evidence, then, it is clear that the New Testament writings are superior to comparable ancient writings. "The records for the New Testament are vastly more abundant, clearly more ancient, and considerably more accurate in their text."
A conclusion by ‘Biblical Foundations for Freedom’:
Some people seem to question the authenticity of the originals when there are so many different manuscripts with slight variations. This is a shame. The opposite is true. The agreement of the scriptures proves the existence of the original documents. The number of manuscripts for the New Testament scriptures is far greater than any other ancient text. It is through these variants (differences on words or spellings used), we can trace back and discover what the original text had said.
Do we find that the texts are reliable? Definitely.
In summary, we do not need to be concerned whether we are missing anything when we read our translations.
The more confidence we have in God's Word for our own lives, the more we can grow as Christians. God speaks and expects us to listen!
Tottenham Baptist Church
Building Project 2004
Aims
We have a threefold aim in this project: -
1. To provide modern, Ground Floor, toilet accommodation. This will include a disabled toilet that would incorporate a baby changing room.
2. To provide a modern kitchen, with facilities to cater for at least 100 people.
3. To provide wheelchair access to all Ground Floor facilities, covering both sanctuary and hall.
In addition we must provide a new water supply to the Hall and the church flats. When the upstairs toilets are refurbished (which would be included in the project if finances permit) they should include shower facilities.
Finances
The Architect estimates that the main three parts of the project would come to around £75,000. This would include fees and VAT. It does not include the latter two items mentioned above, although the water supply is essential, and may have to come from general church funds.
The church has approximately £30,000 in hand for the building project, so we will need to raise £45,000 in loans.
We are setting aside £1,000 per month, which is some of the money saved while not having a minister. If we continued saving at the present rate we would repay all loans within four years.
Put in another way, we would need to raise another £1,000 per month if we were to both pay a minister and repay our building loans in four years.
Advantages
ß At the moment the church only has toilet facilities upstairs. The work on the toilets is not a luxury: it is an absolute necessity.
ß With better access, toilets and kitchen facilities, the uses of the lower hall become manifold. We would meet the requirements of nursery school provision. We would have very fine premises, which could meet many community requirements.
ß With the numerous small rooms on the upper floor, with shower provision, the church could be used for youth groups, evangelistic teams etc, to live at the church for a few days.
ß The church would have excellent facilities for day conferences, teacher training days etc.
ß The present Boys Brigade and Girls Brigade would greatly benefit from the improved facilities.
ß The church buildings will have been brought from the early 20th into the 21st century.
Roger Collins
Moderator
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM PRAISE
Thomas Olivers (1725-1799)
Thomas was the naughtiest boy in the village!
Adult fingers were always wagging at him and voices constantly shouting at him as he got into scrape after scrape. People blamed his home background, or rather lack of it. What could you expect when the child parents had died before he was five and he had been put into the care of an elderly great-uncle? The old gentleman had done his best, even making sure that Thomas was provided for when he died, but the money was spent elsewhere and the boy grew up uncared for and uneducated.
When he was eighteen, a local shoemaker gave him the chance of an apprenticeship but Thomas was unused to a routine of hard work and instead became ‘a reckless idle youth' roaming about, sometimes working when he needed something to eat but usually borrowing money and then falling into terrible debt.
In 1753 he found himself in Bristol. He was always drawn towards a large crowd and so when hundreds of people queued up to hear the Methodist preacher George Whitefield, Thomas tagged on at the back. He was devastated by what he heard and at the end of the meeting he went to the front and asked for God’s forgiveness. He was so grateful to Mr Whitefield that he could scarce refrain from kissing the very imprint of his feet and to make amends for his past life he fasted for so long that he wasn’t able to straighten his knees. He was a changed man and gladly accepted John Wesley’s invitation to become a local preacher, a contradiction in terms as he travelled in excess of one hundred thousand miles.
In 1770 he visited John Bakewell of Westminster and was taken by his host to a service in the Great Synagogue. There he heard a well-known opera singer from Covent Garden, Meyer Lyon, sing a Jewish doxology called the Yigdal. Thomas was so taken by the beauty of the words and music that he immediately wrote a Christian hymn that would fit the tune, writing by the side of each line the Biblical verse it was based on. John Wesley was very impressed with it and included it in his ‘Pocket Hymnbook’.
After twenty-two years of itinerant preaching Thomas retired and was put in charge of the Methodist press. He had already written an article condemning all forms of dancing but now his main job was to print the ‘Arminian Magazine’. All went well for a number of years but then the problems began. Whether it was old age or just carelessness I don’t know, but according to Wesley ‘the errata were insufferable’ and Thomas was sacked. It might also have had something to do with the fact that he was prone to include articles that had not been given ‘official’ approval. However, this incident in what had been a life of dedicated service made no difference to their friendship and Thomas Olivers was buried in Wesley’s tomb in City Road.
‘The God of Abraham praise’ is a most majestic and stately hymn, and with its Jewish origins is very different in style from those of Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley and other hymnwriters of the time. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric opener.
Submitted by Vi Maddison
(taken from ‘More Hazel’s Hymns’)
Meeting Nicodemuses today
Let’s read how our usher, deacon and treasurer, Mr Les Paskell, reaches out, like people such as you and I ought to:
Meeting people both young and old and trying to think of words to say which will convey your Christian Beliefs always appears to be very difficult.
Over the years I have been faced with that problem on many occasions. The best answer is to be bold -- The Lord is with you so speak out!
Unfortunately we are weak and the words don’t always come out, as you want them to.
Example often helps; when a neighbour asked me something about Sundays and I told him I went to Church I then developed the conversation into why I went to Church and so planted the ‘seed’ in his mind.
Once, outside our Church, I spoke to a man and asked him if he had ever been to Church; he said he had sometime. In just talking to him I tried to convey God’s love for him without too much pressure, which can put some people on their guard.
There are many ways of spreading the gospel and planting the ‘seed’; it is important that we show to all we meet the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ –love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control in our lives.
Les Paskell
Let’s encourage each other to witness and share the Good News of the Lord! You are welcome to tell your witness stories or thoughts!
SMILE
A smile costs nothing but gives so much
For those enriched by its gentle touch.
It takes just a moment but the memory will last,
The charm of a grin, the spell it can cost.
A smile brings happiness and fosters goodwill
A sign of great friendship, a heart it can fill.
Cheer to the discouraged and rest to the weary
Sunshine to the sad, a cure for the needy.
A smile to a friend or a stranger you meet
Will lighten their hearts which nothing can beat.
Not begged for or borrowed, not stolen or bought
No value is given for a smile that is caught.
If you witness a face that is frowning and down
Send them a smile that’s as bright as a clown
For those too tired to give you their smile
Just give one of yours, as wide as a mile.
Found on a tea towel by Sheila Love
Submitted by Kathleen Hatchett
Bible Society News
Year of the Bible
Year of the Bible initiatives are bringing the Bible alive in new ways in French- and German-speaking Europe. Themed "Seek. And Find", the aim is to highlight that the Bible is relevant to today, and projects are engaging children, teenagers, library users, radio listeners and others.
In Germany, the Bible Society is running a mobile Family Storiesexhibition, while 6,000 groups – representing 120,000 children aged between 8 and 13 – have registered for the Bible Discovery Tour. Meanwhile,Teensmag is encouraging its readers, along with other young people alerted through newspaper and radio advertisements, to write their favourite Bible verse on a CD and send it in for it to be displayed in the shape of a cross.
The Year of the Bible in France has been providing churches with resources to enable them to distribute Scriptures during 2003. In addition, 100,000 "Seek. And Find" boxes, containing a New Testament, a video of the Jesus film and a brochure giving Bible reading tips are being provided.
Year of the Bible activities will be expanded to reach a wider audience with initiatives including a national poster campaign, a week-long radio campaign, exhibitions and advertising in weekly publications.
It’s Not Just Cricket!
The Bible Society of South Africa is using interactive technology and a sporting theme as it seeks to make the Bible and its message relevant for the 21st century. Tapping into the extensive media coverage of the Cricket World Cup 2003, the Society has launched a cricket-based interactive CD-ROM and video, accompanied by a printed Contemporary English Version (CEV) New Testament and Psalms.
The package, entitled Beyond the Boundary, was developed with former professional cricketer Frans Cronje, already known for his efforts to bring Christianity into sport. The CD-ROM and video present 18 cricketers from South Africa, the West Indies, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Pakistan. They discuss 16 principles for success both inside and outside sport, including courage, teamwork, motivation, hope and focus, and encourage viewers and listeners to read the Bible. Users of the CD-ROM can also access the whole CEV Bible text and music from 10 popular Gospel groups and singers.
The Bible Society believes that the CEV text, which uses simple, modern language, will appeal to both children and adults. Making the text available in interactive format is particularly significant. "It is very exciting for us that, at the click of a mouse, the complete Bible is now available on screen," says General Secretary the Revd Gerrit Kritzinger.
Kenya Web Service
A web-based service is the latest offering to churches from the Bible Society of Kenya.
ForMinistryKenya.com provides churches with an easy way of establishing their own websites, offering colour templates that can be customised and expanded, a full graphics and photographs capability. No skill is required to manage the sites other than a familiarity with the Microsoft Word program.
At the launch, Revd Wycliffe Balongo, Chairman of the Bible Society Board, encouraged churches to embrace the new ministry as a way of making God’s Word available to all. "The web technology we are launching today is going to be a vital tool in the ministry of the churches both locally and internationally". Bible Society General Secretary Revd Henry Kathii said, "We are privileged to bring a modern, more efficient means of spreading the Gospel".
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Prayer
O God, make the doorway of this house
wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out all human envy, pride and strife.
Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children,
or barrier to the elderly and disabled.
Let its door be rugged and strong to turn back the tempter’s power,
but open and inviting to those who are your guests.
God, make this house the doorway to your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Submitted by Anne and Jim Tarrier
From a Ramsbury church bulletin
Prayer Calendar for February 2004
When I was in trouble, I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
Psalm 120 v.1
Pray for or about:
| Sunday | 1st | lan Richardson conducting Church Parade Service today |
| Monday | 2nd | Mrs Shirley Peart attending the Old Bailey trial recently |
| Tuesday | 3rd | Revd Roger Collins and Deacons who meet tonight |
| Wednesday | 4th | Those meeting for Bible Study and Prayer |
| Thursday | 5th | GB Girls and Officers meeting weekly |
| Friday | 6th | Members bereaved recently |
| Saturday | 7th | The Dial-a Ride system and all they help |
| Sunday | 8th | Visiting speaker (5) today |
| Monday | 9th | Remember Hilda Gosling and all she helped and prayed for |
| Tuesday | 10th | People of Iraq trying to build a new future |
| Wednesday | 11th | Thanks for our 'loop' system helping the hearing impaired folk |
| Thursday | 12th | Moorfields hospital surgeons who help so many |
| Friday | 13th | BB Officers and Boys at weekly meetings |
| Saturday | 14th | Bring your thanks and petitions to the Lord's Table |
| Sunday | 15th | Revd Roger Collins our Moderator conducting worship today |
| Monday | 16th | Tutors and Students at Spurgeons College |
| Tuesday | 17th | All plans made for the future of our Church buildings |
| Wednesday | 18th | BMS Birthday Scheme and those that contribute to it |
| Thursday | 19th | Janette Whitehead and all she plans for our Sunday School |
| Friday | 20th | Women's World Day of Prayer Committee and Grace Tyzack |
| Saturday | 21st | Special Baby Units everywhere |
| Sunday | 22nd | That The Lord will Bless you today as you worship |
| Monday | 23rd | People wrongfully imprisoned |
| Tuesday | 24th | Christian Police Association who witness while they work |
| Wednesday | 25th | Fairness in sport and the decisions to be made |
| Thursday | 26th | Animals suffering in cold and wet conditions |
| Friday | 27th | Give thanks for all Miss Maddison does for our Church |
| Saturday | 28th | Mr Perrin and Mark for their work in our buildings |
| Sunday | 29th | The Preaching of The Word today |
I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will
come from The Lord;
who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121 v 1&2
Prayer Calendar for March 2004
The Lord is great and is to be highly praised; his greatness is beyond
understanding.
Psalm 145 v.3
Pray for or about
| Monday | 1st | Give thanks for your own family and friends | ||
| Tuesday | 2nd | John & Maria Dyer our link missionaries visiting us this year | ||
| Wednesday | 3td | Thanks for our CCTV system and Jim McGlynn overseeing it | ||
| Thursday | 4th | Christian Jews every where who suffer persecution | ||
| Friday | 5th | Women's World Day of Prayer and all attending churches | ||
| Saturday | 6th | Bring your petitions to the Lord's table tomorrow | ||
| Sunday | 7th | Our visitlng speaker Mrs Vania John Baptiste & her family | ||
| Monday | 8th | Pastoral Care Team and all they contact and help | ||
| Tuesday | 9th | Deaconate and Revd Roger Collins meeting to discuss churchmatters | ||
| Wednesday | l0th | Prayer and Bible Study for members and friends | ||
| Thursday | 11th | Give thanks for Mr & Mrs Paskell and all they do for our church | ||
| Friday | 12th | Steve Cook, BB Officer and now BMS Representative | ||
| Saturday | 13th | Lay Preachers Association and all who go out to preach | ||
| Sunday | 14th | Mr Field who brings us a message today | ||
| Monday | I 5th | Jaap & Louise leading the Music Group ( also Martijn) | ||
| Tuesday | 16th | Church Members Meeting and all to be discussed | ||
| Wednesday | 17th | London City Missioners who proclaim the gospel | ||
| Thursday | 18th | GB Officers and Girls meeting tonight | ||
| Friday | 19th | Thanks for the skill of all specialist surgeons | ||
| Saturday | 20th | Mrs Ruth Richardson who speaks tomorrow on Mothering Sunday | ||
| Sunday | 21st | All on Church Parade, children, parents and visitors | ||
| Monday | 22nd | Give thanks for signs of Spring | ||
| Tuesday | 23rd | Sufferers of Aids and all who care for them | ||
| Wednesday | 24th | That God will mould us and use us in his service | ||
| Thursday | 25th | Previous Ministers, their wives and families | ||
| Friday | 26th | All in Hospices and their Carers | ||
| Saturday | 27th | John Ellis our visiting speaker tomorrow and his family | ||
| Sunday | 28th | Come to the Lord's table with thankful hearts | ||
| Monday | 29th | Hospital Car Services and their drivers | ||
| Tuesday | 3Oth | Macmillan Nurses and everyone they help | ||
| Wednesday | 31st | Christians in Parliament and Local Govemment |
I will always praise the Lord;
let all his creatures praise his holy name for ever
Psalm 145 v.21
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