LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” MARCH 2026
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST. LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptist church.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Days Off Tues and Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
Dates for your Diary:
Sun March 1st 10.45am Worship led by Revd Neil Brighton followed by Bring & Share lunch and discussion with Revd Phil Jump **
Sun March 8th 10.45am OPEN SERVICE
Sun March 15th 10.45am Sunday Bible Study
Sun March 22nd 10.45am Communion Service led by Val Hulme
Sun March 29th 10.45am OPEN SERVICE followed by Church & Congregation Meeting
Wednesdays 11th 18th & 25th March Prayer Meeting 10am Drinks at 9.45am Wed 11th March Deacons' Meeting 11.15am
Other Users of the Building:
Wednesdays throughout March - All Singers Great and Small Community Choir 7.30- 9.30pm
Thursdays 10am - 12 noon Atherton and Leigh Foodbank
Sat 21st March 1pm -3pm Meeting for local residents from Hong Kong with Jo Platt MP
**At the last Church and Congregational Meeting it was agreed that we invite Revd Phil Jump NWBA Regional Minister and Joint Team Leader, to come and discuss a new project - 'Onesimus'. We will therefore be having a Bring and Share Lunch on Sunday March 1st around 12pm, prior to the meeting with Phil. A separate Church & Congregation Meeting will be held on Sunday March 29th, following a shortened Open Service. We hope as many of you as possible can make both meetings.
Our Pastoral Leader, Val will be attending the NWBA Ministers' Conference from Tuesday March 3rd to Thursday March 5th. The Church Phone will be with a deacon.
A few weeks ago the hot tap in the ladies' toilet was accidentally left on after the service and was running for most of the week! This resulted in more than tripling of our water bill for the month and a higher gas bill! Please ensure taps are turned off after use. We are called to be Good Stewards.
Hopes, Fears, and Trust
Recently I have come across the word HOPE in various readings. This made me think about the things we
hope for and the many people who seem to have no hope. In the world today hope seems to have been
replaced by fears. In our own country it is the economic problems which have a knock-on effect to do with
housing and everyday living. In many countries wars, terrorism and other atrocities cause people to live in
fear of what will happen next, while others can’t find enough to eat, then there are the effects of global
warming. As a result many people suffer distress or anxiety. So what is the answer to how we all cope with
the problems we are confronted with?
In a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins we are pointed to our Hope in God. So as Christians this means that
we need to look at what is said in God’s word. Our God cares for the people He has made, but we need to
acknowledge Him and believe in His promises. Psalms 42 & 43 NKJV both have verses which say, “Why
are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? H0PE IN GOD.” Isaiah 41:10 says,
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I
will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’ Psalm 18 reminds us that God is our ‘rock, fortress,
strength, shield, salvation and stronghold in whom we can TRUST’. A popular chorus reminds us that our
hope is in our faithful God. He has proved to be faithful by keeping His promise to lead the Israelites to the
Promised Land, then eventually sending His Son Jesus to be crucified to defeat sin and death, rising again,
enabling all who have faith in Him to have Eternal Life, something most people would hope for.
Paul’s words in Hebrews 11:1 tell us that ‘Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of
things not seen’, and 2 Corinthians 4:18 says that ‘the things which are seen are temporary’ (as is our earthly
life), ‘but the things which are not seen are eternal’ (as is everlasting life). Paul explains to the Roman
Church that ‘Hope that is seen is not hope, for why does one hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what
we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.’ When Jesus ascended into Heaven the
disciples were told by Angels that He would come again in the same way. This gave them hope and when
they were anointed with the Holy Spirit they enthusiastically went about preaching in many different places,
obeying what Jesus had told them to do: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel ---" (Mark 16:15)
They had changed from being fearful to having the Hope that only Christ can give.
This should help us to look to God for help when things are difficult. But to really TRUST in Him to help us
we need to persevere in our Christian lives, drawing nearer to Him through regular Bible Reading and
Prayer. I find that it is good to give thanks to Him for small achievements, or for help given, for James 1:17
says that ‘every good and perfect gift’ comes from God. Over time we can come to the point where we
completely TRUST that He is leading and guiding us in our lives, so we ask Him for that guidance and also
for help to cope when problems occur. I have heard about situations where people of faith have been in need
of either food or money and just what they needed arrived unexpectedly.
God also guides the Church and individuals in ways to help those in need wherever they live, either by
giving or praying for them, or by visiting those nearer to us and telling some of them of how God can help
them. Those are some of the ways we can persevere in our Christian lives as our FEARS turn into HOPE
and TRUST. Kathie.
"Even the smallest voice can carry the biggest prayer. God hears you, little one, and He treasures every word."