LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” APRIL 2026
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST. LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.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 5th April Easter Sunday Family Service 10.45am Worship led by Val Hulme, followed by Bring & Share lunch.
Sun 12th April 10.45am OPEN SERVICE
Sun 19th April 10.45am Sunday Bible Study
Sun 26th April 10.45am Communion Service led by Val Hulme
Wednesdays 1st, 8th, 22nd & 29th April Prayer Meeting 10am - 11am Drinks at 9.45am
Thurs 2nd April 1:00 pm Meeting for those helping with slide preparation for services/technology
Wed 8th April Deacons' Meeting 11.15am
Wednesday 22nd April WDP Committee Meeting 1:00pm
**Saturday 25th April 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Prayer Morning focusing on the needs of the church, particularly future leadership
Other Users of the Building:
Wednesdays throughout April - All Singers Great and Small Community Choir 7.30 - 9.00pm
Thursdays 10am - 12 noon Atherton and Leigh Foodbank
**Sat 11th April 2:00 - 4:00 pm Good News for Everyone! Wigan branch Friends' Open Event with afternoon tea. Everyone welcome. Come along to hear about their local ministry in schools, hospitals, hotels and nursing homes. For catering purposes, please contact Anne Masefield if you are able to attend. anne.masefield@gmail.com or 07733 262119.
Tues 14th April 7:00 pm All Singers Great and Small Committee Meeting
Churches in Leigh Good Friday Walk of Witness Friday 3rd April
We will meet at St. Joseph's Church, (Mather Lane, Leigh WN7 2PR) 11:00 am for a short service, then will walk through the town to St. Mary's Church (Market Place, Leigh WN7 1QP), where there will be another service, at approximately 11:45 am, followed by refreshments inside the church. Do endeavour to join us for this witness to the people of Leigh. If you are unable to take part in the walk itself, do consider joining us for one, or both services.
EASTER MESSAGE
As we think about Easter we need to think, “What does it really mean to me?”
In the Old Testament God’s people were the Israelites whom He led to the Promised Land of Canaan. Because they continually disobeyed His laws, didn’t listen to the prophets and often worshipped false gods, He eventually sent His own Son to show them the way to reconciliation with their God. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, then His ascension into Heaven and the birth of the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit it became clear that Jesus had died for people of all races. With the cross people of every race
can have their sins forgiven and be able to be in close contact with God through prayer. But that is not all, for that leads to responsibility, but for what?
I heard someone on Radio Manchester reminding us that God created us for a purpose. We know that God planned all our days before we were born and that He knows everything about us and how we will react to circumstances. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” In Genesis 12:2 & 15:5 Abraham was told by God, “I will make you into a great nation.” “Count the stars --- so shall your offspring be.” Hebrews 11:12 tells of the fulfilment of that promise. We can think also of Joseph who became a leader in Egypt, Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt, and Peter who became the spokesperson on the Day of Pentecost, telling everyone who Jesus really was. In the Christian Church through the centuries we can think of Luther and Calvin, influential teachers of doctrine; John Wesley, a preacher who travelled all over the country on horseback; Billy Graham who led crusades all over the world, leading many people to accept Jesus as their Saviour. In the 1950s the Auca Indian tribe in Ecuador eventually became Christians because Jim Elliot’s wife, Betty, and Nate Saint’s sister, Rachel, had contact with three Auca women after Jim & Nate were killed by Aucas as they and three other missionaries tried to make contact with them. As a Church we supported Laura-Lee Lovering who worked to provide running water at Nauta in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. She also travelled by boat to contact ministers of churches living by the river. We can also think of those who founded churches, and the many Christians who faithfully use their special gifts in the Lord’s service in so many different ways in the community. All these people persevered in using their God-given gifts in God’s service to make a difference in other peoples’ lives.
That is the difference Jesus’ crucifixion has made to people. He Himself persevered all the way to the cross, knowing how much He had to suffer to conquer sin and death. Isaiah 53 captures the full meaning of it, such as vs 5 & 6: ‘He was pierced for our transgressions, --- crushed for our iniquities. --- by His wounds we are healed.’ ‘The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’ The proof of that victory was in His glorious Resurrection. The Gospels tell us that the women found the stone rolled away from the tomb and two men in white who said, “He is not here, He has risen.” Jesus later appeared to the Disciples and said, ”Peace be with you.”
Because of Easter we can become children of God, calling Him Father, and know His love for us. We know we can turn to Him for help in time of need and experience the peace that only He can give to us. I am reminded of the hymn, ‘What a friend we have in Jesus.What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer'.
So let us turn to God with our prayers of praise and our petitions, believing that He hears us and does answer prayer, and let us be faithful in serving Him in the way He has called us to.
Happy Easter, Kathie. NIV used.
