LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” FEBRUARY 2024
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Day Off Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sunday 4th February 10:45 am: Rev’d Neil Brighton
Sunday 11th February 10:45 am: Open Service Sunday
18th February 10:45am: Sunday Bible Study
Sunday 25th February 10:45 am: Communion Service Val Hulme During our services, we will be continuing the series based on What Christians Believe. (excluding the open service). Please be prompt then you hear the notices and ‘theme’.
Saturday 3rd February Chat 'n' a Brew 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Tuesday 6th February Leigh Ladies' Luncheon Club 11:30 am - 2:15 pm
Wednesdays 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th February Prayer Meeting 10:00 - 11:00 am Meet at 9:45am for tea/coffee/chat
Wednesday 21st February Deacons’ Meeting 11:15 am
Thursday 8th February Aglow 7:30 - 10:00 pm
Thursday 15th February Coffee+ 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Thursday 29th February Strategy Group 1:15 pm
Saturdays 10th,* 17th and 24th February Walking With You group 10:00 am - 12:00/12:30 pm * Saturday 10th February marks the start of the Chinese/Lunar New Year. We would like to invite you all to join with the Walking With You group to learn more about how this is celebrated, Hong Kong culture, sample Chinese food and to meet all who come along to the group. Please give your name to Jean if you would like to join us, so that we have a rough idea of how many to cater for.
At the last Church and Congregation Meeting, the decision was taken to continue with the present format of having the Worship Service leading directly into the Church and Congregation Meeting. Our next Worship Service and Church and Congregation Meeting will be on Sunday 17th March at 10:45 am. Please do put this date in your diary.
This year's World Day of Prayer service will be on Friday 1st March, 7:00pm at Bedford Methodist Church. All are welcome. The service has been prepared by the women of Palestine - Our thoughts go to the Christian women of this country, and indeed of Israel, as they join with their brothers and sisters worldwide on March 1st. As usual, there will be a choir leading the singing. Anyone wishing to be part of the choir, male or female, is invited to the choir rehearsal on Tuesday 27th February, 7:00 pm at Bedford Methodist Church.
We ask that you continue to pray for Leigh Baptist Church, and in particular with regard to how we structure our children's work, and for more people to volunteer to help with this.
LENT MESSAGE
The beginning of the year is often the time for a fresh start, but New Year resolutions made do not always last unless we really do want to change. Jesus didn’t change His way of life until He was 30 years old. As far as is known He had lived in Nazareth and worked as a carpenter in Joseph’s business.
It was John the Baptist who came first, ‘preaching about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.’ (Luke 3:3), predicted by Isaiah, the prophet (Isaiah 40:3-5), and recorded in all four gospels. He is especially remembered for being in the desert and being ‘clothed in camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.’ (Matt 3:4 and Mark 1:6). In his preaching he gave guidance as to the way the people should live and ‘bear fruit worthy of repentance.’ (Matt 3:8) He warned them not to think they were the chosen ones because they were descended from Abraham. (v9) Similarly, today none of us can rely on our parents’ Christian faith to save us. We each need to make our own decision to take the step of faith to trust in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. John knew that he was the one who was to point the way to Jesus and he told the people that ‘there comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptise you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’ (Mark 1:8-9) Mark goes on to tell us that Jesus came to John and was baptised in the River Jordan by him, not because He needed to be, but identifying Himself with the people. When He came out of the water, ‘the heaven was opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. A voice from Heaven said, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
As we come to the period of Lent we remember that, after his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit to be alone in the wilderness, away from all distractions, to prepare Himself in prayer for the task ahead. William Barclay explains that the Wilderness, or Desert, was the land between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea and covers an area 35 x 15 miles. It was made up of sand, shingle and crumbling limestone with dust-like hills and jagged rocks.
The temptations were the thoughts that came into Jesus’ mind after being in such a place alone for a long time. This is the way that the Devil often tempts us, very often after a special experience, when something good has happened, or a time when we have been close to the Lord and we have felt elated. It is how we react to some difficult situation soon afterwards that can bring us down. I was 21 when I was baptised in a wonderfully uplifting service, but the next day, as a teacher, I had a particularly difficult time in the classroom! We have to learn to deal with the highs and the lows. So how did Jesus deal with His temptations? He told Satan to ‘get behind Him’ and then quoted Scripture: when he was hungry, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Deuteronomy 8:3, when the Devil wanted Him to worship him, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve.” Deut 6:13 alt, and finally, if He threw Himself off the pinnacle of the Temple he would be saved from injury by the angels, to which Jesus answered, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” Deut 6:16.
So how should we deal with Satan’s attacks on us? St Paul gave good advice in his second letter to Timothy 3:15-17 reminding him that he had been taught the scriptures from being a child and that all scripture is inspired by God and “is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.” Not everyone knows what the Bible teaches, or the help it can give to us. During Lent it is a good idea to read one of the books of the Bible, or a Christian book, or follow a series of readings and prayers. Different missions and Christian organisations, such as SPCK, publish these which can often be found on line, as can daily readings from bible reading notes such as UCB ‘Word for Today’.
In his letter to the Ephesians, 6:10-18, Paul says that it is important to ‘put on the whole armour of God to be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.’ The armour includes a girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, the preparation of the gospel of peace on our feet, the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always ---- in the Spirit. When we pray ‘in the Spirit’ we are being guided by God in what we need to pray about. May this Lent be a time when we draw closer to God through the power of the Holy Spirit as we seek to do His will.
Kathie. Quotes from the NIV and NKJV