LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH MESSENGER - DECEMBER 2023
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
Christmas Message.
As we come to the season of Advent, with December 3rd being Advent Sunday when we think about Jesus’ second coming, it is very sad to see that the war in Gaza continues. We can only put that situation into God’s hands and pray that His will may be done. Following on from my November message, and as we look forward to celebrating Christmas, I am reminded once again of how important the land of Israel is. Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem in Judea, but grew up in Nazareth in the northern province of Galilee where He was known as the son of Mary and Joseph. The people there were therefore amazed to hear him say in the synagogue that the words of Isaiah, beginning “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”, were being fulfilled, and when He said that no prophet was accepted in his home town, they drove Him out and tried to push Him over a cliff, but He, “passing through the midst of them, went on His way”. (Luke 4:16-30).
He performed miracles and preached in various places in Galilee so amazing the people who witnessed these things. After Jesus raised to life the dead son of a widow in Nain, people said, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; “God has visited His people.” (Luke 7:16). John 7:40-42 tells us that on another occasion some said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But other people said that the Christ, or Messiah, would come from David’s family and from Bethlehem. In 2 Samuel 7:16 we read that the prophet, Nathan, gave God’s promise to David that his house, his kingdom, and his throne would be established for ever. David was from Bethlehem and Micah 5:2 gives the prophecy, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel.” It is therefore not surprising to read in John 7:52 that people said, “No prophet ever rises up from Galilee.” Although Jesus grew up in Galilee, He was not born there. When King Herod called for a Census not long before Mary’s baby was due to be born, everyone had to return to the place of his birth. Mary and Joseph had to travel to Joseph’s home town of Bethlehem. Matthew’s gospel begins with a long list of names showing that Joseph was descended from King David, who was descended from Abraham. That list is also in Luke 3:23-38 and continues on, back to Adam and God. When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem they did not have a house to go to, so they needed to find an inn to stay in, but because everywhere was full up, they had to sleep in the only place available which was where the animals would feed and that was where Jesus was born.
We love to hear of how the shepherds received from the angels the news of the birth of a saviour, and went straight away “to see this thing ---- which the Lord has told us about.” Although they were thought of as the lowest of the low, they were the first people to worship the baby in the manger. We are told that, “they returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. By contrast, we read in Matthew 2 that when the Magi from the East, led by a star, visited King Herod in Jerusalem to ask about the birth of the King of the Jews, he was furious, but pretended that he would go to worship Him. When the wise men did not return to tell him where to find the young child because God had warned them in a dream to return home by another route as Herod intended to kill Jesus, he ordered that all baby boys of two years and under had to be killed. That night Joseph was warned in a dream by an angel of the Lord to take the young child and his mother and escape to Egypt, where they were to stay until the death of Herod. Having been homeless they were now refugees. Three prophecies were fulfilled at that time; v15 “Out of Egypt I have called my son” (Hosea11:1); v18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, ---- Rachel weeping for her children” (Jeremiah 31:15); When they returned to Israel Herod’s son was on the throne so they were warned in another dream to go north to Galilee where they settled in the town of Nazareth, “so was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, ‘He will be called a Nazarene.’” (Isaiah 11:1), so the people of Galilee were right when they said that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas, Kathie. (Quotes from NIV & NKJV).
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sunday 3rd December 10:45 am: Rev’d Neil Brighton
Sunday 10thDecember 10:45 am: Open Service
Sunday 17th December 10:45am: Sunday Bible Study Val Hulme
Sunday 24th December: No morning service
Sunday 24th December 4:30 pm: Carols by Candlelight
Christmas Day 10:30 am: Christmas “Show and Tell”
Sunday 31st December 10:45am: Open Service
Saturday 2nd December 10:00am – 12:00pm Chat ‘n’ a Brew, we will also be decorating the church ready for Christmas.
Tuesday 5th December 10:30 am Hong Kong Mothers’ group will be meeting.
Wednesdays 6th, 13th and 20th December Prayer Meeting 10:00 - 11:00 am Meet at 9:45am for tea/coffee/chat (No meeting on 27th December)
Wednesday 20th December 11:15 am Deacons’ Meeting
Thursday 21st December 1:00 – 3:30pm Coffee+
Saturdays 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th December Walking With You group 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Wednesday 6th December All Singers Great and Small present a Christmas Concert 7:30pm Tickets from Val or pay on the door. Refreshments will be served afterwards. If you are able to provide cakes, or to help serve drinks on the day, please let Jean or Val know.
Saturday 23rd December 6:00pm Churches Working Together in Leigh Carol Singing on the Library Square. As well as singing, there will be free hot chocolate and a Dress up Nativity Photo Booth. Come and celebrate the birth of our Saviour together.
Once again, we will be selling calendars, featuring the artwork of Linda Davey and Sandra Surridge. The A3 size 2024 calendar will cost £8.00, or £10.50 if it needs to be posted. Thanks to Linda and Sandra for freely giving of their time and talents. See Val
As our Pastoral Leader has not yet taken all her holiday leave, she will be on annual leave from Tuesday 26th December – Friday 12th January 2024 inclusive. This includes the weeks owed, plus Bank Holidays.
Our next Church and Congregation Meeting will be on Sunday 21st January 2024. A Worship Service, starting at 10:45 am will lead into the meeting.