LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” MAY 2021
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Days Off Wed and Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
The Wonders of God’s Creation.
Like many other people I watched on TV on April 17th the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh. Although, because of Covid it was scaled down from what it would have been, there was still some pageantry to see and a service took place in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. There was much appreciation expressed of His life in the service of the Queen and our country. The funeral service included readings and music which had been chosen by the Duke, himself. As I watched and listened, I particularly noticed that there was much about the wonders of what God had created in the reading of Ecclesiasticus 43 and the singing by the small group of Psalm 104. As I listened to the reading with its wonderful descriptions, a few words near the end of it suddenly stood out to me. Verse 29 says, ‘The Lord is -- exceeding great; and marvellous is His power.’
I was surprised that there was a reading from Ecclesiasticus because it is in a small section of books called the Apocrypha which is omitted from most versions of the modern translations of the Bible. However it is found between the Old and New Testaments in my copy of the Revised Version of the Bible which I have had since 1955. I was therefore able to read that chapter for myself and be reminded of the descriptions of different aspects of nature which is God’s creation. It all fits in with the words of Psalm 104, as well as many other psalms. They both tell of the wonderful works of the Lord; how He created everything and how perfectly they work. Everything fits together and works in harmony.
I remember seeing ‘Fact and Faith’ films many years ago. It was wonderful to see the workings of nature and watch a seed turn into a bud opening out into a beautiful flower with its petals and stamens; or the way the heart works, and other wonders such as we can now see in programmes such as those presented by David Attenborough. We now learn how birds and animals survive in the wild, building their nests and their dens and looking after themselves and their young. It is marvellous to observe. I was intrigued recently by underwater filming of a fairly large male fish building a nest of stones. It swam backwards and forwards, picking up in its mouth suitable large flat stones and piling them in what looked like a rough heap until it was finished and the shape became obvious. It was then that the fish dug out a channel near the base for the female fish to lie in to lay her eggs. That nest building would be repeated by all the males of that species year after year – so perfect. Likewise, the small birds with different coloured plumage that we see flying around build intricate nests for the laying of their eggs and the rearing of their young. At just the right time of year most of them migrate for the winter and then return in the Spring to the same place again, sometimes even to the same nests. How wonderful that they know just what to do and where to go. Every thing made to work perfectly and in harmony by our Eternal God who has made all things.
The reading in Ecclesiasticus also reminds us of how God placed the sun, moon and stars in the sky to give us heat and light. Verse 11 reminds us to ‘look upon the rainbow, and praise Him that made it.’ Why did He make it? It was to remind Him of the covenant He made with Noah that never again would He send a flood to cover the whole of the Earth, and promised in Genesis 8: 22 AV, that, ‘While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and Winter, day and night shall not cease.’
In Ecclesiasticus 43 there are many more examples of the wonders of the workings of God’s creation which made me think more deeply about the perfection of it all in a way that I had never thought of before. At the end of the chapter, in verses 32 – 33 we read, ‘Many things are hidden greater than these; for we have seen but a few of His works. For the Lord made all things.’
I am reading again a book that I read years ago. ‘I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes’, by Glenn Clark. In it we read of another wonder of nature when he reminds us of the words of Psalm 18: 33 AV, ‘He maketh my feet like hind’s feet.’ Unfortunately the modern Bible translations don’t give the full meaning as they say ‘deer’, not ‘hind’. The author found out that in the mountains all deer are nimble, but the female, or ‘hind, is especially so, as she places her back feet exactly where her front feet have been. She needs this extra expertise to be able to lead her young safely up the rugged mountains to the higher parts without falling. Verse 33 goes on to say, ‘and setteth me upon my high places.’ The author likens this to us being in perfect harmony with the will of God, so enabling us to reach the heights in our Christian lives. It reminds me of the verse, Isaiah 40; 31, which says, ‘Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’
The more we spend time in prayer to God, and study His word in the Bible, the closer we are to Him. Through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us we gradually become more in tune with Our Lord’s will for us.
Pentecost this year is on May 23rd. let us therefore remember to celebrate this special day in the Churches’ calendar when we think about the Holy Spirit coming on the disciples. After Peter had spoken to the crowd that had gathered, ‘those who accepted the message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.’ Acts 2:41 NIV.
We have a wonderful God, Creator of the universe and all the wonders of nature. Let us look around us and marvel and believe in Him, the one, true and only God, revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and let us worship Him and completely trust in Him. ‘The Lord is exceeding great; and marvellous is His power.’
Dates for your diary
Sunday 2nd May Church at Home with Val on the church YouTube channel/ Facebook page 3:15 pm
Saturday 8th May Zoom Coffee Morning 11:00 - 12:00
Tuesday 11th May Deacons' Zoom "Life after lockdown/Church after Covid" 10am - 2:00 pm
Sunday 16th April Sunday Worship at the Baptist Assembly (Online) 10:30 - 11:30 a.m; Church at Home with Val on the church YouTube channel and Facebook page 3:15 pm
Sunday 23rd May Zoom Communion Service 3:00 pm
News from Baptists Together about Baptist Assembly - 13-16 May
This year, the Assembly is an online event, and so can be made available to all via B.U. site. The keynote speaker will be Shane Claiborne. There is a total of six worship bands joining Assembly this year, from England, Wales, Uganda and India. Please do join the Assembly online to listen and join in with these amazing compilations.
**We have registered as a church so that we can access the Sunday Worship. The link will be sent out by email as we usually do for the NWBA services, or you can join via the website. www.baptist.org.uk
All meetings and services are continuing online. The Leadership Team will continue to monitor the situation and any decision to re-open the building for worship/meetings will be taken in line with government guidelines, BU advice and local conditions.
If you would like to join us for any meetings via Zoom, but do not receive an email with the link, please contact Val by email pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
As we can now meet outside in groups of 6, and the weather appears to be improving, we could begin to meet in local parks, as we did in September. If you would like to be included in a group, please let me know - either by email, pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk or by phone or text, 07817142192 - and which park or parks would be most convenient for you. Apologies to those who will not be able to join in with these meetings due to distance from parks or lack of transport. Val
Our Pastoral Leader will be on Annual Leave from Sunday 30th May to Sunday 6th June inclusive. One of the deacons will take charge of the church phone during this time.
Happy News. We understand our friends Ken Smith and Janis Sayers were recently married in a civil ceremony. Congratulations and much joy in the future to the couple.