LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” SEPTEMBER 2025
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 Sept 7th 10.45am Worship Service Val Hulme
Sun Sept 14th 10.45am Open Service followed by Church and Congregation meeting
Sun Sept 21st 10:45 am Sunday Bible Study Val Hulme
Sun Sept 28th 10.45am Communion and Baptismal service Rev'd Neil Brighton
Wednesdays 3rd , 10th , 17th & 24th Sept 10-11am Prayer meeting. Drinks at 9.45am
Wed 17th Sept Deacons' Meeting 11.15am
Sat 13th Sept 10am-12pm Art Workshop facilitated by Frances whilst reflecting on the Holy Spirit. No art experience necessary. Please join us.
The LIfe you Always Wanted - a ZOOM bible English course for Hong Kong Believers in the UK. Starting 16th Sept for 4 weeks. 8pm-9.15pm . For more details see Val
Other users of the building
Wednesdays throughout September 7.30pm All Singers Great and Small community choir
Thursdays throughout August 10:00am - 12:00pm: Atherton and Leigh Foodbank.
Our next Church and Congregation Meeting will be on Sunday 14th Sept after a shortened Open Service. Please put this date in your diary
A reminder that Val gave notice that she would be stepping down from all the "extra" duties that she has continued with since taking up the Pastoral Leader role by December 31st at the latest
These include : organising lettings, dealing with renewing contracts, completing B.U. Annual Returns; bookkeeping, issuing invoices, banking;
Designated Person for Safeguarding; D.B.S. Verifier; renewing church parking permits; ordering paper towels, sugar sticks, cleaning and other equipment from Nisbets; bringing milk for church use. She will continue as Pastoral Leader with a view to retire by June 2027. We also need to be aware that Jean comes to the end of her term of office as Deacon in December 2025.
We will discuss this further at the Church and Congregation Meeting. Someone has already heeded the call to step up and fill one of the gaps for BU annual returns. They all need to be covered. Are there any that you would be able to fill?
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dreams
When I think of my school days many years ago I remember being fascinated with the history of the Babylonian Empire. What I didn’t know in those days was that the kings of Babylon are mentioned in the Bible. The O.T. Book of Daniel tells about his life and that of his three friends who had been captured when the Babylonian armies had invaded Jerusalem. As Israelite boys they obeyed the commandment, “You shall have no other God’s before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)
They had been chosen to be trained for three years and then to enter King Nebuchadnezzar’s service because they were ‘from the royal house or nobility, were physically fit, handsome, quick to learn, and understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace.’ (Daniel 1:3). They were to be taught the language and literature of the Babylonians and given a daily amount of food from the king’s table. Daniel asked for permission ‘not to defile himself with the royal food and wine’, but to be given only vegetables and water for ten days then to compare how they looked with the young men having the royal food. (vs 8 & 11-13). In vs15-20 we read that at the end of the 10 days they looked healthier and better nourished than the other young men, so they were allowed to continue with the vegetables and water. God gave them ‘knowledge and understanding of all kinds of learning and Daniel could understand all kinds of dreams and visions.’ They were found to be ‘ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the kingdom.’
The Babylonian Empire was a huge empire between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that was mostly built up in the time of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king worshipped idols and images, but not the God of Heaven. Chapter 2 tells us that in the second year of his reign he had dreams that troubled him. When he could not remember what one of them was he called his magicians and enchanters to tell him and to interpret it, but they could not say what the king had dreamt, so they could not tell him its meaning. This made him angry and he ordered all the wise men to be killed. This included Daniel who asked what it was all about. When he heard the reason he told his friends and asked them to ‘plead for mercy’ to their God in Heaven, so that they would not be executed with the other wise men. ‘During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision and he praised the God of Heaven’, acknowledging all His wonderful ways. (vs 19-23). In the morning he went to Arioch, the man in charge of the execution and asked him not to carry it out because he could tell the king about his dream. He told the king that the God in Heaven had revealed to him what would happen in days to come. He had seen a statue that was gradually smashed to pieces until only the feet were left. It was telling about the kingdoms that would come and go until ‘the God of Heaven would set up a kingdom that would last for ever’. (vs 36-45) The king then placed Daniel in a high position and acknowledged that the God of heaven was the true God.
Daniel’s friends were appointed administrators of the Province of Babylon, but when they refused to obey the king by bowing down to a huge statue he had them thrown into a burning fiery furnace. When he looked next morning he could see four men walking about in it and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the furnace unharmed. Once again Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that the God of Israel was the only true God. (Chapter 3)
In Chapter 4 we read a letter he sent to people and nations in every part of the known world telling about the “miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me”, and how “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” He had had another dream, one that terrified him and which none of the wise men of Babylon could interpret. Finally Daniel told him the meaning of it. It was about a strong, very tall tree that a messenger from Heaven commanded to be cut down with only the stump and roots to be left in the ground, bound with iron and bronze. “Let him be given the mind of an animal till seven times pass by, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to whom He pleases.” (11-17) Daniel tells him that he is that tree. Twelve months later as the king was walking on the roof of his royal palace he was thinking how great he was and how great was the Babylon he had built by his “mighty power, and for the glory of his majesty.” ‘Immediately a voice from heaven said that his royal authority had been taken from him and he would be driven away from people and live with the wild animals until he acknowledged that the Most High is sovereign and gives the kingdoms of men to anyone he wishes.’ All this was fulfilled until at the end of that time he raised his eyes toward heaven and praised, honoured and glorified ‘Him who lives for ever.’ He was restored to his throne. The letter ended with him praising the King of Heaven because he does everything right and all his ways are just. All those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”
May we be inspired by Daniel and his friends, and learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s pride.
Kathie. Quotes from NIV