LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” A U G U S T 2024
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website :www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Day Off Tuesdays 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 4th AUG 10.45am Worship service Revd Neil Brighton
Sun 11th AUG 10.45am Open Service
Sun 18th AUG 10:45am Sunday Bible Study
Sun 25th AUG 10.45am Communion Service Val Hulme
Tuesdays 4:00pm - 6:00pm Guitar Group
Wednesday 7th AUG Deacons’ meeting time t.b.c.
Saturday 27h AUG 10:00am-12:30pm Walking with You Group
- Please note there are no Prayer Meetings,Coffee+ or Music group this month for Summer Break
- Due to low numbers attending we will no longer run Chat’n’a Brew sessions.
Other Users of building:
Tue 6th Aug 11.30am-2.15pm Ladies Luncheon Club
Tuesdays 1:15pm – 3:00pm Private Support Group
Wednesdays 7.30pm -9:00pm All Singers Great & Small Community Choir
Thursdays 10:00am-12:00pm Atherton and Leigh Foodbank
Thursday 8th Aug 7.30pm-10:00pm AGLOW
NEXT CHURCH MEETING SUNDAY 15th SEPTEMBER – following Sunday Bible Study. Please make a note of this date. There are important decisions to be made at this meeting. Please make sure you attend. If you have not seen the information handout on the NWBA’s Onesimus project please ask Val or Jean for a copy.
God’s Gifts to His Church
I have recently been reading the book of James which he wrote to ‘people scattered over the whole world.’ (v1) I noticed chapter 1:17, ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above.’ How does God give us these gifts? I Corinthians 12:3&7 says, ‘No-one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit’ and ‘the Spirit’s presence is shown in some way in each person for the good of us all’, different gifts are given to different people, some of which are mentioned in the verses that follow, such as wisdom, which Solomon had prayed for and received from God. We read his words of wisdom in the book of Proverbs. James 3:17 tells us that the ‘wisdom that comes from Heaven is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.’ The other gifts mentioned are faith, knowledge, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Some people may only have one of them while some may have a few of them. Verse 11 says they are all the work of the one Spirit, but God decides which ones He will give to each person. Romans 12:6-7 mentions other gifts, such as serving, encouraging, giving and showing mercy.
Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus about another gift that comes from above, God’s gift of Grace, saying in chapter 2:8 ‘It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, this not from yourselves, it is the GIFT OF GOD, not of works, so no-one can boast.’ Paul also wrote in chapter 4 about certain gifts that are given to individuals within the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, ‘to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.’ All this should lead to unity within the Body of Christ, which is the Church.
In Galations 5:22 Paul lists the fruits of the Spirit, which should also be evident in the Church, as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. All these should be evident in the way we treat everyone in church, as well as outside of it, not only members, but also visitors. V25 says, ‘Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.’
In his book, ‘Your Spiritual Gifts Can help your Church grow’, C. Peter Wagner mentions other gifts that are mentioned in other parts of the New Testament. There are also other gifts that are needed in the life of the church. I always believed that the gift of music for accompanying hymns that I had from being a teenager was given to me by God to be used in his service at that time and at various times throughout my life. I shall always be grateful to those who in the early days helped and encouraged me to fulfil that calling. What would we do without those who prepare and serve meals, or do all the extra jobs in the Church, using the natural gifts they have to serve the Lord? From all the above examples we should be able to work together within our Church to serve the Lord in the Community he has placed us in, each one using the gift or gifts given to them. In this way the Church will be built up to be used as a witness to the Gospel to all with whom it comes into contact, so leading people to faith in Jesus, the Light of the World, who gave his life for each one of us. He then left us His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth so that we each know how God wants us to serve Him inside and outside of the Church.
Let each one of us recognise our own gift or gifts, practical or spiritual and be willing to use them as we play our part in the work and witness of the Church fellowship we belong to. KATHIE W