LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” AUGUST 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
MEMORIES
I have been reading some books which include the memories of some of those who have contributed to them. There are memories of many different kinds, some from many years ago and others from the recent past. There are happy ones and sad ones. Many of the things in my house remind me of the people who gave them to us as a family, such as pictures, ornaments, books, cards, even furniture, and, of course, photographs, old and new.
Many poems include the poet’s memories of past events or places of interest they have visited. I recall the poem about the waterwheel by Sarah Doudney, which reminds me of ones I have seen, one of them now being inside a hotel I once stayed in. I also recall the poem I learned when I was young, “I remember, I remember the house where I was born” by Thomas Hood. It is a beautiful description of his memories of where he lived as a boy, especially the garden he played in. Most of us have memories of where we have lived, even if we weren’t born there. It is interesting to think about the different styles of houses through the ages, even in the lifetime of some of us, including those in different countries.
As we get older we have more and more memories to store, many are those we have been told about of past generations of our families, or events in the past, such as the visits of dignitaries and members of our Royal Family, but also some horrific events such as two world wars and those which occurred in countries some of our British citizens grew up in. Remembrance Day services and wreathe laying are embedded in our yearly calendar. As a Nation, we enjoy celebrating special anniversaries such as our Queen’s Jubilees and various victories. They all bring back memories of some sort.
I am reading the book of the prophet Hosea which tells how the Israelites had turned away from the Lord and were worshipping false gods. Hosea pleads with them to return to worshipping the true God who loves them and reminds them that the Lord their God rescued them from the land of Egypt and that “the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” Many of the books in the Old Testament of our Bible tell of the Children of Israel being urged to remember the events of the past and how their God had led them and looked after them, bringing them out of Egypt, supplying them with food and water as they journeyed through the Wilderness to the Promised land, then how He had helped them to defeat those who tried to attack them. Psalms 105 and 106 in particular bring to remembrance those events from the covenant God made with Abraham when He promised that his descendents would be as the number of stars in the sky. (Genesis 15:5) Psalm 105:1-2 urges people to “Give thanks to the Lord, --- make known His deeds among the peoples.”
Throughout the centuries the Jewish people have remembered the events of their history as they have celebrated the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread when they remembered how God had sent the plagues on Egypt until the king had “let the people go”. The f1nal one was the killing of all the firstborn sons in Egypt by the angel of death, but passing over those of the Israelites who were in the houses that had the blood of a lamb on the lintel. Thus the journey out of Egypt began. In Exodus 13:3-10 we read that Moses told the people to remember “this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.” They were to observe those events at the same time each year as a reminder to keep studying and reciting the Law. This was the old Covenant which depended on keeping the Law.
It was the Passover Meal that Jesus was celebrating with His disciples at the Last Supper before going out to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane where he prayed to His Father for his disciples and where He was betrayed and arrested, leading to His trial and crucifixion.
At that meal He broke the bread and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” and then He took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them to drink from it. He then said, “This is my blood of the (new) covenant which is poured out for many. -----I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:22-25 NIV). St Luke writes, ‘He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In 1 Corinthians 11:26 Paul writes, “Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” This is why the Communion Service is so important. It is an occasion when we especially remember all that Jesus has done for us by living on this earth, helping, healing, teaching people and even raising some from death and all the time being misunderstood, facing ridicule and false accusations from the Pharisees and Sadducees and many of the people, until He was put to a cruel death on the Cross; all to enable us to have our sins forgiven, and, because He rose to life again, have the promise of Eternal Life. It is sad that we have not been able to meet in Church for a long time to celebrate the Lord’s Supper as it is also called, but some of us have been able to meet on Zoom for it. Val sends a link on the Saturday for the service at 3pm on the 4th Sunday of the month. It would be lovely if others are able to join with us for that service. But if we can’t, let us all remember and give thanks for all Jesus has done for us because of His great love for us.
Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”
Kathie Williams
A hiccup with the alarm led to us discovering that the lights in the foyer are not as they should be. We will be replacing these plus the ceiling tiles in the small entrance hall, some of which have already fallen down.
Also, in order to be ready for church to reopen, we will be having the upholstered chairs and all carpets cleaned and sanitised. As you can imagine, this will not be cheap. If therefore, you would like to donate towards the cost of this essential maintenance work, we would be very grateful.
Sunday 1st August Church at Home You Tube channel and Facebook 3:15 pm.
Saturday 14th August Zoom Coffee Morning 11 - 12.
Sunday 8thAugust Church at Home You Tube channel and Facebook 3:15 pm.
Wednesday 11th August 12:30pm Deacons' meeting
Sunday 15th August Zoom Communion Service 3:00 pm
Our Pastoral Leader will be on Annual Leave from Sun 29th August to Sun 5th September inclusive.
Our Pastoral Leader conducted the funeral of the late Stella Atherton’s husband, Lawrence, on Friday 30th July, followed by committal at Leigh Cemetery.
As mentioned earlier, the Leadership team are making preparations for the safe reopening of the church, which we hope will be at some point in September. We will keep an eye on local Covid infection rates and inform you of an exact date nearer the time.
Our next Church and Congregation meeting is on Tuesday September 7th at 7:30pm. We will let you know beforehand whether this will be in church or on Zoom. VAL