LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” APRIL 2025
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.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 April 6th 10.45am Worship service Val Hulme
Sun April 13th 10.45am All- age worship for Palm Sunday Val Hulme
Sun April 20th 10.45am Easter Sunday Service Revd Neil Brighton
Sun April 27th 10.45am Communion Service Val Hulme
Wednesdays throughout April 10-11am Prayer Meeting (drinks from 9.45am)
Wednesday April 16th 11:15 am Deacons' Meeting
Mon April 28th 7pm -8.30pm Music Group. Interested? Please speak to Miriam
Other Users of Building:
Wednesdays 7.30pm All Singers Great and Small Community Choir
Thursdays 10-12 Atherton and Leigh Foodbank
Friday April 25th 12:30 pm onwards Pensioners’ Link Poetry Competition
Monday April 28th 12:30 – 3:30 pm Building being used
Churches Working Together in Leigh Good Friday Walk of Witness
Meet in St. Joseph’s Church, Mather Lane, 11:00 am for a short service. Then walk down Chapel Street and onto Bradshawgate, where we will stop (near Santander) to sing before continuing down Bradshawgate and onto Market Street to the Town Hall/Library Square for another service (approx. 11:45 am) Following this, we are all invited into the Church of St. Mary the Virgin for light refreshments.
Easter Message, April 2025. The Love of God.
“The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him.” Psalm 32:10 NIV
The Psalms were written long before the birth of Jesus, but are still very relevant for
us today. Psalms 31 & 32 speak of God’s unfailing love. David had sinned but had
kept quiet about it. It was when he confessed that he knew God’s forgiveness, that he
realised how great the love of God was. In Psalm 31 David tells of a time when his
enemies caused him deep distress, but he could say that his trust was in the Lord and
in v15, that ‘his times were in God’s hands.’ Despite everything being against him he
could sing of God’s love as in the following verses: v7, “I will be glad and rejoice in
your love.” v 16, “save me in your unfailing love.” v21, “Praise be to the Lord, for
He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.”
In the Old Testament we read of the way in which God continued to show his love
to His people, the Israelites, despite the many times they turned away from Him. But
there were always those who remained faithful to him and gave his messages to the
people. Finally God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to show them the way of God,
then to give His life on the cross to save people of all races. John 3:16 says, “For God
so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (AV). Once again we come to the
time to celebrate Easter. But what does it really mean to us?
In the eyes of the world Easter time is a holiday with chocolate eggs, decorated
eggs, competitions and races, football matches, weddings and other activities. Most of
us who are Christians also enjoy many of these things, but know that there is much
more to it. Our thoughts are very much on the actual events of the first Easter, and
about joining with other Christians in remembering the Crucifixion and celebrating
the Resurrection.
We remember that Jesus came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” It was on
the cross that Jesus fulfilled His purpose for coming into the World. It was on the
cross that He took our punishment for the sins we commit as He defeated sin and
death and enabled us to be reconciled to God the Father. All this was because of God’s
great love for His people Israel, and also the Gentiles. From the time of the first
Christians the Gospel message began to spread throughout the world. Isaiah 53:5 tells
us that “by His stripes we are healed.” Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an
everlasting love.” Can we comprehend that love which forgave so much disobedience
and continues to do so? Jesus showed that love to us. In His final prayers before His
arrest He wept in agony at the thought of what He had to go through, but said to His
Father, “not my will, but yours be done”, because He knew He had to fulfil His work
to bring salvation to the people. 1John 4:10 says, “This is love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
In the Communion Service we often pray for the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from
all sin. It is only by Jesus shedding His blood that when we turn to Him and repent we
can know that we are forgiven. How can we respond to such love? Psalm 31:23-24
tells us to “Love the Lord all His saints” and 1John 4:11 says, “Since God so loved
us, we also ought to love one another.” This Easter let us think about all that Jesus has
done for us because of the love of God, and ask ourselves if we love God with all our
heart, and then let us respond by praising and worshipping Him.
“Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous, sing joyfully to the Lord.” Psalm
32:11 & 33:1.
Happy Easter,Kathie. Quotes from NIV
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