Whats What s Lent about?

March 2012

PEEBLES BAPTIST CHURCH

Magazine

Do some spring cleaning. Empty your mind of clutter. Fill it with Gods love.
Lent Haiku - Joan Shisler

The three lines on the front page are a Haiku, which (if you dont know) is an ancient Japanese form of poetry. Heres another one for Lent:
Mark of ash recalls We are dust, but nonetheless We are truly loved

If you want to have a go at writing Haiku yourself, the formula is simple: First line - 5 syllables Second line - 7 syllables Third line - 5 syllables The reason Im talking about Haiku, apart from the fact that I really like the simplicity of them, is that for many Baptists the custom of observing Lent may be as alien a concept as Japanese poetry. I found a great article by Jim Denison, theologian-in-residence at the Baptist General Convention of Texas, looking at why Lent is relevant for Baptists. He suggests that three reasons for observing some form of Lenten practice present themselves, in ascending importance. One: we need to live in community with the larger body of Christ. Since the vast majority of Christians practice some form of Lenten observance, joining them in some way is a good step toward solidarity of faith and ministry. This is also an important witness to others, answering Jesus prayer, May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me (John 17:23). Two: we cannot fully appreciate Jesus resurrection unless we have experienced something of his sufferings. A fast of some sort is an appropriate means of spiritual identification with our Lords suffering for us. Three: we need a period each year for intentional spiritual introspection and contemplation. John R. W. Stott said that he required an hour a day, a day a week, and a week a year to be alone with his Lord. We need a time every year for spiritual renewal. Just as students need a Spring Break, so do souls. Lent is a wonderful season for such renewal: as the physical world is renewing itself, so should the spiritual. Can a spiritual discipline practiced for more than 17 centuries by the vast majority of Christians be irrelevant for Baptist souls today? If you havent worked out what to give up for Lent yourself yet, how about giving up one evening a week to join one of the Lent small groups? See Crazy Love later in the magazine for details...

Ian

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

Friday, 2nd March 2012 St Andrews Leckie Church at 7.30pm Written by Christian women of Malaysia Let Justice Prevail Will YOU join us?
Every year on (or near) the first FRIDAY in MARCH, Christians around the world (Protestants, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelicals) of all ages (women, men, young people and children) gather in small groups and large congregations using the same basic form of worship, written by women of a different country each year on a theme chosen by the World Day of Prayer International Committee.
This year we pray with women of Malaysia for: - refugees and migrant workers - victims of oppression and violence - the hungry - those who are abused - women who are powerless - children who need help - women and children who are trafficked - those affected by HIV or AIDS - local concerns

Tea and coffee will be served afterwards in the church hall.

World Day of Prayer Scottish Committee SC 020446

in Brazil with Wycliffe Bible Translators

Feb 9th

Dear all,
Thanks to all of you who prayed for us for our last day in the village yesterday. It went really well. I only cried twice! - Once when the Apurina sang a farewell song to us and then when I went to visit Chico's wife Almerinda. She is just a bag of bones. I don't know how she's still alive. She's blind, can't sit up and unable to eat. I spoke with her and prayed for her. She even asked me how I was doing healthwise! Chico told us that she had died at one point but that the Lord had sent her back to witness to her grandchildren. She's ready to go to her Lord and I reminded her that we would meet again and then she would have her new body strong, healthy and no more pain. We had a final service together and both Judy and I gave a final word. Judy plans to visit the Apurina after home leave so it wasn't quite so final for her. I don't think I'll be able to return to them in the village so my final word to them was that we had brought the message of salvation to them and urged any who had still not committed themselves to the Lord to do so before it was too late. I had hoped to take copies of 50 translated psalms to them but I didn't manage to get the copies run off and bound in time. However I read the first part of Psalm 139 to them to whet their appetite for when I can get the copies to them. We returned to Manaus with Doval and his wife Raimunds. Doval lost an eye in an accident in the jungle. Now his other eye has cataracts, so we want to get his cataracts removed before we leave Brazil in April, God willing. Thanks for your prayers for us. We really appreciate it, In Him,

Cathie

Feb 20th

Dear all,
Doval and his wife Raimunda spent over a week with us in Manaus. We got his eyes checked out. He has the beginning of a cataract but it's not ready for surgery yet, so we got him glasses to help him meanwhile. We told him that we were going to throw out an old couch and chairs that we've had for 30 years and definitely showing the worse for wear! "Can I have them?" he said. I guess even these are more comfortable than the hard benches that they sit on in the village! So Doval, Raimunda, couch and chairs, a metal cabinet and lots of other things from our Manaus house, should have arrived in the village today. It would make an interesting photo to see a house on stilts with couch and chairs inside especially when some houses don't even have outside walls. Raimunda is a believer but Doval in the past has shown no interest at all. It was encouraging then when they asked us to have a special meeting the evening before they left. We studied Acts chapter one, when Jesus ascended into heaven, his last words to his disciples, and the reminder that Jesus is going to come again in like manner. Doval listened really well. Pray that the Lord will open his heart up to the truth. Our director will be spending a few days with us next week. Pray that we'll soon be able to get our Manaus house sold. Thanks for your prayers for us, In Him,

Cathie
From Wycliffe Bible Translators to BMS World Mission 1. Many thanks to everyone who has signed up for the BMS Birthday Card Scheme so far. Please see Janet if youd like to join, or for more details. Cardboard collection boxes for BMS are now available from Lindsey - theyre great for all those coins that clutter up your pockets! Ann and David MacFarlane, our BMS link missionaries, will be visiting us in Peebles on Saturday 26th May - please mark it in your diaries!

2.

3.

1319 Christian Aid Week: 13 19 May 2012

We believe that poverty is a scandal and that it can be ended

Thousands of churches will stand together this Christian Aid Week to speak out for change. Some 100,000 committed volunteers will go out and put

their faith into action, raising funds to help some of the worlds poorest and most vulnerable people. This includes Britains largest house-tohouse collection an extraordinary act of witness, demonstrating to our communities that we care about poverty and justice. Last year a total of over 11,500 was raised in Peebles and Tweeddale, the result of much hard work and generosity. The money raised will have had a very real effect on the lives of hundreds of people. In order to raise this amount of money again, we need you! Some of the people who have been organizing events for years cant do so this year, so unless new volunteers come forward some of the usual events will not happen. We are particularly in need of:

Someone to run the popular coffee morning on Saturday 19th May. This has become a traditional, very visible event, but will only go ahead this year if someone undertakes to organise it Volunteers for the door-to-door collections, both to deliver and collect envelopes in May and to help distribute bags of envelopes to collectors at the end of April. Last year there were not enough collectors to cover all areas, so help here would be much appreciated. The money raised in this way accounts for a substantial proportion of the total. (Contact Sue Isherwood on 01721 721252) Home baking for the coffee morning and market stall, and someone to organise the market stall Seedlings/plants for the plant stall Volunteers for supermarket bag-packing New ideas! If you have any or would be willing help in any way please contact Emma and Graeme Herd on 01721 724593 or at theherds@crossburn.wanadoo.co.uk Working with partner organizations, Christian Aid aims to assist people and communities on the basis of need, regardless of race, religion or nationality fighting HIV providing clean water campaigning to combat climate change teaching trades and skills providing emergency aid setting up rural radio building schools running health clinics assisting farmers www.christianaid.org.uk

Have you ever wondered if were missing it? Its crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether youve verbalized it yet or not we all know somethings wrong. During Lent, both on Sundays and in midweek groups, were going to be working through Francis Chans book, Crazy Love. Have we forgotten what its like to really love God? How can we rekindle the romance? What does it look like when youre desperately and hopelessly in love with Jesus Christ? Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything. Our series starts on Sunday 26th February. Were encouraging as many people as possible to join one of the mid-week groups as well for the five week course - there are groups running on several different evenings as well as Wednesday afternoons. If you would like to join one of those groups for this period, or if youd just like some more information, please contact Ian Gray on 07881 518854, or email him at pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org.

Prayer Points for March

Lets praise and thank God for who He is. Pray for Margaret McLeod as she is going into Hospital to undergo a medical procedure, and that she will be sharing fellowship with us in the very near future. Pray that our God will touch many hearts to come along and join in as we begin the small group study and discussions leading up to Easter. Lets pray for our Link Missionaries, Ann and David MacFarlane, as they will be coming home for their home assignment in May. Also for Cathie Aberdour as she prepares to come home after spending many years in Brazil. Pray that God will bless them and keep them safe in all their travels.

God was pleased for all of Himself to live in Christ.

Colossians 1:19

Please pass prayer requests to Wilma Wintour, 723023

Eileen Russell (wife of former PBC pastor, Alex) has emailed to thank the fellowship for sympathies extended on the recent death of her mother, Mrs Rose: We thank you for your prayers at this time, and thank the Lord for the Gospel preached at the funeral on Thursday at Newlands Parish Church. There was a fitting tribute to my mother and all her community involvement over the years. She had made a recommitment a few months before her death and this was a source of comfort to us. We appreciate the prayers of the fellowship at this time. Blessing to you all. Eileen and Alex
Which side of the law? Rumour has it that a certain very respectable persona pillar of the Baptist Church! - was escorted home by the polis one evening last month.we havent heard what the neighbours made of it, but we understand that for the lady in question, her journey home was the icing on the cake, following a really interesting talk (organised by the Mens Group but open to women) on local policing, given by one of the Community Beat Officers based here in Peebles. The long arm of the law theme stretches into to the Groups March meeting, too. On THURSDAY 1 MARCH one of oor ain folk will be talking about the life of a prison warder. Definitely not to be missed. 7.30pm, Frank and Christines home, 12 Drovers Way. Passover meal at Galashiels Baptist Church A number of PBC folk last year enjoyed the moving, meaningful occasion of a Seder Meal led by Barry Barnet from Jews for Jesus. Were invited to join the Gala folks, and Barry, to celebrate Passover again this year, from 6.30pm on Good Friday, 6 April. Rev. Arthur Hembling explains: The opening section takes us through the symbolism and meanings behind certain Jewish traditions in the bible. All these come together to focus on Christ, and our understanding is enriched as we realise God had everything in His master-plan which unfolds before us. Please let Christine Drummond know ASAP if you would like to attend.

Whats on when.
Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us. (William Barclay)

Vickys Tearoom

Sunday 11 March

CHURCH PRAYER MEETING

SATURDAY 3 March Wilma and Willies house, 9am
Even if youre not involved as a helper, please do pray for the Tearoom and for our guests.

Letter writing, and prayer for persecuted Christians, at Willie and Wilmas home, on Tuesday 13 March at 10am.
Its our turn to do Lunch and Chat again tomorrow, 27 February. See Linda Bell to offer help!

Songs of Praise
Old Parish Church Sunday 1 April at 6pm In aid of Yorkhill Childrens Foundation Suggested Hymns to OP Church Office by 18 March

Advance notice that the institution of Rev Jim Benton-Evans as the new Rector of St Peters Episcopal Church is on Tuesday 1st May. Please pray for Jim, his wife Claire, and their children Tabitha, Phoebe and Tobias, as they move up from Cornwall. Pray too for the congregations of St Peters and St Andrews (Innerleithen) as they prepare for the change.

Services, March 2012

Sunday 4 March
Communion Servers: Lindsey Gray, Wilma Wintour Stewards: Margaret Cowan, Linda Bell Flowers: Helen Henderson Teas: Douglas McCall

Transport: Fergus Brown, Margaret Cowan, Christine Drummond

Secretary: Christine Drummond, tel 722062 Drummond,

Pastor: Ian Gray, tel 07881 518854, email pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org Pastor: Ian Gray, tel 07881 518854, email pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org Pastor: Ian Gray, tel 07881 518854, email pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org Pastor: Ian Gray, tel 07881 518854, email pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org

Sunday 11 March
Stewards: Vi Brown, Lindsey Gray Flowers: Carlyn McCall Teas: Pat Hamilton

Services in Victoria Park Centre, unless otherwise indicated Services in Victoria Park Centre, unless otherwise indicated Services in Victoria Park Centre, unless otherwise indicated Services in Victoria Park Centre, unless otherwise indicated

Website: Website: Website: http://peeblesbaptistchurch.org/

Transport: Lindsey Gray, Margaret Cowan, Douglas McCall

Sunday 18 March
Communion Servers: Jacqueline Wilson, Christine Drummond Stewards: Jacqueline Wilson, Kirstin Gray Flowers: Margaret McL Teas: Vi Brown

Treasurer: Liz Keiro, tel 730217

Transport: Fergus Brown, Margaret Cowan, Christine Drummond

Sunday 25 March
Stewards: Liz Keiro, Keith Davidson Flowers: Janet Smith Teas: Carlyn McCall

Transport: Lindsey Gray, Margaret Cowan, Douglas McCall

COMMUNION TABLE SETTING in March Pat Hamilton