P EEBL ES BA P TIS T C H U R C H

More to life...

April 2014

ts a standard feature of human existence to want to live life to the full - and we try all sorts of things to achieve that. Big house, flash car, successful career, trendy clothes, drink, drugs, money, exotic holidays, sex, music, fashion, lottery, fitness... The list is pretty much endless, and Im not trying to be preachy or moralistic with the examples above. Theyre things that normal, everyday people (thats you and me, in case you were wondering) typically either wish they had, or wish they had more of, in their search for a full life. A complete life. You might even say a life with meaning. But the fact is that none of those things prove satisfying, and we keep coming back to the basic question: Is there more to life than this? The Alpha Course is for everyone who wants to explore life's big questions - Is this it? What are we here for? Is God real? What happens when we die? Is there anything to hope for? As more than 22 million people around the world have already done Alpha, it must be reasonably good at helping people find some answers - dont you think? Were starting the Alpha Course at Peebles Baptist Church on Sunday 20th April (thats Easter Day), at 6pm in the Victoria Park Centre. The course lasts for about 8 weeks, although theres absolutely no pressure to commit to the whole thing, and theres no charge - youll even get a meal each week. If youd like to register, or just find out more, pick up an invite at church, or speak to Liz, Ralph, Lorna or myself. Oh, and if youve got a friend who you think might like Alpha, but youre nervous about inviting them because you dont know what its like - why not come on the first one yourself to see, and then bring your friend to the next one?

Ian

Are you looking for a television? Fergus and Vi have a redundant TV with built in video and DVD player - its a Toshiba 21inch, which is free to a good home. Please contact the Browns if you are interested.

Meat or milk?

and a pinch of salt, too!

A pinch of salt is what I hope youll take along with last months Magazine article, and this one, on aids to regular Bible reading. PLEASE dont just accept my observations uncritically! These two short articles arent meant to pontificate, but simply to draw attention to the very wide range of resources now available for adult Bible readers. And - hopefully - to encourage you to seek out the materials materials that suit you best. Last time, we glanced at a scheme for Shirkers and Slackers, at UCBs The Word for Today and at Scripture Unions digital WordLIve Bible reading guide. SU, which traces its origins back to the 1860s, also offers a wealth of paper-based notes including Daily Bread, Closer to God and Encounter with God, all published quarterly. Uniquely in the UK (as far as Im aware) SU also publishes a set of booklets with Bible readings especially for people with dementia. See www.scriptureunion.org.uk/Shop/ Biblereadingguides/164493.id Not quite as venerable an institution, but by no means a newcomer (its origins were in 1922), the Bible Reading Fellowship also publishes an extensive range of materials, now largely available online as well as in paper copy. Magazine readers may well be familiar with The Upper Room, in which the meditation on each days passage is contributed by individual subscribers. This inevitably means wide variation in topic and style. Personally I much prefer consistency and continuity. However, one feature of the Upper Room that readers might find very useful is the In times of/For Help with page, which carries an index of readings in that issue relating to situations or emotions with which we may need help. From the BRF stable but supporting much more in-depth Bible study is the Guidelines series. Each provides four months of serious study, with contributions from respected academics and theologians (e.g. Baptists Derek Tidball & Steve Holmes). BRF also publishes Day by Day with God written for women, by women. See biblereadingnotes.org.uk A more recent arrival amongst providers of Bible reading resources is The Good Book Company. Their adult notes in particular, the Explore

series have established an excellent reputation for being easy to understand whilst at the same time, making readers think for themselves. Again, Explore is a quarterly publication, with contributors who are firstclass communicators (e.g., Timothy Keller, Tim Chester). As one subscriber puts it if you want meat rather than milk, to be challenged and to grow, then give Explore a try. See www.thegoodbook.co.uk/bible/daily -bible-reading Scripture reading is our spiritual meal-time said Charles Spurgeon. Are you well-nourished? Sample editions of most of the helps to Bible reading listed above are available online, so please do check them out. If you dont have access to the internet but would still like to have a look, speak to Ian or one of the deacons.

Christine

As a church we support BMS missionary Sarah McArthur in Peru. We raised money for Sarah at our Car Boot Sale and Coffee Morning, and will be sending over 200 as a donation for her work. Here is her latest letter (see www.bmsworldmission.org/news-blogs/blogs/planes-combis-and-taxis for more pics) This past month has been a little crazy and Ive been on more transport than I ever dared to think of! Im just back from Lima again with the need to go back in about 20 days to collect my carnet which means I can legally stay in Peru as a missionary. Since the 25 of January Ive been on 9 planes and I dont dare hazard a guess at how many taxis. It is all very interesting driving here and Im getting use to the fact that waving your hand out the window is far better than a turning signal. Back in Arequipa I have started walking to school for a bit or exercise. It is just over 3 miles and I am enjoying seeing everything as I amble along. I do get a combi (minibus) back as its dark by the time I finish up. The journey can bring anything from sitting sedately on my 25 min journey back or standing crushed in with 30 or so others just trying to remember where Im to get off the combi. Im sure my sisters will be laughing at this as they know how much I even hated to get a bus or train in Edinburgh without getting claustrophobic whilst doing it.

Quiet day!

But praise God that he gives us the strength to handle what we never thought we could.

Prayer Breakfast
Saturday 12 April 7 8.30 AM (breakfast 8 8.30 AM) Janets - 26 Witchwood Crescent

Diversity NO APRIL MEETING (Easter Holidays!) Next Meeting Thursday 28 May

Vickys Tearoom Sunday 13 Apri l 3 4 PM

ALPHA
starts Sunday 20 April 6pm in the VPC

Messy Church
Saturday 26th April 3.30 - 5.30 PM Helpers needed to set up, cook, serve, play, chat, and clean - see Ian if youre available.

Good Friday Communion ril Friday 18th Ap entre Victoria Park C (Time tbc)

Ladies who Lunch

Visit to Coulter Mill on Friday 4th April. Names to Kim Strachan asap, please.

ether at Singing Tog rt Dovecot Cou

Wednesday 2 2.00 PM April

hristine for See Linda or C ion more informat

Peebles Churches Together Monday 31st March 7.30pm

Open Doors
No meeting until furthe r notice please listen for announcement

Mens Group
NO
APRIL MEETING (Easter Holidays!)

Kings Meadow planning group

Wednesday 9th April 7.45pm

Prayer Points for April

A very significant number of PBC folk, or their family members, are experiencing health problems at the moment. Please pray that each one will know healing and strengthening, and a real sense of Gods loving presence. We give thanks for the children and young people associated with Peebles Baptist Church, and ask God to bless and protect them all. Please pray too for parents, teachers, and youth leaders who can influence these young lives. In particular, please pray about the various end of term services held for the different schools. These can be a tremendous opportunity for the message of Easter to be explained - pray for clear words, and open hearts and minds. Please pray for all the churches in Peebles and district, giving thanks for all the goodwill and cooperation between them. Research in the UK revealed that there is an almost exact correlation between the amount of prayer mobilised for Alpha Courses and the number of guests who attend. (24-7prayer.com) Please pray for the Alpha Course planned to start here on 20 April, that, through it, people will meet Jesus. A prayer for Easter Day, taken from Gathering for Worship: Dear Father, this is the best day of the year the best day of all time. For on Easter Day we find that Jesus, who was dead, is alive again: and we see his promise that those who put their trust in him will not be swept away by death, but shall have eternal life.

BUS Prayer Link Calendar: April 2014

Sunday 6 April

Jim Meighan (Chaplain, NHS Glasgow, North & East) Collydean Baptist Church Colonsay Baptist Church Cornton Baptist Church

Sunday 13 April

David Middlemiss (Army Chaplain) Cowal Baptist Church Cowdenbeath Baptist Church Crieff Baptist Church

Sunday 20 April

Stuart Murdoch (Chaplain, Strathcarron Hospice) Crookston Baptist Church Crown Terrace Baptist Church Culduthel Christian Centre

Sunday 27 April

Isobel Neal (Chaplain, Robin House Children's Hospice) Culloden Baptist Church Cupar Baptist Church Dalbeattie Baptist Church

For more details and news from these churches, see the BUS website: www.scottishbaptist.org.uk/diary

Christian Aid Week 11-17 May 2014

Give people a future without fear

Can you help?

Christian Aid week offers an opportunity for us all to put our faith into action by working together to relieve suffering for the worlds most disadvantaged people. A full programme of events will be available next month, but meantime please consider helping with one of the events listed here. Door-to-door collections In an effort to take some of the strain off the organisers, collectors are being asked to pick up their collection bags and envelopes from the office of the Leckie Memorial Church on Monday 28 April from 10.00 to 12.00. Any bags that are not picked up will be delivered to you, but please pick up your own if at all possible. Extra collectors are always needed, so if you are able to help or have any queries, contact Sue Isherwood (721252). Coffee morning Coffee morning on Saturday 17 May with a range of stalls. If you can donate good-quality toys, please contact Sue Thurston (725103). If you can donate any new items/unwanted gifts, please contact Elspeth Knowles (722860). If you can provide baking, please contact Pat Hamilton (723598), who can call to collect. Poppy Browne will be putting on a show, so note the date! Concert Peebles Orchestra promise an exciting and unusual concert featuring guitar and accordion concertos at 7.30 on 17 May. See separate ad for details. Calling all gardeners We need seedlings and small plants for the ever-popular plant stall. We also need someone to take over running the stall from next year.

If you can supply plants or would like to help with the stall this year with a view to running it next year, please contact Ian Dumper (721132). Calling all bakers In addition to donations for the baking stall at the coffee morning, we need baking to serve with teas and coffees and for the market stall. If you can help, please contact Helen Holt (723735). Find out more Details about Christian Aid and some of the projects they support can be found on the website www.christianaid.org.uk. If you are inspired to organise an event or help in any way, contact Helen Holt (723735) * 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 *

Following Marchs car boot sale and coffee morning, a huge thanks to all the people involved in coffee making, tea pouring, cupboard sorting, table setting, car boot stewarding, item selling, scone making, pancake flipping, midnight baking, biscuit buying, lemon curd making, hi-vis vest wearing, teddy dressing, poster displaying, money counting, encouraging, smiling, faith building, grace inspiring, serving, kingdom seeking, loving Jesus. The day raised 424.47 for the garden fund and BMS in Peru. Moreover, we had lots of good conversations, and built relationships! Meanwhile, work continues in the garden following the community planting day earlier in March. Were just waiting for planning permission to be granted for the sheds, and the path through the new landscaped mounds should be completed soon. Were also looking forward to PYT taking on a raised bed as part of their mentoring project.

Part 6: March in Faith

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days Hebrews 11: 30

We must be strong and be strengthened, but theres a trust element too. We must be strengthened by faith. Recently I was at a meeting where I was praying for people to be filled with the Spirit. Afterwards a girl came to me and said, Ive been filled with the Spirit but it doesnt seem to have changed my life a lot. I thought that she was godly, zealous and very honest and I genuinely wanted to get some answers. I began to question why the gospel healings were so instructive. What we can learn from gospel healings Not only do they teach me Gods compassion and power, they also demonstrate how salvation gives us ability to do what cant be done. What do I mean? Frequently Jesus operated in a crowd. People often watched to see if Hed heal on the Sabbath. In that context He told the man with the withered arm, Stretch forth. He could have replied, Thats a cruel thing to say to me because I cant! Its cruel, unless in the saying of the words theres power. Theres power when Jesus says to you, Be strong in the strength of God. Salvation power must come to meet us. Surely thats what the healings and the miracles of the kingdom are all about. They demonstrate Jesus salvation. He gives you power to do what you couldnt do. You may say, I cant walk away from pornography. I cant do it. Im locked in. Be loosed! Yes Im trying to be. No, no, Be loosed. Be set free. Jesus saves doesnt He? Walk into salvation He told the ten lepers, Go and show yourselves to the priest. They could have said, Why do that? But as they went on their way they were made whole. As they went on their way You see, they walked into salvation, into a supernatural dimension. God didnt find a lot of strong, extrovert people and say, Be the light of the world. He came to weak people like you

and me, some of us captivated by dark, evil habits, ruining other peoples lives. But He saved us. And He says, You used to be darkness, now youre light. Walk into the light. Come on, walk into it. Its the miracle, the engagement place where the kingdom breaks in. When we believe Him we step into the freedom that he provides. We respond with active faith.
This post was adapted from the 1st of three sermons on the Armour of God preached at Together on a Mission 2010; www.terryvirgo.org/Articles/264622/Terry_Virgo/Resources/Articles/Series/ Armour_of_God_Genuine_conflict.aspx

Sally Foster Fulton , The Convener of the Church and Society Council of The Church of Scotland recently asked How
do we respond to the tension between the wants and needs of those of us here now and the ones yet to come who will inherit what we leave behind? She continues: The ones who suffer most due to climate change are the ones who can least afford it and who are in no position to do anything about it. Our global neighbours struggle disproportionately while Western consumption rises. We can no longer afford the luxury of saying that there is nothing we can do and the little we might accomplish will be too little too late Eco-congregations across Scotland are rising to this challenge, none least our own. Here in Peebles, we are nearing the end of the first Churches Together Carbon Conversations programme. And we are keen to recruit a group of people who would like to take part in the next programme, due to start end of April or early May. Carbon Conversations is an inspiring, practical 6-session course on lowcarbon living. The programme involves 5 fortnightly sessions and a 6th reunion meeting, and covers key aspects of our lives which have an impact upon our carbon emissions / climate change (Home Energy, Travel and Transport, Food and Water, Consumption and Waste). The group will explore how we feel about climate change and also the practical options available to us to live lower carbon lives through a series of facilitated discussions, games and activities. The end result is a practical, realistic action plan for yourself, your family and community for how you can reduce your impact on climate change. If you would be interested in joining a group or finding out more, please email carbonconversations@tweedgreen.org

Sunday April 6 Childrens talk: Jacqueline Wilson KAOS: C. Drummond, Moira Dalrymple, AN Other Teens: Charles Tulloch Flowers: Helen Henderson Stewards: Vi Brown, Margaret Cowan Teas: Kenny Hamilton Setup: Team 1 Communion Servers: Rab Bramhall, Fergus Brown Sunday April 13 (Palm Sunday) Childrens talk: KAOS: Teens: Flowers: Stewards: Teas: Setup: Transport Christine Drummond, Margaret Cowan, Jackie Tidder, Douglas McCall Setting up Team 1 David Tidder, Frank Drummond, Janet Smith, Team 2 Janet Smith, Bill Jacobs, Jacqueline Wilson Charles Tulloch Pat Hamilton, Emma Dalrymple, AN Other Rab Bramhall Hazel Hoggan Stan Henderson, Liz Keiro Helen Henderson Team 2

Services in Victoria Park Centre (unless otherwise indicated)

Pastor: Ian Gray 07881 518854 pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org

Sunday April 20 (Easter Day) Childrens talk: Linda Bell KAOS: Jennie Jacobs, Carlyn McCall, Elaine Taylor Teens: Helping with KAOS Flowers: Carlyn McCall Stewards: Willie & Wilma Wintour, Janet Smith Teas: Christine Drummond Setup: Team 1 Communion Servers: C. Drummond, Janet Smith Sunday April 27 Childrens talk: KAOS: Teens: Flowers: Stewards: Teas: Setup: Christine Drummond Bill Jacobs, Janlyn McCall, AN Other Stay in service Margaret McLennan Gordon Craig, Frank Drummond Helen Craig Team 2

Laying Communion Table in April Hazel Hoggan

We re looking for people to join a rota to operate the laptop on Sunday mornings. If youre interested, please speak to Ian. Training will be given!

Secretary: Treasurer: Website:

Christine Drummond 01721 722062 Liz Keiro 01721 730217 http://peeblesbaptistchurch.org