Our speaker this week was Connie Croly, who always brings an interesting and thought-provoking message!

Today was no exception when Connie posed the question, “Are you still alive?” Are we moving on with the Lord as individuals and are the churches we attend moving on too?

We have been set apart to follow Jesus wherever He leads.  How much is Jesus seen in us by others? We need to let the beauty of Jesus shine forth. Is God perhaps saying things to us in these days?  Our reputations are not enough!  Is the Holy Spirit evident in our lives and are we people seeking to further God’s Kingdom? We need to trust Him and to abandon ourselves to God remembering that whom God calls, He equips. He will strengthen us and give us all we need to accomplish His will. He is working His purposes out. We may have plans, but are we ready to change these plans? Our God is a God of surprises. Is this God’s moment for you?!

We have a choice and have been given free will to follow Him and do things His way. This is always the best course of action. We are privileged people so let’s be reckless in His service.  Let’s give God what is right, not what is left! God does not always call the qualified but He does qualify the called! So let’s follow our God – all is possible and nothing is too difficult for Him.

We sang one of Connie’s favourite hymns to close our service written by John E Bode (1816-74):

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou for ever near me’
My Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my Guide.

Martine Johnson, a member of our congregation, is in the process of making some cards to sell in our shop.

We thought you might like to see a couple of her paintings: The first one is called Faceless Angel and the second one, Spiritual Warfare.

Our friend Daniel Gitau has rung the UK to ask for prayer.

There are many pressures and unsettling things happening in the political sphere that are making Daniel’s position difficult and causing upset in the country. (e.g. Anti-government demonstrations calling for President William Ruto’s resignation and the dissolution of parliament, among other demands.  Also, Daniel tells us that doctors are on strike because they are not being paid).

Please do continue to uplift our friends in Kenya to our Heavenly Father on a regular basis. We know that prayer changes things.

We welcomed back Graham Dawson to our meeting who brought a very pertinent and thought-provoking message from Exodus 33 v 7-11 focusing on verse 11a, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.”

Moses, the man of prayer, would go out to the Tent of Meeting to commune with God.  There was such intimacy – real honesty and heart to heart communication.  Do we yearn for that intimacy with God? Prayer should be at the centre of everything we do!

Jesus said in John 15 v 14, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” Is Jesus your best friend? Friends and particularly best friends, share their life experiences with each other.  There is that closeness, that desire to spend time with each other. How much time do we spend in His presence?

We were reminded of the verse in James 4 v 8, ‘Come or draw near to God and He will come or draw near to you.’ Jesus is always waiting and inviting us to come close or for some, closer.  Do you need to spend more time with Him? Prayer is God’s idea, He initiated it and it is a ‘ritual’ for us to enjoy. Graham said that “Prayer is being unbusy with Jesus!”

Graham challenged us by asking if we really wanted to know Him! We need to practice the presence of God in everyday life even the mundane just like Brother Lawrence the 17th Century French monk.  Open yourself up to more of His presence but beware because the more you get to know God, the more you will want Him!

It was a very blessed afternoon.  The readings, songs, thoughts and Graham’s message dovetailed together so beautifully – The Holy Spirit was definitely at work!  We had an opportunity to be still and to reflect before singing Noel Richard’s song, To be in Your presence, to sit at Your feet, where Your love surrounds me, and makes me complete. This is my desire, O Lord. To rest in Your presence, not rushing away; to cherish each moment, here I would stay.  This is my desire O lord. May that be our heart-felt prayer this week.

It was such a joy to witness the baptisms of three of our dear friends, Bob Leaver, Ruth Sherman and Sylvia Crompton.

Our Moderator, Bryan Pickard gave a brief explanation of what was about to happen before conducting the baptisms and then brought a timely word from 1 John 1 v 5 – 2 v 11. To listen to this message, head to: Sermons

All three participants told their story of how they came to faith and the recordings are below.

Sylvia:

Ruth:

Bob:

Lord, we thank you for the precious gift of baptism and that Sylvia, Ruth and Bob have been able to publicly declare their love for you.  Lord, we ask that you would bless them abundantly. We pray that you would work deeply within their hearts and souls to renew and refresh them each day. Guide their footsteps and give them a hope and a vision for the future. Father, cover and protect them now, encircle them with your promises and fill their hearts with joy. May this day be one they cherish and remember forever! Amen.

We welcomed Beverley McArdle who is the leader of the Care Homes team at Brighton & Hove City Mission.

Beverley has been leading a series over the past 6 months on Psalm 23, focusing on a verse a month. Beverley felt led to share some of the thoughts that had impacted her during that time.

We commenced by reading the Psalm all together in the old King James Version which is the one that is most memorable to older people who have been brought up with reading scripture. It was a truly beautiful moment – there is power in speaking out God’s Word especially all together! It seemed to personalise the truths written by David the psalmist and brought hope, confidence, peace and refreshment to the soul. Have you tried reading from the Bible out aloud? Why not start with Psalm 23 and allow God to speak to you?

Verse 1. Do you know God as your Shepherd?

Verse 2. Do you know that He desires to lead you into green pastures and provide you with rest and all that you need? Trust Him!

Verse 3. His work is perfect and He longs to restore us. In Him we are new creations!

Verse 4. He will protect us, strengthen us and uphold us and will not leave us nor forsake us whatever life throws at us!

Verse 5. He lavishly spreads a table before us.  Sin and death are defeated and we can look forward to a new life with Him in eternity.

Verse 6. We are offered a perfect dwelling place with Jesus.  In God’s house there are many rooms and He has gone to prepare a place for us – a better place – an eternal home – guaranteed!

May this beautiful Psalm touch you as you read it and may you know His comfort, His presence and His peace today and in the days ahead.

Blessings!

Sue led our meeting this afternoon and was also our speaker!

We were asked the question, “How adaptable are you?” Sometimes, God blocks our plans.  Are we happy to say goodbye to them and allow God to have His way? 

Isaiah 55 v 8-9 says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”, declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

It is important to be ready and prepared for the Lord’s prompting because He has a plan far greater for us and any plans we might have.

Sue shared two examples of this:

• When Paul and his co-workers planned to continue church planting in Asia,  God gave Paul a vision to go to Macedonia in Europe (Acts 16 v 9-10). As a result of this, they left immediately which was a very important decision.
• In Philippi, Paul and his companions had planned to go outside the city to the river where they expected to find a place of prayer but met a group of women. This would have been culturally unacceptable yet Paul stopped and shared the gospel with them (Acts 16 v 13-15) – another very important decision. As a result of this meeting planned by God, Lydia, a prominent business woman, became a key part of the young Philippian church.

If Paul hadn’t have been ready to change his plans in obedience to God’s call on his life, there may never have been a Philippian church. Are we as adaptable as that? Definitely food for thought!

We welcomed Phil Cook, an old friend, back to Thursday Fellowship to kick-off our autumn session.

Phil’s message to us was, “Let’s be salty Christians!”

We spent some time thinking about what salt does:

• It seasons and acts as an appetiser, making things more tasty!
• It heals and cleanses.
• It stops decay, preserving things and preventing things going bad.

Phil brought along a hymn he wrote in 2005 based on Matthew 5 v 13-14 which can be sung to the tune “Tallarn Green” 11 11 11 11 metre (Immortal, Invisible, God only wise.) It communicates so well what Phil wanted to share with us and with his permission we have reproduced the words for your contemplation.

Words copyright – 1st October, 2005 – Rev Philip Cook
Tune Copyright – 24th May, 2002  – Rev Philip Cook

The salt of the earth so the Christian must be
To appetize others, for Christ they must see.
Let none lose their savour to flavour with joy,
Attracting the lost to the Saviour’s employ.

Yes, salt is an agent to cleanse and to heal
Where germs and infection are seen to reveal
The need for such tending the sinner’s deep wound
That purity, wholeness, may truly abound.

The Christian is salt ‘gainst all moral decay
To live for the truth in Christ Jesus the Way
God’s holy commands and His Word to bring nigh,
A goodly, salt influence so to apply.

So, Christian be salt and so help purify,
That standards and morals may always be high;
Bring flavour and cleansing, preventing decay,
“For Christian you’re salt” so Christ Jesus did say.

The light of the world so the Christian must be
Reflecting the Light of the Saviour to see.
Dispelling the night and releasing from fear
The sinner, convicted, in faith to draw near.

We finished by singing the hymn and if you know that tune, you might like to do that yourself!

Jane leads our online Prayers this month and carries on from where Gareth left off last month with a focus on Joshua 1 v 9 and Philippians 4 v 4-7.

What a joy it was to witness the baptism of Pete Millis at Rottingdean Beach on Sunday, 18th August, 2024.

I do hope you are all able to access the video below:

https://www.facebook.com/downsbaptistchurch/videos/1591996004981072