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REMEMBER! REMEMBER!

North West District Preachers’ Conference

Saturday 1 October 2011

Clooney Hall

*** Please note change of date ***

District Prayer Line

New Contact Number

0287 2766 8151

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News and Views from Tabor Cottage

Easter 2011 Issue No 9

“Whom God calls, He qualifies: whom He qualifies, He sends”

Wishing you all a Joyous

Easter.

Deanna

Let us cry out with joy, for the Lord is risen!

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Rejoice, O heavenly powers Exult, all Creation! Sound the trumpet

Of Salvation

Let us rejoice and remember the life of Willie Thompson who died December 2010. He was a Fully Accredited Local Preacher 1962—2010 and was well known for his faithfulness in preaching the Gospel. Below is a letter received from Violet.

15 January 2011 Dear Deanna Many thanks indeed for your message of sympathy. Please pass on my thanks to the NW District Local Preachers. Willie loved being a local preacher and especially Local Preachers‘ Sunday when he visited other churches. We do miss him very much but are comforted by the prayers and messages from so many and by knowing that he is now with his Saviour whom he loved and served and has no more disease or weakness. Yours Violet

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Rejoice, O splendorous

Earth, Exalt in glory Let this place

Resound with joy. Jesus Christ

Our King Is Risen!

When Easter bells

Have fully chimed,

And choirs their last

Alleluias rhymed;

When Easter greetings

Have all been made,

And Easter lilies

Begun to fade,

The task of Easter

Has only just begun:

To share our joy

With everyone!

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Thought for the week

How does your garden grow?

For the garden of daily living you need to do as follows—

Plant three rows of peas: 1) Peace of mind 2) Peace of heart 3) Peace of soul

Plant four rows of squash: 1) Squash gossip 2) Squash indifference 3) Squash grumbling 4) Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of lettuce 1) Lettuce be faithful 2) Lettuce be kind 3) Lettuce be patient 4) Lettuce really love one another

Plant three rows of turnips 1) Turnip for meetings 2) Turnip for service 3) Turnip to help one another

Plant three types of thyme 1) Thyme for each other 2) Thyme for family 3) Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love, and there will be much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow!

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Eric Hayes

Fully Accredited Local Preacher Active 1986—2010. Retired school teacher and how retired as a local Preacher, Eric has given great service in the fields of Education and the Ministry of God in the Coleraine area for many years. A presentation was made to him at a ‗Celebrating Local Preaching‘ Service in Coleraine Methodist Church on Sunday 30 January. May God Continue to Bless him in retirement

A hairy tale After I‘d read to the toddlers at Sunday school, one little girl came up to me. ―Miss, you‘re just like Daddy,‖ she said. ―Does he read you stories as well?‖ I asked. ―No,‖ she replied, ―But he‘s got hair on his legs just like you.‖ M Hobbs, Lincolnshire

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succeeded by” Hymns and Psalms”. This year’s British Methodist Conference (July 2011) will launch a new hymnbook “Singing the Faith” to replace both previous books.

A word on unification. The Irish Methodist Church was one conference by the beginning of the 20th century. Did Ireland lead the way for Britain?

Chris

The Lord is out there too One afternoon a little boy was playing outdoors. He used his mother‘s broom as a horse and had a wonderful time until it was getting dark. He left the broom on the back porch. His mother was cleaning up the kitchen when she realized that her broom was missing. She asked the little boy about the broom and he told her where it was. She then asked him to please go get it. The little boy informed his mum that he was afraid of the dark and didn‘t want to go out to get the broom. His mother smiled and said ―the Lord is out there too, don‘t be afraid‖. The little boy opened the back door a little and said ―Lord if you‘re out there, hand me the broom‖.

Appeal for photographs

There will be an exhibition in Clooney Hall later this year showing the events that have taken place in the Centre since it opened 10 years ago. If you have photos that can be copied for the exhibition please contact us on 7134 8531 or email manager@clooneyhall.org.uk

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Continued from page 8

“Breathings from the Border”

The Border is the ―Auld‖ border between Scotland and England near which, on the Scots‘ side, is the beautiful town of Melrose on the southern bank of the river Tweed.

Andrew Clephane was the Sheriff of Fife but in 1840 he brought his family of three daughters to live at Melrose. The three sisters, moved by the plight of some poor children in the Melrose area, sold their horses and carriage to fund a school for the children.

One of the sisters, Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1830-1869), wrote a number of hymns to be sung in the school. Her collection appeared in ―The Family Treasury‖ and, in addition to her hymns, Cecilia included a long poem which contained verses which we know as the hymn ―Beneath the Cross of Jesus‖.

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane died at the early age of 39. At her funeral her hymn was sung for the very first time. Introducing the hymn, the minister conducting her funeral service said, ―This hymn was written on the very edge of eternity.‖

Readers might be interested to know that the Methodist Church in Britain became the united church in 1932, when three main strands of Methodism united in one conference held in the then Wesleyan Methodist Central Hall, across the square from Westminster Abbey. The Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodist Church and the New Connexion Methodist Church, after many years of talks, united to become the Methodist Church in Britain.

To celebrate the Union “The Methodist Hymn Book” (the red book) was published in 1933. In 1983 the “red book” was

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Two Easter Hymns

“He’ll pull us out of the bog”

Thomas Kelly (1769-1854) was the son of an Irish judge and was born in Dublin. He became a barrister but forsook the law to study for the Church of Ireland, taking Holy Orders in 1792. His earnest evangelical preaching ran foul of the then Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, who forbade him to preach. Kelly left the Established Church and built independent chapels in Wexford and other towns where he had held missions. He was much beloved of the Dublin poor. One man is said to have cheered up his wife in a time of great trouble by saying, ―Hould up, Bridget, bedad; there‘s always Reverend Kelly to pull us out of the bog after we‘ve sunk for the last time.‖ An excellent scholar and magnetic preacher, he published a ―Collection of Psalms and Hymns‖, with an appendix of 33 hymns by himself. The last edition of his ―Hymns‖ contained 765 hymns written by himself. His Easter hymn ―We sing the praise of him who died‖ appeared in this edition and is based on Hebrews chapter 2, verse 9 and 10. Chris Wilson—continued on page 18

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Walking on the King’s highway

REJOICE IN THE LORD

Rejoice in the Lord always Philippians 4:4 Burst into song. Isaiah 49:13

It is a good thing to rejoice in the Lord. Even if you do not feel any joy, with no comfort or encouragement, still rejoice and count it all joy. Even when you fall into divers temptations, reckon it joy and delight. God will not hold back on the front line to allow you to be beaten or captured by the enemy. There is a beautiful story which tells of song birds being brought over the sea. There were thirty-six thousand, mostly canaries. The sea was very calm when the ship first sailed, and the little birds were silent. They kept their little heads under their wings and not a note was heard. But the third day out at sea, the ship struck a furious gale. The passengers were terrified. Children wept. Then a strange thing happened. As the tempest reached its height, the birds began to sing, first one, then another, until the thirty-six thousand were singing as if their little throats would burst. When the storm rises in its fury, do we then begin to sing? Should not our song break forth in tenfold joy when the tempest begins?Lord, teach me how to rejoice in You. When things are going wrong and everything seems to be falling around me, how can I get excited and joyful? But this is just what You ask me to do. It’s so difficult, Lord, but when I seek Your face and draw right into Your presence, in faith, believing that You really care for me, then it all becomes possible and the mountains become molehills and I see Your power at work. Thank You Lord, and praise Your name.

When we walk with the Lord In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way While we do His good will He abides with us still And with all who will trust and obey

But we never can prove The delights of His love Until all on the altar we lay;

For the favour He shows, And the joy He bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, For there‘s no other way To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey

John H Sammis, 1846—1919

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Commandments for travellers

NEVER LACK ZEAL

Never be lacking in Zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11

Deep indeed is the world‘s debt to people who would not quit. Suppose Columbus had not sailed across the ocean, or Anne Sullivan had lost hope for Helen Keller! Suppose David Livingstone had given up his exploration of the then dark continent of Africa, or Gladys Aylward had not penetrated into the heart of China! Suppose Paul had not persevered in his travels with the Gospel message, or Moses had rejected God‘s call to him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness! How much the world owes to such people. Many a race is lost at the last lap; many a battle is lost on the last charge. Only a burning zeal can impart ardour and set others aflame. Power to endure to the end; patience to outlast all discouragement and zeal that will not die out but will enkindle the zeal of others. All these are given and secured to him who knows that the work and call are from God.

Father, I need the spirit of divine ardour that I may go forth with abundant zeal to do the things You request of me. In faith I claim this desire of my heart. In faith, I claim the divine equipment necessary to stimulate my zeal; equipment that will enable me to serve You with joyful anticipation and to bring praise and glory to your name.

Forth in Thy name, O Lord, I go, My daily labour to pursue, Thee, only Thee, resolved to know In all I think, or speak or do.

The task Thy wisdom hath assigned O let me cheerfully fulfil, In all my works Thy presence find, And prove Thy good and perfect will.

Thee may I set at my right hand, Whose eyes my inmost substance see, And labour on at Thy command, And offer all my work to Thee.

For Thee delightfully employ What‘er Thy bounteous grace hath given And run my course with even joy, And closely walk with Thee to heaven

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Read>

Luke 23:44-56 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o‘clock (v44) More> Leviticus 16:20-22 Romans 10:13-15 Hebrews 10:19-25 On July 22, 2009, a total eclipse of the sun was witnessed across India, China and some Pacific Islands. It lasted just 6 minutes and 39 seconds. But that made it the longest eclipse for this century. The darkness that occurred during Christ‘s crucifixion was no natural phenomenon—it lasted 3 hours that afternoon! Luke described two other events that resulted in dramatic changes. The first event involved the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple. It was torn down the middle (v45). God had decreed that a thick curtain separate His symbolic dwelling place from the rest of the temple. Access beyond the curtain was limited only to the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement. After offering the requisite sacrifices and bearing the blood of a lamb, he went behind the curtain to pray for the forgiveness of the sins of Israel (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9:7). During those hours on the cross, God transferred the sins of the whole world onto Jesus. His blood shed on the cross once and for all took away our sins, something no earthly high priest could do (Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 24-26). The curtain was torn in two to show that the way to God

darkness

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had been permanently opened to all. The second event of that dark day was the belief in Jesus displayed by different people. Both the Roman centurion (v47) and Joseph (v50) could not continue to be silent. They affirmed Jesus‘ innocence by their actions. The former worshipped Him. The latter asked Pilate for Jesus‘ body so that he could be given a dignified burial. Have you been a ‗secret believer‘ - scared to tell someone about Jesus? Step out from the darkness in faith and proclaim what Jesus did on the cross. We can ―come boldly to the throne of our gracious God‖ because there we will ―find grace to help us when we need it most‖ (Hebrews 4:16). C P Hia

Next>

How are you letting others know that you‘re a worshipper of God? To whom will you share the good news of Jesus today?

“ God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

A fresh take on the serenity prayer!

―Dear Lord, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference‖.

Catherine Hiscox, Hertfordshire

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resurrection responses

Read>

Luke 24:1-12 He isn‘t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must … be crucified, and that He would rise again on the third day (v6-7).

More>

John 20:24-29 Acts 17: 32-34 An important date in British history is 18 June 1815. That‘s when Wellington faced Napoleon at Waterloo. The future of the nation was at stake and the whole country waited nervously for news of the outcome. At long last, some signal ships came into view. Through a blanket of mist, the lookout was just able to discern the message before the fog rolled in: ―Wellington defeated.‖ The worst had happened and the terrible news spread. When the fog lifted a few hours later, however, it became clear that the lookouts had been too hasty with their conclusions. The full message now came into view: ―Wellington defeated Napoleon.‖ As far as Jesus‘ followers were concerned, the message of the cross was crystal clear. ―Jesus defeated.‖ Jesus had declared Himself to be the great King of God‘s kingdom. His miracles seemed to back up this claim, but now His death had done away with the whole idea. Certainly the resurrection was the furthest thing from the minds of the women when they went to the tomb. They carried spices because they were expecting to anoint

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Jesus‘ dead body. Instead, they were confronted with the rolled-away stone (v2), the empty tomb (v3), the appearance of the angels (vv4-5), the question of rebuke (v5), and the glorious announcement (vv5-6). It was the reminder of Jesus‘ words that created faith in the women and cleared away the fog of unbelief. They rushed to share the full message with the others: ―Jesus defeated death‖ (vv9-10). The disciples, however, thought that the women were talking rubbish (v11). Even after checking it out for himself, Peter didn‘t believe (v12). And so, Luke presents two contrasting responses to the resurrection. Like the disciples, we can scoff at the news or, as the women did, we can joyfully accept it. Paul Baxendale

Next> What is your response to the news that Jesus has risen? How has this transformed your life?

Janette Connor’s Trip to Rwanda in 2010

Last summer I had the amazing opportunity to go to Rwanda as

part of the CMS Ireland Youth Team to work in the Diocese of

Kibungo in South-East Rwanda. The team was made up of 14

people and Julie Green and I went from St Augustines. It was

an incredible experience full of so many memories and

opportunities to experience new things and learn a bit about life

in Africa. At the start of the trip we visited memorial sites from

the Genocide that took place in Rwanda, this was a moving

experience for a lot of us. Despite what Rwanda has been

through you can‘t tell that there has been a genocide and

people seem to get on so well together and live side by side

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and it is a country that is positive about its future. The divide at

home in Northern Ireland is much more noticeable! During our

three weeks in Rwanda we visited maize and housing projects

and took part in a youth camp. In the mornings at youth camp we

worked alongside the Rwandan young people to build two

houses and we played with some of the children – blowing

bubbles and playing with balloons! In the afternoon we led a

session with talks and testimonies, drama and singing. We also

participated in a choir competition with just two days‘ notice! In

the evenings we had team time and I personally found these

really helpful and being in Rwanda helped me to grow spiritually

and really depend on God. The faith of the people there was

amazing and really encouraging and I have come home with lots

to think about. I would like to thank everyone who supported us

financially or prayed for us it was much appreciated. While we

were away we kept a blog so if you would like to find out more

about the trip check out...

http://www.cmsireland.org/blog/rwanda2010