EAST HILL BAPTIST CHURCH - NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 1999
THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT, THE LAME WALK ...
You cannot help but notice as you read the gospels the special concern that Christ showed to the vulnerable members of society. Much of his ministry was directed to bring help to the disabled, and this comes to mind particularly, following the remarks of Glen Hoddle. The now ex-England coach seems to believe at the moment in the doctrine of re-incarnation, a belief held by Buddhism, Hinduism and other eastern religions.
The idea of reincarnation is that we do not live just one life, but many lives on this earth, and the way we behave in one life affects what happens to us in the following lives. Glen's comments that the disabled are suffering as a result of sins in a past life are just his personal attemps to answer the questions that people have always asked about suffering in our world.
It seems a shame to me that people seem to be asking such questions of the wrong people. The one qualified above all others to answer such questions is Jesus. Let me remind you of two occasions when Jesus was faced with such questions.
On one occasion Jesus met a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked him 'who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus replied that neither the man nor his parents' sins had caused the man to be born blind, he was born blind so that 'God's works might be revealed in him.' Jesus then proceeded to restore the man's sight. (John 9). Sometimes today, people are miraculously restored to sight or healed through prayer. Far more commonly blindness as well as other diseases and disabilities are cured through medical science, and we should praise God for the inspiration given by him to medical researchers, and the compassion and devotion inspired by him in nurses, doctors and carers. We should also be concerned as a society that we contribute the necessary resources so that the sick and disabled are not neglected.
There are also many who have to live with the reality of disability all their lives, and this faces us with hard questions about the reality of God's love and compassion. Many have found however, God's grace and help through faith in Christ, and have found the joyful reality of his love for them, and the help of the Holy Spirit amidst their disability. Faith in Christ believes that ultimately his promises of healing will come to them. Jesus taught that there is another life for those who trust and follow him in a better place, where complete healing will be given to all God's children.
Fanny Crosby who lost her sight as a young child lived her life in blindness, but she knew the reality of faith in Christ, she wrote thousands of Christian hymns expressing that faith, some of which are popular today. I quote you one line she wrote which is relevant to our subject: 'I shall see him face to face' , she believed that when she met Jesus, healing would become a reality for her. Christ offers the same hope to all.
The second instance we will look at when Jesus addresses the issue of suffering, is when he is told about a group of Galileans who have been cruelly murdered by Pilate, the Roman governor (Luke 13). Glen Hoddle's view that that sin results in suffering is not a new one, in fact it is a God ordained principle on which the world functions. Sin does result in suffering. We make a mistake however, when we think we can hold ourselves aloof when we see suffering come on others, and look on them as worse sinners than ourselves.
Jesus warns against this, he reminded his hearers that the same punishment of death for sin, hangs over us all. All mankind shares in the guilt of sin for all have sinned. All mankind faces the punishment of death. It was in the light of this predicament that God sent his son into our world to take our punishment on himself. Christ came to lead us away from sin and death through repentance and faith in him. Amidst the sin and suffering that we see in the world around us, we do know that God cares, and wants us to show his care to others. In Christ he offers his love and forgiveness and his hope to all.
Yours in Christ Peter. FEBRUARY 1999 - PROGRAMME
All services and meetings will be held on our church premises unless another venue is indicated in the programme below. Rev Peter Neale will be preaching at all services unless an alternative speaker is indicated in the programme.
LONDON CALLS FOR JUBILEE
The Jubilee 2000 Coalition has been campaigning for the world's governments to relieve the problem of international debt for the poorest countries for the new millenium. As part of that campaign, a special event is being held on Sunday 7th of March at St Paul's Cathedral starting at 5.30 pm. This will be followed by an all night vigil at the Treasury in Westminster.
DAY TRIP TO WINDSOR
We have hired a minibus for an outing to Windsor on Saturday 27th March, leaving at lOam. Our friends from the United Reformed Church have been invited to join us, and they may be coming with a second minibus.
The cost for transport will be about £3.00. Please let Peter know if you want to book a seat. GIVING TO THE CHURCH
Total giving to the church including Anniversary Gifts during 1998 was £12,632. This compares with £11,544 in 1997, which represents an annual increase of almost 10%. In addition to this the church received a legacy in excess of £4,000 from the estate of our late sister Mrs Lynette Smellie. GIVING FOR OTHERS
During 1998 we have been able to give £1,508 to help people in other parts of our country and our world. We have given to the following causes:
Thanks to all whose generositv has enabled us to achieve these levels of giving. FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FOR 1999
Due to the fact that we have investments of £35,000 belonging to the cnurch, and no longer have the potential liabilites associated with our demolition and rebuilding work, the London Baptist Association has recommended that our church be self supporting this year, and manage without a Home Mission Grant.
For over two years we have received grant aid, which has been a real encouragement to us during the uncertain period while our new church building was being erected. It has been wonderful to see how our financial needs have been provided for, both in the provision of equipment and also the day to day running costs of the church, part of which has been the encouraging increase in giving over the past year. Realistically, it looks as if we shall have to spend £10,000 of our investments as well as interest and income from the investments to pay our way for the coming year. When our capital is reduced below £10,000 we should be eligable for a substantial Home Mission grant again, but until that time, we will be applying for annual 'nil' grants; to be awarded a nil grant means that if a church runs into unforseen financial difficulties, money can be made available from the Home Mission fund straight away to help.
The real aim for a Baptist Church in financial terms however is to be self supporting, and if in each of the next ten years we can increase our giving by 1O% as we have done last year, that would be possible. With this in mind, it has been decided to raise our giving targets from £200 - a week a target which we now usually reach to £240 per week.
Although for January we have fallen quite short of that, our new target was £1200 and our income was £732.55, we hope and pray that we will be able to make up lost ground as the year goes on.
It is also an appropriate occasion to remind you that you can benefit the churches finances if you are able to join the covenant scheme and enable the church to reclaim money you have paid in income tax, or even plan your giving to the church under the lump-sum Gift Aid scheme which allows the same thing to happen. Ask John or Peter if you want to know more about either of these possibilities. SOMETHING THAT MATTERS MORE THAN MONEY
The main purpose of the church though, is not money. It is coming together in worship and fellowship. It is people coming to know God through faith in Christ, and expressing that faith in commitment to one another and obedience to God. It is expressing Christ's love and truth to the world around. It is being the body of Christ at East Hill Wandsworth.
I believe that it is as we concentrate on these things that we can hope to see real growth, and God will continue to provide and meet our needs in ways that will both surprise and bless us and prompt generosity for God's work here and elsewhere.
Peter.
Sun 7th 10.30 am Upside-down Kingdom - Luke 6
6.30 pm The Kingdom of Love Luke 6
Lord's Supper
Mon 8th 5.45 pm Girls' Brigade
Tues 9th 2.00 pm Tuesday Fellowship - speaker Miss Boswell
Wed 10th 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler Group
Thur 11th 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler Group
Fri 12th 7.00 pm Youth Club
7.30 pm Hispanic Bible Study
Sat 13th 10.00 am Church Cleaning
Sun 14th 10.30 am Jesus' Compassion - Luke 7
6.30 pm Jesus' Power - Luke 8
Tues 16th 2.00 pm Tuesday Fellowship - speaker Mr Troup
Fri 19th 7.30 pm Hispanic Bible Study
Sat 20th 10.00 am Prayer Meeting at Margaret's
Sun 21st 10.30 am Jesus' Disciples - Luke 9
Lord's Supper
6.30 pm Jesus Way - Luke 10
Mon 22nd 5.45 pm Girls' Brigade
Tues 23rd 2.00 pm Tuesday Fellowship - speaker Mrs Skelton
Wed 24th 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler Group
7.45 pm Lent Group - East Hill URC
Thur 25th 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler Group
Fri 26th 7.00 pm Youth Club
7.30 pm Hispanic Bible Study
Sat 27th 10.00 am Prayer Meeting at Margaret's
Sun 28th 10.30 am Power from Above - Luke 11
6.30 pm Be Prepared - Luke 12
MARCH
Mon 1st 5.45 pm Girls' Brigade
Tues 2nd 2.00 pm Tuesday Fellowship - speaker Mrs Moore
Wed 3rd 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler Group
7.30 pm Deacon's Meeting
7.45 pm Lent Group - East Hill URC
Thur 4th 10.00 am Minis and Minders Toddler
Fri 5th 7.30 pm Hispanic Bible Study
Sat 6th 10.00 am Prayer Meeting at Margaret's
Sun 7th 10.30 am Enter While You May - Luke 13
6.30 pm A Generous Invitation - Luke 14
Lord's Supper
Home Mission £975
Baptist Missionary Society £150
Spurgeon's Child Care £101
Leprosy Mission £ 48
WEC (Erica Janes) £ 50
Gypsy Road Baptist Church £ 50
Operation Agri Harvest Appeal £ 34
Central American Hurricane £100