Lord's Day November 18 2018

A good day at the church face. One or two families away in the morning plus others but a decent turn out on the whole. Two neighbours tuned up out of the blue. I've told them about the church but they had not realised I was the minister. Ah well. Another man turned up who we haven't seen in ages so I hope we see him again soon. I preached on Acts 16:16-24 and the demon possessed girl, which comes between the conversions of Lydia and the jailer. It's an unwieldy passage but I think we got somewhere.

We were 14 in the evening having been seven for communion (three of those present normally come in the morning only). I preached from the next part of Matthew 22, the question of the Sadducees. We also covered the ninth century in our church history series. It seems to get murkier as we go along and it will good to have a little break now until next year. We sang a fascinating hymn of the period which I've reproduced below

1. Son of the Highest, deign to cast
On us a pitying eye,
You who repentant Magdalene
Didst call to joys on high.

2. Your long lost coin is stored at length
In treasure house divine,
The jewel from pollution washed
Doe now the stars outshine.

3. Jesus, the balm of every wound,
The sinner’s only stay,
Grant us, like Magdalene, to weep
In this Your mercy’s day.

4. Absolve us by Your gracious Word,
Full fill us with Your love,
And guide us through the storms of life
To perfect rest above.

5. All praise, all glory be to You,
O everlasting Lord,
Whose mercy does our souls forgive,
Whose bounty does reward.

(Translator Edward Caswall alt)