This one includes the 2022 Annual Lecture on the St Bartholomews's day massacrre, a piece on John Lothrop and the beginning of a piece on Samson Occom.
A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Library Lecture on Pierre Viret
We had the last of our Evangelical Library Autumn Lunch Time Lectures yesterday on Zoom. We were treated to a lecture on the forgotten Swiss Pierre Viret by Dr Ian Densham. We were about twenty all told but I wish there has been more. A recording will be avai;lable through the Library shortly and I hope to print up a written version for In Writing soon. Andrew Saywell, a Viret aficianado, was there. He pointed out that on the monument to the Reformers there is an oblique reference to him, as below.
Lord's Day November 27 2022
Sunday was a little different in that my wife and son and the dog were away in Aber. We also had a new pulpit light. It's surprising how one can be distracted if you aren't careful. For some reason the morning sermon on Luke 12:35-48 was very short and we were all finished by noon. Our new Iranian friend was with us but her teenage children had gone sight seeing. A Ghanaian lady turned up with her niece adn little boy just after I had started. After the morning meeting I was with members for lunch. Very kind. We tuned into a zoom meeting from The Philippines which I might have missed if they were not on it. In the evening I preached a proverb (18:10) and I think that was a good choice. The family were back home not long after I got in.
Midweek Meeting November 23 2022
I decided to look at 3 John last Wednesday. It's only a little book but I was a little long over it, I'm afraid. We had what was mostly a good prayer meeting but that could have been better. We didn't hang around as there was an officers' meeting the next day.
Recent Podcast for Kids Why the Pilgrims Left England
I should have drawn attention to a podcast aimed at chidren that I recently took part in. We were sligtly at cross-purposes some of the time but someone has managed to put together a decent enough programme I hope.
You can find the link here. Also see here.
The World Cup
The World Cup is well underway and I have been enjoying it where I can. Weird it being in Winter and coming up to Christmas. It has been interesting all the comment and controversy surrounding the holding of it in Qatar. In all the discussion I've heard no-one refer to the fact that it is not easy to be a Christian there if you are native born and it is getting worse. It is one of the countries that most commonly closes churches. FIFA and the World cup are ultimately Anti-Christ movements that seek to create an alternative united world organisation. By that I don't mean it's wrong to watch but I do think we need to be careful and restrained, as with all these things (the Olympics, Eurovision Song Contest, etc). It is understandable that they want a world cup in the Middle East and one sees how attractive the whole idea is. Inevitably, there are going to be difficulties, however. For more on being a Christian in Qatar see here.
Wales and ball games
It has not been a great seven days for Wales in rugby or soccer. In the rugby, we did beat Argentina the other week but losing last Saturday to Georgia by one point was a real humiliation. We lost to New Zealand too. On Saturday we face Australia.
The soccer looked more hopeful (first world cup finals since the year before I was born) but after a passable draw against USA and the 2-0 loss to Iran, it looks likely that the team will soon be back home again. The song "As long as we beat the English" is going through my mind.
I suppose that for a country as small as Wales is, we do not do too badly. We rank ninth in the world in rugby and nineteenth in soccer. (England is fifth in both codes).
Day Off Week 47 2022
I kicked off by going out to do some shopping. Starting on my Christmas shopping I suppose. I was also reading. On to a book on the Cathars now. Channel 5 are showing Christmas films which I thought I might try to watch but they are pretty much poorly done romantic comedies so far. I caught the end of the Argentina Saudi Arabia game in the wolrd cup and was amazed to see that the Saudis had won. That's what the world cup is about. Also caught University Challenge recorded from the night before. More TV in the evening.
Lord's Day November 20 2022
It was a good day last Sunday. I preached in the morning against worldliness from Luke 12:31-34. We had a decent number and the message was appreciated. In the evening, we were a much smaller number as we looked at James 1:21, 22. This was preceded be communon. It was a really encouraging day.
Kristian Dimond
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| My wife got this "Football to faith" cake made up for the evening |
Last night we had a special event at the church. Barry born former footballer Kristian Dimond is pastor of the FIEC church in Wellington, Herefordshire. He has quite a remarkable testimony and it was good to hear it last night along with about 40 others. A very interesting evening,
Midweek Meeting November 16 2022
About 12 of us gathered on zoom for prayer, yesterday night. We were particularly praying for the evangelistic meetng we have tonight with Kristian Dimond but also for many other things. Good to hear so many pray but it would have been good to hear more. We looked first at Psalm 41, the last psalm in the first book of Psalms.
Day Off Week 46 2022
I decided on this week's day off I would grab breakfast in MacDonalds. In a charity shop I spotted a book of booklists which looked like it was made for me. I also made a start on another of these books I have on Mediaeval subjects. I haven't finished the one on Alchemy yet but I thought afresh start might be good so I dug out the one on the Gnostics. Very interesting. In the afternoon I watched Miracle on 34th street which I had somehow never seen (the 1995 remake). In the evening it was University Challenge again (after the Bake Off final with my wife).
Lord's Day November 13 2022
Yesterday we looked at the next passage in Luke 12 in the morning and in the evening we took a break from Job and looked at the final two verses of Hebrews 9 (27, 28). The Iranian lady who came fro the first time last week returned with here teenagers, which was good. We have no other teenagers, however, so not easy for them. I hope we can get to know them. Lots of tothers there and some misisng. Not a bad evening congregation (into double figures)>
Midweek Meeting November 9 2022
Another good meeting but attendance is not outstanding at present. We looked at Psalm 40 and then rounded up items for prayer and prayed. We must have been around 9 I guess.
Day Off Week 45 2022
I was still ill last Monday (not quite there even now by the end of the week) but as I tried to get back to normal I took my usual Tuesday day off but took time to do one or two things. I watched a film in the morning from the part of history I probably know best. When I went out I picked up the latest Private Eye. My favourite cartoon, I think, was a man in a tie hauled in front of a tieless committee. "We see you are weariing a tie" they say. Also watched University Challenge in the evening (currently being shown on Tuesdays due to rugby league). The latest Free Grace Broadcaster arrived. Very interested to see the title - conscience. See here.
Lord's Day November 6 2022
By Sunday morning my cold was quite bad but with the help of Lemsip and an afternoon nap I got through. We began with communon, always rather small in numbers. I then preached on Luke 12:13-21, the parable of the rich fools, with references to Alexander the Great, Jimi Hendrix, Ivan BoesKy, Yussif the Turk and Howell Harris. Good numbers but people missing as ever. A new Iranian lady turned up - only arrived here seven days ago. Hope we see here again. One man was there in time for the servive but when I said I had no money to give him he went. Two or three birthdays to celebrate over coffee and later in the day. In the evening I preached through Job 8-10 - quite demanding for a small congregation. We will need to take a break next week.
Midweek Meeting November 2 2022
As we have now finished Philippians I went back to Psalm 39, one of e=several I have no record of looking at before. We were a small number but we prayed and the message, though short, was I think well received. We also had a discussion about a special meeting we are having soon with the former footballer Kristian Dimond.
Day Off Week 44 2022
As mentioned, we had family here last week - my four grandsons and their mum and dad. When they come for half term one needs to be flexible and we managed it more or less. Tuesday was my official day off as ever but I snuck some other time in for parks, etc. On the Tuesday, we headed to the Natural History Museum. My daughter-in-law has a friend working there and she arranged some exclusives for us which was great. The family also did other things such as watching a stage version of Frozen which they loved, etc. Great week, except that I ended it with a bad cold. Ah well.
Lord's Day October 30 2022
Only eight days ago, I guess, but it seems longer. A Ukrainian couple with little English came. They appear to be evamgelicals and after hearing of the terrible times in that country the day before my heart went out to them, although I will be surprised if we are what they are looking for. Also, a Koren couple who rarely turn up were there for once. I wonder if the disater in Soul the day before prompted them to come? I didn't get chance to speak to them. And then during the sermon I saw someone take a phone call and then come back and leave with his wife. Apparently the call was from Greece. His grandmother had died. PLenty of tohers around too including a SOuth African lady and her child who have begun to come but sadly she was in the relay room but with no relay, as it was not switched on. Modern problems. I preached from Luke 12 in the morning and a much smaller congregation in the evning from Job.
Grace Baptist Mssion Annual Meetings 2022
If anyone is wondering where I've got to, it's that we had family here last week and then I got ill. Anyway I'm starting to get better so now I'm trying to get back on track with things, beginning with the GBM meetings on Ocotber 29 at The Firnds House on Euston Road. Numbers present were not massive but it was good to be into some sort of normatlity again and to hear about the work in former Soviet Republics and elsewhere through public and private meetings and to see plenty of old friends. We also said farewell to three couples who have been part of the GBM family for various lengths of time which is sad in some ways but inevitable. It was quite encouraging to hear from one person of my own role in encouraging them to spend all those years abroad, which I don't think I eard before. What a good day!
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