Midweek Meeting July 15 2015

Another full turn out last night. Having finished Philippians I thought we would do a one off from Matthew 28:18-20 looking afresh at the Great Commission. I had some sort of problem with my kindle again so had to do it without notes, which is not nice but nit that difficult. We had a good time of prayer too. Lots of people off this week to be involved in beach missions and camps. I hope there are some left here come Sunday.

Retro Album 27 - Mind Wave

One of the more obscure albums in my collection is Mind Wave the second and ultimate solo album by the Dutchman Cyril Havermans. On first listen it can sound a little jerky and disjointed but once you get to know it, it is a fine rock album well worth trying to track down. I knew of Cyril from his stint as bassist and vocalist with Focus. Originally using the stage name Carel Hagemans he was with obscure Dutch groups Peter and the Beats (1965–66), The Heralds (1966–67), Spacial Concept (1967–68), and Big Wheel (1968–1969) before some solo work and the Focus period, 1970-1971. He actually only appears on Moving Waves and apparently not that much. He left the band to pursue a solo career playing melodic, acoustic guitar music with English lyrics, dropping the 'e' from his first name. The eponymous Cyril came out in 1973 with support from his old Focus bandmates Jan Akkerman, Thijs van Leer and Pierre van der Linden. This album followed in 1974. The group sometimes performed as openers for Focus on the continent in 1975. Cyril surfaced again in 1977 and then 1983 and 2007 chiefly in versions of Brainbox and appears still to be going.

(I thought I'd drop the of the week as we're way out of sync)

Lord's Day July 12 2015

We had a gratifyingly full church Sunday morning and a decent number Sunday evening too. I preached on Psalm 103 in the morning. It is a wonderful psalm of praise and sort of preaches itself, if you know what I mean. We had a few visitors, including and Iranian man I'd never met before. All our student types are back too now before they scatter to the four winds on camps and beach missions, etc. It was good to have Liz Rajo and her children with us from Madagascar. I did a little interview with her over tea in the afternoon just to update us all on the needs there. I preached in the evening on false prophets and true, a warning message. Preaching is not easy. I found myself wondering at the end of the day if there was enough of Christ in it all. It's easy to miss the main thing.

Wonderland Pics

 

Members of my family transformed the garden into Wonderland last Saturday. We all tried to do our bit to celebrate the coming birthdays of my grandson and daughter-in-law

Rose Marie Brady

Today is my mother's birthday. She's not celebrating - well, no more than she does every day if she's gone where I think she's gone. She would have been 81 if she'd hung around which (as they say) is not old these days. I still miss her every day, even though she died 16 years ago. God knows best.

Authentic Calvinism

The printed lectures for the 2014 Westminster Conference are now available. They are on Thomas Charles, John Knox, Richard Baxter, etc. See here.

Midweek Meeting July 8 2015

I'd thought numbers might be own a bit last night but we weren't too bad even with four or so missing. Two sort of visitors helped. We looked at the final verses in Philippians, which we started back at the end of 2014. It was the twenty fourth in the series. I was not long on these closing verses (4:20-24). It's always good to end with grace. There seemed to be loads of things to pray about including a number prospective new attendees. We'll see.

Black Horse

Lloyds is nothing special as a bank but this is a good ad

Lord's Day July 5 2015

I was a little anxious yesterday after the difficulties of the week before but I was looking to the Lord and was greatly helped. We began with communion as we do on the first Lord's Day of the month. I preached in the morning on another psalm, on Psalm 130. What a great Pauline psalm. In the evening we came to the narrow gate and road of Matthew 7 and it was helpful in both services to have visitors of various sorts in though it is always disconcerting when (as happened yesterday) someone comes in then goes out shortly after. It is someone I know at least. The other strange thing yesterday was that a man came in to the evening service. He was a Welshman who claimed to have acted in the West End with Judy Dench et al. He asked if he could sing to the congregation at the end in Welsh. I said he could sing to my family (who made up a quarter of the congregation I guess). He then sang this cod-Welsh folk song very dramatically (cariad was the only bona fide Welsh word any of us could understand). He had a good voice but the experience was a little bizarre. He also left a calling card, which thanks to vinyl chairs and an observant church member was quickly dealt with using disinfectant. It was a day for stranger folk really. A local character turned up outside the church with a cigarette in one hand and can of Holsten Pils in the other assuring me he would be paying me back Tuesday. He also said that Chelsea (he's a big fan) would be playing their first game next season against Swansea. Good to know. One just hopes those who did hear the Word are saved. Praying before preaching can be hard, praying after even more so.

A night away

Having the most wonderful wife in the world is a real boon at times. Last Friday she took me off to a lovely hotel in the country just for 24 hours to celebrate my last birthday. We just had a couple of meals at the hotel where we stayed (The Red Lion, Whittlesford Bridge, Cambs, near Duxford) had a quick look at Audley End House and "did" Saffron Walden before heading back but what a great time.

Retro Album - the story so far (2)

Retro Album of the Week 26 - Scribbled in Chalk

I'm not sure how I discovered Karine Polwart's second studio album Scribbled in chalk. I know that it was bit by bit and well after the release date of 2006. It has been acknowledged as a fine folk album by many. It wears its folk mantle lightly and is not afraid to use orchestra, drum kit, as necessary. It is not an obviously Scots album but the Scotsness creeps in here and there (eg the reference to gallons ie daisies on Follow the heron a favourite track of mine and the Jane Haining link). I like Maybe there's a road and Daisy a lot. Wikipedia says that the album often looks at the darker side of life with tales of sex trafficking (Maybe there's a Road), the holocaust (Baleerie Baloo, which is about the missionary Jane Haining) and the uncertainties of life (Hole in the Heart). But these stories of despair are balanced by others that describe the joy of a slower life (Take Its Own Time), of hope triumphing over cynicism (Where the Smoke Blows) and the wonder of the universe (Terminal Star). 

Midweek Meeting July 1 2015

We had a bumper turn out last night mainly because we had a few students back before they head off on various exploits for the summer. We looked at Philippians 4:10-19 and the matter of giving to others - a cause of joy in the Lord, when opportunity arises, etc, including material on contentedness which is so important. A good time of prayer followed.

Every Chapter 05 - 1 Thessalonians

It is well known that every chapter of 1 Thessalonians makes reference to the second coming

1.10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

2.19, 20 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

3.12, 13 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

4.13-18 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

5.1-11 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Val Doonican dies

I hear that Val Doonican has died. A cross between Terry Wogan, Michael Fish and Perry Como his Saturday night TV shows in the sixties and seventies were de rigeur.