April 2011

Salt and Light?

We should not ask, "What is wrong with the world?" for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather, we should ask, "What has happened to the salt and light?"
John Stott

PEEBLES BAPTIST CHURCH

Magazine

We are too Christian really to enjoy sinning, and too fond of sinning really to enjoy Christianity. Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is that we do not want to do it. Thy help is our only hope. Make us want to do what is right, and give us the ability to do it.
Peter Marshall

Prayer Points for April

Margaret McLeod sends her thanks to the church for all the support, prayers, and flowers she received during her stay in hospital. Continue to pray for Margaret Health issues among the fellowship are quite concerning; lets pray and lift one another up to our Father for healing. We thank God that Nimal, from the Scottish Baptist Lay Preachers Association, is recovering well from recent cataract surgery. Pray for neighbours and friends who are very ill, and for their families, asking that God will reveal Himself in their distress and give His comfort Give thanks for the Lifesize event on Saturday 2nd April; and for Rev. Andy Scarcliffe who led it; pray that the ideas and enthusiasm generated that day would be shaped by God into a vision that will take His work forward in this community Pray for all volunteers, rescue workers, medics, and the entire emergency services who have been helping in the aftermath of the disasters that hit Japan; pray that God will give them the health and stamina to do what must be done. Pray for the people who are left traumatised by the catastrophes. Continue to pray for Gods intervention in Libya, and the unrest in the Middle East. Lets thank God for who He is, and that we can go to Him with our prayers.

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lords mercies we are not consumed. Because His compassions they fail not They are new every morning, Great is your faithfulness LAMENTATIONS 3:21-23

Please pass prayer requests to Wilma Wintour, 723023

The March Mens Group meeting

Notices

will be on TUESDAY , when there will be a DVD of one of the Groups trips to the Speedway, and a quiz about Edinburgh (no pressureanswers all from multiple choices!) Contact Frank Drummond, 722062, for more information The next Vickys Tearoom will be on Sunday 10 April.

5 April

STOP PRESS
We give thanks for two wonderfully generous recent donations to the Manse Fund, of 900 and 100 respectively. We also give thanks for all the willing workers who have helped make a huge difference to the property over the last few weeks. There are still some jobs to be doneplease speak to Liz Keiro or Linda Bell if you can help!
Even if youre not involved as a helper, please pray for the Tearoom and for our guests.

Ladies who Lunch

will visit

Cringletie
on 12 April Please speak to Kim ASAP if youd like to go and need, or can offer, transport.

News...
The end of March saw the 20th anniversary of the purchase by Peebles Baptists of the plot of ground in Victoria Park on which its still hoped that one day a building will be erected, to glorify God and allow the church to serve our neighbourhood in His name. In a short time of prayer on the site on Sunday 27 March we recommitted ourselves to seeking Gods will, and working to fulfil His purposes, for this ground.
Also in March, Dinga and Rebecca Chinzah, our friends from Mizoram, North India, sent warm greetings in an email, along with some lovely photographs. Their daughter Faith (who although born in London, was conceived whilst her parents were in Edinburgh where Dinga was studying at New College!) is now more than a year old, and absolutely gorgeous! (If you havent yet seen the photographs, please ask to see them on powerpoint). Although development of the site wasnt especially high on our agenda when the couple got to know us (and they wouldnt have been aware of the anniversary mentioned above) Dinga wrote: We dearly hope the Lord will provide your church with a pastor passionate for the Holy Spirit. We pray that whatever Pastor the Lord provides will help and strengthen the churchs life. By the way, how is the proposal for the church building moving along? We earnestly hope and pray that one day we will worship together once again, in the new church building.

Congratulations and best wishes to Linda Bell, on her early retirement from Social Work. Colleagues gathered for a lunch at Peebles Golf Club on 30 March, where they endorsed the tribute paid by Lindas manager to her calmness, resourcefulness and wisdom, all of which will be very much missed. Its hoped to include a photograph of Linda surrounded by flowers, gifts and colleagues, in the next magazine.

Are we living in the End Times?

(contributed)

In the most recent of years, world events have caused many believers to question whether or not we are living in the "End Times". Not just believers in Christ, but many other people of various religious or non religious persuasions. Scripture points us towards Matthew 24:3. The disciples ask of the Lord Jesus, "What shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world?" Jesus began to describe many things which would precede his second coming. Wars and rumours of wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences. Today, these events seem to happen on an almost daily basis. Sceptics may argue they have been ongoing for 2000 years. True, but arguably not at the pace which we see presently. Paul, in his message to the Thessalonians, speaks of the need to be vigilant as to the "times and the seasons" and be mindful of the fact the Lord will come like a "thief in the night". While the present worldly upheaval is undoubtedly indicative of "times and seasons", only the Lord knows the "day and the hour". Perhaps the greatest indication of

our Lords second coming, can be found in Matthew 24:32-34. Here Jesus tells the disciples the parable of the Fig Tree and that the generation which witnesses the tree put forth young leaves, shall be the generation which witnesses the end of days. What can we learn from this parable? Throughout scripture, the Fig Tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. In A.D.70, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and again in A.D. 135. The people of Israel were warned not to return and subsequently scattered to the four corners of the earth. However, after more than 1800 years without a homeland, on May 14, 1948, the United Nations ratified an edict declaring Israel a nation once again. 1948 therefore, becomes the year by which a generation can be measured against. To what period of time does a generation equate? Psalm 90:10 tells us "The days of our years are threescore years and ten: and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years". Mans time on earth can therefore generally be taken to be 70 or 80 years. In view of the foregoing, we could write out the following equation:

1948 + 70 = 2018, or if by reason of strength 1948 + 80 = 2028. We could be persuaded the above dates are reasonable and likely as an indication of our Lord's second coming. The beginning of the Tribulation period would require us to subtract seven years from our equation. We would then have the time span of 2011 and 2021. One would not want to be dogmatic as to whether the "Rapture" will occur as a pre, mid or post Tribulation event. However, the preceding figures are based on a pre Tribulation Rapture. Careful and prayerful study of the

Scriptures can lead the serious bible student to draw their own conclusions. Luke 21:36 instructs us, "Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man". The Book of Daniel provides a solid explanation of the timeline of end times prophecy, and is worthy of serious study. Studied in conjunction with the Books of Matthew and Revelation, the end times can be better understood and explained.

Many thanks to the contributor of this article, who has asked for his name not to be included, but who can be contacted through the editor should you wish to discuss this matter. Ed.

LUNCHNCHAT
At LunchnChat on 28 March (the last one until the autumn) we raised just over 92, which will be donated to the Fistula Foundation clinic in Malawi. Fistula is an obstetric injury, normally arising from an obstructed labour, tragically still a significant problem in countries where emergency medical interventions in childbirth are often inaccessible. In these circumstances women can suffer the horrendous double blow, of both losing their baby and becoming ostracized by family and community because of incontinence resulting from the fistula. The relatively straightforward surgery offered by the Fistula Clinic can give women back the chance of a normal life.

(Cathie works with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Brazil, translating the Bible into the Apurin language.) Dear all, God willing we are off to the village on the 9th (March) for a short session. Our pastor friend Robert Galbraith will be going with us to help. We hope to complete the painting of the church windows, doors and floor. We are taking planks in with us to make the church benches. Then the church building should be ready for the inauguration in May. We would also like to check the translation of about 15 hymns and lots of literacy materials. Then I'll be able to run off copies of the updated Apurina hymn book with 100 hymns and choruses. I've run off 30 copies of Apurina Exodus and when we return to the city I'll make the covers and bind and plastify them. Claudio's brother Adelson has returned to the village. He had wanted to donate a kidney to Claudio, but Claudio has got into bad company and is drinking and smoking and doesn't want to stop. Claudio has been in Manaus for 10 years receiving dialysis three times a week. It's such a pity that he has turned down this chance for a transplant. Adelson is really sad about this, as we are too. Thanks so much for your prayers for us. In Him, Cathie
Please keep Cathie (and her colleague Judy) in your prayers. Since sending the above just after the last Magazine was printed, Cathie learned that another Wycliffe translator from Scotland, Mary Gardiner, had been killed in Jerusalem (where she had been studying Hebrew) when a bomb went off where she was standing at a bus stop. Ed.

Services, April 2011

Sunday 3 April
Service led by Rev. Bill Clark, Livingston Communion servers: Jacqueline Wilson, Margaret Cowan Stewards: Jacqueline Wilson, Pat Hamilton Flowers: Margaret Johnstone Teas: Wilma Wintour

Transport: Fergus Brown, Stan Henderson, Margaret Cowan

Sunday 10 April
Service led by Jim MacFarlane, Kirkintilloch Stewards: Wilma Wintour, Linda Bell Flowers: Liz Keiro Teas: Kenny Hamilton

Services in Victoria Park Centre, unless otherwise indicated

Website: http://peeblesbaptistchurch.org/

Secretary, Christine Drummond, tel 722062

Treasurer, Liz Keiro, tel 730217

Transport: Tom Wight, Stan Henderson, Margaret Cowan

Sunday 17 April
Service led by Rev. Allan Montgomery, Edinburgh Communion servers: Liz Keiro, Vi Brown Stewards: Janet Smith, Hazel Hoggan Flowers: Margaret Cowan Teas: Helen Henderson

Transport: Fergus Brown, Stan Henderson, Margaret Cowan

Good Friday, 22 April

Communion Service in Tweedbridge Court Lounge, 7.00pm

Sunday 24 April
Service led by Joel Woodier, Carrubbers Christian Centre, Edinburgh Stewards: Margaret Cowan, Carlyn McCall Flowers: Carlyn McCall Teas: Hazel Hoggan

Transport: Tom Wight, Stan Henderson, Margaret Cowan

Laying of Communion Table in April, Vi Brown