kdf council meeting - thrapstonbaptist.co.uk · hope to be able to re-arrange it soon. ... without...
TRANSCRIPT
PPRESIDENTRESIDENT’’SS RREFLECTIONEFLECTION
President: Rev Martyn Thorne
Fuller Baptist Church
Gold Street, Kettering. NN16 8JB
Secretary: Mrs. Susan Deacon
1 De Capel Close
Woodford , NN14 4HR
Telephone: 01832 733096 [email protected]
DDATESATES FORFOR SSEPTEMBEREPTEMBER
DDATESATES FORFOR OOCTOBERCTOBER
Saturday 17th 10-12noon
Coffee Morning at Toller URC
in Aid of Girls’ & Boys’ Brigades
at Carey B.C.
Friday 23rd ~ 7.30 p.m.
Corby Male Voice Choir
in Concert at Carey B.C.
Dear Readers,
It’s not so often that a preacher is ‘convicted’ by their own
preaching – but I was one Sunday evening in August. I was
preaching from the Letter to the Colossians chapter 3 – ‘since
you have taken off the old life with its practices, and put on the
new self …’ (verses 9 & 10) and I made the point that the word
for ‘take off’ was in Greek the word for undressing – taking off
clothes. I was explaining that St Paul had the baptismal image
in his mind because in the ancient church at Alexandria and
Ephesus those being baptised literally took off their ‘old’ clothes,
went down into the baptismal pool naked, were baptised and
then on coming up out of the water they drew on a new set of
clothes signifying their new obedience to Christ. I remarked how
radical their obedience must have been to completely undress
in full view of the gathered congregation! The reports of the time
say how the children (who could speak for themselves about
their faith) went first, then the men and finally the women when
they had ‘taken off all their jewellery and unbound their hair’.
But my exhortation was also centred on the next verse 11,
“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave or free …” Now in the ancient world
the Greeks and Romans and the Jews avoided contact with
each other socially. The Greeks regarded other races as
‘barbarians’ pretending that their languages sounded like the
repetition of ‘bar – bar’, - bleating like sheep. Scythians were
considered to be ‘sub-human’ and slaves were of no account
whatsoever, they could be put to death without penalty for the
slightest infringement. But we know that in the church there
came to be slaves and Scythians who were church leaders and
their names are prominent in the New Testament and at the first
Christian Councils. Slave Onesimus (also mentioned in
Philemon and Colossians) may have become 1st century Bishop
of Ephesus. The Roman Pliny in the time of Emperor Trajan
reports having tortured two Christian slave women who were
also ‘ministers’ in the church.
Faith in Christ had placed a demand for radical obedience upon (Continued on page 2)
CANCELLED EVENT
Unfortunately “The Carey Quiz” on
4th September has had to be
postponed. They apologise and
hope to be able to re-arrange it soon.
KDF COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday 10th ~ Fuller B.C.
Fellowship Events
October News: Danesholme & Desborough
PPRESIDENTSRESIDENTS RREFLECTIONEFLECTION GGREETINGSREETINGS FFROMROM CCAREYAREY
Dear Friends
Summer seems to have been quite spasmodic this
year. We have seen our plants shoot up quite early
only to have this growth quickly curtailed by the cold
snaps that we have seen so much of. Yet as we
have cut down many of our flowers we have found
that they have grown up again; not to the same
height perhaps, but to a height that is suitable for the
expected weather conditions that they seem to
sense far better than we do. As in all life things
change and what can seem an insurmountable
problem at first often turns out to be a blessing in
disguise.
At Carey you will have been aware of some of our
journey as we have sought to make this church
(building) useable for the glory of God, and as we
have been doing that we have been praying that the
church (fellowship) is also prepared for the future
ahead, because we enter this month with much
about to happen. By the time that you read this we
have hopes that the church hall sale will have been
completed and we will then embark on the next
stage of the journey that God has prepared for us.
As we do that we will face yet another challenge as
a fellowship because our Pastor, Peter Strong will
be away for a while taking a well deserved
Sabbatical. The challenge for ourselves is that
during this period we will seek God’s will for the
future together, not rushing ahead but faithfully
following God’s leading, while at the same time
Peter and also Jane can find spiritual refreshment
without the business of the usual church activities.
Please join with us in prayer as we seek the path
that God is leading us on.
Ted Scarfe
NNEWSEWS FROMFROM THETHE FFELLOWSHIPELLOWSHIP
the first believers – but perhaps more importantly
such was the impact of that obedience, such was
the transformation wrought by the life of faith that
old prejudices went out of the window and a
radical new community coalesced together. The
power of the gospel experienced was intense
enough to enable people, voluntarily, normally
and naturally to offer anything and everything for
the sake of Christ.
We do see that power today in little flashes and
glimmerings, sometimes and in some places. But it
is so diluted in the average church community that
it often passes unrecognized and unexperienced
by many. Perhaps by means of a wider grouping
like the KDF we can give testimony and preaching
across our various churches and fan into flames
an intensity of the power of the gospel sufficient to
amaze and thrill a complacent generation? The
‘Hungry and Thirsty’ meeting at Fuller Baptist on
Sunday September 20th at 6.15 might be one
further step along the way!
Martin Thorne
WWANTEDANTED -- SSTREETTREET PPASTORSASTORS
On Saturday 15th August there were no Street
Pastors in Corby. Kettering are also struggling to
get teams on the streets every week.
They need teams of Street Pastors out on the
streets and Prayer Partners back at base praying
for the situations.
It is not scary, or frightening and they are looking
after our children and grandchildren by doing
God’s work, ask one of the Street Pastors or
observers are welcome to come out for a night or
half a night, to judge for themselves.
If you would like more information then speak to
your minister or deacons who will be able to put
you in touch with a Street Pastor.
If you do nothing else please pray for Street
Pastors and that they are able continue their
invaluable work.
Could you help at the Christmas Day lunch? Open
Door Church has stepped in to host the event which
provides between 50 and 80 meals a year.
Volunteer cooks etc needed please contact:
Hilary Yates 01536 514153, [email protected] or
Jeanette Stevens: [email protected] or Andy Sipple:
Could you help at the Christmas Day lunch this year? For several years Cen-
tral Methodist Church played host for Kettering Churches Together Christmas
Day Lunch. Unfortunately this is not possible for 2015.
The good news is that Open Door Church has stepped in to host the event
which fulfils a real need and, in the past, has provided between 50 and 80
meals each year.
Volunteers are usually forthcoming to help in various ways but to ensure that
it goes ahead we need cooks and other volunteers to help. If you have peo-
ple who could help, please contact.
Hilary Yates 01536 514153, [email protected]
or Jeanette Stevens: [email protected] or
Andy Sipple: [email protected].
The following gives some idea of what is involved and different people could
be responsible for different sections:
MOST IMPORTANT: 2 main cooks who discuss menu, shopping and
volunteer numbers for kitchen duties.
Co-ordinator/contact person, to oversee smooth running, and contact
potential volunteers.
Advertising the event and requesting volunteers.
On the Day: Assist with setting tables; Preparation and cooking food;
Serving the diners; Washing up; packing up spare food for St Judes
and ensuring delivery; Any other necessary jobs; Leaving kitchen
clean and tidy to meet Health and Safety Regulations.
In the past much of this has been done by Marion Harrison, (who is leaving
the area in the summer), and by Judith Candlin who has been the main cook.
Both will be very willing to explain more if required, and can be contacted via
Hilary (see above).
CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH