the magazine of broadmead baptist church · the magazine of broadmead baptist church july, 2015 ......

Mr Thomas Ewins preaching

from the prison, 1664

The Magazine of

BROADMEAD BAPTIST CHURCH

July, 2015

16 40

welcome! If you are curious and have come to see us

If you are weary and have come to rest

If you are grateful and have come to share

If you are hurt and have come for solace

If you are listening and have come to pray

If you are seeking and have come for answers

welcome!

BROADMEAD BAPTIST CHURCH 1 Whippington Court, The Horsefair

Bristol BS1 3HY Tel. 0117 929-1387

Minister: REV. JOHN HOUSEAGO, M.TH, M.A., B.SC.

Tel. 0117 951 4091 (Home) 0754 896 8252 (Mobile)

[email protected]

For your information SUNDAY WORSHIP: 11 a.m. every Sunday; there will be no even-

ing services except for special occasions. (Communion on the first and third Sunday mornings.)

CITY PRAYERS: Tuesdays at 1.10 p.m.

CITY COMMUNION: Thursdays at 1.10 p.m.

The minister will usually work at church on Tuesday afternoons, following City Prayers, and on Thursday mornings, until City Com-munion.

You are always welcome to pop in for a chat, but please phone first if you are making a special trip as events frequently mean that the minister’s plans have to be changed.

1 THE RECORD, JULY, 2015

R OS AND I were in Minehead in April. We satton the beach in front of Butlin’s Holiday Camp enjoying the spring sunshine.

Not only were our bodies refreshed by the sun and sea air, we also recalled memories of a short break we took there in 1997. We had planned a week’s holiday, but storm-water flooded part of the site and after a couple of days we had to return home.

Even so, I have fond memories of the holiday. It is possible that we hold the record for the fewest number of points scored in an hour’s

snooker! That is hardly a sufficient reason to remember the holiday, though. No, it was the kindness that led to us being there that made the holiday special.

Billy Butlin opened his first holiday camp at Skegness in 1936, providing holidays that ordinary people could afford. Eventually there were ten camps and several hotels. They were successful in the post-war years until increasing competition from overseas package tours caused the company to close several camps in the 1980s and 1990s.

Billy Butlin was a successful business man. He was also a committed Christian who might have entered the ministry as a young man. Once the first camp was open he worked with the Archbishop of York, Dr Cyril Garbett, to set up a religious network within the holi-day camps. The Archbishop himself led outdoor services every year at the holiday camp at Filey in Yorkshire. Each camp had two small consecrated chapels, Roman Catholic and Church of England. The chaplains conducted services every day, and a well-attended informal service was held on Sundays in the camp theatre.

In the early days, the chaplains had a significant say in the running of the camps. In addition to the duties you might expect they kept an

eye on the acts in the theatre and bars, reporting anything considered unsuitable! The last week of the season was set aside for a crusade or conference. The bars and betting shops were closed and there was no professional entertainment.

Today, Minehead is the only camp with a chapel; a reflection of the decline of religious life since the Second World War.

matters


Over the years Butlin’s gave hundreds, perhaps thousands, of free

holidays to clergy families from all of the mainstream denomina-tions. That is why we were in Minehead. The generosity of a Chris-tian businessman who worked out his faith in his working life made the holiday memorable.

I hope you will be able to take a holiday this year and will return

refreshed. JOHN HOUSEAGO

Sermon Themes All services are conducted by the minister, unless noted otherwise.

5th July, 2015 11 a.m. Revd Peter Webb

12th July, 2015 11 a.m. Spiritual Blessings in Christ. Ephesians 1:3-14 and Mark 6:14-29

19th July, 2015 11 a.m. Unity in Christ. Ephesians 2:11-22 and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

26th July, 2015

11 a.m. Paul's prayer for his readers. Ephesians 3:14-21 and John 6:1-21

2nd August, 2015

11 a.m. The Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:1-16 and John 6:24-35

Edited for the Internet

Stephen Brown, father of our former Associate Minister

Hannah Colk, died recently after a long illness. We send our

sympathy to Hannah and all the family, and continue to pray for Hannah and Steve as they serve in Wolverhampton.


CHURCH MEETING The next Church Meeting is on Wednesday, 23rd July, 2015, at

7.30 p.m. in the Hiley Room. All members are encouraged to attend.

BIBLE STUDIES 2015:

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS The subject of the bible studies this year is Paul’s letter to the Philip-pians. The studies are usually held on the last Thursday of the month. They start at 2.15 p.m. and last for an hour.

The remaining studies this year will be on 30th July, 24th Septem-

ber, 29th October and 26th November.

I will produce written notes for each study, and these will be avail- able to anyone who asks. They are too long to publish in The Record.

JOHN HOUSEAGO

5th July Jenny Capstick

12th July —

19th July Carole and David Loveridge

26th July Jack Appleton (in memory of Pam)

Church

Flowers

ELECTION OF CHURCH OFFICERS At the Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, 20th May,

Broadmead Baptist Church duly re-elected Robert Clark as Treasur-

er and Liz Goddard and Sue Leatherbarrow as joint Secretaries.

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK 2015 This year our support was once again given by means of a sponsored

walk. £335.00 was raised and we thank the walkers and donors for this response.


ANNUAL CHURCH REPORT FOR 2014 Broadmead Baptist Church has been an integral part of the Bristol city centre since 1671.We cannot imagine what is was like for those of past generations who fought for freedom to worship, witness and preach to the masses who were hungry for stability and a belief in God. Later, Broadmead became a centre where Baptists gathered in their hundreds for rallies and meetings, men’s groups, young people’s groups and a large Sunday School. More recently, a new building with great facilities for our use.

Now we look at Broadmead with its many changes: smaller congre-gations, no Sunday School and much fewer meetings and yet a vibrancy still abounds in the church. Hundreds of people from around Bristol come to meetings. We have several care groups, a choir, retirement groups, the-Salvation Army and a cooking-help group. Businesses come for their meetings, health groups, such as the Muscular Eye Disease group, Market Research in many forms, the University of the 3rd Age have a huge following here, to mention just a few, and of course, the Undercroft, our coffee lounge, which many of these visitors use.

Approximately 700-800 people may come through our doors during one week, enjoying our great facilities.

On Sundays, after our service, the Filipino Church worships here in the Hiley Room, whilst the C.L.C. Church uses the sanctuary.

The mission of Broadmead Baptist Church has changed; not just serving the congregation, welcoming people into our lovely building and being able through that welcome to share the peace and love of our Saviour in many ways: giving help where needed.

We are facing big challenges at this time, the financial burden is im-mense, but we must recognise that God is using us in a wonderful

way to tell of his love. We must stay faithful as he guides us, whether in this building, or perhaps pastures new: who knows. One thing we do know is that he is with us to share whatever the future holds.

2014 has been exciting in many ways. In January, our Associate Minister, the Revd Hannah Colk, set up our food-bank project for North Bristol. Members of the congregations, as usual, were amaz-


ingly generous and we sent several loads of food to the collection

and distribution centre.

February saw a film club start, although this did not draw people as we had expected. Those of us who did attend enjoyed the variety of monthly films. This club has now finished.

Our pancake party in March was in aid of ‘Water Aid’ and was en-joyed by all, thanks to Ann and Bob Clark.

April saw a change at Easter, when instead of an Easter Breakfast we had Easter goodies after our Service, which proved popular.

The Christian Aid walk took place in May and yet again your gener-osity in supporting the walks was great, benefitting the world-wide

work of Christian Aid.

In July, we were invited to host a Civic Service representing the Free Churches. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress attending, plus councillors and other dignitaries. During the refreshments after the service our visitors showed great interest in our archives which were on view and talk about our present situation. We also shared a Sum-mer Tea in July at Keynsham Village Hall, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Thanks to Sue Whale, Maureen Pannell and Sue Leatherbarrow.

Our Harvest Service was a good occasion: yet again your generosity

for those in need was wonderful. The service was followed by lunch which was good and well supported.

October was very busy. We celebrated the 374thChurch Anniversary on the 12th October. Our service was conducted by the Revd Dr Chris Ellis, President of the Baptist Union, with a challenging minis-try. The following week we rejoiced in the baptism and membership of Chris Hawkins and Yinka Olarinde: the service was a really uplift-ing and joyous occasion.

On October 26th, we bade farewell to the Revd Hannah Colk as our Associate Minister for the past three years. Hannah led the service

with great confidence and some sadness. We enjoyed a farewell lunch when gifts were presented to Hannah. We miss her and wish her God’s presence in her future ministry.

November, as usual, we sent Christmas Cards abroad through A.C.A.T. to those imprisoned for their faith and prisoners of con-science.


December we shared in the Christmas Gift Service with gifts going

to the Southern Brooks Charity who are always grateful for our gen-erosity. Our Advent and Christmas services were well attended and a joyous end to another year in church life.

This is just a quick resumé of our year, many more events have taken place and enjoyed by all. I thank all involved in the events. Thanks Also go to those involved in our everyday life of Broadmead Baptist Church.

Thanks to Ken and Lindsay McNally, our stewards, for keeping the church fresh and welcoming for our many visitors. Thank you also to our relief stewards. To Kathleen Moss who displays flowers so beautifully week by week in the Sanctuary and to those who donate gifts to this. To the Crofters who give their time so generously to keep the Undercroft running with so limited a staff. Those who have brought the joy of music to our services. Our organists (Martin Firth, David Rice, Roger Kirby, Colin Lukins and Neville Lintern) also Jenny Douglas, our pianist. To those who steward at services and to those who serve refreshments. Thank you to those who prepare Communion and those who prepare rotas for these tasks.

Life in Broadmead is so busy and so blessed that we have members of the church and congregation so dedicated and willing to serve is

so many ways.

Thank you also to our Pastoral Care Team who share in the care of our members of the church and congregation who are in need.

Our thanks go to those who have led our services in John’s absence: the Revd Hannah Colk, Neville Lintern, the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, the Revd Stephen Langford, Caroline Brown, the Revd Dr Chris Ellis. For all that they shared with us through their ministry. To the Revd Dr Roger Hayden for organising the pulpit rota.

Our monthly Bible Study Group is well attended with several people

coming from other churches to share in the excellent studies.

Finally, I thank John, our minister, for his carefully prepared, chal-lenging and thought-provoking preaching. Also, thank you to Ros for her support of John and her commitment to church life in many ways Thank you both for all you share with us at Broadmead Baptist

Church. ELIZABETH GODDARD


INTRODUCING THE EPISTLES: EPHESIANS During July and most of August my preaching at Broadmead will be based on passages selected from Ephesians.

The first verse of Ephesians is clear enough. It is a letter from Paul to the saints in Ephesus. But appearances can be deceptive. A clear majority of scholars today question whether Paul wrote the letter. Doubts were first raised by Erasmus in the sixteenth century. In the twentieth century, those who think someone other than Paul wrote this letter point to two anomalies. The first is that the style of writing and the major themes are different from Paul’s other letters. The sec-ond is that the letter does not show any indications that Paul knew the people to whom he was writing. This is surprising since, accord-ing to Acts 19:10, Paul ministered in Ephesus for two years.

Those favouring Paul as the author point out that he often used a secretary to write his letters. Romans, for instance, was written by Tertius (Romans 16:22). In Colossians Paul apparently took over the stylus to write the last sentence, “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” (Colossians 4:18). Did Paul dictate his letters, or did he give his secretary a full outline and allow him to write it? If Paul allowed the secretary a fair-

ly free hand, inconsistency of style between Paul’s letters can be accounted for by assuming he used more than one writer.

There is also a good explanation for the absence of personal infor-mation. Some ancient manuscript copies of Ephesians do not include the words ‘in Ephesus’ in the first verse. This suggests that the letter was an encyclical, written with a blank space in the first verse for the name of a church to added. Because the letter was designed to go to several churches it did not contain any personal information.

The authorship of Ephesians is unlikely to be resolved. There is con-sensus, though, that the author was either Paul or an early and fine interpreter of Paul. Raymond E. Brown goes so far as to say he was Paul’s finest interpreter, though he notes that some give that title to Martin Luther. (An Introduction to the New Testament, 1997, p. 620.)

I will be calling the author Paul, allowing others to wrestle with the tricky questions.

The letter is one of four Paul wrote from prison, probably in Rome in


AD 62. The other letters from prison are Philippians, Philemon and

Colossians.

Ephesus was an important sea port on the west coast of Asia. It was famous for a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Artemis, god-dess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, child birth and virginity. She was nothing if not versatile. The temple was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Acts 19:23‑40 tells how Paul threatened the livelihood of the silversmiths who made images of Artemis to sell to pilgrims. He was accused of telling people that gods made by human hands were not gods. No doubt he was guilty! The town clerk was summoned to prevent a riot in the town’s amphitheatre, which is reported to have seated 20,000 people.

What’s in the letter?

The first half of the book contains words that we believe come from the worship of the early church, including prayers and doxology. The second half of the letter contains important teaching on the uni-ty of the church. The letter contains two wonderful prayers (Ephesians 1:15‑23 and Ephesians 3:14‑21).

The style of the writing is difficult in places. Paul wrote long sentences, for example, Ephesians 1:3‑14 and Ephesians 1:15‑19 are single sentences in Greek. While this was typical of Paul’s writing style, Ephesians is particularly rich in examples. Other long sentences are be found in Romans (1:1-7), Philippians (3:8-11) and Colossians (1:9-20).

Another feature of the style of writing is that words which mean the same thing are sometimes used together. For example, “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10.). This is reminiscent of the Psalms where the meaning of the first half of a verse is often repeated in the second half.

Notable above all else is the passion with which Paul expressed his

Christian faith. JOHN HOUSEAGO

Please submit copy for the next edition of The Record any time BEFORE

SUNDAY, 12TH JULY. If you are offering something which has been

written by another person, or printed elsewhere, please make sure you have

asked permission first. Your own contributions are always welcome.

JACK APPLETON, Editor


The Baptist Times Round-up WHEN GOD IS SILENT

When our prayer life is going well it’s amazing – clear direc-

tion from God, answers to prayer, we feel connected in our re-

lationship with Him. Knowing He has answered – even if it’s

not the answer you expected or wanted – feels like it feeds our

faith and nourishes it. But what about when God seems silent? By Anna Hancock

Have you ever prayed and felt that absence? Like you are praying so

hard and your words seem to bounce off empty walls, you feel isolat-

ed and alone. Maybe you have prayed as a group over something and

not appeared to have received any answers. More likely it is when

you pray alone that you feel His apparent absence all the more.

As a fairly new Christian, I know that when you first come to faith

your prayers are full of joy and praise and questions and observa-

tions – I felt like I was bombarding God with the minute details of

human life, the universe and everything! And the answers, love and

reassurance were abundant – much in the way we nurture and fuss

over a new baby! But there comes a time for most of us – maybe all

of us – when God seems silent. We see this in the Bible too – Job

said, “I cry to you for help and you do not answer me, I stand and you

only look at me.” King David laments, “O my God, I cry by day but

you do not answer and by night, but I find no rest.” In Psalm 44

“Awake Lord, why do You sleep? Rouse yourself ! Do not reject us for

ever. Why do you hide your face and reject our misery and oppres-

sion?”

So we are not alone when we ask, “God, where are you when I need

you?”

It sometimes seems to be in times of greatest need when God appears

to be silent. We’re just human – we do everything we can think of, we

pray, we worship, we live our lives as faithfully as we can even when

it seems life is going wrong or we are struggling – and yet we don’t

seem to get any answer. It’s in our nature to pray at times of despair

– even those who haven’t come to know God will often say in a time

of deep need, “I even prayed.”

I saw this for myself when the footballer Fabrice Muamba’s heart

stopped and he collapsed on the pitch in 2012 – many of the other


players dropped to their knees and prayed – I’m sure they weren’t all

Christians, but they all felt that need to connect with God in that

moment.

That is what it feels is missing when God seems silent – that loving

and reassuring connection, his guiding hand on our lives. Yet it is not

God’s absence we feel, because God is never absent: it is a sense of

absence. The atheist will tell you the silence is because no-one is

there! But we can just look around and know that the whole of crea-

tion is abundant with God’s presence even if He seems to be absent

to us at that moment in time. God loves company, and He loves our

company, He is always with us even in those times of silence. We

have something that Job and David didn’t have – we have the word

of God in the Bible. The answers we seek are written down for us for

God would never instruct us to do anything that is against His teach-

ing in the Bible. The more time we spend reading, reflecting and con-

templating on His word, the more easily it is to recognise and feel

His presence and His leading in our lives.

It may be that it is us who have stopped listening rather than God

not speaking. Perhaps the troubles of our lives have plugged our

ears, or we have been under attack from the enemy, or we have

neglected His word. The important thing is not to disengage at the

first sign of what seems like distancing from us.

Your views on this article would be very welcome. Editor

BELIEF IN GOD! Taken from Lord Hailsham’s memoirs called, A SPARROW’S

FLIGHT.

“If someone tells me that he does not believe in God, I ask him to describe

the god he does not believe in, and nearly always I have to tell him that I do

not believe in such a God either.

“Since faith is not knowledge, doubt is no sin. God has his doubters as well

as his devotees. There can be no faith without continuous questioning.

Without questioning faith becomes superstition.

“When thousands are killed in an earthquake; when an innocent child is

tortured to death, or dies of leukaemia; when terrorism stops at nothing; we

are bound to question faith and the grounds of faith. But the fact that we

question is also part of the answer.

“I do not know, I do not pretend to know, but I trust and therefore I

believe.” CHURCH MOUSE


BALAAM’S ASS Balak, king of the Moabites, Sat uneasily on his throne, And viewing the hordes of Israelites Said, “I’d rather we were alone!”

“They’re coming through on their journey;- Their cattle’ll eat all the grass. They’ll clean us out like the locusts Before the whole people have passed.”

“Go now, my princes, to Pethor, Where Balaam and his house reside. To defeat these invading people We will need God on our side.”

Balaam was a noted prophet. If he cursed a thing, it would fail ! Balak wanted this hotline to God To be used against Israel.

“Curse, curse the Israelites for us: These foreigners, not of our kind. If we feed them and their animals, Not a leaf will they leave behind.”

“God, the God of the Israelites,” Balaam replied to his guests, “Is the same God, the God of us all.” And he refused the king’s request.

They offered him money and goods, Threatened, persuaded, implored; He agreed at length to go with them Where he could see the pilgrim horde.

His ass, a patient old creature, Was a pet as well as a slave. She carried his burdens and person And excellent service she gave.

Written Autumn 1996 © Ros Houseago in Ideas Explored

Balaam set off on the donkey. “Perhaps I misheard God,” he said. He thought of what was on offer; “I could say, ‘Curse them’ instead.”

The ass saw an angry angel: Balaam was dreaming of gold. She turned aside to avoid it; Balaam shouted, “Do as you’re told !”

He hit her. Twice more the angel Stood, sword in hand in the way. Balaam’s foot got crushed the next time. In the end down his transport lay!

Twice more he hit her – not like him For he was the gentlest of men; But the king’s money and favour Clouded his vision just then.

“If you ask me,” said the donkey (And better perhaps if he had) “One ass here is riding another— What you are doing is BAD.”

The shock of her speaking woke Balaam. He could see the angel just fine. In going to do the king’s bidding He knew he was well out of line.

So he went and he saw God’s people Ready to pass through the land. “Their God is my God is the one God.” He prayed God would give them a hand.

Balaam’s blessings did not make him friends At the court of Balak the king; So he went on the donkey homeward And she never again said a thing!


BOOKS OF THE BIBLE QUIZ The following are all scrambled books of the Bible. They may be a single book, or two or three books together. Can you unscramble them?

1. adeeehilnrst

2. ddeegjossuux

3. aaacchhiilmm

4. aaehjlmossuu

5. aaeeehijmrrz

ANSWERS TO BALAAM’S DONKEY

The main story of Balaam is in the Book of Numbers, ch 22-24.

1. Their route passed through his land.

2. Curse the Israelites, whom he saw as a threat to his land.

3. He refused to go with the people whom Balak sent.

4. He asked God again, who permitted him to go with the party, but only to say what God allowed.

5. She carried Balaam to see Balak.

6. She turned aside when she saw an angel in the way. On being kicked into carrying on, she crushed Balaam’s foot try-ing to avoid the angel. Finally she lay down.

7. Firstly, she asked what she had done to deserve three beat-ings. When Balaam told her she had made a fool of him, she replied by enquiring whether she had ever behaved in such a way before.

8. He blessed the Israelites three times.

9. 2 Peter 2.15 & 16: Balaam an example of bad people of the past.

10. In settling the Promised Land, the Israelites killed Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. Jos 13.22.

6. abehjjjlnooo

7. aaagghilmpss

8. acceeeilssst

9. aeeeehiklosz

10. abehmmnnrsuu

PRAYER AT BROADMEAD The Cambridge theologian Alec Vidler of King’s College, Cambridge, re-

minds Christians: “Christ our head, gathers together all the dim and faltering prayers of His members … our sighs and groans that cannot be put into words, our numbness and our silence, and he interprets and presents them to the one God our Father … Therefore think always of the Lord through whom we pray.”

WEEK ONE Lord Jesus Christ, fill us each day with thoughts of your

love, as we see it in your life of service, sacrifice, and your willingness to bear our sins as you gave your life for us at Calvary. In your mercy let nothing so distract us that we lose sight of your deep care and concern for your creation each moment of every day. Whatever we do, may we cast our eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.

WEEK TWO Gracious God, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’, let this be our vision and aim: in a world that’s divided, confused, a world with-out peace, that’s lost its way, a world in pain, we pray for unity of the Church – your people – and so may the Gospel be clearly sound forth. Midst the confusion of these times, grant us a clear vision of your pur-poses for humanity, and the courage to seek it. Lord, in your mercy, we pray that our community may be overshadowed, filled, and aware that you love us and care for us.

WEEK THREE We remember those who serve in various mission

opportunities around the world, through various agencies such as the Baptist Missionary Society. We at Broadmead pray for our missionary partners, the Chadwell’s in Nepal and others in Afghanistan. May they be guided into various and appropriate avenues of service, where you have placed them, and find satisfaction and peace as they follow your leading in these days

WEEK FOUR This is a Prayer of Revd Peter Marshall, chaplain to the

American Senate in the USA in the 1940s. His prayers were offered two minutes before the U S Senate opened its business each day. One such undated prayer, offered by the Scotsman Peter Marshall was as follows. “Our Father, grant that the promised day may soon come when culture and learning, education and pity, shall again light all the lamps that wars have extinguished; when all wanderers can return to their homes and little gardens; when men to men o’er the world shall brothers be for all that; when all of us may be united in building a better world. In Thy name, who art the father of us all, we make this prayer. Amen.” (from,

The Prayers of Peter Marshall, edited C. Marshall, London, 1955, p.86.)

the magazine of broadmead baptist church · the magazine of broadmead baptist church july, 2015 ......

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