No.38 - 10th Jan 2021
Hi,
Hope this finds you in good form and avoiding the pitfalls of the snow and ice. You shouldn't be going outside anyway!!!
Well, 2021 is off to a flier isn't!? We are back to services online for everyone so keep in mind Eilidh and the team as they put things together and pray that the techy side of things goes well as you pray for Scott preaching. With that in mind we are back in the New City Catechism again and there are details of that below - if you able to the app is worth having and helps get the most out of the Catechism.
Restrictions are stopping lots of different events starting up again in the new year - have a look below and get involved where you can.
Enjoy the mag.
MB
.........................................................................................................................................................................
Message from the Manse
Dear Congregation,
Here we are in January of 2021! Can you believe it? As I get just that little bit older I feel time moves more quickly (and I move more slowly!).
I think many of us would consider that 2020 is the year well left behind. However, the Lord’s will continues unaffected by our day counting on a calendar.
We may not ever know what the Lord’s ultimate purpose was for 2020 and Covid-19, but 2020 worked out exactly how the Lord wanted it to. The virus and vaccinations all known and purposed by Him.
I have heard several older people say they lost a year which at their age they could ill afford to lose. I understand what they mean. But as Christians I want to encourage a different perspective. Every year has to be seen in the light of eternity. Losing (or gaining a year if that is possible) does not even register on the graph of eternal life. Furthermore, every year is His gift to us. Because every year works out exactly as the Lord purposes, there are no lost years. Rather, as Christians, it is a great thing to embrace every year with thanksgiving in Christ!
I think it would serve us well to think back how we walked with the Lord in 2020. Confronted by the reality that we came from the dust and to the dust we will one day return (Genesis 3.19, Ecclesiastes 3.20) did we live in peace with Him? Did we take comfort that the Lord is to His people the Sovereign, Shepherd King who enters every dark shadow of life with us? Did we live through 2020 in the knowledge that He is our heavenly Father who knows our needs even before we ask?
These questions are relevant for those of us who have taken Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. The outcome of these reflections may help us to rejoice with thanksgiving at how He walked with us through this last year – even 2020! Or, in the absence of this experience, we may find ourselves being led into confession of sin, repentance and new faith.
In regard to Sunday worship, we will continue worshipping together but not in the building for a few weeks. We shall be on YouTube.
Want to be part of Discipleship Explored? – we start this Sunday night (let me know if you would like to be included)
Want to share studying the SOLAS of the Christian church (Christ Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Scripture Alone, To God’s Glory Alone) – we start this Sunday night (let me know if you would like to be included)
Want to be in our next Alpha Group (or know someone you want to sign up) – starts Sunday 31st January (let me or Margo McNicol know)
Warmest regards in Christ,
Scott
We start a new section of the Catechism this Sunday - we are on No.21
The Bible encourages us to ponder the things of God daily - using the Catechism will definitely help you do this.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door-frames of your houses and on your gates. (Deut ch6)
And Moses would surely have added 'use the App' if they had been around.
Question 21
What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?
One who is truly human and also truly God.
WHO IS CATECHISING YOUR KIDS
This article was in the Gospel Coalition Newsletter this week...worth reading as we start looking at the catechism again this week.
The 18th-century Scottish politician Andrew Fletcher once boldly claimed,
“If one were permitted to make all the ballads, one need not care who should make the laws of a nation.” If Fletcher were around today, though, he might be just as concerned about television and movies and video games—or online videos.
The average child aged 8 to 12 spends four hours and 44 minutes with entertainment media on digital devices each day. For teens, it’s seven hours and 22 minutes. And that does not include the time using devices for homework, reading books, or listening to music. To paraphrase Fletcher, if one were permitted to make all the pop culture, one need not care who should make the theology of a nation. For better or for worse, your child’s worldview is shaped by the pop culture they consume.
“You won’t be able to block out every Disney movie and every top 40 song,” Collin Hansen notes in this week’s featured article. “Even if you could, you’d probably have an easier time keeping outside air out of your house than thinking your children won’t be catechized by the world.” But there is still much parents can do, and Hansen provide a range of suggestions and tools to help you in the task. “Someone will catechize your children,” Hansen says. “So don’t outsource it in 2021.”
JOE CARTER
Editor
The Home Groups will start again in January.
We shall be using a booklet called 'These Truths Alone' studying the 5 'Solas' of the reformation:
Christ Alone, Scripture Alone, Faith Alone, Grace Alone, To God's Glory Alone.
If you are not in a group don't miss out - they run at different times during the week. Let Scott know if you would like to be involved.
“Oh No You Don’t”
It is a delight and indeed a privilege to see that despite the Covid 19 situation Pauline and Daniel continue to encourage and support our young families at Maxwell Mearns Castle Church.
Having now reached my 7th decade I can look back to the times when my own children were toddlers and relate to the “Oh no you Don’t” moments which all parents experience when bringing up our offspring. You know what I mean – The kids have learned to walk and are no longer protected by their “reins” (if they still use these restraints these days). The big world is beckoning them and they start to want become more independent.
During a family walk one of the kids decide on the spur of the moment to either run across a busy road or jump into an inviting puddle and our immediate reaction is to grab them and say “Oh no you don’t.” With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight vision I can see where even during my so called adult life God has been exercising His own “Oh no you don’t” influences in my life.
Why is it that after spending so many years in further education studying for an accountancy qualification, I found myself earning a living as a shop designer and project manager?
Why did that decision to satisfy my ego and vanity by taking up a company directorship turn out to be so dramatically wrong with its self-inflicted trauma?
By using the aforementioned hindsight I can now acknowledge that these were in fact times in my life where God was saying “Oh no you don’t” and that no matter what age we are or what we consider to be in our own best interests, if these are not consistent with God’s will, he is likely to pull us back into line with His own purposes for our lives.
Like all parents, Muriel and I had our aspirations for our children some of which have been achieved and some, perhaps spiritually more important, have not. We now acknowledge that the most important factor is to recognise at the earliest possible age what is God’s purpose for our lives and, through prayer and discussion, to weed out the human influences of status, power, vanity and ego.
Please God may our children and indeed their parents at Maxwell Mearns come to an early recognition of God’s will and purpose for their lives, and so avoid the “Oh no you don’t” moments
Sam Nugent
Count Your Blessings
It would be good to hear what other people have as their favourite hymns and praise songs. Maybe you don't have an all time favourite but at any given time you might have one which you are enjoying. The other day Scott mentioned this golden oldie - the chorus will be well known to most people. This simple truth which when you put into action - actually, literally start to list- off your blessings - causes you to avoid grumbling and takes into to a place of thanksgiving and trust in our Heavenly Father.
There's a fair range of versions on Youtube. Here's your
starter
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
You are warmly invited to an 8-week course that creates a space online, where people can have an exciting conversation about faith, life and God.
Alpha is a place to ask the big questions of life. Connect with others online to watch a series of episodes and explore the Christian faith together. The course runs for 8 weeks and registering is easy.
It's a few weeks away until it starts but NOW is the time to start to pray and plan about which of your friends or family you could ask to be involved. It starts on 31st January 7-8.15pm each evening.
If you go to the 'Maxwell Mearns Castle Church' YouTube page you can watch A short video Daniel has made about Alpha at Maxwell.
Stefan and Martina
It was great to get this photo and Christmas greetings from Stefan and Martina (with Lasse and Jonas).
Keep them in prayer as University life is still not normal and their works with students in groups will be affected. Maybe the Lord will use more individual conversations to allow gospel chat. and they will be considering the possibility of plans for a trip to Europe after summer.
Rebecca Dodds
We heard last Sunday morning (and at the Pulse prayer meeting on Wednesday) from Rebeccca Dodds.
She is hoping to head out to Kenya for 6 months voluntary work at the Mission Hospital in Kikuyu. Below are her prayer points she shared on Wednesday.
-
Travel: Early February, flights still to be confirmed - Mission Africa co-ordinating this
-
Give thanks that Rebecca was able to get both stages of Covid 19 Vaccine earlier this week
-
Accommodation – would like to be in hospital quarters.
-
Pray about safety as Rebecca moves around the area.
-
Being valuable part of the medical team
-
Being part of the Christian witness in Kikuyu
-
The future - she is still unsure of a post back in the UK in August.
If you don't normally come along why not make it your new thing for 75mins on a Wednesday night to join with others to pray for Maxwell and beyond.
Look out for the email with the Zoom link each week. Particularly with an extended restriction in place it is a great way of keeping in touch with each other.
We have some decisions to make. Are we going to believe the lies that our enemy speaks over us, or the truth that our Father seeks to impress upon us by His Holy Spirit? The only way to deal with the constant undermining of shame is to choose every day, and probably many times every day, to believe the truth of what God our Father says about us. We must learn to talk to ourselves. You may have been told it’s the first sign of madness, but in the battle, it is an essential weapon. We must constantly remind ourselves of it. Personally, sometimes I have to voice it out loud: “Satan, you are a liar. God’s verdict on me is the very opposite of your accusations.” If we don’t learn to agree with God, we will find ourselves running the race of life constantly looking back over our shoulders, and with lead weights around our ankles.
(from Building on the Rock - Peter Maiden)
The Kirk Session has been encouraging us to build into our lives a desire to share the Gospel in a simple way with friends and family. To this end, we are being encouraged to use “The Word One To One” material.
Let’s all try and find one person to open John’s Gospel with. Remember to share online by zoom or by some other platform, you can download the exact same booklet. Simply go to our website; www.maxwellmearns.org and press the “Church Life” tab > then press the “Reaching Out” tab and scroll to the bottom of the page. You see all 11 booklets listed and available for download.
Speak to Margo McN if you would like to see a copy of a booklet.