No.142.    17th February

Hi,

Not sure how many of you would look at Twitter through the week. Like much of the internet and social media in particular, it can be really helpful and enjoyable but with an awful lot of horrible stuff lurking around.
I follow a number of Christians on Twitter and I like to think they are redeeming the platform with what they contribute.  Which brings me to a couple of things you will find in the mag this week - one is the Tweet of the Week…a focus on speaking up for Jesus…doesn’t need to be a 3 point sermon, it can just be mentioning the Lord, church, a bible verse. It’s good to make that a normal part of what we talk about alongside the latest rugby score, council tax moans, your new shoes, last night’s tv etc. It’s a challenge, but one we must take up.  
With that in mind Twitter took me to such a helpful article in last week’s Telegraph 'How to make sense of an earthquake if God exists' by Sharon Dirckx  regarding the earthquake in Turkey/Syria. What can we possibly say in conversation about that? Do we feel in fact that we better keep off the subject as we know people will say something like ‘What sort of God let’s that happen?’ Or worse, ‘Why did God do that?’  Are you ready for that type of question? The article is viewable here and worth a read - it’s not an exhaustive answer, but it’s helpful I think.

Lots in the mag this week - great to see the youth work so busy!

Enjoy the Mag.

MB 


Sunday 19th February 2023   
     Rev Scott Kirkland
     Bible passage: 1 Peter ch1:1-2
“Feeling Out Of Sorts”

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Read Together

 

The new 'Read Together' book will be available at church on Sunday - price £8.

This book is written for those eager to see God use ordinary relationships and conversations between ordinary Christians to work extraordinary miracles in the lives of his people.

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LENT 

Starts this week Wednesday 22nd Feb.

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die

I know for some Christians having a formal structure in the weeks heading for Easter will pass them by (being slightly outside the Reformed camp) however for some it is a helpful focus as we head for Easter.
There are a number of books or online devotional helps around  -  John Pipers Fifty reasons why Jesus came to die is a straightforward and incredibly helpful reading for each day. It has a bible verse on the page and overall it is just over a page a day- however across the 7 weeks it highlights  how comprehensive the work of the Cross is to satisfy God, glorify Jesus and bless sinners.eg.
To Absorb the Wrath of God -To Please His Heavenly Father - To Learn Obedience and Be Perfected - To Achieve His Own Resurrection from the Dead - To Show the Wealth of God’s Love and Grace for Sinners - To Show His Own Love for Us - To Cancel the Legal Demands of the Law Against Us - To Become a Ransom for Many For the Forgiveness of Our Sins - To Provide the Basis for Our Justification -To Complete the Obedience That Becomes Our Righteousness - To Take Away Our Condemnation etc etc.

The link for the free pdf is here. You can download for free and click it easily each day. This is the webpage you can bookmark if that's easier.
Extract:
"Jesus did not wrestle his angry Father to the floor of heaven and take the whip out of his hand. He did not force him to be merciful to humanity. His death was not the begrudging consent of God to be lenient to sinners. No, what Jesus did when he suffered and died was the Father’s idea. It was a breath taking strategy, conceived even before creation, as God saw and planned the history of the world. That is why the Bible speaks of God’s “purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began” (2 Timothy 1:9).

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The Nazareth Trust

The Nazareth Trust is a Scottish Charity with a long history in Israel. Operating a small general hospital, a training college for nurses, a ‘village experience’ tourist attraction as well as a volunteer program, it plays a significant role in the life of modern day Nazareth.  The hospital started life as a small clinic in 1862 and is the oldest hospital in Israel, predating the modern state by almost a century. 

The Trust is a curious mix, overtly Christian but, modern healthcare being expensive, mostly funded by the Israeli Government.  ‘Healing in the name of Jesus’ is the strap-line and you will see biblical texts on the hospital walls. The Trustees are all Christians and come from the UK, USA and Israel - a mix of Orthodox, Baptist, Independent Evangelical and, of course, Presbyterian. 

Modern day Nazareth is somewhat disappointingly like any other busy town with traffic jams and ugly buildings, many it seems half-built. 
However, The ‘Village’, as it’s known, is an antidote - the re-creation of a first century landscape in Nazareth, complete with original terraces of olive trees and vines, an authentic wine press, reconstructed houses, a synagogue and even sheep. Actors play the part of shepherds, householders and even Jesus, which provides the climax to the visit…


There is something about sitting in a (recreated) first century synagogue in Nazareth, seeing the scrolls being unrolled and that famous passage from Isaiah read by ‘Jesus’, then his stunning the congregation ‘…today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ The very words in the very place!

It’s a privilege to serve but there are many challenges… the inherent tensions in Israel, increasing lawlessness in Nazareth, the diverse local community, running a modern hospital, funding from the Israeli government - and, through these things, how to witness for Jesus in the place where he grew up.

Your prayers for this work would be much valued.  
Murray McN

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Youth Work

What’s been happening at Maxwell Youth?

Here is what has been happening with the ‘youth’ at Maxwell over the past few months.
Give thanks for the wonderful young people we have as part of our church family.

S1-S6 meet once a week. Sunday night youth group from 7-9 pm. Before Christmas we finished up our series in 10 key doctrines in Christianity. For the new year we have started a new series looking at Grace & Justice in the Bible. We are doing this by looking at 3 different books in the bible, spending 4 weeks in each. We’ve started with Jonah; we are then going to look at Gospel of Luke and we will finish by looking at a New Testament letter. This will probably take us up close to summer. We are doing a bible study method called the Swedish method  (see below) which uses the same 3 questions to encourage discussion among everyone. It has been great to see the young people diving into the Bible with it.



SU Equip (last Friday of the month)
Once a month we’ve been joining with young people from across the west coast at an SU equip. Its been great for us to gather with other young Christians and get some fantastic teaching

Students and Twenties Bible Study
A group of young adults have started gathering every couple of weeks at Jacob & Jess house to have dinner and a bible study. Currently we are the study Zechariah, which has led to some great and challenging discussions and it has been encouraging as we have seen so much of the gospel message in the book as well

SU group- Mearns Castle
The Mearns Castle SU group is meeting weekly on Thursday lunch times. It’s been great to get some of the pupils joining with us as we study the book of Luke.

Weekend away (Feb 24th – 26th)

Next week some of the youth are off for a residential weekend to the Bible centre in Inchinnan. We are going to be looking at the book of Philippians.
If you are a baker and would be willing to make some tasty treats, get in touch with Jacob they would be much appreciated.

Prayer points

· Pray the youth team would effectively communicate the gospel to what is quite a diverse age range of young people.
· Pray for the weekend away, pray for those teaching.
· Pray that the young people are able to grasp the lessons and engage with our material and their faith would both be established and grow.

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Organist  Recital
 

This week Nigel Kenny from C.I Scotland spoke at the Pulse Prayer Meeting. He covered a lot of ground, including the latest news and views and potential impact on Christians re Transgenderism, Conversion Therapy and Assisted Suicide.
There webpage has lots of up to date and interesting articles and videos. Click here.
You can sign up to receive news to your inbox too.
 

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Christy's New Album

Christy's new album "To the Beach" was released last week.

LINK TO THE ALBUM HERE.

Her album launch on the 18th March at the 13th Note (50-60 King St, Glasgow). Doors open 7pm. Hope you can make it!
Link for event brite is here.
 

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Ladybird Book of Maxwell

 

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If you want to be added to the group to receive prayer news then simply ask Margaret and she will add your number to the list.

If you have a matter that you would like to be prayed about in this way, you can contact Margaret Boyd or Scott and they will organise for news to be sent out.   

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Car Parking

Can you help?
If you are able, please can you to start using the school car park again as we did pre-lockdown?
Numbers attending services are encouragingly high and it would be really helpful if those that are able could leave spaces in the main car park for those who have greater need.