Monday Spot (21 June 2010)
Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe are enjoying a well earned, but unexpected, break this week and will return to work tomorrow (Tuesday).
Majors Drew & Beverley McCombe
Lt. Col. Ray Steadman-Allen, assisted by his wife Joy, led our morning meeting yesterday. A most suitable choice for Father’s Day and it seemed that he enjoyed the experience greatly.
Lt. Cols. Ray & Joy Steadman-Allen
Songs chosen for Father’s Day were 42, 323, 324, 485 and 690 from the Salvation Army Song Book and 544 from Songs of Fellowship. Scripture used, read by Joy, was Ezra 3:8-13 and the usual Sunday morning musical sections took part, the Singing Company bringing ‘The Father’s Song’ and the Songsters ‘God so loved the World’.
The Father’s Song
Young duetists
It is always fun to listen to young people talk about their parents (and grandparents) and a granddaughter’s view of her grandfather was ‘entertaining’ when Jessica shared her thoughts about grandad Bev.
Colonel Ray may be getting on in years but has lost none of his appeal as a speaker. In his message he said:
I want to share some thoughts about fathers, sons and generations. The date was 538BC and they were rebuilding the Temple. But the priests were upset because, being old, they remembered Solomon’s temple with fondness and regret for its destruction. Change is hard and reading about the past is different from being part of it. For it to be real we need to have been there. So it was with the priests and old men. in an ideal world a father is a stable influence and we notice that Jesus does not often speak about his earthly father, Joseph, but frequently refers to his father God. This is a father who’s heart breaks over the happenings in the world. But he will still welcome us home with open arms. So, what does God the Father do? He cares for the world no matter what it does and Jesus brought that love to earth. He made himself ‘as nothing’ and suffered death for us all. The fourth doctrine of The Salvation Army says ‘We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man’. Jesus was fully aligned with his father God. Jesus lives! He is alive in the world! We are a mix of generations. Some are happy, others are not. The Army’s way of doing things has changed over the years and we mustn’t look at this through the wrong glasses. We are called as a church to unity, to self control and to caring for each other. ‘Our Father’ – forgive us and live in us.
In the evening Captains Paul and Louise Wood, currently appointed to our Bexleyheath Corps, took charge and chose songs 283, 281, 59 and 730 from the Salvation Army Song Book together with 897 and 544 from Songs of Fellowship.
Captains Paul & Louise Wood
Musical contributions were received from the Band (Psalm 91) and Songsters (Praise His Holy Name) and a period of personal testimony was once again featured. A responsive reading of selected scripture verses gave everyone a chance to participate. The verses used are set out below.
Basing his message on Matthew 16:13-20 Captain Paul Wood said:
God often responds to our prayers in an amazing way, sometimes an unexpected way so it is important that we understand who Jesus is. He asked the disciples ‘who do you think that I am?’ in Caesarea Philippi, a very multi-cultured town. This was significant to the question and the disciples gave a number of responses. But, it seems, other people were not recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Today a majority of people in the UK don’t know his identity either for many will deny that he is the Messiah. So today we must ask the same question of ourselves. Peter, however, did recognize Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God. This was a pivotal moment because it established that Jesus was more than what others had suggested. He had changed Peter’s life and Peter was learning to trust more and more. So, how do we see Jesus today? The Christ, interested in us individually, or just another good preacher. If we say he is the Christ everything changes and all things are possible. Jesus will strengthen us and direct our steps. He will supply all our needs. He will transform us.
We are pleased to say that Chris Boughton was successful in his assault on Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, all within the space of 24 hours and we hope to have a report and pictures very soon. Chris has been reported as being very stiff ever since completing the challenge last Tuesday.
Majors Drew and Beverley McCombe will be leading our meetings next Sunday at 10am and 6pm. If you live locally why not join us. We would be delighted to see you.
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