Sunday Morning

                                       17^th February 2019 

        ‘See the Difference you can make if you rest in Him’

Our meeting began looking at Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”, and Major Ian made the point that we don’t often do it.

He called for volunteers to lift his Burden – ( a rucksack on the platform) , it was heavy and extra help was called in to lift it. The rucksack had a huge rock in it..but that was the obvious burden , at the bottom of the bag were a large amount of smaller thing we are equally burdened with.

Our first song of the morning was

Song          790             Take time to be Holy

Tune                    510             “        “        “

and this was followed by the first of the Self Denial Videos for this year

 

The Singing Company sang  ” And Can It Be”

This was followed by  & a time of Prayer

Song          773             Lord Speak to me

Tune          17               How Much More

The Bible reading  was               Matthew 11:28-30 

After the Collection the Songsters Sang ” To God Be the Glory”  words by Fanny Crosby and musical arrangement by our own Emma Davis

Message                       ‘See the Difference you can make

                                                …..if you rest in Him’

Major Ian spoke of everyone these days being burdened , but whatever the burden, Jesus can lift it ..and referring to the Bible reading earlier God asks us to “take” his yoke , its not put on us  & we have a choice

Video Clip                     Lay your burden down

Song           353             Be Still

Tune           566             “

We had a time of Reflection & Response , which was followed by our final song of the morning

Song          382             Majesty

Tune          749             “

Major Ian Pronounced the Benediction

           Our Sunday Evening  meeting was an ‘On the Sofa’ event

                      With Majors Peter & Estelle Clack

 

 

 

 

 

 

Song        25            Gods Love to me is wonderful

Tune        130          “               “       “

 

Major Estelle was Born in India where her Parents were officers, and early school life was in Boarding Schools with her Sisters

Major Peter was born in Inverness with Twin  Brothers  Tony & David and a Sister Ruth, and also had Officer Parents, and Peter remembers not liking the constant moving around to different Corps

Major Estelle came to her own decision to go into Officer training ,and Major Peter felt chosen while aged seventeen at Weston-Super-Mare Corps.

Peter & Estelle met at the training college, where at the time Male & Female training was separated

1st Appointments

 

Song        623          Take my Life & Let it be

Tune        246          Consecration Hymn

first Overseas appointment was in the Bahamas , where Peter would bang the Drum to call people to service

followed by

In Jamaica they were working with the Cadets, but the conditions were challenging , and often food was scarce ( particularly when Major Estelle’s purse was stolen on one occasion , leaving them without any money)

Next appointment saw them spend  two years in Panama

 

A return to the UK for a few years  preceded a further  overseas appointment

 

 

From what Peter & Estelle told us the time in Pakistan was quite challenging , and violent at times. Retired officers had very little money and one of the last things that were achieved before leaving Pakistan , was to get pensions increased

Song        809          On Gods word relying

Tune        671          I believe

A Return to the UK

and then a move to Sheffield.

 

A Final Overseas move was an appointment to Seattle, a very large Corps, a then a further move to Tucson

and then Arizona DHQ & Batavia Corps

before coming back to the UK

The Majors were asked about their favourite Scripture , and Major Estelle said hers was 2 Timothy 1 verse 7.⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Major Peter said his was 1 Peter 2

and a card given to him as a young boy at Weston-Super-Mare

The call of the Lord doesn’t have to carry out judgement but command our obedience

 

Our final song was

Song        329          Who is it tell me what to do

Tune        854          That’s the Spirit

Following which Major Estelle Pronounced a Benediction.

We are Blessed to have this Lovely couple at our Corps . and we thank them for the insight they provided to their life as Salvation Army Officers , in what has been a varied and challenging career .