Chatham Salvation Army

Our morning meeting was led by Major Ian Payne

it’s theme was    ‘Walking & Talking….even praying

We had the following Bible reading

Romans 12:1 Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.

The major asked us if we did that in our daily lives?

Our first congregational song was  the lively one

Song                   392             Teach me to dance

Tune          850             “        “        “                           (BAND)              

followed by the more reflective song

SASB        165             From heaven you came

Tune         869             Servant King                        (PIANO)

Prayer time followed where prayers were heard from the congregation

The  Singing Company 

gave us the song ” the Great downpour” by Len Ballantine

Major Ian spoke then about the social side of the Corps, “what do we really know about each other” and he mentioned he was looking into events where we could all socialise more, which led into a reminder of the Chatham got Talent event on the 6th October

our next congregational song was

Song                   635             When the music fades

Tune          858             The heart of worship  

The final verse of which is

I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about you,
It’s all about you, Jesus
I’m sorry, lord, for the thing I’ve made it
And it’s all about you,
It’s all about you, Jesus

This  song by Matt Redmond, which Major Ian explained, was written when Matt Redmond realised his music had become all about perfection & performance , rather than Worship . It is something we can all reflect on, to make sure we don’t make similar mistakes in our live

We next had a reading from Nehemiah 2 , where as the cupbearer to the King , Nehemiah had been obedient to God and asked to leave the Kings service ( a job that was usually a lifetime role) to  enable him to Return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city

The Songsters

gave us the song ” We lift you up” by Isobel & Ian Robinson

With Soloist Louise Robinson

Bible reading              Romans 12:1-2 ( The message version)

 ^1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Message from the Word    ‘Walking & Talking….even praying’

Major Ian spoke of the Power of Prayer walks, where we can take our prayer out in to the community and be onsite praying. Major Ian  Referred  back to the passages from Nehemiah, where Nehemiah had walked around the City before entering. We can do this as well , praying at work , on the Train or Bus, you could talk to the people you commute with, start conversations at work.. God wants to use us, and you never know where these conversation could lead

Time for reflection              

Song         623             Take my life and let it be

Tune           241             All for thee

 The last verse of which was used as our Benediction

 Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At thy feet its treasure-store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee. 

My Thanks to Mike Gibbs for the pictures today

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Our Afternoon meeting  was at 4pm

                               ‘Cafe Church’

it’s title was   –     Amazing be Creative

The meeting included various short videos/slides / music & a Worksheet

Thank you to Jean Jones  for a copy of her one, as I could not be there myself

Itinerary…..

Video –            Woman at the well

Five things that amaze you

Slides/music    I’ve just seen Jesus

When Did Faith Amaze you?

Pictures           What amazes you about these pictures

Scripture

Video               His Love still amazes me

Slides/music    in this quiet moment

Thank you to Jean for the following photographs of the afternoon

Our Morning meeting was led by Major Ian Payne who took for his theme

                                   “All you need is Love”

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave^[a] his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

John 3:16                                                               

PSALM 42: As the deer pants for water, so I long for you, O God. ² I thirst for God, the living God. Where can I find him to come and stand before him?

The meeting began with the Major asking us ” what makes us happy” and he quoted a Study that was carried out by Harvard University over an 80 year period ..it seems the Beatles were right  ” all you need is Love”

Our 1st song was

Song                   39               Joyful Joyful we adore thee

Tune          367             Europe                                  (BAND)   

and Major Ian drew our particular attention to the line in verse 3                 ” Teach us how to Love each other ”        

our next congregational song was      

SASB        467             If human hearts are often tender

Tune         17               How Much More                            (PIANO)

Which was followed by a time of Prayer, where those recently Bereaved or not in good health were prayed for , along with our Youth Group who were away at retreat

During this mornings meeting we had the Dedication Ceremony of Kelly Marie . The Song chosen by the Family was

Song                   3                 All Things Bright & Beautiful (550 Band)

and the Singing Company Sang –      Welcome to the Family

Dedication of Kelly Marie

Following the Dedication ceremony the singing company sang again, this time led by Floss Scott,this was her last meeting with us before she heads off to University in Canterbury

Bible reading              1 Corinthians 13

The Songsters , led by Emma Davis , gave us  the Song ” Breathe” by Marie Barnett .

Message from the Word    All you need is Love

Major Ian’s Message focused on Love , you can’t actually see it , but you feel it . Highlighting the feeling people experience holding one of their children for the first time or meeting the person they eventually marry, that is what you feel inside, and God comes into our live to say he loves us .It does not matter who we are , how old or young, what size or shape . Its unconditional. Love needs to be the Primary reason we come to Church, and what underpins all that we do

Time for reflection              

Song         571             As the Deer

Tune           559             “        “        “        “        “        (PIANO)

Song         25               God’s Love to me is Wonderful

Tune          130             “                 “

Thank you to my Photographers Joe Scott & Mike Gibbs

                                               Sunday Evening

Our Evening meeting was a   ‘Songs of Praise’

 Songs were chosen by member of the congregation , and they were asked to explain their choice

Song           882             O Happy Day
Tune          29               “       “                            Band
Chosen by Jean Jones, who said it is essentially her Testimony

Song          783             Prayer Gently lifts me

Tune          800             “        “                            Piano

I believe this was the Majors choice

Song          829             Come & Rejoice with me

Tune          147             Carlisle                          Band

Chosen by Envoy Anthony McClure, and it’s verse 4 that has special meaning for him

Come and rejoice with me,
For I have found a friend
Who knows my heart’s most secret depths,
Yet loves me without end.

Band Ministry this evening was a march called South Coast by Martin Thomas. Bandmaster Nigel Lockwood gave us some details of the tune , including the fact that within it we would hear two songs  ” Down at the cross ”  and also ” A little ship was on the sea”

Song          861             In Christ Alone

Tune          132             “       “                            Band

Lesley Bell explained her choice as  something she first heard on songs of Praise ,and then at the Albert Hall during a recording of a later programme. When Lesley came to the Army she was please to find we sang the song as well, and it was her choice during her enrolment as a Senior Soldier

Song          848             I’m in his hands

Tune          693             “                  “                  Piano

Juliette Gouyet explained this was her choice , because it is true ., and after the song was sung one of our congregation , Mavis , asked to speak. Mavis explained this song was very meaningful to her when her husband was ill in Hospital, but following his death she did find the line  ” his way is best you see” rather difficult to understand . It was clearly a song that still stirred emotions , and we thank Mavis for her testimony

The Songsters contribution was  ” He is Exalted “, by Isobel & Ian Robinson

Scripture:                      Psalm 150

 Praise the Lord.^[a]

Song          616             O Love that will not let me go
Tune          427             St Margaret

Dorothy Boughton & Rex Boughton .

Dorothy & Rex  explained to us that this was a particular emotional song for them, and I honour them for sharing it with us . This is not the forum , or my place to share what was said , but I give you the 1st verse of the song below

1. O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

I think we all experienced a full range of  emotions during this evenings meeting , thank you to all that made the evening possible