Our Meeting today was led by Paul & Wendy Scoulding
following the announcement’s by CSM Tim Scott
We began the meeting by singing
Hymn No 1 SASB 279 – “To God Be the Glory”, which was followed by the prayerful singing of
Prayers we said for those in the Corps recently bereaved
Hymn No 2 SASB 312 – “Spirit of the Living God”
we had our 1st Reading by Wendy
1 Samuel Chapter 16 verse 7.
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Paul gave us the first part of his message which was looking at Image, and why we can sometimes put so much effort into trying to achieve an image or a dream lifestyle promoted by advertising and society magazines .
As it says in the reading, the Lord looks at the heart , and Paul Quoted from Philippians
Philippians 3:7-8 New International Version (NIV)
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.
We should be choosing wisely in our lives , and making sure not to exclude God .
The next congregational song was
Hymn No 3 SASB 825 – “A Wonderful Saviour is Jesus My Lord”, which Paul said was a very special song for him ( we await the story behind that comment !)
The Songsters contribution ( with grateful support from the reserves ) was ” I will worship you my Lord ”
Offering
2nd Reading
Matthew Chapter 11 verses 28 – 30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Message Part 2
Paul talked about the pressures ( Burdens) we face in the modern world , and the fact that people have always faced pressures ,( Jesus had to live under Roman Rule for instance ) , and we should try to keep our feet on the ground ,and not get caught up with the concept of “we can have it all & We can have it now ” .
This leads many to financial difficulties . Paul referred back to the reading
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
and quoted
Paul went on to say we often put many things before our love of God , stored up in our own Cisterns , and you can spend a lifetime indulging yourself, but nothing will ever fill the God shaped hole that is inside all of us , except God
Quote from Ecclesiastes 2 verse 10 & 11
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.
Paul concluded by saying we need to keep God in our everyday life
Hymn No 4 SASB 373 – “Jesus Be the Centre”
Hymn No 5 SASB 376 – “King of Kings”
We Prayed for Jess Scott ( pictured with her Father Tim ) as she leaves the UK , bound for life in Norway as a translator
Thank you to all those that helped make worship possible today , our Pianist for the meeting was Carolynn Woodman , the Band was led by Ray Maycock.
Joan West has asked if anyone can cover her work organising the Newspapers during the last week in August . If you can help please speak to Joan