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In this issue:
Worship in June.
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Mornings (11 am) |
Evenings (6.30 pm) |
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June 4th. |
Pentecost |
Revd. Mark Simmons |
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June 11th. |
Morning Communion. |
Revd. Sue Jackson |
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June 18th. |
Family Service |
Jon raxster |
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June 25th. |
Home Mission Service. |
Youth Service. |
Women's Own.
June dates for your diary.
12th |
Women�s Own |
12th | Deacons� prayer meeting |
14th | Pastoral Ministry Team meeting |
26th | Women�s Own |
Our Assocate Minister, Rev Sior Coleman writes:
... till we meet again.
Dear friends,
Not goodbye, but till we meet again. It was with a great sense of sadness that we joyfully celebrated the final weekend of John and Lin�s ministry among us. It was a weekend of laughter and fun � a recognition that this ministry has managed to be serious about the gospel, but not solemn; serious about the task, but not about the servants who do it. They showed us that faith is �caught, not taught� and that genuine friendship is the best way to share God�s love. We will miss them! �
We will miss so many qualities � the openness, the honesty and (let�s be fair) the terrible humour. But unlike a death, the sense of bereavement is tempered by the fact that the links will remain. Over time, although we all discover new directions and purpose, nevertheless we are who we are because of where we have been, how we have travelled and who we have journeyed alongside. For the last seven years or so, we can be glad that John and Lin shared our journey and glad too that, though the companionship is less immediate, the friendship remains. �
Maybe it is of all friendships � and now is the time for a gentle reminder that every friendship is not automatic but must be sustained. The best friendships, it seems, are the ones that can carry on a face to face conversation with gaps of months or even years, because there has been sufficient contact in between. �
So text and emails, postcards and letters, phone calls and prayers all play a part in keeping friendships alive, warming the hearts of those who feel adrift and ensuring the valued things of the past are carefully preserved. �
As John reminded us in his final sermon: St Paul thought it important to keep in touch with his friends. If Paul had been about today, I�m sure he would have used email � and that the New Testament would have been longer!! �
From your friend, �
Si�r Coleman
John
Jenny Smith works for the BMS World Missions teaching theology students in Budapest. It is the seventh year that Jenny has lived in Hungary's capital after spending three years there in the 1990s, returning as a BMS volunteer in 1998 and then training as a full-term BMS mission worker over the last year.
News from Jenny Smith in Budapest.
The floods have gone down and spring has arrived! �
Teaching is finished for the semester, and we are now in exam season. Everybody who took the mock English exam was successful, and much encouraged by their results. The teachers were happy too! We hope for similar success in the real exam on 29th May, for which five students have registered. We look forward to celebrating graduation on 22nd June. �
This has been a particularly frustrating time regarding organization in different situations. I seem to spend a large number of hours chasing up people who haven't done what they said they would do, and sorting out problems arising from poor communication. I need a lot of patience! �
Sometimes, however, things that come together at short notice can be very successful. Such was my participation in the Budapest international conference of the European Baptist Mission in early May. I volunteered to be a host, and ended up having a young Czech to stay, who had just returned from eight months working in South Africa. It was more of a privilege than a sacrifice to give up my bedroom for four nights, for the sake of getting to know Anna. Christa and I were inspired by the two open meetings of the conference we went to, hearing about how "With God's help we can jump over walls", in many different parts of the world, from Cuba to Malawi. It was difficult to know what language to address people in, as many were in use. The church hosting the meetings was equipped with translation booths and headphones, and many talented interpreters, but I didn't need to make use of these, as my Hungarian, German and English were sufficient. There was only one prayer in French I didn't really understand. �
I am very much looking forward to my holiday at Balaton in June, and on my return will begin seriously hunting for a new flat to move to. I would like somewhere smaller, with less cleaning and lower bills! �
Jenny,
19.5.06
Pete and Lizz Maycock were members of Harborne Baptist Church, and are now working for BMS World Missions. They are in Thailand, in language study this year before starting work with the youth department of the Karen Baptist Convention.
News from Pete & Lizz in Thailand.
Did you know that... it takes 19 days to get to Thailand via oil tanker?
Unfortunately it's also quite expensive - about 80 pounds per day, so we wouldn't recommend it as a money saving exercise.� We haven't been travelling much over the past few weeks so we've been able to enjoy some time at home in Chiang Mai.�The summer heat, combined with a series of public holidays (there are two bank holidays this week alone) means that everything slows down a bit at this time of year!
Tonight we are heading down to Bangkok for the weekend, to attend a friend's wedding, and to meet with some church leaders.� Abigail will have her first ever train journey - we're hoping she likes it, as it's a 13 hour ride!� When we return to Chiang Mai on Monday, we will bring our friend Rung back with us.� She has left her job in Bangkok and will be staying with us for a few weeks.� We're excited about seeing her and ask for your prayers for her.
Praise God for:
1) Paw and Mee
These are the two young Thais� (both Bible school graduates) who are getting married tomorrow in Bangkok.� Praise God for their enthusiasm for the gospel, and their gifts in building relationships with young people -� it's exciting to think about what God has planned for them in the future!
2) The rain!
Over the past few days, we have had our first big summer storms - very impressive thunder and lightning, and incredible amounts of water!� For some here, the rain has come just in time - Pete was in a Karen village last weekend where the well had almost completely dried up.� With the recent rain, the villagers now have enough water in the well to wash and cook with for the next few weeks - until the rainy season starts in earnest.
Please pray for:
1) Rung's visit
We first met Rung on our second day in Thailand, so she is our 'oldest' Thai friend!� Please pray for Rung as she stays with us, that she would see Christ in us and want to find out more about our faith.� Pray that we would be wise in our speech and actions.
2) Upcoming travels
Pete is going to a national Youth meeting on the 12-13th May in Lampang, about 90km south of Chiang Mai.� Then on the 14th-17th May, he will be joining Karen leaders on a visit to churches in the Chiang Rai district (about 200km north of Chiang Mai).� Please pray for safety in travel - particularly with the first rains making the mountain roads more dangerous.� Please also remember Lizz at home with Abigail - thank God for Rung's company!
Many thanks for all of your support, prayers and kind emails/letters/phone calls,
With our love & prayers,
Pete, Lizz & Abigail
'From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I' (Psalm 61:2)