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Beside The Burn
Join us during Advent as we realise, “Christmas Is Different - Jesus Is Better”. Each day we delve into the book of Hebrews, fix our eyes on Jesus and realise that He is better than everything else. Better than the worst things of this year, but also better than the best things we have ever experienced. Each day there is a short video based on a passage from Hebrews. By Christmas Day we will have read through the whole book of Hebrews, but more importantly we will have looked to Jesus each day and discovered that “Jesus is Better!”
Advent Devotional (2 Minute Video)
Here is a short devotional meditation from the Bible Society and Movement Day UK, praying for London.
New City Catechism
Every Tuesday we look at another question from the New City Catechism, this week question 8. What is the Law of God Stated in the Ten Commandments? You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet. Read more explanations here. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/new-city-catechism/what-is-the-law-of-god-stated-in-the-ten-commandments/
Word Of The Day
Canon J. John has been recording a word of the day since the first lockdown began in March. I may be a bit late at discovering this but they are still worth sharing, and all presented in less than a minute.
Essential Services
One of the things that we have been forced to consider over the last week is what is essential. Non-essential shops have been forced to close and so have church buildings. It begs the question is Church essential or non-essential. Obviously the executive have decided non-essential, but Church is essential to us who attend, but surely Church is also essential for society. We pray for our political leaders, we pray for our key-workers, we pray for society and community, we witness to the hope of the Gospel spiritually and practically. Our challenge this week is to live and witness for Christ in such a way that society views us as essential for daily life. Here is an article from the Newsletter at the weekend. 
Jigsaw
The times for yesterday’s Jigsaw Jean 3:09 Play the "Portrush Harbour Tuesday" puzzle! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=1b85a4bc33f3
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Beside The Burn
Join us during Advent as we realise, “Christmas Is Different - Jesus Is Better”. Each day we delve into the book of Hebrews, fix our eyes on Jesus and realise that He is better than everything else. Better than the worst things of this year, but also better than the best things we have ever experienced. Each day there is a short video based on a passage from Hebrews. By Christmas Day we will have read through the whole book of Hebrews, but more importantly we will have looked to Jesus each day and discovered that “Jesus is Better!” Today we have an introduction video followed by the first study.
Advent Meditation (7 minute video)
Below is a short meditation for Advent based on the Hymn - O Come O Come Emmanuel and a reading from the Prophet Isaiah. Produced by the Bible Society and Movement Day UK.
Word Of The Day (1 minute video)
Canon J. John has been recording a word of the day since the first lockdown began in March. I may be a bit late at discovering this but they are still worth sharing, and all presented in less than a minute.
Mess - Can You Add 3 Letters?
From the Bible Society. Mess. It’s just one word. One syllable that brings to mind a whole load of images….messy ones! And at Christmas time, this one messy syllable word seems to shift into top gear! I remember when I was young, my brother and I would tear through our festive wrapped gifts as if we were competing in an Olympic sport (winter Olympics of course). I think of the post-Christmas dinner-plate pile-up in the kitchen and the décor of celebration wrappers between the sofas (the Malteaser ones!) It’s fair to say there was a fair bit of mess at the very first Christmas too. As Mary and Joseph trekked down to Bethlehem for a census, there was no room for them to stay. So the young couple welcomed Jesus into the world, with a bunch of animals as his roommates (some scholars claim it was almost as bad as living with students). But Jesus didn’t just enter the mess of a downstairs room with a feeding trough, he entered the mess of our world too. It was a message that has been posted in versus throughout scripture, one will come to fix up the mess. And if we invite him, he even enters the mess of our lives and offers to fix us. The Christmas story involves Mess, but it’s not the central story. It’s about the one who was born in the Mess. You see ‘Mess’ is only central to the Christmas story when it’s an abbreviation. There’s 3 letters added to the Mess - i.a.h. and those letter changes everything. Watch this spoken word piece from Dai Woolridge
Jigsaw
The times for yesterday’s Jigsaw Jean 11:22 Derek 15:18 Play the "White Rocks Mon" puzzle! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=24f56570f8d7
Beside The Burn
This week we continue our theme from Sunday of Holding Lightly To The Things Of This World - Transformed Not Conformed. Each day we develop the theme a little more in a short video.
Frances On Friday
Every Friday, Frances shares a song with a personal reflection. 
English is a complex language. Rules of pronunciation and grammar can be difficult. If we examine the words, Pacific Ocean, we find there that the letter ‘C’ has a different sound each time it is used. The first makes the sound as the letter ‘S,’ the second as the ‘C’ in ‘Cat’ and the third as the ‘SH’ in ‘Shop.’
The Getty Family
If you have been missing the Getty family hymn sing, here is a short message from the family for Thanksgiving, followed by “My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness”.
Worship In The Waiting (7 minute audio)
If you’re lacking awe-struck anticipation or hope-filled expectation of our coming Saviour King, Jesus, then listen to Sam Hargreaves’ conversation with Vicky Gibbens on Talking Point. He’s from Engage Worship and shares more about their Advent resources called ‘Worship in the Waiting’.
Jigsaw
Set aside a little more time for the Friday Puzzle of this magnificent horse taken on Downhill Beach. Play the "Downhill Beach" puzzle! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=27251fb835dc
Beside The Burn
This week we continue our theme from Sunday of Holding Lightly To The Things Of This World - Transformed Not Conformed. Each day we develop the theme a little more in a short video.
MLAs Should Go To Church!
This well argued letter was published in the Newsletter this week. 
Thanksgiving & Black Friday
Today, Americans celebrate a national holiday set aside to give thanks for the blessings of the preceding year. But there is more to Thanksgiving than you may realise. Here are nine things about the holiday (and the attitude) of Thanksgiving: And where Black Friday comes from. 
Pre-Lockdown Memories
My ipad shared a memory with me yesterday, that I had forgotten about with everything that has happened this year. At the beginning of March I wandered into Agherton Grange and arrived in the middle of Jean’s Birthday Party. Do you remember a time when we were able to share cake and have photographs taken together? Looking through the rest of my photos, the lovely one with Irene was the last photo I had taken with anyone before the Lockdown restrictions came into force. 
Jigsaw
The times for yesterday’s Jigsaw Jean 2:54 Play the "Promenade Thur" puzzle! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=20dca3f455f6
Beside The Burn
This week we continue our theme from Sunday of Holding Lightly To The Things Of This World - Transformed Not Conformed. Each day we develop the theme a little more in a short video.
Moderator’s Call To Prayer
Rt. Rev. Dr. David Bruce, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has called the whole church to prayer during this weekend. He has recorded a video explaining what to do which you can view below and there is also a prayer guide which can be used Friday to Sunday. As all the details were not available in time to include last Sunday, we are going to extend our prayer for the week, from Friday to Friday. If you can take some time each day and pray for the various aspects of this pandemic year.
Sunrise On Monday
Beautiful Sunrise over the Church Carpark on Monday morning. 
Jigsaw
The times for yesterday’s Jigsaw Derek 2:56 Play the "Portrush Wed" puzzle! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=284f447962a3 |
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