Friday 20th August 2021

​Beside The Burn
This week we continue a new series for the summer, “Meals With Jesus!”.
One of the things that we have all missed during the Covid Restrictions is being able to eat together with friends and family. These are always such important occasions when we catch up, encourage one another and learn about each other’s lives. In church we have missed sharing those cups of tea and catching up, so this summer we are going to eat a number of meals with Jesus, continuing this week as Jesus feeds the 5000. We begin the week looking at some Old Testament passages which help us understand the meal.

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Let’s Pray For Social Witness
Pray for Older Peoples Services as they continue to adjust to new working arrangements – involving regular testing and the ongoing restrictions on visits. Give thanks that many family members and friends have remained Care Partners and have started to visit under the new Pathway.


Social work and child protection
Pray for social workers and those involved in safeguarding services as they seek to protect children and vulnerable adults in difficult circumstances. Pray for discernment, wisdom in decision-making, adequate resourcing and renewed energy and strength when they feel burned out.


General Council
Pray for the work of the General Secretary’s Department in Assembly Buildings, especially as the staff prepare for the General Assembly which meets in October this year.


Council for Training in Ministry  
The current cohort of six Licentiates become eligible to be called as a minister on 1st September. Give thanks for the way the Lord has equipped them over their five years of training. Pray that he would guide them to the congregation in which he wishes them to serve, and that he would use them to build his Church.

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Glen Scrivener
“Reading Between The Lines” a series working through the bible looking at the well known phrases.
White As Snow

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New Book On Revelation
The Book of Revelation is replete with prophecy, dazzling imagery and warnings to mankind about the coming end of the age. But this apocalyptic book also introduces us to the triune glory of God, who holds all things together. The Rev. Melvin Tinker joins Janet Mefferd to talk about his book, “The First and the Last: The Comfort of the Triune God in Revelation.” Listen Here. 


https://www.truthnetwork.com/show/janet-mefferd/28902/

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​The Tabernacle (43 minute audio)
When we get to Exodus 26–31, we’re tempted to let our eyes glaze over what seems to be an overly long list of the Tabernacle furniture and its accompanying details. In this episode of Bible Talk, Alex Duke chats with Jim Hamilton and Sam Emadi what these chapters tell us and why we as Christians should care about them.


https://www.9marks.org/interview/exodus-26-31-on-chip-joanna-gaines-tour-through-the-furniture-of-faith-bible-talk-ep-32/

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How Would You Summarize the Old Testament in 2,000 Words?
In his commentary on the book of Hebrews for the Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary published by Lexham, Tom Schreiner provides a good summary of the entire Old Testament storyline
https://t.co/OC8qipJpdp

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I Know The Plans I Have For You
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.--Jeremiah 29:11
If you were to take a poll on the most well-known verse in Jeremiah, there is a good chance that Jeremiah 29:11 would rank near the top, if not at the very top. This verse is commonly found on bumper stickers, signs, cards, etc., placed there to encourage people to have hope for the future that God will work things out for them. But is that really what this well-known verse means?
https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-does-jeremiah-2911-mean/?utm_source=Crossway+Marketing&utm_campaign=59c186434c-20210705+-+General+-+Jeremiah+29%3A11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0275bcaa4b-59c186434c-283323045

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NEW HORIZON

Below is a summary of all that took place last week at New Horizon.
It is an email that New Horizon sent out with links to all the messages.
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For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility...
Ephesians 2:14
Highlights of NH 2021 OnlineDear Friends
For five days last week, we enjoyed a feast of Bible Teaching, worship and thought-provoking seminars with NH2021 - People of Peace.  As we look back over such an encouraging, inspiring and challenging time together, we give thanks to all who worked tirelessly to make it possible, to those who joined us on the live stream or together as churches and most of all to our Faithful God  who has sustained us through these strange and uncertain times.  All the sessions from this year's event are still available on the  New Horizon YouTube Channel and on the website.  We also have session notes available for the main sessions. Here are some highlights as we look back with gratitude.  
Shalom in the Drama of Scripture Chris Wright provided a breath-taking journey through the whole of scripture as we explored the message of peace - of Shalom - from Genesis to Revelation.  
"The Bible is like one great drama – an action-packed “play” with many characters and scenes but with God Himself as the author and director of the drama and the principal character within it." - Chris Wright
Shalom in the Drama of Scripture - Tracing "shalom" through the story of creation and the fall, in his first session Chris Wright describes shalom as, "knowing the daily loving, living presence of God in our hearts and in our midst."
Shalom in Practice in Society - What should a society of "Shalom" look like?  Speaking from Leviticus 19, Chris Wright showed how God's peace extends to all aspects of our daily lives. 
Shalom is accomplished in Christ. - "God’s ultimate purpose is to bring reconciliation, healing, integration and unity – Shalom in all its fullness – to His whole creation and God is going to do it in, through and under Christ.... 
"Ultimately, the best, indeed the only hope for peace on earth, for goodwill among men, lies, as the angels said, in Jesus, the prince of peace, the one who made peace, preaches peace, and who is our peace.  Let us then be “People of peace” – through proclaiming the gospel of peace, and heeding the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”
Shalom on Mission in the World - in the light of God's purposes, how then are we to live as people of peace?  Chris Wright continued his series considering how our lives can either "adorn or discredit" the Gospel.
Shalom restored in New Creation - as our journey through the drama of Scripture reached its conclusion, Chris Wright explored the promises of Shalom restored in Revelation.
"Peace is not just a distant ideal to aim at. 
Peace is a personal relationship with the Prince of Peace." 
Chris Wright
Evening Celebrations with Malcolm DuncanPeace in the midst of chaos - beginning in our land of saints and scholars (which is also a land of sinners and scars) Malcolm Duncan considered how peace is rooted in Christ.
"Can peace be possible in the most conflicted of situation? Can the peace of God that goes beyond human understanding be evidenced in the church on these shores, amongst our people?  I think it can but only God can do it."
Peace between People - "Peace cannot be maintained by avoiding the hard questions or by pretending that the wrongs were not wrong."  In the face of harsh realities, Malcolm reminded us how the out-stretched hands of Jesus brought us peace and enables us to reach out a hand to others.
Peacemakers not Peacekeepers - "Let us understand God's call on us to be peacemakers... May God give us grace to remember that one day the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of our God. Peace will prevail. Swords will be beaten into ploughshares."
Evening Celebrations with Amy SummerfieldPositioned for Peace - in the first of two evenings, Amy Summerfield urged us to change our posture and to spend time gazing at the Lord Jesus.  "Our lives should be changed forever as a result of this face-to-face encounter," she said.
Walking in Peace - exploring the story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25, Amy Summerfield urged us to pursue peace even when we are living in stressful environments.  
"God wants to do a deep work in you
so He can do a deep work through you."

 NH ExploreLive streamed and recorded seminars brought challenging insights into the realities of our world and considered what God's Word has to say.  Malcolm Duncan's session "Good Grief" was a moving and relevant look at bereavement.

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Jigsaw
The times for yesterday’s Jigsaw


Jean 2:53
Derek 3:25

As usual the Friday puzzle is a little more challenging.
​Play the "Harbour Friday" puzzle!
https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=3f23f82e5387