Tuesday 12th May 2020

Tides
​Today is the 50th Day of Lockdown and the Tides reading today reminds us that God, our Creator, our Redeemer, wants us to know how unshakeably safe and secure we are – now and forever.

​David Cupples highlights the hymn, “How Firm A Foundation”, and points out that verses 3 & 4 are based on Isaiah 43

Let’s Pray
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Let’s Pray that as care homes become the new frontline in the battle against coronavirus, that God’s sheltering hand would be known among residents, his protection experienced by staff and his reassurance granted to family members unable to visit loved ones
http://bit.ly/2cgVbSa

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Thank you to Wilma for the following piece on the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale.
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Ministering Angels
Today is the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. She is considered to be the founder of the nursing profession, having created an educational system that would ensure nurses would obtain a professional qualification.

At the time of the Crimean war, when she arrived at the Scutari hospital in Turkey, she discovered soldiers were dying, not from their wounds, but from infectious diseases. Her priority was to control the spread. One of the first tasks was to have the entire hospital scrubbed! She became a pioneer in Cross Infection.

In the Scutari hospital as she toured the wards at night she was known as "the ministering angel with a lamp". 

​In Burnside church we have ministering angels, they have come to the fore in lockdown. Recently, I had a God planned encounter with two of them.

Many of you are aware of the sudden passing of my sister Roberta, she was known to many of you, and always enjoyed the fellowship in Burnside. I have been overwhelmed, by the support of many in sending cards, phoning me, or calling at the door to express sympathy. I have been upheld by prayer.

Due to the current situation it was not possible to attend the Crematorium for a service, however it was possible for the hearse to stop outside her house on it's way to Roselawn. My family members were able to follow  it a short distance along her road. I received some pictures and a brief video. The sun was shining and I could hear the birds singing. I felt I was there! It was a very emotional time for me, in tears, I listened to the singing of the Aaronic blessing, which Richard had posted and I read part of Psalm 27. I phoned two long standing friends but got no answer. Then I saw a white van approaching in my driveway. It was two ministering angels, Ruth and Jim intending to leave a card. In tears at the door, I had found listening ears, and shared my grief. Ruth explained, they had intended to call earlier that day, but had been diverted by another matter. I thanked God for His perfect timing and those listening ears. Everything by Him is planned! Tides on Monday 11th reminded us to look for God at work in our circumstances.
Wilma

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Prayer for Presbyterian Church In Ireland
Crown Jesus Ministries are encouraging people to pray for the various denominations in Ireland. This week the focus is on PCI and William Henry has recorded a short video (1:26) encouraging people to pray. You can watch it here.

VE Day
As the UK and other nations commemorated the 75th anniversary of ‘Victory in Europe Day’, and the ending of the Second World War on the continent, residents across the Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s (PCI) care homes were also commemorating the anniversary – including Margaret McKeague, who turns 100 this week and served in the Voluntary Aid Detachment, or the ‘VADs’, throughout the war.
https://bit.ly/2xLpVGC

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Keeping The Faith
How Christians in the Irish League are finding strength in God during coronavirus pandemic. Some of the Christians involved in the Irish League have spoken to the Belfast Telegraph about their faith during testing times.
https://bit.ly/2SMJJ3R

Thank You To Farmers
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Rev Kenny Hanna writes that the current emergency casts a ‘cold shadow’, yet at the same time he is reminded of what CS Lewis called patches of ‘Godlight’ & how one patch of this ‘Godlight’ are farmers and how we are so thankful for them. Read more Here -
https://bit.ly/3fFiTnN

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Virtually Keswick Convention 2020
Keswick at Portstewart may not be taking place this year, but we will be able to attend, Virtually Keswick Convention 2020! This is the Convention based in Keswick, The Lake District.
Christopher Ash will be the Bible reader for the week (July 27-31)
He will be speaking on ‘Hope in Jesus’ from the Psalms.
https://keswickministries.org/convention-2020/

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Jigsaw Where Is It?

Thank you for sharing times for yesterday.

Jean 2:38
Derek 3:37

Maybe the Where Is It? yesterday was a little difficult if you are not a fan of the TV show, but it is of course Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle) which we visited last year on holiday.

Jigsaw puzzle for today.
https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=1834fbbe94d0

Where Is It?
I’ve been blogging now for the most of Lockdown, we have had jigsaws and a Where Is It? for the last week, then yesterday, for a bit of a laugh, I included a less than flattering holiday photo of myself in the Jigsaw, and yesterday was the one day that PCI decided that they would share our little blog with the rest of the Presbyterian Church. So not only did the normal readers get to read the Blog yesterday but the rest of the church at large were pointed towards it. Every other day there has been a nice picture of Portstewart for the Jigsaw and an obscure photo of Portstewart for the Where Is It?
Yesterday Me On My Holidays!!!!! 

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Where Is It? 
​(Today it is definitely in Portstewart)