Post by JEM on Mar 11, 2013 3:03:01 GMT
This is material of a service planned for Mothering Sunday
This was Mothering Sunday or more commonly called Mothers Day and our service remembered a number of Mothers.
INTRODUCTION
////////////////////////////
A hundred years ago in 1913 a man with muscles, one of a team, pumped the bellows a few yards from here near where the South Foyer door to the platform is.
When we redeveloped the Chapel 10 years ago having removed the Communion Furniture to Homelands Baptist Church Walton-on-the-Naze and the Organ eventually to a Catholic Church in Bavaria, we found written on the alcove wall a list of 4 names These were of the 4 men who pumped the bellows to provide the air for the organ, one of whom was Albert Kidman. my Uncle, my mother's oldest brother.
Albert was a member of this congregation until aged about 32 he went to France where he was seriously injured during the Great War by a shell that shattered behind the lines where the soldiers should have been safe. His death and that of his brother Harry aged about 27, blown to pieces during the battle of the Somme, blanched their mothers hair white and did not make for a Happy Mother's Day that year..
Albert's widow remarried and became the mother of Eric Swan who later served this Church as a Sunday School Leader, Deacon, Church Treasurer and Lay Preacher and after years as a school teacher later served as a pastor at Wood Lane Baptist Church Dagenham. He was my mentor when I was training to be a Sunday School teacher, again as a lay preacher and again as a Deacon. One woman links these 2 men, and as my aunt, me. A mother who served quietly in the background but whose husbands and son served the Kingdom of God on a broader stage, but her role though largely unseen was as greatly significant.
Some years ago there came into my possession a pocket book published in the 19th century by a Christian author Mrs Stephen Menzies, another mother, who by the etiquette of the time was named as the wife of her husband rather than her own name.
Her book was published by the British Gospel Book Association in Liverpool called “THE TRAVELLERS GUIDE from Death to Life”. 150 stories crammed with illustrations into 191 pages. It was a great tool for evangelism. It passed through 58 editions,
and this edition in my possession published in the 1920's reported that over 5 million had been circulated and it was outselling “The Pilgrim's Progress” by John Bunyan.
It was published in English, French, German. Italian. Portuguese and Spanish. In the Great War over 7 million service men and women were given copies, and when Italy joined the Allies their Government funded 100,000 for their soldiers. Many copies circulated in the mines of Australia, and amongst the farmsteads of Argentina. It cost 6 old pence [ 2½p today] a copy, plus 3 pence postage. You could get 100 for £1.Today one is on sale at Tavistock for £24, another in America for £19 and another in Australia for £8.
A simple idea then to reach people with a popular method and millions of people became Christians because of it, and went on to evangelise more.
We would now have sung from the hymn book
BAPTIST PRAISE AND WORSHIP No.76
You servants of God, your master proclaim
And publish abroad his wonderful name
The name all-victorious of Jesus extol
His kingdom is glorious and rules over all-
God rules in the height almighty to save
Though hid from our sight, his presence we have;
The great congregation his triumph shall sing
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our king
Salvation to God who sits on the throne
Let all cry aloud and honour the son
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim
Fall down on their faces and worship the lamb
Then let us adore and give Him his right
All glory and power, all wisdom and might
All honour and blessing-- with angels above
And thanks never ceasing and infinite love.
Written by Charles Wesley
/////////////////////////////////////////
Congregational Reading
/////////////////////////////////////////
BAPTIST PRAISE & WORSHIP No 77 an 78
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God.
the creator of the ends of the Earth
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord.
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not faint
This is the time to worship God:
He brings us life.
This is the time to sing His praise:
He brings us joy
This is the time to pray to him:
He brings us forgiveness and renewal
This is the time to hear his word:
He brings us guidance and hope.
This is the time to show your love for Him:
He brings us love beyond our deserving
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father
who art in Heaven
hallowed be they name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
For Thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory
For ever and ever
Amen.
USING THE GIFTS AND SKILLS GOD HAS GIVEN US
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
THE TRAVELLERS GUIDE has many stories some several pages long some half a page but all pointing to Jesus as Saviour or to the need to tell of him to others. I am using some of them in the monthly FOUR ACRES NEWS that I edit, and in birthday cards and Christmas cards
Years ago a painter named Stenburg, stood in his studio speaking with
Father Hugo, the vicar of the rich church of St Jeremiah in Düsseldorf
To those around him he seemed a jolly prosperous man who on occasions showed shrewd business capacity but he in fact was dissatisfied with his work and his life.
To the vicar he declared “ No!” Reverend Father the sum you offer me for the task you ask of me, for so large an altar-piece would ill repay the labour involved, as there will have to be much detailed drawing of each of many figures in the scene. – The Crucifixion is not an easy subject”
Father Hugo replied “ I will not limit you to the price and the Church wont be paying anyway. It is to be a gift by a penitent” and so the painter got to his work
As the weeks passed and Spring arrived Stenburg wanted to get out into the countryside to sketch and paint foliage and blossoms
There he met a beautiful gypsy girl plaiting straw baskets and he was determined to paint her, but who would buy a picture of gypsy. Gypsies were hated in Düsseldorf
She stood up and danced before him and he halted to stand and sketch her
He decided to paint her as a Spanish dancing girl. Her name was Pepita and the bargain was struck that she would call at his house 3 times a week to be painted.
She began examining his pictures and especially this one for the Cathedral altar. She asked him “ Who is this person on the Cross?”
Stenburg answered carelessly “The Christ”
“What is being done to him ?” “He is being crucified”
“Who are those people about him with the bad looking faces”
Stenberg became impatient “Now look here, I am painting you, I cannot hold a conversation too. I need you still and quiet.
Pepita dare nor speak again
But every time she visited his studio she asked more questions and the story developed in her mind.
“Why did they crucify him? Was he bad, very bad “ Stenberg replied “No he was good.”
“If he was was good why did they do this to him? Did they let him go?
The artist was getting cross so he told her would tell her the whole story and after that she must be silent. So he told her the story of the Crucifixion.
Weeks passed and both paintings were finished and the one of the dancing girl was sold, so he paid her an extra gold crown. It was her last visit to the studio. Pepita was unmoved by her own portrait but “The Crucifixion” was something different
Pepita said to Stenburg
“You must love Him very much. Signor, He has done all that for you, do you not?”
The face she was looking at turned crimson with shame. The girl left but her words he could not forget.
ALL THAT FOR YOU
At last he could bear it no longer and went to find Father Hugo and at Confession Father Hugo questioned Stenburg
He believed all the doctrines of the Church, so the Vicar gave him absolution and told him “All is well!” The artist gave a liberal discount on the painting but he remained uneasy
He learned of things he had not paid much attention to before.
One day he saw a group of persons hastening to a house near the city walls, a poor place, and others going the other way from there who looked happy. He enquired what was going on in there but no one dare reply. So he plucked up courage and entered.
It was the house of a stranger, A Reformer, one of those despised men who appealed on every occasion to the Word of God
It was hardly respectable or even safe to associate with such men, even to know of them, but he went along all the same as he might find something worth while. Stenberg found there what he was really looking for a living faith
The Reformer lent Stenberg a New Testament but after a few weeks the Reformer hunted as he was, had to leave the city and take his book with him but the essence was left in Stenburg's heart
He felt in his soul the fire of ardent love. He wanted to share his experience with others, but he said to himself “How can I preach. I cannot speak I am a man of few words. If I were to try I would never speak it out .
It burns in my heart but I cannot express it – the love of Christ”
He began to draw with a piece of charcoal a rough sketch of a thorn crowned head. His eyes grew moist as he did so. Suddenly the thought flashed into his mind “I can paint! My brush must proclaim it” The face of Christ on the altar piece was one of indescribable agony but that was not the real truth
Christ had sacrificed his life willingly. From love unutterable, infinite compassion.
The artist fell on his knees and prayed to paint worthily and thus to speak.
The new picture of the crucifixion was a wonder – almost Divine
He gave it as a free will offering to his native city Düsseldorf. It was hung in the public gallery and citizens flocked to see it with voices hushed and hearts melting before it and the burghers returned to their homes knowing the love of God and repeating the words written beneath it
All this I did for Thee
What have you done for Me?
Stenberg used to go there too and stand at the back and watch the crowds
One day when all the rest had left a poor girl stood transfixed before it weeping. He approached her and found she was Pepita
She said to him, “Signor If He had but loved me also. I am only a poor gypsy For you is the love but not for such as I “and her despairing tears fell unrestrained
He replied “Pepita it was also all for you”
and then he explained it all to her. No longer did he weary of her questions.
He told her of that wondrous life, magnificent death and crowning glory of resurrection and also explained to her the union that that redeeming love effected.
She listened, received and believed these words. All this I did for Thee
This was Mothering Sunday or more commonly called Mothers Day and our service remembered a number of Mothers.
INTRODUCTION
////////////////////////////
A hundred years ago in 1913 a man with muscles, one of a team, pumped the bellows a few yards from here near where the South Foyer door to the platform is.
When we redeveloped the Chapel 10 years ago having removed the Communion Furniture to Homelands Baptist Church Walton-on-the-Naze and the Organ eventually to a Catholic Church in Bavaria, we found written on the alcove wall a list of 4 names These were of the 4 men who pumped the bellows to provide the air for the organ, one of whom was Albert Kidman. my Uncle, my mother's oldest brother.
Albert was a member of this congregation until aged about 32 he went to France where he was seriously injured during the Great War by a shell that shattered behind the lines where the soldiers should have been safe. His death and that of his brother Harry aged about 27, blown to pieces during the battle of the Somme, blanched their mothers hair white and did not make for a Happy Mother's Day that year..
Albert's widow remarried and became the mother of Eric Swan who later served this Church as a Sunday School Leader, Deacon, Church Treasurer and Lay Preacher and after years as a school teacher later served as a pastor at Wood Lane Baptist Church Dagenham. He was my mentor when I was training to be a Sunday School teacher, again as a lay preacher and again as a Deacon. One woman links these 2 men, and as my aunt, me. A mother who served quietly in the background but whose husbands and son served the Kingdom of God on a broader stage, but her role though largely unseen was as greatly significant.
Some years ago there came into my possession a pocket book published in the 19th century by a Christian author Mrs Stephen Menzies, another mother, who by the etiquette of the time was named as the wife of her husband rather than her own name.
Her book was published by the British Gospel Book Association in Liverpool called “THE TRAVELLERS GUIDE from Death to Life”. 150 stories crammed with illustrations into 191 pages. It was a great tool for evangelism. It passed through 58 editions,
and this edition in my possession published in the 1920's reported that over 5 million had been circulated and it was outselling “The Pilgrim's Progress” by John Bunyan.
It was published in English, French, German. Italian. Portuguese and Spanish. In the Great War over 7 million service men and women were given copies, and when Italy joined the Allies their Government funded 100,000 for their soldiers. Many copies circulated in the mines of Australia, and amongst the farmsteads of Argentina. It cost 6 old pence [ 2½p today] a copy, plus 3 pence postage. You could get 100 for £1.Today one is on sale at Tavistock for £24, another in America for £19 and another in Australia for £8.
A simple idea then to reach people with a popular method and millions of people became Christians because of it, and went on to evangelise more.
We would now have sung from the hymn book
BAPTIST PRAISE AND WORSHIP No.76
You servants of God, your master proclaim
And publish abroad his wonderful name
The name all-victorious of Jesus extol
His kingdom is glorious and rules over all-
God rules in the height almighty to save
Though hid from our sight, his presence we have;
The great congregation his triumph shall sing
Ascribing salvation to Jesus our king
Salvation to God who sits on the throne
Let all cry aloud and honour the son
The praises of Jesus the angels proclaim
Fall down on their faces and worship the lamb
Then let us adore and give Him his right
All glory and power, all wisdom and might
All honour and blessing-- with angels above
And thanks never ceasing and infinite love.
Written by Charles Wesley
/////////////////////////////////////////
Congregational Reading
/////////////////////////////////////////
BAPTIST PRAISE & WORSHIP No 77 an 78
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God.
the creator of the ends of the Earth
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord.
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not faint
This is the time to worship God:
He brings us life.
This is the time to sing His praise:
He brings us joy
This is the time to pray to him:
He brings us forgiveness and renewal
This is the time to hear his word:
He brings us guidance and hope.
This is the time to show your love for Him:
He brings us love beyond our deserving
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father
who art in Heaven
hallowed be they name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil
For Thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory
For ever and ever
Amen.
USING THE GIFTS AND SKILLS GOD HAS GIVEN US
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
THE TRAVELLERS GUIDE has many stories some several pages long some half a page but all pointing to Jesus as Saviour or to the need to tell of him to others. I am using some of them in the monthly FOUR ACRES NEWS that I edit, and in birthday cards and Christmas cards
Years ago a painter named Stenburg, stood in his studio speaking with
Father Hugo, the vicar of the rich church of St Jeremiah in Düsseldorf
To those around him he seemed a jolly prosperous man who on occasions showed shrewd business capacity but he in fact was dissatisfied with his work and his life.
To the vicar he declared “ No!” Reverend Father the sum you offer me for the task you ask of me, for so large an altar-piece would ill repay the labour involved, as there will have to be much detailed drawing of each of many figures in the scene. – The Crucifixion is not an easy subject”
Father Hugo replied “ I will not limit you to the price and the Church wont be paying anyway. It is to be a gift by a penitent” and so the painter got to his work
As the weeks passed and Spring arrived Stenburg wanted to get out into the countryside to sketch and paint foliage and blossoms
There he met a beautiful gypsy girl plaiting straw baskets and he was determined to paint her, but who would buy a picture of gypsy. Gypsies were hated in Düsseldorf
She stood up and danced before him and he halted to stand and sketch her
He decided to paint her as a Spanish dancing girl. Her name was Pepita and the bargain was struck that she would call at his house 3 times a week to be painted.
She began examining his pictures and especially this one for the Cathedral altar. She asked him “ Who is this person on the Cross?”
Stenburg answered carelessly “The Christ”
“What is being done to him ?” “He is being crucified”
“Who are those people about him with the bad looking faces”
Stenberg became impatient “Now look here, I am painting you, I cannot hold a conversation too. I need you still and quiet.
Pepita dare nor speak again
But every time she visited his studio she asked more questions and the story developed in her mind.
“Why did they crucify him? Was he bad, very bad “ Stenberg replied “No he was good.”
“If he was was good why did they do this to him? Did they let him go?
The artist was getting cross so he told her would tell her the whole story and after that she must be silent. So he told her the story of the Crucifixion.
Weeks passed and both paintings were finished and the one of the dancing girl was sold, so he paid her an extra gold crown. It was her last visit to the studio. Pepita was unmoved by her own portrait but “The Crucifixion” was something different
Pepita said to Stenburg
“You must love Him very much. Signor, He has done all that for you, do you not?”
The face she was looking at turned crimson with shame. The girl left but her words he could not forget.
ALL THAT FOR YOU
At last he could bear it no longer and went to find Father Hugo and at Confession Father Hugo questioned Stenburg
He believed all the doctrines of the Church, so the Vicar gave him absolution and told him “All is well!” The artist gave a liberal discount on the painting but he remained uneasy
He learned of things he had not paid much attention to before.
One day he saw a group of persons hastening to a house near the city walls, a poor place, and others going the other way from there who looked happy. He enquired what was going on in there but no one dare reply. So he plucked up courage and entered.
It was the house of a stranger, A Reformer, one of those despised men who appealed on every occasion to the Word of God
It was hardly respectable or even safe to associate with such men, even to know of them, but he went along all the same as he might find something worth while. Stenberg found there what he was really looking for a living faith
The Reformer lent Stenberg a New Testament but after a few weeks the Reformer hunted as he was, had to leave the city and take his book with him but the essence was left in Stenburg's heart
He felt in his soul the fire of ardent love. He wanted to share his experience with others, but he said to himself “How can I preach. I cannot speak I am a man of few words. If I were to try I would never speak it out .
It burns in my heart but I cannot express it – the love of Christ”
He began to draw with a piece of charcoal a rough sketch of a thorn crowned head. His eyes grew moist as he did so. Suddenly the thought flashed into his mind “I can paint! My brush must proclaim it” The face of Christ on the altar piece was one of indescribable agony but that was not the real truth
Christ had sacrificed his life willingly. From love unutterable, infinite compassion.
The artist fell on his knees and prayed to paint worthily and thus to speak.
The new picture of the crucifixion was a wonder – almost Divine
He gave it as a free will offering to his native city Düsseldorf. It was hung in the public gallery and citizens flocked to see it with voices hushed and hearts melting before it and the burghers returned to their homes knowing the love of God and repeating the words written beneath it
All this I did for Thee
What have you done for Me?
Stenberg used to go there too and stand at the back and watch the crowds
One day when all the rest had left a poor girl stood transfixed before it weeping. He approached her and found she was Pepita
She said to him, “Signor If He had but loved me also. I am only a poor gypsy For you is the love but not for such as I “and her despairing tears fell unrestrained
He replied “Pepita it was also all for you”
and then he explained it all to her. No longer did he weary of her questions.
He told her of that wondrous life, magnificent death and crowning glory of resurrection and also explained to her the union that that redeeming love effected.
She listened, received and believed these words. All this I did for Thee