From The Manse

Friends
Confident in Evangelism – being able to tell your story of your walk with
Jesus to others
I wonder do the words Mission or Evangelism excite or frighten.
Recently I was in a meeting talking about how as Baptists we welcome
people into the church through full immersion as a public declaration of
faith and belief and desire to follow Jesus Christ.
Mission or Evangelism is about that public declaration of faith, not just at
a service of believers baptism, but in how we behave towards one another
in and outside the church and in how we talk to others.
Read the opening chapter of Mark’s gospel. It talks of the way being
prepared and of Jesus coming to John to be baptised. Much as in our
traditions people seeking baptism come to be prepared by being taken
through what membership of God’s church means. What are the privileges,
what are the demands. If we are to be Christ’s followers we have
to live by his standards, difficult though this often is. Perhaps from time
to time we should reaffirm our baptismal vows in public.
Jesus came to baptised and the writer tells how as he rose from the waters,
the Heavens opened and the Spirit descended on him like a dove.
When, if, you were baptised can you not remember a similar feeling of a
new beginning with the Holy Spirit coming down and touching or anointing
you. When I look back over 30 years I can still fell the tingle of reemerging
from the water a new person, born again.
Evangelism can simply be about being prepared to tell our story to others.
Telling our family and friends how over the years our belief in Jesus
has kept us from falling or has bolstered us. Twelve months after my
becoming a Christian I was shattered when my brother telephoned one
evening to say that our parents had been killed in a car crash, which we
subsequently found to have been due to a misjudgement in the dark by
my father. It could have irreparably broken my faith. Instead it made it
stronger as I felt the hand of the Holy Spirit helping me through the following
weeks of the visit to the morgue to identify, the double funeral
and then the inquest.Evangelism is about telling others how God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
have helped us face life. I remember the father of an unruly youth telling
me many years ago how he envied me, because I had something he did
not have. I had a belief that I could build my life around. How many others
are there today seeking something on which to build their lives – and we
have the answer – if we are prepared to share it.
May the Holy Spirit continue to be in you and to guide you in your life.
Tony

Pastoral News

The schools have closed, the children are set free and the holiday
season is in full swing. I have been told of Church Members escaping
to such far away places as Wales, even Ireland and some to
even more exotic places. Indeed the Minister and his wife will be in
Church Brough from 14 to 23 August enjoying what is sure to be the
burning Cumbrian sun (and rain)! Enjoy yourselves and we hope you
return refreshed and reinvigorated.
Pat has once again become a child minder as Leanne has gone back
to work, so Tia is now delivered to Ley Fleaks two or three days a
week. Elsewhere Shirley expects to have to rest after having some
treatment to ease her troublesome joints, whilst Rosemary has accepted
the need for a third leg and has joined the stick brigade.
Stanley seems to be as well as can be expected and got told off for
coming out too often when he made his third visit in four days to Idle
Baptist Church ( day trip, lunch and Sunday worship). Subsequently
the lift broke down keeping him confined to his quarters. Lilian continues
to come in on Thursday, but needs our prayers as Colin has returned
to Thailand and she does not know when he might come back
to Idle.
Harry was in a reflective mode recently on the Anniversary of losing
Dorothy, especially as the family were away in Rothbury for a fortnight.
Lawrence continues to try to do as much as he can, but can
venture no further than the bench near his front door, except for the
trips to Kenneth’s.
It is salutary to realise that of the “Gang of Four” only Judith and
Joan remain and Joan is now living out in Long Preston. Hopefully
we can arrange another visit to her shortly. We were reminded that
Olga would have been 90 this month (August) and flowers are being
put in church in remembrance of her.
Janet Berry remains in St Luke’s Hospital, aware of her limitations,
but determined to make the best of her situation. Mary Sanderson said she felt like a new woman when visited recently having had her
hair “done” for the first time for a while. Irene Morris is also quite chirpy.
We were saddened recently by the death of Sandra Wilkinson who had
been both client and helper in the Day Centre in the past. Her Partner
Eric has now started to come for his lunch. It was good to meet Sandra’s
son and daughters after the funeral. Another of our Day Centre
clients Ursula Ashworth has been moved into residential accommodation
in Clayton, nearer her son and remains quite poorly.
We are expecting a full church on 8th August when we welcome the
Hepworth family and friends. Hayley will be bringing her son Deonte
when we will give thanks for his new life and commit ourselves as a
church to be supportive of them as a family, not forgetting the Grandparents
Hildegard and Gary.
Apologies for any omissions.
Please continue to pray for all the members of our church family both
those who are mentioned above and all who are connected with the
Church and with the Community Centre and Day Centre.
Tony and Rosemary will be attempting to operate the Day Centre for
the first two weeks in August and any offers of help would be greatly
appreciated. Do pray for us.

Idle Baptist,Bradford Road,Idle,Bradford BD10 9RE