"Christ is all and in all" Colossians 3:11
Minister: Rev. Steve Holland
219 Wellbrook Way, Girton CB3 0GL - tel: 277146
Secretary: TBA
Website: www.girtonbaptistchurch.org.uk
Sunday Services
(Sunday School and creche are available during the morning service, and
tea and coffee are served at the end.)
Sunday services are led by Steve Holland unless stated otherwise.
SERVICES
January 29th 10.30am Morning Service - Jacob Wrestles with God and Man
6.30pm Evening Service - Christine Kimmitt
February
5th 10.30am Morning All Age Service - with Viz a Viz
6.30 pm Evening Communion Service
12th 10.30am Morning Service
6.30pm Evening Service Led by John Searle
19th 10.30am Morning Service
6.30pm Evening Service
led by Christine Kimmitt
26th 10.30am Morning Service
6.30pm Evening Service
led by Dr Eugenio Biagini
March
4th 10.30am Morning Service - 2nd Sunday of Lent
6.30pm Communion Service
OTHER ACTIVITIES
January
26th 10.00am Coffee Morning
26th 7.30pm Prayer Meeting
31st 2.15pm Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship
February
10th 3.00pm Service at Midfield Lodge
11th 7.30pm Film Night
12th 7.30pm Prayer Breakfast
14th 2.15pm Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship
21st 4pm - 6pm Pancake Party
23rd 10am- 12.00 Coffee Morning
23th 7.30pm Prayer Meeting
28th 2.15pm Tuesday Afternoon Fellowship
March
1st 3.30pm Messy Church
THE CHURCH AS FAMILY
A young Scottish pastor and his wife spent the first anniversary of their marriage under the sunny skies of New Zealand rather than beside the snow clad mountains of home. The new manse that had been provided for their residence lacked any garden or vegetable patch. They were delighted therefore when a local Irishman offered to break up the soil and begin planting all that was required for future provisions. Seth Draper was tall and muscular and diligent in all commitments, but his conversation was brief and his social interaction kept to work situations. Seth carried a heavy burden in that his elderly mother and disabled sister involved him in care and medical bills that sapped away any hope he might have cherished of establishing a home of his own. He was however, persuaded to join the weekly prayer meeting at the church, revealing a warm and generous heart and a deep understanding of the love of God.
Time passed and Seth's mother and sister died within a few months of each other. He continued to live alone in the trim little cottage beside the farm on which he laboured. The pastor's wife, noting his loneliness invited Seth to share Christmas dinner at the manse and was rewarded with a positive answer. Seth had scarce words to contribute to the convivial chat and did not seem able to enter into the festive spirit of the day. Finally he confirmed that his loneliness lay heavily upon him and he longed for companionship. He plucked up courage to mention the name of a young woman, Elsie, who had come to the parish from an orphanage, and now worked at the doctors' surgery. Elsie taught in Sunday school and was dearly loved by pupils and adults alike. She had overcome many difficulties in early life and the sweet nature that displayed itself in her many acts of kindness endeared her to all.
The pastor was at a loss. How could he bring these two lonely people together without causing discomfort to Elsie if she had no reason to be attracted to Seth? Seth meanwhile harboured no hope of approaching Elsie, especially as he had already put her to a little test.
Making his way to church one day, he noted that Elsie and another teacher were following at a distance behind him. Deliberately he dropped the scarlet nasturtium that he had plucked for a button hole, and glanced back to see Elsie simply kicking it into the grass verge. His hopes were dashed once again. Now it happened one evening that Elsie called on the manse, and leaving Bible, bag and gloves on the table beside the pastor's chair she accompanied the pastor's wife to the kitchen. Idly opening the cover of the Bible, the pastor was startled to find a beautiful pressed scarlet nasturtium fluttering out. When gently asked to explain its origin, Elsie became flustered and the secret was out. It had been retrieved from the verge. She too, held a longing in her heart for a family of her own and Seth was regarded with much affection. It is not recorded how these two shy souls finally found the courage to share their mutual dreams, but suffice to say that Seth and Elsie were married a few months later, and as the happy years passed they had a clutch of children in their homestead. One of the most destructive blights on our modern society is loneliness, especially with an aged population of single people living alone and isolated from families and unnoticed by busy communities. As those who share the bond of faith and as children of a loving Heavenly Father, we need to be aware of our brothers and sisters who struggle alone, often not admitting to the inner ache that loneliness brings.
Psalm 68 verse 6a says, "God sets the lonely in families." The church family is a living, breathing organism that can minister to such needs and mutual blessing will follow on.
Iris Niven
Girton Baptist Church is on the move (Again)
Some of you may remember that back in 2005 we had to move out of the church for the building of the rear extension. This has meant that we now have facilities which have been a real blessing to many groups in the village. However we realise that in addition to offering hospitality in the community we need to be good stewards of what we have, and we are very aware of environmental inefficiency of the main part of our building. And as this part of the building is used for more activities other that just Sunday Worship we realise we need to upgrade this part of the church.
So from 26th February and through March we will be holding our worship services at the Wi hall, although activities normally held in the extension will continue at the church. While we are out of the building the walls and roof will be inspected and insulated, with the roof being re-tiled. In addition a new low energy heating and l.e.d lighting system will be installed. We also plan to change the windows but this has been delayed, probably until the summer, due to planning constraints which are still being discussed.
Once the work has been completed we will have a building which is environmentally sound, economical and comfortable providing a worship space and resources for the community for many years to come.
All this has been made possible by the generosity of the members & friends of the church along with a match funding grant from Girton Town Charity for which we are very grateful. We do still need to raise some funds for the windows so do watch out for our fundraising activities over the coming months.
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