JUNE/JULY 2015

ON THE MOVE

Matthew 18: 19,20

It does raise an interesting question, though: what business does a Baptist minister have participating in a festival steeped in ancient traditions, and with its roots (if were honest) in Paganism?

One answer would be to say that all of us do that every year, in two festivals called Christmas and Easter. Of course those are now (at least for those of us who are followers of Jesus) Christian festivals, celebrating the two most important events in the history of the world but both of them were originally pagan holidays, which were taken over by the Christian church. While Im not pretending that Beltane is now or ever was a Christian festival, it is hugely significant that the whole week-long event starts with an act of worship including, of course, an opportunity to speak the Good News of Jesus Christ to a huge number of people that would never otherwise go near a church.

Weve spoken much about Gods timing in recent weeks, in particular in the context of our having to move out of the Victoria Park Centre. How remarkably appropriate it is, therefore, that the Pastor of the Baptist Church is Warden of the Cross Kirk this year. When you come to the Cross Kirk service (and I hope you do, as well as to the other events of the week), look around at the remains of the Kirk not as an old ruin, but as a place resonating with the worship of God through history, and evidence that God is not confined to a building! Bricks will always crumble; stones will fall down; wood will rot and metal will decay. But the Church will be there that night the members of the body of Christ, in the power of the Spirit of the Living God, bearing witness to the Good News of Jesus.

It will come as no surprise to you that Im really looking forward to Peebles Beltane Festival this year! The last three years watching the festival as a spectator have been great, but the privilege this year of being on the inside as Warden of the Cross Kirk will give (and has already given) Lindsey and I some great opportunities to get to know a range of new people.

3

BUS Prayer Diary. . . June 7th

Chris Withers (Chaplain, 1 Rifles) Elgin Baptist Church Ellon Baptist Church Erskine Baptist Church

June 14th Scottish Baptist Women's Fellowship Falkirk Baptist Church

Forres: The Lighthouse Church Fort William Baptist Church

June 21st Scottish Baptist Lay Preachers' Association Fraserburgh Baptist

Church Galashiels Baptist Church Garioch Church

June 28th Beatrice Anderson, Finance Assistant, BUS Gerrard Street Baptist

Church Glenrothes Baptist Church Gourock Baptist Church

July 5th Roberta Hope, Administrator, BUS Granton Baptist Church Grantown-on-Spey Baptist Church

July 12th Jenny Wilson, General Director's PA, BUS Greenock Baptist

Church Hamilton Baptist Church Harestanes Baptist Church

July 19th Ivy Young, Ministry Administrator, BUS Hawick Baptist Church Helensburgh Baptist Church High Blantyre Baptist Church

July 26th Peter Dick, Finance Director, BUS Hillhead Baptist Church Hillview Community Church

4

PBC Prayer

Please consider

thanking God for who He is;

listening to what He has to say;

the vision and unity among the body of the church;

accommodation and venues for various groups/activities;

people we know who are suffering bereavement, who are sick,

and who are recovering;

Alena, Barbara Edmondsons friends daughter;

leaders/helpers for K.A.O.S. and for all the children;

leaders/helpers and participants for Alpha and following on

from Alpha;

the visit from our BMS missionary partners, Andy and Jutta

Cowie;

for all who suffer for loving Jesus worldwide;

the victims of the earthquake in Nepal;

how we might work better together in the community,

spreading the good news of the Gospel; and

the Baptist Union Assembly in Motherwell, Thursday 29th and

Friday 30th October, and for people to consider attending.

5

Andy and Jutta Cowie have been in Haiti since 2010. They were asked to leave Guinea to go to Haiti to support development work after the earthquake. We will be meeting the Cowies on Sunday 21st June, when they come to lead our morning service. We have had a communication from BMS to say that from October, the Cowies will be returning to Guinea. We have carried on with our monthly Thirsty collection, and KAOS now has a mission focus on Thirsty Sunday, learning about the countries and the people we are supporting.

For a while now we have been supporting a few link partners. All our mission partners send regular email updates, which you can find displayed on the notice boards at church.

We ended our links with the Eagle family who came home from Mozambique. However, soon after, we gained a new partner in the Currie family. They will be going out to Bangladesh shortly. They have two young children, and we look forward to finding out more about them and their work shortly.

6

BMS World Mission workers around the world are using prayer in different ways to impact their communities and change lives.

Prayer is a powerful thing. Whether people are praying for themselves or for others, we take comfort from knowing that there is an all-powerful, all-knowing God listening. Prayer is an integral part of mission and Christian life. Thats why a few BMS mission workers are giving it an extra special place in their ministry.

Prayer walks Would you walk through your town or city praying out loud? BMS plant propagator Sarah McArthur does. In Iquitos, Peru, Sarah and a few other Christians in the area gather, pray for themselves and the town, and then go for a stroll. We just slowly walk down our street asking God to lead us, says Sarah.

Once they were led to a mother and her 11-day-old twin girls, who were so small that Sarah describes them as no bigger than a bag of sugar. They offered to pray for the babies and the mother accepted, even making specific requests for their health and growth.

Not everyone accepts Sarah and her companions offers of prayer, but many people are happy to receive the blessings. And, although the group does not meet and walk every day, word of this mobile ministry is spreading.

7

Dear all,

Exciting news! A Brazilian teacher friend has just let me know that he feels that the Lord is leading him to learn Apurina. I've sent him the Apurina pedagogical grammar. Since Judy and I left Brazil three years ago we've wanted someone to be interested in learning this language as this is the only way to really communicate with the Apurina as their Portuguese understanding is very limited. All the Apurina materials - dictionary, literacy materials, Apurina texts and of course Scripture is available to him, so I'd value your prayers for him. So that means we have now quite a team working with the Apurina - the American couple Brad & Melissa (check out their site on the Internet) and the English couple Jason and Andrea. They all will make trips to the Apurina at Monkey River at different times.

God willing I hope to visit Judy in June. She hopes to make a third visit to the Apurina some time later in the year. Judy has come through a rough time healthwise with pneumonia then a time of extreme pain when it was thought that she had an enlarged pancreas. Further tests showed that her pancreas was normal. Then she had two biopsies taken but they were proved to be benign. Thank you for your prayers for us and for those who continue to help us financially.

In Him,

Cathie

8

This spring we have really enjoyed our shed and our new water supply. Both of these are a real blessing and have been put up by lots of folk working together. Folk in the church took seed potatoes away to chit them. We have dug the beds, and added manure, and have the tatties in but it has been slow progress, due to the cold spring. Ronnie has repaired the benches which is great. Pats neighbour has been great, and put in some onion sets. Isobel Clifford gave us some garlic plants to put in. Janette Dow gave us some straw for the fruit beds. Work goes on, and we keep making good links with neighbours and folk like Alexander and Jason and we are grateful to God for his faithfulness in helping us establish this ministry which will be on the Southside of Peebles, regardless of where we carry on meeting. KAOS went out and did some planting, and we have carried on with Friday afternoons, which are even better now we have our wee gas stove and camping kettle, so we can brew up there!

Recycling in action. The bench on the left came from Bill Speirs home. Ronnie has repaired and painted it and it is good as new. The bench in the middle was donated by a lady at St Andrews Leckie church as the varnish had come off it, and she was sent a new one by the manufacturer! Ronnie stripped this lovely bench back and has stained it and it looks great.

9

Visits from anyone in the fellowship on a Friday afternoon would be really appreciated you dont need to feel that you are going to have to work, but just coming along for a chat and a cuppa would be an encouragement. If you are going to come, why not text Bill to check someone will be there, or have a word any Sunday.

Kenny fixed and cleared the log beds

Pats neighbour planted some onion sets

Eyore the donkey provided some manure for the tattie beds

Ronnie fixed the benches

10

The Best of the Word Today, Bob Gass, UCB We will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV) Its said that Walt Disneys request for a loan was rejected by 301 banks before he finally got a yes. Yet he built the worlds most famous theme park. So, this year remember:

(1) Perseverence is needed to win the prize. At a sales convention the manager said to 2000 of his firms sales force, Did the Wright brothers quit? No! they bellowed. Did Torndike McKester quit? There was a long confused silence. Then salesperson shouted, Who in the world is Thorndike McKester? Nobodys ever heard of him. The sales manager snapped back, Of course you haventthats because he quit! Quitters never win, and winners never quit.

(2) Perseverance turns adversity into advancement. Paul writes, Everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News (Php 1:12 NLT). Paul didnt give uphe rose up! How did he do it? He fount the benefit to him personally that comes from every trial. One Christian author writes: Today we are obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution. We want a sermon, a seminar or experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation and release us from all growing pains. But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving.

Growth is gradual. The Bible says, Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God entersand we become like him (2Co 3:18 TM).

11

Twenty for 15 Update This is the regular update on how were making progress in our Twenty for 15 plans (which you can find in full in the Feb/March magazine). Building on what was reported last month, here are some additional areas of progress: 4. We will recognise our fear and, through commitment to prayer which doesnt limit God, we will learn to be fearless. Prayer has been a focus over the last few months with the Try Praying initiative, teaching, and the special Prayer Meetings amongst other things. Prayer is the bedrock for our growth, and we must continue our emphasis in this area. 5. We will encourage and facilitate each other in Bible reading. There is a new page on the website with information and resources about Quiet Times, as well as a separate page with suggestions for more in-depth Bible study. We also have some sample printed materials from SU coming soon. 6. The Leadership Team will review the Churchs approach to responsibility and oversight across the various areas of ministry; and report back to the Church meeting with recommendations in May. As reported last time, the deacons have started work on this and are keen to get input from the rest of the church; however because of the number of other things on the agenda, this was not brought to the May meeting. Watch this space... 7. We will have a Celebrate Recovery group up and running within the church by June, to serve people affected by addictions. Jennies team has been continuing to research this, and we are seeking people feeling a call to take it forward to the next stage. 8. We will obtain clarity about our access to Victoria Park Centre by August. Working with other groups and agencies as appropriate, we will achieve this by taking the lead role in presenting a compelling case, in keeping with its priorities, to the new arms length body which will manage the Centre from April onwards. Although it isnt what we hoped for, we certainly now have clarity about our future in the VPC! Obviously this now raises a range of other questions which are being urgently addressed. 9. We will have a Vision Day in September, for the whole Church family, to build each other up and to seek inspiration and guidance from God for the year to come. A team is being put together to begin planning this.

12

New Church Constitution At the Church AGM at the end of May, the members adopted a new constitution for the church. Although this still has to be approved by OSCR (the Scottish Charity Regulator) and by the Baptist Union, we hope the new constitution should be in place in the near future. The key changes are as follows: Change of Legal Structure: The church is changing from an unincorporated association to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Association or SCIO. Although this doesnt sound very exciting, this is an important change which (amongst other things) gives the Church the ability to purchase property, enter into lease agreements, or employ staff in its own name. Changes to the Leadership Structure: Although the members chose to retain the term Deacons instead of the proposed Leadership Team, a number of other changes were made in this area: The process for electing Deacons has been clarified (based largely on our

current practice). Deacons can (if elected) serve for up to six years, but must then have at

least one year off. We have built in the flexibility to easily limit the number of Deacons,

should the Church Meeting decide to do so in the future. We have clarified the role of Charity Trustees, in line with legislation. Its

simple now: the Trustees of the Church are the Deacons (plus Pastor and any other appropriate staff).

If the number of Deacons falls below a critical level (3), the remaining Deacons may co-opt other people on to fill the gap, until the Church Meeting elects new ones.

Membership for those under 16: Previously, those who had been old enough to be baptised as believers but who were under the age of 16,

10. We will have a revised and updated Church Constitution by September. See separate article - the new constitution was approved by the AGM in May, and is now to be sent to OSCR and BUGB. 11. We will intentionally develop and implement improved support systems for new Christians. This is just one thing of many that need to be done, but we are making plans for a discipleship course for after the summer (partly for those coming out of Alpha, and partly for anyone else who would be interested).

13

We are confident that our God "is able to do abundantly more than we could ask or imagine". The recent Church AGM spent time looking at some of our options, and we are urging people to continue to think and pray about what steps we should take in the short, medium and longer terms. The information is slightly sensitive so we cant publish many details of those options yet, but we hope to have a further meeting soon for the church family to facilitate more discussion. In the meantime, we will be meeting at the VPC as normal until the end of June. After that, details of where (and when) we are meeting will be published on the church website and Facebook page, as well as in the Peeblesshire News. Please make sure you check these before coming, especially if you werent at church the week before!

Accomodation Update After more than 20 years in the Victoria Park Centre, we were told on in April that (because of an increase in use of the VPC by SB Cares) we will no longer be able to use the Centre from the end of June. Although this has been something of a shock to the system (to say the least), and very much the opposite of what we had been working towards over the last two years, we are very excited about where God is leading us next both geographically and spiritually!

enough to be baptised as believers but who were under the age of 16, were not eligible to become members. Although there were good reasons for this, it raised difficult questions about whether a childs sense of Gods purpose is less valid than an adults. As an improvement to this position, the new constitution allows that children who have been baptised as believers can become full members, with the exception that they would not be eligible to vote at Members Meetings, or become Deacons. Additional Pastors/Staff: The new constitution gives us much more flexibility to call additional pastors or staff. The new constitution will be available on the website as soon as it has been formally approved, together with an easier to read version in less formal language.

14

1

Deacons Update

For the first time ever, Ian made an audio recording of one of the deacons meetings recently. Wed needed to fit in an extra session, and the only time possible for us all to get together was over an early-evening meal. Its difficult enough to participate in serious discussion whilst eating; to try to take down notes as the basis for a Minute at the same time seemed a task too far, hence the recording. But the latter isnt a practice Im keen to repeat and that recording certainly wont be posted on the Church website! When I listened to it to type the Minute, I found Id to filter out not only the clatter of plates and cutlery, but even worse my own continual coughing and spluttering (and worse) as I struggled with the symptoms of a really horrible cold!

The extra meeting had been necessary because April and May proved especially busy months for the deacons. To some extent this was anticipated always, in the run up to a Church Members Meeting, the Deacons give time and careful thought to its Agenda. We had also realised that, before this particular AGM, bringing the proposed new Constitution for the Church to its final draft stage was bound to be very labour intensive (especially for Ian and John, each of whom has spent many hours on this piece of work).

What none of us had foreseen, however, was the revelation that increasing use of the Victoria Park Centre by its new owners, SB Cares1, would, very shortly, make it impossible for the Church to continue worshipping in the building that has come to feel like its home over the last twenty years. The deacons immediate response, on hearing this news, was like that of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12, We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. After some reflection, we agreed that, whilst the Church must continue waiting for God to show the way forward, it would not be inconsistent to look, as systematically as possible, at venues which might be suitable.

Just after wed heard the news about VPC, the chapter of the Bible study2 the Deacons were scheduled to undertake was on communal discernment of the voice of God!

15

2

It didnt seem a coincidence, either, that Ian had just finished reading Jim Cymbalas Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire around this time. Each of the Deacons has now read, and found very challenging, this account of a church being turned around by prayer and the action of the Holy Spirit. Cymbala writes:

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED that Jesus launched the Christian church, not while someone was preaching, but while people were praying? In the first two chapters of Acts, the disciples were doing nothing but waiting on God

What does it say about our churches today that God birthed the church in a prayer meeting, and prayer meetings today are almost extinct?

Circumstances have driven the deacons to spend more time in prayer over these weeks. Were actively seeking further opportunities for the whole fellowship to pray together.

Openness to God cant just be about our accommodation problem, though. During this period, the devastation in Nepal cast our needs in a completely different light. The deacons wholeheartedly endorsed Lindseys request that a special offering be taken up for BMS relief work.

If the Church seeks God and is obedient, who knows what He might do? Certainly the current deacons are very aware that the way forward must come from Him. Were definitely not trusting in our own wisdom; after all, in the period since the last magazine, we managed to miss the deadline dates for the deacons election process!

We did act to remedy that oversight as soon as it was realised, and the nomination process is now well under way. So, by the next issue of the magazine, were hoping that there might be some new faces on this team.

1 The Council-owned company launched on 1 April to provide adult care services 2www.scottishbaptist.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/UnderChristsRule.pdf

16

Regular Events

Sundays Prayer Meeting 10.30 AM Morning Service 11.00 AM Vickys Tearoom 34 PM (second Sunday of the month)

Mondays Lunch n Chat 12 .00 PM (every five weeks)

Tuesdays Afternoon House Group 1.00 PM, Glensax Road Evening House Group 7.30 PM, Kingsmeadows Gardens

Wednesdays Dovecot Court Service 3.00 PM, (PBC every two months watch

calendar for details) Singing Together 3.00 PM, Dovecot Court (Wed 3 June & 8 July) Innerleithen House Group 7.30 PM, 9 Montgomery Square Prayer meetings 7.30 pm, VPC (third Wednesday of the month)

Thursdays West Linton House Group 7.30, 8 Lyne Park (fortnightly) Diversity 7.30 PM, the Potters Caf (last Thursday of month)

Fridays Kings Meadow Work Parties 24 PM (see Bill for dates)

Saturdays Prayer meetings variable (watch out for details)

No May and June Messy Big Sunday Festival, 16 Aug Beltane Week, 1420 June Cross Kirk Service, Sunday 14

June at 6 PM

Updates and last minute changes are shown on the weekly Supplement please keep your eyes peeled!

Dovecot Court, Wed 8 July, 3 PM Sunday 21 June, 11 PM Special

Guests Andy and Jutta Cowie St Peters Fete, Sat 27 June, 11 AM

to 3 PM

17

Diversity has a new home the Potters caf in the Northgate. This will hopefully make it easier to plan a regular programme. We still meet on the last Thursday of every month, with the overall aim being to provide a way for women of all ages to have fellowship and friendship evangelism through women in the church bringing their friends. We buy our coffees and teas and there are cakes on sale also this helps Clare Swann the caf owner with her business and is a welcome treat for all of us!

Summer BBQs In the summertime when the weather is hot

You can go to a church BBQ!

As this Magazine is released, we shall be enjoying the first of our barbeques Sunday 31 May. The following Barbeques will be on Sunday 21 June (the same Sunday as Andy and Jutta Cowie come to speak to us), Sunday 26 July and Sunday 30 August. The first two barbeques will be at the Victoria Park Centre, as usual. Please check the venue for the last two nearer the time.

Walking today for tomorrow: Our Voices Community Walk Chester Hill, Quair Water, Bush aboon Traquair: walk the landscape to celebrate it and show your love for the hills, burns and woods. Join us in giving voice to concern about how climate change threatens nature, our way of life, and those more vulnerable than ourselves.

Saturday 27th June 2015 at Noon Meet at: Traquair Kirk car park Everyone welcome!

Or join us, walkers and non walkers, at 3pm at the Bear Gates for the last short stretch to Traquair's magnificent yew tree near the House www.www.ourvoices.net

1

SUNDAY 7 JUNE Childrens talk: Christine KAOS: Bubbles: Jennie, Elaine Splash: Lindsey, Emma Teens: Stay in Prayer: Wilma Flowers: Wilma Stewards: Bill, Stan Teas: Helen H Setup: David, Frank, Janet Commn Servers: Jacqueline, Wilma (Carlyn laying)

SUNDAY 14 JUNE CROSS KIRK SERVICE, 6PM Childrens talk: Lorna KAOS: Bubbles: Christine, Carlyn Splash: Bill, Janlyn Teens: Richard D Prayer: Lindsey Flowers: Margaret J Stewards: Vi, Liz Teas: Janlyn Setup: Bill, Jacqueline, Janet

SUNDAY 21 JUNE BMS GUEST SPEAKERS AND BBQ Childrens talk: Bill KAOS: Bubbles: Lorna, Morag Splash: Chris, A N Other Teens: Richard B Prayer: Linda Flowers: Janet Stewards: Willie, Wilma, Janet Teas: Vi Setup: David, Frank, Janet Commn Servers: Jennie, Christine (Carlyn laying)

SUNDAY 28 JUNE Childrens talk: Richard B KAOS: Bubbles: Pat, Elaine Splash: Jan, Christine Teens: Help with KAOS Prayer: Ralph Flowers: Helen C Stewards: Carlyn, Bill Teas: Wilma Setup: Bill, Jacqueline, Janet

2

SUNDAY 5 JULY Childrens talk: Jacqueline KAOS: Bubbles: Jennie, Moira Splash: Lindsey, Emma Teens: Stay in Prayer: Liz Flowers: Isobel Stewards: Chritine, Vi Teas: Lindsey Setup: David, Frank, Janet Commn Servers: Linda, John (Hazel laying)

SUNDAY 12 JULY Childrens talk: Linda KAOS: Bubbles: Lorna, Morag Splash: Bill, Janlyn Teens: Richard D Prayer: Chris Flowers: Linda Stewards: Richard D, Willie, Wilma Teas: Pat Setup: Bill, Jacqueline, Janet

SUNDAY 19 JULY Childrens talk: Christine KAOS: Bubbles: Christine, Carlyn Splash: Chris, A N Other Teens: Richard B Prayer: Richard D Flowers: Vi Stewards: Hazel, Carlyn Teas: Ronnie Setup: David, Frank, Janet Commn Servers: Lindsey, Liz (Hazel laying)

SUNDAY 26 JULY BBQ Childrens talk: Lorna KAOS: Bubbles: Pat, Elaine Splash: Jan, Christine Teens: Help with KAOS Prayer: Morag Flowers: Sheila Stewards: Chris, Christine Teas: Moira Setup: Bill, Jacqueline, Janet

Contacts Page

Pastor: Ian K Gray 07881 518854 (day off: Monday) pastor@peeblesbaptistchurch.org

Secretary: Christine Drummond 01721 722062

Treasurer: Liz Keiro 01721 730217

Magazine Editor: Morag Bramhall magazine@peeblesbaptistchurch.org

Church website: http://peeblesbaptistchurch.org

Practical Help Leave a

message: 01721

788592

Prayer

Contact Fergus & Vi:

01721 720931

Visiting

Contact John & Moira:

01899 229343

Pastor

You can still call Ian: 07881

518854

x Leave a message via email (help@peeblessbaptistchurch.org) or answering machine (01721 788592)

x To request or offer jobs and skills, driving, equipment loan etc

x Contact Fergus & Vi Brown with all prayer requests (01721 720931)

x Confidential requests to PULSE prayer group

x "Public" requests to church members via text message

x Contact John & Moira Dalrymple (01899 229343) with requests for visits from the pastoral team

x PULSE pastoral visiting group will complement "normal" visiting

x Alternatively, or in an emergency, you can always call Ian Gray on 07881 518854