the magazine of broadmead baptist church · the magazine of broadmead baptist church june, 2015 ......

Mr Thomas Ewins preaching

from the prison, 1664

The Magazine of

BROADMEAD BAPTIST CHURCH

June, 2015

16 40

welcome! If you are curious and have come to see us

If you are weary and have come to rest

If you are grateful and have come to share

If you are hurt and have come for solace

If you are listening and have come to pray

If you are seeking and have come for answers

welcome!

BROADMEAD BAPTIST CHURCH 1 Whippington Court, The Horsefair

Bristol BS1 3HY Tel. 0117 929-1387

Minister: REV. JOHN HOUSEAGO, M.TH, M.A., B.SC.

Tel. 0117 951 4091 (Home) 0754 896 8252 (Mobile)

[email protected]

For your information SUNDAY WORSHIP: 11 a.m. every Sunday; there will be no even-

ing services except for special occasions. (Communion on the first and third Sunday mornings.)

CITY PRAYERS: Tuesdays at 1.10 p.m.

CITY COMMUNION: Thursdays at 1.10 p.m.

The minister will usually work at church on Tuesday afternoons, following City Prayers, and on Thursday mornings, until City Com-munion.

You are always welcome to pop in for a chat, but please phone first if you are making a special trip as events frequently mean that the minister’s plans have to be changed.

1 THE RECORD, JUNE, 2015

I RECALL a school assembly where the speaker mentioned the

wheight of Mount Everest and then wondered if it was still the same

as when he had been at school. As bright schoolchildren we knew that

mountains do not change, at least over the course of a human lifespan. I am afraid we got a fit of the giggles, and a reprimand.

I have thought about this event in recent weeks as we have seen the

mighty Himalayas shaken twice. Terrible loss of life followed the first

earthquake, and further death and destruction resulted from the

second, less violent quake. The cause of the quake was movement of

the tectonic plates. The Indian subcontinent is moving north into Asia

at a rate of about two inches a year, carried by currents in the molten

rocks of the earth’s core. The forces are unimaginable. They are

powerful enough to shake Mount Everest and they are gradually push-ing it higher. The increase is slow, but some of the rock strata on the

top of the range are sedimentary, formed on the sea bed more than six

miles below their present position.

The earth is a dynamic system. All life exists on a fragile planet that is

in a constant state of flux. We understand the earth to a limited

extent, but we cannot predict earthquakes, volcanoes, or similar

phenomena.

Where is God to be found? This is a question that people have asked

since before the beginning of recorded history. Like the scientists, religious people have to live with unanswerable questions.

Irenaeus was one of the early Fathers of the Church. He lived in Gaul

in the second century. His writings have stimulated my thinking. He

did not believe that God intervenes to change the laws of nature. The

world is as it is. For example, gravity brought down buildings on

families as they slept, but it also holds the solar system in the configu-

ration that allows life on earth. (I ought to say that is my illustration;

Irenaeus did not discover gravity before Isaac Newton.)

Irenaeus’ point was that human life must be lived in the world as it is. We cannot expect God to change it when it is becomes dangerous.

The world is our home and it is the place where we must develop

humanity and character. It is in that process that God is to be found.

JOHN HOUSEAGO

matters


Edited for the Internet

Sermon Themes All services are conducted by the minister, unless noted otherwise.

7th June, 2015 11 a.m. We do not lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 and Mark 3:20-34

14th June, 2015 11 a.m. The love of God controls us. 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 and Mark 4:26-34

21st June, 2015 11 a.m. Revd Ruth Bottoms, MA, Tutor, Regent’s, Oxford 28th June, 2015 11 a.m. Mr Neville Lintern

5th July, 2015 11 a.m. Revd Peter Webb

Please submit copy for the next edition of The Record any time BEFORE

SUNDAY, 14TH JUNE. If you are offering something which has been writ-

ten by another person, or printed elsewhere, please make sure you have

asked permission first. Your own contributions are always welcome.

JACK APPLETON, Editor

Eileen Smith died on 28th April at the age of 96. She was a

remarkable lady who will be greatly missed – a tribute to her appears on pages 8 – 10.


CHURCH MEETING The next Church Meeting is on Wednesday, 23rd July, 2015, at 7.30 p.m. in the Hiley Room. All members are encouraged to attend.

BIBLE STUDIES 2015:

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS The subject of the bible studies this year is Paul’s letter to the Philip-pians. The studies are usually held on the last Thursday of the

month. They start at 2.15 p.m. and last for an hour.

The remaining studies this year will be on 18th June, 30th July,

24th September, 29th October and 26th November.

I will produce written notes for each study, and these will be availa-ble to anyone who asks. They are too long to publish in The Record.

JOHN HOUSEAGO

CONGRATULATIONS The Jesus Christ City Mission, formerly known as Jesus Cares Christian Fellowship, celebrated their 10th anniver-sary on Sunday, 10th May. They have been holding their services at Broadmead Baptist Church for several years now and we congratulate them on reaching this landmark and wish them God’s blessing for the future.

7th June Marian Tunnecliffe

(in memory)

14th June Maureen and Chris Pannell

21st June Bonnie West (in memory)

28th June —

Church

Flowers


GOD’S AMBASSADOR PART TWO

Billy Graham is now 97, and last year on his 96th birthday he gave his very last sermon to the world. This was recorded on You-tube, so that people all over the world could hear it. I haven’t accessed it myself yet, but on good authority have been told of its powerful message.

CELEBRATING 375 YEARS

of CHRISTIAN WITNESS at

BROADMEAD BAPTIST CHURCH

BRISTOL

WEDNESDAY, 10TH JUNE, 2015 - 7.30 P.M.

A Room Full of Stories JOINT EVENT WITH AND AT WESLEY’S NEW ROOM

This will be an evening of stories, involving poets, musicians

and visual artists. It will be feast for the senses.

WEDNESDAY, 17TH JUNE, 2015 - 7.30 P.M.

Baptists, Bristol and the Campaign

to end the Slave Trade Professor John Briggs:

Looking at Baptist/non-conformist witness to Social Justice in

Bristol.

For more details please contact Dr Anthony G. Reddie at Bristol Baptist College

Email: [email protected] or telephone 0117 946 7050

mailto:[email protected]


After his success in London, attention was turned to crusades in

New York. Some adverse publicity, similar to the London crusades and from other areas, predicted of failure. Graham prayed hard, and wept long over that city. The Crusade which was to last for three months was extended, as so many people could not get into the Stadium. Graham preached twice a day at the Stadium and the over-flow outside. The Crusade commenced at the Yankee Stadium with over 100,000 in attendance. Tens of thousands in an open-air meet-ing on Wall Street, and another 100,000 again outside in Times Square.

The 1960s was a crucial time of unsettling turmoil in America. The

country seemed to be caught in a cauldron of protests, riots and marches. Graham knew that he must not isolate himself from these problems, but face them head on. He believed the great command-ment Christ gave, “To love our neighbours as ourselves was not selective, but applied to all regardless of circumstances, depth of need, and above all colour of skin.” (quote).

Graham was fighting his own battle against segregation at the Crusade in Jackson, Mississippi. It was a common practice at that time in the South for ropes to be put up designating white and black seating areas. Graham was adamant that there was to be no segrega-tion at their Crusade, even though the local committee refused to

agree to that demand. Graham himself tore down the ropes. The same thing happened a year later in Chattanooga, Tennessee. When he tore the ropes down there, the head usher was so incensed at Graham’s decision that he resigned in anger on the spot. Graham refused to back down, his words on that occasion as he spoke to an audience of black and white, “God does not look on the outward appearance, the Bible says he looks on the heart.” (quote)

He sought the advice of a young black Minister, the Reverend How-ard Jones. He wanted to know how he could reach blacks in Harlem and New York, who because of discrimination, were not attending

the Crusades. The advice given was, “Go where they are.” This he did; Howard Jones went before him organising black churches, and Graham preached to packed houses in those areas. He took a very bold step a few years later by inviting Howard Jones to join his min-istry team. His decision prompted a wave of protests and hundreds of letters from white Christians and Ministers who said that his


ministry would fail if he had a black person on his team. Graham

remained resolute. Often he used to seek advice from his friend Martin Luther King. He wanted to know how he might participate in King’s method of non-violent demonstrations to bring an end to segregation. There were a number of black ministers who thought Graham was not doing enough for the Civil Rights Movement. King explained to them that Graham’s calling was the proclamation of the Gospel, in which he could reach men’s hearts through the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit could change a man’s whole life and attitude com-pletely. Before King was assassinated, he said of Graham, “Had it not been for the ministry of my good friend, Dr Billy Graham, my

work in the Civil Rights Movement would not have been as success-ful as it has been.” (quote) Graham had been active in many areas helping Dr King with his imprisonment, paying his fines, and en-couragement along the way. Graham was conducting a Crusade in Australia when he heard of his friend’s death. “Not only was I losing a friend through a vicious and senseless killing, but America was los-ing a social leader and a prophet. I felt that his death would be one of the greatest tragedies in our history.” (quote)

One of the most important Crusades took place in Birmingham, Alabama, where white people dominated the blacks. All they knew of relationships between themselves was as master and servant. This was just after the murder of four little black girls killed in the bomb-ing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. When Graham was invited he stipulated one condition, the meeting must be integrated or the Crusade would not take place. “If we can’t meet at the Cross of Christ as brothers we can’t make it in any other areas.” (quote) Promises of violence and boycotts threatened the Crusade, but Graham and the City of Birmingham remained strong in their deter-mination. It was the first public meeting ever held in Alabama that was open to all races. At the part of the Crusade when the invitation was given, 300 uniformed policemen were stationed all over the

Stadium. There was not one incident or any trouble, there was no distinction of colour before the Cross of Christ.

Billy Graham did not restrict his sense of racial justice just to the United States. He toured Africa in the early sixties preaching in ten different countries. He avoided South Africa because of apartheid. Over the years he had been given several invitations to hold


crusades; he refused because of their strict apartheid policy that

required audiences to be segregated. In 1973, the South African Gov-ernment agreed to Graham’s terms and he went to that country to speak at a conference. During that conference he preached at a multi-racial meeting, the first ever held in South Africa. It was also the first time a religious service had been aired on national radio.

From tearing down rope barriers in the United States, to confronting apartheid in a foreign country, Graham knew the deepest problems of the human race were spiritual in nature, and that only God could

change the human heart. WENDY WRIGHT

Source: God’s Ambassador. The story of the extraordinary life of Billy Graham. DVD

THE SECRET GARDEN This is not only the name of a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, but also the name of the Garden Centre and café at Whitegate Nurseries in Stockwood Lane, Keynsham, and this will be the venue

on 8th June for the Terrill Group who will meet at noon at the

shops in Hollway Road, Stockwood where there are seats adjoining the shops, and cars will be organised from there to ‘The Secret Gar-den’. (Details of suitable bus services will be ascertained in the mean-

time, but if any readers need to know the last minute arrangements, they are welcome to liaise with Dorothy Frampton (Tel. 0117-986-1966.)

After lunch at the Secret Garden, folk can look around the Garden Centre and then come to 8 Willow Walk, (the home of Dorothy and John Frampton) to enjoy informal fellowship during the rest of the

afternoon prior to their return home. JOHN FRAMPTON

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE APPEAL A total of £473.85 was donated. £325.00 came from the church – many thanks to all contributors. The remaining £148.85 was given by members of the NHS Retirement Fellowship at a recent service held here and we would like to record our thanks to them also.


THE MOUNTAINS SHOOK On 25th April and 12th May, 2015, the majestic, awe-inspiring and apparently unmovable mountains of Nepal shook, causing devastat-ing avalanches and landslides which demolished buildings. Countless buildings in cities, towns and remote villages not threatened by avalanches and landslides also collapsed during the two earthquakes. Thousands of people were killed and injured. Rescue and relief workers from all over the world responded to Nepal’s need.

Although the BMS World Mission team is minute by comparison

with those flown in, it includes people with local knowledge and ex-perience gained from years of service in Nepal; these attributes have greatly assisted the relief work being undertaken by BMS’s partner organisations in the country.

Two of these people are Cynthia and Ian Chadwell, the overseas links of Broadmead and City Road Baptist Churches. Cynthia, a teacher trainer with the Early Childhood Education Centre, has, with other trainers, been helping children through the trauma experi-enced by earthquake survivors. Ian has responsibilities in hospital and medical co-ordination with BMS partner the International Nepal Fellowship and has been working on short- and long-term relief plans.

It is hard for those of us who live on stable ground to imagine what they have been through. At first it meant sleeping (as best they could) outside. When finally it seemed safe to return indoors repeated after-shocks would send them dashing out again. And all this to be repeat-ed just over a fortnight later. We thank God that they are safe. We remember Cynthia and Ian in our prayers – and also their children Justin and Lucy. Justin in particular has had a rough time – he has been taking his GCSE exams under very difficult conditions.

Eileen Smith – a friend remembered These are personal memories of Eileen Smith – and everyone who knew her, will have their own. Eileen became a loyal member of Broadmead Baptist Church, after her mother died. She would say, “I wanted to take up my mother’s place as a member.”


In 1939, Eileen married Ivor; they lived for some years in Taunton,

where Ivor was stationed during the War. They had fond memories of that time in Taunton. After the War, they returned to Bristol and bought the house in Ashton, where they lived, and Ivor enjoyed his garden and his job. Eventually, they bought a car and Ivor took Eileen to Birmingham, on visits to his sister Audrey, who had been transferred there during the War. They travelled to many places across England, until Ivor had to give up driving because of an en-croaching illness. Eileen cared for him at home for several years and especially remembers Broadmead’s choir coming to sing carols to Ivor the Christmas before Ivor died. She always paid tribute to the

Revd J. P. Davies, who was very supportive of Eileen at this time, a kindness she greatly valued. Eileen was very fond of her sister Edna, nephew Colin, and the many cousins she had in the Thorn-bury area.

At Broadmead, Eileen served in the Undercroft, attended the Social Hour, and loved to be asked to lead the meeting. She was faithful at City Communion for many years and continued after retiring from the Undercroft, by coming to have her lunch at the Undercroft where she enjoyed the friendship of many people.

Eileen loved to visit Weston-Super-Mare, spending a large part of the

day there. She had her lunch at her ‘special’ restaurant where she became very well-known. Another much-loved place was Wells, which she often visited with her friend Maurice. She liked to visit the swans on the moat and the Cathedral.

Eileen in her later years attended the luncheon club at St Francis, North Street, finally accepting a lift from her home and back when she could no longer manage the walk. She also liked the ‘tasty shop café’ where she regularly met up with local friends.

After waiting many months, Eileen was eventually granted a place on the City Farm Friday Outing, where she was taken with many

others to places that she knew, having a good lunch and then con-cluding later at a local Garden Centre for tea. Thanks to all the good

people who give up their time to make life more pleasant for elderly people.

Finally, Eileen would never give up her Sunday worship at Broad-mead. This was so until February when she really just was not well


enough to come. Eileen had a great determination to stay alive and

active, but when illness came she was calm, accepting, and grateful for the care the hospital gave her, and the comforting visits from her pastor, cousins and friends.

We shall all miss you Eileen and we thank God for every remem-

brance of you. EDWINA HAYDEN

PAUL, CORINTH AND 2 CORINTHIANS In the February edition of The Record I briefly described the

ancient town of Corinth. It was an important staging post on the

west-east route that linked Italy and Mesopotamia. The town

was in Greece. The Romans destroyed it in 146 BC and then

rebuilt it as a Roman colony in 44 BC.

Paul founded a church there in the late 40s. He lived with his

compatriots, Priscilla and Aquila. They shared not only the con-

viction that Jesus was the Messiah, but also their occupation:

tent makers, or workers of leather. Paul stayed in Corinth for

about eighteen months. After Paul moved on, he kept in touch

with the church by letter and through personal contact as travel-

lers moved between Ephesus, where Paul was working, and Cor-

inth. The New Testament preserves two of the letters Paul wrote,

but they are only part of more extensive correspondence. We

know of two lost letters: 1 Corinthians 5:9 mentions a letter writ-

ten before 1 Corinthians, and 2 Corinthians 2:3-4 refers to a

‘severe letter’. Nothing in 1 or 2 Corinthians could be thought of

as severe, indicating a letter no longer extant. We do not have

any of the letters the Corinthians wrote to Paul.

2 Corinthians has been described as the most auto-biographical

of Paul’s letters. His relationship with the Corinthians was not

easy and at times we sense Paul defending himself and therefore

writing more about his experiences than he does elsewhere.

Paul was opposed by some members of the church in Corinth,

and he writes passionately to defend himself and the gospel that

he preached. His rivals claimed to be apostles, but Paul consid-


ered them to be “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising

themselves as apostles of Christ.” (2 Cor 11:13). He even de-

scribed them rather sarcastically, as ‘super-apostles’ (2 Cor 11:5

and 12:11). We do not know how the teaching of these ‘super-

apostles’ differed from that of Paul.

Another contentious issue was the collection that Paul had

organised among the churches of Asia Minor, Macedonia and

Greece for the relief of the poverty of the churches in Jerusalem

and Judea. This was a major project in Paul’s ministry. In his

letters he described it in various ways: a ‘fellowship’, ‘a service’,

a ‘gift’, a ‘generous gift’, a ‘collection’ and a ‘service that you

perform’. Besides relieving poverty, Paul saw this as a practical

way in which to encourage fellowship between the largely Jew-

ish Christians in Palestine and the new churches springing up

around the northern Mediterranean. These new churches were

mainly Gentile. Some in Corinth, however, doubted Paul’s

motives. He responded, “We intend that no one should blame us

about this generous gift that we are administering, for we intend

to do what is right not only in the Lord’s sight, but also in the

sight of others.” (2 Cor 8:20-21)

Paul readily conceded that in human terms he was not an im-

pressive figure. His opponents said that he wrote powerful let-

ters, but that he was physically weak and a poor speaker

(2 Cor 10:10-11). That did not mean that Paul lacked courage

and in 2 Cor 4:7-12 he lists some of the punishments and hard-

ships he endured for Christ’s sake. Paul used his weakness as

evidence of the greatness of God, “My grace is sufficient for you,

for power is made perfect in weakness. So, I will boast all the

more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may

dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,

hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for

whenever I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:9-10)

Holidays mean that we will only dip into 2 Corinthians for two

sermons in June. I hope you will find time at home to read it through.

JOHN HOUSEAGO


BALAAM’S DONKEY “My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counselled and

what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey

from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of

the Lord.” Micah 6.5, NIV.

The story of Balaam’s Ass has always fascinated me. He is one of

these people who are outside the people of Israel, but in communi-

cation with Israel’s God. He is regarded biblically as greedy for

reward in some passages, but actually obeyed God in the long run

in the story in the Book of Numbers. It takes place during Israel’s

journey to the Promised Land.

1. Why did Balak, King of Moab, object to the Israelites route?

2. What did Balak ask Balaam to do?

3. How did Balaam respond to Balak’s request the first time?

4. Balak asked again, with a better offer and more prestigious diplomatic party. How did Balaam respond?

5. What role does Balaam’s donkey play in the story?

6. In what three ways did the donkey not cooperate with her master?

7. What did the donkey say? (Two things)

8. What did Balaam do in response to Balak’s request to curse the Israelites?

9. What is said about Balaam in Peter’s letters?

10. What eventually happened to Balaam?

Answers to Phrases from the Bible:Tyndale

1. the apple of his eye; 2. sick unto death; 3. eat, drink and

be merry; 4. my brother’s keeper; 5. fight the good fight; 6.

let there be light; 7. signs of the times; 8. the powers that be;

9. ye of little faith; 10. flowing with milk and honey.

PRAYER AT BROADMEAD Gracious God, whose light fills creation, may we so live in your Light,

and being healthy in body, mind spirit, may we illumine your people

until the whole church is filled with your light and love. AMEN

WEEK ONE When A. J. Gossip was asked: “What is it that makes

God, God? What is the essential, the most foundational thing in God?”

the reply was, “It is not even His eternity of being, nor his Almighti-

ness, nor his Omniscience. God is Love, and it cost God more to

redeem us than to create His universes.” We pray for two missionary

couples connected with us at Broadmead: the Chadwells (in Nepal) and

others in (Afghanistan). Help us to share their personal sense of loss

and tragedy among all with whom they have worked, and may your

love, Jesus, be the rock on which they stand daily. In the name of the

Christ the King. AMEN

WEEK TWO “There is no room for fear in love” – John tells us –

“for perfect love banishes fear.” As we celebrate this month, the next

lecture in our series to mark the 375th anniversary of Broadmead Bap-

tist Church, let us be thankful to God for this congregation’s continuing

commitment to freedom over the years. We praise God for the courage

of Dorothy Hazzard as she planted this fellowship; for the vision and

work of William Knibb and his campaign begun in England and suc-

cessfully concluded in Jamaica with the end of the Slave Trade in Ja-

maica. With all these witnesses to faith around us like a cloud, help us,

in our generation, to throw off every encumbrance, and to run with res-

olution the race for which we are entered, our eyes fixed on Jesus, on

whom faith depends from start to finish. (Hebrews 12.1-2)

WEEK THREE Lord Jesus, we pray that your love for the world, may

bring courage to all your people. Lord, set before us the fearlessness of

Jesus, and grant us courage to face pain and hardship, to do what is

right, to witness for you where we are, and the strength to persevere to

the end. Lord, forgive what we have been, correct what we are, and in

love, direct what we shall be in coming days. AMEN

WEEK FOUR Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that your may be formed in

us day by day. Lord, give us grace to love you with all our heart and

mind. Jesus, help us to love our neighbours, particularly all those ac-

tively opposed to the life of your Kingdom. In your mercy enable us to

love all people, as those for whom you, the world’s Saviour, lived, died

and rose again. Give us an open heart, Lord, that we may seek all peo-

ple for your kingdom, and set no limits to the proclamation of your

word. AMEN

the magazine of broadmead baptist church · the magazine of broadmead baptist church june, 2015 ......

Documents