On Saturday 28th May 2011, four churches from the area came together. Folk from Bala Evangelical Church, Glanrafon Evangelical Church in Llangollen and New Street Evangelical Church in Welshpool joined with us.

We enjoyed Llangollen and the area, some people enjoying a strenuous six-mile walk, others sampling the gentler delights of a horse-drawn canal boat, cream teas and crazy golf.

At the end of the day we came together for an hour of fellowship, and several people chose their favourite hymns.

Guidelines on how to use the Reading Plan

Week 56 (20.05.12) – Leviticus 15-19

Week 55 (13.05.12) – Psalms 30-34
Week 54 (06.05.12) – Hebrews 11-13
Week 53 (29.04.12) – Hebrews 7-10
Week 52 (22.04.12) – Hebrews 1-6
Week 51 (15.04.12) – Leviticus 11-14
Week 50 (08.04.12) – Leviticus 6:8-10:20
Week 49 (01.04.12) – Leviticus 1:1-6:7
Week 48 (25.03.12) – 1 Timothy 1-6
Week 47 (18.03.12) – Psalms 25-29

Seven Good Reasons for taking part in the SEC Bible Reading Plan!

There are a number of positive reasons why it is good for people to be reading the same passages, at the same time:

(1)   It answers the individual’s question: ‘what shall I read?’ Choosing which passage to read can take even longer than reading it (just as the preacher sometimes takes ages to decide on his text!).

(2)   It results, in time, in comprehensive coverage of the whole Bible – ‘the whole counsel of God’.  How many times have you started Genesis?  How many times, by comparison, have you finished Leviticus?  When did you last read through Zephaniah?

(3)   It encourages a sense of ‘communal reading’ among fellow-believers and would, or should, result in mutually beneficial conversations and the sharing of insights.  The Word has been given by God to his people, and his people should enjoy it together.

(4)   Therefore, it is an opportunity for believers to help one another.  There should be every incentive for brothers and sisters to meet up and read together.  The strong could help the weak, as they should!

(5)   Our prayers, especially our corporate prayers, are enriched and unified as we spend time in the same section of the Bible during a particular week.

(6)   It aids the memorisation of Scripture – a good practice for those who feel able to undertake it.

(7)   It is a particular blessing to families with children, as they have retentive minds and they can ‘hide the word in their hearts’ for life.

On Sunday 3rd October 2010 we began looking at the Westminster Shorter Catechism in the Sunday morning services.  Each of the questions and answers will gradually appear below, with a link to the short (5 minute) explanation provided in each case.  For more information on the Shorter Catechism, try the link below.

http://www.shortercatechism.com

1. What is the chief end of man?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. (Listen)

2.  What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

The word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. (Listen)

3.  What do the Scriptures principally teach?

The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. (Listen)

4. What is God?

God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (Listen)

5. Are there more Gods than one?

There is but One only, the living and true God. (Listen)

6. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. (Listen)

7. What are the decrees of God?

The decrees of God are, his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he has foreordained whatever comes to pass. (Listen)

8. How does God execute his decrees?

God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence. (Listen)

9. What is the work of creation?

The work of creation is, God’s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. (Listen)

10. How did God create man?

God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. (Listen)

11. What are God’s works of providence?

God’s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions. (Listen)

12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate in which he was created?

When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. (Listen)

13. Did our first parents continue in the estate in which they were created?

Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate in which they were created, by sinning against God. (Listen)

14. What is sin?

Sin is any want of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of God. (Listen)

15. What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate in which they were created?

The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate in which they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit. (Listen)

16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?

The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression. (Listen)

17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery. (Listen)

18. In what consists the sinfulness of that estate into which man fell?

The sinfulness of that estate into which man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. (Listen)

19. What is the misery of that estate into which man fell?

All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. (Listen)

20. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?

God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer.

21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

The only Redeemer of God’s elect, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever. (Listen)

22. How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man?

Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin. (Listen)

23. What offices does Christ execute as our Redeemer?

Christ, as our Redeemer, executes the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation. (Listen)

24. How does Christ execute the office of a prophet?

Christ executes the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. (Listen)

25. How does Christ execute the office of a priest?

Christ executes the office of a priest, in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us. (Listen)

26. How does Christ execute the office of a king?
Christ executes the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

27. In what did Christ’s humiliation consist?
Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.(Listen)

28. In what does Christ’s exaltation consist?

Christ’s exaltation consists in his rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.(Listen)

29. How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.(Listen)

30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.(Listen)

31.What is effectual calling?

Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he persuades and enables us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.(Listen)

32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?

They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.(Listen)

33. What is justification?

Justification is an act of God’s free grace, in which he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone.(Listen)

34. What is adoption?

Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.(Listen)

35. What is sanctification?

Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.(Listen)

36. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification?

The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification, are, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.(Listen)