Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 20 July, 2014
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done
whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3)
Morning Service - 11:00 AM
The Seven Churches in Asia (10)
Laodicea: A Lukewarm Church
[download]
[youtube]
Scripture Reading: Revelation 3
Text: Revelation 3:14-22
I. The Meaning
II. The Calling
III. The Promise
Psalms: 62:5-8, 11-12; 77:1-6; 14:1-7; 21:1-6
Evening Service - 6:00 PM
Murder!
[download]
[youtube]
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:1-13:5
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 40
I. External Murder
II. Internal Murder
III. The Opposite of Murder
Psalms: 122:1-9; 77:7-13; 63:3-11; 16:1-7
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services,
contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart
or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast:
www.cprf.co.uk/live.html
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider
Herman Hoeksema on the church at Laodicea: “... the church of today begins to reveal an alarming degree of similarity with the church of Laodicea. Also in the church of today there is a goodly measure of self-satisfaction and self-righteousness. The church cries out more loudly than ever: ‘We are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.’ I am speaking of what calls itself the church in the modern world. Christianity of today boasts that she is waking up to the great task of the church of all ages. We speak of big things. We are going to bring righteousness and peace in society and state, and thus usher in the kingdom of God. It appears that man intends to do so in his own power, which by the way, already miserably fails ... The church knows not that she is wretched and miserable and poor and naked” (Behold He Cometh!, pp. 142-143).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
We welcome our Pete & Marilyn Adams (First PRC), Jan and Beth McKerihan, and Sid, Lisa, Lynnae and Laura Miedema (Byron Center PRC) to our worship services today.
On the back of the bulletin is a letter Rev. Stewart wrote to the CERC in Singapore, which is appearing in their church bulletin today.
The new BRF book, Ye Are My Witnesses, has arrived and is available from the bookstore for £5. Copies are on the back table, as is Rev. Stewart’s bi-monthly letter to the PRC.
The Tuesday Bible study meets at 11 AM to look at Christ’s controversies on justification. After this week, there will be no class for three weeks, but we will resume on Tuesday, 19 August.
The BRF Conference begins this Saturday! Those travelling to the conference on the coach and ferry are to be at the CPRC car park at 9:15AM to get to the Stena ferry in Belfast for the 11:30AM sailing (you have to be at the ferry terminal by an hour or so before sailing). We would expect the coach to return to the CPRC car park after the conference (Saturday, 2 August) at about 6:30-6:45PM, if all runs smoothly.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) is entitled “Prayer From a Whale’s Belly” (Jonah 2).
Next Sunday (27 July), Elder Brian Crossett is to lead the services and a DVD of PR sermons will be on the projector screen. Prof. Hanko is to preach for us at both services on Sunday, 3 August.
Offerings: General - £530.60.
Website Additions: 2 Italian, 2 Hungarian, 1 Tagalog and 1 Afrikaans translations were added.
PRC News: Rev. Key received the call to be missionary to the Philippines. Doon PRC, Faith PRC and First PRC have all extended calls to Candidate Engelsma.
Dear saints in the CERC,
It has now been over two
months since the lovely week that Mary and I spent in your
midst (29 April - 6 May). We enjoyed getting to know you and
the history, struggles, strengths, joys and ways of your
congregation. We hope and pray that our fellowship with you
will deepen and grow. As you know, when we were in
Singapore, we discussed the possibility of a sister-church
relationship between the CPRC and the CERC. Since returning
to N. Ireland, neither your congregation nor ours has been
idle in this regard.
Your pastor, Rev. Lanning has written six letters to our
church which were printed on the back of six CPRC Sunday
bulletins. In these, he explained our doctrinal and creedal
unity, for we share the same major and minor confessions. It
is crucial that Reformed churches seeking to form an
official relationship are faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ
in doctrine, sacraments, discipline, government, worship,
preaching and catechizing. Your minister also discussed the
practices of the CERC, the benefits of a sister-church
relationship, the ways in which we do and can help each
other, etc.
In order to familiarize
the CPRC with you, I wrote about the CERC in my last two
bimonthly letters (16 May & 18 July),
Salt Shakers
were given out, and members were pointed to your website (www.cerc.org.sg)
and Standard
Bearer articles
on the witness in Singapore. To the best of my knowledge, we
discussed a relationship with you in the homes of all the
saints in family visitation (26 May onwards). At our Annual
General Meeting (AGM), I gave a presentation on the CERC and
fielded questions (23 June). I also introduced the CERC in
our mission work, the Limerick Reformed Fellowship (LRF),
after its morning worship service (8 June).
The results have been uniformly positive. The saints here are very interested in having a sister-church relationship with you. The same goes for the CPRC Council (consisting of one minister, two elders and two deacons) and our missionary, Rev. McGeown. The council has discussed the CERC at all three of its meetings since my return from Singapore. As far as we are concerned, it only remains to discuss the nature of our sister-church relationship, assuming you are still willing. Any agreement we come to would then be brought to the Synod of the PRC, for part of our mutual sister-church relationship with them is that we inform (and seek approval from) their broadest assembly regarding any official relationships we establish.
Soon Lisa Ong will be
joining many members of the CPRC, LRF and PRC (and others)
at the British Reformed Fellowship (BRF) Conference in
Scotland (26 July - 2 August). She will be our first
Singaporean conferee for 20 years! Eunice and Christine, her
mother and sister, will also be joining the conference for a
day. Later, Lisa and her parents will be staying with Mary
and me at the CPRC manse (23 - 28 August). Thereafter, Lisa
will be studying for some months at the University of
Limerick and joining with the saints in the LRF. Such
face-to-face contact is vital.
Rev. McGeown enjoyed his
fellowship with Elder Lee Kong Wee at Synod 2014 and the
Chinese dishes he shared with CERC saints in Grand Rapids at
the time. Soon the CPRC webmaster is to receive your recent
Chinese translations of several
Covenant Reformed News
articles. Daisy Lim of the CERC Bookstore ordered 100 copies
of Ye Are My
Witnesses, a
BRF book authored by Profs. Hanko and Engelsma, and produced
by the CPRC with help from the RFPA. This excellent new work
was published just a couple of days ago. These are just some
ways in which we have assisted each other in the Lord
recently.
May the Lord guide our churches into a deeper relationship,
institutionally and organically, in the days ahead for the
good of both our congregations, the advancement of His
kingdom and the glory of His name.
In Christ,
Rev. Angus Stewart