Perseverance is something that we are having to get used to at the moment under lockdown, particularly as we know we will have to live under it for at least another 2 1/2 weeks. The meaning of this biblical word is to endure with patience, to stand firm and not to let our eyes be taken off our goal.
There is perhaps amongst us much fear in our lack of ability to sustain this kind of posture, with the length of time that it will take for things to return to ‘normal’. 
However, Hebrews 12 makes the case that perseverance isn't only for times of pandemic, but is required for the whole Christian life. We believe we are going somewhere, that we are on a journey that does not end in death. A journey only made possible because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, something that we are celebrating in this Easter season. 
 
We believe that through his death he has guaranteed us entrance on the other side of the finish line and he is standing there as our pioneer, the one who won our salvation. But also as the perfecter, the one that by his grace helps us to get there too. Early on in lockdown, we were told that our efforts will need to be a marathon, not a Sprint, the same could be said for our faith. God is calling us and at times disciplining us to stay on track, to fix our eyes on Jesus.

Questions for thought:
Is there anything in your life that is causing you to take your eyes off of Jesus? What might you need to do about it?
How can you encourage others to keep on running the race with perseverance?

​In 2020, one of our BH Goals is developing Mental Health awareness. The story so far is that a small number of PCC members have met with Tim to scope out what this might look like in terms of small term and longer-term activities and objectives.
We are already in April, and now, especially due to the additional challenges which the lockdown has caused, we want to move forward quickly and bring to life the most urgent and important activities to support the church family over the coming weeks.
With that in mind, we need your help, please in one or two ways:

1. What ‘lockdown’ specific support would you find helpful from the BH family from a mental health perspective? You might have first-hand experience of specific needs or have some practical ideas to share to help those who are finding it tough.
   
2. Would you be interested in joining our working group to support on a longer-term basis. We’ve got our next meeting via Zoom in the next week or so, and as we’ve lost a couple of members recently, we’re keen to expand and turn thoughts into actions!
   

​For either of these, please drop me an email at: [email protected]
Many thanks.
Giles Cockman

In a time of global and personal crisis it’s hard to know what to pray. With so much need, so many suffering and a growing list of daily difficulties and anxieties, what do we say to our heavenly Father? What is it that we want him to do for us, for our loved ones, for the world?
The verses above give us great comfort in times of crisis and anxiety. They reassure us that we don’t need to find the exact right formula of words for prayers to ‘work’. When we come near to God his Spirit helps us. We can tell him our fears, our longings and our heartfelt desires. We do not have a heavenly Father who is waiting to catch us out because we asked for the wrong thing.
At the same time we do know what God’s will is for his people. We know that we and our Christian brothers and sisters have been ‘predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son’. God is at work making us more like Jesus. This is how he is at work for good in our lives. This is what God has been working on since before we were born.
So as we pray for ourselves, for our children, for our country and for our world let’s align our hopes with those of our Sovereign God. Let’s pray that in the midst of suffering or grief or frustration or anxiety that we would be made more like Jesus. Let’s ask our Father to use the difficulties we face for our good, for our transformation. And when we run out of words to express what we want to say, let’s allow ourselves to spend time in God’s presence, trusting His Spirit to articulate what we cannot.

​Luke has written his gospel so that we can be certain (see 1:1-4) and in chapter 24 he especially wants us to be certain that Jesus is risen.  He tells us that:
1. The tomb is empty (v3)
2. Jesus always promised he'd rise again (v7)
3. Peter saw the strips of linen on the floor of the tomb (v12)
4. Jesus himself appeared to some disciples on the road to Emmaus (v15)
5. Jesus appeared to all of the disciples proving he wasn't a ghost by showing them his body (v39) and eating some food (v43)
6. Jesus then explains that the whole bible points to the reality of him and his resurrection (v44).  
Believing in the resurrection is not the same thing as believing in fairy tales!  It's not wishful thinking or pie in the sky.  We CAN be certain- just look a the evidence!
But what I find striking is that despite Luke's careful writing and laying out the evidence so methodically, he also includes v45: 'Then he opened their minds, so they could understand the Scriptures' (something similar happens in v31).  It's only once that happens, do the disicples truly understand that the gospel is good news which brings forgiveness and is worth sharing (v46-48).  The evidence alone will not convince us.  Luke's carefully laid out account, on it's own, will not convince us.  We can read any of the gospels again and again and again but that alone will not convince us.  We need Jesus himself to be at work to open our minds to the reality of his resurrection.  
That means we must pray.  Yes, we pray for people to do a Peter and go and look for themselves (v12).  Luke has written so that people can be certain- we must pray people would be as they carefully investigate.  But we also pray that Jesus would be at work.  That he would open their minds.  That he would do a supernatural thing in them to bring belief.  Certainty only comes when Jesus himself gives it.  Please pray for those that need to be certain.  Please pray for Jesus to open minds this Easter time.

Maybe you are overstretched and incredibly busy at this time in which case feel free to stop reading this and get on with your responsibilities.  But maybe you suddenly have time on your hands because you have been furloughed from work or many of your normal activities have been suspended. 

If you are in the latter category, we would like to offer you the opportunity for a day-a-week of study on the Sussex Ministry Training Course during this Summer term.  For you, this might be a great way to redeem some of the time you suddenly have on your hands getting to know the Bible better and being equipped for present and future Bible-centred ministry. The training courses are continuing using the Zoom video-conferencing application.  All you need to participate is a smartphone, laptop, tablet or PC with a camera and connection to the internet. 
 
The course starts next week and sessions will run live on the Tuesdays listed below with four 1-hour sessions between 10.30am and 4.15pm.  For those who miss the first week or are not able to join the live sessions, video and audio recordings will normally be available for catch-up at another time.  The programme of study for this term includes sessions on understanding the gospels with an in-depth look at Matthew’s gospel, together with sessions on the Book of Acts and Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy.  The full programme is available to view here and you can find out more about the course by looking at our regular course brochure.  (Of course, we are not physically gathering at this time).
 
The normal fees for a term are £210 payable at the start of the term and we use the income to run the courses.  However, if finances are difficult for you at this time, we can offer a 50% reduction.  Or, if you are on a very low income, we will offer access to the course for this term free of charge to anyone who is committed to completing the term of study.  Please let us know if you need a reduced fee level. We are also aware that your circumstances may change and you may not be able to complete the term.  If this happens, we will refund the appropriate portion of your fees.
 
The dates for this term are as follows:
21/04/20, 28/04/20, 05/05/20, 12/05/20, 19/05/20
Two-week half-term break
09/06/20, 16/06/20, 23/06/20, 30/06/20, 07/07/20
To apply to join the course, please complete this on-line form. 
If you want to sample a day before committing to the course for the whole term or have any questions, please send me an email or give me a ring (07722 295340). 
Yours in Christ, 
Nick McQuaker (SGP Director of Training and Development)

It appears in Come Thou fount of every blessing and we sing it cheerfully, and sometimes explain it before we sing it. You’ll find it in 1Samuel 7:12 “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying “Thus far the Lord has helped us”. It’s in the context of the Philistines being a nuisance with repeated battles, and the Israelites have just won a resounding victory.
I don’t think it’s taking things too far to say exactly the same for us today in this period of lockdown. Thus far the Lord has helped us. With our loneliness; with our tech; with our food supplies; with our health; with our church services; with our pastoral care; with our family; with our mental health. And so on. And we believe that just as the Lord has been faithful and has helped us, so He will continue to be. He is our Ebenezer, our stone of help.
“Thus far has the Lord helped us.”
Phil Moon

Lord of Heaven          
At Easter we celebrate new life following the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. New life as Spring brings forth chicks, lambs, longer evenings and this Easter beautiful sunshine.
You created these things.  You are Lord of heaven and creator of our earth.
This Easter your earth is being given time to heal.  With less people driving, less public transport and less planes flying your earth is healing. Let us learn from this experience that it is possible to go through life and survive whilst taking consideration of your earth. Let lessons be learnt.
It is also an opportunity to see the world united. United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, America… the virus is not choosey about the lives it destroys.
Hear the prayer of all our Christians around the world as we beg you to bring an end to this awful situation. Be with those who we know and within our congregation who have loved ones abroad.  Help them feel your peace as they lift these loved ones to you in prayer.
Help the thousands of stranded people around the world who need repatriation to get home to their loved ones and thank you again for the miracle you worked in getting Joy back from Australia.
Amen
Gentle Saviour, Closest Friend
At Easter we remember that you are our Saviour and our Father. You chose us to be your children and we are so grateful to you for that. As your children you protect us, you defend us, you want only what is best for us.
We pray for those in our lives that need your healing touch right now, family, friends at home and at church.
We think of Cliff now at home recovering from his operation and for Teresa who is caring for him. Please let the operation have been successful, let him find relief from the pain and let him feel more comfortable as time goes on.  Give Teresa the strength she needs to care for him.
And we think of dear Pam who is so poorly once more and for Mike as he cares for her.  Be close to them both during this time.  Let healing come quickly to Pam and let them both find comfort as you draw near to them.
We pray for the protection for those we love who we cannot get to right now.
We think of Mari Lush and of Beryl in care homes and pray that you will help them to understand and not to feel abandoned. We pray for their constant protection from this virus.
We also pray for the residents of the Lindridge care home, of Wayfield care home and the other care homes in our area.  For the staff who are daily putting their lives in danger to serve the elderly.
For the strength and protection for all those working in the NHS, care sectors and other key workers.
Amen.
Strong Deliverer Beginning and End
Thank you that you were there at the beginning. You created the earth. Through your perfect planning Jesus was born in Bethlehem, to die for our sins so that we might be with you for eternity. If we choose you then you will be with us all our days from the beginning until the end. Easter isn’t just about now.  Now is just a season in life. Easter is about eternity.
Easter 2020 is very different this year but your love for us is unchanged.  You continue to love us now, just as you did when you chose us to be yours, just as you will for eternity if we choose to let you. 
Thank you for the miracle of Easter.
Amen
Thank you to Sandy for yesterdays and todays Easter Prayers.

Proverbs 3
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the Lord will be at your side
    and will keep your foot from being snared
While reading scripture over the last few weeks I have been struck by how many verses of scripture feel like they speak directly into our world right now. So much of scripture was written in times of disaster, struggle, and uncertainty for the writer or the world they were living in. It’s comforting to know that the Bible really can identify will all the emotions we might be feeling in this mad world and provide wise instruction for how to live in 2020.
 
I’ve been meditating on these two verses of Proverbs over the last few weeks. At the moments we’re getting lots of advice thrown at us; “Wash Your Hands”. “Stay At Home”. “Protect the NHS”. Those are all good and wise things to do, but Proverbs 3:25-26 is the best advice we can follow in the face of coronavirus.
 
Covid-19 is a sudden disaster, it is a ruin that has overtaken the wicked (all of humanity), and it is a snare for our feet. In 4 months it has turned our world upside down, snared our feet by thwarting our plans and ambitions, and ruined so much of human life.
 
But Proverbs encourages us to not fear. WHAT!? Don’t fear!? How can we not fear? This is the scariest time of my life. Every time I turn on the news or scroll down Twitter or even stop to listen to my own thought process for too long, I’m constantly being told to fear Covid-19, to fear the lasting effects of the virus, to even fear leaving the house!
 
Why shouldn’t we fear right now? Because the LORD is at our side. God who planned everything out before the creation of the world, God who is ruler over the entire universe, God who cares for us so much he would send his own son to die for us is by our side. We shouldn’t be asking, “why shouldn’t I fear” but “How can we fear”?
 
The Lord will always be at our side, sustaining, protecting, and loving us like a father throughout all that’s going on. Have no fear, the LORD is near.
​Alex

​The Gages are going.
​Word has it that the Gages are leaving and soon. If you hadn't heard you have now!!! Tim's last service at BH will be this Sunday 19 April where he will speak at the morning service.
If you'd like to contribute to their leaving gift, do drop a cheque into the office, payable to Bishop Hannington Church and labeled for Tim & Clare, or make an online payment, saying who it's for, to Bishop Hannington Church,  Sort Code 40-52-40  Account Number 00016162.
In case you thought the office is closed and your cheques might go astray fear not, Wendy and I are here to receive them.
Clive

A Prayer for Easter
Heavenly Father
We thank you for Easter. We thank you that although we are all missing “normal” right now that Easter is not “normal”.
A “normal” Easter would be us using the weekend to catch up on things we had no time to achieve during the week, a bit of housework, a bit of sorting out, Maybe going away for a break or just relaxing.
Easter 2020 and most of us have more time on our hands than we know what to do with.
What a wonderful opportunity to slowly meditate and absorb in a grateful way the story of Easter and what that means to each one of us.
We pray that this Easter many people who sat through Easter school assemblies maybe wondering. Many people who have not given prayer a thought for many years maybe praying
And many people who turned away from you to find their own way, might start turning back.
Amen
King of Kings/Majesty
Majestic and wonderful King,
We thank you that Easter reminds us of the huge sacrifice you made when you allowed your son to die on the cross for our sins.
A reminder that you can relate to all those grieving in the world right now who have lost family and loved ones in such an unfair way.
You see the tears they shed.  You feel their loss.  Heal broken hearts Lord and bring peace to those who mourn.
A Majestic and wonderful King who is in control.  You were in control of what happened at calvary and you are in control now.
As your children we try to be brave, but it is hard.  Help us remember that you are bigger than this awful virus.  You see what is happening and one word from you can just banish this virus forever.  We trust that this is all part of your plan and await your intervention.
Until then please fill us with a peace that the world cannot give.
Amen
Phil

​Stephen and Lizzi Demetriou will be hosting BH Youth LIVE on the Lockdown PraiseUp Youtube page from 7:15-8:15pm tonight. They’ll be teaching from the Bible, playing crazy games, and getting the youth involved in mad fun challenges. If you’re 11-18, come join in the fun! Message Stephen to get involved!

​The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”  And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.  Revelation 22:17
 
The resurrection and ascension of Jesus have happened. What’s the next major event of history? Not the end of lockdown, but the end of world history. Not the return of travel, but the return of Christ.
Of all the commands our God could have ended his written word with, how kind of him to choose the one he did. Instead of “Do more, try harder”, or “Pull up your book straps, and get on with it” or “Buck up and get over it,” he went with, “Come, thirsty ones. Come and take the free gift of the water of life.”
Our kind Father wants to satiate our thirst. But he knows that our thirsts are not met by higher supermarket stocks, more Netflix, an end to lockdown or a vaccine for COVID-19. Every thirst we have is met in Jesus. Indeed, the alluring waters of sin taste sweet for a moment, but bitter forever. The sparkling waters of self-righteousness and self-obsession only make us sick, and insufferable to others.
If we only knew ourselves, we would find that in truth we’re thirsty to know Jesus better. We’re thirsty to be quicker in our repenting and slower in our excuse-making. We’re thirsty to be more generous with forgiveness, and everything else God has entrusted to us. We’re thirsty to be as free, whole, and loving as Jesus will make us. We’re thirsty for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, when the bride will no longer say, “Come!“ but will say, “We’re here, Jesus, your whole Bride!”
We’re thirsty for the Day when God’s glory will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. We’re thirsty for the Day of no death, wiped tears, and full joy. “Maybe in 2020, Father God?”
Well, wonderfully, what we need the most is “without price” – absolutely free to us. It is the gospel. So bring your thirst to your Father. Thank him for the living water Jesus alone can give—the artesian spring of healing grace; the life-giving libation of his mercy and love; the fountain of abiding peace and everlasting joy. And drink in his glorious promises to his freely saved people.
​Dave

​I guess most of us will know that Tim & Clare, Ben & Sammy will be leaving soon as Tim goes to be the new Rector of St Peter's West Blatchington, up by the windmill. Strangely they could just be moving slightly nearer to BH, as the rectory is just on Windmill Close!
Tim's last service at BH will be on 19th April where he will speak at the morning service. It'll be a slightly different 'final service' as we won't all be physically there to do speeches etc but we still want to say our thank yous and may well want to contribute to a leaving gift. There'll be more details about how we'll mark the Gage's leaving BH in the coming days, but if you'd like to contribute to their leaving gift, do drop a cheque to the office, payable to Bishop Hannington Church and labeled for Tim & Clare, or make an online payment, saying who it's for, to Bishop Hannington Church   Sort Code 40-52-40  Account Number 00016162.

1.       Gordon Guinness lived first over the shop at 91 Old Shoreham Road, then in the flat        at the church hall (YAC)
2.        9
3.        On the right hand side of the west entrance porch.
4.        Ross Ciano
5.        Ben
6.        11
7.        Hurstpierpoint, 3rd September 1847
8.        Charles, owner of Hannington’s department store in North Street, Brighton.
9.        His thumb

 
BH Quiz questions Series 2

1.        What does the design of the light fittings hanging from the ceiling in the church                 represent?
2.        What is the difference between the bricks used to build the church and the general          bricks we use today?
3.        In 1982 we welcomed Bishop Festo Kivengere to BH for a special ceremony.  What           was the occasion?
4.        What is the ENO challenge?
5.        In what year did BH hold a Retro Fun Day in the car park?
6.        James Pinto had a favourite saying.  What was it?
7.        For what is the MacHanningon Cup  awarded at the annual church meeting?
8.      Bishop Hannington Church is located within which Diocese of the Church of England?
9.      Where did James Hannington serve his curacy after being ordained Deacon by the           Bishop of Exeter? 

Luke 19: 28-44
"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes."
“Why is it perfect one day and disastrous the next?”
This was written by one of our local school children at a prayer space, the day before the school closed its doors. I thought: what a great question and so true of our present situation. A couple of weeks ago we might have felt life was going well. Now we’re restricted to home and are living in a very different world. We await news of increased cases of corona and more dying. Have we had our perfect day and now face disaster?
On Palm Sunday we tell the story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem. He rides on a colt, the foal of a donkey, a symbol of a King coming in peace. It’s an amazing day for his followers, the disciples are throwing down their cloaks, laying a red carpet for their coming King. The disciples thought this was their perfect day! However, Jesus knew that they were only thinking about their immediate problem, and wanted saving from the Roman oppression. If Palm Sunday was their perfect day, then Good Friday was a day of disaster for them. The hope for a King to sort out their problems, fell apart as Jesus was crucified.
And yet in God’s kingdom things are not how we see them. In God’s view the day of disaster, which we call Good Friday, was in fact the day when our real problem, our rejection of God, was dealt with. Jesus would offer, through His death, peace with God and with mankind. I just wonder if today’s virus is our immediate problem which we want solved, but we are forgetting our greater need, to be at peace with God. Amazingly, the offer from God remains open to us today, let’s pray many will see their need and turn to Jesus our Prince of peace.
​Judith

Everyday at 10.15pm there will be a brand new video up on our YouTube Channel.
Lockdown Praise Up! 10 minutes a day from the book of Isaiah.
Please click on the link below.
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCLfW_6eqLlfr82_QD0JVsGw

​Peace at Last! Easter Sunday. Luke 24:36
Peace.  It’s one of those words we probably don’t use very often, and even less so understand what it really means.
We have a lovely children’s story book about a bear who can’t sleep.  He longs to get some rest, but there’s so much noise and nuisance keeping him awake.  The book is called ‘Peace at Last’, which the bear eventually manages to find (although only moments before the alarm clock goes off!)
That is often what we think peace is- no more noise and nuisance.  If you’re a parent, you’re probably familiar with the kids-are-in-bed-now-relax-on-the-sofa moment: “ah…peace at last!”
But many of us will know there’s a bit more to it than that.  As we look around the world, we know what peace would look like. No more pain. Pollution. Poverty.  Pandemics. 
As we look at our own lives, we know what peace would look like.  No more anxiety. Loneliness.  Frustration.  Guilt.  Sadness.  Fear. 
We all want this.  We long for a time when we can say “Peace at last!”
But the above descriptions of peace are not the full picture. Peace isn’t just a right relationship with ourselves, with other people and with the world around us.  In the bible, peace is first of all about us and God.  Our sin cuts us off from God, so that we cannot enjoy friendship with him. True peace then, is sins forgiven and a restored relationship with the God who made us.  It’s only when we know his peace that we can start to enjoy peace in any other sense of the word.  And when we have that, we can look forward to the New Creation, enjoying peace perfectly forever.
On that first Easter morning, the angels said to the women probably the most exciting three words that have ever been spoken: “He has risen!” (Luke 24:6) But what difference does it make? Well, just a short while after, that same Risen Lord Jesus appears to his disciples- the very people who left him and who are now feeling anxious, lonely, frustrated, guilty, sad and afraid.  (Luke tells us they are ‘troubled’ in v38). I think if I were Jesus, I would have yelled at them, making my feelings abundantly clear: “I can’t believe you deserted me when I was being crucified!  Where were you when I needed you? I’m so disappointed”. But instead, the first words that come out his mouth are these: “Peace be with you” (v36).  This is more than just a greeting (“hi lads, how’s it going?”).  Jesus is saying that because he has risen, true peace is now possible.  Sin is forgiven. So friendship – peace – with God is now a reality for those who trust in Jesus. It’s a reality that starts now and lasts forever.  Only once we’ve received his peace, can we begin to enjoy peace with ourselves and others and the world around us.  Only once we’ve received his peace, can we have any hope of enjoying it fully one day in the New Creation.
If you haven’t yet received that peace why not make today the day? Just look at what Jesus offers you! 
If you are already trusting in Jesus, have you truly understood what you’re celebrating today?  Because of the resurrection, you get to enjoy what we all long for.  Today, you get to say with joy and thankfulness, “peace at last!"
He has risen! Hallelujah! Happy Easter everyone! 
​Rich

Easter Sunday 
Phil Moon (Vicar)
I hope you're looking forward to the great Celebration of today, Easter Sunday, as much as I am.
Just a reminder that we have our two services online at 10.00 and 6.30. The 10.00 service will be an all-age service for all three of our churches (BH, Holy Cross and Goldstone), and for those who'd like a sermon aimed at adults, that will be available on our YouTube channel at 11.00. Just go to YouTube, search for Bishop Hannington Church and you'll find us. The aim is that we all enjoy the 10.00 service, celebrating Easter as one big church family, and then for those who would appreciate it, you can go to the sermon at 11.00 as well. It won't be available before 11.00, because the aim is for us all to meet at 10.00. We can't be together, literally, but we can still meet!
'See you' on Sunday,
Keep praying, stay close to Jesus,
Phil

​Feast , our group for people roughly in the student age bracket, has transferred to Zoom over the last few weeks. It’s been great to continue meeting every week as a group in this strange time. We are called Feast because we meet together to feast on food, feast on fellowship, and feast on scripture. Over Zoom, we each have to provide our own food, fellowship isn’t in the flesh, but the gospel remains the same. We still feed on scripture together, when technology allows(!), with one of our group leading a study each week. It’s so encouraging that we continue to engage with God’s word on a weekly basis, providing consistency for many of us in this unpredictable situation. We normally end our time together by sharing how we can be praying for each other. Obviously, some of us will be finding this new way of life we’re all experiencing particularly hard, so to be able to be honest with each other and ask for prayerful support is a real blessing. We’ve even had some previous members of Feast also joining us from places as far afield as Colombia, Germany, and North London!
Please continue to pray for Feast as we adapt to this new style. If you want more information  please don't hesitate to contact me. 
Alex Forrest.

                Good Friday
              Psalm 22

Sometimes, just sometimes, I read something in the Bible and would love to preach a sermon on it, right away. Wednesday morning was one of those moments.
Psalm 22 is amazing. Now I know you know the first sentence “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” But how about the rest of it? There is so much here which describes the cross of Christ, from the mocking and insults in v7 to the division of Jesus’ clothes in v18 and back to the very words actually used in the insults on Good Friday itself in v8.
And there’s so much more. How about the pre-echo of Isaiah 53 in v24, and the glorious ending in v29-31, closing with the triumphal “He has done it!”
So today, of all days, please read Psalm 22. Slowly, prayerfully, thankfully, humbly. And be amazed once more, at the cross of Christ.
And I’ll hope to preach on it next Good Friday!
Phil

​www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkRiYsTN7KY

​​Pastoral Update
 
During this time of isolation for many, some of our members have no access to the internet and therefore cannot see the Daily Bulletins, Thought for the Day or join in our Sunday Services. To help them to still be connected, each week we make up packs which include a copy of the bulletins and a CD of both services - there has been lots of encouraging feedback as to how much these are appreciated. Please don’t forget to pray for these folk, give them a call or send a card, all of which really helps when you are feeling lonely.
If you would like to be involved but are not sure how, please email Jenny Payne via the church office.
​Jenny

With these warmer days of Spring, I saw my first butterfly yesterday, and it just did make me think about spiritual butterflies, who aren't nearly as beautiful as the physical ones!
I guess many of us have been intrigued at what other churches we know are getting up to in these days of COVID19. If we have children living away and we won't see them at Easter, then we can join their services. It's not as good as actually being with them, but it's a start at least. And we can learn from the way that other churches do things, or see what they're doing and (perhaps smugly) think we're doing a bit better.
But there is a hidden danger with this; it can get a bit out of hand. Sundays could even become church hopping day. Just like a butterfly.
Please - never underestimate the significance of your church in the Bible. Your people, your spiritual family, your spiritual home. Where you belong.
Of course it's fine to visit other churches online. But it's not so fine to do an ecclesiastical version of channel hopping via your remote control or mouse on Sunday, flicking through to find one that suits your mood today. That turns church into a form of shopping, and that really is not what church is about, is it? So maybe, a touch of self discipline might be in order, if not now, then in the weeks and months ahead.
Phil Moon

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As you are all aware the Youth and Community Centre, as with the main church building, is closed at present. We are, however, allowing the Brighton Food Factory to store produce at the Y&CC  in the short term. If any of you see people going in and out of the building at this time that is the reason and please do not be concerned.

At the weekend I was doing what I suspect a lot of us have taken to doing these past few weeks, clearing out a cupboard of clutter. At the back, I came across a cassette tape, and when I managed to eventually find something which could play it, I found it contained a recording of There is a Green Hill in a far-away Country, which we had sung at a service one Easter back in the early 2000s at BH. Interesting timing, as we are in Holy Week, and soon to recall Jesus’ death on the cross.
The words to the song, a modern take on the classic, contained some lovely words worth pondering:

1. “Where Jesus our Saviour, the King of all glory, suffered and died to save us all”

First of all, we are reminded of exactly who He was, and what his status was, of the man who went to the cross. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the creator of the entire universe, who humbled himself to death – even death on a cross. He endured ridicule, immense physical pain, hatred and derision. All for us sinners. In Luke 23: 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

1. “I may not know of, the pain of His passion…”

Now we are reminded that we can never fathom the huge amount Christ suffered – the anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane when drinking the cup of God’s wrath, which should have been for us. In Luke 22:44 we read: “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground”. Then the complete isolation of Jesus, as the Father turned His face away from his beloved son dying in agony on the cross. How intolerable must that have been? As we sing in another song “I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross”. How much did Jesus love us to endure all that for us?

1. The final verse says “So very dearly, Jesus has loved us, and all He would ask is, that we love Him too”

And these words should permeate through all our thoughts, words and deeds, each and every day. For me, it’s praying that I would be more disciplined in my own prayer and quiet times, to prioritise my encounters with Him and not take for granted what a massive privilege it is to converse with Him and know He is listening. To know that by his stripes, I am healed. In Matthew 25, we are also reminded that 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ So my prayer for me, and for us as a church family is that we will continue to demonstrate our love to Christ, to each other, these coming weeks, and beyond, into our neighbourhoods and communities, in both practical and prayerful ways.
This is the YouTube version of the song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C2mh8D4lME
​Giles

​​Please remember our Prayer Evening this evening. 7-8pm and then we can go out and clap the NHS and key workers.
If you are member of the church and you have not received a link please contact the church office
See you there.
​Phil

​Dearest Church Family,
Having just clambered through to the privilege of joining the golden band of the over eighties, “injury time” as a dear friend called it, I am encouraged that Jesus is “the same yesterday, today and for ever” and that loved by Him I can still serve HIm.
In spite of the daunting struggles we over eighties face with communicating in this technical age, I am excited that God is not bound by church buildings or even our inadequacies but through this very tool which causes us such anguish and frustration, His Word is reaching out from many churches with the Christian hope of redemption and the hope of Heaven ahead, with glimpses even now! So what is my part in this? Like so many of us under ‘house arrest’, I am challenged to pray that as “Livestream” flows via the Internet into the many dark and arid corners of our land God’s Word will “speed on and triumph”.
With my love,
Hazel

​A Call to Prayer During the Second World War, at times of extraordinary national difficulty, there were specific calls for the people of Britain to meet together and pray. These were encouraged by King George VI and the government of the day. Men, women and children flocked to churches to pray. Within days – and some cases, hours – incredible, miraculous things happened, one of the most incredible being the evacuation of Dunkirk.

As the Coronavirus begins to take hold, we today find ourselves in extraordinarily difficulty, circumstances. Circumstances which are not only affecting us but which are affecting the people of all nations. Circumstances which demand an extraordinary response. I firmly believe this the right time for us to do the same and to call on our nation to pray, just as we did in the past. As we are unable to meet together as churches, how can we do this in 2020? In this time of isolation we cannot replicate those previous calls for prayer but – with the benefit of social media – there is no reason why this call to prayer can’t be circulated to at least a few thousand Christians by simply contacting our friends and asking them to call on their own churches to pray. They can also pass this message on to the rest of their Christian friends.

My suggestion is that we set aside an hour during which Christians throughout our land – wherever they may be – offer prayers to our great and mighty God. When would this be? I doubt there could be a better day to do it than Good Friday, 10th April, 2020. What better time than between 12.00 noon and 1.00pm? Please try to find at least a few minutes during that hour when you, your family, your Church and your friends bring this whole crisis to the Lord in prayer.

If you could please pass this message on to everyone at your Church and to the rest of your family and friends – wherever they might be, home or abroad – that would be brilliant. If possible, let’s get people across the whole world praying during that hour!

​Jeff Hewitt – Elder – Dunstable Baptist Church.

We are halfway through Holy Week and Easter services at the weekend are fast approaching. It’s an exciting time for the church, but for all of us Easter will look very different this year. Steph and I for one can’t join with my parents to celebrate Good Friday as we have done every year. Others can’t travel to see family, go on holiday, gather in church on Sunday morning!
 
It’s interesting that though this is the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry we don’t get a lot of information of what is going on. Yes we have the triumphal entry, Jesus teaching his disciples some amazing end time prophecy, the dramatic turning of the tables in the temple…but aside from a couple of small things, not much.

One of my favourite encounters that Jesus has is one that happens just before the triumphal entry. In John 12, Jesus is staying with friends, Lazarus (whom He had raised from the dead), Martha and Mary. And during this encounter Mary takes some very expensive perfume worth a year’s wages, most likely her inheritance, and pours it out on Jesus. What an outstanding act of worship! What is she saying in this? Jesus, everything I have, I am, I give to you. You are worth it. Outrageous is what the disciples described it, 'what a waste!’ they say. But notice how Jesus responds: ‘Leave her alone’, she did this for me, this is special to me, and I while remember it forever. The perfume is said to have filled the room. That potency of that much perfume would not have disappeared after a couple of hours. The smell of costly, sacrificial, perfumed love would remained with him as he stumbled through hate-filled crowds all the to Calvary.
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I wonder what your initial reaction was? What a waste? What an act of worship? That first response reveals that which is in our heart. In living a life for Christ we want to respond like Mary does, though how easily do our sinful hearts respond with despise like Judas. Holy Spirit, give us hearts of outstanding sacrificial love!

BH Youth Live is on tonight and every Wednesday until the Lock down finishes.  If you are between 11 and 18 and want to get involved message Stephen (Youth Minister)

​Hi Everyone, 
Last Wednesday's The Prayer Meeting was great fun and so good that we thought we'd do it again. 
On Thursday evening. From 7-8, then we can all go out to applaud the NHS and key workers.
 It'll be on Zoom again.  If you are a member of the church and have not received a link please contact the Church office. 
We can't get together for our normal Maundy Thursday Communion, but this will be a great substitute. 
See you there! 
Phil