Ladies’ Bible Study

The next ladies’ bible study will be held on Monday 8th June at 7.30pm at Priory Street. The study notes are on the table at the back. Please take one so you can prepare for the study.

Midweek Service

Next midweek service will take place this Wednesday, 3rd June, at 2pm. The text is Luke 11.37-54. Eric will be leading and preaching.

Corsham Churches Together

Corsham Churches are planning a “Picnic on the Green” at St Patrick’s Church on Sunday 14th June from 3.00-5.00pm. It will be run on much the same lines as last year’s “Pentecost in the Park” with people being invited to bring along a picnic and craft activities being run for the children to do. Dan Ovens will be speaking at the event so please come along to support him and meet with other Christians in Corsham.

Prayer Chain Revision

The Prayer Chain is being revised.  If you would like to be part of the Prayer Chain, there are forms at the back of the church.  Please fill one in and return it to Helen or Margaret by June 28th 2015.

CBC Craft Group

Craft Group on Saturday 6th June, 10-12.30 in the coffee hall. There will be a ‘felt making’ demonstration this month as well as help with projects and the second part of the mini workshop in fabric boxes…Oh and chat and coffee and cake!  For more information see Pam and Kathy or just pop in next Saturday.

Pray through Ramadan

This year Ramadan is from 18th June to 17th July. A booklet is available to help you pray for the Muslim world during this period. Please visit www.30DaysPrayer.org.uk or speak to Gill for more information.

Ladies’ Day 2015

This year our ladies’ day will be held at CBC Priory Street on Saturday 18th July starting at 10.30am and going through to late afternoon. There is a sign-up sheet on the back table so please write your name down! If you are only available for part of the day, please indicate whether you are intending to stay for lunch so we can cater accordingly. We are thrilled to welcome Cath Swanson from AIM as our guest speaker and our text for the day will be Matthew 11:28-30 “come to me all who are weary…” We look forward to a wonderful day in God’s presence and spending time with one another as sisters in Christ. Please speak to Anne or Kathy for more details about the day.

Volunteering for Bible Society at New Wine 2015

Bible Society will be hosting a café at New Wine and we are looking for volunteers to help serve drinks and cakes between 2nd & 8th August.  In return for about 6 hours per day in the café we will provide a free New Wine ticket, 3 meals per day, the opportunity to attend worship events, uniform and full training.  Please contact Susan Wingrave if you want any more information on how to apply. There are information sheets on the table at the back.

Prayer for Gospel Expansion

We continue to meet in the hut on Saturday mornings at 8.30am for an hour and pray for the plant in Rudloe and further gospel expansion in and around Corsham. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Our Missionaries – Steve and Ruth Lancaster

Copies of the new May/June Lancaster newsletter are on the table at the back. Please take one – alternatively you can read their blog online … lancsintanz.blogspot.com

…This week…

Monday: Mums’ bible study, 10am

Wednesday: Early morning prayer, 7.15am; Midweek service, 2pm

Thursday: Mums ‘n Tots, 10am; Corsham Money & Debt Advice Centre, 7.30pm

Friday: Corsham Money & Debt Advice Centre, 9.30am

Saturday: Prayer for gospel expansion, 8.30am; Craft Group, 10am

…Looking ahead…

8th June: Ladies’ Bible Study, 7.30pm

14th June: “Picnic on the Green”, St. Patrick’s Church, 3-5pm

15th-22nd June: Uganda Mission Trip

17th June: Midweek service, 2pm; Missions and Persecuted Church prayer meeting, 7.30pm

20th June: TLC summer party, 3pm

27th June: The Ark, 10am

28th June: Nominations open for Pastoral and Mission Deacons

28th June: Evening prayer service

1st July: Midweek service, 2pm, baptism

4th July: Craft group, 10am

5th July: Family day, service @ Priory Street followed by activities @ Rudloe Community Centre green

5th July: No evening service at Priory Street

8th July: Prayer for Missions & Persecuted Church, 7.30pm

12th July: Infant dedication

18th July: Ladies’ Day, 10.30am

19th July: Mission Sunday

20th July: Church Meeting, 8pm

Ladies’ Bible Study

The next ladies’ bible study will be held on Monday 8th June at 7.30pm at Priory Street. The study notes are on the table at the back. Please take one so you can prepare for the study. See Kathy or Anne if you need more information about these meetings.

The Ark

The Ark will take place next Saturday 30th May from 10-10.45am. This is an outreach to young families in the community and activities include singing, craft, puppets etc. Speak to Rachel for more details.

Uganda Mission Trip

Eddie will be leading a team of nine people on a missions’ trip to Uganda from 15-22 June. Eddie will be speaking at the AIM central region conference and the rest of the team will be supporting the conference doing children’s work.

Uganda Mission Trip £undraising Brunch!

You are all invited to come and enjoy brunch on Saturday May 30th from 10.45am onwards at Priory Street (after The Ark). There will be something for everyone, including breakfast baps, frittata, pancakes and other delicious things.  Don’t worry if you don’t think that you can eat a big brunch because there will also be elevenses on offer, a selection of homemade cakes and a nice cup of tea or coffee – something for everyone. Just come with empty bellies!

Nepal Donations

CBC was able to send £2,630 to support the Nepal earthquake appeal.  This is an extract of a letter received from International Nepal Fellowship…”We have been able to help 3000 families. We have distributed in excess of 65 tonnes of food, over 840 tents, and more than 4,450 blankets. We have also given out hundreds of other essentials from matches to mattresses. These numbers are out of date as I know we have been continually delivering aid. Thank you for being part of making this possible.”

Corsham Churches Together

Corsham Churches are planning a “Picnic on the Green” at St Patrick’s Church on Sunday 14th June from 3.00-5.00pm. It will be run on much the same lines as last year’s “Pentecost in the Park” with people being invited to bring along a picnic and craft activities being run for the children to do. Dan Ovens will be speaking at the event so please come along to support him and meet with other Christians in Corsham.

Our Missionaries – Steve and Ruth Lancaster

Copies of the new May/June Lancaster newsletter are on the table at the back. Please take one – alternatively you can read their blog online … lancsintanz.blogspot.com.

Volunteering for Bible Society at New Wine 2015

Bible Society will be hosting a café at New Wine and we are looking for volunteers to help serve drinks and cakes between 2nd & 8th August.  In return for about 6 hours per day in the café we will provide a free New Wine ticket, 3 meals per day, the opportunity to attend worship events, uniform and full training.  Please contact Susan Wingrave if you want any more information on how to apply. There are information sheets on the table at the back. Thank you.

Prayer for Gospel Expansion

We continue to meet in the hut on Saturday mornings at 8.30am for an hour and pray for the plant in Rudloe and further gospel expansion in and around Corsham. Everyone is welcome to attend.

…This week is half term…

Please check with groups/meetings/housegroups that you attend whether they are meeting over the half term break.

…Looking ahead…

31st May: Prayer service, 6pm

3rd June: Midweek service, 2pm

6th June: Craft Group

8th June: Ladies’ Bible Study, 7.30pm

14th June: “Picnic on the Green”, St. Patricks, 3-5pm

15th-22nd June: Uganda Mission Trip

17th June: Midweek service, 2pm; Missions and Persecuted Church prayer meeting, 7.30pm

20th June: TLC summer party, 3pm

27th June: The Ark, 10am

28th June: Evening prayer service

1st July: Midweek service, 2pm, baptism

4th July: Craft group, 10am

5th July: Family day, service @ Priory Street followed by activities @ Rudloe Community Centre green

8th July: Prayer for Missions & Persecuted Church, 7.30pm

Rainbow over the Uluguru Mountains behind our house

It’s been seven weeks since we last wrote, so it’s definitely time to send out this update, although one can only say so much about translation work!  The good news is that, with the help of my language helper, I’ve now finished translating my eight talks on the Holy Spirit from English into Swahili – and its only taken 60 hours of tuition time!  On the whole it’s been an enjoyable and satisfying process but there have been times of frustration and mental block, where it’s felt as if I’ve been wading through grammatical treacle!  I never realised that learning a language could be so draining. 

An Easter Sunday walk into the Uluguru Mountains, where we found David Livingstone!

Often, my limited mental energy is sapped simply trying to pronounce a word correctly, which is vitally important when you’re preaching, and when one mispronounced letter can make a huge difference!  Consider the following examples: “bariki” = to bless, “birika” = teapot, “bikira” = virgin.  Think what fun I could have from the pulpit in trying to say ‘God bless you’!  In fact one of our team mates learnt this lesson the hard way during a Sunday School class when she repeatedly talked about the ‘teapot Mary’!  A few years ago, whilst introducing myself at a school assembly here in Tanzania, I couldn’t quite work out why there was so much sniggering going on until it was pointed out that I had said “Jino langu ni Steve” instead of “Jina langu ni Steve”. Only one letter out, but it made all the difference between “My tooth is Steve” and “My name is Steve”!  And what about the verbs “kuonyesha – to show”, “kunyesha – to rain”, and “kunyonyesha – to breastfeed”!  And finally, what can go wrong with a casual greeting?  “Jambo” = hello but “Jamba” = to break wind! Oh, the joys of making mistakes in these situations!  Hence the mental gymnastics required when trying to learn a language.  Your prayers for clarity and a decent memory are much appreciated as I prepare to deliver those eight talks at our first pastors’ conference of the year, starting on 27th May!    

“The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3.  
Let me take you back to something we wrote in our Jan/Feb newsletter with regard to a proposed building project at the IBM base: “The next stage of development at Sanga is to build a 250-seat conference hall complete with a seminar room and a small library to aid visiting pastors in their studies. The site has been cleared and various test holes have been dug and the boys with the shovels are about to ‘break ground’, although the speed of progress will depend very much on what’s in the kitty from week to week!  If you’re looking for a project to support in 2015, believe in the ethos of IBM and want to contribute, then please consider giving to the conference centre project.” 

Well, three months on and someone has indeed done some considering, and blessed us with an extremely generous donation, totalling 60% of the budget!!  Needless to say that is a lot of bricks!  The team here has been super-encouraged and blown away by this gift, and we’re thankful to God for someone who wants to partner with us in this way, helping to invest in the lives of the Tanzanian pastors we work with.  And this gift means that as soon as the rains have stopped (hopefully this month) we’ll be able to welcome on site the shovellers, measurers, hod-carriers, and concrete mixers!  We’re looking forward to seeing those bricks slowly rising up from the African soil and becoming a centre where God’s Word can be faithfully taught. We’ll keep you posted! 

A toddler plays with electrical cables during a service at the ‘Shed Church‘

As well as dealing with day to day management issues at Sanga Ruth has also been busy on the speaking circuit during the past few weeks!  She spoke on Philippians ch. 1 recently at an AIM ladies’ retreat, and also at a ladies prayer breakfast on the issue of trust and suffering.  We’ve both been involved in helping to plan the AIM Tanzania conference scheduled for October, and I’ve had a couple of preaching appointments in two very contrasting churches; one in the “Shed Church” where the choir kicks up the dust and the chickens join in!  And the other in an old Anglican church that looks as though it’s been picked up from rural England and plonked down on the hillside of Morogoro! They say variety is the spice of life! 

The beach is alive with the sound of scurrying!

We had a short break on the coast in April and although it rained rather a lot, it was at least warm rain!  It being the rainy season meant that we almost had the place to ourselves, and the beach was bereft of people…… but certainly not of crabs!! Up and down the beach hundreds could be seen scurrying around, some of them daring to venture into the sea, only to be tossed back out again by the incoming surf!  Apart from the crab-watching we were able to put work aside for a few days, read a few books, wander up and down the secluded sands, and we even managed to brace the warmth of the Indian Ocean ….when the crabs weren’t looking! 

With regard to the next six weeks, you’ll see from the diary below that we’re on the road for much of them. The conference season kicks off in Moshi and then onwards to Dar nine days later, where months of prep becomes three days of teaching.  I am praying a line from the Believers Prayer in Acts 4:29: “Lord, enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness”. The results are indeed up to God but it would be awesome if Acts 4:31 could then also be applied: “The place where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly”!  To those who pray for us, thank you for your steadfast back-up and support, and to those who write or email, thank you for your encouragement – it’s good to hear from you.  Our next newsletter/blog update should be out in early July.   
      

Ruth finally finishes the course at the Morogoro Language School and graduates!

For your prayers:

• Praise God for the generous donation towards the conference centre building costs.
• As always, for safety on the roads as we travel hundreds of kilometres over the next few weeks.
• For Steve as he preaches in Swahili.
• For Ruth as she undergoes her annual medical check-up in June.

25th May:   Drive to Tanga – taking new missionaries to their assignment
26th:         Drive to Moshi, northern Tanzania for Pastors’ Conference
27-29th: Bible teaching – eight sessions on the role of the Holy Spirit
30th: Drive back to Morogoro
31st: Drive to Dar 
1st June:    Kurasini Management meeting in Dar – return Morogoro
9th:          Travel to Dar for Pastors’ Conference 
10-12th: Bible teaching – eight sessions on the role of the Holy Spirit
13th: Flight to Nairobi: annual medical check-up for Ruth 
17th: Flight to Dar 
18th: Travel to Morogoro
21st:   Preaching at the Shed Church in Dakawa!  
22nd:         Steve’s birthday!

Random Photos of the Month: 

A simple home-made toy.  Remote control cars can only be imagined.

Cutting from a local newspaper. 16p–64p hardly seems a killing in our economy!

Infant Dedication

This morning we would like to welcome the family and friends of Tim and Beth as they come to share in the service of infant dedication of their daughter, Eva. Please join us for tea/coffee after the service to celebrate this special occasion.

Nepal Earthquake – final opportunity to donate via CBC today

CBC will be sending money to the International Nepal Fellowship (with whom several in our congregation have links) for earthquake relief.

DONATIONS – If you would like  to donate, please put your donation in an envelope, marking it  ‘NEPAL’, and put it in the offering bag or the offering box on the table.

GIFT-AIDED DONATIONS – If you wish to gift-aid your donation, please use a gift-aid envelope (available on the table), filling in your details and writing ‘NEPAL’ as purpose of gift.

CHEQUES – should be written out to Corsham Baptist Church. Donations may be made this morning or this evening, after which the donations will be sent off.

Rudloe Congregation

Please note the new start time for the Rudloe congregation is 10am each Sunday morning.

Ladies’ Bible Study

The next ladies’ bible study will be held on Monday 8th June at 7.30pm at Priory Street. The study notes are on the table at the back. Please take one so you can prepare for the study. See Kathy or Anne if you need more information about these meetings.

The Lunch Club

The next seniors’ lunch club will be held this Tuesday at 12 noon. Please speak to Wendy or Michael if you would like to know more about these events.

Prayer for Gospel Expansion

We continue to meet in the hut on Saturday mornings at 8.30am for an hour and pray for the plant in Rudloe and further gospel expansion in and around Corsham. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Uganda Mission Trip

Eddie will be leading a team of nine people on a missions trip to Uganda from 15-22 June. Eddie will be speaking at the AIM central region conference and the rest of the team will be supporting the conference doing children’s work.

Our Missionaries – Steve and Ruth Lancaster

Copies of the latest Lancaster newsletter are on the table at the back. Please take one and keep up to date with their activities and ministry in Tanzania. Alternatively you can read their blog online … lancsintanz.blogspot.com.

…This week…

Monday: Mums’ bible study, 10am

Wednesday: Early morning prayer, 7.15am

Tuesday: Tuesday Lunch Club, 12 noon

Thursday: Mums ‘n Tots, 10am; Debt Advice Centre, 7.30pm

Friday: Debt Advice Centre, 9.30am

Saturday: Prayer for Gospel expansion in Corsham 8.30am

…Looking ahead…

20th May: Midweek service, 2pm

30th May: The Ark, 10am

31st May: Prayer service, 6pm

3rd June: Midweek service, 2pm

6th June: Craft Group

8th June: Ladies’ Bible Study, 7.30pm

10th June: Missions and Persecuted Church prayer meeting

17th June: Midweek service, 2pm

20th June: TLC summer party, 3pm

27th June: The Ark, 10am

28th June: Evening prayer service

1st July: Midweek service, 2pm

4th July: Craft group, 10am

8th July: Prayer for Missions & Persecuted Church, 7.30pm

Steve’s most recent visit was to two very different countries in Central Asia, both blessed with spectacular mountain scenery. After some difficulties with travel on past visits to this region, everything went very smoothly with all flights on time and travel to and from the airports and between cities working to plan.

The challenges faced by all of our workers there are renewing and keeping visas to allow them to stay, rising prosperity making many people more materialistic and less open to talk about spiritual issues, and suspicion of anything that isn’t Islam or the Russian Orthodox Church.

For our families there is the additional challenge of the children’s education. Away from the main cities with their international schools, the only realistic options are home-based education or the Russian-language schools with a strong emphasis on rote learning and heavy use of public shaming as a discipline method; shaming that extends to the parents of under-performing children

There were several seminars with both parents and older children on internet safety and positive internet use. In one town he taught a series on returning to the passport country to a group of senior children who will all be facing that experience soon to study at college or university. For almost all children growing up in another culture this “return” is one of the biggest challenges they face as it is much more like moving to a foreign country. He led other sessions during an education conference on living in restrictive societies, and including local Central Asian studies in the curriculum. Added to that were school visits and many discussions with parents and older students about their higher education study plans.

Many thanks to those who prayed while he was away.

Infant Dedication

This morning we would like to welcome the family and friends of Phil and Helen as they come to share in the service of infant dedication of their daughter, Lily Evelyn. Cake will be served with tea/coffee after the service to celebrate this special occasion.

Nepal Earthquake

CBC will be sending money to the International Nepal Fellowship (with whom several in our congregation have links) for earthquake relief.

DONATIONS If you would like to donate, please put your donation in an envelope, marking it ‘NEPAL’, and put it in the offering bag or the offering box on the table.

GIFT-AIDED DONATIONS If you wish to gift-aid your donation, please use a gift-aid envelope (available on the table), filling in your details and writing ‘NEPAL’ as purpose of gift.

CHEQUES should be written out to Corsham Baptist Church. Donations may be made either today or next Sunday 10^th May.

Midweek Service

The next midweek service will be held on Wednesday 6th May at 2pm. The text is Luke 11.1-13. The service will include Communion and Eric will be leading and preaching.

Prayer for missions and the persecuted church

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 6th May at CBC at 7.30 pm.  The country of the month is Yemen, and we will also pray for our own missionaries. All welcome – please see Gill for further information. Also, Steve would like to thank everyone who prayed for him while he was in Central Asia recently.

Our Missionaries – Steve and Ruth Lancaster

Copies of the latest Lancaster newsletter are on the table at the back. Please take one and keep up to date with their activities and ministry in Tanzania. Alternatively you can read their blog online … lancsintanz.blogspot.com.

Prayer Meeting Tonight

There will be a special prayer meeting tonight at Priory Street specifically to pray for the general election. This will take place in the back room after the evening service at 7.15pm. Alan will lead the meeting. All welcome.

…This week…

No mums’ bible study due to Monday Bank Holiday

Wednesday: Early morning prayer, 7.15am; Midweek service, 2pm; Prayer for Missions and the Persecuted Church, 7.30pm

Thursday: Mums ‘n Tots, 10am; Debt Advice Centre, 7.30pm

Friday: Debt Advice Centre, 9.30am

Saturday: Prayer for Gospel expansion in Corsham 8.30am

…Looking ahead…

10th May: Infant Dedication, 10.45am

12th May: The Lunch Club, 12 o’clock

20th May: Midweek service, 2pm

30th May: The Ark, 10am

31st May: Prayer service, 6pm

3rd June: Midweek service, 2pm

6th June: Craft Group

8th June: Ladies’ Bible Study, 7.30pm

10th June: Missions and Persecuted Church prayer meeting

17th June: Midweek service, 2pm

20th June: TLC summer party, 3pm

27th June: The Ark, 10am