December 2018 INSIDE THIS EDITION Welcome to the Christmas Edition of Our Pages 3-4 Church Magazine
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December 2018 INSIDE THIS EDITION Welcome to the Christmas edition of our Pages 3-4 church magazine. A reason to be Joyful Over the past weeks I Page 5 have been impressed by Remembrance Day the skill and dedication of Pages 6-7 those who work in the medical profession. Wellington Women Having witnessed the Pages 8-9 workings of an Emergency Stephanie - our Intern Department, a Fractures Clinic, X-ray Departments, Pages 10-11 a Day Surgery Unit, an 10 Years On Operating Theatre (I don’t Pages 12-13 remember a lot about it!) and finally a Wrist Clinic. I Clare Crabbe, GB was overwhelmed by the Captain concern, care and Page 14 attention I received. These workers spend long hours, Rachelle in Whitehouse meeting patients with Page 15 conditions that range Illuminate from fairly minor to those that are life changing and Page 16 life threatening. But they Visit family in Cairns always manage to act Page 17 professionally, treating everyone with respect, Christianity Explored dignity and even a degree Pages 18-19 of sympathy. Spark 2018 As I considered the dedication each had Page 20 shown to their chosen The Well Awards profession and then Page 21 started, rather painfully at times, to put together this Harvest & Children’s Please plan to join us for our Christmas magazine I was struck by Day photos Services. Why not invite someone you the dedication and Pages 21-23 devotion of so many of Serving God know who may not be a regular church our members in Wellington as they serve Page 24 attender and bring them along with you? God. People who put SMMR Fest Jesus first in their lives Page 25 and themselves second. I believe you will be Recipe Church website challenged as you read Pages 26-27 www.wellingtonpc.co.uk these pages and I wonder The Net will you consider where Pages 28-29 Jesus is in your life. Nigel Get the message on-line at Whann on page 23 says, Lindsay in Malawi ’The challenge each of us Pages 30-32 www.wellingtonpc.co.uk should consider is are we content to be merely South Africa Team iTunes podcast - search for consumers or are we Page 33 ‘Wellington Presbyterian Church’ willing to step forward IJM Coffee/Book and help’. Launch Want a DVD or CD of Are you a consumer or a Pages 34-35 helper?? a SERVICE? May the peace and joy of GB/BB Enrolments Christmas live in your Page 36 - contact the church weekdays heart all year long. Book Review/Net between 10am and 12 noon Mervyn Orr, Editor photos telephone: 2564 7185 Page 37 - ask your District Elder New Communicants - ask a member of the Page 38 Ministry Team BB DoE Awards Pages 38-39 Thanks to David Milligan for the photo on the front cover Baptisms Page 40 Wellington Presbyterian Church is registered with the Marriages Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Charity No. 105536 [email protected] Wellington Presbyterian Church 28 Sourhill Road Ballymena BT42 2NB Tel: 028 2564 7185 2 Wellington Record A Reason to be Joyful Rev Alistair Bates I hope you look forward to few days off work and children bear it. At such a tender age she Christmas? I know I do. As I write daydreaming of a white Christmas was not entirely ready for it but by this article Halloween is just over countdowns begin. the grace of God would grow into and already the shops are it. sparkling with Christmas A daily treat of a chocolate merchandise. Soon, late night extracted from our advent The journey to Bethlehem was shopping will welcome throngs of calendar reminds us that only a not by the comfort of first class prospective customers each will few days remain to the most carriage and no options on the part with well-earned cash with anticipated celebration of all, that Internet to avail of luxury the hoping of finding a suitable Christmas has come. Yet, unless accommodation. Donkey travel is bargain. sufficiently reminded, the buzz, somewhat uncomfortable at the inherited expectations and best of times, but negotiating it Music will filter through the air preparation rituals can do little to when heavily pregnant, might be not as white noise to be ignored, adequately prepare us for the considered unadvisable. I am sure like our domestic washing arrival of our Messiah. the prospective of appropriate machines. Rather, the familiar travel insurance had been negated tones of Christmas hits and carols The stark reality of Mary and by the terms and conditions will reassure us that the season Joseph’s preparation are a long appended to the policy. has arrived. Of course, those living way from our contemporary in Ballymena will tune their ears to equivalents. Their journey was If only they could have booked our local pride, Radio Cracker. A altogether more difficult and in advance their stay would have long established tradition in certainly more life changing than been altogether more Ballymena, where charity giving our own. comfortable. A stable is a long way and Christmas cheer combine, to from a deluxe or even standard remind us of the real reason for It began with an unexpected room. In our contemporary the season. revelation. Essentially just getting equivalent, just tick the box and on with their lives they were not only will we receive the Behind closed doors in the making entirely different customary towels and toiletries, evening tinder sticks are preparations. As a couple they but breakfast and evening meal strategically placed over were preparing for their forth- could be thrown in for good firelighters. With the evening meal coming marriage and probably, measure. appropriately digested we nestle like everyone else, had dreams of a in soft seats and are comforted by nice, ordinary life. Yet, God’s plans A stable rather than a delivery the warm glow of wood-burner or for them were different. Chosen by suite, a husband rather than a open fire. Twinkling in the God she would bear His only midwife was Mary’s only option, background fairly lights dance to begotten Son. She did not invite and poor Joseph, he knew nothing tune of our expectations that God to consider her for this role. It about birthing plans or pre-natal Christmas will be a time of fun, was given to her by God, classes. All things considered this relaxation and appropriate presumably because He knew she is hardly the best preparation for celebration. With the prospect of a had the tenacity and courage to the birth of our Messiah. December 2018 3 Added to the discomfort and or quilt. Rather, faced with the begin before anyone else next uncertainty, Mary and Joseph are blessings of the Messiah, we year. oblivious to the political attention should celebrate with immense and associated risk that such a gratitude that they showed No chart hit, log fire, or string birth will attract. Herod was not tenacity in the face of significant of Christmas lights can compare the kindest Monarch that had ever pressure. with the songs of angels and the reigned. Not even the courtesy of light of the world. The birth of the a congratulations card. He sent his On that first Christmas morning, Messiah borne into humble own death squad to neutralize the the greatest of all children was surroundings coupled to the threat of this little contender. Not borne – the Son of God. There was courage and tenacity of his first only was Jesus at risk but his and never can be another child like parents is a reminder that not only earthly parents too. So much so, him. The one who was fully divine did God believe this was a that the donkey transport they had had added to his essential nature message worth hearing, but so did arrived on would need to find a perfect manhood. God had truly they. Now all those years later we few extra gears on their departure. become a man. The mystery and have an opportunity to tell it too. wonder of this should dazzle us That all those years ago it was As I reflect upon my until He comes again and then we declared in Luke 2 v 11, preparations for Christmas they will be able to celebrate it properly seem a world apart from those of without the distractions of this “For unto you is born this day Jesus’ parents. Mary and Joseph’s earthly life. Let us begin our in the city of David a Saviour, travail under pressure should not celebrations early this year, or at which is Christ the Lord.” lead us to inappropriate sadness least make a concerted effort to Maud’s 109th Birthday On 3 July this year our oldest member reached the amazing age of 109! Maud Nicholl, who still lives in her own house, was born on 3 July 1909, some 5 years before the start of the First World War. Maud is pictured holding the 10th card she has received from the queen. Among those who visited Maud on her birthday were the Rt Rev Dr Charles McMullen, Moderator of the General Assembly, and Rev Alistair Bates. Congratulations Maud! 4 Wellington Record Remembrance Sunday 11 November 2018 Wreaths of Remembrance were laid in the church during the Remembrance Service. Daniel Hickey laid the wreath on behalf of the GB and BB accompanied by GB members Sarah and Aileen Macfarlane, and Constable Geoff Semple on behalf of the PSNI. Members of the Anchor Boys made poppies and created a special banner denoting the Centenary of the 1918 Armistice that brought the First World War to an end.