Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 21 December, 2025
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Man’s Loss of God’s Image [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 3
I. The Meaning of God’s Image
II. The Loss of God’s Image
III. The Restoration of God’s Image
Psalms: 86:9-14; 6:1-10; 14:1-7; 51:4-10
Evening Service – 6:00 PM – Preparatory
The Greatest Song Ever (11)
Christ, Our Cluster of Henna [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Song of Solomon 1
Text: Song of Solomon 1:14
I. Richly Attractive
II. Supremely Refreshing
III. Personally Cherished
Psalms: 63:1-8; 7:1-6; 27:4-5, 7-8; 45:1-2, 6-8 (AOS)
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.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider
H. B. Tristram: “[Henna] is a small shrub, eight or ten feet high, with dark bark, pale green foliage, and clusters of white and yellow blossoms of a powerful fragrance. Not only is the perfume of the flower highly prized, but a paste is made of the dried and pounded leaves, which is used by the women of all ranks and the men of the wealthier classes to dye the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the nails” (The Natural History of the Bible, p. 339).
George Burrowes on Song of Solomon 1:14: “‘The dark colour of its [i.e., henna’s] bark, the light green of its foliage, the softened mixture of white and yellow, with which the flowers, collected into long clusters like the lilac, are coloured; the red tint of the ramifications which support them, form a combination the effect of which is highly agreeable. The flowers whose shades are so delicate, diffuse around the most grateful odours, and embalm with their strong fragrance the gardens in which they grow, and the apartments which they adorn. The women take pleasure in decking their persons and apartments with these delightful blossoms.’ The best of these flowers grew in Engedi, a part of the fertile plain of Jericho, abounding not only in vineyards, but also in gardens for aromatic shrubs, in the gums and balsams of which the Jews carried on a traffic.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
On the back table are copies of a new Covenant Reformed News with articles on “the body of Moses” in Jude 9 and Christ’s soon coming.
This evening will be a preparatory service with the view to partaking of the Lord’s Supper next Lord’s day morning, 28 December.
Ivan Reid remains in Antrim Hospital (C4) but hopes to return home this week. Please continue to keep Ivan and Lily in your prayers.
Monday night catechism classes:
5:00 PM: Felicity & Sophie (Juniors NT)
5:45 PM: Grace, Jonas, Liam & Sammy (Beginners NT)
6:30 PM: Eleanora, Hannah, Jorja, Penelope & Xander (Seniors NT)
7:15 PM: Jason, Maisie & Sebastian (Heidelberg Catechism)
8:00 PM: Abbie, Jack, Josh, Samuel & Taylor (Essentials)
Tuesday Bible study will meet this week at 11 AM to continue our study of Iconium in Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 14:1ff.).
The Belgic Confession class on Wednesday will not meet this week (24 December) or next week (31 December) but will resume on 7 January.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Mahtani is entitled “The Shepherds’ Joyful Response” (Luke 2:15-20).
Rev. J. Engelsma will give a lecture on “Biblical Masculinity” on Wednesday, 14 January, at 7:30 PM in the CPRC.
5-a-side football has been arranged for Thursday, 15 January from 9-10 PM at the Sports Hut for men and boys high-school age and older.
The congregational dinner is set for Friday, 16 January, at 7 PM at Dunsilly Hotel in Antrim. Sign-up sheets are on the back table.
Offerings: £1,229.80. Donations: £20 (England), £80 (Rep. of Ireland), £250 (New Jersey, USA).
Translation Additions: 4 Bengali, 2 Hungarian, 5 Indonesian, 2 Polish, 1 Russian and 2 Urdu.
Encouraging Quotes
“Thank you for that Hoeksema pamphlet, ‘The Mark of the Beast,’ that is very good. I printed that out for future reference. [My church] unfortunately seems to tolerate all kinds of things and viewpoints within the church … What we tolerate as a church, don’t be surprised when your kids go and take that as the green light to leave the Reformed faith because we want to renounce any difference in doctrine as not serious heresy, but a mere difference of opinion. I have some catching up to do on the Belgic Confession classes but just know what a blessing those articles and talks are on the CPRC website … The website is a bright light in a very dark, increasingly ignorant world.” – New Jersey, USA
“Thank you so much for I Believe by Herman Hoeksema and for the extra material sent with the book I ordered. All arrived safely. My wife and I have been much blessed by watching the CPRC ministry on YouTube.” – Cornwall
“Thank you [for the Covenant Reformed News in Hungarian]. These are all very important doctrines, helping me to understand God’s revelation more deeply.” – Hungary
“Translating Union With Christ is indeed very rewarding. It is humbling and yet of so much consolation.” – Indonesia
“Just to let you know that the parcels arrived safely yesterday morning. I just wanted to say thank you for providing the copies of the CR News and the magazines … My mother-in-law, who has professed the Christian faith for many years, was blessed to read Herman Hoeksema’s Reformed Dogmatics and Behold He Cometh. She has particularly found the latter very edifying in recent times and has revisited it often. She also purchased Hoeksema’s commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism from your bookstore last year. She recently gave Believing and Confessing and Prof. Engelsma’s commentary on the Belgic Confession to us. She also has copies of both herself and we are very much enjoying reading these as a family.” – W. Yorkshire
“My wife and I have been listening to one or two CPRC sermons per day. I wish we had started this a few years back. They are very good. Thank you.” – South Carolina
“Listening to the CPRC sermons regularly and finding them very edifying.” – Co. Antrim
“I am very thankful to God for all the News, sermons and articles you so faithfully share with fellow believers from other countries. They are such a blessing to me. I particularly have come to understand how important the regulative principle is to our walk of faith. I am deeply saddened to see how many churches are not following God’s Word but doing what seems okay by the majority … I also enjoy listening to the Reformed Witness Hour sermons. What a blessing they are also. I pray that God will continue to bless your ministry to His eternal praise and glory.” – Australia
“Go Into All the World by Daniel Holstege is proving to be a wonderful book. The questions after each chapter provoke further study and deeper consideration. The book is very gripping and carries a freshness on doing evangelism biblically. This is the best book I’ve read on missions. God willing in the future I can buy further copies.” – Lincolnshire
“I really enjoy the articles which we can read in our language (Portuguese).” – Brazil
“Many thanks for the receipt of the Sovereignty of God by Arthur W. Pink, received this very day, together with the kind inclusion of your note and several booklets. I do appreciate the very personal touch and shall endeavour to read and meditate on the content of the literature you sent.” – Wales
“I am so grateful for the systematic Reformed theological material [in the Belgic Confession audio classes].” – Nigeria
“Please send me one copy of Contending for the Faith by Herman Hanko. I still need three further copies to be sent out, but I will give you this order in December in time for Christmas. What an amazing book! On more than one occasion you would have found me reading at around three and four o’clock AM!!!” – London
“I am writing to let you know that we have completed the Kinyarwanda translation of the pamphlet ‘Christian Education’ by Rev. Ron Hanko. Please find the translated version attached in PDF format. We truly appreciate the faithful biblical teaching shared through your resources. We believe this material will serve as a great blessing to Kinyarwanda-speaking Christians, especially in helping promote biblical understanding of Christian education. There are other articles from your website that we are currently translating into Kinyarwanda as well.” – Rwanda
