Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 28 December, 2014
“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done
whatsoever he hath pleased” (Psalm 115:3)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Forgiveness of Debts [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:23-35
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 51
I. The Debts
II. The Debtors
III. The Forgiveness
Psalms: 100:1-5; 89:44-48; 143:1-7a; 51:1-7
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Numbering Our Days [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Psalm 90
Text: Psalm 90:12
I. The Numbering
II. The Purpose
III. The Prayer
Psalms: 92:1-8; 89:49-52; 91:1-6; 90:10-14
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: https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider
Thomas Watson: “Earthly things are no signs of God’s love: he may give the venison, but not the blessing; but when he seals up forgiveness, he gives his love and heaven with it” (The Lord’s Prayer, p. 224).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
Standard Bearers are available on the back table. The new RFPA book, Just Dad: Stories of Herman Hoeksema, is available for book club members.
Bible reading programmes for 2015 are on the back table. May God’s Word be a lamp unto our feet and a light upon our path in the new year.
Our sister, Annemie Godbehere, in Bergerac, France, went to be with the Lord on Friday, 26 December. Annemie was a BRF member and an attendee at 4-5 BRF conferences. A condolence card to her husband, Robert, is on the table.
Monday Catechism: There will be no catechism tomorrow, 29 December. Classes will resume on Monday, 5 January.
The Tuesday Bible study meets at 11 AM to study “The Kingdom of God and Old Testament Prophecy.”
The Belgic Confession Class will not meet this week but will resume next Wednesday.
All are invited to the manse on New Year’s Eve for games and fellowship at 7:30 PM or any time thereafter. Please let the Stewarts know if you plan to come.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. Bruinsma is entitled “Watching for Christ’s Return” (Matt. 25:1-13).
The church visitors, Prof. Gritters and Dave Kregel, and their wives, Lori and Mary, arrive on Thursday, 8 January. A tentative schedule is on the back table with available time slots for those who would like to have them over for dinner.
The congregational dinner is set for Friday, 9 January, at the Ramble Inn (on the dual-carriageway between Antrim and Ballymena). A sign-up sheet is on the back table, but we have not received the information for the children’s meals yet.
Offerings: General Fund – £708.
Website Additions: 3 Spanish and 6 Indonesian translations.
PRC News: Rev. Van Overloop declined the calls to First PRC and Peace PRC. Rev. W. Langerak received the call to be second missionary to the Philippines.
Dear Congregation, Once again we come to the end of another year and we thank you for your support, words of encouragement and prayers for us throughout these past months. We have spent much time studying the doctrine of sanctification at this summer’s BRF conference and in Bible study, and we pray that the Lord will use this to spur on each one of us to live holy lives in the year ahead. May we continue to encourage one another to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. In Christ’s love, Rev. & Mary Stewart
Encouraging Quotes:
“Thank you very much for letting me have copies of various publications distributed by the CPRC. I look forward to listening every Sunday morning at 8:30 to Rev. Haak on Radio North … I watched the excellent sermon [on ‘Thy Kingdom Come’] you preached in Ballymena last Sunday morning.” – Co. Antrim
“The book entitled 1834: Hendrick de Cock’s Return to the True Church was reviewed in The English Churchman newspaper, which I receive. Thinking you would be likely to stock it, well … hence the enclosed order and cheque. I am slowly working my way through the Standard Bearers—good, solid reading! Good for my faith also!” – England
“I got the literature you sent me … Thank you very much in the name of Jesus Christ. The church also thanks you for what they received. It gives them courage to continue with learning.” – Kenya
“Will you please e-mail the Covenant Reformed News to me? I live in Ohio and I have been listening to PRCA sermons and I receive the Standard Bearer by mail. Thank you very much!” – Ohio, USA
“I am finding the sermons on Christian love from I Corinthians 13 very helpful. I need to listen to it often.” – Scotland
“Do you have any more of that great booklet you put out some time ago on ‘For Whom Did Christ Die?’ I have given out all the others I had here. I am still waiting for feedback from Christians to whom I gave the booklets …”- Hants., England
“I read your excellent review of David Engelsma’s book, Federal Vision: Heresy at the Root. I have this book and you’re right. He destroys it at the root … I wish to thank you for your confirmation of my recent learning that the FV is false theology and for the great work that you are doing for the Lord in your excellent and beautiful country.” – California, USA
“I am very pleased to share with you how much I like your posts [on Facebook], which are a real blessing to me and a great help to go deeper in the Word of God. Please can you send me the CD box set [of the Belgic Confession class] on ‘Definitive Sanctification and Its Anthropology’?” – Mauritius
“Thank you so much for sending me the ‘Be Ye Holy’ set of DVDs, and for all the other pamphlets and information … Six years ago, the Lord led me into a Reformed church after 25 years of being a very anxious Christian, unsure of my ongoing salvation. The Bible was opened up to me in a completely new way, as I had been in Arminian churches before. For the first time, justification was explained in great detail to me instead of just being glossed over, and I am a different person now, because of the sound, biblical teaching I now receive. It is wonderful to go to your on-line pamphlet library. I am hoping to read many of your pamphlets. Could I order ‘Rest for God’s People’ box set of DVDs and ‘Peace, Contentment and Joy’ DVDs? Thank you very much.” – England
“I am in the United States and just found your website. Thank you for doing it. It is a tremendously valuable resource.” – USA
“I happened to tune my radio in one Sunday morning to the service on Radio North just before I went on holiday for two weeks … Could you please send me the printed message of it? I do appreciate Reformed teaching.” – Co. Antrim
“Thank you for Ye Are My Witnesses which I received on Saturday. I am digging into it with ever growing appreciation for what the BRF is doing to testify of His truth in the Reformed churches and beyond. Attached is a translation of ‘The Voice Crying in the Wilderness (1).’” –South Africa
“I love your series on the Belgic Confession. Also listened to several of your sermons and have been blessed.” – Alabama, USA
“Thank you for your letter with my last order and also your Lord’s Day bulletin … I am being greatly helped by Communion With God by Herman Hoeksema … We are nearing the end of another year when the Lord, through you, has greatly blessed and upheld me through the CDs and literature. Thank you so much for your ministry to all of us that are ‘on our own,’ humanly speaking. The example of Gottschalk’s never weakening despite floggings and imprisonment has been a great encouragement to me.” – Yorkshire, England
“Once more we come to the end of another year and I take this opportunity to thank you for the DVDs obtainable from you. I would be lost without them. I remember in prayer the work in Ballymena and pray that the Lord will strengthen you for the task. Please accept this gift towards the work and use it as you see fit. Every blessing in the coming year.” – Scotland
