Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
Ballymena
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 26 June, 2011
“Those that be planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 92:13)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM – Rev. M. McGeown
Administration of the Lord’s Supper
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 15
I. Dreadful Sufferings
II. Vicarious Sufferings
III. Efficacious Sufferings
Psalms: 122:1-9; 104:8-14; 22:15-22; 69:3-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM – Rev. M. McGeown
Applicatory
Feet Prepared by the Gospel of Peace
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20
Text: Ephesians 6:15
I. The Peace of the Gospel
II. The Prepared Feet
Psalms: 66:4-14; 104:15-21; 73:1-6, 16-20; 18:30-40
Contact Stephen Murray for CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services.
CPRC website: www.cprc.co.uk
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quote to Consider:
William Gurnall: “And what the shoe is to the foot, that ‘preparation,’ or, if you please, a readiness and alacrity, is to the will. The man whose feet are well shod fears no ways, but goes through thick and thin, foul or fair, stones or straws; all are alike to him that is well shod; while the barefooted man, or slenderly shoed, shrinks when he feels the wet, and shrieks when he lights on a sharp stone. Thus, when the will and heart of a man is prompt, and ready to do any work, the man is, as it were, shod and armed against all trouble and difficulty which he is to go over in the doing of it. They say the Irish tread so light on the ground that they will run over some bogs wherein any other almost would stick or sink. A prepared ready heart, I am sure, will do this in a spiritual sense. None can walk where he can run. He makes nothing of afflictions, yea persecutions, but goes singing over them” (The Christian in Complete Armour).
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
We welcome Becky & Emily Feenstra and Breanna Meelker from Hope PRC in Redlands, California, to our worship services today. We also welcome Rev. McGeown who will be preaching for us and administering the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper this morning. Rev. Stewart is preaching for the LRF.
On the back table today are missionary letters from Pittsburgh and the Philippines. A new Protestant Reformed Theological Journal is also available as is a new pamphlet “For Whom Did Christ Die?“
After a week of self-examination, confessing members in good standing are called to partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. Your participation in the Lord’s Supper is in part a witness that you repent of your sins, believe that Jesus Christ is your righteousness and desire to live a new and godly life. As this heavenly food can be taken to one’s judgment (I Cor. 11:28-30) and as the common reception of this food is a confession of doctrinal unity (Acts 2:42), the elders supervise the partaking of the sacrament. Visitors from other denominations must request permission from the Council.
The baptism of Rebekah Halliday will take place next Lord’s Day morning.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) will be “Keeping The Lord’s Day Holy” (Hebrews 10:24-25) by Rev. Haak.
The Council will meet on Monday, 4 July, at 7 PM at the church.
Men’s Fellowship will meet on Saturday, 9 July, at 8 PM at the Kennedys to study Daniel 4.
Offerings: General Fund – £450.20. Donations: £50 (CR News), £5 (books), £72 (Lurgan lecture). Gift Aid: £4,223.72.
PRC News: Prof. Engelsma declined the call to Redlands. Edgerton PRC called Rev. den Hartog. The PR Seminary has licensed Erik Guichelaar to speak a word of edification.
Encouraging Quotes:
“I do hope all the members of the church there have known the Lord’s enabling … Please pay my Standard Bearer subscription … I still very much need to listen to the tapes and read the CR News and the Standard Bearer. They are all amazingly relevant to what I find at the church here. The heresies that creep in in the USA seem to invariably come here too. The Lord bless and keep you and all the church members.” – Yorkshire, England
“Thank you for your help indeed. I started watching your sermons. What a great thing!” – Hungary
“I am pleased to include below the translation of your article ‘The Gift of Faith’ and pray it might be a blessing for some Ukrainian speakers. We continue to listen to your ministry and are about to begin your series on Ruth. We find your sermons a great sound teaching helping our spiritual growth. Thank you and God bless.” – England
“I listened this Lord’s Day morning to ‘Man’s Loss of God’s Image.’ I learned so much and am quite thrilled about that. I take notes on my computer when I listen; so you are on half of my computer screen and my word document on the other half. It is amazing that the Lord’s Day sermon is there the same day that you preach it.” – Washington, USA
“Enclosed please find a cheque to purchase ‘The Parables of Christ’s Last Week’ in a DVD box set. The balance of the cheque is to help pay postage for the CR News which I receive and enjoy. Many thanks.” – Co. Antrim
“Just a note to say ‘thank you’ for continuing to send me regular issues of the CR News and keeping me in touch with other events. As you know I receive the Standard Bearer and am a member of the RFPA Book Club, so I am kept aware of recent publications, which I find so helpful.” – South Wales
“Your church’s regular forwarding of good, wholesome, Christian resources and, in particular, the sermon DVDs are meaning so very much to us just now.” – Australia
“Could you please send me a copy of A Study in Eschatology by Jason Kortering and a copy of A Power of God Unto Salvation or Grace No Offer by Herman Hoeksema. I have been blessed by your preaching and your kindness in all the pamphlets that you have sent me.” – Co. Antrim
“I have been following your channel on YouTube for a few months now, and I have become very interested in learning more about Calvinism and the Reformed church. I certainly know that Christ is my Lord and Saviour, but hearing you and others speak on Calvinism has opened my eyes further. I am seeking the truth above all and I think you present very clear points …” – Missouri, USA
“The lecture [by Rev. McGeown] was very helpful and well prepared and organised, as usual. Though many things we have already known, but it is always profitable to listen to such important issues in a condensed and well summarised lecture. I wish in Korea we would have such gifted, devoted ministers who would work hard to bring solid, good, biblical teachings to the flock in the churches. Good, biblical, solid sound doctrinal teachings are so much in want and missing, I think. Thank you for the DVDs and CDs and leaflets you have brought to Wales. I try to read those various issues and enjoy learning and studying them … I am grateful that the Lord gave such precious opportunities to learn more solid doctrines in the UK.” – South Wales
“I just watched your debate with Pastor Timothy Ramsay on YouTube. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to debate an Arminian on TV when the host of the show was the one who is attacking and disrespecting you. I thank God for men like yourself who use nothing but the Bible to prove the doctrine of grace and who are not afraid to expose false doctrine on TV.” – California, USA
“Please find enclosed a cheque for the book Bound to Join. Having read the critique/review [of Prof. Engelsma’s Bound to Join] by Rev. Stewart in the latest Protestant Reformed Theological Journal, I’m intrigued and ‘bound to read.’” – Co. Antrim
“Thanks for the notice the volume 2 of the Belgic Confession Class is now available. Listening to volume 1 has been a great blessing and a challenge. I didn’t realize the implications and extent of the true nature of the Anabaptist constituency, its history and present manifestations … Now I am beginning to understand the insidious nature of all that comes under the umbrella of so much evangelical/fundamentalist/charismatic/social gospel/liberalism; and how diametrically opposed all this is to the Reformed faith, the Holy Scriptures, and the Confessions; and just how key the Confessions are in the fight against the falsehood of man-centred religion … I would also like a copy of The Sixteenth Century Reformation of the Church and Prof Hanko’s Portraits of Faithful Saints. Having read the recent RFPA Update, is Prof Hanko’s commentary on Galatians out yet?” – Wolverhampton, England
