Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 27 October, 2013
“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious,
longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
The Man of Sin (9)
The Man of Sin’s Deceptive Powers [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I John 2
Text: II Thessalonians 2:10
I. In Various Passages
II. As a Warning to Us
Psalms: 100:1-5; 50:1-6; 119:97-104; 52:1-7
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
The Body-Communion of the Saints [youtube]
Scripture Reading: I Corinthians 12
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 21
I. Oneself
II. Others
Psalms: 99:1-7; 50:7-12; 34:8-16; 16:1-7
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
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
The new Standard Bearers are on the back table for subscribers. The October Covenant Reformed News and a new pamphlet by Prof. Engelsma entitled “The Coming of the Kingdom: Christianizing the World?” are also available, as are daily devotionals for November.
The bookstore now has in stock Herman Hoeksema’s new devotional, All Glory to the Only Good God. It is available for £15.
Monday Catechism:
Bradley, Samuel (Beginners NT) – 5:30PM
Alex, Nathan (Juniors OT) – 6:15PM
Jacob, Joseph (Seniors OT) – 7:00PM
Timothy (Essentials of Reformed Doctrine) – 7:45PM
Tuesday Bible study meets at 11 AM to study Christ’s arguments regarding the sabbath based on His own identity.
Belgic Confession Class (audios added weekly to the website) meets this Wednesday at 7:45 PM to continue with article 21b, on the extent of Christ’s atonement.
Ballymena Lecture: Rev. Stewart will give a lecture on “War and Peace in the Heidelberg Catechism” this Friday, at 7:30 PM here at the CPRC. Flyers are on the back table. Take some and pass them on to friends and neighbours. Any help with the tea after the lecture would be greatly appreciated.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s Day (Gospel 846MW at 8:30 AM) is entitled “The Omnipotent and Omniscient God” (Isa. 40:12-14).
S. Wales Lecture: Rev. Stewart will speak on “Original Sin” on Thursday, 7 November, 7:15 PM, at a new venue, the Round Chapel, Margam, Port Talbot.
Offerings: General Fund (13 Oct.) – £633.71, (20 Oct.) – £552.73.
Website Addition: 1 Hiligaynon (Rev. Houck’s pamphlet, “Knowing the True God”), 1 Portuguese (e-book of Prof. Hanko’s book, Portrait of Faithful Saints) and 2 Afrikaans translations.
Many of the PRC saints—too many to name them individually—whom Rev. & Mary Stewart met in Grand Rapids last week, pass on their greetings. Be assured of their continued prayers for us as a congregation.
PRC News: Doon PRC will call from a trio consisting of Revs. Koole (Grandville), W. Langerak (Southeast, GR), and Marcus (Edmonton, AB). The organizational meeting for the Classis of the PRC of the Philippines is planned for this Thursday. The churches forming this new classis are the Berean Protestant Reformed Church (Cubao, Metro Manila, Rev. Vernon Ibe) and the First Reformed Church of Bulacan (Muzon, Bulacan, Rev. John Flores). The meeting will include signing ceremonies, a meditation from Scripture, singing, prayer of thanksgiving and a group photo, as well as an opportunity to hear greetings and thanksgiving to God from other churches (including one from the CPRC and LRF).
Introduction to the
HEIDELBERG CATECHISM
The Heidelberg Catechism, the second of our Three Forms of Unity, received its name from the place of its origin, Heidelberg, the capital of the German Electorate of the Palatinate. There, in order that the Reformed faith might be maintained in his domain, Elector Frederick III commissioned Zacharias Ursinus, professor at Heidelberg University, and Caspar Olevianus, the court preacher, to prepare a manual for catechetical instruction. Out of this initiative came the Catechism, which was approved by the Elector himself and by the Synod of Heidelberg and first published in 1563. With its comfort motif and its warm, personal style, the Catechism soon won the love of the people of God, as is evident from the fact that more editions of the Catechism had to be printed that same year. While the first edition had 128 questions and answers, in the second and third editions, at the behest of the Elector, the eightieth question and answer, which refers to the popish mass as an accursed idolatry, was added. In the third edition the 129 questions and answers were divided into 52 Lord’s Days with a view to the Catechism’s being explained in one of the services on the Lord’s Day. That salutary practice is still maintained today, in harmony with the prescription of the Church Order of Dordrecht. In the Netherlands the Heidelberg Catechism was translated into the Dutch language as early as 1566, and it soon became widely loved and used in the churches there. It was adopted by several national synods during the later sixteenth century, and finally included by the Synod of Dordrecht, 1618-1619, among our three forms of unity, a place which it has to this day.
450th Anniversary of Reformation Catechism
This year is the 450th anniversary of the Heidelberg Catechism, probably the most beloved and used catechism of the Reformation. Written in the lovely city of Heidelberg in Germany, its warm personal tone is encapsulated in its opening words: “What is thy only comfort in life and death? That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Appropriately, this year’s annual Reformation Day Lecture in the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church (CPRC) is “War and Peace in the Heidelberg Catechism,” explaining the battle for the faith both before and in the Heidelberg Catechism and the peace of the gospel that it proclaims. Rev. Angus Stewart’s speech will be accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation. All are welcome to come to this special Reformation Day event at 7:30 PM this Friday (1 November) in the Covenant Protestant Reformed Church, 83 Clarence Street (off the Cullybackey Road), Ballymena. Free copies of the Heidelberg Catechism will be available, along with books, pamphlets, DVDs and CDs, etc., plus light refreshments.
The speech will also be broadcast live in video on the internet through the CPRC’s new live webcasting (www.cprf.co.uk/live.html).
Live Webcasting at Covenant!
The Covenant Protestant Reformed Church (CPRC) is now broadcasting both their Sunday services live on the internet each week. The church in Clarence Street, Ballymena, has recently been connected to the fibre optic broadband network, so that anyone with a computer and good internet access should be able to watch, live and for free, both Sunday morning and evening services, as well as special lectures. This should be of special help to those sick or housebound on the Lord’s Day.
This Sunday, Rev. Angus Stewart will preach at the CPRC on “The Man of Sin’s Deceptive Powers (II Thess. 2:10-12), as part of a series on the Antichrist, and “The Communion of the Saints.” Simply turn on your computer and go to the CPRC website (https://cprc.co.uk/live-streaming/) to watch the services at 11am and 6pm. This should prove a welcome addition to the (over 1,500) videos on the CPRC’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/cprcni) which were put on-line after the meeting, since now, for the first time, people can watch and participate in the services live.
