As the Church of Scotland in Bellshill we extend a warm welcome to any of our activities. People have been coming to this building to worship God for over a hundred years. While our town has journeyed through many changes over those years, the constancy of the witness of the “Church at 346 Main Street” has remained uninterrupted. The mission of any Church is to reflect through its presence, its music, its fellowship and its beauty the greatness of God, and we seek to do that here in all that we share.
We hope that everyone who enters these doors will find an encouraging, friendly group of people. While we are far from perfect, we are regularly discovering truths that are changing us individually and enriching our lives as a church community. As we worship together, learn from the Bible, and pray for one another, we are strengthened in our commitment to Jesus Christ as well as to each other. If this is your first time here, we welcome you, and invite you to share the joy that we have found.
Welcome to another Virtual Church with the Maestro!
You are welcome to our time together of hymns and songs. This weeks episode features some more requests from our Friday Night Family!
Say hello 👋👋 in the live chat!
This is Episode 97 in the organist entertains series which yet again proves to be a super edition of your hymns and requests, and the words appear on the screen.
Most of the hymns are sourced from CH4/ CMP and here is an online link to the hymnal https://hymnary.org if you want to look up the hymns.
All songs and hymns are published using our various CCLI licences which are: Church Copyright Licence 876673; Music Reproduction Licence 876680 Church Video Licence 2258718; PPL Church Licence 1593113 CLA Church Licence 1002856; PRS for Music Church Licence 1448921 Streaming Licence 1638311
Please visit our website http://www.bellshillcentral.church for all we are doing online to spread the wonderful news of the Gospel in Bellshill and beyond
Due to holidays there is no Motherwell Times & Bellshill Speaker news this week, so please see below this week’s church family news.
Sunday worship this weekend (Sunday 24th July) is a joint service with Bellshill Central and Bellshill West Churches beginning at 11am at Bellshill Central Church.
Live stream will be via Bellshill Central Parish Church facebook page.
Rev Kevin leads our service, Cathie Bryden reads the lesson, Alan Mathew leads our Sung praise. There will be a short all Age address, and activities in the hall to keep wee ones amused!
Summer choir meets this Sunday morning at 9.45am. Please remember you Go now in peace sheet music. Practise files are in the choir WhatsApp group.
Sundays service includes the hymns
Come people of the risen King
I am the Church
How sweet the name
Lord the Light of your love
TEA AND COFFEE ARE SERVED AFTER THE SERVICE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER.
Things happening in the week from Central Church:
Monday evening prayer group resumes via Zoom on Monday 25th July. Remember you can get in touch with Kevin anytime if you need prayer.
Tuesday our Walking Group “Heart and Sole” meets at the church for some time together walking and talking. Tea is available at the end. Bring comfortable walking footwear and a jacket in case of some rain! We meet at 7pm.
If you are interested in learning some new worship songs please get in touch and we will arrange some singing sessions over the summer. Singing is good for you! It releases all sorts of good feelings and endorphins. It’s good for your breathing and a good way to meet new people. Contact organist@bellshillcentral.church if you’re interested.
The final joint summer service in July, with Bellshill Central and West Churches, is next weel at 11am. We look forward to worshipping together.
31st July Bellshill West Church (worship conducted by Rev Kevin de Beer)
Grateful thanks to our willing group of property folks, particularly Drew Aitken and Robert Jarvie, for the upgrading of the church vesty. This will make the space more use able and organised space.
Catch up with worship via Facebook or YouTube. Worship with us 24/7 you’re welcome in our midst.
You can also catch up with our Organist entertains series via YouTube. If you’d like something included contact organist@bellshillcentral.church
The 97th Epsiode of the Organist Entertains streams this Friday 22nd July at 8pm via the Church’s YouTube page and features many great and well-loved hymns and songs. Please tune in.
Sun shining on the Organ Pipes
If you need to speak with Rev de Beer you can contact him via the Manse 01698 841176 or email kdebeer@churchofscotland.org.uk
Bellshill Central is your Town Centre Church with a warm and welcoming Church Family waiting to say hello. Our Sunday School meets during morning worship so we look forward to welcoming families along to our time of worship
Orbiston Neighbourhood Centre Donations – The box will remain in the vestibule each week if you want to drop off non-perishable food stuffs for the Neighbourhood Centre.
When you shop using “AmazonSmile”, AMAZON will make a donation to Bellshill: Central Parish Church Of Scotland. Use this link to help us out while you shop. https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/SC012556
Opening sentences My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.
Call: Out of the depths I have cried to You. Response: O Lord, hear my voice. Call: With my whole heart I want to praise You. Response: O Lord, hear my voice. Call: If you, Lord, should mark iniquities: Response: Who could stand? who could stand?
I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word do I hope.
Expressions of faith Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day; and though I am poor, today I believe.
Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day; and though I am weak, today I believe.
Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day; and though of anxious heart, today I believe.
Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials; and now, tried as I am, today I believe.
Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day; and though it may be hidden, today I believe.
Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine; and though the night is here, today I believe.
Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe; and though you be silent now, today I believe.
Today’s Scripture Reading
Psalm 8:2-6 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honour. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,
Genesis 3:21-24 And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever’— therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.
Revelation 21:22-22:3a I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practises abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street
of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more.
Today’s Meditation
Be open to the night…
Pray with open hand, not with clenched fist…
Shapes loom out of the darkness, uncertain and unclear: but the hooded stranger on horseback emerging from the mist need not be assumed to be the bearer of ill…
The night is large and full of wonders…
Lord Dunsany
Prayers for others
Canticle In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
The Lord is my light, my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek; to dwell in the presence of my God, to gaze on Your holy place.
In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. O wait for the Lord! Have courage and wait, wait for the Lord.
In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.
Blessing See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children, and love one another. Follow the example of the wise and good and God will comfort you and help you, both in this world and in the world which is to come.
Father God open our eyes open our ears and open our mouths that we might worship You honestly. Lift our thoughts above the pressures of our everyday lives, that we might confess our hidden sorrows and our stolen joys, our hidden sins and our stolen intentions of grace.
We come before You with the sincere intent of seeking to worship You in spirit and in truth. Take from our hearts the stresses and strains that have shaped our attitudes and actions.
Help us see You in all Your glory and in doing so see the true image of who we are meant to be. Open the windows of our hearts to let the light of Your glory transform our vision of service in even the smallest of actions that will make life better for another. Teach us how to love You and in doing so discover we are loving our neighbour. Amen.
Prayer of gratitude
Our Gracious Heavenly Father in rare moments of insight we try to grasp the beauty and the expansive nature of Your love. No words can describe it no melody contain it no human being can explain it.
Yet we are surrounded by the emblems of Your love and grace – In the colours of the sky in the chaos of the storm in the song of the birds in the company of the animals You tell us all will be well.
In our moments of great fear when alone and anxious, You promise to shelter and protect us. Through days of struggle and heartache, joy and achievement, surrounded by the companionship of family and friends, You cover us with a blanket of compassion and kindness. The constancy of Your grace overwhelms us, the depth of Your love leaves us breathless. Standing at the cross we are transfixed – gazing, we are troubled torn and broken.
Here You don’t just try to fix us – You mend us. Your outstretched arms have enfolded us in a love we’ve never known. Your gaze has healed our troubled souls. Your love – the most incredible of all. Let Your love now live through us as we pray
Our Father … Amen
Psalm 82
God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgement: ‘How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’
They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I say, ‘You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.’
Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
Prayers for others
Let us pray for world peace – as we remember countries throughout the world where there is tension and unrest. Grant to our leaders the wisdom to make right decisions and to confront evil with good and in doing so may love cover a multitude of sins and allow justice and peace to blossom.
Hear our prayers today as we name those communities on our hearts today.
(silence)
Lord hear our prayers We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness.
Let us pray for members of the community who work and serve the common good. Sustain and strengthen all those who work tirelessly for the good of others. We pray especially with those who are part of the emergency services; doctors and nurses and all the support staff who work in the NHS; those in the Armed Forces; for police and those involved in the security of the realm. Give understanding and wisdom To teachers and administrators and all who work in our education system; all politicians and individuals who seek to serve.
Raise up in our land, O Lord, leaders and others who are willing to serve not for their own benefit but for the good of our communities and all those who are oppressed and forgotten.
Lord hear our prayers We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness.
We pray for family and friends. Lord bless and prosper our friends and families. Give to each of us the insight to know when to speak and when to be silent. To know when to offer help and when help is required without someone asking. Be close to those we know who are struggling with ill health and facing an uncertain future. Grant us the wisdom to know what to say and how to respond to their needs. Give perseverance to all those who are enduring difficult times, in frustrating relationships and challenging work places. Give strength to those who feel they are running out of options and feel unable to carry on. Inspire us with opportunities to carry out deeds of kindness, without us ever being rewarded, save knowing that what we do is to bring glory to Your name.
Lord hear our prayers We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness.
We pray for Your church. That she would be a place of true worship A shelter and refuge for all in need of Your grace. As we seek to reform and reshape, we pray for Your Spirit to guide and inspire the Church of Scotland at every level.
And we pray for Your Church here in Bellshill, for all those meeting in person and for communities that have formed online.
Lord hear our prayers We pray that all may know Your presence and guidance.
We pray for our personal needs. We take a moment in silence to bring before You that which we are personally thankful for and that which is troubling us.
(silence)
Lord hear our prayers We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness. AMEN
Blessing
We remember before You all who have joined in worship throughout the world today. Those in cathedrals and places of great historical heritage and those who have gathered around a kitchen table.
We pray that unity among Your people might be the common calling of Your church. We pray that in unity we might go out into the world to make disciples, declaring Your love for all creation.
May the power of the Father of Lights illuminate our minds, the presence of the Eternal Son embolden our voices, and gifts of the Spirit of Grace shape our action. And the blessing of Father, Son and Holy Spirit journey with us evermore.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 