Join us at 12noon today for another mid week church, suitable for the young and not so young
Author: Bellshill Central
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.
Booking for church
If you haven’t already indicated your attendance for Sunday 19th September can you please email bookings@bellshillcentral.church before Saturday evening. Jane is looking after the Test & Protect this week.
Whilst we call this “booking” we don’t have to worry about having enough seats! This booking is to simply let us know you’re coming so we can prepare our attendance list (making it easier when you attend church)
In-person & Online Worship – Sunday 12th September 2021
We hope you enjoy worshipping God with us and feel at home in our Christian community.
Our minister, Rev Kevin de Beer, leads the service today.
If you’re not yet ready, or able, to come in-person to church the service will be live streamed using the video player below. Just click the play button between 10:45-11:00am.
If the live stream fails, we will endeavour to update the link/player below so just refresh the page. Finally, the service is being recorded should all attempts to live stream fail and it will be made available later.
For those worshipping at home please download the Order of service with details of our worship and our Church News, and the Hymn Sheet with our two hymns.
The service is available via 01698 533211 for those not able to get online. Please share with those who might benefit. Please note that the telephone service will be available from Sunday afternoons.
Our Minister, Rev Kevin M de Beer, can be contacted via kdebeer@churchofscotland.org.uk and is happy to discuss any pastoral matters and will take any prayer requests.
Organist: Alan W Mathew
Donate to the ongoing work of our church via this link if you’re able, a if you’re a tax payer Gift Aid your donation.
▶ https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/donate/?cong=171073
Thank you and bless you, we hope you feel part of the Central Church family by participating in this service of online worship – wherever and whenever you take part.
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
Bellshill Central Church of Scotland
Registered Charity: SC012556 346
Main Street, Bellshill, ML4 1BA
www.bellshillcentral.church
www.facebook.com/bellshillchurch
www.twitter.com/bellshillchurch
https://www.youtube.com/c/BellshillChurch
Christians join in prayer in response to the Covid-19 pandemic
This Sunday (12 September), Christians across the country – and further afield – will join together in prayer and reflection at 7pm in response to the pandemic.
As with previous weeks during lockdown, 15 Christian churches and organisations across the country, including the Church of Scotland, have co-signed the letter calling for prayer.
Scottish Christians have been continuing to answer the call to pray at the same time each week, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Lord Wallace, is taking part alongside them.
“We should always be mindful for the wisdom handed down to us from past generations; much of it learned the hard way, from mistakes made and consequences suffered,” Lord Wallace said.
“So, too, we are grateful for the richness that comes to us from living alongside people of other traditions. In our day and generation we must surely allow our minds and hearts to be open so that we can risk getting to know them and learning from them.
“In this pandemic, our responsibility is to come together and offer our prayers for all the many diverse expressions of our Christian faith that enrich life, as we have done for many months now.
“Let us not forget that behind each death there will be grieving family and friends; behind each hospitalisation there will be a suffering patient, an anxious family and a caring and skilled medical team.
“And behind each vaccination, let us recognise, with thanks, the skill of the scientists’ research and those who make distribution and vaccination possible. Let us remember, too, those in countries who still wait anxiously for vaccines to arrive. May our leaders respond imaginatively and generously to that challenge.
“A pattern has been set for us, lived out in Jesus Christ, made possible by the Spirit. May we follow in His way, and be guided by the one over-riding rule of love in all that we say and do.”
This week’s letter accompanying the prayer, which is also available in Gaelic (a copy of which will be available to read here soon), states:
“Questions about identity are very much to the fore in our day and age. The asking of a question is, of course, very much easier than providing an answer and the result is that we have many more questions than we have agreed answers.
“At a pivotal moment in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus asks a question which might be said to be about identity: ‘Who do people say I am?’
“In response, the disciples harvest the many opinions that are in circulation: ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ There are many opinions, but no agreed answer.
“Jesus then asks the question directly to the disciples: ‘But what about you?…Who do you say I am?’ In response, Peter replies: ‘You are the Christ.’ Amidst all the opinions of the day, Peter provides an answer to the question of the identity of Jesus and he affirms that he is the Christ.
“In the midst of the many questions of our day, we affirm this answer for ourselves and resolve to follow in the way of the Cross. (Mark 8: 27-38)”
We pray:
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
We receive the gift of Your Son
As Your gift to Creation and to all peoples
And respond with gratitude and thanksgiving.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we receive Your Son,
May we hear the questions He asks of us
And be willing to respond in faith and trust.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we share the gift of Your Son,
May we listen to the voices of those beside us
That we might understand more fully the breadth of Your Creation.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we listen to the many questions that are asked in our world
May we respond with grace and in truth,
And with shared silence to the questions that are hard to bear.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
God our Father,
You anoint Your Son
And send Him forth into the world.
As we hear Your Son speak to us
May we humbly confess
That He is the Christ, the anointed One of God.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 