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.
Our next section of our Virtual Prayer Walk, takes us to Busby Road, Footfield Road, Appleyard Court, Whitepond Avenue and ORBISTON NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE.
The Scottish Bible Society are making available activities if you are able to walk in the great outdoors. You may wish to use these activities for #bellshillprayerwalk in 2021
Please if you are out a walk this week think of this area of our town and the people who live, play, visit or care for people in these streets.
If you are not able to physically walk in this area please take part in a virtual walk.
We invite you to focus your prayers this week………………..
Thank God for the ways he is working on this town
Invite the Holy Spirit to flow across the town
Pray that people in our town would know the love of God
Pray for all you live, visit play, care for people in this area of our town.
Bellshill Central Parish Church at 346 Main Street continues to be physically closed to all in person face to face meetings, including Sunday morning worship
However, we are continuing to be the church locally in the community of Bellshill and Mossend by being active online, with Kevin’s continuing pastoral work and being a family of faith. Our groups and church members are in daily contact with each other.
How are we doing this?
Our website at http://www.bellshillcentral.church is continually updated and refreshed. Have a look. Services and other outreach online is available here.
WhatsApp groups for our church family and most vulnerable folks. Our church chat of 50+members keep up to date, sharing important news, moments of humour and prayers. There are also separate WhatsApp groups for our choir and guild.
Online worship is our main focus, with Sunday worship online at 10.45am and midweek Young church on Wednesday at 12noon.
This coming Sunday, the 21st March, we share in online worship, wit Rev Kevin. The readings are Psalm 51:1-12 and Hebrews 5:7-9. These have growing “viewer” numbers each week reaching out beyond our building in ways we’d never have imagined. http://www.bellshillcentral.church/watch-live.
Organist Entertains provided by our own organist and maestro, Alan Mathew. The latest episode (number 53) is available tonight at 8pm. Tonight’s episode is a musical Journey using the Saints of the UK to visit Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland. There are some hymns you will know and also some that will be new to you. We hope you enjoy. To date we have surpassed 26,000 views! http://www.bellshillcentral.church/organist-entertains.
Looking forward our existing activities will continue online and we hope that you can join us when you can. That’s the wonder of online church, you can worship where and when you are able.
During Lent we are hosting an online Lent prayer group. Just half an hour once per week. If you’re interested get in touch. These take place on Mondays at 7pm via zoom. Contact us via email bellshillcentral@gmail.com for the joining codes.
Updated this week…… The virtual prayer walk around the town of Bellshill continues. We will choose three streets and ask you to pray and remember all who live and work there. Look up #bellshillprayerwalk on Facebook and Twitter to follow our journey. The prayer walk will be available on the website also. Check out https://bellshillcentral.church/bellshill-prayer-walk/
As your Church in Bellshill we are looking out beyond our four walls – we are the Church Without Walls! Join us during COVID19. If there’s something you thing we could be doing, organising or focusing on, please tell us!
The Church Choir have been busy with some Virtual Choir items, for using in our online services. Whilst it is a bit different singing on our own in our homes, and recording ourselves with our phones and laptops, it is great to hear all the voices edited together! Listen to what we have done so far.
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.
Attached for your information is this weekends ENEWS. Remember also that the service is available by dialling 01698 533211. It is updated each Sunday morning and is then available for the rest of the week. If you know someone who cant access the service online this is a great way for them to worship.
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
www.bellshillcentral.church for all we are doing online to spread the wonderful news of the Gospel in Bellshill and beyond
This Sunday (14 March), following the Scottish Government’s announcement that churches can re-open for restricted communal worship later this month, Christians across the country – and further afield – will once again 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 Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, has been taking part alongside them.
“There are some things which make sense for a certain period of time but which come to a natural conclusion – such as clapping for carers during the spring lockdown. Prayer isn’t one of them,” Dr Fair said.
“The Apostle Paul encourages us to ‘pray without ceasing’ and Jesus himself offers parables where persistence in prayer is lauded.
“It can be hard to keep going when there’s no end in sight; much easier when the finishing line comes into view. In the case of the pandemic, it still feels as if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.
“All the more reason then for God’s people to continue faithfully in prayer. And even better when we can pray across the whole of the Church, unrestricted by denominational divides.
“If Sunday at 7pm is in your diary, keep it there. Thank you. If it hadn’t been, it would be great to have you involved. It matters that we pray.
“We have endured much during these past months. Personally and communally, we have endured challenges which we could not have anticipated, or imagined, even a year ago. We have endured much and undoubtedly there have been times when the limits of our endurance have been tested.
“Woven into this has been the recollection of that which has also endured, the steadfast love of God. The Psalmist recalls the people of God to a remembrance of the ‘steadfast love’ of the Lord which ‘endures for ever’. (Psalm 107: 1)
“As we remember and recall, we bear witness to the truth that the love of God spans the whole breadth of our lives and embraces all that we experience and endure. This is given supreme expression in the self-giving of God in Jesus Christ: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son’. (John 3: 16)
“In all we have endured and will endure, the ‘steadfast love’ of the Lord ‘endures for ever’ in the God whose love is revealed in Jesus Christ.”
We pray:
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, May we hear the words of the Psalmist Who calls us to remember: The steadfast love of the Lord endures for ever. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, Be with us in all we endure at this time. Grant that we may know Your love In days of light and in days of shadow. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, Be with all who find themselves At the limit of their endurance And embrace them in the depths of Your enduring love. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, As a mother comforts her child May You comfort all who call upon You. Hear us, as we give thanks for all who have nurtured us in this life. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, Grant to us a vision of a community and society That will endure in times to come And hear us as we pray: Thy Kingdom Come. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
God whose love endures And is revealed in Jesus Christ, May we live our lives In response to the gift of the life of Your Son In whose life is love embodied. Lord, in Your mercy, Hear our prayer.
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 