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.

Mid-week Central Connections

by Bellshill Central, posted in Weekly Church News

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 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 upto 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. These have growing “viewer” numbers each week reaching out beyond our building in ways we’d never have imagined. www.bellshillcentral.church/watch-live
  • Organist Entertains provided by our own organist and maestro,  Alan Mathew.  Now ready for the 45th instalment which is available tonight (Wednesday) at 8pm. Tonight’s episode has dual cameras so you can see the maestros hands and feet! To date we have surpassed 24,000 views! www.bellshillcentral.church/organist-entertains 

Looking forward into the New Year, 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. 

Our choir is having fun with a virtual choir setting.  We’ve already produced item #1. We are aiming to produce one item per month to see how it progresses.  Its not as fun as real choir but its keeping us singing the only waybwe are allowed! This months songs are We are marching in the light of God and God be in my head. 

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. This week’s streets to pray for are Adamson Street, Russell Street and Mcpherson Street. 

If you need the help and support of the church in Bellshill then pleae get in touch.  Rev Kevin de Beer can be contacted viw the website https://bellshillcentral.church/contact/, via email kdebeer@churchofscotland.org.uk or by phone 01698 841176. 

Our prayer ribbons are still fluttering in the wind outside the church on the church fence.  These are a visible display of our prayers for ourselves, our town and community, the world. Please add a ribbon to show us you have prayed.  

Young Church Online – Carlijn goes to church – prayer

by Bellshill Central, posted in Mid Week Church

Welcome to another YOUNG CHURCH from Bellshill Central Parish Church, with Rev Kevin from his study at home.

Hello everyone

Rev De Beer here, with another story with Carijn – talking about prayer.

It’s another story and I’m learning Dutch (or trying to!) during lockdown and my own home-school!

We have a fun song to the Flinstones at the end so hope you join in. Rev Kevin.

Join us in prayer tonight at 7pm

by Bellshill Central, posted in Prayer items

This Sunday (17 January), as restrictions tighten across Scotland, Christians around the country – and further afield – will join together in prayer at 7pm in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Praying hands

As with previous weeks during lockdown, 14 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.”

This week’s letter accompanying the prayer, which is also available in Gaelic states:

“‘O Lord, you have searched me and known me.’ The words of the Psalm speak. The words speak into the uttermost depths of who we are and the word of the Lord searches to the furthermost limits of our being. (Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18) The word of the Lord speaks to us in every season and searches us at all times. Nevertheless, there are times in which we are especially conscious of the immediacy and relevance of the word spoken and we might judge that this is such a time.

“We may say at this particular time that we are truly being stretched to the uttermost as human beings and to the furthermost limits of our endurance as a society. These are hard times. At the very moment in which hope has been offered to our society in the form of a vaccine, the risk faced by our society has increased considerably. In the light of this, the challenges we face are difficult beyond measure. Notwithstanding all of this, the word of the Lord endures and still speaks into the uttermost depth and to the furthermost limit.

“We are not hidden from God and all we face is known by the Lord whose word endures. Humbly recognising this to be so, we pray.”

We pray:

Lord, you search us and you know us
And we bow in your holy presence.
You know us this day in all we face
And you are with us through the hours of the night.
Guard us and keep us till the day is done
And the darkness is no more.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you search us and you know us
And we bow in your holy presence.
You have made us in your image
And woven us together in the womb.
Guide us to the place where life is renewed
And our shared life restored.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you search us and you know us
And we bow in your holy presence.
You know the challenges of this time
And of all the days that lie before us.
Give hope to all who despair
And comfort to those who grieve.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you search us and you know us
And we bow in your holy presence.
You know all who by their work serve the common good
And who by their gifts renew hope in dark times.
Keep safe the most vulnerable
And walk with those who are fearful this day.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Lord, you search us and you know us
And we bow in your holy presence.
You are the beginning of all things,
And you are the end of all things, in Jesus Christ.
Guard us and keep us till the day is done
And the darkness is no more.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.