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.
We’re delighted to announce a special “Heart and Soul 2020” event will take place (online) on May 17th 2020. The current crisis has meant that the original event, scheduled to have taken place in Princes Street Gardens on that day, has had to be cancelled.
However, a number of features from the event in Princes Street Gardens can be transferred into an online format, and we’re going screen an abridged “Heart and Soul” at 2.00pm on May 17th — when the original event would have taken place. The programme will run until about 4.20pm. A recording of the event will be available soon afterwards.
Hosted by our usual presenters, Rev Ken Froude, Seonaid Knox and Rev Justin Taylor, the event begins with a replay of the service of installation for the new Moderator, Rev Martin Fair. Without giving too much away, the event features a mix of worship, music, stories and some exciting “In Conversation” guests.
Heart and Soul regulars ‘Fischy Music’ will lead a special segment for all ages, and we hope that you’ll join in all the actions from home! Spread throughout the afternoon will be some very special conversations: Hugh Pym will be in conversation with Prof Jason Leitch and Viv Dickenson from CrossReach, discussing how they have all been tackling Coronavirus and also how their own faith has helped them. Very Rev Susan Brown will be in conversation with Ross Greer MSP and Tara Shannon from COSY discussing climate justice. Prison Chaplain Anne Stewart will be in conversation with Hospital chaplain Mark Evans taking about chaplaincy as a career and the impact of Coronavirus in their places of work.
No Heart and Soul would be complete without some hearty singing, and we’ve chosen some highlights from the archive over the last ten years of Heart and Soul, the Guild Big Sing and the General Assembly to round things off.
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Bellshill’s Central Church (your Church of Scotland Congregation at 346 Main Street) is very much alive and busy being involved in the community which is at our heart during these unprecedented times.Our doors facing out onto Main Street may be temporarily closed, but the church is it’s people not just the buildings.
Please know that our Minister, Rev Kevin de Beer, is very much available for spiritual help and support to the good people in Bellshill and Mossend. As the Central Church and your Parish Church we are here for everyone, that is our calling and ethos. Please get in touch with Revd. de Beer if you need to, he’ll be more than happy to assist.
We’ve been proclaiming the Good News for over 147 years from our place in Bellshill’s Main Street and the Church is more than ever helping where it can.
SUNDAY WORSHIP – ONLINE AND ON THE PHONE!
Sunday worship is continuing, albeit in an online format. Our minister is currently speaking about “Many Languages” in his weekly messages. Please visit our website at http://www.bellshillcentral.church/watch-live to take part. The services begin at 11am, but from 10.45am we share in some news and songs as we gather in our houses as the church. The services are available at any time thereafter on our YouTube channel.
We also have a permanent local rate phone number where you can listen to Kevin’s weekly message and prayers. Just call 01698 533211 and you’ll be part of our “Dial in Congregation” this is ideal for those folks with no access to the internet, so please share this as widely as possible – and also our online watch live and catch up services.
To support our online services we are producing a weekly E-News with information that will help you in our online worship and also some pieces of news and information in and around the Church.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
This week is Christian Aid week and this year’s fundraising is all online. Our large banner is on the front of the building reminding passers-by of the importance of this particular week. There’s various online quizzes and virtual fundraising activities on Christian Aids website, but your financial support to them is also online. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/give/give-money
Via Christian aids own Facebook page there is daily devotionals and prayers and messages by leaders and guest speakers. These take place at 11am until Saturday. Our own online church service on Sunday 17th May at 11am we will share some of Christian aid’s prayers and reflections and a reminder of how you can give online.
On Sunday 10th May we replayed live our Christian Aid Big Sing from 2019 via the website and Youtube pages. You can join in with that anytime via this video, which has links to donate online.
We’ve set up a Bellshill Central WhatsApp group so that we can keep up the friendship and fellowship which very much is Bellshill Central Parish Church. We have nearing 50 people part of this who enjoy a good morning message to start the day, funny stories and video clips, sometimes a quiz of places in and around Bellshill and just generally a welcoming and safe forum for us to keep in touch. If your part of our Church Family, formally or informally, and would like to join this group please get in touch via the website or email bellshillcentral@gmail.com
TIME OF PRAYER
We have a prayer routine at Bellshill Central Parish Church and invite everyone to take part. Sundays at 7pm we join churches across the UK in a time of prayer and reflection. These have been lead our Moderator Rev Colin Sinclair, but from this coming Sunday the new moderator, Rev Martin Fair will lead the prayers online. On Sundays at 8pm we are encouraging an initiative from Rev Robbie Hamilton in Airdrie to pause and reflect and simply stand on your door steps for a minute – it’s called Minute to Remember. Each other night Monday to Saturday at 8pm we ask all of our members, friends and wider community to pause and pray and light a candle for the crisis we find ourselves in. Pause and pray for ourselves, our families, our minister, the leaders and the key-workers who are keeping the vulnerable safe and protected.
Via our church website and Facebook/twitter pages we are sharing daily Psalms for the Day. If you subscribe to the website you will receive these automatically by email. You can of course browse the website or our Facebook/twitter pages and find them just as easy. We also share inspirational images from around the world to remind everyone that there is hope, love and security in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and God the Father. Our website is http://www.bellshillcentral.church and the social media channels are http://www.facebook.com/bellshillcentralchurch & http://www.twitter.com/bellshillchurch
BELLSHILL’S HEARTS OF HOPE
We encouraged people to help brighten up our Main Street starting at the Church at 346 Main Street – Bellshill’s Central Church, to craft a sign of colourful hope and tie it to our railings. This has been very well supported and also popping up at the Co-op Funeral Care site on Hamilton Road. We hope you agree that these show signs of hope and light in this difficult and challenging time. All we need is one person to start and we could see a wash of colour streaming down Main Street towards the Cross at St Andrew’s Church. If you are our for your daily exercise, just pass by Bellshill Central Church and tie your colourful symbol to our gates and railings. We want to see wonderful images of community involvement touching the hearts of everyone. #heartsofhope
SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL PARISH CHURCH.
For Church Members – Please keep up to date with your financial giving to your Church. Please continue with your standing orders and direct debits. If you give by way of envelopes/donations save these and bring to Church when we re-open. If you would like to change to direct bank giving please let us know and we can give you the necessary information. There will be a significant impact on our Church finances over these weeks so your continued generosity will be particularly important and very much appreciated.
For our community – we are financially supported by our members. This is part of our vows when we join the church. We cannot directly ask the community for financial aid, this is simply not how we work. We as members support the church, so that the Church can support you – the local community! However, if you would like to support us by giving a one off donation or even something more regularly you can simply get in touch and we will let you know how to do this.
What would be more than wonderful is that you come along to church the first Sunday we can gather together in the beautiful building at 346 Main Street and support us by your presence as we rejoice in coming together. So, we hope you can come along when that day happens. If you want to donate just now or when you come along either would be graciously accepted.
Our motto is simple – Central to Bellshill, Central to You and Central to Christ. Be part of the church family
BELLSHILL: CENTRAL PARISH CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 