Letter from the Manse

By the time you read this, the St John Ambulance HQ will be ours and twenty-two years waiting will be at an end. God has given us that building for our own. And it would have seemed strange to write a letter from the manse at this point and not to have commented on such a major event in our life as a church. Ever since we covenanted together to form a church back in 1984 we’ve been searching, praying, …

I’ve just posted my booking form for the Grace Baptist Assembly. Hands up those of you know exactly what the Assembly is, or does. No idea? Well, I can’t really blame you. I’ve been going for twenty-five years and I’m still not sure. But I’ll try to make things as clear as I can.

I’ll need to start with some history. There have been Baptist churches in England for nearly four hundred years. But they have always been divided theologically. Many of the earliest Baptist Churches in …

Next week I fly out to the Philippines for a twelve day trip. I’ve been invited by Cubao Reformed Baptist Church to join them for their annual pastors’ conference. I’m looking forward to visiting what I’m told is one of the most beautiful countries of the world; I’m looking forward to meeting the members of that church. But I’m also apprehensive. Not just because I’ll be leaving behind Anne and the children. Not just because I dread airports and all the complications of getting …

As I sit at my desk typing this letter, I have in front of me an austere looking volume bound in grey cloth with a black label on the spine. The gold lettering on the label proclaims the title: Banner of Truth, Vol 1, Issues 1-16. I bought the book a few weeks ago. I was browsing along a church bookstall before a meeting. The books on sale were mostly new but at one end I saw a small pile of second-hand volumes. …

Well, our summer holiday has been and gone: three weeks resting on the beautiful Cumbria coast. And yes, we managed to do most of the things we had planned. We decided to forget Helvellyn this time round but we did manage to scramble up the Old Man of Coniston. John hitched a lift on Dad’s back; Vicky rode in comfort in Mum’s baby-sling; Jesse did it all under his own steam. And Griff came too.

I managed to do some reading while we were away. Some …