SCOTLAND

Easter Opportunities

Easter weekend is early this year – the last weekend in March. As always, it presents us with an opportunity to try to connect with people around us, most of whom probably miss the point of what Easter is really about. So, with carefully advertised services for young and old, along with distribution of themed tracts and invitations, it is worth trying to redirect the thoughts of some in our largely secular society, and declare the wonderful truth that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day ...". We know that this truth is not only for Easter, it is for 365 days a year, but Easter is a well recognised time when we can declare it to good advantage. Many suitable tracts are available, with John Ritchie Ltd publishing at least one new one every year. This year, with the early date for Easter, one which may have special relevance is "Why does Easter change each year?". Periodically, people ask this question, and discussion has even begun in some ecclesiastical circles about changing to make Easter weekend the same every year! So much for history and centuries of tradition!

N IRELAND & REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Co. ANTRIM

Ballintoy: The assembly had two weeks of well-attended Children's Meetings conducted by R Plant. For the most part, attention was good as the way of salvation was explained, along with the need to live for God after salvation. Truths were presented from the life of Elisha, as well as subjects such as prayer, Bible reading, witnessing and living as a believer. Please pray that desires after salvation and sanctification might result.

Ballyclare Gospel Hall: G Woods had a week of ministry at the beginning of January on the subject of 'Canaan to Captivity'. The meetings were fairly well attended considering the inclement weather at that time.

Ballysillan Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings are planned for the first three weeks in March with N Emerson. Refreshments will be served each evening. No meeting on Saturday evenings. Weeknights at 8.00pm, and on Lord's Days at 6.30pm.

Buckna Gospel Hall: J Fleck had a week of well-attended and appreciated meetings on the Gospel of John. Many young believers came with interest. The assembly is thankful to the Lord for His blessing.

Carnlough: The 49th Annual Missionary Conference was well attended and good interest was shown in the work carried out by H Reid, M Wishart, N McMeekin and A Smith. A Smith continued for four nights with profitable ministry.

Cloughfern: E Fairfield has had an encouraging start to Gospel Meetings with some local people attending as a result of door to door visitation work.

Larne (Craigyhill): The assembly have rented the 'Auction House' in the recently renovated Larne Market Yard, a well known landmark in the centre of the town. W Martin and T Armstrong are preaching nightly to an attentive audience, with help from the Lord. The site is ideal, most commodious with excellent parking, and very convenient.

Co. ARMAGH

Armagh Gospel Hall: J Fleck had five nights of much appreciated and searching ministry. Support was excellent and the hall was full nightly.

Bleary Gospel Hall: The assembly enjoyed a week of Ministry Meetings conducted by G Woods on 'The Wonders of the Gospel of God'. The meetings were profitable, instructive, and particularly helpful for young believers.

Drumnacanver Gospel Hall: M Campbell and N Agnew are presently conducting a short series of Gospel Meetings in the Old School House at Milford. Large numbers are attending with good support from other assemblies.

Portadown Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings commenced on 31 January, in a portable hall at Brownstown Road. The speakers are J Fleck and D Strahan.

Co. DOWN

Ballymagarrick Gospel Hall: The assembly had four nights of very well-attended Ministry Meetings in the first week of January with D Gilliland. The ministry was very practical and challenging on the subject of 'Going Forward with God in 2016'. The assembly was greatly encouraged.

Ballywalter: Gospel Meetings, conducted by J Rogers and A Steele in a portable hall erected in N Trimble's yard, continue with encouraging numbers of local people and believers' children attending.

Castlewellan: Gospel Meetings conducted by K Newell and T Wright are being held in the Gospel Hall. The assembly is encouraged by the attendance of several unsaved people.

Dromore: The assembly had two weeks of Bible Readings with W Boyd on the Epistle of James, with excellent attendance. There was good support from surrounding assemblies, and the saints were encouraged. Good participation and helpful contributions highlighted the very practical teaching of this often neglected epistle.

Killyleagh: The assembly erected a portable hall in the nearby estate of Shrigley during the month of January. They had a week of Children's Meetings with up to 18 children each night, followed by three weeks of Gospel Meetings. The area was well visited with invitations, and those in the immediate area received a second invitation. While the numbers attending were generally small, there was much to encourage with about ten unsaved from the countryside attending on at least one night. A Colgan and L Craig were responsible for the preaching. Prayer is requested for those unsaved who attended the meetings.

Newry: M Radcliffe was with the assembly for four nights of very profitable Ministry on 'Links between the Beginning and the End of each of the four Gospels'.

Newtownards, James Street: N Fleck and S Nelson have commenced Gospel Meetings with the assembly. Prayer is valued for blessing in salvation.

Co. TYRONE

Lungs Gospel Hall: During the last week in January, M Radcliffe was with the assembly for a week of ministry on 'The Life of Elijah'.

Newtownstewart Gospel Hall: During the month of January, the assembly held a week of Children's Meetings with S Gilfillan. It was encouraging that children from the surrounding area attended.

Omagh Gospel Hall: A capacity crowd gathered over three consecutive Fridays to sit under the ministry of D Gilliland.

Co. LONDONDERRY

Bellaghy: A profitable and instructive week of ministry was enjoyed by all who attended, when S Wells gave teaching on 'The Seven Dispensations of Scripture', illustrated by a large chart. The meetings were well supported by local assemblies.

Killykergan Gospel Hall: B Currie and J Palmer are in their fourth week of Gospel Meetings as at 1 February. So far a few from the district have attended, but not with any consistency.

Portstewart: B Griffith gave one week of Christ-exalting ministry from the letter to the Philippians. The assembly was encouraged by the ministry, and also by the attendance of those from other local assemblies.

ENGLAND & WALES

Northamptonshire

The CSALT team from Spencer Bridge Road, Northampton have continued visiting some 70 schools in the county throughout last year. During December they conducted school assemblies, majoring on the Nativity theme, and also visited nine schools with their new exhibition telling the 'Real Christmas Story'. This starts with "In the beginning God …", goes through the detail of the Nativity showing that God was always in control, then describes the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the need to believe in Him. Some 600 children, along with their teachers, were conducted round, completing a worksheet. The whole experience was well received by pupils and teachers. Again this year 13,500 free Gospel Calendars have been given to every child in most of the schools visited and, due to the generosity of the calendar suppliers, some adult versions were also distributed. Please pray for God's Word as it has been made known in the schools, and for what has gone into thousands of homes in the calendars. New schools have asked for visits in 2016.

WALES

Following four years of consistent and dedicated work by Ian and Rebecca Rees in the seaside town of Tenby, during which God's Word has been faithfully preached every week, a new assembly, meantime called Grace Christian Assembly, Tenby, has begun to meet in the Lord's name. This follows on from Ian's long-term commitment to Tenby – preaching every Lord's Day evening to around 30 people who have come regularly, a Thursday evening Bible Study where about 20 have been coming, and a weekly Bible Club in the local Primary School. They have been, and still are, meeting in the local Community Centre, and look to the Lord's guidance to find premises of their own. They would greatly value our prayers for further blessing in this new assembly, with a Family Service and Sunday School planned, and a youth work on Friday evenings. Ian and Rebecca continue to live at Hill and use it for residential weekends for Bible teaching for young believers, as well as a resource to help others. They have now moved from the fellowship of the Carmarthen assembly, which they have enjoyed for the past five years, to focus on the opportunities in Tenby.