SCOTLAND

Dundee

Mike Cordiner reports that after a quiet period during Christmas and New Year work is again underway with the soup kitchen. Prayer is requested particularly for a 28 year old woman whose life has been wrecked through drugs. Just after Christmas a newspaper reported that she had been found dead in her flat - so it was a pleasant "shock" when she turned up at the soup kitchen. She is on a methadone program at present but had to be admitted to hospital seriously ill as a result of injecting in the past. She got a scare when she realized her death had been reported in the paper! Pray that this might make her realise her need to get right with God. Prayer would also be appreciated for the "Garden Project" which is beginning to make progress. This work program is to help some to be more focused, spending their time usefully instead of wasting it drinking or on drugs.

Ayrshire

During the month of February, the assembly at Galston had four weeks of gospel meetings with brother Dan Gillies responsible for the preaching. There was a marked sense of the presence of God each evening and a few unsaved attended. Dan and a local brother knocked on hundreds of doors and had some good conversations. Local believers brought friends, neighbours and family members. One couple came a few times which involved travelling a few miles. He is a Roman Catholic from Ireland and she has a mixed religious background. Do pray for them that they may come into the blessing of salvation. Pray, too, for some, who in recent years have backslidden, but have attended the meetings.

(Prayer would be valued for Dan and Gwen Gillies who leave on 21st March for a four week visit to Botswana. A heavy schedule of meetings is anticipated.)

Dumfries and Galloway

Joe Baxter and Terry Topley have been labouring in the gospel in Castle Douglas during January. Much door to door work has led to invitations into a few homes for conversations. The assembly has been encouraged as 8 or 9 unbelievers have been attending the gospel meetings most evenings. Prayer would be valued for a local farmer who seems to be under conviction of sin.

Lanarkshire

Gordon McCracken was in the Overtown area at the beginning of the year, a regular event now when, with the support of the assembly, a number of schools are visited. The open door to go into schools in this area and the warm welcome from staff give the tremendous privilege of presenting the gospel to hundreds of children. Pray that this work may result in the salvation of both children and teachers.

N. IRELAND & EIRE

Co. ANTRIM

Ballybollan Gospel Hall: M Penfold had very challenging and helpful ministry meetings from 20th-24th February. Very large numbers attended.

Ballybollan: A monthly gospel meeting has been commenced in the McClellandstown Hall. The first meeting was on 28th February and the hall was packed. Prayer and support would be valued for this special outreach.

Ballymoney Gospel Hall: R McKeown had ministry from 27th February-2nd March.

Bushmills Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings commenced on 12th February. B Glendinning and A Steele are responsible. Pray for interest and blessing as they continue.

"If the Lord will…"

Ahoghill Gospel Hall: The Annual Missionary Conference is expected to be on 30th March with S Baker, K Kurian, W Webb.

Ballycastle Gospel Hall: Ministry meetings are expected from 26th-30th March with D Gilliland.

Ballyclare Gospel Hall: W J Nesbitt is expected to be with the assembly for the gospel on Lord’s Day 25th March and continues in ministry until the 28th March.

Ballywatermoy Gospel Hall: Ministry meetings are expected with E Fairfield from 21st-23rd March.

Broughshane Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings are expected to commence on 15th April (DV) and to continue for a number of weeks in a portable hall on the Ballygarvey Road (site kindly granted by Mr U Davison). Speakers: E Fairfield and W Martin. Interest and prayer appreciated.

Kells Gospel Hall: S Wells is expected for Bible

Readings from 26th-30th March. Subject: "Outstanding Women of the Old Testament".

Co. ARMAGH

Markethill Gospel Hall has closed due to the property being taken over by the owners. This assembly has become very small over the last number of years. The original meeting was commenced in 1930 in Lisnagat, a few miles outside Markethill. This was due to the preaching of Mr McKelvey and Mr McCracken over a number of years. About 22 years ago the assembly moved into Markethill where the gospel had been faithfully preached in the old market house for a considerable time.

Tassagh Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings now in their 6th week are continuing. S McBride and N Fleck are the speakers. The surrounding area has been well visited with invitations. There has been some blessing to date.

Co. TYRONE

Aughavey: Gospel Meetings conducted by R Pickering and T Wallace commenced on 5th February. It is hoped that the Lord will bless in this needy area.

Fintona: The series of Gospel Meetings in the Gospel Hall carried on by J Fleck and J Rogers ended at the beginning of March. Attendance was excellent and a good number of unsaved were present nightly.

Lungs: The Asembly has been exercised for quite some time to have Gospel Meetings in Fivemiletown as it has been many years since there has been a Gospel spell there. A portable Hall has been erected in Doctor Boyd’s surgery car park – 20 Coonenn Road, Fivemiletown (site kindly granted). The meetings commenced on 11th March. Speakers: David McGarvey and John Rogers. Prayer is requested that blessing will be seen in this needy area.

Co. LONDONDERRY & Co. DONEGAL

Tivaconavey: B Eadie and S Maze are preaching nightly in the Gospel Hall. The meetings are in their seventh week. Although numbers attending from the locality are disappointing, there is an encouraging number of believers’ children attending nightly.

Karim Mynbaev from St. Petersburg in Russia gave interesting and instructive reports in Ballywatermoy, Ardmore, Portadown and Limavady.

BELFAST

Glenburn Gospel Hall: D Gilliland and M Radcliffe concluded the meetings on 9th March. The excellent interest continued until the very end.

Whitehouse Gospel Hall: J Allen is having helpful Bible meetings on Matthew 24 and 25 with special emphasis on the truths relative to the Tribulation period.

Co. FERMANAGH

Lisbellaw: The local assembly was greatly encouraged, when, during a recent series of Gospel Meetings held by brother D McGarvey, the Lord’s hand was seen in blessing. Please pray that further fruit may result from the Good Seed sown. The meetings were well supported by other local assemblies.

Co. DOWN

Banbridge: The Gospel Meetings being conducted by W Martin and S Gilfillan have concluded. Good local interest and blessing in salvation were experienced.

Ballyhay: Gospel Meetings conducted by B Currie and J Palmer continue. The gospel is clearly preached and some local people are seeking salvation.

Ballykeel: W Boyd and J Bingham continue the Gospel Meetings with most encouraging local interest. One lady has professed salvation.

Cardy: J Grant was with the assembly for three weeks’ Gospel Meetings on the subjects, God’s Book, God’s Son and God’s Plan. Very good local interest and response.

Bangor: Central Hall: S Grant had a very profitable and well-attended week of ministry with the assembly on Romans chapter 8.

Bangor - Ebenezer Gospel Hall: The assembly was much encouraged by a week of ministry on the book of Psalms, conducted by D McAllister.

ENGLAND & WALES

Stockton on Tees / Hartlepool: Alan Barber continues his faithful witness in this area. Some twenty years ago he commenced visits to six schools but today over 50 schools are visited regularly. Free Bibles and Ultimate Questions booklets are offered through a website called whatsinit4me.org.uk, and requests have come in from all over the UK. Three questions are asked to determine how genuine the requests are, and some 85 Bibles were sent out last year to those who responded. So far this year 23 Bibles have been sent out along with gospel tracts. Alan plans to recommence open air meetings at Easter time and continues tracting the villages round about. He would like to purchase and fit out a large van to be used for gospel witness at the many agricultural shows in the area. Prayer for this and the ongoing work would be greatly appreciated.

South of England

In Bicester in February, Ian Jackson had 5 ministry meetings on practical subjects connected with Bible study, preaching, and assembly order - good interest and profitable ministry, and Philip Kaye had a week of children’s meetings there with consistent interest. Gordon McCracken was with the assembly at Pamber Heath for a good week of children’s meetings, also in February. In Basingstoke Ian Jackson had a few nights’ ministry in February on "Building for God" - edifying and challenging ministry.

Good interest was shown at missionary conferences in Northampton in February, with J McMaster, I Robertson, W Downs, S Clegg and J Black; and at Harrow in March with J Black, T Blackman and M Penfold, reporting on work from India, Brazil and London (UK). At Ealing Michael Penfold had a three-session Saturday in March on the deity, humanity and sinlessness of Christ, while at Wallingford assembly David Gilliland had a good week of helpful ministry. At Datchet around 6,000 "Seed Sower" texts were distributed on a Saturday in March.

Easter Opportunities

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus clearly was an integral part of the preaching of the apostles, and perhaps should feature more prominently in our preaching and witness in the gospel at all times throughout the year. But Easter weekend in early April, still thankfully marked annually in our calendar, gives an extra opportunity for us to call people’s attention to the true significance of the empty tomb and a living Saviour. Many excellent tracts based on this theme are available for distribution, and invitations to "Easter Services" can bring some extra people under the preaching of the gospel. May we "redeem the time", or as also translated, "buy up the opportunities".