Scotland

In the middle of March, around 60 young believers were at Faskally House, Pitlochry for a weekend of fellowship and Bible teaching given by Gareth Edwards. In five sessions, he drew attention to servants of God who were reluctant to obey God’s call - Gideon, Jeremiah, Moses, Isaiah and Jonah. Feelings of inferiority, inexperience, inability, impurity and inconvenience had to be overcome – things which still challenge young people today. On the Lord’s Day morning, about half the group took the hour’s journey to Kingussie to remember the Lord with the small assembly there. It was thrilling and moving to hear almost all the young men, mostly 16–19 years old, taking part in the worship.

In Fife, a teenage girl was recently baptised and added to the fellowship of the assembly at Kennoway; a young man who was saved during tent meetings last autumn was received into fellowship at Glencraig; and at Cowdenbeath a mature man who had been attending meetings for a considerable time professed salvation after a weeknight meeting.

In mid-March, the assembly at Shieldhill in central Scotland had Blair Martin for a concentrated effort in the Gospel, planned for two weeks but extended to a third one. Children’s Meetings for the three weeks were very well attended and, at the Prizegiving Session on the last evening, the Hall was packed, with some parents being there for the first time to hear a Gospel message given by Graeme Paterson. The attendance at the adults’ meetings in the evenings was disappointing, however, in spite of much work done to invite people. A few did come though, and the meetings on Tuesday afternoons regularly held for older folk were better attended, where Blair faithfully and enthusiastically preached the Gospel.

Northern Ireland

CO ANTRIM

Ballywatermoy: B Currie and J Palmer commenced Gospel Meetings on 26th February. The meetings were well attended with a good number of unsaved present every night. Some visitors and families came in and heard the Gospel preached. The brethren have been faithful in their presentation of the Gospel, and prayer would be valued for blessing in the salvation of souls.

Clough: S Davison and E Fairfield had two weeks of meetings in Craigywarren Orange Hall (kindly granted). The attendance of the local community was exceptional, with dozens of local people responding to visitation by the believers. Prayer is requested for the many unsaved, some of whom were not accustomed to hearing the Gospel.

Glenburn: T Armstrong and W Martin had a four- week series of Gospel Meetings during March. Despite poor interest from the locality, the meetings were well attended, with support from nearby assemblies, and the Gospel was clearly presented.

Harryville: Gospel Meetings are continuing in Dunclug College (kindly granted) with P Kissick and A Steele. We have been encouraged to see people from the community, teachers, and families out to hear the message, and would desire your prayers for God’s blessing.

Portrush: S Wells was with the assembly for a week of profitable Bible Readings in March, studying 1 Peter 1-5. The attendance was encouraging, and blessing was received by all those who attended.

CO ARMAGH

Birches Gospel Hall: Gospel Meetings commenced in mid-March with S Nelson and D Strahan.

CO DOWN

Bangor: D McAllister was with the assembly for one week of very helpful and much-appreciated ministry on 1 Timothy.

Belfast: A Seed Sowers distribution is planned for Saturday 3rd June, God willing, when it is intended to distribute 20,000 texts in West Belfast, commencing at 10.00am (meeting at Windsor Gospel Hall). A prior meeting will be held in Windsor Gospel Hall on Friday 2nd June at 7.00pm to give details and plans for the following day. A couple of evenings are also planned for ‘bagging’ the texts beforehand. Full details can be found on the Seed Sowers website, where registration of interest should be indicated, if possible. All help will be appreciated, and the prayers of the Lord’s people will be valued for this proposed exercise.

Dromore: The Gospel Meetings conducted by T Wright and A Nesbitt have concluded. Good interest was maintained, and prayer is requested for blessing on the Seed sown.

Gransha: The Annual Conference held on Saturday 25th March was well attended, and very profitable  ministry was given by A Davidson, W Martin, M Radcliffe, S Wells and J Rogers.

Growell: Encouraging numbers are attending the Gospel Meetings being conducted by E Fairfield and M Radcliffe.

Mullaghfernaghan: J Fleck and S Gilfillan continue in the Gospel, with encouraging numbers attending and good interest being shown.

Portavogie: The Gospel Meetings being conducted by D Gilliland and J Rogers in a portable hall (erected at the harbour in conjunction with the New Road and Ebenezer assemblies) continue with good numbers and local interest.

CO LONDONDERRY

Lisachrin: The assembly was greatly encouraged by the Bible Readings in March when S Wells considered 2 Timothy and Jude. Good numbers from surrounding assemblies attended and took part.

Magheracorran: The assembly held their Annual Conference on 11th March. The hall was full for the very encouraging ministry by M Turkington, J Fleck and D Gilliland.

Republic of Ireland

CO MONAGHAN

Monaghan: The Annual Conference was held on 17th March. A nice number was present to hear profitable ministry from A Davidson, M Radcliffe, B Glendinning, E Fairfield, T Wright and B Smith.

Engalnd

The assembly at Spencer Bridge Road (SBR), Northampton hosted Bible Exhibition Scotland again for two weeks in March (having hosted it every two years for the last 18 years). As previously, the programme of school visits was fully subscribed, with 22 schools sending 39 classes totalling just over 1,000 pupils, along with the attending teaching staff. The invitations had only gone to a third of the schools visited regularly by the Christian School Assembly Link Team (CSALT). This was the first time the new displays were seen at SBR, and the comments from school staff were very positive, many having seen the original displays on previous occasions. Many of the new displays deal in more depth with the subject of sin and, as before, they tell of God’s remedy for the problem.

The school visit organisation was unchanged: free transport was provided, there was a 45-minute conducted tour with a worksheet to complete, refreshments were included, and there was a quiz to reinforce what the children had been told and shown. This is always the highlight of the visit for the children and teachers. There was an additional question to those answered during the tour, which asked the children to note anything new they had learned. Some of the answers were quite encouraging, for example: “I didn’t know that sin separates us from God”; “It taught me a lot about God, Jesus and that we are all sinners”; “God is very forgiving”; “The Word of God never changes”. Comments from teachers were equally encouraging, and this is typical of them: “Very informative. Amazed at the children’s learning, love the new displays and the quiz is still amazing after all these years.” A head teacher wants her staff to see the exhibition if it returns.

The big disappointment, as in previous years, was the response from the general public. Very few came in, despite extensive advertising and very supportive coverage by the local radio station. They came down to the event again to do interviews with various people, and reported very positively on the event, mentioning it a number of times on the programme and broadcasting the interviews without any editing.

Please pray for the good Seed sown in the hearts of the young, and not-so-young. The CSALT are currently back conducting assemblies in schools and, for those schools that visited, asking some of the questions again before presenting prizes. During these visits, the amount of knowledge retained by the children is a further encouragement.

In Wallingford, Stephen Baker had three nights of Children’s Meetings and Ministry Meetings in March, with good interest shown.

Robert Plant had a week of Children’s Meetings and school visits in Bicester. Some new children and parents came to the Hall, giving encouragement. He also had a week of Children’s Meetings in Hanslope.

Wesley and Alison Downs report on successful plans to transfer their work at The Mill in Stockport to new premises, which will keep the same name since they were also previously part of a large mill complex. Building work will be needed to install a kitchen, canteen, disabled toilet and sorting room, as well as new doorways, doors, heating and ceilings. Meantime, they request prayer for Steve, Mark, Dave, Nigel, Neil, Ted, Julian W and Julian H, all of whom are not saved, but come to The Mill to hear the Gospel; for Wayne who moved on from the residential programme recently, engaged to be married to another believer later this year; for Jamie, another believer now due to move on in six months (he was in prison from age 17 to 25 and so has been learning how to live life in the real world); for Craig, who plans to come onto the residential programme after finishing a long sentence, subject to the decision of the parole board - he became a Christian a few years ago. After many years in custody, another type of life is never easy for these men, but nothing is impossible with our great God!

Prayer is also valued for the ongoing work among the homeless in Manchester city centre, in the drop-in and street work among those who sleep rough. Over 20 of these folk have been hearing the Gospel at the drop-in recently.