Cannon Park Congregational Church
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Cannon Park Congregational Church |
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Newsletter The most recent newsletter can be downloaded from the table below or you can read the pastor's letter underneath.
Cannon Park Congregational Church
“HARVEST….HARD WORK BUT REWARDING!” This month sees our main outreach being in the form of harvest services. We have harvest thanksgiving services on Sunday 5th followed by the harvest supper on Tuesday 7th. No doubt the Parkville services will have a harvest theme and then on the 20th Newport Primary School want to use our building for a harvest service. Harvesting is hard work but it is rewarding. John and Betty Stam, a young American couple, were married in 1933, and began their life together in China. Two happy, unpretentious missionaries at the start of a lifetime of service. They were unreservedly dedicated to their call. They were also aware of how much they had to learn, ready for the hardships and setbacks of Christian work in a foreign land. Their aim was simple: to "talk about [Jesus] to everybody, and live so closely with Him and in Him, that others may see that there really is such a person as Jesus." In Matthew 9:35-38 we read that “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."” The Lord Jesus had a compassion for those who were lost and so He went and preached concerning the kingdom of God and then went on to urge His disciples to pray that God, the Lord of the harvest, would send out workers into the harvest fields. John and Betty Stam had their hearts touched by the compassion of Jesus. They were led to give their lives in the service of the lost millions of China. For them, too, compassion led to suffering. Quite unexpectedly they found themselves caught up in the advance of the Communists, who overran the town where they were living. They were taken captive, along with their baby daughter. The Communists threatened to bayonet their child. A local man, who they did not know, protested. The Communist leader said "Then it's your life for hers!" The man replied, "I am willing." He was beheaded. John and Betty Stam were taken on a forced march. Someone recognized them and asked them "Where are you going?" "We don't know where they are going," replied John, "but we are going to heaven." They were brought before a crowd on a hillside, and the Communist leader poured scorn on their faith as a lesson to those who were listening. In the crowd was a Mr Chang, a nominal Christian who up to then had been reluctant to take a stand for his faith. But he was emboldened by the witness of the Stams, and pleaded for their lives. He was pushed away and asked "Are you a Christian then?" "Yes" he replied, and he was dragged away and killed. Then first John and then Betty were beheaded. A local evangelist whose work had until then been indifferent and half-hearted found out what had happened. He searched out the Stam's young daughter Helen and escaped with her through Communist held territory. He became a courageous preacher of the gospel. Involving oneself in the work of the harvest is not always easy and in this case it led to the death of those who faithfully responded to that call; yet respond we must. 'The harvest' in the Bible usually refers to the end-time harvest - that is to say, the Day of Judgement. But here in 9.38 what Jesus means by the harvest is not the end-time harvest of judgement - but the harvest of salvation that is ready now, that is taking place now as people hear the gospel, believe it, and are rescued from the kingdom of darkness and enter the kingdom of Christ. Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China in the last century said: "Depend upon it, God's work done in God's way will never lack for supplies." And that is true. So where do we come in? First, we are to pray for them. As Hudson Taylor well knew, God wants us to ask God to send workers, as well as the supplies they need. And God will hear and respond. Do you want to see the harvest of salvation increase? Then pray for workers. We are to pray. But, secondly, we can respond to the need in another way too. We can become part of the answer to our own prayers. We each need to ask ourselves, "What does my heavenly Father want me to be doing to get the harvest in? Which field should I be working in? What tools do I have at my disposal? How can I be most effective in bringing in the harvest?" There is always more harvesting to be done than there are harvesters to do it. Let's be praying - but not from a safe and comfortable vantage point away from action. Rather, let's be praying from in the fields. That's the best place to be if we are going to be aware of how great the need is for more workers. There is nothing like being engaged in the work yourself to motivate you to ask for more workers. Then it is not a matter of "Send them - it's not for me." Rather, it is a case of "We need help with this harvest. It's hard work and we are not getting it all done. Lord, please send some more to join us." So pray, and get stuck into the harvest. We have been rescued through the ministry of Jesus in bringing the kingdom near. We need to be touched by the compassion of Jesus, so that our hearts go out to the lost crowds around us, harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. We need to get involved long term with the mission of Jesus, praying for more harvest workers, and getting on with the harvest ourselves. May the Lord bless each one of you David |
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Cannon Park Union Street, Middlesbrough Phone; 01642 653100 |