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1 December 2015  by

Advent is for Adoring

I’m afraid we’re not recommending which Cadburys, Galaxy or Yankee candle advent calendar to get this year (sorry kids).

In the build up to Christmas we want to tell you about a few resources that might put you in the mood for the real reason for Christmas – “advent is for adoring Jesus“!

So let the countdown begin –

The Christmas Poem

The Christmas Poem is a wonderful resource released by the ‘Bible Society‘ to “encourage older Christians to share the Bible with the next generation”.  Bible Society want people to “Pass it On” and that is what we want you to do!

You can even get the Christmas Poem book online for free here. Check it out and share the video yourself!

A Very Different Christmas

This is a time where our culture, however loosely sometimes, connects with Christianity.  Rico Tice (Co-writer of Christianity Explored) has written a “humorous introduction to Christianity which invites readers to open presents from the Father, Son and Spirit.”

This is a fantastic book to give to all your friends and family, changing the way they think about you, the church, Christmas but above all else, God!

You can buy ‘A Very Different Christmas’ from thegoodbook.co.uk by clicking here.  Here is one way to get all your presents taken care off in one go!

Good News of Great Joy

Here is your own advent calendar in the build up to Christmas.  John Piper has compiled 25 short daily readings to turn us from grinches into energised children in the build up to Christmas. Piper has said that, “What I want most for Christmas this year is to join you (and many others) in seeing Christ in all his fullness and that we together be able to love what we see with a love far beyond our own half-hearted human capacities.”

To download a pdf of ‘Good News of Great Joy’ click here or download Desiring God’s free devotional app, Solid Joys (available in iTunes and Google Play) to access it there.

Four Kinds of Christmas

Four Kinds of Christmas has risen to the top of 10ofthose.com ‘top 10 best sellers’. Glen Scrivener explores different approaches to Christmas – Scrooge, Shopper, Santa and Stable.  So how do you see Christmas?  Look with Glen and many others on approaching Christmas.

Purchase Four Kinds of Christmas here here for an unbeatable price!

The Dawning of Indestructible Joy

We’re not obsessed with John Piper but here is another resource from him.  This is yet another advent calendar because “advent is for adoring Jesus”.  We want you to know Jesus for the man he grew up to be and what he did, not just a baby born in a stable.  John Piper does this so concisely in the 25 devotionals so start today!

So for a pdf of ‘The Dawning of Indestructible Joy’ click here.

There are more Christmas resources out there just look on 10ofthose.com, thegoodbook.co.uk, CLC bookshops and any others!

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27 November 2015  by

Sunday at Smithton – 29th November

This Sunday we have Donald MacDonald (Donnie G.) from Portree Free Church, speaking in the morning (11am) and evening (6pm).

Both services last about an hour with time spent singing, praying, reading the Bible and hearing from our speaker who will be speaking on the passages outlined below.

In the morning prior to the service, younger children can go to creche, we have a children’s talk in the main service and then primary school children go out to Sunday Club.

In the evening, after the service, the Youth spend time together at Youth Fellowship.  For more information on each of these please follow the relevant links.

Sunday Morning – 11am

Bible Reading from – Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 3:21-26, Isaiah 40:6-8 and John 3:16-18.

Songs – 10,000 reasons, Immortal Invisible, Psalm 8 (Sing Psalms), How deep the Fathers love.

Talk title – ‘Immortal declaration’.

Sunday Evening – 6pm

Bible reading from – Matthew 6:1-18

Songs – Be still for the presence of the Lord, What a friend we have in Jesus, Psalm 143:6-10 (2nd version) (Scottish Psalter) and Glory be to God the Father.

Talk title – ‘Our censored’.

We look forward to seeing you at Smithton as we join together as a community, with Jesus Christ at the centre of all that we do.

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24 November 2015  by

What’s on this week?

Throughout the week there are numerous events on in Smithton Church – from fitness classes at 06:15 to guitar classes in the evening.  If you want to know more about what goes on in Smithton Church, please get in touch with the office by email or phone on 01463 798938.

Release International

Release International will meet on Tuesday at 19:00 at the church.  This is an opportunity to get up to date information of persecution around the world of the Christian church. We want to encourage people along to this meeting, especially after recent events which highlights that the threat is real to so many around the world.

Community Groups

This week we shall be having our community groups where people meet to discuss a passage from the bible, with one another, in the comfort of someones home.  This is where questions can be asked and is a real chance to ‘dive’ into a section of the bible in a thought provoking manner!  To find out more about who is hosting check our notices here or contact the office.

Dead Chuffed

Dead Chuffed (D.C) is our club for guys aged 12-18, 19:30-21:00 on Thursday at the church. This is chance for guys to get together, play sport and enjoy time spent with one another.  Grab a friend, your indoor shoes and get along!  To keep updated visit our Youth at Smithton page.

Pop-In

On Wednesday from 10:00-15:30 we have our Pop-In.  It is for any senior citizen (over 55) within our community to come, spend time with others and enjoy a hot meal.  With a fantastic group of people leaders, you can be reassured that you will be cared for.

JaM

Is our new kids club on Friday from 18:00-19:30.  This is for anyone in P5-7 to learn more about Jesus, play games with friends and take part in some creative crafts!

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20 November 2015  by

An Exciting Addition to the Staff

This term we welcome Derek Morrison as our new Voluntary Outreach Worker. Here is a message from him about what he’s going to be doing in and around our local community:

 

Next Monday my voluntary outreach work gets underway in the Smithton area. Visiting every household I will look to share the Hope of the Gospel, provide the residents with the introductory card and ascertain the social needs of the community. It will take many months to complete the visits and from my experience it will take a lot of years to build up real trust and meaningful relationships. Every door I knock on I will meet a new face; some will be happy to see me, some not, some will be suspicious, isolated, struggling with health issues or life’s challenges, some I may encounter in a place of hopelessness. I will probably discover that the majority of the folks are more or less disengaged with Jesus, disconnected with church and apathetic regarding spiritual matters – this is reality throughout our city. On my first occasion carrying out unaccompanied door to door work I found myself at a very early stage physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted! But I also found that the more one steps out in faith the more God enables, equips and empowers for His work. I am expectant and believe the Lord will bless this work abundantly but along the way there will be disappointments and setbacks, that’s the territory and nature of the work. If you can, please pray that God will prepare and make the rough ways smooth and make ready the hearts of the people in Smithton so that they will be receptive both to the Gospel and to me.

Pick up a card at the church to find out more, and support Derek in this ministry.

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6 November 2015  by

Ministers for the month – December

During our time of vacancy we want to keep everyone updated about who will be preaching each week.  December is already organised, so the following men will be leading our worship services.

6th December

Angus MacRae

13th December

AM – Alistair Wilson

PM – Joe Barnard

20th December

David Meredith

27th December

Chris Davidson

If you have any questions please get in touch with the office by email here or phone us on 01463 793191.

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5 November 2015  by

The Persecuted Church

This weekend we are engaging with the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) which takes place every November.  It is scheduled for 15th November but as we have communion then we’ve brought it forward a week.   For more information about Release International click here or for IDOP here.
Over the weekend we have a few events to support this.

Friday 6th November, 19:00 at Smithton Church

We are having a general knowledge quiz at the church with teams of up to six people.  If you don’t have a team organised come along and we will put you in one.  All donations will go to Release International and the Barnabus Fund.  If you can’t come to the quiz night and would like to give something, please put your donation in an envelope marked ‘Persecuted Church’ and bring it on Sunday or hand it into the office. Tea, coffee and baking will be provided. Please note this a General Knowledge Quiz!  At the interval Linda Oxburgh, a good friend of the congregation and Release International’s Scottish Development Officer, will be speaking about the work of Release International.

Sunday 8th November, 11:00 & 19:30 at Smithton Church

We have Calum MacMillan speaking in the morning, with his sermon based around the Persecuted Church.

Then in the evening we have Joe Barnard speaking to the Youth Fellowship about ‘Persecution for the sake of the Gospel’.

What a weekend!  Invite your friends and family along to them all and we’ll see you there.

More Information

Want to be become better informed about the persecuted church? Start by clicking here to receive email updates.  There are two options: once a week or a few emails over the course of the week.  We would really encourage you to sign up for emails because you can be sure that most of it will not be covered in the news.

Also, on the last Tuesday of the month a Release International Support Group meet from 19:00 until 20:00 here, at Smithton Church.  The group go over the month’s events, pray and write cards of encouragement to prisoners.

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30 October 2015  by

Ministers for the month – November

During our time of vacancy we want to keep everyone updated about who will be preaching each week.  The following people will be our visiting preachers for November.

1st November

Ronnie Philips

8th November

Calum MacMillan – AM

Joe Barnard – PM

15th November

Alex MacDonald

22nd November

Dominic Smart

29th November

Donnie G MacDonald (Portree)

If you have any questions please get in touch with the office by email here or phone us on 01463 793191.

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28 October 2015  by

Sunday at Smithton

Our Sunday services are usually packed out with a variety of young and old and everything in between! We have a crèche and a Sunday School for primary school children. If you have never been to Smithton Church before you are most welcome to come along. Our morning service begins at 11am and we have an evening service at 6pm. If you are not in the habit of coming to church we would encourage you to try it out. You might be surprised. And come as you are….you don’t have to dress up for the occasion.

This Sunday our preacher will be Ronnie Phillips who will be preaching from the last two verses in the book of Ecclesiastes. In the evening his subject is ‘Completing the course’ from 2 Timothy 4:1-8

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23 October 2015  by

Sunday at Smithton

Our preacher on Sunday is our own John Nicholls who will be speaking at both the morning and evening services.

In the morning John will preach from Proverbs 17, the title of his sermon being ‘The sound of silence’. In the evening at 6pm, John will be back, preaching this time from 1 Peter 1: 6-9.

We are pleased to hear that John Nicholls has been appointed Moderator Designate for the 2016 General Assembly.  Please give thanks for this and pray for him as he prepares to take on this very important role in our denomination.

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18 October 2015  by

Sunday at Smithton

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This Sunday we have Rev. Aonghas MacDonald with us for the morning and evening services.  We will be looking at Luke 11 throughout the day.  In the morning Luke 11:29-36 with the title ‘Watch your eyes! – spiritual ophthalmology’ and the evening entitled ‘Allergic to religion – rightly so!’ looking at Luke 11:37-54.

Creche facilities are available for children up to the age of 3 during the morning service and we are also running a Holiday Sunday school for pre-school and primary 1 children; with singing, games and bible teaching.

As always, our services are followed by a cup of tea and coffee, so please stay afterward to meet friends and new people.

There is no Youth Fellowship running throughout the holidays but check out the Facebook page for details.

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