AP

Newsletter

Vision & Focus for 2023

MAKING MUCH OF SERVING CHRIST

‘Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up….’ – Ephesians 4:11-12

Weekly Meetings

Lord’s Day, 11am & 5pm

Tuesday Whole-Church Prayer-Meetings, 7:30pm (every other week)

These are in-person, downstairs in the church-building. Facility to log-in via Google Meet also available.

meet.google.com/zoo-geko-utn

Small-Group Prayer-Meetings, 7:30pm (every other week)

Eric Taylor – meet.google.com/jti-hgwi-uth
Ian Jones – meet.google.com/waf-jtah-dbz
Rhodri Brady – in-person & online meet.google.com/zoo-geko-utn

September 2023

Activities This Month

Lord’s Day 3rd AM: Communion.

PM: Reuben Saywell preaching & giving report on the church-plant in Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippines.
Saturday 9th 8:30am: Men’s Breakfast @ AP
Lord’s Day 10th 9:30am: [New] Bible-Craft-Club @ AP (see below for info)
Monday 11th 7:30pm: [Week of Prayer] Evening Hour of Prayer
Tuesday 12th 7:30pm: [Week of Prayer] Evening Hour of Prayer
Wednesday 13th 10:30am: [Week of Prayer] Mid-Morning Prayer-Meeting
Thursday 14th 7:30pm: [Week of Prayer] Evening Hour of Prayer
Lord’s Day 17th PM: Communion
Thursday 21st 8pm: Women’s Evening @ The Manse
Friday 22nd 6pm: Bible Club @ The Manse
Lord’s Day 24th Freshers’ Sunday (This is the Sunday when we expect to have a new batch of first-year students arriving.)
Thursday 28th 7:30pm: Church-Forum @ AP (Subject: Church Rules)
Friday 29th “Christian Union Grub-Crawl” (a way of introducing new students to the churches). AP & Eglwys Efengylaidd are serving dessert @ AP from 6:40pm – 7:20pm (members, speak to the deacons if you’d like to contribute)

Other Notes

  • Note that we are celebrating the Lord’s Supper twice this month, this is in line with a sermon-series Rhodri will be preaching about Communion.
  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meetings: 12th & 26th | Small-Group Prayer-Meetings: 5th & 19th
    • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups, which meet during other months.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship meets on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups’ Bible-book is has been 2 Chronicles for the summer. All church-members have been encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with/ask your group. The next book will be Micah.
  • When able to, those manning the Book-Table go out every Saturday (weather & personnel-permitting) 11am-12:30pm, members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work.
  • Note the new Bible-Craft-Club which we plan to start at 9:30am on the morning of the Lord’s Day on the 10th of September. Elsbeth Loosley is heading-up this venture (with the oversight of the elders). The vision for it, is that it is a club for children and young-people which ties in with the monthly Bible-Reading-Group. We will complete a craft-activity based on a theme from the Bible-book we’ve been studying for that month. We also hope to have songs, snacks and memory-verses. All kids & young people welcome.
  • This September, we have planned a Week of Prayer for the Academic-Year Ahead. It is simply an opportunity for us to take some extra time to commit the months ahead of us to the our Father, especially seeking to discern the will of God for us as a church. The schedule for the Week of Prayer is planned to be as follows:
Monday 11th Evening Hour of Prayer (7:30pm)
Tuesday 12th Evening Hour of Prayer (7:30pm)
Wednesday 13th Mid-Morning Prayer-Meeting (10:30am)
Thursday 14th Evening Hour of Prayer (7:30pm)

 

  • Advance Notes:
    • Note, we plan to have a Freshers’ Tea on the 1st of October (Lord’s Day) after the Evening-Service. Members, speak to the Deacons if you would like to contribute or serve food and drink.
    • We hope to start a new club for 12-18 year-olds in October. Sarah Chalmers is leading this project (with the oversight of the elders). We plan to hold the club on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month in term-time, running from 7pm – 8:30pm. There will be games, snacks & Bible-teaching.
    • Could you fill a shoebox with items for a needy child or adult in Eastern Europe? There are leaflets in the porch with all the information you need. If you have any questions, please see Betty or Margaret. The deadline for shoeboxes is October 17th.

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

WEAKNESS OUR STRENGTH: Learning from Christ Crucified – John Hindley (‎Union, 2023)

I am really appreciating the material that Union are putting out at the moment. What this book sets out to do is extremely helpful and biblical. The book’s central premise is that weakness is the way, and that there is good news for those who are weak. The book’s author tells us that he would have been happy to call the book A Weakling’s Guide to Weakness because he is not seeking to write a book as someone strong in order to help those who are weak, but rather he is writing the book from the perspective of someone who has come to see his own weakness and feels his own weakness, who wants to help those who are also weak. But more than that the book is one that revels in the mystery that our God became weak in the Lord Jesus Christ and specifically in his death on the cross.

THE SIAMESE KITTENS AND THE BREADCRUMBS – Michael A. G. Haykin (Reformation Lightning, 2023)

This is the first of three lovely little books written for 5 to 8 year olds, written by the church-historian Michael Haykin, and illustrated beautifully by our very own Chris Iliff! This particular story opens on a windy day in March and tells us of Mr Quinn who lives in an old country house near Dublin. He brings these three kittens into his house, and we’re told of their adventures. This will be a helpful book for children in the early years of primary-school to have read to them, or for them to read for themselves and enjoy. My understanding is that the vision for these stories is that they teach children important biblical-lessons through the eyes of these little kittens; this first story—as far as I can see—teaches children the importance of trusting the Lord Jesus Christ especially when things do not go according to plan. [Released on the 4th of September alongside two other books in the series.]

MICAH: EP Study Commentary – Dale Ralph Davis (EP, 2015)

With some authors it’s safe to have a policy in which you say “I will read everything that they write”, Dale Ralph Davis is one of those writers. He takes us to the world of Micah, which was a very dark world (similar to our own); and he takes us to the church that Micah ministered to (which—again—is a wider-church very similar to our own) a small and discouraged wider-church, seeking to live in a godless, corrupt and violent society, where we are vulnerable to being exploited. Dale Ralph Davis shows us that we and Micah, both live in a culture where we don’t have to look far to find church-leaders who fail to speak out against sin, where we have leaders who give the people the message that their itching-ears want to hear. And yet Micah is not like those church-leaders, and neither is Davis; they faithfully proclaim the word of the Lord as they warn of judgement, and yet they also preach the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. A very helpful accompaniment to the book of Micah.

August 2023

Activities This Month

Lord’s Day 6th Communion as part of the Evening-Service
Lord’s Day 13th      Stuart Olyott preaching AM
Geoff Thomas preaching PM
Monday 14th Keith Underhill speaking at a special-meeting, to launch his book Planted By The Providence Of God (Broken Wharfe, 2023). 11am @ AP.
Tuesday 15th   No Prayer-Meeting, Evangelical Movement of Wales Conference meeting at the Great Hall @ 7pm. Christopher Ash preaching. (£10 per-seat, in-person; or online, free click here: https://www.youtube.com/@EMWorgUK)
Friday 18th Extra Preaching-Service – Stuart Olyott, 7pm @ AP, (free)
Lord’s Day 27th Gwyn Davies preaching AM
PM preacher Eric
Rhodri preaching @ Grace Evangelical Church Carmarthen, AM & PM

Other Notes

  • All prayer-meetings in August will be Whole-Church Prayer-Meetings (no prayer-meetings on Tuesday 15th, see above).
    • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 1st, 8th, 22nd, 29th. | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: None.
      • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups, which meet during other months.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship will not meet until September (usually meets on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am)
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups will not meet until September. The Bible-book is 2 Chronicles for the summer. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?
  • When able to, those manning the book-table go out every Saturday (weather & personnel-permitting) 11am-12:30pm, members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work.
  • Rhodri & the family hope to be away from 31st of July to 5th of August.
  • Note that the Evangelical Movement of Wales Conference is taking place at the Great Hall in the Arts’ Centre 10:30am & 7pm. Attendance in-person comes at a charge, e.g. a week-pass for a two-parent family is £210. However, all meetings are broadcast on YouTube (click here: https://www.youtube.com/@EMWorgUK). The conference is not running a Friday Meeting this year, however, we are hosting an extra service in Alfred Place at 7pm on the Friday, which will be free.

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

And conference weeks (English and Welsh) special offer…

20% discount on RRP of all Banner of Truth books, and all cards and stationery

JUSTIFICATION: An Introduction – Thomas R. Schreiner [Short Studies in Systematic Theology Series] (‎Crossway, 2023)

We’ve been reminding one another this year of the importance of doctrine, and there is perhaps no more central doctrine to the Christian than that of Justification. Tom Schreiner has a helpful approach, he is able to be concise, and yet is also thorough. He gives us an explanation of the doctrine as well as providing historical background on how the church has dealt with the doctrine over the centuries.

THE UPSIDE DOWN KINGDOM: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes – Chris Castaldo (Crossway, 2023)

Those of us who have been Christians for some time will be very familiar with the Beatitudes, and yet, we are all probably guilty of not looking at them enough. This book is keen to show us that they contain within them the key to understanding the whole of the Christian life. I especially appreciated Castaldo’s focus on the basics of Christianity, namely that we are—if we are believers—married to Christ, the one who has everything who gives himself and all he has to us poor nobodies who have nothing!

COME AND SEE: A History and Theology of Mission – Glen Scrivener & Justin Schell (Union, 2023)

This book is quite simple, and yet its simple retelling of the Bible’s teaching on mission is revolutionary. Mission begins and ends with God and who he is—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has always been “outgoing”, even before creation he shared his love and his glory with himself—the three persons of the Trinity. Now that the world has been created, that love overflows into all creation. And so, God’s mission is to bring ever man, woman, boy and girl into that wonderful and ancient fellowship. Scrivener and Schell take it from there and it’s a thrilling read.

2 CHRONICLES: A House of Prayer – Andrew Stewart (EP, 2017)

Andrew Stewart reminds us that ‘Much of this book was written as an encouragement to ordinary Israelites who were struggling to be faithful in daily and mundane matters.’ He explains, ‘That is why God has given us the book of Chronicles. It is good for us to learn about their struggles to be faithful to God.’ This could be a helpful book to pick up to read alongside our Bible-book for the summer.

July 2023

Activities This Month

2nd                      Communion as part of the Morning-Service

4th                       Fiona Earnest of Albanian Evangelical Mission speaking @ Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting, 7:30pm

8th                       Men’s Breakfast, 8:30am @ AP

13th                     Women’s Evening, 8pm @ The Manse

21st                      Bible Club, 6-7pm @ The Manse

27th                      Church Forum, subject: Church Rules, 7:30pm Next scheduled Church Forum: September 28th.

30th                      Robert Strivens (Bradford-On-Avon) preaching @ AP, AM & PM
                               Rhodri preaching @ Ebenezer Baptist Church, Swansea, AM & PM

Other Notes

  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 4th & 18th | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: 11th & 25th
    • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship continues to meet on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups Bible-book is Amos this month. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?
  • When able to, those manning the book-table go out every Saturday (weather & personnel-permitting) 11am-12:30pm, members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work.
  • Rhodri is in the AECW Coordinating-Committee meeting on the 4th.
  • We usually have our AGM in July, however, since this is our first year preparing for it as a registered-charity, things are taking longer than expected, a totally new process is required, so we won’t have our AGM before Autumn. Do pray for Gareth & Rhian who are taking the lion’s share of this work.
  • Rhodri & the family hope to go away for six days from the 31st.
  • Advance Notice: On Monday August the 14th at 11am, Keith Underhill is coming to Alfred Place to speak about his book, as a sort of “Book Launch”, that’s during conference-week.

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

WHEN PEOPLE ARE BIG AND GOD IS SMALL: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man -Edward T. Welch (‎P&R, [Reprint] 2023)

Jim Newheiser says that “When People are Big and God is Small” is the best book title ever, presumably because it summarises exactly what our most significant problem as fallen-humans is… we have a big view of people, and a small view of God, (of course it should be the other way round!). This book that has been a big influence on lots Christians over the years, addressing the struggles many of us face on a day to day basis. This is a revised edition and it covers some of the more modern temptations we face today too. The best thing about the book is how scriptural it is, how we all need to see the greatness and sufficiency of the living God!

PLANTED BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD – Keith Underhill (Broken Wharfe, 2023)

[Note: the order of these books has not arrived yet.] This book is a missionary-autobiography spanning the life and efforts of Keith Underhill in church-planting, according to the providence of God, in Kenya. Keith was a church planter in Kenya from 1975 to 2015 having been sent out by the members here at Alfred Place. This book is Keith and Priscilla’s story, however it also doubles-up as a manual for church-planting and missionary-work which will be helpful to equip us all to better fulfil our service to the Lord, whether that be at home or abroad. The books are available in the shop for the discounted price of £18.99, (the price is due to the fact that the book is a high-quality hardback, and is 528 pages). [See above for details of Book Launch in AP on August the 14th.]

COULD IT BE DEMENTIA?: Losing Your Mind Doesn’t Mean Losing Your Soul – Louise Morse & Roger Hitchings (Monarch Books, 2008)

The idea with this book is that dementia needs to be interpreted in a Christian context, showing us that just because someone has lost their mind or their memories, it doesn’t mean they are worthless, on the contrary those with dementia show us marvellous things about the Lord’s work. ‘Perhaps the greatest encouragement, for residents and carers alike, is seeing the Holy Spirit at work in His people,’ say Louise and Roger, ‘in a worship meeting, someone [with dementia] who normally does not speak will unexpectedly pray the most cogent, appropriate prayer. In countless other ways the Holy Spirit is seen to be present with God’s precious ‘aged pilgrims’’. Very helpful stuff.  [Mike has also ordered two other helpful books about dementia Dementia from the Inside by Jennifer Bute and Finding Grace in the Face of Dementia by John Dunlop.]

THE MESSAGE OF AMOS: The Day Of The Lion – Alec Motyer (IVP, 1974)

A few of us in AP are fans of Alec Motyer. He has the rare gift of being totally biblical whilst at the same time being very accessible. Here’s a quote from the blurb:

Alec Motyer has clearly got the spirit of Amos in his blood. He loves the prophet from Tekoa, and takes endless pains to give full weight to every syllable of the prophecy. He is, of course, a distinguished scholar, and we are given full value on that front; but you will find here none of the dreary academic deadness which all too often comes through in commentary work.

June 2023

Activities This Month

4th                       Communion as part of the Evening-Service
                              Ian preaching in AP, AM; Eric preaching PM
                              (Rhodri preaching at Eglwys Efengylaidd Caerfyrddin)

8th                       Officers’ Meeting

10th                     Men’s Breakfast, 8:30am @ AP

15th                     Women’s Evening, 8pm @ The Manse

23rd                     Bible Club, 6-7pm @ The Manse

24th                     AECW South West & Swansea Clusters Joint-Prayer-Morning @ Lampeter Evangelical Church, 11am, all welcome.

29th                     Church Members’ Meeting @ AP, 7:30pm

Other Notes

  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 6th & 20th | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: 13th & 27th
    • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship continues to meet on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups Bible-book is Revelation this month. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?
  • The book-table continues to go out every Saturday (weather-permitting), members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work. Meet @ 11am, outside The Christian Bookshop. 
  • Rhodri is at the Evangelical Movement of Wales Minister’s Conference in Bala from Monday the 5th of June to Wednesday the 7th.
  • The AECW South West & Swansea Clusters Joint-Prayer-Morning that’s happening in Lampeter is an opportunity for us to link up with the AECW (Associating Evangelical Churches in Wales) churches who are nearest to us geographically. It’s easy to feel isolated in Aber, but that needn’t be so. We are joining our fellow South West Cluster churches (Hill Park & Penuel in Pembrokeshire, along with Lampeter Evangelical Church, in whose building we’re meeting); the Swansea churches are coming too (Ebenezer; Libanus; Sandfields; Pontarddulais; Gorseinon [Bethel & Penyrheol]; Pontardawe; & Clydach), for a time of prayer together as churches. Everyone is welcome. Ask Rhodri if you need directions to Lampeter Evangelical Church.
  • Correction: Rhodri & family are not going away for half-term 29th (of May) – 2nd of June.

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST: The Fruit of the Spirit in the Life of Our Saviour -Jonathan Landry Cruse (‎Banner of Truth Trust, 2023)

You have probably read Paul’s famous list outlining the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. However, perhaps your thinking on that list is that either they are attributes you need to work in yourself (not the Spirit’s) or worse, you gave disconnected these character-traits from the Lord Jesus. This helpful book avoids both those pitfalls. Here’s an extract to whet your appetite:

Without Jesus, real love is impossible. Without Jesus, our testimony can only be that we are ‘hated by others and hating one another’ (Titus 3:3). Without Jesus, ‘all you need is love’ is a meaningless mantra. But with Jesus it is the message of the gospel—because it is his love that truly covers a multitude of sins and saves us from hell. When we have received that love, we are able to release it back into the world. The love that comes from the Spirit is a cruciform love: a love that is literally shaped by the cross. We will love in such a way that people will see Christ through it.

This book is released on the 13th of June.

WORTHY: Living in Light of the Gospel – Sinclair Ferguson (Union, 2023)

Paul commands Christians everywhere in Philippians 1 to ‘let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ’. And yet, Sinclair Ferguson rightly points out that we don’t often (if ever) hear a Christian described as someone who is ‘worthy of the gospel of Christ’, that’s a shame, because Paul used this descriptor all the time, and saw it as a non-negotiable (cf. Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians). In this concise and user-friendly manual, Sinclair Ferguson shows us the significance of living-out the gospel in our lives, and why.  The big idea is that we are to actively strive to be like Christ, and Sinclair gives us some great examples from the Scriptures to make the application practical and useful. This book is released on the 15th of June.

REVELATION – Alun Ebenezer (EP, 2012)

Alun Ebenezer was an AP student here in Aberystwyth back in the 90s, he’s grown a lot since then and he’s now a member in Amyand Park Chapel (where our previous Pastor Geoff Thomas is also a member) and is also headmaster of Fulham Boys School in London. As is always the case, it’s essential that we read the Bible before we go to a commentary, but once you’ve read Revelation, you would do well to pick up Alun’s understandable book and allow his words of encouragement from the Bible to lead you once again to the Lamb who is on the throne! Comes recommended by Alistair Begg and Ted Donnelly, foreword by Dan Walker.

 

May 2023

Activities This Month

7th                       Communion as part of the Morning-Service

9th                       Wayne O’Leary of Slavic Gospel Association speaking at Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting

11th                     Members’ Meeting

13th                      AECW Annual Conference @ Newtown, 10am-4pm, all welcome (Rhodri has five spaces in his car)

14th                      Rhodri preaching on Doctrine of the Church, as prep for following week’s Special Church-Covenant Service

18th                     Women’s Evening, 8pm @ The Manse

20th                     Men’s Breakfast, 8:30am @ AP (one week later than usual)

21st                      All members AP members present for our Special Church-Covenant Service, 11am @ AP (more info below)

26th                     Bible Club, 6-7pm @ The Manse

Other Notes

  • The Special Church-Covenant Service was what we announced at the Church-Forum on Monday the 24th of April. As elders, we have produced a Church-Covenant based on the commitments we all made when we became church-members. These are not new promises that we’re expecting members to make, but the plan is for us all to recommit to the vows we all made as AP members. Please let the elders know if you can’t be at the service on the 21st, and do take note of our morning-service the week before where we’ll be looking at The Doctrine of the Church. 
  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 9th & 23rd | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: 2nd, 16th & 30th
    • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship continues to meet on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups Bible-book is 1 Kings this month. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?
  • The book-table continues to go out every Saturday (weather-permitting), members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work. Meet @ 11am, outside The Christian Bookshop. 

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

NEW BOOKS

SHOW THEM JESUS: Teaching the Gospel to Kids -Jack Klumpenhower (‎New Growth Press, 2023)

If our overall vision as a church is to Make Much of Christ, this is a book about teaching children which does just that. The marvellously named Mr. Klumpenhower tells us that ‘our challenge is to proclaim the good news of Jesus so clearly and consistently that no kid of ours will ever place him in a category with typical religious leaders. Our calling is to be good-news fanatics. ‘ This is why the focus of the book is not primarily in teaching children to be like the Lord Jesus, but rather to proclaim his full saving work.

THE HOLY WAR: A Modern English Edition by Thelma H. Jenkins – John Bunyan (EP, 2023)

Bunyan has sought to explain the Christian life by portraying our souls as a great city. The story is an allegory (a story that when interpreted reveals a hidden meaning) and it shows, in word pictures, how man lost his first position of innocence by listening to the temptations of Satan; how he came under Satan’s domination and the misery that followed; and how the Lord Jesus Christ came to rescue mankind from our bondage to Satan, casting out the evil within us and making our hearts fit once more to be the dwelling-place of God.

To encourage you to read it, here’s the foreword by Doctor D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (warning he doesn’t hold back!):

Nothing, perhaps, provides us with a better index to the quality of life of an individual or a generation of Christian people, than their reading habits.
Many, alas, do not seem to read at all, but just spend their time in talking or arguing or in attending an endless succession of meetings. Others read nothing but exciting and dramatic accounts of other people’s experiences. Still others are interested only in books and booklets which deal with the “Christians attitude” to this, that and the other.
Most significant of all, however, is our attitude to the great classics of the Christian life, the books in which our forefathers delighted, and on which, next to the Bible itself, they fed their souls. In this category the works of John Bunyan always stood out prominently for some 250 years, and their neglect during the past fifty-years exposed the pathetic, superficiality of our generation.
It is said that the moderns find Bunyan difficult to read. Because of this, Mrs Thelma Jenkins, in her desire to introduce people to the riches of ‘The Holy War’ in particular, has undertaken this labour of love. Her desire is that as a result of reading it in this more modern idiom, many may be lead to read Bunyan himself directly, and thereby experience untold blessings and great enrichment of their spiritual lives.
It is my pleasure to encourage this noble effort and my privilege to pray that God will bless it to that end.

1 KINGS: The Wisdom and the Folly – Dale Ralph Davis (Christian Focus, 2008)

Doctor Davis has been enjoyed for many years by several people in AP, and others would be encouraged to join us in reading and listening to his excellent books and sermons. 1 Kings is the book of the month, and here is the suggested further reading. However, a note of caution; it is very important that we actually read 1 Kings, before we read anything about 1 Kings! The Bible teaches us that God’s word is ‘very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.’ (Deuteronomy 30:14), and therefore, with the Holy Spirit’s help, even the youngest reader can understand the Bible. And yet, we also read the Bible in the context of the church, and the church has had many wonderful interpreters over the years, one such wonderful interpreter is Dr. D. Ralph Davis. Enjoy!

~ Rhodri

April 2023

Activities This Month

2nd                     Eric Taylor preaching @ AP, AM; Mark Pickett, PM.

7th                      Good Friday: Joint-Service with Eglwys Efengylaidd Aberystwyth @ AP, 10:30am (note time).

9th                       Communion as part of the Evening-Service (one week later than usual).

15th                     Men’s Breakfast, 8:30am @ AP.
                             Saturday Morning Outreach, meet at 11am, outside The Christian Bookshop. 

17th                     Officers’ Meeting. 

18th                     (No Small-Group Prayer-Meeting) Tony Brown speaking at Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting (Tony will join us online, via Google Meet, but those able to attend will still come in-person to AP .

20th                     Women’s Evening, 8pm @ The Manse.

24th                     Members’ Meeting, 7:30pm @ AP.

28th                     Bible Club, 6-7pm @ The Manse.

Other Notes

  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 11th, 18th & 25th | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: 4th only (Tony Brown joining online on the 18th).
  • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship continues to meet on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups Bible-book is Hebrews this month. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?
  • The book-table continues to go out every Saturday (weather-permitting), members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work.
  • Rhodri & the family (as well as some others from AP) are at the Word Alive conference in Prestatyn from the 1st to the 6th of April.

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

SPECIAL OFFER

This month, Tony Brown, the author of Sharing the Gospel with a Jehovah’s Witness will be speaking in a whole-church prayer-meeting. The shop has bought a number of these books and we are able to sell them at the reduced price of £2 (RRP £4.99). (Editorial description shown below). 

In this comprehensive guide to what you need to know about Jehovah’s Witnesses, ex-Jehovah’s Witness, Tony Brown, shares his extensive knowledge and experience of the teachings of the Watchtower Society. He explains what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, why their message is so compelling to so many, and how their doctrines differ from those of biblical Christianity. He provides many practical tips for ways in which we can seek to share the gospel with these neighbors. If you’ve ever wanted to share the gospel with a Jehovah’s Witness, but not known where to start, then this book will give you the practical knowledge you need to come out from behind the sofa and open the door.

 

NEW BOOKS

FIVE PURITAN WOMEN: Portraits of Faith and Love – Jenny-Lyn de Klerk (‎Crossway, 2023)

We may have heard of or read the works of the Puritans, and yet how many Christian women from that period have we read about? Not many, I’m sure! Therefore what we have here is quite a refreshing opportunity to meet these five women, most (if not all) we won’t have heard of. These women can teach us how to be devoted to the Lord Jesus, how to grieve well, and how to do family-life right. Recommended by Tim Challies.

SARAH EDWARDS: Delighting in God – Sharon James (EP, 2023)

It seems we’re in a golden-age for biographies of Christian-women. This is another helpful one, and a great starting point for reading about either Sarah or her famous husband Jonathan. The hope is that the book will It will encourage us to delight in God as Sarah did, and also to work and pray for revival similar to what they experienced way back in the 18th Century in America (but she was British!). The book is endorsed by Iain Murray as ‘attractive and challenging [and] important for today.’

RESILIENT FAITH: Learning to Rely on Jesus in the Struggles of Life – Lewis & Sarah Allen (Crossway, 2023)

Though this book is published by American press Crossway, Lewis and Sarah Allen are British, writing from a UK context. I’m finding how devotional this book is very helpful… for example, the questions at the end of each chapter aren’t pointless add-ons, but are actual useful bits of homework for genuine reflection, meditation and prayer. What’s more, the book is very pastoral, it’s full of examples of real people and their struggles, and it seeks to encourage the reader to address similar issues. I also like how Christ-centred the book is. How about this quote to help you get out of bed in the morning:

Can you thank God for the new life he has given you, for the mini-resurrection he has just performed in bringing you up from sleep? What about praising him that you are not alone in this new day with all its burdens, but that by the Spirit you are united to Christ and are part of his bride, the church? Rather than hitting snooze and rolling over, you can get up, because the Lord of the universe is with you.

~ Rhodri

March 2023

Activities This Month

5th                         Communion as part of the Morning-Service.

11th                      Men’s Breakfast, 8:30am @ AP.
                               Saturday Morning Outreach, meet at 11am, outside The Christian Bookshop.

14th                      Jim and Megan Patterson sharing report at Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting. 

16th                      Women’s Evening, 8pm @ The Manse.

17th                      Bible Club, 6-7pm @ The Manse.

23rd                      Church-Forum (Topic: The Christian Bookshop)

26th                       Ian preaching @ AP, AM; Gerwyn preaching @ AP, PM
                                Rhodri preaching @ The Welsh Church of Central London (AM & PM)

28th                      Andrew Berry from Operation Mobilisation speaking at Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting.

[Note: The book-table continues to go out every Saturday (weather-permitting), members, speak to Eric if you are interested in joining the work.]

Other Notes

  • Whole-Church Prayer-Meeting dates: 14th & 28th | Small-Group Prayer-Meeting: 7th & 21st.
  • Speak to Rhodri, Ian, or Eric if you are interested in joining one of the three small-groups.
  • The weekly Women’s Fellowship continues to meet on Wednesday mornings, in AP basement at 10:30am.
  • The monthly Bible-Reading-Groups Bible-book is Leviticus this month. All church-members are encouraged to read it and consider Christ as you do. Those attending the groups (Women’s Evening / Men’s Breakfast / Bible Club) do keep a note of observations and questions to share with your group. Good questions to ask (these are questions the Bible asks about itself):
    1. What did you learn about the Lord Jesus?
    2. What did you learn about yourself?
    3. How were you corrected and rebuked?
    4. How do you feel you need to change?
    5. What did you learn from scripture that will help you endure (keep going) and be encouraged?
    6. What did you learn that will teach you to do works of service to build up the brothers and sisters in AP?
    7. What have you learned that helps you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind?
    8. What has helped you love your neighbour as yourself?

Book News

Any book-orders or enquiries related to the bookshop should be emailed to info@apbookshop.co.uk

Visit the Bookshop Facebook Page for all the latest information, including opening hours (note: a Facebook account is not required to access that page.)

SPECIAL OFFER

In April, Tony Brown, the author of Sharing the Gospel with a Jehovah’s Witness will be speaking in a whole-church prayer-meeting.

The shop has bought a number of these books and we are able to sell them at the reduced price of £2 (RRP £4.99).

NEW BOOKS

EVANGELICAL PHARISEES: The Gospel as Cure for the Church’s Hypocrisy – Michael Reeves (‎Crossway, 2023)

Scripture warns believers against hypocrisy; the Lord Jesus calls it the yeast of the Pharisees because of its potential to spread quickly in the church. It’s very easy to outwardly appear as devout in our religion, and to secretly be hiding legalism, destructive pride, idolatry, and even apostasy. Mike Reeves shows us that pharisaism is still a problem among us evangelicals today, and he shows us how the Lord Jesus instructs the church on how to recognise and defeat it. We might well all need correction on our approach to Scripture, our understanding of salvation, and our view on how essential it is to be born again (the three Rs of the gospel: revelation, redemption, regeneration).

 

2,000 YEARS OF CHRIST’S POWER, VOLUME 5: The Age of Enlightenment and Awakening – Nick Needham (Christian Focus, 2023)

As you may already know, Nick Needham has sought to cover the history of the New Testament church over four books before this, and has by now reached the 18th century. Many in the congregation have found these books helpful and will commend them to you. Note: this book won’t be released until mid-March.

Nick says:

In many ways, I confess I do not feel especially at home in the Age of Reason. My personal roots are far more among those of the Early Church. Still, I gladly admit I cannot help feeling my heart kindled as I read about the mighty deeds wrought in and through the Evangelical preachers of that age.

Even if you haven’t read the previous four volumes, this may be a good place to start, and then to work your way backwards through time!

~ Rhodri