We are seeking to be a God-centred, Jesus-led, Spirit-filled, community on the Isle of Bute.
We are in King Street, Rothesay, by the castle. Our Pastor is Rev. Ron Rye.
Our Sunday Services are at 11am and 5.30pm. We meet for Prayer and Reflection on Wednesdays at 7.30pm. We have a Coffee Morning every Saturday from 10am to 12pm.
All are welcome. No requirement. No obligation. Why not join us?
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COMING UP
Our Pastor Ron Rye is on sick leave at the moment. Your prayers for him and Steph are appreciated. We pray that he will come back to us healed and strengthened, and ready to lead us forward into an era of growth for our church. We pray too that we are ready to offer ourselves, as individual Christians and as a church, to walk boldly into the Journey that lies ahead.
What’s on this Week? click here
6th March: 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm: launch of Douglas Bruce’s book on the Arctic convoys, Rothesay Library
7th March: 2.30 pm: Service for World Day of Prayer
9th March: 5.30 pm: Praise Service
10th March: 7.30 pm: Grace Strong talks about her visit to the Galapagos Islands Refreshments afterwards. Open to all – bring a friend!
18th March: 2.15 pm: Women’s Fellowship AGM
20th March: 7.30 pm: Church Members’ Meeting
5th-6th April: Church Anniversary Weekend
13th-20th April: Easter week: joint service each day
5th-13th July: Summer Mission
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2014: THE YEAR OF CHOICE
In his sermon of 12th January, our pastor Ron Rye reflected on the time since he has come to our church, and the learning process he is going through as a minister. It was plain that the Holy Spirit was with him as he spoke. His message was that this year will be a Year of Choice for Ardbeg Baptist Church, as well as for our nation of Scotland.
As a church we can choose, as the Children of Israel did, to cross the river into a land full of challenges, but which the Lord has prepared for us. As in Joshua’s day, the journey will need commitment, courage, and careful planning; and every one of us will be involved, contributing the skills and talents which God has given us for His work.
Listen to Ron’s inspirational sermon here. The reading is Joshua 24: 14-22.
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RECENT SERMONS
2 March 2014 George Thompson
morning: George’s theme was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” and his text 2 Cor. 12:1-10. Like Paul, we all have our own thorns which Satan can use to attack us. But the thorns can be dealt with:
1. We have to accept our thorns, and let go of anger, despair and self-pity. Paul asked three times for his to be removed, and was finally told that this would not happen. It was part of him. And God says, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (v. 9)
2. We have to own our thorns, confess them and share them. Satan uses our guilt as a lever, but God’s forgiveness frees us and renders him powerless. Grace goes with truth.
3. We must use our thorns as a reminder of God’s strength given to us, and of our debt of love to Jesus, who made Himself weak to be strength for us, who wore a crown of thorns to give us a gift of grace.
evening: George addressed the tricky topic of the Second Coming, with 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11 as his text. This event has occasioned vast debate among churchgoers as well as theologians, over many issues, especially the timing. However the simple truth of t he matter is that Jesus will return, and he will return for us. (see John 14:1-4, Acts 1:11)
So what should we do? Rather that trying to predict the date, we should: a. keep praying, b. keep praising, and c. keep pressing on. Paul argues that turning away from the world in the belief that Jesus’ return is imminent is not appropriate. We should keep therefore to the instructions Christ gave us in behaving as Christians and engaging with the world. We should also encourage and build each other up (1 Thess. 5:11). We are chapter 29 of Acts!
Matthew 24 tells us the signs of the last times, and many think we are in those times now. But whatever the situation, we should live each day as if it could be the last, not in fear, but in light, for we are His, and He will return for us.
16 February 2014 Rev. Bill Milton
morning: Bill’s theme was The Glory of God, his text John 17:1-26, Jesus’ prayer for His people, who are meant to live on earth to bring glory to God. Jesus prays: i. that glory might come to God, for which purpose we are saved (vv. 1-10); ii. that we might be kept secure (11-15); iii. that believers might be sanctified (consecrated, set apart) (16-19); iv. that we might be sent into the world for the glory of God (18); and v. that in seeing all these things we might be satisfied (24-26).
Jesus concludes that we will all be with him in glory, that all this is due to God’s grace and will redound to His glory.
evening: Bill took us through the events of Saul’s conversion, as reported in Acts 9: 1-22, as an example of God’s grace in action. He focused on three features as the result of grace:
i. Conversion: Saul is changed utterly, to the very centre of his being; from a zealous persecutor of Christ’s people, he becomes a fervent, persuasive and courageous advocate, giving all for Christ.
ii. Commitment: Ananias carries out Jesus’ bidding even though he knows Saul’s evil reputation and perhaps fears that he himself will be seized and imprisoned; and Saul immediately and publicly identifies himself as committed to Christ through baptism and begins to preach powerfully.
iii. Conviction: Saul then goes to Arabia to spend three years preparing by study and prayer for his ministry to the gentiles; and despite the doubts of the church leaders, Barnabas is convinced of Saul’s conversion and value, and persuades them too.
All of this chain events is evidence of God’s grace in action.
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PICTURES OF 2014
