Welcome to Glenburn Methodist Church
Welcome To Glenburn Methodist Church
We are a Church striving to be at the heart of our community bringing the love and peace of Jesus to all.
Due to the guidelines set out by the government, and following instructions from MCI, we unfortunately are unable to gather for worship on Sundays. Worship services are cancelled over the coming weeks, as are all activities that would take place during the week.
You can link to our Facebook page by clicking on the ‘f’ in the top right corner above.
Our postal address is: Glenburn Methodist Church, 6 Glensharragh Gardens, Belfast, BT6 9PE
Please keep an eye out on this web page, especially Sundays, for more from our minister, the Rev. Cheryl Patterson and others. By clicking on the title of the site below and subscribing to it you will find additional information, spiritual support, guidance and encouragement from Cheryl.
Sunday Service 5th July 2020
JOINT SUNDAY SERVICE
A Song of Saturday
A Reflection on the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ by David MacFarlane
Some events are so significant that people will often remember what they were doing when they learned what happened. This first became common following the assassination of President Kennedy on Friday 22 November 1963. Something so shocking as to be almost unbelievable focused our mind and burned it in our memory. I was playing basketball when one of the coaches came into the gym, stopped the game and announced what had happened.
The other tragedies which had a profound effect were the death of Princess Diana and the 9/11 terrorist attack.
Of course, we all have personal experiences and events, the memory of which can be triggered off by a all sorts of things, including a word, an image, news report or a conversation.
The piece I would like to reflect upon is linked with the Football World Cup, June 1966 at Wembley. Millions of football fans were glued to their black and white television screens that day. Although I am as keen on football as the next person, I did not watch the game as I was otherwise engaged.
In June 1966, Belfast hosted the 15th World Christian Endeavour Convention. Visitors from all over the world travelled here to attend. There were a number of special events laid on for them. Including a reception in the City Hall and a Garden Party at Stormont. But the highlight of the Convention was the gathering in the King’s Hall where representatives of all the countries paraded under the flag of their nation, and a service of worship was held.
The climax of the service was the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus by a choir of around five hundred. I was privileged to be a member of that choir. To this day I can still recall the tingle down my spine as the first chord was played and the congregation of eight thousand delegates stood up.
That was my first, and for a long time, my only experience of singing in a choir. I only went along to the rehearsals because of the coaxing of a friend. The conductor was Harry Carser; the pianist was Margaret Newell, sister of the Rev Ken Newell and a member of staff in Gilnahirk Primary school where our own Billy McCartney was Headmaster; the organist was Edgar Pierpoint who will be known by many in Glenburn.
It remains a vivid memory and I always experience a thrill when I hear the first chords and the opening cry of “Hallelujah”.
Last Saturday, Cheryl related how George Matheson was inspired to compose “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go”. Handel experienced something similar about composing the Hallelujah Chorus. It is recorded that “his assistant found him in tears saying – I did think I saw heaven open, and saw the very face of God”.
First performed in Dublin, the Messiah did not receive particularly good reviews. But over the following 279 years it has been performed all over the world and the Hallelujah Chorus is one of the most famous choral pieces ever written.
The words are fairly simple but performed by a large choir are capable of creating a tremendous sense of the wonder and majesty of God.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords,
And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords! 😐
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
If you need confirmation of how inspiring these simple words can be, listen to some the wonderful recordings available on YouTube. In addition to wonderful renditions by famous choirs such as the Mormon Tabernacle or the Kings College Cambridge, I strongly recommend you look at and listen on YouTube to the Christmas Food Court Flash Mob version.
So my Song for Saturday reminds me of where i was when England won the World Cup but of greater significance is that it reminds me of the promise we find in scripture that God shall reign for ever and ever; it reminds me that the Queen was crowned under an inscription from Revelation Chapter 11 v 15; it reminds me that in the original Hebrew, hallelujah means “a joyous praise in song to God”; it also encourages me to acknowledge the greatness of God as I look at His creation and to give thanks for the joy of His salvation.
A Mid-day, Mid-week Moment
‘Genuine, God-given happiness is not the absence of sadness… it is the overriding presence of His sovereign mercy. The firm belief that He is good and He does good no matter what our current circumstances are.’ (Lisa Harper)
I started reading ‘The Sacrament of Happy‘ by Lisa Harper way back in January, and only recently managed the time to finish it. I have a terrible habit of starting several books at the same time and then taking a long time to get through any of them! The first day I sat down to read it, I was in a coffee shop (which is an experience I greatly miss during lock down), the server who brought over my coffee asked what I was reading and it started a conversation.
This book has the sub title of ‘What a smiling God brings to a wounded world’ and I was motivated to read it after watching the author preach at a conference in America. She has a natural and humourous way of engaging listeners, and her writing brings that same gift to the pages of her book. I started to read it because journeying through the frustration of illness had left me struggling to always find ‘happy,’ and I hoped that she would bring me some wisdom that would help lift my heart.
The conversation in the coffee shop was initially brief, as I explained that this book was really inviting us to find happiness rooted in a good God rather than in a broken world. The server walked away and then came back again because he wanted to tell me about another book that talked about happiness and contentment, and perhaps this would be better for me because ‘it didn’t include all that God stuff’. I politely thanked him for his recommendation and then responded with, ‘the God stuff is why I’m reading this one.’ To which he shrugged and walked away, obviously thinking I was a little deluded, or putting my faith into the wrong things.
As I finished the book and reflected back to this initial encounter in a coffee shop, I wonder what it was about the idea of ‘God stuff’ that made this server so uncomfortable. And I wonder do his beliefs of contentment without God really serve him so well?
The basis of Lisa Harper’s book is that happiness is not about the things we have or the circumstances we create, rather happiness is a focus of our attention. What I mean by this is, if our eyes are fixed on the God that is good and the God that is faithful, then we can understand and experience happiness no matter what our circumstances may be or what things we possess. She illustrates this with a variety of biblical texts that serve to support her argument, and that paint a picture of a God who is always present. It’s an easy and enjoyable book to read!
Now this may not sound like a new revelation, I’m sure it is something we have heard before. But this does serve as a helpful reminder.
Faith calls us to fix our eyes on God. When we are looking to him we see unconditional love, extravagant grace, boundless mercy. We see a power to heal and restore, to strengthen and renew. When we look to him, we see all things good. If that is our first focus, then all else can be viewed through it.
And so, if circumstances are difficult and uncertain, we look to God and drawn confidence knowing that the God who split the sea for the Israelites, the God who sent fire from heaven for Elijah, and the God who raised Christ from the dead… well, this is the God who stands with US. Doesn’t that focus help us to endure all things with hope.
Or, if we find our hearts heavy and burdened, if we first look to God and see a God who wept over his people, a God who loved and offered a precious sacrifice for the sake of us… well doesn’t that focus remind us of a God who comes near, who understands our heart and who strengthens us.
Life is filled with many wounds and challenges, if we look first to that, we are overwhelmed and defeated. But if we fix our gaze on the One who is greater, our hearts have cause to have hope, for greater is none than He! Fixing our eyes on God doesn’t always mean that our prayers are answered in the way we think they will be, but it does mean that even in disappointment there is cause to have joy, and fight for happiness, because the God in whom we place our trust has always been good, and so he will continue to be, even now.
So today’s reminder: Fix your eyes on the things of God. There you will find hope and strength for the day ahead. Don’t be distracted by the ideologies and offers of the world. They are temporal and failing.
Hold on to faith, choose to fix your eyes on Him.
WORLD DEVELOPMENT & RELIEF
WALK AND PRAY RESOURCE FROM EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE
Here is a helpful resource to turn your physical exercise into a spiritual exercise too. Prayer walking is such an important and special opportunity for us to intercede on behalf of our community . This resource could help guide you along the way. Even if you are isolated to your home this can be a helpful tool. Why not draw a street map of your local area and imagine yourself walking through the area as you pray
In the absence of physical church gatherings, we have an opportunity to the scattered church. For as long as our church buildings are closed, we can serve those in our communities through prayer in our everyday comings and goings.
We invite you to embark on regular prayer walks during the lockdown. This will be a time when you are attentive to God’s presence in the places you walk, seeing God’s heart for the people and challenges around you and responding to His Spirit as you seek to love your neighbours.
You will join with other Christians around the country when you use this prayer resource to inspire and guide your prayers for people in this time and place.
To read the resource guide click on the title below:
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- We are privileged to have Cheryl Patterson as our minister. Cheryl came to us from Gorey, Co. Wexford where she ministered to a friendly active circuit.
- Prayer is a rewarding and life enhancing conversation with God. But at times it can be difficult. You can feel isolated from others, running out of things to say and getting distracted.
Jesus encouraged his followers to pray regularly and discipline is needed to accomplish that. Daily prayers help by developing a habit.
If you would like us to pray for someone, use the Contact Us button above to let us know.
If you would like us to post a prayer, please use the Contact Us button above to send it to us.
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