Bala evangelical church

Koinonias Kairoi (‘Fellowship Times’)

If someone asked you, ‘what does Easter mean?’ you might hesitate to reply because of the variety of answers possible!

The modern English word ‘Easter’ is thought to come from the Old English Eastre/Eostre, the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre! Feasts were held in Eostre’s honour during Eostre monath (Easter month). By the time of [the venerable] Bede (AD 672-735) this was ‘April’, and the pagan month of feasting had generally been replaced by the Christian ‘Paschal season.’

The Welsh ‘Paschal season,’ equivalent to ‘Easter’, is Pasg. In Breton it is Pask. Both terms come from the Greek (and Latin), Pascha, which, in turn, derive from the Hebrew, Pesach (or ‘Passover’).

Easter (Sunday) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It marks the end of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting and prayer. The last week of Lent is known as ‘Holy Week’, and includes Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Easter is followed by a fifty-day Eastertide, which ends with Pentecost, recalling the promised coming from heaven of the Holy Spirit.
Plainly, some of these things are Biblical and some have been added to Scripture. According to the Bible, Jesus’ resurrection was not simply His coming back from the dead (others, like Lazarus, had done that, and died again!). The Bible tells us, rather, that when Jesus rose from the dead He was the ‘first fruits’ of a new kind of human life (1 Cor 15:20+23). His resurrection body was no longer subject to weakness, aging or death, but able to live eternally, ‘imperishable… in glory… in power… a spiritual body’ (1 Cor 15:42-44). And for those who believe in Him, they too will share in His resurrection and have a body like His.
For believers, Easter means that word of faith which Paul and the apostles proclaimed: ‘that if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified… ’ (Romans 10:9+10):

See God’s salvation plan, wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,

fulfilled in Christ the Man, for He lives, Christ is risen from the dead.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today,

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way,

He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.
Yours, in Him, Gareth

• 
  For Home Group details, please contact one of the elders, or if you wish to join the Welsh-speaking Group, Ioan Davies (01678 – 521086), or the Dolgellau Group, Alan Woodbridge (01341 – 423218).
  
• 
  For Coffee Morning information, please contact: Carolyn Perrin, 01678 – 540614, and Edith Roberts, 01678 – 520274.
  

DIARY / DYDDIADUR : APRIL / EBRILL 2012

PM = Prayer Meeting; BS = Bible Study; LBS = Ladies’ BS; YM = Youth Meeting

HG = Home Groups; CM = Coffee Morning; SS = Sunday School;

CE = Christianity Explained / Explored; Dol. = Dolgellau

(All meetings in Canolfan Bro Tegid, unless stated otherwise)

Sun 1 10.30 am Morning Worship (+ SS)

Preacher: Gareth Williams + pm

5.50 pm The Lord’s Supper

6.30 pm Evening Service

As arranged: HG

Fri 6 10.30 am Good Friday Service (+ Lord’s Supper)
Sun 8 10.30 am Easter Morning Service

Preacher: Gareth Williams + pm

Ioan Davies is in Tabernacl, Llanrwst (10 am)

6.30 pm Easter Evening Service

Tue 10 7.30 pm PM

Fri 13 10.30 am CM
Sun 15 10.30 am Morning Worship (+ SS)

Preacher: Dave Wilmot

Ioan Davies is near Denbigh/Rhuthun at Rhewl (10), Pontuchel (2) and Cyffylliog (5)

6.30 pm Evening Service (PM, 6.00 pm)

Preacher: Gareth Williams

Dave Wilmot is in Zion, Pen y cae, Wrexham

As arranged: HG

Fri 20 10.30 am CM (+ 4.30 pm YM)
Sun 22 10.30 am Morning Worship (+ SS)

Preacher: Gareth Williams + pm

Ioan Davies is in Parc (am) + Rhyducha (pm)

6.30 pm Evening Service

Tue 24 7.30 pm PM

Thurs 25 10.00 am Ladies’ BS

7.15 pm Men’s Meeting (B y G)

Fri 26 10.30 am CM (+ 4.30 pm YM)
Sun 29 10.30 am Morning Worship (+ SS)

Preacher: Gareth Williams + pm

5.50 pm The Lord’s Supper

6.30 pm Evening Service
Diary continued:

[Advance notice: Annual Members Meeting, Thursday, 10 May.]

BALA EVANGELICAL CHURCH

EGLWYS EFENGYLAIDD Y BALA
APRIL LLYTHYR NEWYDDION
2012
NEWSLETTER EBRILL
‘… if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.’ (Romans 10:9+10)


Photo: new life!
‘Mai os cyffesi a’th enau yr Arglwydd Iesu, a chredu yn dy galon i Dduw ei gyfodi ef o feirw, cadwedig fyddi. Canys a’r galon y credir i gyfiawnder, ac a’r genau y cyffesir i iachawdwriaeth.’ (Rhufeiniaid 10:9+10)
Elders: Gareth Williams 01678 (Bala) 521527

David Wilmot 01678 520752

Website: www.balaevangelicalchurch.org