Volume 18, Issue 10
St. Augustine Evangelical Bible Church, Cor. Agostini & Bellesmythe Sts. Curepe
Editorial
Welcome to the House of God? or Welcome, House of God?
What is a more accurate saying according to the New Testament: the traditional Welcome to the House of God which focuses on the physical Church building or: Welcome, House of God, which focuses on the people who form the Church, the spiritual building?
Our 2 years plus experience of the Pandemic and our 2022 Church Anniversary answered that question for us. When SAEBC could not meet in the physical building owing to Ministry of Health restrictions, the Church, the spiritual body, and the spiritual temple, still thrived.
Our Church Anniversary 2022: From Legacy to Living Stones was a more current and timelier reminder to us at SAEBC that as much as we appreciate and are so thankful to the Lord for the physical building that He has given us, we understand that God is most concerned about the people who are part of the spiritual building, the local Church that He is building at SAEBC.
As verses 4 and 5 from our Anniversary theme passage states: As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
This was reinforced by verses 21 and 22 of Ephesians 2 that our wonderful hosts Derek and Sandra read in the Call to Worship at the start of the Service: In Him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
While we should always take care of our physical building, it is even more important that we attend to our spiritual building. As Elder Joe Caterson so eloquently reminded us in his presentation on the history of SAEBC that what built SAEBC in the past and continues to do so now are the 5 ships: Discipleship: the teaching of God’s Word and Evangelism; Worship: praising and worshipping, lifting up Jesus Christ collectively and in the quality of our personal lives; Fellowship: pouring into one another’s lives; Stewardship: accountability to the Lord and one another for our ministries and the way we handle the Lord’s finances and assets; Leadership: persons working together to provide spiritual and servant leadership at SAEBC.
We thank the Lord for the persons, the living stones that are part of the Lord’s spiritual temple at SAEBC. We honoured those living stones who are foundation members:
SAEBC Missionaries: Ronnie and Heather Yearwood and Debbie Dowlath;
Contributing to Chaguanas EBC: Sandra Regis and Mitra Maharaj
Early members: Elder Joe Caterson, Ada Mapp, Deacon Lindsay Gibbings;
and current Pastors Francis Warner and Kelvin Mapp.
Thanks to Ian and Andrea for their fluent reading of the scripts, Carla for choosing appropriate gifts and organising the framed certificates, and Deaconess Jasmine and the other Board members who distributed the gifts: Elder Lindon, Deacon Martin and Deaconesses Jacqueline and Eb.
We saw wonderful contributions from so many of our living stones:
Our dynamic hosts Derek and Sandy;
SAEBC’s Worship Team that led us so effectively into praise and thanks with beautiful music and singing – different worship leaders tastefully leading us in different songs; Pernel Roberts Junior and Mark Steeple who in the background oversaw the effective running of the audio-visual, sound system and online out-put
The exciting and informative Interactive Time was created by Maria Branford and hosted by RoHn Yearwood and Abigail Joseph;
Two of our Young Peoples’, the brother and sister team of Anya and Josiah Mitchel for their special rendition of the Scripture Reading;
The special items that truly blessed us:
Sabali and Nathaniel who brought down the house;
Nicole with her inspiring and professional dance;
The Choir that so expertly and dynamically outdid itself as they reminded us that we worship an awesome God;
And Sonnel’s marvellous poem Our Spiritual House. She appropriately used a number of our living stones of all ages and sizes and lengths of SAEBC involvement. (It is featured in this month’s Tablet.
We again saw another of our living stones, Farrah Friday, very competently and skilfully handling the job of Backstage Manager, ensuring that the Service flowed smoothly. The tasteful, lovely and appropriate decoration of the Auditorium added to the ambience. Many thanks to Selva and Danielle Hughes, assisted by Carla and to Deacon Noel who did the excellent banner.
One of the highlights of the Service was the sermon by our Guest Speaker, Reverend Michael Ramai, the Pastor of our sister Church, Monroe Road EBC. Speaking on From Legacy to Living Stones and using the theme passage 1 Peter 2:4-9 as his main source he told us that the People of God require 3 Foundational Truths for the life of this Spiritual Temple:
In Christ, we find the meaning of our personal lives
In Christ, we find the joy of belonging to one another
In Christ, we have the ministry of the priestly people.
Everyone was truly blessed by his biblically accurate, clear and relevant message.
Special thanks to Deacon Noel for organising the Ministry booths that were highlighted after the Anniversary Service. In typical SAEBC fashion, many of the ministry leaders organised excellent presentations that were informative and interesting. Thanks as well to Lorraine for providing the tasty, satisfying meals.
Thanks to the Anniversary Committee who served efficiently in the background: Danielle Hughes, Martin Hughes, Lorraine Isidore, Laila Naranjit, Sonnel Patrick, Pernel Roberts Jr, Francis Warner.
Truly we had a wonderful time together. SAEBC Church Anniversary 2022 was truly a memorable God, thank the Lord!
May we all at SAEBC play our part as living stones in the spiritual temple that the Lord is building here. Welcome, House of God!
Poem by Sonnel Patrick
Our Spiritual House
(Sonnel)
At the corner of Belle Smythe and Agostini
A refuge of rich, Christian legacy
A work built on faith and faithfulness
Sanctified by Him in holiness
A legacy not built by human hands
The cross, the pillar on which it stands
Insured in blood and by resurrection
A peculiar people, the stones in this congregation
(Farrah Friday)
And I am a living stone, connected to the chief cornerstone
Carved by the rock of ages, firm through years and stages
Behind is the legacy, Around - responsibility
Forward through grace and mercy, Above to the city
Whose builder and maker is God
(Abigail Smith)
56 years through no power of our own
Kept and covered by God almighty on his throne
The one who is the same today as He was yesterday
For tomorrow and time to come He will surely pave the way
(Colin Sue)
In a world of sin, in times devoid of hope
Pandemic and loss as people struggle to cope
Our spiritual house stands offering shade and protection
A sharp rebuttal to the devil’s lies and deception
(Uncle Joe)
And I am a living stone, connected to the chief cornerstone
Carved by the rock of ages, firm through years and stages
Behind is the legacy, Around - responsibility
Forward through grace and mercy, Above to the city
Whose builder and maker is God
(Lennox Sealy)
As a new addition to this spiritual house
Dedicated to serve alongside my spouse
Learning and growing as we feed on the Word
May we never be ashamed to claim Jesus our Lord
(Kaylon Reid)
As living stones at home and in lands foreign
Because the church is not this physical building
Rolling stones, arrows, arms extended wherever He sends us
Missionaries and disciples, heirs and joint heirs with Jesus
(Martin and Danielle Hughes)
And we are living stones, connected to the chief cornerstone
Carved by the rock of ages, firm through years and stages
Behind is the legacy, Around - responsibility
Forward through grace and mercy, Above to the city
Whose builder and maker is God
(Sonnel)
At the corner of Belle Smythe and Agostini
A refuge of rich, Christian legacy
A work built on faith and faithfulness
Sanctified by Him in holiness
A legacy not built by human hands
The cross, the pillar on which it stands
Insured in blood and by resurrection
Living out His love, sharing the message of salvation.
Missions
The Douglases Update
September 2022
YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
This next phase of our journey will provide Mark with the opportunity to acquire further training in Controlled Environment Agriculture for one year in Almeria, Spain, while Celicia continues to sharpen her skill set as an online English teacher.
Some prayer requests:
The Spanish visa release - still awaiting police certificate of character (Tech. system failure).
The grace of God as we prepare to transition to life in Europe after 8 months in Trinidad.
The provision of a suitable job in the field of study.
Praises:
We really praise God for you and the time we were able to spend with you, either personally, online or at the assembly. You are precious to us and we value highly your partnership, both present and future. Please let us know how we can also join with you in prayer.
In light of His Millennial Reign,
Mark and Celicia Douglas
Christian Workers
What's On
This Month
Fun Corner
SAEBC Crossword Trivia | Answers
This Month's
Prayer & Praises
Let’s Pray Without Ceasing
Sunday School Reopening on Sunday 2nd October 2022
Homework Center as the Evangelism Committee is attempting to reopen it
Tertiary students both new and returning to find a home here at St. Augustine
Let’s Give Thanks
Sunday School Reopening
Garrick who made it safely to Albania
Ron and Heather Yearwood who made it safely to West Africa
Upcoming
Preaching Schedule
Theme
Luke – Jesus Christ: The Perfect Man – Saviour of the World
Memory Verse:
"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." - Luke 10:2
DATES | SPEAKER | TOPIC |
OCT 02 | Elder Joe Caterson | The Parables that reveal spiritual truth – 11:1-19:27 | Communion Service |
OCT 09 | Martin Hughes | The Atonement and Resurrection of the Son of Man – 19:28-23 |
OCT 16 | Sean Lorde | The Introduction of the Son of God – 1:1- 4:43 |
OCT 23 | Jewelle Mapp | The Public Ministry of the Son of God – 5:1-12:50 |
OCT 30 | Jacqui Bridge | Words of the Son of Man and Saviour of the World – Luke 10:1-41 | Communion Service |
NOV 06 | Elder Lindon Mitchel | The Private Ministry of the Son of God – 13:1-17:26 | Communion Service |
TIMES | SERVICE |
9:00 AM | Sunday Service |
11:30 AM | Sunday School |
6:00 PM | Wednesday CBSI |
7:15 PM | Wednesday Prayer Meeting |