Buntingford Congregational Church
Church Anniversary Services
Very successful and encouraging services were held on Wednesday week at the Congregational Church in connection with the Church Anniversary. There were very good congregations, including visitors from the neighbouring Churches.
Rev. W.T. Hailstone (Braughing), Rev. W.E. Mawby (Barkway) and Mr J.W. Harvey (Wood End) were also present. Mr Herbert Cutts was at the organ.
In the afternoon Divine Service was conducted by the Rev. T.H. Cooper, M.A., of Bushey, Herts., and Chairman of the Herts Congregational Union. Taking the texts, Rom. xiv. 7, "None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself," and Genesis xxxii. 24, "And Jacob was left alone," Mr Cooper preached on the following lines: One of the greatest reasons for attending church services is that we may see life in its proper setting and proportion.
Day by day we are confronted with whatever makes our life's work. But we have spirits to be trained, and a real kinship with God Himself; then it is necessary that we start apart from life and look at it from the standpoint of Eternity and of God.
We go into the House of God that we may look at life from that deeper standpoint which makes us aware of ourselves also to those Churches which, in the wider Congregational life of the county, he would visit as Chairman. He extended a cordial welcome to Mr I. Bell, of Puckeridge, who was to be the Chairman for the evening meeting; and to the Ministers and other friends from the surrounding churches.
At the evening public meeting Mr Bell made an excellent chairman, and though he contended that speaking in public was not his strong point yet he carried out the duties of his office very ably.
Mr Mawby produced a deep impression by his earnest address, which was along the lines of the Ministry and the Pew. The Ministry was a life of continual discovery; there should be a "Fellowship" existing between Pulpit and Pew. He appealed for life to be lived from the supreme standpoint of Christ. We must never lose our place in the visible Church, and since we are the salt of the earth we must see to it that the salt never loses its savour.
Mr Cooper said that an anniversary occasion ought to be a time for a retrogression to Jesus Christ, so that we might maintain the purity of the tone of our lives, and be reminded again that to serve Him is the most inspiring thing in life.
Sometimes amid the problems of life, we seem to be making no impression, but we must take heart and courage and keep plodding on where God has placed us. As we get back to Christ we shall be more fruitful in service and more loyally His followers...The Christian Church rightly understood is none other than the Body of Christ; of this Body Christ makes use; He wants to do through the Church the same kind of thing that He did when He was here in the flesh.
The Church's concern will be primarily the spiritual interest of the community; she is also called upon to bear witness for her Lord, and it is in so far as the witness of everyone is added together that the music of life rises to God in sweetness. So we must keep the tone of our Christian service pure by caring for the things Jesus Christ cared for. So shall the Church be a true Church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
During the meeting the Minister reported on the work of the Church and Sunday School, and at the close expressed the deep thanks of the Church to Mr Cooper, Mr Mawby and Mr Bell for their most helpful services and inspiring messages; to the Ladies' Committee, and whose who had assisted them in the preparations for the tea; to Mr Cutts, and to all who by time, service or gifts had contributed to the success of the occasion.
Offerings were taken during the day, and the financial results were also very satisfactory. The Benediction brought a most uplifting and encouraging Anniversary to a close.