Clapham Calling

The Exiled Preacher on the radio

Mr. Guy  Davies "The Exiled Preacher" is providing the "Morning Thought", for BBC Radio Wiltshire this week. I think they are really good.

Micah J. was 1 year old at the end of March

 

 

S M Lockridge’s famous message "My King"

You hum the tune and I will play it.

 

Micah and Grandma. Easter.

Some of my favourite Spurgeon quotes

"There are no crown-wearers in heaven that were not cross-bearers here below."

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark." 

Back from the Banner.

Last week I was at the Banner Conference at Leicester. It was a lot of fun to be there with my Dad and father in law.

For me the stand out speakers were Joel Beeke and Stuart Olyott. Olyott was just what I needed, simple,homourous and very practical.

It was great to catch up on Pastor friends from all over the UK and catch up on sleep.

This quote from Beeke preaching on Matthew 27:46  "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?— which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" sums up the conference for me "God gave the best that he had (Christ) for the worst he could find." There is also a good overview here.

Spurgeon at West Norwood Cemetery

A couple of months back I took a funeral at West Norwood Cemetery. The Chapel is right on top of a hill and in front of it is the grave of Charles Spurgeon. If you are a Baptist it is likely that he is a hero of yours. What I really like about him is what he was like as a person. Despite his phenomenal gifts and skills he still had time for the ordinary people. When you read about him he seems to have such warmth about him and a fantastic sense of humour.

He lived here in Clapham for a time and his wife Susannah said about their time here that it was amongst their happiest. Clapham then was considered in the countryside and it was an escape from the demands of his hectic ministry at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Elephant and Castle.

His orphanages where very near to our church. You can see pictures of what they used to look like on Lambeth council's website

Every time I have been up at the chapel I have been the only one around (until it is time for the funeral to start) and a number of times I have thought, as I looked at his grave, how would he of handled this?

Here are some photos I took.

 

The sure word of God

For the first time since "A" - level English Lit. with Mr. Banks at school, I have been asked to write a book review. It will appear in Evangelicals Now at some future point. The book in question is called "The Sure Word of God" by Pastor Geoff Thomas. Mr. Thomas has had a long association with my wife's family having been their Pastor while they studied at Aberystwyth University. I better not mess it up! I might try and ask him about the book at the Banner of truth conference next week.

Here are the titles of the chapters.

1. Trusting the infallible Word

2. Satisfied with Scriptures

3. Submitting to the Scriptures

4. Obeying the Scriptures

5. Understanding the Scriptures

6. Searching the Scriptures

It is a very short book at only 120 pages long but it is bursting with a lot of helpful stuff.

This is from my old blog March 14th last year..

Dial a dictionary

I received an odd phone call yesterday it went like this:

Hello Pastor how are you doing?

Yes really well.

Can I ask you a favour?

Of course what is it?

I am writing a letter how do you spell the word "catch"

Catch?

Yes as in I need to catch a bus.

c.a.t.c.h

Ok thank you.

Is that all?

Yes thank you bye.

I received an odd phone call yesterday it went like this:

Hello Pastor how are you doing?

Yes really well.

Can I ask you a favour?

Of course what is it?

I am writing a letter how do you spell the word "catch"

Catch?

Yes as in I need to catch a bus.

c.a.t.c.h

Ok thank you.

Is that all?

Yes thank you bye.

No peace in the Park

   

 

The other Saturday I was desperate to get out of Clapham to some sort of countryside but without having to drive too far. We made it to Richmond Park. It was so busy. On the foot paths we were so often nearly knocked over by joggers or cyclists. It was getting very stressful keeping the boys out of danger. Planes roared over head, rugby players insulted each other loudly. I was glad to get back to Brayburne Avenue for some peace!

The trees were great natural climbing frames. Even Micah joined in.