Saltford Community Church

Christmas Services 2023

You are warmly invited to our special Christmas services on Sunday 17th December.

We will be holding our family-friendly Christmas service at 11am, with Christmas carols and a short message, followed by Christmas refreshments.

Come and join us at 6pm as we begin our annual Carols by Candlelight service. The church building will be lit by candles and Christmas lights as we sing carols and hear a Christmas message. We will also be serving refreshments after the service.

Our live streams for both services can be found below:

Sunday 10 December

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – Christmas from the Old Testament

Can you preach the Christmas story from the Old Testament? We turn to various Scriptures in Isaiah and Micah to hear the foretelling of the birth of Christ.

6pm – Christmas Future

As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming, we turn to Matthew 24:36-44 and consider how we should prepare for His second coming.

From the pastor’s desk

When you think about Christmas and the baby Jesus, do you ever think why Bethlehem?

Bethlehem even today is a very small village just 4 miles outside of Jerusalem. In the days of Jesus, it had only one thing going for it, it was the place where king David was born, the most famous king of Israel.

Yet why did God send His Son to be born in Bethlehem? Why not in a palace or in Rome?

The answer is that God hundreds of years before said that was where His Son Jesus would be born.

In the Bible, in the Gospel account written by Matthew [chapter 2 verse 6], Matthew quotes a passage from the Old Testament which says, “But you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler. Who will shepherd My people Israel. Here the Bible is telling us that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem.

Does God say anything else about His Son Jesus?

Yes, He does; in the Old Testament we are told that He will die to pay for the sins of all who believe in God and in Jesus the Christ.

In the Old Testament part of the Bible, Isaiah, 600 years before the birth of Jesus, wrote: “But He [Jesus] was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed” [Isaiah chapter 53 verse 5].

At Christmas, please don’t stop at the manger in Bethlehem, but move on to the cross at Jerusalem. If you want to know more, we will be glad to you tell the Good News about Jesus at our services.

Pastor Mike Leaves.

Sunday 3 December

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – The importance of finishing well

This morning we turn to Acts 20:17-38 and consider the words of Paul regarding the importance of finishing the Christian life well.

6pm – To Him be the Glory

We turn to Romans 11:36: For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Sunday 26 November

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – What about the Resurrection?

In Mark 12:18-27 Jesus engages with the Saduccees as they question him about the resurrection. Why does Jesus engage with their non-genuine question? What can we learn from His response about the nature of life after death?

6pm – The Working of His Mighty Power

What does Paul mean when he writes “the working of His Mighty Power” in Ephesians 1:19?

Sunday 19 November

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

Unfortunately we won’t be able to offer live streams of our services this week. Live streams will be back next week!

Sunday 12 November

We plan to start our morning service slightly early this week, to observe the 2 minute silence at 11am.

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 10:55am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – Render to Caesar

This morning we turn to Jesus’ debate with the Pharisees over the paying of taxes to Rome in Mark 12:14-17.

6pm – Heaven is a World of Love

We turn to Ephesians 1:18 and consider the Christian’s eternal inheritance.

Sunday 5 November

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – False Friends

We turn again to Mark 12:13-17 and consider the deception of the Pharisees.

6pm – Father, Son and Holy Spirit

In Ephesians 1:17, Paul prays for fellow believers in Ephesus. All three persons of the Trinity are included in his prayer.

Sunday 29 October

All are welcome to join us in the church building for our Sunday worship services at 11am and 6pm.

For those joining us online, please note that our morning stream will start when the sermon begins, at approximately 11:30am.

11am – Don’t be a Pharisee

We turn to Mark 12:13 where the Pharisees and Herodians attempt to catch Jesus out by what He says. What can we learn from their behaviour and from Jesus’ response?

6pm – Pray without Ceasing

We turn to two passages on prayer, both from the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:5-15 and from Paul’s letter to the the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:15-16). We will consider how a Christian should pray.