President on Sunday was Brian Jones who welcomed the speaker, Nigel Patterson and his wife from Newquay.

Nigel used the story of the Gadarene Swine in Mark chapter 5, not to look at the pigs but at the man who was healed. He suggested the man could be representative of the human race living in an atmosphere of spiritual sin and death outside the way of life found only through Jesus. It was the entry of Jesus into the man’s life that saved him. The apostle Paul looked at the state of people without God in Ephesians 2 and then after the acceptance of Jesus into their lives.

The healed man in the story sat at the feet of Jesus where we should all begin and then went out to tell others about that salvation.

After sharing tea Nigel gave a talk on God’s last word on life and death. He looked at the historical origins of ideas about life after death with nothing demanded in return, and there is always an element of hope even in people with no religious background.

The early Christians spoke about life and death only in the context of the risen body and return of Jesus and the apostle Paul outlined this essential belief in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. But the response required is shown in the well-known verse in John chapter 3 v16 showing the love of God and the way to salvation through belief in Jesus.