Richard Courtney conducted Sunday morning service with the hymns from Hymns & Psalms being accompanied by Myra Bennett.

Mr Courtney’s call to worship was taken from Psalm 47 v 1-2.

The Old Testament lesson read by Nancy Christophers came from the Book of Genesis chapter 18 v 1-15 “A stranger makes a promise.”

The Epistle lesson chosen from Romans chapter 5 v 1-8 “We are saved by God’s grace” was read by Barbara Warwick. The gospel lesson taken from Matthew chapter 9 v 35 to v 8 in chapter 10 was read by Phillip Robinson.

Mr Courtney’s text for his sermon was from Matthew chapter 19 v 26 “Coping.” He conducted the service strictly according to the Lectionary and its sermon had the theme of “Hope for things to come.”

Mr Courtney had been in Mosda, Bosnia, a few days earlier where he had been moved by what he had seen happen in the recent Balkans War.

His sermon said that everyone’s life consists of highs and lows. Hoping for things to get better is a normal human activity, but coping in bad times is essential for sanity. Praising God is the best coping strategy in bad times and is recognition of Christian hope in good times.