A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR Length of days does not profit me Except the days are passed in Thy presence, in Thy service to Thy glory. Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains Sanctifies, aids every hour, That I might not be one moment apart from Thee, But may rely on thy Spirit To supply every thought, Speak every word, Direct every step, Prosper every work, Build up every mote of faith, And give me a desire To show forth Thy praise, Testify Thy love, Advance Thy kingdom. I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, With Thee, O Father, as my harbour, Thee O Son, at my helm, Thee O Holy Spirit, filling my sails. Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, My lamp burning, My ear open to thy calls, My heart full of love, my soul free. Give me Thy grace to sanctify me, Thy comforts to cheer me, Thy wisdom to teach, Thy right hand to guide, Thy counsel to instruct, Thy law to judge, Thy presence to stabilize. May Thy fear be my awe, Thy triumphs my joy. From: Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions Launching into the New Year As we stand on the threshold of a new year, the unknown stretches before us like uncharted waters. The Puritan prayer from The Valley of Vision  beautifully captures this moment: we launch our “bark on the unknown waters” of the coming days, not in our own strength, but with the Triune God as our guide—the Father as our harbour, the Son at the helm, and the Holy Spirit filling our sails. The prayer begins with a profound truth: “Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in Thy presence, in Thy service, to Thy glory.” Mere longevity means little if our time is not rooted in God. Instead, we seek His grace that “precedes, follows, guides, sustains,” never leaving us apart from Him. This year, may we rely fully on His Spirit to supply every thought, word, step, and work, building our faith and stirring a desire to praise Him, testify to His love, and advance His kingdom. Scripture echoes this dependence. In Lamentations 3:22-23, we are reminded: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Each dawn of 2026 brings fresh mercy—reason enough to face the year with hope. Yet the prayer also calls us to readiness: “Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning,” prepared like the wise virgins awaiting the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13). And in Psalm 90:12, Moses prays, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Recognising life’s brevity urges us to live wisely, prioritising God’s presence above all. As you enter this new year, pray with the Puritans: May God’s fear awe you, His triumphs fill you with joy, and His presence stabilise every step. In Christ’s love, Pastor Carl, Caroline and the Peet family. Prayer O Lord, As we launch into these unknown waters, be our harbour, helm, and wind. Let Your mercies renew us each morning. Teach us to number our days aright, That we may live fully in Your presence, service, and glory. Amen.

Dear friends, Tomorrow morning, Sunday 7th December at 10:30 am, we dive deeper into the heart of God’s greatest promise during our Advent series at Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church. Last week, we explored how the very first whispers of hope after the Fall – promises to Adam and Abraham – pointed straight to Christmas. This week, we turn to Moses and David, and how the Tabernacle and the throne were always crying out for something more. “Every sacrifice in the Tabernacle and every king on David’s throne was shouting the same thing: ‘We are not enough! We need a perfect Priest and a perfect King who is Himself God with us.’ The manger is the answer.” Join us as we unpack how the Old Testament shadows – the portable dwelling of God among His people, the imperfect rulers who foreshadowed a greater one – all find their fulfillment in the Baby born in Bethlehem. It’s a story of God’s relentless pursuit to dwell with us, not just in tents or temples, but in human flesh. Whether you’re new to this series, returning from last week, or simply seeking the real hope of Christmas amidst the busyness – you are warmly invited. No church background needed; come as you are. 10:30 am (doors open 10:15) Communion will be celebrated as part of the service. Children warmly welcome Accessible building with free parking and hearing loop Bring a friend, bring your questions, and discover how the God who once tabernacled in the wilderness now invites you into His presence forever. We can’t wait to see you tomorrow! With love and anticipation, Pastor Carl and the church family at Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church High Street, Honiton EX14 1PJ 01404 44923 | www.honitonecc.org “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).” (Matthew 1:23) See you tomorrow morning!

Tomorrow everything changes – Advent begins at Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church Dear friends, Tomorrow morning, Sunday 30 November at 10:30 am, we begin the greatest journey in history. Four weeks. Four promises. One Baby who keeps every single one of them. This Advent at Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church we’re walking together through the ancient promise God made again and again: “I will be their God, and they will be My people. I will come and dwell with them.” From the first whisper in the Garden (“the seed of the woman will crush the serpent”) to the final shout of Revelation (“the dwelling-place of God is now with man”), every page of Scripture has been pointing to Bethlehem… and beyond, to the day when He will wipe away every tear forever. Tomorrow we start at the very beginning: the promise given to Adam and to Abraham – the promise that God Himself would come to fix what we broke and bring us home. Whether this will be your very first time in church, you’re returning after many years, or you’re simply longing for the real meaning of Christmas this year – you are warmly invited. - 10:30 am (doors open 10:00am) - Followed by refreshments - Children warmly welcome - No dress code, no expectations – just come as you are Bring a friend. Bring your questions. Bring yourself. Christmas starts here – tomorrow – with the God who crossed the universe to find you. We can’t wait to welcome you. With love and hope, Pastor Carl and the church family at HECC “Behold, I am coming soon.” (Jesus) See you tomorrow morning!

You’ll hear much on the news over the next few days about the murder of Charlie Kirk, perhaps a name you’ve never heard before. Kirk was murdered by a shooter (still at large) during an organised public debate on a University campus in Utah. The secular, liberal press will make much of Kirk’s links to Trump, the political right and American politics. All of which are evident, sadly what we won’t hear is how his evangelical faith in Christ, and belief in the absolute truth of Christ’s claims over and against the madness of a secular, individualistic identitarian worldview and agenda drove his work. In an interview before his death, an interviewer asked him what he’d like to be remembered for, he looked uncharacteristically surprised by the question, but then answered ‘my faith’. The Evangelical Times have published a fitting tribute, to a Christian husband, father and public speaker who died doing what he loved to do, encouraging free speech, open debate and answering the craziness of this world with the sanity found in Christ. The church needs more men willing to do the same with courage and conviction. He leaves behind a wife and 2 children, pray for them. https://www.evangelical-times.org/evangelical-debater-charlie-kirk-shot-dead-in-america/

Church History Traces the ‘Footprints’ of God. Helpful article on the utility and necessity of church history to our present day faith and practise. https://learn.ligonier.org/articles/why-study-church-history

Carl and Caroline Peet It's now nearly 5 months since I took up the role of pastor here at HECC, so I thought it was about time I put together a post! My name is Carl Peet, I am a 47-year-old Welshman. I am married to Caroline, and we have four children: Daniel, Matthew, Rebekah, and Martha. I have been in ordained ministry since 2014, first serving in reformed churches in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, whilst studying for my Honours Degree in Theological Studies at Highland Theological College in Dingwall, before returning to England to serve in FIEC, and then, EFCC churches. Before my call into the ministry, I worked for over 10 years in the field of criminal justice, addiction recovery, and secure unit mental health. My family and I have fallen in love with Devon and its people, and we are excited for what the Lord is doing here in Honiton. It's a privilege to serve a church with such a long history as HECC, and I desire to see the church rediscover and strengthen its roots as a reformed, confessional, evangelical gospel community here in East Devon. If you are looking for a church that preaches and believes the Bible and is seeking to live that out in its faith and practice, you are very welcome to pay us a visit. Who knows, you may even stay, we did!

On Easter Sunday 2023 Mike Plant preached his last sermons as our pastor and on Saturday 15th April we held a farewell service to say goodbye to Mike and Margaret. They have now completed their move to Middlesbrough and have begun a well-earned retirement. After over six years of faithful service in Honiton, we will miss them and they will miss us. The church commenced the search for a new pastor some time ago and this process continues. Our weekly meetings continue as normal. Mike and Margaret have particularly asked for prayer that they may settle into their new life in Middlesbrough: they will be attending a local church that is new to them and taking up some new activities. Likewise we would value prayer as we work through this period without a pastor and seek God's help in the search for the right man to take up the task. We give thanks for the ministry of Mike and Margaret and for God's goodness to us during those years, not least during the exceptional challenges of Covid. The church's verse for the year of 2023 remains very apt - "Till now the LORD has helped us".

Margaret and I will write a prayer letter and circulate it to everyone before we leave Honiton which will update you on our plans and hopes for our return to Middlesbrough. In this newsletter we focus on the Easter message. A book I am currently reading is on the History of Apologetics. Apologetics is not apologising for the Christian Faith but an ‘apologia’ (Greek word) is something written as a defence of whatever it may be that we have done or said or believe. So, Richard Dawkins attacks Christianity as being unscientific and illogical, and an apologetic response would be to point out that some of his arguments are illogical and that scientifically proven facts do not conflict with the Bible. One subject that dominates the defence of Christianity is the evidence for the resurrection. There are really two questions we need to focus on here: Firstly: is the resurrection historic fact? One of the best booklets on this subject is, Val Grieve’s ‘Your Verdict on the Empty Tomb’. One person who attended the evangelistic Bible Study we ran at Holyshute said that he wished he had read it earlier because he had always assumed that the resurrection and Christianity were not true. At the other end of the size spectrum N T Wright, a former Bishop of Durham, has written a brilliant 817pp book defending the resurrection. I have read a great deal of it and it is written in such a way that you can understand it if you don’t mind reading that makes you think. It is fascinating and deals comprehensively with the ways in which the obvious teaching of the Bible, that Jesus rose bodily from the dead, has been dismissed and disbelieved and does so very effectively. Secondly: what does the resurrection mean? It is vital to remember our defence of truths like the bodily resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a debate about history. It matters that Jesus rose from the dead because the gospel we proclaim and want others to believe makes that not just a claim but a foundational part of the good news. 1 Corinthians 15: 3 – 5, ‘For I delivered unto you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.’ The phrase, ‘according to the Scriptures’ tells us that the prophetic witness of the Old Testament anticipates and predicts what will happen in both Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. It makes sense and we can understand it as part of the great plan of God to rescue and redeem not just individual humans, but the world over which humanity is the fallen lord. Outside of God’s great plan to forgive sins and ultimately to liberate creation from the bondage of sin the resurrection event is remarkable but without its full meaning.

Looking back for the past year our verse has been Acts 2: 42, ‘they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.’ We felt that was a particularly relevant verse for the church as we emerged from the trauma of lockdown. Sadly, in that our attendances on a Sunday morning have been down on pre-Covid levels, there is a degree of disappointment but generally we have recommitted ourselves at this time. I think one worrying trend in church life is the illusion that provided we have good teaching we can continue faithfully as believers. That the Lord will faithfully provide for and keep Christians who cannot meet with other believers is of course true. I don’t believe this is a reassurance for Christians who are choosing to be disobedient to texts such as Hebrews 10: 24 + 25, ‘And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the day drawing near.’ Mutually stirring one another up and encouraging one another requires meeting together and the decision not to do so regularly is damaging both the individual believer and to the church. A New Emphasis as We Look Forward Why the choice of, ‘Till now the LORD has helped us’? The obvious emphasis in the text is that it is about looking back, and this is reflected in every translation (NIV/NKJV), ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us’ and the AV, ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’. That is certainly a relevant thought for us as a church. In the Anniversary Year we have been surveying the history of the church which reveals how often the church might have drifted away from the gospel and into decline and closure. We are very aware that the Lord has been faithful and has preserved a gospel witness. However, the verse for the year, read within the context in 1 Samuel, is not for the purpose of arousing a nostalgia that is backward looking and robs us of energy. The purpose of remembering, ‘Till now the LORD has helped us’ is to spur his people into the future with great confidence in the LORD who is a faithful covenant God who has committed himself to his people. The immediate context is a Philistine invasion which has terrified the people of Israel. They go to face the enemy with the confidence given by a God-ordained sacrifice and the intercession of Samuel on their behalf and are delivered and it is a lasting deliverance. I am sure that this quite deliberately is spelt out to focus the modern Christian on Christ’s sacrifice and intercession as the grounds of our confidence. May the LORD remind of us his past faithfulness and strengthen us for faithful prayer and activity in the coming year.

Dear Friends, I guess all of us were surprised by the suddenness of the late Queen’s death. Only a couple of days earlier she was involved with greeting the new Prime Minister and then within a very short period of time we were told that the family were being gathered. Then the announcement came of her death which does bring about significant change in our national situation and in the Commonwealth. Due to the length of her reign there is really nobody in national leadership who has any experience of the situation we now find ourselves in. How should we respond as Christian believers? Firstly, with gratitude that God provided us with an earthly monarch who has been beneficial to us as a nation. Romans 13: 1 tells us, ‘For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.’ As a constitutional monarch the Queen’s authority and influence has been indirect but she certainly has had an ethos of service to her people and, in many respects, she has been an example to her people. That has been sustained for some 70 years which is remarkable. A number of people who are certainly not keen monarchists have been clear about their admiration for her personally, although they do not have the same feelings for the institution of monarchy. Secondly, with trusting prayer. With the accession of King Charles the third there is a change that has not taken place within the memory of most of us. We need to pray for those in authority as we are commanded to do – particularly as this is taking place in very unsettled times. Our obligation to pray doesn’t change because it is something God has commanded us to do. (1 Timothy 2: 1 + 2), ‘First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.’ In some respects the Queen’s public affirmation of the Christian faith has enabled this to largely be the case during our lifetimes but we are to realize that ultimately (Proverbs 21: 1), ‘The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.’ Thirdly, with a confident hope. However glorious they may be in our sight we always need to be conscious that every earthly kingdom and authority is temporary and their glory will pass away. God ordains and controls all of human history and accomplishes his purposes through earthly kingdoms but then always moves on. (Daniel 2: 44), ‘The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed’ and (Hebrews 12: 28 + 29), ‘let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.’ Do pray for the Royal Family at this difficult time and remember our nation during a time of change and uncertainty. Do so with confidence in our God and his eternal kingdom and purposes. Yours in the Lord, Mike (10th September 2022)

Christianity is a religion that has been thriving for 20 Centuries. Partly because it is based on documents which date back to the 1st Century of the Common Era (or AD) and way before that many people have come to believe Christianity is outmoded and cannot be taken seriously because it hasn’t kept pace with modern knowledge. One very effective advocate of this viewpoint has been Richard Dawkins (author of ‘The God Delusion’) and he takes the view that evolutionary science disproves what the Bible teaches about the origins of life and that Christian faith should therefore be abandoned. In his view time and chance and evolutionary mechanisms account for the reality around us. He is passionate that this belief can be satisfying both intellectually and spiritually. He is very highly qualified so we need to consider seriously whether Christianity is now completely unrealistic as a faith which we can realistically hold and advocate. Surprisingly the answer that Christians can make to what he says is that his own view of life is not scientifically and logically viable. Richard Dawkins’ view is that time and chance and the evolutionary process accounts for the world around us. However if on examination the world around us turns out to be clearly intricately and beautifully designed then rather than being the result of blind chance the likelihood is that it is the result of being brought into existence by a vastly intelligent designer. While this wouldn’t prove the intelligent designer is the God of the Bible it would mean that the existence and activity of the God of the Bible fits in with what is found when we examine the evidence. You have an opportunity to meet with us and do exactly that. On Saturday 16th October from 5.00 – 7.00pm Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church is hosting a meeting at which Professor Stuart Burgess – Professor of Engineering Design at Bristol University will be speaking on this subject. Join us for tea at 5.00pm – Stuart Burgess will speak at about 6.00pm and after open questions we expect the meeting to finish at 7.30pm. ENTRANCE IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME

We have been able to use the music ministry from Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC) during our services whilst we are unable to sing together. I think it would be worthwhile saying something about 9Marks from CHBC and why listening to what they have to say could be immensely helpful for us. Mark Dever, Pastor at CHBC is a historian but very much lives in the present day and ministers to the present day. I want to say something about the emphases he has and how they may be very helpful to churches in the 21st Century. Why 9Marks Ministries? The title comes from a book that Mark wrote and which was published in 2000 – ‘Nine Marks of a Healthy Church’. After spending a number of years preaching and teaching at CHBC Mark found that his study of the Bible cemented certain convictions in his mind about priorities in local churches and why so much goes wrong within local churches. What weighed on his mind was the conviction: Unhealthy churches cause few problems for the healthiest Christians; but they are cruel taxes on the growth of the youngest and weakest Christians. They pray on those who don’t understand Scripture well. They mislead spiritual children. What makes a church unhealthy and how Bible priorities can enable a return to good health? A church is unhealthy when it has priorities and patterns of organisation dictated by what seems to be practical wisdom (pragmatism) rather than allowing the Lord Jesus to be Lord of his church through his word and there establishing the patterns of life, teaching and behaviour that are appropriate. While Mark was ministering at CHBC he describes what happened – it was ultimately through preaching expositional sermons, serially going through book after book, that all of the Bible’s teaching on the church became more central to him: 1. ‘It began to seem obviously a farce that we claimed to be Christians but didn’t love one another.’ 2. ‘The ‘each other’ and ‘one another’ passages began to come alive ... As I’ve preached through Ephesians 2 – 3 it has become clear to me that the church is the centre of God’s plan to display his wisdom to the heavenly beings.’ 3. ‘I’ve come to see that love is largely local. And the local congregation is the place that claims to display this love for all to see. (see John 13: 34 + 35) ............. I have seen friends and families alienated from Christ because they perceive this or that local church to have been such a terrible place. On the other hand, I have seen friends and family come to Christ because they have exactly this love that Jesus taught and lived – love for one another, the kind of selfless love that he showed – and they’ve felt the natural human attraction to it. ......... the local church is God’s evangelism plan (and) programme.’ 4. ‘the congregation has also become more central to my understanding of how we are to discern true conversion in others, and how we are to have assurance of it ourselves. I remember being struck by 1 John 4: 20 – 21 .... : ‘If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, who he has not seen’. This love doesn’t seem to be optional. 5. ‘It has become crystal clear that if we are to depend upon each other in our congregations, discipline must be part of discipleship. And if there is to be the kind of discipline that we see in the New Testament, we must know and be known by others, and we must be committed to one another. We must also have some trust of authority. All the practicalities of trusting authority in marriage, home, and church are hammered out at a local level. ......... I’ve come to see that relationship with a local congregation is central to individual discipleship. The church isn’t an optional extra; it’s the shape of your following Jesus.’ What are the 9 Marks of a Healthy Church? 1. Expositional (expository) Preaching – ‘that is preaching that takes for the point of a sermon the point of a particular passage of Scripture. That’s it. The preacher opens the Word and unfolds it for the people of God.’ He points out, and I find this to be true week after week, that this commitment means we often find ourselves dealing with subjects which are outside our comfort zone or not what we expected and that this is immensely rewarding. 2. Biblical Theology The point here is that if I am preaching God’s word I could of course make anything I like from a particular text unless I am guided by the context of the text not just in a particular passage but within the whole message of the Bible. The Bible has a story-line that reveals God’s character and his plans and promises and his carrying out of the plans and fulfilling of the promises. The question we need to answer is not what we would like God to be like but how has he revealed himself to us. 3. The Gospel Many churches have a gospel which picks up and distorts some part of the gospel message. The good news is not that God thinks you are OK or that he loves you unconditionally no matter how you choose to live. The good news is that sinners, people who deserve nothing from God accept his anger, may be forgiven because Jesus has died for sins, has defeated death and ever lives to make intercession to all who come to God by him. They need to turn from sin and rebellion and trust Jesus as Lord and Saviour and they will be forgiven, adopted into God’s family and given eternal life. At this point I realize that I will not complete getting through all the nine marks so, if there are no emergencies to respond to, I will continue this subject in the next blog. Yours in the Lord, Mike Plant 20th February 2021