Guisborough Salvation Army Church & Community Centre

19/06/2026

It's Friday, it's sunny, and when I went into our front garden at 6:45 this morning to look at a large poppy growing in our front garden I couldn't believe how hot it is already out there. It's going to be a great day!

Mind you, it was hot and sunny yesterday, but at tea time I needed to go to Morrisons and I saw ominous clouds, dark clouds, looming over the high street. Oooh, something's coming!
A bag of potatoes and a bunch of bananas purchased, as I stepped out of the supermarket there was that unmistakable smell of rain on dusty pavements on the breeze. Oh, it's coming, I thought; and as I walked it was trying to rain. Just a few spots in the air. Can I go get home before the clouds burst? Well I did, and minutes later the clouds did burst! My goodness it was heavy! It was bouncing. "Run! Get inside! Be safe!"

As I watched the monsoon scene across in the car park a man came in sight. Was he running? No. Was he even walking swiftly, head down? No. There was a man, in shorts, dog on a lead. He wasn't 'just walking in the rain getting soaking wet...', this man was the embodiment of 'when you walk through a storm hold your head up high...'
Was it even raining in his little world? I felt sorry for the dog too. They were soaked, drenched, saturated. But he strolled on without a care.

At peace, accepting; no panic, no hysterical running to get shelter. Well, there wasn't any, and he literally could not be any wetter. And the thought occurred to me: maybe be liked the rain, perhaps it was exhilarating, exciting! Can you enjoy it? Well I guess if you're accepting that you'll get wet, yes you can enjoy it.
And it struck me that you can look at rain as an inconvenience, a spoiler of events, an annoyance that means your washing on the line will have to be dried again! OR you could see the rain as refreshing, exciting, cooling, life giving.

The Bible has Noah's deadly flood, but it also talks of refreshing rain and showers of blessing:
"So let us know—let us press on to know the LORD.
As surely as the sun rises, He will appear;
He will come to us like the rain, like the spring
showers that water the earth." (Hosea 6 v 3)

This speaks of God's blessings poured out, his life giving presence given in abundance. I like the idea that like the rain, there's no discrimination with God, he literally pours out his love, showers mankind with mercy, floods the world with grace. And it's for us stand in it and enjoy it. Let it soak us, envelope us.
Sadly there are those who run inside, ignore it, put up the umbrellas or brush it off. God love is for everyone but so many avoid it, see it as inconvenient, unnecessary, unwanted. It's as if they want nothing to do with it.

Sadly, these blessings of love and truth and grace, like rain on the earth, are just what we need for fullness of life. Walk in the light, yes; but let's also walk in the rain. Let the water of life cleanse, refresh, renew and nourish our lives.
Don't run inside, be blessed with outpoured blessings.
Even me. Even me,
Let some showers fall on me.

God bless you 🙏
Antony & Fiona

18/06/2026

Hello everyone! Good morning to you. Did you wake up today with a song on your lips, a tune in your head, a melody going round your brain?
Yes, I know: you have no idea where it's come from! Suddenly a pop song, a ditty from an advert, a piece of classical music or perhaps a hymn or gospel song, will be embedded in your mind. You turn on the kettle, open the curtains, all to the sound of music. (And now you're thinking 'the hills are alive...'!)

The thought struck me this morning, as I walked down the stairs, that of all the groups, organisations, communities and cultures, the Church must be the most musically focused, song-centred of them all. I'm even thinking about the other religions in the world too; out of every single belief, it's Christianity that has music and singing right at the heart of it. I really cannot think of anything else where music is so extensively used.

From the time of Moses right through to our present day, singing - and even dancing - has been a feature of worship, praise, joyful experience and sorrowful outpouring. We literally have Christian music for everything!
From Latin chants to heavy metal, from country and western to brass bands, from choirs to soloists, from opera to children's Sunday School choruses, we've got it all.
From gospel music and spirituals to modern worship songs that are like pop music, literally the church has music of all kinds.
And if you're a pop music historian you'll know that all our rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and soul music all has its roots in Gospel.
Our classical music from Brahms, Beethoven and Bach all has its foundation in the music of the Church - in fact how much classical music is indeed Christian worship or has a Biblical theme!

I simply cannot imagine the Church without music and song. In fact, I might suggest that without all the music of Christian faith we probably wouldn't have most of the modern music we listen to today.
Why?
What is it that has made music so central, so vital to our expression of faith, whether it's choral evensong, a brass band festival or a worship group with guitars?
Surely it's our experience of God that just has to come out in the form of praise and worship, music and singing.
It's natural and spiritual all at the same time!

You'll probably have heart St Paul's thinking that we should be "speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5 v 19, 20).

And there's your answer! Why is there so much music in the Christian Church? Because we can't keep it in! We can't keep our praises, our testimony, our worship inside; it just has to get out; and singing is the best, most natural, most attractive and creative way of doing it.
From a child singing a chorus to a festival choir singing an anthem, we just have to
'praise him with melody, praise him with song.'
We must 'tell of his holiness all the day long.'
In our music we 'give him all majesty earth can afford,' and every note, every rhythm, every dance move even, encourages us to 'praise him with melody, praise ye the Lord.'

There's no way we can express our worship without music! And even when our prayers are silent, our devotion is still, our spiritual experience is private, there come those times when we just have to let it all out with song, music, praise and worship.
Thank God for the gift of music. Thank God it's used so wonderfully in our churches, online, and even on the street.
Join us on Sunday at 10 for a good sing!

God bless you 🙏 🎶
Antony & Fiona

18/06/2026

We meet every Thursday afternoon, bringing our crafts and hobbies, and enjoying the company of others. Everyone welcome.

17/06/2026

Morning all, welcome to Wednesday 😁
Let's have a bit of controversy shall we? Although, I have to say, that to many people this particular controversy didn't used to be a thing! It was never a concern, a worry, an issue.
Let's talk about flags.

I don't think I'm alone in being proud of our national flag. I was talking to someone last week on our high street and I looked up at Sunnyfield House, the community centre where our town council meets, and I felt proud when I saw the Union Jack flying there.
I watched Trooping the Colour on telly at the weekend, and watched the king riding down the Mall with all those Union Jacks on either side; a stirring sight.
They weren't there as a sign of dominance or conquest, but of unity; gathering us all together.
And as the king arrived on Horseguards, there were all the brightly coloured flags of the Commonwealth nations, reminding us that every country has its own proud identity, symbolised by their flag. Each and every flag speaks of pride, respect, belonging. It speaks of long held values, togetherness, valuable history and identity.
To be honest, I cannot understand the controversy about being proud of our national flags.
And every country feels the same about their flag.

I guess you could say the same about nearly every organisation too. From the United Nations to the local Brownie pack, there are flags that stand for what we are, what we do, what we believe in.
A flag inspires, identifies, draws us together.

Salvation Army people are very proud of their flag. Whether it's being marched down the street, held aloft over someone being enrolled as a soldier, lovingly placed over the coffin of someone 'promoted to Glory' our banner speaks of God, of faith, of commitment, service and evangelical truth: the holiness of God the Father, the blood of Jesus the Son, the fiery power of the Holy Spirit. This flag binds the Salvation Army world together.

There are lovely verses in Scripture that speaks of banners. One says that,
'Moses built an altar and named it ‘The LORD is my
Banner.” (Exodus 17 v 15)

It came about because God had helped them, defended them. It was a sign that they needed God to protect them.

Another verse is this - and I learned it through a chorus we sang in Sunday School.
The Bible says,
"He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love." ( Song of Songs 2 v 4)

Now, we sang an adaptation, an extension, of those words; you may know them:
Jesus is the rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love.
Jesus is the rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love.
Jesus is the rock of my salvation,
His banner over me is love.
His banner over me is love!

God loves you and I love you,
And that's the way it should be.
God loves you and I love you,
And that's the way it should be.

Simple - simplistic even - but is that not what our banner is all about: declaring to the world that God is love? We want people to be part of that love.
'So we lift up the banner on high,
the salvation banner of love...'

That's our flag. We are proud of our national flag, but our Salvation Army flag reminds us of an eternal kingdom.
God bless you 🙏
Antony & Fiona

16/06/2026

16/06/2026

Join us tomorrow night for friendly chat and sharing thoughts about Peter's second letter.
Everyone is very welcome.

16/06/2026

Right, that's it: I'm brain dead. (What you mean you knew that already!?)
Good morning everyone, and welcome to the day when I have nothing to say. I know, unusual.
I can look back over the last 6 years and pinpoint a few days when I struggled to have something to write, and I'm afraid today is such a day.
Now, I could say that I'll just have a day off - a bit like my brain - but perhaps that is the message for today!

It's not that my brain isn't working, it's that it's working too much. It's as if in my listening to what inspiration there might be, that everything else has got louder!
One of the first Bible stories I heard - or actually, I read it - was the story of little Samuel in the Temple. I had a Ladybird book of Stories about Children of the Bible - do you remember it?
Oh, many of us know about the boy who said, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening."
He came to mind as I was trying to put thoughts together this morning, but what really was the prominent thought was the opening remark of the story.
"And the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before
Eli. Now in those days the word of the Lord was
rare and visions were scarce. " (1 Samuel 3 v 1)

Well, I felt I knew what that felt like!
"Master speak, thy servant heareth..."

Well, indeed!
Do you ever wish or hope for God to speak clearly?
You need advice, reassurance, hope, confirmation. Nothing comes. The heavens are as brass.
You've got a question but there's no answer.
Come on Lord, you can speak to a little boy, "what hast thou to say to me?"

Did you know that at the end of the Old Testament there's a gap of 400 years before the Gospel story begins?
It was a difficult time for Israel but God seemed silent. And I guess we could all testify to those silent times - thankfully not 400 years! - but times we are asking, listening, waiting.

But here's what God is saying perhaps to us; and it's in the reassuring words of a song:

How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

No, never alone, No, never alone;
He promised he never would leave me,
Never, no never, alone.

So, there's a reminder that God speaks through the word to us; the Bible always speaks. But here are words that remind us that even when God seems silent, he is always there:

Fear not, I am with thee. O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid!
I'll strengthen thee, help thee,
and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

Sometimes God's apparent silence can lead us back to what he's already said. Perhaps we need to listen to those words more often.

God bless you 🙏
Antony & Fiona

15/06/2026

Hello everyone, good morning 🌞
You know, I like to walk up our high street. There are trees along it, historic cobblestones, all Victorian buildings, and not much concrete. But O, what a mess it's in at the moment!

There's a road junction blocked off to traffic. There are barriers everywhere, rubber mats on the floor and little corridors where pedestrians have to walk.
I was walking there the other day, and instead of walking down a pavement to a particular shop you have to go across the junction, down the other side, across the road further down and back the other side. I saw a couple of people standing and watching, totally unsure of where to go. Someone else commented that they thought they'd been directed the wrong way.
Yes, you can get to the shops but you only realise at the last minute where to go.
It all looks a mess. In fact one shop has closed and temporarily relocated whilst it's all going on.

Then I noticed something lovely. The workmen there were busily laying paving slabs. They obviously knew what they were doing. They had training, they had experience, they had a plan, they had tools, and they were working together. What did I think was lovely?
The paving slabs. Perfectly cut, absolutely clean, in pristine condition. They were all the same size, but when I looked at some of them placed to one side, ready to be laid, some of them about to be resized, I saw patterns. They weren't all the same at all; there were different patterns in them.
And I thought that when the upheaval is over, when the last slab is positioned, when the barriers are removed, the junction is finally opened, and the workmen are elsewhere, how lovely it will be, and how useful these paving slabs will be.

Every human being is designed to a pattern, is placed here to be useful. We might look the same if we're glanced at from a distance; but when we are looked at carefully we are different.
The world sometimes seems random, chaotic, inconvenient, but there's a plan.
Here the metaphor kind of breaks down I guess, because sadly, unlike real paving slabs, human beings have a choice, and we don't tend to follow the blueprint, the plan. We don't allow the expert to place us and use us according to the plan. But God, our Creator does have a plan for the whole world, and for each individual within it, if we follow the One who came to show the way.
Peter writes to his fellow believers:
"You yourselves like living stones are being built up
as a spiritual house..." (1 Peter 2 v 5)

Now, that has a lot of meaning, and really refers to walls being built up to create a house of God, but I just loved this idea of individual stones being placed together amongst all the chaos, all the confusion of a world that seems to have no plan, no ability to make anything of itself. But there in the middle of the mess, God is making a people for himself, bringing us together to make something lovely, something useful, something new.

Here's the question: will you allow him to place you, perhaps even trim you, change you, so that you have that unique contribution to make in what he has designed?
Let's be part of what God wants for our world, being what God has made us to be.
God bless you 🙏
Antony & Fiona

13/06/2026

Good morning everyone, on this Song Saturday. Once again, we have guest leaders this weekend, and so there is no Together in Worship video, but I thought I’d look at a song that reflects the theme of our weekend here in Guisborough. What Bible truths we still hold dear are found in the pages of the old or ‘first’ Testament.
It’s a song, a well-known hymn, which has a very distinct ‘Old Testament’ flavour, but one which we sing with great gusto and with ‘New Testament’ faith. In our singing of these words we recognise that the ‘new’ has not replaced the so-called ‘old’ but is a fulfilling, a bringing near, if you like, of those eternal truths.

In recent years I have discovered that I am half Welsh, and so it gives me great satisfaction to consider this hymn written by William Williams. He wrote this in Welsh in 1771, and it was translated into English by Peter Williams (no relation but of a similar age). William was converted after hearing a fiery young preacher who gave a Gospel message standing on a tombstone in the churchyard! It was real ‘revival preaching’ and young William, just a student, was soundly saved! He became an amazing preacher.
I read this about him in words by Salvation Army Commissioner William Oliphant, that he “moved in troublous times, and social upheavals were at their height and threatened to overwhelm his country; instead of despairing he preached salvation… took the golden Lyre of David and sang his country into faith.”

Using the Old Testament, Williams prayed that God would lead him – and us – like he had led Moses through the wilderness into the Promised Land. Neither the Old Testament nor this hymn are ‘old;’ they fit our modern day perfectly.
Exodus 13 v 21 says,
“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of
cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a
pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could
travel by day or night.”

Well, we could certainly do with that leading today!
God bless you
Antony & Fiona

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven,
Feed me now and evermore.

2.
Open Thou the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream shall flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong deliverer,
Be Thou still my strength and shield.

3.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death and Hell's destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan's side.
Songs of praises
I will ever give to Thee.