CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22908, 16 June 1936, Page 12

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

SERVICES AT MORAY PLACE. Special young people's services were conducted at Moray Place Congregational Church on Sunday last, the miniHter being the Rev. W. M. Isitt. B.A. The morning service was largely devoted to the children present. At the youth service of worship in the evening Mr Isitt took as his text, " Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." (John iii: 3.) "To he born again." said the minister, "is to start life afresh, and, according to these words of Jesus, everyone must at some time in life come to the place where a fresh beginning has to be made. When •we trace a life's growth from birth through babyhood, childhood and adolescence to maturity, we find that, from the very beginning, it has to make adjustments, in its own way, to at least five important things in ite surrounding world. It has to adjust itself to the physical world, to family, to society, to work and to sex. Like Nicodemus. to whom Jesus was speaking, some people adjust themselves to religion. Yefc,- religion should not be one of six only but the very first adjustment to be made; because it is upon a correct adjustment to religion alone that a man can make a successful* attempt to adjust himself to any branch of life. When a man is born again his response to each and everything is re-made so as to conform not only to God's loving purpose for him, but also to God's loving purpose for all. There is in the man new thinking, new feeling, new i-elationsliips and new activities. In the words of St. Paul, 'lf any'man be in Christ there is a new creation.' How does all this happen? By a full surrender on the part of any individual of every area of his or her life to God, by giving up the past, the present and the future into His hands. When this happens the self or ego is given to God Who returns it to be Goddirected and controlled. Then there commences in any one of us a new life which will gradually develop and become more unified and more guided: our relationship to God and His purpose for us will become increasingly more real; and our relationships with people about us will have/a new meaning." During the service the solo, My Heart Ever Faithful" (Bach), was sung by Miss Betty Pocock, and the choir rendered the anthem, " My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord."