Corps Diary
15 23 9 Feb3 next one is 4 May 2019 5.30
Sunday Family Worship 10.30 am Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study 10.15 am
When only a few can attend, it is held at my home in Overdale Drive
Sorted Youth Group in the evening
Thursday Parent & Toddlers 9-11am in term time
Friday Gaither Homecoming singalong nights The next one is on 29 December 2023 then fortnightly on Fridays at 7pm
12 Jan 2024 26 Jan 9 Feb 23 Feb
Short history
28 Years ago on Sunday 4 June 1995 Divisional Envoys Billy and Beryl Cowgill were installed as Commanding Officers of the Idle Citadel Corps by Captain Betty Matear. They had been commissioned at Brighouse along with Ray and Pamela Powell of Idle on 18 May that year.
Four months later in October Betty Basford was made a senior soldier and a month later along with her husband Jim celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary by having their marriage blessed. During that same service, C/T Brian Metcalfe was presented with a gift in recognition of 30 years service. The year ended with Billy doing his first funeral - Clara Aldous mother of our newest recruits, Brian and Shirley Aldous.
The following year 1996 we gained new soldiers, Betty Basfords husband Jim in February, Brian and Shirley Aldous in March, David Barratt and Sarah and Laura Bartle ( Junior Soldiers) in April, Anne Levitte was enrolled as H/League Sec in July. Sadly some of our faithful soldiers died - Annie Pennels in February and YPSM Bertha Dickinson in October and members Clifford Watmough in February and Ada Knipe in Nov. Praise God they will be in Heaven
In May that year our newly formed songsters (20 members) presented a concert at Burnley and in October, sang at the Inter-Corps Fellowship at Huddersfield.
It was in May that restoration work began on the main Worship hall as the walls were parting company with the balcony and we had to move our services to Stonebridge. The celebration service for the newly refurbished hall was held April 1997. Cpt Betty Matear chaired the service and Bradford Citadel band along with the Idle Songsters and Kingdom Kids provided the music.
It was at that service that Billy presented the Corps with a vision for a new extension. We’d spent all our money on the restoration and the new building was estimated at costing £160 000. God had already given us over £5000 for new chairs and provided the extra money needed to refurbish the existing hall. When asked where the money would come from for the new hall Billy said that if God wants it - he will provide - and He did.
Following those early days, God blessed us in so many ways. The church grew from a handful of soldiers to a full census board, we had a songster brigade of over 20 and a congregations of over 40.We experienced some miraculous healings and awesome financial provision that included the full cost of replacing the roof in 2014 at a cost of over £230,000. No need to take a mortgage.
Obviously satan could not stand ’Idly’ by and do nothing and over the last 10 years we have experienced some terrible attacks but that should only make us more determined to seek Gods will for our Corps and move forward.
Twenty Five years ago I had a serious cancer operation and the surgeon sent a letter to my doctor which said that 'the long term prospects for this man are very poor'. But here I am still - God isn't ready for me yet. Shortly after that, Beryl was taken ill with Alzheimers and suffered with that terrible condition for over 10 years. It wasn't easy - but she remained at home with me until the day she was promoted to Glory February 11 2014. There were over 160 friends at the celebration for her life. Tragically in December 2012 I lost my lovely son Kevin, who had lost his baby daughter two years earlier. Kevin's promotion to Glory was held the day after Boxing Day. Life has not been easy. Thankfully the Lord is with us upholding us.
God hasn’t brought this Corps so far, provided us with a beautiful Worship and Community Halls for no reason. Like many other churches, the buildings are fine- it’s the Body( the members) that need restoration today. The church needs to get it's ACT2gether ( Acts 2 tells us about Pentecost, the birth of the Christian Church and how God began to develop His people to live in Harmony with Him and one another - born again of the Spirit) I believe that God has brought us thus far and now commands us to take an honest look at our selves.
To members - are we as committed to Gods calling our lives as we were when He first called us? Have we grown spiritually - does God take first place in our lives? Do we seek Him in prayer and the reading and acting upon His word ( I promise to pray and to read my bible).
To those on the fringe - ‘do you need to go deeper in your commitment to God and this fellowship?‘.
Just as Jesus, following His death and resurrection appeared to His disciples ( John 21) and took them back to recall their first calling those three years earlier - ( Luke 5) I believe that God is doing the same with His church in these days. The building is fine, now God is working on the Body of believers.
Echoing the words of the great William Booths song ‘Send the fire’ we could do no better than say to God ‘ See me on Thine altar lay, my life, my all this very day, to crown the offering now I pray - send the fire today‘. Don’t just sing it - mean it.
Sunday Family Worship 10.30 am Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study 10.15 am
When only a few can attend, it is held at my home in Overdale Drive
Sorted Youth Group in the evening
Thursday Parent & Toddlers 9-11am in term time
Friday Gaither Homecoming singalong nights The next one is on 29 December 2023 then fortnightly on Fridays at 7pm
12 Jan 2024 26 Jan 9 Feb 23 Feb
Short history
28 Years ago on Sunday 4 June 1995 Divisional Envoys Billy and Beryl Cowgill were installed as Commanding Officers of the Idle Citadel Corps by Captain Betty Matear. They had been commissioned at Brighouse along with Ray and Pamela Powell of Idle on 18 May that year.
Four months later in October Betty Basford was made a senior soldier and a month later along with her husband Jim celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary by having their marriage blessed. During that same service, C/T Brian Metcalfe was presented with a gift in recognition of 30 years service. The year ended with Billy doing his first funeral - Clara Aldous mother of our newest recruits, Brian and Shirley Aldous.
The following year 1996 we gained new soldiers, Betty Basfords husband Jim in February, Brian and Shirley Aldous in March, David Barratt and Sarah and Laura Bartle ( Junior Soldiers) in April, Anne Levitte was enrolled as H/League Sec in July. Sadly some of our faithful soldiers died - Annie Pennels in February and YPSM Bertha Dickinson in October and members Clifford Watmough in February and Ada Knipe in Nov. Praise God they will be in Heaven
In May that year our newly formed songsters (20 members) presented a concert at Burnley and in October, sang at the Inter-Corps Fellowship at Huddersfield.
It was in May that restoration work began on the main Worship hall as the walls were parting company with the balcony and we had to move our services to Stonebridge. The celebration service for the newly refurbished hall was held April 1997. Cpt Betty Matear chaired the service and Bradford Citadel band along with the Idle Songsters and Kingdom Kids provided the music.
It was at that service that Billy presented the Corps with a vision for a new extension. We’d spent all our money on the restoration and the new building was estimated at costing £160 000. God had already given us over £5000 for new chairs and provided the extra money needed to refurbish the existing hall. When asked where the money would come from for the new hall Billy said that if God wants it - he will provide - and He did.
Following those early days, God blessed us in so many ways. The church grew from a handful of soldiers to a full census board, we had a songster brigade of over 20 and a congregations of over 40.We experienced some miraculous healings and awesome financial provision that included the full cost of replacing the roof in 2014 at a cost of over £230,000. No need to take a mortgage.
Obviously satan could not stand ’Idly’ by and do nothing and over the last 10 years we have experienced some terrible attacks but that should only make us more determined to seek Gods will for our Corps and move forward.
Twenty Five years ago I had a serious cancer operation and the surgeon sent a letter to my doctor which said that 'the long term prospects for this man are very poor'. But here I am still - God isn't ready for me yet. Shortly after that, Beryl was taken ill with Alzheimers and suffered with that terrible condition for over 10 years. It wasn't easy - but she remained at home with me until the day she was promoted to Glory February 11 2014. There were over 160 friends at the celebration for her life. Tragically in December 2012 I lost my lovely son Kevin, who had lost his baby daughter two years earlier. Kevin's promotion to Glory was held the day after Boxing Day. Life has not been easy. Thankfully the Lord is with us upholding us.
God hasn’t brought this Corps so far, provided us with a beautiful Worship and Community Halls for no reason. Like many other churches, the buildings are fine- it’s the Body( the members) that need restoration today. The church needs to get it's ACT2gether ( Acts 2 tells us about Pentecost, the birth of the Christian Church and how God began to develop His people to live in Harmony with Him and one another - born again of the Spirit) I believe that God has brought us thus far and now commands us to take an honest look at our selves.
To members - are we as committed to Gods calling our lives as we were when He first called us? Have we grown spiritually - does God take first place in our lives? Do we seek Him in prayer and the reading and acting upon His word ( I promise to pray and to read my bible).
To those on the fringe - ‘do you need to go deeper in your commitment to God and this fellowship?‘.
Just as Jesus, following His death and resurrection appeared to His disciples ( John 21) and took them back to recall their first calling those three years earlier - ( Luke 5) I believe that God is doing the same with His church in these days. The building is fine, now God is working on the Body of believers.
Echoing the words of the great William Booths song ‘Send the fire’ we could do no better than say to God ‘ See me on Thine altar lay, my life, my all this very day, to crown the offering now I pray - send the fire today‘. Don’t just sing it - mean it.