Dear AllHow are you all?I feel that as we approach this season of Lent we are on that journey towards Easter and all that means as we once again discover the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The joy of celebrating Christmas is behind us as we begin our journey to the Cross.And I wonder, how are you going to journey through Lent this year? Are you a person who gives things up like alcohol or chocolate, or fasts from tv or technology as is your tradition or do you do something positive that benefits others as you journey through Easter.I have been pondering this and as well as our Bible Study that will take us through Lent, which is:-The Bible Course – (please sign up if you want the study guide. Join me at the Rectory every Wednesday at 7.30 pm through Lent and beyond – see the Welcome sheet for more details and the sign up list at the back of church). This course will give us an amazing overview of the whole Bible and where everything fits into the story of God.If you would like a positive impact on our world - I am attaching the Christian Aid – Count your Blessings resource that you can use throughout Lent, ultimately raising money towards world poverty. You can access it here….count-your-blessings-2024-v1.1.pdf (christianaid.org.uk)Or perhaps you would like to do something practical that benefits our own local community? For instance; how about if we commit to giving generously to the Pop Up shop during Lent – here is my suggestion:-Week 1 we focus on bringing soft drinks for that week.Moving on as follows:-Week 2 – cans of food.Week 3 – dried goodsWeek 4 - Cereals or household products.Week 5 – chocolate (small Easter eggs)Week 6 – Special Easter food This will call us to sacrifice some of our wealth but it will benefit others who are struggling.We are also able to celebrate Pancake Day with the children in our community with our Annual Pancake Party at Gilston and Eastwick Village Hall on Tuesday 13th February from 3.00 – 5.00 pm – we are looking for people to help with this, so please drop me an e-mail if you can help on that day.As to our services - we begin our Lent journey with our Ash Wednesday service next week on 14th February at St James at 7.30 pm and will continue through to a glorious celebration on Easter Day.My hope is that during Easter our journey will benefit others and ourselves as we learn more about ourselves, more about the story of God and turn to the light of Jesus Christ carrying it out into our world.Your PriestAlisonRomans 15:13 ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit
Dear AllWhat a full week, thank you to the many of you who are journeying together through Lent with our Bible study – The Bible Course. It is really lovely to have you all at the Rectory on Wednesdays. As we move closer and closer to Easter, we have a taste of it this Sunday in our Family Service, as this is the only opportunity to celebrate and remember Easter with our Family service congregation. Don’t forget you are all welcome to come to this service and we will be starting with breakfast at 9.30 am and starting the service gently at 10.00 am, which will last for about 45 mins to 1 hour. If you are taking part in our Lent Challenge this week we will be providing dried goods for the Pop-Up shop, please place in the green box by the font.We are celebrating the World Day of Prayer tomorrow at St James at 10.00 am, we are hosting this service this year using the service that has been prepared by an ecumenical group of Christian women from Palestine, the land in which Jesus was born, ministered and died, where the Christian faith began and is rooted. It is also an opportunity to come together to pray for the situation in the Holy Land at the momentWe also have a community dog walk starting from St James this week on Sunday 3rd March at 2.30 pm, please come and walk with us if you can, or come and eat cake from 3.30 pm😊Don’t forget every Tuesday morning we now have an online prayer meeting where we can join together to pray for our whole Benefice. The link is on the Welcome sheet, but here it is if you are looking for it:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84557900182?pwd=MDhIR2ZBSFc4RXdxWW4zL3FJRGx0dz09Meeting ID: 845 5790 0182 Passcode: 640464Wishing you rest and joy in your every day.Your Priest, Alison
Dear AllAs we look forward to Easter we have a few things to mark the beginning of Lent:-A study course (see details below), our annual Pancake party and our Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday 14th February in St James church at 7.30 pm.Some information for you that I could not fit on the Welcome Sheet:-We are starting our Lent Course and will be studying The Bible Course which will give us all a rich overview of the Bible as a whole and how it all fits together. Helping us to get The Big Picture. There will be a study book for you to look at the back of church and a sign up sheet so we can order the study books at a cost of £5.00 per head.Each session is video led and using the study book with questions. We will meet in the Rectory at 7.30 pm and there are 8 sessions which will take us beyond Lent slightly and so the dates are as follows:-21/2/2024, 28/2/2024, 6/3/2024, 13/3/2024, 20/3/2024, 27/3/2024, 24/4/2024, 1/05/2024Also, may I draw your attention to the 2 events that are happening in February:13th February 2024 – Annual Pancake Party at Gilston Village Hall (see attached flyer) – 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm. I know some of you helped to make this event a great success last year and I would ask, if you can, to volunteer again this year and let me know if you can help with set up, or during the event or tidying away.24th February 2024 – The Quiz Night – see the flyer attached. We would value your support for this event by drawing a team together and coming to have some fun.Tuesday morning 9.30 am – prayer meeting (this link remains the same every TuesdayJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/84557900182?pwd=MDhIR2ZBSFc4RXdxWW4zL3FJRGx0dz09Meeting ID: 845 5790 0182Passcode: 640464Every blessingAlison
Dear AllI hope this e-mail finds you all well.This Sunday we will be celebrating Candlemas – the presentation of Christ in the Temple, an important event in the church year calendar.It is our last look back at Christmas before we turn our eyes forward to Lent.Church Family NoticeMichael Sykes’s funeral has been booked for Thursday 8th February at 11.30 am, if you would like to be with us. If you want to sing with the choir please let Janet Bellingham know.Tuesday morning prayer – 30th January at 9.30 amJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/84557900182?pwd=MDhIR2ZBSFc4RXdxWW4zL3FJRGx0dz09Meeting ID: 845 5790 0182Passcode: 640464
