Dear FriendsHappy New Year to you all.As I write this we have just had our first Wednesday Welcome back at the start of the New Year.Our first Jimmy’s baby and toddler group this morning saw us welcome 16 children with many returning for another term and a couple of new families. Jim’s café will start back next Monday and our first Messy Church of the year will be on 19th January – its all go with so many lovely ways to connect with our community with faith and service at the heart of all that we do.I attach all the information about Messy Church for you to get involved, even if you can’t come along to the sessions it would be great to know that we are being prayed for as we meet at the sessions. The forms are at the back of church if you want to sign up for any of the teams or just ring or e-mail me or Janet if you want more information and there will be a meeting at the Rectory on Monday 13th January at 7.30 pm for all those who want to be involved.This Sunday we have our communion service at St James at 9.30 am and also a Communion service at St Mary’s, Gilston at 11.15 am.I am really looking forward to seeing you all again as our New Year gets underway.Every blessingAlison
A family friendly, fun and creative way of hearing the stories of the Bible and being together, growing community. We will spend time together, creating great things that fit with our story of the day and we will sing, hear a story and eat yummy food together. This will happen every month on the third Sunday of the month at 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm. The first two sessions will take place in High Wych Memorial Hall as it will probably be warmer over those winter months – the rest of the sessions will take place at St James Church so that we can take advantage of all our beautiful outside space to have fun and games in. The dates are as follows:- 19th January Messy Church will take place in High Wych Memorial Hall because of the heating from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm. 16th February Messy Church will take place in High Wych Memorial Hall because of heating from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm – these have already been booked. 16th March Messy Church will be in the church – with the hope it will be warmer by then, again 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm Good Friday Messy Church will take place as usual on 18th April 10.00 am – 12 noon. 18th May Messy Church will be 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm in St James 15th June Messy Church will be 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm in St James 20th July Messy Church will be 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm in St James There are many ways you can get involved. You can join the Registration Team; The Creative Team; the Celebration Team; the Catering Team; the Prayer Team; the Games Team (outside games when weather allows). There will be a meeting in church on a future date – to be decided with everyone’s diaries.
With Rev Alison on holiday this week, it fell to Janet, Gemma and Cath to lease this mo the Fanily Service!The service was looking and learning a bit more about Gods mercy towards us. We were thinking about what the word means and how Jesus showed mercy to the man at Bethesda, which is a pool near Jerusalem.At Bethesda Jesus saw a man lying on his mat and asked him ‘Do you want to get well?’ The man said that no one had helped him get into the pool and Jesus said to him ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk’ and at once the man was healed!The children recreated that pool and the bubbles that came from it and we created our own ‘man’ and his mat.Bacon sandwiches, pastries and hot drinks really kicked off the first family service of the year, hope to see you all next month!
As Revd Alison will be on a well-deserved holiday after all her many services and activities, Sam and Janet, our Church Wardens will be hosting a Cafe Church at 9.30am.It’s an opportunity to join us for an informal church community get together with hot, or cold drinks, and pastries plus a chance to choose a favourite hymn/carol and some poems and prayers. John Sharples will be giving a talk called "Thank you for the music” which will be a take on an amusing sermon he heard whilst visiting a church in Harrogate. Everyone is most welcome so we hope to see you there!
