ST ANDREW S CHURCH, GT ILFORD The Drive, Ilford, IG1 3PE Bishop Jacob Memorial Church

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1 Page1 ST ANDREW S CHURCH, GT ILFORD The Drive, Ilford, IG1 3PE Bishop Jacob Memorial Church Church of England Charity Registration No Vicar: Curate: The Revd Canon Marie Segal The Revd Hayley Morris St Andrew s offers welcome, friendship and care to everyone through the Good News of Jesus Christ. MAY BULLETIN 2018

2 Page2 VICAR S LETTER MAY 2018 (APCM STATEMENT) Verse for the year: Ephesians 6:18 - Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Throughout the service we have given thanks to individuals and groups who have worked hard to support the church in the last year. My final personal thanks is to you in the congregation who faithfully come on a Sunday and join us to worship the living God. To thank you for your love, your care and support through the year but also to encourage you for the journey ahead. be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power (Ephesians 6 v 10) because without him we are nothing and can achieve nothing. In Ephesians 6:10-13, Paul gave us the explanation for the fight: we must be strong in the Lord because we are engaged in a spiritual battle with the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. In 6:14-17, Paul explained the equipment for the fight: the full armour of God, which enables us to stand firm against this powerful enemy. He mentioned the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness; the boots of the preparation of the gospel of peace; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Now (6:18-20) Paul describes the effect of the fight, that is, how to fight the enemy, namely: We fight for God against the enemy through prayer. These words in verse 18 are challenging for us as individuals and also as a church. We must continue to pray in the good times and in the difficult times. Prayer sounds so simple. It means let s talk to God all the time and in all places and circumstances. I do not claim to be an expert in the practice of prayer. It is a constant struggle for me and I do not want to convey that I have arrived. I know that the only reason God has enabled me to persevere as a minister for almost 11 years now is His grace that has come to me

3 Page3 through the prayers of His people and through my own desperate cries to Him for help. Not a week goes by without my feeling overwhelmingly inadequate for this ministry. I could not endure without prayer. But I want us all, wherever we re at, to join together in the pilgrimage of becoming a God-focused, God-dependent community of praying believers. Paul uses the words pray/prayer four times in verses In addition, he tells us that we are to pray in the Spirit., that we should pray for all the saints. Verses specifically apply this, as Paul asks for prayer for himself, that he would be bold and faithful in proclaiming the gospel. Here at St Andrew s throughout the last year we have needed prayer in so many ways. So when have we needed to pray? In the last year we have seen many members of our family experience difficult time,s leaving them in a state of grief and we have seen the church family rally round, offering love and support, praying during the difficult journey they have had to travel. Prayer has sustained us as we have once again seen valued members of our church die. The effect of this has been a decreasing number of our regular Sunday attendances - less people to worship, an ever increasingly small number of people doing all the jobs, fewer people being willing to go on the PCC, be churchwardens, less people attending services, course events. What are we to do? Let me tell you that it doesn t help people telling me these facts because if I had a magic wand I would have already waved it and conjured up people. I don t know the answer but I do know that firstly we must continue to pray and expect God to hear our prayers and to answer them. Secondly, we must all be willing to do our part no matter how small or large it is. I am constantly told by you and visitors that we offer a warm welcome to new people and have seen many of them respond to the welcome we have offered. We, who come week in week out, may find it hard that some people only come occasionally - Christmas and Easter or for weddings, funerals and baptism. Yet they and those who come once a month often call this their church and that this is thanks to the welcome we offer. Our challenge this

4 Page4 year is to bring them back more often, to help them become part of this family, this community, this church. Our Asian congregation continues to meet and has grown especially with the large numbers they have on special occasions on Easter Sunday. They continue to offer an exciting and different face of St Andrew s in the wider Christian community. If you ve not seen it, do look at their Easter Sunday broadcast on one the Asian TV channels. Together we are one church but with two distinct congregations. It is exciting to see how they have enhanced the variety of worship and also how we have grown closer in many ways. Paul often links the two words translated prayer and petition. For example, in Philippians 4:6 he writes, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.. Paul encourages us to pray at all times but you may be thinking, Come on, Paul, be realistic! I have to make a living! I have to go to school! How can I pray at all times? The phrase is literally, at every opportunity. It s the same idea as 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing. The Greek word translated without ceasing was used of a hacking cough. Someone with a hacking cough does not cough every second, but rather he coughs repeatedly and often. He never goes very long without coughing. In the same way, we should pray often and repeatedly until we gain the thing for which we are praying. To do this means that when we are tempted, we hold the temptation before God and ask for His help. When we experience something good and beautiful, we immediately thank the Lord for it. When we see evil around us, we pray that God will make it right and be willing to be used by Him to that end. When we meet someone who does not know Christ, we pray for God to draw that person to Him and to use us to be a faithful witness. When we encounter trouble, we turn to God as our Deliverer. In other words, our life becomes a continually ascending prayer, a perpetual communing with our heavenly Father. Prayer isn t just rushing into God s presence as if you were rushing into the bank to get some needed funds and then not going back until you need more.

5 Page5 Prayer is going into the bank many times throughout the day because you re in love with the banker. You enjoy talking with him. Also, when we re in need, prayer is not to be our last resort: We ve done all that we can do! Now, all we can do is pray! Prayer should be the first thing that we think to do when we re aware of a need. It s the way that we acknowledge our need and dependence on God and lay hold of His promises. This year the PCC has decided our focus will be on prayer (again) and I encourage you to look out for opportunities to come together and offer prayers. In 2018 let us pray without ceasing that God will bless our church and we will see it grow. Revd Canon Marie Segal Our text for 2018/2019: Ephesians 6:18 - Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Vicar: Curate: Churchwardens: The Revd Canon Marie Segal /segal.marie@btinternet.com See note on page 6 The Revd Hayley Morris /hayleyjm@yahoo.co.uk Normal day off - Saturday Mr Gary Harley /gdeharley@gmail.com Mr Barry Shortte / barryshortte@hotmail.com Website:

6 Page6 PRAYER DIARY In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4 v 6. Please pray especially for those listed below and for God s World, particularly thinking of all the war-torn areas currently in the news. MONDAY: Marie and Lawrence Segal, Ian Manuel, Alex McLeman, Carol and Linus Louisy, Charline Gotts, Iris Freeman, Helen Kemp, Youth Church. TUESDAY: Lesley Williams, Vinita and Hermes James, Betty Hobbs, Robert Must, Jackie Gotts, Dorothy Green, Helen Bailey, Edgar Fleary, Iris Martin, Barry Shortte. WEDNESDAY: Sylvia and her family, Ben and Veronica Isaacs, Ian Husbands and his mum, Pamela Wood, Sharon Deeming, Lily Harris, John Enever, Jason and Barbara, Adrian Root, Miracle Mensa. THURSDAY: Jennifer Motley, Iris Robinson and her brother Eddie, Marion West, Cameron Williams, Rose Young, Cheryl Baker. FRIDAY: Hayley Morris ministry school and church, Joyce Fuller, Gary and Ellen Harley and family, Barry Webster, Nancy Hudson, Neil, Michael Gotts, Sarah Oyston, PCC Members. Lord, teach me how to pray. To come into your presence and sit awhile. Amen A REMINDER that Revd Marie will be on sabbatical (study leave) from 1 st May to 31 st July 2018 and will be unavailable for contact. For pastoral matters please contact Revd Hayley, for church business contact Gary Harley or Barry Shortte, Churchwardens (all contact details can be found on page 3). For hall booking enquiries contact Geoff Eze on ).

7 Page7 NEWS AND INFORMATION Revd Marie asked that a very big thank you be given for the card and gift vouchers presented to her at the APCM as she went off on sabbatical. Don t forget, if you can t manage church on a Sunday, we have a weekly service of Holy Communion every Wednesday and on the fourth Saturday of the month a FAMILY WORSHIP SERVICE from 4.30 to 5.30 pm, including Bible stories, activities and refreshments. This month it is on Saturday 26 th May. FLOWERS: In April these were donated by Mavis Jackman. MOTHERS UNION: 1 st May Spring Council, 7.30 pm for 8.00 pm, Chapter House, Chelmsford. Thursday 24th May, Quiz Evening and plant sale, 8 pm Wilson Room. JUNE BULLETIN: Entries should be with Marion Pank no later than Thursday 17 th May 2018 (marionpank@outlook.com ). MAY DATES Tues 1 st Licensing as Interim Minister of Revd Kate Lovesey St John s, Seven Kings Consecration of Bishop of Bradwell Canterbury Thurs 3 rd All day Church Hall Polling Station Halls Sat 5 th pm Coffee Morning Church Tues 8 th am Barking Study Day Rowan St Mary s, Williams Loughton 8.00 pm Marion s Life Group Home Wed 9 th 12 noon Redbridge Deanery Chapter St Mary, Wdfd Thur 10 th 7.30 pm Ascension Day Service Church 8.00 pm PCC Sat 12 th 2.00 pm Wedding Blessing Church Tues 15 th 8.00 pm Joint Men/Women s Bible Study Halls Sat 19 th 9-1 pm Vocations Day Ch Church, W std Tues 22 nd 7.30 pm Swearing in of Churchwardens St John, L stone Thur 24 th 8.00 pm Mothers Union see note above Wilson Room Sun 27 th - May-Sat 2 nd Revd Hayley Annual Leave June

8 Page8 MAY SERVICES Please note that there will be no services of Morning Prayer during May, June or July Holy Communion: Family Worship: Asian Worship 9.30 am Wednesday, followed by Coffee Shop 6.30 pm 3 rd Sunday with prayer for healing (20 th May) 4.30 pm Fourth Saturday (26 th May) 3.30 pm Sunday DATE SERVICE READINGS 6th May All Age TBA 6 th Sunday of Easter 10 th May Holy Communion TBA Ascension Day 13 th May 7 th Sunday of Easter Holy Communion Easter Acts 1:15-17, 21-end John 17: th May Pentecost/Whit Sunday Holy Communion Family Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27, 16:4b th May Trinity Sunday Holy Communion Dove Isaiah 6:1-8 John 3:1-17 ENTRIES FOR JUNE BULLETIN SHOULD BE WITH MARION PANK NO LATER THAN THURSDAY 17 th MAY 2018 (marionpank@outlook.com ) St Andrew s Church, Gt Ilford The Drive Ilford, IG1 3PE