St. John s Mission Statement is To know Christ better and make Christ better known

Transcription

1 St. John s Mission Statement is To know Christ better and make Christ better known

2 Services this month 1st April Easter Day 11.00am Communion Service 8th April 2nd Sunday of Easter 11.00am Worship Service 15th April 3rd Sunday of Easter 11.00am Holy Communion 22nd April 4th Sunday of Easter 11.00am Informal Worship 29th April 5th Sunday of Easter 11.00am Holy Communion and 2

3 Dear Friends, Spring is just about here and we pray that God will breathe new life into our churches as we look towards the future. We celebrate the wonderful message of Easter and remember all that God did for us in the glory of his resurrection. The Easter story is one of blessing for us all. The cross is a reminder of all that Jesus went through. It has become the symbol of our faith although as we know that the cross was not the final story. I found a true story the other day about a man who had for some time carried a small aluminium cross in his pocket with GOD stamped on the crossbeam. The O was part of the phrase LOVES YOU imprinted on the vertical beam. On a bus trip to visit his grandmother, he decided to get something to eat at the station s all night restaurant. When a middle-aged woman sat down at the table opposite him, he heard God speaking to him. Give her the cross. Obediently, he reached into his pocket and dug it out. As he laid the cross on her table, he said God wants me to give you this. The woman took the cross and read the inscription, God loves you. The woman began to cry. Are you ok? he asked. She nodded slowly and said, I came here today for my last cup of coffee. My daughter was killed a few months ago and my husband has just left me. I thought God had abandoned me. I was about to take my own life. The symbol of the cross is powerful and shows the wonderful love that God has for each one of us. God loves you and he cares for you. We have in our lives the most wonderful gift that God could give us in the person of Jesus. Philippians encourages us to be happy. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice! This is seen in a marvellous way at Easter time. God loves us so much that he becomes one of us prepared to suffer and die on our behalf. What we see on that cross is the pure, unquestioning and unending love. Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Jesus comes to save the world. He comes for people 3

4 like you and me, people who make mistakes and who don t always get the answers right. We can bring to Jesus all our anxieties, all our concerns and all our failings because he is victorious; he is risen! He has triumphed over sin and death and won for us eternal life, and so our hymn becomes, Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son, endless is the victory thou o er death hast won. Thank you for all that you are doing in God s service in so many different ways. I pray that the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Stephen Morning Prayer Saying the Office 8.30am every Tuesday at St. John s 4

5 NEWSLETTER FROM Food and Support Drop March 2018 Hope you have all survived the snow and the bitter cold. If you were cold just think how much colder many of our clients will have been. FOR YOUR PRAYERS On 17th March 86 parcels were given out, 10 to families with 15 children and there were 35 volunteers. With so many clients needing parcels I hope you can see how important it is to have enough volunteers to meet all the different needs that occur on the Saturday's as well as the work done on Thursday's so please continue to pray for more volunteers to come forward. Our clients do believe that your prayers help and are amazed that people care about them. We ask that you continue to pray for all who come through the doors of the Drop In and Gathering Place. There are times when the volunteers need as much support to carry on as the clients especially those who have moved from being clients to volunteers. Thank you to all those who have come forward to volunteer. The time you give is so precious we know and is appreciated so much. Volunteers are always welcome for Thursday 8.30am-12pm and Saturday 8.30am am. WINTER SHELTER Thank you so much for all your support over the last months. The shelter has been full for the majority of the time and a lot of different support has been available to the guests, many who have found permanent lodgings with support for health difficulties and other problems. Volunteers are still required and if you can give some hours of your time please contact The Gathering Place. FOOD DONATIONS As well as a need for the regular donations more tinned vegetables are still required, tinned meats, Pasta and Curry sauce, coffee, tinned rice pudding and tooth paste. For the time being there is plenty cereal, biscuits and sanitary towels thank you so much. As the cold weather will be with us a bit longer we have an urgent need for men's socks, gloves, hats and scarves please. We do appreciate all your generosity over the years and are always amazed, and thankful that donations are still coming in to meet some of the needs of clients. 5

6 DELIVERIES The Drop in is open for deliveries every Thursday between 8.30am-12pm and every Saturday morning between 8.30am-11.30am. DONATIONS OF MONEY May I remind everybody who donates money via cheques to make it payable to: "CHRISTIANS TOGETHER CALDERDALE" If you are happy to support any of the Christians Together Projects please leave the cheque blank on the back. If you wish your donation to be only for the Drop In, please write "Drop In" on the back or the name of your chosen project. Our bank details can be found by contacting the Treasurer via The Gathering Place. Please leave your contact details for them if they are not in. GIFT AID forms are also available and also available on the Christians Together website. We thank you so much for your prayers, for your time, for your support in whatever way you are able that enable the projects to continue. Regards Pam On behalf of the Food and Support Drop In Facebook: Halifax Food & Support Drop In A Project of Christians Together Calderdale The next Circle Dance Saturday 21 April 10am-12.45pm, followed by soup lunch. Christ Church, Pellon. Donation Leader: Madeleine Russell Tel Thank you. 6

7 23rd April 2018 Mr Chris Helme The Rise and Fall of Sunny Vale St. John s Prayer Breakfast Saturday 14th April at 8.30am in the Church Hall. 1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34: 1-3 7

8 March 2 nd was supposed to be The Women s World Day of Prayer Service at 2p.m. at Highgate Methodist Church. Unfortunately this had to be cancelled because of the bad weather. It is hoped that this will be rescheduled. On March 5 th St. Hilda s Branch led Midday Prayers at the Halifax Minster. We celebrated Mothering Sunday at our 11a.m. service in church on March 11 th. Pellon Baptist Church invited us to their Pellon Rally on March 13 th at 2.30p.m. The speaker was Rev. Jane Powell from Steep Lane Baptist Church and as always it was a very happy afternoon. This was the last one to be hosted by Pellon Baptist after 60 years, so we do thank them for all they have done over this time. Our evening meeting was on March 21 st at 7.30p.m. in the Church Hall. Joan Aspin led the evening with a Lenten Meditation, which I am sure we all found very helpful. There will be no Midday Prayers at the Minster on April 9 th as there is a service to celebrate Lady Day at Todmorden at 1.30p.m. This will be followed by refreshments. April 11 th will be our evening meeting at 7.30p.m. in the Church Hall when we will have a Cookshop. Do come along and see what it is all about. All are invited to any of our meetings so looking forward to seeing you. SUSAN 8

9 April Diary Tuesday 3th 8.30am Morning Prayer, The Office Wednesday 4th 2.00pm Coffee and Company at St. Hilda s Thursday 5th 6.45pm Song Group practise Tuesday 10th 8.30am Morning Prayer, The Office Wednesday 11th 2.00pm Coffee and Company at St. Hilda s 7,30pm Mothers Union Thursday 12th 6.45pm Song Group practise Saturday 14th 8.30am Prayer Breakfast Tuesday 17th 8.30am Morning Prayer, The Office Wednesday 18th 2.00pm Coffee and Company at St. Hilda s Thursday 19th 6.45pm Song Group practise Monday 23rd 10.30am Warley Coffee Club Tuesday 24th 8.30am Morning Prayer, The Office Wednesday 25th 2.00pm Coffee and Company at St. Hilda s Thursday 26th 6.45pm Song Group practise Meet weekly through term time. Rainbows Tuesday evening Beavers Wednesday evening Brownies Tuesday evening Guides Tuesday evening Cubs Friday evening Scouts Friday evening Explorer Scouts Friday evening Please consider the environment do you really need to print this news letter? Find us at:- Short URL: acny.co.uk/17996/ The deadline for contributions to the May Newsletter is 25th April to: David courtlodge8@btinternet.com 9