Dear Friends,
September feels like the start of the New Year!
For those of us who have children or, like me, work with children a lot, September feels like the start of a new year!
For me, personally, after returning from four week’s sick leave and two week’s holiday, it feels like I have been away far too long and it’s time to do some planning for the new year. Not just for Christmas, but we have also been asked to start thinking about having a mission in September next year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of our diocese.
What has been going on over the summer?
Behind the scenes a number of people have kept things ticking over for me at church – a big thank you to my church wardens, various retired vicars who have kindly taken communion services for me and, of course, the Ministry team. Anna Walker from Whalley also stepped in at short notice to take Talia’s baptism.
The Fundraising team were also busy working with a grant fundraiser from Milton Keynes and have sent in another bid for further work on the St John’s building. We also employed a new architect and are in the process of starting repairs near the chancel.
The Pastoral teams in both churches have also been busy with funerals, home communions, organising a lovely afternoon tea and visits to hospital. Again, a big thank you!
What’s happening over the next few months?
Our children – please give encouragement and support to new families who will be attending church at St John’s for the first time. Do also encourage any families you know, who struggle with church in the morning, to attend Families@5 on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at St Paul’s. Our toddler group at St John’s (Busy Bees) also returns on Friday mornings and our Children’s church every week at St John’s.
Our Connect groups – For those who have recently done ALPHA or want to ‘do church’ on a smaller scale, we have several ‘Connect groups’ starting again this month. These meet in homes and are places where you can connect with God, with each other and with your wider community. Connect groups are the best place to make friends, get prayer support and learn more about your faith. See PS for details.
This term we are doing a series called ‘Fruitfulness on the Frontline’ where we learn about how our faith impacts our daily life, the places where we spend most of our time like our work places, our homes, our communities. Our ‘frontlines’ are the places where we meet with people who do not know Jesus. Check out this youtube clip to find out more: https://youtu.be/SyMMfyy3FDE?si=wvnRddwf3Lzr8ipL. As the former Archbishop of Canterbury once said: ‘the Church is the only organisation that exists for the benefit of its non-members’!
Events for our community – start with Harvest services at the beginning of October, then Remembrance services in November, culminating in a feast of events for all ages over the Christmas period – watch this space to find out more.
How can you help?
We are always in need of more people in our tech team, in our choir, in our worship team, to make coffees after the service, to help with the children in both churches and especially to help with events around Christmas.
We also need people with creative skills to help with our advertising and those with admin and project management skills to join our fundraising and fabric teams.
You don’t need to take on a huge job, but just start small and see how it goes, maybe just helping out once a month, it would really help us. Every one of these teams would love to welcome new faces.
Talk to any of our leaders to find out more.
Keeping in touch
If you are new to the church; don’t forget we have two what’s app groups, the parish magazine, the website and a weekly pew sheet where most of what happens in the church will be communicated. But we do need your permission if you want to join our mailing list of whats app groups. So do grab one of our little forms and hand it to any of the leaders in both churches and they will make sure you are added. You will also be able to sign up via our new website that is about to launch soon.
And finally…a word about money!
It takes around £2,000 a week to heat, light and run our two churches. We don’t get any financial support from the diocese. All our income comes from our regular members of the congregation. And at the moment we are running on a 10% deficit, which means the last two years we have had to plunder our dwindling reserves.
Would you consider speaking to our treasurer, Richard, or one of the Finance team about joining the Parish Giving Scheme? This enables us to gift aid any money you give us. A monthly gift makes all the difference since most of our bills come in each month.
When I first came to faith, I was challenged to give a 10% of what I earned to God’s work and this is a discipline I have maintained throughout my life and passed on to my children. 10% was a guideline from the Old Testament, it is not a mandate. Many people give more than 10% and some give less. But as it says in the good book; ‘where your treasure is, there will your heart be also’. Do think and pray about it, but please do give to support your church!
A final prayer from Augustine of Hippo!
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I may love what is holy!
May God bless you and keep you this Autumn!
Amanda and the team at JohnPaul
PS: Want to join a Connect group?
Contact: Amanda about a Connect group for young Mums (07557 567751)
Contact: Richard (07733 010556) or Roger (07801 143168) about the Men’s Connect group – day to be decided.
Contact: Tony (07942 888231) and Ann about the monthly Bible Book Club on the third Monday of the month.
Contact: Flo (07517 417085) or Dorothy (07527 551672) about the weekly day time Connect Group for ladies on a Monday.
Contact: Lorraine (07586 293344) or Alison (07535 628214) about the Wednesday evening Connect group.