2 July 10:  Today's news concentrates on both ends of the age spectrum of our church family.  The Explorers have been raising money for Leprosy Mission and last Sunday's cake decorating added £100 - woohoo!  There's only three weeks to go now before this year's Holiday Club, At The Circus.  Over 150 children are already registered but there is still room for more - pick up an application form from Sue in the office.  And then, on 17 August, we have our 'holiday at home' - a version of our kid's event but for the more mature.  This activity day will use the whole campus for a range of activities including flower arranging, card-making, games, a quiz and a sing-song – plus lunch and a time for people just to chat with friends. If you can help in any way or need any more information, please contact Margaret Kidger.

18 May 10: Time for some updates.  Firstly, holiday club application forms for all age groups are available now - get them from church, the church office or the school office.  Next, the God at Work course is underway - ask Megan Smith for more details.  The Tregales are continuing their training by experiencing ministry in other church schools and parishes through some short-term placements - ask them how they fared when they get back in six weeks time.  Finally, a request for the 10.30 am service on this coming Sunday - could you wear something red?  It doesn't need to be red from top to toe, a sock (or two) will do.  If you can't manage red, then wear some white instead.

10 Apr 10:  Now that the biggest annual event in the church calendar (Easter, of course!) is behind us, it's time to think of some other annual events.  The decision to move the Lads v Dads football match from New Year to Easter paid dividends this year with a fine sunny day and a really competitive match.  The Dads used their height (and weight) advantage to run out the eventual 2-1 winners, but only after the Lads took them to extra time.  See this Facebook link for some photos.  An approaching indoor event is the Church Annual Review on Sunday 25 April.  We're going to be looking at our future direction as a church so please be there if you can.  We'll also be electing three new members to the church council, but to stand or vote you'll need to be on the church electoral roll (contact Sue in the church office if you're not on this as she is currently updating it).

5 Mar 10:  Easter is approaching so we've published the dates for the Easter services - and we also launched a sort of Lent appeal at the Parade service on Sunday.  Our mission partner, Alison Fletcher, works as a physiotherapist at Kiwoko Hospital in rural Uganda.  We'd like to send some small, simple, sensory toys to the hospital to help with its new neo-natal unit.  Look out for the red basket in church and just drop something in.  It really does need to be small and simple as we need to ship them to Uganda, soon after Easter.

24 Feb 10:  You may need to get your diary out as you read this update as there are quite a few dates to note down.  First of all there's the latest sale of fairly traded goods in the church hall this Saturday.  Apparently it's a 'real' sale as they have some old stock to shift at reduced prices.  Next, you have about a month to tell Sue in the office of any changes or additions to the Church Family Directory - so try to respond by 21 March if possible.  Finally, the dates are set for this summer's Holiday Club.  It's based on a circus theme and runs from Monday 26 to Friday 30 July.  So if you want to help, it's time to pick up a helper's application (from church or the office) and get it back in by Sunday 14 March to make sure you can be on the team.

14 Feb 10:  Fast and Feast.  What a good combination. Whilst the content of a fast might be the giving up of a ‘thing’, the purpose of a fast is the taking up of a practice that might draw us closer to God. The 40 days of lent are a time of preparation.  In this case, preparation for the celebration of the events of Holy Week, Good Friday, Low Saturday and Easter resurrection Sunday.  It is a period of repentance.  A time of turning away from, and a time of turning towards.  The astute will calculate that the period of lent from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday is in fact 47 days long not 40.  This is because Sundays are never fasting days.  Sundays are always a celebration of Christ’s resurrection, and so are marked not by fast, but by feast in the calendar.  

This lent we want to offer the opportunity of feast on Sunday.  We aim to begin lent with an Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday night at 8pm with an imposition of ashes, a traditional sign of
penitence for this season.  It will be a simple spoken service of words, and provide opportunity for us to reflect and enter into this season of preparation for Easter celebration.  But on Sunday’s we want to offer a note of feast, and to do that we are going to add to our normal provision of services an evening service of sung worship and praise.  During these lentern evening services we are going to follow a sermon
series entitled 'Growing in Spiritual Maturity', as we seek to engage with that which will draw us closer in to our relationship with God.  If you’re interested in more detail then pick up a flyer at the door with details of our sermon series and services for the forthcoming season.

Phil.

1 Jan 10:  Firstly, we wish you all a very happy new year, a happy new decade even.  The new year brings lots of opportunities to meet as a church family and find out more about each other - keep checking the Events Diary for the latest, including this year's Alpha Course.  Now there's a saying, 'what goes up must come down'.  This is particularly true of the church Christmas decorations, which need to come down on Saturday morning (2nd January).  The wardens, Eddie and Simon, will be in church from 9.00 am and would welcome as much as help as possible in getting the church back to normal.  Please help if you can.

Below is the last 2009 entry - read more from the archive