From: Sue Young, World Development Adviser, Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
WHAT’S YOUR PROMISE?
This year Micah Challenge wants to change the world through millions of tiny promises.
What one thing could you do that would help those in poverty around the world? Have you been to the “What’s your promise?” website (www.whatsyourpromise.org.uk) and made your promise?
Your promise will be delivered to your local MP with all the other promises from your area. In turn the MP will be asked to make their own commitment to action.
“What’s your promise?” isn’t just a campaign for individuals: it is also for churches to do together, as a way of strengthening their common commitment to fight poverty. You can gather promises in your church (see web site for a downloadable form). And on Sunday 10th October 2010 (10.10.10), your church can join millions of Christians in dozens of countries to pray that God will use our promises to create a more just world. The prayer that will be used across the world is attached to this newsletter. It echoes the prayer of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1-10) who when he heard how people were suffering prayed day and night and then worked to end suffering. On the web site you can download a resource pack which will give your church all it needs for a 15 minute slot during the Sunday service (this includes ideas for children & youth involvement).
“What’s your promise?” is part of the Micah 2010 campaign of Micah Challenge. This world wide movement is committed to taking up the challenge laid down by the Old Testament prophet to speak out against the injustice of global poverty. “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) See www.micahchallenge.org
If we, as Christians, commit to a lifestyle that remembers those in poverty – and act on our commitment – God can use us to do great things. It starts with a promise. What will yours be?
BIG BREW
Publicity for the Big Brew in 2011 will be available very shortly. The dates are 28 February – 13 March 2011. If you have not already done so, please let me know if your church might be interested in hosting a fairtrade event and I shall make sure you get the material. This is an opportunity to reach out to others by inviting them into your church or home for tea or coffee.
You will be pleased to hear that as a result of reminding churches that it is 5 years since we became a fairtrade Diocese, at least a further 5 churches have registered as fairtrade churches and a number of others have committed to additional activity to promote trade justice. So I am hopeful that we shall get more doing the Big Brew next year.
SHORT NEWS ITEMS
One World Week takes place from 17 – 24 October with the theme Peacing Together One World. There is a worship anthology to download from www.oneworldweek.org
December 4 is the Global Day of Action on Climate Change. This coincides with the next round of UN talks on climate change at Cancun, Mexico. Check out www.globalclimatecampaign.org
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Back to Church Sunday 2010 is September 26th.
Back to Church Sunday is now the largest single local-church invitational initiative in the world. It is based on the simplest and shortest step in evangelism - that we should invite someone we already know to something we love; invite our friend to our church. The initial focus was to invite ‘back’ those who used to attend, but we want to ensure that anyone who doesn’t currently attend can be guaranteed a specially warm welcome.
BTCS has grown beyond all expectations since the first one in Greater Manchester in 2004.
Back to Church Sunday 2010 is September 26th.
http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr7710.html
BTCS has grown beyond all expectations since the first one in Greater Manchester in 2004.
Back to Church Sunday 2010 is September 26th.
http://www.backtochurch.co.uk/
http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr7710.html
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Suffolk Historic Churches Trust Cycle Ride
Saturday sees the Annual Suffolk Historic Churches Trust Cycle Ride. Why not sponsor people from the Benefice who are cycling again this year?
http://www.shct.org.uk/General-Information/sponsored-bike-ride
http://www.shct.org.uk/General-Information/sponsored-bike-ride
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Is God calling you to ordained ministry
The Church of England wants to encourage gifted and committed young men and women, from all kinds of backgrounds, to consider whether God is calling them into ordained ministry as priests. From there, there are lots of exciting and challenging job options! You can find out more about those choices on this website. If you feel a sense of calling from God, we'll help you explore that and consider what to do next.
http://www.callwaiting.org.uk/
http://www.callwaiting.org.uk/
Friday, September 3, 2010
Bansfield Benefice Hall Project- update
Report by Michael McEvoy.
Floor - Our chosen option with the ‘perimeter’ concrete base keeps the disturbance of the ground to a minimum, and lessens the likelihood of disturbing any earlier interments even though they would be 200 years old or more.
The blocking of the old toilet doorway and the forming of the new one from the hall is well under way. This shows how well the old hall is built. The outer wall is entirely constructed from large flints to a depth of 14 inches.
The last two days have seen the floor being skimmed of surplus soil taking it down about 12 inches. This has revealed the earlier, probably second phase, where several parallel lines of broken floor bricks were laid to give support to the existing floor joists. These broken bricks could have been part of the original floor. A few items of interest were found – a lead button; an old roof slate, probably used as a child’s blackboard. Chalked on it is the Girl Guides sign marked ‘Kingfisher Troop’. John Seal and I visited the hall after the builders had left and found a slate pencil, some pieces of clay pipe, and a few other as yet unidentified items.
31st August-3rd September
No work was done by the builders, partly due to some leave being taken.
The rainwater downpipe at the front of the building has been moved to empty into the churchyard. Extra pipework will be added to give a ‘tidy’ appearance, and a small soakaway will be dug to take the run off. These jobs are being done by the church members to save on costs. These changes will remove the danger of icy patches forming on the footpath, and eventually save around £30.00 a year in Water charges.
The Saturday working party saw the church being cleaned in preparation for Samantha Chester’s wedding the following week. Most of the wood removed from the hall was found to be in poor condition and was burnt by Philip Draycott and young Tom. A few sections were kept for possible repairs in the roof space.
I would like to thank John and Margaret Chittock for providing temporary storage for the glass kitchen cabinet and some sacks of insulation which we hope to reuse once the woodworm treatment is completed in the loft space.
Floor - Our chosen option with the ‘perimeter’ concrete base keeps the disturbance of the ground to a minimum, and lessens the likelihood of disturbing any earlier interments even though they would be 200 years old or more.
The blocking of the old toilet doorway and the forming of the new one from the hall is well under way. This shows how well the old hall is built. The outer wall is entirely constructed from large flints to a depth of 14 inches.
The last two days have seen the floor being skimmed of surplus soil taking it down about 12 inches. This has revealed the earlier, probably second phase, where several parallel lines of broken floor bricks were laid to give support to the existing floor joists. These broken bricks could have been part of the original floor. A few items of interest were found – a lead button; an old roof slate, probably used as a child’s blackboard. Chalked on it is the Girl Guides sign marked ‘Kingfisher Troop’. John Seal and I visited the hall after the builders had left and found a slate pencil, some pieces of clay pipe, and a few other as yet unidentified items.
31st August-3rd September
No work was done by the builders, partly due to some leave being taken.
The rainwater downpipe at the front of the building has been moved to empty into the churchyard. Extra pipework will be added to give a ‘tidy’ appearance, and a small soakaway will be dug to take the run off. These jobs are being done by the church members to save on costs. These changes will remove the danger of icy patches forming on the footpath, and eventually save around £30.00 a year in Water charges.
The Saturday working party saw the church being cleaned in preparation for Samantha Chester’s wedding the following week. Most of the wood removed from the hall was found to be in poor condition and was burnt by Philip Draycott and young Tom. A few sections were kept for possible repairs in the roof space.
I would like to thank John and Margaret Chittock for providing temporary storage for the glass kitchen cabinet and some sacks of insulation which we hope to reuse once the woodworm treatment is completed in the loft space.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wickhambrook church news
It is very probable that Christian worship has taken place in part of All Saints Church for more than a thousand years – or for over half of the Christian era so far! This staggering statistic can easily make us feel that, to all intents and purposes, the church has always been here and always will be. People naturally assume that when it is time for a family Baptism, Wedding or Funeral, or when they would like to attend a Carol Service or Harvest Festival, or if they would like to attend a service at Christmas or Easter, the church will always be there for them. Very sadly, this cannot be guaranteed.
The sad fact is that a small but dedicated congregation is struggling to maintain the church, not just for themselves but for the village as a whole. In addition to funding the upkeep and repair of the building, we also have to cover the cost of keeping a priest here, as well as day to day expenses, such as insurance, utilities and church requisites. We are running at a deficit and soon our limited reserves will be exhausted. Equally serious is a shortage of church office holders – to carry on the work of the church. Why can a village of our size only find one churchwarden, when many smaller villages have two? In a few months’ time we will need a new Secretary and a new Treasurer as the present post holders stand down. At the time of writing
there is no-one willing to come forward to fill any of these three posts. Unfortunately, however much we love the church building, and however much we spend on it, we simply will not be able, or allowed to continue as a parish church unless people come forward to fill these key posts.
Please, if you value your parish church, think and pray about how you could help us. Could you help us financially with a monthly, annual, or even one off donation? If you are a tax payer and would be prepared to sign a Gift Aid declaration, this would increase the value of your gift by 28p in the pound at no extra cost to you. Would you be prepared to do some fundraising? Please talk to me, Paul Bevan or Margaret Jackson if you think that you could help. Do you feel that you have some gifts, skills and a little spare time that you could offer to serve as second Churchwarden, Secretary or Treasurer – the Church Council only meets four times a year? Again, Paul or I would be delighted to talk to you about what is involved. Of course, if you would like to join us for services, regularly or even occasionally, that would be wonderful and you
would be assured of a very warm welcome. If you haven’t been to church for a while, or if you have never been, why not give it a try?
I fervently pray every day that the churches of this Benefice will grow in terms of active support and attendance. This they must do if they are going to have any future. It cannot be achieved by one individual; or by a handful - these churches will only survive if the villages in which they are set want them to, and are prepared to do something about it. Please don’t let our generation be the one in which All Saints Church closes.
May our church communities grow in faith, love and service. May people see in our Christian lives our faith, our love, our humility and earthiness, and our concern for others; our trust, confidence and joy; our fellowship and fun; and may they see God in us, and through us. May they see new meaning and purpose in their own lives and feel valued and loved. May they want to join us.
You can now read the latest news around the Benefice and in the wider Church on the Benefice blogspot. Please go to the following: http://bansfieldbenefice.blogspot.com/ This can also be accessed from the Benefice Website home page.
With every blessing,
Stephen
The sad fact is that a small but dedicated congregation is struggling to maintain the church, not just for themselves but for the village as a whole. In addition to funding the upkeep and repair of the building, we also have to cover the cost of keeping a priest here, as well as day to day expenses, such as insurance, utilities and church requisites. We are running at a deficit and soon our limited reserves will be exhausted. Equally serious is a shortage of church office holders – to carry on the work of the church. Why can a village of our size only find one churchwarden, when many smaller villages have two? In a few months’ time we will need a new Secretary and a new Treasurer as the present post holders stand down. At the time of writing
there is no-one willing to come forward to fill any of these three posts. Unfortunately, however much we love the church building, and however much we spend on it, we simply will not be able, or allowed to continue as a parish church unless people come forward to fill these key posts.
Please, if you value your parish church, think and pray about how you could help us. Could you help us financially with a monthly, annual, or even one off donation? If you are a tax payer and would be prepared to sign a Gift Aid declaration, this would increase the value of your gift by 28p in the pound at no extra cost to you. Would you be prepared to do some fundraising? Please talk to me, Paul Bevan or Margaret Jackson if you think that you could help. Do you feel that you have some gifts, skills and a little spare time that you could offer to serve as second Churchwarden, Secretary or Treasurer – the Church Council only meets four times a year? Again, Paul or I would be delighted to talk to you about what is involved. Of course, if you would like to join us for services, regularly or even occasionally, that would be wonderful and you
would be assured of a very warm welcome. If you haven’t been to church for a while, or if you have never been, why not give it a try?
I fervently pray every day that the churches of this Benefice will grow in terms of active support and attendance. This they must do if they are going to have any future. It cannot be achieved by one individual; or by a handful - these churches will only survive if the villages in which they are set want them to, and are prepared to do something about it. Please don’t let our generation be the one in which All Saints Church closes.
May our church communities grow in faith, love and service. May people see in our Christian lives our faith, our love, our humility and earthiness, and our concern for others; our trust, confidence and joy; our fellowship and fun; and may they see God in us, and through us. May they see new meaning and purpose in their own lives and feel valued and loved. May they want to join us.
You can now read the latest news around the Benefice and in the wider Church on the Benefice blogspot. Please go to the following: http://bansfieldbenefice.blogspot.com/ This can also be accessed from the Benefice Website home page.
With every blessing,
Stephen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)