The Sodbury Vale Benefice
O U T LO O K
magazine
Chipping Sodbury, Old Sodbury, Horton & Little Sodbury
50p
February 2014
1 Jane is enrolled as a Companion of the Society of St Francis by Brother Damian.
Contacts
Churchwardens
Rector The Revd. Canon Jane Kenchington, 01454 313159 [Day off Friday] email jane@kenchington.plus.com
Chipping Sodbury
Associate Priest
01454 324970 email pjandjj@waitrose.com
Paul Jones-Williams
The Revd. Yvonne Brae, 01454 850682, Mob. 07908 513098 [Day
Anne Mudge 07823 441920
Off Monday] email jmyr@blueyonder.co.uk
Reader (Licensed Lay Minister)
Old Sodbury
Mr Ian Yemm 01454 318608 email tenor@ianyemm.co.uk
Val Walker 01454 318286 Tony Dixon 01454 321528 email chatterton33@btinternet.com
If you would like to know more about the Christian faith or are thinking about baptism or confirmation please speak to Jane or Yvonne
Little Sodbury
Director of Music
Brenda Cordy 01454 316447
Nick Sherwood, 01454 319539 Mob. 07802 427135
Church Office
Horton
Open during term time Monday, Tuesday & Thursday mornings 9.00 - 12.00
Tina Hildick-Smith 01454 320380 Richards Needs 01454 329890
NOTE: Copy for the APRIL
Administrator - Michelle Jenkins
issue will need to be in before 1st March due to holidays
01454 325160
Email sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com
March Deadline
Web Site www.sodburyvalechurches.wordpress.com
Can you have all editorial to Michelle in the Church Office by February 12th at the latest please.
Advertising - Sylvia Franklin St. John’s Church Centre 07788 111 726
Annual subscription to Outlook (10 issues) ÂŁ5
2
Dear Friends, My daughter recently devised a game I loved using really unusual words, we talked about it for ages. And that causes me now to pose the question to you, are you a logophile or better still a verbivore? I think I have a touch of logophilia it’s just that my memory doesn’t always live up to the task (a joke and probably bad grammar!) but I hope to be a verbivore in my Christian walk whilst not being too much of a logophile in my general conversations, after all logophilia has been described as an incurable disease.1 Whilst I’m sure some will understand what I’m prattling about, there may be others who wonder what kind of blethering this is! Well a logophile is someone who loves words, a verbivore is someone who metaphorically eats words. There are times when I listen to someone speak and I’m just lost for words!!! Other times I’m plain frustrated at someone’s ramblings. I so remember my first months at theological college sitting with a dictionary at my elbow as I struggled to understand what was being said or written, words used to depict difficult concepts. I suppose my described emotions express what I’m trying to say. Being a verbivore can be seen as a Biblical concept. Isaiah 55 v 2-3 urges us ‘Why spend money on what is not bread and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, give ear and come to me, listen to me and live.’ There’s Matthew 4v4 ‘Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ There’s Hebrews 6v5, Revelation 10 v 8-10; lots of references, but I love the description in Psalm 119 v 103 ‘How sweet are Your words to my taste. Sweeter than honey to my mouth!’ How enjoyable our Bible can be, yet the word of God also presents us with challenges. We are not just to read it and enjoy but live it and by living it know the satisfaction of living life to the full. But therein lies a challenge, it isn’t always easy to be a Christian, standing out from the crowd can be hugely taxing; it isn’t easy to know what is best in varying situations. And being a logophile can just leave people not understanding us at all. Alongside eating the word of God lies prayer, yet sometimes finding space in this busy world we live in can be really hard. I recently read a blog where someone was saying life was just too busy for her to sit and talk to God. Yet isn’t it true that we find out who we are in God through prayer, through tussling in prayer, through not understanding a Biblical passage or what someone has said and talking of it to God. And when we dare to pray for opportunities to build the Kingdom of God – well then we rely on a God who will give us the words to say, a God who tells us to go and promises to help us speak and who will teach us what to say, Exodus 4:12. Yep being a verbivore and logophilist can be okay but Lord help us to be your effective communicators.
Yvonne
________________________ Ackroyd The Times 2002
1Peter
Rev. Yvonne Brae, 01454 850682, email jmyr@blueyonder.co.uk
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Benefice Confirmation Service Sunday 16 February at St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury at 10.30am
Baptisms: We welcomed into the Church: Georgiana Rose Barber on 12 January 2014 at St John’s Church, Old Sodbury
Bishop Michael will be joining us for this year’s Confirmation service. There will be no other services happening in the Benefice that day because the Bishop would like all the congregations to join together so he can meet you all, you can meet each other and most importantly, you can welcome and prayerfully support the confirmation candidates as they make their public profession to follow Christ. Please remember them in your prayers as they prepare for this important day.
Funerals:We extend our sympathy to the families and friends of: Barbara Jean Hickman on18 December 2013 at Westerleigh Crematorium Olivia Mae Fletcher-Jackson (12 weeks old) on 17 December 2013 at St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury
Interments:We extend our sympathy to the families and friends of:
Robert Fitt on 6 December 2013 at Old Sodbury Churchyard: Edith Emily Hughes on 30 December 2013 at St John’s Extension Churchyard, Chipping Sodbury
Deanery Evensong Sunday 2 February at St John’s Church, Chipping Sodbury at 6:00pm Once a year, all the church choirs from across the Deanery join together for a Deanery Evensong. This year, our Benefice will be hosting the service. We have invited the Precentor of Gloucester Cathedral to preach at the service. Do come along – it should be a great worship occasion.
Mothers’ Union At the open meeting in January we were all very pleased to welcome Joy Gibson, who has been a member here for many years, to be our new Leader for the next three years
CHILDRENS SOCIETY BOX COLLECTION 2013
Just a brief reminder that I shall be calling A copy of our programme for 2014 is for your boxes during January and available in all the Churches in the February. Benefice. If there is problem with this please contact The February meeting will be on Monday me on 01454 311515. 10th February at 2-00pm in the Church Thanking you in advance Centre and will be an Update on Nepal by Hilary Hurley Local Secretary for The Children's Society Chris Eccles. Everybody is welcome The Bible is the most shoplifted book in Jenny the United States 4
St John’s Old Sodbury roof repairs Repairs have been carried out to the Church at Old Sodbury recently to overcome the roof leaks and damp patches on the internal walls, which were caused partly by last winter’s inclement weather. The cost of this work is over £5,000 and the PCC have been successful in obtaining grants towards the work from ● Chipping Sodbury Town Lands Charity ~ £1,000 ● Allchurches Trust Ltd ~ £500 ● Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust ~ £1,000 The balance will be taken from the fabric fund, which is topped up each year by profits from functions organised by the Friends of Old Sodbury Church. It will be necessary to wait for a year for the internal walls to dry out before redecoration is considered.
Executed for having a Bible It was reported that public executions of 80 people took place in North Korea. Those put to death were found guilty of minor misdemeanours, including watching videos of South Korean television programmes or having a Bible. In one case, 10,000 people, including children, were forced to watch the executions.
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Accommodation needed for visiting choristers A touring American Methodist Choir of around 30 people is giving a concert in Horton church at 7.30pm on Friday 13th June. The members will need beds and hospitality on the nights of 12th and 13th June for singles and couples. Horton folk can accommodate some of them but we need more offers of hospitality. If you can help, or for more information, please contact Richard Needs 01454 329890.
Tel: 01454 294875 Mobile: 07778 362623 5
Tania’s update from Davao
F. WOODRUFF
Dear Family and Friends, I am thankful for God’s faithful provision, my Jehovah-Jireh (The Great Provider) Gen 22:1-14. I have had a wonderful, memorable Christmas break! At the end of the first semester, I am happy to say the elementary school’s “MK’s C h r i s t m a s Performance” was a great success. After weeks of i n t e n s i v e rehearsals, the children gave a glowing portrayal of what life is really like for the children of missionaries in several different countries around the world. After the end of semester, I flew up to Manila to spend Christmas and see the New Year in with the Potter family, our TeachBeyond team leaders. The Potter family and I saw the New Year in from some way up in the foothills of Antipolo, looking down over the city of Manila – and marvelled at the sight of all the fireworks and accompanying noise!! One of the highlights of my time in Manila was the day that we visited FEBC’s new studios and offices near the centre of the city. Having enjoyed listening to the classical music broadcasts from The Master’s Touch programme, I was blessed and excited to find myself in the very studio these Christian programmes are beamed out across the city. Prayers and Praise I seem to have hit the road running upon my return to Davao on Saturday 4th January. Tomorrow, Tuesday, we have
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an “in service” day and will all undergo compulsory Child Protection Training. I will be accompanied by a missionary Mrs. Chris Lehman, (and mother of three children in Faith Academy, Davao) who has agreed to become my trainee play therapist and will co-facilitate sessions with me, so that when I return to the UK in June, the work can continue. Again, thanks and praise to God for his provision. Please do pray for Chris and I as we begin our work together in the next week or so. Tomorrow after CPT, I will meet with Robin Feldman, an Art Therapist from the US, who is here visiting and has arranged for me to co-facilitate a workshop with her at the Badjao community on Isla Verde, Davao. They are the poorest of the poor people here, and we will be training nearly 20 volunteers, who work with the community, in Therapeutic Art Making with Children and Adults. Please pray for our protection (from illness) and safety. Thank you so much. I love the way our two distinctions (art and play/drama therapies) share very similar processes so it won’t be strange at all to work alongside Robin. I will close by thanking you for all the lovely cards and letters (with encouragements) that I received over the Christmas period. I know many of you are experiencing awful cold, wet weather at this time – but in a few weeks time I know you will begin to see the signs of spring poking through! God bless you (our Jehovah-Jireh), Love, Tania
Baptism Still Matters. Recently, a Sunday newspapers got carried away in talking about proposed, experimental, yet to be agreed, additional, alternative words for the baptism service. Despite the sensationalist reporting, it is good Holy Baptism can still command some interest. It is better to be talked about that to not be talked about at all. The Church of England still performs over 10,000 baptisms every month, and that’s just for children. Baptism clearly still matters. Baptism is not just about what is said in the service, although of course that is important. It matters what God is doing too, and what the Church is saying to those who come. We speak for Him today as much as parents and godparents speak for a child. We need the open arms of welcome, the same open arms that saved us on the cross. We need the signs of new beginning, to show that the Christian life is a constant turning toward God in Jesus. And we need to have the confidence that God can call those who come to him into an ever deepening relationship and our task is to be family members in that relationship. The Lord is adding to our number; let us all share the gift of baptism with enthusiasm and joy. The Very Revd Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester
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Sodbury Vale Benefice Lent Course 2014
Look Good Feel Better Marie-Louise Coster, owner of All About Mi in Chipping Sodbury, has been a volunteer for Look Good Feel Better since losing her Nan to Breast Cancer in 2000. Marie-Louise says “Look Good Feel Better is such a wonderful charity to be involved with, it provides such wonderful support at such a difficult time. A few months ago Look Good Feel Better approached me asking if I would be interested in offering Master Classes in Chipping Sodbury. I jumped at the chance because there are so many cancer sufferers out there who will benefit from this service.” Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) is the Beauty, Cosmetic and Fragrance Industry’s flagship Charity, formed in the UK 20 years ago to help women combat the visible side-effects of their cancer treatment. Their aim is to greatly increase women’s self-confidence and self-esteem at a very difficult time in their lives. “The concept of the Master Class is to allow for women to be supported in community based groups. It is a fun session and a chance to meet others who are going through the same experiences” explains Marie-Louise. The service will be available from January 2014 and will be held at the Hobbs House Cookery School in Chipping Sodbury. “I am so grateful to Hobbs House” said Marie-Louise, “they have been so supportive and helpful. Sadly most of us have been touched by cancer either directly or indirectly and the work charities such as LGFB do is invaluable.” If you or anyone you know could benefit from such a service find out more by contacting Marie-Louise directly on 01454 601295 or by email allaboutmibeauty@gmail.com. Alternatively, visit the Look Good Feel Better website www.lgfb.co.uk or call LGFB on 01372 747500.
The 2014 Benefice Lent Course promises to be superb, so please put the dates in your diaries NOW! It’s not very often that we have the opportunity to have two distinguished people to lead our Lent Course, but this year we have the Dean of Bristol, the Very Rev David Hoyle and the former Dean of Gloucester, The Very Rev Nick Bury, coming to us on the first five Wednesday evenings in Lent. We will meet in the Church Centre beginning with refreshments from 7pm, with the actual session starting at 7.30pm and ending by 8.30pm. The course will look at different paintings depicting scenes from the Last Supper through to Jesus’ burial. Wednesday 12 March: The Last Supper Wednesday 19 March: Agony & Arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane Wednesday 26 March: Trials and the Road to Calvary Wednesday 2 April: The Crucifixion Wednesday 9 April: Deposition & Burial For those of you who prefer to come on a Thursday morning, some of our retired clergy will give talks on paintings covering similar Passion themes. The Thursday morning sessions will take place in the Church Centre from 11am-12noon. Paintings might not be “your thing” but I invite you to put aside any prejudices and come along. I have be on the receiving end of David’s and Nick’s sessions before and they are enormously stimulating and helpful to one’s journey of faith. So DO come along! JK 9
Christmas in Kenya E v e n though Jon, Jo and family have been in Kenya with The Turning Point Trust for over 10 years we had never spent Christmas with them, but did so this Christmas just past. It was great to get to know our new grandchild, Zoe amidst all the excitement of a family Christmas, albeit in temperatures near 30 degrees C. Work is now going on to build houses for the ten families who have been training at the farm and will move onto their own land in a few weeks' time. They are all very excited about this, and grateful for the money raised by our church and others to make this a reality. Whilst the total money raised won't cover the cost of new land, there is enough for TP to split land they already own into ten one-acre plots with fencing, houses and water storage facilities, so what you helped us raise will in fact benefit several families. We will give you a further report when they have moved into their new homes and land. David & Christine Parsons 10
Bishop Michael will be joined by around 15 pilgrims, some, we hope, from our link We have been walking around and within Dioceses in Västerås (Sweden) and El our Diocese since 2008 with 12 one day Camino (USA), who will walk the entire pilgrimages and two 7 day events. In journey staying overnight in parishes 2014 we are scheduled to complete analong the way. Many more will join us for other two Saturday walks and one long 7 sections of the pilgrimage on a daily baday pilgrimage. sis as we weave our way through the Our first pilgrimage on Saturday March final highways and byways of our Dio15th will start at English Bicknor and cese. reach Clifford’s Mense, both in the ForWhen we reach the Cathedral on June est of Dean – a distance of 12.8 miles. 14th we will have walked round the enThe second pilgrimage (Saturday April tire perimeter of the Diocese (or very 26th) will be slightly longer at 13.10 miles close!) and much of the 'interior' as well. from Lower Lemington to Westcote (in This will mean that we have journeyed the Moreton-in-Marsh/Bledington area) over 450 miles and visited over 180 churches. And finally, to complete our current series of pilgrimages we will assemble at A special Eucharist celebration is 2pm at Whelford on Sunday June 8th planned for the afternoon of Saturday (Pentecost) and walk to Down Ampney. June14th as we reach the end of our pil(10.70 miles) to begin a 7 day walk grimage. Day 2: Monday June 9th However, we will be reminded of the Down Ampney - Cerney Wick-South words of Winston Churchill “ This is not Cerney - Somerford Keynes - Pool Key- the end, it is not even the beginning of nes - Kemble (9.80 miles) the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning”- we will be planning more pilDay 3: Tuesday June 10th grimage opportunities in the future. Kemble - Long Newnton - Shipton Moyne - Sopworth (15.75 miles) Please make a note in your diary to join us on these pilgrimages. Day 4: Wednesday June 11th Sopworth - Badminton - Acton Turville Old Sodbury - Chipping Sodbury (11.70 miles) Day 5: Thursday June 12th Chipping Sodbury - Rangeworthy Tytherington - Thornbury-Oldbury-onSevern (11.46miles) Day6: Friday June 13th Oldbury-on-Severn - Sharpness - Purton - Frampton-on-Severn (14.95 miles) Day 7: Saturday June 14th Frampton-on-Severn - Gloucester Ca- REMEMBER THAT NEW YEAR RESOLUTION YOU thedral (10.60 miles) MADE TO TRY NEW THINGS?
2014 Pilgrimages
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Women’s Ministry A few days ago I wrote about the issue of women in ministry. While I don’t think I have ever hidden my views on the topic (I married a female colleague, after all), I also have never written about it on the various blogs I have maintained over the last few years. And maybe recently, I didn’t see it as my place to comment on women in ministry. I am still not sure… I don’t see it as my place to comment on anyone’s “right” or “place” to be a pastor. If anything, I think it is my place to talk about my experience of being a Lutheran pastor or a millennial pastor or a Canadian pastor. It is also to my place to talk about being a male pastor. So let’s talk about that. Being a male pastor is kind of like Louis C.K.’s description of “Being White”. (Warning: The video contains offensive language). Like Louis C.K. says, male pastors aren’t better. But being a male pastor is clearly better. Like all the advantages of being white and male in North America, there are advantages when it comes to being an ordained pastor. Here are some of the obvious ones: 1. No one ever defines my ministry by my gender. No one says, “wow a male pastor or a man in ministry, good for you.” I always get to be just a pastor. I don’t have to constantly live with a qualifier in front of “pastor”, and I am not forced to bear someone’s inappropriate shock that I am my gender and I am a pastor. 2. People expect me to be direct and tell them what I think. They want me to lead them somewhere. I am rarely challenged or expected to defend or make a case for my ideas. I don’t have to apologize for having strong opinions or constantly defend my ideas. 12
3. People think twice about fighting with me. I always have a leg up in conflict, bullies find it harder to push my buttons because I have fewer to push. I am never automatically second class because of my gender, so conflict is on equal terms or tipped in my favour. I don’t have to suffer being called “boy” or “son” as way of dismissing my point of view, and I am not accused of being divisive if I disagree with something or anything. 4. People are used to pastors of my gender. There are no congregations that are unsure of male candidates for ministry, no parishioners who think it is alright to say something like, “I will never be buried by a man.” I don’t have to endure questions about whether I will take paternity leave, or what will happen when I have kids. 5. People almost never assume that I have a particular gift for ministry before they know me. They don’t automatically think that my gender is suited to particular areas of ministry like preaching or administration. No one assumes that I am not good at pastoral care or being nurturing. People don’t say that I have the gift of speaking with a voice that men can relate to. 6. I don’t have to worry about my safety. I don’t think twice about being alone in the church or if I am safe on my own. If a man asks to meet with me one on one, I don’t have to question my physical safety or his motives. Men don’t try to share the peace with me by hugging me (or grabbing my behind). 7. No one assumes that I am the church secretary or the pastor’s spouse. I am never told, “You don’t look like a pastor or you are too young to be a pastor” even thought I am built
like a football player and at times have had long hair and a beard like a hell’s angel. And I have a tattoo. And I am 30 (two decades younger than the average age of pastors in our denomination). 8. Churches are built for men. Pulpits, altars, pastor chairs, vestments are all designed my size and body type in mind. I don’t look ridiculous because the standard garb of my profession is made for my gender, and I don’t look like a cross dresser in a clergy shirt. 9. All the pronouns are for my gender. God is a he. Jesus is a he. Pastors are almost always referred to as he or him or his. I don’t have to correct people because they never use the wrong pronoun to refer to me. 10. Being male is the norm in the church. I didn’t have to take classes in seminary about men’s issues, there is no post-modern male theology, male pastors where never brought in to speak about being male pastors as if it was special or odd or a novelty. 11. I could join the Old Boys Club if I wanted to. Leadership in the church is still overwhelmingly male, and there are no glass ceilings for male pastors in the church. No one pretends it is, “all in good fun” to make sexist jokes about my gender, and none of my colleagues treats me like I am second class because of my gender. 12. I don’t have to walk on egg shells in ecumenical situations. I don’t have to justify my position and call to my conservative colleagues, because they all have male pastors in their denominations. I am not an oddity or the token male at ministerial events. Hopefully, by now you have realized that this list is facetious. All the advantages of being a male pastor are only advantages
because women suffer the opposite. So many of my colleagues have to contend with these annoyances, insults, and frustrations each day because they are the reality of life in the church. This fact makes me very angry. I pray for the day when these will not be male-pastor advantages, but the reality for all pastors, regardless of gender. Special thanks to my wife for helping me write this post, since she knows much more about the struggles women in ministry face than I do A male Canadian Pastor
Bishop Michael’s Courses Bishop Michael will be leading the f o l l o w i n g courses, which are detailed below. Please contact Natasha Kent, Department of Mission and Ministry, Direct Dial: 01452 835544 if you wish to book or have any enquiries about Lectio Divina. LEADING INTERCESSIONS, 19th February 2014, 7.30pm St Andrew’s Church, Churchdown A practical study led by the Rt Revd Michael Perham, Bishop of Gloucester exploring the use of words and silence to draw the community into prayer. LECTIO DIVINA, 14th May 2014, 7.30pm, Shurdington Social Centre, Shurdington, Cheltenham Lectio is perfect for all ages and stages of Christian discipleship, and is a very accessible way of getting into Bible Study. 13
Sodbury Vale Benefice Regular Weekly Events Monday
8.45am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
7.30pm
Bell Ringer’s Practice
Church Tower, Chipping Sodbury
8.45am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Wednesday 8.30am
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Thursday
Morning Prayer
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Tuesday
8.45am
10.00am Holy Communion
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
7.00pm
Choir Practice
St John’s, Chipping Sodbury
Friday
7.00pm
Youth Club (age 11-18)
Baptist Church Centre
Saturday
9.00am
Benefice Prayers
Church Centre, Chipping Sodbury
Sodbury Vale Benefice Forthcoming Events Sun
16th
Feb
10.30am
Benefice Confirmation Service with Bishop Michael
St John’s, C/S
Wed 12th
Mar
7.00pm
Lent Course Begins (5 Wed evenings)
Church Centre, CS
Thur 13th
Mar
11.00am
Lent Course Begins (5 Thurs mornings)
Church Centre, CS
Sun
8th
June
10.30am
Jazz Mass Benefice Service
St John’s, CS
Sat
7th
June
7.30pm
Yate Choral Society Concert.
St John’s CS
Haydn’s Seasons (Spring); Schubert Mass in G
Fri
13th
June
Fri
13th
June
Chipping Sodbury Festival Starts 7.30pm
Concert by Visiting American Choir
St James Horton
If you don’t see your event in the list above please let me know, once it is on this calendar other people can put it on theirs! All times are subject to change look out for further details closer to the date. Michelle 01454 325160 sodburyvalebenefice@gmail.com
Sodbury Vale Benefice Calendar February 2014 Sun 2nd Candlemas
8.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
9.30am
St John’s Praise
St John’s, C/S
11.15am
Mattins
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Communion
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Deanery Evensong
St John’s, C/S
No service at Little Sodbury Today
St Adeline’s L/S
Tue
4th
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 314409 for venue
Wed
5th
1.20pm
Women’s fellowship
1 Kent Ave, Yate
7.00pm
Mission Prayer Group
Church Centre, CS
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Holy Communion {BCP}
St James’, Horton
11.15am
Family Service
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Evensong {BCP}
St Adeline’s L/S
Thurs
6th
Sun 9th Fourth Sunday before Lent
Mon
10th
2.00pm
Mothers’ Union
Church Centre, C/S
Thurs
13th
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
Sun 16th Third Sunday before Lent
10.30am
St John’s C/S
Benefice Confirmation Service
Tue
18th
3.00pm
Meditation Meeting
Ring 314409 for venue
Wed
19th
1.20pm
Women’s fellowship
1 Kent Ave, Yate
Thur
20st
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
9.30am
Parish Communion
St John’s C/S
11.15am
Family Communion {CW}
St James’ Horton
11.15am
Morning Praise {CW}
St John’s O/S
6.00pm
Holy Communion {BCP}
St Adeline’s L/S
10.00am
Holy Communion
St John’s C/S
10.45am
Coffee Shop
Church Centre C/S
Sun 23rd Second Sunday before Lent
Thur
27th
15
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Builds into an easy-to-use reference library of commentary, providing the foundation for sermons or home group studies
All downloads are stored in the app so you can go back to previous readings, and read on the go
Day by Day with God provides: Daily Bible readings explained and applied especially for women by women with a concluding prayer or meditation The Upper Room provides: Refreshing and varied daily meditations from contributors all around the world writing on what inspires them in life and faith Order now and start reading before your notes arrive If you order any subscription to our notes starting from January 2014, you will be able to download a PDF of the first two weeks of readings to help keep you going until your notes arrive in the New Year.
BRF is a Christian charity that started in January 1922 in an Anglican church in Brixton, where the vicar wanted to help his congregation, in his words, 'to get a move on spiritually'. He began to offer a monthly leaflet of daily Bible readings. This so transformed the spiritual life of St Matthew's Church that before long other churches were asking for copies of the leaflets for their own congregations. Today, 90 years later, Bible Reading, Prayer & Spirituality and Discipleship are still the three core strands of BRF's ministry, which as a whole is defined in our statement of purpose: 'resourcing your spiritual journey'.
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For more information email enquiries@brf.org.uk or go on line at www.brfonline.org.uk