A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear Friends,

Imagine a whole weekend devoted to 50 or so parents and children exploring the beautiful outdoors of the Lakes, connecting with one another to build community that lasts, discovering Jesus as the way, the truth and the life through conversations, talks and stories, and finding joy in a living relationship with God. You’ve just imagined the Hawes End weekend taking place on October 11th-13th!

Perhaps most wonderfully of all the weekend is full of people who have heard little of Jesus and his love and who will, we pray, take steps towards him for the first time over the weekend. As a church family we have two ways to support this exciting and new ministry. 

First, we can pray. There’s an opportunity to do that at The Rectory on October 7th from 8pm – we’d love to see many of us there to hear more about the weekend and commit all the work to God. However, if you’re unable to attend here are some headlines for you to use in your own prayers…

-       Give thanks to God for all those who are coming

-       Pray that through questions and conversations we discover Jesus

-       Pray for Joe and Chelsea Pearson giving teaching on Jesus

-       Pray for all the practical arrangements to come together

Second, we can give. As you’ll see in this newsletter one of the two areas that money from our gift day will go to is this weekend. Any money we give we can do so in the knowledge that it is supporting vital work in our mission to make Christ known.

This comes with my personal thanks to the team who have been making this exciting project happen. Together they have worked tirelessly for many months to generate ideas for the weekend, warmly invite people along who might otherwise feel intimidated by the step, and coordinate everything from food to beds to boats! Keep on keeping on!

Yours in Christ,

Paul

FOYER UPDATE

Hopefully by the time you read this we might have the tables and chairs ordered for use in the foyer. One of the problems has been ordering the right type that will suit our purpose but will also stack safely in the space near the toilet. Brochures have been around and we have tried to consult with many of you over the past couple of weeks about this. We would also like to paint that area and the porch and if there is money available, perhaps get some new floor covering. 

Also, while we have been in doing the decluttering it’s very rare that we haven’t had visitors popping in to have a look. To encourage more people to come into church we would like to buy some A boards to advertise that the church is open especially when someone is in doing a few jobs. Thank you to everyone who has helped along the way this far …. we’re getting there!!! – Ruth

A WORD FROM ... Ruth Barwise

Dear Friends,

 With Paul being on holiday with the family he has asked if I could write the letter this month.  I thought I would explore the theme of communication. 

 When you reach for the dictionary it says communication is a noun which means 

“the imparting of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.”

So how do we communicate as a church family?

There is much evidence on a Sunday morning that plenty of speaking is taking place!  We are very good at communicating with each other especially over a mug of coffee. After all we are one big family!  Lots of talk about - holidays, families, ailments, football and sometimes we might even talk about the sermon! When not at church we are good at using our phones. Remember the old BT advert? “It’s good to talk”. With the use of mobile phones, we can even chat to each other when we’re not at home!

 Writing is perhaps in decline as a form of communication, good old fashioned pen and paper writing, but there is lots of evidence we use other types or writing. Lots of emails, texts and even WhatsApp’s are shared. If you have access to the necessary technology they can be a good way to communicate. Short messages that reach the recipient quickly. But we must be careful as the danger is that these brief exchanges can be misinterpreted. How words are used is very important.

 As a church family we can communicate to a wider audience through our Facebook pages and our Website. I know of people who keep in touch with us from as far away as America, Canada, South Africa and Australia using these mediums. Isn’t it good to know that we might be communicating with people we might not even have met! People who might never have visited Moresby let alone our church.

 But surely the best other medium we can use is the most powerful way to communicate as a church family and that is to pray. That’s why the PCC are introducing a time of prayer after the services. A time to communicate with God and share with Him all that is important in our parish and in the wider world. Why not join us today in prayer after the service?

Ruth

A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear Friends,

He will never forgive me for doing this but as Jim retires from his catering business I want to take a moment to thank God for, and learn lessons from, the way he has conducted himself in his work. 

The business as we all know is called “Pies and More” and, as someone once commented, whenever you deal with the business you always get more. Jim has warmly and supportively built a staff team many of whom have been with him for years and who have grown in their confidence at work in the gifts Jim has helped them bring out. Whenever customers have used the company they have spoken of the friendly service, professional quality, and reliable delivery of orders. Jim himself has been up early and to bed late often shouldering much work on his own – although we know how supported he has been by Ruth! Many of our church events have used Pies and More and been provided at cost which has made the events accessible for all. And through it all Jim has served as a prayerful, wise and committed church warden for us at St. Bridget’s. 

When we looked at the material “Fruitfulness on the Frontline” one quality we sought to nurture was making good work. Jim’s time at Pies and More, and indeed throughout his career, has been a shining example to us all of what that can look like. As I look at Jim’s example words from 1 Corinthians 10 come to mind: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”                                                             

Yours in Christ, 

Paul

A WORD FROM ... Paul Kerry

Dear Friends,

It was such a joy to share such an amazing verse with us all recently. It was from Isaiah 43v1, where God assures the hearts of his people with the words: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine”.

The words came just after Liverpool had won the Champions League. The name of their club etched into the trophy, the names of their players sung from the terraces, the name of their manager inscribed in football’s hall of fame.

I suspect our names have never received such honour or dignity. Maybe for some of us, our names have been given the opposite treatment before. But the wonderful truth of Isaiah 43 is that our names are sung in heaven. God himself calls out our names with the joy and delight of someone calling a child to run into their arms.

The reason Liverpool’s name was so hallowed recently was because of their success, triumph and achievement. But the wonderful news of the gospel is that our names aren’t on God’s lips because of any merit, religious act or work of ours, but because of the free love of God, and the merit of his son Jesus alone.

This month, no matter what we have or haven’t done, no matter how low others might have treated our name, would we find comfort in the staggering thought that God calls us by name. And, would we respond.

Yours In Christ,

Paul

CHURCH BELLS UPDATE

On Friday 3rd May, we had a group of visiting bell ringers in the early evening. One of them, Colin Turner, is the world record holder in bell ringing. He has rung the most peals, 7,571 (5,000 changes, usually 3 hours non-stop ringing)! The closest to him is Alan Regin, with 5,947.

The church was swamped with bell ringers from all over Cumbria on the afternoon of 11th May as St Bridget’s hosted the annual striking competitions – to see which team can produce the most even ringing.

We also rang the bells for two weddings this month. Both wonderful occasions.

A WORD FROM … Paul Kerry

Dear Friends,

“Does the school still come in to the church?” This is a question many of us often hear from people in the parish who remember days of special services, parade events and other visits. Our church still has a special place in the hearts of our communities; not least the other centres of those communities - the schools. 

Developed alongside the new headteacher at Parton and others, we are trialling a new initiative called “School Sunday”, which will take place on a second Sunday in the month. The idea is that children, families and staff from one of our schools will come and share what they’ve been learning in the way of a Christian value, and a song. 

This will happen during the slot normally designed for children in the service and will be followed by the children heading up to Sunday School as normal. Sunday School on School Sunday is a bit of a mouthful but also has a nice ring to it! 

As mentioned in church, this will initially be led every other month by the church school in our parish St. Bridget’s Parton, but will provide opportunities for the other schools in our parish to be involved too, if they would like. 

Regardless of what the uptake is, this is another step our church can make to extend the welcome of Jesus to our community in a way that is accessible to, enjoyable for, and creatively involving them. Would you join me as we enter May in praying for a successful and welcoming first “School Sunday.” 

Yours in Christ,

Paul