27 Jan 2008 - Pew News

I had been watching P e t e r O w e n Jones' three part series on TV called Extreme Pilgrim and was really looking forward to the last

part about his travels with Christians in Egypt which was shown on Friday 18th January. You have guessed it already - the video was of the wrong programme! However, all was not lost - Keith had been watching all the trailers on the BBC for BBCi - 'making the unmissable, unmissable' - so he found the programme for me online and I have just watched it on my desktop PC. Not the world's biggest screen, but the programme was wonderful. It gives a real insight into prayer, the whole idea of retreats and their value, and the nature of the spiritual struggle. Makes me wish that Peter Owen Jones was my vicar! It's hard when you realise as the vicar that you haven't got a vicar. I recommend The programme to everyone - especially those who are involved in the Exploring Prayers groups and sermon series. If you have trouble getting it online, have a word with us at the Rectory and we'll see if we can help. Diane

Over the last year a number of the congregation from the three parishes have been purchasing

Bible Notes for their own home study. There are four suggested booklets:- New Daylight, Every Day with Jesus, Daily Bread and Guidelines.We will shortly be holding a book sale in St John’s starting on 9th March when copies of these booklets will be on show together with a wide selection of other

books. We will be taking standing orders if required. St John’s will receive a 12.5% discount on all sales which will go into church funds. Please support this way of raising money.

The Mothers’ Union are encouraging people to donate a gift to those more in need than ourselves. Each gift enables Mothers’ Union work to improve the lives of mothers and carers, and through them families and communities. When you buy a gift from the catalogue, you are buying a virtual gift. Your

gift will be used in the most effective way possible by tailoring the funding to supply items that will bring improvements to a family in need. The closing date for this Mother’s Day project is 15th February. For further information, please see the notice board at the back of St John’s Church.

Next year’s Big Brew is to be held during Fair Trade fortnight, instead of in July as in the past two years.

Big Brew gives Christians across North and East Yorkshire a way of changing publicopinion, and of demonstrating that Christians are not only concerned about global poverty but mean to do something about it. A Big Brew event can be any event where Fair Trade goods are promoted e.g. tea parties,

family fun mornings, football games, concerts...…For churches already registered as a Fairtrade church (such as St John’s), a Big Brew event can help fulfill our commitment to promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade fortnight. The Synods of the Anglican Diocese of York and the Methodist York and Hull District resolved in April 2005 to aim to become registered for Fairtrade. To reach this status half of each denomination’s churches must be registered with the Fairtrade Foundation. The number of Fair Trade churches in North and East Yorkshire rose from 18 in January 2006 to 200 in July 2007, which is a great start.

It's very difficult to keep a small church like ours tidy and find places to store everything. Could we ask that if you are on a church group or committee that you check regularly on the tables at the back to see if you have letters or messages to pick up. So often, I say goodbye to people after ser

vices, only to find that when everyone has gone, letters addressed to many members of the congregation are left behind. Please pick up your post promptly! And make every effort to tidy up at the back of church, throwing away things no longer needed rather than leaving them on the trolley. From your grateful Vicar!

LENT COURSE 2008

The Good Book Club

This year’s Lent course will be held in St John the Baptist Church,

Stamford Bridge. Each session starts at 7.30 pm.