Christchurch News November Page 2

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS?

Why not send greetings to your friends at Christchurch in the November/December edition of Wider Horizons? This would be eco-friendly and at the same time you could consider making a donation to one of your charities for the cards saved.

1. Reform Magazine       Reform was re-launched in July with distribution of free copies to encourage people to consider subscribing.     Neville Knight wishes to stand down as distributor from the end of 2008 and a replacement is still being sought.

2009 Diary, Yearbook and Yorkshire Synod Handbook

Please let Chris Mannall know if you would like to order any of the following.

· Diaries are £5.95 and available in red or green (soft cover), blue or black (hard cover)

· The URC 2009 Year Book is available as an A5 Booklet for £13 or as a binder for £16.50 with 2009 inserts only available at £10.

· The 2008 Yorkshire Synod Handbook contains the names of Ministers and officials and is £3.20 per copy.

CLAY – The latest leaflets with opportunities for Christians Learning Across Yorkshire are in the stand outside the Coffee Centre.  Funding by way of a subsidy from the Lay Development Fund of the Synod’s Mission Enabling Group is available to support anyone wishing to attend a CLAY event.

URC PRAYER HANDBOOK 2009

The time has come to re-order for the coming year. If you wish to maintain your order, do nothing and I will order for you again. However, if you wish to change or if anyone would like one for the first time, please let me know by 9th November.                Joyce Lowe

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the Christchurch family for all the love, kindness, flowers and prayerful support given to both Alex and I during her illness. I know that Alex was very moved by this.

Many thanks to the Rev Arnold Clay for conducting Alex’s Thanksgiving service and to all those who attended.

I give my grateful thanks for all the flowers and many cards you sent to my family and I following Alex’s passing. Many thanks also for the visits, homemade cake, biscuits and curry you have given me. I truly know first hand of the wonderful pastoral support that Christchurch provides.

 God bless you all.

  John Sayers

ANNUAL CIRCUIT QUIZ    Saturday 31st January 2009         Details to follow

JARS OF GRACE

At the Harvest Thanksgiving Services we launched the Jar of Grace appeal. During Online@9 the children were each given a jar to decorate, a leaflet explaining the work of Unicef with children in crisis, and a booklet compiled by members of Christchurch with graces.  During 10.30am, three of the children stayed to decorate more jars which were given out to adults at each service. 

Everyone is encouraged to try to say ‘thank you’ to God when they have a meal and put a coin in the jar to remember those who are less fortunate. 

Please return your jars at Advent and we can see how much money we have raised for Unicef. By December, will we have transformed our meal times?  It takes 28 days to form a habit. Perhaps the Jar of Grace appeal will help us form the habit of thanking God for our food at mealtimes? Let us know how you have gone on.

The three entrepreneurial girls were absolutely thrilled to collect over £20 at Harvest by selling the Grace booklets. It means already enough money has been raised to provide 10 blankets to protect babies from the cold. Thank you for your generosity and support.

CHRISTCHURCH PRAYER CALENDAR

You are invited to include these suggestions of local and broader concern in your private prayer  (week commencing etc.), prefacing each with “I pray for …”

November 2nd          Those who provide transport for others to Church; UNICEF, striving to build a world in which all children live in dignity and security.

November 9th            Remembrance Sunday

Those who have lost loved ones through military action; those who support people through the healing ministry.

November 16th          Prisons Week

All prisoners and those who work in the prison service; OnLine@9 and Prayer & Praise services and those who plan and lead them.

November 23rd 

The work at Christchurch for children and young people and those who lead them both in play and worship; the work of Jubilee Outreach Yorkshire and those who receive the Christmas parcels in Romania.

November 30th          World AIDs Week

For a meaningful Advent; those suffering from HIV/AIDs and their families.