Newsletter for Week Beginning s1

PilgrimsPilgrims WayWay Congregational & Methodist Church

Minister: Rev Nicola Vidamour Telephone: 020 8548 4945 [email protected] Nicola’s day off each week is Friday. Church Office: 020 8552 5030 e-mail: [email protected] Visit our Website @ http://www.pilgrimsway.org Newsletter for week beginning 26th June 2016

Worship Today 10:30am Sanya Strachan 6.00pm Circuit Service at Forest Gate Dates for Your Diary Wed 29th June 10am-12 noon Coffee Morning and Nearly New Wed 29th June 11am-12 noon Prayer Meeting in the Chapel Wed 29th June 2:00pm Wednesday Fellowship - Speaker - Deacon Debbie Buckley Pastoral Care If you know of anyone who would like a pastoral visit, please let Nicola, or one of the Elders or the church office know. See Nicola’s and the Church telephone numbers above. Prayer Requests The Elders are available to pray with you after the service today and also pray during the week for any needs and concerns which have been brought to them. Text for the Week – Never Give Up “ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”...... 2 Timothy 4:7

After Worship, We are invited to place prayer requests TEA & COFFEE on the board near the main door. These in Myrtle Hall. Join us requests are taken to our Wednesday – it’s free morning prayer meeting. Church Serving Rotas Rotas for July – September are currently not available. Please check on the noticeboard to know when you are serving on a team - Thank you. Pilgrims Way Church Away Day Pilgrims Way Church is planning an Away Day trip to Bradwell (St Peter’s Chapel) - The date is Sunday 17th July 2016. A coach has been arranged for a 12:30pm pick up (after the morning service). We intend to stay in Bradwell for Evensong before returning to London at 7:00pm. The cost of the trip is affordable and everyone is invited to join in. We have a fares structure to accommodate children and family groups. The coach is a 51 Seater and any spaces not taken up will be made available to church members in our circuit. Future Birthday Offertory Dates Listed below are the future Birthday Offertory dates for this and next year. Remember to keep these dates in your diary and come well prepared. 21st August 2016, 20th November 2016, 22nd January 2017 and 11th June 2017. Curry, Coffee & Cake Café The next Curry Café will be held on Saturday, July 30th. We encourage more people to get involved and we welcome voluntary donations to buy ingredients - make a donation to Eric/Dorothy. Doors open at 11am until 2pm. Nearly New Sale Please do not bring anything else for sale as we can’t keep up with it! Diane. Weekly Offertory Last Sunday’s Church Offertory amount to £ – thank you. Sunday Morning Service CDs The Worship Service is recorded and CDs are available after the service. Please contact Paul. Please give notices to Mary King. All submissions to be received before Wednesday evening for inclusion in the next issue. Leave a message or e-mail: [email protected]

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I absolutely loved my time in the Holy Land last week! When our plane landed at Luton, I wanted to go straight back and do it all again! At our final Communion Service on the shores of Lake Galilee we were invited to share something of what the pilgrimage had meant to us and what we would be taking home with us. This is what I said:

It was very hot (38 degrees) and so everywhere we went we were searching for the shade. As we travelled through the valley of the shadow of death –the actual name for part of the road from Jerusalem to Jericho – our guide told us that the desert was seen as the shadow side of the city. I was sitting next to a psycho- therapist all week on the coach and so we had a conversation about the shadow sides of our personalities! Being part of a large group all week was not always easy!

Jerusalem is now considerably higher than it was in the time of Jesus and so most of the original Biblical sites were beneath us. We were constantly being reminded of the layers on which we were standing. For me, our yearning to go deeper and find the authentic place where Jesus had been, mirrored our longing to go deeper within ourselves in order to discover an authentic relationship with God.

I was also very conscious that we were walking not just in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples but were following the path of countless other pilgrims throughout the generations. I first went to the Holy Land with my father over 30 years ago. I remember very little of that trip but I was moved to tears at times by the knowledge that he and I had stood together in this place before.

I plan to co-lead a pilgrimage to Israel-Palestine in two or three years’ time, so do think about coming! It is likely to cost about £1500 – for flights, accommodation, all meals, and the services of an excellent tour guide. Watch this space!

Grace and peace,

NICOLA VIDAMOUR

Daily Bible Readings Freedom in Christ Psalm Sun 26th Luke 9 v 51-62 16 Mon 27th Galatians 3 v 6-14 112 Tue 28th Galatians 3 v 15-29 113 Wed 29th Matthew 16 v 13-19 125 Thurs 30th Galatians 4 v 21-5:1 107 v 1-16 Fri 1st Galatians 5 v 1-6 107 v 17-32 Sat 2nd Galatians 5 v 13-26 107 v 33-43

Sunday Worship Next Week 3rd July 2016 10:30am Marion Gaima 6:30pm Own Arrangement Rotas for next Week 3rd July 2016 Vestry a.m. - Vestry p.m. - Elder - Welcome - Door/Books Flowers - Mary/Sarah Coffee - Organ a.m. - Paul Organ p.m. - Sue Readers - Sunday Collection Cashiers - Olu & Joan D

For Our Prayers Briony and family Briony is now at home but is very unwell & bedridden Iris Mourning the death of her sister (in New Zealand) Alan Carter Has difficulty walking after breaking his ankle. Ruth Din Now at home after being in hospital Chris English’s brother, Ken Diagnosed with cancer Raymond Now at home after being in hospital Geoff English Finding life difficult Mr & Mrs William Husband and wife both ill (husband recovering from an operation). Terence Baptist In his nineties and paralysed. Unemployed people seeking work All those suffering from cancer All those who are housebound or in Care Homes Those receiving ongoing medical treatment or awaiting/ receiving/recovering from surgery All those finding life stressful The situations in Iraq/Afghanistan/Syria/Israel/Gaza/Sudan/Nigeria Churches/Christians throughout the world.