Issue 29 June 2013

CONNECTING PEOPLE & BUILDING THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH @ ST.LAWRENCE’S This month offers us all a number of opportunities to reflect on what Confirmation it means to BE the church. Throughout June we’ve a sermon Sunday 9th June, series helping us explore different 10.30am ways the Bible describes the church—as the people of God, the body of Christ, or an army. The will be joining us for a joint morning On 9th June our confirmation service at service will include words that Dear Friends allow us all to recommit our lives to Christ and reaffirm our baptism. This month I have a very simple message: don’t go to church! Yes, At the end of the month we’ve two you’ve got it: don't go to church! ordination services. As the church rejoices in the gifts given to Trevor Frequently I hear people talking & Lindsay and commissions them about church as somewhere you go. for their ministries, so all God’s Of course I know what they mean. people are invited to renew our Most of us identify church with a response to God’s call. He calls building or a place of worship. We you to faithful service wherever recognise that to gather with other you are. 24/7. So... Christians we do—go to church. 10.30am!!!! But the church is not a building. The church is a community of people. Sometimes we do gather together. This will now include one confir- But more often than not we’re dis- mation, but also an opportunity for persed—in our homes, schools, the whole church to renew our community and places of work. commitment to Christ. God’s people don’t go to church; we are the church!

St. Lawrence’s St Lawrence’s Organ Recital Barn Dance

Knypersley Cricket Club to ‘bid farewell’ to our Rogers & Sons pipe organ

Friday 21st June with music by Elgar, Bach, Karg-Elert & Barber 7.30pm Friday 28th June at 7.30pm Tickets Tickets: £5.00 (incl. a glass of wine) Adults £8 from St. Lawrence’s Church Children £4 Office (01782 513891 or on the door (subject to avail- ability) Tickets are on sale now from the Church More information at www.biddulphchurch.org.uk/recital Office or from Yvonne Pointon 379314 Future recitals: www.organrecitals.com May Regular Weekly Activities Tues 28 8.00pm Beyond Ourselves Worship & Prayer Thu 30 1.15pm Friendship Club 9.15am. Traditional Service (HC 2nd & 4th Sun) 11.00am Informal, Contemporary Service Sun (Family Service 1st Sun, HC 3rd Sun) June 6.30pm Quieter, reflective Service (HC 1st Sun) Mon 3 8.00pm Parish Leadership Team Mon 8.30am Morning Prayer Tues 4 8.00pm Beyond Ourselves Wed 10.00am Midweek Service 2.30pm Ladies Fellowship 7.30am Church open for private prayer Wed 5 8.00pm Together to Pray Thu 8.30am Morning Prayer 7.30pm Music Practice Thu 6 10.00am Listening Ear with Barbara & Oliver Fri 8.30am Morning Prayer Sat 8 9.00am Men’s Breakfast Youth & Children’s Groups (termtime) 10.30am Joint Morning Service Mon 5.30pm NRG (school years Reception—4) Sun 9 with Bishop Geoff Annas, Bishop Tue 1.30pm Kangas’n’Roos (Pre-school children) of Stafford Thu 7.00pm 10:10 (school years 5-8) Mon 10 7.30pm Re-ordering Committee Sun 7.00pm CYFA (school years 9-13) Tues/ Homegroups meet this week Wed Church Prayer Chain Wed 12 8.00pm 11 @ 8 in the Church Hall If you have a need that calls for an immediate prayer response then please contact Lindsay Clowes who 6.30pm Thanksgiving Service, including Sun 16 co-ordinates our church Prayer Chain (514413 or Prayer for the Bereaved email [email protected]) Wed 19 2.30pm Ladies Fellowship 6.00pm Listening Ear with John & Carole Thu 20 Church Notices 7.30pm Service of Praise Fri 21 7.30pm Barn Dance If you have any spare perennial plants that you could donate to the School House garden, bring them Sat 22 4.00pm Trevor’s Ordination along and leave them somewhere outside the Church Sun 23 2.30pm Civic Service for Cllr. Jim Davies Office, we will take responsibility for planting them. Tues/ Many thanks in anticipation: Cathy White, Angie Homegroups meet this week Wed Turner, Julie Harris and Gillian Reynolds

Wed 26 8.00pm 11 @ 8 in the Church Hall A Listening Ear. If you need to talk or want someone to pray for you, why not pop along to the Thu 27 1.15pm St Lawrence’s Friendship Club Quiet Room, (next to the church office) 6th June @ Fri 28 7.30pm Organ Recital 10am with Barbara & Oliver and 20th June @ 6pm with John & Carole 12.30pm Wedding David Sherratt & Lynsey Sat 29 Gates The latest prayer letter from Alison Talbert and Steve 6.00pm Lindsay’s Ordination & Debs’ Taylor are mission partners in Kenya and the Sun 30 12.30pm Church Picnic Philippines are at the back of church.

The Music Group are looking for a couple of extra

July people who might be able to help lead sung worship Mon 1 8.00pm Parish Leadership Team at the evening service. If you might be interested then please speak to Andrew Shuff. 2.30pm Ladies Fellowship Wed 3 8.00pm Together to Pray On Sat 20 July we will be welcoming stand-up come- dian Andy Kind to the Biddulph Arms for an evening Thu 4 10.00am Listening Ear with Lindsay & Margaret of entertainment and laughter. This event is one the Sat 6 2.00pm Wedding Martin Heaps & Sally Tunstall church is hosting during the Biddulph festival and is Mon 8 7.30pm Deanery Eucharist an excellent opportunity to invite friends and family who might not otherwise come to church. Tickets are 10.00am Friendship Club Service Wed 10 on sale from the Church Office, £7.00. 8.00pm 11 @ 8 in the Church Hall Congleton Bible Week takes place 10th—14th June Sat 13 9.00am Mens Breakfast with guest speaker Rev. Richard Bewes. There are Thu 18 6.00pm Listening Ear with Diane & Oliver talks every night at 7.30pm. Contact our Church Of- fice or phone 01260 289373 to which all those with the Bishop’s find out which church is hosting permission to administer the cup Open Café which night’s talk. at Holy Communion are warmly Biddulph Churches Together extend a invited. warm invitation to the Open Café on You may be interested to know that the Rural Dean and Team We thank God for a recent grant the Town Hall steps, every Saturday Rector of Leek has from Mr. Willatts Charity (£2,800/ morning in July Saturday 6th July 10am-12 noon recently been appointed Archdea- yr for 5yrs) to support Adam in his Saturday 13th July 10am-12 noon con of Stoke. He will replace God- youth & children’s ministry here. Saturday 20th July 10am-12 noon frey Stone whose farewell service Crosslink Boxes are ready for emp- Saturday 27th July 10am-12 noon is at 7pm on Thurs 4 July in Stoke tying could you please hand them A great time of fellowship and witness Minster. in to Cynthia Dale. Thanks to the Church’s vitality in Biddulph. If you are able to offer a cake then On Mon 8 July, 7.30pm we are please sign the list at the back of hosting the Deanery Eucharist to church.

Service of Praise Civic Service Renaming C4LP...

(and organ demo) This year we are pleased to be We are running a competition to hosting the Chairman’s Civic Ser- find a new name for Church 4 Lit- Thurs 20th June vice for Jim Davies, as he takes tle People (as some of the children the chair of Moor- are not so little any more!) If you 7.30pm lands District Council. have a good idea why not enter?

The music for this Service of Competition entry forms are Praise will be played on a Makin Sun 23rd June available at the back of church. digital organ similar to one that we 2.30pm considering to buy for the church. You are warmly invited to this ser- vice to support Jim and pray for Please come and hear it played in District Council worship by one of Makin’s own demonstration organists. (We will later be hosting a Civic Service for Biddulph Town Mayor Linda Deaville on Sun 21st July, 11.00am)

Together to Pray

Wed 5 June 8.00pm in church

We’ll be joining together to prayer for the Leadership of St. Lawrence’s Church.

Wed 3 July We’ll be praying for Vibes and our Youth & Children’s Work

Ordinations Contacts The Church Office This month Trevor Raaff will be ordained and Lindsay Clowes will ordained as an OLM . You are warmly invited to support them as (01782) 513891 they take these new steps in ministry. Parish Assistant (Gez) Trevor’s ordination is on [email protected] Sat 22nd June at 4.00pm All Saints’, Eccleshall Martin Cannam (Vicar) Please let the Office know if you intend to go or would like a lift so that 513247 arrangements can be made to share transport [email protected]

Lindsay’s ordination is on Trevor Raaff () Sat 29th June at 6.00pm 513891 / 07707 023769 in [email protected]

There will be a coach leaving St. Lawrence’s at 3.30pm. Seats are avail- Adam Post (Youthworker) able at £6.50. Please sign the list at the back of church or book with the Church Office. 513891 / 07792 584490 [email protected]

PICNIC LUNCH To celebrate both ordinations we will be holding a Church Picnic at www.biddulphchurch.org.uk 12.30pm on Sun 30 June in and around the church hall. Please bring your own lunch; drinks will be provided.

GIFTS If you would like to contribute towards gifts for Trevor or Lindsay then please place money in an envelope. Envelopes need to be labelled ei- ther “Lindsay” or “Trevor”.

Please pray for them both as they prepare for their ordinations.

Thank You Prayer

Thank you to all those who re- Praise God for cently returned pledges in sup- His provision of further money Fit for Service. His church—his people, his body, his army, his bride port of Fit for Service, our plan to re-order the church interior. Please pray for The Church throughout the world 42 responses pledged a total of: Plans for a foodbank here in Biddulph £14,300 Young people taking exams with an additional Those from church taking up public office: Linda Deaville (Biddulph Town Mayor), George Hayes (Congleton Town Mayor), Jim Davies £5,300 (Chair of SMDC) received in cast, cheques and Bishop Geoff Annas and the Diocesan staff from recent fund-raising. Trevor Raaff and Lindsay Clowes as they prepare for their ordinations This brings our current total to: Andrew & Gemma Moutford, Kirsty Chadwick, as they prepare for the £190,600 Confirmation Service. Marriages: Marta Folwarczny & Adrian Toomer, Andrea Rogers & On this basis the PCC is looking Jamie Madden, David Sherrat & Lynsey Gates, Martin Heaps & Sally to press ahead and plan for work Tunstall to begin later this year. Alleluia! Thanksgivings: Elfie Jukes

Baptisms: Ellena Embrey

Funerals : the bereaved family & friends of Enid Lowe, Ray Cannon, Rebecca Davis

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