Hello from Vicar Dave!
Is Anyone Listening?
It is frustrating when we think that no-one is listening to us! If only someone really listened to me, and to the cry of my heart... But we believe someone is listening! God always hears us. And we are to hear each other. We are called to be community that listens to each other, and to God, even when we fall out! See Matthew 16:21-end (p984) where Listening is part of A Life Worth Living. Are you listening?.....
See you Sunday? (8:30am, 10am, 11:30am or 6:30pm) Either way, have a great weekend.
Here are some further details from this week's
STOPSLEY PARISH NEWS
the Newsheet of STOPSLEY PARISH CHURCH - ST THOMAS‘
SEEKING TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE to all
Headline News:
Let us Pray!This week (8th - 14th Sept) is a Week of Prayer and Worship for Churches in Luton. Will you join other local Christians in praying for the town. You can do so by setting aside some special time each day to pray. There is also a special event that people are especially invited to: the main Prayer Event on Friday 12th Sept, 7:30 - 10:00 at Bute Mills (off Guildford Street), and as well as this there is our StTs Prayer Meeting on 14th Sept at 5pm. See below for our weekly prayers.
‘Daily’ Morning Prayer restarts
Our Morning Prayer restart on Monday 8th Sept after its summer break. Join us for prayer and Bible readings at 9:15am on Mon, Tues, Thurs in Church. The service lasts about 30 minutes. We also have Communion on Wednesdays at 9:45am, and Meditation on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. It would be lovely if Morning Prayer was everyday - if anyone is available to lead this on a Friday or Saturday please speak to the Vicar.
Our Morning Prayer restart on Monday 8th Sept after its summer break. Join us for prayer and Bible readings at 9:15am on Mon, Tues, Thurs in Church. The service lasts about 30 minutes. We also have Communion on Wednesdays at 9:45am, and Meditation on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. It would be lovely if Morning Prayer was everyday - if anyone is available to lead this on a Friday or Saturday please speak to the Vicar.
The Joyful of Music!
‘Music is timeless. It excited people in the past and is still exciting people today and will continue to do so in the future. It can evoke such powerful emotions in a person; it can make one happy, sad, angry, depressed, elated. It can make you cry and bring you to your knees with every note painted on a musical canvas. It can give someone a sense of purpose, a sense of right, accomplishment, fulfillment, enjoyment.’ (Luke Mellinger) And so anticipation is growing for the Concert of Thanksgiving and Celebration, featuring StTs Choir on 12th September at 7pm at StTs, in aid of Hands of Mercy. Please support this event and share the joy!
‘Music is timeless. It excited people in the past and is still exciting people today and will continue to do so in the future. It can evoke such powerful emotions in a person; it can make one happy, sad, angry, depressed, elated. It can make you cry and bring you to your knees with every note painted on a musical canvas. It can give someone a sense of purpose, a sense of right, accomplishment, fulfillment, enjoyment.’ (Luke Mellinger) And so anticipation is growing for the Concert of Thanksgiving and Celebration, featuring StTs Choir on 12th September at 7pm at StTs, in aid of Hands of Mercy. Please support this event and share the joy!
Coffee is Served!
StTs next Coffee Morning is on Sat 6th Sept from 10am till Noon. Come and join us! Coffee is also served between our services on Sunday mornings.
StTs next Coffee Morning is on Sat 6th Sept from 10am till Noon. Come and join us! Coffee is also served between our services on Sunday mornings.
We will not forget those who are hurting.
The ‘Fields of Gold Service’ is a service for those who have suffered miscarriage or stillbirth and will take place this year on Sunday September 14th 2014 at StTs at 2pm.
The ‘Fields of Gold Service’ is a service for those who have suffered miscarriage or stillbirth and will take place this year on Sunday September 14th 2014 at StTs at 2pm.
Sunday School Member Starts Counselling! A new quality counselling service starts at St Thomas’ on October 1st for anyone in our community. Our counsellor will be Sara Smith who was a member of our Sunday School! She later became a missionary in Pakistan, and then a health professional in Luton, before training as a counsellor. If you would like to make an initial appointment to see if counselling might be helpful to you, please contact the church office, tel: 01582 729194.
Man in a Shack Reaches England.
Dave Hall has reached (at the time of writing this) Kendall in the Lake District. We hope that he finds lots of well deserved Kendall Mint Cake there! Dave is a member of Stopsley Striders Running Club and amazingly is running the length of the UK 1000 miles over 40 days! He is sleeping in a replica shack each night and running a marathon each day! Wow! He is doing all this to raise money for very poor people in Sierra Leone. Support him via: www.maninashack.com
Dave Hall has reached (at the time of writing this) Kendall in the Lake District. We hope that he finds lots of well deserved Kendall Mint Cake there! Dave is a member of Stopsley Striders Running Club and amazingly is running the length of the UK 1000 miles over 40 days! He is sleeping in a replica shack each night and running a marathon each day! Wow! He is doing all this to raise money for very poor people in Sierra Leone. Support him via: www.maninashack.com
Mmmm! Community Eve & Cafe Church Restarts
On Tuesday 9th Sept our wonderful Community Evening restarts after its summer break. Join us at 6:30pm on Tuesdays for a delicious community meal, fellowship, fun activities, some brief sharing from the Bible and worship. You are then welcome to stay, and others may join us, for our Cafe Church at 8pm where we study the Bible more deeply and pray together.
On Tuesday 9th Sept our wonderful Community Evening restarts after its summer break. Join us at 6:30pm on Tuesdays for a delicious community meal, fellowship, fun activities, some brief sharing from the Bible and worship. You are then welcome to stay, and others may join us, for our Cafe Church at 8pm where we study the Bible more deeply and pray together.
Don’t Let the Grass Grow Beneath Our Feet!
The grass is beginning to grow again after the summer. We need some more grasscutters. Join the Vicar in cutting some grass this Wednesday morning anytime from about 8am onwards. He also plans to cut some grass on the morning of Wed 17th. Please contact Parish Office to volunteer to help cut some grass in the Churchyard on another occasion. It would be helpful to have a Saturday grass cutting session soon - could you volunteer to organise this?
The grass is beginning to grow again after the summer. We need some more grasscutters. Join the Vicar in cutting some grass this Wednesday morning anytime from about 8am onwards. He also plans to cut some grass on the morning of Wed 17th. Please contact Parish Office to volunteer to help cut some grass in the Churchyard on another occasion. It would be helpful to have a Saturday grass cutting session soon - could you volunteer to organise this?
Sunday Club & Multi-Coloured Coats!
Last week StTs Sunday Club cut out some brothers for Joseph, and coloured coats were produced. Now is a good time to invite new children, who are always welcome. What will they do this week?
Last week StTs Sunday Club cut out some brothers for Joseph, and coloured coats were produced. Now is a good time to invite new children, who are always welcome. What will they do this week?
Soup-er Servers Needed for HomelessA team of Stopsley people from StTs and other local churches serve soup to homeless people every Monday evening at the NOAH centre in Park Street. We now need some more helpers for this vital work especially as the evenings will soon grow colder. If you could help with this on a monthly basis (one Monday evening every month) please contact the Parish Office.
A New TermPlease pray for all who are making a new beginnings at this time - those who are starting a new schools, colleges and universities, and also for continuing students and the staff of all educational establishments. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela.
Update from Vicar of Baghdad
Canon Andrew White shares his news on http://frrme.org/canon-andrews-blog/ to help us pray for the crisis. ‘Dear Friends, As some of you may know I had to return to the UK early because I was suffering from Hepatitis B.... My doctor was very worried about my condition but at least I have found the right consultant thanks to Malcolm (a friend who is a Consultant at Kings College Hospital, London) and I hope I will be on the road to recovery. The hardest thing that I am finding is having to rest. I am not very good at that even when I am feeling so ill. Please pray that the healing hand of G-d will be upon me and that I will not infect any of those around me. Blessings’
Canon Andrew White shares his news on http://frrme.org/canon-andrews-blog/ to help us pray for the crisis. ‘Dear Friends, As some of you may know I had to return to the UK early because I was suffering from Hepatitis B.... My doctor was very worried about my condition but at least I have found the right consultant thanks to Malcolm (a friend who is a Consultant at Kings College Hospital, London) and I hope I will be on the road to recovery. The hardest thing that I am finding is having to rest. I am not very good at that even when I am feeling so ill. Please pray that the healing hand of G-d will be upon me and that I will not infect any of those around me. Blessings’
Ferrets Are Go!
There will be a Ferret Race Night in aid of mnda Luton & South Bedfordshire Branch! £25 to sponsor a race (details by 25th Sep please so programme may include sponsors) £2 a ticket in advance £3 on the door. At Stopsley Working Men's Club On Friday 3rd October, Doors open 7pm, first race 8pm. Details from Steven "the ferret" Dolby.
There will be a Ferret Race Night in aid of mnda Luton & South Bedfordshire Branch! £25 to sponsor a race (details by 25th Sep please so programme may include sponsors) £2 a ticket in advance £3 on the door. At Stopsley Working Men's Club On Friday 3rd October, Doors open 7pm, first race 8pm. Details from Steven "the ferret" Dolby.
Rush before the Tickets are or-gan! Organ Concert by Roy Meek at St Augustine’s Limbury Sun Sept 7th 2014 3pm. See all the action on the large screen. Tea and BCP Sung Evensong for those who wish to remain. £5 entry.
Coffee Shop ThanksUnfortunately our local Coffee Shop, Coffee Express, closed on Friday 5th September. Our thanks must go to Angela and her great staff team of baristas for some wonderful service to the community over 8 years. StTs members have certainly been regulars at the shop. It is hoped, one way or another, that the Coffee Shop will continue... watch this space for any further news.
Biker Girl Returns from Isle of Man TT
It was good to Catherine Layfield back in Stopsley when she returned for Stella Rutty’s Memorial Service. Catherine was a Volunteer Worker at StTs back in 1998 and played a big part in youth work in our local community. She now works with homeless young people in Rochdale, and is also a biker who helps stewarding at the Isle of Man TT. She has also helped plant a new Church in Bury - see www.freedomchurch.org.uk/ If you wish to email Catherine ask the Office for her details.
It was good to Catherine Layfield back in Stopsley when she returned for Stella Rutty’s Memorial Service. Catherine was a Volunteer Worker at StTs back in 1998 and played a big part in youth work in our local community. She now works with homeless young people in Rochdale, and is also a biker who helps stewarding at the Isle of Man TT. She has also helped plant a new Church in Bury - see www.freedomchurch.org.uk/ If you wish to email Catherine ask the Office for her details.
‘Bursary’ Fund to help local students?
It has been suggested that a fund be set up in memory of James Dyer, the well known local archaeologist and historian, to provide an annual bursary award to a deserving young person from Stopsley who intends to study archaeology or history at university. If you would like to make a donation (large or small) to such a fund could you please let us know so arrangements can be made.
It has been suggested that a fund be set up in memory of James Dyer, the well known local archaeologist and historian, to provide an annual bursary award to a deserving young person from Stopsley who intends to study archaeology or history at university. If you would like to make a donation (large or small) to such a fund could you please let us know so arrangements can be made.
Interesting Quote: “To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.” ― Leonard Bernstein
MORE DATES FOR THE DIARY
- Wed 3 Sep 12:30pm Parish Lunch
- Sat 6 Sep 10-Noon Coffee Morning
- Sun 14 Sep 5pm Prayer Meeting
- Sun 21 Sep 6:30pm LCET Luton Churches Education Trust Annual Service at Stopsley Baptist Church
- Sun 5 Oct Harvest Sunday
WEEKLY EVENTS:
Sunday Morning Services Rolling Worship
8:30am Communion 9:30am Breakfast
10am Communion 11am Coffee Time
11:30am Informal service
Sunday Evening Worship 6:30pm
Midweek Communion Wed, 9:45am
Community Eve Tues 6:30pm
Cafe Church Tue 8pm
Morning Prayers, 9:15am Mon, Tues & Thurs
Wednesday Prayers, 1pm in Church
Parish Office Mon -Thurs, 10am-Noon
Parent and Baby Group Mon 9.30am
Homeless Soup Kitchen Mon 6:30pm
Sewing Group Tue 1pm
Christian Meditation Wed 6:45pm
Scrabble Thurs 10am
Tent Project - weekly social, Thur 2pm
Choir Fri 6:30pm Music Group Fri 7:30pm
CAN WE HELP?
We would love to help! To contact our Vicar,
Pastoral Worker, Care Team, Wardens, Counsellor or Administrator please contact the Parish Office
01582 729194 office@stopsleyparish.org.uk
We would love to help! To contact our Vicar,
Pastoral Worker, Care Team, Wardens, Counsellor or Administrator please contact the Parish Office
01582 729194 office@stopsleyparish.org.uk
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THIS WEEK’S READINGS
Ezekiel 33:7-11 (p864), Matthew 18:15-20 (p985)
PLEASE PRAY FOR
Unwell:
Philip Francis, Dick Ward, Seyan Tills, Liz Fagan, Mary Barden, Liz Hughes
Some with Long-term Needs:
Roy, Harry Smith, Bob Norman, Gary Berris, Sadie Oliver
Those grieving for:
Stella Rutty, Michael Stock, William Weedon, Eric Clark, Judith Bosely
More Info www.stopsleyparish.org.uk
Newsheets Online - via website or http://stopsleyvicar.blogspot.co.uk
Contact us: 01582 729194, office@stopsleyparish.org.uk
Have a great weekend!
GB!
Dave
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