Month: March 2021

With the sun blazing down and some but by no means all wearing bunny ears Carole Smith and her Lunch Club team set out on Wednesday to deliver more than forty Easter goodie bags. 

Beautifully decorated with wooden crosses each bag contained all sorts of things including: a cake, a lolly, a palm cross, a What’s on Programme of everything that’s taking place at MBC over Easter, a card, a personal message from our new Deacons and more.

We know from comments we’ve received after past door step drops just how much these visits mean to so many people. So well done to Carole and to the bakers, the crafters, the packers and the drivers; this type of  ministry, particularly after the year we’ve all had really is what the church is all about. 

I don’t know whether you have had the chance to walk past MBC recently but if you have there’s no way that you will have failed to notice that things are looking a bit different. For a start the bins have moved (more on that later), the shabby hand rails have been returned to their original 1972 colour – British Racing Green. Then high above the beautiful hand crafted cross tired planters have been restocked with show off bedding that shamelessly flaunts its reds, yellows, blues and greens. And as for as ribbons and bows, well, we’re currently carrying a larger stock than a high end haberdashery. 

So why all the activity, and why now? Could it be a direct response to our theme a couple of weeks ago; Jesus the gardener? We’d all like to think so. Could it that extra hour we gained last Sunday has not only lightened our evenings but also our spirits? Could it be Monday’s easing of lockdown rules that’s underlined just how much we need one another’s socially distanced company? Or could it simply be that right now following a winter of discontent the Easter story is reminding us not only of the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ but also of so many other things we can to be thankful for. 

In a church, as in any community people have different talents, different gifts. Here at Moortown although you wouldn’t know it to look at them we have quite a number of people who have green fingers. And in the main it’s these folk that we need to thank for our new look. I’m not going to name names, far too risky, but you know who you are. 

So on behalf of the rest of us, those who in terms of horticulture and wood turning merely stand and stare thank you for your enthusiasm and your commitment. Thank you for the colour you are bringing into our lives. Thank you for your generosity in that you have decided to make your ad-hoc gardening group something more regularly and also to welcome anyone who wants to join you. 

Meanwhile back to the bins. The bins have been moved because preliminary plans are now afoot to redesign the area between Kate’s office and the sub-station in order to create a space where, when the weather permits people can sit and relax. The project, with all costs covered will when complete feature neatly trimmed borders, a raised flower bed, wooden benches and a table all set on a smart paved base. We’ll soon be circulating more details, and whilst we’re not in a position to include anything over elaborate (certainly not pergolas and/or water features) we will of course be inviting your comments.

On Tuesday the 23rd of March more than a hundred members of Moortown Baptist Church met on zoom to elect an Interim Leadership Team. There were six candidates, all of whom were elected. They are Bela Singh, John Sherbourne, Karen Ross, Paddy Colling, Geoff Fennell and Nathan Dring. (L – R top to bottom in the picture above) 

The new team has already met. Their first get-together was a two and a half hour zoom call on Thursday evening, and they will reconvene on Sunday for a handover meeting with members of the outgoing Leadership Team. 

Their first meeting was very much a getting to know you affair; more a case of taking soundings and establishing common ground than discussing specific issues. However, what the new team did unanimously agree was that as a matter of urgency and with God front and centre opening up new and effective channels of communication is an absolute priority. Quite how this is to be achieved is still a work in progress but the one thing you can all be certain of is that as soon as those channels are established you will be the first to know. 

Elsewhere you may have read that at 12 noon this coming Sunday (March 28th) Shelley will be hosting a short get-together on zoom that will give us all an opportunity to meet, chat with and pray for our new team. The invitations to this will be sent out via the members email list.  

As you know Palm Sunday marks the start of holy week. Obviously this year, indeed as last we will not be able to distribute palm crosses as part of our Sunday Service. However, if you care to walk up to MBC you will find a supply of palm crosses in a box in the porch, and please if you know of anyone who might appreciate one feel free to take one for them.

At the moment although final plans are still in the making next week is going to be very busy. That’s because we already know that there will be some things on zoom, some on YouTube, and others still of Facebook. But away from our screens if you were to wander up to church from Tuesday onwards you will find a cross will have been stationed in the carpark that will give you the opportunity to interact in a quite personal way with the Easter story. 

We have also had a request to make decorated crosses for display in our church windows. So if you would like to paint, draw or colour a cross to put either in or on a window then do place it in the box marked ‘cross’ which you’ll also find by the door. We do hope all ages will want to join in with this but if for any reason you can’t get out and you would like to create one of your own do please let Kate or Shelley know and they will arrange for it to be picked up from you.

Please keep checking the website for more details about dates and times. 

Last Saturday, under strict Covid-19 guidelines MBC opened it’s doors for private prayer, and throughout the day more than 30 people who had all pre-booked a slot visited the building. Huge thanks to Kate and to her team of volunteer stewards who between them ensured the day ran both safely and smoothly.   

During their time with us people were invited to leave a thought, a prayer or a comment, some of which have been incorporated into the bright, lively images that you see below. If everything goes according to plan we will be using these as the basis of a special prayer time during this coming week’s Church at Home. 

2am on Sunday the 28th of March marks the start of British Summer Time.

This means that in order not to miss this Sunday’s live Facebook stream, or for that matter anything else you will need to put your watches and clocks forward by one hour.