Last week MBC held its rather unusual Nativity Service. Readings, prayers, carols and a fair bit of ham acting made up the perfect mix of humility and hope.
Month: December 2023
Shelley’s Christmas message
Dear friends
It was great to hear this week that the Warm spaces project has won the award for project of the year in the Leeds Compassionate City Awards 2023. As a registered warm space for over a year, MBC are part of this. Thanks to all of you for making the spaces warm and welcoming through financial support, food, organisation or simply being there. Next year the Owl Award will go on tour going to every warm space as a thank you from the City Council.
“It’s great that we can celebrate the achievements of so many third and faith sector groups coming together to offer safe, warm and welcoming spaces to the communities you are part of.
At the moment, our award (as pictured) is ‘perched’ at Stringer House in Hunslet, but VAL (Voluntary Action Leeds) do not want to hold onto this all year, as it was your hard work that made this project. So next year it will go ‘on tour’ as a small thank you”
This week the food hampers made up with food and toiletries that you gave, have all been made up and given out to those who come to us for help in the week, regular users of the food pantry and to those who may value a package at this time. Some of these have been kindly taken directly to homes or hospital. Thanks again to all of you for your generosity and the small team who made up the hampers. One man was incredibly moved by the gesture and told us that he never received anything like this before. As some of the hampers were being given out at Beacon café we were approached by members of a local food charity who collect excess food from M & S. They gave away fresh bread and pastries and have asked if they can come back every Monday.
2 Corinthians 9:7 comes to mind…
“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
We are thankful to God for all the good things he is giving from those who are part of the church and our wider communities.
There will be no Beacon café next week, instead there will be a new year cafe on Wednesday 3rd January 10-12. Then it will resume as usual on Mondays from Monday 8th January.
This week was the lunch club Christmas dinner. Thanks to all who prepared, led and ate! The next lunch club takes place on Wednesday 10th January.
Christmas Craft group welcome space was very much enjoyed today. They will also be having a break this week.
It’s been great to see many of you at the Christmas services including a fantastic cast of all ages in our nativity, from busy innkeepers, stately wise people, friendly shepherds and lively sheep! Those who were there may have noticed that Eunice became unwell and she has asked me to say that she has been checked over and is recovering well. Thanks to those who helped.
Other dates to remember..
December 24th Christmas Eve All age Carols and Christingle service at 4.30pm. (Rock Solid are meeting at 2.30pm on the 24th to make Christingles and share food!)
December 25th Christmas Day together at the slightly earlier time of 10.30am.
(Both these services will last between 45 minutes and an hour)
December 31st 11am all age new year service
January 7th 11am café church
January 8th Beacon welcome space 10-12midday…
All groups are back this week.
January 14th 11am service (with a group for our younger friends) welcoming Tim Parkinson from Caring for Life to share a message with us.
Do keep an eye on the website which is regularly updated and also the facebook page regularly sends out reminders, thoughts and news!
Finally I want to share a picture painted by Kelly Latimore called ‘Christ in the Rubble’ (it’s in the block below together with the “touring” owl trophy). It is based on a recent message from Rev Doctor Munther Isaac, the Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem when he described Jesus as being ‘in the rubble in Gaza’ with all those who suffer. You may have seen the nativity scene in his church, now featured on news channels, a mound of rubble with a doll representing baby Jesus lying amongst it. There is much to think about here and to pray about. Actions may come from it. The artist and the organisation Red Letter Christians (who supported the artist) hope that the picture will increase dialogue amongst Christians all over the world about our beliefs and actions can bring about peace. For more information about the painting and the inspiration behind it or about the organisation, follow the link here www.redletterchristians.org Rev Munther Isaac will be holding a short service at 6pm Bethlehem time tomorrow, 23rd December. The UK is 2 hours behind Bethlehem so that will be 4pm for us. It is being streamed around the world and one way to join in is to click the link on the Red Letter Christians website at 4pm tomorrow. Many of us feel helpless but let’s keep praying and focusing on Jesus as we lift this area of the world to God, along with Ukraine and all places of where there is war.
Praying for comfort and joy for you and your family and all those you love and think about this Christmas. Thanking God that he is not distant but He is right in the heart of all we are and do, Immanuel, God with us.
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us” (Matthew 1:23)
In Christ
Shelley
Shelley Dring
Minister
Moortown Baptist Church
A Christmas greeting from Cluj
Dear brothers in Christ,
Greetings and may you have blessed holidays!
We hope you are well and we thank God for all your support these years. May the Lord reward you! Again, this year we helped families in difficult situations, both financially and with food packages. On the occasion of the winter holidays, we distributed 240 food packages to families from our church and to families from the church branches. The youth of the church had this year a spring retreat and also a summer camp and again we organized a youth conference. In the fall the young people chose to go on a mission to Scornicesti to have followship with the brothers from that village. Below we are sending you this year’s thank you notes from the youth who benefited from your support.
We continue the collaboration with the Roma church in Floresti, by offering financial support to brother Hoca as well as paying the heating expenses of the church. This year, the money you sent were used for some necessary repairs to the church in Floresti. The work with refugees from Ukraine continued and currently in our church we still have nine families who attend our church.
At the church level, we continue to have works with the seniors of the church, young families, children, teenagers and young people ministry, mission works both in the branches and mission and projects with international students who are in Romania studying. In the church building in Mănăstur, we started a renovation project that will expand over several years, and this year we completed the church parking lot with a capacity of 50 places, following the change of the air conditioning, sound system, lighting system and in the last stage to change the pew benches in the church.
We wish you a holiday full of peace and joy!
God bless you!
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
Shelley – 16th December 2023
“Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.”
I thank God that making crafts is worship too and can draw us near to the Creator. Thanks to all those who made this afternoon possible.
Tomorrow we meet at 11am for our All Age nativity. Come dressed as your favourite nativity character. We have costume so if you would like to dress up as something and be part of it then come along at 10.30 into the meeting area. You don’t need to say anything just take part when we mention you in the story. There are a couple of speaking parts and we’ll contact those who are OK with speaking. Or if you know you would like to say something and haven’t told me already then do message me.
Tomorrow, we raise the question ‘what if?’…what if Mary hadn’t said yes to the angel? What if the kings had rejoiced at the star and then stayed there rather than continuing on a perilous journey?
Coming up…
- Rock solid for youth at 7-8pm tomorrow in church
- Christmas Beacon on Monday 10-12 in church – warm space, breakfast pastries and festive snacks
- Christmas dinner for all those who go to lunch club is on Wednesday
- Christmas craft group and warm space is on 2-4pm on Thursday.
- For individual housegroups do get in touch with your house group leader or one of the deacons.
- Next Sunday is Christmas Eve when we’ll be meeting at the later time of 4.30pm for an all age carols and Christingle service. This tends to bring a lot of people from our community, so do come along and be part of it. This service will last for 45 minutes.
- On Christmas Day we meet at the earlier time of 10.30 for an “All-age Christmas Day with carols” service. This service will last about 45 minutes. There will be no Beacon café on this day.
- There will be no organised groups between Christmas Day and New Year. You may want to catch up with someone over this time.
- On New Years Eve we meet at the usual time of 11am for our service, a chance to pause and worship together before the start of the new year.
- There will be no Beacon café on New Years Day but there will be a café on Wednesday 3rd January 10-12midday (no lunch club).
A big thank you to all those who supported Sam Joyce last week with his handmade chocolate truffles! Sam will take part in a Christian Youth Leadership Training Programme for 16–19-year-olds, over the next three years. The first part of the training is a weekend training camp in February 2024 in Wales. Sam raised £224.50 for his handmade chocolate truffles on Sunday after the church service. Jane and Phil wanted to say thank you to everyone who made this possible for him.
As I look back over the week I am reminded that we have had numerous housegroups, lunch club, toddler Christmas party, youth, Beacon, Christmas crafts, Lords pantry, hamper making, Wednesday worship, wreath making, social media, website updates, building management as well as all the preparation that goes into Sunday services and all the prayer, chats and pastoral support seen and unseen. We are all part of the family, it’s not about what we do or don’t do or who knows about it, but I want to recognise all those who have made this week happen.
May the peace of God be with you this day and always.
In Christ
Shelley
Shelley Dring
Minister
Shelley – 9th December 2023
Dear friends
We look forward to meeting again tomorrow in the building and online at 11am for the second Sunday in Advent. We have some activities for our younger friends connected to our theme of comfort and joy. After the service Sam Joyce and helpers will be selling chocolate truffles in gift boxes of 4, 8 and 16. They will be great as gifts or to indulge yourself! He’s raising money towards a Christian Youth Leadership programme that starts next year including outdoor team activities, seminars, and worship. Sam needs to raise £140 himself so if you’d like to help as well as maybe get some gifts, then do bring some money tomorrow.
We are also collecting things for our hampers to help give out in the week before Christmas to those in our community who may need them. We are looking for things like, shower gel, chocolates, cheese biscuits, mince pies, maybe a puzzle book…anything that would be nice to receive at Christmas in a hamper.
Tonight (9th December), we have our Christmas film starting at 5.30pm, The Polar Express with hot chocolate and popcorn!
There will be Rock solid youth group tomorrow night 7-8pm
Through the week we have our usual activities (Beacon on Monday at 10-12, housegroups, craft group on Thursday 2-4pm) including a Wednesday worship on 13th December starting at 1.30pm with a Christmas theme. Stepping Stones are celebrating Christmas this week too with special activities and storytelling about the real meaning of Christmas and there maybe even a visit from Father Christmas….
Next Saturday (16th) is our wreath making workshop 1-3pm in church, £8 per person. Please book a place with Lesley or email church or let me know so that we have enough resources for each person. There are lots of sign ups already so it should be a fun afternoon of being creative together.
Next Sunday the 17th December, we have our nativity service starting at 11am. If you can do a part can you let me know this week by Wednesday night please? It won’t be too onerous and no long lines. You are never too old or young to be part of this. Anyone willing to take part, can you arrive at 10.30 next week so that we know who we have? Do bring your friends along.
Everyone else feel free to dress as your favourite nativity character or bring something to represent something in the Christmas story. We have costume at church for those who want some help with their part and we can put these on before the service.
Do pick up a Comfort and Joy Christmas Card with all the activities on and stick one up at home and why not give one to a neighbour or friend?
On Monday 18th December we have Christmas Beacon 10-12midday and Wednesday 20th December is the Christmas lunch for those in lunch club. There will be a craft group/warm space too, 2-4pm on Thursday 21st December.
On Christmas Eve we’ll be having our service at 4.30pm in the afternoon. This will be an All Age Carols and Christingles service for all to hear the Christmas story on this special night. In the last couple of years we have had many join us from our local community so it would be great to join together with them at this time. Then we meet again on Christmas Day at the slightly earlier time of 10.30am for an All Age Christmas Day service.
Many of us continue to balance the themes of comfort and joy in our lives and wonder what that means for so many in our world. Jesus, born into a dangerous world, fleeing for his life at such an early age knew all about this. Yet, as He grew, He found time to learn, to share food, to take boat trips, to go out with friends, knowing the thread of danger and death that He would face. We pray this Advent that this same Jesus will help us individually and as a community to do what we can, inspired by the Prince of Peace himself and yet know the hope that Jesus brings into our world, not just this Christmas but forevermore. If you have thought on this that you would like to share then do get in touch with me or the deacons.
In Christ
Shelley
“The Polar Express” screening Saturday 9th December
“The Polar Express” film showing tomorrow evening at MBC, (Sat) 6pm till 8pm, free entry, comes complete with popcorn and hot chocolate.
Steel Crazy sets MBC off on the right road to Christmas
Mince pies, Christmas cake, tea, coffee, juice, craft, painted biscuits etc. etc… oh and of course a fantastic steel pan band got MBC’s Christmas celebrations off to a great start. Steel Crazy, a band in which the all-female drummers – well with the exception of just one or two resident males plus Nick Taylor one of MBC’s regulars rattled through almost two hours of carols and Christmas songs.
Rachel Beedle our Seniors Worker plays one of the smaller drums, unlike the lady on the extreme left who seemingly has to lug around six giant kettle drums but I have to say collectively they make an absolutely brilliant sound.
Roll on 2024!
Shelley – 1 st Dec 2023
Dear friends
On the first day of Advent I am reminded again that beginnings matter. The 24/7 prayer app today highlights a beginning for the young boy Samuel when he first heard God’s voice.
“The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” (1 Samuel 3:3)
It is encouragement that no matter how we feel today, ‘the lamp of God has not gone out’ and he calls us again to settle in Him and listen to His voice.
We want to hear God’s voice in all the activities over the next few weeks and encourage others to draw near to Him too.
After starting the decorating of church this evening, we welcome Steel Crazy to play Christmas Carols and songs along with Christmas refreshments tomorrow 1.30-3.30.
On Sunday we meet for Café Church as we look at the theme of Comfort and Joy and in the light of what we have been learning over the last few weeks as we look forward to Advent and Christmas. It’s 11-12midday in church and online.
Rock solid for youth is 7-8pm in church on Sunday night.
Monday 4th December – Beacon café – 10-12
Tuesday 5th December – Stepping stones for under 5’s and their carers/parents 10-11.30
Tuesday 5th December afternoon house group in the church building– see Rod/Howard
Tuesday 5th December – 7.30pm in church – leadership team meeting
Wednesday 6th December– lunch club – see Rachel Beadle for more information
Wednesday 6th December – 7.30pm house group in the building and online on zoom. See Ruth /Andy Berry or Shelley
Thursday 7th December– 2-4pm warm space and craft group – all welcome
Thursday 7th December 7- 9pm The Thursday night bible study in the building – see Gareth Gadd
Friday 8th December Check with Carol or Robert Owen about bible study this week
Friday 8th December – House group – see Hilary/Jonathan Darling or Helen/Steve Olijnyk
Saturday 9th December – Polar Express film in church along with popcorn and hot chocolate. 6-8pm. Talk to Adam Argyle if you want more information or can help. Or get in touch with Claire Taylor or Lesley.
Sunday 10th December – 11am service in church with communion.
Saturday 16th of December 1-3pm in church, £8 per wreath. There are limited spaces so please book your place with Lesley if you are planning on coming. Do invite friends
All-age nativity service will be on the 17th December. Watch this space…
All-age Christingle service in candlelight on Christmas Eve afternoon at 4.30pm.
Christmas Day we will have an all-age worship service together to celebrate Emmanuel, God with us. If you play an instrument or sing you’d be welcome to join in on that day to play the carols.
Do pray about all these events and services and bring your friends, family, neighbours along.
I have attached a copy of the Christmas Card. They have been professionally printed and you can pick one up in church. Do share on your social media too. A banner will be going up this week.
Finally we often have a Christmas appeal at this time. This year it has been suggested that we make small Christmas hampers for those who may need them locally this Christmas. We regularly have people coming into the building now who we are getting to know who come for conversation, food and help. If you think you can help we are looking for people to buy
A box of mincepies
chocolates
Bubble bath/shower gel
Coffee/tea/hot chocolate
Biscuits
Jam
You don’t have to buy all this, just one thing each is really welcomed. Please check dates before you buy food so that the food will last as long as it can as some may not go out until just before Christmas. You can start to bring things to Lesley or in church from Sunday 3rd December. We will need a bit of help putting these together so again if you would like to help do let us know