A poem for Good Friday

What makes this day good?
If you have ever believed that love always leads to betrayal and hurt
this day says it doesn’t.
If you have ever believed that some people are unloveable, irredeemable,
this day says they aren’t.
If you have ever believed that there is a limit to forgiveness
this day says there isn’t.
If you have ever believed you aren’t worth saving
this day says you are.
If you have ever believed that you don’t deserve freedom
this day says you do.
If you have ever believed that fear, anger, hate and despair will always win
this day says they won’t.
 
That’s what makes this day good
And this day is good for you.

Schedule for Easter Weekend

As we approach the Easter weekend here is a little reminder of what is going on at MBC…

Day and Time What’s On
Good Friday 10am Reflection in the building – time to sit, be, reflect, draw, read on Good Friday
Good Friday 10.30am-11.00am Service
Good Friday 11.00-11.45am Reflection in the building – time to sit, be, reflect, draw, read on Good Friday
Good Friday 12.00 midday All Age Easter egg hunt with some craft activities
Good Friday 2.00pm MBC Walk

Meeting Point: White Wells Car Park, Ilkley, Google Maps Ref: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gW4wfiJfv7TmmWJB8 (If there are no spaces then you can park in Darwin Gardens or on Wells Road itself). Length of walk: 1.5 hours in total (maximum) From the car park is the steepest part of the walk, for around 10 minutes and after that it levels off for a while. The inclines are not too steep and the path is a gravel one with few muddy bits. I would recommend walking boots or sturdy trainers if you have them, just for your comfort. Feel free to take it at your own pace. You might want to bring a warm drink and a snack as well as suitable outer wear as it can be a little windy at the top! Krys says that there are a few roadworks A65 in Burley in Wharfedale that are creating a bit of a hold up in central Ilkley so you may want to allow a bit of extra time or go via the Cow and Calf pub instead. Otherwise, just sit and enjoy the scenery.

Easter Sunday 11am Sunday celebration service with baptisms and everyone welcome for Easter refreshments and tea/coffee after the service. We encourage you to share lifts, walk up to church if you are able and arrive before 11am. Extra chairs have been put out too. Look forward to seeing you! Do pray for Jason, Rebecca and Rowan being baptised from MBC.
The next Beacon Café is Monday 8th April 10-12am. Craft welcome space group will run as usual on Thursday 4th and Thursday 11th 2-4pm.

A reminder that the funeral of Barbara Dews, Howard Dews’ mother will be on April 11th at 12pm with refreshments and drinks in the building after the service. All those who knew Barbara or would like to support Howard are welcome to both.

In May … calling all gardeners! The church will be holding its annual charity plant sale again in May this year and as always it is your contributions that will enable it to happen. The weather has been awful, but now is the time to split and pot perennials, sow seeds and pot up runners so they will be attractive plants by May. If anyone needs advice or pots, please contact Jenny (or Lesley to pass onto Jenny) and also if you would like to help on the day (either 4th or 18th May).

Finally thank-you to all who were able to come to church on Tuesday for the church meeting. Thank you for your prayers and kindness on the evening. Also to our tech team who made a private YouTube channel possible for those who were unable to get there but wanted to be part of it. We continue to seek God in the new season and pray for all those who were mentioned on the night in any capacity.

Blessings

Shelley

Easter Services at MBC

Please come along and join us in all or a few of the services we are hosting over Easter, whether that is some quiet reflection, Easter Egg Hunt with crafts also or a big celebration on Easter Day it would be great to see you

17th March – communion and bring and share lunch

Just a reminder that tomorrow we meet at 11am for worship together and communion.  There will be a group for our younger friends during the service.  After the service we will have our bring and share lunch, a time to relax a bit together over food and drink. If you are bringing things, then we’d be grateful if it was pretty much ready to serve rather than needing lots of prep in the kitchen.  We have helpers in the entrance hall at the beginning of the service to take any food that needs to go into a fridge.

We look forward to seeing you

Rock solid meet in the evening for youth at 7-8pm

Our weekly activities continue as usual so it will be great to see you then

I will send an updated email tomorrow evening with all the information on for the next few weeks including Easter but just a reminder that we have a 10.30am short Easter service on good Friday, there’s a walk in the afternoon and we have an Easter Celebration with baptisms on Easter Sunday starting at 11am

In Christ

Shelley

Build up to Easter…

Today we welcome Andy Kind to lead a workshop on delivering a message and preaching.  It’s great to welcome those who are currently in the music room leaning in for the day.. thanks for giving your time to be open to God and learn. 

Tomorrow we meet at 11am for our service and there will be a group for our younger friends on the same theme.  We’ll be following on from last week with Matthew 14 vs 22-36

Rock Solid for youth meet 7-8pm in the church building in the evening.

Next Sunday our 11am service (with communion) will be followed by a bring and share lunch, time to just be, eat and relax together. If you bring something to share, please make sure it is prepared before you get here as there won’t be space to make things up in the kitchen.  If things need to go in the fridge, we’ll get as much as we can in there.  As we talk about God providing food in the wilderness it’s good to be able to thank God for all he gives and trust Him with what comes in.   All welcome!

Some other things to let you know about…

I want to let you know that the funeral of Judith Murray, who attended MBC for about 35 years and did the Cubs for about 25 years will be on Thursday 14th March @ 10.00 at St Matthew’s Church.   In her later years she attended St Matthew’s church so they will be hosting the funeral.  Her husband and daughter invite all those who knew her to go along.  Do pray for her family and friends as we thank God for her life on this earth and trust her to Jesus.

You may also be interested in this event in Leeds on 14th March.. click the link here.. Leeds Lives: Celebrating the Lives of Black People in Leeds Tickets, Thu 14 Mar 2024 at 19:00 | Eventbrite at New Testament Church of God Leeds, 3 Easterly Road Roundhay LS8 2TN at 7pm

Monday 11th March 10-12midday beacon warm welcome space

Tuesday 12th March 10 – 11.30pm  under 5’s group for children and their parents and carers

Tuesday afternoon – housegroup in the building

Wednesday 13th March – lunchclub for those booked in and the volunteer team (see Rachel Beedle or Lesley for more information)

Wednesday 13th March 7.30pm evening housegroup in church

Thursday  14th March Warm welcome space craft group 2-4pm

Thursday 14th March bible study on Daniel – see Gareth Gadd, at 7pm in the church building.

Friday 15th March – 10am bible study with Carol and Robert Owen, please see them or myself if you are interested

Wednesday 20th March – Easter Wednesday worship with communion at 1.30pm

Tuesday 26th March – 7.30pm Church meeting with updates, prayer and election of deacons

Friday 29th March – Good Friday worship and activities in the morning.. time tba, probably between 10 and 10.30am

Afternoon of Good Friday… Krys Gadd has organised a walk..

Meeting Point: White Wells Car Park, Ilkley https://maps.app.goo.gl/gW4wfiJfv7TmmWJB8

Time of Meeting: 2pm

Length of walk: 1.5 hours in total (maximum)

“I would love to share this wonderful view with you on Good Friday. It is just a stones throw from where we live and it’s where I walk probably 2 or 3 times a week. From the car park is the steepest part of the walk, for around 10 minutes and after that it levels off for a while. The inclines are not too steep and the path is a gravel one with very few muddy bits. I would recommend walking boots or sturdy trainers if you have them, just for your comfort. 

The view at the top (near the Swastika stone) is amazing. You can see out to the Dales on a clear day. When we get there I would love it if we could pause, pray and read out a scripture. You can walk further along the top after that or simply come back down the way we came. I would suggest bringing a warm drink and a snack as well as suitable outerwear as it can be a little windy at the top!

If you would like to come and can offer a lift to someone then please add your name to the sign up sheet I will bring to the church over the next few weeks. If you would like to come and need a lift then also please add your name to the sign up sheet with details of where you live.  Or send a message to Lesley in the office and she will pass it on.  You can of course just turn up and walk with us at 2pm without signing up. Praying for sunshine and clear views.” Krys Gadd.

Sunday 31st March – Easter Sunday 11am all together worship with Easter egg Hunt and baptisms

If you would like to talk about baptism then do get in touch with me or contact to Lesley to pass on a message and I’ll get back to you.

Thanks to those getting back about welcome team and the creche, we’ll be in touch this week.  Deacons statements will also go out next week.  Thank you for your prayers and discernment.

Shelley

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

Saturday 9th March – Andy Kind “live” at Moortown

Andy Kind… 

If you have a spare minute take time out to google the guy above. It’s a direct link to a brilliant comedian who is with us tomorrow, 

Andy Kind describes himself as a  Promedium  (Preacher + Comedian) and he will be here tomorrow between 10am and 4pm to lead a workshop for anyone interested in putting together a message – talk. 

It sounds like a long day so all you need to bring with you is some lunch, a notebook and a pen. 

See you there. You can follow Andy on facebook, X or Instagram 

Shelley – 3rd March

As I left the church building the other day, I noticed how bumpy the road currently is due to resurfacing work to improve the roundabout.  The roundabout is closed between 9 and 2.30pm on weekdays for another week after today but when it’s done, the road should be a lot smoother and the potholes will have gone. On Tuesday night at the church meeting, I mentioned that the picture of the resurfacing plans had stuck in my mind and reminded me of the Israelites in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy  2:3 God says to them, you have gone round in circles long enough; turn northward.  The Israelites could have made the journey they were on in 11 days but it took them much longer for all sorts of reasons.  However sometimes the road is rough and the path not clear and there are potholes.  I shared that I felt God say not to just fill in the potholes but engage with a full resurfacing of the road.  It means for a time the road is bumpier and messier and it takes longer to make journeys, the regular exits and entrances may alter so people’s directions may change for a time, but in the long run, the road will be better, not just for those who journey on it now but also in the future.  Lets keep praying for God to show what He wants us to be and do.  Tomorrow the road is open, but you may feel the bumps.

Its café church at 11am tomorrow so hot drinks and pastries and fruit are available as you come in.  We look forward to continuing our lent series on Increase and Decrease in the wilderness…as we look at Matthew 14:13-21 with all ages together.

Rock Solid groups are on in the evening for youth 7-8pm.  Do ask Martyn, Val, Adam, Nathan or myself if you want more information on attending or helping.

On the 9th March, Andy Kind (click on this link if you want to find out more)  Andy Kind – Promedian (Preacher + Comedian… if you had to ask) will be coming to lead a workshop for those interested in how to put a message/talk together.  Its 10-4pm in the building and its kindly being paid for by church, we just ask that you bring some lunch.  If you want to book on please email admin@moortown.baptist.church.org.uk or call church on (0113) 2693750.  For more information speak to Nathan or Shelley.

On Easter Sunday we are opening up the baptism pool for Easter baptisms.  If you have been thinking about this or you want to talk about it then do get in touch with me for a chat and we’ll be pleased to journey with you.   

Next Sunday we meet again at 11am in church and there will be a small group during the talk for children to explore the theme.  We’ll be looking at Matthew 14:22-36.

Other things going on over the next few weeks…

Monday 4th March 10-12midday beacon warm welcome space

Tuesday 5th March 10 – 11.30pm  under 5’s group for children and their parents and carers

Tuesday afternoon – housegroup in the building

Wednesday 6th March – lunchclub for those booked in and the volunteer team (see Rachel Beedle or Lesley for more information)

Wednesday 6th March 7.30pm evening housegroup in church

Thursday  7th March Warm welcome space craft group 2-4pm

Thursday 7th March bible study on Daniel – see Gareth Gadd, at 7pm in the church building.

Friday 8th March – 10am bible study with Carol and Robert Owen, please see them or myself if you are interested

Saturday 9th March – Workshop 10-4pm with Andy Kind in church

Sunday 10th March – Sunday church looking at Matthew 14: 22-36 with small group looking at the theme in a creative way for our younger friends

Sunday 10th March – 7-8pm Rock Solid for youth, two groups meet in the building at the same time, see Val Boyd, Adam Argyle, Nathan Dring or Martyn Grey

Sunday 17th March – we are having a bring and share lunch after the service so feel free to bring something to share.  Please make sure it is prepared as there won’t be space to make things up in the kitchen.  If things need to go in the fridge we’ll get as much as we can in there.  It will be an opportunity to just get together, share and be during this lent season.  As we talk about God providing food in the wilderness its good to be able to thank God for all he gives and trust Him with what comes in!

Wednesday 20th March – Easter Wednesday worship with communion at 1.30pm

Tuesday 26th March – 7.30pm Church meeting with updates, prayer and election of deacons

Friday 29th March – Good Friday worship and activities in the morning.. times tba.. there may be a walk in the afternoon.

Sunday 31st March – Easter Sunday 11am all together worship with Easter egg Hunt and baptisms

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley Dring

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