November 2024 – Page 2 – Moortown Baptist Church

A big “Thank You” from North Leeds Foodbank

November 8, 2024November 7, 2024 by Adam Argyle

Shelley Dring, our Minister writes ” I’d just like to share with you a message of thanks we have received from Simon at North West Leeds Foodbank. In it he mentions “gleaning” which is something we too have been focusing on in our Harvest Festival.

Over the last few weeks we have been reminded that Ruth was a “gleaner” – a gleaner in Boaz’s field. The reason that she was able to glean was because Boaz was intentional about leaving a margin around his fields; his workers would not keep every scrap they picked but would allow others to glean from what was left… a perfect example of God being intentional and not wanting us to keep more than we need.

Simon wrote:

Dear Shelley I’m writing to Thank You and the congregation for your generous harvest donation of food and toiletries to our foodbank . Trusell fooddbanks rely almost entirely on donations (of food or money) to meet the increasing needs of people in our area in these challenging times.

Your donation of 54KG will provide about 128 individual meals.

Bishop Nick Baines, in a recent “Thought for the Day” talked of the Biblical principles of tithing and “gleaning” (Leviticus 19:9-10).

That is, not keeping everything God has given to us ourselves, but building community by allowing the people who have least to collect what they need from what others have to spare.

That’s what were doing by offering a warm welcome and practical support, as well as food, to all who come to our centres.

Thank You again!

Remembrance Sunday – in order to observe a two minute silence our morning service will start at 10.50am

November 6, 2024 by John Sherbourne

This coming Sunday, that’s November the 10th, our morning service will begin at 10.50am.

Being Remembrance Sunday, this slightly earlier start will give us an opportunity to gather ourselves before observing a two minute silence, in which we will pay our respects to all the men and women who throughout the years have fallen in combat.

If you can please join us for this act of remembrance which will take place at precisely 11am.

Jane Coates. Thoughts and prayers. Safe and Sound

November 8, 2024November 5, 2024 by Jane Coates

Safe and Sound

The idiom ‘safe and sound’ is a wonderful phrase that conjures up other words such as secure, home, free from anxiety, safety, settled and established. I love going away on holiday, but I am a ‘home bird’ now and at the end of a break I am ready to come home. When our own teenager with the group of Scouts returned from ten days of camping, trekking, and glacier walking in the Alps, we were thankful to have him home ‘safe and sound’ at the end of the expedition.

In the very familiar story of the prodigal son, we read that when the younger son was alone, without means of support, hungry, with no one to give him either help or food, he came to his senses and then he came home to his father. The phrase ‘safe and sound’ stands out in the story. One of the servants explains to the elder brother, the reason for the music, dancing and celebration. “Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.” Luke 15 v 27 The father also explains his reasons for the feasting, the best cloak, the ring and the shoes gifted to his son. “We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ Luke 15 v 33

We do not know how long the prodigal had been away from the family home, but the impression would be for an extremely long time-certainly months or even years. Without news of the son, the father in his worst moments, may have assumed that his son could have died in some far country. But he was now ‘safe and sound’, secure in the family and the home.

I often think of the story title more as ‘the waiting, loving father.’ The father who is constantly on the lookout for a returning son, his eyes monitoring that road home. The father who never gave up hope and who longed to wrap his arms around his youngest child. The father who ran towards his returning son to welcome him back-home before anyone else, such as the town elders could turn him away.

Our Heavenly Father is constantly on the lookout for us to come home to Him, -to be safe, sound, and secure in Him. He welcomes us back no matter what kind of condition we are in. He wants us to be free from all fear, and anxiety, and simply to come near to His heart of compassion.

As Moses, the ‘man of God’, was about to die, he gave each of the tribes of Israel a special blessing. His blessing to the tribe of Bejamin is particularly poignant. Let us claim this blessing for ourselves. Know that you are beloved of God, surrounded with His loving care and preserved from harm. You are safe in the father’s embrace.

Concerning the tribe of Benjamin, Moses said:

“He is beloved of God

And lives in safety beside him.

God surrounds him with his loving care,

And preserves him from every harm.”

Deuteronomy 33 v 12 TLB

Jane Coates, November 4th 2024

Shelley’s news for week commencing Sunday 3rd of November

November 2, 2024 by John Sherbourne

Dear friends

We look forward to seeing you at café church tomorrow to worship together, catch up, have breakfasts pastries and drinks, pray and hear more from the book of Ruth as we move onto Ruth 4:1-12. Its an all age service so there are things designed for all ages and experiences including a planting activity linked to the themes. We start at 11am in the building and online.

Through the week are activities are as usual..

Monday – Beacon warm welcome café 10-12midday

Tuesday – Stepping stones group for under 5’s and their parents/carers 10-11.30am

Tuesday afternoon – house group in church, see Rod/Howard

Wednesday – lunch club for all those booked in and the volunteers, see Rachel Beedle

Wednesday evening – house group in church, see Andy/Ruth Berry. There’s also a house group of women led by Diane Sunter on Wednesday evenings.

Thursday – warm welcome craft group 2-4pm in church

Thursday – bible study at 7pm in church, see Gareth Gadd

Friday – bible study at 10am in church, see Shelley or send a message to Lesley for more information

Friday evening at 8pm – house group, see Jonathan/Hilary Darling

Do call or send a message to Lesley or ask Shelley for more information on groups through the week. Lesley is in the office Monday and Tuesday 9-4pm and Wednesday until 1pm.

Next Sunday we have a service in church and online with an opportunity to think about remembrance. This service will start ten minutes earlier at 10.50 so that we can observe the 2-minute silence. There will be a group for our younger friends.

The next Wednesday worship is 13^th November at 1.30pm in church.

On Saturday 16^th November there will be a special art exhibition in church with opportunity to buy box canvases, framed paintings and hundreds of ink and powder abstract works created by Tricia’s late husband. It is called Ralph Bainbridge: The painting machine. It will take place from 11am to 3pm. More information to come but do ask Mandy, Tricia, or Shelley if you have any questions. Messages can also be sent to Lesley to pass onto them. It is open to all. There will be a small table out on Sunday 17^th too.

On Sunday 24^th November at 4pm, we welcome Sue and John Wilson for a retirement visit and tea at church to catch up with them about life as missionaries in Paris with BMS. All welcome! More details to come.

More details to come about Christmas! Just a couple of dates for your diary and chance to let others know about…

1^st December Advent café church together at 11am

7^th December at 1.30-3.30pm, sing along Christmas carols and songs with Steel Crazy steel pan band, festive treats and a fun Christmas quiz.

15^th December at 3pm Creative wreath making workshop where you will learn how to make your own Christmas wreath to take home, materials and festive refreshments will be provided. £10 each. Please book in with Lesley so that we can provide the right number of wreaths and resources. If you have a favourite pair of scissors/secateurs you may want to bring them along but we will have some for you to use anyway!

“I know that my redeemer lives…I myself will see him with my own eyes” Job 19:25-27

In Christ

Shelley

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