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Month: February 2025

Saturday March 8th, FAIRTRADE CAFE is revived and you’re all invited

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A message from Roger Robson.

Some MBC folk may remember the Fairtrade Café run by the Beehive in past years. Well, this year the idea is being revived by Churches Together in Chapel Allerton and Meanwood on Saturday 8th March in the Chapel Allerton Methodist Centre from 10am to 1pm.

There will be refreshments, Fairtrade stalls and good company. All are welcome to support Fairtrade and Green Christian organisations seeking to help tackle climate change and help those in vulnerable countries that are most affected.

Please come along.

Shelley’s message… 22 February

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Dear friends

Just a short email this evening as I will send another email on Monday as we have a number of things coming up.  I took a couple of days out of what I usually do with church to rest (in a Shelley kind of way) but I look forward to seeing many of you on Monday.

Tomorrow, we meet in the building at 11am.  There will be some linked activities using clay to connect in with what Phil C will be sharing.  Last week was a good time of fellowship and hearing from God although we had a problem with the screen and youtube.  Thank you to those who have been working on this through the week, we hope to have a livestream tomorrow.  Rock Solid youth group have a break for half term tomorrow but return the week after.

Just a couple of notices before Mondays email..

A reminder about the deacons meeting next Monday at 7.30pm

The funeral of Gillian Bayliffe takes place in church at 11.30am on Thursday 27th February followed by refreshments in church.  All who remember Gillian or want to support David and the family are invited.

Next Saturday we will be joining in with Gather25 from 1 until 2 (mentioned in last week’s email) then we will be joining to pray together for our world, country, city and church until 3ish.  Everyone welcome

Blessings

Shelley

Jane Coates – Thoughts and Prayers. Trust – in the Fog

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Trust-in the Fog
 
As I was driving back in the car late-into the evening, the night was bleak, dark and foreboding, and the nighttime sky was heavy with rain, black clouds, and thick gloom. It was difficult to see where the edges of the road were. Our main country road has no street lighting or pavements at either side, but simple grass verges-with major holes, dips and a small beck at the edge. It reminded me of a time, when as a younger, more inexperienced driver, I was driving in deep fog. It was difficult to see even two metres in front of the car and even after trying to follow the white edges of the pavement, I found myself not on the road at all, but on the forecourt of a parade of shops. I judged it wise to stop and get out of the car.
 
There are times in life when we are in a place of confusion, disappointment, lacking clarity and a clear focus for the way ahead. It can be distressing ‘not to know’ the way ahead, not to the o be sure of the outcome, and not to know if the desired result or answer to a prayer will be realized. There is a risk of going off the road and on to the forecourt where we are stuck for a while, or of trying to manufacture our own solution to a desired result.
 
Many will be familiar with my C journey. The very worst part of that journey was the five months of chemotherapy with its unpleasant and disabling side effects. Initially, the powerful drugs seemed to be effective but then during the second round of chemo an MRI scan clearly showed that the tumour had doubled in size and that the move to surgery was essential. The surgical team were superb, and the final pathology report and further MRIs confirmed that there was no spread of the cancer. So, although that news was excellent, I was still left confused, and saddened, that after the five months of treatment with its significant delay to resolution, those months seemed to be wasted, bleak and fog bound. But with God nothing is wasted, there are always lessons to be learned. I had trusted Him.
 
It is in those times of weakness and disorientation that you need the prayer support of others. Prayer needs energy, patience and vision. There are times when you have none of those. At those times of confusion, we need to trust a loving God and surrender to His outcome. I was so glad of the prayer support of our Leaders, the Sunday prayer team, the church prayer link, the church fellowship, friends around the country and abroad, and anyone who prayed at that time. On the day of the surgery, the presence of Jesus was tangible. It was so evident that He was with me.
 
So, when we are in the fog, don’t keep pushing ahead. It is safer to stop and reach out to friends for prayer and help.
 
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life. Philippians 4 v 6 MSG
 
PRAY
Have I trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
I should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can I find a friend so faithful,
Who will all my sorrows share?
Jesus knows my every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
 
Am I weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still my refuge!
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
 
Adapted from words by Joseph Medlicott Scriven
 
Jane Coates
February 2025

Shelley’s message for w/c 16th February

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Dear friends

We meet on Sunday at 11am to hear from the next part of Luke in Luke 3.  There will be a group for our younger friends and communion too.

Next week is half term so if you want to go to a housegroups do check with the leaders or contact Lesley although to date I haven’t heard about any changes in housegroups/bible studies.  There will be no Lunch Club this week and youth meet on Sunday night at the usual time of 7pm.  They will break for a week on 23rd February and be back again on Sunday 2nd March. Warm welcome Beacon café and craft group are on this week as usual too.

We love to make space for people to chat over a drink and food and we do this every first Sunday of the month at café church (as well as Mondays, Wednesday and Thursdays).  Lesley sent out an email this week to ask if anyone could help every so often with topping up water, sorting cups etc for café church.  If you can, can you let Lesley know please, it won’t be every month but if we have more people, it will help share the roles a bit and make other things possible.

Gather25

On 1st March Gather25 takes place across the world.  It’s a livestream of worship, prayer and stories live from 8 worldwide locations plus the persecuted church.  We want to partner in prayer and worship with brothers and sisters around the world.  The livestream will be broadcast in many languages.  We will be broadcasting in English and will be showing the livestream from 1pm in church which happens to be live from Cluj in Romania.  You will have chance to watch, sit, write, pray, sing during this time. Between 2 and 3pm we will have some live sung worship, art area and activities, map of the world, prayer.  Then 3pm-4pm I will lead a movement workshop ‘Prayer for 2025’ with props including flags for all ages and no experience needed, just come and learn how to move in prayer. Adjustments will be made for different fitness levels/abilities. The livestream will continue… the livestream then moves to Kigali in Rwanda and then to the UK at 7pm. www.gather25.com  I will send a separate email out this week but if you know you can contribute then can you let me know and everyone else just come along and feel free to invite people.  This isn’t about an ‘event’ but it is an opportunity to pray at the same time with many other brothers and sisters around the world and to be encouraged and challenged by how God is working across the world and to motivate us where we are.

Notice of funerals

We will be hosting the funeral of Gillian Bayliffe at 11.30am February 27th followed by refreshments.  All those who would like to remember Gillian or support David and her family are invited to come along.

We will be hosting the funeral of Jenny Trout at 4pm March 6th. More details to follow.

Change of Date for MBC plant sale It’s now 10th May!  It seems a long way off, but Jenny says “if anyone is splitting up perennial plants that have got too big, then it would be great if you could save and pot up the bits they don’t want so they will be nice and big and healthy by May time!  Probably not something anyone is going to want to be doing this weekend though due to the weather!”.

Wednesday worship songs of praise

There will be a songs of praise at Wednesday worship at 1.30pm on 26th February.  If you have a favourite hymn or bible reading to share can you let Rachel B know please.

Seminar on Cristian considerations of potential changes in law regarding “assisted dying” Venue: Woodlands Methodist Harrogate Date: Saturday 22th February 2025, 10.00 – 12.00 noon with breakfast available from 9.30 am Tickets: General admission: £5 Under 18s: free Tickets: On EventBrite Seminar – February 2025: Assisted Dying – Harrogate School of Theology & Mission  Session delivered by David Hanson, retired Consultant ENT surgeon, who in addition to his medical career, has been a leading supporter of WYSOCS (West Yorkshire School of Christian Studies) which became the Thinking Faith Network https://thinkfaith.net/about/

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

 

 

Jane Coates – Thoughts and Prayers – Everything

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I am a great fan of the BBC Series Call the Midwife, and in a recent episode we saw a new, trainee midwife, Sister Catherine, moving into Nonnatus House to complete her training. 
 
Not long after Sister Catherine’s arrival Sister Monica Joan, a much older, experienced nurse seeks ‘the new girl’ out and engages her in a fascinating and challenging conversation asking if this is the life she imagined, and what changes a life given entirely to God would entailed.
 
Sister Catherine, who by now we have learned used to enjoy  trampolining and golf begins to list her thoughts…  “my time, pear drops, my cat Maude, mascara, coffee in the percolator, my brothers and sisters, waking up in my flat with my friends. Choosing what to wear, choosing what to eat, choosing what to do… sometimes, it’s the choosing that I miss most of all.”
 
In other words, you could say that as Sister Catherine sees it God demands her all, He doesn’t pick and choose. If her new life means she is to follow Him, He demands her everything. 
 

Hearing her say this I began to think about the word ‘everything.’ It is rare for someone to relinquish, surrender their rights or to give up their control of something. It would usually apply to property rights, part of an inheritance, or in rare occasions, the rights to the care of a child. Sister Monica Joan was born into a wealthy, aristocratic family who had disapproved of her choice of a Midwifery career and even more so of her being a Nun, taking her vow of poverty. Sister Catherine, at the beginning of her own journey, was honest about the challenge of ‘letting go,’ and the right to choose for herself.

 
We sometimes sing the old hymn ‘I surrender all.’ I find it immensely difficult to sing this hymn. It is hard to relinquish control, to ignore our material ‘stuff,’ and things that we like to have around us. We have our home, our car, our salary, our pensions, our holidays, the electronic devises that connect us to family and others. We have daily plans, schedules, and the things which entertain.
 
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
 
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
 
Immediately after Jesus was baptized, He was taken into the desert for a time of severe testing. In the third and final test Jesus was taken to a very high mountain, shown all the kingdoms of the world, their magnificence, and their delights, the devil, announcing, “everything there I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” “Away with you, Satan!” replied Jesus, “the scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’.” Matthew 4 v 8-11 NIV
 
The devil offered Jesus ‘everything.’ Everything can be yours, but only if you will worship me.
 
Jesus was tested to the extreme, which gives me hope that He understands my struggles, my confused priorities, my muddled thinking, my pressures and my weakness.
 
PRAY
What do I hang on to at all costs? What time swallowing task could I let go of?
Jesus, shape my life so that it may more resemble yours.  Prune my priorities and desires.
 
Jane Coates.
February 2025
 
 
 
 

Shelley’s message… “keep going, don’t stop!”

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Dear friends

On an early morning long run I ended up in the city centre.  The weather was overcast and drizzly and it felt like I had been running for a long time.  Then a voice shouted from the bridge “keep going, don’t stop!”  The command woke me up from the greyness as I saw a man sat on the floor, wrapped in a sleeping bag.  Hebrews 10:24 says “And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.”  A spur is a small spike or small wheel a rider wears on their heel to help urge a horse forward or to direct the horse’s steps.  It gives direct action to the horse and complements the words of the rider.  It had the desired affect on me as I shouted thank you, picked up the pace and decisively picked my route.  It’s a thought..

This week looks like this..

Sunday 11am service with group for our younger friends and on youtube.  Luke 2:40-51

Sunday 7-8pm rock solid youth group in church

Monday 10-12midday Warm welcome space beacon café

Tuesday 10-11.30 Stepping Stones for under 5’s and parents and carers

Tuesday afternoon house group in church, see Howard Dews

Wednesday lunchclub, see Rachel Beedle

Wednesday 7.30-9pm house group in church, see Ruth/Andy Berry, also one in Alwoodley, see Diane Sunter

Thursday 2-4pm warm welcome space craft group

Thursday 7pm bible study with Gareth

Friday 10am Bible study in church, any questions, chat with myself

Friday 8pm housegroup, see Jonathan and Hilary or Steve or Helen

Saturday 15th 9.30am sung worship breakfast at the toby carvery.  See Andy Berry for more information.

Sunday 16th 11am service with communion and a group for our younger friends.

Sunday 16th after church, Sunday morning pray group meet with lunch, Shelley leading a session on ‘Hearing God’s voice’.

We are linking with Gather25  www.Gather25.com We will be gathering for some prayer, art, music, dance in the afternoon to evening on 1st March.  If you have an idea, a prayer, a picture, a song please get in touch, it is a shared gathering.

In Christ

Shelley

Jane Coates – Thoughts and Prayers – Scars

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I would guess that most of us have a scar or two, either caused by a fall, an accident or injury, or surgery of some kind, either big or small, or maybe even a small burn. The healing processes of our bodies are truly wonderful. When skin is injured or cut in some way, new tissue is created which helps the skin to reseal itself. The scar helps the skin to repair its damaged tissue, to close the gap made by a cut, tear or surgical incision, and pulls together the wound. Isn’t that amazing! Our skin is such an essential part of our immune system. I am the proud bearer of several scars and surgical incisions. My first scar was caused when I was 10 years old and collided with a run of iron railings. The second scar followed the safe, emergency delivery of our first child. The third scar was to remove a facial blemish, and the fourth, more major scar, was the removal of a cancer. So, I have had my share of surgical scars. Such scars may fade over time but often remain.
 
There are also hidden scars that may be hidden, hard to detect, or deliberately concealed. People may carry emotional scars caused by distress of some nature. There may be a loss, a breakdown of a relationship, a mental health concern, the responsibility for the care of an aged partner or parent, a long-term health condition, and a whole range of other circumstances. A person may carry these burdens alone and those folk around them may not recognise the hidden trauma and scarring that is caused. Such scars may take a long time to heal and fade.
 
We have a Saviour who seeks to heal and to restore. A healing of any wound is a first essential, but Jesus is in the business of recovery, renewal, and restoration. Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So, he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.  Matthew 12 v 13 NIV
 
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal as it flowed from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street of the city and on either bank of the river grew the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, a different kind for each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22 v 1-2 JBP
 
Recently, our thoughts have been with those who have said goodbye to long time partners and other dear family members. I came across this song Scars in Heaven, by Casting Crowns. It is a strong reminder that there will be no scars in heaven, other than those scars on the body, feet and hands of our Lord. We will be renewed and fully restored.
 
SONG
The only scars in Heaven, they won’t belong to me and you
There’ll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made new
And the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall down
Is that the only scars in Heaven are on the hands that hold you now
 
Songwriters: John Mark Hall / Matthew Joseph West
Scars in Heaven lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
 
 
PRAY for those grieving the loss of loved ones, experiencing physical or emotional scars. May we be sensitive to their situation and kind in our words.
 
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5 v 10-11 NIV
 
Jane Coates
8 February 

Shelley’s update – Connections, 1 February

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Dear friends

Usually, one good piece of advice I have been given in the past regarding technology is ‘turn it off and back on again”. Usually, things sort themselves out.  Since my laptop and phone have been ‘temperamental’ this week I tried it out on them both.  For my laptop, it worked.  My phone was a different story.  Only specialised, high-powered intervention involving connecting the phone to equipment that was able to do all sorts of things whilst it was ‘asleep’ was able to bring it back to life temporarily. It’s a reminder again about the importance of being connected. Trees are connected to goodness in the soil to remain healthy and stand.  Tomorrow, we’ll hear more on this at café church starting at 11am looking at John 15.  There will be pastries, fruit and drinks and an activity to practically explore the theme.

Connection can look like many things.  If we are talking about connection to God, the word ‘prayer’ may come into our minds.  Prayer is one way we keep our roots strong.  Christians have always prayed but in 2025 there seems to be a renewal of focus to pray again, pray with others, prayer in a new way with or without words, pray across cities, across countries…

The Baptist Union have started some online prayer gatherings for 2025.  The first one happened last week but there are more throughout the year.  The next one is on 25th March.  Please follow the link below to catch up and join in.

The Baptist Union of Great Britain : Prayer Broadcasts

One of the Wednesday evening groups has started The Prayer Course by Pete Greg of 24/7 prayer, a course that has been run once already at MBC last year.  For more information for your own group or if you want to find resources for yourself or to do the course with others talk to Krys Gadd or myself.

On 1st March ‘Gather25’ is planned, see Gather25 | 25-hour Global Christian Conference in 2025 described as using the technology we have to Gather, inspire, share stories of the whole church around the world so that we can commit ourselves again to live the Great Commission and see Jesus everywhere.  There are 7 areas from where worship, prayer and stories will be broadcast.  These include the UK, Romania, Malaysia, Rwanda as well as an 8th area hosted by the Persecuted church around the world. I will share more information tomorrow and on a separate email but for now put 1st March in your diary (afternoon into evening)!  As well as the livestream we hope to have some live worship/prayer/art in the building as well as a Movement and prayer workshop praying in a new way for the year ahead. Do get in touch of you have a thought/idea/can help.

Also, aimed at those aged 13ish to 35ish or anyone with a heart for this age group including friends, youth and children’s leaders, teachers, parents, grandparents you might want to join us in ‘TheSend’.  It’s happening across the UK, 5 regions; Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Northern England and Southern England, similar to Gather25 with worship, prayer, inspiration and commissioning.  The big gathering for Northern England is at Leeds Arena on 22nd November and we have been invited to go to our nearest local pre-event prayer/worship hub (they are happening all over the region) at North Church on 8th May.  More information to come in the next two weeks.

Also, a reminder that all those who lead by playing/singing worship at any point throughout the week are invited to breakfast on 15th Feb at the carvery in Chapel A to hang out/share at 9.30am.  Each week there are different groups/bands so it would be great to spend some time altogether.  There will be a Tech team breakfast on 8th March 9.30am.

All our groups are running as usual this week.  Do check with Lesley, the group leaders or myself if you have questions and check out the website www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

“My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples” (Isaiah 56:7)

In Christ

Shelley

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