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Our new cross puts MBC firmly back on the community map

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Who would have thought that two pieces of wood, blown off a roof could cause as much commotion as it did? But that’s precisely what happened when some weeks ago now, what many of us refer to as our disco cross blew down – or to be more accurate became seperated from its base. 

Almost immediately the rumours started; was it because the church was upsetting it’s neighbours, or perhaps it was its twinkly lights that sparkled from dusk to goodness knows when, or maybe simply its ever presentness that was being missed.    

Anyway as your leadership team were busy WhatsApping one another having been invited to suggest both the colour and the positioning of the lights, and as the issue was even brought up in a Church Meeting Rod Russell and his trusty second in command didn’t allow any such distraction to deter them from the task in hand. 

To us here at MBC the cross, of course is a symbol of our faith and our beliefs, however, to many of the thousands of others people who pass by each and every year (in a car, on a bus, on foot) and who might never dream of setting foot in a church it had become much more than that. To them whether they were aware of it or nor something was different, something they may not be able to put their finger on but they were right, what was missing was the symbol of what MBC stands for, what it projects… the love of God. 

Thanks Rod for helping us all realise the message we attach to something as simple as two bits of wood which, without us even saying a word mean so very much to our outreach. 

Know your Leadership Team

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Moortown Baptist Church, like every other church within the tradition has deacons or as we like to call them a Leadership Team. This is currently made up of eight members of our congregation who between them have somewhere in the region of 275 years working and serving in one area of ministry or another; you can imagine that for a church that only opened its doors in 1955 some of them must have done just about anything and everything whilst others we still call relatively new. 

Nevertheless, our collective aim, our vision – particularlly post Covid – is to make MBC relevant to both our members and to the community we all serve. Whether that be through worship, prayer, all manner of community work – both face to face or online, pastoral care etc. etc. we know that as long as we put Jesus front and centre we are heading in the right direction.

If for any reason you would like to contact anyone on the Leadership Team please drop and email to leadership.team@moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

Another busy week at MBC

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Dear friends

This Sunday is known to many in the church as Pentecost Sunday, the day when we remember the Holy Spirit joining with the friends of Jesus in a powerful way as they sat together in an upper room.  We’ll read about it in Acts 2 of the bible. 

When I was younger, I knew the day as Whitsunday and mum and dad bought me and my sister a new dress each.  The name Whitsuntide referred to an old medieval holiday, a time when those who were forced to work the land were allowed a time to rest, pause, to ‘catch their breath’.  All of us at some time need a time to ‘catch our breath’.  Interestingly, the Greek word for Spirit in the new testament part of the bible is ‘pneuma’, often translated as ‘breath’. Amongst all the ups and downs of life, lets take a moment to ask the ‘pneuma’, the breath of God, God with us, the comforter to refresh us again. Let’s remember to ‘take a breath’.   

Week of 27th May…

Sunday 27th May. 11 o clock Pentecost Service with a group for our younger friends to creatively explore the theme together.  Also on our Youtube channel.

Wednesday 31st May. Beacon warm welcome café. The day has changed from Monday to Wednesday just for this week.  10-12 midday, all welcome, free drinks and breakfast snacks.

There’ll be no Stepping Stones under 5’s group or lunchclub this week (but do come to Wednesday beacon)

I’m not sure which house groups are running this week so if you go to one do ask those who lead it and, in the meantime, I’ll try and find out!

Thursday 1st June.  Warm welcome space and craft group 2-4pm.  All welcome.

Sunday 4th June.  café church 11-12midday.  This was due to be a service with the local charity ‘Caring for life’ but they are now joining us on a different day.  I’ll keep you posted.  We’ll still be having café church and we’ll be continuing with our Be transformed theme.

After the service there’s a get together for anyone who is part of the yellow badge prayer team on Sunday mornings or anyone who is interested in finding out what they do and if it might be something they might want to do too. It will be a short informal time to check on how you think it’s going, facilitated by Krys Gadd.  Feel free to bring your lunch.

Rock Solid will meet 7-8pm in the church building.

In the future…

Saturday 8th July 10.00am – 1.30 pm at MBC  Self-Care/Wellbeing session 

This is for church community including the Pastoral Care Team, Church staff, Seniors Team, befrienders, and anyone giving long term support to a partner or family member in any capacity. This is a relaxed session designed to help us intentionally look after ourselves emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. More information to come.  See Jane Coates, Mandy Russell or myself for info.

Saturday 22nd July. Prayer day including opportunities to join together online and in the building.  This day is very much in the planning stages so do let Krys Gadd know if you have ideas.

Saturday 7th October 10.00am – 1.30pm at MBC. Loss, Grief and Bereavement Awareness Course

This course will be facilitated by a Member of Staff from Care for The Family, a Christian Organisation www.careforthefamily.org.uk  Those who might be interested in coming along include the Pastoral Care Team, MBC Leadership and Staff, Seniors Team, House group leaders and toddler group leaders or anyone in the church family who feels that this course would help them support others experiencing loss or grief. Booking a place is encouraged as places maybe limited.  See Jane Coates or myself for info. 

You might also be interested to know…

…that Sunday 28th May is also the Global day of Prayer.  There is a gathering for anyone in Leeds 6-8pm at New Testament Church of God Church, Easterly Road, LS8 2TN (parking on Upland Road)

Thinking of the spirit as breath, you may value some quiet time.  Northern Baptist College will be hosting an online quiet day including worship and teaching (so it’s not completely silent!)  It’s led by Margaret Gibbs who trained in ethnomusicology, which is the study of music and its meaning in culture. She served with BMS in Nepal and Albania and then as Regional Team Leader for Asia. She is minister of Perry Rise Baptist Church, a multi-cultural congregation in South London.  Follow the link for details  Edifi Online Quiet Day Tickets, Sat 15 Jul 2023 at 10:30 | Eventbrite

A friend of mine is involved in a Christian all age music and arts festival.  Its in Parbold near Wigan.  It’s a bit like the Big Church Day out but it’s much nearer to Leeds and a bit smaller but super friendly.   I’ve put the link here…maybe with a bit more notice we can organise some trips.  I leave this with you for now..

Surfstage Christian Music Festival Parbold

Minutes of the church meeting will be available soon for those who want to catch up or be reminded of what we shared.

To find the new safeguarding policy, go to the website and click ‘About’ and then ‘downloads’. There is a paper copy in the building too, ask Lesley.

See you on Sunday

Shelley

Shelley’s update for w/e 21 May

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Dear friends

I want to thank you all those who came up to the church building and took part in the plant sale, the service on Sunday morning and youth on Sunday night.  There is always a great deal of work and prayer behind the scenes to all these things.  We put a few posts on social media and chatted to the midweek groups who are part of our wider community and now most of the plants have been taken to a good home and donations given.  I am glad I got a few myself!

Tomorrow we meet at 11 for our service in the building online.  We will be sharing communion.  There is a separate group available for our younger friends during the talk, exploring the theme of hope and prayer visually.  We are looking at how our minds are being transformed (Romans 12:2) over the next few weeks and last week looked at hope; the idea that part of having a renewed mind is that we can find hope in difficult times.  This doesn’t mean we are always hopeful, but that there is hope for us to access and this renews our thoughts and how we live. We’ll have the same reading as last week from 1 Peter 1:1-12 and I’ll be continuing this theme with you.

All the usual groups are on this week apart from Thursday night ‘bible in 24 hours’ as it’s the church meeting at 7.30.  Gareth will be in touch with this group to look at alternative times to get together.  All welcome to the church meeting where there will be updates from deacons, myself and other areas of church life. God is guiding us as a church so do share if you have any pictures or words that might help us as we discern all this.

Our month of prayer continues.  If you want to be reminded of themes for each day or to join the prayer whats app then do find more information here  May Day launches MBC’s month of prayer – Moortown Baptist Church

Next week we meet at 11am again and see afresh what happened at Pentecost.  We find another way that our minds are being renewed is to realise that God is faithful and the impossible seems possible.

We now have access to wifi in the sanctuary linked to our digital health hub project.  More news on this on Thursday night.  We still need to sort a guest password to make it easier to access but if you want wifi when you are in Beacon, craft group or church on Sundays then do ask Rachel or myself for the current password and we’ll put you in the right direction.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.”

1 Peter 1:1 

In Christ

Shelley

 

Shelley

MBC’s Plant Sale

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MBC’s Plant Sale once again gave us a hint of what in a perfect world our gardens may well look like. 

Friends old and new and some folk paying their first visit to Moortown were soon at the tables and the cafe counter snapping up and sampling what we had on offer. 

The proceeds of the afternoon were still being counted when this went to press so we’ll bring you the total as soon we can. However, this time it’s going to be a 50/50 split between Caring For Life, and the money we send to Romania to support the work they are currently doing with refugees. 

Jenny Dixon and her team did a magnificent job; our thanks to you all.  

Shelley’s weekly update

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Dear friends

It was great to see so many of you last week as we shared worship and lunch on the Coronation weekend.  Thanks again to all who planned the activities and helped on the day.  For those who missed it we do hope you are ok and if you want to see a few photographs you can find them on facebook and on the website at www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

Last Sunday we introduced a new series called Be transformed.  It’s linked to Romans 12:2

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Over the next few weeks we will be looking at ways in which we can be transformed by Gods Spirit and journeying with Jesus.  One of those ways is through God’s hope. We’ll be looking at hope tomorrow and on the 21st May, both at 11am in the church building and on youtube. If you want to share about what gives you hope, even if its just a sentence or a picture then do feel free to share this Sunday or next Sunday.  If you want to talk to me about it then get in touch.  A separate group for our younger members will be available again on the 21st May and the 28th May during the service.  Tomorrow there will be things for all to engage with.

On Sunday evening Rock Solid group for youth meet 7-8pm and then on Monday, Beacon warm space is back.  This week at Beacon we welcome friends from Maecare who are going to be available for a chat and to let anyone who wants to know what is available in the community for our older friends.

All our other groups run as usual this week. 

Reminder about the church meeting on 25th May at 7.30pm.

The plant sale is on this afternoon 1-3 with all money raised going to help the link churches in Romania and Caring for Life Caring For Life | A Christian Charity

Two weeks ago Geoff, our treasurer shared about where the money goes when it is given to Moortown Baptist Church.  If you missed this or want more information then do get in touch with him.

Our month of prayer continues.. if you want to join in and pray then have a look at May Day launches MBC’s month of prayer – Moortown Baptist Church Its not too late.  Thanks to all who pray for others in church and in our wider communities.  I am reminded again of Ephesians 6:18

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

Pete Greig of the 24/7 prayer movement simply says

“The best bit of advice I ever received on prayer was this:  Keep it simple, keep it real, keep it up”

In Christ

Shelley

 

 

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