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Thursday – Friday and Sunday, Easter 2022 at MBC

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13th April…Reflection and readings for the night before Jesus died…in church, 8pm to 9pm.

14th April…Good Friday..9-11am drop in to reflect, pray, make a craft, make a card to give to others and hang on trees in the carpark (they include an encouraging Easter message from us), have a hot cross bun and a drink.  10-10.30 there will be an opportunity for all to come together and hear a reflection on what Jesus did for us on the cross.

16th April…Easter Sunday Celebration 11am-12midday and on YouTube…with communion…and some chocolate eggs…  

  

Lessons from cloaks and branches – Jane Coates

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Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the centre of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, 

“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David! 

Praise God in highest heaven!” 

So, Jesus came to Jerusalem and went into the Temple. After looking around carefully at everything, he left because it was late in the afternoon. Then he returned to Bethany with the twelve disciples. Mark 11 v 7-11 

I love the extravagance of the praise, honour and acknowledgement that the disciples and the crowds gave to Jesus as He entered Jerusalem. Clothing and cloaks were thrown on to the colt to make a saddle for the coming king and then branches, leaves and clothes were thrown down on to the floor in front of the colt as a wonderful red carpet for Jesus and the colt to walk on as He made His triumphal entrance into the city. There was noise, shouts, singing and cries of ‘hosanna’. The noisy procession was exuberant, loud, colourful, exciting, noisy, liberating, and joyful. There was no self-consciousness or inhibition. Bystanders joined in with the noise and the celebration.  

I wonder how I would have reacted had I been at the scene on this occasion? I believe that I am probably known as a person of quiet restraint and self-control, of calmness and of considered action and purpose, a person of few words but of quiet intent and timely conversation. Would I have taken off my outer clothes in extravagant worship and thrown them to the floor and cut branches from the local trees and bushes to wave with happy abandon, and raised my voice in praise and adoration at the coming of the king? Would I have thrown caution to the wind, thrown off my inhibitions and self-consciousness, with no regard for the comments of others around me and simply joined in this cacophony of praise and worship? Or would I have been the quiet bystander, embarrassed and uncertain as to whether to join in with the crowd? 

Praise in worship is a strange thing. Sometimes the large worshipping gathering makes it easier to praise, to raise the hands, to move and to sing the fast-paced worship songs. Sometimes I need to be in the large crowd- and the larger the better sometimes. I can be anonymous, concealed and feel safe in the crowd with a palm branch in my hands. 

The real test of worship would follow shortly after this day’s event as the crowd gathered and clamoured for the death of Jesus. There would be those people in the crowd that day who would be shouting for Barabbas and for Jesus to be crucified. They would forget their cries of Hosanna and would instead shout ‘crucify’. Would I have stood my ground and shouted for the Saviour King when those around me were all clamouring for His death? Would my voice then have been the loudest? Jesus, my Jesus! That would be praise and worship indeed. 

My song is love unknown. 

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day 

Hosannas to their King 

Then “Crucify!” 

Is all their breath,
And for His death
They thirst and cry.  

PRAY 

O LORD God Almighty, may my life during the week match my worship words on Sunday. Help me in my heart to realize that what I do each day is an integral part of my worship. I want to honour you with my heart, soul, mind, and strength every day of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

A time to grow – Shelley’s look back sets the way for the week ahead

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Dear friends

There’s been a lot going on at church this week including café church, Beacon café, The Queenshill Gardeners Community Day, Rachel’s Dementia friends training, lunch club visioning, craft group, prep for Easter, house groups and more.  I know this doesn’t include all the many practical jobs behind them and vital prayers you are praying and support you are giving to each other known to only God.  Our effectiveness isn’t connected to how busy we are (and if you are having a much needed break as some of you are or taking time out for whatever reason then we send you much love too) but its good to remember as a church family all the wonderful things that people are involved in.

Last week we were pleased to see 9 children sponsored with Compassion UK.  If you are having a think and a pray or you missed it and want to know more then do get in touch with me.  We don’t want it just to be something we ‘did’ but to hold these children in our prayers as they grow.  Some people have said that they may want to sponsor with others at church in a group.  Again if this is something you’d be interested in then lets talk.  I know there are so many needs in our world today, but I’m reminded of a prayer I used to say at church,

“For yours Lord is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.  All things come from you and of your own do we give you” (from 1 Chronicles 29:11).

We give from what God has already given us and there is no guilt in God.  So we ask for wisdom and pray ‘your Kingdom Come’ as we make a difference in this world in whatever way.

Do keep praying together for the people of Ukraine in whatever way you know how, for leaders, governments and for peace and healing and anyone who comes to mind… (Romans 8:26-27 reminds us that when we don’t know what to pray the Spirit helps us).   

On Tuesday we welcomed over 30 people of all ages who live on the doorstep of our church building as we chatted and drew about resilience, watched a film about a Gangsta Gardener transforming the streets of his city and planted veg seeds for the Queenshill Estate.  We had some great conversations about what is church, what are we growing and started some great conversations.  People felt cared for and listened to and thanks to those who were ‘church’ on that day in their conversations, washing up and tidying…. a few families want to come back so do keep an eye out over the next week both for your friends but also for anyone new. 

One person who came to café church last week for the first time wrote to the church website and asked me to pass this onto you…

“Hi, this is a message for Shelly but for the whole church to say how much my husband and I enjoyed worshipping with you last Sunday at the cafe church service… may God continue to bless you and guide you as you continue to seek His will and serve the community in which you are based. You are a blessing.”

It makes a difference, you all make a difference.

And so a reminder about Holy Week….

10th April…Palm Sunday Service with activities for our younger friends 11-12midday and on the MBC YouTube channel. 

11th April…Easter Beacon…chat, chill and eat Easter treats…bring children if you need as its the holidays.

13th April…Reflection and readings for the night before Jesus died…in church, 8pm to 9pm.

14th April…Good Friday..9-11am drop in to reflect, pray, make a craft, make a card to give to others and hang on trees in the carpark (they include an encouraging Easter message from us), have a hot cross bun and a drink.  10-10.30 there will be an opportunity for all to come together and hear a reflection on what Jesus did for us on the cross.

16th April…Easter Sunday Celebration 11am-12midday and on YouTube…with communion…and some chocolate eggs…  Hope to see many of you and those you bring… however you connect in

In Christ

Shelley

Now Lunch Club looks to extend its vision

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Last Wednesday morning the Lunch Club volunteers gathered for a time of fellowship and training. We thought about what Lunch Club means to the group members and the volunteers and our vision for the future. 

We also took part in a Dementia Friends Information Session (along with Shelley and Kate) led by myself, Rachel, the Senior’s Worker at MBC and a Dementia Friends Champion for the Alzheimer’s Society. The session helped us all to understand more about dementia and how to support those living with it through patience and understanding.

I hope to lead more of these sessions in the future so if you are interested please let me or one of the Leadership Team know. 

Make a difference. Part time admin vacancy at the Leeds & Moortown Furniture Store

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The Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store, a furniture reuse charity that began its life here at MBC in 1986 and currently has four of our members either working for it or serving as trustees has a vacancy for a part time admin assistant. 

Based at our Seacroft office the post is for 20 hours a week, 8.30am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday. 

You will find more information plus an application form on the charity’s website www.leedsandmoortown.org.uk 

Romania – where your money is going, and who it is helping

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The appeal for the Ukrainian refugees has now raised £8,500, which is a great effort. As a result this week we have been able to send a further £2,500 to the churches in Cluj, Romania for them to use in supporting the refugees. Rei Abrudan, pastor of the VIA church has written to us saying “Thank you very much for the collection. It is very much needed as our resources are getting very low… and if the crisis will be longer there will be a problem. Thank you for coming alongside us, again.”

Also this week Florin Fodor who works for Campus Crusade (Cru) in Romania and who is also an Elder at Manastur Church in Cluj sent us this update.

There’s still time to show your support for CompassionUK

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Last Sunday’s CompassionUK appeal resulted in 9 children, all from the same village in Tanzania being sponsored by people from here at MBC.

Bethan Stevens (below) who with her husband Mark lead Rise Church in Guiseley made the appeal during a talk in which she graphically described the plight of many of the children CompassionUK seeks to support. 

If you would like to add your name to that list you can either follow the instructions on the blue image above or go on line and visit www.compassionuk/sponsor-a-child 

Queenshill Gardeners – incredible edible Moortown, together for our planet

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And that is the second of the four Together For Our Planet events polished off, and so many seeds were sown, hopefully in all of our minds as well as in the soil!
 
We discussed resilience for our community, considering many different aspects such as food, energy and emotional preparedness, exploring what the barriers were for us and how we might overcome those.
 
In the afternoon we planted seeds and took them to put in our greenhouse! Cannot wait to watch them bloom and grow food for us all to share.
 
Thank you to Scoffs Feel Good Food for the beautiful vegan lunch as always, food that tastes delicious and kind to our bodies and the earth.
 
Thank you to Moortown Baptist Church for your wonderful hosting and support with the project.
 
Thank you to Emma at FoodWise Leeds who came to speak to us about the opportunity to take part in a community composting pilot.
 
And thank you to everyone who came today and who is taking part in these exciting processes, as we take baby steps to becoming a more cohesive and resilient community.

Join us for MBC’s journey to the cross and resurrection

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Dear friends

We have had a good week of connecting with people this week in Beacon, house groups, Sunday church, craft group, Easter lunch club, toddler group planning and more.  Its important to also remember all those we see on a one to one, in homes, cafes, doorstep visits, whats app’s or people who come into our minds so we pray for them then and there.  The body of Christ after all is made up of relationships, as it says in Ephesians 4:16

“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly.  As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

Talking of growth, it reminds me of our sunflower seeds from last week.  A seed may look great and full of potential for life but its not meant to stay like that.  It may seem uncomfortable to the seed to be put in the dark soil and then watered and then to change shape but its designed to grow.  So are we. We may at times feel in the dark, uncomfortable at the changing shape of our form and environment but a healthy organism changes and grows.  God will be with us each step of the way but we’ve got to be willing to partner with God and each other in the process.  For there are more things that will grow as a result of our growth, more seeds planted, things we haven’t yet seen, things we can only imagine.

And so its nearly Easter.  As one person put it this week, holy week is like going back to a familiar holiday destination every year.  Its known, but yet its different every time.  There is a peace and encouragement about it, but also a challenge and something new to discover.  Here’s what it looks like so far…

Sunday 3rd April – café church – following Jesus ‘with God all things are possible’ with Bethan Stevens from Compassion UK. 11 -12midday

Tuesday 5th April – An all age activity day with the Queenshill Gardeners project on resilience and wellbeing with practical seed planting in church. 11am-3pm

Sunday 10th April – Palm Sunday in church with kids activities 11-12midday

Monday 11th April – Easter Beacon 10am-12midday (ending in a prayer for those who wants to)

Monday 11th April – All age interactive Passover in church led by Shelley and Simon the community outreach officer at the Jewish Housing Association. 5.30pm-6.30pm…setting the scene for the last supper.

Maundy Thursday 14th April – Journey towards the cross..an evening led by members of Moortown in church…timings to be confirmed

Good Friday 15th April – Together by the cross – an all age reflection on Good Friday.  Church will be open from 9am – 11am for personal prayer and reflection with option to draw, write, ponder, paint.  There will be a craft to make for those who want to take home or hang on the trees outside for others to take who walk past.  At 10am there will be time together for half an hour designed for all ages to remember what happened on Good Friday with hot cross buns.  Come for part or all of it.

Easter Sunday 17th April – All age Easter Sunday Celebration 11am-12midday with communion.  Join together for this special day.  With Easter eggs…

We’ll get as many of these services on YouTube live with Facebook updates so do look us up to check updates.  I’ll update you all next week. We also have our website too at www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk which will give you all the latest information. If you are on tech teams and worship teams I’ll be in touch over the next few days.  Thanks everyone.

In Christ

Shelley

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