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Three baptisms warm up a decidedly chilly Sunday morning

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Last Sunday morning, with the outside air temperature hovering around the 12 to 13 C mark, and a wind blowing that totally redefined my understanding of a light to moderate breeze it was an absolute joy to be in the warm, inside Moortown Baptist Church, to join in the celebrations of not just one, not just two but of three baptisms. 

The service was led by MBC’s minister Shelley Dring, however, for the actual baptisms Shelley was joined in the water by her husband Nathan. Shelley’s theme throughout was built around two of the lost and found stories that Jesus tells and that we find in Luke’s gospel. With songs, prayers and of course readings all chosen to underline this theme it was wonderful to hear the three candidates – Diane Argyle, Candice Ng and Mike Shahid each share something of their journey to faith and ultimately to their baptism. 

Followed by coffee and cake it was a wonderful morning of celebration and praise. That’s why we ask that God will continue to bless Diane, Candice and Mike as they start out on this, the next step in their journey with Jesus. But likewise we also ask God’s continued blessing on all those of us who either in the room itself or tuning in on Youtube watched them make this bold declaration of faith. 

MBC endorses its commitment to the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store

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Following an appeal at our last Church Meeting, three MBC members have offered to join the board of the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store and/or LMFS Trading Ltd. Nick Taylor and Mike Stoodley are two of them who provided they can satisfy themselves on such issues as trustee liability, the exact difference between a registered charity and a CIO (a charitable incorporated organisation) and the implications of taking on a directorship are both ready and willing to sign up. The other is former L&MFS trustee Rod Russell who has indicated his willingness to return to the organisation but this time purely in a consultancy and advisory capacity.   

The Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store Ltd began its life here at Moortown Baptist Church in 1986 when, led by Hilary Willmer a small group of members began collecting and storing used furniture and then passing it on to people in need. Today that ethos lives on, however, with the passage of time L&MFS is now a fully registered charity, makes a total of over 1,700 collections and deliveries a year and unlike the olden days when cellars and garden sheds were used to store donations runs two smart vans and operates from a 10,500 square foot warehouse in Seacroft.

Relatively speaking LMFS Trading Ltd, the charity’s retail arm which sources, supplies and in most cases fits new furniture, furnishings and white goods is a new addition. Formed a decade or so ago, and with Moortown Baptist Church as one of just two shareholders, the trading company does not actually employ its own staff but pays a quarterly management charge to the charity for the time its staff gives over. In theory it also pays over any profit it makes to the charity although over the last year and due to L&MFS narrowly missing out on an LCC procurement bid the chances of there being any profit soon is unlikely.

The addition of two potential trustees and an experienced advisor is a huge boon to the charity. However, recruiting from within i.e. from Moortown Baptist Church is nothing new in that right from the word go there has rarely been a time when this church hasn’t provided either s succession of trustees or of dedicated volunteers.   

Naturally the arrival of young or metaphorically speaking not so young blood is wonderful news, particularly so with our enthusiastic new Manager, Chris Hutt, and the Store’s existing trustees seeking out every opportunity they can in making sure that L&MFS’s founding mission continues to be both effective and efficient.

L&MFS Mission Statement… A practical demonstration of Christian commitment to socially and economically disadvantaged people our mission is to relieve poverty by distributing donated furniture,.   

You can find out more about the work of the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store, LMFS Trading Ltd and its new eBay shop by visiting www.leedsandmoortown.org.uk or by asking Gareth, Nick, Rod, Mike or John to share their impressions of one of MBC’s most important and long lasting projects.  

Just one more item of news from the Store and that is that after serving for over nineteen years first as a trustee and more recently as Chair John Sherbourne is bowing out just as soon as he is able. Of late John, who is now seventy-five years of age has not been in the best of health which despite outward appearances has actually been pretty draining. So, in many ways perhaps this moment in time is not only the right time for John personally, but also the time when the spark needed to ignite a change that the organisation needs.

MBC’s Plant Sale raises £1,300 . On behalf of the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store may we say a big thank you to all who came.

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Once more takings from MBC’s Plant Sale have crashed through the thousand pound mark which means that in these difficult times this year’s beneficiary, the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store, is in line to receive a much needed donation of give or take £1,300.

Many thanks to everyone who donated both plants and cakes and of course many thanks to you; the people who came to support us. 

We’ll update you on a final total just as soon as we can. That all depends on how many of the surplus plants we manage to sell tomorrow. However, once again this hardy annual proves beyond doubt that the link that has existed since 1986 between L&MFS and MBC is as strong as ever. 

Special thanks to Jenny Dixon and her team who never cease to amaze us with their planning and their expertise. 

To find out more about the work of the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store please click here to visit their website.

 

Shelley – 21 April

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Dear friends

It’s been great to be back with you over the last week or so.  Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers for our time off and the Paris marathon.  I did think of you all as I went into the last section of the marathon through the woods!  Also, when I saw the cheering, I was reminded again of the verse from Hebrews 12:1

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  There is a focus and a commitment here to keep going, in times of difficulty and joy on the way and the promise of joy to come.. as the verse goes on to say.. “for the joy set before Him”, one step, then another step.  Of course, Jesus was going to the cross, but it’s a reminder of the place of joy.  It suggests that there will be times on the way when we may have to adjust our pace, reassess whether we are carrying things that we don’t need.  At 9km I threw my family in the crowd an awkward shaped bottle of juice I thought I needed at the start as it was just an extra thing I didn’t want to carry, worse still the sloshing of the juice just kept making me think I needed the toilet!  Maybe I needed it to start with but I definitely didn’t need it as I ran on.  There are things in our lives too that we carry for a time, maybe they give us confidence, help us to feel safer, maybe everyone else is carrying it so we think we need it in our race as well? Regular moments to check what we are carrying and our running direction are needed on our life journey so we can reassess too.  What am I carrying that I don’t need anymore? Is there anything that I have got used to carrying that God is asking me to do something about because it’s affecting my run negatively? Maybe God will bring some of this to mind for us as the 44th London Marathon takes place tomorrow…

 

Tomorrow we meet at 11am for a service with communion and a separate group for our younger friends during part of the service.  We will be online on youtube too on the channel @moortownbaptistchurch. We’ll be continuing a theme of Resurrection.. what did Jesus do post resurrection?  What does his journey post resurrection tell us nowadays? Tomorrow we will look at Luke 24:13-35.  Its something we’ll be exploring over the next few weeks.

 

Dates for this week and beyond…

Sunday 21st April – 11am service

Sunday 21st April – 7-8pm rock solid youth group (see Val Boyd, Martyn Grey, Adam Argyle or Nathan Dring for more info)

Monday 22nd April – Beacon warm welcome café 10-12 midday

Tuesday 23rd April – Stepping stones for under 5’s and parents and carers 10-11.30

Tuesday 23rd April – housegroup in church in afternoon.

Tuesday 23rd April – Deacons meeting 7.30pm – 9.30pm in church

Wednesday 24th April – lunchgroup – see Rachel Beadle for more information

Wednesday 24th April – housegroup in church and online at 7.30pm (see Ruth/Andy Berry)                                                                                                                

Thursday 25th April – Warm welcome craft group in church 2-4pm (See Karen Ross/Diane Argyle)

Friday 26th April – Bible study at 10am.  Please see Shelley Dring or Robert/Carol Owen for more information.

Sunday 28th April – 11am service in church and online with a group for our younger friends

 

Local elections will be using one of the rooms in church all day and evening on the 2nd May.  Do ask Lesley Murphy of you have any questions.  All groups should be going ahead as planned even though the room may be slightly different!

 

Sunday 5th May – café church 11-12midday

 

Saturday 18th May – 1-3pm plant sale in church (See Jenny Dixon for information).  Any cuttings or plants that can be donated then do let Jenny know.   There’ll be tea, coffee and cake on the day.  Do come along and tell your friends!

 

What a joy it was to be part of the baptisms at Moortown on Easter Sunday!  We have some more baptisms planned from our community at MBC on 9th June so if you would be interested in being baptised on this day or another then do have a chat with me. 

 

Thank you to those who helped with the funeral and thanksgiving of Barbara Dews after Easter,  Do continue to pray for Howard, his family and all those who grieve the loss of a loved one.

 

Thank you to all those who continue to pray for our community, our city and our wider world. 

 

And something to ponder… (click on the link below)

 

All the Prophets Were Artists: A Free Extract from “Reframing the Prophetic” – 24-7 Prayer International

 

See you tomorrow

In Christ

 

Shelley

 

 

 

Update from Romania

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MBC’s links with Romania go back 33 years to Easter 1991 when following the fall of communism six people travelled overland with aid to some churches there. Over the years many people from MBC have visited Romania and been blessed by fellowship with the Christians there and a number of people from the Romanian churches there have visited us in Leeds. More recently Florin Fodor and family visited us in summer 2022 and Rod Russell was in Romania in earlier this year.

God is at work in Romania. The churches there are very dedicated to sharing the Gospel and over the years the churches have seen considerable growth. We are pleased to have been able to be part of this by sharing in the mission of the churches there. In April last year we provided financial support for the projects listed below and we will be sending further support shortly. Our friends in Romania extend their thanks to all who have made this possible. Further donations can be made via Howard Dews from the Romania Group, Geoff Fennell as church treasurer or in a marked envelope in the church collections.

Manastur Baptist Church is a large church in the major city of Cluj-Napoca in northern Romania. We provide help for the youth work including enabling young people from poorer families to attend summer camps and we supplement the support provided by the Manastur church to people in need.

We also contribute to a bursary scheme for Christian students from poor families in more remote parts of Romania who are studying in Cluj.

We also support an outreach from Manastur Church to a very deprived gypsy community which exists separately to the other communities around it and the practical needs that enable this church to function. Florin Fodor is a deacon at Manastur Church and is in full time Christian work for Campus Crusade. A recent initiative has been to establish a network of Christian teachers.

Another church in Cluj which we have links with is called VIA (The Way) and was formed by people from Manastur church. Although they do not need our material support, firm friendships have been established with a number of families there. They keep in regular contact and pray for us often.

They too have visited Leeds and stayed with members of MBC and we hope to continue these links. When visiting Cluj anyone from MBC would be welcomed and hosted by our friends at these churches.

We also have links with two Hungarian speaking churches in Romania. The village church in Cserefalva serves a very rural community. Zsuzsi and Andor Ferko are both pastors at the Hungarian Reformed Church in the provincial town of Udvarhely. We have provided support for young people’s work and for people in need. We are hoping that Andor, Zsuszi and their worship band will be coming to visit us in the near future and to play for us at MBC.

Our links with Romania took a new and unexpected turn with the wave of refugees from Ukraine.

With our help Manastur Church was able to provide support for people en route to western Europe (as did VIA church). Manastur Church still has nine Ukrainian families as part of their congregation and has taken aid into Ukraine.

Thank you notes from students at Manastur Church:

Peace of the Lord Jesus! My name is Ana-Maria, I am 20 years old and I am involved in the work with the youth of the church and I am passionate about confessing Jesus to other people. Thank you for your gift and God bless you!

My name is Samuel DELPHIN, I’m from Haiti, and I’m 28 years old. I am in my 2nd year of study for my master’s degree in ecological agriculture at USAMV Cluj-Napoca. Since I arrived in Romania, the Lord has prepared for me a church where I can grow in His Word and where I feel well received. So from 2022 I became a member of the 1 st Baptist Church in Manastur and I try to get involved as much as possible in the Lord’s work to glorify Him for everything He has done in my life.

I would like to express my gratitude to you for the way you have thought of the young people of the Church through this scholarship. Thank you very much for this generous financial support which is crucial for me and which helped me understand how well the Lord takes care of me and never fails to respond to my needs. I Know that the word thank you will never be enough to express my gratitude to you! May the Lord bless you abundantly and accompany you in all that you do.
Thank you very much!
Samuel

Hello, my name is Sebastian, I’m from Baia Mare, I’m a student at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, in physiotherapy, in the 2nd year of my bachelor’s degree, since I was little I liked things about God but I started to study seriously in the first year college and I decided to come to the Baptist Church Mănăsturi No. 1 . I wanted to thank you very much for the financial support you gave me that I will use in my spiritual growth.

17th March – communion and bring and share lunch

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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…

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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

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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 

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