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MBC’s online newsletter takes a short break

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A bit like Santa, by the time Christmas actually arrives those of us that produce our weekly online newsletter are ready for a bit of a rest. That’s why next week, the time between Christmas and New Year although the church website WILL be updated there will be no newsletter. 

To those of you who already subscribe to the newsletter we say a huge thank you, and for those of you who don’t, well, you don’t know what you’re missing. 

If, however, you do fall into that second category, don’t worry. All you need to do to guarantee your own personal copy is to  sign up in the Subscription box that appears on our Home Page, that’s at www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

After that you can leave the rest to us. 

Advent 4. Now it really is feeling Christmassy, Shelley’s update.

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Dear friends

We are looking forward to coming together for Advent 4, our nativity service on Sunday at 11am.  We look forward to some elements from the Stepping Stones nativity on the 8th December led by members of Rock Solid, MBC youth group as well as some additional characters.  If you have mentioned that you want to be in it you are in!  We need you! If you are in the nativity, please arrive between 10.15 and 10.30 so that we have time to put on costumes.  If you want to be in it , including non-speaking parts, just turn up at that time and we’ll put you in!

We’ll have a band to lead our carols that day.

Rock Solid take a break that night.

On Monday we have festive Beacon Café 10-12midday, do come along and share a Christmas snack. All ages welcome. We welcome friends from the Leeds Jewish Housing Association too who are bringing Channukah snacks. We’ll be giving out the completed festive hampers during the café too. Thanks to those who brought things and those who helped put them together last Monday afternoon. We’ll also have a ‘Christingle table’ where people have offered to help make Christingles.  If you want to come do join in to help.

On Christmas Eve we meet for our all-age candlelight Christingle service at 4.30-5.15.  Then on Christmas Day we meet at the slightly earlier time of 10.30am for about 45 mins/hour for a special all age Christmas Day service where we look back at Advent and forward in thanks at the birth of Jesus.

We meet again on Sunday 29th December at 11am where we continue the theme of Down to earth at our all-age service. 

Then its All-age café church on Sunday 5th January.  There will be no beacon or lunch club on the week beginning the 30th December so do look out for each other.

I have attached greetings from our friends in Romania and a thanks for your prayers and support. This also appears in a seperate post on our website.

I also pass on greetings from Michael and Elizabeth Caddick.  Michael was a minister at MBC and now lives in Cornwall.  Michael says.  

“We assure you of our love at this Christmas time and wish you every blessing in 2025”

There is an area of wall in church now near to the entrance where you can put up a Christmas card to the rest of the church family.  You can include a simple greeting or a prayer for Christmas or something you think would encourage people for now or the new year.  It will stay up until the 6th January.

Look out for the extra lights and greetings on the church building…thankyou

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14

Shelley

Merry Christmas… greetings from Florin and Dana Fodor

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Dear Friends, greetings!

In a world of uncertainty, our hope rests in the giver of peace and joy – Jesus. 

May our faith in Him keep us faithful. May your hearts be filled with joy during this Christmas season! Let us pray that we will have a bright 2015.

From Romania with gratitude and love.

Florin and Dana

Advent 3. The pace quickens. Shelley’s update.

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Dear friends

Katherine May says in her book ‘Wintering’ (not written from a Christian perspective) that communities of spiritual and religious gatherings are ‘awe- inspiring’, ‘elastic, stretching to take in all kinds of people, and bringing unexpected perspectives and insights. We need them now more than ever’.  They challenge us to not stick within tight circles.  This advent, as we move to Advent 3, over half way through our advent journey, we are thankful for the stretchiness of our community and those who provide hospitality, thought and welcome to those who find themselves part of it, even for a short time.

This Sunday we start at 11am for worship together with communion.  There will be a group for our younger friends, looking at Luke 2:8-20.  After the service a small group are going to carol sing at a local home for elderly people and then we have the wreath making workshop 3-5pm.  Rock Solid youth meet 7-8pm in the building.

Please see the website at www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk for an update on activities and services.

A couple of things to highlight…

There is a Beacon café at 10-12 as usual on Monday 16th December and a Festive Beacon on 23rd December, when some of our friends from Leeds Jewish Housing association will be coming along and bringing Hannukah snacks along with our Christmas treats.

Next Sunday at 11am we have our all-age nativity service with carols/Christmas songs.  If you want a part, then do let me know, we’d love to have you.  We’ll also be seeing some of our stars from the toddler nativity last week.

No Rock Solid on the 22nd and 29th December and Beacon café takes a break too on the 30th December, back on the 6th January.  If you know someone who is struggling over Christmas do get in touch or let us know.  Food pantry is available if needed but we won’t be running an official session on 30th.

It will be lovely to join together at our All Age Christingle service on Christmas Eve 4.30pm to 5.15pm where there will be oranges with candles and sweets for all.. it’s always a special ‘pause’ moment before the big day and we often have many from our local community and their family and friends. Then we are together on Christmas Day at 10.30 for a short service designed for all ages as we celebrate Jesus on our advent journey together!

In Christ

Shelley

Stepping Stones Nativity… celebration and outreach at its very best!

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I never can remember who coined the phrase “a picture paints a thousand words” but whoever it was, he or she, was oh so right. 

But if proof were needed these images taken at Sunday’s Stepping Stones Nativity certainly prove the point.

Massive thanks to Diane and all her team, to Rock Solid who played a starring role, to the people who served the refreshments and manned the tech desk – in fact to everyone who either contributed or attended.

To view the gallery simply click on any of the images. 

Steel Crazy get our Christmas programme off to a flying start

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What better way to begin our Christmas celebrations than by getting together and singing along to a steel band. And that’s precisely what eighty or so people did last Saturday afternoon when Steel Crazy, the group that our Senior’s Worker Rachel plays in visited MBC.

There’s a gallery of pictures below which, simply by clicking on any of the images you download or view.  

 

ENGAGE, the BMS World Mission magazine that reports on the work carried out by its staff and supporters in some of the world’s most troubled regions

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Once again Engage, the Baptist Missionary Society’s magazine features story after story of the work its workers are “engaged” in across no end of countries.

Via contributions either by or about many of the society’s dedicated workforce we visit India, Thailand, Lebanon, Ukraine, Indonesia and Chad to read first hand about some of the enormous problems that many people of many faiths are facing.

As usual the magazine is accompanied by a prayer guide. In this issue the 24 page guide covers from January to April 2025, and like the magazine itself not only addresses the needs of BMS workers “in the field” but many of the behind the scenes supporters such as trustees, fund raisers, recruiters and the like.  

Of particular interest to us at Moortown Baptist Church is a piece in this issue, on page 19 and headed BMS community. This shows a picture of Mark Hotchkin who, along with his wife Andrea, are medical doctors working in Chad. 

The picture, which you can see below, was taken last year here at MBC and it’s good to know that as a result of an invitation we extended to two of our mission partners, our support for BMS is being featured not just on our website but throughout the entire Baptist community. 

You can sign up to receive your free copy of ENGAGE either through the post or online by speaking with our BMS rep Roger Robson. 

On their retirement tour, BMS missionaries John and Sue Wilson return to MBC; the place it all began over four decades ago.

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In the 1980’s when young John Wilson started to bring his then girlfriend to MBC, the question on everyone’s lips wasn’t anything to do with grace, peace or even love but… what colour would Sue’s hair be this week. Would it, as Roger reminded us on Sunday afternoon be pink, or maybe even blue?

Anyway, to cut a long story short, more than forty years on from the start of that courtship, John and Sue were back at MBC this last weekend as the final stop on what today’s rock bands would call their retirement tour; a tour specifically mapped out to allow them to personally thank individuals and churches alike for their support. 

With almost a hundred people in the room, following tea and two or three wonderfully led worship songs, Roger  welcomed and introduced John and Sue. 

What followed was not only a fascinating account of many of the projects the couple had been involved in whilst living abroad, but based on Lamentations 3: verses 22 and 23 a brief look at how “the steadfast love of God never ceases,” about hope and about obedience to Jesus. 

It really was a joy to welcome John and Sue back to Moortown. As they now settle into retirement (in what ever form that takes) we hope and pray that their most recent visit won’t be the last we see of them.  

23 November, Shelley looks back on a busy week, and forward towards Christmas.

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Dear friends

This Sunday is ‘Stir up Sunday’.  It’s a name associated with stirring up all the ingredients of a Christmas cake before the first Sunday of Advent.  However, the name ‘Stir up Sunday’ actually comes from a prayer that is often said in traditional churches on the Sunday before Advent.  The prayer goes like this..

“Stir up O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen”

In other words,

“Stir us up afresh to seek your will and play our part in bringing the fruit of good works, not because of us but because of you Jesus. Amen”

What would it look like to have our will ‘stirred up’ by Jesus to be more fruitful?  The ingredients of a Christmas cake need to be stirred up for the smells of the fruit and spices can be released and so that the ingredients can be moulded, shaped, and formed.  What is stirring us up lately?  How is this affecting us? Where is God in this?  

On Sunday, there will be time for all ages to consider this in our service at 11am in the building and on YouTube.  There will be a group where children can explore creatively together.  We’ll be continuing with looking at how the story of Ruth points to Jesus and focusing on Jesse who was ‘stirred up’ by God to respond.

In the afternoon at 4pm we welcome Sue and John Wilson over tea as we hear how God is moving in France and how they were stirred up to serve there for 36 years. All ages welcome.  Food and drink are included.  Rock Solid youth group are invited, and Sue and John are looking forward to meeting them so there will be no separate meeting in the evening.

Do come with your questions. 

Here’s what’s coming up in the week…

Monday 25th November 10am-12 Warm welcome space and beacon café.  Food pantry available.

Tuesday 26th November Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents and carers, 10-11.30am

Tuesday afternoon there’s a house group in church.  See Howard Dews.

Tuesday evening 7.30-9pm Deacons and Shelley meeting in church

Wednesday 27th November Lunchclub for those registered and the volunteers.  See Rachel Beedle for more information. 

Wednesday 27th November 6.30pm PACT meeting in church (Policing and Community Together for Moortown ward)  All welcome.

Wednesday evening there’s house group at 7.30pm in church, see Ruth and Andy Berry.  Also, a house group with Diane Sunter.

Thursday 28th November is warm welcome space craft group 2-4pm in church.

Thursday evening there is a bible study with Gareth Gadd at 7pm in church

Friday 29th November there is a house group at 8pm in Adel, see Jonathan and Hilary Darling.

Friday morning at 10am there is a bible study in church.  See Shelley or Lesley if you are interested.

Saturday 30th November at 2pm Christmas Decorations go up in church!  If you would like to help, we’d love to see you.  We’ll be decorating the Christmas tree in café church on Sunday morning.

Sunday 1st December 11am Advent café church, all ages together with fruit, pastries, and drinks.  We start our advent theme ‘Down to earth’ and look creatively at John 1:1-14

Rock Solid youth meet 7-8pm in church

Extra Christmas dates in December…

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

Sunday 8th December 11am Service together with children’s group and then at 3pm “Stepping Stones and friends” Christmas Nativity

Wednesday 11th December Christmas Wednesday worship,1.30pm -2pm in the music room with refreshments.

Sunday 15th 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 invite your friends.  Wreath making is pretty popular, and we provide both fresh foliage and bought decorations for you to use so please book in with Lesley.  For those who haven’t been before we walk through the steps with you so come along and try something new or build on your skills from last year. 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.”

Sunday 22nd December 11am All age Nativity

Monday 23rd December 10-12 Festive Beacon

Tuesday 24th December afternoon Christmas Eve All Age Christingle at 4.30pm

Wednesday 25th December morning all age Christmas Day celebration at 10.30am

We’ll produce some little Christmas cards this week with some of the services/events on so you can invite others to come along!

Some new advent books to consider for the coming season…

Rediscovering the Magic of Christmas: An Advent Adventure from Genesis to Revelation – 15 Aug. 2024

by John Hayward (Author)

Women of the Nativity: An Advent and Christmas Journey in Nine Stories – 30 Aug. 2024

by Paula Gooder (Author)

Do Not Be Afraid: The Joy of Waiting in a Time of Fear: The Archbishop of York’s Advent Book 2024 – 19 Sept. 2024

by Rachel Mann (Author)

There are photographs on facebook and on our website showing some the events of last week including our interfaith Beacon and Mitzvah Day.  Do have a look on facebook or www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

In Christ

Shelley

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