John Sherbourne – Page 3 – Moortown Baptist Church

MBC’s 70th Anniversary kicks off with a barn dance

April 19, 2025April 16, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Last Saturday, seventy years on from the service at South Parade that marked the formation of Moortown Baptist Church dozens of our current members came together to mark the occasion with a Barn Dance.

With a band put together by John and Megan Hornby, and sustained by some wonderful food, our guests had a whale of a time celebrating this memorable milestone.

Sadly MBC stalwart and founder member Joan Baxter (nee Shaw) was away and couldn’t attend, however, Christine Blood, who records show initially transferred from Kings Lynn, was, and she is pictured above with two of our life-long attenders Rod Russell and Roger Robson.

Shelley, Holy Week and Easter at MBC

April 12, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Dear friends

A lot can happen in a week. As we approach holy week, we have the opportunity again to journey through the events leading up to the empty tomb. It’s a week of community and wilderness, promise and protesting, violence and forgiveness, grief and joy. You may want to pray this short prayer this week, “Holy Spirit, clear my cluttered soul. Let my life and my plans and the place I rest my head speak of your love, Amen”.

On Palm Sunday we will be giving out some ways to journey with Jesus this week, things for all ages (for our younger ones there are stickers involved!) Do come along and pick something up to take home.

More about Sundays

Sunday 13^th April 11am is Palm Sunday all age café church (café church is on the 2^nd Sunday just this month) looking at Luke 19:28-40

Sunday 20^th April 11am Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, cake and refreshments and Easter egg hunt after the service.

Sunday 27^th April 11am Easter Communion.. on the Emmaus Road Luke 24:13-35 with a group for younger ones.

Sunday May 4^th all age Café church

70 years of MBC

Saturday 12^th April (Tonight!) is the Birthday barn dance for all ages in church at 7pm with live music and a meal. All ages welcome! Thanks to those who have taken a ticket and those who have helped so far with the preparations. It’s a great opportunity to come together, eat, say hello, dance if you want to and celebrate. The event is free.

The nearest Sunday to the official ‘beginning’ of MBC is Easter Sunday so we will have extra cake on that day and will thank God for all He has done, what He is doing and what He wants to do as well as for the family of God here in Moortown.

If you have anything that relates to when the church began do pass it on and we’ll share them over Easter.

Have a look on the website to find out the first 50 years here… thanks John S for putting this up.. https://moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk/with-a-barn-dance-beckoning-and-with-mbc-approaching-its-70th-anniversary-we-invite-you-to-step-back-in-time-and-relive-our-first-50-years/

Holy Week

Please pick up your Easter cards this Sunday to hand out and keep.

No youth group meeting on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday

Sunday 13^th April after the service, there will be a get together for the group who originally did the prayer course with Krys but also ANYONE who wants to go along. The group are now called ‘Discovering prayer’ and continue to meet to look at different ways of exploring prayer. This Sunday Krys is running a session called ‘Mining for Gold’ an opportunity to dig deeper into the gifts you have or may discover. Feel free to bring your lunch. Meet in the music room after the service

Monday 14^th April A special Easter beacon café 10-12midday with Easter crafts and snacks! All ages welcome.

Tuesday 15^th April Stepping Stones for under 5’s are not having a group but the volunteers are meeting for a sort out and social at church. See Diane S or Hilary.

Wednesday 16^th April Lunchclub has a break today

Wednesday 16^th April ‘Easter worship and prayer’ in church 7.30-9pm. Some songs to start with, time to pray, draw, write, fill in your thoughts in a book you can take away.

Thursday 17th April 2-4pm in church ‘Warm welcome craft group’. All welcome, no previous experience necessary, there’s things to make or just come for a drink and a snack or bring your own projects to do or share.

Friday 18^th April 10-11am Good Friday service and reflection in church

Friday 18^th April 2.30pm Join with other churches on Alwoodley Green on King Lane for a Good Friday outdoor service (opposite the little Tesco). Feel free to bring a chair and grab a drink. The craft group have kindly been making ‘seed crosses’ that we can give out on the afternoon to help people remember the story of new life in Jesus at Easter.

Sunday 20^th April 11am All Age Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, refreshments, and Easter egg hunt after the service. Please pray for Anne and Wei Wei who will be baptised on Easter Day.

A look ahead

Monday 21^stApril Beacon café has a break today.

Tuesday 22^nd April 7.30pm in church Deacons meeting

Wednesday 23^rd April Lunch club is back on, see Rachel B

Wednesday 23^rd April 1.30pm Easter Wednesday worship with communion, everyone welcome.

The next church meeting is Tuesday 13th May 7.30pm including deacons elections.

The garden and carpark continue to be improved, thanks so much! We now have more space to park in too. A reminder that the well-loved community plant sale takes place at MBC on Saturday 10th May! Talk to Jenny D or Lesley in the office for more information.

Note a date change! Now on 9^th June. If you are aged around 11 to 35, have a heart for young people, parent/grandparent/carer, a group leader or want to pray and support them to be encouraged to live a life for Jesus then come along with us to the Send worship night at North church 7-9.30pm. Get Tickets – SEND Experience Night Leeds – North Church Get your free ticket here, we’ll hope to sort a group visit.

You might want to have a look at this article too from the Bible Society…

The Baptist Union of Great Britain : The quiet revival – new study shows Gen Z leads rise in church attendance

Part time Safeguarding role at the YBA

Debbie Gamble at the Yorkshire Baptist Association has been in touch with me to pass on information about a Part-time safeguarding Lead to join the YBA team. The full information pack is available on the YBA website at https://www.yba.org.uk/work-with-us . If anyone wants to ask me or Debbie about the role then get in touch with myself or Debbie Gamble in the YBA office on 0113 278 4954.

King of Kings is a film based on the novel by Charles Dickens and starring Kenneth Branagh, Pierce Brosnan and Uma Therman. This animated film comes to the cinema this Easter. See the trailer here https://youtu.be/HkGZ4ykhYPg

In Christ

Shelley

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

With Easter 2025 getting ever nearer, here’s a full run down of everything that’s happening here at MBC

April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 by John Sherbourne

As MBC approaches its 70th anniversary, we invite you to step back in time and relive our first 50 years

April 11, 2025April 9, 2025 by John Sherbourne

On April 22 1955, at a service held at South Parade Baptist Church in Headingly, forty nine Foundation Members became Moortown Baptist Church.

Fifty years on, and to mark that golden milestone Roger Robson, who in 1955 was just ten years of age researched, wrote and published a compelling account of the first five decades of MBC’s life.

Printed in book form, and also copied to a CD Roger’s work chronicles the comings and goings of five ministers, innumerable officers and deacons plus many of the local, national and overseas projects that MBC had either launched or was heavily involved in.

Below there’s a very short extract from Roger’s book, which we hope will whet your appetite. If it does you can continue reading the entire book by clicking on this LINK.

Barn Dance… never a church to miss out on a celebration, to mark the church’s 70th Anniversary we’re holding a Barn Dance in the building starting at 7pm on Saturday 12th of April. Tickets are free and are available from Shelley, Lesley, Karen or Rachel. So do come along.

I leave you with a quote from that Foundation Service in 1955, when the brand new church was reminded “You are Christ’s Church; you belong to Him; you are not just a voluntary human association, responsible to yourselves alone… What kind of church Moortown is in the future depends on what you are now; how you worship, work and live”.

Shelley’s message highlights the lead up and the celebration of Easter 2025

April 4, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Dear friends

This Sunday at 11am we welcome John Wilson, who served with BMS for 36 years in France, to share with us from Luke 9:51-10:3 and we continue to look at the disciples and the cost of following. There will be a group for our younger friends during the service.

Sunday 13^th April 11am is Palm Sunday all age café church (café church is on the 2^nd Sunday just this month) looking at Luke 19:28-40

Sunday 20^th April 11am Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, cake and refreshments and Easter egg hunt after the service.

Sunday 27^th April 11am Easter Communion.. on the Emmaus Road Luke 24:13-35 with a group for younger ones.

Sunday May 4^th all age Café church

Next week

Sunday 6th April 7-8pm Rock solid youth social with pizza

Monday 7th April Beacon warm welcome café 10-12 in the building

(No stepping stones for two weeks)

Tuesday 8th April Tuesday afternoon house group, see Howard Dews.

Wednesday 9th April 1.45pm until 4pm in the music room ‘Calamity Jane’ film with refreshments, All ages welcome. No lunch club today.

Wednesday 9th April the House group who meet in church are having a social at Shelley and Nathan’s house. Talk to Ruth or Andy Berry or Lesley for more information.

Thursday 10th April 2-4pm in church Warm welcome craft group. All welcome, no previous experience necessary but you may also come with your own projects to do or share.

For the other Wednesday night housegroup contact Diane S and for Friday night contact Jonathan or Hilary darling.

The next deacons meeting is the 22nd April at 7.30pm in church. The next church meeting is Tuesday 13th May 7.30pm including deacons elections.

Easter

Please pick up your Easter cards this Sunday to hand out and keep.

No youth group meeting on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday

A special Easter beacon café will be held on 14^th April, 10-11.30 with Easter crafts and snacks! All ages welcome. Beacon has a break on April 21^st.

Wednesday 16^th April Easter worship and prayer in church 7.30-9pm. Some songs to start, time to pray, draw, write, film in your thoughts in a book you can take away about Easter.

Thursday 17th April 2-4pm in church Warm welcome craft group. All welcome, no previous experience necessary but you may also come with your own projects to do or share.

Friday 18^th April 10-11am Good Friday service and reflection in church

Friday 18^th April 2.30pm join with other churches on Alwoodley Green on King Lane for a Good Friday outdoor service (opposite the little Tesco). Feel free to bring a chair and grab a drink. The craft group have kindly been making ‘seed crosses’ that we can give out on the afternoon to help people remember the story of new life in Jesus at Easter.

Sunday 20^th April 11am all age Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, refreshments, and Easter egg hunt after the service. Please pray for Anne and Wei Wei who will be baptised on Easter Day.

Wednesday 23^rd April 1.30pm Easter Wednesday worship with communion. (There will be lunch club this day too but anyone can come, even if you are in Lunch Club beforehand).

70 years of MBC

Saturday 12^th April Birthday barn dance for all ages in church 7pm with live music and a meal. Everyone welcome. Put it in your diary, bring people along. Collect free tickets from Lesley, myself, Karen or Rachel. If you lead a group and know that you have people in the group who want to come, do collect some tickets to give out and let us know the number of tickets taken please.

Tickets are going! If you know you want to come please come and get a ticket. You don’t need to be able to dance, just come along and spend some time together. All friends, family welcome! Tickets are free and includes a meal.

If you have anything that relates to when the church began do pass it on and we’ll share them over Easter.

A Thankyou..,

Over £500 was given at the funeral and celebration of life of Gillian at MBC a few weeks ago. David and family would like to say thankyou.

Thanks to those who have been working on the garden and carpark this week in the sunny weather. If anyone wants to help with this do let us know. A reminder that the well loved community plant sale takes place at MBC on 10th May! Talk to Jenny D or Lesley in the office for more information.

Last few things for now…

If you are aged around 11 to 35, have a heart for young people, parent/grandparent/carer, lead them or simply want to pray for them to be encouraged by Jesus and be empowered to share, then on 8th May in the evening at North church there will be a hub night to pray for exactly this! There are hub nights happening all over England, Scotland, wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland over the next few months and this is our nearest. More information to come.

I am having a couple of days off but will be around from next Tuesday afternoon on our journey towards Easter.

Isaiah 61:11 – For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley… the next few weeks, MBC’s 70th birthday and of course Easter

March 25, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Dear friends

It was good to come together this last weekend. If you missed the Sunday service it is available on our YouTube channel, just type Moortown Baptist Church into YouTube. Thanks to the team that made this possible. Following on from Sunday, if you feel you want to talk about baptism, membership or anything else at MBC do get in touch with me or a deacon.

Prayer

There are a number of opportunities for focused prayer across the UK right now. A couple of weeks ago we joined with Gather25, highlights are available here Watch the Gather25 Livestream. This Thursday 27^th March, Baptists Together are holding a day of prayer and fasting facilitated by the Fresh Streams team. There will be three focused online sessions throughout the day. Details are here The Baptist Union of Great Britain : Fresh Streams calls Baptists Together to a day of prayer and fasting It’s ‘a time to come together to seek God’s presence and power for mission, discipleship and renewal in our communities’.

Closer to home we have a lent prayer group on WhatsApp at 9pm Sunday, Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays, if you want to join the prayer for half an hour ask Mandy. Krys or Adam.

We are thankful for all of you who pray individually and in groups and with those who come through our doors whether it be Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays…

Some people at MBC have raised to our attention the day of prayer for the law on assisted dying on 25^th March 2025. If you want more information about what the day of prayer is about then have a look at National Day of Prayer against assisted suicide – Evangelical Alliance and https://care.org.uk/ There is an opportunity to join CARE online tomorrow and pray with others.

This week

There are house groups and bible studies on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday evening, Thursday evening, Friday morning and Friday evening. Wednesday evening bible study group in church is not meeting this week. Do get in touch with me, Lesley or group leaders for more information.

Monday 24^th March Beacon warm welcome café 10-12 in the building

Tuesday 25^th March 10-11.30 Stepping stones for under 5’s and their parents and carers.

Tuesday 25^th March is the church meeting at 7.30pm in the building. Agenda and papers already out. Contact Lesley in the office or admin@moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk if you missed it. All are welcome to be part of it, voting for members. A zoom link will go out prior to the meeting for those who are unable to make it into the building but want to be involved.

Wednesday 26^th March lunch club, do ask Lesley or Rachel for information

Wednesday 26^th March 1.30-2ish Wednesday worship in the music room ‘act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God’ (Micah 6:8)

Thursday 27^th March 2-4pm in church Warm welcome craft group. All welcome, no previous experience necessary but you may also come with your own projects to do or share.

The next deacons meeting is the 31^st March at 7.30pm in church.

Sundays

Sunday 30^th March Service at 11am with group for younger ones, continuing to look together in Luke.

Sunday 6^th April 11am We welcome John Wilson, who served with BMS for 36 years in France, to share with us from Luke 9:51-10:3. There will be a group for our younger friends during the service.

Sunday 13^th April 11am Palm Sunday all age café church (café church is on the 2^nd Sunday just this month) looking at Luke 19:28-40

Sunday 20^th April 11am Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, cake and refreshments and Easter egg hunt after the service.

Sunday 27^th April 11am Easter Communion.. on the Emmaus Road Luke 24:13-35 with a group for younger ones.

Sunday May 4^th Café church

Easter

Rock Solid Youth pizza night and social on 6^th April 7-8pm in church. No youth group meeting on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday

Beacon café is on Monday 7^th April, Easter beacon café is on 14^th April, 10-11.30. Beacon has a break on April 21^st.

Wednesday 9th April 1.45 until 4pm in the music room ‘Calamity Jane’ with refreshments, All ages welcome. No lunch club today.

Wednesday 16^th April Easter worship and prayer in church in the evening.. more details to come.

Friday 18^th April 10-11am Good Friday service and reflection in church

Sunday 20^th April 11am Easter Sunday celebration with baptisms, refreshments, and Easter egg hunt after the service.

Wednesday 23^rd April 1.30pm Easter Wednesday worship with communion. (There will be lunch club that day).

70 years of MBC

“This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace” (Colossians 1:6)

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

MBC’s Welcome Lunch, in a word… FAB

March 15, 2025March 11, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Many thanks to Claire Taylor for passing on this picture of our Welcome Lunch. Her one word caption… “FAB” says it all.

Thanks also to Mandy and her team for putting the whole thing on but particularly to all who attended.

Krys and Bela report back on their recent visit to a girls refuge in Sri Lanka

March 15, 2025March 11, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Krys Gadd and Bela Singh share their experiences, and in the galleries above and below some of their lovely pictures. (To view these simply open up the gallery by clicking on any of the images)

Bela and I went out in February for 10 days to a refuge run by the Women’s Development Centre in Kandy. The refuge is for girls who have suffered gender based violence and have fled there for safety. Krys has had connections with the charity since 2019 and this was her second visit.

Thanks to everyone in MBC (and many other people) for your financial support and encouragement. Bela and I funded ourselves to go to Sri Lanka and all the money raised last year and this has gone to help the girls, either with their day to day living costs or a number of projects that we have started.

Thanks for your prayers. It really made all the difference – no delays, illnesses, mishaps or even insect bites! Which for me is unheard of.

Your money and the donations of others helped not only with the running costs of the refuge but several projects. One weaving project was to make a bag from recycled fabric and another to make reusable nappies for the babies in the refuge. The sewing teacher knows how to make them and will teach the girls how to sew them.

The refuge is a happy place. It is clean and orderly but with very little of the extra stuff that we are used to. It really made me think about what is important in my life and what I spend my money on. One of the pictures in the gallery above is of Chandani, the refuge manager who is also a mother figure to all these lovely girls. She is standing in the television room. As you can see it has a television in it and some chairs.

There’s also a picture of where the girls sleep and to the right you can see some lockers in which they can keep any personal items.

Again, for me this was a sharp reminder that you do not need lots of stuff to feel safe and happy.

It was also so lovely to see some old faces as well as some new ones. The final picture in this gallery shows Bela and I with our translators and the teachers. We had such a warm welcome which involved very sweet tea and some sweet treats.

We had various projects in mind before we arrived. The first success was the bag made out of recycled fabric, woven on the rigid heddle looms Marcia and I sent out in 2020.

Bela taught them how to weave in a different way. Firstly with fabric strips and then on finding some jute string, they tried the technique out on a table mat. I think it looks great and we hope to have the girls producing some of these soon.

Another success, the nappies. Here we have a picture of one of the babies modelling the latest one produced by one of the teachers.

The girls really took to crochet under Bela’s expert tuition. They were all really keen to model the bag they had collectively created

Some of you know about the tea towels. I spotted 15 of these and thought immediately: “These will sell” so I bought them for 300 rupees (under 1 pound) and asked people who would like to buy them for £4? I have orders for 61 and have some new ones coming soon.

We had fun too! Last year in the searing heat I was shattered after 4 days working in the refuge plus another celebratory day. This year I built in a lot more rest time. In fact on one of the days we had off we went to see some elephants in a nearby sanctuary. Also the last couple of nights we stayed near to the airport, and this lovely shot, in fact the last in the gallery was the view just a few feet from my hotel room.

We left Sri Lanka feeling we had really achieved something. I saw the improvements in their use of colour, and the weaving from last year. The girls have stolen my heart; their stories are sad but they have the hope of a future in this refuge. When they leave, they have experienced love and safety. They have had a chance to finish their education and learn some new skills.

Thank you again for supporting them through your donations, items you have bought and most of all your prayers. If you want to find out how you can help by fundraising or if you are considering coming out then please get in touch with Krys.

Krystyna.gadd@icloud.com

With the focus on Lent, here’s Shelley’s weekly update…

March 8, 2025 by John Sherbourne

Dear friends

Lent began this week, the period of time 40 days before we celebrate Easter when many in the church choose to observe a renewed focus on God. Our lives get full of all sorts. We carry a lot. Lent has been described as a time to turn away from some things, minimise, clear out so that we can reclaim space for Jesus and all He has for us. Praying, fasting and giving to others all help, but it might also include other things that help us realign such as reading a verse a day, a walk a day, singing a song a day. At the beginning of lent we think about the story of Jesus going into the wilderness; choosing to move away from the busyness and distractions to make space to hear God before he started his teaching, healings and journey to the cross.

Listed below are a few resources you may find helpful. 40 ways to give in lent and a devotional for everyday…

40acts: Do Lent generously

40 things to do in lent for all ages outside

Exploring Lent with Younger Kids – 40 Nature Activities Printable.pdf – Google Drive

40 acts youth wallchart

Youth_Wallchart_A4_Black_and_White.pdf

The lectio 365 prayer app (download on your phone) is doing a lent series now. Do ask me or a Rachel B and we’ll get it sorted for you or point you to someone who can.

If you have something that is helpful do share it with others.

This week looks like this..

Sunday 9^th March 11am service with group for young ones

Sunday 9^th March Welcome lunch for those who feel ‘new’ and want to meet some other people, in church.

Sunday 9^th March 7-8pm Rock Solid youth in church

Monday 10^th March 10-12 midday Beacon warm welcome café

Tuesday 11^th March 10-11.30 Stepping Stones for under 5’s and parents and carers

Tuesday afternoon house group, see Howard Dews

Wednesday 12^th March lunchclub, see Rachel B or send a message to Lesley in the office

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

Thursday 13^th March 2-4pm warm welcome space craft group in church, see Karen or Diane S

Thursday 7pm bible study with Gareth

Friday 14^th March 10am Bible study in church, any questions, chat with myself

Friday 8pm house group, see Jonathan and Hilary or Steve or Helen

Sunday 16^th March 11am service with communion and group for younger friends

Just a heads up that the next church meeting is Tuesday 25^th March 2025. Agenda will be out by mid next week. It will include budgets and current priorities. Do pray and keep sharing if you have thoughts on how God is guiding us.

Last Sunday we were reminded of Jesus baptism. On Easter Sunday we’d love to baptise those who feel they want to be baptised or feel God is ‘nudging’ them about it. Do get in touch with me or send a message to Lesley to get hold of me if you want a quick chat.

Last Sunday we connected with Gather25, the highlights are available here if you want to watch again or catch up here Watch the Gather25 Livestream

See you tomorrow

In Christ

Shelley

MBC’s Seniors celebrate World Book Day

March 8, 2025March 6, 2025 by John Sherbourne

World Book Day was first introduced by UNESCO in 1995 as a plan to promote reading and books.

Celebrated, other than in the UK on April 23, the date William Shakespeare was born and died, World Book Day has now become a hardy annual among MBC’s Seniors.

However, to the avoid the possibility of ever clashing with either Easter or St George’s Day, this year, here at Moortown it was celebrated on Wednesday March 5th, just one day before the official UK date of March 6th. And once again a number of Lunch Club members plus Rachel Beedle, our Senior’s Worker turned themselves into book titles.

They are (left to right) The Day it Rained in Colour, Little Red Riding Hood, Room on the Broom and the Pipe Piper of Hamelin.

Subscribe to the MBC Newsletter