John Sherbourne

Let me ask you a question. Where might you expect to watch mum, dad and their two kids doing the hokey- cokey, listen to stories about the sea tickling your toes, hear more than a passing reference to Psalm 23 and be invited to bake a cake in a cup? Answer… at Moortots end of term celebration. 

Thursday’s end of term party was the thirty third live Facebook broadcast that Shelley Dring, more often than not assisted by Rowan and Daisy had produced since lockdown began. 

Never shying from a challenge, at 11am every Tuesday and Thursday Shelly and Nathan have opened their home to countless babies, tots, mums, dads, grandmas and grandads as together they’ve cut and coloured, pasted and pleated just about anything and everything from treasure finding binoculars, to colourful rainbows and to T shirts for teddies.   

Occasionally friends would drop by (via YouTube) and share their favourite bible story. At other times pictures or even short videos of craft made at an earlier session would be shown. 

In my opinion what Shelley and co. have achieved in moving Oasis and Moortots on line is nothing short of remarkable, particularly so when you consider that in addition to these twice weekly features she has also been devising and producing a brilliant family friendly programme that not only goes out alongside our regular Church at Home Sunday service but in terms of content mirrors it. 

The picture above, left shows how today’s cake in a cup exercise turned out (better Shelley admits if she had actually remembered to put some sugar in). But come on no one’s perfect. 

As Shelley now pauses her regular schedule of twice weekly Facebook broadcasts there’s no need to panic; just as soon as she has dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s she’ll be back again with a series of summer specials. 

JS   

14th July – Virgin Atlantic reaches rescue agreement

17th July – British Airways retires entire 747 fleet

5th May – Reaching the isolated while we isolate.

In spite of the first two and many other similar headlines from major airlines the reality of life in countries around the world served by Mission Aviation Fellowship throughout this time of pandemic has been the third headline which I read on their website half way through our time of lockdown.

Indeed the services provided by MAF’s huge fleet of small aircraft have often been needed even more than before. MAF aeroplanes have been grounded in places where the virus has flared yet the MAF web pages are full of testimony to the unstinting service of MAF personnel the moment permission to fly has been granted.

One pilot in the far North of Chad was allowed to land only to be told by the authorities that he would not be able to stay in the town as the it was currently still Covid free and wished to remain so. Eager to oblige he happily opted to comply by sleeping out under the desert
sky.

Some of you know that the eldest son of one of Margaret’s cousins in the Netherlands is a pilot working with MAF. He is based at Wilson Airport in Nairobi and while we have been living through our lock-down here in the UK we heard that his wife and children have been repatriated to the Netherlands. He has remained on standby providing a lifeline whenever called on to serve the isolated and inaccessible peoples around Kenya.

In Bangladesh where MAF operate with amphibious Cessna caravan float planes (pictured above) there was a recent article I commend to you that shows this state of readiness – you can read it HERE

Please continue to include in your prayers the army of MAF missionaries around the world putting their lives on the line for the sake of others.

After four months of lockdown the Leeds and Moortown Furniture which since 1986 has been collecting donated furniture and then through a raft of statutory and voluntary referral agencies passing it on to people in need will reopen its telephone lines on Monday July 27th. 

Karen Ross has been in touch to say that Yunhee Kim is making washable, reversible cotton masks for adults and children. And looking at these pictures you have to admit that they look fabulous. 

However, alongside the masks Yunhee is making matching wipeable pouches which are just large enough to hold a small bottle of antibacterial gel, gloves and the mask itself. 

You can see a larger selection of masks and pouches by looking at Yunhee’s Instagram page: FRAMESOFHAPPINESS.

Since the start of the lockdown Martin House Children’s Hospice at Boston Spa has, like so many other wonderful charities missed out on thousands of pounds in much needed donations. That’s why to help, all be it in a small way for each mask and pouch sold the hospice will receive £1.If you are interested in helping Yunhee and Martin House please contact Karen on either 0113 2933574 or 07954391303.

Still on the subject of masks, here’s a picture that John Kavanagh sent us of one of a number of vending machines in and around Leeds railway station which have been adapted to stock hand sanitiser and disposable face masks. Clever eh! 

At our recent Church Meeting Ian Richardson explained just a few of the raft of things we need to have done before we can re-open our church building. He also asked for anyone who was prepared to volunteer (as and when we reach that stage) to let him or anyone else on the Leadership Team have their contact details. However, Ian was most keen to emphasise that whilst certain lockdown restrictions are being eased when it comes to us holding any mass gatherings there will be no quick fix.  

To get some idea of what is required of us Ian referred people to three documents, one from the government and two from the Baptist Union that are currently on the MBC webside and which deal specifically with the re-opening of church buildings. You can read these documents by clicking HERE – they are the top three links. 

Ian also appealed for volunteers to help with Church at Home, our regular Sunday Service: hosts, preachers, prayers, singers/musicians, readers, IT specialists and just about anyone else are all needed to ensure our online worship continues. Again if you would like to help out with Church at Home please email Ian on moortownbaptistchurchtreasurer@gmail.com or contact any other member of the Leadership Team.   

Suzanna and Phil Laws’ Homegroup are organising a online ZOOM quiz night, only instead of restricting entries to regular members they are inviting us all to join in. 

7.30pm for 8 is the time and the date is Saturday the 18th of July. 

To get yourself on the list all you need do is to email suzannalaws@hotmail.com 

Since MBC went into lockdown lots of things have gone online, and three of these are Family at Moortown (our child and family centred Sunday morning session) Oasis and Moortots. 

As we now move into what would traditionally be MBC’s summer programme ie lots of all age services we asked Shelley Dring, our Children and Families Lead to talk us through the last sixteen weeks. Here’s what she said.  

• This week we reached our 33^rd Moortots live on Facebook and YouTube and our 8^th Family at Moortown Session, again on YouTube. 
• In total we have done 49 video uploads on Family at Moortown and all these can all be watched at anytime.
• These include 6 bible stories read out by friends of MBC as well as 3 creative videos made by Sarah Meyer and her children.
• We have shown collaborative videos on various themes including movement and treasures.
• Between 19 June and 16^th July the Moortots Facebook page had 1003 engagements, which is up 28 per cent.
• We have 120 page likes, up 3 in the last week.
• Stats on their own aren’t always helpful but I picked these ones out because they show how people are actually engaging with what we are doing.
• Next week is our Silly Summer Special at 11am on Thursday 23^rd July and our Facebook event invite has had a reach of 133 so far. Do join us!
• We also have family WhatsApp groups so if you have children and would like to be part of one of them do get in touch with me
• Next week we’ll update you with a few summer plans. 

In order to help Shelley plan her summer 2020 programme she would like to ask you a specific question…  what helps you pray?  Do you have a special place, a song you sing, a dance, do you paint or write or do exercise at the same time? Do you read out a favourite prayer or say a prayer at bedtime? And have you discovered something new about your prayer life during lockdown?

If any of you have or could take or make a picture or video showing building on this Shelley would love to use it to help encourage others ahead of next Sunday’s church…(all ages included, do pass it onto people!) 

The best way to get these to Shelley is either by WhatsApping her or by emailing them to shelley.dring.mbc@btconnect.com

With husband Michael standing by with full visor, gloves and sanitiser Karen Ross’ ladies craft group met up yesterday (Thursday) in her garden for the first time since March.

The sun shone and as you would expect the conversation flowed as the ladies all shared how they had coped!

Masks were a big topic; how long they would be worn they mused, and whilst most were very reluctant to go anywhere how and when will we ever be able to go “normal” shopping again?

Can’t see much craft being done but never mind, let’s hope that this was just the first of many such socially distanced sessions.