John Sherbourne

This week at Church at Home we have the last in the series of Moses, Moortown and me. As well as hearing about the life of Moses we’ve sung about it, made puppets, created meals, watched baby Moses in a paddling pool, seen the story painted and some of have gone ‘the ‘long way round’.

In the last part this Sunday, we focus on the life of Moses in Hebrews 11 and that he was a man of faith. To link in with this Shelley has created this map to follow so that you can go on a local trail in north Leeds, reflect on the life of Moses and discover God in the great outdoors. 

The map is available here as a pdf which you can download and there will be copies to pick up in a box outside the church from Sunday 30^th August.  The walk is approximately 40 minutes long depending on fitness and mostly flat although you might need your wellies if its been raining.

We’d love to see what you have discovered on your trail so we are encouraging you to share your drawings, pictures, discoveries with us by emailing them to mbcnewspics@gmail.com

When two of Harehills Lane Baptist Church’s congregation asked to be baptised the fact that their church building was closed could have raised all sorts of complications… step forward MBC member Rod Russell (who by chance has a hot tub in his back garden) and his near neighbour, our old friend Rev’d Andy Hobbs.

“Yes” recalls Andy, “in terms of a traditional baptism service bringing the two of us together certainly made for a  very unusual day.”

The baptism candidates were two men: Gerberen who is Dutch and married to a lovely Kenyan lady was eager to publicly renew his faith, and had been keen to be baptised for quite some time. David on the other hand has only been a Christian for a month or so so it was lovely to bring the two together, albeit in a hot tub in a neighbour’s garden.”

Andy isn’t sure if what they did last Sunday will qualify Harehills Lane Baptist Church for a place in the Guinness Book of Records but it was certainly a first for him. “It was a wonderful occasion, in fact the water was so nice none of us wanted to get out. We’re so grateful to Rod who when I first mentioned the idea jumped at the chance to help out.  After the baptism we had a lovely, socially distanced BBQ for which even the weather stayed fine.” 

Richard Thompson has been in touch telling us about New Wine 2021. Here’s what he wrote. 

We have just booked our place for New Wine next August (got to live in hope that it will take place!) All the information you need about prices and booking is here www.new-wine.org

We have booked into Week B and have listed ourselves as Moortown Baptist Church so if people do go they should state that if they want us all to be together (and not if they don’t!)

There’s also an opportunity to attend all the events but actually stay off site for which of course there is a discount.

https://youtu.be/_KzaBpHtSnY

Issue 48 of the BMS World Mission magazine ENGAGE comes complete with three supplements. There’s a daily prayer guide that runs from September to December, a Christmas catalogue displaying cards, money wallets, notelets and wrapping paper and a DVD called Operation Chad which tells the story of the workbeing done at Guinebor II hospital, the organisations “beacon of hope in the hostile Sahel desert.”

The magazine itself quite literally covers the globe with stories and features about BMS staff and supporters from as far apart as Nottingham and Nepal. 

ENGAGE is free either online or through the post. To receive it simply go to  www.bmsworlmission.org and follow the links. 

Something else that arrived this weeks was John and Sue Wilson’s summer newsletter. In it John and Sue, two of MBC’s Mission partners who run a church in Paris tell us how the reopening of their building has gone, about the progress made on their “welcome Space” and about the preparations they are making to welcome Nadine and Dorcas, two young women who between them will run the church’s women’s hostel. 

There is a taster of the newsletter above but to catch up on all their news click HERE  

This is a message being sent out to those who have been volunteering in the Council/Voluntary Action Leeds Hub.

We’re launching a new campaign in August as we move into the next stage of the UK’s COVID response, and we need your help! I know many of you have waited patiently to be called on, so I’m really excited by this – it’s something each of you will be able to get involved with as participants, and also in helping us get the word out. AND it’s been put together by two of our Community Cares volunteers!!

Scroll down to find out how you can help.  

What is it?
The Twenty-Minute Timeout invites members of our local community to take at least 20 minutes out of their day or week for a socially distanced catch-up with a friend or neighbour.  

Why are we doing this?
The idea behind the campaign is that lockdown may be easing, but we know many people are still feeling anxious about the idea of socialising and meeting people. We want to gently encourage people to take just twenty minutes out of each day or week to meet up with friends and neighbours face-to-face – in a socially distanced way – to help build up their confidence and gently ease them back into normality. 

When’s it taking place?
The campaign launches on Saturday 1^st August. Flyers will be delivered to as many doorsteps as we can reach with your help, as well as being shared across online platforms. We will be sharing ideas and inspiration throughout August on our @InteractCCP social channels, as well as through our local networks – including you!

How can you get involved?
First and foremost, join the campaign! Commit to spending twenty minutes each day or week to meet up with a friend or a neighbour.  

Secondly, we’d love you to help us spread the word far and wide: 

1. Deliver leaflets
   Moortown Baptist Church has been asked to deliver these leaflets to some of the streets around the church building. If you are local and have time could you help deliver some by contacting Kate in the church office.
    
2. Share with your friends and neighbours. After the campaign has started, resource packs will be available from our website (www.interact.uk.net). They will contain ideas for inviting people to join in, a calendar of twenty-minute timeout activities, a poster you can display in your window, and a list of numbers and websites for support. Do download a pack and encourage others to do the same.

The campaign has been created by Community volunteer Lisa Farrell, who is currently on furlough from her marketing role. It’s been great to use Lisa’s skills in this way, and we would encourage any other volunteers to let us know about specific skills they have that they would like us to consider for future volunteering activities. Please reply to this email to let me know.  

We’re really excited about this campaign, so I hope you’re able to get involved. 

Ness Brown 

InterACT Church and Community Partnership

www.interact.uk.net

07961 535 767