John Sherbourne

This coming Sunday, March 17th, we are once again trying something new. By that we mean that whist we are continuing our programme of two morning services, with this being the third Sunday of the month i.e. our week for communion we thought that we would have just one communion service during the 10.45am gathering, and that the 9.30 early birds could come together for breakfast. 

Initially flagged up as a feast of croissants and the like I do now hear a very strong rumour that for those who prefer something a little more substantial our hosts, Phil and Suzanna Laws’ House Group, are laying on bacon buttys. 

So once again the choice is yours: 9.30am til 10.15 in the Music Room for breakfas, coffee and fellowship and/or 10.45 to 12.15 Communion Service. 

Oh and finally this coming Sunday also see our next Tea Service. This begins at 4pm and is of course followed by a light tea.  

A couple of weeks ago Graham told us a little bit of history about St David. Born somewhere around 500AD, David, the Patron Saint of Wales became bishop of Mynyw (now St Davids) during the 6th century. A renowned teacher and preacher we learned that St David’s most famous miracle took place when he was preaching in the middle of a large crowd at the Synod of Brefi when the ground on which he was standing is reputed to have risen up to form a small hill.

However, as interesting as all this was what Graham was leading us to was a story of an encounter he recently had with a welsh friend at a UK Citizen’s meeting. Seemingly it’s a known fact that as something like 99% of all zimmer frames are grey those who rely on them for mobility have great difficulty determining which is and which isn’t theirs. 

ANSWER – MAKE THEM ALL DIFFERENT!

In Wales personalising a zimmer is known as pimping, or in slightly more refined circles as shimmering, and as part of their agenda to address areas of need the particular branch of UK Citizens that Graham’s friend belongs to have taken up this challenge with a local engineering company. 

By coincidence our Senior’s Worker Carole Smith has just mounted a fabulous display in the MBC sports hall of pictures and comments taken and made about Seniors’ Lunch Club. 

If you get chance do pop into the sports hall and read some of the comments, each and every one underlining the value of this important part of our ministry which believe it or not began its weekly programme in March 1975, that’s exactly 44 years ago. 

We’ll keep you up date with any news we get as to if and when any of our seniors get their hands on some new super duper shimmered zimmers; in the meantime keep your wits about you and keep looking out for grey ones. 

Shelley Dring who starts her new job on April 15th comes to MBC with a wealth of experience. We asked her to introduce herself… 

After gaining a first in Psychology at Bangor University (the welsh one!) and a PGCE at Lancaster (with some office work in between) I became a primary teacher in Leeds. I followed this with a few years of self employment and worked as a dancer, fine artist and community practitioner. During this time I became the children and youth adviser to Bradford Diocese and supported church initiatives and conferences in teaching and participating in creative worship including Spring Harvest, New Wine, Boys and Girls Brigade, Edinburgh festival and Global Day of Prayer, London and Berlin. I love to dance and I am on the core team of Movement in Worship (Miw.org.uk) and recently enjoyed leading all age workshops at Big Church Day Out.

                                      Shelley, Nathan, Rowan and Daisy Dring

Along with my husband, Nathan, I’ve been on the leadership team of a church in Leeds for 13 years and have learnt a lot about accessible church and church growth in diverse all age communities. This was a busy time but it included becoming a lay reader in the Church of England and completing some theological training, pioneering a ‘fresh expression’ of church called Genr8 (along with a team) leading worship, playing clarinet, leading dance workshops, setting up a prayer room, developing accessible Sunday church programmes, co leading a parish CPAS growing leaders course with my Dad and planning a community fashion show to name a few. Oh I also had two children during that time.. who came after a long struggle and a lot of prayer! I was also grateful to co lead an enjoyable (mostly sunny!) week with MBC at your Moorlands church holiday along with Nathan d and a very Rowan.

I’ve spent the last 11 years working for Leeds Museums and Galleries as a Learning and Access Officer, based in a 500 year old Tudor Jacobean Mansion known as Temple Newsam House. The objective of my job was to bring the house and it’s collection ‘to life’ to as many people as possible. Temple Newsam was gifted to the people of Leeds back in the 1930’s, so it was important to make sure that all aspects of Leeds communities felt welcome there.

During this time I set up a learning programme for primary and secondary schools, university partnerships, school holiday activities, developed teacher training, joined with community organisations on creative well-being projects and helped create exhibitions. One of my favourites was working with a group of local people from Osmondthorpe, East Leeds and following one lady’s comment that “I didn’t think a place like this was for someone like me,” I was inspired to work with them over the following year to support language skills, new hobbies and to build confidence and parenting skills using the House and the objects inside.

All of my work over the years has relied on developing good relationships, encouragement, communication and creativity so I am really looking forward to getting to know people at MBC, partnering with them and with those communities who are or could be connected to us to see what we can do! I’m passionate about inter-generational communities, using creativity for well-being, inspiration, problem solving, purpose and identity in God and how we can support each other as Gods family to build a better world.

In my ‘spare’ time I like to dance, paint, do interesting gym classes, see live performances, try different foods, go out with friends and family and visit museums and galleries. I’m also part of a book club and even though I sometimes fail to finish the book I very much enjoy the discussions!

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those of you here at MBC who have made me and my family feel so welcome. I value your prayers at this time of new beginnings.

The city wide launch of the 2019 Leeds Lent Prayer Diary, an event to which the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store were invited proved fertile ground for MBC’s homegrown charity. By providing the opportunity to network and share their story with over a hundred guests the Store’s manager John Gamson and its chair of trustees John Sherbourne didn’t waste a second when it came to distributing flyers and promotional cd’s. 

The Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store was born here at MBC in 1986 by a small group of people who through the course of their work began to realise that the way in which certain benefits grants were changing meant that a large number of people – some living just a stone’s throw away from church – were unable to afford to buy even the most basic items of furniture.

The rest, as they say is history; thirty three years of addressing the needs of people in Leeds has seen the registered charity grow from three or four people using car boots for collection and cellars for storage to one of the city’s most respected support groups which is now based in a 10,000 sq ft warehouse and is making more than 1,000 collections and free deliveries a year.

Of course the charity can only keep going if people, people like you, donate their unwanted furniture. So if and when you replace a bed, a sofa, a wardrobe or for that matter any other item of furniture call 0113 2739727 to arrange a free and convenient collection.Printed above is a copy of Gemma Bonham’s Prayer for Leeds with which the Bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt Rev Paul Slater opened the evening. Please take time to read it.

The Leeds Lent Prayer Diary 2019 Launch was jointly organised by Leeds Church Institute, Leeds Christian Community Trust and PrayforLeeds. 

This coming Sunday, March 3, we’re moving back to holding two Sunday morning services. The first at 9.30am will be 45 minutes of quiet worship, prayer and reflection.  This will be followed at 10.45 by the more familiar model of our children and young people going out to their groups after half an hour or so while the rest of us stay together. Once again we’ll be freeing up some time at the end of this service for prayer, discussion and occasionally the odd “special” feature. 

However, one important thing to mention is that unlike in January when on the third Sunday we held two Communion services, in March, on week three (that’s the 17th) there will be just one Communion service during the second service with the early service being replaced by a light church breakfast to which everyone is invited.    

On Wednesday 6^th March, here at Moortown Baptist Church,  Joe Kapolyo will be delivering the 2019 Whitley Lecture. He will be speaking on the subject of “Theology and Culture: An African Perspective.” From his experience and reflection Joe observes that the majority world is where the church is growing and explores the need for theology from the majority world to be respected and new and good thinking developed.

MBC is the seventh stop on this eight venue lecture tour. The event begins at 7.30pm and Joe will be basing his talk on the following abstract:

It is now an undeniable fact that, demographically speaking, the centre of gravity of Christianity has shifted to the southern continents from its traditional heartlands in Europe and America. This is at least the third time that such a shift has occurred. The first saw the Church base move from the Middle East centred on Jerusalem to Rome in Europe and then from Rome to northern Europe and America. It is anecdotally suggested that the average Christian at the moment is a thirty seven year old Ugandan woman. We celebrate these facts and rejoice in the Lord that the southern continents of Africa, Asia and Latin America will have the privilege of playing host in significant ways to the Christian faith.

The heart of the argument of this paper concerns the need for African (Asian and Latin American) cultures to yield their deposits of grace in the service of the Gospel and theology. We will argue that the traditional distinction between theology (which should rightly be named as European or Enlightenment theology) and its privileged position over against so called contextualised theologies is not only false but dangerous.  At best this has been and continues to be an instrument of exclusion; excluding African (Asian and Latin American) cultures from serious theological discourse. At worst it is an act of arrogance and even oppression. But it is also an unnecessary self imposed limitation in that it resists the development of a theological culture that embraces all of God’s people on earth – the mosaic that represents every tribe, language and nation. Geologically, people mine precious minerals from the earth.

The miners do not create the deposits of copper, gold or diamonds; they simply exploit them for human benefit. Similarly, there are deposits of grace that God has left in every culture. These must be exposed and exploited in the service of theologies that will reflect the vast spread of humanity on earth, create new disciplines that will strengthen the Church and spur it on to fulfil the commission to go to all the nations of the world and make them disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Joe Kapolyo is the recently retired Lead Minister at Edmonton Baptist Church, London. Previously he has served as Principal of All Nations Christian College; Principal of Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA), Ndola, Zambia; Pastor of Central Baptist Church (Harare, Zimbabwe); Pastor of Ndola Baptist Church (Zambia); Schools worker with Scripture Union Zambia. 

He currently chairs on the Board of Ulting Trust Overseas and until August 2018 was a member of both the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the BUGB Trustees.  Joe’s publications include ‘The Human Condition, Christian Perspectives through African Eyes’ in the Global Christian Library series, published by IVP and Matthew in the one-volume African Bible Commentary.  Joe is married to Anne and they have two grown up daughters, and two grand children.

NIGHT SHELTER for destitute asylum seekers: is once again being hosted at Moortown Methodist church from Monday 15th April until Monday 29th April. This will be the fourth year that the project has been hosted as a joint venture between the CTMAS Churches.

There are many different jobs for volunteers, each requiring a varying amount of time and involvement to suit individuals/families. The main roles are:

Evening welcomers/hosts (6.00 – 10.00pm), Evening meal – provide & serve (6.30 – 8.30pm), Overnight (10.00pm – 7.00am) and Breakfast hosts (7.00 – 9.00am). Other roles include, setting up, laundry and possibly transport, and, of course, financial donations to support the work of the Night Shelters.

There will be an Information/Training session for volunteers at Moortown Methodist Church at 7.30pm on Monday 1st April. To volunteer or to seek further details, please contact Ted Britton on 07515 996871 or edward.britton@ntlworld.com.

In the meantime, please do mention the Night Shelter to your friends and ask if they would like to help in any way.

“Amid the heat and beauty of ancient Palestine, a man stands on a dusty road. An extraordinary journey will take place, retracing the footsteps of Jesus through a world of miracles and madness, violence and liberation…..”

Riding Lights Theatre Company will be performing their Passion play ‘The Narrow Road’ here at MBC on Tuesday 16th April and tickets will be on sale shortly. However, in the meantime we are appealing for anyone who can offer overnight hospitality to one or two of the actors on the night of the performance. There will be five actors in total.

If you can help please see Kate.

Over the last couple of Saturdays Margaret Brownlee has delivered two safeguarding training sessions to a total of more than sixty people. Based on the Baptist Union’s bespoke safeguarding programmes; Safe to Grow, which focuses on safeguarding children and young people and Safe to Belong which looks at safeguarding issues among adults the events were crammed with important information not only in regard to safeguarding those in your care but also to protecting yourself. 

The BU website describes the purpose of this Level 2 training course as enabling people: