John Sherbourne

On Saturday and Sunday the 22nd and 23rd of September we will be welcoming Pastor Ken Benjamin to MBC. Ken who is Minister at Chichester Baptist Church will, between 2019 and 2020 serve as the President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. 

Having recently led a large church through a programme which looked at new ways of addressing mission and discipleship Ken will spend the Saturday morning (10am to 12.30pm – coffee and croissants from 9.30) )leading a number of seminars and discussions designed to support leaders from both our church and other local fellowships.

On Sunday morning he will be preaching on the title you see in our headline: Where do we grow from here?

As growth and diversity are two of the prime elements driving MBC’s ongoing debate about change there is an open invitation to everyone to come along to attend on Saturday, Sunday or both.  

Six years after taking over the role of MBC’s Children’s Worker Cas Stoodley has moved on to pastures new: well, she has and she hasn’t. Yes Cas has stepped down from paid employment here at Moortown but she’s certainly not leaving us.

In a number of ways you could say that in terms of mastering lots of new skills Cas’ new job, at Meanwood Church of England Primary School, isn’t a million miles away from her old one: particularly so as MBC’s links with the school go back many years through our Rewind to Christmas and Easter projects. One big difference, however, will be that this Christmas when sixty or so of Meanwood’s C of E’s Year 4 pupils hike up Stonegate Road Mrs Stoodley, not Cas, will be walking with them rather than waiting to greet them. 

As Cas was joined at the front of church by an army of people who in one way or another had been a part of one her teams she was presented with a number of gifts. But as Graham was quick to point out it was typical of her to quickly turn the occasion on its head and after sharing a favourite poem to pray for the church and a smooth transition. 

God bless you Cas. From all of us, young and old alike thank you for everything. 

If you Google The Wine Society, and on its excellent website search for the year 1948 you’ll be surprised by just how many different wines are still available to buy. The one I fancy most is a Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Sec, Domaine Heut. Why? Because according to the blurb it’s: “Almost tawny in colour, with copper highlights, but very much alive on the palate, with a refreshing pithy citrus note, long and fine on the finish. That life-giving acidity and concentration make for a cheeseboard treat. Some harmless sediment.“ Sadly, though, you will also see that seven decades after the Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Secgrapes’ grapes were harvested a 75cl bottle will cost you £245.00, or if you’ve really got a thirst £2,940.00 for a case of 12. 

However, I’m glad to say there was no such extravagance on show when six of MBC congregation recently got together to celebrate their seventieth birthdays. Okay, so you could argue that six birthdays (there were more who couldn’t make it) in one year is nothing special… equally you could argue any excuse for a party!  

Hosted by Karen and Dave Newell the Saturday evening soiree fulfilled every requirement for such a bespoke guest list: a start time which meant you weren’t eating too late, a finish time which meant you were home well before anyone in their teens had even set out and a beautifully balanced selection of food and drink which meant that no matter what medication you were on you didn’t need a supper. 

The picture above shows the actual 1948 gang, left to right Nicky Gibb, Karen Newell, Jean Carlisle, Karen Ross, John Sherbourne and Mary Grayson whilst the one below includes partners who have either just passed or are approaching this significant milestone. These are: Gwynneth Sherbourne, Dave Newell and Michael Grayson. 

Please sign up via this link on eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wisdom-on-the-way-tickets-47996130719?invite=&err=29&referrer=&discount=&affiliate=&eventpassword=

This autumn New Wine are holding two very special events. The first is on Saturday 13th October at Liverpool Cathedral and that’s a Men’s Day. The second, a Women’s Day takes place two weeks later that’s on October the 27th at Cathedral House in Huddersfield. 

For more details speak with Richard Thompson or visit https://www.new-wine.org/events

At our recent Church Meeting we shared that with the growth of our Sunday morning congregation we are considering running two morning services. Obviously this entails all of us: ministers and staff, our Leadership Team and of course you our members and attenders looking at many options and practical details ahead of piloting something between October and December.

The importance of everyone having the opportunity to have their say is why our Leadership Team have prepared some questions for us to consider together in informal groups.

We would like to hear your comments by mid September. 

The question form is printed below but paper copies are available from the church office, from our ministers or from any member of our Leadership Team. 

                                                    ———————————————————————–

Moortown Baptist Church is growing in numbers, diversity and experience of God together. With so many people in our building we know that services can feel packed and busy. So we are looking at how we can make more space to grow and flourish whilst cherishing our diversity and community.

The Bible is clear that the church is nothing short of being the body of Christ, the people of God gathering to be equipped and sent, a community experiencing and sharing God through the Spirit.

People have many reasons for coming to church, to find and deepen faith, to enjoy community and friendships, to encounter God and be caught up in hope, to equipped to love daily and be capable of love.

Gathering on a Sunday is only one part of our wider Christian lives.

So we want to hear from one another as we consider doing things differently on Sundays.

Our intention is for these questions to stimulate discussion in small groups of friends, families, home groups, teams that play a part in church life etc virtually or in person, rather than to receive individual responses.

Responses should be sent to moortown.baptist@btconnect.com or handed to a minister or member of the Leadership Team, by Wednesday 12^th September.

Some Bible references that might aid your discussion are:

Matthew 28.16-20, Acts 2, Hebrews 10.19-25, 1 Corinthians 12,13,

1. Why do we gather? What would we miss if we didn’t?
2. Where does a Sunday service fit for you in your faith life: is it the main source of spiritual refreshment, or do you have other places that are the source for you?
3. How many Sundays do you attend in a month? What other regular commitments do you have on a Sunday- leading in youth/ children’s church or play not in the band, stewarding. Or maybe commitments to work or children’s sport that happen on Sunday?
4. How would you describe Sunday morning services to a prospective visitor with particular reference to our welcome, worship, engagement with the Bible, and witness?
5. What kind of ideas would a visitor go away with about the kind of God we worship, our attitude to the wider world, what it means to be part of a church community?
6. For you and yours what do you value most in Sunday gathering that prepares you for your coming week?
7. As we seek to grow, what kind of welcome and invitation to join in at MBC do you experience or imagine new people experience, (especially if they’ve never been part of church)
8. What do you see other churches doing well?
9. If there were an earlier and a later morning service, what would you expect to be included in each service?
10. What might we need to consider if we run two morning services.

          MBC Co-Ministers and Leadership Team , July 2018