For the first time ever, all of our news editors are on holiday at the same time with restricted access to the Internet.
We have therefore taken the decision not to publish during this period so the 6th and 20th July editions will not be issued.
Please bear with us and we will be back in action before you know it.
Thanks
The Web Team
John Duffy
Evening Celebration 9 July @ 7pm
An evening celebration at MBC, Sunday 9th July 7pm, refreshments from 6.45pm
We are gathering together to encounter God. There will be safe space to share and for prayer.
Our theme is based upon Psalm 100 and Romans 12: 1 – 8 – coming together in praise and offering ourselves as living sacrifices.
All are invited to come and to share on this theme.
We hope to see you there!
Attention all Vocalists – Another outing for the Gospel Choir!
Abi Tilley is planning another outing for the Gospel Choir on Pentecost Sunday (4th June). Everyone is welcome to come along and sing in the Choir.
No audition required or need to read music – just turn up and sing!
We will be preparing 2 songs and will meet rehearsals at the following times:
Monday evening rehearsals 7:00 – 8:30 pm in the Music Room.
There are 3 Mondays before the service itself: 8th, 15th and 22nd May.
Two further rehearsals will be on the following dates:
Sunday 21st immediately after the morning service, and a final rehearsal on Pentecost Sunday morning itself before the service, from 9:45 – 10:15 am.
If in any doubt please contact Abi at church.
Thank-you
As Long as You Both shall Live
Tony and Judith had a long, happy, fruitful, Christian marriage. Just short of 50 years, Judith died of cancer and Tony was left alone. The ‘arithmetic of marriage’ changed as the One made out of Two, which is marriage, was torn apart leaving a Half. Besides all his sorrow in such a disorienting loss, the question presented itself to Tony who lived on in good health: What was he to do with the gift of life still entrusted to him? He set about working out the answer to that question. How he did it and what has come of it, in nearly four years, he tells us in this little booklet.
Those of us who are married or live in a committed partnership cannot escape the question which creeps up on us as the years pass – Which one of us will be left and what will he or she do then? Giving an answer, when the time comes, is a task that will fall to roughly 50% of us. How it is answered depends on circumstances which vary enormously. Sometimes people are left with responsibilities which define what they must do next. For example, they may have young children.
But sometimes the path is not so clear. It is easy to be overwhelmed and paralysed, leaving someone unnecessarily to fritter life away, in front of the telly perhaps. What is God’s call to those who still have a valuable life to live, even though they no longer have the energy of youth? God’s call, as Tony testifies, stops us crumbling before the apparent futility of living through the ‘dying of the light’. God’s call is life-giving grace for people all their days. It says, Wake up and Christ will give you light. Do not grow weary in well doing. (Eph 5.14, Gal.6.9). But this is no cheap grace: listening for the call and finding the way requires our engagement and struggle.
That is the message I take from what Tony has written in ‘As Long as You Both shall Live’. It may be helpful to others. If anyone would like a copy, Tony will be glad to let them have one. I will pass on any request.
Haddon Willmer
Safe to grow at Moortown Baptist Church
‘Safe to grow at Moortown Baptist Church’ is a set of agreed policies and procedures for ensuring a safe environment for children and young people within the care of our church. Our policies and procedures cover the ways that we act, monitor, care, recruit and show accountability. They are a guide and protection for volunteers, paid workers and indeed the whole church community. They are one expression of our beliefs and values.
We have three documents:
• the full set of policies and procedures – for reference purposes and for use by anyone with overall responsibility for events, activities and trips;
• our ‘Manual’ which is an abridged version of the full set – for general use by everyone involved in children’s and youth work;
• A leaflet, which summarises key aspects of our policy and procedures in a compact format designed to be kept to hand for easy reference.
These documents are based on the model Safe to Grow policy available from the Baptist Union at this link).