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Shelley’s news – 8th November

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Dear friends

We look forward to meeting with you in the building and online for our service with an act of remembrance, on Remembrance Sunday. So that we can join in with the rest of the country at 11am we ask that you could arrive by 10.45am.  We will also be looking at the theme of remembering in the Psalms.  There will be a group for our children following a similar theme. The main readings will be Psalm 46:1-6 and Psalm 77:1-12.  We will be hearing more from Isaac about his next steps with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship).

After the service it’s the ‘get to know you lunch’. See Mandy or Claire for more information. For those who feel new to MBC or want to meet more people in a relaxed way.

Rock Solid youth group meet 7-8pm in the building.

Monday 9th November Beacon café and warm welcome space 10-12 midday with food pantry.

Tuesday 10th Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents and carers.  10.00 – 11.30am.  All welcome.

Tuesday 10th November Bible study in the music room12.30 -2.30pm Please check with Howard, Lesley or Shelley if you want more information.

Tuesday 10th November Whole church meeting at 7.30pm.  Papers, agenda and zoom code have all been sent out to those on the email list.  If you can’t access that and would like to get in touch do let myself, Lesley or a deacon know and we’ll find you the information.

Wednesday 11th November Lunch Club 10.00 – 1.30.  Talk to Rachel B, Lesley, Shelley for more information, if you want to join or help.

Wednesday 11th November 6.30-7.30pm Pact (Police and communities together) meeting in the music room with local police and councillors for Moortown ward.  Open to all in the area.

Wednesday 11th November Bible study in the music room takes a break this week.  Talk to Andy, Ruth or Shelley.

Wednesday 11th November House group in the church building.  See Diane S or talk to Shelley or Lesley for more information.

Thursday 12th November Craft Group and warm welcome space 2.00 – 4.00pm ask for more information if you have questions or see Karen.

Thursday 12th November Bible Study in the music room 7.00 – 9.00pm Talk to Gareth, John C, Lesley or Shelley

Thursday 12th November 5.30pm – 7.30pm with refreshments.  This will be a follow up meeting to the Love Leeds Moortown area get together that took place on the 15th October, making a shared plan based on ideas shared at the last meeting for the area.  It’s a great opportunity to meet our neighbours and be hospitable.  This opportunity has come from ongoing relationships that we are developing with others.  All welcome.  If you can’t make it, please pray that it will be a peaceful and fruitful evening. 

If you want to find out more about Love Leeds then follow this link Love Leeds | Leeds.gov.uk The project is instigated by Leeds City Council and wants to bring together people in the different wards to make positive change and identify the good things already happening.

Friday 13th November Bible study in music room 10.00 – 11.30am Talk to Shelley for more information

Friday 13th November Friday night house group in Adel.  See Jonathan, Hilary, Steve or Helen, or ask Shelley or Lesley for more information.

Friday 13th November Parkinson’s Exercise Class in the sports hall 6.30 – 7.30pm.  See Phil or ask Lesley or Shelley.

Sunday 15th November Psalms part 8: ‘Tricky’ psalms: when life seems to go wrong.  Psalm 140:1-8. We will share communion together and there will be a children’s group looking at a similar theme looking at some of the people who wrote the psalms.  We’ll also hear this week about the ‘love your neighbour’ campaign over Christmas and how why might like to be involved.

Sunday 15th November 7-8pm Rock Solid youth group in the building.

Tuesday 17th November Deacons and Shelley meet 7.30pm in the music room.

Wednesday 18th November 1.30-2pm Wednesday worship in the music room.  All welcome. See Rachel B for more information.  

Saturday 21st November Men’s breakfast in the church building at 9.30pm.  Speak to John C, Jonathan, Andy or Nathan or myself.

Sunday 22nd November 11am service together and online.  There will be a group for the children to explore the theme together.  Psalms Part 9: Advent in the psalms. Psalm 24

Terefe will be visiting Calais and Dunkirk from 22nd to 28th November with Brother Natnael Alemayehu.  He will be supporting people living in difficult conditions who lack adequate clothing, food and drink. Terefe says, “As God opens doors, we also hope to share the light of the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ.”  Terefe asks for your prayers as the trip draws near.  He would also welcome donations of clothing and financial contributions to help provide practical assistance to those in need. Financial gifts will go towards purchasing food from local supermarkets and covering car hire, fuel, ferry fares and other essential expenses associated with the trip.  If you want to know more, please get in touch with myself or Phil Coates or Terefe.  We are currently exploring with Terefe how he may be able to work in partnership with some organisations linked to Baptist Missionary Society.  Please pray for these discussions that God will open the right doors.

Sunday 29th November 11am Advent Sunday.  11am in the building and online! We look forward to starting our new Advent to Christmas series called Everyday Adventure based on key themes of being awake, waiting, getting ready and being on the journey.  All the readings for Advent will come out next week so we can follow this together and Christmas cards are being put together this coming week with information for you to share with others.

Christmas! Save the date… 5th December. Community Christmas Cracker get together in the afternoon!  We’ll be wreath making on the afternoon of the 13th December and there will be a Christmas communion service in the morning, carol singing at a local care home the afternoon of the 20th December after the All-Age Nativity in the morning.  Christingle with candlelight at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day Service at 10.30 on Christmas Day.  There are more things to come but do put these dates in your diary and start sharing and thinking who you can invite.  Do pray for what’s coming up and if you want to get involved at this stage do let me know.

If you are interested in baptism, membership, joining a group or anything else then do get in touch with myself, Lesley, a deacon, a leader of a group or someone you feel comfortable asking and we can chat or point you in the right direction.

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

Christmas 2026 – not long now – more to follow

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Christmas! Save the date… 5th December.. Community Christmas Cracker get together in the afternoon!  We’ll be wreath making on the afternoon of the 13th December and there will be a Christmas communion service in the morning,  carol singing at a local care home the afternoon of the 20th December after the All Age Nativity in the morning.  Christingle with candle light at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day Service at 10.30 on Christmas Day.  There are more things to come but do put these dates in your diary and start sharing and thinking who you can invite. 

MBC’s Sri Lanka Craft Fair raises almost £1,000

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After what seems like months in the making Krys Gadd’s craft fair has finally taken place. 

The Fair which was once again supporting the Women’s Development Centre in Kandy, Sri Lanka saw MBC’s sanctuary packed with tables laden with everything from baubles, bangles and beads to beautifully crafted knitwear, Christmas gifts and even some amazingly decorated tables and stools.  

Kry’s next visit to Kandy is in the New Year where once again she and a small group of friends will tutor the women and girls who live there in sewing and weaving in order that they themselves may become self-sufficient. 

At the last count the Fair had raised just short of £1,000, of which every penny will be spent improving the lives of the residents of the Centre. 

The answer to last week’s Where and when question is definately Scarborough, but still not sure of the when

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The answer to last weeks where and when question is, thanks to Jenny Dixon (and Ai), half answered.

Regarding the where… “The Cliff was a well known hotel in Scarborough, North Yorkshire operated for many years by Methodist Holiday Hotels Ltd”. 

As for the when? All I can tell you is that The Cliff no longer functions as a hotel, and according to official Gov.UK papers its “parent company” Methodist Holiday Hotels Linited which was incorporated in June 1940 is in liquidation. 

So there you have it. Thanks to all who responded to my appeal for help. 

 

Who, what, where and when? A guide to all that’s happening here at MBC in 2026

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www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk 

It would be nigh on impossible to list everything that goes on here at MBC in just one post as very often we host special one offs – such as Plant Sales, Craft Fairs, Cream Teas and the like. Here, however, are what you might call the basics i.e. the things that take place either on a regular or a semi permanant basis. 

Lasting for just over an hour our Sunday Service starts in church and on YouTube at 11am. The first Sunday of each month is Café Church and on the third Sunday we celebrate Communion.

An important part of our worship is Sunday School which sees a small group of young children learning all about Jesus and the love of God.

Rounding off Sunday we have Rock Solid. Meeting between 7 & 8pm and majoring around having fun. Youth Club style Rock Solid regularly sets our teenagers some serious and not so serious challenges and tasks.

Monday…    Our free Warm Space Beacon Café, 10am to 12noon which runs in conjunction with The Lord’s Pantry, a project that within limits distributes free food and toiletries etc. to people in need.

Tuesday…    Stepping Stones, a toddler group 10 to 11.30am. Term time only. 

Tuesday…   The first of our Housegroups, only this one is in church between 12noon and 2pm.

Wednesday… 10.30am – 2pm. Lunch Club, games, quizzes and always a hearty lunch for our seniors. 

Wednesday… 7.30 to 9.30pm. A hybrid Housegroup with half the group meeting in our Music Room and others online.

Wednesday…  7.30pm – 9.30ish. Ladies Housegroup. This group meets in our Corner Room at Church from 7.30pm till 9.30ish.

Wednesday…  7.30 to 9pm. Country Dancing.

Thursday…     2pm to 4. Open Door Craft Group. Our second Warm Space of the week. No experience needed, Free refreshments and always lots of chat.

Thursday…      7pm to 9pm. Bible Study and prayer in our Music Room.

Friday…            10am to 11am. A second Bible Study, again in church.

Friday…            And finally, between 8pm – 10pm, another Housegroup, again in someone’s home.

On top of all this we also have a Pastoral Team which offers confidential support to anyone who needs it. A Parkinson’s Exercise Class. An excellent worship band that plays regularaly in our Sunday services. Two Extend Exercise Classes (ideal for our older friends). Pilates. Pathways a Christian Counselling Service. Huge input into the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store. Masses of home and overseas Mission work. PACT (Neighbourhood Policing Teams) and local councillor surgeries.

And of course at certain times of the year we also host some special services such as Baptisms, Easter, Harvest and Christmas.

For more information about any of these please email Moortown Baptist Church on admin@moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

Moortown Baptist Church. 204 King Lane, Leeds LS17 7AA

www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk

Shelley’s news update – 1 November

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Dear friends

Last week in the church building we talked about ‘the word being a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119: 105).  I am not sure what that has looked like for you this week but you may want to take a moment if you haven’t so far to ponder what this light has meant for you, your relationships and your prayer and interactions with the world around.  Jesus came as the light of the world and gave us the same name as himself,

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” 

I pray this week that in all we do, we may embrace the calling God has for us and look out with love in words, thoughts and action and the generous grace that has been so lavished on us, guided by His light in all we do.

‘How do you do it?’ said night
‘How do you wake up and shine?’
‘I keep it simple,’ said light
‘One day at a time.’

(Lemm Sissay)

Sunday 1st November 11am Café Church Psalms part 6: worship in the psalms Psalm 100 and 150

Sunday 1st November Rock Solid Youth Group 7-8pm in the church building. Positive pumpkin party night!

Monday 2nd November Beacon café and warm welcome space 10-12 midday with food pantry.

Monday 2nd November 12.30-1.30pm Those interested in being part of the Alpha team bring lunch and get together to plan/pray/meet each other. The plan will be to start the course on Monday 18th January.

Tuesday 3rd October Stepping Stones for under 5’s and their parents and carers.  10.00 – 11.30am.  All welcome.

Tuesday 3rd November Bible study in the music room12.30 -2.30pm Please check with Howard, Lesley or Shelley if you want more information.

Wednesday 4th November Lunch Club 10.00 – 1.30.  Talk to Rachel B, Lesley, Shelley for more information, if you want to join or help.

Wednesday 4th November Bible study in the music room takes a break this week.  Talk to Andy, Ruth or Shelley.

Wednesday 4th November Psalms art group takes place at 7pm in the sports hall on November 4th.  See Krys or Cas for more information.  If you are planning on coming do let them know so they can set up resources for you.  You don’t need to bring anything or need previous experience, just come and have a go!  Help is given.

Wednesday 4th November House group in the corner room at 7.30pm.  See Diane S.

Thursday 5th November Craft Group and warm welcome space 2.00 – 4.00pm ask for more information if you have questions or see Karen.

Thursday 5th November Bible Study in the music room 7.00 – 9.00pm Talk to Gareth, John C, Lesley or Shelley

Friday 6th November Bible study in music room 10.00 – 11.30am Talk to Shelley for more information

Friday 6th November Friday night house group in Adel.  See Jonathan, Hilary, Steve or Helen, or ask Shelley or Lesley for more information.

Friday 6th November Parkinson’s Exercise Class in the sports hall 6.30 – 7.30pm.  See Phil or ask Lesley or Shelley.

Sunday 8th November Remembrance Sunday Psalms part 7: Remembering in the psalms. Psalm 46:1-6 and Psalm 77:1-12.  We’ll be starting at 10.45 this week so that we can observe the 11 o’ clock silence with the rest of the country.

Get to know you lunch on 8th November after the service.  If you feel new to MBC, want to meet more people or know someone who does then do let Mandy, Claire or Shelley know and you’d be very welcome to come to lunch in the church building after the service.

Church meeting is November 10th at 7.30pm.  Look forward to seeing you there!  We’ll be sharing about the recent deacons away day and what we discern God doing at Moortown over the last year and looking to the near future.  There will be building and mission updates, ways in which you can join in over Christmas and section on a possible paid worker role at Moortown.  Rather than keeping everything to the church meeting, we know we have many sub groups at Moortown across all the ministries where teams are regularly meeting to pray and plan next steps.  If there is something you sense you are called to or want to try then do let me, a deacon or a group leader know and we can work out some next steps. .  Papers, agenda and zoom link were sent out last Tuesday.  Last opportunity for AOB is Sunday 8th November.

Love Leeds On 15th October we welcomed local community groups, residents, police, councillors and those working in Moortown for the first Love Leeds gathering for the city.  If you want to find out more about Love Leeds then follow this link Love Leeds | Leeds.gov.uk The project is instigated by Leeds City Council and wants to bring together people in the different wards to make positive change and identify the good things already happening. Ideas were shared over food and on Thursday 12th November 5.30pm – 7.30pm with food, there will be a follow up meeting making a shared plan about what we are going to do based on ideas shared last time.  It was a great opportunity to meet our neighbours and be hospitable.  This opportunity has come from ongoing relationships that we are developing with others.  All welcome.  If you can’t make it, please pray that it will be a peaceful and fruitful evening.  There will be more opportunity to talk about this at the church meeting.

The next men’s breakfast is Saturday 21st November in the church building…more information to come.

Terefe will be visiting Calais and Dunkirk from 22nd to 28th November with Brother Natnael Alemayehu.  He will be supporting people living in difficult conditions who lack adequate clothing, food and drink. Terefe says “As God opens doors, we also hope to share the light of the Gospel and the love of Jesus Christ.”  Terefe asks for your prayers as the trip draws near.  He would also welcome donations of clothing and financial contributions to help provide practical assistance to those in need. Financial gifts will go towards purchasing food from local supermarkets and covering car hire, fuel, ferry fares and other essential expenses associated with the trip.  If you want to know more, please get in touch with myself or Phil Coates or Terefe.  We are currently exploring with Terefe how he may be able to work in partnership with some organisations linked to Baptist Missionary Society.  Please pray for these discussions that God will open the right doors.

If you are interested in baptism, membership, joining a group or anything else then do get in touch with myself, Lesley, a deacon, a leader of a group or someone you feel comfortable asking and we can chat or point you in the right direction.

Christmas! Save the date… 5th December.. Community Christmas get together in the afternoon! We’ll be wreath making on the afternoon of the 13th December and there will be carol singing at a local care home the afternoon of the 20th December after the nativity in the morning.  All age Christingle at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve and a Christmas Day service at 10.30 on Christmas Day.  More to come but do put these dates in your diary and start sharing and thinking who you can invite.  Do pray for whats coming up..

A new walking group has begun on Tuesday lunchtimes at the MAZC centre next door to the church and I have been asked to let you all know in case you want to go along.  If you are interested, let me know and I will pass on the details. Information is also on the community board in the corridor by Lesley’s office.

It has been great to welcome Pastor Elod and his wife Kinga this week on their first visit to England. Thanks to those who provided hospitality and spend time with them.  I had a lovely morning with them in Harrogate on Friday and the café even found a Hungarian speaking waiter for us! Please see A warm welcome for the Pastor of our sister church in Transalvania – Moortown Baptist Church More to follow on this!

Finally, a big thank you to Krys and the team today for the wonderful craft fair and refreshments today.  I know there were many of you supporting this event, people on the doors, on stalls, providing much needed refreshment and of course your presence and donations to the Sri Lanka women’s refuge project.  Krys will bring an update in tomorrow’s service.  Many of those who came, including the stall holders who had not been to the building before commented on the peaceful surroundings and the welcome. Please see the website for more information MBC’s Sri Lanka Craft Fair goes with a swing – Moortown Baptist Church and other news.

In Christ

Shelley

Shelley Dring

Minister

Moortown Baptist Church

A warm welcome for the Pastor of our sister church in Transalvania

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Elod Marton is the Pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Cserefalva, Transalvania. And it was our pleasure to welcome him and his wife Kinga to MBC this morning (Sunday). 

Moortown’s relationship with this part of the world goes back more than thirty years, when two of our young students met, purely by chance, the then Pastor of  Elod’s church on a flight to Romania. Since then the bond between us and them has grown and grown with regular two way visits and masses of both prayful and practical support. 

Perhaps, above all, occasions like this demonstrate what we mean when we describe Moortown Baptist Church as a local, community church with world wide vision. 

Long may this partnership continue. 

 

Psalms art group – 7pm Wednesday 4th November

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Wednesday 4th November Psalms art group takes place at 7pm in the sports hall on November 4th.  See Krys or Cas for more information. 

If you are planning on coming do let them know so they can set up resources for you.  You don’t need to bring anything or need previous experience, just come and have a go! 

Help is given.

Leeds Furniture Mission hits the ground running!

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More than sixty staff, volunteers, trustees and supporters gathered recently to celebrate forty years of the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store turning “houses into homes”. However, this was no ordinary celebration.

That’s because the event which took place at Banyan in City Square, exactly four decades on from when Hilary Willmer urged Moortown Baptist Church to set up such a venture, took the opportunity of not only totally revamping its image but for the first time ever to promote itself as never before.

By commissioning a marketing consultant and a professional film maker (you can see the video by clicking HERE) each of whom were at the very top of their game the charity’s CEO and its five trustees not only came up with a new name – Leeds Furniture Mission – but a snappy logo and several new ways of attracting corporate sponsors, individual or teams of volunteers.

Rachel Dodson, who manages LFM told guests that the charity’s fortieth anniversary not only marked an incredibly significant milestone but gave her and what she calls her “brilliant team” the impetus required to build on four decades of service to socially and economically disadvantaged people.

Likewise, Chair of Trustees, Gareth Davies, reiterated the board’s commitment to its original Mission Statement by saying that whilst for some people the new name may take a bit of getting used to it does, nevertheless, reflect the charity’s Christian roots.

Finally, John Sherbourne a long serving Chair of Trustees paid tribute to Hilary Willmer the lady who all those years ago spotted a weakness in the benefits system, which she feared might lead to some people being unable to cope with such a change falling into debt.

Sadly, Hilary was unable to attend the function but as she reads this she can rest assured that her efforts were not in vain.  

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