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Praise the Lord – two baptisms and a dedication

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By anyone’s standards, for any Baptist church to have two baptisms and a dedication during one morning Service is good going. But such was the order last Sunday at Moortown Baptist Church. 

For Jess and Rachel their baptism will be a highlight of their young lives and one that neither will forget. For little Amber it will turn out to be something that as she grows up she will forever be reminded of.   

It was a real privilege to be in the congregation, and a real joy to see MBC continuing to grow.  

Safely back in Leeds – Bela, Jean and Howard share more pictures from their trip to Romania

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We’re back!  We arrived safely back home on Tuesday morning from our visit to Romania.

For the second part of our stay we visited Manastur Baptist Church in the city of Cluj-Napoca.  Bela and Jean stayed at the home of Florin and Dana Fodor who visited us in Leeds two years ago and I with Constantin and Mariana Rusu who many years ago joined us on a church holiday.

We continued to be blessed by sunshine right up until the last couple of days.  We had a scenic excursion to the Apuseni mountains where we visited the new Christian centre at Belis.  We also visited the salt mine at Turda.

On Sunday we joined the service at Manastur church where there was a wedding of two young people from Haiti who had come to Cluj as students. It reminded us of Candice and Nelson’s wedding at MBC a few weeks ago.

In the evening we went to the Gypsy Church in the nearby village of Floresti.  We have supported this important ministry for a number of years.  We were made very welcome and Bela shared some thoughts based on her experience in India. 

We again gave greetings from MBC at both churches and we were asked to convey their greetings and best wishes in return.

On our final day we met Nicu and Rita Reparuc who over the years have taken in and fostered around 30 children. 

We return with lots of happy memories of the warmth of our welcome.

If you would like to share some of our memories simply open up the gallery by clicking on any of the pictures below .

Climate Change – local action group sets about addressing an environmental crisis.

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As a local church with a world wide mission, protecting the environment and in particular addressing the effects of climate change are, or at least  should be, two of the most vital challenges we face. 

Below you will see a number of flyers issued by the Alwoodley 2030 Climate Action Hub. Also you can find out more by visiting Alwoodley 2030: Climate Action Hub – About

Although specifically focused on Alwoodley this project is equally important to the residents of Moortown, or even Miami, Malawi or Mombasa. And that’s because without a global effort climate change, whether that manifests itself in the form of hurricanes, floods, melting ice caps et al is going to change the face of civilisation beyond recognition.    

Acoustic Nights at The Barn

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Every month The Barn Coffee Shop welcomes the best independent performers to Meanwood Valley Urban Farm Leeds LS7 2QG.

In the leadup to Christmas, that’s in October, November and December the artists featured are Chris Read, Rod Cordner and the HUM Gospel Choir. 

All the information you need to book your tickets is on the attached flyer but for more specific queries you can always call The Barn on 0113 2625048. 

Jane Coates. Thoughts and prayers. Grace in the place – the place of testing.

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Unanticipated trials and challenges are generally not welcomed. We may hope that we will somehow be saved and protected from these kinds of things and yet often this is not the case, and the road in front of us may suddenly become difficult, discouraging, beyond our understanding, and perhaps also beyond our usual coping mechanisms. Yet we try to keep walking in trust along with our faithful God. It would be easy to harbour negative thoughts, to complain, go into avoidance mode, or even begin to doubt our trust and confidence in the God who loves us. But on this kind of journey, we need to know and to depend on the God who will be there with us. We need to know that in that time of hard testing, He will keep us safe. Can we trust that He will give us the resources and strength for whatever we need on any testing journey?
 
Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
1 Corinthians 10 v 13 GNT
 
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus modelled a prayer marked by a relationship and a trust in His Father. We may pray for protection against the ills, trials, tests and challenges of life in our own lives and that of our families, but there is no guarantee of this for us. What He does promise to us is to keep us safe and to walk with us though the experience and the trial.
 
Do not bring us to hard testing but keep us safe from the Evil One. Matthew 6 v 13 GNT
 
I have learned from experience that it can be helpful to prepare for the unexpected, the twists and turns in life, the shocks and the shadows. This is not to be gloomy or fearful of the tests and trials that may come, but not to be shocked by them. Anticipation and preparation are two significant things that we can build on. So, how may we prepare ourselves for the bumps in the road? For they will surely come at some point. They are the kinds of tests that’ normally come.’ We need to safeguard and grow that close relationship with the Father, trust His faithfulness, and grace and curb that desire to rely on our own strength and ability.
 
I have just watched Sunday’s Songs of Praise, and the closing hymn was the beautiful hymn written by George Matheson. The hymn assures us that Love will not let us go, that he will seek us through the pain and trials, and that there will be a rainbow after rain.
 
O Love, that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
 
O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.
 
PRAY
I am safe in the deep waters, the shallows, the turbulent, crashing waves, because you are holding me. Help me to trust you.
 
Jane Coates
20th September 2024

11 am, Sunday 29th September. Two baptisms and a dedication.

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Dear friends

This Sunday we look forward to welcoming everyone to join in the baptism service for Rachel, Jess, and a dedication for Amber.  We start at 11am in the building and online.  Afterwards everyone is welcome to stay for samosa’s, cake, tea and coffee! If you have a cake (no nuts, please) to contribute then do bring it along on Sunday and leave it on the table in the sports hall.  Thanks to all those who have been working on our new sound system for the last few weeks and all the prep work before that.

Sunday 6th October is our harvest thanksgiving café church! There’s breakfast pastries, fruit and drinks during the service. An email went out this week about what to bring.  Money contributions for caring for life or money/food for North Leeds and West Foodbank please.. the food bank have specifically asked for…

Milk (UHT), soup, long life fruit juice, sweet and savoury spreads, long life sponge puddings, tinned vegetables, pasta/curry sauce, tinned fish, tinned rice pudding, tinned custard, tinned tomatoes, tinned meat, biscuits, rice, teabags, toilet roll and powdered milk (not baby milk)

There will be opportunity in the service to give money directly online.

Everything continues as usual through the week with Beacon warm welcome café at 10am on Monday, craft group welcome space on Thursday, stepping stones on Tuesday at 10am and lunchclub on Wednesday.  There are housegroups and bible studies through the week.  Do ask if you are unsure or would like to try them out.  You don’t need to commit to being there every time and can go to more than one at a time. There;s Tuesday afternoon in the building (see Rod Russell or ask Lesley), Wednesday in the building at 7.30pm, Wednesday ladies (see Diane Sunter), Thursday in the building at 7.00pm. Friday morning at 10am (see Shelley) and Friday eve in Adel at 8pm.

Rock Solid for youth meet on Sunday evening at 7pm.

A reminder that there will be a get together for anyone who attended any of the prayer course in the building after café church (6th October) (bring your lunch).

There’s a deacon’s meeting on Tuesday evening this week at 7.30pm in the building.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t another night in the next two weeks before our next whole church meeting to get everyone together for this but it clashes with the city wide prayer gathering but if anyone else can go along then do go with our blessing and I’d love to catch up with you afterwards.. Leeds Citywide Prayer Gathering 
Tuesday 1st October, 7:45 – 9:30pm 
North Church, 98 Kirkstall Road, LS3 1HJ

Other things..

Intercultural Worship Conference 
Saturday 30th November, 10am – 4pm
Venue – St George’s Centre, 60 Great George Street, LS1 3DL
A great chance to learn and share in conversations and dialogue on Intercultural Worship. 
You can find out more and register here.

Here’s a link to the latest edition of the Baptists Together magazine.  This edition includes a few articles on different forms of discipleship File.aspx (baptist.org.uk)

Finally, if you didn’t join the service last week, I wanted to let you know that we started a new series based on the book of Ruth.  Feel free to catch up with the first part of Ruth 1 and we continue with the rest of Ruth 1 tomorrow as we see the thread of promises woven through our baptisms and dedication.  We look forward to joining with you.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.   1 John 4:18-19

Shelley

PS. The images at the top of this post show Shelley preaching at MBC last Sunday. Now being unable to attend I decided to watch the service on YouTube and during her talk I couldn’t resist grabbing a few screenshots. 

When Shelley’s husband Nathan saw them he said she looked as if she was doing all the hand movements to the hit song YMCA, whereas I just wished she could be a bit more animated! 

JS

Bela, Jean and Howard check in from Romania

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Hello and greetings from Romania; it’s Bela, Jean and Howard here, and by the time you read this we will be just about half way through our visit.

So let me bring you up to date. We began our trip last weekend in the village of Cserefalva where we stayed in the guest house with former pastor Noemi and her husband Csaba, but now we  have moved on to visit the churches in Cluj.

In Cserefalva we attended the Sunday service and took the opportunity to pass on your greetings. We also met their new pastor Elud Marton and his family and he made us very welcome. 

I have to say that so far during our stay we have been invited for a number of superb meals with members of church congregations which for those of you who know the custom here means that we have been very well fed. 

On one of our days we took time out to visit the must see historic city of Sighisoara, the place where Dracula was born. Another day we travelled to visit Zsuzsi and Andor and had a lovely time with them and their family – which of course included looking around their church.

As for the weather – I’m glad to report that so far we have been blessed with sunshine throughout our entire visit.

There are lots of pictures in the gallery below. To view them simply click on any image.

Jane Coates. Thoughts and prayers. Do not say I am only…

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Do not say I am only…
 
Dear God
please untie the knots
that are in my mind,
my heart and my life.
Remove the have not’s,
the can not’s and the do not’s
that I have in my mind.
 
Erase the will not’s,
may not’s
might not’s that may find
a home in my heart.
 
Release me from the could not’s,
would not’s and
should not’s that obstruct my life.
 
And most of all,
Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind,
my heart, and my life, all of the ‘am not’s’
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought,
that I am not good enough
Amen
 
There are many characters in the Bible accounts who felt inadequate, unworthy, felt too old or too young, who were powerless with words, were unloved, were of the wrong cultural group or nationality, who were childless, or heart broken. There were those who felt that the task that God was giving them was too much and that they were surely not the right person for the job. They did not have the skill set or aptitude for the role. But God reminded them of who He was and His grace.
 
Jeremiah “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do pnot know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1 v 6-8 NIV
 
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Exodus 3 v 11 NIV. 
 
Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel: I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. Deuteronomy 31 v 2 NIV
 
Leah felt unloved and sidelined. When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, He enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, He gave me this one too. Genesis 29 v31-33
 
Hannah “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.  I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1 v 15
 
John “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  Mark 1 v 7
 
We can perhaps identify with many of the characters in the Bible who felt that they were not up to the mark. But, whenever we feel inadequate, have made a mistake, wonder what on earth we think we are doing, have a crisis of confidence, worry that we have made a wrong choice, feel a failure at our given task, then remind yourself of who you are in Christ. Remember that you are loved, you are chosen, you are forgiven, you are accepted, you have the peace of Christ, and you are His workmanship. He has not finished with you yet.
 
PRAY
 
Oh God of second chances and new beginnings, here I am again. Nancy Spiegelberg
 
God be in my head, and in my understanding.
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking.
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking.
God be in my heart, and in my thinking.
God be at my end, and at my departing.
 
A Medieval Prayer 1538

Shelley signposts another busy week for MBC

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Dear friends

We meet tomorrow at 11am in the building and online where we look at the theme of Jesus sustaining us, in John 6 but also starting to look at the story of Ruth. There will be a separate group during the talk with linked teaching and activities for children.

Next Sunday we have our baptism service.  Everyone welcome, do come and support and pray and join in.  We’ll have some refreshments and if you can bring a cake or sweet treats (no nuts) then can you let Lesley or Karen or a deacon know. The week after is our harvest celebration where there will be opportunity to give money (for Caring for life) or food for the north Leeds foodbank.  We’ll send a harvest specific email out next week.

A reminder that all those who have joined any of the Prayer Course are invited to bring lunch on the 6th October after church for a time of sharing and prayer.

Thanks to all those who helped with the tabletop sale last Saturday raising money for the women’s development centre in Kandy, Sri Lanka.  Thanks to Krys who was behind the organising.  Over £700 was raised at the last count!

Lesley reminded everyone last week that the last day to put in nominations for deacons is tomorrow.  If you want a chat about any of this then do get in touch.   

Do pray for Howard, Bela and Jean who flew to Romania today to meet with some of the churches we support and people where relationships have been built over the years with people at MBC.  

“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
 blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

(Psalm 34:8)

Shelley

Minister – Moortown Baptist Church

Despite a bomb scare taking us all by surprise Krys’s Table Top Sale still raises over £750

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Last week Krystyna Gadd’s Table Top Sale (that’s Krys above) was a brilliant if somewhat bizarre event.* With all fourteen tables let, on show was a wonderfully eclectic mix of novelty gifts and crafts.
 
These ranged from bric-a-brac to high end glass crafted items, from weaving to knitting and crochet, and from quilled items such as cards and pictures. We also had a sweet stall selling not only sweets but Christmas wreaths! One lady had made and was selling some beautiful scented products such as melts, lotions and room scents. Tricia Bainbridge was there showing her late husbands art work. And for children there was hair braiding, face-painting and henna. 
 
* Following brisk footfall in the morning, sadly, in the afternoon a sudden incident involving police and a bomb disposal team led to many of the roads around MBC either being congested or indeed closed.
  
However, as many of the folk who couldn’t get here in person still donated to the cause the total so far reached from the sale has topped £785 – a remarkable sum when you consider that £700 covers one month’s food for fifty girls and eight infants.
 
If, though you yourself would like to donate then you still can by using Krys Gadd’s Just Giving page which you can reach via the link below. 
238823ff-af9b-4486-be80-789c588b0c46.jpg
“It was, says Krys “a lot of work but having seen the work of the Woman’s’ Development centre for myself I know that this is such a worthwhile cause. The girls we support live in the refuge in Kandy, Sri Lanka and many have been subjected to gender based violence, something that is not recognised in their country as being serious. The refuge is their escape to a new life free from abuse. However, it is not simply a refuge, no, it’s a home that’s filled with love, somewhere where they get to complete their studies and vitally discover ways to support themselves.”

Krys adds “It was in April 2024 that I went out to help the girls improve their weaving skills, having sent out 13 looms in April 2020, at the start of the Covid lockdown.  Through Just Giving, Their Future Today, this UK based charity is the project which is providing a large portion of funding to the WDC”.

“I plan to go out again in 2025 but ahead of my trip I want to raise some much needed funds purely to help the girls, even with such basic needs as buying groceries”.

“I would love to post pictures of the girls, but they are in a secret location for their own protection and anything on social media may lead to their abusers finding them”.

Please see some more images from the day below

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