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Exciting news from MBC’s Overseas Mission Group as we add Andrea and Mark to our list of Church Partners

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Following on from the recent visit of Chris and Debbie Drew to MBC and their message of Christian Hope and Courage from their work with BMS in Afghanistan and Nepal, I thought it a good time to give the church an update about our connections as a Church with work overseas.

Since the Church was formed we have channelled our main support and interest through BMS World Mission [the Baptist Missionary Society] and over the years a good number of people have been sent out with BMS from Moortown for work in many different parts of the world. More recently we have followed the scheme of having Mission Partners – namely John and Sue Wilson (right) in France and Chris and Debbie Drew. They have kept in touch through letters, emails and video and visits to speak when on Home Leave. As Chris and Debbie have now returned with their family to the UK, they are no longer with BMS and so we have added a new Mission Couple as our Church Partners. They are Mark and Andrea Hotchkin.

The Hotchkins (pictured above) are both Doctors with grown up daughters at University in the UK. They previously worked with BMS for 10 years in Guinea, West Africa, and, since 2010, have been working in the sub-Saharan country of Chad – for six years at a hospital near the capital N’Djamena and now in a remote area in the North of the country. Their home church is Wakefield Baptist. We hope that over time we will get to know them and their work and be able to support them through prayer, along with the Wilsons. We also hope to have them visit us when next on Home Leave.

As a start in finding out about them they run a Blog – Chad Chatter- at www.markandreahotchkin.blogspot.com

Recent prayer letters and information about our BMS Partners are posted on the boards inside the TV cupboard in the Meeting Area. Please have a look and if you would like to receive your own copies of letters please see Roger Robson.

Apart from BMS work we also support our own members Christopher and Bela Singh (left) who work with WEC [Worldwide Evangelisation Crusade] – Radio Worldwide. They are based in Leeds and Rothwell and Chris makes regular trips overseas to train Christians in the use of Radio and Modern Media in Christian work. Their prayer letters are also displayed in the Meeting Area and you can learn about how you can support them more closely and financially from those letters and by speaking to them!

Thirdly, particularly through David Casson, we give support to Mission Aviation Fellowship -MAF- and David gives regular updates of their work in Mission Spots in services.

The Overseas Mission Group meets 3 or 4 times a year to seek ways of promoting more support for the work overseas. Recently some members of the Group have moved away, and we are looking to widen the scope of the group by recruiting new members. To this end we would like to make our next meeting at 7pm on Monday 6th January 2020 an Open one.

Anyone with an interest in widening the Church’s promotion of mission worldwide is warmly invited to come along. More about this later but make a note in your diary.

Roger Robson

Welcome, welcome back and thank you for sharing

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Another busy Sunday at MBC (aren’t they all) saw the day start off with a shared breakfast. Then during our 10.30am Communion Service it was time to say both welcome and welcome back.

The welcome was for three new Church Members – James, Nolin and Mary. The welcome back was to Chris and Debbie Drew (left) and their family who after many years service with both BMS (Baptist Missionary Society) and INF (International Nepal Fellowship) in Afghanistan and Nepal respectively have moved back to Leeds.

However, even before all this Rachel Hudd, (right) a young lady who has been a MBC regular for a couple of years or so reaffirmed her faith in a wonderfully open and touching testimony.

Of course our young people also met again in the evening for Momentum. So as I say Sunday (as always) was busy, busy, busy.  

However, as Graham pointed out at the beginning of our morning service, in a church and particularly in one as busy as MBC it’s nigh on impossible to know everyone. That’s why seeing, chatting to, praying with and sharing (bacon butties and/or bread and wine) with friends old and new is so very important.

 

MBC – one of 549 churches to help Tearfund raise vitally needed cash

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Michael Grayson who headed up MBC’s contribution to Tearfund’s Big Quiz Night reports…

On the night itself we counted just over 70 people including children, and by the time we have added in Gift Aid we hope to be able to send Tearfund way over £600.

With our teams making up a nationwide total of more than 25,000 quizzers we began proceedings with a round called Play-Doh Pictionary. This was intended for the children but it soon engaged all the adults causing much laughter.

In all there were eight rounds of questions covering: books, stage and screen, natural world, geography, music, sport, history and a picture round. This was a great way of doing things as it meant that absolutely everyone could make a contribution.

As for reaction, one of our oldest members said they really enjoyed it and even a teenager was heard to say to a friend who didn’t come that they should have as it was really good. 

A short video about the work of Tearfund in Nigeria highlighting the plight of those who have lost family and all their possessions showed how this amazing Christian charity will use the money that we and all the others quizzers gave to share the love of Jesus.

I know it’s still a full year off but as soon as you get your hands on a 2020 diary pop Saturday Nov 14th in it… that’s the date of Tearfund Big Quiz Night next year.

There’s a link below to the official Tearfund Quiz Night web page, and below that a second link to Tearfund’s Home Page. This is where you can find out much more about this wonderful organisation.

https://www.tearfund.org/en/media/press_releases/churchgoers_reveal_trivia_talents_as_tearfund_quiz_night_attracts_thousands/

Link to Tearfund Home Page.     https://www.tearfund.org/

 

All set for a new look Rewind

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Next Monday and Tuesday – November 25th and 26th – MBC will be hosting its traditional Rewind to Christmas project. For the uninitiated Rewind is MBC’s largest children’s outreach venture. It’s the time when almost 400 Year 4 pupils from nine local primary schools call in to see us and learn through a mix of drama, craft, story telling and teaching what we as Christians believe Christmas is really all about.

This year, however, with Shelley Dring at the helm it’s fair to say that each and every one of our young visitors and their teachers will be in for an extra special treat. That’s because next week Shelley who is not only vastly experienced in children’s work but also in theatre, dance and performance art is introducing a number of new features which without breaking with almost two decades of MBC tradition will breath new life into this much loved project.  

Please pray for Rewind to Christmas, pray for Shelley and her team but most of all pray that over each of our four, ninety minute sessions our visitors, children of all faiths and none will see and hear a presentation that is rooted in a story that is as relevant today as it was over 2,000 years ago.  

Oh, and if you have time to spare next Monday or Tuesday it’s still not too late to join us. For more information contact  Shelley either via the MBC office (0113 2693750) or by emailing shelley.dring.mbc@btconnect.com 

Rewind is brilliant for the kids and equally so for the team – don’t miss out.

 

 

The Roaring Forties – Lunch Club step back in time

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Dateline: MBC, Wednesday.
 
We had a forties day at Lunch Club today. John Hornby led a team of musicians and singers in a rousing collection of forties numbers – many from the days of World War II. 
 
Wilfred started the ball rolling with a couple of golden oldies, Shelley Dring delighted with a rendition of Acker Bilk’s million seller hit Stranger on the Shore on her clarinet, John entertained on his accordion and we even had a sixties moment with our very own Cliff Richard (Steve Scaife) singing The Young Ones and Travellin Light.
 
Finally ahead of some amazing poppy cup cakes John was back again to lead Claire Taylor and Kate Slater in some war time classics. 
 
All in all it was a wonderful day.
 

A Suggestion for Christmas from Haddon Willmer

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Here is a book to give for Christmas. Buy it from Hive, (https://www.hive.co.uk), get it post-free, and support your local independent bookseller at the same time.

It is written for little children, so its words are few and simple, and the pictures pointed.   But don’t give it to a child. It is really for adults. We need it.

It is not a book for Christmas joy over beautiful things, though it is a thing of beauty. It is a book for deep reflection on the contemporary world, where there is no room at the inn, and Herod in modern guise slaughters babies in his ill-informed panic and desperate sense of entitlement.

Don’t read it, and don’t give it, without accepting the help of Aditya Chakrabortty –     https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/30/food-banks-childrens-books-britain-hungry-election. I am grateful he put me on to this book, and showed me its importance to adults, voters, and people accountable to God.

Many of us support food banks, and other charities like PAFRAS. Food banks were initially intended to give emergency help for exceptional needs. They are now a sign of what is ‘ the new normal’ for our society.

Give it for Christmas. Read it before Christmas and ask, so what shall I do differently? Or maybe, What shall I persist in doing ‘gainst all discouragements?  

For those with ears to hear, this untheological book announces the nearness of the kingdom of God, not as glib glad tidings of great joy and peace on earth, but God’s closeness hidden in the one word, Repent, the frightening call for a radical turn around. There is no way for us to get round that word, or leap over it, to get into the kingdom of God cheaply. God is not deceived.

Don’t read this book to little children. At the ending of Christmas Day, read it as adults together, while the tired children sleep happily cuddling their new toys.

Play, stay, study and pray (plus of course food glorious food)

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Ben Powell has devised a brilliant plan to incorporate sport, bible study, prayer and food. However, for this to work Ben needs your help. Here’s Ben’s suggestions together with his contact details.

We are looking to build a group within the Church who might be interested in the following:

Structure:

– meeting to play some sport

– going back to someone’s home for food and conversation

– some time in prayer and focused study of the bible 

Ethos and accessibility:

– anyone is welcome to be part of the group

– there is a commitment to play, eat after and study 

– if you are part of the group you feel OK to host at some point

Logistics:

– a core team need to coordinate activity, hire a sport venue and ensure someone can host for food and study

– meet once every 6 weeks

– different types of sport (e.g. football, badminton, bowls, table tennis, snooker, squash etc- rotational)

– roughly 3-4 hours of your time

– the group co-fund the sport venue

Could you email Ben Powell (benpowell_10@hotmail.com) if you are: 

1) interested in being part of this group

2) you would like to be a core team member who will help coordinate 

3) outline any sports/activities that you particularly enjoy

Ben will then arrange an initial core meeting to set up the first number of dates/venues/homes and then communicate this to the wider group. 

Oasis café and Moortots – Tuesday and Thursday mornings – chill, chat and play

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Moortots and our Oasis café are for everyone: that’s babes in arms, big brothers (either with or without their little sisters), toddlers, parents, child-minders, carers, grandmas, granddads… I think that covers just about everyone! 

Both are great fun and whilst there are differences they both always offer some fantastic craft activities, role play, sand and play dough etc. They’re also planned to give each of our young visitors the chance to play with or on a range of age-appropriate puzzles, toys, bikes and cars.

On Thursdays our Moortots sessions always rounds off with singing time but before that we provide light refreshments, birthday cards, craft materials and at Christmas there’s never a year goes by without a visit from you know who always arrives weighed down with gifts.

If you’re still a bit confused as to what’s the difference is between Moortots and Oasis let Shelley Dring our Children and Families Lead explain: “Oasis is a toddler friendly café that runs from 9.15am till 11.45am on Tuesdays during term time.  It takes place in our church’s large sanctuary space which means that adults are free to sit back, relax and chat whilst their children play safely within view. At MBC we believe that those caring for young children need a bit of time for themselves, so Oasis café is a place where they know they will be listened to, cared for and encouraged. Moortots, meanwhile, is perhaps how you would imaging a more traditional toddler club to be”.

As for cost, well, Oasis (that’s Tuesday mornings between 9.15am and 11.45am) costs £1 for an adult and 50p a child whereas Moortots (Thursdays, between 9.45am until 11.30) costs £1.00 for the first child and 50p for subsequent children. Both of course include coffee, juice and refreshments.

Right now our Friday Moortots is on hold.  However, if anyone is interested in coming along and/or helping could you get in touch with me, that’s Shelley Dring, Children and Families Lead, Moortown Baptist Church, 0113 269 3750. Email shelley.dring.mbc@btconnect.com

There’s a gallery of pictures we took recently at Moortots and Oasis here. If you would like to see a larger version of any of them simply click on the image.

 

 

As Shelley and James are commissioned MBC recognises and celebrates the importance of its children’s, youth and family ministry

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Sunday’s Commissioning Service for Shelley Dring and James Wilde was far more than a time of welcome and blessing for two new members of staff. As the centrepiece of a service based around the theme of how ancient stones designed for one purpose can come to life and take on a new role the event was actually a recognition and celebration of all the work carried out by MBC’s Children and Youth teams.

In what might perhaps be described as a cross between a high five conga and the age old children’s nursery rhythm Oranges and Lemons the entire congregation were invited to weave their way between two columns of youngsters before those who actually serve on team (upwards of forty people) found themselves standing at the front of church.

I’m sure that for Shelley, our Children and Family Worker and for James, our Pioneer Youth Lead it was a very special day. However, I’m equally certain that for the whole MBC family it was a reminder of just how much emphasise the church continues to put on the nurture, spiritual growing and support of all.

The gallery below shows some more pictures taken on the day. To see a larger copy of any of them simply click on the image.

    

 

 

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