Dear friends
We have had a good week of connecting with people this week in Beacon, house groups, Sunday church, craft group, Easter lunch club, toddler group planning and more. Its important to also remember all those we see on a one to one, in homes, cafes, doorstep visits, whats app’s or people who come into our minds so we pray for them then and there. The body of Christ after all is made up of relationships, as it says in Ephesians 4:16
“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
Talking of growth, it reminds me of our sunflower seeds from last week. A seed may look great and full of potential for life but its not meant to stay like that. It may seem uncomfortable to the seed to be put in the dark soil and then watered and then to change shape but its designed to grow. So are we. We may at times feel in the dark, uncomfortable at the changing shape of our form and environment but a healthy organism changes and grows. God will be with us each step of the way but we’ve got to be willing to partner with God and each other in the process. For there are more things that will grow as a result of our growth, more seeds planted, things we haven’t yet seen, things we can only imagine.
And so its nearly Easter. As one person put it this week, holy week is like going back to a familiar holiday destination every year. Its known, but yet its different every time. There is a peace and encouragement about it, but also a challenge and something new to discover. Here’s what it looks like so far…
Sunday 3rd April – café church – following Jesus ‘with God all things are possible’ with Bethan Stevens from Compassion UK. 11 -12midday
Tuesday 5th April – An all age activity day with the Queenshill Gardeners project on resilience and wellbeing with practical seed planting in church. 11am-3pm
Sunday 10th April – Palm Sunday in church with kids activities 11-12midday
Monday 11th April – Easter Beacon 10am-12midday (ending in a prayer for those who wants to)
Monday 11th April – All age interactive Passover in church led by Shelley and Simon the community outreach officer at the Jewish Housing Association. 5.30pm-6.30pm…setting the scene for the last supper.
Maundy Thursday 14th April – Journey towards the cross..an evening led by members of Moortown in church…timings to be confirmed
Good Friday 15th April – Together by the cross – an all age reflection on Good Friday. Church will be open from 9am – 11am for personal prayer and reflection with option to draw, write, ponder, paint. There will be a craft to make for those who want to take home or hang on the trees outside for others to take who walk past. At 10am there will be time together for half an hour designed for all ages to remember what happened on Good Friday with hot cross buns. Come for part or all of it.
Easter Sunday 17th April – All age Easter Sunday Celebration 11am-12midday with communion. Join together for this special day. With Easter eggs…
We’ll get as many of these services on YouTube live with Facebook updates so do look us up to check updates. I’ll update you all next week. We also have our website too at www.moortownbaptistchurch.org.uk which will give you all the latest information. If you are on tech teams and worship teams I’ll be in touch over the next few days. Thanks everyone.
In Christ
Shelley