Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership welcomes you and warmly invites you to attend our services and events
Christ Church, Stantonbury, monthly notices
Christ Church
Meeting God – Following Jesus – Serving People
In the Ecumenical Parish Of Stantonbury
News and Notices for
February 2012
Weekly Sunday Services
5th 9.00am Communion Led by Chris Howden
10.30am All age worship Led by Chris Howden
13th 9.00am Communion Led by Peter Ballantine
10.30 am Cafe style service Led by Peter Ballantine and
The Thursday Housegroup
20th 9.00am Communion Led by Chris Howden
10.30am All age worship Led By Chris Howden
27th 10.30 am All age worship with Communion Led by Paul Smith
Prayer requests Please will you pass prayer requests for each month on to Pat Parsons so we can keep our prayers updated. Weekly items for prayer can be given to Chris Howden or Richard Solly so they can be included in our intercessions.
Refreshments are served after the 10.30am service; donations from these are given to charity. In addition on the fourth Sunday of each month cakes will be sold and the proceeds given to the charity we are supporting for that month.
‘Traidcraft’ goods are available to purchase after the 10.30 am service.
Chris Howden’s day off is on a Friday
Church Monthly prayer meeting 2011
Wednesdays Venue
February to be announced.
Housegroups
Housegroups meet each week. The Tuesday evening group. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month – 33 Dyers Mews, Neath Hill Other Tuesdays of the month – 84 Ashfield, Stantonbury all starting at 8pm.
The Thursday evening group meet at Anne and Jamie Slee at 19 Alverton Gt Linford. Starting at 8pm
Christ Church, Stantonbury
Meeting God – Following Jesus – Serving People
Dear all
This new strap line has now been adopted for Christ Church and we are currently looking at how we develop in these areas. Our @Home morning on 4th of February will help us to develop some strategies to take the mission of the church forward. There are already some opportunities to work with.
Lent is an opportunity to take time out from our usual routines to seek the voice of God. I hope some may be able to participate in the Lent Accompanied prayer and take this special opportunity to be supported in your Christian journey. The monthly church prayer meeting is on Ash Wednesday and is also a good way to start Lent together. Do come and join us at 8pm on 22nd February.
In the area of serving people there are some jobs to be filled! We are hoping to plan ahead some social events which will make it possible to invite our friends and wider family to some fun activities. We have a committee of Stephen, Pat, Cis and Jenny who would be pleased to have one or two more to join them.- We have a Kids club meeting on Wednesday after school run by Sandra and Susan with help from the wider community. Another regular helper would make a huge difference if anyone feels able to help in this way. – Stantonbury Thriving Neighbourhood Group are hoping to start a Junior Youth Group (11-14s) – a chance to work with the wider community. – As we look to the church AGM we need to pray about who should lead us on the church council for the next year. Do let me know if you think God might be calling you to serve him in any of these ways.
Following Jesus together
Chris
Birthdays this month:
Karen, Sylvia Gardiner, Clair Vogeli, Lee Bishop and Bhukhosi Moyo
We would like to wish them all a happy birthday, and also anyone else who may have a birthday this month that we don’t know about.
If you are new to the church, or would like your name adding to the birthday list please speak to Mary Giles who will add you to our list.
The Latest news from Debbie Prisk. ? December 2011
I have had so many things to be thankful for over the last three months. I have been made warmly welcome in the church in Lagny, with delicious meals, cups of coffee and cake, and presents ranging from window boxes full of flowers to a dishwasher. And wonderfully, I have been able to start meeting up with several women to learn more together about Jesus. These include:
? a young woman who co-leads the youth group. We meet up
to prepare Bible studies for the group (this is a new experience for her), talk and pray. She is interested in full-time ministry herself (either in France or overseas);
? a young mother who wishes to be sharing the gospel with other mothers and getting alongside some of the other women who are more on the fringes of church life;
? a recently retired lady, who has been a Christian for many years but says she has never understood the Old Testament. We are reading the book of Ruth together;
? a high school student who was baptised at the end of November (we did baptism prep together);
? an elderly lady who lives in a retirement home and suffers from ill-health. We are praying for opportunities for gospel witness where she lives;
? a colleague of a church member, who isn’t a Christian, but is interested in finding out about Jesus.
Some of the Lagny Church Women on the Church Weekend Away
Please join me in giving thanks for:
? The chance to already meet up with these women, and to already see some of the impact that God’s Word is having in their lives.
? A fun church weekend away in early November on the theme of welcoming.
? A good relationship with my downstairs neighbour.
? Small steps towards getting to know people at my dance classes.
Please join me in asking God for:
? Further opportunities to get to know people in Lagny (particularly at dance classes, but elsewhere too).
? The church Christmas market on 10th December, and Christmas service on 11th. These are both opportunities for friends, neighbours and people who live around the church to come into the church for the first time. I have invited my neighbour.
? That I would keep on fixing my eyes on Jesus in all things, and would be helping the women of the church to do the same.
? I am still some way off finding all of the financial support that I need. Please pray that God would provide, and that I would trust Him.
With thanks for your support in prayer. I am thankful to God for you and your partnership with me in Lagny.
Deborah Prisk, 46 Rue Saint Denis, 77400 Lagny-sur-Marne, France / debsprisk@gmail.com
UFM Worldwide, 145 Faringdon Road, Swindon, SN1 5DL, UK (01793-610515 or ufm@ufm.org.uk)
A line or two regarding Sainsbury.
We have had some discussions with Sainsbury concerning the effects of the proposed development on the Church and the way we access the building. Just before Christmas we learned that Sainsbury are conducting a review of their investment programme, which very well affect the proposals. Please pray for a speedy resolution that will remove the uncertainty and that we can move forward to meet the challenges that may appear.
Dates for your Diary
FEBRUARY
SATURDAY 4TH - SPEAKING IN CHURCH – 9.30 am to 12.30 pm at St. Andrew’s Church, Great Linford. A practical training morning to improve your skills and give you confidence. Leaders Peter Ballantine and Mary Cotes. Cost £5, to book a place tel: 01908 605892 or e-mail pballarev@yahoo.com
SUNDAY 19TH – “GOD IN THE ……..” – 7.00 pm at Christ the King, Kents Hill, contemporary service of worship and praise with an opportunity for healing prayer.
WEDNESDAY 22ND – DUST AND GLORY – 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at the Well at Willen. A Quiet Day for Ash Wednesday, using the season of Lent to explore our humanity and our calling, with Rev. Canon Vincent Strudwick. Cost £15 includes lunch. To book a place tel: 01908 242190 or email bookings@thewellatwillen.org.uk
THURSDAY 23RD – NUCLEAR : DISASTER OR SAVIOUR? – 7.30 pm at West End United Church. Join the debate! Do you know how nuclear works? Are you aware of the issues involved in the nuclear debate? Find out more, share your thoughts and be challenged. All are welcome, organised by MK Christian Environment Group.
SATURDAY 25TH – FAURE REQUIEM AND DURUFLE REQUIEM – 8.00 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone with Milton Keynes Chorale. Tickets £15 and £12 under 16s £1, tel: 01908 617697 or go to www.mkchorale.org.uk
MONDAY 27TH – WE DREAM OF A CHURCH…… – 7.30 to 9.30 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. 1st in a series of Lent discussions, details below.
Advance Notices
MARCH
SATURDAY 3RD – GOD’S GRANDEUR – 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at the Well at Willen. An exploration of the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins with Fr. Colin Griffiths SSM. Cost £15 includes lunch. To book a place tel: 01908 242190 or email bookings@thewellatwillen.org.uk
MONDAY 5TH – WE DREAM OF A CHURCH…… – 7.30 to 9.30 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. 2nd in a series of Lent discussions, details below.
MONDAY 5TH – LIVING AND BELIEVING IN LATER LIFE – 7.30 pm at the Well at Willen. An open discussion for thinking Christians, introduction by Prof. Malcolm Johnson, University of Bristol. Organised by the Milton Keynes Theology Forum. Admission free, all are welcome.
MONDAY 12TH – WE DREAM OF A CHURCH…… – 7.30 to 9.30 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. 3rd in a series of Lent discussions, details below.
WEDNESDAY 14TH – LOOK AT A BOOK – 7.30 pm at the Well at Willen. Malcolm Rothwell discusses his book ‘Sense and Nonsense’. Admission free, all are welcome. More details from Librarian Barbara Merryfield tel. 01908 242693.
MONDAY 19TH – WE DREAM OF A CHURCH…… – 7.30 to 9.30 pm at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. 4th in a series of Lent discussions, details below
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Full list of what’s on around Milton Keynes is on the notice board
The Moderator’s letter is on the notice board for all to read.
Some users of the building during the week are:
Monday 12.30 – 13.00 Emulate Christian Union
18.00 - 22.00 Soup Run
19.30 – 22.00 African Drumming
20.00 - 22.00 Guild singers
Tuesday 14.00 – 16.00 Senior Citizens group
18.00 – 22.00 Soup Run
17.30 - 20.30 Irish Dancing
20.00 – 22.00 Community Choir
Wednesday 16.00 – 17.15 Kids Club
18.30 – 21.30 Tai Chi
20.00 – 21.30 Gilbert & Sullivan Society
Thursday 9.30 – 12.30 Socatots
13;30 – 15.30 Arts and Crafts
17.00 – 19.00 Maths teaching group
19.30 – 21.30 Joseph ministries
Friday 17.00 – 19.00 Maths teaching group
19.30 – 21.30 Sunrise Community Choir (4th Fri of mth)
Saturday 10.00 – 12.00 Credit Union
10.00 – 12.00 Breakfast Club
Sunday 13.30 – 18.00 MK Chinese Christian Church
18.00 – 19.00 Music Group practice.
For Your Prayers
Pray for the on going conflict in Lybia, Egypt and the middle east
Bridgebuilder, especially Rosie
For Chris Howden as she continues her ministry here.
Richard Bolt our Police Community Support Officer.
All who serve in our armed forces.
For those who are experiencing Famine at this time.
Pray for our government
All known to us who are ill or recovering from illness
For Zara and Thomas Joshua and Daniel Bass as they all settle into their new home.
Please could we pray for Sandra Serebour and her new born daughter .
All who are known to us who have been bereaved having lost family or friends. All who are known to us who are sick in body, mind or spirit for God’s healing touch.
All known to us who are ill or recovering from illness.
Who’s Who at Christ Church
| Minister Chris Howden 310527
Secretary Sandra Kennedy 316879 Treasurer Adrian Prisk 605815 Methodist Local Preacher Ruth Walker-Singh Licensed Lay Preacher Cis Jones/ 231277 Baptist Lay Preacher Margaret Prisk 605815 Pastoral Counsellor Christine Solly 317392
You can look at our web site on www.christchurchmk.org.uk
For more information on events in the parish look at www.Stantonbury.net
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To put items or prayer requests in the monthly newsletter/notice sheet,
contact Pat Parsons on 318188 or via e-mail pat.a.parsons@gmail.com
For the February 2012 Notice Sheet please can I have your contributions by 27th January
First Easter egg with a Christian message
Have you ever gone in search of an Easter egg which specifically has a Christian message and failed?
Well now you can buy one which gives the Easter story thanks to the Meaningful
Chocolate Company Ltd – orders are now being taken. Don’t forget to order early – Easter Day is April 8.
More than 80 million Easter Eggs are sold a year and until 2011 not one mentioned Jesus on the box.
The Real Easter Egg gives churches a chance to buy an Easter Egg that explains the Christian understanding of Easter on the pack and gives money to charity and development projects.
In early 2011, the Meaningful Chocolate Company asked churches to mail order a supply of Real Easter Eggs. The aim was to prove demand so that in future years, people would have the choice of buying the egg from their local shop.
More than 50,000 eggs were ordered in the first 12 weeks of the egg being on sale and shops began placing orders when they saw what was happening.
The company donated more than £4,000 to Baby Lifeline in 2011. More than £21,000 was donated to Traidcraft exchange in 2011.
In 2008 one of the company’s co-founders, with a ten year record of promoting ethical trading and even longer working for the faith and voluntary sector, came up with the idea of The Real Easter Egg.
The company developed the egg and with the help of bishops, schools and parents it was launched to a warm welcome in September 2010.
The Real Easter Egg costs £3.99 and is made from 125g of high quality Fairtrade milk chocolate which has an approval rating of more than 95%.
Now The Real Easter Egg in 2012 has had a make-over.
Brighter colours
The three crosses on the front are bigger
The Easter story is a colourful visual story board as opposed to last year’s text only version
If you open the lid, you will see ‘Happy Easter’
Under the lid, and for the first time ever on an Easter Egg, there is a quote from the Bible-the resurrection text from Mark.
Inside the box is a copy of the Easter story in booklet form for children to keep and parents to share.
Supermarkets and independent retailers across the UK are being inundated with calls from customers searching for The real Easter Egg, the first and only Fairtrade egg to mention Jesus and the events of Holy Week on the box.
Morrison’s, Waitrose, Co-op and Booths are stocking a limited ‘trial listing’ of the Real Easter Egg and selling it in their biggest stores. Ensure you ask at your local store and maybe the message will get through that there is a demand for The Real Easter Egg.
Traidcraft’s network of 6,500 retailers, a number of independent shops and a selection of cathedrals are also stocking The Real Easter Egg.
Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ben Kingsley and host of Coronation Street stars have backed the egg and ecclesiastical funded a national competition for schools and churches.
With their help, with the support of Archbishops, bishops and hundreds of school and churches, The Real Easter Egg became the biggest mail order egg in the UK before going into stores.
With seven million people going to church regularly and millions supporting the ethos behind Fairtrade products or attending church schools, we thought demand might be high but the response has been overwhelming and we have gone to four production runs to meet demand.
Supermarkets are reporting that people are walking past the two for one offers to buy the egg or ordering dozens of eggs for home delivery.To find out more about The Real Easter Egg and to order visit the Meaningful Chocolate Company’s website.
Special service aids Soup Run
Milton Keynes Soup Run team members held a successful service publicising the work at Bradwell Church on January 15.
Team members would like to thank all those who attended - especially for their generosity in giving to the collection for the Soup Run which totalled £74 as well as those who give gifts for the homeless and needy.
The Soup Run received some valuable publicity on BBC local radio recently.
The Rev Andy Jowitt, minister at Bradwell Church, spoke on the Ernie Almond programme about the work of the run which delivers soup, sandwiches, coffe, tea and more to the city's homeless and needy on four evenings each week.
The Soup Run is jointly run by churches in Stantonbury and Woughton ecumenical partnerships - delivering outside Argos store at Grafton Gate, in Avebury Boulevard by the old Sainsbury's store and outside Milton Keynes Library in Silbury Boulevard.
If you would like to contact any of the Soup Runs to offer help or donate please follow the Contact MK Soup Run link at the top left of this page.