What's on | Church notice sheets
Church notice sheet - 26 July 2009
Readings
9:00am - 2 Kings 5: 1-27 and Matthew 26: 14-16
11:00am - 2 Kings 5: 1-16 and 2 Kings 5: 19-end
Prayer topics this week
For our government and health officials as they deal with the current outbreak of swine flu. For the media in their responsibility to report the situation accurately.
Growing Leaders
We had a visit last week from Charles Burgess from CPAS who was presenting the Growing Leaders course to us. He writes, "I really enjoyed being with you - you have a great church, wonderful worship and with a warm and welcoming spirit".
As a result of his talk, a number of you expressed interest in following up the Growing Leaders course. We shall be explaining in detail how the course will work over the next few weeks. However, at this point we would love to hear from you if you think the course is for you. Please don't feel you need to be asked to go on this course. Feel free to take the initiative.
Gift Aid Declarations
We are bringing all our Gift Aid Declarations up to date using the currently recommended HMRC wording. Thank you so much to all those who have returned their signed forms. 59 have been returned so far leaving 26 outstanding. If you are among the 26 who are yet to return your form, our Treasurer, Andrew, will be delighted to hear from you soon! If you have lost the form Andrew sent you, please have a word with him.
Following up the various meetings of last week
Four meetings were held last week. Here is what came out of three of them.
Prayer ministry: Prayer ministry will no longer take place on a rota basis. Official members of the prayer ministry team will wear a yellow badge with their name on it, to indicate that they are available to pray with people after the service. We strongly encourage church members to pray for one another, in church or at home group, in their homes or wherever. But we want you to know that there is a team of people present in church every Sunday who are authorised to pray with you, and you can now identify those people easily.
Welcome Team: Welcome Team members are not the same as sides-people. The role of the sides-person at the door continues unchanged. We simply want to make sure that people do not leave St John's without being spoken to. From what new people tell us, that almost never happens. Most people are very appreciative of the welcome they get at both services. However, it is easy for Raymond to miss people at the 11 o'clock service, and we do want to make sure we follow new members up with a visit after they have been coming for a little while. Our Welcome Team members will make sure that people have the opportunity to let us know their contact details, if they would like someone to visit them.
Pastoral Care Team: Our new Pastoral Care Team is forming, and will be looking after church members, old and young, in the future. Involved are Chris Alcock, Lizzie Tunley, Sharon Mortimer and Jill Crowhurst. Rachel Cooke attended the meeting with a view to joining the team in a little while once she has settled in.
The fourth meeting: This was to do with our children's work. There is not enough space in this week's bulletin to explain in detail what came out of that, but we will be letting you know next week.
So who is leading these groups?
For the first few months, until we get things up and running, Raymond will be closely involved with each of these groups. However, that is not an efficient way to organise and run things in the church in the long term. Delegation is essential. If not, very little will happen as Raymond runs round in ever decreasing circles. We will expect leaders to emerge, and people to take over responsibility for these teams. All our teams will be commissioned later on in the year, once people have had a chance to settle in and decide that being part of their team is definitely for them.
Contact details
If you have recently changed your phone number or address, please can you let Sharon Mortimer know so that she can keep our Electoral Roll up to date.
Food Bank coast to coast cycle challenge – congratulations!!
I am sure we would all like to say a big well done to Richard and Tom who completed the 140 mile marathon in due time. Also thank you to everyone at St. John's who supported them with prayers and pledges. If you missed Russell last week, the sponsorship forms will be available today.
Church Picnic
There will be a picnic in Lydiard Park (weather permitting) after the 11 o'clock service on Sunday 16th August (please note new date). Everyone is welcome. Just bring your own food and drink and we'll all meet together in the large field. The more the merrier. If people want to bring bats and balls etc we could play rounders or something similar. It's a few weeks away but people will be starting to go on holiday, so please put the date in your diary now.
Quiz Evening - Saturday 12th September
We are planning a Quiz Evening for later this year, so mark this date on your calendar. This will be something anyone and everyone can take part in and is suitable for all ages. We will accommodate those in teams and those who want to make up a team; the first-timers and the old hands; the brainy and the barmy! More details after the summer.
Parish Office
The Parish Office is open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9am to 1pm. All items for the bulletin to Wendy in writing first thing on Wednesday please!
Do you buy on line?
We have received our first commission cheque amounting to more than £50! Log on via our website or go directly to http://www.buy.at/StjohnsHW. The church will receive commission from 2% to 12% on anything you purchase.
There are over 100 retailers involved (including M&S, Amazon, John Lewis, Comet) some of which offer exclusive discounts and promotions - and best of all ... there is no extra cost to the purchaser!
Tape Ministry
If you or someone you know would like a recording of the service, please contact Nigel Crowhurst, our Tape Co-ordinator.
What's on | Church notice sheets
Page last updated: 21 August 2009