Speak Magazine for September/October 2023

Welcome to the September/October 2023 edition of Speak magazine. There is lots coming up in this new season to look forward to and be excited about. Hear about Christianity Explored on page 7, and look out for the information about this year’s Operation Christmas Child Campaign on pages 10 and 11.

Sunday groups for children and young people resume on September 10th, while Friday evening groups re-start on Friday 15th September. As well as this our pattern of Sunday Services continues at 9.00am, 10.30am and 6.00pm and on the first Sunday of the month, St Peter’s @ 4 in the Church Hall

Welcome Vision statement

We are committed in love to worshipping God:

Lucy Kelly & Kate Page Editors

· By proclaiming the Gospel in word and action

· By encouraging growth

· By serving others

· By leading people into a personal relationship with Jesus.

Vicar: Revd David Page 01270 762415

vicar@stpeters-elworth.org.uk

Associate Minister: Revd Anthony Rigby anthony@stpeters-elworth.org.uk

Church Office: 01270 762213

Contact Magazine deadline

office@stpeters-elworth.org.uk

The November edition will be an information sheet, articles for December/January need to be submitted no later than Monday 13th November 2023.

Submissions by this date are requested via email to editor@stpeters-elworth.org.uk. Thank you.

AnthonyArticulates

Harvest : A time of thankfulness and Reflection

As the warm autumnal sun gently encompasses the fields, and the colourful tones of an autumn paint palette decorates the landscape, we are reminded of the significance of harvest time. Harvest is not only a time of plentiful blessings but also a great opportunity for reflection, gratitude, and spiritual growth for us all.

In the Bible, the idea of harvest carries much symbolism, often serving as a metaphor for the cycle of life and of God's providence, provision, and faithfulness. It reminds us that just as farmers patiently sow their seeds, nurture their crops, and wait for the fruit of their labour. It is a time where with patience, perseverance, and trust in God; we are reminded of how we should sow seeds of kindness, compassion, and love, and in due season, reap the fruits of our labour. It reminds us to persevere in our good works and never lose heart, knowing that God's timing is perfect and that He will bring about a bountiful harvest in our lives if we remain steadfast.

I am reminded of Galatians 6:9, where the apostle Paul encourages believers with these words:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

This verse should remind us that our efforts in serving and loving others, in remaining faithful to God's Word, and in pursuing righteousness will eventually bear fruit, maybe not in our time but bear fruit it will.

Beyond the physical harvest which we are so much reminded of, as we see our church decorated with fresh fruits, flowers, and vegetables, as Christians we are also called to reflect upon the spiritual harvest. That harvest of the souls that have been touched, transformed, and brought into God's kingdom through knowing and accepting Jesus as their saviour.

Jesus Himself spoke of the spiritual harvest, saying in Matthew 9:37-38, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Anthonyarticulatescontinued...

Through the words of this verse, we should take responsibility to share the good news of Christ's love and salvation with all, sowing the seeds of hope and faith to whomever we meet and wherever life takes us as we journey on.

In our own personal gratitude to God, we should be giving thanks for the gifts He has bestowed upon on us all, and also extend a helping hand to those in need, thus embodying the true essence of the harvest season. Just as Boaz allowed Ruth to glean from his fields (Ruth 2:2-3), let us be generous and compassionate, reaching out to the marginalized in society and the less fortunate, ensuring that everyone can partake in the joy of the harvest.

Harvest time should be an opportune moment for us to pause and reflect on the goodness and abundance that God has bestowed upon us. It invites us to examine our hearts, recognizing the countless blessings we have received, both spiritually and materially and it encourages us to express our own gratitude to God for His provision, protection, and grace in our lives.

So, as we bring in the sheaves physically and metaphorically, let us lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving to God the one who provides for us abundantly. Let our hearts overflow with gratitude, and let our actions reflect God's love, sowing seeds of hope and reaping a harvest of transformed lives.

May this harvest season be a time of rejoicing, worship, and selflessness, as we embrace the call to be workers in God's abundant harvest field.

Anthony.

All services are subject to change

Children and Families

As I write this article, I’m sitting in my garden surrounded by summer flowers and trees in full leaf. Everything looks beautiful with not too many weeds to dig up and tend to. I am reminded that as Christians, we are blessed to appreciate God’s Creation in all its variety and fullness. This time of year is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on all that has happened during the past year and to give thanks for our many blessings as a church family, committed to sharing the gospel with our community.

I would just like to share with you the great joy I experience when I think about all of the children and families we have welcomed to both our Sunday services and also to the many activities and events that go on throughout the year.

One particular area of outreach this year to give thanks for is the continued strong attendance at our Friday evening groups. We offer three groups on a Friday evening starting with Xplore, our group for primary aged children; our ‘tweens’ group: Encounter which welcomes those young people from Year 5 to Year 8, and then Youth Hub which serves our young people from Year 9 to Year 11. It has been such a privilege to see several young people come to faith in the Lord Jesus this year and I would ask for your prayers for these young lives, that they may want to know more and more about the Christian faith and what it means to follow Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Cathryn Houghton – Children and Families Outreach Worker

The Best News

What is the best news that you have ever heard? We will all have a variety of answers to this question but as a Christian the best news I have heard can be summed up in these words of Jesus.

‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ John 10 : 10b

But what does that mean for us in the 21st century Elworth? This autumn over 8 weeks we will explore why the Good News of Jesus is the Best News we can possibly hear and how it helps us to live in the best way in our complex and confused world.

Christianity Explored takes us through Mark’s Gospel in a clear way, giving us space for us to address the big questions of life.

Dates and themes…..

For more details and to sign up for a Group, please contact David, Gareth or the Church Office on 01270 762213 or office@stpeters-elworth.org.uk

Come and hear the Best News.

Hope and Inspiration

As I write this article, I am preparing to attend a Christian residential with individuals who have blindness or sight-loss of some kind. As I prepare some talks that I’m giving during the week, my mind wanders back to a similar week I was part of last year.

On that occasion, I was struck by the different ways in which people adapted to losing their sight, or never having sight at all. Some understandably found it a real struggle, others (mostly those who have not had sight since birth) seemed to adapt well and others were just very pragmatic about it.

One person who has stayed with me in my thoughts for the last 12 months is a man I’ll call Joe. Joe had lost his sight in the previous 12 months and was understandably finding it difficult to adapt. However, Joe told me that although it had been tough, one surprising thing he also found was that he had to rely on God more since his eyesight deteriorated, and it had felt like his faith had become a lot stronger. Joe’s honesty, both in regard to the struggles he had encountered, and also the way has faith had been strengthened, really resonated with me, and I still pray for him today.

The old saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is one people use a lot, and there is definitely truth in what it says. I have come to prefer, over time, a Bible verse from Romans chapter 12 verse 12 which is as true, if not more so. It says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”. It’s a reminder that when hard times come, we can remember two things. Firstly, that God is always with us, and through prayer, we can always share the difficult times with him. Secondly, the Christian hope means that anything that is difficult won’t last forever. One day, there will be an eternal life free of suffering. One that will last a lot longer than the troubled times ever will.

So, as I prepare to travel now for another inspiring week, I once again look forward to spending time with people who are not only connected by their limitations, but are also connected by the hope they all share.

Gareth.

Friday groups

Operation Christmas Child

Yes it really is that time of the year when we begin to think about supporting this wonderful campaign. As always we are thankful to St Peter’s church family and the wider community for supporting this annual campaign which is organised by Samaritans Purse.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to show God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, more than 208 million children in over 160 countries have experienced God's love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child.

As a church we have been supporting this venture for many years and it would be great to continue to do so this year. I know many of you have been collecting items throughout the year which is really fantastic. We remain very aware of the economic challenges facing us all and appreciate that filling a shoebox with a selection of age appropriate fun toys, hygiene items and school supplies can be costly. For this reason we are suggesting a repeat of last year’s collection where over the course of 13 weeks you are invited to drop of an item or two into the church hall or into St Peter’s Church at one of the weekly services. On a Saturday in November (date to be confirmed) we will then enjoy an afternoon making up the boxes with the donated items supplied. This will take place in St Peter’s Church hall. Over the coming weeks we also hope to have a cake sale to help us raise the £5 suggested donation to accompany each box. Further details to follow so please keep a look out.

This year’s National Collection Week will take place Nov. 13–20, 2023 just 13 weeks away.

Shoebox Appeal 2023

The following is a list of suggested items that we could donate. Keep an eye in the Church weekly news sheet;

Week 1 stationary books / note books

Week 2 pens /pencils/ crayons

Week 3 pencil cases

Week 4 Tennis ball / skipping rope

Week 5 Bars of wrapped soap / flannel

Week 6 Hats / gloves / scarves yes it even gets cold in Africa

Week 7 brush, comb, or hair accessories

Week 8 Toothbrushes

Week 9 Solar powered calculator or wind up touch

Week 10 A cuddly toy

Week 11 A deflated football and pump or a toy truck

Week 12 A small doll or a musical instrument

Week 13 £5 monitory donation to help towards transportation

These are only suggestions as we would absolutely welcome any contributions listed in this year’s campaign literature. For more information please take a look online at https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-wedo/operation-christmas-child/

You may be interested to know that Shoebox Online offers an alternative approach and makes it easy to still get involved from home. If interested in this approach please take a look at https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/ what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/online-shoebox-packing/

A simple shoebox gift packed with love and fuelled by prayer can have a huge impact on the child who receives your gifts. I sincerely thank you for any contributions but also for your much valued prayers. For further information please contact Denise Shone via St Peter’s Church Office.

A farewell

It is with mixed emotions that I am letting you know that I am stepping down from my position as Pastoral Support/ Ministry Assistant. I am excited to share that I will be embarking on a new professional journey working with youth. This opportunity aligns perfectly with my passion for making a positive impact on young lives and guiding them towards a brighter future.

I am deeply grateful for the support from the whole of the St Peter's church family, particularly David, Anthony, Gareth, Cathryn and Michelle for the unwavering support and invaluable guidance. Your warmth and kindness have truly enriched my journey. As I reflect on the meaningful interactions and shared moments of spiritual growth, I am filled with gratitude for the love that binds us together. Your encouragement has been a source of strength, and I eagerly anticipate continuing to grow as a dedicated and active member of this cherished church family. With heartfelt thanks and a hopeful heart, I look forward to the future and the blessings it holds for us all.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

(1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

Yours in Christ, Jennie Coppenhall

A change in role

Anthony will be licensed as Associate Minister by Bishop Sam at St Peter’s on Wednesday 6th September at 7.00pm. All are welcome. Refreshments will be served in the Church Hall after the Service, if you are able to make some cake, or to help on the evening, please contact the Church Office. Thank you.

Car Boot Sales (Table Top if wet)

Saturdays 9th September and 7th October

9.00am - 12noon in the Church Car Park. Refreshments available. Cars £10, Cars & Trailer or Vans £15.

For more information, or to book a space, please contact 07779 913537.

Saturday 23rd September 2023 3.00pm

Messy Harvest at St Peter’s Church Hall

All are welcome. Join us for crafts, worship, food and fun

Small Groups

Small Groups provide an opportunity for people to make friends, grow in their faith and discuss life together in a smaller setting than the Sunday Service. They are informal, friendly and supportive, providing an ideal setting in which to meet new people. Groups run throughout the week.

For further details contact the Church Office on 01270 762213.

Fromtheregisters

We welcome through baptism:

Rose Violet

(Daughter of Martin and Georgina Culkin)

Philippa Rose Cameron

(Daughter of James and Jesica Richards)

Eliza Grace

(Daughter of Gary and Joanne Burton)

Billy Cillian

(Son of Andrew and Lucy Fitzgibbon)

William Geoffrey and Eleanor Antonia

(Son and daughter of Ben and Kiri Cordes)

Nevaeh-Paris

(Daughter of Daniel Smethurst and Natasha-Paris Matthews)

We join in sadness with the family of the late:

Michael Gillett; Lashay Keywood; Geoffrey Phillips

Editorial disclaimer

Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. The Editors are responsible for content selection and reserve the right to amend articles and withhold items as deemed necessary. Articles submitted after the deadline date may not be included in that edition of the magazine and the Editors’ decision is final. Should you have any concerns regarding the content in the magazine or wish to submit an article for inclusion, please contact us by phoning the Church Office on 01270 762213 or email editor@stpeters-elworth.org.uk.

Lucy Kelly & Kate Page, Editors

Information….

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