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Some items in the church are in urgent need of repair or replacement as they are getting old and tired – much like me!! Currently we do not have the funds available to be able to do the work required, so it has been decided to hold some specific events to raise funds to help finance the very important work that really needs to take place as a matter of urgency – and hopefully to have some fun in the process!

Firstly, thank you to anyone who took part in the Santa’s door competition or who made a donation to the Christmas tree remembering a loved one event.

The Fabric Fund Committee are pleased to announce a number of events that are planned to take place this year, so do put the dates in your diary when you get home today!

Saturday 16 February • Kaleidoscope of Talents • 7pm • St Saviour’s Church

A great night of entertainment for all the family with participants from teenagers to nonagenarians. Music, sketches and comedy from members of the church family as you may never have seen them before! Admission is free, but if you are able to make a donation on the evening that would be great. There will also be a raffle and refreshments during the interval.

Sunday 24 March • Auction of Promises • 12 noon • Church hall

Always a popular event so please start thinking what you might like to donate that others might want to bid for. Cakes – cooking a meal – ironing – the possibilities are endless. Then come along to the event itself as there may well be items that you would like to bid for. Slips to put your promises on will be available shortly.

Sunday 12 May • The Great St Saviour’s Bake-Off

Please support this popular event with your baking skills and your appetite! The money raised will be shared with Christian Aid. Further details to follow.

Saturday 29 June • Table Top Sale (with a BBQ) • 11am – 1pm • St Saviour’s

Further details to follow.

One Sunday in July or August • Games afternoon

Based on the gappers’ Olympics – events that anyone could do!! Date and further details to follow.

Saturday 21 September • Quiz • 7pm • Church hall

A light-hearted quiz organised by Steve and Nathan Bendell. Further details to follow.

Steve Bendell, Fabric Fund Committee

If we practise a musical instrument for an hour once a week, we won’t catch up with virtuoso violinist Nigel Kennedy, perfect pianist Lang Lang, or guitar guru Nile Rogers anytime soon, will we?!
The same can be said of our walk with God. We are all at different places in our faith: some at St Saviour’s are here asking questions; others are confident in their relationship with God; still others are somewhere in the middle, perhaps coming on Sundays, but putting God and faith to the side in the busyness of their week.

The bad news is that if we put God to the side, we can never truly learn what God is about and benefit from the relationship he wants to have with us.

The really good news is that it is much easier than we might think to get stuck in! We have twelve home groups at St Saviour’s, which meet at a variety of times and places, each made up of a variety of people. These groups are not only a superb way to find friendship and support in our successes and life challenges, but are safe, comfortable places to learn about God and the Bible’s teaching, to become true disciples.

In the Gospel of John chapter 8 Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. […] So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.’ John 8: 31-32, 36

True disciples live in freedom from fear of death, guilt, the power of the enemy, and the trouble sin brings. This freedom brings joy. Joy is the wellspring that changes us for the better, refreshes and sustains us in our daily lives, and also brings God glory!

If you would like to chat about home groups or growing in God, please contact Laura Simpkins.

Laura Simpkins, discipleship coordinator

When Sue and I were asked to write this short piece about welcoming, we prayed about what you as a congregation would find helpful. We looked at what others have written about this fascinating subject and were moved by the number of Bible references that include welcoming in their text.

We were drawn to reflecting on how we can all include people in the way God includes us in his Kingdom. Some writers refer to the challenge that God is drawing the church to welcome people we would naturally exclude. This is a helpful perspective because it warns us that we are human, and all that entails, but that we share a bigger responsibility in opening up conversations. After all, many of us have spoken to someone and been amazed at where that conversation has led.

As we begin a New Year we look forward to welcoming new people to our church family. As a welcome team we try to seek out those who are new and make them feel welcome, give information, and introduce them to the rest of the family. At our busy 10.30am service this is not always possible, but it is evident that as a church community many people excel at chatting to new and old alike. The following passage helps to set the scene:

‘Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.’ Romans 15:7

If we all hold on to the belief that God created us all in his image (Genesis 1:27), we can then hope to understand that we have all been given a different part to play in our church, so no matter what our background, we can all show love to one another.

Another thing that writers draw attention to is to never underestimate the impact a “Hello” or “ How are you?” can have. After all, we hear a lot about loneliness in our society today and whilst we as a church offer many opportunities every week, a friendly face can be all it needs!

We are blessed with people who welcome at 9am and 10.30am, and with families who welcome at the family services. We are always happy for others to join us, so if you feel led to join this important ministry do let us know.

We thought we would end with the suggestion that maybe there’s one person this week whom God is challenging you to step out and welcome more than you ordinarily would.

Sue and Duncan Jones, welcome coordinators

‘Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’

Colossians 4 verse 6

How can we have conversations about our faith, encourage one another, build up the body of Christ, and be involved in sharing and caring for one another? How can we keep up-to-date with what’s going on at St Saviour’s Church? How can we make friends and family aware of things going on at St Saviour’s and help them to explore faith and experience what God is doing here?

These are all good questions about ways we can communicate with each other, both within the church, and in the wider sphere of our community and our relationships. We are really blessed at St Saviour’s with so many means of communication, so there’s lots of ways to keep ‘in the know’ and to pass on the information to others.

Website – a great way to find out about the life of the church, the people involved, and what’s going on. It’s also the place to listen to sermons and to read the latest blog (which is taken from the weekly newsletter updates). It’s useful for newcomers and longstanding members alike, so don’t forget to check it out.

Social media – there’s the St Saviour’s Facebook page, where you can find information about events and posts about events and encouragements; the St Saviour’s Facebook group – a closed group, where we can share and encourage one another more intimately; and then there’s Instagram and Twitter too (follow the links on the website). All are great means to interact as companions in and ambassadors for our Lord, so please like/follow/join as many as you can, and don’t forget to like our posts! We need encouragement too!

Printed material – our newsletter is produced most weeks (staff holidays excepted) with details of all the Sunday services, weekly goings on, and other news items; we have flyers and posters too; and, up to now, we’ve also had our bi-monthly magazine Ignite. However, following the summer survey, the PCC has taken the difficult decision to stop the magazine for the time being. Instead, we will be thinking about special editions of the newsletter to include some of the favourite items from Ignite, and to keep it ‘seasoned with salt’! Do let us know what you think.

Of course, all of these are the means not the subject of our communication. As far as the Gospel is concerned, there’s no substitute for relationship, face-to-face contact, and word of mouth. And it is Jesus we need to be following and talking about, not a list of events and church activities. But all these media can be useful starting points for conversation and can help provide a way in to sharing or inviting. Let’s be busy communicating our faith in gracious and salty ways, demonstrating God’s love, inviting people to events and services, pointing everyone toward Jesus, encouraging one another, and having an answer for everyone.Clare Shearing, Communications Officer

John 4 23-24: “… a time is coming and has now come when true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

As we know, worship is not restricted to the songs and hymns we sing together on a Sunday morning. Yes, that is one important way in which we may express our worship towards God. Ultimately, though, true worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness and which may be defined by the understanding we have on who God is and where He sits in our list of priorities. That is an ongoing challenge for us all.

Having led congregational, sung worship for over 20 years, I am resolute in my aim and purpose in this – to lead the church to the throne room of God and to leave them there for as long as possible. Each time we meet, I pray that people will leave different to when they came in, having met with the living and risen Lord. God loves us as we are, but He does not want to leave us that way. As we come into His presence and spend time worshipping,
understanding more of the truth of who He is and how much He loves us, we cannot help but be changed.

This, too, leads to another important principle for me – that the words we sing are truth. Being wonderfully and fearfully made as individuals, we will each take away something different from a time of meeting together. Some will be challenged by the preacher and will dwell on the thought or Word. Some will leave with a passion to pray further following a time of intercession. Some will leave singing a song, either in their heart or on their lips. For those doing the latter, whatever song or melody it is resonating with them, I want to ensure that the lyrics continue to deepen their understanding and relationship with Father God because they speak of truth about Him.

If you share this passion to lead the church into God’s presence, please come and speak with me and we can see how we may work together to bless the family of St Saviour’s.

Phil Smith, worship team leader

As we look back on 2018, I am aware of many big changes that have occurred in people’s lives. We have also seen a number of big changes that have affected our church life. These changes may make some of us question our faith in God or they may draw us closer to God in trusting him for our future. During the year I have encouraged us with this motto ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get praying!’

As we enter a New Year I am certain that God has plans for your life and the lives of those close to you, and these plans are good. In the book of Jeremiah, God proclaims a message to the Jews in exile which is just as relevant for you and me today.

“For I know the plans I have for you” declares the LORD. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29: 11

New initiatives within St Saviour’s

During 2018 Phil and Angela Smith, our new Worship Co-ordinators stepped out in faith, with Phil reducing his hours in secular employment to develop his ministry through worship at St Saviour’s. During the year ahead this will lead to new opportunities to involve more people in using their musical gifts within the church. Linked to this we are trying to increase our opportunities for church members praying together by introducing a lunchtime ‘Prayer and Praise’ event. Further details in the New Year.

We are so grateful that people responded to our sermon series on ‘Generosity’ by being extravagantly generous, with around £28,000 in one-off gifts during our gift month. During 2019 we are hopeful that promises and new giving via the Parish Giving Scheme will enable us to plan our outreach work within the community more effectively. Moreover, we are in the process of reviewing our work in all areas of the church, including our ministry amongst children and young people, mission and outreach strategy, and community involvement.

May I encourage us all to be praying as to how we can get involved in God’s work through St Saviour’s in the year ahead. God bless.

Andy McPherson, vicar