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Pat Smart asks us to remember times for gifts.

Remember, remember, November, November

November is a time for remembering and reminding ourselves of things. To take us into November we celebrate All Saints/All Souls with a spectacular Light Party (no Halloween or witches allowed here). We remember Guy Fawkes with wonderful colourful firework displays – the large organised ones are the best and safest. Armistice Day is where we remember our fallen service personnel at Remembrance Sunday services all round the country, and on the day itself at special services in local churches. In our own benefice we remember those recently bereaved at a small intimate service held at St Barnabas. Many of us give to the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas shoebox appeal and the special postage donation. This year our church has been a collection point for this worthy cause.

Also about now, we remember to bake the Christmas cake (or give it that brandy top up for the early bakers); make a list of all the Christmas cards we need to send, remembering to add on the son/daughters latest beau and crossing off those that have moved on (in more ways than one). We have to make time to go out and choose Christmas gifts for our loved ones, a chore for some, but an absolute delight for others, not forgetting the wrapping paper, gift tags, and specially decorated bags. And does your family have a tradition of a new Christmas jumper?!! Then it’s time to climb into the loft to get down the box marked ‘C’mas decorations’ – phew! all that dust – maybe you add to your box each year with a new one. We write and post the Christmas cards especially for those in far off places. Next it’s time to order, then load up the freezer with turkey, trimmings, and sprouts (lovely), decide on the starter (smoked salmon this year or soup?). Well, what a busy whirlwind of time we have in November, with all that we have to remember and organise.

STOP!!

Please can I ask you to take some time out of your busy lives and consider your gift to the church? As you may know we would like to employ a new Youth Worker in the New Year, which we feel is a very important person to have in our church, especially for all the outreach that happens. Also, we would really like to replace some very old and worn out church doors.
So please prayfully consider what you would like to gift to the church at this time. If you are able to Gift Aid, that makes your gift go further. One-off gifts or an increase in regular giving are most welcome. Remember that all gifts come from God – so we are only giving it back to him.

God bless you in your generosity.

Pat Smart, Honorary Treasurer

Emergency relief in Teso and how we can bring hope

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink …’ Matthew 25 verse 35

Whilst it is wonderful to support development, education, church leadership, and other areas of work, all this has to stop when emergency relief is requested. A fundamental part of our role as a Christian Trust is being there when our partner churches and their people need us. We know our partners well. We trust them and know that they would not press the emergency button to call on us unless it was absolutely necessary.

Sadly this is the case now. In north Teso there has been severe flooding with 28 villages of 3,079 households (a total of 14,040 people) affected. The area is surrounded by swamps and currently looks like an island. Over 11,000 people are completely cut off as the only bridge that connects them to other areas is inaccessible. This also means that outsiders are unable to reach them. Most of the crops in the gardens have been swept away. In total 240 gardens have been damaged. There has also been an increase in water-borne diseases and malaria. Access to education and health services is now impossible, with pregnant mothers, the elderly, and young children badly affected. All routine immunisations have stopped.

As a Trust, we hold funds in reserve for events such as this, but we know we cannot cover all needs for food, tarpaulins, water-purifying tablets, and mosquito nets. The tithe monies recently given by St Saviour’s could not have come at a better time. We have responded as best we can and we pray that this brings hope at this dark time. We know our heavenly Father loves the people of Teso and sees their distress. He relies on all of us to do what we can. If you feel able to offer any financial support, please let me know. Please also join us in prayer for: those who have lost their harvests and there is no food; the children who can no longer go to school; and those who are suffering due to lack of health services.

‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25 verse 40

Christine Moyes, Teso Development Trust

Find out how we’re increasing our involvement in Operation Christmas Child

Many of you are getting yourselves and/or your children organised to pack a Christmas present (shoebox) for a child you will never meet. But I’m not writing to tell you about Operation Christmas Child, because it’s clear from the number of boxes received each year, that this is something close to your heart.

I am, however, pleased to tell you about the step of faith that we as a church are taking in becoming an Operation Christmas Child Collection Centre. This is an exciting opportunity for us to be God’s hands and feet. On the one hand we’re able to reach the children receiving the shoeboxes and make a difference in their lives, and on the other hand it’s giving us the opportunity to connect with our community, which we would otherwise not have the ability to do.

How it will work during Collection Week

We’ll be opening our church doors to receive Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes during National Collection Week in November. Opening times will be 9.30am-12.30pm, Monday 11 to Friday 15 November. This will provide a natural way to welcome and chat to members of our community. Volunteers will encourage them by sharing about the impact of their shoebox gifts, offer to pray with them for the children receiving them, and then invite them to more of our own church activities and Christmas events.

Samaritan’s Purse will be providing us with displays and materials, which will look welcoming and provide prompts for easy conversations. A number of you have kindly volunteered, and we’re so grateful. If anyone else would like to come and be a part of this exciting week, then please do let me know (in the office) as there is plenty for anyone of any ability to get involved in.

Let’s be praying for that week, for our volunteers to be filled with the Holy Spirit, for our community to be encouraged, for the children to be greatly blessed, and for God to be glorified.

Tanja Patten, OCC Church Collection Centre coordinator

Lesley Barry introduces the new members of the sound team

A few months ago Richard Allen and I were wondering how we would manage the sound desk with Nigel Benning moving away, combined with Richard’s three-month holiday coming up at the end of this year. With the many services at Christmas to cover, it would be down to Chris Oliver and myself. We have tried to recruit over a period of six years but, for many reasons, people haven’t responded. However, during this chat, I remember Richard wisely saying, “God will sort it out.” And how right he was! Prayer and trust were the order of the day. ‘But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.’ Romans 8: 25

Several weeks later, Andy put out a plea for helpers one Sunday morning … first three of our lovely congregation came forward and then a fourth! God in His perfect timing has multiplied the sound team in wonderful ways. I asked a few of the new ‘soundies’ to reflect on how it’s been so far, here are their responses:

“I used to take it for granted each Sunday – being able to hear the sermon, the readings and the worship wherever I sat in church. Now I know from my training that it doesn’t just happen! There’s a lot of preparation, anticipation and sound judgement (sorry) required. The sound-desk is like a small version of the console in the Tardis, with big controls, but also many small mysterious dials. So next time you hear a crackle from the head mic or a screech from the lectern, it’s probably me at the back of the church gaining some valuable experience.”

“I am enjoying the experience. Many years ago I worked on the manufacture of sound decks, they were much larger then. I would like to say thank you for this opportunity to be part of the sound team.”

“Andy mentioned there was shortage of volunteers for the sound desk. I prayed and felt the urge to volunteer. With no previous experience, I knew it would be a challenge, but exciting at the same time. The training and support has been great. I’m still learning as each Sunday is different, but thoroughly enjoying it.”

Please pray for our new recruits, Duncan Clark, Derek Beverley, Peter Turner, and Chris Dale as they take on this challenge, serving God and bringing glory to Him through the sound desk.

Lesley Barry, sound team

Caz Gatehouse asks us, ‘Do we look at people as Jesus did?’

‘When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”’ Matthew 9 verses 37-38

Not surprisingly, as it is Harvest, I have found these verses pop up a lot over the last couple of weeks. Whilst we are thanking God for his provision at this time, these verses remind us that God has a different harvest in mind! As wheat is harvested and brought into the barns, so God wants people to be brought into his kingdom.

Do we look at people as Jesus did, with compassion because they are ‘like sheep without a shepherd’? As we look at our immediate neighbourhood around St Saviour’s, it would be easy to think they are ok. They have nice houses, cars, clothes. They seem to have a good life, and they may not seem like they need our compassion.

On a trip out to Romania to visit a friend working with an organisation that reached out to street children, it was very easy to have compassion for these children. Their needs were so obvious – food, clothing, shelter, love, and care. Yet as I prayed and thought about joining my friend in this work, I heard God say, “The needs of these children are obvious, but whilst the children you work with may not have the same needs, they are still lost and need someone to share my love with them.”

That is one way God spoke to me and led me into the ministry I am in today, working with children and families. It is why we put on regular events like Messy Church, and Baby and Toddlers, as well as the bigger ones, like Light Party and Good Friday. So that we can meet up with people in our neighbourhood, build up those relationships and have the opportunity to share our faith with them.

But both our Messy Church and Baby and Toddler teams need more workers! People committed to coming along regularly, so that relationships can be built (parents who can come along to things with their child to build friendships, people to come and sit and chat, or people with a little more time who are happy to help with preparation or planning).

So I would ask you, as Jesus did the disciples, to pray with me for more workers. As you pray for this need, remember God often answers our prayers by using us! Come and have a chat if you want to find out more!

Caz Gatehouse, children’s minister

PS Don’t forget to sign up for the Light Party!

St Saviour’s Church has just signed up to the C of E’s Digital Charter. Clare Shearing explains why.

The Church of England’s Digital Charter

Truth, kindness, welcome, inspiration, togetherness, safeguarding … it may seem self-evident that these words should be a framework for good communication in a church. As we all know, technology has many plus sides, allowing our communication to be immediate, interactive, conversational, and spontaneous – to name but a few. But along with these opportunities come potential downsides if we forget to interact in the digital world in the same way as we would with face-to-face contact. To address this tension, the Church of England has drawn up its own digital charter, a voluntary pledge that we can all sign up to – both as individuals and as churches – ‘to help make social media and the web more widely positive places for conversations to happen’. The charter encourages us to be as loving and generous in the digital world as we would be in person, with truth, kindness, welcome, inspiration, togetherness, safeguarding as our touchstones. To find out more and to sign up for yourself, go to churchofengland.org/charter.

Our social media community

As a church, this digital charter underlines the value of the Biblical standards that underpin all our communication, with particular relevance to our social media platforms: Facebook (page and group), Twitter, Instagram. We love to see your reactions and interactions with our posts and events, and hope that the charter will encourage us all to continue to ‘think before we post on social’! Is it true? Is it kind? Is it inspiring? Is it encouraging unity? Is it helpful and safe?

And while we are on the subject of our social media, how would we like our social media community to grow? Are there avenues we should be exploring to show our love and care for our local community? Are there ways we can be encouraging one another more? Do we want less of ‘this’, and more of ‘that’? [*Add your own words!] We can’t please everybody, but we’d love to hear your constructive ideas. And, I’d love some help with taking photos at our various events, activities, and groups – I can’t be everywhere!

So, please get in touch if you have ideas about our social media, or a camera/phone! I’d love to hear from you. You all have so many gifts and insights, and I always pick up interesting ideas and information, so keep it coming! Thank you for your support and encouragement.

‘Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.’ Proverbs 16: 24

Clare Shearing, church communications officer