This year May is very much between and betwixt and filled with new beginnings and potential. As I write this, just before the end of April, Easter with its joyous promise of resurrection and eternal life is just over. Just after the beginning of June, on the 9th, is Pentecost the church’s birthday. The day when the Holy Spirit was sent to the disciples and they changed from confused, anxious men into enthusiastic and confident evangelists. Peter, hitherto known for his chronic case of foot in mouth syndrome and fear, became a wise, brave leader and Thomas, who is famous for doubting the resurrection, became so earnest and enthusiastic that he spread the Gospel as far east as India and, possibly, even into India.
In between these two occasions we have, on the 9th May, the happy occasion of the licensing of Kate, our new Priest in Charge. As you will probably know we are sharing Kate with Morley and Smalley who have now become our sister churches. This opens up whole new potentialities and opportunities. Of course there are likely to be changes – as there are at any time –though I am hopeful that these will be positive rather and negative and lead to the growth and development of the church in Breadsall, Morley and Smalley.
Fran Monahan
New Rector arrives
Our new Rector, Kate Plant, has arrived and has been duly ‘installed’ by Bishop Jan at a service at Smalley Church on Thursday 9th May. She and her husband Tom and mother-in-law Jean are residing in Breadsall Rectory on Rectory Lane. Please give them a warm welcome and help them to settle in to their new life in Breadsall. As noted elsewhere, her first service will be a joint communion with our sister churches of Morley and Smalley to be held on Sunday May 12th at Morley church at 1030 am.
Her first services at Breadsall will be on Sunday 19th May at 8.00 followed by the 8.00 and 10.15 services on Sunday 26th May.
Christian Aid week
In the next weeks, we will be trialling a device that allows gifts to be made using your contactless bank card. Initially, this is to raise funds for Christian Aid. However, if this proves successful, we will consider acquiring the device for future use. Please support the Christian Aid collection as we are not aware of any door to door collections in the village this year.
Sunday 12 May
Please note that there will be NO service at 0800 or 1015 in Breadsall church on the 12 May. We are all invited to a joint service at Morley church at 1030 to celebrate Kate’s first communion with us.
Lent Groups
Lent groups will be happening from Thursday 7th March for 6 weeks.
There will be 2 groups meeting: one in Morley Hayes on Thursdays at 7.30pm: the other will meet in Breadsall Church (at least initially) on Friday evenings at 8pm. We will be using a book called Cover to Cover: Who is the Christ?, copies of which should be available this week. We are meeting jointly with Morley and Smalley churches who will be our sister parishes once Kate arrives.
Electoral Roll
The electoral roll is subject to a complete renewal in 2019. All existing persons on the roll will need to apply to join the new roll, being prepared before the Annual Meeting. The closing date for applications for the new roll will be 17th March 2019.
Forms will be available in church shortly.
Appointment
The Diocese has announced the appointment of the Rev Kate Plant as Priest-in-charge of Breadsall and Morley with Smalley. Mrs Plant will take up her post in the Spring.
Please watch for confirmation and place for her licencing, and pray for her and her husband as they prepare for the move.
Extraordinary Meeting 27 January
There will be an extraordinary meeting of the church and parish to be held at the end of the Morning Service on Sunday 27th January at around 11.30 in Church. The sole item will be to vote on a proposal to extend the maximum term for Churchwarden by 1 additional year.
Christmas Card 2018
The pupils from Breadsall School again have provided the church with a difficult choice for the cover of this year’s xmas card. We finally chose the following design by Millie – watch out for the card coming through your door in the next week or so.
To all the other entrants – thank you for your entry. We intend to have them all displayed in the church for the next few weeks.
Vacancy advertised
The position of Priest-in-charge for Breadsall, Smalley and Morley has now been advertised on the Derby Diocese website. Please pray that the right person will see and respond to this advert and that an appointment can be made in the New Year.
ypig? Weekend at The Peak Centre
Last weekend, October 5th -7th, ypig? (young people interested in God) went away to the Peak Centre at Edale and had a wonderful time. Most of us travelled up by train on Friday evening, arriving at around 8pm where Claire had already unpacked the food and prepared pizzas. After all the excitement of trying to make beds and playing parachute games it was time for bed and, amazingly, quite a lot of sleep!
On Saturday a lot of rain was predicted which was a concern as we had planned a walk and other outdoor activities. However, thank you to praying friends, the weather was actually fairly good in the morning and improved throughout the day. The walk went ahead, as did the den-building in the woods and the evening campfire. Sunday morning saw us climbing the walls – literally, before packing, cleaning up and leaving.
During the course of the weekend we spent time looking at “Who is King?”, thinking about the God of Creation and his solution to our world by sending Jesus. Many thoughtful questions were asked and our prayer is that this group would draw closer to the God who loves them.
