The web presence for Breadsall Church
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The church now has the facility to accept contactless donations. So, if you forget your wallet, envelopes or just want to make a donation using your credit or debit card, we can accept it. Please talk to the wardens. Initially, it will only be available at the main Morning Service.
Stepping out of the Stable
One year I was standing in a queue at a supermarket just before Christmas
and I saw on a rack, a January edition of some sort of home magazine. I
must have been rather tired or something because I found my eyes filling
with tears. I was so longing to finally get to Christmas, to Bethlehem, finally come to the stable, with everything done or not done – but there anyway, – that the thought of then rolling on and out into January, was awful.
Actually, when the time comes, I do find myself ready – gladdened by the
lengthening days and hopefully rested enough to look at new challenges
with pleasure rather than desperation.
But I am writing this at the very beginning of Advent and am a little amused
to find that the idea of January (at this point) still appals me.
Well, when we read this, we will be there – and I trust be glad to be. We all
have to leave the stable and carry what we found within, out, into the
world.
If we enjoyed feasting, then perhaps in 2020 we might see how we can help
those who are hungry. If we enjoyed the warmth of our home on dark
nights we might resolve to do something about homelessness. If the weather was very different from what we expected, we might decide to pull our finger out about climate change. If we were glad to see our families and
were able to give something to people we loved, perhaps this year we will
consider those who are alone, or those who struggle to buy even the basic
necessities for their children.
If at midnight on Christmas eve, we were overwhelmed by awe, knowing
that God is, and loves us and, in Jesus, comes to be with us in all our vulnerability, our darkness and our mess – then perhaps in 2020 we might be brave enough to speak more, and more fully, of God and the wonder of
God’s mercy, so that others may encounter such a moment.
There is a very lovely carol that should accompany us through January. It
isn’t often sung now but it is called the Shepherd’s farewell and it begins
‘Thou must leave thy lowly dwelling, the humble manger, stable bare’. It is
the Shepherd’s prayer for the little Jesus, they fear for him in the wide world. It is their prayer for him, if you like, for all the challenges that January holds.
It ends by repeating this, twice. ‘God go with thee, God protect thee, guide
thee safely through the wild’.
Pondering it now, I am comforted about the New Year. Jesus leaves the
stable and comes with us into 2020, into the new decade and will help us
with all the good that we want to do. So….
Happy New year!
And
God go with you!
Kate Plant
The girls from y:pig successfully negotiated a challenge for Sport Relief on Friday 23rd March. Three teams of 3 took part in a 4 legged race over a short course around the village and Greenway. Here is one photo of the final team climbing the slope to the Greenway.
The girls have raised £130 so far. The winning team is shown below:
