Author: stjohnstmarkchurchbury

Here are the Bible readings that we will be using in church during April. This month covers Easter and beyond – so again there are some wonderful, familiar passages to rediscover.

God uses that amazing visual aid. He says to Abram “Look up at the sky and count the stars – if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be”. Abram had said look at me… God said look up, look out, look beyond. I’m going to wildly exceed your expectations.

Our next Sunday@Seven service will be on March 31st, meeting together in the Barritt room in St John’s Hall.

The theme this time is: ‘Approaching Easter’ and we will be looking at some of the events leading up to Easter.

Of course the technical term for this period is Lent. As someone once said “Lent is from the Latin word meaning giving stuff up and not banging on about it!”

Here’s our March 2019 magazine. The hard copy version is available in both our churches, St John and St Mark’s Bury and Christ Church Walmersley. It includes news and views as well as prayers, reflections and what’s on. There’s a special piece on John Wesley and details about our Lent Bible Studies.

Here are the Bible readings that we will be using in church during March.

We’re in the run-up to Easter and there are some wonderful, familiar passages to rediscover.

So if you can’t be with us or if you want to read the passages in advance, then here you go.

Many people live on their own and are looking for some company during the day. If there’s food involved then so much the better! So, we asked the ladies and gents that lunch at Christ Church for some recommendations of where to go at lunchtime…

For our Lent Bible Studies this year we will be following a fascinating approach to looking at Scripture.

This will be based on work done by Anna Carter Florence, in her book ‘Rehearsing Scripture’, which really encourages us to encounter and experience the Bible passages together.

We’ll be meeting throughout Lent at Christ Church Hall on Thursday afternoons from 2pm and Monday evenings at 150 Walmersley Road from 7.30pm.

The Beatitudes in Matthew are essentially attached to what you might call inner, spiritual qualities – things like meekness, righteousness and mercy. In Luke they are attached to external, physical conditions of poverty and suffering. Both lists are a series of bombshells.

My wife has a thing about trees – and not in a good way if you’re a tree. When I said I was talking about trees today she said “Shall I chop one down and you can use it as a visual aid?” You see she has both means and motive…

We’re returning to St Joseph’s Prayer Centre, Formby for our annual Retreat. This will be from Wednesday May 22nd to Friday May 24th 2019. The Prayer Centre is in a really lovely position, close to both the sandy beach and the National Trust Forest. The break is a mix of time spent together, plenty of personal space and trips out in the local area.

Our next Sunday@Seven service will be on February 24th meeting in the back room at Christ Church Hall.

The theme this time will be ‘filled to the measure’.

Here’s our February 2019 magazine. The hard copy version is available in both our churches. It includes news and views as well as prayers, reflections and what’s on. Plus a great letter from Margery Spencer about preconceptions.

Here are our Bible readings for February 2019.

So if you can’t get to church and want to follow the same scripture passages then here you go.

Or if you just want to read up in advance for the Sunday to come, then please make use of below.

I don’t know if you have made any new year resolutions? I haven’t. From past experience, intentions to eat more healthily, take more exercise and, in the past, to stop smoking would all be consigned to the rubbish bin by January 4th.

Our next Sunday@Seven service will be on January 27th. The theme is ‘Then it dawned on me’.

This is a chance for more informal worship, prayer and meditation.

We’ll meet in the Barritt Room at St John’s Hall. Brews and cake will be on hand!