Category: Nurture

My sister was on a course for very important nurses. She was, at the time, the senior nursing officer for Cambridge and attended the course with matrons from all over the country – a fierce regiment of women. During the night the fire alarms went off and gathered on the lawn of the house were these redoubtable ladies in dressing gowns and hair nets…

Christian debt support is now available in Bury thanks to Bury Christians Against Poverty (CAP).

The new service is offering free, face-to-face debt counselling to all, regardless of age, background, ethnicity or faith.

The CAP Debt Coaches visit people in their homes, negotiate with creditors on the client’s behalf and support people until they are debt free.

Our next Sunday@Seven service is August 25th in the hall at Christ Church.

The theme this time is ‘I called, you answered’, which is taken from the amazing Psalm 138.

If you enjoy hymns old & (very) new then we’d love to see you!

Here are the Bible readings for August 2019 which we’ll be using in church.

If you want to read up in advance – or if you can’t be with us and want to follow the same readings then here you go!

Can I ask an indelicate question? Who here is in their 80’s? Or 90’s? Anyone older? Today we have that wonderful picture of the 3 visitors who come to bring startling news to Abraham and Sarah. Well, more to Sarah actually. The news is that within a year, the 89 year old Sarah will become pregnant and have that long-awaited, long-promised child.

We’re being asked to choose: What kind of people do you want to be?
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”. Moses says: is this how you want to be known?

Our next Sunday@Seven service is July 28th. The theme this time is ‘It’s Summer…let’s sing!’

We shall be singing some of our favourite songs and hymns. Please let Nigel know, either directly, or via the contact page, which ones you like.

As a one-off, we’ll be meeting in the church at Christ Church, rather than in the hall.

Attached is our Benefice of Walmersley Road July and August 2019 magazine. It’s a bumper edition so grab a brew and find a comfortable chair… Alongside all the normal news, views and ‘what’s on’, you’ll find an article on Spring Harvest with Archbishop Sentamu’s challenge for 2020.

Here are the Bible readings for July 2019 which we’ll be using in church.

If you want to read up in advance – or if you can’t be with us and want to follow the same readings then here you go!

This month’s scriptures include the Hospitality of Abraham & Sarah, The Samaritan and the Lord’s Prayer.

A small group from St John with St Mark joined the well attended Prayers for Peace service at the Ukrainian Church on June 23rd, 2019.

Tens of thousands have died in the conflict with many more displaced from their homes.

The situation in Ukraine is a sombre one. But this was a wonderful service with representatives from different Christian traditions and nationalities. The hymns were in English and Ukrainian as we worshiped together surrounded by Eastern Orthodox paintings and icons.

#MoreThanSunday is being launched by Manchester Diocese on 1 July 2019. The aim is to help grow our faith and increase our discipleship 7 days a week.

By signing up, you will receive a monthly email. This will contain a reflection and a Bible quote relevant to a theme that will be different each month.

There will also be a link to a podcast featuring local people who have an insight to share.

This year’s retreat to the St. Joseph’s Prayer Centre near the National Trust reserve in Formby was once again held in the week leading up to the second May Bank Holiday. The theme this year was the ‘Miracles of Jesus’ and we had several thought provoking sessions on some of these miracles and how they relate to our daily lives in the year 2019.

Our next Sunday@Seven service is June 30th. The theme this time is ‘The Spirit is willing, but…’

This is the first Sunday@Seven after Pentecost so we imagine that Nigel may take full advantage of that in his choice of songs and readings.

Pentecost is when we remember the Holy Spirit being given to the disciples after Jesus’ ascension. The Spirit was given to guide, inspire and teach them – as it does with us today.

For the Vicar of Dibley, heaven meant being surrounded by mountains of chocolate. And many think of heaven in terms of food and drink: heavenly food, heavenly wine…

Our reading from Acts tells us that if you’re wanting a quiet life then the very last thing you want to do is to go looking for a prayer meeting…