May E-Magazine 2021
In this edition of E-Magazine we have:
Thy Kingdom Come
Lent Poem
Mothers' Union Yate
Daily Hope Phoneline
Building Habits in Prayer, Thy Kingdom Come 2021
Ascension
Youth Minister Recruitment
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Praise & Play / Little Sparks
Coping During Lockdown
Daily Hope Prayer Line
Zoom Coffee Morning
The Alpha Course online
Services Throughout the Parish
Morning Prayer in Yate Parish
For a full printable magazine click the file below
Thy Kingdom Come
'And he saw that it was good.' Such is the declaration on the first page of Genesis, as God regarded his creation of the universe of nature. Although I am not so sure that God now sees it all good in 2021, with widespread plastic pollution, climate change caused by harmful man-made gases in the air, greedy self-centred vandalism of nature such as the removal of vast areas of tropical forests resulting in the extinction of many living creatures, lack of respect for nature and its fine ecological balance.
'Thy Kingdom come' slips so often from our lips. But surely if we acknowledge that God is the Creator of the world we live in and that His presence is always amongst us and nature, then His Kingdom is already here! As King He has surely not left his kingdom. Kings don't do that!
In a moment of God's choosing His Kingdom will find its full expression and fulfilment.
We are not automata, in our creation and birth into the world God gave each of us free will to choose good or wrongdoing. With that comes the responsibility to care for and support his world of nature and animals. We cannot exercise that responsibility by ourselves. We need the energy of God – His Holy Spirit – in the sails of our life for forward direction.
Spring is here in His kingdom – new animal life, new growth, new creativity of nature. We too need a renewal of spiritual growth and energy given to us by God's Holy Spirit. It is freely there for our taking as we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost later this month.
Rev Chris Ainslie
The prayer/ poem below came to light during a recent Lent Group session.
Several people asked if we could publish it in our magazine.
So here it is:-
CHRIST BEFORE ME
by Dr. Russ Parker (Acorn Healing Trust)
Lord Jesus Christ,
Holder of the heavens
Who spoke creation into life;
There was a time when you could not speak,
You have been down the road before us
Lord Jesus Christ,
Walker among angels
Who rescued the bruised and the broken;
There was a time when you were carried,
You have been down the road before us
Lord Jesus Christ,
Robed in glory, crowned,;
There was a time when you were hidden,
You have been down the road before us
When I am speechless, be my living word,
When I cannot stand, be my strong support,
When I run and hide, be my one true friend
Amen
Mothers’ Union Yate
We hope that you noticed the bunting of beautiful crochet crosses adorning the Easter garden outside St Mary’s, crocheted with love by some of our members and friends. We’ve been knitting too! For Mothering Sunday our members each received a knitted heart with a special Mothering Sunday prayer card. We were also instrumental in creating and delivering 400 Easter cards for prisoners at Ashfield and 100 for prisoners to send.
We keep in contact with our members, delivering by hand or email the frequent communications from Central Mothers’
Union. We have enjoyed seeing one another at our zoom meetings, praying together and chatting, especially with some of our housebound members. We had an interesting historical talk by David Hardill too.
Recorded by Revd. Hywel, we broadcast a special online service for Lady Day in March: it has been watched 70 times! We look forward now to being able to meet up in person in small groups and, weather permitting, having an outdoor time of worship and picnic in May. Possibly a Church service of thanksgiving in June and a fundraising garden party in July. We have exciting ideas about a re-imagining of MU! Watch this space!
Globally MU has consultative status within UN Commission for the Status of Women, working to overcome inequality and gender based violence.
For more information about Mothers’ Union visit our Website or Facebook page or contact Jacky Fredrickson:
Building Habits in Prayer: Thy Kingdom Come 2021
Thy Kingdom Come is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray for more people to come to know Jesus. What started in 2016 as an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to the Church of England has grown into an international call to prayer. You can find out more at the TKC website: www.thykingdomcome.global/
In Yate Parish we are going to give people different opportunities to develop their prayer life.
Developing Habits in Prayer Workshops
7 – 8.30 pm Monday
10 May – Praying daily morning prayer – why do we do it?
17 May – How do we maintain a habit in prayer?
Venues to be decided
Midday Prayer (10 minutes)
12 noon weekdays 13-21 May
Venues to be decided
Compline online 8pm Weekdays 13-21 May Available from yateparish.org.uk
More information and links to the national campaign will be available on our website and Facebook page. This will include videos of the lovely Cheeky Pandas helping children under 7 know how to pray.
Thy Kingdom Come gives everyone an opportunity to join in with prayer. Will you join us?
Hywel Snook and Iain Macfarlane
St Mary’s Roof Repairs
There is still some work to finish off the roof, mainly in the North Aisle area. This should be completed in early May, and then the scaffolding will come down. Mike Curry and his team have done an excellent job for us, and in a survey of the whole roof Mike has identified 3 other areas in need of attention, so Phase 2 will follow as soon as we can get funding to cover the cost. We will soon meet with our architect Bonnie for discussions and to start work on our application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for the grant. I am working on applications for smaller grants to support the main grant.
Christine Dolton
Ascension Day service
9.45am St Mary’s—Thursday 13 May
At the time of printing this magazine, it is not absolutely clear whether this service will be held at St Mary’s or St Nix. Roof work depending.
Please contact Pam on 07708 159409 or email — parishoffice@yateparish.org.uk to check the location and book your place.
Many thanks.
Youth Minister recruitment
I would like to thank all of you for praying so faithfully for the recruitment of a Youth Minister for the Mission Area. It has been a long haul, but I am delighted to say that at the last set of interviews we agreed to offer the job to one of the short-listed candidates, and she has accepted.
Halleluiah!
At the time of publication I am not at liberty to tell you much more as the fact that she is moving jobs needs to be announced first in her current parish. However, I can say that she is an outstanding candidate who has a real heart for young people and the life experience to be able to guide them through the challenges that modern life throws at them. The interview panel were unanimous in their decision and the young people who gave up part of their Easter holiday to help us were also universal in their view that she is the right person for the job. It is my view that she is truly a gift from God.
She and her husband have two children aged two and 3 months and they will be moving to the area over the summer with a view to starting with us in the early autumn. Hopefully in the June or July magazine we will be able to publish a short interview with her so that you can get to know her a little better.
Ian Wallace
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
On Monday 24 May we will be holding our Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), which is by far the most important church meeting of the year. It is an opportunity for the members of the parish to hear from the elected trustees of the Parish (the PCC) about how they have governed the affairs of the parish over the past 12 months and, if
appropriate, to question them on how they have discharged their duties.
It is also the time when you, the members, elect new trustees to serve for the next three years. Because we have staggered the terms of the trustees a proportion of the PCC have to step down each year so there are always a few places up for election. Those reaching the end of their terms may wish to stand for re-election, but if you would also like to stand for election then please speak as soon as possible to the Church Wardens of the church that you attend most frequently. The practice that we have adopted for many years is that the District Church Meeting for each church proposes new candidates.
At the meeting we will present the annual report for the parish which covers most aspects of parish life and contains the annual accounts. It is an important document as copies have to be filed with the Diocese and with the Charity Commission. Copies will be made available in advance through our website - hard copies can also be ordered through the Parish Office. You will also hear a brief summary of the year from the Rector and will have the accounts simply explained by our Treasurer.
I would like to encourage you to get the date in your diary now and to attend the meeting if at all possible. The meeting will be at 7.30pm on Monday 24 May at St Nicholas’ Church and you can either attend in person or register with the Parish Office to attend via Zoom. Login details will be sent out a few days in advance. Your voting rights will be the same whether you attend in person or via Zoom.
Ian Wallace
Praise and Play / Little Sparks
We are really excited that both Praise and Play and Little Sparks will be restarting this term, albeit looking slightly different from before!
Little Sparks will run from 10 till 11am on Tuesday mornings at St Nix. Parents and Carers are asked to book a space and to bring their own rug and refreshments. Adults will be required to wear masks and socially distance. We will begin indoors with our action songs and Bible story before going outside in the garden for activities, weather permitting!
By kind permission of Yate Town Council, Praise and Play will be from 2 till 3pm on Monday afternoons in the garden of the Heritage Centre as work continues on St Mary's roof. Again parents will be asked to book a space and to socially distance. A maximum of 15 adults are currently able to attend due to Covid restrictions.
To book a space in either of these groups, please email gail@yateparish.org.uk
We are really looking forward to seeing everyone again; there have been a few new additions to the families too!
Gail Thomas
Coping during lockdown
For some people the last year has been very difficult and distressing.
I have coped in a number of ways. I praise and thank God for my blessings as every day is a new day. I wake up each morning and start the day asking God to watch over me so I don’t fall into sin. I then get myself ready for the day. I listen to the news and music on the radio. I do gardening. I listen to and watch the birds and other wildlife. I look, feel and smell the plants and the soil. I make sure I cook, eat and shop. I keep the house clean and tidy, sorting the cupboards, garage and loft etc. I love my hobbies and have kept busy making things, doing arts and crafts and colouring. I try to go for walks and always enjoy my surroundings. I have done my best to stay away from negative people. I limit my time on the telephone. Most of all I thank God for what I own and am grateful for everything I have.
Penny Thomas
DailyHope phone line
DailyHope, a free national telephone line, offers music, prayers and reflections as well as full worship services from the Church of England at the end of the phone. A Church of England initiative in partnership with CONNECTIONS at Holy Trinity Claygate, and Faith in Later Life. The line – which is available 24 hours a day on 0800 804 8044 – has been set up particularly with those unable to join online church services during the period of restrictions in mind; to provide comfort and spiritual nourishment to the most isolated in our society.
Zoom Coffee Morning
All Welcome—Wednesdays at 10am
Get yourself a cup of coffee and join us at 10 every Wednesday morning.
The zoom link is the same every week (bookmark it):
Meeting ID: 810 1932 8072
Passcode: 482269
The Alpha Course online
Alpha is your opportunity to find out more about the Christian faith, or refresh your own understanding of the faith in an informal and enjoyable environment.
We are working in partnership with Christ the Rock to run an online course. It runs on Thursday evenings from 8pm via Zoom, from 22 April for 10 weeks.
If you would like to attend email office@ctr-yate.org
Services throughout the Parish
Sunday 2 May
Easter 5 — White
Acts 8:26-40 1 John 4:7-21 John 15:1-8
St Mary
8.15am Communion
10.00am Communion - live stream
6.30pm 630Praise—follow link on website
St Nix
10.30am Communion
St James
10.30am Communion
St Peter
6.30pm Evening Worship
(Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 9 May—Vision Sunday
Easter 6 — White
Acts 10:44-48 1 John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17
St Mary
8.15am Communion
10.00am Communion - live stream
6.30pm 630Praise—follow link on website
St Nix
10.00am Morning Worship
St James
10.30am Morning Worship
St Peter
6.30pm Communion
(Book of Common Prayer)
Thursday 13 May
Ascension Day—White
Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24:44-53
St Mary
9.45am Communion
Sunday 16 May
Easter 7 — White
Acts 7:55-60 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14
St Mary
8.15am Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
6.30pm 630Praise—follow link on website
St Nix
10.30am Communion
St James
10.30am Communion- live stream
St Peter
6.30pm Evening Worship
(Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 23 May
Pentecost — Red
Ezekiel 37:1-14 Acts 2:1-21 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
St Mary
8.15am Communion
10.00am Communion
6.30pm 630Praise—follow link on website
St Nix
10.30am Morning Worship
St James
10.30am Morning Worship - live stream
St Peter
6.30pm Communion
(Book of Common Prayer)
Sunday 30 May
Trinity—White
Isaiah 6:1-8 Romans 8:12-17 John 3:1-17
St Mary
8.15am Communion
10.00am Morning Worship
6.30pm 630Praise—follow link on website
St Nix
10.30am Communion
St James
10.30am Communion- live stream
St Peter
6.30pm Evening Worship
(Book of Common Prayer)
Morning prayer in Yate Parish
Do you find prayer a little difficult? Would you like some inspiration? Go to the Yate Parish Facebook page to join in Morning Prayer led by our ministry team. You can watch live at 7.30am Monday to Saturday, or watch at any time later in the day. Many people have found it a great start to their day.
Easter Garden created by
Norman & Kathy Shanks
Easter Garden
at St James
created by
Di Coslett assisted by June Powell and Mary Perks.
Easter Garden
at St Mary’s
created by
Rev Gail Thomas
and others
