St John’s and St Michael’s Churches – Notices for Sunday 12th September
St Michael’s Morning Worship + Baptism @ 9.30am: Welcome to our service today led by Matthew. 2 Corinthians 5:16-2. We also offer a very warm welcome to Freddie, his family and friends who is being Baptised today.
St John’s Holy Communion Zoom service @ 11am: Good morning and welcome to our service today led by Jane. We continue with our series ‘A new way of living’ with Matthew talking to us about ‘Fasting’ Matthew 6:16-18 and Acts 14:21-28. Don’t forget your bread and wine ?
Update for indoors at St John’s: After our recent review we have now increased our capacity within St John’s to 50 (can vary slightly depending on bubbles, couples and family units). We continue to operate a one way system whilst weather is ok, with hand sanitising on entry. We would still like you to wear face masks when moving around the building and singing but can be removed when sitting. We will continue to keep the building well ventilated so please dress appropriately. Thank you for your patience.
Below are the links to our online Sunday services, including readings and sermon for you to listen to at your leisure.
http://www.stjohnsmuxton.org.uk/category/sermons/
or http://www.stmichaelslilleshall.org.uk/home/
Please find below our login for our September services.
Last week’s livestream service is still available to view on the church’s YouTube channel, St John’s Muxton. Please follow this link https://youtu.be/2zcMEQKS_LM Whilst it is mentioned in the title, you may want to fast forward to 23 minutes to play with sound!
PRAYERS: Vera Russell – We have been saddened by the news that Vera died from cancer on 31 August 2021. Our churches supported Len and Vera in the 1990s when they worked in Kenya with AIM (Africa Inland Mission). Their mission focus was mainly with the Samburu tribe in Northern Kenya. We very much valued our link with them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Russell family at this sad time. Donations in memory of Vera can be made to Cancer Research UK.
PASTORAL LIST UPDATE: I have emailed everyone on the pastoral list to check to see if their details are correct. If you haven’t already replied could you please check your emails (maybe I have gone into your spam folder) and see if all your info is up to date and advise me of any corrections/deletions or additional info that you would like me to put on. I will then re-issue an up to date version. Thank you. Lesley
The EVANGELISM TEAM are due to meet next on Monday 13th September at 7.45pm.
ST JOHN’S TINY TOTS is back nextTuesday (14th September) at 10am. A warm welcome to all under 5’s and their parents/carers.
JOIN US 4 A CUPPA! If everything continues to go to plan we are very excited to say that we are planning our first ‘Join Us’ in quite a while next Friday (17th September) 11am-1pm. Cannot wait to see you all. LITTERPICKING We also plan to restart our litter picking around Muxton…Anyone is welcome to join in, coming along just beforehand to pick up a litter picker, gloves, bag etc and then return for a free cuppa.
LILLESHALL SCARECROW FESTIVAL takes place on Saturday 18th September (See poster at the end of these notices).
FORGET ME NOT FILMS: We are delighted to say that we are able to relaunch the film mornings at St John’s starting this month with a showing of Broadway Melody of 1940 with Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell on Thursday 23rd September! The film will start at 10 am – please arrive any time from 9.45 am. If you have any questions, or to let us know you are coming, please contact Jo Lefroy on 01952 604281 or via the church office.
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT YOUR VOCATION? whether that be ordination, reader training, community or church based, or ‘secular’ work focused Pathways is a great course for encouraging and empowering lay ministry. To find out more please follow this link https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/vocations-and-training/exploring-vocation/pathways_to_ministry/pathways_to_ministry.php or contact Helen Scheven, Lichfield Diocese Training co-ordinator at Helen.Scheven@lichfield.anglican.org
CAP: Befrienders needed – the cap debt centre is in need of more befrienders to help Jane and Marcelle. If you think you could help please contact Jane Preston 07932189493 janepreston@capuk.org asap
LILLESHALL POST OFFICE: The post office at the Lilleshall Memorial Hall will be open on Tuesdays 10am -12pm and Wednesdays 10am – 12pm. Please try to support it.
REGULAR GROUPS/MEETINGS/RESOURCES/INFORMATION
Calling all walkers! We meet on a Wednesday 10am at St John’s for a gentle, local walk of around an hour. All are welcome. Please contact Jo Lefroy for any further information on 01952 604281.
A PLACE FOR CONTEMPLATION AND QUIET PRAYER: Please visit St John’s prayer garden, another bench has been added. The garden is situated behind the beautiful Oak tree in our front garden to the right as you face St John’s front door.
EARLY MORNING PRAYERS: Are you an early bird? A group of us pray for the work of the church at 7.30am every Thursday morning. Join us for half an hour or part of the time on Zoom. Contact Matthew for the link.
Please join us for Bible Reading/Discussion/Prayer via Zoom, weekdays at 9am. The best way to access these is through the “Daily Prayer” app. available from The Church of England but if you want to follow from your Bible this is ok. Please contact Matthew who will give you the details to login.
PRAYER GROUP continues to meet, praying into our concerns and worries and listening to what God might be saying to us on zoom, 7pm on the second Sunday of each month. If anyone would like to join us please contact: Shirley, Vicky or Pam. (Members of St John’s) or Lesley (670033) can pass on your details.
PRAYER CHAINs: If you have any prayer requests please either text (preferable) Lisa 07739 522280 or Email: west.familywest@btinternet.com or St Michael’s prayer chain coordinator Chris R 07834162343 or 01952 604330 or Email: scip@blueyonder.co.uk
Energize website is providing materials each week to be downloaded by families. https://www.energize.uk.net/pages/kids_club_by_post.
A Monthly Youth Service called Conn3ct takes place on the last Sunday of each month. Search on Youtube ‘Conn3ct’. Please follow https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCSxLC1ssTnZr6h1l6f83ghQ
FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/stjohnsmuxton – please like our page and share our news stories with your friends.
John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
OFFICE HOURS: Monday 9-3pm, Tuesday 9-12noon and Friday 9-4pm 01952 670033
Email: admin@stjohnsmuxton.org.uk or admin@stmichaelslilleshall.org.uk
Website: www.stjohnsmuxton.org.uk or www.stmichaelslilleshall.org.uk
Matthew’s Email: matthew.lefroy@tiscali.co.uk (Usual day off Friday)
Vikki’s Email: revdayvik@gmail.com (Normal day off Friday)
St Michael’s only – 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (The Message)
16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
Zoom service – First Reading is from Matthew 6:16-18
16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Zoom Service – Second Reading is from Acts 14:21-28
21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. ‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.
26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
