The Dandelion Community

2012-01-02T00:41:00.000Z

Happy New Year from The Dandelion Community - we are a member of the United Reformed Church based online and in Wythenshawe, Manchester, UK.
Pray with us as we birth this new community - The Dandelion Community - beautiful, bold, vulnerable, well-rooted and connected to Christ and the spirit of sharing.
We have been known previously as St. Marks United Reformed Church (until Christmas 2011 when we have been reborn with the vision of Christ) and also St. Marks Presbyterian Church.
We hope you will contribute to this new and ancient spiritual earth community by sharing your stories, hopes, prayers, deepest spiritual longings and lives.
We are a community of people in transition - in faith, in sharing our lives, in tending the earth we share, in starting The Dandelion Food Community (find us on Facebook) and in dreaming together of life-enhancing ways to live from our deepest, best selves with christ as our inspiration.
Blessings - please like us, follow with us and share who you are!
We look forward to sharing with you soon.

Wythenshawe's fragile light...song

2011-12-02T12:28:00.000Z

Like a candle in the night
flick'ring, dancing, far from bright -
shadows leaping,
hostile greeting -
Wythenshawe's fragile light...

O light of life and light of love
all our darkness now improve
Each refining, set us shining
make us beacons of your love.

Adapted from John Campbells words.
Tune: We three kings of orient are.

Pray for Wythenshawe and all parts of the world experiencing trauma from the economic meltdown and UK governments austerity measure cuts. Pray for peace with justice for all.

Prayer with the family of Troy Davis

2011-09-27T15:21:00.000+01:00

Message from Amnesty International:
After a torturous delay of more than 4 hours, the state of Georgia executed Troy Anthony Davis by lethal injection. Despite the serious doubts about his guilt. Despite millions calling on Georgia to reconsider.
Wende at AIUSA met with Troy to convey the support that he has had from all of you. He asked us to deliver this message back to you:

"The struggle for justice doesn't end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me. I'm in good spirits and I'm prayerful and at peace." Troy Davis

I am Troy Davis. You are Troy Davis. We are Troy Davis.
We will not stop fighting for justice.

This Sunday 11th Sept 2-4pm messychurch does Peter Pan playtime - all welcome

2011-09-09T20:39:00.000+01:00

Sunday 11th September 2-4pm at

St. Marks United Reformed Church, Oatlands Rd, Wythenshawe M22 6AH

Peter Pan playtime - be a pirate, lost boy, captain hook or a fairy!

Come and make pieces of eight to take home

create a flag for your team island,

make a pirate ship from junk boxes,

team games & parachute games in or outdoors,

make a magic blessings wand to bring healing to the world!

Put in an order for your fish and chips as you arrive and it will be ready for you eat around 3.45pm

messychurch - doing church differently with families

Next event is: Sat 17th Sept at civic - Happy Harvest with The Dandelion Food Community - come and visit our stall at Wythenshawe's Garden City Festival next week - we'll be there all day with tasty treats and things to do!

One World Birth Launch Film - St. Marks supports new life!

2011-09-03T21:40:00.000+01:00

Wild food at St. Marks church - Elderberry Syrup Recipe

2011-09-03T13:16:00.000+01:00

This week at church we discovered lots of ripe elderberries and picked them!
Here is a recipe we're trying out. Elderberry Syrup Recipe
We also discovered 2 damson trees, rosehips and crab apples!
Not all are full of fruit but 5 of us managed a small suitcase full of elderberries and part of a carrier bag full of rosehips.
The Dandelion Food Community allotmenters also won 2 first prizes and 1 second prize for crab apple jelly, crab apple jam and marrow and ginger chutney too - which we all tasted last week as part of our weekly meet!

hollowed out spaces

2011-08-27T20:58:00.000+01:00

In the clay pipes there are hollowed out spaces
Like hearts not loved enough in a lifetime
Waiting and wondering what will inhabit them
Spiders, beetles, ladybirds
In the glory of the sunshiney summer they warm
Becoming more homely to another
The air and clay work together
A presence inhabits them
Along with the cobwebs and sawdust and soil
But what is the presence?

Prayer for riots and looting in Wythenshawe tonight - Tues midnight

2011-08-10T01:19:00.000+01:00

Around 300 people in Wythenshawe civic centre looting the shops there. Police say it is on lock down. Rumours that Asda was on fire but that is not true. Large police presence now and the smell of petrol and burning but no fires now.
Pray for local residents who are fearful and scared.
Pray for people who are in the civic centre.
Pray for police and others trying to restore calm and peace.
God help us - what is happening in our nations?
We pray and act for peace with justice in our communities and in our economics...job and food poverty is violence. Violence often breeds violence but Jesus speaks of life for everyone - life with hope. What does it mean tonight with helicopters overhead and the smell of petrol in our streets and windows smashed everywhere...

Prayer for UK riots - especially in London

2011-08-10T00:07:00.000+01:00

Thanks to God and looking ahead!

2011-08-08T23:49:00.000+01:00

Thanks to all who took part in the messychurch families superheroes fun day. There were lots of masks made and costumes worn and the sensory space with lava lamps was beautifully relaxing. Pics to follow soon! Over 50 families took part and over 60 visitors came to The Dandelion Food Community fruit and vegetable market stall - tasty pears, blackcurrants, chutneys and more were sold - as well as 4 giant watermelons!
The power of Love is that of a hero...who is your super-hero and why?

Now looking forward to Saturday 27th August walk and picnic with messychurch at Styal Mill. Meet 12noon at Styal Mill gift shop. Afternoon out til 3pm. Next month come along to our special Sunday 11th Sept 2-4pm Peter Pan playtime messychurch - make some fairy wings and pray some special prayers for children around the world in hard times with different lives...like the children in peter pan and neverland.

THIS Saturday - summer family fun day run by messychurch wythenshawe!

2011-08-03T21:06:00.001+01:00

Sat 6th August 1-4pm at St. Marks United Reformed Church - free - all welcome!
Bouncy castle - build your superhero muscles
Sensory room - be a chilled superhero
Dressing up clothes - which superheroine/hero are you
Wigwam den & storytelling
Make a superhero collage - draw around yourself
Baby play zone - for non crawlers
Arts & crafts for toddlers & primary school ages
Parachute games
large, low-income and lone parent families especially welcomeParents/grandparents lounge area
Fruit & veg market stall with fruit bags (approx. £1.50-£3.50)
...........................
run by messychurch - doing church differently with families
supporting you to share faith in your family and explore Christian faith together

Are you growing?

2011-07-03T00:09:00.003+01:00

Connect with Spirit & grow your heart and soul with our new Grow Group - a weekly daytime group for adults living in Woodhouse Park looking for something more
Grow Group is to be based in Wythenshawe, Manchester gathering for an hour for approx. 6 weeks is starting soon: storytelling, healing, connecting together. Grow Group - coming soon - watch this space.

Come and watch Alice in Wonderland films this Sat 3.30-5pm

2011-06-23T22:21:00.000+01:00

We are excited about offering two free family viewings of ALice in Wonderland films - one U and one PG this coming Saturday starting 3.30pm until 5pm. Free popcorn and fruit to share. All welcome. This is a follow-on event from our Alice themed messychurch event 2 weeks ago but is a stand-alone event too. All ages welcome but adult supervision for all children in their care please! We hope to share and learn more about Alice and her wonderland and see if there are some connections we can make together with following Jesus!

Wythenshawe Wonderland - messychurch relauched in style!

2011-06-12T23:28:00.000+01:00

Over 100 families, well over 200 people of all ages, celebrated Alice in Wonderland and Jesus together with play, indoor wonderland healing garden, games, prayer, treasure hunt, painting, bouncy castle, music, activities...
thanks to God, all the people who helped and look forward to renewing relationships and church in Woodhouse Park and Benchill - follow up film event with messychurch to come on 25th June - see events list on the left for details.

Dandelion Food Community launches this weekend!

2011-06-09T00:03:00.000+01:00

The Dandelion Food Community is launching this weekend 11am-2pm at St. Marks United Reformed Church. A bunch of local people from Woodhouse Park have begun to sow seeds of new ways of buying and sharing food together - food which is mainly local and seasonal - from within about 40 miles. Fresh fruit and veg will be sold from the market stall at a families fun day and a regular food buying group has been set up. Come along to join in together! The first 20 customers to spend £3 or more will get a free canvas shopping bag! Look out for our food banner outside the building THIS Saturday. After that we're meeting every Weds 3.30-4.30pm together to grow, buy, eat and share food - fresh and home/locally grown. See you on Saturday!

Alice in Wonderland Family Fun Day run by messychurch

2011-05-27T09:54:00.000+01:00

Saturday 11th June 11am-2pm at
St. Marks United Reformed Church,
Oatlands Road, Woodhouse Park, M22 1AH
You are invited to the event which is run by messychurch

free activities, café open & child-friendly

• treasure hunt to find the white rabbit
• paint a pot for a mad hatters teaparty
• pin the smile on the Cheshire Cat
• chill out indoor garden
• eat me-drink me area
• junk modelling
• bouncy castle (weather permitting!)
• dressing up clothes
• baby zone
SAVE MANCHESTER SURESTART TEAM WILL ALSO BE THERE WITH PETITIONS and a fun table with painting jewellary making with straws and pasta and biscuit making.

Find us on Facebook: messychurch, wythenshawemessychurch - doing church differently for families

Peace on Earth - what does it look like for us?

2011-05-22T19:10:00.000+01:00

Our discussion today went something like -

Have a look at one picture or image - what do you feel about it, what do you think about it and imagine Jesus is sitting with you and what do you imagine he would make of it and have to say about it in relation to his take on 'peace on earth'?

We shared in small groups about several very different images and began to dwell more on the third part of the question...Here are some snippets:

"In this picture there are angels and animals - lots of different ones from around the earth. They are not hurting or harming each other. There is a lamb with a halo in the middle! If a zebra and a tiger and a lamb can be together - why cant we? They kill for food. We kill for pleasure"

"Jesus would say about this picture - if they can do this then why can't you all do it - no on is in fear, no one is attacking each other out of spite...if they can then you can."

"Jesus would want us to be concerned about the environment each of these animals has to live in because some of where they live is being chopped down and taken away...they have no home - like the forests, rainforests and places like that. Jesus wants us to make sure they have their own kind of environment, not just to learn in zoos about these animals. To make a home for them is peace on earth."

"For Christmas my son did something different this year. He bought us all an animal - sponsored each month. My grandson got a black panther for Christmas and he could tell all his friends about it and his teacher too - and they did a special lesson to learn about it. I think I might do that next Christmas. That's peace on earth isn't it? The animals need peace on earth as much as we do."

It was an amazing sharing of the interpretation of the theme Peace on Earth given by the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation meeting this week in Jamaica after the Decade to Overcome Violence by the World Council of Churches.

The United Reformed Church has a representative there - Revd Sian Collins and she will share in more detail about it later this year with us in November. I will post here to let you know more.

In the meantime - what does the One of Peace call you to today - what specific person or place or way is calling you to bring, share or pray for peace on earth? May the Christ of Peace be with you in your walk. Amen

http://www.childrens-art-prints.com/

Some shout-outs for God this week!

2011-05-20T00:18:00.000+01:00

thanks for letters of support for a local family

thanks for the lovely house blessing this week for Ena

thanks for people have generously given their time to garden

thanks for the great sharing spirit amongst the churches together in wythenshawe meeting who are keen to pray 24hours over Pentecost Weekend 11-12June at our church building

thanks for some new chalk boards to share what new things we're up to

thanks for the community food group working to start a food buying group with fresh fruit and vegetables

for hope, freedom in our faith and way of adventure with God

for the bumps and babies group & the birth rites collection in manchester

for such a busy but good week together

Help raise cash for Zambian kids (Manchester Aid for Children) project in Chingola

2011-05-07T11:41:00.000+01:00

Swop your search engine to this instead of google and every time you use it you'll make a difference to a small project of 72 kids in industrial Zambia easysearch.org.uk Supplied by easyfundraising Powered by Yahoo! and Bing

This spirit of life festival, manchester

2011-05-02T21:10:00.000+01:00

It was an amazing and inspiring festival in and around Manchester cathedral for the spirit of life event. Music, hand and foot massage, healing prayer, anointing with holy oil, weaving prayers, listening corner, paintings and art space and workshops, chanting prayers and images of Christ from different corners of the globe.
Three church members in their 80s from our church went with one of their non church friends and I went with my husband, young son and two of our friends in their thirties and the range of people and ages was really broad.
I found the workshop by Steve hollinghurst on the goddess and Christianity thought provoking and informative but not too know it all...we explored parallels between Lilith,and Eve, Mary and Mary Magdalene with Canaanite goddesses Ishtar/Asarte. More on that soon...

She Is Risen by British artist Megan Clay

2011-04-25T22:10:00.000+01:00

I find this painting even more inspiring now I am a mother as well as a follower of Jesus. I love the bright colours reminding me, more than white does, of the deep joy and vibrancy of easter life.
Megan is such an amazing woman and artist with so much intuition and imagination but I know some people may find this painting controversial.
Anyway, I'd really be interested in your comments, feelings and theologies around this painting. By a miracle of God you might leave them below for other people to share in.

No more stones - Easter Sunday – April 24th 2011

2011-04-24T08:48:00.000+01:00

John 20.1-18
“Do not hold on to me”
You made it; you’re there; well done – you’re on the last of this series and about to launch out to celebrate and to live Resurrection. How have you changed on this year’s journey through Lent and Holy Week? Have you?!

Today’s verses begin early Sunday morning with three disciples, Mary, Peter and John discovering the tomb empty and assuming the body of Jesus had been taken. The men returned home, maybe they needed to do their grieving in private. Mary stayed and her tears continued. The last few days had seen such a rapid change in her world that it seems to me she was experiencing both extremes of grief – part of her wanting to deny any of this was happening and part of her accepting that Jesus was gone forever with all the feelings of helplessness and sorrow that entails. She is staring into the grave, seeing only darkness. When she turns, facing into the light of day the gardener, or so she assumes, asks why she is weeping and who she is looking for. Jesus speaks her name and we have to imagine how that felt for her. The text suggests she embraced him, holding on tight – fully back in the denial stage of grief. If she could only hold on to this moment everything could go back to being as it was before – no arrest, no trial, no crucifixion. But the world has changed. The power of God’s love has defeated the worst cruelty that humanity can conceive. Now the world must be told that death can have no dominion. Mary lets go and sets out to share this life changing news. Do we? Or is the annual Easter celebration a time for clinging to traditions, expecting nothing to change other than to go through it all again next year?

Which Jesus do we hold on to? Which model of God do we cling to?

There is no room here to explore this in detail but know this - the stone is rolled away. All barriers hindering our relationship with God are removed. Any stones that get in the way now are the ones we create. You have been freed to turn around and go out to share and live Resurrection. Halleluiah!

Sally Thomas
Inner Manchester Mission Network Facilitator

Christ is Risen - risen indeed!

We pray for everyone searching for a new start, new hope, new love.
May you and God meet each other today.
Easter life to you,
Amen

carrying jesus

2011-04-23T20:48:00.000+01:00

Imagine how heavy his body was. How they lifted the slumped body down from its resting place. It must have been awkward to carry, even for people experienced with such things. They shuffled as they carried him. For Nicodemus and Joseph the smell was intense. Of death to be sure - but mostly of the myrrh and aloes – spices fit for a king. The smell was right up their noses. I doubt they talked as they worked, binding the body, straining to lift, turning the heavy form carefully, up on a his perhaps, then onto the front. Life was continuing with some required tasks. If Jesus had had a house Nicodemus and Joseph would have gone through that, eventually as well – through the drawers and the attic, doing the jobs that are done after someone dies. There was notjing left to fear. The worst had happened. And now Nicodemus comes in public to Jesus where at first he had slipped in to see him at night.

There is a gentleness here in the freshly cut tomb, the garden, the loving hands on Jesus’ body. Jesus’ struggle is over and he lies still. Nicodemus and Joseph are strong enough to do these things for Jesus where perhaps Peter and the others were not. We too, who know how the story ends are strong enough to bear seeing Jesus’ body, to smell the spices, to bind him with this pair. But this death is real, and the tomb is real and final. The Apostles’ Creed not just Jesus’ death by crucifixion but the fact he “was buried”. The story moves with clear eyes through these last details of death. There is nothing left to fear for us who have seen the worst of death in stories in Bible or in the Times or the Guardian or in our own lives. In Jesus’ still face we see the last human expression God had yet to take on and God bore it even into the grave.

Nathan Eddy

St Peter’s House Church and Chaplaincy, The University of Manchester

Good Friday - no more business as usual

2011-04-22T16:04:00.000+01:00

Good Friday - Friday 22 April 2011
Get a full version of Good Friday here at John 18 and 19
“You are no friend of the emperor” (John 19.12)
In his account of Jesus’ last day, John tells us Jesus answers several enquiries by saying, ‘I am he’, or more literally from the Greek, ‘I am’. It is a sign that this is to do with the presence of God: ‘I AM’. So what do we learn of God’s presence through these things?

While the officers and police arrive heavily armed, prompting Peter to strike out, Jesus responds, ‘Put your sword back in its sheath’, suggesting that God’s presence rejects the use of violence …

The world carries on, business-as-usual: A priest plots, negotiating a solution with the Empire’s man. Peter denies he knows Jesus. Pilate purports to be above these things, but is troubled by Jesus’ talk of a new kingdom. And the crowd cries out for Barabbas, their freedom-fighter, someone who will more obviously resist the Romans, while knowing that ‘everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor’ (19:12) … So, while the imperial world flexes its muscles, Jesus shows a different way: he speaks openly of a new kind of kingdom, and absorbs the world’s violence and abuses of power, without retaliating. Such is God’s presence, even now: the God of truth exposes and absorbs the world’s very worst, suffering in solidarity with the powerless … but who will have the last word?

Graham Adams
Lees Street Congregational Church, East Manchester

We pray for Graham and the church of Lees Street for their witness to Jesus in their housing estate, the messychurch outreach, the musical society and their host congregation. God be with them in their Good Friday and Easter. Amen

All you need is love...

2011-04-21T20:17:00.000+01:00

Connect with the story of Jesus last meal in John 13.1-17, 31b-35

The question: “Why is his night so different from all other nights?

Why are we going back to the beginning?”

The answer: “So as not to forget who we are – to see and recognise and believe that we are people”. Every other night we go our own way, but tonight we are all together in one place”.

“Because we were slaves but we have been called to freedom. Because we have been rescued in order to come together.

Because we are called to freedom on this night”.

‘Because this is the story of our liberation’.

In the room where they celebrate the Passover together Jesus shocks his followers in undertaking the lowliest role and as a slave he washes and dries their feet. There is no hierarchy in The Kingdom of God only service given in love,

Jesus washes the feet of his betrayer knowing he will soon be handed over to his enemies by Judas his disciple. The lesson is poignant - Jesus is making it clear that he is the Servant Lord, and the implication is that we too must become servants of this Servant Lord and servants of the rest of humanity.

‘Now the Son of Man is glorified. And God is glorified in him’.

Glory is a word used for triumphant warriors who defeat their enemies. Jesus is not seeking to defeat enemies, for he is taking the sins of the world upon himself. The meaning of glory is to be held in good opinion, to be invested with radiance, praised and honoured. Jesus takes on the weight of this world’s sin and misery to create a new life and new opportunities for all of humankind.

Jesus gives this disciples in the upper room a new commandment:-

‘That you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”.

Love is the alpha and omega of discipleship;

as the Training of The Twelve Apostles begins:

“There are two ways, one of life and one of death:

The way of life is this:

You will love the God who made you

You will love your neighbour as yourself”.

Brian O'Neill, South East Manchester Group

Blinded by what?

2011-04-20T10:26:00.000+01:00

Connect with the story in John 13:21-32

Has anybody ever let you down? A close friend, a relative? How did you feel? Upset, possibly devastated if it was a close friend or relative and the let down was for something you were really hoping to receive of share. What if the ‘let-down’ was brought about by someone you had put on a ‘pedestal’ ? A celebrity, an MP?

We all have our own beliefs in people, expectations as to how they should behave or act, and when they don’t, the resulting disappointment can be life-shattering. Sometimes we can’t or won’t accept it when someone does act so out of character; we turn a ‘blind-eye’ to their actions.

I wonder in reading this passage whether it was this ‘blindness’ that stopped the disciples from seeing what was going on in front of them. In the reading Jesus only tells one of the disciples, but surely the others were listening; it was Simon Peter who urged the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ to ask Jesus, possibly because Simon Peter wasn’t sitting close enough to ask himself.

And yet when Judas went out neither Simon Peter, nor the unnamed disciple made any attempt to stop him, or take any action to make sure Jesus would be safe and not betrayed.

Are we so blind that we sometimes refuse to see the injustices going on in our communities, wherever they are and in whatever context; because they are inflicted by people who we thought we knew, people who we had grown to love and trust?

And as for how Jesus felt in knowing he would be betrayed – well perhaps that is for someone else to reflect on.

Mike Aspinall
Chapel Street & Hope United Reformed Church, Salford

An Amazing Paradox for Holy Week wonderings

2011-04-19T12:24:00.000+01:00

Get familiar with this The Message version of our story in John 12.20-36

‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies it bears much fruit’ (John 20.24). Jesus’ words were prompted by the arrival of some Gentiles to see him (John 12.20-21). How could he possibly reach such a vast mission field? It was only by surrendering his life and through the resurrection becoming a universal spirit.

What is true of the natural world is true of life at large. There are many individuals who ‘die’ to their personal ambitions or bury their hopes of a super holiday or whatever in order to help their starving fellow human beings. Jesus is saying that it is only by giving away life that we retain it. There is actually statistical evidence that people who keep up helping others often live longer!

Jesus made the point more than once. “Those who save their lives will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake and the gospel will save it” (Mark 8.35). Think of what the world would have lost had it not been for individuals who were prepared to forget their personal safety, security and selfish gain or advancement. We may not be called to such heroic acts, but how many of us suddenly find ourselves giving up an afternoon in the garden or whatever and go and see some forgotten soul in a care home or some other challenge. Experiences when we, so to speak, fall into the ground bring their own reward, like the ‘much fruit’ of which Jesus spoke. There is plenty here for Lent – and the rest of the year!.

Jack McKelvey

St Matthews / Edge Lane, East Manchester

Pray for Jack and his family and ministry in East Manchester this Holy Week that God will continue to move through them as they reach towards others and identify with that community. Amen

What kind of fragrance are you?

2011-04-18T19:41:00.000+01:00

Holy Week – Monday

Storytime with John 12 v 1-11

The news that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead spread far and wide. It seems this was something people wanted to find out about and for family and friends to celebrate with a meal in Jesus honour. Mary also had a surprise both for Jesus and for the assembled company. The fragrance of the perfume poured on Jesus’ feet spread far and wide as did the good news of the generosity of her action. This is a story many people remember.
Perhaps Paul alludes to this in 2 Corinthians 2.14 ‘God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.’
In this Vision4Life year we are following the theme of evangelism. We might ask ourselves how our actions and words enable Jesus to be known and celebrated.
But there is also a dark theme in the passage. Not only Jesus life is in danger but also that of Lazarus as people made plans to kill him. Why does goodness and generosity have this effect on some people? Why deny what is life giving? The motives of Judas are laid bare in the story and give us a clue to our own frailty and selfishness; he does not care for the poor but only himself.
Jim Wallis translates v 8 in a different way. ‘You will always be with the poor – just as I am’. Here then is the challenge to those who claim to be religious. Where do you stand? What company do you keep? How do you use what is precious?
Will you follow the way of the cross? How will you pour out your own life so that others might live and put their faith in Jesus?

Bob Day
Roby and Trinity Pastorate, Manchester

Day 39 what kind of leader?

2011-04-16T21:48:00.000+01:00

Read from Ezekiel 37: 21-28

When we read the Old Testament we should remember that we are reading only half a book. We know that the promises of God are often fulfilled in ways we do not expect and this was surely true of the promises made to the children of Israel. The prophesies of Ezekiel were written during the exile of the Jews to Babylon and foretell the return of the Jews to Israel, the rebuilding of the Temple and the rule of a just and righteous King. We can easily see how later generations, subject to Roman oppression and the rule of a corrupt vassal like Herod, could expect the prophesies of Ezekiel to be fulfilled more by the likes of Barabbas than by a Man of Peace riding on a donkey. These words would also have inspired the Jews of the modern Diaspora and longings of Zionists in the 19th and 20th centuries

We too, long for comfort, security and the feeling that we have rights to all we hold in this world and a sure claim in the next. The Gospels show us that God expects us to show our love for Him in our love for each other and that we should expect not to dominate, but to serve.

Lord God, help us to serve one another and to show our devotion to You in that service.

Bob Ward, Didsbury, Manchester

Day 37 Hearts, covenants and more...

2011-04-15T00:09:00.000+01:00

Read from bible book Genesis 17.3-9

When God chose Abram to move from his homeland to Canaan and said he would become the founder of a nation he must have been gob-smacked and in wonderment. I bet two questions were whizzing around his head such as, “Why me”; “How could I, a stranger to Canaan achieve this tall order?”

I would imagine Abraham’s heart was beating out of his chest. God actually made an agreement and promised things he, Abram, could never have dreamt of. His name was changed to Abraham. To top this God assured him he would become father not only to his own children - What? Imagine his surprise. He must have doubted his sanity. Abrahams probably wondered if it was a figment of his imagination - ‘What’s in it for God?’; ‘People don’t give you things for nothing!’ On reflection, however, maybe Abraham was calm and accepting of God’s words.

Abraham obviously trusted and had faith in God completely. Then again, what a good offer - surely too good to miss! Here was God guaranteeing all these wonderful things not only to Abraham but to his children and their children for eternity; all this and God’s promise to be with him and those of his line always. This brings to mind the enthusiastic way the disciples followed God’s call through Jesus with a passion. Their whole lives were shifted as they dropped everything and went about God’s work
Prayer
We praise and magnify your name, O God.
Thank you for showing that all things are possible; that if we believe in you we will have everlasting blessings.
Blessed be the name of the Lord. Amen.

Pauline Sergeant
Levenshulme Inspire, Manchester

Jesus Army: Coming Events

2011-04-12T17:05:00.000+01:00

Jesus Army: Coming Events some interesting conferences for 2011 - freedom, healing, new life!

Day 35 Cageprisoners

2011-04-12T14:01:00.000+01:00

Something different for Lent today -
please read, pray, think and post as your faith inspires you.

Read about the current situation with Guantanamo
Pray for all who face trial by military commission and all who will try them.
Think about how you imagine Jesus may respond, as an inmate, as a judge, as a soldier, as a family member, as leader of a new way in our world.
Post any prayers or comments you have about today.
Tomorrow will be back to the Manchester and Salford peoples bible reflections.
Obama’s failure to close Guantanamo is complete-
The announcement on 4 April 2011 by US Attorney General Eric Holder that the alleged 9/11 conspirators will face trial by military commissions at Guantanamo Bay hails the complete failure by the Obama administration to fulfil its promise to close the notorious prison camp.

Cageprisoners believe that by reverting to much discredited military commissions the US government will completely undermine any legitimate prosecution case that they may have had against the men. Further, no trial under military commission will be considered to have provided due process and will result in the cases being used to exemplify how the US system of justice is inadequate.

Holder refused to rule out the use of the death penalty in the case of the men who will face the military commission. Such a move would only be used as collateral by those who seek to highlight the hypocrisies in the US justice system.

Director of Cageprisoners and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Moazzam Begg, said of the news,
“Of the 779 men once held in Guantanamo as ‘the worst of the worst ‘only six them been successfully prosecuted there. These men included a cook, a driver, a video-maker and a child. This statistic in itself would render Guantanamo an object of ridicule – if the matter was not so deadly serious. Prosecuting these five men, the ‘9/11 conspirators, through the military commissions will appear to many as an attempt to legitimise the illegitimate. The fact is that some of these men were waterboarded and had their children abused in front of them. How does one avoid such information from challenging the whole process in open court? Trial by military commission.”

Moazzam Begg met with Christian ministers from the North West of the United Reformed Church in 2009 as a speaker at week-long annual ministers conference.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cageprisoners is a human rights NGO that exists to raise awareness of the plight of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other detainees held as part of the War on Terror. We aim to give a voice to the voiceless.

Give a voice to the voiceless.
Contact Cageprisoners Ltd.
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3XX

Please leave a short comment below about todays posting. God bless you in your spiritual quest.
Kate Gray

Day 34 - spies and 'harlots'!

2011-04-11T15:57:00.000+01:00

Have a read below from the Bible book Joshua 2.1-14 - its a lively one with interesting characters.

1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out from Shittim two men as spies:
"Go. Look over the land. Check out Jericho." They left and arrived at the house of a harlot named Rahab and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, "We've just learned that men arrived tonight to spy out the land. They're from the People of Israel."
3 The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: "Bring out the men who came to you to stay the night in your house. They're spies; they've come to spy out the whole country."
4-7 The woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, two men did come to me, but I didn't know where they'd come from. At dark, when the gate was about to be shut, the men left. But I have no idea where they went. Hurry up! Chase them—you can still catch them!" (She had actually taken them up on the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax that were spread out for her on the roof.) So the men set chase down the Jordan road toward the fords. As soon as they were gone, the gate was shut.
8-11 Before the spies were down for the night, the woman came up to them on the roof and said, "I know that God has given you the land. We're all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless. We heard how God dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put under a holy curse and destroyed. We heard it and our hearts sank. We all had the wind knocked out of us. And all because of you, you and God, your God, God of the heavens above and God of the earth below.
12-13 "Now promise me by God. I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee of life for my father and mother, my brothers and sisters—everyone connected with my family. Save our souls from death!"
14 "Our lives for yours!" said the men. "But don't tell anyone our business. When God turns this land over to us, we'll do right by you in loyal mercy."

This passage speaks to me powerfully about the present situation in Israel and Palestine, the original Promised Land as defined in Chapter 1 of Joshua. Who do you worship, an all powerful, exclusive god or the compassionate, inclusive God? If you worship the former then you may well support the Israeli regime of settlements, the wall and occupying the whole of the land of Israel, by force if necessary. Only then, some say, will the second-coming be possible and “The Rapture” happen. But look more closely at this passage, Rahab is a pagan, a Canaanite, a prostitute, many would assume she was the last person willing to risk everything for a God she barely knew. She saw and had faith not in an imperialistic or aggressive God, but in a God of Judgement, judgement against the Canaanite people. Do the Palestinians warrant the same judgement as the Canaanites? Rahab has a lot to teach us; do not gauge a person’s interest in God by his or her back-ground, life-style or appearance, also, Rahab recognised something that many of the Israelites did not - the God of heaven is not an ordinary god, he is mighty enough to destroy mighty, wicked armies and he is also powerful enough to save us from certain death. Who do you support? Who do you worship?
Roger Newton
Christ Church United Reformed Church, South Manchester
Image: White Wolf Woman by Diana Stanley

Day 33 - Dry bones dancing!

2011-04-10T19:46:00.000+01:00

Read the story below of a vision from Ezekiel 37:1-14 (The Message version of the Bible story). You can read other versions of it here

1-2 God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun.
3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "Master God, only you know that."
4 He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"
5-6 God, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"
7-8 I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
9 God said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"
10 So I prophesied, just as God commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
1 Then God said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they're saying: 'Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there's nothing left of us.'
12-14 "Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, 'God, says: I'll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I'll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you'll realize that I am God. I'll breathe my life into you and you'll live. Then I'll lead you straight back to your land and you'll realize that I am God. I've said it and I'll do it. God's Decree.'"

The Valley of Dry Bones
In brief, this passage depicts a vision: dry bones are turned into bodies of flesh and blood by God through the Spirit. It is an image that shows us how God can give new energy in the dry times in life; God gives courage in times of fear, hopelessness, or doubt.

A story I read recently describes this in a contemporary way:

When pastor Herbert Wright took on his new pastorate in Yonderton, he realised that his church seemed to be nearly entirely empty on most Sundays. He asked some of the people living in the parish why the church was empty, and they replied: “The Church is dead.”

So Wright got the local newspapers to print an obituary for “the Church”, advertising an official funeral service to be held in church.

On the day of the funeral of the Church, pastor Wright climbed up to his pulpit and saw that the church was packed! Nevertheless, he decided to proceed. At the end of the service he asked every person present to walk past the coffin and to look inside on his or her way out! Should anyone want to change their mind, thinking the church could come to new life again, he or she was to come back into the room through the other door.

As people walked out past the coffin, the unthinkable happened:

Through the other door, those who had said the church was dead came back in, hopeful that the church wasn’t dead after all. Why?

In the coffin was a mirror; so as people were looking in to say their goodbyes to the church, they saw themselves dying as “the church”! (author unknown)

Great God, who is beyond our understanding, thank you for your Spirit, present among us today, as in centuries past. Let it stir us, energise us, and give us courage when life is dry or hopeless! Amen

Dorothee Büürma

Chorlton / Didsbury Pastorate, Manchester
Dorothee was recently accepted for training for ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacraments. Our prayers are with her as she prepares for this training and new journey with Jesus.

Day 32 of Lent

2011-04-09T22:44:00.000+01:00

Read the Bible passage John 7.40-52 then ponder some thoughts below written by Maureen from East Manchester as part of our Manchester and Salford walk through Lent up to Easter.

Are we not afraid sometimes to listen to people who have something to say to us, are we afraid of what they might tell us. The crowed are torn as to who Jesus is. He could be a prophet, he could be the Christ, but he only comes from Galilee.

Are we only prepared to listen to those who come highly qualified or should we listen to what anybody tells us because God can speak through any of us at any time of our lives. So during Lent let us be prepared to listen for God speaking to us in many different ways.

Maureen Roxburgh

St Paul’s with St John’s, East Manchester

Day 30 of Lent - the 40 days up to Easter Sunday

2011-04-07T23:40:00.000+01:00

Read the story from the Bible book called here John 5:31-47 then ponder and take 3 mins to reflect on whats written below by Mike Aspinall from Salford.

“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (v39,40)

As I was reading through this passage, wondering what I could say, these two verses struck me in particular.

And the import of what Jesus is saying struck me between the eyes.

Here we are, reading bible passages looking for a possible understanding, an insight for contemporary society; thoughts, ideas that we can use to help others reflect on the passages. But in doing that we can get so wrapped up in the words, we lose sight of why we are doing this. Let us not forget what this time is about; a time of preparation, through reading, prayer and commitment (for some self-denial) to Easter.

Let us not get too hung up in the words, let us not bury ourselves in the passages that we lose sight of Easter, a time of death, a time of resurrection, a time of triumph, a time when we can turn again to Jesus, to find him in our lives, not in words. To find our life through his death and resurrection.

Mike Aspinall

Chapel Street & Hope

Day 27 - Choices

2011-04-04T21:55:00.001+01:00

Connect to Bible book called John 4:43-end

Choices, choices. Student life is full of them. What courses to choose. What societies to join. What to cook tonight (oh, the joys of self-catering!). Where to go to church. By the look of things, it only gets worse as one grows up...

Mind you, none of these are particularly traumatic decisions, unlike the one in the passage. This man, presumably an official at King Herod’s court, has travelled for miles to get Jesus to come and heal his son, and is told to turn around and go home again, empty handed apart from Jesus’ words. Helpful.

The thing that strikes me in this passage is the nobleman’s reaction to Jesus words ‘Go home. Your son lives.’ He just turns and leaves. Just like that. It reminds me somewhat of the disciples’ calling; Jesus said, ‘Follow me’ and they left everything and followed Him. Of course, we only get the bare bones of the story. Perhaps there was a moment of indecision, of gazing anxiously into Jesus’ face, trying to work out whether to trust Him or not. But whatever may have been going on in his mind, the outcome was trust and this trust is fully justified, as the end of the passage shows us. I think the disciples’ trust was justified in the end, too.

Lord, help us to trust you, especially when your way seems strange or uncertain. Help us to remember that you don’t always answer our prayers in the way we expect. Thank-you that you do answer.

Amen

Rachel Douglas
St Peter’s House Church and Chaplaincy

Day 26 of Lent - leading up to Easter Day

2011-04-03T19:52:00.000+01:00

Image: Jesus on the Tube by Anthonia Rollins

Find in your nearest Bible the book called John section 9 - the whole chunk and read it through

Sometimes, I really need to know. I want it all to make sense. Who is God? What does he want with me? Why did that happen? Why didn’t that happen? Why was that person healed? Why did that person die? I would appreciate some answers, thank you very much.

I’m used to being able to get my head around things, I work and worship in university context and we like our thinking round here; we’re very good at it.

I suppose, in that way, I’m like the Pharisees. They really need to understand this miracle and more so this miracle-performer; this man who doesn’t play by the rules. They have so many questions that the healed man eventually loses it; “Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” A brave bit of sarcasm.

Do you recognise this need to know? Somehow understanding feels safer; it gives us a chance of control. When we acknowledge the unknown, surrender is inevitable.

What this story hints at is that the answers to our questions are not what bring us closer to God. They will never satisfy us fully because we can never grasp God. It is the encounters with Him that lend a glimpse of his glory. As the healed man says; ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’

Jesus asks the healed man not what he knows, but what he believes. There is something more gentle, and yet more enduring, in belief. It doesn’t have the harsh certainty of knowing, and yet I think it is much stronger. To believe is not to know; it is much subtler than that. It is, perhaps, to trust in, to cleave to, to rely upon.

So, in this time of lent, may all of your prayers and none of your questions be answered.

Aileen Few
St Peter’s House Church and Chaplaincy, Oxford Road, Manchester

Day 18 - That brother of mine!

2011-03-26T21:30:00.000Z

Find in your Bible the book in the New Testament called Luke chapeter 15: verses 1-3, 11-end

That brother of mine! Who does he think he is, rolling back here as if nothing had ever happened? And then Dad gives this big party in his honour. Honour, what does he know about honour? As if parties weren’t the cause of his downfall in the first place. Dad never threw a party for me. No, I just get taken for granted. All these years and for what? Just so he can waste what Dad worked all his life for and then turn up again imagining that things could be the same. All that stuff about taking him back as a hired hand – as if he seriously thought Dad could do that. You can’t really expect someone to treat a son like a hired hand can you? It’s just typical.

What would have happened if I’d demanded my share and gone off with it too? Don’t think it never crossed my mind. Dad would have been left with no-one to run the farm, no farm even. It’s just selfishness, that’s what it is. How can anyone be so selfish?

And then Dad says to me “All I have is yours”. Well, that’s as maybe. But how can things ever be normal? He’s had his share and he’s lost it. Does he expect me to give up some of mine to keep him? What’s to stop him going off again? Leopards don’t change their spots. How is he going to make his way in the world?
It is good to have him back though. He was always so full of life, I was jealous of his freedom. And then we thought we’d lost him forever. It’s not going to be easy but I can’t let bitterness destroy us. We’ll have to work something out.

Father, forgive me too.

Mark Hinchliffe

Roby United Reformed Church, Longsight, Manchester

Day 16: Being Considerate

2011-03-24T21:39:00.000Z

Find in your Bible: New Testament book called Luke chapter 16:verse 19 - 31

God of all creation,
God of all times and seasons,
Creator of the rich and the poor,
We give you thanks and bless your holy name.

Lord we rub shoulders with the rich & poor in the community,
Make us sensitive to each others needs.
As the word of the Lord is preached in various ways,
With scriptural verse being posted through letter boxes,
Strangers preaching about salvation and Judgement Day,
Lord, give us the patience to listen to your words.

The teachings of Christ are in our midst,
Help us to read, understand and practise them,
Lord, give us the strength to action your words.

The poor and homeless ask for our pocket change,
We turn a blind eye and go deaf.
Lord, forgive us our trespasses.

Lord, as we live our lives on this earth,
Let us not forget the day of judgement.
Lord, let our lights shine brightly when we interact with our neighbours,

Lord teach us to value our time on earth,
For we have a finite time to do your will.
Lord, help us to use our worldly and spiritual wealth effectively
Thank you Lord. Amen

Angelica & Rene Botsoe
Roby United Reformed Church

Day 15 of Lent: Pressing on with love and hope of resurrection

2011-03-23T19:20:00.000Z

Find in a Bible: New Testament book called Matthew chapter 20: verses 17 to28

As Christians reflect during this time of lent, I would like to invite all followers of Christ to come on a journey of imagination with me through Matthew 20:17-28.

Imagine being Jesus, knowing what lies ahead of us in Jerusalem and let’s try to answer the question, ‘why was Jesus so determined to face those atrocious acts?’ Mark’s account of this story tells us that the disciples were amazed and those who followed were afraid, whilst Luke thought the idea was incomprehensible to them. Should we be as eager as Jesus to confront our world’s problems? What about the disciple’s reactions? Would we have done any different? One would argue that Jesus was the shaken one in this story but instead we found out the disciples and others who followed were the ones clearly shaken. Was it because they could not get over the fear barrier?What barriers do we have in our paths today and how can we get over them? Maybe wealth, or our security? We saw in preceding stories of the rich man and ruler in Mark and Luke respectively. Whilst Matthew told us about the request made by James and John which Jesus was not able to grant what does these say to us? Perhaps, its not wealth or security for us but tiny or insignificant things seemingly could be our barriers and are we tempted sometimes to ask questions which are impossible to answer.

Whatever the issue might be, we saw in the reading Jesus matched on to the cross with love and hope and thereby bringing healing to the nations.

So let us go out into the world with the determination of Jesus into our mission to spread the gospel with love and hope, be resolute to soar over all barriers that our world presents and in the name of Jesus nations will be healed, Amen.

Foday Kamara
Lees Street Congregational Church, Higher Openshaw, Manchester

Aglow International (Britain) - Resouces to Download

2011-03-22T20:17:00.000Z

Aglow International (Britain) - Resouces to Download
Some inspiring and thought-provoking flyers for followers of Jesus to share in prayer, outreach, evangelism in their everyday lives. Not specifically tools for Lent but still spirit-filled...and also controversial things.

Day 10 - Friday March 18 2011

2011-03-18T09:29:00.000Z

Apologies for the gap this week - here's DAY 10 with bible reading from Ezekiel chapter 18.verses 21-28

At the start of the chapter from which this passage is taken, Ezekiel says that the Lord spoke to him about a proverb much in use in Israel that “the parents ate the sour grapes but the children got the sour taste.” He says that God told him that this was not the case in his kingdom and that the children will not suffer for the sins of the parents, but rather that a good person will be rewarded for doing good and an evil person will suffer for the evil they do. This then leads into this passage in which Ezekiel says that the Lord told him that if a good man stops doing good and starts doing evil he will die but that if an evil man stops sinning and does what is good and right he will save his life.

For me, it is this passage which offers hope to everyone and also gives the lie to the old saying “might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb”. It is all too easy for people to think that once they have made a mistake and done something wrong that there is no hope for them and to slide further into trouble. But from this passage we learn that it is never too late to turn our lives around. Of course it won’t necessarily be easy and it may prove a long road, but crucially, as long as the repentance is genuine and is matched by deeds, there is always hope.

There is also a lesson here, not just for those who dispense earthly justice on our behalf, but for ourselves in how we deal with people: If God isn’t prepared to write people off, then neither should we. The door should always be open to the possibility of allowing people the chance to recover from their mistakes.

Chris Burton

Wilbraham St Ninian’s URC

Day 5 – Sunday March 13 2011 - Yearning for God

2011-03-13T22:54:00.000Z

Find in your bible the book named Genesis (first book of bible) chapter2: verses 15 – 17
Lent traditionally has been a time of self-examination and of self-denial, a time of asking forgiveness so we can become closer to God. Hence here we have a creation story that seeks to explain why evil exists in the world and why we are separated from God. Traditionally, we have read this story as the story of the fall of humanity from the golden age of Eden where humanity lived in harmony with God and the earth. And traditionally we have used this reading to blame women for bringing sin and evil into the world.

But maybe we should read this story from a different perspective, a perspective that is not so concerned with morality but with the existential fact that we feel separated from God. God’s creation is good, but the very act of creating means that we separate ourselves from that which we have created. A child grows up and makes their own way in the world, words we have written are set free to be interpreted in a different way by a reader, ideas are shared and evolve into something else.

Maybe this is a story about growing up, about that natural loss of innocence and growing awareness that there is pain and suffering in the world which in turn leads to a greater hunger for harmony, for justice and peace – a yearning for God. And maybe as humanity evolves and grows we are ever more aware of our separation from God and from our planet, maybe a re-writing of this for our time would speak of the Tree of Knowledge as our discovery of fossil fuels and electricity consumption, greenhouse gases and global warming.

Maybe the Tree of Knowledge represents our willingness to be open to the pain of this world, to see the reality of our lives where relationships with one another and our planet are not as they should be and a seeking of practical wisdom for life that has the potential to bring creativity and blessing.

Clare McBeath
Openshaw Baptist Tabernacle

Day 4 – Saturday March 12th 2011

2011-03-12T20:16:00.000Z

Following through the Easter run-up with reflections and thoughts for you from the Inner Manchester Mission Network resources:

Read from your bible - The new testament book called Luke chapter 5: verses 27 to 32

Theme: Calling the unlikely

He’s the loan shark! I was new to Openshaw and to ministry and I wasn’t used to people actually answering a rhetorical question during a sermon. I had been exploring the story of the calling of Levi, the tax collector and trying to explain why a tax collector was so disliked.

Today, 10 years on, the loan shark is still a well known figure, but there is another candidate for the modern day tax collector. How about the city banker who receives the massive bonus while the public sector and less well off in particular are suffering under the weight of the latest government cuts caused in part by the banking crisis and resulting depression?

So what does it mean for Jesus to invite the city banker or the loan shark to the feast? It is about the bringing of people, the banker and the redundant public sector worker, the loan shark and the family in debt, together. Because in meeting and eating together, life stories are shared. Those with power and wealth see first hand the consequences of the unjust systems from which they benefit on others.

Jesus’ call to the tax collector or the city banker or loan shark, is an invitation to see and live life from a different perspective, a call to the outsider to live life from inside God’s community, a community where all are invited to feast at God’s table.

This Lent, we may be reflecting on what we have, or what we may give up. Are we willing to reflect on the kind of community we are and who we associate with and invite the banker or the loan shark to meet and eat with us, to change and be changed by experiencing God’s shalom?

Clare McBeath

Openshaw Baptist Tabernacle

The run-up to Easter starts today!

2011-03-09T12:20:00.000Z

Day 1 of Lent - Wednesday March 9 2011
Every day up to Easter Sunday I will post some interesting things to ponder including part of a bible book (the chapter and the verse so you can find it yourself). They are all written by local people from across Manchester who are followers of Jesus - different ages, gender, background, experience. Please post your responses, thoughts, feelings and prayers here too

You find in the Bible - the book called John chapter 8.verses 1-11 (there is an index in most bibles)

The woman accused of adultery
She waited, her head bowed not daring to raise it
She waited
Waited for judgement
Waited for the first stone
She had heard the words of the teacher
Strange words
‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’
She knew she had it coming
She had taken a risk and had been caught
But what was taking so long
Why didn’t they just get on with it and put her out of her misery.
Slowly she realised that the noise of the mob had quietened
and she raised her head
Where were they?
Where had they gone?
And then she met the eyes of Jesus
Looking at her, a sinner
And he asked her, where are your accusers
She didn’t know, how could she know
And then he said she was forgiven
She was to go on her way and not sin again.
She couldn’t believe what he was saying.
she had sinned, she deserved judgement
she should be elated, she had got away with it.
But she felt the opposite - ashamed that this man, this gentle man, could look her in the eye and see her, really see her,
and she felt embarrassed at his gaze
And as she left she knew that she was changed forever.
Who was this man, what were those words:
‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’

our very own Pauline Jones from St Mark’s United Reformed Church, Wythenshawe!

Community Pancake Party!

2011-02-28T14:03:00.000Z

Tuesday 8th March 4-6pm come for your tea and some pancake fun!

take part in a pancake race

try out yummy fairtrade chocolate

create your own tasty pancake toppings

guess the sweets in the jar to win them

celebrate Shrove Tuesday - Mardi Gras - Pancake Day - Tues 8th March
£2 adults, 50p children under 8, under 2s free. Pay on the door. Just turn up!
Sweet and savoury toppings for pancakes
Tea, coffee and juice included in the price

We can warm up baby foods, have a few high chairs and have baby and toddler toys and a playpen for non-mobile babies in the church!

You are invited to a day conference in Wythenshawe - Saturday 12th February - booking essential!

2011-01-22T23:56:00.000Z

Saturday February 12th 2011

10am until 4pm
You are invited to a reflective conference day entitled
Christ and the Earth
Contemplation and action on the way to a new kind of life

by Eco-congregation in partnership with EarthAbbey
at St. Marks United Reformed Church
Oatlands Rd, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M22 6AH

To include:

prayer and contemplation, stories of innovative projects and a unique presentation about land and dispossession entitled ‘The Meek shall inherit the Earth’.

The day will be led by Rev Dr Chris Sunderland, founder of EarthAbbey,

in conjunction with St Mark’s Church and Eco-Congregation.

Cost £7. Please bring your own lunch. Drinks provided.

Bookings must be made in advance to info@earthabbey.com stating your name and ‘Manchester event’ or by phone to 0117 9574652. Payment may be made on the day.

Details below:
The day to include:

10.00 am Arrive, welcome, drink.

10.30 am Introduction to the worldwide environmental challenge as a spiritual issue.

11.00 am With Christ the contemplative:The parable of the soils.

11.30 am Working it out: EarthAbbey stories and stories from your neighbourhood including:

– The Walled Garden project – a community growing initiative in one of the most

deprived areas of the South West.

– Guerilla Gardening – how some ‘unofficial’ gardening won the admiration of a neighbourhood.

– Forming a community-supported agriculture initiative.

– Local stories.

1.00 pm Lunch

1.45 pm The Great Dream- personal, artistic and creative engagement with the biblical hope for a peace that embraces the whole creation.

2.15 pm Building community with Grow Zones: hear about this national EarthAbbey
initiative based on working together on each other’s gardens to grow edible produce using Permaculture principles. An opportunity to build friendships across a neighbourhood and make deep spiritual connections.

3.00 pm Tea.

3.20 pm ‘The Meek shall inherit the earth’ – preview of a story/Bible telling presentation based on Naboth’s vineyard and the perennial story of land and dispossession that echoes down through human history.

4.00 pm Close.

The day will be led by Rev Dr Chris Sunderland,founder of EarthAbbey in conjunction with St Mark’s Church and Eco-Congregation.

Cost £7 per person. Please bring your own lunch. Drinks provided. Bookings in
advance to info@earthabbey.com stating your name and ‘Manchester event’.
Or by phone to 0117 9574652. Payment may be made on the day.

Peace for New Year 2011

2011-01-03T22:42:00.000Z

We are praying for all the people of Woodhouse Park for a healthy and happy new year for 2011. We pray for and work for an increase in peace, love and community spirit in this community online and the communities of Wythenshawe we are part of in South Manchester.
Peace and goodwill.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

2010-12-22T00:12:00.000Z

Goosebumpingly brilliant! Share it everywhere you can to share god news life this solstice and Christmas.
peace to you all.

Christmas is coming...wrapped up as a baby

2010-12-20T20:19:00.000Z

Baby God,
wrapped up in the womb,
we are waiting for you to be birthed.
Mary is nearing her time
Joseph is nearing his time
When they will be birthed as parents.
Even as you kick and turn in the safety of the womb, baby God,
we pray for all mums-to-be and dads-to-be this Christmas.
We hope there will be lots of love and support and a huge welcome for all the babies in waiting, mums labouring and fathers supporting.
We pray for a warm breast to nourish new life.
We pray for open hearts to care for new parents.
We pray for families and communities to offer practical love.
We pray for our society in Britain, that we will welcome all children, so they can teach us how to live fully.
We pray for ourselves, so God can meet us where we are.
Amen

Thanks to the organisations who have donated Christmas gifts for adults and toys and books for children of all ages. They have been shared with Women's Aid, George House Trust, families in Wythenshawe, and vulnerable families in Manchester.
We pray for you all that you will receive what you need in financial, emotional and spiritual terms this Christmas.

New news from us in Wythenshawe

2010-12-04T20:05:00.001Z

This December St. Marks United Reformed Church is offering several community events:
Sunday 12th December 11am-12noon - Community Carols - informal gathering for families of all ages to sing some favourites for Christmas together and do some Christmas activities. There will be prayer for healing at the end of the carols and prayers for our community will be spoken from our community prayer book. Booklets on Christmas available at this event. This will be at St. Mark's United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe Manchester M22 6AH
Tuesday 14th December 7.45-9pm Service of Light - annual memorial service to mark the lives of loved ones who have died - a gentle service with readings, played music and the opportunity to light candles. We are working with James Bradley & Sons Funeral Directors in Woodhouse Park for this. Everyone is welcome for the service, hot drinks and mince pies afterwards. You can also let us have the names of your loved ones who will be read aloud during the service. The service will be approx 45mins with refreshments following. This will be at St. Mark's United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe Manchester M22 6AH
Saturday 18th December 1-4pm Christmas Wrapping - bring your christmas presents to Swan Walk at the civic centre near the supermarket and we'll wrap them for you - free - along with other churches together in Wythenshawe. There will also be a Christmas Prayer Tree for you to let us know your prayers and we will pop them on the tree whilst you have your gifts wrapped. It was a huge success the last couple of years when we have run it as a joint venture. Hope to see you there. This will be at Wythenshawe Civic Centre in the walkway between Asda supermarket and Iceland! Hope to see you soon.
Saturday 25th December 10.30am-11.15am Christmas Day Celebration with mince pies, carols and prayers for happiness and peace for the world.

Some breaking news!
We are doing some number-crunching, heart searching and number-crunching in our church in Wythenshawe.
Next year, in 2011, if finances and feasibility studies and project plans permit, then we hope to relocate very close by our current site on Oatlands Road in Woodhouse Park and relaunch our church with a new focus on relationships - with people and our environment. We are exploring several strands to develop: nourishing food, nurturing imagination, natural living and healing relationships. We are making new links, putting out feelers with local schools, businesses and charities and will see what comes.
Get in touch here by leaving a comment below if you would like to partner with us, share ideas about how we can work together or with your own prayers.
Prayer: God of waiting - come with us into the strange waiting which is called Advent before Christmas.
Give us ears to listen for you in the busyness and shopping frenzy.
Give us eyes to notice where there is not much love or caring going on so we can do some.
Give us squashy hearts so that we can be flexible and welcoming as a individuals - ready to welcome new people whenever we can.
Give us enough food for our tables and our community to share.
Give us enough money to pay the bills and give some away.
Give us enough coats and clothes to keep warm and to offer to people not warm enough in the snow and cold temperatures.
Help us get ready for Christmas differently this year - a bit slower, a bit less fancy, a bit more friendly and peace-fully.
Amen

Carbon Community Renewables School

2010-11-25T19:58:00.000Z

Went to an interesting and helpful training day yesterday which may progress our initial planning for utilising our building adjacent the church and Tree of Life Centre in Wythenshawe. Some positive stories of communities acting together in inspiring ways to benefit themselves and others in saving money and saving the planet by reducing carbon.
Good for us to think more about:

how do we refurb the old care home in an ecological and financially sustainable way
how can the house be self-financing
do we need to investigate and research more about the needs & gaps in Woodhouse Park
do we want to be paid to do service provision or not - what are the pros & cons
in what ways can ventures be focussed more on skilling volunteers than paying staff - initially
should we think about paying staff
do we need to do some quirky community consultation - in the middle of winter?!!

all ideas you have please feel free to share about the above here!

Some of our prayers for Remembrance Sunday

2010-11-13T23:46:00.000Z

We remember all people who are affected by war, conflict, torture and terror.
We pray for people motivated by violence.
We pray for people motivated by peace-planting.
We pray for a new vision of shalom in Afghanistan and Iraq and Myanmar and Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka and Palestine and Israel.
We remember people who are conscientious objectors.
We remember people who are part of private armies.
We pray for people who long to return to the forces because they want to belong again.
We pray for people who return from wars and suffer post traumatic stress disorder.
We pray for governments and armies who use illegal torture against fellow humans.
We pray for restoration of harmony, hope, healing.
We pray for justice with peace.
We pray for our enemies and those who have persecuted us - that we may not dehumanise as we have been dehumanised.
We pray we will be wise as serpents in responding to organised and complex violence.
We pray we will be wise as midwives in responding to sacrifice and ending of life.
God - be with us all in our daily and hourly judgements.
God - be with those still in Guantanamo and all places similar.
God - be with us and do not let us sleep well until all our fellow humans enjoy fullness of life.
Transform our fear.
Make real your shalom.
May we love your world and its people and seek to be organised against evil by loving wisdom in flesh.
Amen

About Manchester Aid for Children | The Big Give

2010-10-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

About Manchester Aid for Children The Big Give
Mission Statement
Mission: supporting vulnerable children for a brighter future

Aims: 1. alleviating poverty through provision of clean water, sustainable housing, holistic health and wellbeing, empowering education, challenging injustice & inspiring role models

2. reducing transmission of HIV through accessible education, peer support, medical care, appropriate feeding & nutrition information,

3. transforming training and education for children, young people & adults through school & individual sponsorship, community-based organising, drama, sport, practical workshops eg bricklaying, carpentry

4. supporting sustainable projects through volunteering and skill share placements, exchanges of young people and adults, microfinance grants, schools & business sponsorship

Charity Contact Details x
Kate Gray - Chair Tel: 0161 437 4392
Registered Charity No: 1131368
If you wish to remain anonymous during your research, The Big Give is happy to contact a charity on your behalf. Please click here for further details about this service.
Get Involved
This charity is currently accepting applications for new trustees and volunteers with specialist professional skills. To apply, please click here.

A 21st century proclamation of faith in Jesus?

2010-10-01T20:29:00.001+01:00

A Proclamation of Faith which my husband, Mike Walsh who is also a Minister in the United Reformed Church, and I wrote together for our babys dedication to God. It took us several hours over several days. We were thinking about the traditions of our United Reformed Church, about being and practising our faith as active followers and students of Jesus Christ and about the inspiration and challenge of the combination of all of that within our British context and cultures. We hope the faith life we do in the world is active, reflective, embodied, sensual, inspiring, beautiful, engaging, provocative and lots more good stuff! You are welcome to use this statement as churches if you attribute it to Kate Gray & Mike Walsh. (painting by artist Steve Raw)

Our faith is about our whole life lived in the company of God
Our faith says life is precious, to be nurtured and celebrated
Our faith is about living gently with the earth

Our faith is inspired by Jesus and many other people
Our faith is about love and hope for everyone no matter what’s happened
Our faith calls us to mix and mingle with all sorts

Our faith calls all people to get involved in something bigger than ourselves
Our faith encourages us to be ourselves and make room for others
Our faith energises us to make a positive difference

Our faith values people over profit
Our faith is intuitive, sensuous and honours our bodies
Our faith is dynamic and open to challenge and change

Our faith is about creativity over consumerism
Our faith brings healing where there is suffering
Our faith should be seen and heard and obvious to people around us

Our faith has drawn us to and away from and back to church
Our faith inspires us like fantastic music
Our faith dares us to dream of a future with wild imagination

God’s faith in us never stops.
God wants us to make the most of things.
God never fails to surprise, challenge or love us all.

So we dedicate ourselves and Zebedee to God.
used Sunday 13th June 2010

Happy Autumn Equinox!

2010-09-23T21:26:00.000+01:00

Today I noticed several natural things - leaves turning, windfall apples, acorns and conkers on the path, thunder & lightening and a stunning full moon. It is autumn equinox - a day when day and night/dark and light are equal. I find it an interesting time to be in personal transition when the season, the moon and the community I am part of are also in transition. The Tree of Life Centre for health and wellbeing has opened a second site on Greenbrown Road, Wythenshawe in Newall Green which I visited recently. It is a very different building and space - lighter, more open and differently organised than Oatlands Road site where our church, St. Marks United Reformed Church, is also based. It is a lovely place with great staff welcoming people with a cafe and community shop with pre-loved furniture, clothes, bedding, toys, books and more. Visit and see what you think.

I have also spent some time in training as a minister involving exploring becoming a Birth Art Mentor through Tamara Donn based in Kings Langley. The first of 3 day training sessions will enable me to offer Birth Art Cafe sessions in the North West and especially in Manchester and Stockport and, I hope, in Wythenshawe with pregnant and postnatal mums. This is something which has been transformative for me in my pregnancy transition into motherhood and as a minister of the church I think more inspiring spiritual support should be offered to parents to be and new parents. I found very few tools and resources on spiritual aspects of parenting and being birthed as a mother and hope to offer this from Spring 2011. Contact me if you are interested in being part of it or knowing more.

So the full moon and changing season are reflecting my inner life.
I find so many rich and stretching resources in the seasons and within my bible to enable me to connect to a sacred walk with the One of Love, Jesus, so I hope to share more with you in the journey towards the Birth of Advent through prayers, poems and reflections on the way of Jesus from my practise. Please add your own by leaving them in the comment box below.
peace. K

A Christian blessing for autumn equinox:
May the moon bless us and remind us of the light and the dark held together
May the leaves turning bless us and remind us of the power of change
May the velvet darkness bless us and remind us of the womb of birth calling us to new life
May the Spirit of Christ live amongst us and within us as Good News is made flesh
Amen

Returning to Ministry in Wythenshawe

2010-07-07T08:59:00.002+01:00

I will be returning to minister with St. Marks United Reformed Church in September 2010 after my period of maternity leave! I will worship as part of the congregation on the 5th Sept. and lead our Communion on Sunday 12th Sept as my first service.

It has been agreed I will lead two Sunday morning worship gatherings monthly and work with our worship teams when there is a 5th Sunday in the month. Pauline Jones and Margaret Dexter-Brown will also continue in leading worship monthly. I will also take a part in leading our monthly messychurch congregation who meet on the 4th Saturday of the month 10am-12noon. Other areas of work are to be agreed with the Church Elders, Inner Manchester Mission Network and South Area Pastoral Committee.
We continue to pray for each other about the future direction and resourcing of St. Marks United Reformed Church and for the Spirits guidance and her wisdom as we shine together and encourage others to shine! We also pray for the expansion and growth of The Tree of Life Centre into Newall Green with a second reuse/recycle shop for furniture, the new staff and ways of working together and for Manchester Enterprise Academy as it completes its new building phase of the school.

Invitation to Celebration to Welcome Baby Zebedee into the world!

2010-05-13T22:19:00.002+01:00

You are invited to celebrate with St. Marks and Heald Green United Reformed Churches the safe birth and dedication to God of Zebedee on Sunday 13th June 11am at St. Marks, Oatlands Rd, Wythenshawe.

Instead of gifts for us please join us in supporting babies & kids in Zambia by giving online including Gift Aid - see our family page to donate: http://www.justgiving.com/katemikezeb

Children's Village in Zambia - supported by St. Marks United Reformed Church

2010-04-24T20:50:00.002+01:00

Manchester Aid for Children has a new website!

Check it out here for news, stories & please donate online towards its new fundraising project for a Children's Village in Chingola, northern Zambia or child sponsorship. More information next month when a presentation about MAC & the Children's Village will be taking place in Manchester. Invitation only. Please pray for MAC trustees and volunteers that they will attract corporate sponsors, new volunteers and the £500,000 needed to build and fit out the first buildings of the Childrens Village!

Updates on church & community life

2009-10-23T21:05:00.004+01:00

St. Marks United Reformed Church creative ministries have featured in Word in Action, a magazine of The Bible Society. Photos and a write-up of some aspects of bible study, worship and our community ministries are celebrated and good news shared about different ways of engaging with life & the bible together. Find out more by clicking on the article about Scenting God: mission gets messy! It's on pages 5-7 for you to share!http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/products/1012/49/word_in_action_winter_2009/

A review of messychurch wythenshawe is now underway with children, young people, adults & helpers all involved. See more on their blog www.messychurchwythenshawe.blogspot.com

Just to let you know that as Minister of St. Marks United Reformed Church I am now on maternity leave until summer 2010! Thankyou to everyone in wythenshawe for all your support and prayers during pregnancy and being part of the maternity blessing celebration on Sunday 18th October. Will let you know news of the arrival soon!!

A growing church - Betty, Marie & Phil are welcomed as new members of St. Marks United Reformed Church!

2009-09-06T19:21:00.003+01:00

another new member joins st. marks!

2009-09-01T22:50:00.003+01:00

A third new member joins us at St. Marks United Reformed Church this coming Sunday 6th September. Betty joins Marie & Phil as a new church member. She will share in making promises of Christian faith and be supported by her family and friends as she does so. Please pray for her in this new phase of her journey after 12 months worshipping as part of St. Marks.

We're excited to welcome you and your breadth of experience in Africa & the UK Betty!

The Wythenshawe Gospels day - postponed

2009-07-29T12:47:00.002+01:00

Our day on The Wythenshawe Gospels has been postponed this Saturday 1st August.

It will feature again in the future - instead look out for our other special events coming up in Wythenshawe to share in and check out our newly updated YouTube site

http://www.youtube.com/stmarksurc

Sunny day at civic!

2009-06-26T21:29:00.002+01:00

A fab day was celebrated by Churches Together in Wythenshawe for Pentecost recently when over 150 people painted beautiful pictures of things and people that inspired them.
It was part of wider community Pentecost celebration with music, dj, dancing by Keralite children & their friends and more paint!
The paintings which were given to Churches Together on the day are touring as many churches and community projects as possible in Wythenshawe in the form of a scroll so that the churches can continue to pray for and learn from the wider community in Wythenshawe about the diversity, inspiration and beauty of the Pentecost day when God's love and power was shared in a special way with a range of people in Jerusalem about 2000 years ago! Christians from a wider range of churches planned and prepared for the event together at civic and it was a first! A great success with lots of interesting conversations and sharing together. The painting was supported by Christian volunteers with Elizabath Gray-King, a Christian Minister and artist who worked with us all on the day and brought several of her own paintings which opened conversations.
During the day drama and singing and a short service was shared in public with passers by at civic.
The day was an experiement - one we're planning to hold again to support the communities we're part of as Churches and to listen and learn from people around us in Wythenshawe of what inspires them. Roll on Pentecost 2010 for another celebration!

Reel Faith - faith & films - theme for June at St. Marks

2009-06-07T16:20:00.006+01:00

Films can be soul food nourishing our lives, stretching our minds and nurturing our Christian faith. This month St. Marks United Reformed Church is exploring Reel Faith: faith & films in Sunday worship. We've shared a little about A Wonderful Life' (1946), Shadowlands (1985) & The Truman Show (1998) together.

Many were familiar with A Wonderful Life and remembered characters like George Bailey and Clarence his guardian angel who helps him see his life differently. At first glance perhaps this film seems a bit sweet and gentle and possibly twee with its morals and feel-good factors but we explored a bit more together as a church. We recalled how the local community pull together to support George and the Bailey family in their difficult financial situation and made links between the harsh times people are in now with mortgage repayments, financial systems failing and some having no safety net or insurance. Some remembered the scene of George's despair as he contemplates suicide on a bridge in the middle of winter. We connected it with different parts of our lives and experiences including our faith when we are struggling to know our own roles, where we have given up on our or God's dreams for us and in exploring the importance of being connected together in a supportive local community. Some of our church community have experienced despair and aloneness like George showed - some have tried to commit suicide and we know people in our families and friends who have done that and it has been hard for us to know what to do and how to respond and pray for them as a Christian community sometimes. Lots of the church had seen this film around Christmas time and look forward to it then so to think more about the place of this film, its themes, teachings, connections with our Christian faith and possibilities of hope in times of despair and hardship was really interesting and powerful.

For the 28th June (11am-12.15noon) all of St. Marks (and anyone else who'd is welcome to share with us) are invited to have watched at least one of the Harry Potter films on which our service will be themed with characters, storylines and connections with the bible. In the meantime keep your eyes and ears open for films which challenge, contrast or comfort you in faith and leave a comment to let us know of any. We'd love to hear from you about your favourite film and how it connects with your life, faith or spirituality.

Bible Workshop participants

2009-05-18T08:45:00.002+01:00

Our church anniversary year 'Celebrating Faith' was deepened by the recent day workshop on Playing with the Bible facilitated by Revd Dr Janet Lees, URC Vision4Life worker.

We used paintings, film and scrapbooking (seen in the photo) as ways of engaging with the Holy Week story through Easter up to Pentecost.

Participants from St. Lukes Anglican church, Bramhall URC and the Inner Manchester Mission Network joined members of St. Marks URC for a fantastic and lively day together.

Individual photos of the scrapbook pages of the stories from Holy Week and beyond are found opposite by clicking on the Flickr photos.

Sat. 16th May - Playing with the Bible - day workshop

2009-05-03T16:57:00.003+01:00

Saturday 16th May 10am-3.30pm Revd Dr Janet Lees (United Reformed Church Vision4Life worker) will come and lead a day workshop for young people and adults from Churches in South and Central Areas at St. Marks United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Wythenshawe (M22 1AH) on exploring the bible together. We'll use film, food, images and ourselves! Please book to come along to St. Marks by emailing or phoning St. Marks Church - contact details available in URC Church Handbook, Synod Office or your Church Secretary or Minister. £8 per person includes refreshments and materials for the day needed. If you cannot afford £8 please donate what you are able to on the day.

Sensing Lent

2009-03-26T19:35:00.002Z

Lent is a struggle at the best of times - it's part of the deal.
This year at St. Marks United Reformed Church we're sensing Lent - experiencing Lent with and through our senses - smell, sight, sound, imagination, taste, touch...each week in worship is different - the first week an elder was our 'artist in residence' for the hour of worship when she painted an expression on canvas of the music, gospel story and prayer. Week two we sat in a giant circle around tables with different smells and remembered different memories they prompted in us - cocoa beans in Jamaica, flowers in Springtime, composting our waste, fresh washing, DIY with paint and more. We were moved in song and sermon as we smelled our way through the story of the woman with the perfume from the jar of alabaster and Lazarus' stench of death in the tomb. Week 3 we shared in stories of welcome touch and touches of fear and violence in the news, our lives and through 4 freeze-frames of the story of Jesus getting arrested in the garden at nightime by soldiers and his friends steering clear. We also shared in touching prayer with a knitted prayer shawl as the prayers embraced us and we received Gods love and healing compassion to share with others and later gave out a flower to all to remember 'mother church' and mothering sunday - important in different ways.
We're embarking on tasting and hearing over the next two weeks - led by different people each week this is a fantastic way to weave together the lives of our world with good news stories of Lent - to mix them together and then share them through the week.
Blessings for Lent - to friends in Uganda, Zambia, Ghana, Jamaica and Taiwan especially whom we remember in prayer because we hear of your lives in our church and community projects.

This Saturday 7th March in Wythenshawe 12noon at The Forum

2009-03-04T11:43:00.003Z

Sat. 7th March Wythenshawe 12noon - 4.30pm

One World Celebration at The Forum, Wythenshawe -

Dance - Thai, Phillipino, street dance, childrens, Buddhist,

Arts corner, storytelling in library, women's pamper room,

Music - samba band, Gospel choir, morris dancers (men with hankies) Over 20 stalls

2.30pm world food buffet - Southern African, Indian, Thai, American, Malayalee - celebrating the world in Wythenshawe!

All ages and people welcome - bring your mates along!

Lively waters in Woodhouse Park!

2009-03-02T08:19:00.003Z

The river Jordan comes to Wythenshawe! There are fish, crabs, stones, a seahorse, a net, a mermaid and an octopus in it!
This was our version of the river and its life on the day of Jesus baptism as we remembered the christenings/baptisms we had experienced.
Our questions are: why do you have Godparents in a baptism and how are they different from parents?
What happens at a baptism/christening and why?
Did Jesus have fish around his feet when John the baptiser was helping him be baptised?
A new family was welcomed again this month and many familiar faces returned as we shared in a Pancake Party for Lent - preparing ourselves with quiet meditation about water, painted stones and talked about times we had been hungry for bread when there wasn't any. (One of us has given up bread for Lent too). We shared in a grace led by Sean and ate yummy (belated) pancakes with different toppings and bread too for our messychurch meal in our cafe. Some then went to write in the community prayer book to be read out at the next time of worship on Sunday. We were about 28 people this month with 4 guests arriving just at the close of our session.

Next month we're going on a Palm Parade in Woodhouse Park starting from St. Marks United Reformed Church and returning back there where we are based for messychurch. Parents/guardians support and permission is needed for children to take part in that so do come along and join in together as we re-create and take part in the stories of Jesus in our lives in Woodhouse Park next time! Sat. 28th March 10am-12noon. St. Marks United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, M22 1AH.

Lent & baptism

2009-02-26T18:57:00.002Z

Lent is a great time to think about being baptised (christened as some people call it). We had our 3 short services of ashing at church and shared in home visits for ashing too. Most of our Lent materials have been taken away and shared too - Sacred Space, Live Life Love Lent (for families) and a great new Lent magazine I found at St. Deny's bookshop by Redemptorist for this season with a colourful pull-out poster of daily movement by sticking a set of footsteps getting closer to Holy Week and Easter. So, baptism...

I had a great conversation with someone wanting baptism because she's going to be a Godparent in a different church and has been told she has to be 'christened'. As we talked she made me think again about the ways in which the church makes ways or blocks ways for people to meet directly with God in baptism and communion.

Baptism is a sacrament - a sign and symbol of God's fantastic invitation and love which gets wrapped in a word called grace. It is so full - grace. As we talked about baptism being a new start with Gods support and by taking part in Gods story by following Jesus we got onto the waters being actual ways of God sweeping away the junk of our past so that it doesn't trap us anymore - the things others have done, the names we have been called, what hurts have been done to us - that our real lives can be renewed - and Lent, the run-up to Easter, is a great time to think about doing baptism and getting a spring-clean in our lives that lasts forever but needs our ongoing involvement.

Food & Allotment Group starts again Thurs. 5th March

2009-02-20T08:55:00.002Z

St. Mark's Food & Allotment Group begins again at the allotments on Maismore Road, Woodhouse Park on Thursday 5th March meeting 9.45am St. Marks United Reformed Church/Tree of Life Centre, Oatlands Road, Wythenshawe M22 1AH. We'll go over to the allotment site and begin clearing, weeding and then planting seeds for this years delicious vegetables we chose last summer and bought. Some seed goes straight to the soil. Others is being grown on window sills and greenhouses as we speak! The group will then meet Tues and Thurs weekly together. Some members of the group go on Saturdays and once a month we meet on Sunday afternoons 1-3pm to join with a big task with lots of other plotholders on the site. We also now ask for £5 per person for the year as a membership fee which allows access to benefits including keys for the site, toilet, brew hut indoors, tool co-op if needed and more!
If you are planning to come along please come first time to the church and not to Maismore Road and ask for Kate. After that we will swop contact details and arrange how we meet.
Bring with you a drink and warm clothes and a willingness to do physical work! There are extra coats and steel toecap boots on site to borrow.
It's lots of fun and last year we grew, shared and cooked a range of veg and fruit from our plot!

communion - can't get enough of it!

2009-02-16T15:50:00.002Z

I am reading with hunger Sara Miles' book take this breadhttp://saramiles.net/ and it's so gripping!
She spoke at Greenbelt Festival last year 3 times and I got there twice and have ordered her talks.
In all the years I have been around the United Reformed Church I have never really heard anyone speak about their experiences, theology and conversion through communion in sharing bread and wine. It moves me and I wish I could hear more stories about it from far and wide - hint hint!
We've been experimenting with a variety of communions in Wythenshawe including recently about communion in solidarity with Gaza - breaking bread and eating it in the knowledge of hunger and broken bodies and lives in Gaza...and the other peoples we could name too.
I was at a Changemakers grassroots organising meeting in Manchester city centre 2 weeks ago and we were talking about our experiences of communion and its ritual place in worship and its every meal place spilling into the ritual place as it were. I like this two bowls theory of mixing it all up - memory, place, ritual and ordinary - this constitutes holy as I understand it - the incarnation and messing it all up together.
Between Easter and Pentecost at St. Marks we're going to share in communion weekly as church which is something we've not done before although it is a part of the URC story which is usual for some in Churches of Christ tradition. I hope this will nourish in us a hunger for more communion within and beyond ritualised communion - which in my view is only meaningful if we do break bread and share a cup with all sorts and get messed up together - this seems to be incarnational communion.

Manchester Street Pastors on TV today!

2009-02-02T11:52:00.002Z

BBC North West Tonight came out with the Harpurhey Street Pastors team (a wide group of Christian volunteers from around Manchester) to follow a story of Liza, Greater Manchester's oldest Street Pastors at the young age of 80. They said they will be showing it on Monday 2nd Feb 6.30pm, BBC 1. Watch & see what you think!

There are a handful of interested people from Wythenshawe churches starting training as Street Pastors later this month in Manchester who hope to start a team sometime 2010-11 in Wythenshawe along with 2 of us from St. Mark's United Reformed Church who are just about to graduate with 1 years experience as Street Pastors!

Doing Kennings in Wythenshawe

2009-02-01T16:29:00.004Z

There was such buzz in small groups around the 30 or so people gathered for worship as we tried to connect with our memories of different bible stories and their events, characters, meanings and more.
Everyone was given a small piece of paper with two words on called a kenning; a phrase with describes someone or something from a bible story. Like for the story of the Good Samaritan a kenning could me 'Journey Maker' or 'Wounded Walker' or 'Cheery Helper'. So in kennings the deal is that the second word ends with 'er' to make it dynamic and associate it with someone or something. The idea is short and snappy phrases to tell a story together seeing it from lots of different points of view.
Each card had written a two word kenning on it which I had prepared earlier in the week for the service and to help introduce different ways of connecting with the bible and its characters and stories and our memories of the ways different things happen in the bible. Most of the kennings related to a story of something from one of the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John but others I wrote thinking of other biblical stories and events in the Old Testament or Acts of the Apostles.

It was a beautiful time together as we worshipped God with our minds and memories and mixed them up together making something new by listening and talking and creating new versions of stories - the 'kenning' or short phrase that one group got caught up in was 'fish catcher' and the group I was part of told a story of Peter throwing out nets from a boat and Saint Matthew being nearby to help out when the nets came back not full enough and then Jesus saying to Matthew that he was going to come back to his house to have something to eat and that was how Matthew got caught up in following Jesus - sort of like he was fish catching and the fish were people. Amazing!
Another group had the kennings 'Money Grabber' and 'Table Turner' and they put them together in the story they told each other about people being money grabbers in the temple when it was not supposed to happen that way. People were being swindled and Jesus came in and turned over tables to right things that were wrong there. Too much corruption. The other phrase in that group was 'Palm Waver' and the group tried to include this in their telling story about the temple and tables getting pushed over with the money grabbers money on by saying that perhaps the Palm Waver could be someone who waved people away, dismissing their needs and concerns and not taking them seriously and showing the palms of their hands not waving palm sticks and branches in a procession to greet Jesus as he went into the city of Jerusalem. That was not agreed on though.
A few people got up and walked around as discussion was going on and asked other people what they had got for their kenning and started to listen and share with them. It lasted longer than I thought it would and we all seemed to share great delight in hearing each others kenning and what bible stories or bible characters we associated it with.
We'll be doing more on kennings again soon - differently though next time, to build on what happened today to re-energise and nourish our faith and our connection with the bible then and now.
This year we're using John Campbell's two bowls method of sermons, bible exploration, prayer and sharing in worship as we mix up and re-connect with the Bible then and now and for our times, these peoples and our places of work rest and play.
This afternoon a carful went to hear from and meet with John and Norah Morgans from Wales Synod who used to live and minister alongside the community of Penrhys for 18 years in South Wales. John has written diaries since he was 12 years old and he has published parts of them - over 700 pages worth! His book is unputdownable 'Journey of a Lifetime: from the Diaries of John Morgans'. It is amazing. So rich and full of questions and thinking and yearning to live a life pleasing to Jesus who John says is the most important person in his life. He was easy to listen to and the book is so easy to read - yet the commitment and discipline to put down on paper 1 written page every day from 12 to age 65 is huge to me. I have such gratitude to God for this man and the way in which he has lived his life with God and people. His ways have so much to offer people wanting to think, last the long haul within a community of people, and to craft a creative life with GOd.
In speaking with Norah today she said that you need stamina to have done the things they have done. That not every day is a high or a mountain top experience, although Penrhys is on a mountain top, but that to stay somewhere and see things through and be with people - stamina is what gets you through.
I feel so rich with their stories of nonconformity, Welsh heritage, solidarity and partnership with Penrhys that I need more time to read, think and see how this relates again to our life with God in Wythenshawe and to the coming project of The Wythenshawe Gospels that is welling up within me.

Fast THIS Sunday for Zimbabwe in solidarity

2009-01-31T01:48:00.002Z

Dear friends,

When Africa's heads of state meet this Sunday, they will be greeted by a crowd of hunger strikers, calling for justice and democracy in Zimbabwe.

Desmond Tutu, Graça Machel, and hundreds of others have pledged to fast in solidarity with the Zimbabwean people—most of whom are now struggling to survive on a meal a day or less. Their powerful demonstration of commitment has seized the media's attention, pressuring leaders to refuse Mugabe in his attempts to cling to power.The world's support is needed now. Kumi Naidoo, a South African activist in his eighth day of a 21-day hunger strike, has recorded a video appeal for Avaaz members worldwide to join the protest by pledging to fast this Sunday, when he will speak to the African Union summit about Zimbabwe's crisis. If thousands of us fast, our actions will give power to his words. Click here to see the video and join the fast:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/fast_for_zimbabwe/97.php?cl_tf_sign=1Zimbabwe's crisis—cholera, hyperinflation, hunger, and Mugabe's brutality—keeps worsening. But as the stakes rise, the movement for change is growing stronger and bolder. The European Union just tightened sanctions targeting Mugabe's regime. Hunger strikers in Southern Africa, trying to deliver a petition to leaders Monday, were blasted by riot police shooting rubber bullets. And this morning, after all-night talks, Mugabe's latest attempt retain control collapsed as the opposition refused to join a false "unity" government that would leave Mugabe's party in power, political prisoners in jail, Zimbabweans' urgent needs unmet.The next five days are critical: as Africa's leaders choose their next moves, we must demonstrate that the world stands strong with Zimbabwe's fairly-elected Movement for Democratic Change, and that Mugabe's reign must end. When the African Union leaders sit down this Sunday in Ethiopia, their decisions will be shaped by the political conditions that we help create.Time and again, we have rallied. More than 400,000 of us have signed petitions, sending virtual "red cards" to Mugabe that were waved by labor activists in a march this fall. We flew an airplane over the United Nations headquarters to urge Mbeki to support democracy in Zimbabwe. And this Christmas, we sent radio ads to tell the people of Zimbabwe they were not forgotten.Now, through a concrete act of self-sacrifice, we can take our efforts a level higher. Our solidarity fast will strengthen the moral force of Zimbabwean and South African activists who are demanding change. Click here to join the fast: http://www.avaaz.org/en/fast_for_zimbabwe/97.php?cl_tf_sign

Oneday democracy will be restored to Zimbabwe--the refugees will return home, the fields will burst with food, the hospitals and clinics will be full of medicine and healing. And all of us will know that in answering the call of a suffering but defiant people, we played a part in their victory.

SOURCES The Save Zimbabwe Now campaign is coordinating the hunger strike: http://www.savezimbabwenow.com

With hope, Ben, Alice, Ricken, Iain, Graziela, Luis, Paula, Paul, Milena, Brett, Pascal, Veronique, and the entire Avaaz.org team

Ghanaian Minister and New Elders

2009-01-27T21:59:00.003Z

It was wonderful to welcome Revd Neils Hesse from The Presbyterian Church of Ghana to take part in St. Marks Golden Jubilee Celebrations including the Ordination of his brother Conrad Hesse as a new Elder at St. Mark's United Reformed Church where Neils took part in the Laying on of Hands.

Conrad is the first Ghanaian member and elder at St. Marks and we look forward to ministering with him together in Wythenshawe and being enriched by his faith amongst us.

Conrad was nominated by the congregation and supported through the Church Meeting late 2007. He is currently part of the Care Team, working full time and part of our Community Houses and Renewal Group.

Also Ordained during the Anniversary Celebrations was Ena Bridgeford who has been a member of the church for many years attending first with her mum in later life. Ena hosts a Community House and has served on the Care Team visiting people at home and hospital. She and Conrad served Commuion together during the Anniversary Communion Service.

We are delighted to share with both of them and look forward to the Ordination of Julie Bell as Elder soon who was also supported by Church Members and Church Meeting.

We ask your prayers for each of them as they take what was shared at their 2008 Elders Training Weekend and grow in their faith as spiritual leaders in our church and where they live and work.

Celebrations for Golden Jubilee at St. Marks United Reformed Church

2009-01-17T21:06:00.002Z

It was fantastic to share in worship for the Golden Jubilee weekend recently with over 300 people gathered over 2 days.

Sunday worship was shared with Revd. Neils Hesse from The Presbyterian Church of Ghana who has joined us for 2 weeks because his relative Conrad Hesse was ordained an Elder in the United Reformed Church at St. Mark's and he celebrated in this special event.

We're delighted he is our Anniversary Guest Preacher for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and will share with us more about life in his part of Ghana and the work and witness of the Presbyterian Church there.

More photos about church life and celebrations are found in flickr - see the sidebar and click on them to have a closer look!

Thankyou!

2009-01-12T14:19:00.001Z

Thankyou to all the churches, ministers, residents, community organisations and more who celebrated with St. Marks United Reformed Church our Golden Jubilee at the weekend. Over 300 people shared in the celebrations to start of this special anniversary year.

Photos and reflections to follow...come back at the end of the week to see!

A fresh new start with celebrations at St. Marks!

2009-01-03T09:05:00.003Z

You are invited to celebrate with St. Mark's United Reformed Church, Oatlands Road, Wythenshawe, for our Golden Jubilee 1959-2009. We're starting the new year with our anniversary weekend of celebrations marking 50 years of faith in God in Wythenshawe! Please join us if you can to worship God, celebrate & share together.

Saturday 10th January
12-2pm Rolling buffet & updates of current initiatives, displays and memorabilia. Please bring your memorabilia to share.
3-4.30pm Church Anniversary Worship Celebration. Preacher: North Western Synod Moderator, Revd. Richard Church.
Sunday 11th January
11am-12.30noon Special Anniversary Communion Celebration
1.30pm onward Church Anniversary 3-course meal at Wythenshawe Hall - £16 per head. Must be pre-booked. Please contact the church office asap if you would like to go.
There will be a calendar of special events available at the anniversary weekend for you to take away and join in with this year.
New Year Blessings to you all!

Generous gift-giving

2008-12-15T10:17:00.004Z

Gifts given from a variety of churches and community groups have been shared or are off to Lorna Lodge for young women, Women's Aid for women & children fleeing domestic abuse, adults, teens & children connected with MARIM who are seeking asylum or are desitute asylum seekers in Manchester.

It is always difficult to encourage folks to buy gifts for adults and teenagers and we are short again this year but we have plenty of toys for children. If you would still like to give a gift for a teenager or adult you could offer a music, book or clothes shop voucher, luxury food or toiletries set. You could also offer knitted scarves, hat, gloves or hot water bottles. These kinds of gifts are suitable for teens and adults in different situations this Christmas who may be adjusting to life in a host country which is very cold.

We give thanks to God for the several hundred toys and other gifts and those who have given them. Praise God that in the credit-crunch we remember the people marginalised and those who are poorest amongst us in our communities and offer practical support and care where we can.

South African stars

2008-12-11T09:14:00.003Z

South African star,
handmade,
wiry,
woven.
Makes me think of people there
Students from Luther King House,
Women in ministry in Durban and Cape Town,
Sbiwo who preached justice and inclusivity in Zambia,

So many children HIV postive,
Oprahs school for girls,
UCCSA Academy of Leadership,
Housing and churches where people still live separately
Black, white and coloured peoples - Gods rainbow people
A variety of stars - some shining - others yet to be recognised and seen.

Shining stars, lights & dens

2008-12-08T11:32:00.002Z

light and dark stories,
messy dens lit with torches,
shiny cards to send in Advent.

impromptu music with new friends,
glitter snowstorms made with jamjars,
preparing for the christmas baby.

talk of christmas plans,
welcoming a 5th church to visit & see,
wondering which nativity character we'll come dressed up as for messychurch messychristmas nativity party!

Prayer to say lots of thank yous to God:

Thanks shiny-star God for lighting the way when it is dark and icy out.

Thanks for Christmas trees with messages of peace and cards signed for Amnesty International friends around your world.

Thanks for glittery water reflecting light and helping hands to make things.
Thanks for messychurch messages of light and wonder and hope when some are ill and run-down and got flu.
Thanks for this amazing opportunity to take part in real-life nativity here in Wythenshawe this Christmas and for the fun of dressing up.
We pray for all the children who will be in Christmas nativity stories at school and in churches and community centres this month and their families.
We pray for all children and adults who will share in these stories of Good News that they are relevant and connect with them so all people will have opportunity to know human and Godly love which is real, beautiful, and life-giving.
Amen

Celebrating the Feast!

2008-12-02T10:05:00.002Z

Advent is a time for waiting,
time for watching,
time for walking the journey for cradling the christ.
Advent is a time for longing,
time for loving,
time for leaving certainty to host the christ.
Advent is a time for fasting,
time for feasting,
time for fearing-no-more in the coming of the christ.
Let us prepare to celebrate the feast of christ - in food, in love, in peace
Is our table set, our hearth warm, our faith open for the christ - in kith and kin, friend & foe, alien & angel...the christ amongst us?

Signs of creation

2008-12-01T12:23:00.003Z

Throughout Advent I will be posting reflections for the journey towards the baby-christ which you are invited to use in your spiritual life with God. You may want to read the reflections and prayers aloud to yourself, with others you live or work with or use in a more formal framework at church.

We begin 1st Dec with a version of an ancient time with a story of creation. We shared this together earlier this year as part of our messychurch in Wythenshawe. I wrote it as a way of offering new ways of responding to well-known stories of beginnings and for us to explore who we are as people in relation to love-God, each other and the earth.

A Story of Creation
A very long time ago, billions of years ago, there was love and silvery stardust all around, shining, twinkling everywhere and very beautiful and then God laughed and…
Then from love there came the air, the breath of God, blowing all around (gently blow & breath out a few times), the breath of God, moving, dynamic and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the fire, the warmth of God, (slowly light a few matches one after the other), the warmth of God, red and orange and yellow, hot crackling flames, inviting and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the waters – (hold the blue cloth and ripple it) – the waters of God became seas and streams, the waters of God refreshing, flowing, rippling and beautiful
and then God laughed…
Then from love there came the earth - the sands and soils of red and brown and yellow, the body of God (put the stones & sand down slowly & gently to see/touch), the body of God became the deserts, forests, rocks and stones, and beautiful
and then God laughed…
she was having so much fun,
the earth, the cosmos, was her body
warming, flowing, moving, changing, giving life
love and beauty all around.
God wanted someone to talk with
God wanted some friends
so she laughed and there were animals and people
different kinds and ages and colours, dinosaurs, and later God laughed again and again and there were all kinds
people who walked softly on the earth, God’s beautiful body, loving her with their lives and loving each other. God danced and laughed and everyone lived in peace, learning from each other.
Every time God laughed and loved people came to life.
Each life was always beautiful, was really good, was filled with the breath of life, the warmth of loving flames, the flow of waters and was part of the body of God, sacred, special, loved.
This is our story. It has always been our story. This is a story of creation of the earth, a story of us with God together. A story of us altogether, how things were and how things sometimes still are. A story of how things will be again in the future.
Maybe it is a new story for you to be part of.
Maybe it is a strange story, but it is a story of love and laughter, of friendship and togetherness, of welcome and invitation to be part of the body of God, the earth, because we all come from stardust and love.

Let us now listen to God within and around us in a short prayer
God, who is earth, sky, fire and water
we are made from love, we are part of you, we are beautiful, like you.
We are made from stardust and love. wow!
God, help us to love ourselves as you love us. thanks.
God, help us to love your body, the earth, all of nature. thanks.
God, help us to reuse and recycle as acts of love. thanks.
let’s do it today, and when we can, for a long time.
Amen

Wythenshawe Street Pastors update

2008-11-21T12:17:00.004Z

Street Pastors Manchester have received 5 applications from Christians in Wythenshawe churches wanting to become Street Pastors in 2009 and set up Street Pastors teams in Wythenshawe. Along with the current 2 thats 7 Christians. Great! But we still need 12-14 people to start a Wythenshawe team so keep encouraging and reminding people to fill out their forms & return them! In 2009 there is an enquiry weekend Feb 20-22 open to all who are exploring if becoming a Street Pastor is for them. Do promote this in your local church in Wythenshawe as a way of churches and Christians working in unity together in prayer and action in our communities. Kate & Pauline from St. Marks United Reformed Church in Woodhouse Park are happy to respond to any questions or invitiations to share more in Wythenshawe.

Changemakers in Wythenshawe, Manchester

2008-11-12T17:21:00.002Z

A variety of community and faith groups have gathered together to build a coalition organisation in Manchester called Changemakers.

Community groups and faith groups in Wythenshawe are invited to learn more about Changemakers, share possible ideas and stories from Wythenshawe with a view towards Wythenshawe groups working more closely together on issues identified by local people living in Wythenshawe. The first gathering is Tuesday 9th Dec. 10.30 for 11am start-3pm at United Estates Wythenshawe on Broadoak Road in Benchill. All those part of community, grassroots, residents and faith groups welcome! See more info on the blog below: http://changemakersblog.wordpress.com/

2008-10-29T09:09:00.002Z

We are thankful that Harvest celebrations in Woodhouse Park have been from several groups of young people this year through their donations of dried, tinned and fresh items. St. Anthony's, St. Pauls, our local Brownies group, SureStart Centre in Woodhouse Park and people from The Tree of Life Centre and St. Marks United Reformed Church.

These items have been shared with local families in Wythenshawe, Lorna Lodge (supported accommodation for young women who are pregnant) and Wythenshawe Women's Aid.

Gun Crime, Gangs & Violence

2008-10-16T22:36:00.003+01:00

The Faith Network 4 Manchester is holding a conference on the theme 'My Gang=My Family' to explore issues and seek resolutions together to gangs and weapon violence in our city of Manchester. In several areas broad partnerships have been developing between churches, Street Pastors, local government and Police. The conference is Monday 3rd Nov. at Nawab Buffet Restaurant, 103 Queens Road, Cheetham, Manchester M8 8UT. Cost £10. It is vital booking happens in advance for the 2 course meal. contact mail(at)fn4m(dot)org as soon as possible with bookings. Please pray for the speakers of the event and a positive response from it in bringing peace to our streets in Manchester.

There will be a range of speakers

Seasonal contemplation

2008-10-08T19:52:00.006+01:00

Light differs, leaves fall
Drains clog, water runs
Colours radiate, time circles
Life turns, banks crash

Heat wanes, food gluts
Fire lights, hearts warm
Apples bake, custard pours
Life turns, banks crash

Movements of faith wax and wane like the moon but followers of Jesus have always continued to gather, pray, share, long for the Spirits life.

There are some fascinating gathered communities around the world. These micromissions, microchurches and micromovements are locally set, digitally connected, risk-taking in sharing in radical ways - sharing homes, money, hopes, interpretations of the life and passions of Jesus/Christ. They challenge and inspire me as the leaves turn my heart is turning too but into what I am not sure. This is my changing, transitional faith and a movement of change I can identify strongly with. My hope is that there are more micro-movements within the United Reformed Church. Perhaps this 'movement or order of prayer' which has come through the Silence and Retreats network is a nudge from the Spirit of Life to encourage us to break with the patterns of too much doing and more contemplation in local gatherings of followers of Jesus?

Three new elders to be!

2008-10-04T17:47:00.003+01:00

St. Marks United Reformed Church has agreed to have three new Elders! These are people we believe are called by God who are strongly supported by our local church whom we ordain and entrust with the spiritual care and oversight of our local United Reformed Church.

During the next few months the elders-to-be are preparing in prayer, training and meeting with the current serving Elders of St. Marks whom they will join as Elders from January 2009. Please pray for Conrad, Ena and Julie who have heard and are responding to God's call.

We pray God's guidance, courage and wisdom on their lives and thank God for their vision for St. Marks in Wythenshawe and their willing faith to become Elders in the United Reformed Church.

2008-09-29T10:01:00.004+01:00

Dandelion Planet by James McMullen 1991

Harvest celebrations over the weekend were fab - even in the midst of the credit crunch there has been a great apple harvest which continues to arrive as a sign of God's provision in times of hardship. With bible book Isaiah 25verses 6-9 we said thankyou to the earth, each other and God on the theme of A feast of rich food.

Through Harvest of Hope on Saturday at messychurch we welcomed 7 newcomers who had come along by invitation from friends who are part of messychurch. We planted overwintering bulbs with Marie Curie Cancer Cares Harvest of Hope initiative. We said thankyou for our loved ones who had died but whose love still influences us. Donations came in for Marie Curie around £30 and we celebrated together on the theme 'I am the vine' as our lives get mixed up with Jesus life and death and the lives of others realising we are intertwined together, sometimes in need of much pruning to remind us of who and what is important but trying to love and to make a difference where we are in Woodhouse Park with God alive in and with us.

Our Harvest Festival on Sunday celebrated with lots of singing, fresh & tinned foods which we share locally, and we moved to all gather around the laden-down communion table to share in freshly baked, still-warm bread and grape juice together. God's spirit united us more together and we found it a time when God moved in our midst breaking down barriers between us as we ended by sharing the peace and eating lunch together and moving into our Church Meeting with Vision4Life tasters!

I am the vine - messychurch theme!

2008-09-24T10:58:00.002+01:00

Well, I am the true blackberry, the true apple or the true tree could be nearer to it for us since we don't have too many vines growing in Wythenshawe except one grown by a church member!

The image of the vine, intertwined, growing many branches and full of fruit is a beautiful one and particularly this time of autumn harvest. Vines also seem quite exotic to many of us in the messychurch planning team but we are surrounded by apple trees and other kinds of fruit trees and shrubs in Woodhouse Park. Some fruit trees were planted in our nearby public park and we can now enjoy the fruits from them. A few have apple trees in gardens and we had a delivery from Abundance Manchester last week of a tray of cooking apples for the Tree of Life Centre kitchen to contend with! It does feel like God's provision in creation is present, including with local supermarkets and Northenden Farmers Market springing up in Wythenshawe.

So we are taking a grape and translating it into apples, blackberries and their juices at messychurch but we're also keeping the vine image for us to explore too. Fruity messychurch for September. Let's see how it all goes this coming Saturday.

Pray for messychurch as the families begin to juggle back-to-school things, clubs and groups and messychurch gets stuck in the mix too. Amen!

Natty knitters

2008-09-22T13:41:00.003+01:00

Such concentration!

Along with prayer shawls that are knitted all over and are blest in prayer at St. Marks United Reformed Church and given out locally we would like to commend to you keen knitters out there something of an annual occurance which will help support vulnerable older people in the UK through the winter. Innocent (smoothies) and Sainsbury's supermarket team up to encourage people to knit little hats for the Innocent smoothie bottles. They will donate 50p per hatted bottle sold to Age Concern. Last year this raised £200k!

Click on the link to find out more & get knitting with one of their 3 easy-to-follow patterns for beginners or real natty knitter experts!

http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit/

The Revd Dr Kirsty Thorpe now has a prayer shawl knitted in Heald Green URC, blest by St. Marks URC and shared with her for her new ministry at Wilmslow URC! This is a growing trend in our North Western Synod with at least 5 different churches beginning prayer shawl knitting groups and ministries this year! It may have helped that we actually knitted and prayed together at this years ministers summer school in Durham too!

Harvest Celebrations

2008-09-17T20:32:00.002+01:00

Six loaves of bread and 13 pies and crumbles from the baking party were shared along with delicious hotpot made with local beans and potatos were enjoyed along with fruit juices and cheeses by over 50 people gathering for St. Marks Harvest Supper last week. Some friends took the bread to break with family and friends and some blackberry crumble went home to neighbours too!

Thanks to you God for the taste and smell of warmed bread and the sound of friends of Jesus sharing company and food together. What a gift of sharing. Abundant food and peace bless Wythenshawe.

Our Harvest Communion will now be shared on 28th Sept together on Sunday morning 11am-12noon with shared lunch too and quarterly Church Meeting for all St. Marks members and friends to search for God together in the life of our community & church.

2008-09-09T09:51:00.003+01:00

Local harvesting continues with more potatos (of which we have made & shared over 80 potato cakes), rhubarb and blackberries for crumble & pies for St. Marks United Reformed Church annual Harvest Hotpot on Wed. 10th Sept. 6pm on Oatlands Road, M22 6AH. Tickets are £3/£1.50 adults & children.
The marrow, courgettes and beans will be given away at the Harvest Festival Worship Celebration after we have thanked God for them together as a church on Sun. 14th Sept 11am-12noon. Theme for harvest is: 'A banquet for all peoples' and will include opportunity to share in bread and wine as communion too. All welcome.
There is much clearing, weeding & laying of paths coming up after the harvesting is over. We will be investing some of the monies which have been generously donated to us from Didsbury Allotment Society sales to put towards much needed items for the site including some repairs and creation of a raised bed on the site and making sectioned beds for ease of getting around the site for differently abled people. Thankyou Didsbury Allotment group for giving us some funds to improve our first-ever allotment!

Summertime Harvesting!

2008-08-13T10:29:00.002+01:00

The joint St. Marks Church and Go Create allotment in Woodhouse Park has had a good first-year crop of lettuces, potatos, more (older) rhubarb, courgettes, gooseberries and lots of blackberries! Still to come are onions & leeks, more rhubarb, runner beans and more potatoes! Not bad considering none of us has had an allotment or grown anything before and we've only had the plot for 5 months!!

It has not been easy since one of the volunteers got a full-time job (yipee!) but in these summer weeks we have been enjoying working there together and doing more organising of our allotment but there is still tons to do like clearing and covering one third of the allotment, tidying up the open shed, better collecting of water of the shed roof and the organising of sections and perhaps a raised bed for the springtime next year.

Our local contact in Newall Green who earlier in the spring cleared out his greenhouse to make room for a few courgette plants and plant some pumpkin seeds has also visited the site and volunteered to be our keeper of stores and look after the tools, teatowels and refreshments for us all! He made yummy biscuits this week and lemon tea!

Next we need to start visiting local gardens (by agreement!) and harvest some of the fruit trees in time for a big bake with local produce for St. Marks Harvest Festival Celebration on Wed. 10th Sept. & Sunday 14th Sept with harvest communion!

messychurch & sunny picnic combo!

2008-07-26T21:27:00.001+01:00

messychurch was amazing this month with lots more new faces and families of all kinds gathering on the theme of 'Creation' by making a flower in a pot, designing insects & bugs from scrap & sparkly things, making & decorating biscuits and drawing people of all shapes & sizes! We shared in a rain-making circle (although it was sunny and hot!) and instead of sharing a meal in the community cafe we all had a picnic outdoors on the grass with our teddy-bear friends!
About 45 adults and children made messychurch including some guests from a church in Sale who'd like to begin a messychurch. Friends came from a baptist church last month in cheadle hulme too so the good news is travelling!
This time messychurch was really pleased to welcome back several of our recent baptism families who have joined messychurch/St. Marks this year and are making friends with each other month by month. This time there were a handful of parents and children from St. Anthonys Roman Catholic school in Woodhouse Park and lots of new friends who had come through invites from other parents who are making messychurch their monthly gathering in Wythenshawe and beyond. Someone came along from Withington too on the bus!
Wythenshawe FM volunteers came along and mingled & mixed with the celebration, picnic and did some interviews to go on air next week! Listen out on Thursday 5-7pm (97.2 FM)!

Will upload some photos from the event soon & look forward to hearing from the Sunday congregation how the Changemakers visit goes this week so we'll become more involved as a church with actions in solidarity with people across our city of Manchester.
There is a great groundswell of both openness and invitation. Doors are swinging wide-open with new opportunities for creative partnership, joint work and shared expression of values. God is on the move and not to be kept in a box, mediated by our church! We're open to the changing life of God amongst new friends in Wythenshawe and the city. Long may these connections continue to build a new community of hope on earth very locally!

Green Disciples

2008-06-25T11:02:00.003+01:00

The painting by Matt Philleo of The Temptation of Jesus is one I find very challenging. There is Jesus, removed from the city of Jerusalem on its outskirts, agonising before God about his future, the direction of his life set amongst significant dangers and threats. In this painting the onlookers do not know the outcome of this agonising and do not know what Jesus chooses.

As church, St. Mark's United Reformed Church, we recently committed ourselves to Green Discipleship - doing all we can to to care for God's creation locally and globally. This is no light prayer or promise before God. It means our church community continues to take small and large steps in reducing our impact on the world. Here are some of the steps we have taken & are planning for:

Hippos/water-savers in the back of every toilet - saving water & money with each flush!
Long-life energy-saving light bulbs around the building
Using canvas bags instead of plastic But reusing plastic ones if we have them
Recycling ink cartridges
Hosting the Tree of Life Centre furniture reuse shop
Reusing wool donations to knit & crotchet prayer shawls & prayer blankets
Replacing doors so the building is draft-free!
Replacing windows as appropriate - ditto above
Exploring cavity wall insulation for the building