We shared lovely memories of Christmas Past and ate Christmas Cake! Do join us on Tuesday 20th February at 1.30pm (third Tuesday of every month). All welcome. For more pictures click the link.
Forms to submit are available here by clicking on the links to download the documents once complete please email to Reverend Lesley at areadean.pendle@Blackburn.Anglican.Org All completed application forms from adults and young people are to be submitted to Reverend Lesley by Sunday 25th February.These can be handed in personally at the services in our churches that day, emailed or posted to her at The Office at The Refectory,St Anne’s Church,583, Wheatley Lane Road, Fence,BB12 9EEPreparations for young people will begin online after February half term.Children 10yrs or over can be confirmed, Parental consent (from both parents) needs to also be submitted. Reverend Lesley will contact adult candidates to arrange mutually convenient dates and times for preparation.
The service paints many vivid pictures of what happens on the Christian way. There is the signing of the cross on the forehead, that invisible badge of faith worn in the Christian journey; there is the ‘drowning’ in the water where we believe we die to sin and are raised to new life; and there is the lighted candle symbolising the light of Christ conquering the darkness of evil. Everyone who is baptised walks in that light for the rest of their lives. Baptism .. If you are not baptised, please speak to Reverend Lesley and fill in the form attached. Completed forms can be sent attached by email areadean.pendle@blackburn.anglican.org or by mail The Office at the Refectory, 583 Wheatley Lane Rd, Fence BB12 9ED. May each one of us start this year knowing the love of Jesus in our lives.
I remember some years ago reading a book to a group of children called ‘The What If Monster’.The What If Monster whispered into children’s ears fears of doom and dread and so infected every situation.What if I get scared?What if I get lost?What if it all goes wrong?Now that may have been a children’s book, but it seems to me the What If Monster has been quite busy in our world in recent years with stories and fears of dread and doom and perhaps, as 2024 begins, the What If Monster has got himself busy with you?What if … these terrible conflicts we are seeing in Gaza and Ukraine, spill over and become global configurations?What if … the fragile seeds of economic recovery come to nothing?What if … fuel prices rocket again and give us all trouble with our finances?What if … the big elections coming up in 2024 in this country and in the United States increase social division?What if … there is another pandemic?What if it all goes wrong? What if …? What if …? What if …?It is so easy to make ourselves feel anxious and afraid with those fears.I was struck in contrast, therefore, by a picture which was given to me by a friend early this year.It says, ‘…but what if it all goes right?’Now, if you take off the ‘what if’ that’s actually quite a powerful statement of the Christian faith, because Christians believe that it WILL all go right.It will all go right because of the child whose birth we have just been celebrating, Jesus Christ.Jesus grows up to give his life away upon the cross and, as Jesus dies, He destroys death and sin and evil and all that is at enmity with human flourishing.And so he rises again to a whole new way of life; a new creation.In Jesus we know the future. In Jesus we know that we are safe in Him. In Jesus we know that it will all go right.And it is in that calm, assurance and that confidence in the future can reach its way back to fill our present with joy.So what would it mean to live 2024 through another set of ‘what ifs’?‘What ifs’, not of dread and doom but ‘what ifs’ of joy.What if … 2024 was to be a year of peace? We all can do something to achieve that, as we work for peace in our communities and homes and places of work.What if … 2024 was to be a year of justice? Again, we can all work for that as we give voice to the poor, as we serve and meet human need.What if … 2024 was to be a year of stronger families? We can do something about that too as we give attention to our families and show them just how much we love them and just how much we care.What if … 2024 was to be the year when you explored a little bit deeper, to live your life with Jesus Christ and to know the assurance - the joy - that comes from following Him and knowing that your future is safe in Him.I hope you all have a really Happy New Year and a good 2024. And I hope that this can be a year when you can see that, in Jesus, things will all go right.Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of BlackburnA pdf version of Bishop Philip's New Year message can be seen by clicking the link.
