Please find attached this week’s St Michael’s Bulletin. As always there are some additional reminders! Lent groups Ash Wednesday is just under two weeks away (5th March), and we are busy finalising various Lent groups. Take a look at the additional attachment here which gives details of the groups so far confirmed. It’s an eclectic mix so do please consider one group and give it a try – maybe something outside your comfort zone. Contact details are provided so you can always email/phone the coordinator to find out more. Vacancy Remaining! Just a reminder that we are still looking for someone who could take over as Church Council Secretary. Paul Spedding, the current Secretary, is happy to work alongside a new postholder until he/she feels confident to go it alone. Please email him at paulspedding@gmail.com if you would like to find out more. The World Day of Prayer service This service will take place at the United Reformed Church on Friday 7th March: refreshments from 10.00 and the service at 11.00. Barbara and Heike have been involved in planning and leading this service. Please put the date in your diary and do your best to support this important united service. All good wishes, Lynne
We have now said farewell to Epiphany and are entering into our ‘Sundays before Lent’, which means that spring must be around the corner! The snowdrops I have been attempting for years to establish in my garden are finally colonising (what joy!) and tell me that my dormant garden is re-awakening – even some crocuses and hellebores are making their presence known. This time of year in nature is so full of potential. New life, new hope, and warmer and brighter times ahead (particularly, we hope, in the church building!). Please note the various forthcoming events flagged up in the Bulletin: there is definitely a great deal going on with our church and across the Team Ministry, so why not pick an event or volunteering opportunity you might not normally try, and give it a go! Just a few reminders from previous weeks: we are still looking for a new Secretary to the Church Council; Barbara and Heike would value any more offers of help with the forthcoming Services of Prayer for Healing and Wholeness (scheduled for 21st March, 27 June, 12 September, 28 November - all Fridays and all beginning at 11.00am). You could contact Barbara or Heike directly or reply to this email and I will forward your interest to them. All good wishes for the coming week, Lynne
If you are coming along to the Film Evening on Friday 24th, please note that we will be doing our very best to heat the room up suitably, using various free-standing heaters well in advance. I will also bring some hot water bottles, and blankets are available. We shall be serving hot drinks (and cake) so I am hoping that, with all these measures, everyone will feel comfortable and able to enjoin a brilliant film (‘One Life’). However, do make sure you come warmly dressed, nonetheless. Please arrive for 6.30. All good wishes, Lynne
Just a few alerts: please note that February’s Foodie Friday will not be on the first Friday of February as would be usual (7th Feb) but is on 14th instead – a special Valentine’s meal. Full details are given in the newsletter. Please book in advance by phoning the church office or speaking directly to Ali at the Angel at my Table café (Thursday-Saturday) However, instead of Foodie Friday on 7th you can come along to our second film evening: ‘Marvellous’ (the first film evening is on Friday 24th Jan. – ‘One Life’). Again, details are given in the newsletter but remember to let me know if you are intending to come along (there is a sign-up sheet on the noticeboard in the Welcome Area or you can contact me directly). We need to set out enough chairs and bake enough cakes! Warning: I have taken the bold step of not always putting articles in columns this month – and thereby will undoubtedly manage to annoy more of you than usual. It seems to depend on what device you read your Bulletin/Newsletter whether you prefer articles to be in columns or to go across the width of the page. I anticipate feedback (not all of it positive!). Enjoy the sunshine and beautiful clear skies! All good wishes, Lynne
