Dear Friends at St Andrew's Church Hadfield, Thank you so much for your kind gift of £782.00 to strengthen your persecuted church family around the world who are risking it all to follow Jesus. Thanks to your prayers and support, our brothers and sisters know they are not alone and can stand strong in their faith.Salim* and Sakina* had encountered immense personal grief, including multiple miscarriages, when they met a pastor, who introduced them to Jesus. They got baptised and went on to lead a further 70 Muslims to Jesus! However, they encountered persecution from family and locals, including death threats. “We thank the organisation a million times,” says Salim, after Open Doors local partners provided them with housing and livelihood support. “When we were surrounded by problems, you stood with us. We thank you a million times.” May the Lord fill you with His Spirit and surround you with His love.Your sister in Christ,Henrietta BlythCEO, Open Doors UK and Ireland*Names changed for security reasons
Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, writes:"At the heart of our reflections for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is the question posed by Jesus to Martha: ‘Do you believe this?’ (John 11:26). This same question resonated throughout the deliberations of the first Ecumenical Council, meeting in Nicaea in 325, which gathered Christian communities from around the world to strengthen their relationships as the Church of Jesus Christ. Read in isolation the question might appear as a stark challenge, but from the Gospel story it is clear that the words of Jesus are spoken in love and experienced as invitation as well as challenge. Similarly, while the Council of Nicaea was not without its challenges as a wounded and scattered Church sought to discern the truth of the Gospel message, there was an obvious desire to deepen connection and belonging and to live faithfully as disciples of Christ. Reflecting on these moments we are reminded that the gift of our faith brings both support and challenge. The 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea this year has been embraced with a hopeful enthusiasm in the global Church and in ecumenical bodies, inspiring a wide range of events and dialogues. It is valued as a significant moment of shared history across the different Christian traditions, despite the many ways in which our paths may have diverged in the years since. Some have remained closer to the Church envisaged at Nicaea with the Nicene Creed continuing to be of central importance as a statement of faith, while others have adopted non-credal models of Church placing greater emphasis on other forms of expression of shared Christian faith. Looking back together from our different perspectives presents an opportunity to deepen understanding and relationships, strengthening our unity in diversity.While recognising the value of this looking back, we have also been conscious of the need to reflect on how we are responding to Christ’s question in the circumstances of today, considering as we do so what we might learn from the example and experience of Nicaea. An important question in that regard, and one to which this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity resource seeks to respond is: what is the relevance to the life and mission of the local church?There is an opportunity to celebrate and draw strength and encouragement from the gift of our shared faith. In these troubled and turbulent times, we can take heart from the endurance of that faith. The Church that gathered in Nicaea was one that had been shaken and wounded by violence and persecution and was therefore close to the suffering of humanity. It was presented with an opportunity for dialogue with the political power which posed difficult choices about how best to share the Good News of the Gospel as faithful disciples of Christ, whose Kingdom is not of this world. In today’s polarised world, when trust in the willingness of political powers and authorities, including the Church, to protect the most vulnerable has been undermined, how might a renewal of our commitment to Christian unity contribute to positive change?Our polarised and fracturing world is in need of a new vision for peace, centred on the recognition of our inter-connectedness and shared humanity. As we gather to mark this anniversary, we have an opportunity to ask the hard questions about what may be getting in the way of our shared identity as Christians and our collective witness to the world. We are reminded of the transformative power of our faith which gives hope in suffering through the promise that all will be renewed in Christ."Here are the dates of prayer meetings being held in the Glossop area:Sunday 19th January, 1.00pm in Norfolk Square, Glossop, led by Rev’d Chris NeilsonWednesday 22nd January, 1.00pm in All Saints Catholic Church, Glossop, led by Fr Martin SylvesterThursday 23rd January, 1.00pm in Glossop Parish Church of All Saints, led by Rev'd Norman ShawFriday 24th January, 5.00pm in St Charles Borromeo Church, Hadfield, led by Rev’d Deacon Owen Le BlancResources for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 can be downloaded to use for your own personal prayer should you be unable to go to any of the meetings
Kimbilio has an ambitious project to construct a new purpose built Day Centre. This is the building adjacent to the main road and has a toilet and shower block at the far side of the site. As well as providing food, medical care and clean water, the building will include a hair dressing salon where teenage mums who have trained in hair dressing skills can set up their own hairdressing business, enabling them to support their babies. It will also include a craft shop where parents who have completed our tailoring training can sell their amazing products. This will provide them with an income to feed their children, preventing them from coming back to the streets. It is an exciting project and will really improve the quality of care that the Kimbilio team can provide for street children in the DR Congo.The Congo Children Trust is making a tremendous difference to the lives of young children, families and communities in Congo, and we are fortunate to have a fantastic Congolese team delivering the Kimbilio project. However, our success is a reflection of the energy, generosity and dedication of our supporters from around the world; and each individual is a valued member of our Kimbilio communityPlease consider telling your friends and family about our work which will help us increase the work we can do in our community.Many lovely Christmas gifts with a Congolese flavour are now available from our Etsy shop. All funds raised directly support the hugely valuable work of Kimbilio with street children in DRC: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KimbilioShopThank you once again for all you have done to help children in D.R.Congo have a more positive future.With gratitude,Ian HarveyFounding Director, Congo Children Trustian@congochildrentrust.org www.congochildrentrust.org https://www.facebook.com/groups/kimbilio/St Andrew's Church supports Kimbilio through donations and prayer.
St Andrew's Church has strong links with St Andrew's Junior School, Hadfield. One of the ways we support them is by nominating three Foundation Governors. We currently need a volunteer to fill a vacancy. Is this something you feel called to do?Derby Diocese Board of Education has more information about the role of Foundation Governors. Or download the attached file about being a school governor at St Andrew's Junior School.
