‘Green Pastures’ Dementia Friendly Service: The next service will be on Tuesday 4th March from 2pm-3pm. This is a short service of music, prayers and reflection, with tea & coffee (and pancakes!) afterwards. As Lent approaches, please bring in any palm crosses you have at home and leave them in the box at the back of church. We burn these to make the ashes used on Ash Wednesday.Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 5th March. To help you keep Lent, we have got one or two resources and ideas to point you towards. The Church of England is running Living Hope and this can be engaged within a variety of ways on and off line. You can find out more here Lent and Easter 2025 - A Church Near You Hi All, We have been advertising 'Living Hope' for Lent - resources from the Church of England designed to help us keep a good Lenten season before Easter (see above)As well as offering these resources online there will be three day-time meetings in church on Tuesdays at 2pm 11th 25th March and 8th April. These will be repeated at 7pm on the same day. We will be using material from 'A Word for Lent' by Denis McBride and Janet Fearns. We will be looking at the themes of Temptation, Transformation and Forgiveness. We will be looking at three Bible passages in particular. Each is a stand alone session and all are welcome.Matthew 4.1-11 (March 11th)Matthew 17.1-9 (March 25th)John 8.1-11 (April 8)If you would like a copy of the booklet accompanying this material you can find it online. It is currently in stock on Amazon A Word for Lent: a workbook for groups and individuals: Amazon.co.uk: Fr Denis McBride, Sr Janet Fearns: 9780852315682: BooksHope to see you there. Fr WayneOther Lent courses are available...What does the cross have to do with how we live in Creation now and our expectations of eternity? How does it transform our relationship with God, each other, and the wider world?If you’d like to follow a Lent devotion that explores these questions, Bible Reading Fellowship’s (BRF) Lent book for 2025 is “The whole Easter story: why the cross is good news for all creation” by Jo Swinney. This would fit in well with our Eco Church project at St John’s.You can also join a Zoom meeting weekly during Lent and you don’t need to buy the book to take part online. Find out more and register for the meetings if you wish at https://arocha.org.uk/event/lent-book-club-the-whole-easter-story/Eco Corner: Why might Christians consider cutting down meat for Lent? Reducing meat consumption is a great way for anyone to respond to the Climate Emergency; cutting carbon impacts while saving money and potentially improving personal health, writes Bishop Graham Usher, the Church of England's Lead Bishop for Environmental Affairs.Long before the impacts of meat on the climate were understood, the idea of Christians periodically foregoing meat was not so very new. These days, many people choose to ‘give something up’ for Lent. This is an opportunity to stop and think about what we consume, and the kind of impact our consumption has on the world we live in.Climate change is already having a devastating impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable communities and the World Health Organisation estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year.This will be through malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress, and regions with weak health infrastructure will be the least able to cope without assistance.Christians are called to safeguard creation and renew the life of the earth, and in doing so we cannot ignore the plight of our brothers and sisters both near and far.So, during Lent, when many will consider how to take better care of creation, choosing to be meat-free one or more days a week can be about both our spiritual practice of fasting and a practical way to tread more lightly on the earth.Friday 7th March - World Day of Prayer: This year, St John’s are hosting here at Beeston Parish Church at 11am. The theme is The Cook Islands. The service will be followed by refreshments. Everyone is welcome.Mothers’ Union: Thursday, 13th March, 2.15pm. The Beeston group of diocesan members meets at 2.15 pm in church. Any questions – contact Pat Atkins (0115) 925 6327. Note-Ability Spring Concert (raising funds for St John's)Beeston-based choir Note-Ability (which includes Emma Whitaker from our congregation) returns to St. John’s on Saturday 22nd March for a Spring concert. From madrigals, spirituals and sacred music for Lent to choral arrangements of well-known songs, this varied programme has something for everyone! Tickets are £10 and available at https://www.note-ability.co.uk. Under 16s are free. Refreshments will be provided at the interval. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards church improvement funds.IMPORTANT: Electoral Roll: The electoral roll for the church needs to be renewed every 6 years. A new roll is needed for 2025. ALL people wishing to go on the electoral roll must fill in a form to apply (this is regardless of whether or not you are currently on the roll). Applications are available at the back of church, together with a box for completed applications. If you wish to be on the new electoral roll, PLEASE complete a form asap and in any instance, before Thursday 3rd April. Thanks. APCM: The annual meeting will take place on Sunday 27th April at 11:15am in church. Could any group leaders who have not yet sent Kathryn a report for 2024, please do so by Thursday 13th March in order for the reports booklet to be produced. Many thanks.
