We’re raiding material from the Diocese of Ely called “the way of life”, and using it as a springboard for our own Northstowe-shaped explorations. Like others in the diocese (area-wide group of churches), we’re adapting it to suit our context, adding things and shaping it. But it is good to know we’re also asking the same kind of questions as those around us.Another advantage of is that they have produced 6 week journals/idea booklets that give us the opportunity to dig a bit deeper into the topics throughout the week.There are four different strands to choose from in how you do this at home. We gave out print-outs from the EXPLORE booklet on Sunday (and will keep doing this week by week). But you might prefer to download one of the others… or simply try journaling in your own way in a beautiful blank notebook. Why not bring it along to the gatherings so you can add to it? * FAMILY, offering intergenerational ideas to use as a family group at home [download here] * EXPLORE, aimed at those who enjoy a multisensory and interactive approach [download here] * YOUTH, similar to the EXPLORE booklet, with a particular focus on young people [download here] * REFLECT, aimed at those who appreciate a more cerebral approach and perhaps more familiar with church practices [download here]You might also like to sign up to the online resources detailed in the EXPLORE and YOUTH books to get a daily ‘thought’ to start you thinking.***Why Journal?***There’s no requirement to join in with this… but many people find it helpful. Ideas often need time to settle, and develop as we ponder them through the lens of the ordinary things we do each week.Your journal doesn’t need to be written like a diary or in full sentences: in fact, doodles, colouring, painting, poetry, word jottings are all often more revealing of what’s going on deep inside you.And of course, your journal is just for you. No one else need see it unless you decide you want to share some of it.Don’t worry if you don’t manage to jot something down each day; You might just start by jotting down your immediate reaction to the topic on Sunday evening , and then, on Friday or Saturday, perhaps pausing to think through how those have developed by the end of the week. Give it a try, and see what works!Read about what happened last week on Beth's Blog...
Jan 6th sees our special candlelit Epiphany Service at 3.30pm--------------From 13th Jan we'll normally have TWO services each Sunday. * 10.30am: We’re drawing on the rich poetic and liturgical traditions of the ancient denominations to offer quiet and reflective worship, alternating morning prayer and communion.You can get a feel for what the service will be like by downloading the order of service (it prints doublesided, trifold). We'll be exploring the same bible readings as churches around the world as we unpack Epiphany. * 3.30 pm — 5 pm: The Sunday Afternoon Gatherings continue to be full of multisensory and interactive options designed for adults and children alike. But its not just for those who like to get their hands dirty! We also have poetry, prayers and stories and space for you to stop and be. We celebrate communion once a month. Weather permitting, we’ll increasingly head outside as summer approaches. From 20th January we'll be picking up on the various intergenerational Ely Diocesan Way of Life resources which offers a series of daily text messages, accessible media and six interactive gatherings, that invite us deeper in a daily conversation with God. [updated] Communion will be celebrated in the afternoon on Jan 13th, and in the morning on Jan 20th, but in rather different ways. The morning service will be in a more traditional style, while the afternoon will use some simple sign-assisted English to allow everyone to join in, passing bread and wine around the table.----------------------------Over the school HALF TERM holiday, we're going to have just one service each weekend so* 17th Feb - 10.30am morning worship ONLY (no afternoon gathering)* 24th Feb - 3.30pm afternoon gathering ONLY (no morning service)----------------------------More Dates for your diary...Tuesday 5th March - Northstowe community pancake party at Church HouseSunday 10th March - Church lunch at Church House (INSTEAD of either service)Sunday 24th March - Special team service, bringing the churches of Northstowe, Longstanton, Over, Swavesey and Willingham to Northstowe for a Northstowe-style communion! Beth will be presiding, and Archdeacon Alex will be preaching.More details to follow!
Introduction to Epiphany SeasonIn the Western churches, the Epiphany (‘manifestation’) became an occasion to celebrate one element in the story of Christ’s birth, the visit of the far-travelled magi, understood as the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. Matthew’s account speaks simply of ‘wise men from the east’; later tradition fixed their number at three, made them kings and recalled their resonant names – Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. In this perspective, Epiphanytide is an apt season to pray for the worldwide mission of the Church. The feast of the Conversion of St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, appropriately falls in the Epiphany season, as does the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In the Eastern churches, the Epiphany is, rather, the celebration of Christ’s baptism at the hands of John, when the heavens were opened and a voice from heaven declared Jesus to be God’s beloved Son. The miracle of Cana in Galilee, where Jesus ‘first manifested his glory’, follows immediately:Manifest at Jordan’s stream,Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;and at Cana wedding-guestin thy Godhead manifest.(Christopher Wordsworth)The arrangement of the Sundays of Epiphany in the Revised Common Lectionary deliberately draws out these aspects, as we will be exploring on Sunday mornings.The season of joyful celebration that begins at Christmas now continues through the successive Sundays of Epiphany, and the festal cycle ends only with the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas). The child who has been manifested to the magi at his birth is now recognized by Simeon and Anna, when he comes to be presented in the Temple according to the Law of Israel. He is both ‘a light to lighten the Gentiles’ and ‘the glory of God’s people Israel’. But the redemption he will bring must be won through suffering; the Incarnation is directed to the Passion; and Simeon’s final words move our attention away from the celebration of Christmas and towards the mysteries of Easter.This article comes from https://www.churchofengland.org/
We've had several people asking for a church gathering in the mornings, as well as people looking for something quiet and reflective. You can download the first service sheet here to get a feel for what the new service will be like.(It is a double-sided tri-fold booklet )Hope to see you there!
