Skip to main content

January message from the Ministry Team

Dear Friends,

As I came to preparing this article, I started to think about the years in my life, which ended with a six and what of significance for me, personally, happened in those years.

1966    My brother was born and as a family we moved into the house in Leeds where my mum lived, up until a year ago.

1976    I attended my first cricket match at Headingley, Leeds.  A match between Yorkshire and Lancashire.  A little disappointed that Geoffrey Boycott did not play.

1986    I finished my Accountancy and Finance degree and started work as a trainee Chartered Accountant.  Beth and I got married.

1996    Beth and I went to Oxford for me to train for ordained ministry.

2006    Beth and I went on a tour of the Holy Land.  A fantastic experience.

I have a love of history, with, my favourite battle happening in Sussex on 14 October 1066.

It is interesting, when you stop to think about it, how you can map things which shape our lives, across the decades.  Other years have contained other things, some of which have been good and some have been hard, at times very hard.  In all of this, God has been and continues to be with me, loving, caring, forgiving.  Sometimes I am aware of this and sometimes I am not.

Perhaps you already have something of a sense of significant things coming in 2016; moving house, birth of a child, finishing a course, surgery; or perhaps not.  However 2016 unfolds, Jesus invites us to keep close to him, to allow him to work in and through us.  For us to be a people of prayer, engaged with the world Jesus came, died and rose again for, and for us to share him, as we share our life with others.

Every blessing for 2016

Revd Andrew

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Day Worship 2021

Today is the day - Christmas! The central candle is lit. The waiting is over. The child is born. As we celebrate the Feast and Holy-Day of Christmas, with the Psalmist (Ps. 98:4-6) we proclaim: Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Prayer Let us pray: Generous God, even as we praise you for the good news of today, and seek to shout for joy at the coming of the Christ-child, we acknowledge Mary’s mix of pain and joy, both today and in the days to come. As we do so, we face our own emotions on this difficult and delightful day, and ask your help to live it well. Amen. Carol You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of Geoffrey Ainger’s hymn at StF 193/H&P 95, Born in the night, Mary’s child, a long way from your home; coming in need, Mary’s child, born in a borro...

Virtual Worship - Christmas worship

  Welcome Welcome to this service for Christmas Time.  We hope that this act of worship will help you to celebrate the good news of Christmas. Call to worship I bring you Good News of great joy, for a Saviour has been born to you.  For unto us a child is born, a son is given, Alleluia. Carol Prayer Gift giving God, how mighty you are.  How wondrous the gift you have given.  Foretold and promised now born among us How blessed we are.  Born to redeem us, to rescue and keep us.  How blessed we are. Born to transform and to take us to glory. How blessed we are. Born out of love, born to give love  How blessed we are. O God incarnate gow blessed we are by your extraordinary being. God gives to us His son and to those who seek it, forgiveness of their sins Go and share the gift, show the love and know the peace that God gives  Amen. Prayer of confession Generous, overwhelming God In the excitement and joy of this day We take a moment to reflect and...

Virtual worship - 19 December 2021

Advent 4: Thinking about BLESSING Service sheet (pdf) Hymn: STF 187 The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came Introduction Christmas is only days away now. How will you welcome Jesus into your home this year? After last year’s loss and longing, will the blessings of this year’s Christmas celebrations have any extra special meaning for you? Today’s worship is focussed on signs of greeting and blessing. Call to worship Come, greet one another in the name of the Lord. Come, bring all you have and be blessed. Come, and worship the God of the great and the lowly, and share your hopes and fears. Come, young and old – for God is calling you. Collect for today As we light this Advent candle, may its flame be for us a sign of blessing. As Mary and Elizabeth greeted each other, and Mary praised God for the blessings received, may we know God’s blessing in our lives and community, as we offer prayers and praises in Jesus’ name. Amen Hymn: STF166 Christmas Is Coming The Church Is Glad To Sing How do you ...