www.silverendcongregationalchurch.org
Happy New Year-Keeping in Touch
Sunday Services at 6.30pm
A Very Warm Welcome
‘With God all things are possible.’
Matthew 19:26 KJV
JANUARY 2023 SERVICES
|
1st |
NO SERVICE |
|
|
8th |
Evening Service with Communion 6.30pm |
Mr. Charles deLacy Chelmsford |
|
15th |
Evening Service 6.30pm |
Rev. Jenny Haggar Ipswich |
|
22nd |
Evening Service 6.30pm |
Mrs. Norma Huxter Halstead |
|
29th |
Evening Service 6.30pm |
Fellowship Service |
FEBRUARY 2023 SERVICES
|
5th |
Evening Service 6.30 pm |
Mr. Norma Huxter Halstead |
|
12th |
Evening Service with Communion - 6.30pm |
Mr. Charles deLacy Chelmsford |
|
19th |
Evening Service 6.30pm |
Mr. Cyril Bamforth Braintree |
|
26th |
Evening Service 6.30 |
Mrs. Penny Bloom Chelmsford |
What’s On in JANUARY
Sun 8th Mr. Charles deLacy –with Communion 18.30
Tues 10th Prayer in vestry 09.45-10.00
Meet up @ Coffee & Chat –Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Thurs 12th Knit & Natter – Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Sun 15th Rev. Jenny Haggar 18.30
Tues 17th Prayer in vestry 09.45-10.00
Meet up @ Coffee & Chat-Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Thurs 19th Knit and Natter – Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Sun 22nd Mrs. Norma Huxter 18.30
Tues 24th Prayers in vestry 9.45-10.00
Meet up @ Coffee & Chat-Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Thurs 26th Knit & Natter – Warm Space 10.00-12.00
Sun 29th Fellowship Service 18.30
Tues 31st Prayers in the vestry 9.45-10.00
Meet up @ Coffee & Chat-Warm Space 10.00-12.00
NEWS AND THANKS
A very Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year to everyone. It is a good chance to shake off all the old negative thoughts and begin the year with a new positive and Hope filled outlook. I do hope you all had a good Christmas without the terrible bout of illness that seems to be doing the rounds. We had a wonderful Christmas filled with the blessings of family and friends. It is hard to get back into some kind of routine, for the last two weeks I haven’t even known what day it is, they have all rolled into one. So this week I have been determined to set myself goals, one of which is to get this newsletter written!!! I have a whole list of jobs to get done and sorted.
As I look back over December I have many people to thank. It was such a busy month with so many wonderful things going on. Firstly many thanks for the help with decorating the Christmas tree, you all did a brilliant job. Thank you to Allan and Luke who put the lights on the trees outside. Thank you to Jonathan who provided us with a lovely tree for outside the church and for Sandra who decorated that for us. Thank you Carol for providing all the oranges for the Christingle service and led that service too. It is always a lovely way to start Christmas off. A huge thank you to everyone who provided such an abundance of food for the coffee and chat Christmas party. You are all so kind and thoughtful. A huge thank you goes to Denise and Mandy for organising such a lovely morning and thank you all for coming. We hope you all enjoyed it. They have some ideas for 2023 but they need some suggestions from you. A big thank you also for the Silver Tots who made some delightful decorations to hang up at our windows. We are so thrilled that they take the time to do this for us. Thank you. All our Christmas services were a delight, it was good to see different people come along. How great it would be if you all came along regularly, it would be such an encouragement to this church. We have such a wonderful blessing to share with you all. Our friend Dave Cobb is coming into Church Membership on the 8th January at 6.30m. He has been such a blessing to this fellowship and we welcome him and pray that God will use him in a mighty way here at the Church.
‘He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.’
Isaiah 40:29-31
Enjoy each day of this New Year ‘Let’s celebrate and be glad today.’
Psalm 118:24
Each day is a gift from God. Next to your salvation, today is the most valuable gift you will ever receive. When you receive a gift, what do you do? Thank the giver, unwrap it, and enjoy it. Getting the idea? One Bible teacher writes; I make an effort to focus on and enjoy every moment of my life, but doing so has been a long and difficult journey for me….I am a planner and if I am not careful, I find myself planning the next thing while doing the current thing, which of course steals the present moment from me. Although being focused is a good thing, I can easily get so focused on my work that I fail to enjoy the magic of the moment. For example, I was usually working while my children were little and I found it difficult to even take a moment to stop and enjoy the cute things they said or did, I missed many of those moments and will never get them back. We should celebrate life and the people God has placed in our path. Life is to be enjoyed, not dreaded or regretted.’ Solomon wrote: ‘There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink and make himself enjoy good in his labour. Even this, I have seen, is from, the hand of God’ (Ecclesiastes 2:24) Note these two phrases ‘From the hand of God.’ That means it is God’s will for you to enjoy every day and ‘make himself enjoy good.’ That means you must look for things to celebrate each day. And you can start doing this – today!!
From Word for Today
NEED INFORMATION? Listed below are some helpful numbers
CHURCH CONTACTS- on line – www.silverendcongregationalchurch.org
Church Open Tuesday 10.00 – 12 noon
Coffee & Chat Tuesday 10.00 - 12 noon
Church Treasurer & Enquiries Mrs. S. Gray Tel. 07710 285214
e.mail sharon@silverend.org
Church Telephone No. 01376 584306 Post Code CM8 3QF (Silver Street)
Silver End Guiding Group Contact Mrs. Carol Hutchings 07857 663959
Rainbows, Guides, Brownies, Rangers
Mon. Miffy’s Fitness 9.30-10.30am
Tues. Silver Swans Movement Class 9.45-12pm Contact Gemma 07597 649240
Wed. Carolyn’s Dance Group - Disco/Street Dance Contact Harriet 07855 014717
Thurs. SILVER TOTS (Baby & Toddler Group) at 9.45am- Nikki 07809 761902 (Term Time)
Thurs. Knit & Natter Thursday 10.00 – 12 noon Contact, Barbara 01376 585467
Thurs. Miffy’s Fitness 6-7pm
SCOUT GROUP Dan Sutton (Scout Leader) dan@silverend-scouts.org.uk 07970 730636
PRAYERS
When storms come your way.
Remember you know the Master of the wind.
When sickness finds you,
Remember you know the Great Physician,
When your heart gets broken,
Just say I know the Potter.
It doesn’t matter what we go through,
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Amen
Most merciful Redeemer, as we begin another New Year and reflect on the year just past, we thank You that in our times of blessing and of trial You have never abandoned us and You have brought us through. May we see You more clearly, love You more dearly, follow You more nearly and know You more really day by day. Amen
Lord, we commit our lives to you afresh as we begin 2023. You know everything that lies ahead, so please prepare, equip and strengthen us for the challenges, joys, sorrows that may come. Amen
Please pray for this Fellowship. As we begin this New Year, pray that God will bring new people to the church.
Please pray too for all the dear ones who need a special touch from God. We pray for Roy, who is in a lot of pain. We pray for Doreen, as she recovers from her fall. We give you thanks that she is making good progress. We pray for Rose who has been in hospital over Christmas and New Year with an infection. She is doing well and should be home with the support of carers very soon. Pray too for Margaret and Michael as they care for her. We remember Iris who’s friend Eve died just before Christmas, we remember Eve’s family too as they grieve. We pray for Vera whose husband Terry died suddenly just before Christmas, pray that she may know God’s presence with her and her family at this time. We remember Brenda, Judy, Sheila, Anne and Val all have been struggling with ongoing problems and disabilities. This can be so depressing for the individual, we pray that the Lord will take care of them all and lift their spirits to be thankful for all their blessings too.
We pray for our village full of diversity with the ups and downs of human life. Let us all pray for our neighbours and the new folk who have moved into the village. Some of our neighbours will be very concerned how they are going to pay their bills over the next months as the cost of living hits home. Help us to reach out in love when and where we can.
We pray especially for the war in Ukraine, we can only imagine how difficult life is for them. The suffering is immense on both sides, the grief and pain that war brings is so dreadful we push it from our minds. Other terrible things are happening throughout the world, many of which we don’t give a thought too. Please pray for all the charities and their workers who work throughout these countries. Please give to them all that they need practically and courage and wisdom to undertake their vital work.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31