www.silverendcongregationalchurch.org

Keeping in Touch

Sunday Services at 6.30pm

A Very Warm Welcome

This is what the LORD says he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See. I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:16,18-19

JANUARY 2024 SERVICES

7^th	Evening Service 6.30	Mrs. Norma Huxter Halstead
14^th	Evening Service Communion 6.30pm	Mr Charles deLacy, Chelmsford
21^st	Evening Service 6.30pm	Rev. Jenny Haggar, Ipswich
28^th	Evening Service 6.30pm	Mrs. Norma Huxter, Halstead

FEBRUARY SERVICES

4^th	Evening Service 6.30	Mr. Keith Ives Braintree
11^th	Evening Service Communion 6.30pm	Mr Charles deLacy, Chelmsford
18^th	Evening Service 6.30pm	Mr. Cyril Bamforth, Braintree
25^th	Evening Service 6.30pm	Rev. Jenny Haggar Ipswich

What s On in JANUARY

Sun 7^th Evening Service Mrs. Norma Huxter 18.30-19.30

Tues 9^th Prayer in the vestry 9.45-10.00

Meet up @ Coffee & Chat, Warm Space 10.00-12.00

Thurs 11^th Knit & Natter Warm Space 10.00-12.00

Fri 12^th Rangers 19.00-21.00

Sun 14^th Evening Service Mr. Charles deLacy 18.30-19.30

Tues 16^th Prayer in the vestry 9.45-10.00

Meet up @ Coffee & Chat warm space 20.00-22.00

Thurs 18^th Knit & Natter warm space 10.00-12.00

Sun 21^st Evening Service Rev. Jenny Haggar 18.30-19.30

Tues 23^rd Prayers in the Vestry 9.45-10.00

Meet up @ Coffee & Chat Special Burns Morning-

Come and enjoy a Scottish themed morning

wear some Tartan Do some Scottish dancing! 10.00-12.00

Thurs 25^th Knit & Natter Warm Space 10.00-12.00

Sun 28^th Evening Service Mrs. Norma Huxter 18.30-19.30

Tues 30^th Prayer in the vestry 9.45-10.00

Meet up @ Coffee & Chat, Warm Space 10.00-12.00

Special Meeting at Village Hall 7.30pm for the 100^th Anniversary of Village

Looking ahead to February

13^th Feb. Shrove Tues @ Coffee & Chat Pancake Race &

Toss the Pancake plus a Valentine Day Quiz

WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR

I do hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year break. How quickly time moves on and already our thoughts are on the weeks ahead. At least the nights will be getting lighter as we go through January. January always seems such a miserable month, cold and very wet at the moment. I think it s a time to slow down and rest, keep warm and let our bodies hibernate for a little while. I know in today s world that is very difficult to do. We always feel we should be going somewhere or doing something and it is wrong to just sit with a nice book or watch a favourite film. I know I feel guilty if I am not doing jobs! How sad is that! But it is true. It reminds me of a story in the Bible about Martha and Mary. Jesus had come to visit their home, Martha was so busy dashing around making all the preparations that had to be done. Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to what he said. Martha was cross and said Lord, don t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

JESUS replied Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

So slow down, choose to take time off from the stresses and strains of the day. There is a hymn called Take Time to be Holy which shows us a different path.

Take time to be holy, speak oft with the Lord,

Abide in Him always, and feed on His word.

Make friends of God s children, help those who are weak;

Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek

The hymn goes on Take time to be holy the world rushes on; spend time in secret with Jesus alone . Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul each thought and each temper beneath His control .

THANKS

Just want to say a big thank you to all you lovely people who have given up your time and supported the church through the last year. Over December we enjoyed a good variety of services. Thanks to Carol Hutchings who led the Christingle Service which is always very special, and Denise our catering manager! Thanks also to Norma Huxter who came and took part in the choose your own carols service, which was lots of fun. Thanks to Denise, Mandy and a host of others who helped in with the Coffee & Chat Christmas party, and for all the food donated. We owe a great debt to Tom and John who are part of Break Fill Four and came to entertain us. It was great! and we all thoroughly enjoyed a good sing. Thank you to all the Readers who took part in the Carol Service you all read so well. Lastly we were very blessed to have Malcolm and Pauline joining us for the Christmas Day service and Malcolm kindly offered to play and Pauline did all the projection work. We have much to be thankful for.

NEWS

Allan and I and Shelia and Trevor from Coffee and Chat were able to attend Rose Jupp's funeral at the very beginning of December. It was a beautiful service and very special for the family as this was the church that Rose got married in. The vicar kindly looked out her Marriage Certificate for us all to look at. Margaret, Michael and the family wished to thank everyone for their kind words and sympathy cards.

Sadly over this past month a number of folk have been far from well with hospital stays. Anne is currently in Colchester hospital after a fall and breaking her pubic bone, which will heal by itself. They have kept her in to keep her hydrated as she is also suffering an infection and has cellulitis. Brenda has had another nasty fall and has sadly lost her beloved cat Milly who was nearly 20yrs old. Val has had a recent stay in hospital over Christmas. She is pleased to be home, but is finding her mobility difficult. Doreen also had a few days in hospital during December but is doing well and back to her cheerful self. Iris is doing well and keeping cheerful. Please keep all these dear ones in your prayers,

CHURCH CONTACTS- on line www.silverendcongregationalchurch.org

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 & other groups

Monday Miffy's Fab & Fit 9.30-10.30am

Tuesday Silver Swans Movement Class 9.45-12 Contact Gemma 07597 649240

Wednesday Carolyn s Dance Group - Disco/Street Dance Contact Harriet 07855 014717

Thursday SILVER TOTS (Baby & Toddler Group) at 9.45am- Nikki 07809 761902 (Term Time)

Thursday Knit & Natter Thursday 10.00 12 noon Contact, Barbara 01376 585467

Thursday Miffy's Fab & Fit 6-7pm

Friday Ladies who Chill Group Contact Nicki for details nickicyp@yahoo.co.uk

SCOUT GROUP Dan Sutton (Scout Leader)dan@silverend-scouts.org.uk 07970 730636

Prayer is our special time with God. It is a time when we can take time out of our busy lives, a time to shut out all of life s distractions, daily worries and the business of the week. To find a quiet space, to shut our eyes, shutting out distractions just for a few moments. To bring before God our thankfulness and our concerns, to be still ..

Eternal God, you gave us the greatest gift: the gift of life. In the coming year, help us use it wisely. May we grow in generosity, kindness and forgiveness, hope, faith and love. Amen

We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. Amen

We pray for our fellowship as we look to the Lord to open up ways to keep us shining a light of love in the midst of the darkness of this world.

We give you thanks for all our speakers who are willing to come and lead our services. Lord we pray a blessing on each one as they bring your Word to our fellowship.

We lift this village to you Lord, we pray for all who live here from the youngest to the oldest. May your Holy Spirit speak to their hearts and draw them to yourself. We pray a blessing for 0ur friends at St. Francis and St. Mary s R.C. Silver End and Perlene at the Christian Fellowship.

We lift prayers of Hope & Healing for Anne, Val, Brenda, Doreen, Judy, Iris, Don, Ted and Barbara.

Please keep the Government in your prayers and all in Parliament in these troubling times when all is doom and gloom.

We remember all in Ukraine and Israel, Gaza and the Middle East, so much pain and death. We lift them to you Lord, please bring peace to these lands.

We pray for people in this country who have been affected by floods and high winds, which have caused very tragic incidents. Once again we hear of a Volcano erupting in Iceland and earthquakes in Japan. So many people have started this New Year in tragic circumstances.