Dear Friends
Hoping and Praying
Are you a praying person? I sure hope so. If so, please do pray that the eagerly anticipated Community Centre, which will replace the old Bookham Youth & Community Centre, will arise like a phoenix form the ashes this year. It is so needed if the work that the Bookham Youth Project is doing among the young people of the parish is to continue to grow and flourish. Last Friday, 49 young people attended BYouth in our Pastoral Centre. They are very welcome, but they do need more room.
Rejoicing in Being With
Gill Caldwell writes, “The aim of Being With is to help people curious about Christian faith to understand it better. We’ve looked at God, Creation, Jesus and the Church! Being With avoids difficult language and focuses on people’s own experience and wisdom. We begin by sharing the heart of our week and this has helped us get to know one another. We discuss all kinds of things - who wrote the Gospels? Who would Jesus choose as disciples today? Still time to join us gill.caldwell@stnicolasbookham.org.uk.”
Lent is less than two weeks away
We mark Ash Wednesday with a service of Holy Communion at 11 o’clock in the church. All are warmly invited. Meanwhile, do avail yourself of Tom Wright’s Lent and Easter for everyone: from wilderness to glory. As a Lenten discipline, make use of its daily devotions and consider joining our Lent Group which will be meeting on Monday afternoons starting on 23 February. Of course, if you are already in a housegroup, you will more than likely be using this material as a basis for your discussions during Lent. Do enjoy and may we each grow in our discipleship journey this season.
Brick Church is coming…
Charlotte Coe, our Families and Children’s Ministry Leader, writes, “Building on last year’s Messy Church, Brick Church is a fresh, growing initiative where families explore Bible stories together (this time with LEGO bricks!). Join us for our Easter-themed session on Thursday 26 March, 3:30-5pm for a creative family service. If you have any LEGO bricks you could kindly donate, it will help make Brick Church even more fun for everyone!”
Misbehaving lights
Last week, the lights in the church tripped out on a couple of occasions. Although the situation has been much better since then, until we can work out what needs to be done, we cannot guarantee that this won’t occur again. If per chance this happens while you are in church, we’ll sort it as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, don’t panic (Mr Mainwaring)!
Keeping up to date
As well as our magazine, please take time to read our weekly notice sheet which is available both online (click here) and in church. Excerpts from last Sunday’s 10 o'clock service, including the commissioning of Wendy and Jackie as Anna Friends, are also available; click here to access.
And finally…
In my recent Bible reading, I appreciated this ancient commentary on the twin task of Scripture to both challenge and comfort: “Those who are ignorant may there learn and have knowledge. Those who are hard-hearted, and obstinate sinners, shall there find eternal torments (prepared by God’s justice) to make them afraid, and to soften them. Those who are oppressed with misery in this world shall there find relief in the promises of eternal life, to their great consolation and comfort. Those who are wounded (by the devil) to death shall find there medicine, by which they may be restored again to health.” (Thomas Cranmer)
Grace and peace,
Alan
Alan Jenkins
Rector
