Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Image from: Churches Together in Bromsgrove

January sees the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity around the country.

In our small area we will meet at 12 noon at each of the churches listed here for a short time of prayer and shared worship, followed by light refreshments.

The meetings are open to everyone who wishes to join us - we'd be delighted to see you.

Monday 19th:

St.Mary’s Catholic Church, Farringdon Road

Tuesday 20th:

Cullercoats Methodist Church, Farringdon Road 

Wednesday 21st:

St. Hilda’s, Marden (Church of England), Stanton Road (that's us)

Thursday 22nd:

St. Aidan’s Billy Mill (Church of England), Billy Mill Lane

Friday 23rd:

St. George’s Cullercoats (Church of England)

all at 12 noon, followed by light refreshments

~~~   ~~~

This year's theme comes to us from the churches of Brazil.

Brazilians, have traditionally been tolerant of their various social classes and ethnic groups. Now they are living through a time of growing intolerance reflected in high levels of violence, especially against minorities and vulnerable people. 

Part of this intolerance has been shown in the churches. Increasingly, in Brazil, some Christian groups are competing against one another for a place on the mass media, for new members and for public funds.

The Brazilian churches have begun to recognise that this intolerance should turned around. Churches should respect diversity. Therefore they have begun to promote dialogue as a permanent path of reconciliation and peace, in faithful discipleship to the gospel. 

We can share this recognition in this country too. 

Although the competition between churches is less obvious here, we are well aware that competition and discrimination lie beneath the surface of our lives together. 

Our challenge is to acknowledge that diversity is part of God's design. Jesus welcome all who came to him and listened. We too should approach one another in trust, seeing the face of God in the face of all men and women.

St Hilda's on Facebook

St Hilda's Church is now on facebook

It's early days. of course, and much more to come through 2015 and ahead.

Advent 4, 2014

For this Advent we have four different preachers who are all part of St Hilda's Church. There was no specific theme or brief beyond, of course, 'Advent' itself.

Advent 4 

• "Think the unthinkable" was a mantra of Margaret Thatcher's day
• and, as Christians, we ordinarily think the unthinkable: that Jesus is God made flesh.
• This is God's world: he made it, walked in it, loves it, yet we spoil it for short-term gain. We are God's creation, yet we dehumanise one another and treat people as commodities.
• For Christians to "think the unthinkable" is to act to make real God's love in God's world.

Jon Goode
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We'll post brief notes of the sermons each week, just to give a flavour. As the weeks go by and Christmas comes closer we'll link each post to the others.

Advent 1: November 30th - Revd Michael Bass
Advent 2: December 7th - Revd Paul Bagshaw
Advent 3: December 14th - Carol Ann Shields
Advent 4: December 21st - Revd Jon Goode

Happy Christmas

Happy

Christmas

Christmas Lunch at Shepherd's Dene

We like our food at St Hilda's.  No sooner was one Christmas meal digested than we were off for another, this time at Shepherd's Dene,

We'd made our choice of menu some time ago and, of course, I couldn't remember.

But Ann Brown, who organised the trip, had it all down to a fine art: when we got on the bus she gave us all a note of what we'd ordered along with a quiz and a raffle ticket.

I had pate, turkey and crumble and all were excellent.

I managed a few quiz questions, but mostly I sat and relaxed after a large lunch.

Shepherd's Dene is the Newcastle Diocese retreat house. Its 2015 programme is here (.pdf) or see their events page

The staff were pleasant and efficient, the setting was delightful, and a very good time was had by all.

Paul Bagshaw