Keeping Up To Date
If you are relatively new to the church, there are a number of ways that we try to keep in touch with one another.
There is this newsletter that is produced once a month by John Chinonso. If you want a paper copy, then there are a few produced each month, but it might be much more helpful for you to have our news emailed to you. As well as our monthly newsletter, you’ll get further email updates throughout the month too. You can sign up for our emails by visiting salfordelimchurch.org/getournews, or speak to Phil Maylor.
We have a website that we keep up to date with sermons and news that is open for anyone to see. If you want to track things down from the past, this is a good place to search.
We also have a closed Facebook group: Beyond Sunday. We now have 85 people from church in this group, using it to reflect further about our Sunday morning services, share urgent prayer requests, and to point to resources that they’ve found helpful. If you’d like to be part of this group visit salfordelimchurch.org/beyondsunday, or speak to Neil or Phil.
Rosie Critchlow oversees a group of people who are committed to praying for the life of the church. If you want to be part of that prayer ministry, then see her and she will add you to that group of people.
Book Group
One of the groups that we run is a book group that meets on the second Wednesday of every month (or most months at least). The first one is on 8 February at 8pm in The Vine.
These are the books that Neil has chosen for us to read this year:
8 Feb: Eugene Peterson – Eat This Book: An exploration of how to approach reading the Bible. He encourages us to read so that it becomes part of us.
8 March: Curtis Thompson – The Soul of Shame: This is a book that got lots of acclaim when it was published. I am looking forward to reading this.
12 April: Tom Wright – The Day the Revolution Began: This is a new book – it seems a good choice to discuss a couple of days before Good Friday.
10 May: Shusako Endo – Silence: This is a classic novel that has just been made into a film by Martin Scorsese. This is the setting for the novel: It is 1640 and Father Sebastian Rodrigues, an idealistic Jesuit priest, sets sale for Japan determined to help the brutally oppressed Christians there. He is also desperate to discover the truth about his former mentor, rumoured to have renounced his faith under torture. Rodrigues cannot believe the stories about a man he so revered, but as his journey takes him deeper into Japan and then into the hands of those who would crush his faith, he finds himself forced to make an impossible choice: whether to abandon his flock or his God.
14 June: James Goggins and Kyle Strobel – Beloved Dust: I read this earlier this year and was moved by it and the way they approach the call to prayer and holiness.
12 July: Jonathon Sacks – Not in God’s Name: This is by the former Chief Rabbi of the UK. I feel he has a moral authority that calls for people to listen to him. This might help us think about religious violence.
13 Sept: Donald Hamilton – For the Glory: This is a biography of Eric Liddell. You will know him from Chariots of Fire – but he was much more than that. A great story of a great missionary.
11 Oct: Rowan Williams – Being Disciples: Short, but packed with good stuff about what it means to be Christ’s.
8 Nov: Michael Reeves – The Good God
You are really welcome to join us, for each of them, or as and when you can.
Laptop Volunteers Needed
We are in need of a couple more people to serve on a Sunday morning (typically no more than once a month) on the laptop rota, enabling us to sing together. It’s a simple but important job and you don’t need to be an expert with computers to do it! We would prefer people who are not already serving on the crèche or kids church rota. Please see Ian for details and training.
The Vine Cafe
Again, if you are new to the church, you will have heard us talk about this arm of the church’s ministry. It’s a cafe round the corner from where we meet, 327 Bolton Road, M6 7GU. Our intention is that it is a place where relationships can grow and people have a safe place to get to know Christians and learn to trust them. It is open from 8-3 Mon-Fri and on Saturday mornings. If you can, come and use the space for yourself or, even better, with your friends.
Natalie and Sam Chen
We are delighted that Natalie and Sam are joining the church. Natalie is coming as the leader of Pastoral work and Discipleship. She will be employed two days a week. You will have chance to get to know them both over the next few months, but it might be good to know something about her and Sam.
- Who has been a real inspiration to you? My Mum
- If you could trade lives with one person for an entire day who would it be and why? I’d go back in time and trade places with Esther, she remained true to who she was, she wasn’t afraid of losing her position but she was wise and discerning in the way she operated. I’d love to know what was going on internally.
- Shark diving, bungee jumping, or sky diving? Sky diving
- Do you have a sweet tooth or a savoury tooth? It has been sweet but it will be savoury (when all of the Christmas goodies are finished)
- What is something you’ve always wanted to try but have been too scared to? Skiing
- What accomplishments are you most proud of? I started a bible school that has impacted and equipped a lot of people, I spent 3 months on my own for a mission trip in Russia
- Where is your favourite place to go on a weekday afternoon when you have no plans or obligations? On the rare occasion that happens, I do love Dunham Massey but don’t get there often or Fletcher Moss Botanical gardens is a treat when the weather is nice (so I don’t get there much either)
- Where did you grow up and what did you love most about the place you grew up? Old Trafford, I loved the sense of community, close knit friends and family. Seymour Park at the bottom of my road.
- What is your secret talent? I used to be a tap dancer, it may be a secret but I’m not sure if it’s a talent anymore.
- What are three albums (soundtracks or compilations don’t count) that really define you or have shaped you as a person? Bob Marley – Legend, Hillsong – Touching Heaven Changing Earth, Fred Hammond – Pages of Life chapters 1 & 2
- What sorts of questions do you hate answering? Ones I don’t know the answer to or haven’t really thought about.
Evangelism
We, the church is called to be witnesses of Jesus, we are called to share in His good news, as well share his good news with others. This can be a scary thought, even if the desire is there. In the new year, we will be starting a course called ‘Natural Evangelism’. It’s a course written by J John and looks at the following: Why Evangelise? What is the good news that we share? What is Natural Evangelism? How can I share my story? How do social concern and evangelism go together? How can we receive power for evangelism?
It will run on Monday evenings in The Vine Café. For more information please speak with Rob McGibbon.
Massive Thanks
The church is served by two groups of leaders: there is a Governing Body (Arthur Whillans, Pearl; King, Gill Oldham and Frank Walsh). Each of these leaders serve for three years, with the possibility of two terms. These changes will happen in 2018.
The other group is the Strategic Ministry Team – these people make sure that things get done. They serve for 2 years before the chance to step down. Steve Hollick and Morag Peacock have been serving as part of this team, but are standing down from January. They are being replaced by Phil Maylor, Jemma Maslen and Jay Chasteney who will join Susie McGibbon, Joanna Northall, and Maggie Hudson. We want to say a massive thanks to all those folk that serve the church in so many ways.
For the past number of years, Anne Albinson has taken on the big role of dealing with the finances of the church. During January she will be handing over this responsibility to Bev Walsh. We want to say a big thank you to Anne for all she has done, and to Bev for being willing to take the role on (again – she has done this job before!).
