Welcome to May’s newsletter.
The Vine Pastoral Team Meeting
Wednesday 5th June •7:30pm • The Vine
If you are part of the pastoral care network there is a gathering to pray for the church together and to make sure everyone is being connected together.
Salford Prayer Week
From Thursday 6th June • Various times and locations
The Salford Prayer Week is pulled together by Ian each year. We are committed to seeing the Kingdon of God grow in Salford and we know that this will include renewal and revival across the churches and across the city.
We know that there have been groups of committed, determined prayers behind every historical revival. We know that God blesses the unity of his people – regardless of which church they belong to.
So, please can you make these 2 Thursdays a priority?
Thursday 6th June, 7:30pm-9pm: Opening Prayer & Worship Service @ GoChurch, Dallas Court, Salford, M50 2GF.
Thursday 13th June, 7:30pm-9pm: Praying for those in authority @ The Council Chambers, Salford Civic Centre, Swinton, M27 5AW.
Saturday 8th June, 9:30am-12pm: Prayer Walk. Meet @ Elmwood Church, Eccles Old Road, M6 8AG. The walks are between 3.5 miles and 5 miles in length and will take around 2-2.5 hours to complete as we stop at various places to pray. The routes will be wheelchair accessible and there is the option to stay and pray at Elmwood for those who might find the walks a bit long.
Check out the Salford Church Partnership website here.
Hog Roast
Saturday 29th June • 6pm-9pm • Church
On this evening we will have our annual hog roast. It’s one of the easiest events of the year to invite friends and family to.
Kate Blundell will be selling tickets for this. They are £10 for adults, and £5 for kids up to 16. You can see Kate in church or contact her with a message on 07805 069033.
Tickets will be on sale in the next month.
We would like some volunteer help with music, singing etc on the night. We will need help to set up and pack down. And if you would be willing to bring some desserts to share that would be great.
Extinction And Biodiversity – Public Panel Discussion
Tuesday 11th June • 5:30pm-7pm • Church of the Holy Name (Oxford Road, Manchester)
Neil has been asked to represent Elim at a 2 day conference on Faith and Science in Manchester on 11th-12th June. He will be well out of his depth. Please pray! Mostly that he doesn’t have to say anything!
But on Tuesday early evening, as part of this, there is a public event around the theme of Extinction And Biodiversity. The description of the event is: It’s hard to get our brains around the scope of extinction in geological time, and to make sense of human responsibility in the present.
Does God will species death?
Does buying organic food really make a difference?
Our panel of scientific and theological experts are ready to tackle whatever you want to ask, from the profound to the niggling. There are no silly questions (that feels like a challenge!) as we explore the topic together in a spirit of openness and honesty.
This is a free, public event at the Church of the Holy Name on Manchester’s Oxford Road.
The event will start at 5:30pm and finish by 7pm, on Tuesday 11th June.
Those taking part are: Bishop David Walker, Bishop of Manchester; Prof Sadiah Qureshi, University of Manchester; Revd Prof Charlotte Sleigh, UCL; Prof Colin Beale, University of York; Mick Oliver, Natural England
If you would like to join Neil, just let him know.
For more details – and links to a range of interesting articles go here
Looking Ahead:
Men – Bacon, Banter and Befriending
Saturday 13th July • 10am-11:30am • The Vine
On Saturday 13th July from 10-11:30 at The Vine, there is a chance to get together with other guys in the church to build friendships, listen to and encourage one another – accompanied by bacon sandwiches. (Veggie is offered!)
£5 donation would be welcomed.
Let us know you are coming: either Neil, Paul King or sign up at the Info Stand
BOOK REVIEW: A Book Worth Exploring By Kate Blundell
Lydia – a story by Paula Gooder
Lydia is a lovely book to take away on holiday. Very easy to read but full of interesting themes, insights and things to ponder on. If you like to think about what life might have been like shortly after Jesus had been raised to life then this book is definitely for you. Lydia isn’t a factual book, but Gooder uses research and artistic licence to make a story about what life might have been like for Lydia and the group of followers of the Way who were living in Phillipi during the time of Paul. The book captures the excitement when Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi arrives but also the tensions between Gentile and Jewish believers and with the Roman authorities. My favourite character is Ruth (the female slave from Acts 16 delivered from her fortune-telling spirit) who in Gooder’s story is taken in by Lydia.
I really enjoyed reading a chapter of the story and then the chapter of the appendix that went with it explaining the research Gooder had done and why she had chosen to add some of the details she did. For those who read Gooder’s earlier book in a similar genre Phoebe I think you’ll enjoy Lydia even more.
