Here is this week’s newsletter. It should have all you need to know about what’s happening amongst us. And a quick look should mean you are updated each week.
Coming Up
Our Sunday Gatherings
We want to invite you to pray together before the service. From 11am there will be chance to gather together in the small room at the front of the church. It would be great if you could be there.
What will be happening on Sundays in November
Each week we give slightly more time to one aspect of our life together. This is what is happening over the next few weeks.
Next Sunday (Sunday 7 November): Communion
Sunday 14 November: Joint Service with St James at 10.30
Sunday 21 November: Sharing Our Stories
This Thursday: 7.30pm in Church, Praise and Prophecy in Person
On Thursday night we have chance to get together, to worship together, to catch something of what God might be wanting us to get our attention about. Come along and join us in this really significant part of our church life.
NEW: New Midweek Small Group to Start
Judith and Colin will be leading a new housegroup that will be hosted in their home in Boothstown. If you have never been part of a group but would like to join a sparkly new one, this is your chance. Please connect with them or talk to Neil for more details.
Midweek Groups
We have 4 midweek groups that meet on Thursday evenings. Two are in-person, two are online.
The Crafty Crew meet on Tuesday afternoons in The Vine to catch up with one another, and to engage in some sort of craft if they want to. I believe that just chatting is acceptable!
On Wednesday mornings in The Vine there will be a Prayer Meeting starting soon.
There is also a group of Young Adults who meet regularly.
As you can see all these groups are different, with slightly different emphases.
But in general they all exist to do three things:
- To help us pay careful attention to one another,
- To help us to be alert to what God is doing so that
- We can be good news to those around us.
You might want to start a group that does that. It might be a group that meets together regularly and shares a meal together. It might be a group that does something together – walking, fixing stuff, playing a sport – whatever. It doesn’t matter – as long as you can cover those three basic principles.
If you are interested in chatting about this, then please talk with Neil.
Freda Cunliffe
Some of you will remember us praying for Freda a couple of Sunday’s ago. Early last week, after a few days in hospital, Freda went to be with the Lord.
Freda and Mike came to our church in the late 1980s after meeting us doing an open air service on Salford precinct. They had made commitments to Christ a little earlier and were looking for a church to belong to. We have been privileged to have them both as part of our church family ever since.
At that time they owned and ran a really successful bakery and so it wasn’t long before they began to supply the communion bread for our Sunday services. It was a great example of how we all have our part to play.
Now Mike will continue to play his part while Freda begins to receive her reward. And the family grieves, though not as ones who have no hope.
Freda’s funeral will be at 12.15pm on Wednesday 17 November at Holy Angels Church, Moorfield Road, Salford M6 7EY. That will be followed by a short committal service at Agecroft Crematorium at 1.40pm.
We will pray for God’s peace and presence with all the family during these days.
NEW: Tear Fund Big Quiz (Wednesday 24 November at St. James)
St. James are inviting us to bring some teams along. Each team will have 4-5 people, and will cost £5 per person. Finds go towards Tear Fund’s work around the world. You might have a team that you know will rock this quiz or you might want to belong to one. Either way let Neil know.
The ‘One Stop Info Spot’
Thanks for those of you who have volunteered to be part of this. From next Sunday there will be a team who will be available to give you all the info you might need – whether you are new to church, or been around for decades, whether it is about house groups, giving, children’s work, how to sign up for events, or how to get the key for the toilet etc etc. It will be manned for about 15 mins before services and for about 20 mins after services.
Nina Waite will be heading this up for us.
How we can Support One Another
We are a church that wants to be a place where relationships are formed that will ensure you will have people around you who will be able to support you on the hard days.
But there is more.
One of the things we want to be true is that every week there will be a chance for you to be prayed with individually if that would help. At the end of each service there will be chance for you to have an unhurried time of prayer in the side chapel.
Hannah Maylor is heading up this team of people. You may have engaged in this ministry in the past and want to continue, or you might want to begin to do this with us. Please talk with Hannah and she will include you in the rota so that you will know when you will be ministering in this way.
Another way we can help is through the ministry of the Community Counselling Service. Headed by Judith Thompson, this counselling ministry offers you the space to explore what is happening in your own life at this time. Anyone can access this ministry and there is no cost. If you feel you would benefit from this please don’t hesitate to contact Judith, Neil, or Ian or fill in the form on the church website.
Looking Ahead
This is a really early notice to say that on Sunday 14 November we will have a shared service together with St James’ congregation.
It will happen at 10.30am. It is Remembrance Sunday and we will be marking that together. It will be our first joint service and we are delighted that we can do this.
We will remind you over the weeks, this is just an early ‘heads up!’
‘Getting to Know You’ Lunch
On Sunday 14th November, after the service there will be a lunch for all those who have joined with us over the last year. We would love you to stay and to meet some of the leaders, hear a little about our church, and find out how you can be involved in the life of the church. We are hoping that this will take place in the Vine Community Hub, but we will keep you informed. Please let Neil or Ian know if you are able to come along.
5 a side football
Over the years, a few of us have got together for an hour to play football and we have recently started this up again on a Monday night (usually 6-7pm or 7-8pm, depending on when can get book a pitch). It’s not super-competitive (some of us remember when we could be!) but it’s good fun and an easy place to invite friends and family who are not part of our church. If you are interested in playing or know anyone who might be, speak to Ian.
Worship and Climate Change Crisis – Night of Worship
While the COP26 Climate Summit is happening, there will be a chance to worship and pray with other Christians in Salford.
On Saturday 6th November there will be a night of worship at St Thomas’ Church, Salford led by Resound Worship, whose unique album ‘Doxecology’ focuses on creation, ecology, climate crisis and Christian hope.
The concert, which coincides with the COP 26 climate talks, will include songs of worship from the Doxecoloy album, prayers and a speaker from Christian environmental group A Rocha. The performance will celebrate the wonder of creation, acknowledge our failures, and anticipate of a glorious restoration in Christ.
Resound Worship are a song writing collective, with writers drawn from local churches throughout England. Neil has worked closely with these folks in the past and recommends them highly!
Doors open at 6:45pm for a 7.30pm start – the concert will finish around 9.30pm. Refreshment are available before and during a break.
Donation / retiring collection and profits from refreshments will go towards supporting the climate justice work of work Christian Aid.
TICKETS ARE FREE – but we require booking via Eventbrite in advance to control numbers.
Bang that Drum!
We have been told that there are some musical instruments that are being sold by Access Music, a musical therapy group. They have been priced by Drum One (a music shop) as follows, though there is room for negotiation:
Yamaha electric drum kit DTLK9: £200
2 Bongos and Stand: £80
Dejemba: £80
Beat Box: £80
Turtle Blocks: £30
Small bongos: £50
Christmas is coming! See Neil if you are interested and he will connect you with the sellers.
Ladies Prayer Breakfast
Saturday 27th November 9-11am venue TBC but hopefully at The Vine Community Hub 87-89 Cholmondeley Road M6 8PU
Thank you to those who came to our first ladies’ prayer breakfast back in September. I believe it was a resounding success, well Jo’s amazing pancakes definitely were! So I’d like you to invite all the ladies to the next prayer breakfast hopefully of many more to come. For those who couldn’t make it last time this is an invitation to meet together as the women, feminine heartbeat of Salford Elim to eat together, share our stories, encourage and support each other and pray. All prayer levels welcome and all those simply intrigued welcome too. Cereal, toast, pastries and perhaps pancakes will be provided but feel free to bring your own breakfast if preferred. Contact Kate Blundell 07805 069033 or Jumi Isibor 07703 028936 for more details and to let us know you’re coming.
