Weekly Notices 30th March

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Members' Notices

After 15 years of being Wisewood Church Treasurer, Di has decided to step down from this duty. If you are interested and feel you have the skills and gifts to take on this role, or would like to find out more of what the role involves, speak to either Katie or Di.

Wendy and Becca are organising a series ofEmmaus Evenings through Lent, exploring world hunger eating together, discussion, Bible reading and prayer at Wendy and Harry's at 7pm Mon 24th March (El Salvador), Wed 9th April (Bangladesh) and Mon 14th April (UK). Please let us know if you are coming.

The next Worship Consultation Committee meeting is on Wednesday 26th March at 7.30pm in the Owlerton room. All local preachers, worship leaders, church stewards, organists and other interested parties are invited.

Becca would particularly like to encourage you to consider attending the free workshop on 'How does Chaplaincy help us in mission?' at Carterknowle Methodist Church, Edgedale Road, S7 2BQ Thurs 27th March at 7:30pm. Over the next few months we will be exploring the potential for Chaplaincy in Wisewood, so this would be a great start! There are other workshops to choose from too if you prefer. Please do book in with j.haigh@btinternet.com or with Becca.

The new year for the offertory envelope scheme begins in April and new envelopes are now being distributed. If you would like details, with a view to joining, please see Helen Morris. This is also a time to prayerfully consider if our giving is keeping up with the church’s needs.

The Circuit Review Meeting is on Thursday 4th April at 7pm, open to everyone.

Kinder Kalsi will be running a brief training session for volunteers on having the confidence to talk about their faith in a festival situation on Saturday 5th April 3-4pm at St Polycarp's.

If you wish to give a donation towards the cost of Easter lilies, please see Kay Kennedy.

Audrey Harrison is requesting any empty jam jars which you may have.

Circuit News. The latest newsletter is on the vestibule desk.

Hillsborough Trinity are looking for volunteers to help at the Easter holiday club for ages 5-13 on Tuesday 15th and Thursday 17th April 10.00am-3.00pm. If you could help for any part of the days, please talk to Becca or contact Yannie Duveen direct 0114 249 4182 or familyworker@hillsboroughtrinity.org.uk. You can also help by taking an invitation flyer to those you know.

Community Garden Open Day Event. Following the successful application to the Co-op to create a ‘Pollinator Patch’ on the old school site, the wild flower seeds sown in October have struggled through the winter rains and are now showing signs of growth. To celebrate this and the planting of young apple trees, the Friends of Wisewood & District group, along with RIVA and the Co-op, has organised an ‘open day event’ on Sat 26th April between 10am-1pm. The RIVA cafe will be open, there will be various stalls and activities (willow weaving, plant advice etc...) suitable for all ages. Do come and give your ideas for future garden design for this space or just to enjoy the activities.

The annual Hillsborough Fun Day in the park will take place on Saturday 3rd May from 1-4pm. There will be a volunteer sign up list available soon. You can join and invite others to the Facebook event through our page - www.facebook.com/wisewoodmethodist. We will especially need face painters so if you are able to help with that, please make yourself known to Becca or Dorothy sooner rather than later! 

The Queen opens the gardens of Frogmore House to the public occasionally. This year on Wednesday 4th June you can visit the gardens. Proceeds from entrance fees (£6) are to be for the benefit of Leprosy Mission. If you would like tickets to see the gardens, call T.L.M. on 01733 370505. Details are on the notice board.

TheChildren's Society charity shop on Middlewood Road in Hillsborough is appealing for stock and volunteers. Please do pop in if you have anything to offer.

We are hosting an** 'Easter Eggs-travaganza!'** for the Weenies and their families on Monday 14th April, from 10am-12noon. Becca needs some volunteers! This would involve doing refreshments, helping with arts and crafts or supervising an Easter egg hunt... If you could help, please talk to Becca. 07443597851. Thank you!

Church Council Meeting A reminder that the next meeting is on Thursday 10th April

Remember our Friends presently (or recently) in Hospital:
Marion Neale, Verna Wade, Rachel Hanks

Remember our Friends in Residential Homes or housebound:
Frank Norton , Mary Lingard, Norma Kay, Lily Bugg, Betty Severns, Barbara Longden, Les Seaton, Joyce Hope, Connie Williams, Edna Jessop, Allen Robinson

Prayer Column

The Prayer Group meets every Saturday and Sunday 9-9.30am. We read from Malachi, ch. 3 – ‘I the Lord do not change …..’. We gave thanks for our church – for the new initiatives to learn more about Jesus in different ways. Thanks too for the ‘Churches together in Hillsborough’. May we show the people of this area that Jesus and the church are alive and well when we meet them at the ‘Fun Day’ in Hillsborough Park on 3rd May.

Last week was ‘World Water Week.’ We prayed for those who have no access to clean water or have a daily walk of several kilometres to collect water – some 900 million people worldwide. How fortunate we are to be able to simply turn on the tap. Some members of our own church support the local charity “Taste” helping villages in Nigeria gain access to clean water by digging wells etc. We gave thanks for the work done by all the aid agencies to help deliver water in remote areas and prayed that there may be an increase in support.

Our prayers continued for the situation in Crimea and Ukraine – may ethnic differences not lead to more violence.

We prayed for the ongoing turmoil in Syria – so many refugees still struggling to survive.

We remembered the passengers and their families on the missing Malaysian aircraft.

Lord, we trust in you as our comfort, strength and hope and pray for all in need, the broken in spirit and the broken-hearted.