Weekly Email w/b 15th May 2023

This has been the subject of our evening service series since Easter, as we dipped our toes in the water with Lectio divina and Pete Grieg’s book “How to hear God”. But last week I was going on holiday and chose to take with me a “non-work” book. “I hope to be able to relax and switch off with this,” I thought.

When the excitements of the King’s Coronation settled down, I began to read. The story began with two exhausted young mums, struggling to juggle family with work demands, being noticed by an older lady from her flat window. She desperately wanted to help and invited them to come to her for a drink on Friday night. At this point I thought, “Isn’t this lady emulating what I’ve had in mind?” In an ironic way, could God be trying to say something here, in this secular book?

This Friday night group continued and grew to about a dozen people and, as the story unfolded, they looked out for one another: a group of families supporting each other during a difficult part of their lives. It’s not difficult to see the parallels with church life.

I’ve not finished the book yet, so I won’t recommend it here, but what I learn is that God can speak to us through all sorts of ways, even when we’re trying temporarily to “switch off”. Psalm 139 comes to mind:

Where can I flee from your presence? ….. if I settle on the far side of the sea, (or, in this case, the Bristol Channel), even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

How might God speak to us this week? An encounter in the supermarket? A conversation over a car bonnet at REVS? A word in the office? Or even in Church?!

Valerie Pitt, Associate Minister

PS It’s a really busy weekend coming up with REVS, Expresso, a Dementia-supporter event and our Annual Meeting at Trinity Churches. Christian Aid week is also underway. Read on!

Read our 2022-23 Annual Review

This Sunday sees our Annual Meeting, taking place at 6.30pm in the Trinity Centre. You’ll find more details below, including the “Review of 2022-3” which – whether you’re coming or not – is a really encouraging read for everyone at Trinity.

Meanwhile we continue to reflect on the “work of the Holy Spirit” in the morning, with Gareth Evans speaking at the 9am and 11am and Charles Ruxton speaking at CTK. At 9am at Belle Vue Church there’s a new “Messy-style” venture being launched, taking place 9am till 9.40am on the third Sunday of each month. Alongside our more regular Messy on the first Sunday of each month this promises to be a really good opportunity for families to be doing church together.

This Sunday, after consulting with the PCC and leadership teams, we are trialling a new arrangement for how we share Holy Communion at the 11am service. For those who wish to do so there will be opportunity to receive communion with bread and the ‘common cup’ of wine. Alongside that there remain opportunities to receive communion in the way that we have been doing for the last three years by the person who is administering communion intincting the wafer into the wine. So everyone will come forward together in the usual way, and there will be four stations at the front of church allowing us to receive in different ways and in the way that feels most appropriate for us. The important thing is that we are the big family of God together, remembering all that Jesus has done for us and giving thanks together as we receive communion with each other.

 

It’s a week to go till this year’s REVS. We’ve got well over one hundred cars booked in which is amazing, and finishing touches being made to crafts, cafes, Scalextric, Hotwheels, and all sorts of other fun. Rock Choir will be joining in the festivities again, as well as a choir from Meole Brace C of E Primary. Wow.

Come! Whether you love cars, or like some of us just ‘love people’, it will be a really great day. The weather is even looking promising, and so our vintage ice-cream van will be put to good use as the day goes on.

Meanwhile thank you to everyone who responded to the ‘team needed’ plea last Sunday. We’re doing ok, though if you are coming and could offer one hour to ‘serve’ as cafe team / Scalextric fan / craft helper etc that would be amazing. Let us know.

 

Sunday 21^st May is our Annual Meeting, the yearly opportunity to review, enthuse and pray about year behind us and the months ahead. We meet at 630pm in the Trinity Centre, and alongside worship and stories this is a really great opportunity to hear things about our life at Trinity which you might not be aware of.

Everything you need is now online on our special APCM website, including the Review of 2022-23, the agenda for the meeting, our annual accounts, and nomination paperwork for those standing for election. Paper copies of the review are available in church this Sunday as well.

APCM Website

Read our 2022-23 Annual Review

Our next Expresso takes place on Thursday 18th May, 7pm to 7.20pm on Facebook Live. Our subject is “How to pray when big stuff is going on”, and in twenty minutes will try and give a ‘taster’ of what is a really important subject. Expresso is a new monthly “caffeine shot” on mission and discipleship. You can catch-up on last month and watch again online by clicking the link below on our website.

Catch up – and future editions of Espresso

 

Many people live with the experience of dementia, whether through a personal diagnosis, or for those they care for and support. Head to Heart is a video resource produced through Lichfield diocese using the personal experience of Sarah Thorpe and family who supported their dad through his diagnosis.

Join us for an hour to view parts of this film and discuss what living with dementia is like, led by David Latcham, Dementia Link Worker for Alzheimer’s Society. 4-5pm, Friday 19 May, Café Connect. Contact david.latcham@alzheimers.org.uk for more details.

It is Christian Aid week coming up, running from 14th to 20th May. Your gifts could help farmers in Malawi plant better seeds, secure a fairer price on crops, and build happier futures for their children. Soaring costs are affecting people here and across the world, and they are seeking to be at work on the ground so that everyone, everywhere can be free from poverty.

Christian Aid is one of the mission partners and projects which we support as a church. You can find giving envelopes available at Holy Trinity Church as well as at Cafe Connect. For more information on this – and other projects – chat to Bob Tweddle, or take a look at web resources below.

Christian Aid Website

Mission, Relief and Development Committee