Weekly Email w/b 22nd August 2022

August 24, 2022

Emily, the children and I have just arrived back from supporting ‘Sail and Surf’ a wonderful youth residential where young people get to (you guessed it…) sail and surf just off the coast of Wales. In the evenings we had discussion groups, and the older lads that I was with took pride in being able to link any theological discussion (or life situation) to Star Wars in some way, shape or form. This was something they appeared to be able to achieve almost without fail!

Well, here is my attempt at doing just that…

This week Citi Investment Bank forecasted that inflation might approach 18% and suggested inflation was ‘entering the stratosphere’ (shameless Star Wars link!?) While away last week I heard a radio broadcast about how finances are tightening for people who until recently were very well off. Interest rates are rising at the fastest rate for 27 years (just for scale the last time rates moves so substantially I was in Reception in school; DVDs had only just been invented; and the Windows 95 OS was brand new). We are in a time of persistent uncertainty with a pervading lack of (new) hope on the horizon.

However, the gospel is a message of deep, real hope. On Sunday evening Fi powerfully articulated, using Makaton, the Bible verse of Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” May that be our prayer today – a hope that is worth remembering for ourselves and ‘proclaiming’ on our streets, in our workplaces, amongst friends and across all galaxies…?

Grace and peace

Craig Silcock, Minister for Youth and Young Adults

Alex Aldous will be speaking at the 9am and mid-morning gatherings, and Charles Ruxton will be speaking at the 10.30am Radbrook service. Fi Iddon is at Holy Trinity, Belle Vue at 10.30am. We have reached the end of our series looking at Hebrews 11 and what it is to live “everyday faith” in our lives. This week we reach the start of Hebrews 11 and think about what it means to run the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus.

At the 11am gathering at Meole Brace there will be summer activities for children and youth. Over these weeks Trinity Kids and Pathfinders are invited to come and join us as we go up the bell tower, make and write music together, and have some fun treasure hunts (not necessarily all on the same day!) This will be open to ages 4-14 providing an opportunity for Trinity Kids and Pathfinders to journey together. If there are any Anon members who would like to be involved in supporting the activities please let Cerys and Craig know and we will help you get involved.

Our evening congregation meets 6.15pm for 6.30pm in the Bradbury Hall. Our speaker is Keith Moore.

Thanks so much to those who have come to have ‘fun in the sun’ thus far… It’s been so good to be together.

Coming up soon are:

Young Adult Pizza Night on 30th August is for those aged 18 to 30ish, and will feature log-fired pizzas and great company. Chat to Craig Silcock for more details.

Late Summer Social for 9am congregation takes place at 3pm on Sunday 4th September. Hosted at a home nearby to Meole Brace Church, this will be an afternoon opportunity for cake, tea, and great company. Listen up at the 9am congregation for more details, or contact the Church Office if you would like to know more.

More about Fun in the Sun events – and RSVP

Want to join a group who get together every couple of months to share a meal and “do life” together? Back by popular demand, we’re hoping these groups can begin meeting again, and be ways of drawing in people from across our life at Trinity Churches. Suitable for all ages and ‘stages’, and whether old-timer or newcomer, you’d be very welcome. We’re looking for:

People who would like to be part of a group who meet regularly like this. We’ll put you with some like-minded people, as well as perhaps a few other people you might not yet know. The group ‘host’ will be in touch about what people can bring with them, and we take it from there.
People who are willing to host a group, not necessarily every time but on a ‘rota’ basis with other group members. You aren’t expected to cook everything for everyone, but to help gather people, rejoice in the contributions of others, and be suitably hospitable!

As the autumn begins a morning for Trinity Women to get together. We’ll begin with an American breakfast and time to be with friends old and new. We’ll then have some space to worship and pray, with guest speaker Louise Magowan. We’ll also have opportunities to be quiet, to get creative, and to enjoy being together. We start at 9am, and will finish by 12pm.

More details and sign up

We know we’ve had some ‘gremlins’ with our livestreams in July, so for the August Sundays we are pre-recording a Sunday service which will will go out “as live” on Sunday mornings. This will give our amazing tech team a chance to have a month off, as well as to sort out some of the issues. So for those joining us online please go to Facebook or our website as usual from 11am on Sunday mornings and you’ll find your way to our Sunday online gathering, this week hosted by Phil. The readings and theme of the talk are the same, and the service lasts just over half an hour. If you haven’t joined us online before on a Sunday and would like to do so – whether “live” or on catch-up – then you’re really welcome.

Join us online on Facebook

It still feels like the start of term is a little way off. But as we get ready for a new school term, we would love to find ways of praying for children and young people starting something new on the first Sunday of September. So we’re asking children to bring their ‘school bag’ – or something similar – to church on Sunday 4th September at the 11am service. There will be an encouragement to pray for them as they embark on a new year, whatever pre-school / primary / secondary / university etc might look like for them.

That morning we’ll also be concluding the summer children and youth provision with special activities in the Trinity Centre as part of the service. 11th September is then an all-age celebration, and Sunday 18th will be the first full morning of Trinity Kids and Trinity Youth.