Weekly Email w/b 6th September 2021
I’ve been to a couple of ‘commissioning’ services this week when vicars begin a new role. They’re pretty grand occasions, and not without stresses when you’re the one responsible for organising them which I was for one of them. There’s normally whole load of dressing up and of pomp and ceremony, with the new vicar making some big promises and then the Bishop praying for them. Two in a week has felt a bit excessive, though they can be encouraging occasions!
I’ve found myself thinking what that sort of commissioning would be like for everyone in the life of the Church, and not just new vicars. A year five child at the beginning of a new year at school? A builder at the start of a new contract? A manager starting a restructuring process? A mother soon to have a baby? A new small group about to begin? A member of our church family soon to start a journey of cancer treatment? Someone soon to begin retirement? Each one of these speaks about new beginnings, of challenges ahead, of our need for God’s grace through the good times and the tough times.
Perhaps we should try it? There’d be a whole load less pomp and ceremony, but each commissioning would be a reminder of what I hope God is doing here at Trinity. “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” (Romans 12) The God of new beginnings wants to be constantly at work in us and through us. Everyone. Everywhere. Everyday. In everything.
Grace and peace
Phil Cansdale
Vicar of Trinity Churches and Area Dean of Shrewsbury
The next Alpha Course begins on Wednesday 6th October 2021, from 7.30pm to 9.15pm. We’re excited to be meeting “in person” in the Trinity Centre again. We’ll be starting each week with some food together (usually puddings, but a larger meal first and last weeks).
Given all that we have lived with over the last 18 months there has never been a more important time to be checking out some of the big issues of life. Would you come and join us? And bring people with you as well?
Alpha is an informal and relaxed course designed to help you explore the big issues we all think about and discover the basics of the Christian faith. Each evening includes a chance to get to know other people, a short talk, and discussion at the end where you can share your thoughts.
Register for the Autumn Alpha Course
Saturday 9th October, 12pm to 3pm, sees a welcome return of our annual Apple Day featuring Cloisters Cafe, great food, apple pressing, games, crafts etc. We’ll be meeting outdoors in the courtyard and on the Glebe Field.
Over that weekend there is also a scarecrow trail taking place across the local area. If you would like to host a scarecrow in your garden and you live in Meole please contact the Church Office.
Sunday 12th September sees our gatherings take place at 9am and 11am at Holy Trinity Church. Come and join us, we’d love to welcome you. The 11am is an all-age gathering, hosted by Fi and our new Children & Families Minister Cerys.
A reminder as well that Sunday 19th September sees the addition of our 9.30am monthly celebration in Radbrook Green. Taking place in the Community Centre there, it’s part of our ongoing witness and mission in that part of the parish. Look out, also, for a couple of events in October which we hope will bring CTK people together for fellowship, prayer and a chance to help shape our life there in the future.
We remain online on Sundays as well, this week with both the 9am and 11am gatherings being available via Facebook. (“Trinity Churches Shrewsbury”) We are trialling a new approach where we are no longer asking people to “book in” or let us know they are coming. We are continuing to ask people to wear face coverings and are enabling you to be able to keep physical distance from others.
Find out more about our services
This Sunday sees the first full week of an autumn series looking at what are called “HOLY HABITS.” We’ll be hearing of the way the early church is described in Acts chapter 2. What does it look like when the wind of God’s spirit is at work in God’s people? We’ll be exploring some of the foundational aspects of our life together, which feel all the more important and timely in this season of our COVID journey.
Find out more about HOLY HABITS
Six o’clock live returns on Monday 13th September at 6pm, and will be taking place at that time Monday to Friday evenings. We’re hoping to be using some of the HOLY HABITS material, particularly reflecting on the gift of fellowship. Whether you’re an old-timer, or looking to kick-start a new habit, we’d love you to join us.
CLOISTERS CAFE remains open on Tuesdays and Thursdays till the end of September. We open our doors at 10am, and close at 1pm. For October – as the weather gets a bit cooler – it looks like we’re going to be meeting only on Tuesdays, and the cafe space will be heading indoors to the back of Holy Trinity Church. Whether you’ve been a regular or not yet found your way there yet, we’d love to see you.
And Cafe Connect is open 9am to 4pm Mondays to Fridays, plus Saturday mornings. What possible excuse is there not to be drinking great coffee, and coming to these two cafe spaces where you’ll not only find good drinks and great snacks available but also a listening ear and a prayerful presence.
We’re on the lookout again for new team members to get involved in these two projects. Contact the Church Office if you’d like to find out more.
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