Weekly Notices



WEEKLY NOTICES Sunday 25 August 2019 at 10.30am † Worship led by Mrs C Royce Lectionary: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 13:10-17; Hebrews 12:18-29 Prayer ministry: Rm3 after service THIS WEEK Coffee Morning - Thursday 29th August 9.30am - 11.30am C.A.M.E.O. (Come And Meet Each Other) - Friday 30th August 2pm - 4.30pm OTHER NOTICES Neil’s welcome service in Grimsby Sunday 1 September Stephen is taking a mini bus to Neil's welcome service and there are currently 6 spare places on it. Anyone interested in going should contact Stephen, either by email or phone. It will be a first come first reserved basis and cost will be shared between all passengers. We will be back well in time for Ann Lett's welcome service at Zion. Rev. Ann Lett’s welcome service at Zion Sunday 1 September 3pm A Circuit Communion Service to welcome Ann to Boston, followed by a faith tea (bring some food to share!) The Service will also include the 'welcome' of the Rev. Julie Doddrell as Circuit Superintendent and will be led by our Chair of District, Rev. Bruce Thompson. Everyone is welcome! ‘Holiday @ Home’ from Tuesday 3 September ‘Holiday @ Home’ will have a Scottish theme this year. Tuesday 3 September to Thursday 5 September. Please put the dates in your diaries and invite your friends and neighbours along. Programmes are now ready. Please take one and one for a friend or neighbour that you would like to invite. Zion Church Open Week Monday 14 October to Saturday 19 October The Church is to hold an 'Open Week', beginning on Monday 14 October and ending on Saturday 19 October. During that time the church will be open each day between the hours of 9am and 6pm. The public will be invited to come into the church to talk with church members about the life of the church (or indeed any other topic!); explore the church, its hall and meeting rooms; sit quietly in the church; or to find out about the (both religious and community) activities which take place in the church. We intend also to mount a display of the history of Zion. Regular activities that take place in the church will be unaffected. We previously held an 'Open Week' in October 2017 as a response to research which showed that an interest in Christianity was often initiated simply by visiting a church. We also felt that the church ought to be open as much as possible to the general public. However, to have the Church open for six days, we will need volunteers! It is proposed that, as in 2017, each of the six days is split into 3 blocks of 3 hour shifts, and at least 2 volunteers will be needed for each shift. So please begin to consider how you will be able to support this initiative, and welcome the public into our church. You may find this a good opportunity for your own prayer, quiet reflection or reading! Over the coming weeks a rota will appear on the white board near the church entrance. So please be ready to sign up for a session (or 2!). If you have any questions or suggestions, please direct them to Stuart B. Chapel Histories The Church Open Week is to be supported by a display of Zion church history, but including references to the closure of chapels near Boston, especially where some of the worshippers transferred to Zion. So if you have any photographs or information about chapels such as Hubberts Bridge, Holland Fen or Fosdyke, please speak to Stuart B or Ann F. Zion Christmas Fayre Saturday 30 November A helpers list will be going up no later than 11 August. Please speak to Elaine or Lyn if you are able to help and/or if you would like to know more. Methodist Prayer Handbook Inspired by the Methodist Church’s call to worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism, this prayer handbook focuses on ‘responding to the gospel’. It explores how we can respond through prayer and action. Please let Barbara know if you wish her to order you a copy of the new Methodist Prayer Handbook. The cost will be £3.50. Collection Box holders Would collection box holders (World Mission Fund, Mission in Britain Fund and JMA) please let Barbara have the boxes for emptying as soon as possible. Thank you! Andy & Michelle Andy & Michelle would like to thank Zion for the offer of financial support and prayers for Andy’s pastoral work in Malaysia. Their thank you card is on the noticeboard in the coffee lounge. They are looking forward to visiting us in September. Please remember them in your prayers. In particular, please pray for Godliness in life, especially in caring for baby Isla; wisdom in time management; and skill and clarity in teaching. Open Doors: One down, two to go… A few weeks ago, the Foreign Office released a report on what the UK government is doing to support persecuted Christians around the world. This is such a unique opportunity for change: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/advocacy-190731/ Since then, thousands of supporters have emailed their MP to prioritise Open Doors’ three requests of the UK government. These would enable the UK to be a beacon of hope for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities. Wonderfully, one of these requests has already been actualised! Lord Ahmad has been re-appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief. Email your MP today, asking them to support Open Doors’ two remaining requests of the new Prime Minister… NOTICES FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS Choose Childhood Action for Children are launching their Choose Childhood report (https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/support-for-children-and-families/choose-childhood-policy-report) and campaign to mark their 150th anniversary. Every child deserves a safe and happy childhood. Yet, there are too many children in care and more children are being identified as at risk. Join them in urging the government to commit to a national plan for children now. https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/how-to-help/support-our-campaigns/choose-childhood Volunteer for 3Generate Around 1,200 young people will be attending this year’s 3Generate, the Methodist Children and Youth Assembly, taking place in Southport over the weekend 22-24 November. To ensure 3Generate’s continued success, organisers are looking to recruit extra volunteers. Find out more here: https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/news/latest-news/all-news/3generate-the-annual-event-for-methodist-children-and-young-people-wants-you Brexit discussions The Westminster Parliament continues to struggle with the Brexit process. Like no other issue of our time, Brexit has divided our politics, our society and our communities. The coming days and months harbour uncertainty and even fear. We know that faithful Methodists hold a spectrum of views on Brexit, as they do on many other issues that shape our country and world. We do not minimise the challenge of responding to this hugely emotive issue. Yet we believe that, as Christians, we are bound to one another in Christ, whatever our differences. And we are called serve to our communities even, perhaps especially, in these troubling times. Churches around the country have been providing safe spaces of welcome, reflection and conversation. Places where name-calling and abuse are not acceptable, but where differing views can be heard. Offering such a gift of welcome to our communities is not always easy. We hold each other in prayer as we try to serve others at this time. We also pray for the politicians and civil servants, in this country and in the EU, who are at the centre of this storm and must make important decisions. We pray for those with whom we disagree as much as those who share our personal views. While we may feel at sea, blown about by a chaotic political process, we believe that we have an assurance that flows from the faithfulness of God. And therefore we can offer love, practice compassion and speak justice to the communities we serve. *Rev Michaela Youngson, President of the Methodist Conference* *Mr Bala Gnanapragasam, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference* Men’s Breakfast at Hospital Bridge 9am † No meeting in August † 28 September: David Boberton (Scams) † 26 October: Roger Welberry (Lincolnshire Dialogue) † 30 November: David Parkinson (Singing) † No meeting in December Please confirm attendance with Malcolm S.

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