THANK YOU TWICE OVER
Thank you to everyone who donated to the Christmas Shoebox Appeal so that a child somewhere in the world will receive some wonderful gifts. We took 29 completed boxes to the drop-off point.
And huge thanks to everyone who distributed our Christmas leaflets. Let us pray that people will come along to experience the true story of Christmas.
CHRISTMAS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
The major events of our programme are listed in our blue invitation leaflet, “O come, let us adore Him” – please feel free to give away as many copies as you can to friends and family.
Other things are:
Saturday 14th December at 2pm We are invited to join with Christians from other churches in the area to sing carols at the Urmston Christmas open-air market (near Greenfield Church).
Thursday 19th December at 1pm Come and sing carols at The Toy House in Irlam Road, when we’ll join with the staff and people who use the facilities there.
TITHE DONATIONS
Our ‘tithe’ donations for 2024 The church council (PCC) decided at its last meeting the allocation of the £6,297 that we are giving this year to Christian charities and other recipients, based on one tenth of all we were given in 2023. Our donations are usually split between a UK Christian charity, one working overseas, a personal gift to people in Christian work, and urgent and other needs. This time the first was to “Hope Into Action”, which helps the homeless in the UK by stimulating finance, at the same time putting those who come off the streets in touch with a local Christian congregation; the second was to “Open Doors”, which supports persecuted Christians; the third was to Sarah and Rickie Dodzweit in Uganda; and the fourth was shared by The Toy House in Irlam Road, Manchester Samaritans, and the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen.
LOOKING AT FAITH TOGETHER
“Being With” is a six-week course on Thursday evenings for people new to faith or exploring faith for the first time. The idea is that you think and talk together about being with God, being with a church, and being with other Christians – and everyone’s views can be heard. It will begin on Thursday 9th January at 7.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Davyhulme. For more information, please speak to Reverend Debra.
WORSHIP WITH OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS
On Sunday 19th January at 6pm there is a Mission Community service at All Saints in Stretford, to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Our singing group, along with others, will be there: please come and join with our brothers and sisters from Anglican and other churches.
MOVING FORWARD IN YOUTH WORK
On Wednesday 22nd January, from 7-9pm, there is a meeting at St Clement’s church, Urmston, led by the diocesan youth workers team. Anyone interested in this important area of ministry can attend.
PLEASE NOTE:
On Tuesday 7th January at 2.30pm we have our monthly tea, coffee and chat afternoon in church. It’s a warm space, so come along and join in a good time together. We can share a hot drink and chat. Everyone is welcome.
Thursday Holy Communion services are to be held at St. John’s at 10.30am on 19th December and on 2nd, 16th and 30th January, and at St Michael’s Flixton at 10.15am on 9th and 23rd January.
On Sunday January 12th at 10.30am, our JC Squad re-starts. Please encourage any young folk that you know to attend.
Our evening house groups will re-start on Thursday 16th January, and the group which meets at 2.30pm in church on Thursday 23rd January. Please speak to Rev. Debra about the afternoon one, and to Revs. Rodney Green and Graham Smallman for the evening groups.
FACEBOOK PAGE
St. John’s in Flixton has a Facebook page – search St. John’s Flixton for regular Facebook updates on events and activities taking place in church. Please “like” the page and encourage neighbours, family and friends to do the same to help us grow our followers.
Licensing of Rev Debra Blair as Incumbent of St John's
The Rev Debra Blair was licensed as the Incumbent of St John's Flixton on Sunday 23rd October 2022, in a service at St John's led by the Bishop of Middleton, the Rt. Rev. Mark Davies, and the Archdeacon of Manchester, the Ven. Karen Lund. Guests were welcomed from both our parish and the wider church in our area for this special celebration of a new phase of ministry.
Join the JC Squad!
'The J C Squad' is the new name for our Sunday School, and it runs at 10.30am during morning service. Children rejoin their parents in church at the end of the main service and often share with the whole congregation something of what they've been doing that day.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2024 was held on Sunday 16th April. The Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2023 are available here. The Churchwardens' Report is available here. The Deanery Synod Report is available here.