From the Associate Vicar

Through December, we are surrounded by lights casting out the gloom. They are a necessity when you can wake up in complete darkness but they also bring their own sense of joy.  Strings of fairy lights and shop window displays try to put a bright spin on a gloomy (and apparently foggy) season. 

In Luke 8 it says – “no one who lights a lamp would hide it in a jar or under their bed, they would put it on a stand to get the best effect!” This Christmas lets share the wonderful light of Jesus with those around us.  We have a light that we want to share but it is our decision how we present this light and put it in a place that shines everywhere. 

Don’t forget to invite your friends and neighbours to the great Christmas events happening through December and Alpha in January. 

Roland Slade.

From the Curate

Alpha in 2023 – Who will you pray for? Who will you invite?

In the next few weeks, over a thousand people will walk through our church doors to attend Christmas Carol services. This will include family members, friends, neighbours, and work colleagues who don’t normally come to church. At the start of 2023, we want to provide an opportunity for every guest who comes over the Christmas season to explore life, faith, and meaning.

This is why we are beginning Alpha in January. Alpha is a 10-week course exploring the Christian faith in a relaxed and friendly environment. Each session begins with food and a short film about an aspect of Christianity. There’s plenty of time to discuss, ask questions, and listen to others. It’s a free and fun way for people of any background or belief to explore the good news of Jesus. We are offering Alpha at two different times, in the hope that more guests will be able to come. The idea is that you come along, with those you have invited, on whichever Alpha is most suitable in the new year. Roland is leading Alpha on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-10:00pm from 11th January, and Simon is leading a daytime Alpha on Thursday afternoons, 1:00-3:00 from 12th January.

At all services today we are encouraging the whole church to pray for God to be at work in those we know, so that they may come to know him. Please be praying for three people you would like to invite on Alpha and come to faith.

If you would like to help out at either course, by leading a discussion group, being part of the hospitality team, or helping with the administration, please email simon.oatridge@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk

If you are in the process of working out what you think about faith, Alpha is the ideal way to find out more. To sign up to one of the courses please email alpha@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk

May God use us all to help others find God for themselves.

Simon Oatridge

From the Wardens

December will soon be with us along with anticipation of Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. As we move into Advent, there are some wonderful services to look forward to. This comes at a time when we have been blessed with an influx of new and enthusiastic clergy who are now adding their support to our vicar, Mark and our children’s minister, Rosie.

Following the success of Stewardship Sunday, we also have additional volunteers, including extra welcomers for the Sunday Service Teams. The churchyard team has gained some extra recruits, as well as hospitality, and in the church office. However, we really need additional help with the sound desk and visuals.

Church attendances are definitely increasing, and it was great to see a congregation of over 350 at the 10:45am Remembrance Service earlier this month. The Christmas services will also be busier, but we encourage the Church Family to invite friends, neighbours and family to come along and be part of our Christian celebrations.

 Alison, Richard and Sue.

From the Safeguarding Officer

Protecting vulnerable people is at the heart of the Christian message of justice and hope.

Safeguarding vulnerable people is a fundamental aspect of our Christian faith. God calls us to protect the weak (James 1:27), speak up for those whose voices are not heard (Proverbs 31:8), follow Jesus’ example of servant leadership (Luke 22:26), and pursue God’s heart for justice for all (Micah 6:8). We are invited to join God’s mission to bring healing to the broken hearted, restore justice, and offer freedom and light where there is pain and darkness.

Churches across the land should therefore be places where we can worship, learn, and be together free from the fear of harm. Sadly, this has not always been the case. However, thanks to the hard work and courage of many Christians across denominations, things are changing for the better. 

Sunday 20th November is ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ a time for us as church family to reflect upon our collective responsibilities to ensure that All Saints is a safe, welcoming community where everyone can thrive.

So, what does safeguarding mean for us at All Saints? Importantly, we need to ensure that our children, young people and adults who could be considered vulnerable are protected from harm. To this end, all volunteers who serve these groups, PCC members and our staff team have undertaken safeguarding training. Our ministry team, wardens and myself, as Parish Safeguarding Officer, have completed advanced leadership training in safeguarding. We undertake rigorous recruitment of both staff and volunteers, including DBS checks, before they can work with children and vulnerable adults. We also have safeguarding policies providing guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults, and responding well to people who have been victims of domestic abuse – copies of which are on the Safeguarding Notice Board in the Welcome area.

However, it is not just our ministry team, volunteers and staff who carry the responsibility for safeguarding – as a church family, we all have safeguarding responsibilities. This means looking out for each other and seeking to protect those at risk. It also means raising any safeguarding concerns, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem, with myself as Safeguarding Officer or one of the ministry team so that we can take appropriate steps to ensure the wellbeing of those at risk. 

As mentioned above, God calls us as His people to protect the weak, speak up for those whose voices are not heard and pursue His heart for justice.  As we mark Safeguarding Sunday, let us all recommit to serving Him and our church family in this way.

If you would like to speak further about safeguarding, do please make contact with me after a Sunday service, via email or through the church office.

Kate Gerrish

Parish Safeguarding Officer

kate.gerrish@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk

From the Curate

“We will remember them.”

On Sunday, we honour the memory of all the service men and women who have lost their life in war, and remember the ultimate sacrifice they have made. As a parish, we remember the 32 commonwealth war graves that lie within our churchyard. For many amongst us, there will be the painful and personal remembrance of loved ones we have lost because of war. This year, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, we lament the continuing violence in our world, even as we pray for peace.

In a world of wars, and rumours of wars, Christians are called to ‘remember Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 2.8), the one who made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down his life for us, that we might enjoy peace with God. As we remember with gratitude those who have given their life for us, let us also remember God’s love for a broken and war-torn world. Let us pray that the Prince of Peace will bring peace to our lives, and world. And let us look forward to the day when Christ returns, and all conflict, war, sorrow, and pain will pass away.

Simon Oatridge

From the Youth Minister

Please consider helping

It is a new and exciting time for the youth ministry at All Saints. Abide, the Sunday evening youth group, has a fun, relaxed and God focused atmosphere. However, we need some more help. The parent volunteers give generously out of their busy lives and are wonderful assets to the team but the team must grow in order to be sustainable. Please prayerfully consider whether this would be an area of church life you would like to get involved with and join the pleasure of journeying with the youth in our church family.

We are also imminently starting some encounter groups, youth discipleship growth groups. If you love Jesus and have time and desire to support our young people on their personal journey of faith then this could be something you could support. This would involve becoming a part of one of these encounter groups every fortnight with the youth minister and committing to pray for the young people in the group between the meetings. 

If you are interested or you have any questions please get in touch! 

Cameron Catto

From the Associate Vicar

As the evenings grow darker and the Autumn colours start to fade, we have two special services this week.  We have All Saints Day, the festival that named our church and we also have our Memorial Service when we remember loved ones who are no longer with us.

Historically these festivals have been on consecutive days with All Saints and All Souls Days.  They pair together the reality of the life and some of the season around us.  All Saints Day celebrates the truth that those who believe in Jesus are made Holy through faith and here on earth join in the eternal worship in heaven.  Traditionally on All Souls and for us this Sunday at our Memorial Service we acknowledge our sadness of loss that friends and family have gone before us and we miss them. 

All Saints Day and the Memorial Service bring together the two sides of Christian hope.  We joyfully worship with the church worldwide and throughout history. We also admit that we miss those who have gone before us into glory.  Both of these are held equally in our lives as we live both joyful but also lamenting hope in the goodness of God.

Rev Roland Slade

From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

Bible Sunday will be marked at all services this coming Sunday and it is a healthy reminder to thank God for our written scriptures and the guide they are for faith and life. Western society, its art and its literature are steeped in the Biblical narratives. It was always a fascination to me to be approached by students in higher education studying English literature or Art and to be asked for an overview or introduction to basic biblical theology.

Sadly, much in contemporary life and in education has drifted seemingly imperceptibly way from Biblical truth so that when the stories that undergird much of our English literature or Art come to be studied it is the Bible that needs to be read as a background. We thank God that there are bibles in our churches and places where we sit, may they be read, taught, understood and lived. May we be those that find through the written word that the Living word Himself, Jesus Christ will be with us.

Do pray for those who preach and teach week by week and our many small groups who study the scriptures in people’s homes. (I shall be meeting with the leaders of these groups with Roland on November 3rd 7:30pm in church, please come if you share in leadership in anyway)

I commend our memorial service next week at 3pm to your prayers that our visitors will find comfort through our prayers and scriptural reflections.

I commend to you all our prayer meeting Thursday November 24th 7:30pm to which I am inviting our many leaders for a conversation about how we can work together with renewed focus as our new team brings ideas and a commitment to support you in your various roles and ministries

I am grateful for your partnership in the ministry and especially for your active response to stewardship Sunday. Join me please in spreading the word around that many can respond and be involved.

Yours in Christ

Mark Brown