From the Associate Vicar

Have you ever been to the evening service? Let me tell you about it if you have not been. The aim of the evening service is to give space for worshipping God in a relaxed environment, time to hear the word of God applied to our lives and an atmosphere to grow in Holiness as a community of faith. The evening service is an ideal service for both those who are relatively new to faith and people wanting to deepen their faith and love of God. This service is also ideal for anyone who struggles to get to church on a Sunday morning – whether you do not like mornings, have family sport or other commitments - this service is a great opportunity to spend quality time with God in a busy schedule.

On the first Sunday of the month our Youth Group take the lead of the service – expect a game, upbeat worship and honest leading and praying.

On the fourth Sunday of the month, we will share communion within the service.

Why not give it a try or suggest it to someone who might enjoy coming along!

Revd Roland Slade

From the Youth Minister

Although we are still waiting and praying for an open door into one of the local high schools, there have been many encouragements in our youth ministry.

Abide, our Sunday evening youth fellowship, has been seeing great numbers and great levels of engagement with the teaching and activities. I hope and pray that this continues!

I have also had the joy of starting a few youth growth groups. Each group meets together once a fortnight to study Scripture and pray together.

Football has been as energetic and competitive as always!

Finally, we have many signed up for House Party 2023. It is looking to be a fantastic 5 days filled with games, worship and teaching!

Cam Catto

From the Children's Minister

Whilst sitting eating leftover treats from Christmas and thinking about the new Sunday morning sermon series, being a devoted church, I was reminded of how often food or drink plays a central role in our lives with others and how it was central in Jesus’ life too.  We see Jesus eating with various people, performing miracles, using parties in His parables and much more. 

In our children’s groups each week, we share our news, thanksgivings and prayer requests, as we have a drink and a biscuit.  It’s a time we build relationship and learn how we can support one another in prayer.  This is something I see mirrored at Toddlers too.

Toddlers is currently flourishing, not only in the practical way we are serving our community but spiritually too.  We have seen three families request baptisms and someone sign up to Alpha in the last month alone.  The conversations we have over snack time are invaluable as they give opportunity for us to build relationship, offer support and gain insight as to how to pray for people.  We long to see more of this but need help to do it.

We’re currently short of volunteers to help make and serve the snacks and so aren’t able to make the most of the opportunities for conversations that God is giving us. If you are able to support us by occasionally coming to make teas and coffees and wash up afterwards, then we would really value your help.  If you aren’t able to help then I encourage you to think and pray about who you could show hospitality to instead?  Who could you get to know better, support and pray for by sharing food or a drink with?

Rosie Blackett

From the Operations Manager

After a very welcome Christmas and New Year break the office is (almost) back to full strength!

We have hit the ground running in 2023; supporting the preparations for Alpha, dealing with a number of large scale funerals, undertaking regular maintenance as well as some minor repairs, planning ahead for Lent, Holy Week and Easter, preparing for interviews for the Church Administrator at the end of this month and getting back into the routine of Sundays. In the coming months you will also see activity inside Church as we upgrade the lighting, and outside as we look at additional notice boards to share the great news of our activities in Church and the community.

We are blessed with a large staff and clergy team and, as we start the year with a full complement, we are excited to explore how we can come together to support the flourishing of All Saints Ecclesall.

Stephanie Osman

From the Curate

As we settle into the start of the new year, this week our Alpha courses begin. It is a wonderful opportunity to invite those we know to begin a journey of exploration to discover, as the magi did of old, the baby born to be the Saviour of the world. Who would you like to invite, and bring along?

Alpha begins this Wednesday, with dinner at 7:30pm, and Thursday afternoons, with a crèche, beginning with coffee and cakes at 1:00pm. We will meet in the church, and there will be a short Alpha film, with plenty of time to ask questions, discuss, and hear from others.

Whether you are coming with someone you have invited on Alpha, or are in the process of working out what you think about faith, Alpha is the ideal way for you and others to find out more. To sign up, please email alpha@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk by the end of Tuesday evening.

May we all join together in praying that the light of Christ would shine brightly in this season of Epiphany – in us, and in the lives of those who come on Alpha.

Simon Oatridge

From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

Our verse for the year “Behold I set before you an open door…..” Revelation 3:8

A whole new year stretches before us. Perhaps this is a classic cup half-full approach to life, but there is something surely timely about the turning of a New Year to reflect upon some new things that God would wish to do in our midst. I am personally grateful to have had a chance to share a Christmas with you, and with those on the team who will hopefully have enjoyed their first of many.

We will be hoping to establish some united plans to mobilise us all to walk through the open doors of God’s choosing, and there is surely much to build upon. Seventy members volunteered their time and talents in November, our monthly evening youth service is now a real highlight and fixture, a visitation to local shops and outlets is something to build upon and increase our emerging community links, and I with others are full of trust and hope for our Alpha courses. You too will sense and hear the Spirit’s voice for us all – do let us know if there is an opening that the Lord is creating for us? We cannot give permission for everything but there is one voice amongst many we would wish to hear and unite around – that is the Lord’s voice himself – see I set before you an open door!

Allie joins me in wish you God’s blessing strength and grace for the New Year.

The Revd Canon Mark Brown

From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

“Lo within the manger lies he who made the starry skies”

Happy Christmas and happy carol singing on Christmas day and its surrounding days of celebration. We should rejoice that carols are sung in churches, in the open air and in local pubs! Worth too singing them in our hearts. Whilst we might not think of ourselves as theologians, carols contain some of the loftiest and most profound theologies; a baby that has flung stars into space, or looking down into a cattle trough and you can also look up and see the stars made by God himself. Sound too good to be true, perhaps it sounds more like fantasy and a land of fairies? At the heart of our Christian faith is a mind blowing and mind numbing reality that God himself has taken the initiative and come to be with us. All he asks is that we look, think, ponder, reflect and then have courage to sing of this reality. A reality that will always be true and will never go away because God was made flesh in Jesus. We can live and indeed will for evermore because of Christmas day. This is the real meaning of Christmas and the real source of happiness in life. Sing, pray and live a life that says Glory to God in the highest because of Jesus!

Have a lovely Christmas season of celebration and find with others its true heart. God has come amongst us and is always for us in Jesus.

The Revd Canon Mark Brown.

From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

“Only connect” One of E M Forster’s great lines! At Christmas time, we are reminded that a lot more people (three times as many) will wish to connect with the established Christian Church in our country. Whilst recent census figures might grab attention seeking media discussion the reality behind the figures is that many still connect with Christian values, the heritage of Christian faith and the prayers of many believing Christians in our community.

The challenge of us is that when people connect with us, what will they find? Let us pray and work together that when we host our many carol services, people find a welcome that is Christ centred, singing that is filled with Christ’s joy and teaching that is filled with the grace and truth that is in Jesus for all.

I and the staff team are very grateful to our many volunteers who behind the scenes enable our Church to function so well during these days of austerity and challenge. Thank you to you all.

“Open our eyes Lord we want to see Jesus” as we pray this for ourselves so we pray that through friendship, concern and invitation ( yes do use Alpha! ) that others too will find Christ. Then a real connection for life and eternity will be made.

Yours in His service

Mark Brown