Church News – October 2024

Welcome to the Newsletter for October.  We  are happy to announce that Sr Kate will be taking our service on 20th October.  It is the first time she has ‘gone solo’ so please come along to encourage her and hear what she has to say.

The Congregation Council Meeting will be held following Sr Kate’s service and is held to report on the finances and events of the past twelve months, and for people to have their say on any items they  may feel worthy of comment.  To that end, if you wish any item(s) be added to the discussions during this meeting, would you please let me know soon, so that I can post  the Agenda in the church on 6th October, giving us two weeks notice, as required by the Book of Order.

We are also happy that Br David Howarth will be taking our Holy Communion Service on 6th and Sr Lesley Benedek of Royton will be with us on 13th. 

We are grateful for everyone who has been taking our services since our interregnum and hope that you are enjoying  these different ways of worship.

The results of our Questionnaire

We are grateful to everyone who completed the Questionnaire in July.  The analysis from our answers has  now been returned to us and its conclusions will  be discussed with us all at some point in the near future.  Please listen for an announcement as to when this will happen.

With God’s blessings,

Sue Selby

Learn to ‘wait well’ for things

‘My future is in Your hands…’

In her helpful book, When, God, When?  Joyce Meyer writes: “God has taught me to keep living the life I now have, while I am waiting for the things that are in my heart to come to pass. We can become so intent on trying to birth the next things that we neither enjoy nor take care of the things at hand. I had a vision from God ten years before I began to see it fulfilled. During those years, I believe I missed a lot of joy trying to give it birth outside of God’s timing.”

Learn to enjoy where you are, while you’re waiting to get to where you want to be. After all, all your life you will spend more time waiting that you will receiving. And when you receive what you’re waiting for now – you’ll begin waiting for something else. That’s life! If we don’t learn to ‘wait well’, we’ll live with endless frustration. 

Waiting well is what will deliver our dream. Listen: “in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9). “Due season” is when God knows we’re ready, not when we think we are.  He has set appointments to accomplish certain things in our life, so we might as well settle down and wait patiently, because that’s when it will happen – and not before. 

God knows what you need, He knows when you need it and He knows how to get it to you. All He asks you to do is trust Him.  

Prayer for October 2024

Lord, as we move into autumn and the month of October, the normal seasonal changes are all around us, the beautiful colours, the falling leaves, the cooler days. And that is reassuring.

But, so much else in our world is changing so rapidly, often in ways we don’t understand. And that can be worrying.

Thank you that You never change. You are always the same, faithful, present and loving.  And You tell us in Your Word, not to be anxious about anything, but to bring all things to You in prayer and to trust You. When we do this, You promise us Your Peace – a peace of heart that steadies us and helps us move forward.

Thank you that whatever comes, we are secure in You, when we put our trust in Jesus.  In His name, we pray. Amen.

By Daphne Kitching