Nigel suggests that you read this article on the Church in Exile by Carl Trueman: The Church in Exile
Final reports are now here!
The St John’s Safeguarding Policy Document and Maintenance Report are also available
Safeguarding at St Johns April 2015
APCM Agenda now available
If anyone has any points for Any Other Business, that are not already covered in the Agenda, please email them to the Office before the meeting’s commencement. See you all there.APCM & Vestry Agendas
Sunday 29th March 2015
Don’t forget that the clocks go forward this weekend
We lose an hour, so don’t turn up to the morning service(s) late
See you there – and on time!
Are you making the most of Sunday?
What to do before…
1. Get there early
Life is busy. And complicated. And whilst some of us find it easy to be punctual, let’s be honest, many of us don’t. Turning up late is, of course, better than not turning up at all, but better still is getting to church early enough to welcome others. Such occasions sound like miracles, but they do happen. Try it. It’s hard to get the children out of the house at any time of day. Many of us know this. It’s also hard to walk away from a Sunday afternoon with friends or to get up off the sofa whilst watching the sport. But when visitors arrive to find nobody here to welcome them, it doesn’t create a great impression!
2. Say hello to people
We enjoy catching up with friends at church. It’s part of our life together. But we also want to have an eye for newcomers. We want to give them space (some may prefer to sit at the back or on their own to begin with) but we also want to introduce ourselves so that they feel comfortable with us and know what’s going on. This is especially helpful when people come with children and want the reassurance of knowing where the crèche is and what provision is made for children. Genuine, relaxed hospitality breaks a lot of preconceptions. And it’s often what brings people back.
And don’t worry if you forget names. We all do. Ask people again in a friendly way.
3. Think about where you sit
To make the most of the formal part of our gathering, it’s worth thinking about where you’re going to sit. You may have children in with you for part of the service, in which case you’ll want to think about where’s best for them to sit in order to engage with what’s happening at the front. Or you may have guests with you, in which case you might want to sit near friends so you can introduce them. Or you may see a visitor or a family you don’t know, in which case choosing to sit with them so that you can say “hello” and welcome them is a great thing to do. It may not seem like a big deal, but if we come to church thinking about how to serve others, then thinking about where we sit and who we sit with is a sensible thing to do.
4. Pray for what is about to happen
Let’s begin with praising God for his grace, then let’s pray for all of us, that our hearts will be receptive to God’s Spirit as he speaks to us through God’s word. Pray for the preacher, the musicians, and others involved in leading the service: that God will be glorified through them and that our faith in him will be strengthened. And pray for conversations afterwards, that they would be helpful for building each other up. So often when we pray for God’s help we find we go home having had one or two really significant conversations.
What to do during…
1. Listen actively
Listen carefully to what God is saying to us in his word. Think carefully about what you are hearing and what you might need to change in your life as you respond to God’s word. People ‘in the pews’ also have an enormous impact on those who are teaching and leading. Communication is always a two-way process. Eye contact, body language and other basic responses make a big difference to the sense of engagement during the service. Our active listening will also infect others with enthusiasm for God’s word, just as our fidgeting or lack of engagement will distract them. Unbelievers amongst us will also pick up that these ideas are worth listening to if they see rows of regulars tuned in, soaking up the Bible and taking notes.
2. Sing with ‘heart’
Singing is a chance for us to praise God for who he is, what he has done and what he is now teaching us, and for declaring what it is we believe. We sing because our God and his salvation are too wonderful just to talk about. The way we sing is a demonstration of our heart’s devotion to God, both for God’s sake, and for the sake of others who will be encouraged to see us abandoning our inhibitions for the sake of praising God. It doesn’t matter whether we are good or bad at singing, or whether or not we raise our hands or close our eyes. What matters is the heart.
And while we’re on the topic of volume, let’s hear ‘AMEN’ loud and clear. You do agree with the prayers, and earnestly wish for God to answer them, don’t you?
3. Get with the programme
At a church like St John’s there’s a lot going on. That means we always have plenty to cover in our Noticesheet – guest events, away days, social engagement ministries – and lots more. Many of these need your practical help and many of them simply need to find their way in to your diary. If one of you is busy in crèche or helping with the children’s work that doesn’t always happen! We can serve one another by engaging with what’s coming up over the next few weeks, by talking to others about it (enthusiasm is usually contagious) and by encouraging people to join us at a particular event. Rather than being consumers who browse the menu for what’s on offer we can behave like brothers and sisters who support family events.
4. Look for ways you can help
‘One body, many parts,’ means we all have a part to play. Which means if something needs doing, don’t always leave it to someone else! This might involve logistics (shifting chairs, closing doors, clearing up the mess) but more often than not it will involve people. That’s where we most need to be on the ball. If a baby is crying and mum & dad aren’t sure whether to step outside or where to go, we can help them. If a new family don’t look very sure of what’s happening or don’t have anyone to talk to, go and say hello – and introduce them to others. Whatever it is, don’t just leave it to someone else.
What to do after…
1. Talk about God’s word
Beware of the ‘hairdresser’s conversation’ – the kind of one-to-one discussion that is mechanical, superficial and empty. Many of us are uncomfortable starting up ‘spiritual’ conversations. We shouldn’t be, but we are. If we get the ball rolling, however, others will pick it up. Asking “what did you think of the sermon?” is a good place to start. You can ask that of anyone, regardless of how long they’ve been at church or what they might think about the Christian faith. You can then add, “wasn’t that a great point about…” and the conversation flows from there. When something’s grabbed your heart it’s a good thing to share it!
This kind of conversation is very normal amongst Christians who have come to church to build each other up. We want to be about more than just coffee and polite conversation on Sundays. We want to ask about more than simply ‘how was your weekend?’ And talking about God’s word is a good place to start. Give it a go! Our conversations can be as much an opportunity for ‘Bible ministry’ as the sermon.
2. Pray with others
Use the time after the service to meet people, ask about their concerns and pray with them. This may look a bit odd to newcomers at first – pairs of bowed heads all around the building – but they will know that we love each other, that we take the Christian life seriously and that we trust God’s providence. As a general rule, it’s usually a good idea to pray with someone and as a church it would be great to turn more of our conversations in to prayer each week. Why not try it?
Ask if you would like to chat and pray with someone. This might simply be in response to an encouragement from the previous week or something in the sermon, or it may be about a particular issue for which prayer and counselling from one of the pastors would be appropriate.
3. Engage with newcomers
Newcomers tend to leave fairly quickly so we need to move fast by identifying visitors and introducing ourselves to them immediately after the service ends. This is everyone’s responsibility. It’s about being intentional: make sure newcomers are welcomed properly by you and by your friends, and maybe introduce them to one of the staff. Ask them if there is any particular information they would find helpful to have (crèche, toddlers, Pathfinders, Homegroups, giving etc). Think of what happens when you ask where the asparagus is in the supermarket: you are taken to it. So take them to someone who knows. You may have to postpone catching up with friends until after the newcomers have been cared for, but this is part of serving others.
4. Encourage others
If you can, hang around afterwards to encourage others, whether in deep conversation or just through being a good friend. Perhaps pray each week that God will direct you to one person for a conversation that will encourage them. Of course, we have busy lives and lots of responsibilities. And children only add to that. And of course there will be Sundays when we simply cannot hang around for long afterwards. But let’s try to be people who serve by hanging around for the good of others, rather than consumers who drift in late and slip off early – dipping in and out only when it suits us.
The more we grasp this, the more we’ll enjoy it, because the biggest encouragements in the Christian life usually come in the form of people – which means spending time together.
Adapted from material produced by Dundonald Church, Wimbledon – with thanks!
We’re going back!
This Sunday – the 26th October – will be our first service back in our newly-reordered building.
We do hope you’ll be able to join us at either the 8:45, 10:15 or 18:30 service. If you come for the 10:15, please do stay on afterwards for shared lunch.
Whichever service you go to, don’t forget the clocks go back this weekend!
Perfumania – 8th September
What is Perfumania?
An evening of fun, fellowship, and fragrance; with the goal of drawing friends into the church. Enjoy a party with a girls’ night atmosphere, where we will learn about (and sample) perfumes. There is a cost of £10 per person.
Why the fee?
The ten pounds will pay for the speaker, and to cover food and drink and decoration expenses. Leftover monies, if any, will be given to the church.
Must one purchase a perfume; and will it be a hard sell?
Based on several of our experiences at similar events, and from being in his store as a customer, the answer is No. Peter Murray will be delighted to talk with you and facilitate a purchase should you want help. Otherwise, come and enjoy his entertaining expose of perfumes.
Will there be an Evangelical Talk?
No, this event is meant to be a very comfortable opportunity for us to bring our non-Christian friends. We will open with a prayer of blessing, and a short personal story that ties in the allurement of aromas and welcome them to St John’s.
Who do I speak to if I want to come along?
Please contact the church office for more information!
Ladies’ Book Club
St John’s Ladies Book Club will meet on Saturday 20th September at 7:00pm so please put this date in your diaries! We will be discussing the first two books of The Mark Of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers. They are ‘ A Voice in the Wind’ and ‘An Echo in the Darkness’. The venue has yet to be confirmed.
A Jewish Christian teenager Hadassah is captured at the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD and is taken to Rome to be sold as a slave. A pagan chieftan Atretes is captured in Germany and taken to Rome to train as a gladiator. The lives of Hadassah and Artretes intertwine with those of the family that Hadassah serves. Each person has to face up to who they are and what they believe in. This story shows how the Lord works through those faithful to Him, even in the darkness that was decadent Rome at that time. A story of His grace and mercy, also of love, forgiveness and redemption.
You can buy the trilogy from 10ofthose.com ( Christian booksellers in Leyland ) – or from Amazon, or Kindle. A few sets will be available to borrow, so if you’re interested, then please get in touch via the office.
Important Notice about Crosslinks Annual Meeting
NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE BELOW:
Fearless Evangelism, Bold Partnership
Archbishop Emmanuel Egbunu
The Crosslinks Annual Meeting – Knutsford
Speakers
Emmanuel Egbunu (possibly via video – tbc) – Fearless Evangelism
Alan Purser – Bold Partnership
Andy Lines – Crosslinks Annual Report
Alan Purser – Bold Partnership
Andy Lines – Crosslinks Annual Report
(NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE!)
The events will be held at St John’s Toft, Toft Road, Knutsford, Cheshire
(A link to the Toft webpage can be found here, and a map is included at the foot of this page.)
(A link to the Toft webpage can be found here, and a map is included at the foot of this page.)
Archbishop Emmanuel Egbunu, Archbishop of Lokoja, Nigeria, is flying to the UK especially to be with us for the Crosslinks Annual Meeting. He will be talking about fearless evangelism in Nigeria. Alan Purser will be encouraging us to stay in bold partnership with people like Emanuel and Andy will be summing up the year for Crosslinks and looking ahead.
Please book your free place online here.
Timetable for the day:
3pm Garden Party
Meet mission partners and Crosslinks supporters over refreshments in the garden
4pm Speakers
Egbunu Archbishop of Lokoja, Nigeria – Fearless Evangelism
Alan Purser – Bold Partnership
Andy Lines – Crosslinks Annual Report
Alan Purser – Bold Partnership
Andy Lines – Crosslinks Annual Report
5.20pm Close
6.30pm St John’s Knutsford evening service, to which we are all invited!
North West Partnership bible training for 2014-2015
Learn how to handle the bible and contribute that knowledge within local church ministries.
Daytime training courses from September: Liverpool on Tuesdays, and Leyland on Thursdays.
For anyone who has previously done a Training Course and would like to build on their knowledge:
2nd year daytime course in Leyland on Thursdays.
Prices for daytime – £550 thereafter. (£50 off if booked before June £30).
Evening Training Courses in Leyland on Mondays –
Running over two extended terms, prices are £300 before the 30th June, £330 thereafter.
More info., FAQ’s and booking at: http://northwestpartnership.com/training/why-we-do-it
or e-mail: info@northwestpartnership.com / Telephone 0151 703 1873.
If you are considering training, and would like to know about others from St Johns who may be doing that – please be in touch with Richard Reeve (e-mail: rbreeve@macace.net ).
Easter service times
Building Delay
Whilst we still await formal notification of the programme for the completion of Phase 1, the persistence of moisture in the floor now means we cannot expect to be back in the church building for Easter. With the contractors on holiday w/c 21 April, the reopening celebration service with David Gibb has also been postponed. This is disappointing to us all, but there is no question of anyone taking the risk to lay an expensive wooden floor in the wrong environmental conditions.
When we have the contractor’s ‘programme to completion’, we will be able to say which other milestones are achievable, but it is very possible we’ll miss the Civic Service, and even the Mission Supper/weekend. We’ll need to wait and see.
Do continue to pray that the floor will dry out, and then with it we can recover some certainty in our planning. Until then, we’ll learn patience for God’s good timing!
APCM
Our upcoming Annual Parochial Church Meeting is on the 7th April 2014. In preparation, you may be interested in reading the following documents:
Service Survey 2014
This Sunday (February 9th) we distributed a new survey to discover all of our church families’ hidden (and not so hidden) talents. If you did not get a copy, then they are also available to download from here or from our Facebook page. I would be most grateful if you could take these away, consider them carefully, fill them out, and return to me. Please contact me in the Office for any assistance, though I think it is fairly self explanatory. Please return by the beginning of March.
BREAKING NEWS … Window relocation approved!
What a tremendous answer to prayer today! Against the Officers’ recommendation – this almost never happens – the Committee a few minutes’ ago voted to APPROVE our application to relocate the windows!
We are so thankful to God that the vision for the building reordering is going ahead intact and as our architects have designed it.
More news to follow on Sunday…
Reordering update 2
More news from the site!
The inside is now a forest of scaffolding holding up a deck to enable the architects and specialist restoration subcontractors to get a close look at the ceilings. It seems it is not as bad as we feared, but there are still substantial areas of plastering to undertake. Once that’s complete, the painting of the ceiling will get underway. The contractors have allowed a ‘window’ of four weeks to do this, so we pray that they can manage it.
There is another short video here. You might notice that the Narthex wall has now gone..!
(Pictured: Carl working out how the chandelier is suspended from the ceiling rose, 8m above the nave.)
Operation Christmas Child
We’re encouraging everyone at St Johns to get involved with creating a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. It’s easy to do and so very worthwhile. This is not just a project that children and families can get involved in. Everyone – single, old and young alike – can fill a shoebox for this appeal.
To download the form with further details, click here.
Gift Day announcement
This notice relates to the church’s general fund – the finances which pay for the day to day running of St Johns (and not the re-ordering of the church building). It was explained at each of the services on the 22nd September and is reprinted here for the benefit of those who were not able to be at the service.
1. At the start of this year, when we had to plan financially for the year ahead, we recognised that in order to continue with all the ministries and activities we are already involved in, we would have to spend more than we expected to receive in income through the course of the year – these predictions were based on income and spending in the previous year.
2. We planned to make up the difference in expected income and spending by having a Gift Day later in the year –and this was presented to the church at the APCM – annual church meeting in April – hence the Gift Day announced here!
3. The amount that we need to raise this year through the giving of the church is at least £30,000. As our minister, Nigel, made clear in his sermon last week, this is something we all need to be a part of, by giving as much as we are able.
4. In many ways £30,000 is a small amount for a congregation of our size (and wealth) – so we are confident that we will be able to raise this amount with the generous giving of God’s people in this place – but we will only be able to raise this amount if we all play our part and give according to our ability. Certainly we could look to share the burden between us evenly – so for example, if we looked to raise the £30,000 from 100 households represented in the regular congregations – that would mean £300 per household. Clearly that would not be realistic, as we are not all able to give the same amount, but that is ok as many of us can give more.
5. So, please consider prayerfully over the coming week(s) what you are able to give, remembering that all we have, we have because of God’s gracious provision. Let us give generously and sacrificially.
6. You can do so, during the week, or you could bring your contribution to church on Sunday. You can give by cash, cheque or direct transfer.
Cheques payable to St John’s Knutsford PCC
Bank details for BACS payments are: Sort Code 20-53-77 and Account Number 50278548
If you are a tax payer, and you pay sufficient tax to be able to gift aid your donation, please do so, as it means we can get an extra 25% of your donation back from the government. Gift aid forms are available to download below and at each of our services or from the church office.
Gift Aid declaration: download here
If perhaps you are not in a position to give immediately, but you may be able to do so over the next month or so, then please would you make that known to Barry Chidlow, our treasurer, Nigel or one of the wardens.
6. We looking forward to being able to report that we have raised the £30,000 we need and even exceeded it so that the financial start to next year is much better. And finally, it would be good if we would all re-assess our giving – if you are not giving regularly perhaps you would consider doing so; if you are already giving please re-consider what you are giving – is it a fairly arbitrary figure, or does it truly represent all that you can give? Ideally we could do with increasing our regular giving so that we do not need to rely on appeals like this to keep operating as a church.
We are really excited about the opportunity we all have to give to the service of God in this place and beyond – and to see how God will use each one of us to provide for our finances at this time!
New Christianity Explored course
We’re pleased to let you know the details of our new Christianity Explored course. Christianity Explored is a great way to get to hear the basics of the Christian faith in a welcoming environment.
You can find out more about the course at the Christianity Explored website: http://www.christianityexplored.org/
Our course starts on Thursday 18th April and runs every Thursday through to the 6th June from 8:00pm to 9:30pm at the Vicarage. There will be a break for half term.
For more information, please contact the church office.
Real Lives weekend update
We’ve had a wonderful few days as we have enjoyed sharing the gospel with our town at our recent Real Lives events this weekend. Thursday evening was a moving account of Robin Oake’s ability to forgive his son’s killer; Friday evening saw an entertaining concert from Freddie Kofi (with help from students at Knutsford High!) and last night, Fiona Castle battled through the snow to join us to share how her faith impacts her life.
This evening, sports presenter Dan Walker is joining us for a sold out event where he will be sharing how his faith has impacted his work in the media.
Spare tickets may be available on the door but please note that this is not guaranteed, due to the popularity of tonight’s guest.
Electoral roll
Every six years all members of Church Electoral Rolls throughout the country have to reapply to join a new Roll. By being on the Electoral Roll, you are indicating your wish to be a full voting member of a Church of England Parish Church, thereby ensuring that you are able to play your part in the life of that Church. Specifically you will be qualified to attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting, where the elections take place for the PCC and the Deanery Synod.
It is important that you realise that no names will be carried over from the old roll, and therefore, should you wish to be included on the new roll, you must fill in a new form which can be downloaded from these links. One form is for Toft Church, one is for Knutsford.
The deadline for the return of these forms is 17th March 2013, after which the new Roll will be closed to further applications until after the Annual Parochial Church Meeting at Toft on April 21st, and at Knutsford on April 22nd. It is worth highlighting that the size of the Electoral Roll determines the number of orthodox representation on the Deanery Synod, so do think positively about sending your forms back.
The Way Ahead – email updates
Over the next few months, lots of things are changing as we take up temporary residence at the Lower School base of Knutsford Academy.
To keep up to date with all the latest changes, do visit back here regularly – or for even more up-to-date notifications, send a message to visionforgrowth@virginmedia.com to be added to our email list.
Real Lives Festival – joint mission event with Knutsford Methodist Church
Join us for our joint mission event with Knutsford Methodist Church on the 21st – 24th March, 2013.
Speaker – Paul Hinton (all events) with special guests Robin Oake (Thurs 21st), Fiona Castle (Sat 23rd), Dan Walker (Sun 24th) – all events 7.30pm at Knutsford Methodist Church.
Paul Hinton
Paul Hinton, who will be overseeing and speaking at all three events, is a Yorkshireman who lives near Leeds, with his wife Fiona and four children. He is the Pastor of Moorside Church and an evangelist speaking in Churches and Universities around the UK.
Fiona Castle
Fiona Castle was born in the Wirral and, at the age of nine, went to a boarding school in Surrey to study dance and theatre arts. She worked in the theatre as a dancer and singer for seven years before marrying Roy Castle, who was, at that time, a well-known entertainer. They were married for 31 years before Roy died of lung cancer in 1994.
They had four children. Daniel is a teacher. Julia worked in the shanty towns of Lima in Peru for 12 years, teaching disadvantaged women skills in order for them to earn a living. Antonia works as a floor manager for television, and Benjamin is a professional musician. She has three grandchildren.
Fiona has written a number of books, including five anthologies of prose and poems, autobiographies and a book on coping with cancer. More recently she has written a book for Global Care, about some of the places where she has worked, on their behalf, in many different countries. She had a regular weekly slot on Premier Radio for five years.
Much of Fiona’s time is spent travelling around this country, sharing her story at evangelistic events; speaking at charity events for Hospices, Cancer Research UK Rotary and various church events. She has run the London Marathon twice for Oasis Trust, for which she is a patron, for the first time in 2001 and probably for the last time in 2005! She is also President of Activate; an organisation which encourages Christian women to take God’s love into the community, through a wide variety of low-key, friendly events, and seminars, encouraging Christian women in evangelism. She was given an OBE for her work with Global Care and other charities, in 2004.
Robin Oake
Robin Oake is a former Chief Constable, having served as a police officer in London, Bramshill, Greater Manchester, Miami, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. He is father of murdered Special Branch police officer, Stephen Oake, whose death was one of the biggest shocks to policing in the UK, and was called “an appalling tragedy” by the Head of Scotland Yard’s Anti-Terrorist Branch. But even in the depths of a parent’s loss, Robin had insights that could help him in his grief and allow him to face up to the tragedy. How could Robin’s faith help him not only to bear the loss of a son but also to forgive his murderer?
Dan Walker
Dan Walker presents the BBC’s Saturday lunchtime football show, Football Focus. He also co-presents The Open championship, hosted Songs Of Praise earlier this year and appeared on A Question Of Sport, Celebrity Mastermind and various radio and television shows.
Service arrangements during building works
We have prepared a PDF document which provides more information about the services we run and how they will be while we are out of the church for the building works.
You can download it here.
The 10:15 service has relocated to Knutsford Academy Lower School Building. Children’s and young people’s groups will continue as normal within the Lower School Building. Parking is available on the Lower and Upper School grounds. There is a drop-off point for the elderly at the Lower School.
If you are able to leave your car at home and walk or share a lift this would be appreciated. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before the service starts for a prompt start. Access will be through the main front entrance to the Lower School Building. Refreshments will be served as usual at the end of the service.