News from the Pews

Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ. Happy New Year and welcome to 2022. I hope you were able to have some special family time during this Christmas season.

As we begin this new year 2022, we take time to reflect on the challenges experienced in 2021, and in particular, our continuous effort of coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. As I write, the government has given a warning about a new Covid variant of huge international concern.  So, we know that the new year, 2022, probably will not be that different to 2021 in health terms. But let us start this new year by reflecting on what God has done for us here at St Andrew’s and in our community, giving thanks to God for protecting us throughout 2021 and pray for a better year 2022.

In 2 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 3-4, St Paul offered this prayer of thanksgiving:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God”.

God is the source of comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. Doing this, we can patiently endure the same things we suffer.  The last two years have been a difficult year for many of us from family bereavements, financial issues, illnesses (including Covid-19 shielding) and challenging personal circumstances. Throughout all these God has been faithful to us and has helped us.

In the time of profound suffering that the pandemic has brought, and in all times of trial and suffering that we go through, God is with us always, even when we are forced to wait and endure. There is no suffering that cannot be healed and we know this because of the suffering Jesus himself went through before the resurrection. Are we willing to hold on to this great truth, while looking back on our story of suffering?

Despite all the negativity surrounding the COVID 19 pandemic, we have also witnessed many positive things coming out of it. Suffering changes who we are. Unless we take time to consider the way in which we have been changed by what we have gone through, we will miss an opportunity to grow in the wisdom of God and find the peace that such a relationship might bring.

Many of us think that when God comforts us, our troubles should disappear permanently.  But if that were always so, we would turn to God only out of a desire to be relieved of pain, not out of love for him.  We must understand that being comforted can also mean receiving encouragement, strength, and hope to deal with our troubles.  The more we suffer, the more comfort God gives us.

As a Christian community, we journey together sharing each other’s pain. We recognise and celebrate our accomplishments as a community and we give thanks to God for them.

January in the UK is a tough month for many of us as the Christmas celebrations end and the realisation that we still have the long dark Winter ahead of us. However, our celebration continues into Epiphany and preparation for Lent.

In the next eight weeks, let us take a healing journey together.

In the soil, there are uncountable seeds waiting in the darkness of the soil as it waits patiently for the sun to warm the earth giving it energy to break out and bring forth green leaves into the light when spring arrives.

Let us think of the journey as the growth of a seed in the soil waiting through what this year will bring and asking God to help us grow into the light and be part of a Spring full of hope. God calls us to live the resurrection hope no matter what we are going through.

Let us begin by preparing the soil and travel together on these well trodden spiritual paths that lead from darkness into light as we seek to live the love of Christ and make him known and visible to the world.

We don’t know what awaits us this year 2022 as we continue to live under the dark shadow of the Covid19 pandemic and with an uncertain time coming out of it, but we can be thankful for the gift of each new day, of good health, of friendship, the gift of our family, the gift of our community and the gift of a new year, 2022.

I wish you all a happy, prosperous and rewarding New Year 2022.

God’s blessing and Grace always

Reverend Olasupo Ogunyinka.

Team Vicar and Parish Priest of Bruntcliffe

 

 

PRAYER LIST

In your daily prayers please remember the following members of our Congregation:     

Clive Taylor, Jean Spruce, Avril Rowling, Joyce Wheelwright, Derek and Kath Sidebottom and Roger Clarkson.

Let us continue to pray for all those who have lost loved ones to Coronavirus.

Caring for Life

NHS Staff and all Key Workers in the UK and worldwide.

 

 

 

 

NOTICE BOARD

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022

 

 

 

Saturday 1 January

10.00am

New Years’ Service in Church

Sunday 2 January

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

Tuesday 4 January

01:00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 5 January

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 9 January

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

 

06.30pm

Evensong in Church

Tuesday 11 January

01:00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 12 January

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 16 January

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

Tuesday 18 January

01:00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

 

07.00pm

Prayer Fellowship in Church

Wednesday 19 January

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 23 January

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

Tuesday 25 January

01:00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 26 January

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 30 January

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

 

06.00pm

Songs of Praise in Church

Tuesday 1 February

01.00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 2 February

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 6 February

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

Tuesday 8 February

01.00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 9 February

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 13 February

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

 

06.30pm

Evensong in Church

Tuesday 15 February

01.00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

 

07.00pm

Prayer Fellowship in Church

Wednesday 16 February

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 20 February

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

Tuesday 22 February

01.00pm

Bible Study in the Hall

Wednesday 23 February

09.30am

Holy Communion in Church

Sunday 27 February

10.00am

Holy Communion in Church

 

06.00pm

Songs of Praise in Church

 

On behalf of all PCC members, I wish you a…

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2022

 

God’s Blessing and Grace always.

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