St Peter's Yaxley

…reaching out in love and faith

Seeing the opportunity, not the obstacle

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When this issue lands on your doorstep it’s likely we’ll be approaching, or have just started, Lent.

Lent begins on 6th March; Ash Wednesday. Most people enjoy tucking into their pancakes on Shrove Tuesday but how many of us think about why we celebrate this day, and then go on to participate in Lent?

Lent marks the lead up to Easter. So, what are we really doing when we take part in Lent? As Christians participating in Lent, we are replicating the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert, resisting temptation. It is a time of reflection and preparation.

Traditionally, Lent was a time to give something up, however, in recent years it has been recognised that Lent can be a time to give. Jesus lived a life characterised by His generosity and love, He noticed people’s needs, He gave his time, and ultimately, He gave his life and changed the World.

Campaigns such as #40acts, 40 generous acts in 40 days, recognise that through generosity, we can begin to change lives, in the same way Jesus did! Generosity happens when we see the opportunity not the obstacle, let’s seize these opportunities and see our community thrive further; let’s live the lives Jesus wanted for us.

Lent is concluded in the final week before Easter; Holy Week. At SPC we will be marking this week with four evenings of Meditations led by our Home Groups, taking place Monday to Thursday, from 7.30pm. On Good Friday, we have time for reflection at 11am & 2pm services and our Easter Sunday celebrations will be taking place at our 9am & 11am Holy Communion services. At our 11am service we will be inviting the young people whom have been preparing to receive Holy Communion, to take their first communion with us.

Everyone is invited to all our services and events, to come along and experience the love of Jesus.

God Bless,

Laura

Laura Ashley, St. Peter’s Parish Communications Officer

07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk

The Freedom in Forgiveness

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A recent trip to Rwanda reminded me of the huge power there is in forgiveness.

It is now 25 years since the Rwandan genocide when almost 1 million people were brutally killed in 100 days. The country has moved forward massively since those days as much work was done, and continues to be done, in terms of forgiveness and reconciliation. Families of victims and perpetrators now live side by side, not always without tension and conflict, but there are many amazing stories of forgiveness.

A group from St. Peter’s Church went to Rwanda in 2014 and participated in building a house for one of the widows of the genocide. Remarkably, the land for the house was donated by a neighbour whose family had been killed by the widow’s husband.  How hard that must have been? There are many other examples of forgiveness we could quote but we all know how incredibly hard it is when it becomes personal to us.

There is however, such a release and freedom in being able to forgive and to receive forgiveness.  It is a very healing process and it restores relationships. We all need forgiveness because we all ‘mess up’. The beauty of Easter is that it reminds us that Jesus Christ freely offers us forgiveness, no matter what we have done. The cruel, barbaric death by crucifixion of an innocent man, the Son of God, means He took the punishment for all the wrong that we have done so that we can be set free and our relationship with God can be restored.

The wonderful thing is that the story does not end there and at Easter we celebrate the most significant event in human history, Jesus Christ rising from the dead. Forgiveness liberates us, the Resurrection gives us hope.

We would love for you to join us at St Peter’s this Easter.

Holy Week Meditations: Monday 15th to Wednesday 17th April, 7.30pm Bring & Share Reflective Family Meal: Thursday 18th April, 7.00pm (please book in advance)

Good Friday:      11am All Age Service & 2pm Hour at the Cross

Easter Sunday: 9am Traditional Holy Communion Service & 11am Morning Worship with Holy Communion

God Bless,

Project Update

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This month feels like a good opportunity to update everyone on the planned building works at St. Peter’s Church.

As many of you will be aware the church is planning to include an extra room upstairs, with a servery below. This work will provide additional space in the church and a servery area much more suited to the community’s needs. It will also allow for the addition of two more toilets. If you would like to view the plans, they are currently on display at the back of the church.

At the time of writing, we have received approval for the structural works and have gone out to tender. We are awaiting quotes from five companies which are due back in early February. Following this we will seek ecclesiastical approval from the Diocese and then we can begin to look at dates for the work to commence. Building works will not affect any weddings currently booked into the church.

Talking of weddings, we’d like to wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day and congratulate any couples who have recently got engaged. This month always carries a big focus on love which can stir up a variety of emotions for people; we encourage you to celebrate this day as a reminder of God’s great love for us and ‘Let all that you do, be done with love’ 1 Corinthians 16:14.

If you’ve been thinking of coming along to church recently, we’d like to invite you to one of our services. On Sundays we have services at 9am, 11am and 7pm*; there’s something for everyone, come along, just as you are, and someone will be there to welcome you.
You can find details of all our services, groups and events on our website and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.

God Bless,
St. Peter’s Church

lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk
07939 449255

*Evening services take place on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of the month (3rd Sunday of the month is currently a film night)

Try something new in 2019

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Happy New Year!

It’s that time of year where we are thinking about our new year resolutions; maybe giving up smoking, drinking, chocolate or shopping. These things all focus on giving up something but we can also focus on becoming part of something and in turn helping others.

St. Peter’s Church in partnership with Deafblind Enablement run a monthly informal group, named Impaired Senses, for anyone with sensory loss, which we would like to invite you to. There’s two ways to take part and join in the fun:

If you, or anyone you know is finding it harder to see or hear and would like to join a friendly group for games, raffle, fellowship and refreshments, then please come along and meet us.
Alternatively, you could become a volunteer and join the team from St. Peter’s who provide this community group for the village and surrounding area.

The group takes place, as follows:
Where: St B’s Hall, Main Street, Yaxley, PE7 3LZ
When: 3rd Saturday of the month, 2-4pm
Cost: Nothing but a smile

Our next meeting is Saturday 19th January 2019.

We would love to meet more people and with enough volunteers we are able to assist in transport needs, just let us know your requirements. We even have a summer trip to the seaside for fish and chips! For more information on the group please contact Debbie on 01733 686969 or email debbie@deafblindenablement.co.uk

In addition to this group, we work in partnership with Cambs Deaf Church to provide a Signed Service on the 4th Sunday of the month. We are blessed to have two people attend who sign, and can offer both BSL and SSE. Our next Signed Service is Sunday 27th January 2019, at 11am.

May the year ahead hold many blessings for you.
God Bless

Are you being called to lead and grow our ministry?

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The Bishop of Ely seeks to make an appointment for the post of Vicar to serve in the parish of Yaxley, Cambridgeshire.

Yaxley is a single church parish, with an all-age congregation, in one of the largest villages in the country. With a population of over 10,000, close to the A1 and next to Peterborough, it retains a village community feel, with all the schools, amenities and activities one would hope for.

We are seeking a vicar who is ready for the challenge of developing a fresh approach to our vision.

In particular, we would like our new vicar to:

  • Be energetic and youthful-minded
  • Be Spirit-filled
  • Interact imaginatively and creatively with children
  • Engage in modern worship
  • Have a pastoral heart
  • Have strength of character
  • Engage with people on a personal level
  • Have leadership and organisational skills
  • Be willing and keen to take on new initiatives
  • Have a good sense of humour

What can we offer?

  • A loving and welcoming church family
  • Spiritual and prayerful support
  • An active and supportive PCC led by two experienced churchwardens
  • A proactive and passionate parish communications officer
  • Three retired clergy, a pastoral authorised lay minister (ALM) and occasional preachers
  • Two Youth ALMs in training
  • Volunteer baptism and wedding administrators
  • A host of skilled volunteers involved in all aspects of church life
  • A beautiful heated Grade 1 listed building that we are continuing to adapt to meet the needs of a modern, growing, worshipping community

To enquire, please contact the Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech, Hugh McCurdy:
e. archdeacon.handw@elydiocese.org
t. 01353 652709 or 01353 658404

Click here to download a copy of our Parish Profile.

The Light in the Darkness

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Christmas! One of the first indications we are nearing the big day is the appearance of lights. Fairy lights on trees, lights outside houses, candles in windows, shopping centre lights. Perhaps this all helps to brighten the darkest time of year in Europe.

When we walk into a room, we can’t do anything until we turn on a light. For many this time of year can be difficult. Turning on a light reminds them of relatives or friends no longer present, reminds them that their circumstances are poor, money is tight and the future looks bleak, it reminds them of their loneliness. We are told that loneliness is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Dark days may lead to depression which artificial light makes no difference to.

The wonderful thing about Jesus Christ is that His coming into the world brings light and hope. How is that? God has shown up. In an unexpected place; a country under military occupation where there was poverty and oppression, through unexpected people; an awkward family situation with Mary and Joseph unmarried, a difficult start; to become refugees as they fled to Egypt because of a tyrannical king. Why did God do this? Simply because He thought we were worth it. What other king would give up His throne in order to show Himself to us in human form, would be prepared to be vulnerable and experience life with all its difficulties in order to be with us, would offer us a relationship with Him so that we might not be alone and would give us life and hope?

Jesus IS “Immanuel” which means God with us. He IS “The LIGHT in the darkness” John 1:5. Christmas is not just a “once upon a time” story. No, it is Jesus breaking into the world to save us! “Christ the Saviour is born!”

We would love for you to join us at St. Peter’s this Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ our Saviour. With a range of events and services we hope that you will find community, peace and love amongst our church family, and in Jesus Christ.

God Bless,

#followthestar

Together We Are A Community

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The term community gets used a lot these days but what do we actually mean by community?

In the Bible, God encourages us to take care of one another; through this we ensure a thriving community. Therefore, the idea of community comes from a sense of responsibility that we have for each other.

The community of Yaxley, along with the surrounding villages, have shown overwhelming care for each other through the support of the Yaxley Foodbank over the past year. A staggering 7145kg of food was donated between September 2017 and August 2018. We’ve also recently celebrated the Harvest Festival, where we’ve had fantastic support from the school communities in and around Yaxley.

The donations we receive help many people and families, and we would like to say a big thank you for your generosity in supporting local people in need. We would also like to thank everyone who signpost to Foodbank and all those who volunteer their time to help and be a friend to those in need. It takes a team, a community, to ensure the success of the project.

Without our sense of responsibility to one another, great community projects such as the Community Fridge and the Winter Night Shelter, and St. Peter’s projects like Yaxley Foodbank and Community Sunday, would not succeed. It is through the help and kindness of each other that we are able to improve situations for those less fortunate, and ensure our communities thrive.

Thank you again for your continued support for your community.

If you would like more information on the Yaxley Foodbank, or other community areas God has called St. Peter’s to invest in, please visit www.saintpeters.co.uk/community

Follow St. Peter’s Church on Facebook and Instagram to see updates on the Foodbank’s shopping list.

God Bless

Laura

 

Parish Communications Officer

07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk

 

 

What Alpha Did For Us

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Some members from the last St. Peter’s Alpha course have shared their experience in the hope it may encourage others to attend.

 

“When I joined up to start the Alpha group I honestly didn’t know what to expect, you could say that I was sat on the fence and didn’t have a faith. When I was younger I had gone to some church services, especially around Christmas and I had also been part of a church Youth Group. However, I had only started to go to church regularly in January and at first it was to feel part of a community and I also enjoyed the singing aspect. One thing that I did notice however, was that as soon as I went into church, I felt a sense of calm and peace and during that time I was in the moment.
I had heard Alpha being mentioned a few times during church services and didn’t really give it a second thought until after one Sunday when I had gone for prayer and during that prayer I felt the weight of God trying to push me to my knees. I thought I was imagining this sensation until I mentioned it to others.
So, I then decided to go for the first session of Alpha and in all honesty didn’t think I would attend the others, how wrong was I!! I have found and learnt so much through doing Alpha and have also found my faith. Throughout the course I asked what I thought were silly questions but they weren’t and if I hadn’t have asked I wouldn’t have the knowledge of my faith that I do now. I also shared this experience with my amazing Alpha family. My faith continues to grow every day.
I urge anyone that is thinking about doing Alpha to give it a go, especially if you are sat on the fence like I was.
God Bless”

 

“I had never heard of Alpha before, so when I saw it flash up on the screens at church before service one Sunday, it got my attention. I watched a short video clip on Facebook and it looked interesting. So, I went along to the first session at the vicarage. I felt really nervous as I barely knew anyone at church. I needn’t have worried as by the end of the evening I knew I had just found a lovely group of new friends.
Over the next few weeks we enjoyed watching the DVDs and discussing the topics, as well as sharing personal experiences and great conversations.
My favourite session was The Holy Spirit. A whole morning spent with my ‘Alpha family’ and receiving prayer for the first time, where I experienced the Holy Spirit, will forever be one of my best memories.
Alpha lead me to my confirmation, alongside some of those from our group. Another amazing day I would never have experienced without Alpha.
We now meet once a week and have started our own home group. We have grown so close during our journey through Alpha and are enjoying reading the Bible together and sharing in our love for Jesus.”

 

“I feel I am that kind of person who always have lots of questions with life and also have a lot of passion with life too. During my searching for my answers I have find my favourite job—-Acupuncture Therapist. I experiencing love and understanding love, and the most important of all is that I have find my religion. I really appreciate everyone’s honesty in the group; “easy ” doesn’t appear in grown up’s life, we need faith and bravery to experience life and enjoy life.”

 

“Alpha was something that caught my attention when I was 16 years old; 16 years later I finally got around to going! Even then though, I still needed a lot of nudges. I didn’t think I could fit it in around work and home but after it kept appearing everywhere and was on my mind, I figured God was telling me something and it was time to go. I took the leap and booked on to the course, and invited a friend along for the ride.
The leap was definitely worth it and I needn’t have worried about fitting it in, everything fell into place! Through Alpha I have learnt so much about my faith, I’ve heard different people’s opinions and some beautiful testimonies. Alpha gave me the knowledge and comfort to talk to my non-Christian friends about my faith, in fact it made my faith grow and grow. With knowledge comes a sense of security; this security has given me a new confidence in myself and my faith. It’s made me want to seek more and more knowledge, continually growing and strengthening my faith through further exploration.
It was on Alpha that I had my first encounter with the Holy Spirit. In St. Peter’s one Saturday morning, whilst receiving prayer, I felt a force so powerful it brought me to the ground; it was incredible. Experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit was an emotional experience, and one I am blessed to say has occurred regularly since Alpha.
My journey through Alpha brought something else special into my life; my Alpha family. As the weeks passed the group grew closer together, choosing to share life experiences, comforting and encouraging one another. The friendships built during Alpha are very special and each member of the Alpha family holds a special place in my heart. We still meet every week and have now formed the Post Alpha Home Group, where we continue to learn together and support one another.
Alpha truly blessed me. Even the mention of the name, Alpha, fills me with an excitement and enthusiasm to encourage others to just give it a try. Don’t wait as long as I did, today is as good a day as any.”

Our next Alpha course starts on Wednesday 17th October, 7.30pm, at SPC. We’d love to see you there.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Welcoming the Autumn Changes

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It’s starting to feel like Autumn is approaching. With Autumn comes change; a change in the weather, change in routine for those with children at school and a change in the clocks to name but a few.

Change is definitely upon us at St. Peter’s as we enter a period of time without a vicar; an interregnum. Change is so often deemed as negative and scary; however, the Bible tells us change is good. We, at St. Peter’s, are embracing this change and believe God has a plan for us and we need to allow change to grow us as a church.

The process is already underway to find a replacement for Jon; however, this will take time to ensure we find the right fit for our church. During this time, we’d like to reassure everyone that things will resume as normally as possible. Sunday services will be led by visiting clergy or members of the church and the majority of services will go ahead as scheduled, with the exception of 9am services on 30th September, 21st October, 4th & 11th November and 2nd & 16th December. On the majority of these dates there will be a 9am service at St. Giles in Holme, please check the Notice Sheet for details. We are delighted to confirm that Sparks, our group for 0-4s and their parents/carers, previously led by Jon and Ingrid, will continue to run fortnightly on Friday mornings from 9.30am, with the regular Sparks team in attendance.

At this time, we encourage everyone to pray for what lies ahead for St. Peter’s and for Jon & Ingrid as they move to a new Parish. We regularly hold 24 Hour Prayer events at St. Peter’s and we invite everyone to attend our next event on the 6th October, starting at 9am, where there will be prayer stations to focus our prayer on our church at this time. To book a slot, please click here.

We look forward to seeing you throughout the coming months.

God Bless

Laura

 

Laura Ashley, St. Peter’s Parish Communications Officer

07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk