St Peter's Yaxley

…reaching out in love and faith

Give Thanks & Encouragement

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On May 9th I had the great privilege to be involved in a service at St. Giles, Holme at which Lance Bombardier William Barrington, Bill, was presented with the Legion d’Honneur.

Bill was awarded this honour for his involvement in the D Day Landings in Normandy in June 1944. If you live in Holme or Conington you can read more about this award in last month’s Holme Parish News. I’ve known Bill for several years and he is a warm and inspirational character.

As I drove home across the fen after the service it occurred to me that 74 years was a long time to wait to be thanked. Now, I’m certain that Bill didn’t do what he did in Normandy (and indeed elsewhere in WWII) in order to be thanked. However, it did feel to me like a good reminder of the importance of thanking those around us who make a positive impact on our lives.

I heard a Christian speaker ask recently how one could tell if someone needed encouragement. “It’s straightforward,” was his response: “if someone is breathing they need encouragement!” In other words, we all need to be thanked and encouraged – Christians, those of other faiths and those of none. May I suggest that as you read the rest of this article you give some thought to who you might say “thank you” to today? This simple act will make a real impact on the person / people you thank.

If you enjoy folk music may I extend a welcome to you to a concert which is being held at St. Peter’s at 7.30pm on Friday June 8th as part of the Oundle International Festival. The concert is being given by TEYR and tickets can be purchased at www.oundlefestival.savoysystems.co.uk

You are all very welcome to join us at St. Giles, St. Peter’s and indeed other local churches as we thank God for all that he has done for us.

With my prayers,

Jon
Jon Randall (Vicar) 07939 449255; vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Together Let’s Build A Community

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This year saw my first experience of Community Sunday and I’m proud to have been part of it.

Arriving in church it was great to see so many adults and children, all in their ‘work clothes’, chatting about what the day may have in store. Some people had even researched how to correctly perform their assigned jobs, now that’s dedication (and also leads me to wonder what we did before Google and You Tube!). Before heading out to our jobs we joined in prayer for everyone involved in the day and also for those who were unable to help.

Armed with a bucket and paintbrush, our team headed out together in search of the fence that needed freshening up. The homeowner was20180513_123739 very grateful to have us there; she clearly took a lot of pride in her garden with various pots of blooming flowers and plants. Painting was something she was no longer able to do, so I was honoured to be able to do this for her. The first task was getting into the paint! Those containers are rather tricky to master but after a blood blister and paint splatter, we were in (who knew that first paint splatter would be the first of many)! Throughout the day we received visitors with gifts of bacon sandwiches and paintbrushes which were greatly received, the tips of how to paint were not, but did provide us with some giggles.

Upon admiring our finished fence, we felt we had more to give. We discussed what else we could do and with permission from the householder, we expanded our brief and painted another two fences. Still not happy that our work was complete and with a bucket of paint left, we once again spoke to the householder who agreed we could also paint her shed! When we left the garden, it was totally transformed and we had one very happy homeowner; it felt fantastic! The day had been a great way to get to know those in my team, and what better way than spilling paint on one another; a good ice breaker if ever you need one! The team worked in very different ways, we had the ‘slap it on the fence’ approach, the ‘fine detailer’, the ‘master shed painter’ and the ‘tidy upper’. We complimented one another perfectly. This was my first experience of painting a fence and despite being paranoid about spilling the paint all over this lovely lady’s garden, I thoroughly enjoyed it due to the company of my team.

20180513_133117The expanding of our brief meant we were the last ones to return to St. Peter’s and so unfortunately, we missed all the other teams returning. It did mean that we got to eat the leftover sandwiches and cakes and we were still served a well earnt cuppa. I also missed the Barbeque, due to family illness. I would have loved to hear all the stories from the day and will definitely be there next year.

I’d like to say thank you to Andy for organising the day; a great deal of time and preparation goes into this event, before, during and after. This day helps many people in different ways; help with jobs that people cannot carry out alone, company for those who may not see anyone at weekends, the church family get a chance to know one another a little better and who knows, for the people we meet and those they tell about us, this day may play a small part in their journey to exploring their faith and ultimately finding Jesus!

It shouldn’t go without saying a big thank you to everyone who took part; whether that be physically on the day, or by making referrals, providing food, taking photos or supplying tools and encouragement. We had 62 volunteers on the day; 39 adults and 10 children out on jobs and 11 support staff. Together we helped build a community, something we should all feel very proud of.

If you have any photos or experiences of Community Sunday you would like to share, please get in touch with me.

God Bless.
Laura Ashley (PCO) 07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk

My Time With Mothers’ Union

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As part of a new series of website articles I will be visiting the different groups within St. Peter’s. I hope in doing this I will get to know as many of you as possible and together we can let everyone know what you do and how they can get involved.

My first visit was to Mothers’ Union. Upon arriving at church, I was greeted with a hymn book (Yes, St. Peter’s do still have hymn books!) and I took my seat within the circle. Irene Porter led us in prayer and briefly discussed “business”. MU had recently lost a member, she was remembered compassionately and her funeral flowers were with us in remembrance. Irene spoke of a donation that was to be made to MU from the family and ways the money could be used; possibly to help children suffering bereavements. It was then that I realised how lucky I was to be part of a group of wonderful women who want to make a difference in people’s lives, through the work they do in Mothers’ Union.

We sang a hymn and also enjoyed trying to master the classic ‘In an English Country Garden’. Giggles were a plenty as we tried to squeeze in all the lyrics and by the last verse (there were a fair few) we were beginning to master it. It was after the singing that I learnt where the organ was in St. Peter’s; that secret staircase had baffled me for years!

Ros Wright was visiting the MU to talk about ‘The Christian Meaning of Garden Flowers’. Ros guidePassion Flowerd us through the plants in our gardens and spoke of how we can relate these to events and people in the Bible. Did you know that over 100 plants are mentioned in the Bible? The flower that most stood out to me was the Passion Flower, also known as “Espina de Christo” – Christ’s Thorns. Each part of the flower holds symbolic meaning; the 3 stigma represent the 3 nails that held Jesus to the cross and the 5 anthers are the 5 sacred wounds. The tendrils of flower resemble the whippings and the filaments depict the crown of thorns. When I was a child I used to find the Passion Flower a scary looking plant, now I will see it in a very different light; it is a reminder of how much Jesus loves me!

Following the talk, we had tea and biscuits. I was happily surprised to see we were having tea in cups and saucers, something I am very fond of! Chatter amongst members ensued and I was made to feel welcome and met some truly encouraging individuals.

The following Tuesday, I attended MU: Engage. Engage is a much more informal gathering and is a chance for women to get together for fellowship, prayer and advice. We enjoyed a cup of tea (once again in the lovely cups and saucers) and delicious cake. Once we’d all had a catch up, we ventured upstairs to the cosy upper room of the Church. Irene led us in discussion; this week’s topic was about Dash Cams and Sat Navs. We spoke about our preferences and quickly conversation turned towards our own life experiences.

Sitting amongst everyone, I knew I was sat amongst friends. Everyone was open, kind and understanding. There were so many years of knowledge in one room and everyone wanted to help one another in any struggles that they may be facing. Their compassion for one another was beautiful. Mothers’ Union surpassed any preconceived expectations I had and despite being somewhat younger than the regular attendees I still felt very much at home.

I would like to thank everyone at Mothers’ Union for making me feel welcome; I’ve made new friends and experienced first hand what a fun, caring group you are. I will see you all again soon!

If you are interested in attending Mothers’ Union or would like more information, please speak with Irene. You do not need to be a member or mother to attend; everyone is welcome. To see the amazing work that Mothers’ Union do, visit www.mothersunion.org

Mothers’ Union meet:

Alternate Tuesdays for MU: Engage, 10:00-11:30am, at SPC.  The next MU: Engage is taking place on Tuesday 22nd May 2018.

The next monthly meeting at St. Peter’s is on Thursday 21st June 2018, at 1.30pm.

The Mothers’ Union are hosting a Teddy Bears Picnic for parents with Pre-schoolers on Thursday 17th May, at 12:00pm. All food is generously provided by the MU.

If you would like me to visit your group or event, please contact me to discuss details.                                         Laura Ashley (PCO) 07939 449255, lauraashley@saintpeters.co.uk

Lightning Conductors Installed at St. Peter’s Kabahire, Rwanda

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Back in March in Kigali, Rwanda, lightning struck a Seventh-Day Adventist Church during the morning service.

Unfortunately, the Church, like many others in Rwanda, did not have lightning conductors and 16 people were killed, with a further 140 injured.

Lightning strikes resulting in fatalities and injuries are common in Rwanda. In 2016, 30 people were killed and 61 injured in lightning strikes (as recorded by Rwanda’s Ministry of Disaster Management).

As a result of the frequent lightning strikes that take place in Rwanda, the Rwandan Government have been closing down Churches throughout the country, who do not have lightning conductors installed.

Our partner church, St. Peter’s Kabahire, in Rwanda, did not have the money to fund the procurement of the lightning conductors and was subsequently faced with closure. We are delighted to announce that we have been able to send the money to Kabahire to fund this project. The lightning conductors have now been installed and the Church is able to remain open.

Mission Possible have expressed their thanks to St. Peter’s for supporting this mini programme.

Annual Church Report 2017-18

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There is much to celebrate as we look back on 2017. 

In August we said goodbye to Mark, Becci, Josie and Ethan after just two years with us. Whilst this was a shorter period than we initially expected, the role which Mark left us for fits perfectly with his gifts and passions. I would like to record my thanks to Mark and the rest of the family for everything which they contributed to life and ministry at St. Peter’s and beyond while they were with us.

There is much to celebrate as we look back on 2017. It seems to me that hardly a Sunday goes by when we are not privileged to welcome someone new to the 11am service.  The 9am and 7pm Sunday services continue at similar levels to previous years.
Our outreach to those who we don’t generally see on a Sunday continues to grow and several of these initiatives are detailed elsewhere in the report. Food Bank has continued to serve those in need and early signs are that 2018 will be the busiest year yet. We have run various CAP money courses during the year. SPARKS, our group for 0-4 year olds and their parents / carers on a Friday morning continues to thrive. We regularly have 40-50 children and those looking after them at each session.

During the sermon series on Revelation I invited both individuals and groups to write the letter that they believed Jesus would write to the church of St. Peter’s today. My thanks to those of you who chose to engage with this process and to spend time prayerfully reflecting on what Jesus would say to us as a church. These letters were shared with the church family in February (2018) at a “Vision Morning”. From the letters and the discussions, we have a basis for re-casting our vision as a church for the future. A key challenge for 2018 will be to find the strategy to implement our vision, and to seek to ensure that everyone plays their part in building God’s Kingdom.

Read the Full Report.

Jon Randall (Vicar) 01733 240339; vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Young people taking a lead in mission

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Mission Academy Live_logoThe Talking Jesus research found that one in six of young people wanted to know more when a Christian friend talked to them about Jesus.

In response, the HOPE Revolution Mission Academy Live groups are encouraged to pray for six friends, asking God for opportunities to talk about Jesus with them.

One girl from St. Peter’s Church in the Cambridgeshire village of Yaxley, near Peterborough, is part of a Mission Academy Live group. She has been praying for six of her friends and invited them to a Neon-Glo Party, staged as part of the Mission Academy initiative.

Mission Academy Live is series of 10 innovative, video-based sessions. Each session provides teaching, with time for discussion and testimony in small groups. The focus is on peer to peer evangelism, all leading to a practical response in today’s context. As well as meeting as small groups in villages, towns and cities, they are encouraged to join a Regional Hub.

Regional Hubs are bringing Mission Academy Live groups together for large-scale evangelistic events in 2018. These events – youth fun days, Neon Glo parties, a worship outreach service, or a celebration event – offer the opportunity to celebrate all that God has been doing through the small groups, whilst also providing a large-scale evangelistic event for the young people to invite their six friends.

The Peterborough Hub held a Neon Glo Party in March with music, dancing, and crazy activities, with a guest DJ, glow bar, inflatables, football cage, performances, games, an inspirational message and more.

The girl from St Peter’s Church, Yaxley is part of a group led by Suzanne Delegate, from the church. Suzanne says, “In October we went to the Soul Survivor evening at Kingsgate Community Church in Peterborough, where I heard about Mission Academy Live.”

She signed up and downloaded the six Mission Academy Live films.

“I wanted to share them with our older group” she says. “Unfortunately, most of them were doing exams. So I prayed really hard, as I knew that these films would be so good for our kids. I approached our Vicar and suggested that I do a stand-alone, 10 week session, once a fortnight for our year 7-9s.”

Suzanne led the group with two other leaders. She was thrilled at the response: “The first session I had six young people around a kitchen table sharing hot chocolate and homemade cookies.”

“The feedback from the parents the following Sunday was amazing.”

One parent said that it wasn’t really something that would interest her daughter, but after the group she said: “I don’t know what Suzanne did, but whatever it was she has captured the attention of my daughter. She couldn’t stop talking about the evening.”

Suzanne says, “I only showed the first film and talked about it. Thanks to Mission Academy I have captured the attention of seven young people.”

Pete Skivington, the Youth and Children’s Pastor at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham, Norfolk, has also been using the Mission Academy Live videos. The groups of three or four watch a video each week, discuss it and pray for their friends, asking God for opportunities to share faith with them.

“The majority of them are needing confidence to talk about their faith,” Pete says. “We have found it really beneficial. You can run it with just a handful of young people. They encourage each other and they are encouraged to know they are part of something bigger up and down the country.”

Roy Crowne, HOPE’s Executive Director says, “Mission Academy Live is ideal for village churches. Three or four young people can watch the videos together and can pray for their friends. The Regional Hubs can organise larger events, which serve the local church with an event individual congregations couldn’t manage.”

To find out more about Mission Academy Live, click here.

A noble spirit ’embiggens’ the smallest man

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Many of you will know that I am a big fan of The Simpsons. Well, the other day I read that a word made up by the writers in 1996 has entered the American dictionary. The word is ‘embiggen’ and means ‘to make bigger’!

It’s used in the motto of Springfield, the town where the Simpsons live. The motto is “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man”.

We’ve just commemorated Jesus’ death and celebrated his resurrection at the first Easter. Just before he died, Jesus told his friends that it was in their best interests that he returned to heaven. That was because when Jesus returned to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples and all who believe in Jesus. Why? In order to ‘embiggen’ them and us. One of the many great privileges of believing and trusting in Jesus is that we are embiggened by God’s Holy Spirit. To re-state the Springfield motto: “The Holy Spirit embiggens the smallest person”. However small we might feel, we are able to act powerfully when we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit.

If you would like to find out more about the God who both loves us and embiggens us, you would be very welcome to attend the Alpha course which starts at St. Peter’s this month. Alpha is an opportunity for you to ask your questions and to explore the basics of the Christian faith. The weekly course is free and starts at 7.30pm on Thursday April 12th. If you would like more details, please contact me using the details below.

You might have read (page 5 of March’s Gazette) that Rev John Harper is running this month’s London Marathon in order to raise funds for Christian Aid. Details of how to sponsor John are in that Gazette article. We pray that God would embiggen John and everyone else running the marathon to raise funds for charities.

With my prayers,

Jon Randall (Vicar) 07939 449255; vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Read this article in the Yaxley Gazette.

You’re hired – Parish Communications Officer

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St. Peter’s Church, Yaxley are thrilled to announce the appointment of Laura Ashley to the position of Parish Communications Officer.

Laura joins us to support our growing ministry team and take on the responsibility of external communications management and internal administration. Her role covers a broad scope in which she will play a pivotal role in the life of the church.

She brings with her a wealth of experience, having advanced through progressively more responsible positions in project management, communications and administration. Laura has done this for a variety of public organisations, where she has played a key part in the facilitation and organisation of a number of vital projects and events.

Furthermore, Laura has agreed to take over as PCC Secretary, following our Annual Parish Church Meeting (APCM). We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Fran Russell for her many years of faithful service in this role.

This is a great opportunity for Laura to support bringing the vision of St. Peter’s to life in Yaxley and beyond. Likewise, Laura considers this an opportunity for her to explore and go deeper in her own faith as part of the church family.

Please join us in welcoming Laura to St. Peter’s and congratulating her on her new position!

Unexpected generosity of infinite value

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I wonder if you are annoyed when you travel on the bus or train by other people talking very loudly on their phones?

Well, making a phone call on the train had an unexpectedly positive outcome for a student recently. She was on the phone to her mother and crying about the amount of debt she was in. She had given up her part-time job in order to concentrate on her studies and was struggling to make ends meet. At the end of the call she fell asleep. When she woke up she found 5 x £20 notes folded under her napkin. Another passenger had heard her phone call and left the money for her anonymously. The student launched a Facebook campaign to try to find the generous passenger. I don’t know if she has managed to find them.

What an amazing act of generosity and giving with no expectation of gaining anything in return by her fellow passenger. At the end of this month we commemorate the generosity and self-giving of Jesus on the cross and we celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday. When he rose from the dead Jesus folded up his grave clothes and left them in the grave. The student found £100 under her folded napkin. If we look beneath the folded grave clothes at the reality of what lies behind them we can discover something of infinite value – not in monetary terms, but in terms of everlasting life.

As I said, I don’t know if the student has found her benefactor. If you would like to find out more about the one who has bought you eternal life, why not join us at a service over Easter? Our main services at St. Peter’s on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday are at 11.00am. For details of our other services, please take a look at our events calendar. Alternatively, give me a call on the number below. Similarly, if you don’t live in Yaxley and cannot find the times of services in your local church, please contact us and we’ll put you in touch with your local church.

With my prayers that you might find the eternal life Jesus has won for you this Easter.

Jon Randall (Vicar) 07939 449255; vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Read this article in the Yaxley Gazette.

Opportunity awaits the courageous

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Happy New Year to you all!

I can remember when I was a boy calculating how old I would be in the year 2,000. Well this year, I’ll be 1.5 times as old as that. As they say; “Time waits for no-one”. Hopefully, this is an encouragement to me and us all to make the most of every day.

How might we do that? One way is to try to ensure that we make the most of every opportunity and not let setbacks and difficulties hold us back. Let me illustrate this in a light-hearted way by comparing my day at the end of November to that of our cat.

November 30th saw the first snow of the winter. Our cat was desperate to go outside and explore. However, she put one paw outside the door, realized how cold it was and turned round and went back to bed for the day. I was due to go to Newcastle and visit our daughter for the day. I was aware that 2-5cm of snow was forecast. When I stepped out of the front door at 8.00am, the wind chill hit me. But I was braver than the cat (!) and carried on. When I arrived in Newcastle there was a fair bit of snow already. As I ran to where our daughter had parked I stepped in a puddle of slush and discovered a hole in my shoe. As we walked to a pub for lunch my sock got wetter and wetter.

However, by braving the elements (and a wet foot) I had a wonderful day in Newcastle with my daughter. An opportunity taken despite the setbacks. The cat apparently slept all day and missed her chance to explore.

I wonder what opportunities lie ahead of you this year. Let’s be courageous and pursue them even if we face setbacks. I am, of course, well aware that a bit of snow is insignificant compared to some of the issues which some will face this year.

Whatever you do this year may you know Jesus’ promise to all who believe and trust in him. His last words before he returned to heaven after his resurrection were; “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age”. If you would like prayer for any issues you face, please contact me.

With my prayers for you all for 2018 and beyond,

Jon Randall (Vicar) 07939 449255; vicar@saintpeters.co.uk

Read this article in the Yaxley Gazette.