NEWSLETTER FROM ST JOHN’S URC
Ministers: Rev David Rees & Rev Ernie Bossé
Office:
E-mail:
Web:
Minister’s Letter
The Harvest comes home.
“The
Lord
has
done
great
things
for
us,
and
we
are
filled
with
joy.
…
Those
who
sow
in
tears
shall
reap
with
songs
of
joy.
He
who
goes
out
weeping
carrying
the
seed
to
sow,
will
return
with
songs
of
joy,
carrying
sheaves with him.” (Psalm 126 vs3-6)
It’s
harvest
time
again.
A
time
when
we
give
a
special
thanks
to
God
for
how
he
provides
for
us.
I
know
we
should
be
thankful
all
the
year
round,
and
I
hope
you
are,
but
Harvest
Thanksgiving
concentrates
the
mind
on
those
mundane
blessings
that
we
nowadays
take
for
granted.
If
you
want
a
sandwich
you
take
a
bread
slice
out
of
the
bag.
If
you
finish
a
loaf,
you
probably
have
one
in
the
freezer.
If
you
are
truly
out,
you
can
pop
to
the
supermarket
or
the
corner
store.
If,
heaven
forbid,
the
store
is
actually
closed
there
is
nothing
for
it
but
to
wait
till
the
morning.
Either
that
or
look
in
our
overflowing
cupboards
or
fridge
or
freezer
and
have
something
else.
We
may
not
have
our
first
choice
in
such
circumstances
but
for
most
of
us
it
is
unlikely
that
we
will
go
hungry.
We
live
in
an
abundant
land
or
to
put
it
in
biblical
language,
a
land
flowing
with
milk
and
honey.
And
not
just
any
milk
–
full
fat,
semi
skinned,
low
fat,
organic,
goat,
long
life,
soya,
calcium
added,
chocolate
flavoured,
to
name
a
few
and
I
don’t
even
know
where
to
start
with
the
varieties of honey that are available.
Bread,
milk,
honey,
sugar,
tea
and
coffee,
apples,
bananas,
ham,
cheese,
the
list
goes
on
and
on.
We
buy
and
consume
with
barely
a
thought
unless
bananas
are
more
expensive
this
week
or
our
favourite
variety
of
apples
is
temporarily
out
of
stock.
Or
the
lack
of
lorry
drivers
leads
to
a
temporary
empty
shelf
in
the supermarket. We take much for granted.
Harvest
Thanksgiving
again
gives
us
an
opportunity
to
take
notice
of
the
variety
and
breadth
and
quantity
and
richness
of
what
we
have
and
give
God
the
thanks.
Not
only
is
there
recognition,
Harvest
Celebration
is
also
a
time
of
response.
Firstly
a
response
of
praise,
with
hymns
and
prayers
and
awe
at
how truly generous is our God.
But
also
a
response
in
gratitude
of
gifts
and
money.
Gratefulness
that
the
vast
majority
of
us
have
so
much,
leads
us
to
want
to
share
some
of
that
abundance
with
those
who
struggle
and
have
to
do
without.
We
can
give
cans
and
packets
to
food
banks
or
homeless
shelters
and
monetary
gifts
too.
Sharing
from
our
abundance
allows
others
to
survive
with
dignity.
We
can
do
our
part
in
allowing
those
‘who
sow
in
tears’
to
‘return
with
songs
of
joy,
carrying sheaves with him.’
This
year
as
we
sing
behind
our
masks
‘All
good
gifts
around
us
are
sent
from
heaven
above’,
with
our
actions
let
us
truly
‘thank
the
Lord, oh thank the Lord, for all his love.’
David
Church Secretary’s Notes
We
are
gradually
getting
there!
We
are
now
standing
to
sing
with
our
masks
on
and
staying
for
tea
after
the
service!
The
Elders
have
actually
held
a
‘face
to
face’
(tho
still
2
m
apart)
meeting!
We
are
also
starting
to
get
requests
for
hire
of
rooms
at
church,
the
cleaners
are
back
for
one
day
a
week
and
the
Brownies
are
meeting
upstairs
again.
This
is
good
news
but
I
hope
we
don’t
just
drift
back
to
our
old
ways
but
see
this
time
as
an
opportunity
for
change.
If
you
have
any
ideas
or
have
always
wanted
to
do
something
different
please
make
your
ideas
known.
Our
next
church
meeting
is
on
18th
Nov
at
2:30
pm in the worship area with Zoom available.
Thanks
to
Jenny
Cook
for
organising
the
coffee
rota
–
if
you
would
like
to
serve
coffees
after the service please let her know.
Whilst
saying
‘thank–you’,
I
would
like
to
take
this
opportunity
to
thank
John
B
for
all
the
work
he
does
in
making
the
services
available
on-line,
on
the
frames
and
on
the
telephone.
Well
done
John.
If
you
would
be
interested
in
learning
how
to
do
this
please
see
John
or
myself. We certainly need to spread the load.
This
month
we
look
forward
to
Sara
Pells,
Maggie
Woods
and
Peter
Dawson
taking
our
services.
On
a
lighter
(brown)
note.
It
looks
like
we
will
need
to
remove
the
box
hedge
around
the
play
area.
The
spares
up
my
allotment
have
also
gone
brown!
Any
ideas
for
what
we
should
put
in
its
place?
Soon
be
time
to
plant
broad beans!
Adrian
Treasurers Report
You are thanked for Offerings in August of
£2,196.66.
Generous Gift Day donations to date totaling
£1,965 have been received. Gift Aid income will
be added in due course.
As always, we are extremely grateful for your
continued financial support.
P.S. Richard and Lyn will be away shortly until
mid-December, visiting family in Mauritius (but
hopefully remaining in email contact !), would be
glad if any post and/or financial queries could be
directed to Mary in the first instance.
Thanks.
Mary A and Richard W
Communion Offering
Thank
you
for
supporting
the
Water
Aid
Harvest
Appeal.
A
cheque
for
£143.00
has
been sent off.
As
we
approach
the
winter
months,
Elders
have
agreed
to
support
The
Ipswich
Night
Shelter
so
there
will
be
an
opportunity
for
you
to
donate
at
the
Communion
services
in
October, November and December.
Thank you.
Val Vertigans
23rd Brownie Pack Letter
Dear Mr Cubitt,
It
is
with
sincere
regret
that
we
have
decided
to
close
the
23rd
Brownie
pack.
This
has
been
a
very
difficult
decision
for
us
to
come
to
but
with
job
changes,
declining
numbers
and
Covid
we
feel
the
time
is
right.
We
would
like
to
thank
everyone
at
St
John's
for
the
support,
time
and
generosity
over
the
years.
Especially
in
recent
times
all
the
stewards
who
have
sat
on
the
door
for
us
every
Tuesday
evening,
Mary
A
and
Peter
D,
and
a
very
special
thank
you
to
Gwen
G
for
her
never-ending
support.
We
appreciate
all
the
help
we
have
been
given
to
create
memories
and
friendships
for
the
many
girls
who
have
been
members
of
the
23rd
Brownies.
We
have
sent
a
cheque
to
the
treasurer
for
£250,
which
is
£100
back
to
the
junior
church,
which
they
gave
us
for
our
new
programme,
and
which
we
never
used
and
also
£150
for
the
church,
a
small
donation
with
our
thanks
and
gratitude
for
all
that
has
been
done
over
the
years.
Yours
sincerely,
Tina B & Lorna H - Brownie Leaders
On
a
brighter
note,
we
are
pleased
to
report
that
the
Rainbows
started
meeting
again
on
9th
September
in
Room
1.
Also,
the
40th
Brownie
pack
resumed
on
the
23rd
September in the hall.
Frister Rossman Cub 7
Electric Sewing Machine
One
of
our
congregation
wonders
whether
a
good
home
can
be
found
for
her
now
redundant
sewing
machine.
If
you
are
interested,
please
contact me. Email or ring me.
Val Vertigans
BIBLE STUDY – October 2021
Bible
Study
this
month
will
be
on
Tuesday
morning
October
12th.
As
agreed
we
will
be
meeting
face-to-face
at
Castle
Hill
at
10.30
in
the
Meeting
Room,
although
November’s
meeting
will
be
via
Zoom.
Do
come
along
if
you
are
able
and
have
the
joy
of
meeting
up
once
again
with
friends
old
and
new.
There
is
plenty
of
parking
space
at
Castle
Hill
and
it
will be good to gather together.
Our
passage
for
study
will
be
Mark
10:
35-45
and
will
give
us
an
opportunity
to
share
our
thoughts
and
listen
to
each
other
on
how
this
interaction
between
Jesus
and
his
disciples
applies to us today.
Elaine T Castle Hill
My
dear
Ipswich
Pastorate
Church
family,
Greetings
from
sunny
Ware
in
Hertfordshire.
Well,
we
have
been
in
Ware
for
just
over
a
week,
and
it
already
seems
like
a
lot
longer.
I
wish
I
could
say
that
we
have
settled
in,
just
far
too
many
full
boxes,
so
a
while
yet
before
I
can
say
that
we
have
entirely
moved.
Just
a
word
of
advice,
don’t
try
moving
house
twice
in
just
over
a
year.
It’s
far too stressful!!
The
manse
is
comfortable,
but
it
cannot
even
begin
to
compare
with
your
mansion
in
Holkham
Close.
You
have
spoilt
us
forever, I’m afraid.
We
are
getting
around
to
meeting
some
of
our
new
church
families
of
the
Leaside
and
Roydon
churches,
and
they
have
warmly
welcomed
us.
I’m
sure
that
if
we
receive
only
a
fraction
of
the
hospitality
from
them
that
we
enjoyed
during
our
time
in
Ipswich,
we
will
count
ourselves
as
blessed.
Thank
you
for
the
generous
gift
that
David
Sillett
handed
to
us
on
behalf
of
the
whole
pastorate.
It
will
be
put
to
good
use
to
buy
something
that
we
will
always
treasure
as
we
remember
our
time
with
you.
Thank
you
again
for
your
warmth,
generosity,
and
kindness.
You
are
all
so
very
special
to
us,
and you will remain in our prayers.
God bless you all! Best wishes,
Robyn and Ernie Bossé
Thought for the Day
A harvest of peace is produced from a seed
of contentment.
Kashmiri proverb
Services
Date
YouTube*
St John’s
3/10/21
David (Harvest ) from St
John’s 26/09
Sara Pells
(Comm)
10/10/21
Sara Pells
(Comm)
from St John’s 03/10
Maggie Woods
17/10/21
David
from Castle Hill 10/10
David Atkins
24/10/21
David
from Castle Hill 17/10
Peter Dawson
31/10/21
?
Peter Dawson
07/11/21
?
David Rees
(Comm)
*
These are all subject to
change if there are
technical issues
Telephone version 01473 938542 Option 1
Hazel H can still be heard on Option 2
best to see my studies as successful as I prayed
for. Finally, I thank God for the love and the
opportunity to have people like you.
Despite many difficulties especially with Covid I
recently I got the opportunity to start my PhD at
Leiden University in the Netherlands, and I will
partly do my research in Tanzania and the
Netherlands. The topic is ‘Impacts of helminths and
rural-urban transition on the immune system and
vaccines efficacies.’ https://lumcglobal.nl/news-
updates/introducing-our-first-lumc-global-phd-
candidate-jeremia-j-pyuza/
Thank you very much and wish you the very best.
Jeremia
There is a need for prayers for the area’s Methodist
circuit ministry which is in some degree of difficulty as
the Rev Martin Dawes of Framlingham has had to retire
suddenly due to health problems.