2021

St

John’s

Unit

ed

Reformed

Church

1 Cowper Street, Ipswi ch IP4 5JD Web Address: w ww.stjohnsurcipsw ich.org.uk

dvance

May

2

NEWSLETTER

FROM

ST

JOHN’S

URC

Ministers:

Rev

David

Rees,

R

ev

Ernie

Bossé,

Adam

W

oodhouse

(Minister

in

Training)

Offic

e:

E-mail:

Web:

Te l:01473 7249 61 (Cu r r e ntly not a v ailable) secreta r y@s tjohnsur cipswich.o r g.uk w w w .s tjohnsur cipswich.o r g.uk
Ipswich and Eas t Newsle tter Ministers let ter May 2021 Dear everyone wh o is part of and has made me feel so welcomed in to the pasto rate, in what has been a very diff erent year than anyone could have imagined. When I fir st met D avid R ees in early 2020, before any of the restricons we have been in were even thought about, we had been planning quite a diff erent year. Lile did any of us know tha t we would be to ld to “stay at home” for a majo r part of my placement no r did I imagine that I would o nly b e ab le to p reach in the chu rch bu ildin gs 10 mes in 9 mo nths! However, there h av e been sev eral opp ortun ies that wouldn’t have been p os sible, leading o nlin e wo r ship or help ing to lead a pastor ate wide b ible study or an even wider Lent course. I have even had the ch ance t o work b y the waterfront and take walks around the vario us Ip swich parks more so than if I was driving around between meengs. There hav e been many posives in thes e challenging mes for all of u s. I take comfort in these mes fro m God’s message in Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) F or I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to h arm y ou, plans t o give you hope and a futur e. I have a real excitement abo ut the future, I have enjoyed seeing the Ipswich and Eas t pastor ate coming t ogether as well as welcoming Leiston in at the start of my placement. I have seen members of th e chu rch congregaons s up por ng oth ers in fi nance o r helpin g each other get onto Zoom or be able to bro adcast o r receive services. There are so many possib ilies happ enin g that will he lp the ch urch gro w stronger in faith if we come together across church c ongregaons and even deno minaons as we come closer to God an d serve the Lord our saviou r togeth er.
But now I have to come to the p art where I say go odb ye, it on ly feels like a few mo nths I h ave b een here! But now I h ave receiv ed my call no rth, I need t o pack up again and mov e. I wou ld h owev er like to take this opportunity to say than k you to David wh o h as supervised me and off ered as many opportunies as possible while b eing v ery b usy himself. Thank yo u, David , for all yo ur su pp ort. Thank yo u also to E rnie who has been open to h aving conver sao ns and the o dd coff ee when restricons allowed, your friendship has been a great encouragement. My congregaonal companions (Elaine an d Sue) for y our friend ship, support in ass ess ments and feed back on v ario us aspects of ministry. To the Elders across the pastorate for allowing me to observ e their meengs . But most importantly to every member of the fi ve chu rches who has made me feel so welcomed and for all the laugh s and conversaons when we hav e had the o ppo rtunity to mee t. May God Bless you and your minis try in the days, weeks and years ahead . Every ble ssin g, Adam
Church Secre tary’s Notes It’s b een go od to be back in Ch urch again e ven with n o singing and 2m spacing, and go od t o see so many of you again. Thanks to all who ar e cleaning, t aking names or opera ng lapt ops or audio equ ipment that have made opening p os sible. A Sun day service h as also been available on electronic frames for those unab le to co me to church . These are very simple to use, (just switch on!) but now that we are back at ch urch o ne or two have become available from those who can no w aen d the service on Sund ay. If you would like on e or kn ow of someone who might, p lease let me o r Joh n kno w. Thanks to John for organisin g these. Chrisan Aid Week is fast approaching and Val will inform you of the various money r ais ing events. I would just like to menon two: Sara is selling plants and Pennyis selling to mato plants. If yo u wo uld like s ome o r
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provide some or hav e so me s pare po ts p leas e let them kno w. The church is being used for the loc al elecons which are taking place on May 6 th . If you wo uld like to provide a ‘church presence’ on the do or p leas e see me. Finally, by the me you read this, w e s ho uld h av e some new equipmen t in stalled–abigger screen, a brighter projector and a new laptop! The money fo r this h as come from The Churches Trust Ho pe Beyon d G ran t bid fo r by our fiv e chu rches . A lo cal rival to Cineworld! Adrian TR EASURERS REPORT You are thanked for Off erings in March totalling £1,927 Many thanks to you all for connued financial s upp ort. MaryA&Richard W Synod News The Rev Lythan Nevard, a United Reformed Church minis ter (URC) currently ser ving at the C orn ers tone ecumenical project in Cranbro ok, Exeter, and previo usly a minister in Hartlepo ol, Romford , Brixh am and Babbacombe, has been nominated to be the n ex t Moderator of Eastern Syno d. The nominaon fo llows the move b y the Re v Pa ul While to serve as Moderator of the UR C Nao nal Syno d of Scotland. Lythan Nevard was a member of the URC’s G inger Gro up in the 1980s, a group of young p eop le th at visit ed churches around the country, leading a v ariety of chur ch related projects, based at Yardley Hasngs. Lythan Nevard grew up in th e United Reformed Chu rch her fath er is the R ev Ivor R ees, a URC minist er wh o s erved at Clapham, Ewell, Swan sea and Bamford . Her h usband , the R ev P hil N evard , is a URC Minister currently serving Kings teignton an d the Sou th Wes tern Synod who has accepted a call to serve three ch urch es in the Eastern Synod - Castle Camps, Whilesford a nd Saws ton. Lythan and Ph il met wh ile serv ing to gether on the URC’s Ginger Gro up. Lythan s aid: “The Holy Spirit has led me on man y adventures, and I am both delighted and a wed that the next one is as Moderato r of Eastern Syno d. I'm really
looking forward t o working with the chu rches an d Ministers of the Synod an d fi ndin g ou t how we can grow in discip lesh ip and serv e God's kingdo m together.” Eastern Synod Clerk, Keir Hounsome, said: “W e are delighted that Lythan has accept ed the c all to b e our next Modera tor. Sh e impress ed u s all on th e intervie w panel with her spirituality, integrity , vision and leadership qualies and we are lookin g fo rward with excitement to h er joining u s.”
Chrisan Ai d Week Monday 9 th to Sund a y 16 th May 2021 The climate crisis is having a devasta ng imp act o n communies in Kenya. Right no w families struggle t o survive without a reliab le wa ter sou rce. Every day they walk further, dig deeper and build stronger to survive. Unrelenng. D et ermin ed. If you would like t o help, this is how you can donate Envelopes for you r don aons will be av ailable in Church o n SUNDAYS 2 nd and 9 th May On line through the Chrisan Aid website www.chrisanaid,org.uk Under the current circumstances regard ing Covid-19, there is a delay in proces sing d on ao ns by post and th is isn’t recommend ed You can don ate by t elepho ne 020 7523 2269 please remember t o hav e you r Debit Car d to hand before you pho ne. If you are unable to contribute fin ancially, please pray for those whose lives are a cons tant strug gle to s urviv e. PLANTS AND CAKES - Please don’t for get between Penny and Sara they have the following plants for s ale leuce, tomatoes, cucumber, courge es, cosmos (white), anrrhinums, and French marigold s. Sara is also willing to make sausage rolls , chees e scon es, Victoria sandwich, cho co late c ake or o ther favourites with all money going to Chrisan Aid . Please rin g her, or myself, with your order. Ou r numb ers are in the Chur ch directory. Thank y ou Val V
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St John’s Ram bling Group Way back in 1996, a good number of us from Chu rch expressed an interest in h aving a ramble and, ably led by Helen Howe, we met at 1.00 pm on the last S aturd ay of the month and together d iscovered many gloriou s footpaths through the Suff olk countryside, along the river and besid e the coast. During th e winter we regularly walked 6 miles, increasing to 8+ during the su mmer months . In May 1999, around 16 of u s h ead ed off to East Basham, North Norfolk for a walking weekend. Th is proved to be so successful it became an annu al ev ent and we ventured into Bedfordshire, Cambr idgeshire, Essex, Kent, Norfolk, Rutland, Surrey, the C hiltern s and Surrey. For most of these weekend s w e were bless ed with beauful weather an d th oroughly ap preciated th e May countryside, especially th e blueb ells and ho rs e chestn ut trees standin g magn i ficent in fu ll blo om. In March 2020 along comes Cov id 19 and puts a st op t o our walks. Undeterred and on ce it was safe to walk in small groups of six, Helen or ganise d so me mid- week rambles last summer/autumn and has alread y led two since the recent restricons were lied. The Saturday aernoon nu mber s h ad been decreas ing before the virus hit and so Helen h as decided to c all an end to the St John’s walking group as we knew it. S he will connue t o or ganise mid -w eek walks of 6 -7 miles and, sh ou ld yo u b e interested, please let me kno w. So, on behalf of all members an d friends of St John ’s , I’d like to say THANK YOU to Helen. On around 300 wa lks and 22 weekends away, y ou h ave led us alo ng the footpaths of Suff olk and surrounding counes. As well as our appreciaon of the countrys ide, we h av e als o made many new friends and enjoyed lots of companionship for which we are ex tremely gr ateful. Val V Bible St udy Everyone in the Pasto rate is welcome to join in th e May Bible Study on Tuesday morn ing May 1 1 th at 10.30, hosted by Castle Hill’ s Zoom (ID:889 953 6542) and the telephone. The leader will be th e Rev Ernie Bos and Bible re fer ence is : John 17, 6-19 To get in touch and send contributi ons to Ad vance ple ase email: advance@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk Please note the deadl ine for June Advanc e is 26 th May
Hello dear Friends, I woul d like to say how much I appreciate my Nix Digital pho to Frame which is only 8 i nc hes wide but is so perfect it has change d my Sundays from not joining in to being one of the co ngregation once more . John B rang me up and told me al l about it, and my repl y was an immediate "Yes Please". To whoever donated these I must say a "Very Big Than k You". My Sundays are altogether ver y diffe rent, i t is so lovely to s ee the face o f the Mini ste r and hear his voice and the person who reads God's word. Wonderful. Thank you to each one o f you who has ma de this possibl e. Thank you for all of you keeping in touch with me. So ve ry much appreciated. Keep well, and lo ve to you all, y ou are ve ry much in my tho ughts and p rayers.
Go Bes Y H H S e rvices  Fo r  M a y
Sound Ser vices are all on one number: 01473 938542 Thought  for  theday “Changing was necessary. Change was right. He was all i n favour of change. Wha t he wa s dead against was things not staying the same.” From “Diggers” by Terry Pr atche tt © Terry & Lyn Pratchett, 1990
Da t e Yo uTub e S t John’s 0 2/05
E r n ie (Commu n i o n )
Adam
09/ 0 5 David
Nichol a
G Gl a ss e 1 6/05 Adam David 2 3 /05 Davi d Peter D 30/05 Ernie Erni e
0 6/0 6
David (Com mu nio n)
Sa ra P Commu nio n (tbc)
13/06 Ernie David Atki n s
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