Dear Friends
Autumn Update
I can’t quite believe how fast the year is moving with the schools now returned, and the leaves starting to change colour and fall. 2019 has certainly moved fast. The last few months have been full of activity at St. Michael’s including the setting up of a youth group and summer camp at Soul Survivor; a small scale refurbishment of the lounge in the parish centre; an update to our welcome pack; the relaunch of meditation under the name mindful space; the creation of a bereavement care ministry team; as well as all the other important and vital aspects of our church ministry faithfully and passionately continuing.
There are a number of roles and activities coming up at St. Michael’s that I want to make you aware of as well as some changes in ministry too.
Pastoral Care
The churchwardens and I have set up a Pastoral Care Core Group that is looking at how we offer pastoral care in a holistic way that encompasses the whole church and not just to those who are sick. As a group we hope to be implementing something new by 2020 but in the meantime Andrea Millington, one of our Pastoral Workers, has very kindly offered to take a lead in Pastoral Care. Please don’t hesitate to contact her, or speak with her if you have a concern for yourself or someone else in our congregations. You can find Andrea’s contact details on the back of SMT
Information Point
As part of the refurbishment of the lounge we have rearranged the bookcases and are in the process of creating an information point. This will be an area where we can place resources and notices for the wider church and our visitors. Do keep an eye on this area in the lounge as it continues to be developed in the coming weeks. If you have any suggestions of resources to be placed there – let me know.
New Roles – Youth Leaders and Care Home Volunteers.
Just after Easter we set up a new youth group that meets twice a month on a Sunday evening which has been led by Jo Oughton and myself. We would love to grow the team of leaders for this group and the young people would love to get to know more of the St. Michael’s family. When it started to become obvious I was going to need to do youthwork, everything within me said I couldn’t do it and that I would hate it. Being a youth leader has been one of the most rewarding things I have done – could this be something you could join in with?
For a number of years, John Baker, Marina Bennett and David and Tricia Daniels have been leading the ministry of St. Michaels within the residential care homes in the parish. I am incredibly thankful for all that they have been doing but for various reasons all them have been limited in what they can do recently and may be so going forwards. We are looking to recruit a number of people to be Home Communion Assistants who would be part of a team that would visit a care home each month to lead a service of Home Communion by extension. This is certainly a very different ministry to youthwork but equally as rewarding and as important.
For both these roles, role descriptions have been created and they are available at the information point in the lounge. If you are interested or feel a reluctant nagging to be involved please speak with me, or with a Churchwarden.
Wonderland 2020
‘Who is Alice?’ That is one of the many questions we will be asking between the 3rd and 9th February next year as we hold the Wonderland Festival. Off the back of the great success of the Narnia Festival in 2018 – it was decided to do it again. Please put the dates in your diary and be prepared to get involved. What I discovered as Narnia came to a close, was numerous people saying – “I wish I had been involved from the start” - this is your chance.
Later in the year we will be asking for more support with props, setting up the festival, helping run things from welcomers to guides, to craft activity supervisors and of course, cake bakers. This will be one of the major missional activities of the parish for 2020 – it will be the church of St. Michael and All Angels opening it doors to the community in a very different and exciting way – please be a part of it.
Pray at Midday
A few weeks ago in a sermon on Sunday morning I invited you all to join me in praying everyday at midday. My invitation came from a place of frustration with politics nationally but also with a desire to be bringing God into the everyday and asking him to show me where he was at work within the streets of our parish. I continue to extend that invitation to pray Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your Name, at 12pm every day, wherever you, whatever you are doing.
Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2020
Plans are well underway for 2020, and we hope to hold the APCM on Sunday 5th April, Palm Sunday. Looking to the future, Louise Richardson has served nearly 5 years as churchwarden so will have to stand down as warden in 2021. I am therefore looking for someone that might succeed her and look to appoint them as a Deputy Warden at the APCM in 2020. The role of warden has changed much since February this year, with the appointment of a vicar. If you would like more information about the role, please speak to Louise or David Walker, they and I would be very interested to hear from you.
At the time of writing, Jess is still working and the baby hasn’t arrived, that may have all changed by the time you are reading this. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for us as our family goes from 2 to 3. Thank you also for your continued support, love and prayers as members of the St. Michaels family. It is a delight and privilege to minister with you and see the love of God at work among us.
With peace and blessings,
Revd Calum Piper
Vicar