Weekly News Sheet - Sunday 8th March 2020

Lent Lectures 2020

This year’s series is titled “Managing Change & Conflict”, and looks at some of the challenges of living in an uncertain world.  In Centrepoint, Wednesdays 2:30 to 4:00pm.  No charge, all welcome.  This week’s  lecture is:

11th March - Fleeing for your Life: How conflict results in the mass movement of people – Revd Cathy Bird

Quiz Night

Sunday 15th March, Church Hall, 6:00pm.  Fund-raising to support the members of St M’s going on next year’s trip to Newala.  £10 per person, including food and one drink.  Up to eight people per team.  For tickets e-mail newala.fundraising@gmail.com or contact the Office; also advise of any dietary requirements.

Women’s World Day of Prayer Anniversary Coffee Morning

Taking place in the United Reformed Ch, Robins Ln on Friday 20th March, 10:30am ‘til noon.  Celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of WWDP in Bramhall.  All welcome, not just the ladies!

The Barnby Choir’s Spring Concert

Taking place in St M’s on Saturday 21st March, 7:30pm.  Bach, Magnificat; Haydn, Nelson Mass.  Tickets: £12, concessions £10, students £5 from 01625 520193 or at the door.  www.thebarnbychoir.co.uk 

Bramhall Christian Viewpoint

Supper Evening Thursday 26th March, 7:30pm at the Deanwater Hotel, SK7 1RJ.  Speaker Dr Alex Walter (formerly a Server at St M’s), a Christian GP working with disadvantaged people in Manchester, who last year went with his family to Guinea to work on the Africa Mercy hospital ship.  Tickets £14 inc supper – Sheila Salden 0161 440 9794.  All welcome to this inspiring evening, do book early. 

Cake Sale

Sunday 29th March, in church hall after both Services.  Fund-raising for projects in Newala.  Cake donations very welcome – please leave in Office or Kitchen, labelled for Newala Cake Sale, from Thursday 26th; bring before Service on Sunday 29th; or contact Jill Fairhurst 0161 439 3126.

Mark Hackney’s Licensing as Reader

Mark will be licenced in a service in Chester Cathedral at 4:00pm (time tbc) on Saturday 10th October.  If you would like to attend, please sign up on the sheet on the hall lobby noticeboard, also indicating whether you’d like to go by coach – if there are sufficient, we’ll hire one.

Thank you

>  to Calum for my Communion and to so many of the St Michael’s family for their prayer cards and messages of encouragement after my fall.  With this help I’m getting there, albeit slowly. Dorothy Preston

>  to John Hanlon for all his help and support while on the Silver Cleaning Rota, which he’s now leaving.

Green Tips – a motto for every day?

The Diocesan Environment Forum was looking for “strap lines” to use on its (upcoming) Website and elsewhere.  One that struck a chord was “Plastic pollution is mostly made up of lots of tiny bits; the solution is mostly made up of lots of tiny actions”.  Something to remember at one of those “there’s nothing I can do that’ll make a difference” moments.

Nomination forms

Nomination forms for the PCC and the Deanery Synod will be available from the Office office@bramhall.church   0161 439 3989 or from Tricia Munn 0161 439 3583 triciamunn@btinternet.com from Monday 9th March.  Complete forms should be returned to either.

Bookstall Report

In the year March 2019 - February 2020, book sales totalled £285.50, which has been passed on to the Children’s Society, and acknowledged with sincere thanks.  My thanks also to our donors and book-buyers for supporting a very worthy cause and sharing the pleasures of books.  (We raise even more by passing on surplus stock to the Heaton Mersey Children’s Society Bookshop.)                                                                 Jean Fenwick

Greetings from Newala

Revd Canon Jackan Waweru, Dioecian Information Officer for Newala, passed his greetings to St M’s this week.  Calum has decided he wants to be a Bishop in Africa as Bishop Oscar is currently on vacation ‘til Maundy Thursday.  (Six weeks vacation during Lent!)

Children’s Ministry

Would you, once a month, help develop our ministry to children?  It would be great to build a rota of people willing to lead a small activity with children in the children’s area in church each week.  Ideas would be provided from the “Roots” children ministry resource.  If you’d help, please speak to Calum calum.piper@bramhall.church  0161 943 5535 or Jo Oughton.

Voluntary Site Manager

The Churchwardens and Vicar are looking to appoint a voluntary Site Manager to work with us to develop maintenance plans and a long-term development plan for the church site.  Copies of a rôle description for the post on the letter rack.  If you’d be interested contact Calum calum.piper@bramhall.church  0161 943 5535 or one of  Churchwardens.

Sending Emails

When sending emails to a group at St M’s, or one connect to St M’s to a a number of people, please ensure you blind copy (bcc) e-mail addresses.  This is a requirement under data protection laws, and failure to do so may result in a complaint which could lead to St M’s being fined.  If in any doubt – “this is to several people, does that make it a group …?” – then blind copy.