Dear Church Friends,
Hello again. Last Sunday the format of the service altered slightly, reflecting the change in restrictions due to Covid. We were pleased to welcome one person for the first time in 16 months-it’s good to see you again. About 22 people went into the hall for coffee afterwards. It felt rather strange singing hymns wearing a mask, but good to have live music in the church. Thank you, John for playing the hymns on the piano.
I have heard that our beloved friend Iris is not at all well. Please pray for her and her family at this time.
Earlier this week we visited a large garden centre and particularly enjoyed walking round their ‘outdoor’ semi-covered area, looking at the myriad selection of plants and trees. It was good to see that bees had found their way inside and were feasting on the various blossoms, gathering sweetness to take back to make delicious honey in their hives in the grounds of the garden centre. Bees are so important to life. Rightly named ‘busy bees’, they are responsible for pollinating almost 90% of wild plants and 75% of the main global crops and are found in all sorts of locations. Honey bees live in sophisticated and well -organised colonies, performing different roles in order to help ensure the success and smooth running of the colony. I remember watching a film about life in a bee colony when I was at college and the lecturer made us aware that we could all take a life lesson from bees. When communities work in harmony together, they can overcome obstacles and flourish.
Some thoughts for the day
We need the power of love, not the love of power.
Let us make silver linings with other people’s clouds.
St. Basil wrote: “He who sows courtesy reaps friendship. He who plants kindness gathers love.”
They say all the water in the world can’t sink a ship – unless it gets inside! Likewise, the negative aspects of life can’t bring us down unless we let them in. When walking through a wood in the Lake District a man came to a place where new trees had been planted. Now deer like nothing better than to nibble on saplings. And they can jump! So the people working in the forest put an eight-foot-tall fence around that area. But rabbits, hedgehogs and other little creatures also use the woods and are no threat to the saplings. So little foot-high by foot-wide doorways were spaced along the bottom of the fence. It took a bit of work, but the negative stayed out and the positive came in.
Praise in the Park – Service and Walk – Sunday 22nd August
The latest news is that the Praise in the Park Walk and Service on Sunday 22nd August is going ahead! Churches Together in St Annes are supporting the event and they hope that the Churches of Lytham and Ansdell will also support it.
The walk from Lytham will leave from the Promenade near Lytham Lifeboat station at 2.45 pm and the walk from St Annes will leave from near St Annes Pier at 3.00 pm. You are welcome to join in with any or all of the walk from your local area. The two groups will meet up and the service will take place at Fairhaven Lake at 4.00 pm at the usual place near the Spitfire (former tennis court grassed area with a hedge) and will last about 30 minutes.
Our Worship on Sunday 1st August at 10.45am will be led by Val Atkinson and will include Communion.
If possible, please bring your own individual portion of bread and wine (squash or water) for communion services. There will be some individual prepacked cups with wafers available for anyone who forgets.
Our Worship on Sunday 8th August at 10.45am will be led by Richard Golding.
You are invited to Afternoon Tea
at Jim’s Manse
5 Elm Close,
Poulton-Le-Fylde. FY6 8FU
Monday 2nd August 2pm-5pm
No need to book – just turn up. If the weather lets us down then please make your way to Elswick Church where we will have a roof over our heads!
Rev Janet will be holding Afternoon Tea on Saturday 14th August. Further details next week.
I AM
Bible Study Sessions
I AM – A Bible study in 8 sessions at 4 locations: Hambleton URC Monday 7pm starting on 4/10/21; Poulton URC Wednesday 7pm starting on 6/10.21; Fleetwood URC Thursday 2pm starting on 7/10/21; Fairhaven URC Friday 2pm starting on 8/10/21. Contact Rev Jim on 07484221809 for further details. Jim encourages people to move around the various locations and meet new people.
Can You Help?
Does anyone have a small bookcase that is surplus to their requirements and that they could donate to Church as the Book sales are gathering momentum and the current shelving will not accommodate all of the books? Please contact me if you can help.
Let us pray
Dear Lord Jesus, We pray for our church family, especially those facing difficulties or challenges in the near future. Be a source of strength, comfort and encouragement. Shower us with your compassion and love and fill us with hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Please join me in saying the Grace together.
May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen
God Bless you all Ruth
