Dear Church Friends,
I hope Thursday’s warmer, sunny day has helped to cheer you up this week. We seem to have been in ‘winter/spring’ mode for such a long time, apart from a few brief intervals and it hardly feels like the end of May. Hopefully as we move into June, things will improve.
As people are now permitted to socialise in groups of up to 6 people indoors, churches are able to hold socially distanced coffee mornings once again. The elders are thinking of restarting Sunday morning coffee after worship, possibly on 6th June if the hall and kitchen are ready for use by then. Before doing so, we would like to have an idea of the number of people who would stay for coffee. I will ask those who attend this week’s service, but if you are not at church tomorrow and are likely to attend a service soon, please let me know whether or not you would stay for coffee after worship. There would have to be certain restrictions in place according to the current government rules. e.g. a one-way system from the sanctuary via the corridor to the hall and then afterwards out through the hall porch; people would need to sit down and remain seated at a table of not more than six people and could not interact indoors with any other table of 6; drinks would be served at the table using disposable cups. Thursday coffee mornings will not resume until after restrictions have been lifted.
No doubt many of you with gardens will have been putting in summer bedding plants and may try to grow your own crops from seed. I have had limited success with mine. A packet of mini-sweet pepper seeds only contained 6 seeds and none of them germinated! The packet of mini-cucumber seeds only contained 4 and 1 germinated. I must have done something wrong, but as I have been able to buy a couple of mini-pepper plants in a garden centre, I am hoping for some crops! Obviously, I should leave the initial growing stage to the experts for these tricky to grow crops. The seeds I sowed directly outdoors are doing well – radish, pak choi and rocket, although not yet at a stage when we can pick any of them. In the garden, the bluebells have all finished flowering and are dying back but, as shown below, other flowers are taking their place and other blossoms will soon be appearing. The hedgerows are full of strongly scented white may blossom and some local gardens have trees with red may blossom. Horse-chestnut trees are showing their upright conical clusters of white, pink or red flowers.
The return of Springwatch was welcome this week. The programme opened with a beautiful picture of a hare and subsequently we saw three leverets huddled together for warmth. They are charming animals which I love to see. The diversity of the natural world is incredible and we thank God for all that we see in nature.
Our Worship on Trinity Sunday 30th May at 10.45am will be led by Margaret Russell
Please book before 6pm on Saturday 29th May.
Our Worship on Sunday 6th June 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.
Please book before 6pm on Saturday 5th June.
Induction of Rev Janet Calderley.
As you may remember, this should have taken place on 15th March 2020, but had to be postponed because of the increase of covid infections. It is planned that Rev Janet will now be inducted on Sunday 4th July, 3pm at Fleetwood URC. Further details in due course.
Traidcraft Exchange – Regenerators Appeal
Some weeks ago, I sent on an email from Janet S about this appeal. The final date of 7th June when the government will double people’s gifts, is fast approaching, so if you would like to make a donation, please contact Janet S on 01253 739195. She is happy to send on any cheques, which should be made payable to Traidcraft Exchange.
Christian Aid 2020
Janet S has asked me to pass on the news that during Christian Aid week this year, the White Church congregation donated a total of £551.50 of which £445.00 was gift aided. The contents of the Christian Aid box contained a further £4.44. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this magnificent amount for the ongoing work of Christian Aid. Thank you also to those people who donated using the online link that was included in the notices.
Out of the mouth’s of children……….
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, ‘When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah’.
The teacher asked, ‘What if Jonah went to hell?’
The little girl replied, ‘Then you ask him’.
A Primary School teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work.
As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, ‘I’m drawing God.’
The teacher paused and said, ‘But no one knows what God looks like.’
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, ‘They will in a minute.’
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-olds.
After explaining the commandment to ‘honour’ thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, ‘Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?’
From the back, one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, ‘Thou shall not kill
The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic primary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted on the apple tray: ‘Take only ONE. God is watching.’
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.
A child had written a note, ‘Take all you want. God is watching the apples….
A prayer by Elizabeth Gosney
God be with you in the morning,
Guide and bless you through the day,
Fill you with His love and comfort,
Bring you strength along your way.
God be with you, when the sunshine
Like true friendship glows so bright,
And when stars and moon shine gently,
God be with you through the night.
Let us pray
Dear Lord Jesus,
Loving Father give us strength to cope with any challenges we face during the coming weeks. We pray for those in our congregation for whom life is difficult and are struggling in any way and ask you to pour Your blessing on them. You are our rock who holds us steady in the storms of life. Remind us that we do not journey through uncertainty alone, but give us hope and the assurance that you are always with us. 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
