Wednesday 23 August 2023

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It has been a joy to welcome Revd Claire Finlay on placement with us. She has very much enjoyed meeting some of you this week and finding out about ministry here. Claire will be preaching this coming Sunday.

Online Bible Study
Thank you to those who came long last night and to David for leading it. David mentioned a resource called the Bible Project which some of you may find interesting:
Here is a link to their home page.
And here is a link to Genesis chapters 12-50 which includes the story of Joseph:

Lectio Divina
A group of us meet every Thursday morning, 10:30-11:15am, via zoom, to meditate on a short Bible passage and share our reflections. Ask me for the zoom link.

Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat: The Musical
Tomorrow, Thursday 24th August, 7pm, we will be showing this musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber in the Upper Hall. It should be a fun evening, but it may also prompt some interesting discussion about the Joseph story. (The Musical lasts less than 90 minutes).

Talk about Cecily's Fund
After the service, this Sunday, 27th August, Mark, Isabelle and Samuel will be giving a short presentation about the work of Cecily's Fund, one of the charities we support, which works with children in Zambia. Mark, Isabelle, Samuel and Ruby have recently travelled to Zambia and visited the project.

Junior Church Bring and Share Lunch
Following the presentation, the Junior Church families and teachers will be sharing lunch together, hopefully outside (depending on weather). This is a good opportunity to get to know one another better and share concerns and ideas.

Autumn Sale
On Saturday 9th September, we have our next Sale, from 10am - 2pm. There will be the usual cake stall, food stall, book stall, as well as other stalls, plus the cafe/restaurant will be open. As always we need help to bake cakes and to help to run the stalls. If you can help please let Maria in the office know.
These Sales are wonderful community events, so do come along and bring your friends.

Confirmation Service
On 10th September, Bishop Robert (our Bishop) will come to St Ursula's for our confirmation service. Laeticia Elanga Mpolo, Delali Agoba, Joana Agoba, Manu Lehmann, and Zornitsa Holden will be confirmed, and Helene Vogt will be received into the Anglican Church. After the service, there will be a celebratory lunch for the whole congregation. We invite everyone to bring a dish to share.

Giving our whole selves to God
Our reading from Romans 12 this coming Sunday speaks of offering our whole selves to God and seeking and obeying his will.

As we seek to do that, we may find the prayer below helpful. It is written by Charles de Foucauld, who was a Trappist monk who sought to serve the nomadic people of the border area of Morocco and Algeria. He spent his time in contemplative prayer and serving the poor, both Muslim and Christian. He was killed by desert bandits on December 1st, 1916. His best known prayer is the Prayer of Abandonment (below) which is a prayer of simplicity, humble trust and complete dedication to God. His life and death have inspired many people in Christian prayer and service.

Prayer of Abandonment
Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you do, I thank you.

I am ready for all. I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures.
  I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
For I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
To surrender myself into your hands,
Without reserve, and with boundless confidence,
  for you are my Father.
Amen.

With love in Christ,
Helen