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Time to reflect this Lent

Posted on Tuesday February 21st, 2012, by Matt | No Comments
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Maybe whilst you’ve been eating your pancakes you have thought you need something to help you think about Lent this year. If this is the case then maybe you would like to join us for our Lent group in Sunday evenings. It is going to be based in the Oscar winning film The Kings Speech using it to lead us to explore who we are, the big questions we ponder and how faith in God can help us live fuller and more loving lives.

The course will run for six weeks beginning this coming Sunday 26th Feb at Matt and Yasmin’s house. The first session will be watching the film so we need to begin early at 7pm but the following weeks will be 7.30pm until 9ish. There will be plenty of goodies on offer depending on whether or not you have give them up for Lent.

There are folks signed up already but there is plenty if room for more. It is open to absolutely everybody regardless of age or church experience, whether you are spiritual searcher or Christian for more years than you care to remember. You are welcome to sit and listen to discussions or make your voice heard.  Our time together is to deepen and challenge us on our journey of faith and this will expressed differently for us all. And on top of all of this we will hopefully have a good laugh!

If you would like more info please contact matt.finch@simc.co.uk and you can let us know you are coming that would be really helpful.

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5th February breathe

Posted on Thursday February 2nd, 2012, by Matt | No Comments
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breathe is happening a week early this month on Sunday 5th Feb 7.30pm. So don’t miss the chance to join us for this chilled out and reflective time that gives a break from the busyness and stress of life.

Our thoughts will based on one of the most famous things Jesus ever said ‘love your neighbour’. We will be asking how can we keep caring for those in need when we are feeling the pinch in this time of credit crunch and tightening our belts.

The service will have all the usual mix of stillness, multimedia and time to talk with others. And of course there will be good cake!

If you have not been before breathe is held in the church hall which is easily found through the side entrance to the church. for more details contact info@simc.co.uk

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So What Exactly is a Local Preacher?

Posted on Saturday January 28th, 2012, by Yasmin | No Comments
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Last week our very own Margaret Harris was accepted as a local preacher. In the Methodist Church a local preacher is someone who isn’t a minister and doesn’t work for the Church, but a regular member of the congregation who feels they could lead services. After some interviews with the other local preachers (Matt assures me this sounds worse than it is!) and some training (with a local minister) and writing some essays (yes, that bit is painful!) they finally get through and are released on the world of Methodism.

A local preacher will regularly lead services in their local church or area. Officially they can lead a service in any Methodist Church in the Country.

So why do we do this? Well, we believe the Church is not a one person show. It is not just the minister who is able to lead people in prayer, worship, interpreting the bible and being a church community. We believe everyone has gifts to offer the church community and leading a service can be one of these gifts.

So what does this mean? Well, it means that when you turn up to a morning service at SIMC it may not necessarily be Rev Matt leading what’s happening. Regularly, local preachers come and bring their reflections on the bible for us to mull over. This can be a refreshing change or sometimes it can be an unexpected difference to what we like best. But we try to listen out for God in whatever comes.

What if I think I’d like to be a local preacher? We are always wanting to encourage all kinds of people to think about trying different gifts and roles out in the Church. Grab, or e-mail Matt and have a chat about it. You can’t be too young or old, too new or too unqualified. Get in touch and see where it leads.

And so we look forward to seeing more of Margaret in the future and hearing what she has to bring to us on a Sunday morning. May God bless her as she steps out of the box and into the pulpit!

If you’d like to come along and celebrate with us, Margaret’s accreditation service (a service to celebrate and officially acknowledge Margaret as a preacher) is on Sunday 24th June 2012, 6.30pm, at SIMC. And we’ll have Rev Graham Thompson, our District Chair, visiting us. 

Now then, could someone explain what a District Chair is please? We’ll save that one for another blog post….

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Seeing Jesus

Posted on Sunday January 15th, 2012, by Yasmin | 1 Comment
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I know it’s a bit too big, but it means you can see it better!

The usual envelopes on the cafe church tables delivered a handful of different pictures of Jesus to have a look at and discuss this morning. This one caught my eye. I’ll confess, if there was going to be a Pre-Raphaelite picture among them, that would be the one I headed for. I love the Pre-Raphaelites and this picture by Ford Madox Brown is a favourite. Historically they are probably all a bit to white and western to be authentic, but there is something about it which seems so real and rugged, even with Jesus’ halo.

It was interesting to see the different depictions. Revolutionary Jesus anyone? Looking at all the different pictures and all the different people talking about them round tables, I suspect this is a topic that has plenty of mileage!

 

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15th January Cafe Service

Posted on Thursday January 12th, 2012, by Matt | No Comments
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Our first cafe service of 2012 is this Sunday and will be a regular fixture every third Sunday of the month for the rest of the year.

Fresh tea and coffee, pastries (and fruit if you are feeling healthy) are served from 10am. The service starts at 10.30am and all takes place around tables. There is space to talk with others, join in the activities, reflect quietly on your own, sing a song if you like or just read the newspaper and catch up on the weeks stories.  Just come along and be yourself.

Hope to see you

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January 8th breathe

Posted on Thursday January 5th, 2012, by Matt | No Comments
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Join us for our first breathe of the year this Sunday evening at 7.30pm in the upstairs room.

With a cuppa and cake (or juice and fruit if you are on the post Christmas detox) we will think together about the year just gone; the news headlines, the forgotten stories and the questions it has made us ask about life and faith. We will then take reflect about what 2012 holds for our world, our lives and how the bible and faith can help us on our way.

There will plenty of time to talk, if you like,  spaces to listen to each other and stillness to reflect personally about what faces us this year.

It will be great to see you if you can make it.

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A Nativity For Children!

Posted on Thursday December 22nd, 2011, by Yasmin | No Comments
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4pm Christmas Eve, we’ll be dishing out the warm fruit punch and picking the straw off our jumpers as we get ready for another nativity for the kids. This year, we can announce that the 3 kings will be stopping by to tell their stories! It’s not easy to get that calibre of Christmas celebrity, but we managed it!

Children are invited to come dressed as a character from the story. Shepherds, kings, angels, donkeys, sheep, are all welcome!

See you there!

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Christmas Flyer

Posted on Monday November 28th, 2011, by Yasmin | No Comments
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Christmas Fayre

December 3rd 10am – 12pm – Festive Goodies and Christmas Cheer

Advent Taize Service

December 4th 6pm – A quiet service of reflection at this busy time of year.

breathe

December 11th 7.30pm – Contemplative worship with modern media and ancient ritual.

Remembering Service

December 12th 7pm – Remembering those who have passed away.

Carol Singing

December 13th 6pm – Meet out the front of Church!

Christmas Cafe Service

December 18th 10.30am – Festive coffee, papers, pastries and a service.

Candlelit Carol Service

December 18th 6pm – Carols and readings of the Christmas story.

Nativity for Children

Christmas Eve 4pm – A fun Christmas service just for the kids!

Christmas Morning Celebration

Christmas Day 10.30am – Welcome in Christmas Day with a short family-friendly service, full of joy and happiness that Jesus is born.

 

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Children’s Nativity Back This Year!

Posted on Sunday November 27th, 2011, by Yasmin | No Comments
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Two years ago SIMC had a great time putting on a magical Christmas Eve service just for children, complete with bales to sit on, Christmas crafts, puppets and some warm fruit punch for the grown-ups. Sadly it had to be cancelled in 2010.

The good news is we are back this year! The team are busy planning a real treat for the kids. So put 4pm Christmas Eve in your diary to come along and hear the magical story of the first Christmas all over again.

More details to follow.

 

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Shoebox Sunday

Posted on Sunday November 27th, 2011, by Yasmin | No Comments
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This Sunday was Shoebox Sunday. SIMC collected 204 boxes this year to send off with Operation Christmas Child to underprivilaged children around the world.

A big thank you to all the people who donated shoeboxes and for all the hard work of those who make Shoebox Sunday happen, especially Madge Harrison and Kay Hender.

We pray that the shoeboxes will make a tiny difference this Christmastime. But, more than that, we pray that we will remember those children who need our help, support and aid the rest of the year in ways that will change their lives, not just their Christmas.

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