From the Vicar

Dear friends,

A date for all your diaries to unite as a Parish:

Ash Wednesday March 5th 7:30 to 8:30pm “Can you not watch with me for an hour?”

A time for our Lenten journey of resources to be explained and framed by some timeless principles of Christian growth and renewal. We will use worked examples of how this can happen in practice. The Bible and the life of Jesus will be our guide, along with illustrations of how things can change with God’s help will be shared. There will be a gathering of wisdom from the past, contemporary applications from how the saints of today live disciplined lives, along with an eye to some of the challenges that will face Christians in the future. There will be the offer too of a short service of the imposition of ashes. A time to unite and gather together as a church family at the start of our Lenten journey. This is an event for everyone in the parish. Our recent questionnaire returns highlighted a desire for times for us all to gather – this is one of them offered. There will be others too but especially so to launch our aspiration to see 150 of our members commit to sharing Lent together in time of renewal and reflection. Full details will follow with specially produced resources soon, and the whole program will be launched on Ash Wednesday evening. I have specifically asked all of our staff, PCC and lay leaders to be there but it is open to everyone to share together. I have been thrilled to see 100 people for last year’s lecture in November and many gather for our church away at home. This is the next significant milestone for our parish’s life. Diarize the date please for yourself and encourage others to come along. The evening will have value in its own right but will also launch our Lenten journey of five weeks seeking the Lord and his renewal for our lives.

I will be praying for your attendance as you can pray for me as I speak.

Yours in his service,

Mark

From the Operations Manager

As I near the end of my first month at All Saints, I want to thank everyone for the warm welcome! Reconnecting with old friends and making new ones has certainly been the highlight of my first few weeks.

I'm steadily getting up to speed with the dizzying variety of activities at All Saints! This includes moving forward with estate projects, including repairs to the guttering and water hopper in the Mother’s Union Chapel, which should be completed soon. Re-plastering plans are also underway now that the AV system work is done. Once that's finished, we'll start decorating and installing the new carpet. So, please bear with the current holey carpet a bit longer!

I'm gradually meeting the many groups and volunteers who keep All Saints running. If we haven't met yet, you're still on my list. For those I have met, I've been impressed by the dedication and variety of activities. However, we always need more help. There are countless opportunities to get involved, whether from home or hands-on at church, regular or adhoc. If you're unsure where your skills fit in, feel free to reach out for a chat. I truly believe there is something for everyone, every little really does help!

Looking forward to getting to know you all better in the coming weeks and months.

Many thanks

Jo Evans

From the Wardens

Throughout the years, All Saints Ecclesall has been blessed by members of the congregation who have given their time and talents to take on the role of warden. At the next APCM in May, we will be looking to appoint two new deputy wardens. It is an interesting, varied and important role that provides an opportunity to work with the PCC, the ministry and operations teams to ensure the church is well run, is outward looking and provides a range of opportunities for the current congregation and new attenders to grow in faith and establish a transforming relationship with Jesus.

We are praying that there are members of the congregation interested in the role. If this could be you, speak to one of the current wardens. A conversation costs nothing and commits nobody. The advantage of having “senior” and “deputy” wardens means that nobody is thrown into the role unprepared. Appointees will be guided by the senior wardens to learn the role and contribute their own specific skill set and gifts of the Spirit to serve the Lord Jesus.

As you prayerfully consider whether the role might be for you, you might reflect on Philippians 2:3-4:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

From the Associate Vicar

In our morning services in church we are delving into the meaning of our faith with a sermon series looking at the creed. Over the early centuries there were a few creeds formed. They happened when Christians came together and worked out all the things that they could agree on and were central to the faith the professed. They became important because the church was wide and diverse but these words along with scripture were something that held everyone together in the faith.

They have been used to teach the faith – did you have to memorize it when you were confirmed? They give a sense of togetherness as we all stand up and say it with all the other saints around the world and through the ages. I also think they are aspirational statements for those who want to believe or want to hold on to hope when it feels far off. Statements like the creed hold a community of faith wherever we are on our own personal journey of faith.

Famously Leo Tolstoy was excommunicated from the Orthodox church when he admitted he struggled with saying a line of the creed in good conscience. His church couldn’t cope with doubt but I hope we wouldn’t ever be like that. Faith is to be worked out in the context of the church family. I encourage us all as we say these ancient words to fix our eyes on God – to want faith - and to thank God for the gift of faith in our lives.

Roland

From the Assistant Minister

“To God’s holy people…the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” * - this greeting from the Apostle Paul to the Church at Ephesus is a wonderfully encouraging word also to us, in these early days of the New Year.

On Wednesday mornings in January and February we are gathering at 11:30a.m. to study together in Paul’s Letter to this young church fellowship, set in the port city of Ephesus, on the west coast of Aisa. In the Letter we ill learn of the new life in Christ, of our witness to Christ in the face of challenge and unbelief and of the new society of church fellowship, which flows from our shared faith.

Pick up a flyer in the Welcome Area for more details. If you cannot manage all the dates, just come when you are able. Each session can stand alone as an opportunity for fellowship, study and growth in your knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do join us if you can.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” **

Godfrey

*Ephesians 1:1-2 – Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

*Ephesians 6:10

From the Curate

As we begin 2025, I wonder if you’ve made any new year’s resolutions? May I encourage you to consider who to invite along to Alpha as we begin on Thursday evenings from 23rd January, and Tuesday mornings from 28th January. Alpha is a series of group conversations with food, film, and discussion, to explore God, life and meaning. Is there a friend, family member, neighbour, or colleague you could invite, and come along with? If you are in the process of working out what you think about faith, Alpha is the ideal way for you and others to find out more. To sign up, please email alpha@allsaintsecclesall.org.uk or fill in the Alpha sign up sheet in the welcome area.

Today our 9.15 and 11am services begin a new sermon series by focusing on the ancient summaries of the Christian faith as found in the Nicene Creed (for 9.15) and Apostles’ Creed (for 11am service). It’s a chance for us all to go deeper in our faith, to know and love our God more. Please look out for the range of resources in the notices to explore each creed alongside the sermons that will be available from next week.

Wishing you all a blessed new year,

Simon Oatridge

From the Treasurer

The last of the “from the….” slots for 2024 was given to the Treasurer to coincide with financial year end. I shall be spending quite a bit of January and February preparing the annual accounts and trustees’ report for 2024. Will they reflect that as a church family we put into practice our verse for the year: “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6-7)? They will certainly reflect the financial generosity of the church family.  Thank you again to all who were able to respond positively to the stewardship appeal. I also believe expenditure will reflect our many activities as we have sought to share the good news of Jesus and to care for those in our local community and beyond. Details will come at the APCM.

January is always an exceptionally busy month for the finance team as we not only “close down” the old year but open up lots of new spreadsheets and start to populate the financial ledger for a new year.  January 2025 will also be a time of change as we welcome Beverley McComb and say farewell to Rachel Dixon after 3-years of great service as Finance Officer.  Please join me in praying for the whole finance team at this time, as well as for God to continue to bless the activities and finances of All Saints Ecclesall.

With all good wishes to everyone for 2025,

Julia Newton

From the Vicar

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the staff team may I express our thanks for your good will gestures and support over the Advent season. We have sensed your prayers for us and the many volunteers who have shared their skills and gifts with us. We pray that our Church family might continue to be welcoming, adventurous and caring as we celebrate the birth of the one who came not to be served but to serve. This time of year sees occasions of great celebration, rest and anticipation for what 2025 will hold. May our unity together increasingly hold out the gospel of God’s love to a world often divided by tensions in homes, neighbourhoods and countries.

I shall be presiding and preaching at Holy Communion on Wednesday 1st Jan 2025 at 10:30 if you want to commit the shortly to be here New Year to the Lord.

Emmanuel God is with us.

Mark