Our Sunday Club Pathfinders group recently looked at the hope we have in Jesus. Through discussion, creative activities and a thought-provoking poem, the young people (11-18 yr olds) explored Matthew 9:9–18. This passage includes the calling of Matthew, and how a synagogue leader asked Jesus to bring his daughter back to life. Jesus Causes a Stir We talked about how Jesus caused a stir wherever he went – by the way he spoke and by Read more
Many of you will have spotted two new furry friends around church lately, peeking into the church hall or St John’s rooms. Puck and Ariel are our new(ish) Vicarage cats and they have been busily exploring ever since they were allowed to go outside in the spring. Puck (tuxedo cat) and Ariel (with a mask over one eye) are brother and sister and they just had their first birthday in May. They do their best Read more
On Saturday 11 July, St John’s Church warmly welcomed the community to its annual Summer Fete. The event featured a delightful range of stalls, including toys, books, plants, crafts, gifts, and an array of homemade cakes. Visitors of all ages enjoyed a host of activities such as tombola, lucky dip, crazy golf, traditional games, and a lively raffle. As expected, the cream teas proved to be a massive favourite amongst attendees, with queues forming early Read more
Turning left, my friend Simon checked the map, took a bearing, and we headed off the path, towards our campsite. “Keep your eye on that big boulder,” he said. It was right in front of us. We walked in a straight line. I looked up, and the boulder had moved! I corrected my path. Looked up. The boulder moved again. Humans cannot naturally walk in a straight line. We need something to help us stay Read more
In 2002, when St John’s Rooms were completed, the then incumbent Revd John Robertson formed a subcommittee to look after the facilities of both the buildings. The group was known as the Facilities Management Group (FMG). Since then, the responsibilities have increased to include the grounds and the curate’s house. The curate’s house is partly owned with the Diocese. The Diocese looks after the lettings when we do not have a curate and the income Read more
A Rocha is a global Christian conservation organization founded in 1983. It operates in over 20 countries across six continents, focusing on scientific research, habitat restoration, and environmental education. The name means “The Rock” in Portuguese, originating from their first field study centre in Portugal. A Rocha UK’s Eco Church programme (https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/) equips churches in England and Wales to care for creation. Eco Church is a learning community of churches of all shapes and sizes Read more
Not long ago I had the pleasure of welcoming the Falcon Cubs of Grove Scout Group to St John’s to help them earn their world faiths badge. We talked together about the Christian circle of the year and the different colours that mark our seasons. There are the great white and gold celebrations of Christmas and Easter; the purple weeks of preparation; the red feast of Pentecost… and then there are a large number of Read more