19 November 2023

Notices Sunday 19th November 2023

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Preacher 10:30:  Rev Dr Mark Jason

Steward: Marian Heap

Organist:  Alan Amos

Welcome Steward:  Allison Neale

Church Flowers this week are donated

by Mr Fred Wilkinson & arranged by Gill Davenport

Please note that the church collection plate will be placed just inside the worship area.

Dates for your diary this week

Sun Nov 19th         09:30 Sunday Club Meeting

Mon Nov 20th        09:00-11:00 Parents & Carers

                              13:15-15:15 Taiji Qigong

                         18:15-19:45.R-bows,Brown&Guides

                              14:00- 16:00 EDI Training- 82 Petre

Tue Nov 21st            09:00-09:30. School Worship

Wed Nov 22nd      10:00-14.30. Child Minders

Thu. Nov 23rd       19:30. Blackburn Cycling Club 

Fri Nov 24th       19:30-22:00. Acc. Camera Club

Dates for your diary next week

Mon Nov 27th        09:00-11:00 Parents & Carers

                              13:15-15:15 Taiji Qigong

                         18:15-19:45. Rainbows, Brownies &

                                                        Guides

Tue Nov 28th           09:00-09:30. School Worship

Wed Nov 29th       10:00-14.30. Child Minders

Thu. Nov 30th       19:30. Blackburn Cycling Club 

Fri Dec 1st       19:30-22:00. Acc. Camera Club

Future Dates

3/12. MWiB Advent Carol Service 18:00 Rishton

4/12   Brownies, Guides and Rainbows Christmas   

        Evening fund raising event.(see poster)

6/12. LP and Worship leaders Rishton 14:00

9/12  10:00-13:00 Training for volunteer role holders

17/12 Rishton Nativity 16:00

24/12 Christmas Eve Carols /Band  Rishton 14:30

25/12. Joint Christmas Worship Trinity 10:30

31/12 Circuit Thanksgiving service Rishton 10:30

2024- 06/02 Three Day Sale  13/4 Spring Fayre

Lancs District Zoom Service Sunday Evenings

Due to some technical challenges the code for joining in the District Sunday evening worship has been changed to:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/2732452345?pwd=39VUQKXMavASsipVfSC5gHVmpBE1py.1

Meeting ID: 273 245 2345 Passcode: yjr1bm

Christmas Bring and Buy Sale

On Sunday 3rd December. Donations of "food only "

Cakes, mince pies, tins of fruit, sweets, chocolates etc.

All proceeds for the Church.

Thank You Sharon.

Sunday Club Diary dates for the winter term

3/12. Toy Service

17/12 Nativity (16:00)

24/12.Christmas Eve Christmas Carol Circuit Service with Stedfast Band.  (14.30)

Details on the events highlighted above will be available nearer the time.

Brownies Guides and Rainbows

The subscriptions for girl guiding this year cost £50 per girl.  With this in mind, on the 4th December they invite everyone to come along to their Christmas fund raising evening. See details below.

 Allison Braves the Shave!

Allison is supporting Macmillan Nurses by having her head shaved in aid of the charity!  If you would like to sponsor her, please see the sheet on the foyer table.

Training for volunteer role holders at church - Saturday 9th December - 10am to1pm

Sharon is putting on a training session to improve the knowledge and understanding of some health and safety aspects of running the church. Light refreshments will be included.

A list of names can be found on the notice board in the foyer. Please could you indicate your availability. Also, you can add your name if you wish to attend.  Many thanks for everyone's cooperation. Sharon & Bev

Food Bank thanks from Dorothy Casey

On behalf of Our Foodbank I would like to thank you for donating so much food to Our Foodbank.  Our Foodbank has now been running for over 7 years and we deliver to clients in Great Harwood, Rishton, Clayton le Moors and Altham.  Our deliveries are made to those who are referred to us by agencies such as doctors, church ministers, social services or anyone who comes to us and tells us of someone who is in need of food or maybe other services where we can help or can signpost where help can be given.   Individuals in need can also request a parcel, for a short period.  Each client is most grateful for the parcel of food we bring them and often only need two or three parcels to get back on their feet and become independent once more.

Thank you again for your care and support.  Yours sincerely, Dorothy Casey (Our Foodbank)

Closing date for notices

It would be helpful if all notices for Sunday November 26th could be in by the evening of Wednesday November 22nd.  Please send them to: steveruth.colling@gmail.com 07958 036736 or tunstallsharon2@gmail.com mobile 07930930514.

Preacher next week

The preacher for next Sunday 26th November at 10:30 will be: Mrs Pam Russo and the steward will be Margaret Brankin.

 AND FINALLY…

A neighbour's wife asked him what he would like for his birthday. He told her that he'd always wanted a Tattoo, and could he have one.

She agreed to this, but now spends her days complaining about the Pipe and Drum Bands parading up and down the back garden.

The parable of the talent’s prayer.

(Matthew 25: 14-30)

Author:  Colin Smith “The Worship Cloud”

This informal prayer is both a confession and a cri de coeur (cry from the heart)

arising mainly from vs 29.

It can be used both in adult worship,

or in private devotion.

Forgive us, Father God, for we have a lot of sympathy for the worthless servant.

    What was it that he did that was so wrong?

  He didn’t run off with the money.

  He kept it safe from thieves and robbers.

  He was completely trustworthy.

It was intact when you returned.

  Couldn’t you have been just a little bit happy that it was still all there?

  Couldn’t you have been just a little bit encouraging?

  Couldn’t you simply forgive him?

Yes, he was far too timid– but then he was terribly afraid of you. After all

  Aren’t you the God who punished all humankind with hard labour?

  Aren’t you the God who flooded the whole earth to rid it of all but one family?

  Aren’t you the God whose people were punished with exile?

There is plenty for him to fear. But

  Have we misunderstood? and

  What of the other servants?

  What did they do?

Of course!

  They put their talents to work, according to their abilities

  They traded goods and services.

  They created wealth.

The worthless servant simply preserved his allocation. Surely that is why you were so disappointed with him.

And, what of us as we await the return of your son?

  Forgive us, our obsession with preserving things as we wait.

  Forgive us our fear of change.

And so we ask you to

  Give us both the opportunities and the courage to use our talents.

  Give us the nerve to take risks for you,

  And as we use our talents, remind us that the Christian life is meant to be a creative adventure!

Help us Loving Father to live out life adventurously!

Amen.