Newsletter 5th January 2024
Dear Friends
Happy New Year to all our readers! I wonder what you’re hoping that 2024 will bring. I have made it my practice over the last 30 years to write in my journal my hopes for the year ahead. When I have read back at the end of the year, it has been astonishing how often God has met me in those hopes and delivered even more than I had dreamed possible. Last year for instance, I was fervently hoping that my youngest son and daughter-in-law would finally be able to have a baby and today I am six weeks off seeing that dream fulfilled. I was also hoping that my heart arrhythmia would be sorted after two and a half years of unwanted breathlessness. That too has seen an amazing transformation. Of course, sometimes God meets our hopes by saying “wait a bit longer” and so Fran and I are still waiting for her knee to be sorted.
I pray that the Lord will meet you in all your hopes for 2024. May we all join in the one Hope that His Kingdom will come more fully among us.
Confirmation
There will be a Confirmation Service at St George’s this Sunday January 7th. The service, which will be Holy Communion will be presided over by the Bishop of Hereford. Do pray for our four candidates: Sue Brookes, Jan Houston, Joan Rogers, Liv Lonsdale.
Christmas
With huge thanks to all those who worked so hard over the Christmas season, with many extra services and activities, which thankfully attracted so many people. To organisers, coffee makers, cake bakers, readers, intercessors, rota coordinators, musicians, singers, sidespeople, church decorators and many others, may the Lord bless you for your generosity with your time and energy.
Pam Bickley
We had a lovely farewell service for Pam Bickley last Sunday. It was wonderful to see the church so full and to be able to send Pam off with our love and blessings. She will be hugely missed. Please understand that retirement means that she is no longer allowed to minister, so she will be unable to make exceptions however much she is urged to take the occasional funeral or wedding.
Minsterley Services
Contrary to the previous newsletter, Minsterley services will be taking place in church through the winter, with the exception of the new Tea-Time service on the fourth Sunday of the month, which will take place at Minsterley Parish Hall.
Children’s Church
Will recommence at St George’s on the 14th January and every 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month.
Year of Faith
Hereford Diocese has designated 2024 as the Year of Faith, and the launch event rather than be hosted by the Cathedral is going to be hosted by St George’s on Saturday Jan 13th from 9.30-1 p.m. The Bishop is going to address the half-day conference. Given that this is a great privilege, it is incumbent on us to ensure a good turnout. Please do sign up if you possibly can. You can book tickets (free of charge) via the following link Bishop’s Teaching Event – Growing confidence in the word of God @Pontesbury Tickets, Sat 13 Jan 2024 at 09:30 | Eventbrite You can also turn up on the day, but if too many people do that, it’s makes planning quite difficult. Anyone who is able to offer cakes for this event should speak to Mary Worrall or Marianne McCall.
The Bible Course
We will be running the Bible Course (an 8 week video course produced by the Bible Society) from Monday Jan 8th from 7-8.30 p.m. on alternate Mondays. Allen and Margaret Marsden have kindly agreed to host this at 3 Earls Court, Pontesbury, SY5 0QP. You are welcome to turn up without prior notice, but it will help the seating plan if you speak to Allen or Richard in advance.
New Pattern of Services
2024 sees a new pattern of services as follows:
| Pontesbury | Minsterley | Habberley | |
| 1st Sunday | All-age Worship at 10.30 | Holy Communion at 10.30 | Evensong at 5 p.m. |
| 2nd Sunday | Morning Prayer at 10.30 | Holy Communion at 10.30 | |
| 3rd Sunday | Holy Communion at 10.30 | Minsterley Praise at 10.30 | Holy Communion at 5 p.m |
| 4th Sunday | Holy Communion at 10.30 | Tea-Time Church at 4 p.m |
Minsterley Meadows
A reminder of the public meeting on Saturday Jan 6th about Minsterley Meadows at Minsterley Parish Hall from 10-12.
A week of Guided Prayer
A leaflet describing a week of guided prayer, jointly hosted by St George’s Pontesbury and St Thomas’s Hanwood is available. If you’re not sure whether this is for you, do please come to the taster evening which St George’s is offering on Weds Jan 10th at 7 p.m. Our prayer guides are travelling some distance to share with us. Please do come along to hear what they have to share.
Calendar for the Week
Fri 5th
Coffee at St George’s 10-12
Sat 6th
Minsterley Meadows meeting
Sun 7th
Holy Communion at Shelve at 9 a.m.
Holy Communion at Pontesbury & Minsterley at 10.30 a.m.
Evensong Habberley at 5 p.m.
Mon 8th
Pontesbury Finance Ctte at 12 noon at The Deanery
Minsterley Youth Café at 3.30 p.m.
Bible Course at 7 p.m. at 3 Earls Court
Tues 9th
Foodbank at HTM 10-12
Little Dragons at St George’s 10-11.30 a.m.
Pontesbury Safeguarding at 2 p.m.
Weds 10th
Coffee Hub at HTM 10-12
Church Council at 2 p.m. at St George’s
Guided Prayer Taster Session at St George’s at 7 p.m.
Thurs 11th
Foodbank at St George’s from 10-12
Stiperstones Website meeting at 2 p.m.
Sat 13th
Year of Faith Conference at St George’s 9.30- 1 p.m.
Sun 14th
Morning Prayer at Hope at 9 a.m.
Morning Prayer at Pontesbury at 10.30 a.m.
Holy Communion at Minsterley at 10.30 a.m.
