PROCESS FOR APPOINTING NEW TEAM RECTOR
An applicant applied for the post of the Team Rector after the closing date of the second round of advertising. He has met the Billericay Team reps via zoom and both they and he were happy to go ahead. The interview date is 6 August, so please pray for wisdom and discernment for the Billericay Team representatives, the Area Dean, Archdeacon and Clergy on that day.
Should the applicant not be offered the post or indeed feel it is not right for him, then a further round of advertising will begin later in August.
Meanwhile, please continue to pray for the person God will bring in His time to lead the Team and for all of us to be patient and willing to embrace the change God is bringing about here.
Please also continue to pray for the clergy across the Team – Margaret Fowler, Rupert Hankey and Christine Williams and the lay leaders at each church, especially at Emmanuel, as they all take on more responsibility.
SERVICES DURING SCHOOL SUMMER HOLIDAYS
At the recent DCC meeting , it was agreed that, during the school summer holidays, we will have one service on a Sunday at 10am. We will have a prayer theme throughout with the following topics :
July 28th How to pray;
Aug 4th Praise & Worship;
Aug 11th Intercessory Prayer;
Aug 18th Forgiving Others;
Aug 25th ‘Into your hands’ – yielding to God’s will
The services should last no more than an hour and there will be craft activities for any children who may be present.
SUMMER BRING AND SHARE LUNCHES
Following on from the summer services we plan to have Bring and Share lunches in people’s gardens:
28 July Christine Coe
4 August Christine Williams
11 August Sue and Jim Shrubb
18 August Anita and Alan Morgan
25 August TBC
Please see Christine Coe or the lunch host for address details.
Please let Christine Coe know if you would be happy to host the lunch on August 25th. Here’s hoping that the sun will shine, and we can enjoy time together.
VERONICA BROOKS It is with great sadness that we announce that Bernie’s wife, Veronica Brooks, passed away on 6th July. She had been battling advancing dementia for over 10 years but was the light and focus of Bernie’s life and will leave a huge void at St. John’s. Veronica attended Emmanuel many years ago and helped with Teddy Bears too. The funeral service will be held at St. John’s, Outwood Common at 1:30 pm on Wednesday 31st July, followed by burial at St. Mary the Virgin, Little Burstead. Refreshments will follow at St. John’s.
TEDDY BEARS is a group for pre-school children over the age of 18 months, runs on a Thursday morning in term-time, in the Emmanuel foyer from 9.30 -11.30 and has some spaces from Sept. Parents/carers are free to leave their child or stay with them, helpers are DBS checked. They meet again on 12 Sept. For further details please contact Merrill Knight ( 656183).
NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE Many of you will remember our former Team Rector, Elwin Cockett, who moved on in 2007 to become Archdeacon of West Ham. Due to health problems, Elwin has announced his retirement and will finish on 30 September after 33 years serving Chelmsford Diocese. Elwin was also Chaplain to West Ham Football Club. The Diocese will shortly be publishing information about how we can give thanks for Elwin’s ministry. Because of the acute and particular needs of the West Ham Archdeaconry, the unusual step was taken to offer the Archdeacon of Southend, the Ven Mike Power, the appointment as Archdeacon of West Ham, and he has accepted. Bishop Guli has announced that she will be working with Bishop Adam Atkinson in the near future to advertise and recruit to the post of Archdeacon of Southend as quickly as possible in the Autumn.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD (OCC) SHOEBOXES This year we are inviting people to make up their own shoeboxes and bring them to the service on Sunday 17 November, where they will be blessed before being sent off.
As there are donations left over from last year, these will be put out for people to add to their own shoeboxes, together with any items which people already have and would like to donate.
The speaker at the Team Service at Christ Church on September 29th will be Claudia from Operation Christmas Child.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
28 Aug MU Summer lunch
Please contact Merrill Knight ( 656183) or Pauline Randall (07939102945) for further details.
6 Sept Next Babies & Toddlers – 10-11.30am for parents/carers and babies/toddlers. Contact Juliet Shipton for further information.
7 Sept Who Let The Dads Out 9-10.30am Emmanuel for all Dads, Grandads and Male Carers with pre-school Toddlers. Contact Tony Wallace for further information.
8 Sept ‘The Acts of the Risen Christ’ Digging Deeper, in-depth Bible Study, led by Stephen Greenfield in the Pilgrim Rooms at 12.30 – 2.00pm. Bring a Bible and a packed lunch and dig into both.
9 Sept Emmanuel DCC meeting, 7.30pm in Emmanuel Foyer
12 Sept Next Teddy Bears
15 Sept 10am Messy Church – ‘Feeding 5000 people’ and Happy Birthday
16 Sept BLBTM PCC meeting 7.30pm at Emmanuel
18 Sept Emmanuel Leadership Team meeting, 1.30pm in Emmanuel Foyer
21 Sept Indoor Market at SMM, 10am – 4pm, lunches served 11.30am – 2pm.
25 Sept Mother’s Union – Metamorphosis with VP Merrill Knight
Please contact Merrill Knight ( 656183) or Pauline Randall (07939102945) for further details.
29 Sept Team Service 10am at Christ Church, speaker from Operation Christmas Child
29 Sept Civic Service 3pm at Emmanuel
WEEKLY EVENTS
‘ANNA’S PLACE’ Tuesdays 10.30 a.m. – 2 p.m. A warm welcome and activities every week in Christ Church Church Hall for older people. Refreshments and lunch included. Just come along. Free.
HOLY COMMUNION AT ST MARY MAGDALEN – Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
ZOOM PRAYERS every Wednesday 6pm.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEWS ITEMS? If you do, please email Richard know and send him your copy and any pictures or posters associated with it.
PRAYER REQUESTS
THOSE WHO ARE UNWELL
Please remember in your prayers those members of our church family who are in need of our love and support at this time, whether we know them to be unwell or struggling in different ways. Please also remember those who continue to weigh heavy on your hearts. Pray for all members of our church family and anyone we know who are isolating or struggling with ill health and in need of prayer at this time.
Especially remember: Sue Cockett; Paul Harrison; Jean Cuthbert; Brad Martin; Alan Campbell; Terry Golds (Sue Oakley’s brother); Alan Woolnough; Simon Coe; Paul Morris; Sue Stevens; Julie Harper; Esther Davies; Joan Steward; Justin (Juliet’s brothers); Elwin Cockett; Sonja Chamberlain; Nicola (Bob & Jill’s daughter); David Kitchener; Vince Fabbri; Peggy and Derek Randall (Donna’s parents); Sue & Jim Shrubb; Claire Iveson; Sheila Whitworth; Fred Towler (Vicki Davies’ dad); Sheila Bailey; Brenda Lunn; David & Maureen Bird; Jan Wood; Rosemarie Biron; George Wetjen; Carol Hayward; Roger Hayward; Simon Harrison; Kim Steele. Dr Chris Williams asks if we can remember the many elderly and confused patients of his in these challenging times.
THOSE WHO ARE BEREAVED
Please continue to pray for all those we know who have been recently bereaved, especially for the family of: Veronica Brooks (St John’s); Ken Smith (Hazel and David); Adelheid Johnson; Ernie Sprunt; Maria Hankey; Julian (Juliet Shipton’s brother); David Fordham; Esther Dean; Jean Bennett; Alan George Conquest MBE; Robert Wiggins; David Mander (Maureen); Faith Dowthwaite (William & Janet); Ron Bollman; Ann Newton (Western Road and neighbour of John & Jacquie); Ken Flack (Mari, Sarah & Zoe); Ewen Pattison (Janet, Andrea and Adam); Dave Parker (Debs and Katie)
The Prayer List is constantly updated. If there is someone missing, or if you would like to add someone or someone can now be removed, please contact Sue Oakley email Sue Oakley
