LiFT 10th November
Good Evening my friends,
How are you this week? My heating is on, I have given in!
It’s a busy week, lots to do, and pray about, and plan.
We are well into the season of remembering and this year Remembrance Day feels all the more important, with a new conflict in Europe, and Ukrainian people living amongst us and becoming our friends. Please do take a moment either tomorrow or on Sunday to ask for God’s healing in our broken world. Tomorrow I will be at the Service of Remembrance at County Hall in Usk. As a result I will be working all day tomorrow and will be off on Saturday instead.
Christmas is taking shape, and final plans are underway to try to make sure that we can offer all our communities a rich and worshipful time this Christmas. Elsewhere in the Ministry Area people are working on a leaflet which will contain the programme for all 20 churches, quite a feat, and I think when we have all the details confirmed it’s going to be evidence of just how busy and thriving our communities are in their worship and desire to reach our neighbours with the things that we do. Thank you to everyone who works so hard and is so willing.
As part of the Advent season, and in keeping with the Church in Wales Food and Fuel campaign this winter, Bishop Cherry. has asked us to consider The Gift for Christmas Initiative which is described by her below – A Gift for Christmas An initiative, supported by the bishops in Wales, is ‘A Gift for Christmas.’ We are inviting congregations to make up boxes full of toiletries only (shower gel, toothpaste, sanitary products etc). We do not wish to prescribe what exactly each box contains nor how large the box but are simply wishing to commend the idea. Our hope is that every congregation will participate and produce at least 10 boxes. This will be a formidable challenge for some and for others they may be able to produce many more. Our suggestion is that we make these gifts available from the 21st of November. Churches may wish to arrange the distribution of the boxes themselves. Alternatively, please let us know if there is a food bank or another source near you who might be able and willing to assist.
If you think this is something your church could be part of, and I hope it is, please feel free to get on with organising it the best way that works for you. Please send me photos of anything that you collect and we can collate our effort and let the bishop know. Thank you so much.
And that is probably enough for now. Time for my dinner – a little celebration take-away as my son has got a job! Woohoo! Should I start charging him rent?!
Much love to you all, and thank you for your dare,
Sally xxxx
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