Thank you from Lois 

Some of you may already be aware that our lovely Office Administrator Lois, had to undergo an emergency operation on her spine early in November following a complication in her on going condition.  She will need a number of weeks to recover and is not expected to  return to work for at least 2 months.  Lois says thank you for all your prayers and  lovely cards that she has received, they have really helped to cheer her up.  Please continue to pray for Lois during this time of recovery.  

Thank you 
Noelle

From Clive this week 

This week has involved planning for Christmas with the staff and wardens.

I have even recorded one video segment for Christmas. Complete with Christmas Jumper!  We're looking
forward to Christmas Unwrapped on Kingston fields on Monday 21st December.  This week is a week of preparation for the rest of the Christmas video recordings ready to meet Christmas production deadlines. Thanks to our video compiling team for the extra commitment for the Christmas services. I'm connecting with Ully-lange Orobor from compassion to finalise details for our digital compassion Sunday on the 13th December. Ully will be speaking at both our live and online services.

Next Monday is our annual budget PCC meeting, other topics include update from teams post, youth and Archdeacon Sally Gaze will be speaking on Missional Communities. Please pray for the PCC as they meet.

I'm a Just 42 trustee and Thursday 3rd is our next meeting.  Please pray for the charity as we are in challenging times for children's and young people's work.

Blessings
Clive

  St John’s Youth Update

We have wonderful young followers of Jesus at St John’s, and a new team of volunteers to support them is coming together.  
In October we had our first Friday night youth meet-up in the Church hall comprising games, socialising, food and some Christian teaching and prayer.  Thirteen young people came and we had a fab evening! Under current restrictions we’re having weekly zoom on Friday nights instead.  We can still chat, share games and quizzes, music and the bible together.  Best zoom of the week :)
From last year’s youth team Jeannie Woolf continues to support our Zooms.  Jeannie is a brilliant encourager and listener.  Ali Buchanan and Jonathan and Rosie Evans and Paul and Jane Smith are all volunteering to be Youth Leaders.   Additionally, there are several people coming forward to help out in different ways. 
Early in 2020, Youth Alpha was running very successfully at St John’s, but was curtailed by lockdown.  Several young people are very keen to complete this, but plans are not definite yet. 

Please pray for…

•         Our young people. That they would grow up well in every way, and that they get fed and encouraged in their faith at St John’s.
•         Wisdom:  for The Growing Younger Team to know what is most needed to support our youth well, and work out how to do it the             best we can.         
•         Wisdom to know how and when to recommence Youth Alpha 
•         God’s leading, guiding and blessing on all that we do so that it is done well and for God’s glory and Kingdom. 
                    
Thank you :) From the Growing Younger Team

 

Update from Heather Cox 

 Dear St John's,

I apologise for the lack of photos in this email. I'm having some issues with the internet connection today but I promise to send plenty in my next update!

This is just a quick note to let you know that I arrived safely in Phnom Penh. My journey went very smoothly and everybody on the flight got a negative covid test result after we landed so I was released to complete the two week quarantine in a very comfortable apartment arranged by OMF.

I am currently in the second week of quarantine which had been going very well. Unfortunately though on Sunday night I got sick with some kind of traveller's sickness, likely from a bug in water or food. I am currently being treated by an OMF doctor and taking two antibiotics but am yet to see much improvement.

I need to go to the hospital on Saturday to take my final covid test. This will likely involve a lot of waiting in line to be seen, something I'm not really up to in my current state! I'm also feeling pretty fed up and low after four days of restless sleep and being unwell! I'd really appreciate your prayers please that I would start to improve quickly over the next 24 hours.

Thank you,
Heather

Christingle Service 

 

PCC - 30th November 

The PCC will be meeting on 30th November with the following items on the agenda:

We will review the budget recommendations from the Standing Committee meeting held on 16th November, and agree our financial plans for the next year, including our giving through the World Mission Action Group (WMAG). We will also confirm the charities we will support in our Christmas appeal. 

To ensure we have focus in the PCC, and that actions can progress between meetings, we have 5 PCC teams which meet to focus on specific areas. These are: 

• Journeying - focussing on our walk together as Christians
• Caring - looking at how we look after each other
• Reaching out - our local mission and support of missionaries further afield through WMAG
• Growing Younger - as well as the youth and children's work, how can we attract more younger families ? 
• Resourcing - ensuring the physical buildings and resources are available to support the other teams.

The PCC teams are meeting on 23rd November to discuss the key points raised from the Questionnaire,  and will bring an update to the PCC.  This will include an update on the current youth provision. 

Later we will be joined by Sally Gaze to discuss and agree how we move forward with Missional Communities. 

Please pray that the PCC will make good decisions and that we will be able to follow them through.

Alan and Lyn (Churchwardens)

 News from Heather Cox

Heather Cox, a former member of St John’s, has been serving OMF for several years working on digital engagement. One of the OMF partners she has worked with is a technology company in Cambodia called Khalibre. It originally began as an OMF missional business, but has now grown to be an independently run social enterprise, employing Cambodian developers and engineers. Heather has now flown to Cambodia to start a 3½ month secondment at Khalibre's office in Phnom Penh.  Heather’s newsletter can be found on our World Mission page under Newsletters, you will need your members login details to view the newsletter; if you have trouble logging in or have not requested members access please contact the office for assistance.

 

The Church Office - Important Information 

Due to staff sickness the office will be working on reduced capacity until further notice.  If you have contacted the Office with a query and a response is required someone will endeavour to get back to you within one week, but this may take longer.  If you have something urgent that needs a response, please leave a message on the answerphone as this will be monitored every weekday.

Although the Old Vicarage remains closed to callers, you can leave a message on the main office phone 01394 383162 at anytime, this is monitored every weekday for urgent messages.  Alternatively contact us by email info@stjohnswoodbridge.org.uk.

Thank you, Noelle

Christmas Unwrapped 

Churches together are planning an amazing COVID secure gathered event.  We are looking for a lovely bunch of volunteer stewards to enable this to happen.  If this is something you would like to get involved with (restrictions permitting obviously) then please get in touch for more information. Contact the office and leave a message on 01394 383162 or email us on info@stjohnswoodbridge.org.uk and we will pass your details to the CTWM team.

It starts with just one

Rev'd Philip Miller shared the poem below with everyone at the Prayer meeting on Tuesday evening this week. Philip has had the poem for many years and has never known who the author was but he hopes that we find the words encouraging.

 

NewWine United 21: Important Update.

 

Paul Harcourt has shared an announcement about New Wine United A & B events in summer 2021.
Paul says
"All levels of New Wine leadership have prayed, discerned and applied our best wisdom as we have wrestled with this together and liaised with the events industry and other Christian festivals and events. We are in complete agreement that our ‘normal’ event is too large and complex to be viable in 2021. We are grateful for recent prophetic confirmations from individuals that have had no idea we have been having such discussions internally.
We are still determined to be ‘united’ in 2021 – face to face if we possibly can." For more more information on this, as well as FAQs, please visit NewWine's website by clicking HERE                                                                                                          To hear Paul's message click HERE 
 
 

Hub Community Cafe -Closed 

While we are in this current Lockdown we will remain closed until the restrictions are lifted, hopefully in December when we plan to re-open.  We look forward to when we are able to meet up again safely to chat and share refreshments together.                                 
     Carol, Jill, Sue and Ruth                   
                                                                                 

 

Tuesday Evening Prayer on Zoom -7.30pm-8.30pm

Join us for an hour of prayer, or come and go as you please. 
Tuesday evenings via zoom between 7.30pm - 8-30pm. Mary, our host would love to welcome you. You can join by clicking Here or if you have the app you can login using  Meeting ID:  937 1772 6932 and  Password:  389335

Tuesday and Thursday morning Prayer meetings on Zoom 

                 

If you can't make it to our Prayer meeting on Tuesday evenings or want to pray together more why not join us between 9am to 9.30am on Tuesday and/ or Thursday mornings. Our host John Horsley would love to welcome you. You can join by clicking Here or if you have the app you can login using the Meeting ID: 959 76204766   and Password: 982503 

Let's stay connected 

Church during November 

Due to the Lockdown measures throughout November we are unable to hold services within the church, however we are still able to open for private prayer. 

The church will be open on Wednesdays and Sundays from 9am to Midday.  A deep clean of the church will be completed each week before Wednesday then we are allowing 72 hours before Sunday to maintain a covid safe environment for private prayer.  Please adhere to the notices in church so we can continue to keep the church open for you in this way. 


It would be lovely to have 4 prayer stations set up in the church, for those wishing to focus their prayers so if you would like to create one of these please get in touch with the office for further details.

"Coffee and  Chat"  Sunday mornings between 11.15am to 12.15pm

You are very welcome to come and join us  for "Coffee and Chat" on zoom anytime between 11.15am and 12.15pm on Sunday mornings.
Either click this link Coffee & Chat to join us or if you have the app you can join  using Meeting ID: 954 0145 7270, Password: 100377 

                      
                                       

                       

Pastoral Reorganisation Notice

A notice giving the objects of the proposed Pastoral Reorganisation affecting this parish has been displayed in the Church porch and on the Church of England website. Representations regarding the proposed reorganisation may be made to the Church Commissioners before 14 December .

You can view the documents by clicking on the links below

Notice of Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 Draft Pastoral Scheme
Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011Draft Pastoral Scheme
Summary of main provisions of draft scheme
Glossary of words commonly used in Pastoral Reorganisation