FAITH NEWS

SAINT LUKE’S, DEEPLISH

ST Luke’s Church, Deeplish held a service of Holy Communion on Wednesday, February 3 at 11am.

The service was officiated by a visiting minister.

We are holding our Wednesday service on Zoom at 11am.

For further information please see our webpage which is on www.rochdaleonline. co. uk/ sites/ saint- lukechurch.

We look forward to welcoming our regular members and anyone who would like to join our very friendly, caring congregation.

HEBRON PENTECOSTAL

THIS Week, February 7- 14.

Tuesday, 7pm is our Live stream with Pastor David on Youtube.

On Tuesday evening home groups are meeting via Microsoft Teams and you are invited to join any of them, just contact Julie the organiser and she will link you up with a group.

Wednesday, 7.30pm to 8.30pm is the Divine mentoring group.

Thursday, Hebron is open for Individual Prayer at 7am, 10am, 2pm, and 6pm.

Friday, 7pm is Youth Group on Zoom for 11-17 years, and 8pm is the Virtual prayer meeting.

Sunday, 10.30am is Children’s Church live streamed on Youtube, 11am is the Main Sunday Church Service, also live streamed on Youtube, and 8pm is the Youth Meet on Zoom for 11- 17 years. Hebron is open. We hope that you will be blessed whether you decide to visit us in person, or you decide to join us online.

Whichever option you choose you are warmly welcome.

If you are considering coming to church, we kindly ask you to register a place via our website by 5pm on Friday, as places are limited.

We have everything in place for your safety whilst you worship with us.

Children are allowed and must always remain with you.

Hebron church is also open for individual prayer and/ or quiet contemplation.

Times vary from day to day; see times above.

All are welcome to come and enjoy a moment of peace in our beautiful church.

We continue to stream the Sunday morning services and will be available to watch at 11am as usual on Youtube, simply enter Hebron Pentecostal Church Rochdale and click on.

For more information on Hebron’s events and services please email info@hebronrochdale. co. uk or visit our website on www.hebron pentecostal church. co. uk

‘ Love and serve God, love & serve people, share God with people.’

TRINITY METHODISTS

AS the covid nightmare continues to dominate our lives and has brought in its train all the anxiety, perplexity, hardship, dismay and grief for almost a year we, the still scattered Trinity folk, who have matched every twist and turn of that long road in our prayers, recognise that there are many other deep concerns which we should share with our God as He told us to do.

“When greed dictates that children die and poverty holds sway; when colour, lifestyle, creed or name cause groundless hate and fear; come Spirit,

“weave your web of peace, that prejudice and violence cease and reveal God’s purpose here.”

So we acknowledge the many signs of evil near and far.

We sense the hunger that stalks some lands, that bombs blast people’s homes and families creating refugees.

That justice and peace are distant dreams.

That poverty in the midst of extreme wealth abounds, of lives blighted by servitude and slavery when freedom is their right, of the greed that exploits the weakness and desperation of people in dire need.

“Lord let your Spirit dwell in the hearts and endeavours of people throughout the world striving for peace, plenty, fairness, healing, justice and freedom.

“We long for the day when Your kingdom comes on earth as it is in Heaven.”

ST ANDREW’S, DEARNLEY

ARE you a Christian seven days a week... or just on Sundays ?

The question has been asked of the churchgoing faithful across the centuries, but an article in the online version of our monthly magazine for February, ‘ The Fisherman’, claims the question has never been more relevant than today.

Before we come to that, let’s dwell for a moment or two on the Diocese of Manchester’s #Morethansunday initiative, the aim of which is to grow our faith and encourage our discipleship every day, at home, work, school, the local pub, while out shopping or anywhere else we spend valuable time from Monday to Saturday inclusive.

In other words, there’s a lot more to Christianity than going to Church on Sundays.

Created by lay people for lay people, #Morethansunday is Manchester’s response to the Church of England’s call to set God’s people free.

It encourages Christians to live out their faith 24/ 7, not merely by going to Church on a Sunday.

It was used to launch a year of discipleship in the summer of 2019, but its message is still ongoing and will always be relevant in encouraging the faithful to start lay training or, if not that, to at least highlight the way forward for everyone to be Christians every day of the week.

That’s what #Morethansunday is all about and, as it is pointed out in this month’s issue of the St Andrew’s magazine: “Our hearts desire is that the whole people of God may be engaged in the whole mission of God across the whole of life.

“Everyone has a part to play.

“Being part of Church, chaplaincy or other ministry has never been a kind of spectator activity in which people in the pews are watching what’s being done by people at the front.

“But now, more than ever, it’s about everyone using God- given gifts, both in the life of the Church and in the places God has set us; home, work, community.”

The new general lay training pathway offers wider access to our current lay training courses and comes out of our vision to see all lay people empowered; not just those seeking authorisation or licensing via our existing programmes such as ALM (Authorised Lay Ministry) and Reader Ministry.

Each of the ten courses offered by ALM are stand- alone courses and open to any lay person who wants to develop his or her calling. They run for 12 weeks, starting in April and ending in July.

If you wish to know more, please speak to the Rev Rachel Battershell.

Courses are as follows: Mission and Evangelism, Community Outreach, Ecology and Creation, Youth work, Children and family, Parish admin, finance, governance, Pastoral Outreach, Prayer and spirituality, Worship and Liturgy, and Digital

Church and Online Media.

On a different theme, we start Lent on February 17.

Our Ash Wednesday service will probably be virtual, but more of that next week.

While the church doors are closed, online worship can be found on our Facebook page and also on our website.

ST CHAD’S AND ST MARY IN THE BAUM

ST Chad’s, standing on the hill overlooking the town centre, behind the historic Town Hall, has been Rochdale’s Parish Church and a centre of worship for over 800 years.

You are very welcome to join us on Sunday mornings.

Our sister church, St Mary in the Baum, in these difficult times, remains closed until further notice. Services at St Chad’s: Tomorrow, Sunday, February 7, the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, 11am is Holy Communion, with Celebrant and Preacher the Rev Dr Christopher Halliday.

Sunday next, February 14, the last Sunday after the Epiphany, 11am is Holy Communion, with Celebrant and Preacher: Canon Roger Hill.

Wednesday, February 17, Ash Wednesday, 7.30 pm is Holy Communion with Celebrant and Preacher The Bishop of Middleton, the Rt Rev Mark Davies.

All Church of England and government guidelines are in place, including hand sanitisation, social distancing, face covering and track and trace.