Sunday 10th May – Easter V
Join us for our on-line Parish Communion for the 5th Sunday of Easter – 10th May. You can join Rev’d John by viewing at 10:30am as he also conducts the service from the vicarage or you can view at a time convenient to yourself. The service again features our Virtual Parish Choir who have been busy recording themselves at home.
The service can be viewed using this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlPwrdlcy8s
The service booklet can be downloaded here if required:
To everyone in Meltham – PLEASE SHARE.
We are praying for you and your family and friends.
Are you too looking for a simple way to pray for someone during these difficult times? Join the Meltham prayer campaign either online or at home which has been set up so that we can all pray for those we care about, love and miss.
You can make a simple prayer and encourage others to also join in by sharing on your social media and using the hashtag #melthamprays along with your prayer – e.g.
“I am praying for my Mum & Dad in isolation #melthamprays”
“I’d like to pray for the 84 year old widower I spoke to yesterday who told me how much he simply missed physical contact with anyone #melthamprays”
“I’m praying for the kids on our street who are missing playing out with each other #melthamprays”
You could also draw and colour-in a picture to display in your window – again to tell others you are praying and to encourage them to do also. Only use photos of people if you have their permission first.
Remember, anyone can pray…………for anyone!
Let’s pray for each other!
We will also have special day of prayer on Saturday 16th May where we can especially think about all those people in our #melthamprays prayers.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 2:42-45 (NIV)
Pentecost and the birth of the Church was undoubtedly an extremely exciting time for the disciples. However, it was surely a very disturbing time as well.
Things changed, and many of the changes were not ones that they may have chosen. There had always been three pillars to the way they lived out their faith; the law, sacrifices and the temple. As they read their scriptures (our Old Testament) they had to see how the law worked through the prism of the grace and mercy of Christ. On the cross Jesus had become, the one perfect sacrifice, meaning that sacrificial worship was no longer necessary in the old way of thinking. And through persecution many of them would soon lose access to temple worship altogether. The whole way that they lived out their faith changed almost overnight.
At the end of acts 2 we see how they began to deal with these changes. They knew what they had to keep, what had to be their priorities, The Apostles teachings, prayer, fellowship, and generosity.
As we live through uncertain times today, surely, we should ensure that whatever shape our Church community takes, it should be based around these same four pillars.
Reverend John (Vicar)
ONLINE SERVICES – via Parish website
Our Parish Communion for Sunday 3rd May will be posted on our website www.melthamparish.co.uk
This will be pre-recorded but Rev John will be repeating the service at 4:00pm so that it may be considered spiritually live. Please join in if you are able.
PRAYER CAMPAIGN #melthamprays
Many people are looking for a simple way to pray. I hope that this will offer an opportunity to do so. Please look at the magazine, facebook, or our website for more details.
Virtual Parish Choir
We have formed a virtual Parish Choir, with the aim that individuals can record themselves at home, and then these will be joined together as one choir!
Anyone can join in, but you will need 2 devices (i.e. phone, tablet or PC) and some earphones – this is so you can listen to the piano accompaniment with one device and record yourself with the other. If you are interested, then contact Simon via melthamparish@outlook.com
We’ll be starting off with well known hymns, so that hopefully people find it easy to join in.
The first recording by 15 virtual choristers was used in the Parish Communion on 3rd May – you can listen there to see what’s achievable – amazing!
Following recent guidelines from the Church of England and the government. All churches will be closed for public worship until further notice.
This now includes private prayer and funerals.
Funerals can still be held at the crematorium and at the grave side with a maximum of ten mourners.
All weddings are postponed until further notice.
Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Hallelujah!
Join us for our on-line Parish Communion at 4:00pm for the 4th Sunday of Easter – Sunday 3rd May. The service featuring our newly formed Virtual Parish Choir (who have recorded themselves individually at home) can be viewed at any time but Rev’d John will conduct the service at the vicarage at this time to make the worship spiritually live. The service words will appear on the video to enable you to join in easily.
The service can be viewed here via YouTube:
https://youtu.be/yalRXg0aqAA
The service booklet can be downloaded here:
Apologies for the delay!
Welcome to the May edition of the #Meltham Parish Magazine. We hope and pray that you are all keeping well. Speaking of which, this month, we’re launching a #melthamprays prayer campaign which you can join in both at home and on social media – (see page 15). Don’t forget VE day (pg 9) and find out how our Crossroads Centre and Foodbank has been getting on in these difficult times.
As ‘social distancing’ continues, we are still unable to get this edition distributed in hard copy so please feel free to share/forward this around to those who (under the current circumstances) may not receive this, obviously keeping to social distancing guidelines.
On the Road to Emmaus
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
Luke 24:13-16a (NIV)
Why didn’t the two people in todays gospel reading recognise Jesus? Why is it that we often do not see Jesus walking alongside of us in our own lives until we look back?
Perhaps sometimes it could be that we aren’t really looking but it can’t be God’s inability to make himself known. In many ways it would be much easier, for both us and God, if he always made us know he was there and what he was doing. So, why not? Our God is almighty, but he is also loving and gentle. He is always there and always calling us, but he doesn’t force us, he doesn’t use his power to make us follow him. He allows us to choose to have faith in him so that our faith can be based on our love for him which is our response to his love for us. He is gentle and patient, he lets us ask questions and forgives our mistakes, and we can trust that he is always there whether we see him or not.
Reverend John (Vicar)
Following recent guidelines from the Church of England and the government.
All churches will be closed for public worship until further notice. This now includes private prayer and funerals. Funerals can still be held at the crematorium and at the grave side with a maximum of ten mourners.
All weddings are postponed until further notice.
Website
Our parish communion will be posted on our website www.melthamparish.co.uk this will be pre-recorded but Rev John will be repeating the service at 10:30am so that it may be considered spiritually live. Please join in if you are able.
Evening service 6:00pm Sunday 26th April
This service will be delivered live through Zoom.
Zoom is an easy to install and easy to use app that is free to download and can by used by any type of computer. Just google Zoom and you should find instructions. You will then need to check our website for the details to join the service.
You’re invited to join our evening ZOOM service – God of peace.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday 26th April at 6pm.
Topic: Evening service – God of peace.
Time: Apr 26, 2020 06:00 PM London
Please click the link below at 6pm on 26th April to join the Zoom service:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86402025366?pwd=TjFCTndwQkp0WHZqNTkyMi9INmJRZz09
Meeting ID: 864 0202 5366
Password: 450735
Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Hallelujah!
Join us for our on-line Parish Communion at 10:30am for the 3rd Sunday of Easter – Sunday 26th April. This can be viewed at any time but Rev’d John will conduct the service at the vicarage at this time to make the worship spiritually live. The service words will appear on the video to enable you to join in easily.
The service can be viewed here via YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hm4xEedN0Y
The Zoom service will take place this evening, further details to follow.
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
John 20:19 (NIV)
As we find the disciples in todays Gospel reading, hiding behind a locked door. We should be reminded that our God does not abandon us to fear or doubt. In his love for us he comes and meets us in our need, his grace is always greater than our weakness.
As we live through a time when we find our own Church doors locked and wish to meet together to share the good news of Easter, we need to pray for patience. It was right for the disciples to wait a while until on the day of Pentecost they were filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to share the good news in the way that God had planned.
Our God can unlock any door and will do so in his own perfect timing. We must pray that we will be ready to respond when he calls us to do so, just as the disciples were.
Reverend John (Vicar)
Following recent guidelines from the Church of England and the government.
All churches will be closed for public worship until further notice.
This now includes private prayer and funerals.
Funerals can still be held at the crematorium and at the grave side with a maximum of ten mourners.
All weddings are postponed until further notice.
Website
Our parish communion will be posted on our website www.melthamparish.co.uk this will be pre-recorded but Rev John will be repeating the service at 10:30am so that it may be considered spiritually live. Please join in if you are able.
Meltham Food Bank has become increasingly important to many people facing an uncertain future. A small group of people are responding to an increasing demand for food and access to our Mann’s Wharfe Wheels meals donated for those in need. 31 food parcels have been delivered this month. We are trying to live faithfully believing that God will supply our needs. Many people have donated money. Cash donations and money into our account are very welcome. Yesterday we had agreed we needed £150 to purchase what we needed. Three donations arrived unexpectedly this morning totalling £190. We thank God and you for your prayers and support.
