Essential

On the 5th April we launched 'Essential', a chance to share food, life and faith.
Together we ate a fish and chip supper and then looked at a bible passage from Acts 2.42-47 which was conveniently printed on our place mats.

Our hope is that this fresh expression of being church will be a safe place for people to feel they can belong, be themselves, bringing their questions and doubts and explore faith and spirituality.
We meet on the first Sunday of each month at 6.30pm. Do join us on the 3rd May!

Day of Resurrection

We continued our Easter celebrations at 10 a.m. in church, with a Family Communion celebration. With a mixture of Easter hymns, and Easter worship songs, the children were active as they waved flags. The refrain: "Christ is risen" – "He is risen indeed, alleluia!" echoed around the building.

The service ended with another celebration – Communion when we remembered again Christ's death and Resurrection, which brings us back to God.

The final event of the day will be ‘Essential’ – the first of our new 'Café Church'style events which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month.

Do come and join us!

Very early in the Morning on the First Day of the Week

 It was Easter morning that the women in Jesus group and the disciples found the grave empty. It was on this day that the Angels told them: “He is not here, He is Risen.”

This message of Resurrection featured in all the apostles’ preaching. They had met the risen Lord. They knew that the sacrifice of Himself on the cross had been acceptable to God. So, it’s right that we celebrate.

As the first Easter day events started “early in the morning,” we too met in Brock's Hill Park for a sunrise service at 6:15 a.m. prepared by Colin Chettle and led by Steve Bailey. There,as the sun rose, we read the account of Jesus' resurrection from John's Gospel chapter 20. Four monologues, representing the apostles Thomas, Peter, John and Mary Magdalene illustrated their feelings at the beginning and the end of the story. The words were interspersed with three hymns (When I Survey, Jesus Christ is Risen Today, and Thine Be the Glory) sung splendidly unaccompanied, the lighting of candles, to announce the resurrection, and prayers.

As the sun rose, a cloud blotted it out but it still made a memorable start to this most special of days. Together, we returned for breakfast in church, and the rest of the day's events.

Broken for Me

Good Friday is a day that is both solemn and joyful – solemn because it remembers how Jesus was rejected by mankind, unjustly condemned and made to suffer the most humiliating and painful death imaginable; – joyful because it is the events on this day which open up the way by which God is able to forgive sins, and humankind can once more approach God.

The day started with a joint Churches Together in Oadby service at the refurbished Baptist church – one of the last services to be led by their Minister, the Revd Ellen Price, before she moves on to her new job. We remembered Christ’s trial and crucifixion through drama, Bible readings, hymns, a sermon and prayers

Afterwards, the intention had been to distribute Easter eggs and hot cross buns to shoppers in the Parade at Oadby as an indication of God’s love and generosity to the world outside. Unfortunately the rain made this impractical, so people were encouraged to take them for their neighbours, with the same message.

We meet again this evening, at 7:30 p.m. for a service of meditation as we reflect on the cross.

King Richard III

No one in Leicester, or probably in England, can have been unaware that yesterday saw the burial of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral. The whole story of his discovery and identification has been incredible – almost one of fiction. But now he has been laid to rest.

As the funeral service made clear, death is not the end for those who die trusting in Jesus Christ. For them, they will see their Saviour face-to-face and will rise to glory on the final day.

Richard was a complex person and people argue his good and bad traits. Christ is not concerned with Richard’s, or our, perfection. To all who turn to him, like the thief on the cross, he offers life in all its fullness – now and after death.

As the commentator, John Snow, stated at the end of the broadcast, “Richard’s story is coming to an end – as all our stories will end.”

Alpha course finishes

Alpha Course Members and the Helpers

Our Alpha coursed finished this week. Here is a photo of the happy group. We have enjoyed exploring faith together and deepening our understanding of Jesus.

Many thanks to Vivien & Colin who fed us so well with great love and care.

The group is hoping to meet again in the summer term to find out how we are all getting on.

My story

This week I am sharing my story of faith with 900 young people at Manor High School. We are blessed to have the opportunity to regularly come into the school and share a bit about our faith and the different Christian festivals. This week we’re looking at Easter and as a Christian, Easter Changes Everything, a theme we looked at at our previous Ignite a few weeks ago. I shared my story of what Jesus has done for me and that this has been everything to me during my childhood and my Leukaemia and the lessons I learned even in some of the darkest and toughest times that are still saving and serving me today. I don’t regret them and I wouldn’t change them because they have made my faith and me who I am today. God is good in everything and His love and grace changes everything.
Lou McGoldrick

Fun @ 4 - This Sunday

Ignite

 We had our 3rd IGNITE tonight, focusing on Easter and the build up to it, not just while Jesus was on earth but God’s plan all along. Jesus’ faithfulness and love is shown at the cross and his dedication to us spans eternity. We also enjoyed lots of pudding and rocked out some worship. Great night, thanks to everyone who came, we missed those who couldn’t make it. Why not try out our next one? Watch this space. The next one is on the big question: “Is it okay to doubt?” 

This Month’s Charity – CPAS

The charity which is this month’s focus for our prayer and giving at St Paul’s is CPAS. CPAS is short for “The Church Pastoral Aid Society.”  That sounds a bit of a mouthful, which is why the initials, CPAS are usually used. But actually the CPAS is “just what it says on the tin.” It is a Society which Aids (helps) Churches in their Christ given mission to Pastor (care) for their own congregations and the communities to which they have been called to witness to God’s love.

CPAS itself claims:
“We are committed to mission and equipping churches for their God-given task of evangelism.
We believe the most strategic way for us to help churches become more mission-focused is by developing effective leadership.
We long to see a Christ-centred, Bible-based, mission-focused Church where leaders are clear about their call to discipleship, growing in Christ-like character, and competent to lead in a time of rapid change; where leaders discern God's direction, enable action, build teams, develop leaders, facilitate communication, and nurture people;”

By its courses, training and literature CPAS has often helped St Paul’s in the past. We pray for its continuing role in the future.

CPAS website