LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 6th December 2020

Second Sunday in Advent

We light the second candle to symbolise our peace, as we
eagerly anticipate the coming reign of the Prince of Peace.

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight paths for Him. Mark 1 v 3

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for the successful completion of the Brexit talks.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

The Jesse Tree – if you have access to YouTube please take the opportunity to watch various members of the Colchester Methodist Circuit doing daily readings throughout Advent. https://www.youtube.com/c/ColchesterMethodists

Action for Children’s Starry Night will be hosted by Jon Snow from Channel 4 News, An evening of Christmas carols, sparkling entertainment and festive cheer to homes across the UK (and beyond!) on Tuesday 8th December 2020. Tickets are £10 per household and can be bought at https://www.starry-night.co.uk

Worship from home – Alan will continue to deliver a printed service sheet every week while our church is closed and if you would like to receive a DVD of the weekly circuit service please call Geoff on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413

A Christmas Prayer

O God our help in ages past,
Our hope in years to be,
Look down upon us now
And see our need of Thee…

For in this age of Coronavirus
With danger all around,
We need Thy hand to lead us
To a higher, safer ground.

We need Thy help and counsel
To make us more aware
That our safety and security
Lie solely in Thy care.

And so we pray this Christmas
To feel Thy presence near
And for Thy all-wise guidance
Throughout the coming year.

First, give us understanding,
Enough to make us kind.
So we may judge all people
With our heart and not our mind.

Then give us strength and courage
To be honourable and true,
And place our trust implicitly
In unseen things and You…

And help us when we falter
And renew our faith each day
And forgive our human errors
And hear us when we pray.

And keep us gently humble
In the greatness of Thy love,
So someday we are fit to dwell
In peace with Thee above.

With thanks to Jane
for sharing this with us

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 29th November 2020

First Sunday in Advent

We light the first candle to symbolise our hope, as we
look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord.

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down. Isaiah 64: 1

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for a safe and covid-free Christmas. May families be together again by the Grace of God.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

All We Can – ‘Methodist Relief and Development’ – are holding a Big Church Sing Christmas Special on Sunday 29th November at 4:00pm live on YouTube.

Action for Children’s Starry Night will be hosted by Jon Snow from Channel 4 News, An evening of Christmas carols, sparkling entertainment and festive cheer to homes across the UK (and beyond!) on Tuesday 8th December 2020. Tickets are £10 per household and can be bought at https://www.starry-night.co.uk

Worship from home – We will continue to provide a printed service sheet every week while our church is closed and if you would like to receive a DVD of the weekly circuit service please call Geoff on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 22nd November 2020

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Matthew 25 v 35

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for the success of the Covid vaccine. Thank God for the dedication of the scientists and the willingness of the volunteers.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Appeal – we collected four shoeboxes as well as a bag of bits and pieces and 13 money envelopes. Many thanks to everyone who donated. Please pray for our gifts as they start their journey to provide Christmas joy to children who would otherwise go without.

Worship from home – We will continue to provide a printed service sheet every week while our church is closed and if you would like to receive a DVD of the weekly circuit service please call Geoff on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 15th November 2020

I was afraid, so I went and hid your talent in the ground. Matthew 25 v 25

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for the success of the Covid vaccination. Thank God for the dedication of the scientists and the willingness of the volunteers.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

Poppy Wreaths – if you’d passed our church building during the past week you would have seen poppy wreaths on the gate and on the cross. Many thanks to Geoff and Alan for ensuring we were able show our respect for Remembrance.

Worship from home – Please call Geoff on 545083 if you would like to receive a copy of the weekly circuit service on DVD. You might see people you recognise on there.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 8th November 2020
Remembrance Sunday

They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks. Micah 4 v 3

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for all servicemen and women, their families, and friends. Those who were injured and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

WAR ARMISTICE

“Why there is pain and sorrow in the world was no new problem, and although we cannot altogether answer the question, we realise that if, there was no such thing as danger, no such thing as war, there would be no such thing as courage and if there were no such things as pain and sorrow, there would be no such things as sympathy and love. This dreadful war had brought out, in the most wonderful way, the courage of the nation, it had drawn out the sympathy and the love for those who have suffered, it had drawn out all the best in a way that nothing else could have done…….”
Rev W G Elnor
Dover Express 15th November 1918

Displayed on railings at Dover Castle, overlooking the Harbour

With thanks to Viv Wilcox for sharing this with us

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

By Laurence Binyon

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 1st November 2020

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for our church and our congregation. Pray we can meet again soon.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

Church re-opening – because most of our church members do not want to attend church services at this time our church will remain closed. We will review this at the annual church meeting on 11th March 2021. The circuit services will remain available on-line and on DVD. If you would like to attend a Sunday service both Mersea and Wimpole Road Methodist churches are open as is St Albright’s on London Road, Stanway.

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal – Thank You to everyone who has donated. If you have any more items please call Alan or Christine on 766604.

Worship from home –If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly circuit service on DVD please call Geoff Wilcox on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413.

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 25th October 2020

In the Lord I take refuge. Psalm 11 v 1

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for our first on-line church council meeting.

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

If anyone wishes to continue their giving to the Church during this current time of closure Geoff would be grateful to receive those contributions. If appropriate please give him a call (545083) and arrangements will be made to collect them in a Covid secure way. Thank tou.

Church Council meeting will be on Thursday 29th October at 2:30 pm on Zoom. You can access this either on-line at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86871281528 or by phone – dial 0203 481 5237 then enter meeting ID: 868 7128 1528.

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal – Thank You to everyone who has already donated. If you are able to fill a shoebox or provide any items we would be very grateful. You can leave these out for Alan when he delivers your notices on a Saturday or call us on 766604.

Worship from home –If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly circuit service on DVD please call Geoff Wilcox on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413.

Garden Friends

It is nice to see the blue-tits
in the garden eating seeds.
And the robin finding mealworms
on the ground among the weeds.

There are doves upon the table
eating up the crumbs of bread;
While the starlings waiting their turn
are in a line upon the shed.

And the great-tit loves the peanuts
which he pecks at through the day;
But his long-tailed smaller brother
eats suet, then flies away.

Look quickly and you will see the
gold finch on the nyjer seeds;
And hanging on the suet balls
a woodpecker also feeds.

While the sparrows and the dunnocks
and some other feathered friends
Nip in to snatch a treat or two
before all the feasting ends.

They will all come in your garden
and the blackbird, thrush and jay;
If they know a feast awaits them
which they dine on every day.

So don’t forget your garden friends
and don’t let their food get low;
They need your help this time of year
when they feel the cold winds blow.

Christine Beesley 2020

LEXDEN METHODIST CHURCH

Notices for Week Commencing 18th October 2020

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers. Thessalonians 1 v 2

PRAYER

Prayer Requests – Please pray for the people of Essex as we enter new lockdown procedures..

Please pray for our Churches and for our Circuit Ministers Rev Joe Adams, Rev Ken Chalmers and Rev Alan Jenkins.

Continue to pray for all others who are in any way troubled, lonely, unwell or bereaved and anyone else who needs our prayers.

NOTICES

Reopening of our church building – hopefully you have all had a chance to read the letter we sent out last week. Please let Viv Wilcox know your feelings about whether we should be open up our church or keep it closed.

Church Council meeting will be on Thursday 29th October at 2:30 pm on Zoom. You can access this either on-line or by phone.

Operation Christmas Child – Thank You to everyone who has already donated.. If you are able to fill a shoebox or provide any items we would be very grateful. Please note they can no longer accept sweets or toothpaste. They are very happy to receive money. If you prefer you can even pack a shoebox directly on-line at https://shoeboxonline.samaritans-purse.org.uk/

Worship from home –If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly circuit service on DVD please call Geoff Wilcox on 545083.

If you need prayer or help in any way please contact your pastoral visitor or you can call Rev Joe Adams on 331413