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Phil Marsh began his ministry with us (and with the
Emmanuel and South Wilford schools) on 22 March, 2009. His
first message to us is further down the page. (For more on the process of how he became our
new vicar, look here. Listen to his first
talk or look in the Phil says archive.)
Here is Phil's latest message.
Six things you need to know
23 February 2009
Dear church family
There's lots going on at church over the coming week - such as:
| Scaffolding is up and work has started |
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Scaffolding has been put up today around the
south aisle, which will be shortly followed by the installation of a
new roof!
Hurrah.
Many thanks go to those who have tirelessly
pursued faculties, grants and contractors to bring this work to
bear.
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| Two Matts are joining us with their
families |
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Our congregation is being joined by two
students and their families from St John’s College, with us on
placement. Both are called Matt
so we are going to have to work out ways to tell them apart.
It will
be great to have them join with us over the coming year. You
can read
a little more about them on this week's news sheet. It would
be even better
if you get to know them over coffee or even extend a lunch
invite……
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| Wholeness and healing on a Sunday
evening |
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We are starting a series of Lentern evening
services this Sunday, (6:30 in church)
and to mark the start of lent our first service will be a service of
wholeness and healing.
Wholeness is something we all need, and something God offers
to us all. We don’t need to be In particular need in order
for us to acknowledge our need of him.
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| This service will enable us all
to engage prayerfully with our needs and the needs of the world, and
to enable everyone to engage as part of the service there will be
the opportunity to receive a simple prayer of blessing and anointing
at the communion rail. After the service we will also be
offering more individual prayer ministry for people with particular
needs or circumstances that they would like prayer for. |
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| Deep calls to deep: evening worship in
Lent |
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The rest of our lentern services, starting on 4
March in St Wilfrid’s), will focus on the theme of worship,
with a sermon series entitled “when deep calls to deep”. These
services will be framed with informal worship beginning and end, as
we
explore together our own response to all that God has done for us
not only in our corporate sung worship but in the
whole of our lives.
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| On 11 March we will be combining this
service with the youth renovate service, and on the
18th we will hold this service at Silverdale, rather than
in the church. |
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| Handing a good friend into God's safe
keeping |
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Many folk have asked for details of our dear friend
Alyn Haskey’s funeral. It's Monday 27 February
at 1.15pm at Alyn’s church, St Christopher’s, Colwick Road,
Sneinton, Nottingham NG2 4AL. We've had a number of enquiries
from friends asking to whom any donations should be sent. The
family have requested that donations for FREEDOM MINISTRIES (in lieu
of flowers) be sent to the treasurer, Mr Colin Bradford, 27
Tyndale Close, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 3PT - a plate will
also be available at the church.
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| Any cards or letters that you would like
to send to Alyn’s family (but no flowers please) should be
addressed to Mrs Francine Henson, 100 Derbyshire Lane, Hucknall,
Nottingham NG15 7GE. |
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| Prayerful shush: next week's a quiet
week |
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Monday night at 7:45 (27 Feb), we are getting
together again for parish praise and prayer - a time of praying
together for the
mission and ministry of the church, seeking God’s heart and
bringing before him our prayers and requests. As last time we
will
begin with worship as we honour God, and then have a time of quiet,
either praying silently or interacting with prayer stations,
before coming together to pray. In order to make this time of
prayer a priority for all of us, next week is also a quiet week,
with
no
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| team or business meetings. Instead
we might spend the time resting, meeting in small groups, or even
simply socialising together
and investing in our relationships. |
With much love and prayer, Phil
A Message from Megan:
29 January 2012
Dearest Church Family
You have hopefully heard by now that I am about
to move on from Wilford. When I was asked, back in July, to look
after the parish of Lenton during their vacancy (time without a vicar) in
the autumn, I did wonder whether this was God opening a door for my future
ministry. As I’d been praying about the future I’d said to God
that I would try pushing doors, and asked Him to bolt shut any that were
not right, and to open the one that was. In the process of me
spending time in Lenton during the vacancy and the appointments process
for their new incumbent, God didn’t seem to
open the door - more that He blew it off its hinges! The only
problem was me having the courage to walk through it! If you want to know
more of the story – ask me.
The job in Lenton is full-time, with 30% of the
time committed to the chaplaincy team at the University of Nottingham.
So I’ve now resigned from my post as a Consultant Paediatric Intensivist
at QMC – my last day there is February 18th. After nearly 18 years
working as a doctor, this does feel like a scary move, but having wondered
for a few years now what God’s plans for my next phase of ministry are,
I very much believe that this is the right next step.
The parish of Lenton is huge – with a
population of 25 000, it stretches all the from Canning Circus at the top
of Derby Road to the other side of the university, down across the Boots
site and even borders Wilford parish, down near Clifton Bridge! With
over 60% student housing, Lenton is a very vibrant place, but also boasts
the highest burglary rate in Nottingham. I’ll be living in Lenton
Vicarage, so have had to put my house in Wilford up for sale.
I do want to say a huge thank you to all of you
who have prayed for me so much in the few months. Even though I’ve
not been around in Wilford, I’ve definitely known that I have a
supportive, loving family here, encouraging
me as I’ve tried to follow God’s leading. I will miss all of you
so much when I move, but thankfully I’ll only be a 3 miles down the
road. My licensing service will be on Monday 2 April, 7.30pm, at
Holy Trinity Church - please come!
With love and prayers as God continues to work in
and through you all in Wilford
Megan
Hope is a gift God couldn't wait to give
December 2011
All through the ages God promised hope for His people. Even when
they turned against him God remained faithful to His promise to send a
rescuer, one who would save the people and make them right with God.
Not once did God ever deviate from his intent to give to us One who would
give us hope.
And then, in a stable in Bethlehem, just as he promised, the gift of
hope was given.
"Do not be afraid. We bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour
has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
This was how the angels announced the gift of hope to shepherds on the
hillside. Wise men also heard of this great gift and they too
travelled to greet him. And in the years that followed, all who met
this gift of hope discovered that hope had a name - and that name was
Jesus.
Hope is a gift we all need
Perhaps this is why the nativity story so grabs our attention.
Somehow in the midst of festivities, and family, and celebration, this
ancient story grabs us afresh. We realise that God himself has given
something of immense significance to us.
Somehow we are aware that this gift of hope, this Jesus, seems to
resonate with the deepest longings and questioning of our souls and
hearts. We become aware, in the midst of the story of the nativity,
that here is born a hope that is trustworthy and true, and that calls us
freely to lay hold of it for ourselves.
We would love to welcome the whole of our parish to come and celebrate
this story of Hope afresh with us this Christmas time.
With much love and prayer, Phil
PS If you'd like to explore the Christmas message in a new way,
then you should look at our Christmas
Experience page.
See "The
archive of Phil says ..."
for previous messages, or see Phil's
first message below
A little pomp and circumstance ...
... for us all
22 March 2009
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Today I shall be licensed and
installed. I often think that 'being installed' makes it sound like
you are having a washing machine or a dishwasher 'plumbed in', which
actually isn't a bad analogy for what in part is happening. Right
from the start of the licensing service this afternoon, the words
used will remind us that the mission of the church is not found or
located in any one individual, but is a responsibility and privilege
that we all share in together. We celebrate that which has gone
before, and we step together into this new chapter, holding the old
and new together in one hand under God, as part of His ongoing
mission to the world. |
Throughout the licensing service Bishop George will
address not me alone, but us, priest and people, and at one point will ask
us; "Priest and people, will you work together as servants of Christ
in this place?" , and we reply, as dependent as ever on God, "By
the grace of God we will". This tone of 'us', and this phrase
"priest and people" then permeates the rest of the service, for
whilst I am receiving a licence to minister and officiate, it is only in
conjunction with, and in cahoots with the people of this parish. As I am
installed, I am plumbed in alongside the rest of the congregation, to
share with you in the mission and ministry of God's Church. Yes I am to
play a particular part, but never a solo part.
Lest anyone be in doubt of the corporate nature of the
church's ministry, toward the end of the service the ordained and licensed
ministers of the church, youth worker, church administrator and
churchwardens gather and kneel before the Bishop, not solely in their own
right and identities, but as representative of the whole people of God in
the parish. Finally at the end of the service, and as we are dismissed, we
all pray together; "Almighty God, Send US out in the power of
the spirit, to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen."
As we begin this new chapter together I am looking
forward to serving alongside each one of you in this parish, young and old
alike, and I am eager to explore with you that which God has planned and
purposed for us and for all the people of the parish in the years ahead.
So today, for all that is to grow from this beginning, and for all with
whom we share it, may we, each and everyone of us, offer ourselves afresh
into God's hands in His service as we begin, together, to look ahead.
Your fellow co-worker for the Gospel, Phil.
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