Calling All Young(ish) Adults

Thank you once again to all those in the 18-35 age category who completed our on-line survey. The PCC recently collated the responses and looked to identify any strong, common threads running through them. As a follow up to this, we’d like to invite anyone in this age group (whether or not you completed the survey) to a get together at SJ’s. The aim is to check that we’ve accurately heard what you were expressing, to dig beneath the comments and start thinking about what we might do in response.  

The meeting will be at 10am on Saturday 21 April. Childcare will be provided along with some bakery goodies.

We’ll try not to rob too much of your Saturday, but real value will come from having a good number contribute to the conversation, so do try and carve out the time.

Thanks, Jon.

Looking Through The Cross

This week I re-discovered a book with the above title, which a few years back was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s recommendation for Lent. Essentially, it is an invitation to allow the impact of the cross to seep into the marrow of who we are, so we might see our whole world through that prism. That’s important for us individuals, but equally so as a church body. As Justin Welby himself remarks in the foreword,

 ‘The impact of the Cross has to be felt and reflected in each generation. Cross-shaped churches may be the architectural norm – but they are also the spiritual exception. Just as we each find the pattern of our lives too easily conforming to contemporary culture, so the pattern of the life of the church tends to do the same. We need to rethink what a cross-shaped church means in a very non-cross-shaped culture.’

As we hurtle towards Holy Week, I hope you take time to ponder afresh on that which stands central to Easter and our faith.

Roll Up, Roll Up!

ROLL UP, ROLL UP!

Excuse the awful pun, but today is the last day for returning application forms to be included on St John’s electoral roll. You can either drop your form in the box, or return it to Paul Kingman or Geoff Batten.

 That’s part of the preparations for our APCM which will be held on 23 April @ 11:30am. Another element is for people to put themselves forward for one of the various posts that are up for election. These include:

•  PCC Members – helping shape the direction of St John’s.
• Deanery Synod Member (which gives you an automatic right to sit on the PCC) – see the leaflet on the new noticeboards for further details;
• Welcomers – we refresh our welcome rota annually, and if you want to become part of the welcome team, we will provide training.

 Nomination Sheets will be available in church from this Sunday. If you want to find out a little more about any of these then chat to Jon, or the wardens.