Disciple

The Newsletter of

MCC Manchester

Sunday 3rd February 2008

Welcome to this newsletter and to the ministry of MCC Manchester.  If this is your first contact with us, know that you are welcome.  You can take part in our ministry through attending our worship services or mid week meetings, or by using the various resources on our website.  You can keep in touch with us in person, by email, or by text.  It is our prayer that our people grow as committed disciples of the Lord Jesus. 

Today's Service  prepares us for our Lenten fundraising project which starts next week.  We are delighted to welcome Hermione McEwen, senior solicitor at the Immigration Aid Unit as our guest speaker tonight.  Throughout Lent we will be raising money for the Unit who work with some of the most desperate people in our society.  The Bible reminds us, time and again, to treat the “stranger” (some translations put “foreigner” or “alien”) justly.  Many of us know what it is like to be excluded from the mainstream, and this understanding heightens our sympathy for others who are marginalised. 

This and That 

Introduction to Sexuality Studies.  This MCC sponsored course will be taught in Manchester from Sunday 9^th – Thursday 13^th of November this year by Andy and the Rev Jane Clarke.  It will cover many aspects of human sexuality and how we unit aspects of our sexuality with our spirituality.  The course will be held at the police college in Sedgley Park and will cost £100 for day students and £235 for residential students.  See Andy for more details. 

Thanks.  Thank you for your generosity last week.    39 people worshipped with us and the collection was £138.  This is on top of the £1500 or so a month that is given directly to our bank account via standing order.

Lent Starts on Wednesday!  Lent, the Christian season of fasting and penitence starts on Ash Wednesday this week.  We will gather for pancakes and an Eve of Lent service on Tuesday from 7.30pm in the social room.  Traditionally people ate a bland diet through Lent and pancakes were cooked to use up surplus food.  People also used to try and go to confession on this day too and the name “Shrove Tuesday” comes from the old English verb “to shrive” meaning to confess.  Please take a Smartie tube today and, once you have eaten the sweets, please donate money using the tube – perhaps from money saved from something you’ve given up, perhaps from loose change – and return at Easter.  This money will go to the legal welfare fund of the Immigration Aid Unit helping pay for legal work which isn’t funded through the Legal Aid scheme. 

Sundays in Lent.  We have a series of special services in Lent which use some of the creative ideas we have used over the last few years.  Each sermon will be introduced with a pre-recorded Biblical reading and a reflection read by different members of the congregation.  We have also mixed these with images and music.  The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil and Heaven 17’s Temptation are the background for our reflection on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness next week.  The tension between Judas and Jesus is highlighted by the song Love will tear us apart.  Prince’s Thieves in the Temple is a wonderful backdrop to the story of Jesus’ cleansing the Temple, the powerful song Beautiful by Christina Aguilera wonderfully sets the scene for the woman who anointed Jesus.  Our view of the Pharisees who were preoccupied by sin and the Law is enhanced by Robbie Williams Sin, Sin Sin.  Journey with us as we journey towards Holy Week this Lent. 

Come and Sing on Saturday 1^st March from 11 until 3pm!  We are having an extended Choir practice for current and aspirant members of the choir to learn the material we will be singing over the next few months.    See Philip for more details.

Membership Class will be held on Saturday 8^th March for anyone who wants to find out more about formally joining MCC.  Please see Andy for more details