Disciple

The Newsletter of

MCC Manchester

Sunday 10th 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  marks the first Sunday of Lent.  We reflect on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and we look on how we are tempted.  Music from the Rolling Stones and Heaven 17 helped us in our reflection. 

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 and a booking form. 

Meal out Next Week.  We are of to the Pesta restaurant at the Trafford Centre for a meal after worship.  If you wish to come please let Ian or Margaret know. 

Come and Sing.  On Saturday 1^st March (11-4) we have an extended choir practice where we will learn some of the songs we will be singing over Holy Week and Easter, as well as some new material.  Please let Philip or Neil know if you want to come – it’s not just for the choir, but for anyone else who wants to come and sing!

Membership Class.  On Saturday 8^th March (11-4) we have a day looking at Membership of MCC Manchester, the responsibilities of membership are explained as is the philosophy of ministry in this congregation.  Please let Andy know if you wish to attend.  We hope to enrol new members on Easter Sunday. 

The Bible, Sexuality and Gender.  We are having an evening discussion the Bible and how it interacts with our lives in these areas on Tuesday 26^th February.  Please sign up if you intend to come along. 

Thanks.  Thank you for your generosity last week.    33 people worshipped with us and the collection was £109.50.  This is on top of the £1200 or so a month that is given directly to our bank account via standing order.

Social Action.  Two gay men are in imminent danger of execution in Iran.  Amnesty International is appealing for people to email the Iranian government in English, or Farsi, to ask for them to commute the sentence.  Details on how to do this are found on our website – go to the yellow news bar on the right hand side and follow the links. 

Immigration Aid Unit.  During Lent we are using Smartie Tubes to collect money for the Immigration Aid Unit.  We will look at various case studies to see the type of work they do, and which we will support.  Abdi, Dalmar and Ayan are three Somali children aged 7, 5 and 4 years, who were placed in local authority care after a court had granted an emergency care order following a social worker's visit to the children's family home where she found them neglected and at risk of physical and emotional abuse from their mentally ill mother.  The Unit identified that the children had been dependants on their mother's asylum and human rights claim, that her asylum application had been rejected and her asylum appeal dismissed.  Therefore the children were "failed asylum-seekers" with no right to remain in the UK.   Whilst they were now living with a foster family a final care hearing was to be held in January 2008 to determine their future; clearly this would be dependant upon their immigration status.  The Unit concluded that it could argue that the  children had become "unaccompanied" asylum-seeking children by the fact that they had been removed from their mother's care, were no longer dependent upon her and were the responsibility of the local authority.  As there children were Somali there was a real risk of serious harm if they were forcibly returned to Somalia.  In particular Ayan would be at risk of female circumcision. The Unit, therefore advised the local authority solicitor that the children should make asylum claims in their own right.  The children were too young to be interviewed by the Home Office and the Unit, therefore submitted witness statements for them setting out their grounds for remaining in the UK.   Two weeks after submitting the claim the Unit was amazed to hear the news that the children would all be given leave to remain in the UK.  The children's status documents were issued before their final care hearing, and now the local authority legal department can plan for their long-term future knowing that they have security of status and rights and entitlements to be, develop and grow in the UK.  This outcome must be in the best interests of the children.