Disciple
The weekly newsletter from the Metropolitan Community Church of Manchester

THIS AND THAT

Our website is proving to be a useful resource to others.  Last week we saw how an increasing number of preachers are using our website for inspiration for their own sermons.  This week Andy was approached by a teacher who has asked to produce some resources for the Terrence Higgins Trust.  They want schools resources that challenge homophobia and have developed a powerpoint presentation using one of Andy’s sermons and some pictures.  It will be used in schools that use the teaching pack, especially in Religious Education lessons.  Farzad is making a fresh application for asylum and would like some letters of support form church folks simply saying how long they have known him and what MCC means to them.  Andy has prepared some pro-formas which Farzad has.  Please take one if you are able to help.   Our new Elder, the Rev Glenna Shepherd hopes to visit us for a weekend in the Summer.  She was preaching in MCC Edinburgh last week and met Ash and Masoud who were in Edinburgh; she told them she was looking forward to meeting us all.  As soon as we have a date from Glenna we will let you know. 

NEW SOUND SYSTEM

We are now getting used to the new sound system.  The responses we have had from people have been overwhelmingly positive.  The speakers are down each side of the church – instead of being at the front.  This means we have a clearer sound which copes better with the echo in church.  They are much better quality speakers than our old ones so we get more mid range sound rather than the heavy bass we had before.  This means that the quality of the sound is different – better – than before.  Instead of the choir giving a strong lead from the front, their voices now re-enforce our own singing from all areas of the building.  Similarly spoken parts of the service are clearer as they come from all around us – not simply pumped at us from the front.  Remember if you have a hearing aid you can use that now on the T setting as we have an induction loop.  The nearer you sit to the windows the louder things will be, the nearer you sit to the aisle the less loud things will be! 

GIVING REVIEW

We have an incredibly generous congregation.  Our collections in church come to over £100 a week and this is in addition to the monies given by standing order – between £1,400 and £1,500 a month.  Our church is on line to meet its budget of £36,000 this year which is amazing given we are only a medium sized congregation.  In addition we have also raised an incredible amount via the Smartie Tube appeal.  However, we cannot rest on our laurels!  We want to be able to offer Neil a part time job from September – hopefully to fit in with his plans to work part time.  We still only pay Andy a half time wage and we rely on grant funding for some of our activities – our Trans group for example and our advertising is met from grants.  Therefore, Andy is inviting everyone to review their giving.  If you put money in the envelope each week – would you consider making a standing order from your bank?  This allows you to budget your giving and not have to worry about having enough money on you when you come to church.   If you already have a standing order when was the last time you reviewed how much you actually gave?  Has it kept up with the rises in the cost of living?  Have you had a pay rise, or paid off some debt, and so are able to give a bit more?  Even a modest increase from everyone can make a huge difference in the ministry we can fund.  We give because God gave to us.  Please prayerfully consider how much you give and how. 

ANDY'S MOVEMENTS THIS WEEK

Andy and Ian are on holiday.  Messages left on the answer-phone at church and emails will be answered on Andy’s return.