Have you ever read a book and really loved it? Have you then dreaded the news that a film is being made of that book – can it live up to how you imagained the characters would be in your head when presented on the big screen? As Jesus came home and read in the synagogue from Isaiah, how would those who knew him from childhood react – as the character they’d read so often from their scriptures was not the king they likely imagined!
Notices for Sunday 27th October, with details of our upcoming services and events at St Mark’s.
Autumn is a season of many changes. Starting new schools, new classes, new jobs, a new season of life. This can bring great fear and anxiety, things we want to bring before God in prayer.
Pennington Poppies are back! People from across our communities have been hard at work knitting and crocheting poppies. Revd Rachel Noël, the Priest-in-Charge at St Mark’s Church Pennington, appealed to the whole community to get involved. So far, almost 2,000 poppies have been made this year by people across the community, from the church, the WI, the bingo ladies at Pennington Sports & Social Club, local care homes, and many others – these will be added to the 2,000 that had already been made last year!
Blind from birth; never to see a sunrise, a smile. He was a life waiting to be born: today, he became a new creation – a living testimony to Jesus healing work. Yet those around were unable to see him – as if they did, they would have to confront their own blindness.
It’s a strange, even bizarre idea that Jesus shares: that by his leaving his followers will actually be to their advantage. What advantage can there be in loneliness and sadness? But would we recognise the promise that what is to come is greater: the spirit? But more importantly – are we open to what accepting the Spirit means to our lives?
Rachel Noel, affectionately known by the local press as the Pink Vicar. Rachel had a particularly formational journey through curacy, during which she was diagnosed with Bipolar, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, with strong autistic traits and is currently awaiting ASC assessment. She lives and works openly with these conditions, and has been licensed as Priest in Charge of St Mark’s Church, Pennington. Her gifts and symptoms include high energy, enthusiasm, creativity and love of colour (especially pink!), she loves exploring her faith and spirituality through creativity, stitch, paint and contemplation, and is a member of the Community of Hopeweavers.
World mental health day occurred on October 10th and is an opportunity for us to recognise the importance of our own mental health and the mental wellbeing of others too. Rachel talks to us about how our talking about our mental health matters – as it’s only through sharing with each other and with Christ can we receive relief and value for ourselves.
Some 795 million people – one in nine of all people on the planet – do not have enough food to live a healthy life: but of the haves vs have nots, one percent of the worlds population account for over half the worldy wealth. There’s a huge divide between human beings in a world God intended to be equal: do we choose not to notice the boundary of rich and poor?
Celebrating Woodside Singers 40th anniversary and including favourites from Oliver, the Sound of Music, Oklahoma and more, the Woodside Singers entertained a packed St Mark’s on a sunny autumn afternoon!
