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Disciple

The Newsletter of the Metropolitan Congregation

Week commencing 21st February 2016


Welcome to our newsletter and to the ministry of the Metropolitan Congregation of Wilbraham St Ninian's URC - serving and celebrating the LGBT communities of Manchester and the North West.

If this is your first contact with us, we are delighted to see you here.
 

Sunday Worship

Lee GellatlyOn Sunday, the preacher at our 4.30pm worship service was Lee Battle.

Lee preached on Psalm 27 together with a passage from Luke's Gospel in which Jesus laments over the city of Jerusalem.

You can hear an audio recording of the sermon on the Audio and Video page of our website here - just scroll down to the 'Sermons' section of the page.

Also, a big thank-you:
  • to Jenny-Anne, Walt, Elen, Margaret and Ian who assisted with various parts of the service;
  • to our singers and musicians for their dedicated ministry of music in the church;
  • and to the team of helpers who prepare the church for worship, provide us with refreshments, and clear things away at the end of the day.

Thank you - to all who helped with the cleaning of church

cleaningA sincere thank you from the Elders to everyone who turned out on the past two Saturdays to help clean the church after the internal building work was completed and the scaffolding has been disassembled.

Your gifts of time and elbow-grease ensured that the wiping, dusting and polishing were completed in double-quick time.
 

Lent courses 2016

Chorlton Lent courses

Exploring spiritual practices: following Jesus’ example, exploring spiritual practices such as prayer, reading scripture, fellowship, sharing bread and wine.

Wednesdays 11am-1pm at St Werburgh’s church (M21 0UH on the corner of Wilbraham Road and St Werburgh's Road) - followed by soup and bread lunch.

Dates: 17th and 24th Feb, 2nd, 9th and 16th Mar.
 
Faith pictures: looking at how we can share our faith, through understanding why we find it hard, how we share things we love, beginning to tell our own stories, finding images or stories from elsewhere to help us.

Thursdays 7.30-9pm at St Barnabas church (M21 8DH on the corner of Hardy Lane and Hurstville Road).

Dates: 11th, 18th, 25th Feb, 3rd and 17th Mar (NOT 10th Mar).
 
For more details contact:
Fr Falak Sher (for Wednesday group):
0161 881 1642 - falakfalak@hotmail.com

Rev Sue Rowe (for Thursday group):
0161 291 0095 - susan.rowe1@ntlworld.com

 

LGBT History Tour (26th February) and National Festival of LGBT History (27th February) at the People's History Museum, Manchester

LGBT History FestivalYou can warm up for the festival with the LGBT History tour on Friday 26th February, 1.15pm–2.00pm, then take part in the jam-packed programme on Saturday 27th which includes talks, discussion, tours, theatre and music at The People’s History Museum in Manchester, with talks from musician and broadcaster Tom Robinson, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and Prof Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History.

Full details of the History Tour are available here and the Festival information is available here.
 

One Flesh - a topical new play - 27th February - by Naomi Sumner exploring Christian beliefs and practices around marriage including same-sex marriage.

Esther and Natalie are in love and want the approval of those they care about. But Esther's brother, Caleb, thinks that God doesn't approve. Should they play things by The Book and cancel their plans for marriage? Will faith and family determine who they love?

The performance is on 27th Feb at 4pm at The Joyce Layland LGBT Centre, 49-51 Sidney St, M1 7HB. Full details and booking facilities are available here.

A Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/onefleshtheplay and a Twitter account is at @onefleshtheplay
 

Countdown - Invitation to apply for free tickets to a recording of the programme

countdownWe have been invited to apply for tickets to one of the recording sessions for the popular Channel 4 television quiz show 'Countdown'.

The venue is Media City, Salford Quays, and various dates in March and April have been offered.

There is a sheet on the church noticeboard on which people can tick their preference(s), and if there is sufficient interest, we will aim to go as a group on the day and time which proves most popular.

If you are interested in going to this, please make your preferences known via the sheet on the church noticeboard.
 

Love, Faith and Sexuality - an open discussion - University of Salford, 29th February

University of SalfordAs part of LGBT History Month celebrations focusing on the interface between faith and sexual orientation, Salford Student Life and the Multi-Faith chaplaincy is holding an informal free event open to the local communities.

This is a roundtable event to promote positive stories of people of faith and differing sexual orientations. All Welcome! Lunch and refreshments will be available.

The event is on Monday 29th February, 12-2pm at the Multi Faith Room, University House, University of Salford, Salford  M5 4WT. Book here.
 

Twilight People - Stories of faith and gender beyond the binary - Islington Museum, London, 5th February to 5th March.

Jenny-Anne BishopIt's a pleasure to note that an Elder of our church, Jenny-Anne Bishop OBE, is included in an exhibition for LGBT History Month which challenges the notion that trans and gender-variant identities are inherently at odds with faith.

The website for the Twilight People can be viewed here. A 'GayStarNews' report of the exhibition, reproducing some of the images - including the exhibition photo of Jenny-Anne - can be seen here.
 

Your Gaydio needs you - Focus groups on 9th and 16th March, 6 pm - 7 pm

GaydioGaydio are looking for LGBTI people to take part in two focus groups.The radio station want to make sure that they are properly serving and reflecting the community they represent.

Focus groups are at Gaydio on the following dates: 6-7 pm on Wednesday 9th March  (for anyone from the LGBTI community) and 6-7pm on Wednesday 16th March (listeners of Chris and Emma's Breakfast Show).

The groups are being held at Gaydio, Manchester One, Floor one, 53 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 3LD. If you’re interested in coming along to either one - please email with your contact number to: emma@gaydio.co.uk Further details are available here.
 

10th annual Sugar & Spice Festival - 12th and 13th March - bringing together lesbian and bisexual women to celebrate International Women's Day

Sugar and Spice, Women Out LoudLGBT Foundation are delighted to announce the line-up for their tenth annual Sugar & Spice festival! This FREE event brings together lesbian and bisexual women from across Greater Manchester, the North West and further afield to celebrate International Women's Day.

Sugar & Spice 10: Women Out Loud will take place at LGBT Foundation, 5 Richmond Street, Manchester M1 3HF on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th March. Join them for a weekend of socialising, discussions, culture, history, drumming, films, badge-making, activism, belly-dancing, jogging, zine-making, song-writing, laughter and much more.

Sugar & Spice: Women Out Loud is a free event but places are limited so click here to book a place and to see the full line-up!
 

Mark's Gospel - Solo performance - 18th March, 7.30pm at Amani Centre, Moss Lane East, Manchester M16 7DG.

Mark's Gospel reading
In this abridged version of Mark’s gospel, we are presented with a compelling drama which invites the audience to question and look with fresh eyes. Paul Gee tells the gospel with an immediacy which surprises, challenges and engages the audience. He uses the Shakespearian language of the Authorised Version of the Bible, but because his performance is delivered without text, he captures the freshness and excitement of the oral tradition. 

In the unfolding of the story, Jesus is shown to us not only as the son of Man but also as a very real person: warm, passionate, approachable and witty. And also capable of the all-too-human qualities of irritation and frustration!

Please reserve a place at bob.j.day@googlemail.com

After the performance, there will be food with a middle eastern theme.

Sponsored by Trinity Community Church - Admission Free - Collection for Red Cross.
​

Passover Meal - Maundy Thursday, 24th March 2016 - 7.30pm

PassoverFollowing our custom in previous years, we will mark the Thursday of Holy Week by holding a bring-and-share meal which will be interspersed with elements from the Jewish Passover service.

Everyone is welcome to join us for this event, just bring yourself, perhaps some friends, and some ready-to-eat (or very easily prepared) food to share.

We will give more details about the evening nearer the time, but please put the date in your diary now. In particular, for those who find it difficult to travel to church over the Easter weekend, we find this shared meal on the Thursday evening can be a pleasant way of responding to the significance of Holy Week and Easter.

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Songs this Week

Here in this place, new light is streaming (Gather us in) is a song by modern Presbyterian musician Marty Haugen in the form of an evocative prayer to the Lord asking Him to “gather us in” to the Church. Haugen mixes many powerful images of those who make up the church “the rich and the haughty, the proud and the strong” who are to be made meek and lowly, worshipping with the “lost and forsaken…the blind and the lame”. Together we meet the Lord in the “wine and the water….the bread of new birth” reminding us of Baptism and the Eucharist. Finally Haugen reminds us that the Kingdom of God is here now. It is a powerful reminder of who we are as Church, gathered in by the Lord.

Give thanks with a grateful heart is a popular worship song dating from the 1970s which offers a simple but powerful exhortation to give thanks to God for all that God has done for us; particularly for coming to earth as Jesus Christ. It notes that, in God, the poor will be rich and the weak will be strong – both strong Biblical themes.

For those tears  I died was written in the 1960s by Marsha Stevens who was part of the “Jesus People” movement. She later came out and is now a member of Metropolitan Community Churches. Her publishing imprint “BALM” stands for “Born Again Lesbian Music”! The song speaks about Jesus being with us in the hardest parts of our lives and supporting us. He died not only for our sins but also for our tears. It’s a beautiful melody in a folk tune style, and is one of those songs which often moves people to tears.

All my hope on God is founded by Matthew Bridges didn’t gain in popularity until set to the noble tune 'Michael' in the 1930s and to which it is now most frequently sung. The verses were designed to be a grace after a meal and are based on 1 Timothy 6:17 where we’re told not to set our hope on riches but on God. We’re lavished with gifts from God, the greatest of which is His Son, Jesus Christ.
 

Sung Settings

The Holy, Holy, Holy is a setting of Spanish words 'Santo. Santo, Santo' to an Argentinian folk melody.

The Lamb of God is sung to a setting from the Iona Community.

Daily Prayer Resources

We distribute a daily Reading and Reflection which is emailed at the start of each morning to those who subscribe to the service.

The bible passages are selected from the daily readings in the Revised Common Lectionary and are designed to help us grow spiritually by giving a resource for our own daily prayer times. You can subscribe to them here.

If you would like to explore some additional on-line prayer resources, please visit the Daily Prayer and Devotion page on our website here.

Around the URC

Lent Devotions by email

Following the success and wide take-up of the Advent and Christmas devotions sent out by the North Western Synod, Andy Braunston and Lis Mullen are working together to get a team of people from the North Western and Northern Synods to write some daily devotions for Lent.

These will be sent out by email to those who sign up and also placed on the Northern Synod website. They will run from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday (we hope to have another set for Easter to Pentecost).

If you would like to sign up for these please go to http://eepurl.com/bKR8mz and fill in the form.
 

Prayers for Easter - In 2015, The Windermere Centre compiled a collection of Prayers for Easter written by various people who had connections with the Centre - including three members of our own congregation: Jean Francois, Happy, and Philip.

The booklet is still available as a free downloadable PDF from the Centre's website here, or, if you'd like a paper copy to be sent to you, please just get in touch.
 

Technology in the pulpit - a course, aimed at ministers and lay preachers, at the Windermere Centre from Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th April 2016.

How do we use Powerpoint to enhance effective preaching, rather than to distract from poor sermons?

The answer to that question is less obvious than might first appear. It’s not about putting words on a slide: it’s about which words, and what form. And it’s about what not to put on a slide.

Full details are available here.
 

Words and Images For Worship - Conference for Lay Preachers and Worship Leaders, 5th - 7th May 2016 at Northern College, Luther King House, Manchester.

Attendance choices: Thursday-Saturday, or Thursday-Friday, or Saturday only.

Includes sessions on
  • Old Testament;
  • New Testament (John’s Gospel, Revelation);
  • Music in Worship;
  • Visual in Worship, Art and Theology.
Details of fees and booking arrangements are available here.

Previous issues

You can view previous issues of our Disciple newsletter by following the links on this page of our website.

Foodbank

Many thanks for your regular and generous donations to the foodbank. You make a real difference to people's lives - some will have a meal on their table today solely because of your gifts!

We provide a bag of food and other basic essentials to a number of people each week which supplements either the meagre allowance they are given by the state or (for most) the Red Cross food parcels they receive. We know that some people rely just on the food we provide as they are not entitled to either help from the state or the Red Cross.
 
As a general rule, we always need non-perishable foodstuffs such as
  • tea,
  • coffee,
  • sugar,
  • rice,
  • pasta,
  • pasta sauces,
  • tinned vegetables (peas, beans, baked beans, kidney beans, potatoes, chopped/peeled tomatoes),
  • canned fruit,
  • and any other long-life larder items.

Basic personal toiletry items for men and women are also very welcome.
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