28th January 2024

By Justin Dyche in Sunday Service on 3 February 2024

Hello again everyone,

This email includes our services tomorrow and next Sunday, as well as details of the Panto (next weekend), our first Night of Prayer (actually an evening of Prayer), our 2024 Lent Groups and a Games Night. I have also included details of a free online will writing service and also some comments about why NOT to use Pure Cremation (a widely advertised funeral service) as well as an offer to talk with you about ideas for your funeral, which I hope will be many years in the future. Can I also apologise that there was no livestream last Sunday, it should be happening again tomorrow.

SUNDAY 28th JANUARY
We have a choice of service on Sunday morning, with HOLY COMMUNION at 9am in Leonard’s, Rockingham and MORNING WORSHIP at 10.30am in St Columba’s, Corby. Both services will include a sermon looking at the prayers of Simeon and Anna as we continue to think about prayers in the New Testament in our Year of Prayer.
Also at St Columba’s there will be ENERGIZE groups for children and young people, to prepare for next week’s All Age service, also looking at prayer.
We also have a Prayer Meeting in St Columba’s at 6pm.

ALADDIN THE 2024 PANTOMIME
It’s nearly time for this year’s Panto which will be performed on Friday 2nd February (cabaret style) at 7.30pm and in theatre style on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th February at 3pm. Tickets purchased this weekend will cost £5 for adults or children. These are available either by email from gelttickets@gmail.com, by phone from 07771967322, after church or on the door.

SUNDAY 4th FEBRUARY
There is just one service next Sunday: ALL AGE WORSHIP at 10.30am in St Columba’s.

NIGHT OF PRAYER
Our first special event for our Year of Prayer will be happening on FRIDAY 9th FEBRUARY when we will hold a NIGHT OF PRAYER at St Columba’s from 6pm to 9pm. There is a box at the back of church for people to be able to place Prayer Requests that they would like to be prayed for that evening. Everyone is welcome to come for the whole three hours, which will be divided into 20 minute sections with different topics, or you can drop in to pray for the topic(s) that especially concern you, or come at a time that suits you. Details and timings for the topics will be available before the event. I do encourage everyone to come along to at least part of this event, prayer is so essential in our lives and in the life of our church, and it when we gather together that we can release real power in our prayer. People are welcome to pray out loud but there is no expectation about this (other than the occasional Amen), several people come to our regular 6pm Prayer Meetings on Sundays and only pray silently.

LENT 2024
Lent is begins with two HOLY COMMUNION services on ASH WEDNESDAY, 14th FEBRUARY, one at 10.30am and the other at 7.30pm, both at St Columba’s. These services will be an introduction to the Lent Groups that will follow at the same times on the following weeks. These groups are designed to bring the whole church family together, and so our HOME GROUPS will be taking a break during Lent, but will in most cases resume after Easter – look out for more information about this. Again I do encourage people to come along and join in both the Ash Wednesday services and the Lent Groups that follow.

GAMES NIGHT
Our Events Group met last week and have planned a Games Night for Saturday 17th February in the Church Hall from 6pm. This is an event for all the family and will involve people playing table top games (snakes & ladders, ludo, dominoes, etc) for a fixed time and then moving on to a different game.
The evening will begin with food at 6pm, soup & roll with tea & coffee for adults and hot dogs with squash for children, but you are also welcome to bring your own drinks. The games will start at 6.30pm with an aim to finish about 8.30pm. There will be a sign up sheet at the back of church. There is no charge for this evening but there will be an opportunity for people to make a donation.

WRITE YOUR WILL FOR FREE ONLINE
Will writing can be time-consuming and difficult – and that’s a big reason why many people put it off. To make it easier, the Church of England has partnered with Farewill, the National Will Writing Firm of the Year 2022, to offer a FREE online will writing service, which you can do from home in less than 30 minutes. If you have questions, Farewill’s specialist team can help you over the phone or live chat 7 days a week.

Making a will and keeping it updated is the only way to ensure a person’s wishes are carried out after their death, giving them peace of mind that they can continue supporting the family, friends and charities they love. In using Farewill, there is no obligation for anyone to leave a gift in their will to the church. However, if you decide that you can, we will be most grateful and that gift – great or small – will enable the ministry and mission of your church to thrive for the benefit of future generations.

Please go to the following link to find out more: https://farewill.com/cofe-oct23

REASONS NOT TO USE “PURE CREMATION”
While writing about wills and legacies I thought about the widely advertised service of Pure Cremation. I understand that this may seem an attractive option to people as it claims to “protect your family from big funeral bills”. However can I caution people about this service, because it means that there is no funeral service, no opportunity therefore for family and friends to gather and remember you, not even a minister present to pray at the Crematorium. Having taken many funerals I think they are an important part of the grieving process, and it may be difficult for family members to come to terms with their loss if there has not been a funeral. Other funeral plans are available, so that the cost of a funeral, including a service in church, can be paid in advance by you, which also protects your family from big funeral bills, gives them the opportunity to gather and remember, and allows you to be entrusted into the merciful hands of the Lord.

The other thing I find when taking funerals is that it is always easier for families when funerals have been discussed in advance and people’s wishes are known. If you would like to talk with me to discuss ideas for your funeral, please do ask. I am also happy to speak with people about why I do not recommend Pure Cremation.

May God bless you all in this coming week.

Ian

01536 400225
07903 644609