My CMS

[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’Sermon from the 27th November’ color=” style=” custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”][/av_heading]

[av_one_fourth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_image src=’http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Image-5-249×300.jpg’ attachment=’5401′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]

[/av_one_fourth][av_one_half min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
The sermon on the 27th November at Zone2 was delivered by Revd Phil Potter.

Entitled ‘How to come to Communion.

You can listen to the sermon by using the audio controls below, making sure that your computer has speakers.

Or you can download the audio file by clicking on the icon to the right.
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_half]

[av_one_fourth min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_font_icon icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=’border’ caption=’Recording of the sermon ‘How to come to Communion’’ link=’manually,http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161127Z2.mp3′ linktarget=’_blank’ size=’80px’ position=’left’ color=’#6b0a6b’]
Click on the icon to download the MP3 audio file
[/av_font_icon]
[/av_one_fourth]

[av_three_fifth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]

[/av_textblock]
[/av_three_fifth]

[av_hr class=’full’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’]

[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”][/av_one_full]

The 4th November saw the return of the Bowdon Cruise, the flagship of Bowdon Cares, at St Luke’s Church. The guests embarked in anticipation of enjoying a fantastic event. They were not disappointed as a sumptuous spread was prepared and served by the Bowdon Cares team and other willing helpers.

 

Jean Gibb couldn’t contain her joy at being invited and was full of compliments for the team. She said how wonderful it was to get together for a couple of hours to chat to old friends and to make new ones. We were all delighted to welcome our new Vicar, Revd Ian Rumsey, and his wife Colleen to the gathering. We overheard a number of people say how lovely it was to meet them.

 

After the food we played a game of bingo. This was great fun, especially as nearly every ball had been pulled out before anybody won a line! This was followed by a raffle, with a good number of very nice prizes. These were beautifully presented and received very well by the guests.

 

As they left, we invited the guests to come to the Coffee Cabin, held every Monday morning 10:30 am – 12 noon at St Luke’s, Vicarage Lane, Bowdon.

 

Well done Bowdon Cares: another triumph.

 

Chris Cadman (a willing helper)

 

Bowdon Festival is an annual event which is supported by the church as part of its service to the local community, and the Youth Festival plays an important part. Fundraising events such as concerts are held throughout the year to cover the expenses involved.

The festival allows young people to experience public performance in a supportive environment, with feedback from expert adjudicators.

Classes are offered in music (instruments, voices, ensembles and choirs), speech and drama.

The Youth Festival has an exciting new website at

www.bowdonfestival.co.uk

where the syllabus of classes available can be found. Online booking and payment facilities are available this year to make things easier for performers, parents and teachers.

We need a large number of volunteers to deliver the Youth Festival – it is very rewarding to be involved and the roles are very varied. If you are interested, please contact me on

susan@bowdonfestival.co.uk.

Susan Sinagola, Chair, Bowdon Festival

 

Every year the Booth Centre, a charity that supports homeless people in Manchester, organises a sponsored sleepout in the grounds of Manchester Cathedral to raise awareness and funds. When Bishop Graham told me at my confirmation last year that God had “much, much more for me”, I never guessed that sleeping rough would be part of it. I had known of the Booth Centre through church but I had never considered helping until September, when Tim Borthwick and I signed up.

 

When we set out on Friday 4 November I felt a bit anxious, as I had never been camping or even slept in a sleeping bag. I was wrapped up so warmly that my glasses steamed up! At the cathedral we learned about the work of the Booth Centre. People who slip into homelessness (which is on the increase) lose hope, self-esteem and confidence. This makes it really hard for them to improve their situation. Staff at the Booth Centre work to build self-esteem and confidence through singing, drama and games as well as helping people with their practical needs and training. The visible emotional uplift that the Streetwise Opera performers gained from singing well known arias really moved me.

After talks from the Booth Centre CEO and two ex-rough sleepers, we went out into the cold. The Booth Centre gave us drinks and food throughout the night and we could use the cathedral, so this really was sleeping rough for softies. Still, we were showing solidarity in some way.

 

So far the sleepout has raised more than £34,000 for the Booth Centre, of which £400 came from my generous sponsors. The experience has definitely made me grateful for a warm bed and a roof over my head. And I had fun – I would definitely do it again. Who wants to join me?

 

Mike Duncombe

 

To find out more about the Booth Centre and how you can support them, please see their website, www.boothcentre.org.uk, or the information at the back of St Mary’s.

The church leaders of today are often faced with the huge and wonderful challenge of designing a church service that appeals to all ages. Can our differing needs ever be met in the same hour?

 

All Church of England priests taking up a parish appointment are asked at their installation to affirm that they will ‘proclaim afresh in each generation’ the faith that they have inherited. This inheritance reflects statements of belief agreed at the Reformation and recorded as the Thirty-nine Articles, which still stand today as the bedrock of Anglican doctrine:

 

It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, and utterly like; they may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and manners.

 

In Bowdon we are eager to foster a diversity of styles of worship and hold a wide range of services. In our services specifically designed for all ages (weekly in Zone2, monthly in St Luke’s and St Mary’s) we too commit to proclaiming afresh the gospel to our newest digital generation of active learners. We use accessible language, affirm their contributions and give outlet to their desire to give and serve, whilst loving, teaching, guiding and enjoying their company.

 

Of course there is occasional joyful chaos, although not nearly as much as you might expect. At times they humble and surprise us: one by one the whole room of 30 children, including the babies, fell silent at 11am during the Remembrance Day service in Zone2.

 

And for the adults? Deep truth expressed simply is of lasting value to old and young alike, and was often the way that Jesus taught. We have much to learn from him.

 

Julia Dow, Parish Development

Christmas television adverts have become something of a national sport. Competition seems to run wild to see which can score the most hits on YouTube, and which has the most endearing storyline. Each one is a mini-drama designed to get under our skin and into our wallets.

Some of the adverts unashamedly tug on our heartstrings, like John Lewis’s offering from 2011 featuring a little boy who just can’t wait for Christmas to come. He wakes on Christmas morning to leap from his bed. He then dashes, somewhat surprisingly, past the large pile of presents. Instead he treads carefully into his parents’ bedroom to deliver the present that he has been waiting for so long to give them. The message is clear: the best thing about Christmas is giving presents to the people whom we love. And we wouldn’t disagree.

The John Lewis Christmas advert last year was also heart-warming. It showed a lonesome man sitting on a bench on the moon, who was noticed by a little girl looking out from her bedroom window through a telescope. For Christmas he was amazed to receive a telescope attached to some helium balloons from the girl. The reminder to show people that they are loved is also very helpful. The storyline, however, was a bit far-fetched.

And yet I wonder how believable the advert that told the real Christmas story would be?

The creator of the universe, God himself, being born as a human baby to a very ordinary couple. His first visitors included a bunch of unwashed livestock handlers and several camel-riding academics who definitely didn’t consult the John Lewis gift catalogue. Doesn’t sound very plausible does it? And yet that is the wondrous event that we will be celebrating as excitedly as ever at any and all of our Christmas events and services across the parish.

We would love to have your company, and hope very much that you will come to join the party.

Ian Rumsey, Vicar of Bowdon

 

[av_heading heading=’Sermon from the 13th November’ tag=’h3′ style=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]

[av_one_fourth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_image src=’http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Image-5-249×300.jpg’ attachment=’5401′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]
[/av_one_fourth]

[av_one_half min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
The sermon on the 13th November at Zone2 was delivered by Rev Canon Phil Potter, our Associate Missioner.

Entitled ”Counting the Cost’  Luke 9.51-62. The sermon comes from a series called: ‘Following Jesus’.

You can listen to the sermon by using the audio controls below, making sure that your computer has speakers.

Or you can download the audio file by clicking on the icon to the right.
[/av_textblock]

[/av_one_half][av_one_fourth min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_font_icon icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=’border’ caption=’Recording of the sermon ‘‘Counting the Cost’ Luke 9.51-62 ‘ link=’manually,http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Counting-The-Cost.m4a’ linktarget=’_blank’ size=’80px’ position=’left’ color=’#6b0a6b’]
Click on the icon to download the MP3 audio file
[/av_font_icon]

[/av_one_fourth][av_three_fifth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]

[/av_textblock]

[/av_three_fifth][av_hr class=’full’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’]

[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”][/av_one_full]

[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’Sermon from the 6th November’ color=” style=” custom_font=” size=” subheading_active=” subheading_size=’15’ custom_class=”][/av_heading]

[av_one_fourth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_image src=’http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2.-Ian-223×300.jpg’ attachment=’5332′ attachment_size=’medium’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’][/av_image]
[/av_one_fourth]

[av_one_half min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
The sermon on the 6th November at Zone2 was delivered by our vicar,  Rev Ian Rumsey.

Entitled ‘Transfiguration, Luke 9:28.

You can listen to the sermon by using the audio controls below, making sure that your computer has speakers.

Or you can download the audio file by clicking on the icon to the right.
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_half]

[av_one_fourth min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_font_icon icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ style=’border’ caption=’Recording of the sermon ’Transfiguration – Luke 9 ver 28′ link=’manually,http://www.bowdonchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Zone-2-Transfiguration-Luke-9-V-28.m4a’ linktarget=’_blank’ size=’80px’ position=’left’ color=’#6b0a6b’]
Click on the icon to download the MP3 audio file
[/av_font_icon]

[/av_one_fourth][av_three_fifth first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]

[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]

[/av_textblock]

[/av_three_fifth][av_hr class=’full’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’]

[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”][/av_one_full]

Our Lay Reader, John Fenton, reviews Rowan Williams’ latest book – published in July 2016.

This is Rowan Williams at his consummate best. A book distilled from a huge intellect, deep humility and a passion for Jesus and the things of God.

Drawn together from a series of public sermons given across the world from Britain to New Zealand, the six chapters are just 82 pages in length. They include Being disciples; faith, hope and love; holiness; forgiveness; faith in the public realm and life in the Spirit.

Clarity, wisdom and insight flow off every page. Not a stale or predictable sentence can be found. Williams draws on the New Testament, the Early Church fathers, medieval mystics, Welsh poets and Christian literary figures to build his arguments.

‘Discipleship’ says Williams ‘is a state of being and abiding’. It’s not what we do on an occasional basis, usually Sunday, it’s what and who we are when we have decided to follow Jesus.

Williams writes with a gentle encouragement, a serious grasp of modern life, candour about the limits and possibilities of a committed life in the 21^st century and a graciousness that has earned the book praise from Methodists, the Vineyard church movement, Catholics and The Church Times who speak of ’82 pages of gold dust’!

Definitely one for dark evenings and to be ‘dipped into’ often.

 John Fenton, Lay Reader

 Published by SPCK, available on the web for £8.99 or less.

When we dropped four teenagers off at an Armed Forces Easter Camp we had no idea that on their return they would establish a tradition of youth bible study groups. Our Mettle Groups are now an inspiration to churches across the country.

 

The young people who have come through these groups are the heart and soul of our youth work. They are the people we rely on to help with services like the Christmas Eve Crib Service and they get the first chance to buy Soul Survivor tickets. We now have a Fusion group for the Mettlers who have left school. This is what James had to say about the groups:

 

“Being part of a Mettle Group wasn’t just great fun and a chance to hang out with friends, it helped me learn a lot about who Jesus is, why he is relevant to my everyday life, and how the bible can help with the kinds of issues that teenagers face.” James Heatley, Worcester College, Oxford

 

If you or a young person you know wants to try out one of the groups, or if there is a group of friends who would like to start a new group together, please speak to me. These groups have always thrived on the amazing volunteers who have helped make sure the groups have great food, a listening ear, and a great Christian role model. If you are an adult who could spare a couple of hours a week at tea-time you would be an answer to prayer. If you are one of these precious people, please spare time to have a chat with me about volunteering. I’m available by text, email, or on social media as @jooughton, or please just catch me at church.

 

Jo Oughton, Parish Development