From the Rector's Desk
(Taken from the paper version of Parish Magazine delivered to all households in the United Benefice)
Spiritual Fruit: Love
Just as a healthy vine will produce good grapes, so a Christian who is full of the Spirit's life will produce spiritual fruit. We are going to focus on Paul's claim in Galatians 5:22........
'The fruit of the Spirit is love.'
The love Paul mentions here is not the pop-song Hollywood, romantic variety: love trivialized and commercialized. It is Jesus' love; the unselfish affection and unceasing activity which seeks only the well-being of the loved one; the love which is born from the desire to meet the person's deepest needs and to promote his or her growth.
This love is inextinguishable. No matter what a person may have done to insult or injure or humiliate us, we will seek only his highest good. This dimension of love affects the mind and the will even more than the emotions.
'Love is patient, love is kind,
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on it's own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrong-doing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.'
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Our model for this kind of love-in-action is Jesus. Time after time His disciples let Him down and failed to understand His mission. Nevertheless, as Jesus prepares to leave them, He expresses unending love for them. This love is extended to all mankind and was supremely demonstrated in Jesus' death at Calvary.
'God demonstrates His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'
Romans 5:8
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'Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than
to be comforted, to understand than to be understood,
to love than to be loved; for it is by forgetting self that one finds;
it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.'
From a prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi
Parish News for United Benefice
Last year, in Church of St. Michael, Madeley saw the launching of the Year of Prayer attended by The Rt Revd Bishop Richard and Ven Archdeacon Fiona. Prayer events have since been held in all churches within the Telford Severn Gorge Deanery before the candle was returned to Hereford in December, completing the Year of Prayer. This year we continue to celebrate a Year of Faith building on our coming together in love as we worship God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
On 12th May at 4:00pm.......
Galyna Grigoriadi
From the Ukraine, Galyna sings and plays the Bandura - a traditional 65-stringed instrument that is also a symbol of resistance.
After this concert we will be taking a collection for The Red Cross Ukraine Appeal.
Pay-on-the-Door
Tickets (including a cup of tea and slice of cake): £5
Children can come free with accompanying adult.
We are all unique and created by a loving God who wants to hear our prayers. Would you like to meet for Morning Prayer on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wednesdays each month at 10:00am at Holy Trinity in it's Community Room? Prayers are the most valuable offering that we can give for our communities and the world. Just turn up and you will be welcomed - you are special and important to God.
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JOIN THE TEAM
Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge CE School
is seeking a Foundation Governor
Could you volunteer to join the Governing Board?
Can you spare 8-10 hours per month to attend 6 full Governor meetings each year?
Foundation Governors operate at a strategic level, ensuring the Christian vision and character of the school.
Contact Revd Ernest Okeke on 01952 432482
Mobile: 07309 899928
E-mail: ifyernestok@yahoo.com
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Coffee and chat
is running twice a month on a Wednesday in the Coalbrookdale Community Hall
10:00am - 12:00am (children are free)
For just £2.00 you can have a coffee or tea and cake - as well as plenty of chat. You can be sure of a warm and friendly welcome. Joining in with any activities is optional.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME
For more information, please look at our Facebook page or contact us on coffeeandchatcoalbrookdale@gmail.com
Bible Study is on Thursdays at 10:00am in The Rectory, Paradise, Coalbrookdale (excluding holidays). You are more than welcome to join us as we start a new study in the new term. For more information please ring Revd. Ernest Okeke (info on 'Home' or 'Contacts and Links')
NSPCC Schools Service are looking to encourage volunteers in Shropshire to deliver their 'Speak out. Stay Safe.' programme through workshops in schools. For more information ring Kate Warner on 0121 2277650 or email kate.warner@nspcc.org.uk
St. Luke's Church, Ironbridge is open on week days. For further information, click on 'Our Churches' at the top of this page and then click on 'St. Luke's Church' in the white box to read more.............
Holy Trinity welcomes all who wish to step inside our beautiful church - and it doesn't have to be on a Sunday either! During the week we are open from 10-3:00 Simply click on 'Our Churches' at the top of this page and then click on 'Holy Trinity' in the white box and learn more about it's heritage and the work that has been going on.
Holy Trinity will be hosting Concerts in our Church later this year - for information please click on 'sitemap' below and then on Holy Trinity.
St. Lawrence's Church in Little Wenlock is loaded with history, read more by clicking on 'Our Churches' at the top of this page and then click on 'St. Lawrence's Church' in the white box to learn more.
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