Sunday Afternoon in the School Hall

Do join us in the school hall this Sunday afternoon at 3.30pm as we wrap up our Creation series by exploring John 1. Chris and Stephen have really planned something special!! It’s also Chris’ last Sunday with us, so help us send him on his way well.

We’ll be serving iced water and squash throughout the gathering. Please dress cool!

NO LITTER PICK due to high heat

Sadly, we’ve cancelled tomorrow’s community litter pick. With no shade or water points, it just didn’t seem safe to run. We’ll be back in September - working on Phase Two.

Celebrating Saturday’s Oasis

What a FANTASTIC day at The Pathfinder C of E Primary School - Northstowe - Cambridgeshire School Fete, offering an Oasis of shade and cooling water. We loved seeing the creativity of the children as they decorated fans with "what refreshes you". We loved the friendly banter, and more reflective moments, as we asked "swimming pool or beach?"; "still or sparkling water?"; "should everyone have playtime?" or "what's the warning light on your wellbeing?". All while sipping on iced water (huge thanks to 1st Willingham Scouts for the loan of the water carriers!), sitting on Deckchairs (from the Deckchair Listening Project), and dipping our toes in paddling pools.

Well done to all the team from Pathfinder Church, Friends of Pathfinder School, Pathfinder School , and the other community groups and pop ups. And the brilliant dancers and gymnastics from Stardust Dance Academy #ilovenorthstowe

More dates for your diary

Summer Adventures on and offsite

17th July 3.30pm Afternoon Gathering - last “normal” Sunday Afternoon of Term
23rd July 3.30pm End of Term picnic communion (under the Gazebos in the School Field)
31st July
- an invitation to join with our sister churches in the villages at the 5folds Joint Service - St Andrew's’ Church, Swavesey, at 11am.
- a “picnic in the park” with families from Pathfinder Church Northstowe at 3.30pm, Pioneer Park

And then the Autumn Adventures begin, including a trip to the Greenbelt Festival on 26–29 August 2022 to celebrate artistry, activism, and belief. And various offsite adventures - often involving food!. Watch this space for more.

Our regular gatherings will restart on Sunday 11th Sept

Food Bank

Don’t forget, if you or anyone you know in the area is hungry and can’t afford food, both Beth and Stephen can issue foodbank vouchers for 3 days emergency food .

And if you want to donate… here’s what’s currently needed. The easiest way to do this is drop donations into Bar Hill Tesco if you’ve shopped there.

The team at Cambridge City Foodbank write:

“Donations needed Our #Foodbank warehouse is running low on supplies of these items. Could you help us provide visitors with emergency food? By #donating as little as one item you could #MakeADifference today.

Find our full most needed items list here: https://cambridgecity.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/

Please re-share!”

Youth Update

Sunday Youth Group in Willingham for those exploring Christianity

Don’t forget, we encourage Northstowe’s young people (11+, now including year 6 students soon to go to secondary) to join us with our friends in Willingham for The Alterative, straight after our Afternoon Gatherings for church every other Sunday. Chat to me, or other parents of teenagers to find out more.

The Northstowe Youth Hive

As a church, we’re a member organization of this new community-led partnership supporting young people from all faiths, cultures, backgrounds, genders, and sexualities to have fun, develop and make a difference..

On Thursdays, the amazing team from The Connections Bus Project are running their pop up youth club under a Gazebo in the park. Next week, why bring your friends (age 11+ only!) Familiar faces from the Youth Hive volunteer team at the Youth Cafe will also pop in from time to time, ready to listen to your ideas and help you get your projects off the ground.

Little Explorers - Time for You, Your Baby, and God

Final “normal” session 9.30 -10.35 am THIS THURSDAY (July 21st)

SUMMER PLAN: to meet on Thursday Mornings in Pioneer Park, after (optional) picking up a treat from Rural Coffee Project coffee en route. Message us for details of this informal parent-led get together.

Little Explorers started with a group of babies (and their preschool siblings) along with their carers. There is free play with things like ball pits, messy play, etc. Singing - nursery rhymes and songs linked to the stories. There is a bible story often told through interactive play. One of the unique things is that there is also space for the adults to spend some time journaling or colouring too, with volunteers to hold the babies, if that's what you want.

This half term, as we’ve explorered the Growing Season, there has space to journal about the ways you've seen your baby grow, and about how you are growing as as adult too - spiritually, personally etc.

You don't have to be a church goer to be part of the group, and there's a lovely open atmosphere as people chat about everything from sleepless nights to nappies to big questions about faith. Those who come are working on some advertising to go live soon, but in the meantime you can email contact@northstowe.church to find out more. Suggested donation of £3 per family to help cover room hire and resources - but only if you can afford that.

Midweek Prayers

Don’t forget, many of us are still using the Lectio 365 app to help shape our daily prayers. If you want to be part of a WhatsApp group of others using it, just let us know.

And if you are free at 8.45am on a Thursday Morning during school term, why not meet up with some of us in person as we use the Lectio 365 app, and share music from across the Christian traditions (as well as tapping into our creativity!). Talk to Beth or Stephen to find out more…

And through the summer? Let us know - we’ll make a plan this week.

Whatever we decide about in person meetings, why not download the app and give it a try

Other midweek opportunities

Talk to Rachel A to find out more about the midweek Journaling and Reflection small group.

Or to Stephen to dream about What Next for the group of young professionals working crazy hours, often shifts, but keen to connect in a way that works well at that stage of life!