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12 NOVEMBER 2021

Living in Love and Faith

"Here is a course that is informative, thoughtful, challenging and engaging. Dealing with the sensitive and complex questions of identity, relationships and sexuality, it invites us to learn, reflect and pray together. It is about going deeper with each other and with God. We commend this course to you. Our hope and prayer is that we engage with it together across the church, we will learn to live more fully in the way of Christ - in love and faith" The Archbishops of Canterbury and York

We will be running this 5 session course at SMB on the following dates: 20th and 27th January, 3rd, 10th, and 17th February 2022 at 7.30pm in person and in our church building.

Each of the five sessions explore one key topic, with an opening reflection about learning together, followed by teaching, time for discussion and Bible study. The sessions end with an invitation to reflect on our learning, bringing it to God in prayer.

If you would like to read the book on the subject ahead of the course it is called Living in Love and Faith (Church House Publishing ISBN: 978-0-7151-1167-3)

I would like as many as possible at SMB and in MK to do this course ahead of important decisions at General Synod in 2022. A questionnaire will be available to all Anglicans at some point to guide General Synod in this whole subject. 

An Eventbrite page will be set up by Christina Farley soon so that we can sign up for this course - there will be a small charge to cover the Workbooks.

Please prayerfully consider attending these five Thursday evenings - perhaps Home Groups could come on mass and not meet on their usual night if that was mutually agreeable, so that peoples evenings were not too busy.

Rev David McDougall
Rector of St Mary's Bletchley

For more information on the Living in Love and Faith Course, click on the image above.

GET IN TOUCH
            
OUR SERVICES
SUNDAY 14 NOVEMBER
 
10.55am - Remembrance Sunday Service
Gather at the War Memorial for a service of Remembrance. If you are unable to attend in person, the service at The Cenotaph will be broadcast on BBC One, starting at 10.15am.

6pm - Holy Toast
Holy Toast meets in St Mary's Community Centre (Conway Crescent, MK3 6AR).  We meet together, share a simple meal, and explore where God wants to take us. Everyone welcome.
 
WEDNESDAY 17 NOVEMBER

10am - Communion Service
Our weekly Communion Service is held in the church building each Wednesday.
 
We are unfortunately unable to stream the service at the War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday this week. Instead we suggest watching the BBC coverage of the Remembrance Sunday service at The Cenotaph on BBC One starting at 10.15am.
If you are available to help serve the community with tea and cake, please make yourself known to volunteers on the day.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
St Mary's depends on your generosity to make all we do possible. From helping our local community to helping mission partners around the world; to running groups for children to hosting a group for our older people to meet together - none of it would be possible without your kindness.

The most cost-effective way to make your offering is through our Parish Giving Scheme, but one-off donations can also be made online or in person. To find out more please click here or email nicky.whitmore@stmarysbletchley.org

St Mary's Parish Giving Scheme: You can scan this QR code to set up or amend your regular giving with the Parish Giving Scheme.
Click on the image to get started with easyfundraising
Poppies
Here is a beautiful animation from the BBC for Remembrance Sunday to watch with your children.
Peace In Christ
A worship song


Use apps such as Olio and Too Good To Go to find surplus food available for a reduced price at your local shops.  This helps keep good food out of the bin.
IMPORTANT NOTICES
Funeral of Bill Horn, Tuesday 23rd November, 12 Noon, St Mary's Bletchley

The church family of St Mary' Bletchley is warmly invited to the funeral of Bill Horn, to celebrate Bill's life and support Lucy and the family. Lucy has requested that any one attending should wear colours - definitely no black!

There will be refreshments following the service and instead of flowers please make donations to Macmillan Cancer Support.
LINK TO HOPE SHOEBOXES
Thank you to everyone who put together a shoebox for Link for Hope, or donated items to go inside ones put together by the youth. In total we were able to send 40 shoeboxes to help families and the elderly in Eastern Europe. For more information about Link to Hope go to linktohope.co.uk.
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Click one of the links below for more information.
Bridgebuilder MK: Wisdom and Wine Quiz - 20/11/2021
Grieving? Gentlespaces might be for you...
St Joseph's, Newton Leys, is the pioneer church linked to St Mary's in our parish. It is headed by Rev Ben Thorpe. You can follow what they are doing on Facebook here. 
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