The Newsletter of St John the Evangelist, Ashton Hayes January 2019

A View from the Vicarage

NewYearshouldbea/meofexpecta/onandhope.Weareoverhalf-waythroughthewintermonths,thedaysarege?nglonger,andtwelvemonthsofnewopportuni/esandpossibili/esliebeforeus.HereattheVicarage,Helenandmyselfawaitwithan/cipa/onthearrivalofourthirdchild,dueinearlyFebruary.2019promisestobenothingifnotbusy!

StJohn’salsolooksforwardtoanexci/ngyearofchangeahead,alldesignedtomakebothourSundayworshipandourbuildingmorewelcomingandaccessibletoall.We’redelightedthatfrom13thJanuaryonwardsourchildren’sSundayClubwillnowberunningthree/mesamonth.Childrenwilljoinusinchurchforthestartofour10.30amservice,beforeheadingovertotheVillageHallforage-appropriateBible-teaching,gamesandcraPs.Theywillre-jointheirfamilyinchurchbeforetheendoftheservice,tosharewhattheyhavebeenlearning.FromFebruary,wewillalsobemakingasmallchangetoour10.30amSundayservicepaRern,withanextraMorningWorshipservicereplacingHolyCommuniononthesecondSundayofthemonth.Our9amservicepaRernwillremainunchanged.

Fundingpermi?ng,wealsohopetobeginre-orderingtheinteriorofStJohn’sthisyear,makingitamorecomfortableandflexiblespaceforbothChris/anministryandwidercommunityuse.Wehavenowsecuredovertwo-thirdsoftheamountweneedtostartwork,andarepursuingfurthergrantsanddona/onstoallowworktocommence.

Godwilling,exci/ng/mesareahead!HappyNewYear,

PhilVisit of the Bishop of Chester

WelookforwardtowelcomingtheBishopofChester,Rt.Rev.PeterForster,toSt.John’sforaspecialserviceonSunday13thJanuaryat10.30am.BishopPeterwillcon/nueourcurrentsermonseriesinLuke’sGospel,preachingon“thebap/smofJesus”(Lk3:15-22)andwillalsopresideatHolyCommunion.APerovertwodecadesasBishopofChester,Peterhasrecentlyannouncedhisinten/ontore/reinMarch2020,sothismaywellbehislastvisittoAshtonHayes.Pleasejoinwithustowishhimafondfarewell!(Pleasenotetherewillnotbeournormal9amcommunionservicethatday).

Toy Service and Food Bank

ManythankstoeveryonewhocontributedtoourannualToyServiceatthestartofDecember.AhugevolumeofChristmasgiPsandchocolateboxesweredonated,andhavebeenpassedto“SavetheFamily”whohavewriRentothankus.ThegiPswillbedistributedtothechildrenofthedisadvantagedfamiliesintheircare.

WealsohaveanewWestCheshireFoodbankcollec/onboxattherearofchurch,andwelcomefooddona/onsthroughouttheyeartosupportlocalpeopleonlowincome.

NEWS FROM THE PEWS St John’s: A place of worship where all are welcome

Congratulations

ArthurBenjaminLee-Ellams,thesonofRebeccaandDene,wasbap/sedatStJohn’son2ndDecember.OurbestwishestoArthurandhisfamilyashebeginshisChris/anjourney.In Memory

Sadly,wereportthedeathsoftwoofourcommunitymembersthismonth.

ThefuneralofMeganSheppard,ofBrookside,washeldatChesterCremator-iumonFriday,14thDecemberandMalcolmBrownwasalsolaidtorestinourchurchyardfollowingafuneralinchurchonFriday,21stDecember:MalcolmwaswellknownandlovedbymanyinAshtonHayes.OurthoughtsandprayersgoouttoJoanandherfamily,andtothefamilyofMegan,atthissad/me.Services in December

6thJanuary: 9.00amHolyCommunion(BCP) 10.30amAll-AgeService 6.30pmEvensong(BCP)13thJanuary:10.30amHolyCommunion(CW) withBishopPeterpresiding20thJanuary: 9.00amHolyCommunion(BCP)10.30amMorningWorship(CW)27thJanuary: 9.00amMa/ns(BCP)10.30amHolyCommunion(CW)BCP-BookofCommonPrayer CW-CommonWorship(ModernLanguage)

Contacts

Vicar:PhilWeston 01829752272Readers:AlanDowen 01829751174PhilipGoodall 01829752130Churchwardens:LesleyGroves 01928740014AlanGoodall 01829752130

100ClubThewinningnumbersin November’sdrawwere28 24 36 74

The Newsletter of St John the Evangelist, Ashton Hayes January 2019

Pause for Thought by Alan Dowen

A?erJesuswasborninBethleheminJudea,duringtheEmeofKingHerod,MagifromtheeastcametoJerusalemandasked,“WhereistheonewhohasbeenbornkingoftheJews?Wesawhisstarwhenitroseandhavecometoworshiphim.’”

Ma:hew2:1-2ThethreeMagi,oPenreferredtoas

the three wise men, were dis/nguishedforeignerswho travelled from the east tovisitJesus.Thereisnoactuallyevidenceinthe bible that they visited him whilst hewas s/ll in the stable, but on arrival theyoffered him giPs of gold (a symbol ofkingshiponearth),frankincense(asymbolofdeity)andmyrrh(usedasanembalmingoilandhereasasymbolofdeath).

ThejourneyofthosethreemendoesmorethanpointustowardsanewkingofHeavenandEarth.Alongwiththestoryofthe Shepherds in the Gospel of St Luke,thispassagedemonstratesthatGod’s loveandgraceareopentoallofus.Nolongerwas the God, some/mes referred to asYahweh(YHWH)inancientmanuscripts,tobeconsideredpurelyastheGodof Israel:he had now also become the God of thenon-Jew,theGen/le…youandme…andall are welcome: both rich and poor,irrespec/veofgender,ageorwealth.

When Jesus came to live among ushecameasmorethanaMessiahforIsrael:he came to reconcile the whole ofmankindwithGod—something that it isalltooeasytoforgetinthebusinessofourdaytodaylives.

OurEpiphanyServicewillbeheldat10.30amonSunday6thJanuary.Joinusaswe remember and celebrate the visit ofthewisemen to the child Jesus. Thiswillbeafamily-friendlyservicesuitableforall-ages,followedbyrefreshments.

StJohn’sWebsite

www.ashtonhayes.church

L&S Plumbing Ltd.. General Plumbing and Heating Work

GAS SAFE/CORGI Registered No. 213295

Tel: Ian 01829 759331 Mobile: 07793 752324

HISTLEW SHAIR & BEAUTY STATION

Customer care is our priority

Tel: 01928 740747For an appointment

Old Ticket Office, Mouldsworth Station Road, Mouldsworth CH3 8AJ

Ashton Hayes Building & Landscaping

For all your building and landscaping work. small or large, carried out by fully qualified tradesmen

Patios, driveways, garden walls, fencing, re-pointing, roofing, plastering,

extensions and alterations. Natural Stone Specialist.

Portfolio available

Please contact Matt on: 07749 451526 or 01829 752017

Christmas at St John’s

AshtonDrivingSchoolAndyWaringDrivingInstructor

MiniCooperDieselDualControlledVehicle BlockBookingDiscount

PaEent&FriendlyInstructor

TextorCallAndy:07970080686www.facebook.com/ashtondrivingschool

Thechurchwasfullforourannualcollec/onoftoysforSavetheFamily.GiPsdonatedbymembersofourcommunityandtheemployeesofInovyn,inRuncorn,havebeendistributedtothechildrencurrentlyinthecareofthecharity.

CarolsingingoutsidetheCommunityShop—partoftheannualvillageChristmasfair.

ChurchmembersgatheredforaChristmaslunchattheGoshawk.

TheannualserviceofNineLessonsandCarolswasheldon16thDecember…andsomuchmoreforwhichwedon’thavethespacetoincludehere.

Whynotjoinusin2019?

Happy New Year!

Church Furniture For Sale Our church re-ordering will require

theremovaloftheexis/ngchurchpewsandchapel furniture. Please contact BarbaraCraven (spyhill4@hotmail.com) for moreinforma/on or to register your interest inour pews or chapel furniture (or if yousimplywishtomakeadona/ontowardsourfundraisingforourre-orderingproject.)