Merry Christmas

🔔🎄🌟  Merry Christmas 🌟🎄🔔 Well what a fantastic year we have had at Sharow St John's Church! The bells have been ringing from strength to strength, announcing our services and special events for our Bicentennial year which is almost at a close. 

We have looked at the history of our past years with fascination, introduced lovely new people into our Church family, with Baptisms, and a lovely Holiday Club; also said our goodbyes to some old friends. We helped to launch our wonderful Reverend Ruth to the Diocese of Carlisle as Archdeacon, and have borrowed her energetic encouragement to enthusiastically continue the good work. 

We are gently growing in deepened discipleship with Brian's brilliant Bible Studies; and our monthly Cafe Church, led by our newly authorised Lay Worship Leaders, growing the Ministry Team just in time for navigating the waiting time for another regular Priest. 

Various members of our congregation are now exploring Theology courses, Pastoral training, and I have had the privilege as a new Ordinand of assisting the Church Wardens and LLM in 'holding the fort' and enjoyed meeting all the visiting clergy, learning from our own retired Priest in between exploring the peace and joy of following Jesus with Morning Prayer, and weekly soothing calm Celtic Evening Prayer. 

Monthly Family Services have been a lovely time to learn across our gathered community, with
our lovely Licensed Lay Minister, and Children's Minister captivating our children (and inner child!).
Choir has continued to attend, with 9 enthusiastic choristers and helpful parents. 

Wonderful Wednesdays started in the Autumn, and the take up has more than doubled with others due to join us in the New Year, for lots of creative projects and chat, a thriving community from the village and beyond. How creative this Church is, following our Creator God, including a cornucopia of fabulous concerts interspersed with weekly Ecumenical Prayer Meetings, and quarterly Art & Spirituality Retreat Days add to immersing St John's in prayer with all our regular services.  

The Church Wardens have done a tremendous amount behind the scenes to keep the Church running, and we feel happy and healthy as a community. We really are the body of Christ in Sharow, and always ready to lend a helping hand, we expanded our Sharow Village Pantry provision to those who make use of it. 

Thankyou to a wonderful community for stepping up to the challenges, to the Friends of St John's for financial and social support, there will be more to navigate ahead but in prayer we take it all to
God, who is faithful, and brings to birth new things for us all in His perfect timing. 

We wish you and yours a Peaceful, Blessed and Happy Christmas, do come and see what
exciting things we can all offer as gifts to our community, from and for everyone in the New Year!

-Juliet ✨💖🙏🏻

PS. Please do join us today at either St John’s or The Holy Innocents at 10am for Holy Communion.