Our Minister Rev David Rees, who
also looks after 3 other Churches:
Castle Hill, Felixstowe and
Saxmundham. These churches
and another 17 churches and
chapels are part of
the South Suffolk Area
Partnership
Advance
This is the regular publication
containing news of events and our
church life. The October version can be
downloaded or read in PDF format by
clicking here.
Please Turn off Ad Blockers if you wish to Book a Room
as they prevent the forms appearing
St John’s URC Ipswich Diary
Regular Events
Sunday 10.45am Worship for All. Communion first Sunday of each month. Monday Tuesday 6.15pm 23rd Ipswich Brownies 7.00pm Improvisations Craft Group (1st Tues each month) 8.00pm Ipswich Folk Dance Club (1st, 3rd and 5th Tues) Wednesday 12.30pm Monthly Church Lunch Club, except July and August. 7.30pm Local AA Group Meeting Thursday 5.00pm 2nd Hamilton Rainbows 6.15pm 40th Ipswich Brownies 7.30pm Elders Meeting (usually 2nd Thurs) 7.30pm Church Meeting (5 meetings per year) Friday Saturday 10.30am Community Coffee for All (2nd Sat in the month) 1.00pm Ramble Group (last Sat each month) Click here to view the Ramblers Page
Services
10.45 am on Sundays
Worship for All
at which you will find a warm welcome
Services last about an hour followed by coffee/tea and a chat. Our Worship Leaders include Ministers, such as our own Ipswich and East Minister Rev David Rees, and some excellent lay preachers, including our own two lay preachers, Sara Pells and Peter Dawson. Whenever possible we use a screen to project elements of the service including the hymns. There is also a printed Order of Service.
Minister’s Letter
And the rain falls…. The Cambridge University Botanic Garden recorded an all-time high temperature in the UK of 38.7 °C on Thursday 25 July this year. Across the UK, the average temperature for July 2019 was 1.2 °C above the long-term average for 1981-2010. However, parts of Eastern and North East England had been even warmer at around 1.6 °C above the long-term average. These areas were in the top ten warmest July's since 1910. But the month wasn’t all about heat, Cheshire received more than twice the average rainfall for the month (219%). Conversely, some parts of western Britain were much drier than average. In particular Pembrokeshire only received about one third (31%) of July’s average rainfall. There are those who would suggest this is an indication of global warming, others would suggest that it is simply the normal variation of the weather. Whoever is correct, the fact remains that all of us (apart from the lucky few on holiday out of the UK) experienced this extreme month of weather. Normally in the Bible and especially in the Old Testament, the coming of the rains (or lack thereof) was seen as a decision of God. If the day was hot – that was God’s will. If there were floods that was also caused directly by God. If something happened out of season that was deemed to be God’s judgement caused by the sin of the people. In a dry land such as Israel, the falling of rain was a blessing from God. We realise these days that weather patterns are influenced by a variety of natural factors – from the gulf stream and sunspots through to greenhouse gasses. Though we acknowledge that God sets up the weather – few would think that a hot, sunny July is caused directly through God’s judgement or blessing. In contrast, the prevailing understanding from biblical times was that that rain or drought, plenty or famine occurred when a person or a nation was deemed ‘righteous’ or a sinner. And Jeremiah therefore complained “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” (Chapter 12). He noted the rains would fall on the just and unjust alike. Cooling breezes in the heat of summer are there for all, irrespective of a person’s goodness. Some good people seem to have ‘bad luck’ while others seem to be unable to put a foot wrong no matter how devious or unpleasant, they are. And the refreshing rain is there for all. Scratch the surface and like Jeremiah, many Christians feel that somehow, they should have an advantage because they acknowledge God and seek to do his will. But rains fall and the grass is green for everyone. It is hard to truth to bear when cancer or divorce or death or unemployment attach themselves to us. Our response is often to say what have I or he or she done to deserve this. But the rains fall, and the sun shines even if we don’t deserve it. Being a Christian isn’t a guarantee that life isn’t going to catch us out. Being a Christian gives us an acceptance that our God is alongside us in all of life. He is in ultimate control and no matter how far we fall we can never fall out of his love. David
Specification of the Organ
The
1916
two
manual
and
pedal
tubular
pneumatic
organ
by
Bishop
from
the
previous
building
was
rebuilt
with
electric
action
by
W
&
A
Boggis
of
Diss
in
the
new
church.
It
is
placed
in
an
elevated
position
in
the
Worship
Area
and
is
controlled
from
a
detached,
moveable console.
Certain
specifications
changes
were
made
to
take
account
of
the
new
acoustic
conditions
and a few ranks were added.
The Pedal reed pipes (which had been prepared for) were installed in 1993.
This Week’s Service
Welcome to St John’s URC Cowper Street Ipswich
Sunday October 20
th
2019
Worship for All
Led by Sue Liddell
20 October 2019 Start of One World Week: End of Week for World Peace
24th is United Nations Day
Welcome and Notices
Call to Worship
Hymn No 67: Immortal, invisible, God only wise
Prayers and Lord's Prayer
Wrestling with God: the problems of the world [Genesis 32]
Hymn No 654: We turn to you, O God of every nation
Offering and Dedication
Readings: 2 Timothy 3, verses 14 to 4, verse 5
Luke 18, verses 1 – 8
Hymn No 319: Thanks to God whose Word was spoken
Persisting in God's One World
Hymn No 608: Awake! Awake! To love and work
Prayers
Hymn No 723: From all that dwell below the skies
Next Sunday
10:45 am Worship for All
Led By Rev David Rees
Room Hire
Below is an interactive guide to hiring a room
in St John’s.
The Main Hall
This is used for Pre-school every weekday during term-time. Also by Brownies and Rainbows on Tuesdays and Thursdays and by the Folk Dancing Group. Other than the Sanctuary, it is the largest space in the building and has kitchen facilities just off the hall.Room 1
This is a regulary used space, including use as a Polling Station! It is easy to make all sorts of furniture arrangements. It is also straight off the main lobby so makes for easy access.Rooms 4 and 5
A useful space, with a divider, so it can be made cosy or more open. It is used as a double room by the AA Group on a Wednesday evening regularly throughout the year. There is flexibility in the setting of the furniture .The Sanctuary
The sanctuary is also very flexible in layout, but as the chairs are more substantial, re-arrangements require much more work. There is a loop sound system and a projection screen. The organ console seen in the picture to the left is moveable. The organ pipes can be seen above the congregation seating area in the picture below.Last, but not least, are the supporting areas.
There are toilets on both floors including baby changing and disabled facilities on the ground floor. There is a small lift in the entrance lobby for people to get to and from the upper floor. Finally, each floor has kitchen facilities. The pictures are of the downstairs kithen. See the forms and conditions on the Forms Page
Please Turn off Ad Blockers if you wish to Book a Room
as they prevent the forms appearing
Below is an interactive Booking Enquiry Form - the simplest way to make an enquiry.
This is secure entry and the information you add is encrypted; and this still applies if you are out and
about and not on a secure WiFi setting.
Otherwise you can download a PDF form here. Print it, complete it and mail to St John’s or email it to:
roombooking@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk
Note: This form is fillable if you have an appropriate PDF reader.
Please Turn off Ad Blockers if you wish to Book a Room
as they prevent the forms appearing
News
The main news is that
this is a new website.
We have all the same things as before, such as the diary and this week’s service, but they should be easier and speedier to access. This new website should work well on a reasonably up to date smartphone. You can scroll through the main pages swiftly rather than relying on the navigation bar. However, you can still use the navigation bar if you wish. Please let the webmaster know about any difficulties, what you like and what you would like added. Use the contact page to do so. We know there are friends of St John’s Ipswich around the world, including several in Australia. We also have two members in Tanzania (and we would like to display news of their work here as we did previously).For a short time there will
be gaps for the rest of
the page until I get some
news!
Ramble Group
Introduction The St John's Rambling Group was formed in 1996 as an activity of the church. They walk on the last Saturday every month. The group welcomes friends from other churches and those simply interested in walking in enjoyable company. Walk Programme 2019/2020 is shown below. Ramblers meet in the church car park, ready to leave at 1.00pm unless indicated differently in the programme. For further information about the St John's United Reformed Church Ramblers, e-mail the leaders at Ramble LeadersWalk Programme 2019/2020
Monthly Walks Meet at the church at Cowper St. on last Saturday of the month so we are ready to leave the church at 1.00 p.m. (except July - see *** below) The mileages given above are approximate and might change once the walk has been tried out. Usually, it will be possible for a shorter walk to be taken.
Date
Location
Approx. Mileage
23 February
Hintlesham/Burstall
4.5 miles
30 March
Holbrook/Stutton
5 miles
27 April
Bentley
6 miles
25 May
Campsea Ashe
5.75 miles
29 June
Elmsett/Offton
6 miles
27 July
Long Melford ***
***
31 August
Coastal
5 miles
28 September
Boxford
6 miles
26 October
Brantham
6 miles
30 November
Bramford
6 miles
28 December
Melton
25 January
2020
Newbourne
4.75 miles
*** Possible whole day - meet at church at 10.00.a.m.
Figure Eight walk of 4 and 5.5 miles, with picnic lunch in middle
Contact Details
St John’s URC Ipswich
Our Postal Address is: St John’s United Reformed Church 1 Cowper Street Ipswich Suffolk IP4 5JD United Kingdom Office Telephone (Answer Machine) 01473 724961 Minister: Rev David Rees (Ipswich and East) email: minister@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk Church Secretary:Mr Adrian Cubitt email: Secretary@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk Webmaster webmaster@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk Website which is https for security www.stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk