Our Minister Rev David Rees
looks after St John’s and 4
other Churches: Castle Hill,
Felixstowe, Saxmundham and
also Leiston LEP who joined
Ipswich and East Pastorate in
September 2020 .
These churches and another
14 churches and chapels are part of the
South Suffolk Area Partnership
July Advance
This is the regular publication containing news of events and our church life.
You could help by sending content to advance@stjohnsurcipswich.org.uk
The version available here can be read online or downloaded.
Sound Version of Services Weekly on 01473 938542 Option 1 Latest
Filled from July 2022
Why not just listen
to the Latest service?
Services
Date & Time
St John’s
Streaming
03/07/22
10:45
Rev David Rees
Communion
Possible streaming from Castle Hill
Website TBC
10/07/22
10:45
Keith Scarff
17/07/22
10:30
10:30 Start for streamed service
(Adam Earle) from Castle Hill
Adam Earle
from the link on Castle Hill Website
24/07/22
10:30
No Morning Service at St John’s
Moderator Lythan Nevard
from the link on Castle Hill Website
24/07/22
3 PM
Ordination and Induction
of Adam Earle, Live
Available at home online
from the link on Castle Hill Website
31/07/22
10:45
‘Hybrid Service’
with video sermon by Rev David Rees
St John’s URC Ipswich Diary
Regular Events at Present
Sunday 10.45am Worship for All. Communion first Sunday of each month included with the online service. Monday Tuesday Wednesday 7.30pm Local AA Group Meeting Thursday 5.00pm 2nd Hamilton Rainbows 6.15pm 40th Ipswich Brownies 7.30pm or 2:30 Church Meeting (5 meetings per year) Friday
Services
10.45 am on Sundays Worship for All
at which you will find a warm welcome
Services last about 45 minutes. Our Worship Leaders include Ministers, such as our own Ipswich and East Minister Rev David Rees plus some excellent lay preachers, including our own two lay preachers, Sara Pells and Peter Dawson. We use a large screen to project elements of the service including the hymns. Also we sometimes join with Castle Hill via a live stream and on those Sundays the service starts 15 minutes earlier at 10:30. Currently people are using facemasks throughout the service.
Minister’s Letter
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.
New Possibilities
We are entering an exciting time in the churches of the URC’s Ipswich & East Pastorate.
All
the
five
congregations
have
moved
away
from
the
Covid
restrictions,
though
on
Sundays
in
church
we
are
continuing
to
seat
some
distance
apart
when
not
in
friendship
or
family
groups.
We
are
still
aware
that
some
of
our
number
are
still
feeling
vulnerable.
Broadly
speaking
we
are
getting
back
to
normal,
even
if
some
activities
haven’t
restarted
yet. And we do realise that some activities and hall hires have ceased entirely.
Some
people
have
taken
the
last
few
years
to
reconsider
time
commitments
and
therefore
have
withdrawn
their
involvement
in
some
activities,
both
in
church
and
in
the
rest
of
society.
In
church,
in
Elders
and
Church
Meetings,
we
are
beginning
to
think
and
explore
the
new
possibilities
in
this
post
Covid
world.
Especially
now
with
the
dislocations
arising
from
the
war
in
Ukraine
and
in
particular
the
cost
of
living
crises,
on
top
of
isolation
and
anxiety
caused
by
Covid,
there
are
needs
arising
to
which
each
church
is
uniquely
placed
to
respond.
Of
course,
it
will
take
discernment
and
prayer
to
turn
any
good
idea
into
a
God
inspired
initiative.
We
are
also
aware
that
our
resources,
especially
people
who
are
willing
to volunteer, are less than before Covid, making the discernment process even more vital.
But
I
guess,
at
least
for
me,
the
most
exciting
event
in
the
next
month
or
so
is
the
ordination
and
induction
of
Adam
Earle
to
this
pastorate.
Adam
and
his
wife
Gillian
have
already
moved
into
the
2nd
manse
in
Ipswich
and
are
well
on
their
way
to
settling
in.
His
induction
on
the
Sunday
24th
July
will
be
a
step
change
for
the
5
churches
and
I
am
very
much
looking
forward
to
working
in
partnership
with
him
as
we
lead
the
churches.
He
brings
a
wealth
of
experience,
but
is
new
to
ordained
ministry
so
may
take
a
time
to
fully
find his footing.
I
am
also
going
on
my
much
delayed
Sabbatical
starting
September
through
to
November,
and
re-joining
you
during
Advent.
I
would
trust
that
this
year
with
both
Adam
and
I
available
and
hopefully
Covid
less
of
an
issue,
we
might
have
a
fuller
palette
of
Christmas
activities for the first time in 3 years.
S
o it is time for change and opening of possibilities.
In the book of Isaiah (43:18,19) the prophet writes of God saying-
‘Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Let’s
pray
for
the
perception
and
discernment
to
see
the
new
things
that
God
is
wanting
to
do
in
and
through
us,
as
we
serve
our
communities
and
worship
Him
in
all
the
facets
of
our lives.
David
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 Please Note currently we are still working out how to hire out any rooms due to covid-19 restrictions. Please use the adjacent contact form. 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.ukYou can use the form below for any enquiry
