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 November 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
Sunday Service 10:45 17
th
Nov.
Led by Rev Peter Ball
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
Not Forgetting I walked in with the ‘urgent’ shopping. Bread, apples, sliced ham, cheese, margarine. As I made myself a well-earned cuppa, I went to the fridge and it hit me – I had forgotten the milk. You may disagree, but a cup of tea or coffee without milk is like skiing without snow. It may not have been a tragedy but it did spoil a good cuppa. As I get older, I seem to be getting better at forgetting. The times I have spent searching for glasses or car keys, I realise that my ‘forgettery’ is improving. Much of what we forget may be annoying but it is not really essential. The lack of milk is an inconvenience but doesn’t really matter. At other times what we forget is more important. Often the passage of time makes us forget. This may be a blessing when once painful memories slowly fade with time. It may be tragic when things that are truly important fade into forgetful oblivion. I am very much aware that with the passing of time, Remembrance Sunday has changed. Much of the sharpness of the events has receded for many and most only learn to remember at second or third hand. And, after over 70 years, there are others who still feel the keenness of pain and loss at departed comrades or loved ones. Those who have never experienced the dark days of war, cannot remember in the same way as those that lived through it. However, remembering is still important. We can choose to actively connect with the past and the lessons that can be learned. Not glorifying war, but honestly engaging in the past and, hopefully then not repeating the worst mistakes. To be thankful for past mercies. Psalm 137:5-6 says, If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. Written in the midst of captivity in Babylon, after a brutal war which devastated the county and people, it would have been relatively easy for the exiles to settle down and forget the past. To settle down with the newfound wealth and prosperity and simply let time move on. The second and third generation growing up to find they didn’t really remember for they never learned. We live in a time of wealth and foreign holidays, of plenty and even excess. It is easy for us to forget the sacrifice of past generations, and also to forget the God who abides with us when the darkness deepens, and other comforts flee. Of whatever generation, of whatever life experience, we can forget or choose to truly remember. 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 November 17
th
2019
Sunday Worship for All
Led By Rev Peter Ball
Theme – The challenge of the Gospel
Welcome and Notices
Opening words.
Hymn: R & S 45 Morning has broken
Prayers of approach
Theme Introduction – The best and the worst
Hymn: R & S 495 Father hear the prayer we offer
Readings Psalm 98 & Luke 21:5-19
Hymn: R & S 586 All my hope on God is founded
Talk – Finding a way
Hymn The Lord’s my shepherd (Townend version)
Offertory
Prayers of Intercession
Min: Lord in your mercy Cong: Hear our prayers
Hymn I the Lord of sea and sky (Here I am Lord)
Blessing
Next Sunday
10:45 am Sunday Worship for All
Led By Nigel Crisp
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 Next Ten Years (TNTY) This is positive exercise to plan for the future. We recognise that we need to think about: how do we manage all the day-day things between us so that we can still be a vibrant church helping those around us. We are on the first steps just now. Here is a video to introduce the first steps to help each of us start thinking what we could each do.To Help here is PDF of the activities described in the
video so you can think about them quietly. Just click
here to download it.
Even being able to part of some of them, or just do
them once in a while will be of help.
The other main news is that this is a relatively 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.
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