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
January 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
Also if you have both a printer and nearby members that a print a copy that would be their only
means of reading it.
Here is a version for printing
Sound Versions of Services Weekly on 01473 938542
Option 1 Latest or Option 2 Previous
Covid -19 latest news:
Open on Sundays
People will need to wear face
masks and follow all the existing
procedures we have been
operating.
Singing is currently allowed
behind masks
We want anyone to feel
comfortatble and safe to attend.
To see requirements click here.
Filled from July 2022
Why not just listen
to Latest service?
Click Here
Services
Date
St John’s
02/01/22
William Glasse
(Comm)
09/01/212
Peter Dawson
Live Streamed from St John’s
16/01/22
Rev David Rees
Church Meeting - Election of Elders
23/01/22
Sara Pells
30/01/22
Richard Jurd
06/02/22
Peter Dawson
(Comm)
Or the Previous
Service
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 resumed on 18 April
10.45 am on Sundays Worship for All
at which you will find a warm welcome
Services last about an half an hour initially. Our Worship Leaders include Ministers, such as our own Ipswich and East Ministers Rev David Rees and Rev Ernie Bossé plus 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.
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.
Giving thanks at Christmas
Christmas
is
a
wonderful
time
of
the
year.
With
the
nights
drawing
in
at
4pm
and
the
glowing
warmth
of
the
many
lights.
It’s
not
like
later,
when
there
has
been
enough
of
winter,
and
we
are
yearning
for
some
sunlight
that
actually
warms
us
up.
Around
Christmas,
somehow
the
cold
and
the
darkness
are
still
special.
I
guess
it
has
to
do
with
expectations.
We
look
forward,
we
plan
we
work
very
hard
to
make
Christmas
something
out
of
the
ordinary.
However,
I'm
also
aware
of
the
struggles
people
have
around
Christmas.
How
will
I
cope
with
that
difficult
relative?
How
will
I
deal
with
the
pain
of
missing
those
who
are
not
there?
How
can
I
enjoy
Christmas
when
it
reminds
me
of
such
hurtful
interactions
from
the
past?
How
can
I
bear
the
joy
of
others
when
I'm
so
lonely?
How
can
we
enjoy
Christmas
when
there
is
little
money
for
gifts?
And
this
time
around
as
Covid19
still
looms,
whether
we
are
allowed to or not, can we and should we meet up with friends and family?
It
would
be
wonderful
to
think
that
Christmas
could
be
a
time
when
love
reigns
and
we
can
all
focus
on
the
love
of
God
shown
to
us
in
Christ.
But
in
reality,
our
blessings
are
often
mixed
with
pain
and
for
many,
Christmas
is
a
reminder
of
the
distorted,
unloving
nature
of
human beings, rather than the perfect, loving nature of God.
For
those
of
us
with
loving
relationships
Christmas
will
probably
be
a
time
of
joy.
We
can
also
make
it
a
time
to
be
grateful
for
the
immense
blessing
we
have
in
those
relationships.
Those
who
love
us
are
gifts
beyond
any
material
gift.
Our
times
together
are
treasures
much
greater
than
anything
we
could
buy.
The
greatest
gift
we
can
give
to
those
we
love
is
to
continue
to
invest
in
our
relationship
with
time,
care,
support
and
genuine
interest.
Sometimes
this
costs
us
more
than
material
gifts,
demands
more
of
us,
requires
more
thought
and
sacrifice,
but
ultimately
is
worth
whatever
it
cost,
just
as
is
our
relationship
with
Jesus
Christ.
Isn't
this
a
true
image
of
love
come
to
earth?
Isn't
this
the
best
way
to
celebrate
Christmas?
It
may
be
that
there
is
someone
near
you
who
will
struggle
through
Christmas
feeling
lonely,
hurt,
or
grieved.
Let
us
pray
that
those
of
us
who
are
blessed
will
notice
these
people
and
invite
them
into
places
of
love
and
joy,
to
share
with
them
our
gifts
of
love,
and
perhaps
give
them
understanding
and
hope
for
what
is
possible,
even
in
the
midst
of
a
world
where
pain
and suffering and isolation is very present.
And
as
we
move
into
the
new
year,
we
think
about
the
relationships
that
are
part
of
our
lives.
How
do
we
nurture
them?
How
do
we
mend
the
broken
ones?
How
do
we
invest
in
them
so
that
they
become
fully
the
gifts
of
love
that
we
all
need?
For
this
season
of
Christmas
and
the
New
Year,
I
pray
the
love
of
God
will
be
born
again
in
your
relationships
and that you will be able to truly give thanks.
David
See the Covid Precautions Here
Opening for Individual Prayer and Online Service
and live Services
The
church
is
open
at
10:30
and
the
online
service
or
live
service
will
run
from
10:45
and
finish
before
we
close
the
church
again
for
the
necessary
cleaning
required
at
11:30.
Note
on
some
week’s
when
sharing
a
broadcast the service may start at 10:30 and entry is from 10:15.
•
The
idea
is
to
avoid
too
many
people
arriving
at
once.
You
must
stay
outside
St
John’s
until
called
forward
and stay two metres apart from others waiting to enter.
•
You must not enter the building if you have any of the symptoms of Covid 19 or feel unwell.
•
You
will
need
to
have
a
face-covering
on
at
all
times,
from
just
before
entering
the
church,
until
you
are
outside again.
•
You
will
enter
the
left
hand
doors
and
turn
left
to
enter
the
sanctuary
(there
will
be
hand
sanitiser
available).
Despite all the above, we would really love to see you if you can visit safely.
If you wish to know more about a Risk Assessment please email the Church
Secretary
From the Elders of St John’s
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
