LANGTREE TEAM MINISTRY
Notice Sheet for 3rd January 2016
2nd of Christmas / Epiphany
(Gold/White)

Dear Friends

Welcome to our worship this morning and Happy New Year to you from all the staff of the Langtree Team.

We hope that your Christmas has been a time of blessing for you and your families and that, as we celebrate The Epiphany today, you will continue to relish the joys of the Christmas season, even as the rest of the world moves on to looking forward to their summer holidays or whatever!

Our thoughts continue to be with those for whom Christmas has not been so enjoyable or safe; particularly those affected by the flooding in the North of the country and of course those refugees in camps or making their way across Europe looking for safety.  It is perhaps difficult for us to imagine losing our home and our belongings, and the sense of powerlessness which must accompany such events. We pray that sufficient help and resources will be found so that these families may soon begin to rebuild their lives.

Let’s pray too, as the family of God in this particular part of the world, for our life together across the Team. Although our Annual Meetings and so on are some way off yet, nevertheless we do have that sense of a New Year and all that that might have to offer. No doubt there will be challenges and changes ahead but imagine what a witness it could be if we were to commit ourselves afresh to being a group of churches, a community, that prays; unashamedly and intentionally trusting in God as we encounter all that life offers us this year?  Whilst we all pray individually for the world and for one another wouldn’t it be good if, in the coming year, we were to make a particular effort to pray for the life and the work of the Team, to pray for one another’s mission and ministry, and to call on God to show us where the green shoots of opportunity and growth are to be found in both church and community? When it is a shared activity, prayer can both build up the sense of community in a church and encourage those who may be starting out, or who feel less confident in their faith.  Maybe you could be someone who encourages your church to pray more in 2016?

Blessings

Linda

Reverend Linda Smith