There is a Parish Communion at St. James’ Church at 10.30am

There are no other services in the Parish tomorrow.

Dear friends ‘Happy Christmas’ from all in Jigsaw. We thank you so much for all your support through love, prayer, gifts and school sponsorship throughout 2021. You have empowered Jigsaw to Share God’s love in so many ways with so many in need and hardship, thank you so much. Jigsaw Christmas Appeal 2021   Christmas is a wonderful time to share the love, joy, peace, and provision of the good News of the birth of Jesus with those in most need and we invite you and your churches to join us in the ministry of Jigsaw through this appeal. This Christmas appeal is focussing on raising money for two important Jigsaw needs.

1. Jigsaw Christmas Parties: At Christmas each year we share the Good News of the birth of Jesus, ‘God with us’ with over 2000 children, young people and families living on the streets and in slum and squatter areas in Metro Manila through Jigsaw Christmas Parties.The total we need for this year’s Christmas parties (£2.50 per child) is a total of £5000. Your gifts will go towards providing a wonderful party for over 2000 of the neediest children and young people. Each party will have games, songs, dancing, drama, a hot Christmas meal, the telling of the Christmas story and a Christmas gift for each child. Please join us in bringing Christmas this year to each of these children and families by giving as you can to this appeal for Christmas parties, thank you so much. 2. A New Van for Jigsaw In 2004 churches and supporters in the UK raised the funds for Jigsaw to buy a new van for their ministry. Little did we know that that van would be serving Jigsaw each and every day for the next 17 years. The van has never stopped moving carrying staff, toys, food and resources to slum and street ministries each day, taking children and families to schools, clinics and hospitals, distributing emergency relief and much, much more. However, after all these years the life of the Jigsaw van has come to an end, and it is time to pray and appeal for a new van for Jigsaw’s ministry. A new L300 Mitsubishi van costs £14,000 pounds which seems an impossible amount to even say, let alone think about but we trust in our mighty God for all we need. Please join us in prayer and gifts for the funds Jigsaw needs to buy a new van to continue its ministry for the next 17 years. We remember the loaves and the fishers and God’s miracles with the small that we can give, together with God miracles can be done. Amen. Giving to the Jigsaw Christmas appeal 2021:Gifts can be deposited to our bank account or transferred online to:        Jigsaw Kids Ministries         Lloyds Bank         Account number: 03952804         Sort Code: 30-94-43 Cheques can be sent to Jigsaw UK office: 1st Floor Chapel House, Chapel Lane, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 5DX Gift references: Please use the following references for your gifts: Gifts for the Christmas parties please use the ref: JigCpartiesGifts for the New Jigsaw van please use the reference JigVanGift Aid:   If you haven’t signed a gift aid form for Jigsaw and you would like to please use the following link and fill in an online gift aid form. Thank you.   https://www.jigsawkidsministriesuk.com/gift-aid-formThank you everyone, Happy Christmas: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9 vs 6-7.

Jigsaw special prayer request: Dear friends, I am writing with a special prayer request for one of Jigsaw’s young people. Her name is Jilsy, she’s 25 years old. She was one of the first students to graduate from our University Scholarship program and is also the sister of Jenalyn, our program manager.   Around 8 weeks ago Jilsy started to become ill, but then two weeks ago as things became worse, she was taken to the hospital by Jenalyn. She was found to have Lupus and that one of her kidneys had stopped functioning, she was told she needed a kidney transplant and was admitted to the hospital. At a cost of over 1.6 million pesos for the operation (15,000 pounds) this was out of the question and Jilsy started to have blood transfusion and dialysis every few days. Today Jenalyn our program manager who has been at the hospital for more than 10 days now (as she is not able to leave and go back due to covid) messaged me to say Jilsy over the weekend has had 2 seizures and the doctors have put her in an induced coma, so now Jenalyn is waiting and praying for her sister. The doctors have said there are four possible causes for the seizure; lupus, hypertension, infection, or her dialysis. Jilsy is in a critical condition and Jenalyn and her family are so worried and scared, and Jenalyn has emailed me for prayer for Jilsy.   Please join us in prayer for Jilsy, for healing in the current situation that she may be able to regain consciousness and begin to breathe normally. For her general condition to improve and for the long term for some miracle solution for the need of a kidney. Please join us in prayer too for Jenalyn and her family for strength and comfort at these very difficult times. Thank you. Tim, Jigsaw

Saturday 27th November

10am to 12 noon

St. James’ Church

Silent auction

Locally made crafts

Bargain gift baskets

AH Creations

Win a bottle

Tombola

Coffee and cakes!

Please come and buy for your friends or yourself and raise funds for a charity which supports the homeless throughout the year.

October 3rd

On Sunday October 3rd Sarah Yanez who works with her husband Felipe in Malaga for the Church Mission Society is coming to Meltham. Sarah and Felipe have been heavily involved with Foodbanks in Malaga.

We are having a Parish Lunch at 12.30 with Sarah at the Church Hall next Sunday. All are welcome. We obviously need an idea of numbers cos Rev John is buying in Meat and Potato Pie!

Could you WhatsApp Nigel direct on 07885430085 or email on nigel.priestley@ridleyandhall.co.uk. It will be good to meet together!

Wondering what Jesus really came for and never known who to ask?

We would love to chat with you about the big questions in life! You can do this with a cuppa at the Crossroads Centre in Meltham and a chat in a small group (or simply come along or join online to listen) .

Alpha is an 8 week course, for everyone wanting to explore life and faith a bit more. 20 million people have done this course. It’s probably the least cheesy, most enjoyable way of thinking about the things that really matter in life.

Our next Alpha courses start in October 2021. Don’t worry if you have to miss a date or two. We’d love you to come to as many as you can anyway.

You can choose between an In-person course or an Online course.

Sign up for our Online course which starts on the 4th October 2021, every MONDAY for 8 weeks+, 8pm-9.30pm via Zoom.

Sign up for our Face to Face course in Crossroads Centre which starts on the 7th October 2021, every THURSDAY for 8 weeks, 7.30pm-9.00pm

Please either text Nigel on 07885430085 or email him on nigel.priestley@ridleyandhall.co.uk if you are interested in joining or finding out more.

You can also find out more and sign-up on the Alpha website:
https://alpha.org/

As Harvest is a time to thank God for creation, we’d like the front cover of the October magazine to show our amazing world. If you have a photo of flowers, birds, bugs, landscapes etc please email them to melthamparishmagazine@gmail.com by September 20th. Thanks.

On Sunday 12th September there will be a short communion service at St. Bartholomew’s at 9.30am.

At 10.30 the Civic Service will be held at St. Bartholomew’s.

There are no services at St. James’, St. Mary’s or Christ Church.

The Parish is providing large games such as ‘Connect 4’ at this event. There will also be a table displaying information about the churches.

We would like to have members of the Parish around to talk to people.

Please can you email me with any times you could volunteer on a rota. Thanks.

alisonwhiteley@ntlworld.com

Hello everyone

Last Week  was the 69^th Week of our Prayer sheet. We have prayed in earnest about the Covid 19 pandemic and its effect on all the Nations and peoples of our world. Alongside we have sought to find ways of deepening our relationship with God.

The government leaders are relaxing the rules that follow lockdown seeking a new norm, whatever that might be it seems a good time to end the weekly distribution, but I urge you to continue praying with the same fervour, that we have enjoyed together over the last 70 weeks.

This ‘Issue no 70 “will be our final MCT Monday Prayer Sheet but it is hoped that we might continue praying daily for our world and our own nation in how we deal with the pandemic.

This prayer sheet No 70 contains what might be an aid for us to continue to pray, allowing the scriptures and the Holy Spirit to teach us more about prayer.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE ABOUT PRAYER? WHICH VERSE INSPIRES YOU TO A DEEPER LIFE OF PRAYER?

Prayer is not just about asking God for things you need or desire. It is about establishing a relationship with Him built on faith and trust in Him. God knows the desires of your heart long before you even think to ask, but he still loves to hear from you—whether you’re asking for guidance or giving thanks—because it draws you closer to him. The Bible is full of people who were led to pray for a multitude of things we still pray about today: fear, anger, worry. That’s why the Bible is chock-full of verses for those dark days when you’re questioning just how effective prayer really is. These Bible verses will help motivate you to get down on your knees and communicate with the Lord.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  

Mark 11:2

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 15:7

For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:9-13

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Luke 11:9

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:7

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
Luke 18:1-8

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Jeremiah 33:3

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
Psalm 141:2

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:13-14

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
Psalm 50:15

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Matthew 18:19-20

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Matthew 26:41

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!”

Psalm 4:1

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.”

Psalm 39:12

“But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.”

Psalm 66:19

“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.”

Psalm 69:13

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

Mark 11:24

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Romans 8:26

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Philippians 4:5-7

‘The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 4:2

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

17Hebrews 5:7

KEEP –SAFE —— KEEP PRAYING

Peter