Christ Church Moreton Hall

May is proving an important Month for the nation and for the town as we go to the Polls and decide what sort of local government we have. I am reminded every time I look at what is going on in Zimbabwe and Iraq how lucky we are to have democracy and how easy it is to change our government by simply walking in to a Polling booth and voting. I have never understood why people fail exercise their democratic rights when it costs so much to keep them and to get them.

There are some people who consider that Christians should have no place in the democratic process. I am reminded in this year of the work of William Wilberforce, who 200 years ago helped bring the slave trade to an end in this country and in the Empire. It is widely considered by historians that without his efforts, the slave trade could have persisted throughout the 19^th century and into the 20^th. Of course we are aware that slave trade persists in many countries around the world, and the sex slave trade continues into Britain even to this very day. Everybody needs to be able to participate in the democratic process and to achieve the things that society needs.

May is also a significant month for Christ Church, Moreton Hall and our community. On 13^th May we will have a special service to launch Christian Aid week. We will also be looking at the theme “How to Survive the Storms of Life” for particular reference to debt and unemployment.

On 20^th May we will have our Gift Day, in which we will seek to raise more money, not only to maintain the ministry on the Moreton Hall estate, but also to support charities both in the town and across the world.

On 27^th May we welcome Bishop Jeremy Welsh, who will confirm and preside at a communion service. During that service there will also be some total emersion baptisms and the renewal of baptismal vows by emersion. Many people will come to church to see others commit their faith so publicly by confirmation and baptism. The service starts at 10.30 am and will go on for quite some time. I do hope many of you will come and see. This reminds us now that church is having a significant impact of lives of many on our estate. People are finding faith, people are growing in faith and people are wanting to declare that faith publicly.

We are also changing the pattern of our evening services in May.

The first Sunday of the month will be a service of prayer and worship, which will give us more time to intercede in prayer for those around us.

The second and fourth Sundays there will be a time of refreshing, when we will be moving in the power of the Spirit to discern God’s Will for our lives.

The third Sunday, will be a healing communion service where many come forward to receive the sacrament as well as healing for their bodies and souls.

On the fifth Sunday, when there is one, we will host Revival Prayer meeting. This is an occasion for us to come and pray for God to revive his Church and his Nation.

In June we will welcome a new member of staff the Reverend David Grantham. He comes to us from St John’s College, Nottingham. He is being ordained at the end of June and will start his ministry amongst us in the autumn. I do hope that you will welcome David and his wife, Eliza, as they seek to minister amongst us.

As you can see, it is an exciting time for Christ Church, Moreton Hall and for our estate. Please be assured of our prayers and we hope that all we provide is assisting you in your life here.

With every good wish.

Jonathan Ford