And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ... 2 Nephi 25:26

Sunday 29 December 2013

Have you???

A lovely reminder of the challenge Bishop Pentreath gave us this morning in sacrament meeting?

Announcements & Lesson - 29 December 2013

Being a 5th Sunday we had a joint Relief Society and Priesthood meeting today so there were not many announcements.  Those which were mentioned are:

  • There is a New Years Eve party at the Ipswich chapel - if attending please bring along some food / snacks to share.  It starts at 9pm.

  • Sister Evelyn Dawdry is still in hospital and may remain so for a little while.  She would love visitors and is on Haughley Ward where visiting hours are 10.30 - 3.30. 

  • Sister Delores Hernandez is also in hospital still but expecting to come home today or tomorrow.  However with none of her family close by it would be great to continue to have some visits in her home.  She lives near Ipswich Railway Station.  Please contact a member of the presidency if you are able to visit and we can pass on her address.  The visit will need a Portuguese / Spanish speaking sister to be there too as she speaks no English.

  • There is to be a Priesthood and Auxiliary leadership training meeting on Saturday 18th January 2014 at 6.30pm for all members of the Ward Council and presidencies given by Elder Dryden of the Seventy.


Bishop confirmed that the Stake will no longer be producing Stake Directories each year however the information is available on the many websites the church provides.  Todays joint lesson was to run through the websites available to us and to show a brief review of how to use them.  The main information shared is detailed below however if you require some assistance in using these resources please speak to a member of the Presidency.

Bishop did also confirm that a small print out will be available for those who do not have access to computers to ensure they have ward leaders contact details.

John Folley (Ward Clerk) gave us a presentation on Lds.org and Lds tools.  He reaffirmed the importance of setting up an LDS account to be able to access the local phone directories / calenders which are available on the Internet and as an App on smartphones.

Each LDS program uses the same LDS account so if you have ordered something from the online store or been involved with indexing you will already have an account.  Otherwise you can create one on LDS.org.  You will need your Membership number which can be found on your temple recommend, your recent tithing settlement slip or from John Folley.

Once this is set up you will be able to access LDS tools - which shows the names, addresses and telephone numbers of members of the ward and stake. If your details were in the Stake Directory they will automatically be added into Lds Tools.  This also enables you to update information if you move home, change phone number, email etc.  It also contains the calenders for all ward and stake events.

Paulo Periera then spoke to us about 'Spreading Viral Breadcrumbs.'.  You may remember that the England London Mission President visited us a few months ago to share his vision on spreading breadcrumbs in our missionary work.  Just making a comment about the gospel and waiting to see if the comment is picked up and can lead to further discussions and missionary work.  Paulo explained how the resources to share the gospel online are becoming ever more available.

He shared the following statistics:

In just one month 79 million people watched over 3 billion videos on You Tube. 
Over 1 billion people use You Tube and Facebook each month and over 560m use Twitter.  Many people now 'live' online and it is a perfect way to share the gospel message.

There are three main websites the church have - LDS.org which is aimed at the membership of the church and with which most are familiar.  Familysearch.org where we do our family history work.  And the third, Mormon.org which is aimed at those outside of the church and allows them to see real people who are members of the church sharing their testimonies and love of the gospel and their Saviour. 

Paulo reinforced how important it is for us to set up our own member profiles on Mormon.org.  It is incredibly easy to do and some members of the ward have already done so - maybe this can be one of your New Years goals to do your bit in sharing the gospel.   All you need to do is go to the Mormon.org website and then click Profile in the top right hand corner.  Again any help needed please speak to a member of the presidency.

We also briefly discussed how easy it is to share the gospel via Facebook and other social media sites by simply sharing a video that touched our hearts or a simple message.

Sunday 22 December 2013

Annoucements - 22 December 2013

Sisters what a wonderful Sabbath day.  There were just a few announcements:

On Christmas Day there will be an hour long service at 10am.  All are invited to attend.

Please can you pass your VT figures / reports to Sister Sue Kennedy as soon as possible.

Next year we will be studying the Teachings of Joseph Fielding Smith in RS and Priesthood.  New manuals were passed out today, if you didn't get one please see a member of the presidency. 

Sister Evelyn Dawdry is not well and is currently in the Ipswich Hospital on Haughley Ward.  Visiting hours are 10.30am - 3.30pm.  Please keep Derrick and Evelyn in your prayers.

Sunday 15 December 2013

Annoucements - 15 December 2013

There will be a service on Christmas Day at 10am for one hour for any who wish to attend.

Next Sunday is our Teachings of Our Times lesson and will be based on President Monson's talk from General Conference 'I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.'

Brother Derrick Dawdry is having his surgery tomorrow and Sister Dawdry is not at all well at the moment.  We are helping out this week by providing meals, if anyone is able to help with this could they please contact Sister Cristina Torres.

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Amazing !!!

Wow - How amazing you sisters are!!!

Our service project this year was to support a baby charity which provided burial clothes and blankets for those tiny babies who die due to miscarriage or still birth.  This is the latest donation we sent.  What a marvel you sisters are.  Just imagine how many parents you will have helped.



 
You are more than welcome to continue serving the charity but will need to arrange your own posting of parcels.  Sara has the address details.
 
And there will be plenty more chances to serve Sisters - the project for 2014 will be an opportunity to serve as families.  We are excited!!  More details to follow shortly.

Sunday 8 December 2013

Annoucements - 8 December 2013

This Saturday we have the baptism of Steven at 10am - all are welcome to attend.

Later on Saturday it is also the Ward Christmas Party from 6pm-8pm.  There will be lots of activities to join in with and it is a great opportunity to invite friends.

Sister Maureen Folley is in need of some help on Wed 18th December to get to a dental appointment in Norwich at 3pm.  We realise that it is a busy time of year but if you are able to help it would be hugely appreciated and Maureen is happy to cover the cost of petrol.

We are now coming to the close of this years service project - Upon Butterfly Wings.  Next Sunday is the last chance to bring anything that you wish to be included in our final package.  You have made hundreds and hundreds of beautiful items which are helping to make the loss of much loved babies a little easier.  Sisters are very welcome to continue to make items for the charity in future months but would need to arrange delivery of their own items.  Please see Sara for address details.

The youth URGENTLY need more names for their youth baptism trip on 27th December.  Please speak to Jonathan Benmore ASAP if you can assist.  For those who have offered some names can you please take the computer print out to Jonathan next Sunday.

We have had a plea from the Food Bank if anyone is free during the day from 10am onwards this week they need some help wrapping gifts.  See Sara for details.

We will shortly be sending off parcels to Elder Pereira and Elder Esteves.  If you would like to add small treats for them or letters and cards please pass to the RS Presidency NEXT SUNDAY.    Also we are making up small hampers for the missionary couples serving in Ipswich so if you would like to add a small treat to these that would be great, again please bring on Sunday and pass to RS Presidency.

Thank you so much for all the wonderful things that you do.

Love
Louise, Sara and Fatima

Saturday 7 December 2013

A Silent Christmas...

Sisters - It was so wonderful to spend yesterday evening with so many of you.  Thank you so much for making time to be together in such a busy month.  We really hope the message of 'A Silent Christmas' touched your hearts and that you are able to find more space for the Saviour in your lives during December and over the coming year.

 
Several of you have asked to see the video again, so if you  CLICK HERE it will take you to the video.  Maybe you could share it with your family in FHE.
 



 

Sunday 1 December 2013

Lesson - Come Unto Me

Sis Sara McCullum gave the presidency lesson today. 

We discussed how life can be very harsh at times and we all experience very difficult times which can be heart wrenching to go through.  But that to any challenge we face there is an answer and that answer is always the same - the Saviour.

We watched this beautiful video as we thought about our own feelings towards Jesus Christ:

Click here to watch

We talked about the many ways in which Christ wants to reach out to help us, about his deep love for EVERY one of us and the fact He is ALWAYS there.  We talked about a few of the names He is known by in the scriptures, each one teaching us how He wishes to be there and help us.  Sara shared her favourite was that of the Good Shepherd and this account from a General conference talk by Elder John R. Lasater:

"Some years ago, it was my privilege to visit the country of Morocco as part of an official United States government delegation.  As part of that visit, we were invited to travel some distance into the desert to visit some ruins.  Five large black limousines moved across the beautiful Moroccan countryside at considerable speed.  I was riding in the third limousine, which had lagged some distance behind the second. As we topped the brow of a hill we noticed that the limousine in front of us had pulled off to the side of the road.  As we drew nearer, I sensed that an accident had occurred and suggested to my driver that we stop.  The scene before us has remained with me for these many years.

"An old shepherd, in the long flowing robes of the Savior’s day, was standing near the limousine in conversation with the driver.  Nearby I noticed a small flock of sheep numbering not more than fifteen or twenty.  An accident had occurred.  The king’s vehicle had struck and injured one of the sheep belonging to the old shepherd.  The driver of the vehicle was explaining to him the law of the land.  Because the king’s vehicle had injured one of the sheep belonging to the old shepherd, he was now entitled to one hundred times its value at maturity.  However under the same law the injured sheep must be slain and the meat divided among the people.  My interpreter hastily added ‘but the old shepherd will not accept the money.  They never do.’

 "Startled, I asked him why.  And he added, ‘Because of the love he has for each of his sheep.’  It was then that I noticed the old shepherd reach down, lift the injured lamb in his arms and place it in a large pouch on the front of his robe.  He kept stroking its head, repeating the same word over and over again.  When I asked the meaning of the word, I was informed, ‘oh he is calling it by name.  All of his sheep have a name, for he is their shepherd and the good shepherds know each one of their sheep by name.’

"It was as my driver predicted.  The money was refused, and the old shepherd with his small flock of sheep, with the injured one tucked safely in the pouch on his robe, disappeared into the beautiful deserts of Morocco."



When we are at our most broken the Saviour will be there.  BUT we have to let Him in.  We have to go to Him. 

The counsel given from Jeffery R Holland was shared "Come unto Him and lay down your burden.  Let Him life the load.  Let Him bring peace to your soul.'

Sisters - please do something this week and let Him in.

 

Announcements 1st December 2013

Sisters there were a number of announcements today:

THIS Friday evening at 7.30pm we have our R/S 'Silent Christmas'.  We really hope you will all be able to join us for a very special evening.  It will include a meal so come along and be fed physically and spiritually.

A reminder for all parents of activity day children that there is an activity on Tuesday evening and can all the children bring the items they have chosen for the hamper.

Saturday this week we have the Stake Christmas activity starting at 6pm - which will include a choir of missionaries from the England London Mission performing.

Thank you to all those who provided letters and presents for Elder Pentreath and Elder Mateer.  We are now looking to arrange parcels for Elder Pereira and Elder Esteves.  If you wish to provide something for these elders please bring on Sunday and pass to the RS Presidency and mark who they are for.  Please speak to Paula and Fatima if you would like to know if there is something particular they like.

Also we are planning on making small hampers up for the missionaries serving in the ward.  If you would like to add a small treat (food, toiletries etc) then please also pass these to the RS Presidency as soon as possible.

Saturday 14th December 6pm - 8pm is our ward Christmas Activity 'A Christmas Market' with lots of activities to do and games to play.  A perfect opportunity to invite friends to come along. 

We have been supporting the charity Upon Butterfly Wings this year and have another huge amount of donations to send off.  If you have anything you want to be added please pass to Sara in the next two weeks.  After this year sisters are welcome to continue knitting for the charity but will need to arrange postage of their own items.  Sara can provide address details to all those interested.

Sis Maureen Folley has a dental appointment in Norwich on Wed 18th Dec at 3pm and is in need of transportation.  If anyone can help please let Maureen know - she is happy to cover the petrol costs.

Brother Jon Benmore is arranging the youth temple baptism trip on 27th December and is need of some more names for the youth to do - a minimum of ten per youth is required.  If anyone can assist with this, please speak to Jon directly.

English classes are starting this week and will be held each Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the nursery.  Please speak to Joanne Stockill if you are interested in attending.