This Sunday, like many other folk up and down the country, my daughter, Isobel, started her first term at university! In the week leading up, we had tried to get as much together as possible – sorting clothes, finding our old crockery set, picking out bedlinen, going on a big shop for pasta, spices, cleaning stuff, and toiletries, printing out checklists and documents and potting up plants. There’s a fair amount of preparation I hadn’t expected to do, along with the inevitable trip to IKEA! Eventually, we loaded everything into the car and set off to arrive at our designated drop-off time!
As we drove into the city where she is studying, we began to play ‘spot the student’ as suddenly other cars packed full of bags, clothes racks, plants, suitcases, and pillows were also heading into the city centre.

Unpacking at her flat we soon noticed there were still a few things missing.
Thankfully we headed off to the local B&M and Argos – along with half the other new arrivals – to get a cutlery tray and a desk lamp and pillow protectors... Joining queues of young people and their parents buying irons, flat sheets, and mugs. The pillow protectors and desk lamp we got; the cutlery tray – nowhere had one. She might just have to manage without that!

All of this makes me wonder, if our Christian faith is like a journey, what are our preparations for this journey like? What do we take with us that we can't do without? What do we have to leave behind? What, even, have we forgotten and need to go back for?

I’m not sure we can ever be fully prepared for whatever God has in store for us, there will always be surprises. Rather than run ourselves ragged trying to find whatever it is we believe we absolutely need, maybe we can trust that God will either provide it, or ask God to free us to manage without it.
I wonder what beliefs, worries, fears, or tasks that you cling onto or really seek to find in your faith or worship that matter to you but are not so important to God? How it might feel to manage without them?

I wonder if there are gifts, characteristics, or habits that what we really wished we had on our faith journey that we haven’t felt we could ask God to help us with. How might it be to receive them?

Lots to ponder. In the meantime, I will be Googling “cheap cutlery trays” for when I next visit!

With love,
Lizzie

Sunday 24th September
Rob is giving the 1st sermon in a series looking at the book of Exodus - that ancient story of liberation - of God feeing his people from Egypt.
This is part of our journey into thinking about how we can be a more inclusive church. Why not read Exodus yourself?

Parking on Sunday Mornings
Please note parking directly outside church grounds on a Sunday is reserved for those with limited mobility. The cones outside church should not be moved as these keep the dropped kerb clear for access. If the dropped kerb is not accessible it can prevent people attending church. If you are able, please park in the school playground. Thank you.

Go Deeper - Live!
We were enormously blessed to have Marcus Green back with us last weekend, who lived and preached here 10 years ago! He shared his own testimony in the morning services (available to watch here), and led us in an examination of how to use the Bible well to look at the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the evening Go Deeper Live Worship Service (also available to watch here).

START! Course - September 2023
Our Start! Course is underway but there’s still chance to join!
If you're new to church or would like to know more about faith, come along!
It makes no assumptions about participants’ background, experience, or knowledge of Christianity or the church. It really does 'Start' from scratch!
The next evening is Tuesday 26th September, 6:30-8pm, with tea/coffee & cake served. If you’re interested in coming along, please email [email protected]

Pop-Up Café
Lizzie would like to thank everyone who helped or came to the Pop-Up Café for parents & carers dropping off their children at the start of term.
It was lovely to see folk chatting and making friends on what’s quite a big day!
Don’t forget you’re always welcome at our Friday coffee shop, open term-time from 9-12 in Church.

Midday Communion
Continues in Church on Mondays - Come along for An Hour of Quiet, with Contemplative Prayer & Communion. 12-1pm in Church (term-time only).

Flowers for Harvest
If you would like to help decorate our church ready for Harvest the team will be in church on Saturday 30th September from 9am–12pm. Anyone wishing to help & join the friendly team will be very welcome. No experience is needed as guidance will be given, plus tea, coffee, & biscuits & time to chat.
This year, donations of Hydrangea heads are needed to ensure a spectacular display, and these can be brought to church on the day of decoration.
Also, should anyone wish, donations are always much appreciated in the Green Flower Box on the welcome table at the back of Church. Thank You!

Messy Harvest!
Harvest Messy Church is next Saturday 30th September, from 2-4pm, in Church.
Please click here to learn more!

Calverley Beer Festival – Saturday 7th October (11am-11pm)
Tickets are limited and running out - be quick if you would to buy a cheaper ticket in advance online! For further information and to purchase cheaper tickets, please visit calverley.church/beer
We still need a few more volunteers to help on the day - If you can spare a couple of hours, please contact the [email protected]

Harvest Festival
Come along to our annual service celebrating Harvest on Sunday 8th October at 10am.
Our Harvest Festival service helps replenish Food Bank supplies that have run low over the summer months.
It also highlights the value of giving, and shows how even the smallest of gifts can have great significance in people’s lives.
Bring one item or a few - it all helps!
Suggested Harvest 2023 Donation Shopping List:
• Long Life UHT Milk
• Long-life UHT Fruit Juice
• Instant Mash
• Tinned Fish
• Tinned Fruit
• Tinned Rice Pudding
• Tinned Spaghetti
• Crackers & Spreads preserves
• Snacks-Crips/Crackers
• Chocolate Bars
• Sponge Puddings
• Shampoo
• Deodorant
• Adult Toothbrushes & Toothpaste
• Toilet Paper
• Men’s Razors & Shaving Foam
• Washing up liquid
• Laundry Tabs/Pods

St. Wilfrid's, Calverley Parish Church on YouTube!
Did you know if you ever miss a sermon or would like to watch again, you can visit our YouTube channel online here where all our weekly sermons are published, along with Weekly Morning Prayer, published every Wednesday at 8am in term-time. You can watch our YouTube videos on your laptop, phone, tablet, or Smart TV!

ChurchSuite
Have you signed up to Churchsuite our new data management platform yet?
It’s great to keep in contact with all of you when we need to, whether that’s for rotas, or for pastoral reasons. For more information and to sign up, please click here, and help us be the strong connected community we're called to be.

Please send any items to be included in our weekly Family Newsletter to [email protected]

The work and ministry of Calverley Parish Church is supported by the generous giving of the church community, and we receive no outside funding.
You can make a donation or sign up to regular giving, including Gift Aid, via our Parish Giving page online here.
Thank You for your support.