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St Botolph’s Church Family News 16th August 2020
Tenth Sunday after Trinity
Services week commencing 17th August
Monday - Thursday Live stream of Morning Prayer at 8:00am
Friday Freestyle Friday at 8:00am
www.sbots.church
Services 16th August
Online Service (Available from 9:15am)
Evening Prayer - 6:30pm
www.sbots.church
Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be
haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own
sight. Collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your
humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them
to ask such things as shall please you; through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Also this Sunday 16th August. Again if you intend to come to
church on Sunday evening and haven’t emailed or called the office,
please do.
http://www.sbots.churchhttp://www.sbots.churchhttp://www.sbots.churchhttp://www.sbots.church
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Help us to enfold our church family with prayer. Please pray for
these people this
week:
• Graham and Helen Tilney & family
• Don Cash & Family
• Family of Steve Frost
• Debbie Palmer & family
• Family of David Goodlad
• Diana Ellis & family
• Philippa Simper & family
• Ron Eyre & family
• Maurice Haynes
• Tina McMillan & family
• Family of Les Adams
St Botolph’s My ChurchSuite My ChurchSuite is a computer and
smart phone information system that is available to St Botolph’s
fellowship should you wish to join. It is part of a larger church
management system - “ChurchSuite”
To see more detail go to St Botolph’s Blog.
If you are not already a member and would like to join My
ChurchSuite please email [email protected]
10 of Those In this excellent overview, Vaughan Roberts paints
the big picture, showing how the different parts of the Bible fit
together under the theme of the kingdom of God. He offers us tools
to read it with confidence, enthusiasm and understanding. Vaughan
points us to the Bible’s supreme subject, Jesus Christ, and the
salvation God offers through him.
The Good Book Company
Following up his popular book Exploring the Bible, David Murray
has written a new reading plan for older children and tweens that
focuses on Jesus Christ.
This volume walks kids through the story of Jesus in the Gospels
over the course of a year.
Each of the 52 weekly "meetings with Jesus" teaches a new truth
about Jesus through 6 days of Bible reading and includes
interactive reflection questions, space for prayer and application,
memory verses, and lines for sermon notes.
https://stbotsblog.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]://stbotsblog.wordpress.com/mailto:[email protected]
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Christianity Explored Online3-week series of videos and
discussion via ‘Zoom’ led by Rev Mark Lucas beginning Monday
10th August (7.30 - 9:00 pm) An opportunity for enquiry into the
Christian faith, a chance to ask questions and look for answers in
a relaxed and informal setting.
Please think and pray about friends, neighbours, work colleagues
or family, or church family members, who might be interested in
this and invite them to sign up.
You might like to join with a guest in order to support and
encourage them.
Email [email protected] to register an interest, sign up
or simply pass on the name of someone you think might find this
course beneficial.
Please let us know if you intend to come. Email
[email protected] or call 01536 414052
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
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On Easter Sunday, at least six leaders of Early Rain Church were
taken On Easter Sunday, at least six leaders of Early Rain Church
were taken from their homes and their electricity was cut off,
after government officials learned they were joining an online
church service. And this was just one incident in years of
intrusive government surveillance and harassment the church has
endured. Many members are still in detention, on bail or under
house arrest.
Recently a letter has been widely shared on Chinese social media
describing the church members’ experience. The letter is by Brother
Zhou, [name changed for security reasons] a member of
Early Rain. Brother Zhou said:
Our three families have now been under guard for more than 480
days...They saw the guards bitten by mosquitoes in summer, and
almost frozen in winter…The couple felt compassion. Sometimes they
give food, sometimes they give the Bible... This is the way
Christians express their love. Yes, we treat them as human beings.
However, their leaders use them as chess pieces and dogs. Even when
the virus raged, they stood pitifully at their posts…
• Thank God for the love and compassion shown by the members of
Early Rain Church who are under house arrest, towards their
guards.
• Pray that the guards will be moved by the example of the
Christians they are guarding, and that their hearts will
soften.
• Pray that the government will stop harassing, intimidating and
detaining Early Rain Church, so that church members can practise
their faith freely and peacefully.
• Authorities shut down a Sunday service at Xingguang Church in
Xiamen on 3 May, injuring several church members. The church is an
independent ‘house church’, but has been coming under increasing
pressure to register with the government. Pray the pressure would
cease completely.
• Pray for protection for the estimated one to three million
Uyghur Muslims held in camps in the Xinjiang region. Conditions in
the camps are horrific, and there are serious concerns that if
COVID-19 reaches the camps it could spread unchecked. their
homes and their electricity was cut off, after government officials
learned they were joining an online church service. And this was
just one incident in years of intrusive government surveillance and
harassment the church has endured. Many members are still in
detention, on bail or under house arrest.
‘But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.’
Matthew 5:44-45a
