Dear All.

I can not believe how fast the time is going, However, I was surprised when I saw Easter Eggs in the shops, yes they are gearing up for that wonderful time of the year when most people remember the big fluffy Rabbit.

Yes it has come to that, not the passion of Christ but looking forward to chocolate. Like most of our religious feast days, a new meaning has started to infiltrate from the civic world, it is a tragedy, but one that we can meet and face, and use. Telling Gods story and interaction with us is a great and wondrous privilege and we must not let anything prevent us from doing so. In our words and deeds. on the 14^th February I will celebrate my instillation here with you. yes Valentines day. I still remember that feeling of anticipation of coming of working with you in partnership to build the Kingdom here in Reddish, we have lost many of the people who were there that night, and there memories will be held in my heart forever, as great Christian souls who’s work completed have returned to there Home with God. We have new congregation members, our baptisms have increased our weddings after a dip last year slowly building back up to high levels. Our family services filling with children and young couples. We have much to be joyous about, much to thank God for. But we must not be complacent, we have a huge job to do, not for me not even for yourselves, not for clergy or Bishops, but for a man who had nothing in this world a man who brought unto himself those who were rejected unwanted un loved those who were at the fringe of society. This Jesus, this wonder beyond wonder this king of kings calls your name, it whispers to each of us on the wind it call us bacons us, build my kingdom where you are, in the now not the past but the here and now, build my kingdom, first in your heart then in the people around you. What a beautiful and magnificent God we have.

May God Bless you and keep you always.

 Shaun O’Rourke

January 2012 newsletter.

Dear All.

I am writing this prior to the new year, its exactly a week to Christmas, most of our preparations have been done at church, in fact the church looks beautiful, to day our Ladies changed the Linen on the alter, our sacred spaces made ready. The church made ready,

Made ready for the coming of the lord, for the birth of God on earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Our God.

I asked myself the question am I ready to meet him?, let me ask you, are you ready? 

I hope so was the best answer I could come up with, yes I have sermons ready, I have service sheets ready, I am looking forward to the services. However, am I ready in my heart, am I ready in my soul, can I walk to the stable bow my head and be in the presence of the Lord in a firm foundation of faith and trust and ready to make the journey with him for another year, another day, another hour. Because that’s how I walk with him moment by moment, and what I have come to recognise is that when I fail when I am tired exhausted when I have no fight for the fight, he carries me bleeding battered bruised like this he carries me on the cross. Until I have the strength the courage to carry on walking with him on the journey.

And this is offered to each one us regardless of what any other person thinks of us what ever any one says about us. He will carry you on his cross bear your pain your anguish your loss, he will carry you until you too are ready to stand on your own and walk with him.

In the year that approaches, now as it opens up before us, let us make ourselves ready, let us prepare to meet him walk with him. Let us share in his ministry to all people. Let us shout out his name in words everyone understands, let us talk of the great deeds he has done in our lives. Build his kingdom; build it on his name, on his promises, on his word.

May 2012 bring you happiness: And the blessing of the father Son and Holy Spirit, fill your life always.

Yours In Christ

Revd Shaun O’Rourke

December 2011.

Dear All

Well here we are again, no not Christmas. Advent, it is so easy to forget this most important of times, in fact if you asked most people in the street what advent was they would probably say isn’t that a calendar with chocolate in.

Well advent is so much more, the time we prepare for the coming of the Son of God the saviour of the world, the redemption of the humane race through the one act of love, the act of love so great God manifests himself on earth for each and everyone of us, to save the life and give eternal life to all.

To pay the price for our future.

And how do we repay this act of love and generosity? Do we work together to prepare his kingdom? Do we take the time to contemplate the wonder of this miracle? Do we love our fellow brothers and sisters around the world? Do we feed the hungry? Clothe the naked ? do we do his will on earth by loving our neighbours the ones we love and like and the ones we don’t?

Or are we focused on the run up to the secular Christmas day, are our trees up cards on the walls? are our presents bought wrapped and put away?

I wonder which you will be focused on this year,

The Christ Mass or the Christmas, funny how we lose sight of what is truly important don’t you think. Its like our church if the community of Reddish wont use it, when they lose it there would be a great outcry, think then how much more important it is not to lose sight of what Christmas is. Use Advent for what it is a time of preparation to meet anew the baby Jesus and walk with him in his life stories for another year. Be ready with oil in your lamps.

With every blessing.

Revd Shaun O’Rourke.

November 2011.

Dear all.

Welcome to our November newsletter, Question: what do you call a group of chess fanatics bragging about there game in a hotel lobby?

Answer: chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

Bad joke, yes and please accept my apologies’ its just with the way Christmas keeps getting put forward by the shops you would be tired of Christmas before the next newsletter.

However, we are still in November time in the church, I want to take the opportunity to thank all those who came and supported your church at St Agnes on the 30^th October.

It is so important that we here at St Mary show our willingness to support joint team services, it is about worshiping Christians understanding that worship is what’s so important for us and doing it together, well it was beautiful.

To see three congregations of different styles and ways of worshiping coming to worship together in one building says much about your faith commitment to God and the wonder of God. Thank you all so much.

It also makes a marvellous statement about the Reddish churches that they can look beyond themselves and look to the future with a sense of togetherness and trust.

And the honour of the next service falls on us here at St. Marys, a service to which I look with anticipation, one for the worship and two for the fellowship and support that we will have as three congregations united.

I know that the process you started even before I arrived has been tense; However, working together we should look to a bright future for all our churches here in Reddish.

May god bless you all

Revd. Shaun O’Rourke.

Amongst all the packing boxes, tissue paper, dust and mess at one house. Paint, paper, wallpaper stripper at the other, it appears I am moving!!!!

I knew I had to and I thought it would be easy'ish but how much rubbish do we all store in our cupboards? Under beds? and in any other space we can squeeze it!!!

So I have to face de-cluttering my house, and it got me thinking on how at times we need to de-clutter our lives with all that excess baggage we carry around, past hurts and disappointments. Maybe like clearing a home and moving, we too can clear our bondage to the bad things and move onto pastures new. We can basque in the glory of re- newed friendships as we let go of grudges.

On Friday this week I will be finishing my job as childminder and preparing to become a full time curate, the service on Sunday will be my last one, and I hope that you will all come and say goodbye and have a glass or two of wine with me. I will need your prayers as I move on with my life in a new home and two new churches.

I am having to rely on my faith, thinking every day am I doing the right thing, but ultimately I know God is in control and all will be well.

I will pray for you all and for the community of Reddish, as you carry on with your walk with God. I will always have a soft spot for the people of Reddish.

With every blessing

,

Rev'd Helen Scanlan xxxx